NEW Income Tax and Sales Tax Laws Income tax California’s maximum income tax rate increases from 9.3% to 12.3% for taxpayers with taxable income of more than $250,000. The rate increases even more for taxpayers with adjusted gross income in excess of $1 million to 13.3% after adding a recent 1% mental health surcharge. Higher…
I SERIOUSLY thought that our short sale days are really numbered, but base on what analyst and realtors are saying this year we would be flooded with short sale. I still don’t see it but that might be a good thing, it will signal the end to problem loans and borrowers. Once the market and…
LAST month, President Aquino was quoted in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) anniversary as saying that the “rusty” days of Philippine warships were over. Because of the “overflowing trust” that the Filipinos have in the local troops, the president said that modern warships will be acquired and deployed this year to better ensure…
THE debate continues following the massacre of 20 first graders and six adults in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut — the tipping point after many other deadly shootings in America in the past few years. In the wake of this tragedy, Gallup Poll conducted a survey (from December 19-22, 2012), finding 58 percent…
DEFALCATION is an act of misappropriating funds that were entrusted to a person. The person who is entrusted with the funds is called the fiduciary. For instance, your friend wins $2.0 million in the lottery. He gives you the money and asks you to manage the money for him for one year. You give him…
THEY say if you’re a jack-of-all-trades, you’re a master of none. But Fil-Am Rafael Kayanan is definitely one to dispute that belief. The youthful-looking, 50-year-old Kayanan is a master of everything he does. He’s a renowned comic book illustrator, a master-level Filipino martial artist, Hollywood fight choreographer, and concept designer for Broadway. Most recently, he…
ALTHOUGH my father’s death was inevitable and imminent because of hospice care, it still has been a very difficult and depressing time for us, his children. It’s true what many people say: “You’ll never be completely prepared for a death of a loved one.” For two years, my father had suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary…
The Filipinos as Roman Catholic devotees are known to be overly zealous and extremely fanatic. They believe that their intentions will be eventually be answered and rewarded. Being a nation with a predominantly Roman Catholic population, the Philippines is consistently regarded as a very religious nation, the only one in the Far East and the…
The Filipinos as Roman Catholic devotees are known to be overly zealous and extremely fanatic. They believe that their intentions will be eventually be answered and rewarded. Being a nation with a predominantly Roman Catholic population, the Philippines is consistently regarded as a very religious nation, the only one in the Far East and the…
THERE are two oral fashions causing concern for dentists these days: The prevalence of oral piercing, and the application of dental “grills.” Oral piercing, because of the millions of bacteria in the mouth, brings a high risk of pain, swelling and infection. Piercing the tongue can lead to uncontrollable bleeding, nerve damage, and even enough…
As we welcome the birth sesquicentennial of Andres Bonifacio, we will honor a man whose place in our shrine of heroes can come close to that of Jose Rizal (who celebrated his 150th last year). The Supremo of theKataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK) is alive and well in our consciousness. He is that figure…
ON Saturday, I wrote about the new ruling announced by the Obama Administration last January 2, which reduces the time US citizens are separated from their undocumented, overstaying, or what we Pinoys broadly refer to as TnT (Tago ng Tago) immediate relatives (spouse, children and parents) who are in the process of obtaining visas to become lawful…
THE Philippines, which celebrates one of the world’s most raucous and dangerous New Year, welcomed 2013 with a bang – literally. Beginning January 1, a series of gun-related incidents has disrupted the New Year revelry. The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported at least 40 indiscriminate firing cases during the celebration. The highly publicized death of…
QUESTION: I have heard that the regulations for the Stateside Waiver are final. Is that true? Answer: Well, first you musty realize that an applicant for an immigrant visa, adjustment of status, or a K or V nonimmigrant visa who is inadmissible under any provision of section 212(a) of the Act for which a waiver…
LOOKING at the new iPad she received last Christmas, a young woman noted that it was “Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China.” She asked what this meant, was the iPad made in the USA or not? In recent years, there has been the common lament that nothing is Made in USA anymore. There…
