THE client is 74. Her husband passed away two years ago. Her only source of income is social security of $2,000 a month, which was her husband’s social security. Her own social security was $1,500 a month. So how come she only has $2,000 of social security and not $2,000 plus $1,500? Because when you…
MARRIAGE for many persons is the culmination of one’s life. Getting married signifies the beginning of a new phase in life, both socially and economically. For those persons who lack permanent residency in the United States and have married a United States citizen, marriage also presents an opportunity to obtain permanent residency. However, although the…
Q. MY employer brought me o merica o ork as live-in nanny for their youngest child. I would be paid $1,000 per month with weekends off. When we arrived in Los Angeles, my employer took my passport. At their home, I work 7 days a week, 14 to 16 hours per day. I take care of an infant and…
IF you are not satisfied with the results of your IRS audit, go to Appeals. You have a choice of either ending your misery by paying up or by continuing to fight at the Appeals Office. The appeals process is an administrative means to resolve your problems without resorting to legal action. It’s a good…
QUESTION: I have been notified by the FBI that they want me to testify against some very bad people. Is there anything I can do for my lack of immigration status? Answer: It may be possible for you to get the S Visa. An S nonimmigrant is an individual who has assisted a law enforcement…
YOU’VE probably seen a lot of these ads: “Settle your debts for pennies on the dollar!”, “Reduce your debts legally without filing bankruptcy!” “Stop bill collectors now and pay them only what you can!” Are all these just exaggerated claims? Or are any of these ads true? How can you protect yourself from being scammed?…
More than ever, perhaps the time has now come for President Rodrigo Duterte to initiate and expedite the convening of a “Global Anti-Drugs Summit” in Manila to help address the narcotics crisis in the country which is also a raging global problem. This way, we could let the Filipino people fully understand that the drug…
THANKSGIVING dinner’s star in America is the roast turkey carving. Like most Filipinos in America, I felt so very much part of American culture and tradition when I roasted my family’s first turkey during our first Thanksgiving celebration in America, some 16 years ago. I served it complete with all the traditional fixings and side…
WE often speak of “the bottom line” — the bottom line of a financial report, an educational program, or a political speech. In the grand perspective of life, however, a bottom line does not merely refer to a result or profit. Rather, it’s about the crux or the heart of the matter, the essence of…
After much thought and her staggering ‘virality,’ I have decided to put into writing the curiosity that’s been building up in me regarding this entertainer-turned-blogger-turned-government official Margaux ‘Mocha’ Uson. Yes, friends, it has come to this: that I dedicate a column for the purpose of analyzing what the fuss is and why this woman is…
“We only pass this stage of youth but once…and dreaming lofty dreams today is to be assured of a dazzling and secured tomorrow…” Millennials, (the demographic cohort following Gen X or the 13th Generation composed of people born in the 60s and 70s) according to Iconoclast, are made up of Gen Y or those born…
“We only pass this stage of youth but once…and dreaming lofty dreams today is to be assured of a dazzling and secured tomorrow…” Millennials, (the demographic cohort following Gen X or the 13th Generation composed of people born in the 60s and 70s) according to Iconoclast, are made up of Gen Y or those born…
THANKSGIVING is when people step back and reflect on all of the wonderful things and events to be grateful for, and to give thanks to those people who played such a key role in helping us achieve them. At this Thanksgiving, I would like to once again give thanks to all of the people who…
WHAT makes a non-citizen deportable? An alien or non-citizen, including a lawful permanent resident (“green card” holder) is deportable for having a conviction relating to controlled substances. Title 8 U.S.C. Section 1227(a)(2)(B)(i) states: “Any alien who at any time after admission has been convicted of a violation of . . . any law or regulation…
In this day and age, the best travel document in your hands would be a U.S. passport. Hence the sense of urgency among immigrants to become U.S citizens. International travel and the globalization drumbeat, among others, prompts members of the immigrant community to acquire the proper documentation to ease their entry and exit to…
(Part 1 of 2) As the year comes to a close, allow me to take you back in time to revisit some of the great moments in medical science which made possible the great strides man has made in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases that benefit all of us today. I had \ privilege in…
BEGINNING January 2018, the IRS will start certification of individuals with delinquent tax debt to the State Department. How will the IRS certification impacts you? • Upon receipt of certification. The State Department will either deny application or revoke current passport or both. • You are overseas. Limited validity passport for direct return to the…
HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY! Amid the stress at work and at home, preparing for a Thanksgiving feast, planning for Black Friday shipping, thinking about the Christmas holidays and gift-giving, our year-end review of goals met and those still pending, the bank, credit card, auto, rent and mortgage payments, tuition fees, money to be sent to help…
FILIPINO-AMERICAN interdisciplinary artist Francis Calimlim believes that you should always have conversations with yourself. Some may think it’s crazy, but from his experience, doing such can open the avenue to discover who you are and want to be. As an interdisciplinary artist, Calimlim’s practice focuses on “the process of making,” meaning he doesn’t categorize himself…
“So the lesson here is that you should never use your retirement accounts to pay off your debts.” THE clients are seniors. The wife is 67 and had just retired from a lifetime of being a registered nurse. She has social security benefits of $2,100. The husband is 67 and has social security of $700. So together, they…
You’re entitled to back wages Q: I WORK at a customer service company that deal with private information. To protect our clients’ privacy, we use a lot of technology to keep information safe. However, the use of these technology often require us to spend approximately 5 to 15 minutes every day preparing for work. For…
YOU own a successful business, as a sole proprietor, prior to marriage. You later meet the love of your life and decide to marry her. Years into the marriage, you decide to incorporate the business. A common question when the couple later divorces becomes 1) did your separate property business become community property by virtue…
HOW long do you have to keep tax records? How long can the IRS audit your tax returns? Let’s discuss tips on statute of limitations so you can clean your garage this weekend. 1. The general statute to audit you is three years after the return is filed. 2. The statute is extended to six…
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 decides to just file bankruptcy without seriously thinking it over. Usually, people spend a lot of time going…
As a second-generation Filipina-American, I leap at every opportunity to travel to the Philippines, especially when the trip is centered on a place that is outside of Manila or the popular island destinations. Earlier this fall, I was invited to join a seven-day familiarization tour to Vigan, Ilocos Sur and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with about…
WE’VE heard inspiring stories of men and women in our present time who have overcome their physical disabilities and live their lives to the fullest. The stories of men like Nick Vujicic, the Australian who was born without hands, feet, and legs, but goes around the world spreading hope and encouraging others to trust God…
I have caught wind of the latest update regarding Miss Universe 2017 that is happening on November 26 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. The Philippines’ representative to Miss Universe 2017, Rachel Peters, seems to be a crowd favorite in this early stage in the competition. She is now leading in the pageant’s Facebook poll with…
Filipinos are known to be adaptive and creative. Whenever we try to assimilate something, be it language or food, we are fond of reinventing and putting a fresh Filipino spin to it. Take the American time-honored Thanksgiving dinner, for example. Filipinos in the United States have had the opportunity to showcase their creative culinary flair…
F-1 and F-2B retrogress! THE December 2017 priority dates bring bad news for those Filipinos petitioned as adult single children of US citizens (F-1) or green card holders (F-2B). • For single adult children of US citizens (F-1), the priority date will retrogress (move backwards) approximately two years (from January 1, 2007 back to January…
CHANGES in adjudications of H-1B renewal petitions. On October 23, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that under updated policy guidance USCIS is instructing its officers to apply the same level of scrutiny to both initial petitions and extension requests for certain nonimmigrant visa categories. The updated policy guidance applies to nearly all…
