SAN RANCISCO—Governance is everywhere. I am slated to deliver a talk related to Ownership and Succession today to the students, faculty members and business owners at the Community College of San Francisco Ocean Campus (CCSF). This will be another interesting exchange of ideas with business owners and the academia similar to the one I did exactly…
Upon deciding to form your own business, the next question is – what type of entity should you operate – as a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, LLC, or LLP? Which entity is most beneficial for you? Choosing the wrong form could cause unnecessary taxes, increased liability, and unnecessary exposure to lawsuits. What you should not…
(This article is part 2 of 2 parts) HERE are some more misconceptions about bankruptcy that we did not discuss last week: 1. Will I lose my house? Normally, debtors get to keep their residence as long as their equity in the house does not exceed the applicable homestead exemption. If the equity of the…
The media is awash with reports regarding Harvey Weinstein, the co-founder of movie companies Miramax and the Weinstein Company. Weinstein is accused of sexual harassment and sexual assault by employees and actresses. The complaints came from women both unknown (a temporary employee for one) and famous (Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, and Ashley Judd). As of…
“If your finances are out of control, you need to do something about this situation- the sooner the better. You don’t need to face debt problems alone. Help is available but you need to take action.” One of the things that stop people in finding a solution to their debt problems is the fact that…
By Imee Ong-Maghanoy ‘Be Alive, Be Yourself, Be Strong’ “Being alive in all aspects of it is making sure that you’re present in the moment and feeling what it feels like to be you. Making sure that when you are going through these things (weight-loss journey)…, you understand that the end-goal is for you to…
CURRENT developments in the Philippines are bringing back the specter of martial law. President Rodrigo Duterte has given not-too-subtle hints about declaring it. And while he has been quick to take back those hints — in his trademark flip-flopping style — the threats he has made against the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and…
Globe Business, the enterprise information and communications technology arm of Globe Telecom, has gathered top Philippine conglomerates in the retail industry to help them future proof their businesses through ICT. The Globe Enterprise Retail Forum was attended by over 80 key figures from leading retail companies such as Rustan’s Supercenter Inc., Megaworld Lifestyle, PMFTC, San…
Fil-Am Thomas Orlina shares personal stories, discusses pop culture, fashion and dating in new web series We live in a world where content creation and digital storytelling is becoming more accessible for filmmakers, musicians and aspiring entertainment moguls. One of those dreamers is Filipino-American Thomas Orlina, who decided to utilize all the available tools of…
“ The garment that we need to wear when God invites us to his “wedding banquet” is hope. We can be religious and righteous, but if we don’t have hope for ourselves and others, our faith becomes shallow.” This Sunday’s Scripture readings provide us a clear vision of the richness and the promise of the Kingdom…
Politics and show business seem like two sides of the same coin. Both filled with scandals, power struggle, hypocrisy, lies, deception and sex offenders. While there’s a lot to gain from both of these sectors, there is, sadly, also a lot of disgrace that is just too disturbing for our sanity. I’ve been in the entertainment industry…
ORDINARILY, there is no appeal process for visa refusals at the Embassy. Under the doctrine of “consular non-reviewability,” a person cannot even sue the embassy or appeal their visa refusals in U.S. federal courts. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Embassy is not even required to provide a “detailed explanation” of the reasons for the…
A STEPPARENT may file an immigrant petition for a stepchild even without the stepparent having to legally adopt the stepchild. However, before a stepparent may be able to file an immigrant petition for a stepchild, the stepparent–stepchild relationship should have been created before a stepchild turns 18 years old. This means that the stepparent and the…
What are renal calculi? Renal calculi (kidney stones) are chemical crystals that form into a hard salt solid structure that looks like and feels like a common stone we find on the streets. They vary in size, shape, and consistency, according to their chemical composition. They could be calcium oxalate stone, cystine stone, uric acid…
