PEGGY Young worked as a part-time driver for United Parcel Service (UPS). Her responsibilities included pickup and delivery of packages that had arrived by air carrier the previous night. In 2006, after suffering several miscarriages, she became pregnant. Her doctor told her that she should not lift more than 20 pounds during the first 20…
ARE debt problems making your life a living hell? Doing your best to pay but creditors just won’t leave you alone? Maybe you get nervous every time the phone rings or get scared to death just opening your mailbox, fearful of what you may find. Deep inside, you know that you can’t continue to live…
How much would you pay Manny Pacquiao to endorse your business? Envision this. Manny would be in all your advertisements: TV, Radio, Billboard, and Internet. He would be available for publicity events endorsing your company and products. These can be tradeshows, charitable functions, or conferences. How much attention and excitement would he draw to your…
Client No. 1 LOOKS like I signed up two clients in opposite ends of debt last week. Client no. 1 is 55 years old and divorced for 10 years. She lives by herself in a house that she owns. The house has no equity because she has 2 mortgages on the residence. The second trust…
LAST year, we discussed the lawsuit filed by the Raiderettes, the cheer squad for the Oakland Raiders, who sued their employer for back wages and reimbursements. The lawsuit claimed that the employer withheld pay from the employees until after the football season ended and did not pay for hours worked outside the games. The cheerleaders…
MAYBE you’ve experienced this before: You’re driving down the road one cold, chilly day and before you know it, you find yourself surrounded by a thick white wall of dense fog. How did you react? If you’re like most people, perhaps you felt momentarily lost and confused or perhaps even panicked, not knowing what was…
1. QUALIFIED Residence Interest includes your principal and second homes. The homes could be a house, condo, mobile home, motor home, time share, or even a houseboat, as long as it has sleeping quarters, toilet and cooking facilities. You don’t have to occupy your second house (vacant house is OK). 2. Acquisition Debt is incurred…
• YOU may deduct donations to qualified organizations. Qualified organizations have tax-exempt status from the IRS. These include corporations or foundations organized in the U.S. for religious, charitable, educational, scientific, literary, or prevention of cruelty to children and animals. • You cannot deduct contributions made to specific individuals – priests, nuns, victims, and political organizations…
Q: I AM a salaried employee exempt from overtime. I often work more than 40 hours per week. However, there are days when I work less than 8 hours per day. For example, last week, due to a personal emergency, I was able to work for 6 hours only. When I work less than 8…
IF you are searching for debt reduction solutions, no doubt you’ve been inundated with advertisements for various debt management programs, companies and solutions. The choices seem confusing to the average consumer. The truth is that every situation is different and what may work perfectly for others is not necessarily going to work the same way…
Abandoned wife files Chapter 7 to discharge collection lawsuits for $20K Client no. 1 IS it even legally possible that your social security benefits can be garnished? If creditors can get your social security income when you retire, how can you have peace of mind when you retire? To be sure, not every kind of…
“BUY real estate in areas where the path exists and buy more real estate where there is no path, but you can create your own” -David Waronker, American real estate investor. The presence of a number of Central Business Districts (CBDs) in the Philippines is a clear indication that the country is experiencing a booming…
White House appeals amnesty restraing order to Court of Appeals Client no. 1 CLIENT no. 1 is in her fifties. She comes to see me regarding a lawsuit by a credit card collecting $7K. Aside from this, she owes another $11K, for a total of $18K total credit card debt. She has a story to…
FOR those of you who itemize, the table below should be of special interest. For those of you who play the odds (you know what I mean), this table should be of very special interest. Having claimed too many exemptions at work to increase your take-home pay, you suddenly find yourself owing Uncle Sam a…
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 don’t have any disciplinary record. Can the company just fire me without a good reason? A: Yes, an employer may fire an employee without a…
HAVE you ever faced a situation in your life where you needed help so badly but you were just too afraid or embarrassed to ask for it? Perhaps you felt confused and overwhelmed with the problem that you spent sleepless nights trying to figure out what to do. As a bankruptcy attorney, over the years…
One seeks to discharge $20K and another $30K WE all go through different stages in life. When you are in your twenties, your whole life is ahead of you. You may be starting a family or starting your career or profession. You’re buying your starter home. If you have children, your whole life is centered…
When employees are entitled to additional pay Q: I AM a full-time employee at a company that pays us on a piece-rate basis for every task that we finish. For an eight-hour shift, we are told we are entitled to two paid 15-minute rest periods. What does this mean for a pieceworker like me? A:…
FACING difficult financial times can be a frightening thing for a lot of people. When bill collectors are hounding you, at some point, you realize that something must be done but you just don’t know where to begin or where to go for help. Often, options can also be confusing unless you get the right…
PAY attention to your filing status because it determines your standard deduction, tax due, or refund. Here are 12 tips to help you choose your correct filing status: 1. There are five filing status options to choose from: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household and qualified widow/widower with dependent child. 2….
