Covering the week’s most noteworthy business news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
A LONG-time and well-respected Filipino diplomat continues to rise through international ranks. Esteban Conejos Jr., the former Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs, has recently been…
THE bankruptcy petition must be as accurate as possible, otherwise, debtor may have to go to jail for bankruptcy fraud. I cannot overemphasize the fact that the bankruptcy petition must…
Strategy development is a question-based process: Where are we now? Where would we like to go? How do we get there? Strategic planning—for both business and family—can help to strengthen…
Could the secret to perpetual youth be found in your smile (wink, wink)? Well, that’s probably a bit of an exaggeration! But as you know, here at our practice, we…
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…
ACCORDING to recent statistics, there are about 950 million active users on Facebook, 500 million on Twitter, and 150 million on LinkedIn. Not to mention the active users on MySpace,…
I BELIEVE that the housing market will improve moderately in 2013, but nobody will mistake this for a boom. A favored 3-5% growth and appreciation definitely is better than a…
1. GAMBLING winnings are always taxable and must be reported on your tax return – with or without form W-2G. 2. Gambling income includes winnings from lotteries, raffles, horse and…
SECTION 707 of the bankruptcy code provides for the court’s authority to dismiss a bankruptcy case for abuse. What kind of conduct amounts to abuse of bankruptcy law by the…
FOR years, special interest groups funded by big business have been perpetuating the myth of “litigation explosion” to justify limiting the legal rights of consumers. Under the guise of “tort…
WE HAVE earned a right to vote here in this great nation. We should all make time to exercise that right and study the issue and vote according to our…
THE name of the game is keeping a low audit profile. It means getting lost in the crowd. It reduces the risk of an audit. Here are 12 tips to…
IMAGINE you won the new Prius in your church lottery. Instead of keeping the car, you sold it for $25,000. You use the $25,000 to pay down the mortgage on…
One of the most dangerous survival tests for family businesses is their succession. It is no surprise therefore that many successors and heirs feel relief and complacency once the transition…
A LOT of people end up filing bankruptcy when they get to the point of feeling hopeless about their financial problems. Despite what others may think, there is no shame…
IN 2008, the California State Controller’s office led a multi-state audit of the practices of 21 national insurance companies, to determine these companies’ compliance with state unclaimed property laws. California’s…
ADVANTAGES of home sales for 2013 is that there will be fewer short sales and hopefully more regular listing coming back on the market. Lenders have pulled together finally and…
YOU are still upset from losing an IRS audit. You have two choices: pay or fight. If you choose to fight, go to appeals. Let me give you 10 tips…
YOU know what a stockbroker is and what he does for a living, right? A stockbroker recommends what stocks to buy and sell to his client, and he makes a…
IF this Halloween proves to be too much candy for your children’s teeth, then come join us at Millbrae Smile Center on November 2nd for a Sweet Swap Post-Halloween party…
CONTRARY to what others may think, the majority of people who file for bankruptcy are honest, hard working people who simply need to get a fresh financial start. Because life…
Q: AS an employee for a service provider company, I am paid an hourly rate and an additional piece rate if I respond to customer calls after hours. I often…
FROM my article last week, I got a few more homeowners calling about the same scenario, I thought of researching more of how you can research and find out if…
SCHEDULE J of the bankruptcy petition shows the actual monthly expenses of the debtor. This is different from the means test which specifies the allowable deductions of debtor using IRS…
CHAPTER 13 debtors are able to “strip” junior liens on their residences if there is no equity supporting the lien. To illustrate, debtor owes $100,000 of credit card debt, owns…
IF YOU have serious debt problems, you may feel depressed and alone. It may seem like the end of the world. Your self-esteem may have suffered. You may feel angry,…
IN 2006, Filipino nurses at the Delano Regional Medical Center in Delano, California were called to a meeting and told they were not allowed to use their native language at…
I TOLD you I would always keep my eyes and ears widely observant for potential homeowners getting any kind of mortgage debt balance reduction. I also mentioned that I felt…
WHILE IRS audits decreased from the mid-90s, the Service reorganized, retrenched, and retrained its personnel during years of inactivity. They are back. I have personally handled more audit defense cases…
PREGNANCY and its related hormonal changes exaggerate the effects from plaque irritants. And as you know, the acids in plaque can lead to tooth decay, gum tissue inflammation and, if…
