California tax update for individuals what’s new for 2015 tax returns
1. YOU are required to file a California tax return if your gross income exceeds: a. Single – $16,256 (no dependent). b. Head of household – $27,489 (with one dependent)….
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Why you should apply for US citizenship now
MANY kababayans in America, even those among my own circle of family and friends, take their sweet time before taking the first step toward naturalization to become U.S. citizens. This,…
Business trip
PRESIDENT Barack Obama welcomed leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday, Feb. 15, to discuss terrorism, maritime security, trade, and climate change. “Economic growth that is…
Grammy awards: A night of epic tributes and electric performances
Bruno Mars takes home 3 Grammys The 58th annual Grammy Awards, recognizing and celebrating outstanding achievements in the music industry, was a big night for artists including Taylor Swift, Kendrick…
The heart has its reasons
Perhaps the heart is not just a sort of Valentine, or only the beating thing in a chest that sustains life. It is also the well, spring of all faith,…
Supreme Court justice’s death leaves vacancy in high court
SUPREME Court Justice Antonin Scalia, known for his fiery, sharp rhetoric and ultra-conservative views, died in his sleep, as confirmed by the US Marshals Service and the Supreme Court. He…
US deports Filipino human rights violator
A FILIPINO man who admitted to conducting surveillance for a law enforcement task force in the Philippines linked to the disappearance of a number of opposition politicians was deported to…
Parties agree on peaceful resolution
AFTER a day of discussions on economic issues and trade, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) switched gears on Tuesday, Feb. 16, by working toward reaching a common stance…
World leaders create business network initiative
THE first-ever two-day summit with President Barack Obama and 10 Southeast Asian leaders kicked off on Monday, Feb. 15 at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California. The…
California tax rates and exemptions for 2015 tax returns
EXEMPTION Credits: a. $109 – Single, Married filing separately, Head of Household. b. $218 – Married filing jointly. c. $337 – Dependent. d. $109 – Age 65 or older. e….
Business owner files chapter 7 due $1.0M labor lawsuits
Seniors seek chapter 7 relief for $48k credit card debt Business owner with $1.0M labor lawsuits CLIENT is 65. He operates a service-oriented business with 3 outlets in strip malls….
Are employers liable when employees injure others outside work hours?
MICHAEL Landri worked as a bartender for the Marriott Del Mar Hotel in San Diego. In December 2009, the hotel held its annual holiday party for its employees. Marriott managers…
Paternity actions
I HAVE had many clients who come into my offices and ask questions about what to do with their child or children that are born out-of-wedlock, meaning the biological parents…
Should married couples file separately?
OF course not. Why should I pay taxes based on the highest tax rates? The lowest rates belong to joint filers and widows, followed by heads of household and single…
Credit card debt trap: How to come out alive
DO you have sleepless nights worrying about your credit card debts? Are you feeling hopelessly trapped with no way out? If you are up to your eyeballs in credit card…
Survey says Pinoys believe in ‘forever’ love. Do you?
THIS is perhaps the reason why Filipinos are happy and resilient people despite all the challenges that they face: they continue to believe in love and happily ever after, in…
The many faces of love
Love’s vistas are inexhaustible. But for all the ardency of love’s idealism and romance, it can only be taken as an act of faith. To be ruled under the spell…
Of ‘scraping’ and ‘sculpturing’ during this season of Lent
RA Paulette has spent his life for the past twenty-five years pursuing his passion, which is transforming caves into breathtaking, poetic and massive pieces of art out of sandstones. Every…
Obama designates three new national monuments
PRESIDENT Barack Obama on Friday, Feb. 12, designated three new national monuments over a land area of 1.8 million acres that will protect Southern California deserts. The move will create…
Democratic debate highlights divide between Clinton and Sanders
THE sixth Democratic debate aired Thursday, Feb. 11 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, hosted by PBS NewsHour. It was the second debate between only former First Lady and US Secretary…
David DiMuzio: A Pinoy-at-heart American
It’s always fascinating to listen to or watch a foreigner faultlessly singing Tagalog songs. Aside from the uplifting feeling of unexplainable pride inevitably induced by the situation, it indubitably gives…
To places less traveled
CAN a region long overcast with unfavorable razzmatazz unveil its true wonder? Behind the prejudice and infamy, Mary May Portez follows the road less traveled to discover Northern Mindanao’s underrated…
John Lloyd Cruz and Jennylyn Mercado to star in new comedy-romance film
LET’S put the gossip aside about John Lloyd Cruz’s confirmed breakup with girlfriend, actress Angelica Panganiban—for now. There’s a new project coming up for the actor, and although it is…
The March 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…
Love and pain: Domestic violence and US immigration laws
IT’S Valentine’s Day and Malena woke up to a bouquet of bright red roses and a box of chocolates by her bedside. There was a handwritten note from her husband…
Can we delay aging?
Why do we age? Just like machines and engines, our bodies age because of the cumulative damages to our cells, tissues and organs (resulting from daily “wear and tear” and…
Inspiring Filipino-Chinese entrepreneurs
Many attempts have been made to profile the Asian Entrepreneur. But I found an easier way to spot them—just check their family name. The fact is enterprises and entrepreneurship in…
Trump, Sanders win New Hampshire Primary
Over half a million voters cast ballots on Tuesday, Feb. 9 in the New Hampshire primary, a large turnout across the small Northeastern state. Businessman Donald Trump and Vermont Senator…
#RelationshipGoals: A look at some celebrity couples
Thanks to social media, not only are fans able to live vicariously through celebrities’ lives, they also get to witness their idols as they document their sweet moments. Check out…
A love that has no boundaries
Mark & PJ Met through: Tinder in 2014 Love is when the person is your other half, no matter the distance Mark Bautista, 24, and his girlfriend of over a year,…