Generally, in California, property acquired by a spouse prior to marriage is considered separate property under family code section 770 while those acquired after marriage are considered community assets under family code section 760. How do you characterize real property purchased prior to marriage but with the mortgage principal paid down using community income or…
(Part 3) 1. Amusement, recreation, and entertainment are now non-deductible under the new act. Businesses may still claim 50% deduction on meals if 1) provided to potential customer or client 2) not extravagant 3) the employer or employee is present 4) purchased separately from entertainment events. You may rely on Notice 2018-76 until the Department…
Client is 58. He is not divorced but separated for 20 years. His income is good. He nets about $7K to $8K a month. He lives by himself and does not even own a car. He goes carpooling with a relative to go to work. His rent is $800 a month. So, he doesn’t really…
In this week’s column, we address the Violence Against Women Act, commonly known as VAWA. VAWA is a federal law that allows victims of domestic violence to obtain lawful permanent residence (a green card) without the help of their abusers. Typically, a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) submits an application “petitioning” for…
” I build my house of sticks. I build my house of twigs. With a hey-diddle-diddle, I play on the fiddle. And dance all kinds of jigs” — Fiddler Pig (The first 5 tips came out in last week’s issue. Here’s the second installment of 5 more.) 6. Simplify. Simplify. Simplify. Know the difference between needs and wants. Use…
The confirmation process of Justice Brett Kavanaugh just all the more highlighted how divided and angry this nation has been, especially in the last two years. If you are happy where the country is right now, or whether you have serious concerns how the democratic process has increasingly been hijacked, then do NOT fall into…
Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office announces landmark settlement Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office announced last week that it reached an agreement with a home care provider that allegedly failed to pay minimum wage and overtime to its employees, many of whom are Filipino. In a press conference on Tuesday, October 2, City Attorney Mike Feuer…
Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office announces landmark settlement Just weeks before the midterm elections are to take place, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh sat on the Supreme Court bench for the first time on Tuesday, October 9 after weeks of debating accusations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse. Kavanaugh, 53, was confirmed on Saturday, October 6,…
CHICAGO 09 October 2018 — Highlighting the country’s commitment towards peace, the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago participated in the 40th Peace Day in Chicago at the Daley Plaza on 17 September 2018. Peace Day in Chicago was started by the non-profit organization The Peace School on 07 September 1978, which aims to gather Chicago residents…
The exhibit features the piña-seda cloth from which the Barong Tagalog and other Filipino attire are fashioned, is a joint project of Senator Loren Legarda, the National Museum of the Philippines, the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, and the University of Hawai (UH). Photo shows Assistant Director Labrador and Madame Jimeno briefing Hawaii First Lady…
By Liu Yinghong In Buddhism, mastery over one’s own birth and death has always been a legend. Yet, in September of 2018, I saw that with my own eyes! The Buddhism founded by Sakyamuni Buddha has been propagated in the world for more than 2,000 years and has evolved into various sects and schools, each…
CALGARY 09 October 2018 — The Filipino community in Banff and Canmore, Alberta showcased true bayanihan spirit as they hosted a Filipino food festival attended by by some 500 Filipinos and Canadians on 27 September 2018. Consul General Gilberto Asuque congratulated the Filipino community for their successful hosting of the food festival at the Banff…
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has released its calendar of activities and listed prohibited acts for the 2019 midterm elections on May 13. Comelec Resolution No. 10429 sets the election period from January 13 to June 12, 2019. However, the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) and nominations for party-list representatives will run from October…
COMMISSION on Human Rights (CHR) chairman Chito Gascon on Thursday, October 4 said that more “confidential communications” containing information on the alleged human rights violations by President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration have been sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC). There are at least four other communications filed before the ICC in addition to those that…
Majority of Americans not convinced by “America first” approach With the second year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s election approaching, recently released polls are indicating that the U.S. president’s foreign policies may not be too popular among both Americans and foreigners. A new 25-nation Pew Research Center survey released on Monday, October 1 found that Trump’s…
SEVERAL universities in Metro Manila on Thursday, October 4, dared the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to prove its accusations that their institutions are breeding grounds for the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA). and recruits for a destabilization plot against President Rodrigo Duterte. Joseph Noel Estrada, legal…
EVEN after leaving her post on Wednesday, October 3, former assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Esther Margaux “Mocha” Uson will still face an investigation being conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman. Ombudsman Samuel Martires ordered Uson and her boss, PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar, to respond to complaints regarding the videos…
Controversial monument features a Filipina comfort woman; the Japanese city of Osaka rescinds sister cityhood from San Francisco Last year, the City of San Francisco erected a monument that depicts young women from Korea, China and the Philippines holding hands as a separate statue of a Korean activist, Kim Hak-sun, looks up at them. The…
A RECENT study conducted by the IBON Foundation concluded on Thursday, October 4, that the first package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law burdens the poorest 17.2 million Filipinos nationwide. The said non-stock and non-profit organization found out that 76 percent or three out of four Filipino families are struggling to…
ARE you overwhelmed with too much debt and don’t know how you can get out? Do you spend at lot of time worrying about your finances and don’t know how you can make it through another month? Are creditors calling you and harassing you for payment? When people are going through financial difficulty and are…
HISTORIC final Senate vote to confirm President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh is happening today, Saturday, October 6. This follows a less than a week of supplemental FBI investigation that has been deemed as limited in scope and depth, at the direction of the White House. This has been a process rushed…
“Every life is a wonderful story worthy of being told. Every life is a work of art, and if it does not seem so, perhaps it is only necessary to illuminate the reason that contains it. The secret is never to lose faith, to have confidence in God’s plan for us, revealed in the signs…
THE year-round oasis is timeless in the Fil-Am community, motivated by independent women that pursue common goals and interests, with their paths frequently intersecting, overlapping — socializing with many of the same well-educated people — their careers almost every instance. Some precede over their husbands, marriage and children, not only by their hard earned victories,…
FIRST, you get a notice called a “contact letter” by mail – postal mail. The IRS does not reach out to taxpayers via email or phone; if that happens, you are probably being scammed. IRS will ask you to bring specific documents via Information Document Request (IDR). Here’s a list of what to do: • Respond…
“Other expenses associated with the property are not considered in the calculation such as mortgage interest, taxes and insurance.” GENERALLY, in California, when buying and selling property online the property acquired by a spouse prior to marriage is considered separate property under family code section 770 while those acquired after marriage are considered community assets…
THE Gospel this Sunday (Mark 10:2-16) begins with the Pharisees asking Jesus if it is lawful for a husband to divorce his wife. Jesus responded by reminding them of the sacredness and indissoluble union of marriage as written in the Book of Genesis: “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female….
A GREEN card holder can travel outside the US and return with some limitations. If a green card holder is outside the US for an extended period of time, he may be considered to have abandoned his permanent resident status. Brief travel (such as for a vacation) normally will not affect permanent resident status. However,…
THE area of sexual harassment litigation involves complex rules that are continually evolving. Last month, California lawmakers signed some laws designed to close several loopholes in California’s sexual harassment laws. Some of the more important common-sense changes include the following: A single incident of harassing conduct is sufficient to create a triable issue regarding the…
