[COLUMN] Employer’s duty to find suitable job for the disabled employee
Q: I WORKED at a company for more than 20 years. I was injured at work several months ago and I was forced to take a leave of absence so…
Category: Business
Covering the week’s most noteworthy business news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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Metro Box Cargo celebrates eight years, holds Thanksgiving party
METRO Box Cargo recently held a Thanksgiving celebration at its headquarters in Union City as it also celebrated its eighth year in the freight forwarding business. Established in 2013, Metro…
[COLUMN] Will I have to pay spousal support if I file for divorce?
THE purpose of spousal support is not defined by the legislature in that its purpose varies according to the facts and circumstances of each case. The facts and circumstances of…
SFIO officially signs $100-M agreement with Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty Center to develop a resort condotel in Batangas, Philippines
THE memorandum of agreement will see Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty Center, Inc., a subsidiary of Filipino publicly listed company AbaCore Capital Holdings, contributing land by the bay of Batangas…
[COLUMN] Termination during approved medical leave may be illegal
Is employee’s travel an abuse of medical leave? Q: I HAD surgery and my employer approved the doctor-prescribed 6 weeks of medical leave. While on leave, I travelled to the…
[COLUMN] Will I have to pay spousal support if I file for divorce?
THE purpose of spousal support is not defined by the legislature in that its purpose varies according to the facts and circumstances of each case. The facts and circumstances of…
[COLUMN] My house needs major repairs and I need to sell now
IF you’re in this situation, your question is probably – “Do I need to make repairs?” The quick answer is “No, you don’t need to make any repairs.” The real…
[COLUMN] How to obtain custody and visitation rights for unmarried dads
Establishing parentage rights for Moms is a lot easier than establishing one for unmarried Dads. Moms can establish this by simply showing proof of her having given birth to the…
[COLUMN] Why more and more seniors are filing bankruptcy
According to a new report, the number of seniors filing bankruptcy is increasing rapidly. The average senior who files bankruptcy these days owes approximately $17,390 according to the report (although…
[COLUMN] When a job termination is illegal retaliation
AFROUZ Nikmanesh worked as a pharmacist for Walmart for more than 10 years. During her time as a Walmart pharmacist, Dr. Nikmanesh reported several noncompliance issues to management. These included…
[COLUMN] Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT)
Biden tax plan series WHAT is a Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT)? A Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT) is used in estate planning to minimize taxes on large financial gifts to family…
[COLUMN] Why the disparity in monthly credit card payments?
THE first client is a senior who still earns $120K a year as a registered nurse but owes $130K of credit cards. The second client is also a senior who…
[COLUMN] Should you modify your child and spousal support obligation if you lose your job?
IF you have an existing child support or spousal support obligation (court order) and you are laid off from your job causing a major loss of income, you may want…
[COLUMN] How bankruptcy helps when you’re stuck in debt
MANY people find themselves in the position of facing overwhelming debt, with constant calls from creditors and no apparent way out. For some, job loss sent them into a downward…
[COLUMN] Estate tax rate changes
Biden tax plan series WHAT Is an Estate Tax? An estate tax is a levy on estates whose value exceeds an exclusion limit. Only the amount that exceeds that minimum threshold is…
[COLUMN] Who else should be liable for compensating the seriously injured?
QUICHANG Zhu (72 years old) and her grandson, Jian Hao Kuang (6 years old), were using a crosswalk to cross a street in Sacramento, CA. The intersection has no traffic…
[COLUMN] Young client seeks Chapter 7 discharge of $300K in credit card debt for fresh start
WHEN I say client is young, I mean client is young, in her twenties. She is married and has a son, a toddler. Before becoming a mother, she was working…
[COLUMN] Should you modify your child and spousal support obligation if you lose your job?
IF you have an existing child support or spousal support obligation (court order) and you are laid off from your job causing a major loss of income, you may want…
SFIO to invest US$100M to develop land into a resort-like condotel property in Batangas City, Philippines
SFIO has recently been named one of the “20 Promising Companies Everyone Should Know in 2021” by Global Business Leader Magazine. The joint venture project with Omnicor Industrial Estate &…
[COLUMN] ‘Help! Can I file bankruptcy again?’
I’VE been asked this question a few times lately, so I decided to write an article on it. If you have filed bankruptcy before, you may be wondering whether it’s…
[COLUMN] Itemized deductions
Biden tax plan series WHAT are itemized deductions? Itemized deductions are expenses that can be deducted from your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) to reduce your taxable income. Such deductions permit you to…
[COLUMN] Q&A with Chase’s Cora Mopera
Tell me about your current role and how your upbringing got you to where you are today. I’ve been a Branch Manager for over 10 years and my main role…
[COLUMN] Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult children’s college expenses in their divorce judgment?
Divorcing couples with children sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their children’s college education after the divorce once their children graduates high school. They want a guarantee…
[COLUMN] How’s the housing market?
Ending the month of October 2021, the Southern California housing market continued to appreciate in comparison to the prior year (Oct 2020)*. Los Angeles County showed an increase of 6.7%…
[COLUMN] Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult children’s college expenses in their divorce judgment?
Divorcing couples with children sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their children’s college education after the divorce once their children graduates high school. They want a guarantee…
[COLUMN] What is a 100% plan in Chapter 13?
CLIENTS are husband and wife in their fifties. Their combined household income is a gross of $140,000 annually. They own a house with equity of $300,000 in LA. They have…
[COLUMN] Granting employees intermittent leave is reasonable accommodation
Q: I HAVE a heart condition that has become worse recently. I need to see my doctor periodically or when I feel dizzy or short of breath. This means I…
[COLUMN] Bankruptcy can be the first step to financial recovery
I remember the story of a poor, old beggar who died one day- and to everyone’s surprise, a money belt found wrapped around his waist contained thousands of dollars in…
[COLUMN] How to naturalize as a US citizen
TO most immigrants, obtaining their greencard has been a long and challenging journey. However, it should not be regarded as the final destination. The real American dream is to become…
SFIO: A new age company addressing the ‘new normal’ needs
THE COVID-19 pandemic has turned out to be one of major events that we all have witnessed together. Everyone had different approaches to deal with the crisis which led to…