STILL dealing with the burden of owning a house that is underwater at this stage of the late stage mortgage meltdown we had has got to be much more frustrating than ever. It’s almost like you are the only once left hanging by a string and everyone else has escape tragedy or has gotten bailed…
NO one ever wants face a debt crisis but at one time or another in your life, you may have to deal with one. Having debt problems does not make you a bad person although some people feel a sense of guilt as they feel responsible for the decision that they have made that led…
(Part 2) LAST week, I said that if you have debt problems, think of Samson. We ended last week with Samson having wrecked havoc on the Philistines by killing a thousand of them with the jawbone of a donkey. Samson was a “Nazarite” who had dedicated his life to God, my God, the God of…
CALIFORNIA law has special wage requirements for labor performed on state public works by private or non-government workers. “Public works” to include any construction or repair work performed under contract and paid out of public funds. Public entities that award contracts to private contractors have specific responsibilities designed to help ensure that employees who work…
I AM concerned about the fast rising mortgage rates that seems to be headed only one direction which is higher but I see the other side of this rate hike, so let me explain first what is happening with mortgage rates. Mortgage rates have increased more than 1 percentage point since early May, jumping half…
“Every policy setting process stregthens and unifies the family and increases the likelihood of long term business and damily success, survival and prosperity.” – JS Strachan Running a family business with siblings and other relatives could be rewarding but at the same time, could be a source of conflict which may cause the downfall of the…
“Its hard to move forward on Governance policies and Succession until the family has established some form of mutual respect among its members” Sibling rivalry is a conflict that could last for the long term – one that could be very difficult to handle and prevent. In spite, it is not impossible to instil the value…
STATISTICS show that approximately 1.5 million people file bankruptcy in the United States every year. There are different reasons for filing- unemployment, foreclosure, medical bills, overwhelming credit card debts, etc. Some of these reasons are beyond anyone’s control. But some of them are also self-caused (example: lack of planning, mismanagement of finances). No one is…
(Part 1) IF YOU have debt problems, think of Samson. Samson lived in Israel about 1200 B.C. Before he was born, the Israelites betrayed the one true God again by going back to their ungodly ways. God punished the Israelites by delivering them over to the Philistines who worshipped the false god Dagon. Thus, the…
CALIFORNIA law prohibits discrimination based on disability or medical condition. An employer may not terminate or discriminate against an employee in compensation or other conditions of employment based on the employee’s disability or medical condition. Arkady Kivman worked at Aeros Aeronautical Systems Corp. as a production technician. In 2007, he was injured and had surgery….
A CONCERN that is growing rapidly is the cancellation of mortgage foreclosures. Although these are leading causes, they are not the only ones; cancellation of debts could be from consumer debts, bank and finance companies as well. For debt cancelled due to a mortgage debt, the option I would suggest homeowners to know about is…
“Federal and state collection laws prohibit abusive collection tactics but the reality is that a lot of bill collectors do not follow these laws and will make your life miserable by harassing you for payment.” IF you are delinquent on your debts, you may be able to avoid dealing with the bill collectors for a…
IF YOU have debt problems, think of seven loaves of bread and two fish. A crowd of 5,000 men, their wives and children, making the crowd about 15,000 to 20,000, had been listening to Jesus talk in the wilderness. On the third day, the disciples of Jesus told Him that He should send the crowd…
Background WHEN is your return free from IRS audits? From your perspective, statutes of limitation prevent the IRS from collecting a deficiency in tax or beginning a civil or criminal case. In short, statutes of limitation provide a date of finality after which the IRS or the taxpayer can take no further actions. We all…
(Unpaid internships may be illegal) ERIC Glatt and Alexander Footman worked as unpaid production interns on the film Black Swan. In September 2011, they sued their employer, Fox Searchlight, to recover wages. An internship may be an essential part of an established course of an accredited school or of an institution approved by a public…
RESEARCHING blog site like loansafe.org, I have come across a few loan mod success that might excite you with their stories. I thought I might share it with you: “First of all, I wanted to say a special thank you to Loan Safe and it’s members for the valuable and knowledgeable information that it provides….
