Author: Scott A. Makuakane, Counselor at Law, Est8Planning Counsel LLLC

  • It’s Your Funeral

    You own your body after you die and you can say what happens to it. If you say nothing, it will be up to your next of kin, such as your spouse, your children and then more distant relatives. By planning your funeral in advance, you can spare your loved ones stress and conflict. Your…

  • Covering Your Assets

    Think of asset protection planning as a game. Follow the rules and you may avoid detours through lawyers’ offices and courtrooms.

  • Genius Tip: Designing Your Game Plan

    Albert Einstein famously said that an intellectual solves problems, while a genius avoids them. Here is an example of how you should employ this mindset when you put your estate plan in place.

  • Estate Planning 101

    Estate Planning 101

    The first step in the estate planning process is learning. What do you need to learn? I suggest this as your starting point: You need to discover how to stay in control of your stuff while you are able to be in control, as well as how to be sure that that your wishes will…

  • The Great Certainties: Death & Taxes

    They say that the only certainties in life are death and taxes. When your life comes to an end, your loved ones can be left facing both certainties at the same time. The good news is that to some extent, we can postpone both, and we can avoid (notice I did not say evade) taxes…

  • Don’t Do It Yourself: DIY Estate Plans

    You can devise your estate plan without lawyers or accountants. All you need is a credit card, a computer, a printer and access to the internet. Armed with those four things, you can create one or more documents that may — or may not — accomplish what you expect.

  • Starting Your Estate Planning Journey

    The first steps in your estate planning journey are learning 1) how to stay in control of your stuff while you are able to be in control and 2) how to make sure your wishes are carried out when incapacity or the grim reaper catch up with you. Sorry to rub it in, but there…

  • Leaving a Legacy of Aloha

    Estate planning involves protecting what is important and then passing it on to our loved ones and future generations. Many concepts central to Hawaiian culture are applicable to estate planning. Starting with the concept of ‘ohana, all the way through lokahi, estate planning and the culture of our islands can interweave to form a rich…

  • Wise Charitable Giving

    Charities depend on gifts from people like us to do their good works. That’s why they are not shy about asking us for money. Here are some ideas about maximizing your charitable gifts.

  • Trust Basics

    A trust is created when a person transfers “stuff” to a trustee with the understanding that the trustee will manage it for the benefit of one or more beneficiaries. “Stuff” includes any kind of property you can own: real property, such as land and buildings (including timeshares) and personal property, such as bank accounts, stocks…