Covering the week’s most noteworthy business news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
Working as a caregiver in a private home, an assisted living facility or nursing home is hard work. If this is your job, you probably work long hours and return home physically and emotionally drained. You may provide 24-hour, live-in help to the elderly or incapacitated. Many residential private households, residential care facilities and nursing…
YOU may not like what I have to say in this article. But oftentimes, the truth hurts. But if you find yourself broke every payday because of too much debt, you may find the information here helpful to change your life for the better. Did you know that more than 90% of the population lives…
FBDown makes it possible to download videos directly from Facebook to your device. Depending on the browser and operating system, the videos are saved after the download at the download folder on your system. To do this, simply search for the corresponding video favorite in the Downloads folder. Alternatively, you can enter the combination CTRL…
A COMBINED task force of IRS, state tax agencies and the tax industry is warning tax professionals of attempts to steal Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs) with new scam email that impersonates the IRS. The latest scheme that arrived just before the start of the tax season targets tax professionals who prepare your tax returns….
AT some point in your life, you will have to confront your own mortality as well as the mortality of your loved ones. When you’re 12, you’re in a hurry to become a teenager. When you’re a teenager, you’re in a hurry to become 21. In the meantime, before you turn 21, you’re in college…
DALY CITY – True to its commitment, Mechanics Bank recently presented The National Asian American Coalition (NAAC) with two checks of $5,000 for a total of $10,000. The NAAC has been serving the low-to-moderate income communities across the State of California for almost 17 years, increasing sustainable homeownership and providing technical assistance to small businesses….
As much as one might be prepared for the death of a dear friend or a close relative, we are never ready to receive such news. Over the weekend, I received a Viber message from a family friend that read, “Hi Eric, just to inform you that Rod (not his real name) passed away due…
Opportunistic scammers are exploiting COVID to steal from you. IRS warns that dark web thieves are targeting tax preparers and taxpayers. These dirty criminals constantly mutate like the virus. These filthy scammers have been busy targeting economic stimulus payment. Here are some basic security guidance for individual taxpayers, business taxpayers and tax professionals. Protect personal…
Q: I WAS diagnosed with a spine compression fracture and severe depression. I want to request leave but want to keep my privacy at work. Do I need to tell my employer about my medical or psychological condition? A: No. The employee is not required to disclose the nature of the employee’s medical condition or…
THIS is one thing I hear from people all the time: “If you ask me, I really hate doing this, but I feel I have no choice.” Of course, no one ever wakes up one morning and decide to just file bankruptcy without seriously thinking it over. Usually, people spend a lot of time going…
ARE income taxes owed to the IRS dischargeable in bankruptcy? What do you think? Of course, they are dischargeable. There are certain conditions that have to be met but they areindeed dischargeable. Are you kidding me, you ask? No kidding, they are dischargeable. Client is in his 50s. He migrated by himself first to America,…
MANY startups have attempted to unlock financial services in Southeast Asian emerging markets, where credit card penetration is under 10%. Consumers in the Philippines have lost trust in a system rife with illegitimate and predatory lenders. A new FinTech startup, Plentina, is leveraging machine learning and retail partnerships to help rebuild that trust. Plentina closed…
You’re doing fine. You’re paying your bills on time and you have your debts under control. You’ve even managed to set aside a bit of savings in your bank account. You’re happy and life is good- at least for a moment. Then one day you find yourself in a big financial mess. You’ve used up…
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig described the combination of tax filing season, COVID, and work-from-home as hunting season for online thieves. Dark web scammers are the hunters and you are the game, unfortunately. Here are ways to protect yourself: • Install anti-virus software with a feature to stop malware. • Update your security software for both…
EVA Sharp worked as a cashier for Safeway, a large American grocery chain with headquarters in California. She initially filed a class action case on behalf of cashiers and other employees, alleging that Safeway failed to provide employees with suitable seating while performing their work tasks. Sharp also filed the lawsuit on behalf of the…
Sleepless nights… Stressed out… Worried about the future… Always broke no matter how hard they work…Feeling hopeless about their situation. This is what most people are going through when they are considering bankruptcy in their desperate attempt to get out of debt. The word “bankruptcy” often produces negative feelings because some people equate it with…
IN one case, the debtor borrowed $100,000 in credit cards, which he used to gamble. He then filed for Chapter 7 to wipe out the $100,000 of credit cards. The creditors objected on the grounds that he had no intent of repaying his debts because he used the money that he had borrowed to gamble….
