How long will it take for my property value to come back up?
What are my options? AS I have mentioned on my previous columns before that if you are in a position where your property value is much lower than your current…
Category: Business
Covering the week’s most noteworthy business news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Read More
Keeping boat, camper, trailer & tractor might be abusive in Chapter 7
IF YOU look at a boat, a camper, a trailer and a tractor separately and as individual items they may not be considered as badges of a luxurious lifestyle. But…
Sibling rivalry in the family business
Comparison is a death knell to sibling harmony. – Elizabeth Fishel (Part 2) I WILL conclude my article related to sibling rivalry. Behavioural research have shown that emotion-based sibling rivalry…
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,…
Employee fired due to discrimination and poor job performance
WYNONA Harris was hired to drive Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus. About 40 days into her training period, she had an accident, which the City said was “preventable.” About three…
Part A1 – Individuals
THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER RELIEF ACT OF 2012 THIS fiscal cliff legislation includes lots of tax changes that could turn into a novel; accordingly, I summarized the provisions for simple reading….
Can you buy a home after bankruptcy, short sale or foreclosure?
THERE’S no question the economy has not been kind for many California families who bought and borrowed more than they can chew in the mid 2000s’. Bad things happen to…
A Chapter 13 plan should correspond with disposable income of means test
THERE is always a conflict between actual expenses and expenses allowed in the means test. Actual expenses are usually more than those allowed by the means test. As between actual…
The worst mistake you can make when facing foreclosure
YOU already know that your home is in foreclosure. You’ve received that dreaded Notice of Default. You know that after 90 days, your home can be scheduled for a Trustee…
Should employees be paid for preparatory and concluding activities at work?
Q: WORKING in a processing company, I am required to put on a special uniform and undergo sanitary inspections before I can start work. I have to come to work…
Do-it-yourself credit fix
LIKE most people, you’ve probably had your fair share of financial indiscretions: a few pricey shoes, a car bigger than what you really need, a few frivolous pieces of furniture,…
Husband loses $9,000 to BK trustee when bride files for Chapter 7
THE advantage of a prenuptial agreement is clear when one of the spouses files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy soon after the marriage. But even in a community property state, money…
Mediating mouth misery
If it’s knocked out, the first thing to do is find your tooth and, holding it by the crown, gently rinse off the root of the tooth with clean water….
Debt problems: Put family first
ARE your debt problems putting your family’s welfare at risk? No one ever wants to be in this situation but I see it every day in my work as a…
Restaurateur Non-Pareil J. Marlo Cruz
He Attributes His Success To Hardwork, Right Choices, Right Attitude and Pure Luck If there’s one notable restaurant in the Cerritos area that pioneered in the fastfood business, Pinoy…
Filipino teachers’ win is a victory for migrant workers
Why immigrant employees should fight for their rights IN December, just a few days before International Migrants Day, a federal jury ruled that a Los Angeles-based recruitment agency, Universal Placement…
10 tactics to survive an IRS audit
YOU have just received an invitation to the offices of the Internal Revenue Service. They want to examine your return. Don’t panic. All these years, you have stashed funds for…
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…
Don’t keep debt problems to yourself
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…
Do pre-progammed time clocks cheat employees of wages?
Q:As an hourly employee, my work schedule is 9am to 5:30pm. We swipe our ID through a time clock when we start and end our work. My supervisor often asks…
What to do if you are missing a Form W-2
YOU should have received Form W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) from your employer by now. If you did not, here are 10 tips to help you file: 1. Employers have…
Real estate value: Is it real or temporary due to shortage of property listings?
I WILL be holding a buyers seminar January 26, 2013 in San Marino CA, please call to reserve seats. I did a research for my buyers seminar and found out…
Can employees challenge employment documents they signed?
WE previously discussed the question of whether an employee’s signature to an independent contractor agreement binds the employee to the terms of that agreement. We noted that the law determines…
New California news for 2013
Part B: Driving and motor vehicles Cell phones and texting while driving: ASSEMBLY Bill 1536 clarifies existing law by allowing drivers to dictate, send, or listen to text-based communications while…
NEW HARP refi for owner occupied or rental property that are upside down
THE Home Affordable Refinance Program expansion helps today’s historically low rates become available to customers who have an existing mortgage loan owned by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. There is…
Income tax refunds is property of bankruptcy estate unless exempt
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…
Smart snacking helps you keep that beautiful smile
DOES FREQUENT SNACKING PRESENT PROBLEMS FOR OUR TEETH? Well, it depends. Every time we eat, our mouths go to work cleaning things up and restoring “balance”. Having three meals a…
Debt can lead to being broke at the end of your life
A CLIENT of mine said he never saw it coming. Everything he ever wanted in life, he always purchased on credit. The “pre-approved” credit cards just kept coming in the…
Can employees challenge employment documents they signed?
THE common belief is that signing an agreement binds an employee to all the terms in the document. But what if the agreement is illegal or a violation of public…
New California laws for 2013: Part A tax, employment and education
NEW Income Tax and Sales Tax Laws Income tax California’s maximum income tax rate increases from 9.3% to 12.3% for taxpayers with taxable income of more than $250,000. The rate…