Humans are similar, with one big difference. We have adult teeth (these are our “working teeth”) and we have dental lamina. What we don’t have are substitute teeth. While most vertebrates can replace teeth until the day they die, human teeth replace themselves only once. The million dollar question is, why do replacement teeth stop…
WHEN your financial circumstances are forcing you to declare bankruptcy, it is one way of dealing with debts that you can no longer manage on your own. Of course, the decision should not be taken lightly and it is best to consult with an experienced bankruptcy attorney to see if it is best for your…
LAST week we talked about King David and his lust for Bathsheba. As punishment for King David’s sins of coveting Bathsheba who was Uriah’s wife and murdering Uriah so he could marry her even though he already had 6 wives and numerous concubines, the first born son of David and Bathsheba died several days after…
IN July of each year, the Franchise Tax Board of the State of California mails Questionnaire Form 4803 to taxpayers who claimed Head of Household status the previous year. Do not ignore this questionnaire. Mail it back within 20 days; otherwise, it becomes final. You’d have to go to appeals to fight it. If filled…
Q: I WORK as a kitchen staff in one of the busiest restaurants in Los Angeles. I often work 10-to 14-hour days but I am not paid overtime. Also, even though my supervisor says we are entitled to a 30-minute lunch break and 10-minute rest breaks, there is no one to relieve me from my…
MANY homeowners with first or purchase mortgages also add on second mortgages such as home equity loans. Unfortunately, job loss and tough economic times can cause homeowners to become delinquent or even default on second mortgages. Lenders holding defaulted second mortgages sometimes write them off, though those loans’ borrowers may still face certain consequences over…
Cleaning your teeth properly includes cleaning between you teeth, and the best way to clean between your teeth, and the other places your toothbrush can’t reach, is with flossing. A great deal of attention is given to cosmetic dentistry these days. It’s easier that ever to get a bigger, brighter, whiter smile. But just as…
“ When you are overwhelmed with debt problems, the situation becomes even more challenging when you have a family that you are supporting. Your paycheck may not even be enough to pay for basic living expenses like mortgage payments or rent, food, clothing, etc., let alone pay your monthly debt obligations.” ARE your debt problems…
SOMETIMES you wonder why you acquire so much debt without really thinking about it. Client makes $20,000 a month which is high income. When his home increased in value in 2006, he obtained a home equity loan of $300,000 and used that as down payment to buy two McMansions. With 3 houses and $1.5 M…
HERE are 10 tips for students with summer jobs: 1. Fill out Form W-4 (Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate). This form is used by employers to determine the amount of tax that will be withheld from your paycheck. If you have multiple summer jobs, make sure all your employers withhold adequate amount of taxes to cover…
WHILE visiting someone else’s home or place of business, a person may become seriously injured. Such injuries may have arisen as a result of wet floors, uneven steps or floors, falling objects, defective elevators, defective roadways and sidewalks, poorly lit staircases, inadequate security, dog bites, and other dangerous conditions on the premises. Building and home…
FANNIE Mae and Freddie Mac are the leading indicator and director of mortgage interest rates. You and I are at their mercy to keep rates low in order for more homeowners to be able to buy or refinance to a cheap rate. But when the company reports a quarterly profit of over $50 billion, it…
THE government announced last week that it was extending the application deadline to apply for relief under MHA (Making Home Affordable Program) but only through December 31, 2015. Thus, for homeowners who are still struggling to keep their homes due to unaffordable mortgage payments, this presents a limited-time opportunity. Home values are also starting to…
WHAT are the 4 questions in ‘Passover Seder”? Passover Seder is a ritual feast held in the homes of Jewish people as part of the Passover celebration. They celebrate this for a week every year. This year it was celebrated in March. What is the ‘Passover’? About 3,300 years ago, the Jews were slaves in…
