10- to 12-hour shift employees must be entitled to additional pay
Q: I WORK as a nurse in a hospital on a 12-hour shift, three days a week. Because of the realities of patient care, we often find ourselves working an…
Category: Consumer Columnists
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The evolution of your toothbrush
WHERE WOULD WE BE without our toothbrushes?! Today personal dental hygiene is easy with convenient tools like toothbrushes and floss. But have you ever wondered what people did before modern toothbrushes?…
Chapter 13: You can become debt-free sooner than you think
CHAPTER 13 is the section of the US Bankruptcy Code that allows individuals in the United States to reorganize their finances. If you are having difficulty paying your debts (credit…
Debt problems? Think of Noah Part 3
(Part 3) We ended last week with God, my God, the God of Moses and Israel, who sent His only Son, Jesus Christ to this world, and through the Blessed…
Short sales in California: Q&A
A short sale occurs when you sell your property for a price that is short of the balance owed to avoid a foreclosure – with the consent of your lender….
How not to overpay for a property because of the shortage of homes for sale
FOR the past year or so there has been real signs of the inventory of houses for sale to be really low, in fact all time lows. Usually an average…
How important are your pay stubs?
Pay stub case settles for $8.25 million We have previously written about the issue of confusing pay stubs and the employees’ remedies should they have trouble figuring out what they’re…
How many times can you apply for loan modification?
You need to be aware that if foreclosing proceedings have begun and your application has been denied, you may not have enough time to submit a new application andre-apply especially…
Debt problems? Think of Noah
MOST people have heard of Noah and his ark. But why did God, the God of Moses and Israel, my God, whose only Son Jesus Christ, willingly became incarnate through…
How IRS agents evaluate evidence
THE IRS is back. In full force. Leaner. Stronger. After reeling from congressional hearings and keeping a low profile for many years, the IRS reorganized and is back. Their mission…
Are employees required to sign a release to get their final paycheck?
“ An employer shall not require the employee to sign a release of the employee’s right to any wages that are due and earned by the employee, unless those wages…
How to prepare for a home loan and what you should know prior to applying
GETTING a home mortgage now is a challenge; the gray area qualifying method of lenders and broker back in the mid 2000s’ to help qualify homebuyers has diminished. Therefore the…
2nd Case Report of California Certified PA (Public Insurance Adjuster) Jae Park
2nd Case Report of California Certified PA (Public Insurance Adjuster) Jae Park In order to make readers understand the work of a PA (Public Insurance Adjuster), which may be an…
“Fresh Start” Initiative for Payment Plans with the IRS
(Part 2 of 2) The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a major expansion of its “Fresh Start” initiative to help struggling taxpayers by providing: Offer in Compromise (OIC) – more…
Reduce stress by reducing your debt
DO you dream of simplifying your life, reducing your stress and regaining control of your financial future? Everyone dreams of living a debt-free life and yet we know that today,…
Debt problems? Think of Lot & his daughters
LAST week, we talked about the destruction of the cities of Sodom & Gomorrah by burning sulfur that rained from the heavens. If you go to Israel today, it is…
FAQ #2 – FBAR financial accounts
THE IRS issued new guidance requiring individuals with an interest in a “specified foreign financial asset” to attach a disclosure statement to their income tax return for any year in…
Short sale legal and tax implications
THE good news is that tax relief has been enacted for homeowners doing Short Sales. The Federal Mortgage Debt Relief Act of 2007 HR 3648 and Federal Bailout Legislation HR1424…
Immigration status is not a bar to claiming unpaid wages
ALL workers are protected by California’s laws regulating wages and working conditions. The protection applies undocumented workers who are entitled to the following rights: – The prevailing minimum wage (currently…
Four reasons why laughter and a confident smile are life changing
BECAUSE it usually happens spontaneously, we don’t often think about smiling or laughing. However, they both really do make us feel better—and, studies continue to reveal more of their many benefits….
Don’t be fooled by credit card illusion of wealth
ACCORDING to a recent study, a majority of people in this country are living way beyond their means. In keeping up with the Jones’s, these people have resorted to using…
Can you trust the IRS to do your taxes?
It is alarming to hear that the IRS has proposed a plan to Congress that will take away our independence as tax filers and instead force us to rely on…
Worried about your debts? Think of Sodom & Gomorrah
CLIENTS think that their debt problems are so serious. But debt problems can be solved with a bankruptcy fresh start Chapter 7 discharge of all debts while debtor is allowed…
FAQ: FBAR filing requirements
NEW Foreign bank account rules were designed to combat money laundering, terrorism, and tax evasion. Unfortunately, folks like you and me get snared in the process. We get penalized if…
You were fired: Now what?
KNOWING your rights upon the end of an employment relationship may help you weather the transition of being in between jobs. The following provides some helpful guidelines: First: Make sure…
Keeping your upside down property to survive?
I AM tossed between my usual practical beliefs and a survival situation that is very common with retired homeowners. A lot of homeowners rent out rooms to make their mortgage…
Filing bankruptcy to get rid of credit card debt
IT IS not difficult to get into credit card debt. If you are used to buying things on credit, perhaps you don’t even realize how much your borrowing is really…
1st Case Report of California Certified PA (Public Insurance Adjuster)
In February 2012, a flood occurred in the luxury house (with an estimated value of at least 1 million dollars) located in Tustin Valley, L.A. County. The homeowner, a male…
Your debt problems and Hosea
“ The LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD.” IF YOU…
Are taxes dischargeable in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy?
YES. Some are. Let’s discuss taxes, penalties, and interest that are not dischargeable in a Chapter 13 filing. The Chief Counsel of the IRS examined which tax claims are nondischargeable…