Stuck in debt? Here’s how you can turn things around
IF you’ve ever found yourself financially broke or buried in debt at one point in your life, I’m sure you still remember how it felt. The feelings of despair and…
Category: Consumer Columnists
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When can the landlord enter the rental unit?
THE landlord or its representative must give the tenant a reasonable written notice in advance before entering the unit, and can enter only during normal business hours generally, 8 a.m….
Clients seek relief for credit card debt
CLIENTis 48, married, and has a good job paying him $100K gross a year. A family emergency has caused him some financial hardship because money meant to pay for the…
Client seeks Chapter 13 relief for mortgage default, credit cards; Senior seeks Chapter 7 for relief for 40K credit cards
“ If you are saddled with debt, now is the time to get them discharged. Better now than later when you are about to retire. ” CLIENT is 48, married,…
When is an employment termination ‘wrongful’?
Q: I worked in a company for over 10 years. A new supervisor and I do not get along. Last week, the company let me go without any explanation. I…
12 ways to avoid an IRS audit
“ Avoid low gross receipts and few but unusually high expenses.” 1. DO not hide interest and dividend income from the IRS, even if your spouse may not be aware…
Drowning in debt but too afraid to ask for help?
HAVE you ever faced a situation in your life where you needed help so badly but you were just too afraid to ask for it? Perhaps you felt confused and…
Employee’s right to final paycheck at termination
Q: TWO WEEKS AGO I WAS FIRED FROM WORK. MY EMPLOYER TOLD ME MY LAST PAYCHECK WILL BE MAILED TO ME BY NEXT PAYDAY. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT YET….
Negotiating with credit card companies to avoid bankruptcy
YOUR credit card payments are past due. You’re confused and don’t know what to do. The bill collectors are calling you non-stop and writing you threatening letters. What do you…
IRS consumer alert tips – the IRS at your door
HOW do you determine if the person visiting you either at your business or at home or calling you are not an IRS imposter? Look for two forms of credentials….
Client seeks chapter 13 relief for mortgage default, credit cards Senior seeks chapter 7 for relief for 40K credit cards
“ If you are saddled with debt, now is the time to get them discharged.Better now than later.” CLIENT is 48, married and has a good job paying him $100K…
IRS consumer alert tips – identity theft
Someone uses your social security number to file a fraudulent tax return to claim a refund or get a job. An employer’s tax identification is stolen to create a false…
Should employees who “volunteer” to work off-the-clock be paid?
Q:I WORK as a nurse at a hospital that has a strict policy of no unapproved overtime, and no going on breaks unless we are relieved by another nurse. We…
How to avoid IRS audits: Deduction issues
BE conservative with deductions if you want to avoid audits. Be aggressive and you increase your risk of IRS scrutiny. Play the odds and you invite an audit. The question…
10 debt danger signs: Ignore them or suffer later
“ Let me get one thing straight, just because you can pay your minimum monthly payments each month doesn’t necessarily mean that you do not have a debt problem” WHILE…
New California laws
PART 1 CUSTOMER Service Dashboard: The goal is provide tools and resources in resolving tax matters. The “Customer Service Dashboard” was launched in March 1, 2017 with estimated time frames…
Abandoned wife, Uber driver seek Chapter 7 for credit card debt
FIRST client is 48 and married in the last 4 years. Husband was a foreigner who professed his love for her in so many ways. Unfortunately, his love for her…
Winners under the Trump tax plan
“ Trump’s plan will help more low-income workers to avoid taxes, not to pay income taxes.” ACCORDING to the Tax Foundation’s Taxes and Growth Model, the Trump tax plan would…
Bankruptcy: Why suffer in debt when the law provides a remedy?
HAVE you heard the story of a poor, old beggar who died one day- and to everyone’s amazement, a money belt found wrapped around his waist contained thousands of dollars…
Tips to protect your company from worker classification audits
PART 1 THE focus of an audit is whether independent contractors should actually be treated as employees. The unpaid taxes for misclassified employees include income taxes, federal unemployment, and FICA…
Store manager needs bankruptcy relief
“ The Chapter 13 trustee, unlike the Chapter 7 trustee, does not have the power to sell debtor’s house. So, in Chapter 13, there is no risk of losing debtor’s…
Business tax changes under Trump tax plan
A MAJOR thrust of the Trump Tax Plan is to bring back jobs to America. Large multi-nationals left and set up operations in foreign countries to avoid our corporate tax…
Bankruptcy can offer hope when life doesn’t seem fair
WE’VE all been there. Those moments when almost anything that could go wrong DOES go wrong in our finances. As human beings, we all want to be safe and secure…
New California laws
EACH year brings hundreds of new laws to Californians and the year 2017 is no exception. Cell phones while driving AB No. 1785: Any electronic devices including smart phones will…
Clients seek Chapter 7 and Chapter 20 bankruptcy relief
FIRST client is 45 and single. His gross income last year was $98K, which is good. It reached $98K because of bonus. Without bonus, his gross income is $72K. This…
Protecting employee rights and guarding against employer retaliation
CYNTHIA Begazo, then 53 years old, was hired in March 2015, as the Human Resources Director at Passages Malibu, an addiction treatment center in Malibu, CA. Shortly after starting work,…
Individual tax changes under Trump tax plan
HERE are proposed tax changes that could affect individuals like you and me. Individual Tax Rates: President Trump plans to simplify the tax code by condensing the current seven rates…
Here are 4 ways to get out of debt
ARE you seriously in debt and don’t know what to do about your situation? Are you afraid that unless you do something about it, thing will just continue to get…
Consumer alert tips: The IRS at your door
HOW do you determine if the person visiting you either at your business or at home or calling you are not an IRS imposter? Look for two forms of credentials….
Clients seek Chapter 7 and Chapter 20 bankruptcy relief
FIRST client is 45 and single. His gross income last year was $98K, which is good. It reached $98K because of bonus. Without bonus, his gross income is $72K. This…