WORDS are mere grace notes, and I’ve dealt with them all my life. They are adequate for many of our purposes, even indispensable for most. They can, of course, be immeasurably beautiful and graceful. But they can’t do everything. Testimonial to the power of the photograph to present a tapestry of history. Images that capture…
QUESTION: I was convicted of an assault charge and have been told that there is a possibility that I can show that it was not a crime of moral turpitude, and therefore, that I would not be deportable. Is this true? Answer: It is possible in many criminal statutes to analyze scenarios whereby certain conduct…
NEITHER one, actually. You see, IRS conducts field audits where the books and records of a business are maintained. This, of course, is your office, home, warehouse, factory, or store. But I don’t like any of these locations. What I like is my own accounting office. After representing taxpayers in IRS disputes for decades, I…
“Independent contractors” lose employment rights “The most important factor to consider whether a worker is an employee or an IC is the employer’s right to control the worker in performing the job.” EDUARDO Garcia worked 15-hour days as a port truck driver for Tradelink Transport. Even after working 15 hours, his boss would wave him back…
HOW do you answer this question? Let’s check what the Bible has to say about debt. The Bible says that one should neither be a lender or borrower. It does not seem to recommend the assumption of debt. Otherwise, it should say, it’s OK to be a borrower, but not a lender or vice-versa. This…
IF you’ve ever been in a situation in your life where you had to file bankruptcy as a last resort in order to get out of debt, you know exactly what I am talking about. After having counseled thousands of people with debt problems over the years, I have learned that unresolved debt problems can…
MANY people try to file and open their own divorce case without an attorney in an effort to save on legal fees. Often, the self-represented divorce litigant would seek the assistance of the court facilitator’s office in preparing the papers to open their own divorce case. However once the divorce case is opened, many…
“MY advice to President Trump about his incessant ‘Tweeting’ that undermines his ability to govern: knock it off,” was the message of Fil-Am Republican leader Rudy Asercion in the Facebook forum “Fil-Am Voter.” This could not be more relevant than ever. Trump said he would not give up tweeting because it is his direct line…
BEFORE the emergence of boy bands and K-pop stars, the groups that were born in the 80s or 90s scream for solo artists and pop-rock band performers. One of them bears the name “INTRoVOYS” and have won numerous Gold and Multi-Platinum awards, gained quadruple platinum status earning the band the label “the No. 1 Band…
In 2015, the stars aligned for Adam and Arielle Jacobs — he was playing the lead role in “Aladdin” and she was cast as Nessarose on “Wicked” — and for the first time, both siblings were on big Broadway hits at the same time. Arielle made her Broadway debut as Nina Rosario in “In The…
IN today’s health-oriented world, the four major players – diet, exercise, smoking and alcohol abuse – are in the spotlight. Diet weighs heavily on this equation and has also been a subject of a lot of pervasive myths and misinformation. Today, we shall review some of the most popular misconception about diet. Fasting is the…
DEAR Attorney Gurfinkel: I am a green card holder, and petitioned my wife and children. I know it will take a few years until the priority date on their petition becomes “current,” enabling them to be processed for their immigrant visas. Would there be a problem if I move back to the Philippines to live,…
“Summer time and the living is easy,” says Gershwin. It is more mellow than autumn, more tender than spring and away from the inhospitable glare of spring. Summer has officially arrived and been felt. It’s that season when time stands still — when nothing bad can happen, when mornings with the sun buttering the tree…
U.S. citizens are generally taxed on their worldwide income regardless of where the income is earned or received. A U.S. citizen who earns income in a foreign country may also be taxed on that income by a foreign host country thereby leading to double taxation. Below are the three tax provisions alleviating potential inequity: •…
IT’S DÉJÁ VU all over again as the much-anticipated vote for another version of the health care bill—which President Donald Trump and the Republicans wish to pass to repeal and replace Obamacare —has been delayed once again because of lack of support even among GOPs in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has maintained excellent trust and approval ratings among top government officials in his first year in office. This is a feat considering how negatively he was portrayed by media around the world for his unrelenting initiatives to rid the country of illegal drugs, crime and corruption. Despite his critics, 80 percent of…