Sensitive teeth, severe dental erosion and facial pain are therefore common symptoms of patients with anorexia and bulimia. Everything we put into our mouths affects our overall health, but there are some eating habits that have the disadvantage of contributing specifically to poor oral health as well. Eating Disorders: Teenagers and young adults are more…
Too late to strip 2nd mortgage I SAW debtor about 4 years ago, and now she returns to consult on a new financial crisis. The first time I met her she was 58, now she is 62. Four years ago, she consulted with me regarding what she should do with a rental property which was…
Exemption Credits: a. $108 – Single, Married filing separately, Head of Household. b. $216 – Married filing jointly. c. $333 – Dependent. d. $108 – Age 65 or older. e. $108 – Blind. Exemption Credits are phased out by $6 or $12 for each $1,250 or $2,500 that federal AGI exceeds certain amounts over $176,413….
IN April 2009, Robert Pedowitz, M.D., was hired by the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) to become chairperson of its Department of Orthopedic Surgery. In the first year of his chairmanship, Dr. Pedowitz reported to top UCLA officials his concerns regarding colleagues who were receiving money from medical-device makers in possible violation of the…
ARE you being harassed by your creditors day and night due to unpaid bills? If you are, you know that this is a pretty unpleasant experience. You may feel scared, angry or embarrassed about your situation. The prospect of debt relief through bankruptcy may sound appealing to you but you are not quite sure if…
Congratulations! You have successfully braved past the first quarter of 2015! By now, some of you might be looking for some ideas to supercharge your business. In this article, I will be discussing the emerging digital marketing trends of 2015 that can potentially help your business. Digital advertising is essential in today’s day and age, yet…
IT isn’t always about looking like a movie star or supermodel. It’s about feeling confident and comfortable with your healthy smile! Smiling’s amazing benefits You may not typically think about it this way, but your smile is powerful: • Smiles can make you healthier. Smiling immediately lowers your blood pressure, slows your heart, and boosts your immunity. Endorphins…
Obama fights back to lift injunction on amnesty Senior will discharge $85K credit cards CLIENT has been working as a registered nurse for 30 years, and is now 65 years old. Her pay scale is good. She grosses $10K a month, and nets after taxes and 401K deductions about $7,500. Ten years ago, her 25-year…
1. YOU are required to file a California tax return if your gross income exceeds: a. Single – $16,047. b. Head of household – $27,147. c. Married filing jointly – $32,097. Taxpayers with dependents or who are aged 65 or over have higher filing thresholds. 2. Taxpayers who do not itemize deductions for mortgage interest,…
When meal waivers don’t apply SOME employees work 12-hour shifts, such as nurses, therapists, technicians, or even caregivers and domestic employees. Because of the realities of their job, especially for those who work in hospitals or skilled nursing facilities, they may find themselves working continuously without being provided their mandated breaks. Hourly employees are entitled…
