Do you have these fears about bankruptcy?
Are you struggling with debt problems and have thought about filing for bankruptcy but have questions that you’re afraid to ask? Over the last 12 years, I have counseled and…
Category: Consumer Columnists
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Signs that you will you need bankruptcy relief in 2017
Best wishes to all readers for the new year! Mr. Trump has made filing for bankruptcy relief as a sign that he’s smart. He’s smart he says because his companies…
How bankruptcy can get rid of financial stress
Being in debt can be one of the most stressful situations you will ever face in life. It happens to everyone although you may feel like you’re the only person…
Pay equality & rights of domestic workers & immigrants strengthened under new laws
This is our yearly wrap-up of some of the new laws created in California this year to continue to protect employees: Gender Pay Equality Law Expanded Beginning January 2016, an…
Murphy’s Law 2: A somber side of life
WHILE my columns usually focus on the serious subject of IRS audits, let’s end this year with more somber versions of Murphy’s Law: Law of IRS Audits If you are…
Seniors want bankruptcy relief for $100K credit cards: Chapter 13 or Chapter 7
Best wishes to all readers for Christmas! HUSBAND and wife are both 66. They were my clients 15 years ago. I do not remember how much credit cards were discharged…
Why would your employer lie about the reason for firing you?
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…
ABCs of foreclosures, short sales, and deeds in lieu
THE loss of our homes to foreclosure, short sale, or deed in lieu of foreclosure is akin to adding insult to injury – after losing our homes, we also have…
Dealing with debt: Are there other options besides bankruptcy?
FOR people who are considering bankruptcy as a way to get out of debt, some questions constantly arise. Am I doing the right thing? What other options are available? If…
Client seeks Chapter 7 relief for $57K credit cards
Senior seeks Chapter 7 relief for $100K credit cards CLIENT is 52 and married. Her husband filed for Chapter 7 relief for $30K of credit card debts two years ago. At…
Are part-time employees entitled to paid sick leave?
(And can employees use their paid sick time to care for family members?) Q: I AM a part-time hourly employee working in retail. I work between 20 to 30 hours…
Can’t plan for the future due to excessive debt
ARE you worried about your future due to having too much debt? You’ve probably heard the saying, “The failure to plan is a plan to fail”. And yet so many…
What is new: Federal penalties for late W2s and 1099s
JANUARY 31, 2017 is the new deadline for filing 2016 Forms W-2 and W-3 both in paper forms and electronic. If you need 30-day extension complete Form 8809. There are…
Young seniors file Chapter 13 for $145K unsecured debt
Another young senior files Chapter 7 for $10K credit cards CLIENTS are 59 and 58. Husband had a solid and well paying job for the last 20 years. He grossed…
Are you entitled to additional pay for time spent at work on ‘bag checks’?
KIMBERLY Murphy worked at a Caremark CVS pharmacy in California. As a pharmacy employee, she was required by her employer to undergo a security inspection of her bag every time…
Community property with right of survivorship
MARRIED couples buying property are asked to decide how they should hold title: • Joint tenancy or • Community property. Basically, it is a choice between the ease of transfer…
Couples filing bankruptcy: Two incomes but still going broke
ONE of my clients told me recently: “My wife and I both work very hard to raise our two children. On some days we work long hours and don’t even…
Federal tax update for 2016 tax returns
1. YOU are REQUIRED TO FILE an income tax return if your 2016 gross income reaches: A. Single $10,300 (11,850 age 65 or older) B. Married filing jointly $20,300 (21,850…
Seniors consider Chapter 13 relief for $80K credit cards
Young couple need Chapter 7 relief for $40K credit cards CLIENTS are married to each other and they are both seniors. He is 68 and she is 66. He is a…
Series for Covered CA: Part 2
Different Health Plans PRESIDENT-elect Trump vowed to repeal at least parts of Affordable Care Act (ACA). Certain parts of that he will maintain, as he wants all Americans to have…
Can undocumented immigrants recover damages for serious injuries in an accident?
(Injured persons’ immigration status not subject to inquiry under new law) ON October 23, 1979, Jesus Rodriguez was injured in a traffic accident after being hit by a vehicle driven…
How should you hold title to real estate?
WHEN buying real estate, there is always that inevitable question: how do you hold title? Your choice can have dramatic impact on estate taxes and income taxes. Let’s explore choices…
Will your debt problems follow you into 2017?
I CAN’T believe this year is almost over. This morning, I saw a lot of my neighbors starting to put up their Christmas lights. It seems like 2016 just started….
Regular tax and Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)
THERE are two types of income tax – Regular and AMT. Currently, regular tax rates are: 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, 35%, 39.6%, while AMT tax rates are: 26% with…
How bankruptcy can release you from the burden of debt
SLEEPLESS nights… Stressed out… Worried about the future.. Always broke no matter how hard they work…Feeling hopeless about their situation. This is what most people are going through when they…
Widow needs Chapter 13 to handle $40K credit cards
Widower seeks Chapter 13 for $50K credit cards CLIENT is 53 and recently widowed. She works as a caregiver and met her now deceased husband through her job. At first,…
What if the employer cannot pay our back wages?
(Liabilities of “joint employers”) Q: I WORK as a manager for a fast-food franchisee with three stores in Los Angeles. While my title is “manager” I spend 70 percent of…
Widow needs Chapter 13 to handle $40K credit cards
Widower seeks Chapter 13 for $50K credit cards CLIENT is 53 and recently widowed. She works as a caregiver and met her now deceased husband through her job. At first,…
12 tactics to survive an IRS audit
YOU have just received an invitation to visit an office of the Internal Revenue Service to examine (meaning audit) your tax returns. Don’t panic. You have stashed funds for a…
How bankruptcy can release you from the burden of debt
SLEEPLESS nights… Stressed out… Worried about the future.. Always broke no matter how hard they work…Feeling hopeless about their situation. This is what most people are going through when they…