Catherine Buan Peterson, PhilDev President | Her Life’s Mission: Helping Others
THE true measure of a person’s success is not only based on his achievements in his chosen career, but on how he further extends his talents and skills to be…
Read More
Catherine Buan Peterson, PhilDev President | Her Life's Mission: Helping Others
THE true measure of a person’s success is not only based on his achievements in his chosen career, but on how he further extends his talents and skills to be…
Northern holidays
As the holidays progress, the cities seem to be more and more crowded and nauseating to those who are not used to this much mass of humanity. It can be…
Subsistence
2012 was generally a good year for Filipinos. Triumphs were made, losses were faced, and lessons were learned. Filipinos are starting the year right, looking forward to 2013 with hope….
Arming good guys: Solution to gun violence?
WITH several mass killings in the past years, finally, the demand and push for solutions to solve gun violence in America has reached a tipping point. More than two weeks…
Clients’ Bill of Rights
EVERY year, I write hundreds of articles for the press dealing, in general terms, with new immigration laws, regulations and interpretations impacting hundreds of thousands of immigrants both inside and…
Immigration Detainers
0 Comments and 0 Reactions In 2012, we saw a sharp contrast in the enforcement of immigration laws against different groups of aliens. The deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA)…
How bankruptcy can help you rebuild your finances, your credit and your life
When debts spiral out of control, bankruptcy can become an invaluable financial recovery tool in stemming the tide and getting you back on the right track. While it’s not for…
New Year, new laws to benefit California employees
IN 2012, some very important laws affecting employee rights took effect. These laws included the Wage Theft Prevention Act, increased penalties for willful misclassification of independent contractors, the prohibition of…
10 most common errors in filing tax returns
1. FORGETTING to sign and date the return: An unsigned tax return is considered unfiled. 2. Missing or wrong Social Security Numbers: When entering SSNs for anyone listed on your…
How to pick your mortgage broker
IS THERE a difference between a bank loan officer and a mortgage broker? Nowadays, bank loan officers don’t have a generalize rates, meaning if you call a major bank loan…
Is inherited IRA exempt in bankruptcy?
NOT many people know that parents can transfer their retirement accounts such as 401k and IRA to their children tax free. For instance, you have a 401k of $150,000. At…
Dr. Ruth Elynia S. Mabanglo, Multi-awarded Poet and Presidential Awardee
CONSIDERED as one of the leading female Filipino poets of our time, Dr. Ruth Elynia S. Mabanglo’s success did not come easy. If you read her biography, it seems as…
The December 2012 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…
Retrospection
WITH only a few days left before 2012 officially ends, Asian Journal would like to look back into the most significant events that have ensued in this Year of the…
The gift of family
SCENES of my own family gathering last Christmas still live in my mind: the joyful noises of my nephews and nieces running around the house; the circle of siblings and…
The R-1 Religious Visa
Question: I am a priest. Can I get a visa to come to the US? Answer: Yes. You would have to fall under the definition of a minister and be…
Do drugs really expire?
As expensive as medications are today, this question is most relevant. And even if they were free, no one would want to throw away and waste such valuable items if…
2012 Newsmakers and Headliners
They seemingly destined to create a bombastic blast and indelibly stamp their unprecedented marks in the annals of the field they’re known for in 2012. The year saw a long…
Give a child a gun for Christmas?
In the wake of the pre-Christmas massacre of 20 school children and 6 teachers and school officials in Connecticut, National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre is once more being portrayed…
2012 Newsmakers and Headliners
They seemingly destined to create a bombastic blast and indelibly stamp their unprecedented marks in the annals of the field they’re known for in 2012. The year saw a long…
When would marriage hurt my petition?
(PART II) In a previous article, I discussed various situations where marriage would affect a person’s eligibility for a visa, and situations where it might be advantageous to marry before…
Aquino’s triumphs could make the Philippines a rising Asian star
President Benigno Aquino III has just achieved a triumph that has eluded every Filipino President in our history and matches, and perhaps exceeds, the triumphs of America’s most successful President…
Just the start
As of this writing, the world didn’t come to an end as doomsday predictors had it on December 21. There were no catastrophic solar flares or population-eating earthquakes. We were…
‘Yay, Obama!’
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program was introduced in June 2012 and was implemented August 15, 2012. Within just one month of the program’s start date, the USCIS…
The spirit of the season
SINCE it’s that time of the year again – the season for sharing, giving and hope, we are holding off on the issues, the politics, the disputes, the arguments and…
Are you feeling hopeless about your debt problems?
We are now living in the worst economy since the Great Depression. With millions of people being unemployed and struggling with foreclosure, debt problems have become common. Of course, debt…
The Driving Force Behind LADOT
It has been said that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa chooses only the best and the brightest to work for him. Thus, when he announced last year that our…
Should you be paid more for working on holidays?
Q: I WILL be working on Christmas and New Year days. Am I entitled to holiday pay? A: Hours worked on holidays are treated like hours worked on any other…
How to behave during an IRS audit: 20 Don’ts
1. DON’T ignore the IRS. 2. Don’t mess with the IRS. 3. Don’t go to your appointment unprepared. 4. Don’t be late for the appointment. 5. Don’t volunteer information. 6….