A PROPOSED change in the process of obtaining an I-601 waiver was recently entered in the federal registry and people will be allowed to apply for this provisional waiver beginning March 4, 2013. This change could potentially benefit millions of people and eliminate the risk in seeking the waiver. A 601 waiver may be required…
THE mortgage industry can relax now with the final fiscal cliff deal bringing back a popular tax break on mortgage insurance premiums and debt forgiveness for borrowers who go through a short-sale or some other type of debt reduction. It was on the tip off the house committee voting to amend but the final hours,…
THE start of new year has brought forth a new reason for kababayans to look forward to 2013 with a renewed sense of optimism in their seemingly elusive dream of being able to live with their family in America without fear of being prosecuted and deported. On January 2, the Obama administration announced a new immigration rule…
FR. JAMES Reuter, SJ may not have been Filipino by blood, but he was definitely Pinoy in heart and mind. The revered and beloved 96-year-old American priest (who was also known for being an academic, singer, athlete, artist and political activist) passed away on December 31 from lung and heart failure. The entire nation mourned over his…
IN California, the equity in your homestead (your residence) is exempt up to a certain amount, depending on your circumstances. For instance, if you are at least 65 years old, you can exempt $175,000 of equity in your residence. So, if your house has a current fair market value of $300,000 and you have a…
The New Year ushers limitless possibilities and enormous amounts of positivity that are made even prosperous by the advent of the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival on Sunday, February 10. Based on the Chinese Astrological Calendar, people whose lucky element is water will obtain fortune and good life since this year falls in the…
The economic crisis and changes in immigration legislation has made it more difficult to pursue certain traditional paths to obtaining permanent residency in the United States. Employment based immigration has been affected by long wait time in priority under the EB3 category. H1-b visas has been affected by is a viable option if the immigrant…
The New Year ushers limitless possibilities and enormous amounts of positivity that are made even prosperous by the advent of the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival on Sunday, February 10. Based on the Chinese Astrological Calendar, people whose lucky element is water will obtain fortune and good life since this year falls in the…
Last month, the world happily welcomed the lucky date 12-12-12. Never again will this triple 12 occur within a thousand years. Also, as our iPhone 5 non-Mayan calendar had predicted, the world did not come to an end on 12-21-12. And since we, including the perplexed survivalists, are all still here and were able to…
THIS week, we glorify the heroism and gallantry displayed by American and Filipino World War II veterans. This celebration encourages those of us who are now enjoying freedom, to pay tribute to all these freedom fighters — those who survived and perished when world peace was compromised. Former President Franklin Roosevelt vowed that Filipino soldiers…
And just like that, the highly-anticipated 2012 US presidential elections is finally over. In what turned out to be one of the closest and costliest presidential races in history, President Barack Hussein Obama secured a second-term, snatching the gilded seat of chief executive away from Gov. Mitt Romney by almost a hundred electoral votes. At…
Hurricane Sandy is behind us, and so is Athena, the nor’easter that threatened to cut the power of the people who just regained theirs and made life more miserable for those who do not have power nor heat. As a foundation, Handang Tumulong was born because of a need to help our kababayans back in…
Despite Hurricane Sandy’s wrath, the shows went on. The Bayanihan, the national dance company of the Philippines, performed before sold-out audiences in New York and Washington, DC on the same week that Sandy ravaged most of the eastern seaboard. The dance group succeeded in putting the country back on the American stage as it sang…
New York, NY-In the pop tradition of comedy musicals like “Mamma Mia” and “Rock of Ages,” comes “I Do Bidoo Bidoo” the acclaimed crowd-pleaser from the Philippines that celebrates young love, family values, and the hit songs of the Apo Hiking Society (the Philippines’ answer to The Beatles). Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Chris…
Despite joint efforts by the government and non-profit health organizations in the Philippines to combat the rise of HIV/AIDS cases, the numbers of infected people continue to rise. This is where people from all walks of life pitch in to give their share in order to help solve a global problem. As a photographer, Niccolo…
