[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…
Category: Business
Covering the week’s most noteworthy business news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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[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…
[COLUMN] Top corporate income tax rate
Biden tax plan series WE have been concerned about President Biden’s proposal to raise the federal corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%. Lawmakers have suggested raising the rate to 25%. Including…
[COLUMN] Termination of employee during medical treatments violates disability discrimination laws
Albert and Stephanie Garcia, a married couple, were hired in 2013 by Sierra Management to work as on-site managers of an 81-unit apartment building in Canoga Park. The Garcias were…
[COLUMN] Client files Chapter 13 for $400K unsecured debt
THIS is what I call a borderline Chapter 7 case with asset. Therefore, it is the better part of caution not to file Chapter 7 because the asset may be…
[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…
Big Lou’s Donuts clinches multiple multimillion-dollar Australia-wide supply contracts, including with Metcash, FoodWorks and Foodland
THE Australian-founded Big Lou’s Donuts, which specializes in producing a wide range of commercial donuts for retail, wholesale, events and corporate markets since 2008, recently sealed several deals with national…
[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…
Report: Apple threatened Facebook ban over abuse of Filipina domestic workers
A NEW report revealed that Apple once gave Facebook an ultimatum over the abuse of Filipina domestic workers in the Middle East. “Two years ago, Apple threatened to pull Facebook…
[COLUMN] How’s the housing market?
AT the end of September 2021, the Southern California housing market continued to increase in comparison to the prior year (September 2020)*. Los Angeles County showed an increase of 8.7%…
[COLUMN] Reduce your debt by filing Chapter 13
ARE you struggling to pay your debts every month, especially your credit cards? Do you barely have anything left to pay your mortgage, rent, food and other basic living expenses…
[COLUMN] Client relies on 3 bankruptcies in 12 years to save house, wipe out debts
I recently finished attending the telephonic bankruptcy hearing with my client and am reminded of his bankruptcy saga over the last 12 years. The client is married and 82 years…
[COLUMN] ‘Silenced no more’ laws: Employees may disclose acts of discrimination & harassment
IN the wake of the #MeToo movement, there has been a lot of attention focused on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), also known as confidentiality agreements (CAs). Sexual harassment victims who agreed to settle their…
SFIO’s The Global Academy in partnership with FPACC aims to guide businesses in their journey of digital transformation
THE existence of the COVID-19 pandemic has lasted for almost two years, forcing the world to live in a “new normal.” Due to the constant lockdowns, businesses have been forced…
[COLUMN] When is my prenuptial agreement not enforceable?
MANY people are of the perception that simply downloading a prenuptial agreement from the internet and signing it with their fiance offers them a bullet proof protection from a divorce. …
[COLUMN] Do you have debt problems caused by the pandemic?
WHEN the virus makes your income disappear overnight, it can be very frightening to realize that you can’t go very long without it because your bills don’t stop just because…
[COLUMN] Seniors need Chapter 7 relief for $50K various unsecured debt
THE client is 72. He still works his normal job and makes about $3K a month. He also receives social security of $1K. So, his total income right now is…
[COLUMN] Annual exclusion of gifts
Biden tax plan series WHAT Is a Gift Tax? Gift tax is a federal tax applied to an individual giving anything of value to another person. The donor must report…
[COLUMN] When is my prenuptial agreement not enforceable?
MANY people are of the perception that simply downloading a prenuptial agreement from the internet and signing it with their fiance offers them a bullet proof protection from a divorce. …
Two Filipino-owned firms in New Zealand, Australia ink $100-M agreement
TWO successful Filipino entrepreneurs in Australia and New Zealand recently entered into a $100-M engagement to jointly expand their respective businesses. New Zealand-based Starfleet Innotech, Inc., chaired by Jeths de…
[COLUMN] When is the best time to sell my house?
THERE are two conditions that can determine the best time to sell your house. The first condition is during a “seller’s market” and the second condition is seasonal. A seller’s…
[COLUMN] Step-up in basis for assets transferred at death
WHAT Is a Step-Up in Basis? The term “step-up in basis” refers to the readjustment of the value of an appreciated asset for tax purposes upon inheritance. It adjusts the value of an…
[COLUMN] Misclassified ‘salaried’ employees who work long hours entitled to back wages
AARON Kudatsky worked as an implementation consultant in California for Tyler Technologies, a company that sells business and public sector operations software being used in finance, payroll, billing, and others….