With Filipino-American History Month underway, communities across the United States have planned events throughout October, such as parades, literary fairs and food fests, to showcase Fil-Am influence in the country. In Los Angeles, one of the most-anticipated celebrations is the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) organized by the Association for the Advancement of…
PENALTY could still be relived even if you fail to file your tax returns and pay taxes owed if you have reasonable cause. How to establish reasonable cause • Facts. Provide facts, situations, circumstances that have not allowed you to file your tax return timely and pay taxes owed. • Ability. How the facts, situations,…
THE White House is calling on the University of Nevada-Las Vegas to investigate a Fil-Am history professor after she expressed an opinion critical of President Donald Trump during one of her lectures. This comes in the wake of the deadly massacre in Las Vegas that claimed the lives of 58 people and injured about 500…
LAS VEGAS has always been a magnet, drawing millions for the inspiration provided by its symbols and characters, and what it says about us and our society – viewed as a ceaseful for the crass or pleasure palace for the masses and its denizens, writers look at it as a religion, a disease, a nightmare or a paradise…
THE IRS developed a guide for its agents in auditing consultants to focus on: 1. Travel and meals, 2. Bartering, 3. Independent ontractor 1099 versus employee W2, 4. Shifting or assignment of income by a taxpayer to a related entity, 5. ersonal ervice orporation, and 6. Internal controls, books and records, electronic software, and use of the Internet. Travel: The…
QUESTION:: I entered the United States a couple of months ago as a visitor and would now like to work in the United States. I have a degree in Business with an emphasis in accounting and have a couple of firms interested in hiring me. Do I qualify for a work permit, and if so,…
SEVEN hundred forty-eight people have been shot and killed by police in 2017 nationwide, according to an ongoing project by The Washington Post. Of these shootings, mental illness played a role in 1 in 5 of incidents. In 2015, when the Post started this project, an analysis of 400 police killings found that 25% of…
THE Japanese created Godzilla a long time ago. It’s a gigantic T-Rex on steroids that destroys Tokyo and the rest of Japan until someone comes to the rescue and kills it with nukes. Mr. Honda, the author, created the concept of Godzilla as a metaphor for the atomic bombs in 1954 when Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which were the recipients of…
RECENTLY, he merican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the ACLU of Massachusetts, on behalf of 10 U.S. citizens and a permanent resident, sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) before the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts over its warrantless searches of travelers’ electronic devices at the border. Based on the…
THE date of separation is one of the most important facts to determine in a divorce case because it defines when the community interest ends and when separate property interest commences in a marriage. All property acquired by a married person while domiciled in the State of California is community property. Family Code Section 760. …
WITH credit card debt approaching $1 trillion according to the Federal Reserve, there is no doubt that thousands and thousands of families who can’t pay their credit card debts are struggling financially. The average family now carries a balance of a little more than $16,000. Now, this may not seem like a lot, but for…
“THERE is evil in the world.” I heard many people express these words after the Las Vegas massacre last week. It’s one of the statements that help people grapple with violence and senseless death of dozens of people, who were just “out there” enjoying life with country music among family and friends.” How else can we…
THE night of October 1 left us all in shock and devastation. With at least 59 people killed and more than 500 injured, the mass shooting in Las Vegas will go down as one of the darkest moments in U.S. history. Filled with horror and uncertainty, it was the darkest night in Las Vegas and one of the most horrifying scenes you never wish to see…
A POPULAR segment on my weekly immigration television show, “Citizen Pinoy”, is “Your Tanong, My Sagot”, where people ask immigration questions on a variety of subjects, and I offer my advice and guidance. Here are a sampling of questions from Filipino viewers, which may also be helpful to you: Question: I am a Filipino citizen,…
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…
For thousands of years, China has been known to be the capital of herbal medicine. Other countries like the Philippines have their own local regional version of treating diseases and health conditions using herbal products. Today, we still hear an abundance of anecdotal testimonials about the efficacy of these natural “medications” from indigenous foods, plants,…
