Bankruptcy: You can’t let your past decide your future
AS a Bankruptcy Attorney, I have counseled thousands of individuals with all types of debt problems. I often encourage people by telling them that it is not too late to…
Category: Business
Covering the week’s most noteworthy business news impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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A healthier mouth = A healthier heart?
OUR bodies are ecosystems where a change in one area affects other areas. This connection is becoming clearer as scientists continue examining the links between oral health and cardiovascular health. Recent…
Clients convert Chapter 13 to Chapter 7
Senior with reverse mortgage seeks Chapter 7 discharge of $37k credit cards; client reopens Chapter 7 to cover unlisted debt “ Client says he likes his life now as simple…
Should you postpone filing your tax returns?
SURELY as April 15 comes along, some of you will procrastinate in filing tax returns. It can be habit forming as I see the same taxpayers come after April 15…
Firing of employee after 12-week medical leave may be disability discrimination
OUR client, Teresa,* has always lived with a serious lung condition since childhood. Although Teresa knew that her condition limited her activities, she did her best to live a productive…
Stuck in debt with no way out?
WHEN debts spiral out of control, bankruptcy can become an invaluable financial recovery tool in stemming the tide and getting you back on the right track. Without the “fresh start”…
Mom with two teenagers wants Chapter 7 discharge of $20K credit cards
Senior revisits Chapter 7 after 20 years; disabled client seeks to discharge federal student loans of $70K without BK Client No. 1 YOUNG mother of two teenagers, both daughters, presents…
10 tips on penalties for late filing/paying your taxes
1. THE failure-to-file penalty is generally more than the failure-to-pay penalty. If you cannot pay all the taxes you owe, file to prevent that more costly failure-to-file penalty. 2. The…
Employer held liable for employee’s sexual misconduct outside the workplace
S.W. was 15 years old when Luis Morales offered her a job at US Metro Group, Inc., where Morales worked. S.W., who was best friends with Morales’ daughter, accepted Morales’…
Filing bankruptcy when necessary may be the fresh start that you need
IF you are in debt and are seriously considering bankruptcy as an option, I am sure a lot of thoughts are going through your mind. I just want to get…
What to do when you burn your mouth with pizza and other food
SOMETIMES you just can’t resist – it’s so cheesy and saucy— right out of the oven! You dive in and take your first bite…uh oh! Too soon! You’ve got “pizza burn!” Pizza isn’t the only…
Disabled client files Chapter 13 for secured high interest loans
Young client files chapter 7 to discharge $30k credit cards Client no. 1 CLIENT was disabled when he was 55, which was 7 years ago. He receives $1,600 of disability…
10 tips to avoid stress from last-minute filing
• FILE your tax records neatly and orderly during the year. If you are not an organized person by nature as some of us are, just throw tax documents in…
US Supreme Court sets rules for identifying pregnancy discrimination at work
PEGGY Young worked as a part-time driver for United Parcel Service (UPS). Her responsibilities included pickup and delivery of packages that had arrived by air carrier the previous night. In…
How to stop debt problems from getting worse
ARE debt problems making your life a living hell? Doing your best to pay but creditors just won’t leave you alone? Maybe you get nervous every time the phone rings…
3 types of endorsements to use for your business
How much would you pay Manny Pacquiao to endorse your business? Envision this. Manny would be in all your advertisements: TV, Radio, Billboard, and Internet. He would be available for…
Clients files Chapter 7 to discharge credit card debt
Client No. 1 LOOKS like I signed up two clients in opposite ends of debt last week. Client no. 1 is 55 years old and divorced for 10 years. She…
Cheerleaders suffer wage theft, recover back wages
LAST year, we discussed the lawsuit filed by the Raiderettes, the cheer squad for the Oakland Raiders, who sued their employer for back wages and reimbursements. The lawsuit claimed that…
Are you lost in a ‘money fog’?
MAYBE you’ve experienced this before: You’re driving down the road one cold, chilly day and before you know it, you find yourself surrounded by a thick white wall of dense…
Mortgage interest deduction
1. QUALIFIED Residence Interest includes your principal and second homes. The homes could be a house, condo, mobile home, motor home, time share, or even a houseboat, as long as…
10 tips in deducting charitable contributions
• YOU may deduct donations to qualified organizations. Qualified organizations have tax-exempt status from the IRS. These include corporations or foundations organized in the U.S. for religious, charitable, educational, scientific,…
What is a true salaried employee?
Q: I AM a salaried employee exempt from overtime. I often work more than 40 hours per week. However, there are days when I work less than 8 hours per…
Debt solutions: Which one is right for you?
IF you are searching for debt reduction solutions, no doubt you’ve been inundated with advertisements for various debt management programs, companies and solutions. The choices seem confusing to the average…
Client files Chapter 13 to stop garnishment of social security
Abandoned wife files Chapter 7 to discharge collection lawsuits for $20K Client no. 1 IS it even legally possible that your social security benefits can be garnished? If creditors can…
Maintenance 101
Vehicle maintenance is one of the more bothersome aspects of automobile ownership. Taking your ride into Auto Shop or Dealer is often like having a tooth pulled–painful, but necessary. Maintenance…
The Rise of CBDs: Driving Metro Manila’s property boom
“BUY real estate in areas where the path exists and buy more real estate where there is no path, but you can create your own” -David Waronker, American real estate…
Client file chapter 13 and chapter 7 for credit card debts
White House appeals amnesty restraing order to Court of Appeals Client no. 1 CLIENT no. 1 is in her fifties. She comes to see me regarding a lawsuit by a…
Average itemized deductions
FOR those of you who itemize, the table below should be of special interest. For those of you who play the odds (you know what I mean), this table should…
When is an employment termination ‘wrongful’?
Q: I WORKED in a company for over 10 years. A new supervisor and I do not get along. Last week, the company let me go without any explanation. I…
Why keeping your debt problems a ‘secret’ will not help you
HAVE you ever faced a situation in your life where you needed help so badly but you were just too afraid or embarrassed to ask for it? Perhaps you felt…