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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
(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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
(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…
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…
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….
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…
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…
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,…
(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…
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,…
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…
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…
Client needs Chapter 13 to handle $50K personal guaranty CLIENTS are young seniors at 62. Husband took an early retirement as he has a serious illness. Two years ago, husband…
Q: I HAVE a heart condition that has become worse recently. I need to see my doctor periodically or when I feel dizzy or short of breath. This means I…
GUARANTEED? Too good to be true? Read on. The IRS cannot deny your application if you satisfy all of the following requirements: 1. The tax is not more than $10,000….
