Your debts and Samson Part 2
(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…
Category: Business
Covering the week’s most noteworthy business news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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Private contractor employees on public projects are entitled to prevailing wages
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…
Will rising mortgage rates affect the momentum of the real estate market?
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,…
Building governance systems to avoid sibling rivalries
“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…
Instilling professionalism in the family business
“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…
Bankruptcy is more than just getting out of debt
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. …
Your debts and Samson
(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…
Firing employees due to injuries may constitute disability discrimination
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…
Cancellation of debt due to foreclosure
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…
Warning: Before you hire a debt settlement company
“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…
Your debts and seven loaves of bread
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,…
Statute of limitations
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…
Should interns work for free?
(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…
Recent loan modification success story
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…
Could alligators hold the secret to human tooth regeneration?
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…
Is bankruptcy your only chance to recover financially?
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…
Your debts and the wisdom of King Solomon
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…
State mails head of household questionnaire
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…
May restaurant employees recover additional wages for employment violations?
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…
How do you negotiate to discount your second mortgages?
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…
Squeaky clean, in-between
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…
Don’t let your family suffer because of your debt problems
“ 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…
Your debts and King David’s lust
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…
Tax tips for students working at a summer job
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…
What to do when injured on someone else’s property
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,…
How higher interest rates will affect your home buying power
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…
Who else needs a loan modification before it’s too late to apply?
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…
Remind yourself to be free from debt like passover seder
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…
12 easy ways to attract an audit
WHILE there are no guarantees to avoid an audit, there are creative ways to attract one. Below are 12 easy ways to increase your audit profile. Try any combination to…
Time off or ‘Comp time’ as alternative to overtime pay
Q: I WORK as an hourly employee for a private business. There are days when I work more than 8 hours per day. However, instead of paying me overtime, my…