Solar energy credit for residential
A SOLAR electric residential property to be qualified for the credit must meet the following requirements: 1. Costs paid must be for qualified for solar electric property. 2. Qualified solar…
Category: Consumer Columnists
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Business owner files Chapter 7 due to $1-M labor lawsuits
THE client is 65. He operates a service-oriented business with three outlets in strip malls. He has been in business for eight years. Of the three outlets, two are losing…
Reporting undocumented workers to ICE by employer’s representative is unlawful
In 1995, José Arias, an undocumented immigrant, began work as a milker for Angelo Dairy. Two years later, Arias wanted to accept a job offer with another dairy company. The…
Q&A: What to expect during an IRS audit
HOW did I get selected for an audit? • Random selection and computer screening – how your return compares to norms. • Related party examinations - transactions with partners, investors, or audits…
Bankruptcy: Making the law work to your benefit
When your financial circumstances are forcing you to declare bankruptcy, bankruptcy can be one way of dealing with debts that you can no longer manage on your own. Of course,…
Client seeks Chapter 7 relief again for $48K in credit card debt
WHO said that, first is chance, twice is coincidence and third is habit? I have two new clients who are actually previous clients. The first is 55 and she filed…
FATCA reminder for US persons
THE Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) requires foreign financial Institutions and other non-financial foreign entities to report on the foreign assets held by their U.S. account holders or be…
Charging different prices to consumers based on age may be discrimination
TINDER is a smartphone-based dating app. Subscribers use the app to find people whom they would like to date. Tinder presents users with photos of potential dates. In March 2015,…
Are you thinking of debt settlement to avoid bankruptcy?
YOU’VE probably seen a lot of these ads: “Settle your debts for pennies on the dollar!”, “Reduce your debts legally without filing bankruptcy!” “Stop bill collectors now and pay them…
Protecting your pets upon passing
APPROXIMATELY 78 million dogs and 85.8 million cats are owned in the United States (ASPCA Pet Statistics). About 52% of California households own a pet (American Veterinary Medical Association 2011…
Filipina domestic employee wins $827,506 in wage trial
A FILIPINA domestic employee won her wage claims against her former employers after a court trial held in Los Angeles Superior Court. Linda Alzate (not her real name), an immigrant…
All about the fair debt collection practices act
THE Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that was enacted in 1978 by the United States Congress to protect consumers from abusive debt collectors. Note, however,…
Excluding sexual misconduct from arbitration (Ensuring employee access to the courts)
DEBORAH Pierce, an emergency room doctor, brought a sex discrimination claim against the employer that had fired her. She had evidence that the employer had a pattern of denying women…
Business tax provisions
1. THE new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act cuts corporate taxes from eight graduated rates of 15 percent to 35 percent to a flat rate of 21 percent. 2. The…
Reduce your stress by reducing your debt
HAVE debt problems taken over your life? Do you lie awake at night thinking how in the world you’re going to pay back your debts while still being able to…
Death of a taxpayer
Part 1 WHAT you need to know when your loved one dies or when you die? What is meant by Final Form 1040, filing of Form 1041 and Form 706?…
Senior seeks Chapter 13 protection for fully paid house from $15K in credit card debt
THE client is a young senior in his early 60s who took an early retirement last year. He owes $15,000 of credit card debt and nothing else. He has a…
Illegal work discrimination based on sex orientation
JAMES Pearl was hired in 2002 by the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation. In 2006, he was promoted as a wastewater collection supervisor. In 2011, he was transferred to an…
20 individual tax provisions
HERE’S a list of tax provisions of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act affecting individuals like you and me. 1. The new Tax Cut and Jobs Act keeps seven tax…
Do you have more debt than you can handle?
MOST people don’t talk about their debts because they find that conversation embarrassing. They can talk to their friends and family about everything else but when it comes to the…
Clarifying California’s rules on breaks
Q: I have just entered the work force and I work in the service industry on 12-hour shifts. My supervisor says I am entitled to one 30-minute lunch break and…
Education provisions
THE Tax Cuts and Jobs Act saves the student loan interest deduction and keeps tuition waivers for graduate students tax-free. It also expands 529 savings accounts to include private K-12 education….
What really causes people to file bankruptcy?
A LOT of people who don’t have a clue about how bankruptcy works are sometimes too quick to judge others who find bankruptcy as their only option to get out…
What you need to know about pretax plans
THE only means an employer can offer employees between taxable and nontaxable benefits is through section 125 plan. What are a section 125 plan, a cafeteria plan, and the IRS…
Repo deficiency causes senior to seek Chapter 7 relief
THE first client is 75 years old. Her husband passed four years ago and left her with $30,000 of credit card debt. She has been making minimum payments on their…
“Independent contractor” classification can be a bad bargain for workers
Q: I work as a travelling technician or ompany. Recently, my employer asked me to sign an “independent contractor” agreement and told me that I will now be receiving a 1099 instead…
What you should know about the new tax law P6
Part 6: Homeowners 1. THE Tax Cut and Jobs Act reduces the maximum amount of mortgage debt to acquire a first or second residence for which you can claim itemized…
When debt problems cause marriage problems
EVERY day, I meet with couples who are deeply in debt. In a lot of cases, I can feel the stress level that they are experiencing while the couple is…
Client files Chapter 13 while hoping for a loan modification of mortgage
A CLIENT has had an ongoing “battle” with Wells Fargo for justice on her mortgage since 2007. It’s been nine years since she made the mistake of refinancing her fully…
Should employers be liable for sex harassment by non-employees?
M.F. worked for Pacific Pearl Hotel Management, LLC as a housekeeper at its five-building hotel property. One morning, the hotel’s engineering manager saw a drunk trespasser with a beer in…