What if the employer cannot pay our back wages?
(Liabilities of “joint employers”) Q: I WORK as a manager for a fast-food franchisee with three stores in Los Angeles. While my title is “manager” I spend 70 percent of…
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Widow needs Chapter 13 to handle $40K credit cards
Widower seeks Chapter 13 for $50K credit cards CLIENT is 53 and recently widowed. She works as a caregiver and met her now deceased husband through her job. At first,…
12 tactics to survive an IRS audit
YOU have just received an invitation to visit an office of the Internal Revenue Service to examine (meaning audit) your tax returns. Don’t panic. You have stashed funds for a…
E1/E2 visa – treaty trader and investor visa available to Filipinos
THE E-1/E-2 visa is available to citizens of countries with which the U.S. maintains treaties of commerce and navigation. The Philippines is a participating country, and therefore, Philippine citizens are…
How bankruptcy can release you from the burden of debt
SLEEPLESS nights… Stressed out… Worried about the future.. Always broke no matter how hard they work…Feeling hopeless about their situation. This is what most people are going through when they…
The startling resurgence of Archie D’s music
THE soul of a great music never dies…but merely fades to oblivion, takes a brief respite after a top-chart supremacy, and resurfaces anew with a recharged dominant influence geared up…
Laughing matters
“Neither of us would ever die of love, we will grieve, part and separate. For we were not meant to be tragedians. We were meant to be comedians.” – Graham Greene,…
Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks
THANKSGIVING is when people take a step back and reflect on all of the wonderful things and events to be grateful for, and to give thanks to those people who…
The Trump presidency – What happens next?
WITH the incoming Trump presidency, there is a lot of fear and a lot of questions and uncertainties on what happens to immigration policies and enforcement when he takes office…
Allergies 101
What is an allergy? An allergy is a condition where the body overreacts following “contact” with an allergen (dust, molds, pollen, flower, dander, fur, animal protein from hair, perfume, cosmetics,…
A big majority of Filipinos in America don’t agree that Marcos’s burial at LNMB will heal the nation
THE remains of the deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos was schemingly buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) last Friday, despite a motion for reconsideration pending in the Supreme Court….
Vina Lelim Nacionales: A beauty queen with a golden heart
Everybody has a story. Each story bears a fascinating reason that explains why the characters are the way they are. I’ve always believed in how our past could mold our…
Proclaiming the kingship of Jesus Christ
“HE is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in Him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible…”…
Seniors with $40K credit cards seek Chapter 7 relief
Client needs Chapter 13 to handle $50K personal guaranty CLIENTS are young seniors at 62. Husband took an early retirement as he has a serious illness. Two years ago, husband…
World War II Veterans Parole Program: Frequently asked questions
AS you may be aware, the USCIS has started implementation last June 2016 the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program (“FWVP”). The program allows certain family members of Filipino…
Protecting employees who need periodic leave for their medical condition
Q: I HAVE a heart condition that has become worse recently. I need to see my doctor periodically or when I feel dizzy or short of breath. This means I…
Guaranteed installment agreement with the IRS
GUARANTEED? Too good to be true? Read on. The IRS cannot deny your application if you satisfy all of the following requirements: 1. The tax is not more than $10,000….
File Chapter 13 to make monthly debt payments more affordable
IF you are doing your best to pay your debts but simply do not have enough income to pay what your creditors are demanding from you, it may just be…
Will a Heroes’ Cemetery make a hero of Marcos?
THOSE who are outraged by the Supreme Court decision to allow the burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani may take heart in this…
Marcos buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani: Is this your country’s story?
“HISTORY is written by the victors,” an old adage says. After decades of contentious debates spanning different presidencies, deposed dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos has schemingly been laid to rest at…
Thanksgiving: Gratitude and appreciate of life
THIS great holiday of thanks and giving is not a date on a calendar, but a state of mind. It is about our capacity to realize things that we can,…
Investing in democracy builds America
By Luisa Blue, BSN Many of our parents fled repressive regimes for America to be able to freely voice their opinions and pursue their dreams. At a time when authoritarian…
The December 2016 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…
Immigrants, immigration laws, and the new administration
LAST week, we as a nation took part in the age-old tradition and privilege of making our voices heard through casting a vote for our preferred candidates in our local,…
Calcium is essential
What is calcium? Calcium is a hard, silvery metallic element with an atomic number of 20 and an atomic weight of 40.078. It is a mineral found in bones, teeth…
What is new: Federal penalties for late W2s and 1099s
JANUARY 31, 2017 is the new deadline for filing 2016 Forms W-2 and W-3 both in paper forms and electronic. If you need 30-day extension complete Form 8809. There are…
What’s on the table for Thanksgiving?
AS its name suggests, Thanksgiving is a holiday centered on giving thanks for the numerous blessings in our lives. During the meal — whether held at lunch or dinnertime —…
When in Vegas
What happens in Vegas, doesn’t always stay in Vegas. For Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronal “Bato” Dela Rosa, his recent sojourn to Las Vegas, Nevada could have…
The history of Thanksgiving: Celebrating past the turkey
Thanksgiving is a particularly American holiday. The word evokes images of football, family reunions, roasted turkey with stuffing, pumpkin pie and, of course, shopping. However, the holiday is much more…