WHY would single or separated taxpayers file as Heads of Household? Let us count the ways: 1. You have a lower tax rate than a single or married person filing separately. 2. You receive a higher standard deduction ($8,500 versus $5,800 for single and separate filers). 3. You may be entitled to childcare credit, 4….
DHS current policy is to focus its enforcement resources on the removal of individuals who pose a danger to national security or a risk to public safety, including individuals convicted of crimes with particular emphasis on violent criminals, felons, and repeat offenders, DHS will exercise prosecutorial discretion as appropriate to ensure that enforcement resources are…
SEN. Pia Cayetano is tired of all the bickering and delays in the Senate, over the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill. Outspoken Sen. Miriam Santiago is getting as equally impatient, saying that the Senate “cannot be held hostage by the fact that one senator is not ready with his interpellation (she was referring to Senate President…
A LONG-time and well-respected Filipino diplomat continues to rise through international ranks. Esteban Conejos Jr., the former Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs, has recently been named as a member of the legal advisory board of the World Trade Organization, the DFA announced earlier this week. Conejos will serve a two-year…
THE bankruptcy petition must be as accurate as possible, otherwise, debtor may have to go to jail for bankruptcy fraud. I cannot overemphasize the fact that the bankruptcy petition must provide an accurate picture of the financial transactions of the debtor as of the date of filing of the petition. Debtor has the opportunity of…
THE Scripture readings this Sunday are filled with positive images. Mark’s Gospel might distress us with images of the darkening of the sun and the moon and the falling of stars, but it dominantly reflects triumphant pictures of “the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory”; of angels coming down…
For the first time in American history, presidential candidates actually considered courting and including Asian Americans in their agendas for the future. But, in large measure, 18 million Asian Americans were overlooked. It is our expectation that this will never occur again if all Asian American communities put aside their small differences and unite on…
Thinking about one’s demise is not something people want to spend time thinking about. However reality is that we all have to face this one day. It is just a matter of whether you depart this world prepared or unprepared. If you pass away with at least $100,000 in gross assets and you do not…
Strategy development is a question-based process: Where are we now? Where would we like to go? How do we get there? Strategic planning—for both business and family—can help to strengthen the family enterprise and extend its lifespan. Strategic planning for family-owned businesses differs from planning for other types of companies largely because the family firm…
In order to be the best, a team must have the best. Perhaps such idea was running through the minds of the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association officials who wanted to make America’s most loved game a favorite sport in the country too. Noting how foreign-based Filipino players were recruited to play for the Philippine football…
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 played such a key role in helping us achieve them. At this Thanksgiving, I would like to once again give thanks to all of the…
Could the secret to perpetual youth be found in your smile (wink, wink)? Well, that’s probably a bit of an exaggeration! But as you know, here at our practice, we obsess over our patients’ smiles. We know that a confident smile can be life changing. But what does your smile have to do with aging?…
Smoking kills. It is that plain and simple. There is no doubt today that tobacco (cigarette smoking) is the predominant cause of lung cancer, besides other malignancies and cardiovascular diseases that maim, kill men and women and hurt our society, especially our children. In the United States alone, almost half a million die each year…
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…
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 had reported that it had received more than 75,000 applications for deferred action status (DAS) and work authorization under DACA. Although experts had predicted that…
CONTRARY to what some kababayans opine, President Barack Obama won the election NOT just because of race, nor by the force of the 47 percent of the American people, who according to Gov. Mitt Romney, “are with him (Obama), who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility…
WE are slowly moving away from the page at this day and age. The book, as we know it, is undergoing a digital transfer. The smell of paper and the intoxicating if not nostalgia-inducing waft of ink are now on the same page with their electronic counterparts. Tablets and e-book readers are proliferating at a…
Under the basic labor certification process, the employer may file an application only after conducting efforts to recruit US workers by means of the following mandatory steps: (1) placing an advertisement on 2 different Sundays in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of intended employment; (2) placing a 30-day job order with the…
ARE you struggling with debt problems? Are you doing your best to pay but simply can’t? Have you thought of filing bankruptcy but are afraid that this might not be the right solution to your problems? Filing bankruptcy is a personal decision that should be taken seriously. Whether or not it is necessary for you…
ACCORDING to recent statistics, there are about 950 million active users on Facebook, 500 million on Twitter, and 150 million on LinkedIn. Not to mention the active users on MySpace, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, and Flickr, to name just a few of the most popular social media sites that people frequent. The internet has become the…
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…
I BELIEVE that the housing market will improve moderately in 2013, but nobody will mistake this for a boom. A favored 3-5% growth and appreciation definitely is better than a negative growth in your home equity. Some better areas might see about an 8 percent increase in equity it will all depend on your location….
AFTER a fierce battle in the Presidential Election, American voters have made their choice — four more years for President Barack Obama after he defeated Republican challenger Mitt Romney in both the electoral and popular votes. The President has been re-elected after going over the top of the required absolute majority (magic number 270) of…
1. GAMBLING winnings are always taxable and must be reported on your tax return – with or without form W-2G. 2. Gambling income includes winnings from lotteries, raffles, horse and dog races and casinos. It also includes the fair market value of prizes such as cars, houses, trips or other noncash prizes. 3. Complimentary goods…
While the entire world was eagerly watching the US presidential elections this week, a most noteworthy event was also happening in America. From November 4-7, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) US Election Program, brought together over 300 election officials, parliamentarians and diplomats from over 50 countries to observe and learn about the US…
SECTION 707 of the bankruptcy code provides for the court’s authority to dismiss a bankruptcy case for abuse. What kind of conduct amounts to abuse of bankruptcy law by the debtor depends on the totality of circumstances surrounding the case. For instance, if the debtor files a bankruptcy despite the fact that his means test…
BY APPROVAL Notice dated October 19, 2012, the Nebraska Service Center granted deferred action on Form I-812D and the corresponding employment authorization on Form I-765, valid from October 17, 2012 to October 16, 2014, both filed by a Filipino student on August 21, 2012. And by Approval Notice dated October 25, 2012, the California Service…
Alex Esclamado is dead. He passed away last Sunday, November 4, in Cebu City from a lingering ailment. His demise is a loss for Filipinos in America, as well as those in the Philippines who endured the Marcos dictatorship. On May 9, 1989, President Cory Aquino conferred the Philippine Legion of Honor on Alex. The…
On June 15, 2012, the Obama Administration announced a new policy of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which is now being referred to as “DACA.” Under this program, the government will defer, or not seek to deport/remove, (and grant work authorization to) certain individuals who were brought to the US at a young age. Although…
