Covering the week’s most noteworthy business news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Q: I am new to applying for jobs so I am not very familiar with my rights as an employee-applicant. Some employers require me to fill out a simple application and submit to a drug test. There are employers, though, who tell me that I also need to give them authorization to get a consumer…
If you are up to your eyeballs in credit card debt and have no way of paying back what you have borrowed, a lot of things may be going through your mind at the moment. Maybe you’ve heard of bankruptcy and how it may help you obtain a fresh financial start, but you think that…
FILING a bankruptcy case creates a “bankruptcy estate.” The estate becomes the legal owner of all of the debtor’s property while the bankruptcy is going on. What does the estate consist of? It consists of all legal or equitable interests of the debtor in property as of the commencement of the case. This includes property…
Parents that are going through divorce and legal separation sometimes have to make a decision to move out of state for various reasons. It may be because their family network is in another state. This decision often have a significant impact on the visitation of the other parent because it would be more difficult for…
Q: I worked in a company for over 5 years. A new manager, who did not like me and wanted to bring in his best friend to do my job, fired me. I don’t have any disciplinary record. This is really unfair. Can I claim damages for wrongful termination? A: Unfortunately, unfair or unjust does…
Parents that are going through divorce and legal separation sometimes have to make a decision to move out of state for various reasons. It may be because their family network is in another state. This decision often have a significant impact on the visitation of the other parent because it would be more difficult for…
CREDIT card debt is the most troubling financial problem for a lot of people today. Currently there are millions of people who can’t even afford to pay more than the minimum on their credit cards. And of course, if you pay no more than the minimum, you’re certain to be in debt for a very…
WHAT do I mean by “very senior client”? The client is 90 years old. Is that senior or what? He qualifies as my second most senior client being 92 ten years ago. Well, the oldest human in CA died last year at 101. That was not my client. My most senior client was 82 when…
LOS Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti signed an ordinance on Friday, July 8 into law raising the minimum wage for healthcare workers at certain private health care facilities to $25 per hour. “The past few years have taken an unimaginable toll on our healthcare workers — often putting themselves at risk to care for the sick…
Charles Erhart worked as an internal auditor for BofI Federal Bank in San Diego, California. The Bank is a federally chartered savings and loan association and its holding company is publicly traded (i.e. under SEC oversight). It provides financing for residential properties and small- to-medium size businesses. It also purchases “specialty finance receivables,” such as…
ARE you currently struggling with debt problems and don’t know what to do? To most people, finding themselves in that situation is pretty scary. They constantly worry about their finances and wonder whether they will ever be able to get out of the financial mess that is causing them a lot of stress. But what…
THERE is never the perfect time to think about who you would like to inherit from your estate in case you pass away or at least who among your closest friends (BFFs) and family members are even deserving of inheriting from your estate. In doing so, you should also think about which vehicle you plan…
THE husband is 65 and has just handed in his application for retirement from his job. He makes a gross of $5,000 a month with overtime. Upon retirement, he will net about $3,700 as pension. That’s not bad at all. In fact, that’s a lot better than social security benefits. If it were social security,…
WORKERS in Los Angeles experienced a minimum wage increase on Friday, July 1. The city’s minimum wage increased from $15 per hour to $16.04 per hour for all covered employees. For unincorporated areas of LA County, the increase goes to $15.96. The increase applies to all businesses, regardless of size. Those experiencing an increase are…
Peter Albrecht worked as a psychiatric nurse for University of California Irvine (UCI) Medical Center. In 2007 Peter was seriously injured while restraining a violent patient. Because of his injuries, Peter was unable to work for three years and UCI approved this extended medical leave. He returned to work in October 2010. In 2011, Peter…
Don’t let this happen to you! 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 mail and he never said NO to any of them. Buy now and pay later, why not? As long…
Seniors need relief for credit cards GAS prices are very high at $7 a gallon at some stations. The Ukraine war is entering its fourth month. Inflation is at 8.2%. And the pandemic is still around. Given this environment, not all businesses here are able to survive. Many businesses are operating at a loss for…
This is a common question among people contemplating divorce in California when the other spouse does not live in the state. The California Courts has the power to grant a divorce, annulment, or legal separation if either party is domiciled in the state. Domicile is where a person lives and intends to remain. However, there…
Don’t let this happen to you! 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 mail and he never said NO to any of them. Buy now and pay later, why not? As long…
GET ready for a packed schedule of workshops, networking and giveaways at the San Gabriel Valley Megamix Expo on Thursday, June 30. Held at the Hilton Los Angeles/San Gabriel (225 West Valley Boulevard San Gabriel, CA 91776) from 4 to 8:30 p.m., the expo’s theme for 2022 is “bringing the community back together.” It will showcase innovative…
CHICO, CA — Tri Counties Bank announced on June 22 a partnership with the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC), to provide a Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Program that will launch on July 7, 2022. The DPA Program aims to assist qualifying low- to moderate-income home buyers, especially in underserved communities, to fund down payments on…
Q: I work for a mid-size company in Los Angeles. I was recently diagnosed with a serious illness that will require surgery and several weeks of recovery. I’m worried about my job and someone suggested I should let my employer know so the “interactive process” can begin. What is the interactive process and what should…
ONE of the biggest problem of millenials and Gen Z are educational cost and student loan debt. This eats up a large part of a households budget even among married couples. However, what happens to all the money paid towards one spouse’s education and student loans if the marriage fails and leads to divorce. Well,…
MANY self-employed individuals have relied on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other federal pandemic loans to rescue their businesses from going under. If you notice, many restaurants that we go to pre-pandemic have shuttered up permanently despite using up PPP and other loans. Sure the PPP loans helped a lot to keep employees employed,…
NEW York City is home to multiple markets, including ones that pop-up once the weather gets warmer. There are also street fairs all over the city’s neighborhoods and some that take place in parking lots and school auditoriums. Since May, there have been Asian-centric pop-ups to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Some of them…
LOS ANGELES—Buoyed by optimism of higher economic growth this year, the Philippine government is encouraging Filipino Americans to pour in more investments in the country’s franchise industry. In a recent hybrid seminar on franchising hosted by Philippine Consulate General-Los Angeles and the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA), Consul General Edgar B. Badajos said this first of…
WHEN contemplating bankruptcy as a way out of debt, one is often faced with the question: What would my life be like after I file bankruptcy? When can I have credit again? Will I be shut out of the American dream forever or is it nothing more than a fresh financial start so I can…
Gustavo Naranjo worked as a guard for Spectrum Security Services, Inc. (Spectrum), which contracts with federal agencies to transport prisoners who have appointments outside custodial facilities. Naranjo was fired after leaving his post to take a meal break, in violation of a Spectrum policy that required custodial employees to remain on duty during all meal…
THE client is 50 and married. He owes $60,000 of credit cards. He pays $2,000 a month as minimum credit card payments to keep the $60,000 current. His wife is not jointly liable on these cards. She owes about only $2,000 of credit cards by herself. They own a house that is currently worth $1M…
Parents that are going through divorce and legal separation sometimes have to make a decision to move out of state for various reasons. It may be because their family network is in another state. This decision often have a significant impact on the visitation of the other parent because it would be more difficult for…
