Covering the week’s most noteworthy business news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Beginning August 1, 2023, the Philippine Consulate General in New York will introduce an E-payment system, offering applicants the convenience of paying consular fees in advance online or on-site using credit or debit cards. Consul General Senen Mangalile made this announcement as he addressed the local Fil-Am media during the Consul General’s Media Hour on…
Client owns a restaurant that survived the pandemic with take-outs. The commercial lease for the restaurant is in the name of client. Client is the sole proprietor of the restaurant. Client obtained PPP loans of $80K, and credit card debt of $120K. All these debts were used to keep the restaurant afloat. At this time, the…
Thinking about one’s demise is not something people want to spend time thinking about. However reality is that we all have to face this one day. It is just a matter of whether you depart this world prepared or unprepared. If you pass away with at least $184,500 in gross assets and you do not…
Q: I work part-time as a caregiver for a family, taking care of a senior in their house overnight. I start work Tuesday nights at 10:30 p.m. and stay until 6:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, and then again on Thursday night at 10:30 p.m. until 6:30 a.m. Friday morning. My job is mostly to make sure…
SAN Diego County residents and businesses who disagree with their property tax assessments for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year may file an application to appeal their value between July 2 and Nov. 30. The Clerk of the County Assessment Appeals Board, Andrew Potter, announced the filing period on Friday, June 23. Applications and information booklets are…
Client is a young senior. At 65, in my book, she’s a young senior. She has been living by herself since she divorced 20 years ago. Her adult children have their own lives and families. She prefers to have the privacy of living by herself. Most seniors prefer to live in their own house living…
New construction begins on parking structure and will eventually include additional casino and resort buildings ROHNERT PARK – Graton Resort & Casino, the Bay Area’s premier gaming destination, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, June 15 to celebrate the expansion of the Rohnert Park resort. A new parking structure with solar panels was slated to…
THE California Mortgage Relief Program is urging California homeowners who are struggling with housing payments to apply for a COVID-19 relief grant. The push comes after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) updated the Area Median Income (AMI) levels. This update means more California homeowners are now eligible for a grant of…
IN a recently-concluded federal case an employer’s retaliatory conduct in Georgia, turned an unpaid wage bill of $915 into approximately $40,000 in liability, illustrating precisely what an employer should not do in the face of the anti-retaliation protections for employees in our employment laws. After Andreas Flaten resigned from his job at 811 Autoworks LLC,…
When a married couple decides to divorce in California, one of the most significant issues they will face is dividing their assets and debts. If the couple owns a business together, this can be particularly complicated whether it is operated by only one spouse or both spouses jointly. In this article, we will discuss how…
Americans opting to retire in the Philippines cite lower cost of living and better quality of life After more than 50 years in America, my father retired permanently in the Philippines in late 2020. “I’ve lived in the States for a long time already,” he told me a few days before his flight to Manila….