Raving gratitude for Maestro from his students “I am not in awe of people per se, because we are all pilgrims, we are given everything. Why am I here? I am medium when it comes to talent. Supernatural talent comes from the Higher Being – bigger than all of us. I surrender my fate to…
Unlike the novelist, the poet nor a playwright, columnists are not performing center ring. They must be contented with their self-imposed role of being second-class citizens in the world of literati. With this undisciplined existence, a columnist is licensed to be cheeky, drawing from so many strands of inconsistencies in human behavior and getting away…
QUESTION: I have a business and want to either purchase or buy a business in the U.S. but do not know which one of the visas would be better. The choices that I have been given are the E-2 and the L-1. Can you clarify and/or help me make the decision? Answer: Each visa has…
Reporting kickbacks and irregularities are protected activities STEVEN Babyak worked as a regional sales manager for Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., a medical device manufacturer. Throughout his three years at the company, he was consistently rated a top sales manager. Babyak complained to upper management, human resources and corporate legal counsel that the company may be violating several…
CLIENT is 50, divorced and used to own a business that had a commercial lease for retail space. He operated the business for 10 years. On the 11th year, sales started to plunge for unknown reason such that debtor could no longer pay the commercial lease of his retail space. He still had 2 years…
ARE you in debt and in a constant state of worrying about your financial situation? Perhaps like most people you live paycheck to paycheck and are barely surviving but you’ve made the mistake of borrowing more money than you can pay back. You’re not alone. This happens to a lot of people. But worrying and…
There are three basic types of IRS audits: correspondence, office, and field examinations. A. Correspondence audits are generally used for specific questions that can easily be verified. B. Office audits are conducted at the various offices of the IRS and tend to be structured. C. Field audits are geared toward businesses whose books and records…
“Fashion is the extension of our personalities. It dignifies our humanity just like art and music. I believe in capturing elegance; Fashion is the extension of our personalities. It dignifies our humanity just like art and music. I believe in capturing elegance; An allure of romantic feminism with a tailored twist. It speaks of a…
The boy bands’ cultural origins was believed to have emerged back in the late 19th century with its earliest forerunner as merely an a-cappella barbershop quartet and their act evolved into a more harmonized vocalization with musical instruments aptly accompanied with doo-wop music. The phenomenal rise of Jackson 5, The Platters, Dave Clark 5, The…
The boy bands’ cultural origins was believed to have emerged back in the late 19th century with its earliest forerunner as merely an a-cappella barbershop quartet and their act evolved into a more harmonized vocalization with musical instruments aptly accompanied with doo-wop music. The phenomenal rise of Jackson 5, The Platters, Dave Clark 5, The…
RECENTLY, a person came to my office for consultation after her adjustment of status application (based on marriage to a US citizen) was denied due to fraud. She had entered the US on a transit visa (C-1), but was not a crewman. Therefore, she was otherwise eligible to adjust status. The problem is she went…
ON November 20, 2014, President Barack Obama announced that its administration will stop deporting certain undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and parents of legal permanent residents. These individuals will also be allowed to get work permits to enable them to work and get a driver’s license. This program has been named as the Deferred Action…
One of the most popular and very useful medications today worldwide is Metformin (Glucophage). This drug, whose molecular formula, C4H11N5, was first synthesized in 1929 and clinically introduced in the late 1950s by Jean Sterne, a French physician, who named it Glucophage, meaning glucose eater. In the United States, this drug was approved for type…
“I think ultimately the key to everyone’s heart is through their stomach.” —Filipino-American chef Alvin Cailan With the immense admiration that Filipino food has received over the last few years, it’s no surprise that the cuisine is also getting big screen treatment. “ULAM,” (Tagalog for main dish) an hour-long documentary by Filipina-American filmmaker Alexandra Cuerdo,…
