H-1B visas for FY 2014 will be used faster than last year
WITH the US economy steadily improving over the past several months, US employers are hiring again. Last weeks Federal Jobs Report showed that US employers were again hiring at a…
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Chapter 13: How to pay debts on limited income
CHAPTER 13 is the section of the US Bankruptcy Code that allows individuals in the United States to reorganize their finances. If you are having difficulty paying your debts (credit…
The Power of VAWA
An alien of good moral character who married and resided with a US Citizen (USC) or lawful permanent resident (LPR) spouse but who was battered or subjected to extreme cruelty…
Pacquiao–Marquez V maybe bigger right now than a Mayweather fight – Arum
In the pugilistic arena, good stories are good stories, regardless of who tells them. Sports writers cobble these group of juicy pieces of fistic delights: vivid, immediate, firsthand, reported with…
The prodigal son and the prodigal father
THE word “prodigal” means lavish, profuse, or wastefully extravagant. In the Gospel this Sunday, the younger son was prodigal because he profusely squandered his inheritance from his father on meaningless…
Fil-Ams' feedback: Should the next Pope be more liberal or conservative?
AS THE world awaits the Cardinals in the Vatican to start the conclave and elect the next Pope, Catholics debate on the qualities they wish to be embodied by the…
A Fully Charged Venture
IT’S one of the biggest pet peeves in the world. Imagine traveling for business or leisure and rummaging through your suitcase, only to realize that you’ve forgotten your cell phone…
Jury awards over $21 million to employee discriminated for disability
Q: CAN an employee be legally fired for job abandonment due to absence caused by an illness? Should the employer provide the employee with reasonable accommodations? A: California’s Fair Employment…
10 tips in deducting charitable contributions
1. YOU may deduct donations to qualified organizations. Qualified organizations include corporations or foundations organized in the US for religious, charitable, educational, scientific, literary, or prevention of cruelty to children…
Short sale lenders paying off your liens and giving cash back as much as $5,000 or more
WHAT I will discuss on the second portion of this article will be about HAFA (Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternative) which will typically offer a qualified seller $ 3,000 at closing…
Fil-Ams’ feedback: Should the next Pope be more liberal or conservative?
AS THE world awaits the Cardinals in the Vatican to start the conclave and elect the next Pope, Catholics debate on the qualities they wish to be embodied by the…
Discharging income taxes in bankruptcy: Part 2
LAST week, we established the fact that back due income taxes can be discharged in bankruptcy, despite the popular belief that this was not possible. We said that there are…
Parking employees receive $4.7M in class action settlement
LOS ANGELES – Thousands of parking lot attendants, cashiers and other employees received a whooping $4.7 million settlement after their class action lawsuit was settled. About 10,000 employees, some of…
Hawaii leaders introduce WWII Filvets family reunification bill
LOS ANGELES – A Hawaiian Senator and Congresswoman on Tuesday introduced legislation in both chambers that would reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their families. Senator Mazie K. Hirono…
Pinoy media lauded in 2013 NAM Awards Gala
PASADENA – Ethnic media practitioners in Southern California were recognized on Thursday night for excellence in journalism, and insightful coverage on ethnic community issues. Presented by New America Media (NAM),…
My close encounters with terrestrial stars, Part II
After a brief respite and heaps of social commitments that I had to cover, the continuation of my celebrity encounters resumes. Brace yourself for some more of my interesting nostalgic…
H-1B’s are almost ready to be filed. Don’t wait.
Question: I heard that H-1B’s are about to be able to be filed. What can I do? Answer: First, April 1, 2013, the doors open again and new H-1B’s can…
When chest pains hit you
In these days of health-consciousness, almost everyone is concerned about chest pains and possible heart attack, especially individuals who are 40 and older. While we hear of occasionally cases of…
Fixed and suspicious marriages
Everyone knows that one of the fastest and easiest ways to get a green card is thru a bona fide, good faith (love) marriage to a US citizen. However, one…
The youth as heroes of our heritage
The sense of sight, most of the time, reigns supreme in the order of the senses. It affirms the existence of the outside world. It confirms presence and assures that…
Until tomorrow comes
I can believe that good is manifested from every experience that comes into our lives. Cancer is not a death sentence and I’ve been battling it for seven years, six…
USCIS implements provisional waiver process March 4, 2013
AS OF March 4, 2013 certain immigrant visa applicants who are the spouses, children and parents of US citizens (“immediate relatives”), who have been unlawfully present in the United States,…
Billionaire's club
TODAY, the world has 1,426 billionaires (people with personal wealth of $1 billion as of January) accounting to a total net worth of $5.4 trillion. 11 of them are Filipinos….
The solemn process of electing the next Pope
AFTER the Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation on February 28, the Roman Catholic Church may have a new leader before the beginning of Holy Week (on March 24, Palm Sunday). St….
Three Pinoys convicted of gun smuggling in the US
LOS ANGELES – A US federal jury on Monday convicted three Filipinos of smuggling high-powered military and assault weapons including rocket launchers, machine guns, and other deadly explosives from the…
Chapter 13 can be last hope for families facing foreclosure
FILING Chapter 13 bankruptcy is often a last resort for people in foreclosure when no other options exist. A lot of homeowners usually put off making this decision for a…
Immigration reform: Is it really coming?
QUESTION: I have heard that there is going to be immigration reform. Can you shed some light on the subject and what we might expect? Answer: Conservatives have tended to…
Dr. Francisca Tolete Velcek, Castle Connolly America Top Doctor and PH Presidential Pamana ng Pilipino Awardee
IF YOU search for the name of Dr. Francisca Tolete Velcek on the Internet, one of the most impressive things you will find is an icon of Castle Connolly. In…
Bad news for people who pled guilty
There are times when a person is arrested and charged with a crime. In some cases they may have actually committed the crime, or it could be that they are…