The March 2017 priority dates
EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A…
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Our self-destructive lifestyle
THE body is a wonderful natural chemical factory. Whatever we eat, drink or apply to our body is absorbed and automatically transformed into energy (fuel) or to various hormones and…
Death of a taxpayer (part 1)
Two major requirements under the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015: 1. The estate executor or others required to file an estate tax return Form…
Trump’s new guidelines and executive orders: Nail-biter week for the undocumented
THIS may be one of the most unsettling weeks for kababayans who are living and working in the United States without legal status as the Trump administration unveiled new guidelines…
The dilemma of giving life or denying it
This is about the one who cannot speak, whose drop of life is only a cluster of cells that has scarcely begun. The one who is silent and without opinion…
Jordan Clarkson on embracing basketball and his Filipino roots
IN just his third season with the National Basketball Association (NBA), Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson has already made a name for himself as a viable asset for the…
President Trump’s first 28 days: A poll survey
IT was said to be one of the most ambitious agendas ever laid out by a president in years. During President Donald Trump’s first few days at the White House,…
On living the radical call of the Gospel in a polarized world
“YOU shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart…Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus: 17-18)…
Trump raids the undocumented: What to do to protect yourself and your family
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has intensified his crackdown on undocumented immigrants and many raids have already been conducted to apprehend those who have been living in the United States without legal…
The campaign for Medicare portability
In the autumn of our lives, my wife and I would love to retire in the Philippines, no matter what the naysayers, the pessimists and the sensation-prone media say about…
Using Chapter 13 to stop foreclosure
Senior needs Chapter 13 to stop sale of $1.0M house by judgment lien of $30K “ Don’t wait until the last minute. Credit card debt must be wiped out now…
How your personal injuries affect your rights at work
Q: I WAS severely injured in a recent car accident while returning to work on an errand. I had to undergo multiple surgeries. I missed several weeks of work and…
Muslim ban ordered unconstitutional
QUESTION: What has happened with this Muslim ban per the executive order? Answer: Just a few days ago, a U.S. District Court Judge ruled that it was unconstitutional and would…
How the IRS stores your income tax returns for future audits
THIS is the second of three articles on how the IRS selects tax returns for audit. Our first article discussed how tax returns are received, verified, and reviewed. This article…
Feeling lost: Do you need direction with your financial life?
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…
DACA recipient taken into ICE custody
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have taken into custody a 23-year-old man brought to the US as a young child, but had applied for, and was GRANTED, Deferred Action…
Our food and our body
The clamor for a healthier lifestyle has transformed society into more conscious, more intelligent, and more discriminating consumers of food and food ingredients. Truth in food labeling is a law…
Filipino Americans leading exciting projects in Hollywood!
FIL-Am actor Darren Criss cast as Andrew Cunanan! Possibly the biggest casting news this year from Hollywood relating to our Filipino-American community was announced this week! As you know, hardly…
Divorce issues & tax tips
1. Non-recognition rules of property settlement between spouses. There is no gain or loss recognized on a transfer of property incident to a divorce under IRC section 1041. Sample 1…
FVR’s truth-telling
FIDEL V. Ramos’ recent interview with Rappler’s Maria Ressa was a study in sophisticated elder statesmanship. He was cordial and engaging, of course, and kept the talk good-humored and paternal….
FLYNNGATE: What the Trump administration needs to explain to the American people
DONALD TRUMP has bigger problems to worry about than his historic 40 percent approval/55 percent disapproval ratings in the most recent Gallup Poll. His less than a month-old presidency has…
Fil-Am artist Miljohn Ruperto debuts Geomancies in Los Angeles
“Have you ever caught a dance fever? An infectious move? I sometimes wonder about the difference between choreography and freestyle. If choreography is the influence imposed upon you by outside…
Creating a memorable experience on your wedding day
One of the biggest milestones in a woman’s life is her wedding day. Even at a young age, many girls dream of their “perfect wedding.” They dream of that pivotal…
On following the path of Jesus
WE have a saying in theology that Jesus Christ is the Sacrament par excellence. This statement does not only mean that Jesus is the Word made flesh or the Living…
The Americana at Brand ushers in Year of the Fire Rooster
The Year of the Fire Rooster began on January 28, but the celebrations across Southern California haven’t waned down. Last weekend on Saturday, February 4, The Americana at Brand in…
Filipino cuisine to be featured during month-long food festival in LA
The Los Angeles Times brings ‘Food Bowl’ to the city in May FOODIES in Los Angeles have yet another reason to rejoice: this May, the Los Angeles Times is launching…
Seniors facing end of interest only mortgage payments need Chapter 13 to stop foreclosure
Senior needs Chapter 13 to stop sale of $1.0M house by judgment lien of $30K CLIENT is 61. Her husband is 60. In my book, they are young seniors. They…
Protecting employees from sexual harassment at work
SEXUAL misconduct in the workplace is more common than most people think. In many instances, victims do not complain for fear of retaliation, of being disbelieved, or for sheer embarrassment….