[COLUMN] How’s the housing market?
AS we come to the close of 2021, the data shows that the Southern California housing market has continued to appreciate for the past three years since 2019. As of…
Category: Business
Covering the week’s most noteworthy business news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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[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] Defending discriminated co-workers is protected activity
IN 2016, Robert Fernandez, then 70 years old and disabled due to diabetes, was hired by Puente Hills Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. Even though he had trouble walking and standing…
[COLUMN] Why using your married child as a co-borrower to refinance your house is a bad idea
MANY parents who may have problems refinancing their house due to low income in retirement or due to low credit score sometimes resort to the idea of having their married…
[COLUMN] Read this before hiring a debt settlement company
ARE you thinking of hiring a debt settlement company to help you solve your debt problems? Before you do, maybe you should read this article as it could save you…
[COLUMN] Remedies for employees fired due to whistleblowing retaliation
Teresa Brooke was hired by Aurora Santa Rosa Hospital as its Chief Nursing Officer in May 2016. The hospital provides in-patient care, partial hospitalization, and outpatient mental health care for…
[COLUMN] Filing bankruptcy to eliminate credit card debt
DO you have sleepless nights worrying about your credit card debts? Are you feeling hopelessly trapped with no way out? If you are up to your eyeballs in credit card…
[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] Are you overburdened by debt?
Bankruptcy law has two basic purposes for individuals (as opposed to a business entity). The first is from the perspective of creditors. Bankruptcy law gives creditors a common venue to…
[COLUMN] Tax benefits of Nevada corporations
Nevada has no state personal income tax. It has no corporate income or franchise tax tax either. On the other hand, neighboring California has the highest personal tax rates in…
[COLUMN] How’s the housing market?
ENDING the month of November 2021, the Southern California housing market continued to appreciate in comparison to the prior year (Nov 2020) for single-family homes. Los Angeles County’s median sales…
[COLUMN] Filing bankruptcy: Sooner or later?
I WAS in line at the grocery store the other day and noticed the man in front of me smiling and looking at me as if he wanted to say…
[COLUMN] Grounds for annulling a marriage
MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usually file for Divorce. There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage “voided” rather than “dissolved.” …
[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] 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…
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…