Community members urged to share ideas that could determine how money is spent SAN DIEGO – To achieve more equitable infrastructure investment for all communities, the City of San Diego is asking San Diegans to weigh in on what projects they would like to see prioritized in their neighborhoods. This could include new or improved…
THE Catholic of Diocese of Oakland has just filed Chapter 11 seeking bankruptcy protection from 330 lawsuits arising from sexual molestation cases that happened during the 70s and 80s. Bankruptcy will stop the lawsuits from proceeding forward in regular courts, in fact freeze them on their tracks, stop all discovery procedures to gather evidence and…
The Consortium offers the fastest route to rehabilitate and transform NAIA along with significant upfront and ongoing capital and economic value for the Philippine government MANILA, June 19, 2023 – The Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC) has unveiled the NAIA Masterplan (Masterplan), the multi-phased development program at the center of its PHP 267 billion Unsolicited…
by Annie Walters Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Nevada Scammers are always finding new ways to steal your money and personal information by exploiting your fears. The most effective way to defeat scammers is to know how to identify scams and to ignore suspicious calls and emails. One common tactic scammers use is posing…
by Annie Walters Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Nevada June is Pride Month. It’s a time to acknowledge the LGBTQ+ community, and also celebrate diversity, love, and respect. On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, holding that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in…
Pablo, a hardworking Filipino mechanic and naturalized U.S. citizen,, worked in Los Angeles for 23 years and earned enough to retire. However, he was persuaded by an insurance agent to transfer his retirement money to a complex insurance policy known as an equity-indexed annuity. He was further induced to transfer the funds to a second…
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and GeeksPH announced the revival of Geeks On A Beach (GOAB) after a five-year break and is set to happen in Panglao, Bohol on November 23-24, during the Philippine Startup Week 2023. The two-day international conference, known for leveraging Philippine tourism and ICT Industry expertise, will gather…
Dear Attorney Tan, I was driving home and was at a complete stop when another driver rear-ended my car. I was not feeling well after the accident, as my back seemed very tight and stiff. I took some days off from work. After a week, I contacted the other driver’s insurance to report the claim. …
Narcissistic behavior can be a major factor in the breakdown of a marriage, leading to divorce. Many divorcing spouses would point to the other spouse’s personality as the reason they decided to file for divorce. When describing their spouse’s personality, it often fits many of the characteristics of Narcissism. Narcissism is a personality disorder characterized…
Is that legal? Q: I AM a college graduate in business management from the Philippines who migrated to the United States. I got work as a caregiver at a nursing facility. After a few years, I was promoted to a supervisor position: still providing direct care but also overseeing other caregivers. The patients and my…
IF you get tons of scam text messages, you’re not alone. Lots of people have been reporting to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that they’re getting texts from scammers impersonating people and organizations you know and trust — like your bank or companies like Amazon. An analysis of consumer reports reveals the top text scams from 2022. So,…
Why your written notices to employer can better protect you Q: I got along great with my former boss, but I could sense our new manager didn’t like me from her first day. When I was out sick in March, she re-assigned one of my biggest tasks to another employee. After I complained, she adjusted…
by Annie Walters Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Nevada Social Security helps you secure today and tomorrow with financial benefits, information, and tools that support you throughout life’s journey. If you don’t have enough Social Security credits to qualify for benefits on your own record, you may be able to receive benefits on your…
by Annie Walters Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Nevada Identity theft affects millions of people each year and can cause serious harm. Protect yourself by securing your personal information, understanding the threat of identity theft, and exercising caution. Here are 10 things you can start doing now to protect yourself and your loved ones…
The cable network will join Society 1’s growing group of media companies PASADENA – ChimeTV, the only Asian-owned TV network in English showcasing API programming, is joining the Society 1 umbrella of companies. Media mogul Takashi Cheng will serve as ChimeTV’s new top executive, following founder Faith Bautista’s departure. Society 1 is no stranger to…
Q: Our employee handbook says we’re supposed to get meal breaks before the end of the 5th hour of our shift, but work gets so busy that I don’t have a chance to clock out to eat until the 6th or 7th hour. During our busiest times, it’s normal to go the whole day without…
On June 21, 2022, Pres. Biden signed into law the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act. It increased the Chapter 13 debt limits to a total of $2.75M without secured or unsecured separate categories. The old limit for Chapter 13 before this amendment was $1.395M for secured debts and $465K for unsecured debts. With many individuals being…
A common question that is asked by a person who has a pending immigration petition or application is “how much longer until USCIS makes a decision?” The question is understandable, in that an unreasonable delay in the USCIS’ adjudication of a petition or application can have adverse effects, including loss of employment and employment opportunities,…
Q: I worked in a company for over 10 years. A new supervisor and I do not get along. Last week, the company terminated me without any explanation. I do not have any disciplinary record. Can my employer just fire me without a good reason? A: Yes, an employer may fire an employee without a…
