Facts about retirement plan withdrawals and loans
YOU’RE probably one of those employees wanting to tap your 401(k), 403(b), or other retirement accounts to get you through dire financial need. With unemployment rate hovering at more than…
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God and society, religion and politics
“SO WHAT did you talk about?” I asked a Catholic School teacher who came from a whole day of Religious Education seminar. “We talked about unity,” she answered. “Unity? What’s…
K-1 Fiancé Visa
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. It’s the time of the year when many couples get engaged or married. If you are an American citizen who intends to marry…
H-1B for Fiscal Year 2011
H-1B season is around the corner. On April 1, 2010, the United States Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) will accept H-1B filings for the Fiscal Year 2011. The start date…
EB-3 “Other Worker” Category
In a previous article, we covered eligibility requirements for EB-2 advanced degree and exceptional ability aliens, and EB-3 skilled and professional workers. The third preference category of employment-based immigration (EB-3)…
EB-2 vs. EB-3 – Which one is Right for Me?
Each year the immigration regulations provide a minimum of 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas which are divided into five preference categories. While some categories have a backlog of several years, others…
Greencard in a year, invest $500K in a regional center
Congress established the employment based fifth preference (EB-5) immigrant visa category under the U.S. Immigration Act of 1990 (IMMACT90) in the hopes of attracting foreign capital to the U.S. and…
Maintaining Status and the Nonimmigrant Extension Nightmare
World events and political changes over the past couple of years have exposed the different faces of the American people. As a whole, American patriotism has become more visible. But…
Choosing our own poison
The World Health Organization observes “World No Tobacco Day” on May 31st each year to remind people around the globe about the deadly effects on smoking and to inspire smokers…
Wan Ling Martello: Leading the Giants
A FEW weeks ago, the Board of Directors of Nestlé S.A, the largest food company in the world, appointed Filipino American Wan Ling Martello to succeed Jim Singh when he…
Why probate creates worries?
WHEN someone dies without a Living Trust, the decedent’s estate is subject to a probate. Probate simply means “to prove the will”. The process is designed to prove that the…
What God offers
I LIKE how a fellow-priest interpreted the Parable of the Wedding Banquet of this Sunday’s Gospel. Initially, he didn’t find anything worst about the people who refused the king’s invitation…
60% Don’t come for sex
THE furor over the assertion of US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas that 40% of male foreign visitors are sex tourists reminds me of the newspaper headline that declared,…
‘Please help me die…’
This is one request every physician dreads to hear from a patient. No matter how hopelessly ill a person may be, even one dying from terminal cancer which has spread…
Healthy gums = healthy lungs
WHILE a number of studies already link poor oral health to compromised overall health, recently published research also suggests a possible correlation between gum disease and the risk of respiratory…
Apology accepted
US AMBASSADOR to the Philippines Harry Thomas, Jr. may have exaggerated in his statement, but that doesn’t mean the problem of sexual tourism in the country does not exist. In…
Jobs, well done
“ALMOST everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering…
Peter Jamero, Fil-Am Community Leader, Professor and Author of ‘Growing Up Brown: Memoirs of a Filipino American’
Society has certainly changed a lot since Fil-Am Peter Jamero was growing up. Today, Filipino-Americans aren’t pigeonholed into a certain profession — they are able to date whomever they like…
Why you need a Power of Attorney now
TOO many times, I encounter relatives or friends going through the dilemma of not being able to handle an elderly relative’s financial, legal, and medical affairs after such relative becomes…
Dancing the Cha-cha—again
The debate on whether or not amendments should be made in the constitution has been similar to an endless dance of Cha-cha; wherein government officials keep dancing to and fro…
Community property interest in employee benefit plan of spouse
An action for dissolution of marriage often involves the division of community property. Typically, this involves property that is in the control and possession of either spouse. However, community property…
Eight don’ts after a meal
There are many myths floating around concerning various subjects. Some of them are about what NOT to do after a meal. These were emailed to me by a friend for…
Lawrence Que Jr., RSC Inorganic Mechanisms 2011 Awardee and Scientific Expert on Iron-containing Enzymes
IN A University of Minnesota news feature, Professor Lawrence Que Jr. was referred to as “Iron Man” when he was awarded the prestigious Inorganic Mechanisms 2011 Award in May of…
Individual tax filing extension due on October 17th
FOR quite a few taxpayers who have deferred on filing their 2010 income tax returns, the deadline is just by the corner. The most prudent action would be to file…
Lessons from a dark era
“THE Filipino, it seems, has lost his soul, his dignity, and his courage. We have come upon a phase of our history when ideals are only a veneer for greed…
Alex Niño, Renowned Comic Book Artist
FILIPINO comic book artist Alex Niño doesn’t get the credit most of his peers receive. When you think of the Filipino pioneers that entered the US comic industry in the…
Why it is critical to fund a Living Trust
THE fact that a lot of existing Living Trusts are not properly funded is a scare to behold. Once your Living Trust was drafted and finalized, you think your assets…
Fruits of labor
The Philippine coconut industry and the Aquino administration has all reasons to be thrilled with the big time companies in the United States recently expressing their willingness to invest in…
Affirmation
WITH 85% approval for his performance in the past three months, Vice President Jejomar Binay is enjoying the highest approval and trust ratings (85 percent approval rating and 86 percent…