Covering the week’s most noteworthy business news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Not all debts are bad debts. While it is true that too much of any debt may be detrimental to your financial health, it doesn’t mean that all debt is ill-advised. There are “good debts” and “bad debts”, in my opinion. Knowing the difference between the two can be the difference between having a life…
WHEN the cold and flu season strikes, your teeth are probably the last thing you’re thinking about as you reach for another tissue! But there ARE some things related to that cold or flu that can affect your oral health. Be conscious of these three things: Tip 1: Avoid dry mouth by staying hydrated Dry mouth…
BOXING fans think that only Pacquiao vs. his current foe is the thing to watch. Basketball fans think it’s Kobe vs. whoever. So, Elijah who was a great prophet of God, my God, the God of Moses and Israel, Who sent His only and beloved Son, Jesus Christ to us, and Who willingly suffered and…
S CORPORATION is a corporation that has elected to be taxed under Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. This type of entity enjoys both the limited liability of corporations and absence of double taxation of sole proprietorships and partnerships. The corporation elects to be pay zero corporate federal tax and to pay a super-low…
Q. I USUALLY clock into work 30 minutes early or clock out 30 minutes late because we are required to do preliminary or clean up before and after our normal shift. My boss rounds off our hours to 8 hours. Am I entitled to be paid for the extra minutes I worked? A. Yes, you…
Do you intend to pay your creditors every month but just can’t do it no matter how hard you try because your income is simply not enough? There is a way to reduce your payments and most likely, the total amounts that you owe as well. In most cases, your debt payments can be cut…
LET’S say that you decide to file for Chapter 7 relief this month to discharge $100,000 of hospital bills and credit card debt. You anticipate that you will have an income tax refund claim of $10,000. What is the bankruptcy treatment of this refund? If your Chapter 7 case is filed before you file your…
Q: I WAS diagnosed with a medical condition which requires me to miss some days of work. I had told my boss about my condition and I submit a doctor’s note every time I am absent. Recently, my boss told me that I was in violation of the company’s attendance policy, which may cause me…
Most of my clients know that they should pay attention to their finances, especially debt problems that won’t just go away. They know they need to get help and that if they don’t do anything about their situation, things are bound to get worse. They could be facing foreclosure, have an imminent wage garnishment or…
NEARLY all of us experience?bleeding gums at some point in our lives. But don’t assume it’s no big deal. Gum disease can have serious consequences including?pain, chronic bleeding and tooth loss. It has also been linked to a number of total body health conditions?including Alzheimer’s. Skipping the floss can increase dementia risk A recent study…
(Part 2) LAST week, we established the fact that back due income taxes can be discharged in bankruptcy, despite the popular belief that this was not possible. We said that there are six rules that must be complied with to discharge taxes. All of these rules must be followed. If you comply only with five…
TOUGH times may necessitate dipping into your retirement funds before retirement. Look at the tax impact of such a move. You may be shocked to find out what you are left with – as little as half or two-thirds of what you withdraw. Here are ten facts about early distributions. 1. Payments you receive from…
ON November 22, 2009 at about 5am, Michael and Shannon Asam were travelling with their young children, Brennan (14 yrs old), Blaine (11) and Kylie (9) on their way to Oregon to visit relatives for Thanksgiving. Michael Asam was driving a GMC Yukon pulling a utility trailer containing motorcycles and gasoline. Michael Asam reportedly hit…
Like most people, you’ve worked hard and have done your best to pay all your bills on time. But in life, at one time or another, all of us get into a situation where debt can be overwhelming. Money problems can easily overlap into other areas of our lives. Many people feel hopeless and powerless…
5th Case Report of California Certified PA (Public Insurance Adjuster) Jae Park; Apartment Complex Sustained Fire Damage & Co-Insurance Penalty. In the spring of 2012, a fire broke out in a 15-unit rental apartment (the insurance company’s estimated value was approximately $2 million) located near Korea Town, in Los Angeles. Among the 15 units, three…