THE IRS expanded the Identity Protection PIN Opt-In Program to cover all taxpayers to include you. This Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit code known only to you and the IRS. It helps prevent identity thieves from filing fraudulent tax returns (and get your refunds) using your personal information. Here are key factors…
“It is the employer who directs the manner in which the employee is to present himself or herself for work – whether at the worksite or by phone. Either way, reporting time must be paid.” Michael Raziano worked in California as a truck driver for Albertsons, the second largest grocery chain in North America. He,…
SEVENTEEN Filipino tycoons have secured their spots on Forbes’ annual list of the wealthiest people in the world. Forbes on Tuesday, April 6, released its 2021 list of global billionaires, with this year’s roster having a record-breaking 2,755 billionaires, including 493 newcomers. “The number of billionaires on Forbes’ 35th annual list of the world’s wealthiest…
RENTERS in the City of Los Angeles have until the end of April to apply for the second round of rental assistance. LA, in partnership with the federal government and the State of California, has created a new emergency rental assistance program to assist low-income renters who have been unable to pay their rent due…
AS the COVID-19 pandemic continues, government agencies have issued guidance on how to reduce transmission of the illness. On March 4, 2021, California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) updated its guidelines regarding frequently asked questions (FAQs) on keeping workplaces safe while continuing to uphold civil and employment rights. Below are examples of FAQs…
HAS your income been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? If you are currently unemployed and have no resources to pay creditors, filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy to wipe out your debts and start fresh may be the clear and only option. To file Chapter 7, you generally need to be able to show zero disposable…
Thieves’ new target: Mobile phones. People are vigilant in protecting their computers but not their cell phones; accordingly, scammers are feasting on mobile phones. The IRS FBI FTC have issued warnings about protecting phones especially when shopping. Make sure that your phones and tablets are just as secure as your computers. Federal and state agencies…
IS Chapter 7 better than Chapter 13? I would say generally speaking if you have accumulated debt that is too burdensome for you, Chapter 7 is better for you than Chapter 13 because, in Chapter 7, all your debts are wiped out, giving you a fresh start in life so you can be productive again….
THE East West Bank Foundation is committed to supporting diversity and anti-discrimination efforts. To help stem the rash of violence against AAPIs, the East West Bank Foundation is contributing to nonprofit organizations which are on the frontlines responding to the hate. The East West Bank Foundation is supported through East West Bank, one of the…
ARE you seriously in debt and don’t know what to do about your situation? Are you afraid that unless you do something about it, thing will just continue to get worse every day? When people are going through financial difficulty and are unable to pay their bills, their first reaction is often to ignore their…
The Department of Tourism has issued strict new guidelines for the operation of DOT-accredited hotels and other accommodation establishments during the Holy Week in the light of a new surge of Covid-19 cases in the country. The interim operational guidelines issued on Sunday by Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat came in the wake of the imposition…
Feb. 1, 2021: Employers to mail out W-2 Forms to their employees; businesses to furnish 1099 Forms reporting non-employee compensation, bank interest, dividends, and distributions from a retirement plan. Feb. 1, 2021: Financial institutions to mail out Form 1099-B relating to sales of stock, bonds, or mutual funds through a brokerage account, Form 1099-S relating to real estate transactions; and Form…
Last year, private employers with 500 or more employees were required to provide California employees with paid sick time for COVID-19-related absences. That law, AB 1867, aimed to close the gaps left open by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) by expanding coverage to healthcare providers or emergency responders and food sector workers. AB…
