Category: Consumer Columnists

ACCUMULATING debt is the easiest thing you can do in America. Even your dog can get credit cards with a fake social security number. If you are an immigrant and…

Q: I was diagnosed with early stage cancer a few weeks ago. I can still do my job but I will need about 5 hours off from work every week…

Both qualify for different chapters of bankruptcy code for different chaptersof bankruptcy code Most debtors prefer to have a Chapter 7 wipe out of debt. This is called a fresh…

Q: I AM a part-time hourly employee working in retail. I work between 20 to 30 hours a week. I recently got sick and had to be out for three…

THE first client is 75. Her husband passed four years ago and left her with $30,000 of credit card debt. She has been making minimum payments on their credit cards…

IF you care about how you are going to live your life 10, 20 or more years from now, this article is for you.  The future is something we don’t…

THE client is 42 and is going through a divorce after a short two-year marriage. He has moved out of the marital home and now lives by himself. He has…

ARE you overwhelmed with debt problems that seem insurmountable? Are you starting to feel hopeless about your financial future and thinking you’ll never get ahead? You may be at a…

THE client is 42 and is going through a divorce after a short two-year marriage. He has moved out of the marital home and now lives by himself. He has…

ALIVIA Stricklin worked as a security officer for First Alarm Security, a company in San Jose, CA that provides security and patrol services to businesses and homeowners. Stricklin’s duties included…

THERE’S a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to harvest. There’s a time for everything.  So states Ecclesiastes 3: “For…

Q: I was recently hired for a job and was asked to sign an arbitration agreement. I was told that signing the agreement is “voluntary” but when I asked if…

ARE you worried about not being able to take care of your family’s needs because of your debt problems? No one ever wants to be in this situation but I…

Q: I worked on Thanksgiving Day and the Day after Thanksgiving. Am I entitled to holiday pay? A: Around this time of year, we get this question a lot. So…

THE client is a corporation that has been in business since 2000. It had both good and bad times over the last two decades but always managed to land on…

A LOT of people in debt often already know what they need to do once they realize that bankruptcy is their only way out. But they usually delay the decision…

THE client is a senior at 67. He is married but has been separated from his wife for some time. He lives with a woman but is not married to…

EDEN Smiles worked for Walgreens, the pharmacy giant, as a cashier. She filed a class action case on behalf of current and former non-exempt, hourly-paid cashiers, photo specialists, beauty advisors,…

AURORA Isabel is a Filipina who worked for the Pasadena Water and Power. Isabel complained that her manager discriminated against her for her accent. She was demoted to a field…

THE Fair Debt Collection Practices (FDCPA) is a Federal law that was enacted in 1978 by the United States Congress to protect consumers from abusive debt collectors. However, the FDCPA…

FACING serious debt problems can be depressing to a lot of people. It may seem like the end of the world.  You may feel angry, depressed, guilty- or a combination…

Q: I AM thinking of filing an overtime claim against my employer because I and my coworkers are doing a lot of off-the-clock work. However, I am concerned about losing…

THE client is 50 and married. He owes $60,000 of credit cards. He pays $2,000 a month as minimum credit card payments to keep the $60,000 current. His wife is…