MANY people have the mistaken belief that back due income taxes cannot be discharged in bankruptcy because a debt owed to the Federal and State government cannot be wiped out. That belief is wrong. Since 1966, bankruptcy law allows the discharge of debt to the IRS. However, there are rules that must be followed to…
THE Internal Revenue Service issued an alert about scams relating to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda in the Philippines). As you may have seen at CNN, Asian Journal, and other media, Haiyan is the strongest typhoon (hurricane in the US) in recorded history. It caused thousands of fatalities and rendered millions homeless from high winds and storm…
SHARON Warehime worked as a claims adjuster for Farmers Insurance for four years. In June 2006, at the age of 61, she was terminated after coming back from a medical leave of absence due to work-related stress. She sued Farmers for discrimination and retaliation. A Fresno jury awarded her $749,000 in damages. When Ms. Warehime…
Are your growing debts starting to cause you sleepless nights? Are you trying hard to pay what you can every month but feel like you’re just running on a treadmill and not getting anywhere? Do you get that sick feeling in your stomach every time you realize that you have gotten yourself in more debt…
THE Bible has a strange story about a man being swallowed up by a whale. This man is Jonah. God, my God, the God of Moses and Israel, who sent His only and beloved Son, Jesus Christ to us, and who became man through the Blessed Virgin Mary, and who willingly suffered and died on…
IN A landmark case, the Supreme Court has held that a conviction for willfully filing a false tax return is a deportable offense under our immigration laws. It reached the same conclusion with respect to a conviction for aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false return. Background – Tax evasion is a felony…
Q: AS an onsite security guard, I am required to stay on the premises for 24 hours. My on-duty hours are from 6am to 6pm. I am off-duty and considered on “on-call” from 6pm until 6am the following day. I am given a sleeping area. I cannot leave the premises without permission. I am paid…
The decision to file bankruptcy is not an easy one but sometimes it’s the decision that could change your life for the better. When you are seriously in debt and have ran out of options, procrastination only guarantees that your problems will get worse before they get better. As this year comes to a close,…
The exact cause of canker sores is unknown. What we do know is that canker sores can be extremely bothersome! By better understanding some of the possible causes—and some treatment options—we hope to reduce the irritation canker sores may cause you. Possible canker sore causes These non-contagious lesions that appear on your gums, lips, cheeks,…
THE Israelites have just ended their 40 years of wandering about in the Sinai Desert after God delivered them from 400 years of bondage in Egypt. God, my God, the God of Moses and Israel, Who sent to us His only and beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Who became man through the Blessed Virgin Mary, Who…
1. IRS wants you to keep good records to document your income and support your expenses. It does not require you to keep records in any specific manner, but there are proven ways to keep good files. Read on. 2. There are two basic types of filers: the rat pack that hoards files for the…
Q: I WORK as an assistant manager for a retail store. I am a salaried employee and exempt from overtime. Upper management requires me to multi-task and do the work of hourly employees such as stocking the shelves, data entry, and customer service – tasks which take up a lot of my time and force…
Are you struggling with debt problems? Are you doing your best to pay but simply can’t? Have you thought of filing bankruptcy but are afraid that this might not be the right solution to your problems? Filing bankruptcy is a personal decision that should be taken seriously. Whether or not it is necessary for you…
IT IS hard to imagine why you should not worry about your debt problems, right? Probably everyone reading this article thinks that the right thing to do if you have debt problems is to worry about them, as if worrying does anything to correct the problem. “I have a lot of debt. I can’t pay…
MORE employment laws were recently passed by California’s lawmakers. These include: New minimum wage laws to take effect in 2014 The new law raises the $8 an hour minimum wage to $9 an hour, effective July 1, 2014, and from $9 an hour to $10 an hour, effective Jan. 1, 2016. California’s minimum wage has…
