Category: Articles

‘Tis the Season of Merriment & Stress

Relief is in your hands. Here are points that can be used easily and quickly. The Sea of Vitality (B-23 and B-47) in the lower back, are super important healing points to counteract holiday stress, lower back pain, and health problems due to excess cold. Use these points to boost your immune system!

Place your fists into your back and rock them gradually, in slow motion, to activate these points. Do this 2–3 times daily.

There are also other complimenting points that are helpful in this time of high energy. One in particular is Bearing Support (B-36), that governs resistance, especially to colds and flu. It is located near the spine, off the tips of the shoulder blades. Conversely, they are also the first to get blocked up just before an illness.

Relief is in your hands. Here are points that can be used easily and quickly. The Sea of Vitality (B-23 and B-47) in the lower back, are super important healing points to counteract holiday stress, lower back pain, and health problems due to excess cold. Use these points to boost your immune system!

Place your fists into your back and rock them gradually, in slow motion, to activate these points. Do this 2–3 times daily.

There are also other complimenting points that are helpful in this time of high energy. One in particular is Bearing Support (B-36), that governs resistance, especially to colds and flu. It is located near the spine, off the tips of the shoulder blades. Conversely, they are also the first to get blocked up just before an illness.

Acupressure Points & Methods for Boosting and Strengthening Immunity

In a fast-paced world, everyday stresses accumulate inside our bodies, causing shoulder and neck tensions; and anxieties that often make it hard to breathe. It is easy to overwork yourself with too many commitments and extending yourself to the point of exhaustion. This energy imbalance weakens the immune system. Eating properly, getting enough rest, exercise, practicing techniques that release tension and balancing the body would help the resistance to illnesses. Acupressure and especially deep breathing strengthen the immune system and helps to ward off disease.

Traditional Chinese medicine discovered that excesses of particular activities weaken the immune system by overstressing certain acupressure meridian pathways.

Excess standing damages the bladder and kidney meridians, which can cause fatigue and low backaches. To restore these meridians, stimulate the Sea of Vitality (B-23 and B-47) points by rubbing your lower back for one minute. Then hold Elegant Mansion (K-27) directly below your collarbone for another minute. Finally, hold the Bigger Stream (K-3) points on the insides of your ankles for one minute as you breathe deeply.

Excess sitting can damage the stomach and spleen meridians, which can contribute to anemia or digestive disorders. Stimulate the Three Mile Points (St -36) on the outsides of your calves to benefit these meridians.

Excess lying down can damage the large intestine and lung meridians, which can affect both respiration and elimination. For these meridians use Joining the Valley (Hoku, LI-4) in the valley between the thumb and forefinger and Crooked Pond (LI-11) on the upper edge of your elbow.

Excess use of your eyes (as in close desk work) or emotional stress can damage the small intestine and heart meridians, which can create emotional imbalances. The Sea of Tranquility (CV-17) on the center of your breastbone is an excellent point for balancing these meridians.

Excess physical exertion can damage the gallbladder and liver meridians, which can cause cramps and spasms. Use Bigger Rushing (LV-3) on the top of your feet to benefit these meridians.

By using these acupressure points regularly, balancing your activities, eating proper foods and practicing deep breathing, you can counteract stresses, prevent fatigue, and boost your immune system.

For more information, visit Acupressure.com.

*This article is originated from the book Acupressure’s Potent Points and was given reprint permission by Acupressure.com, the official website for acupressure.

Relief is in your hands. Here are points that can be used easily and quickly. The Sea of Vitality (B-23 and B-47) in the lower back, are super important healing points to counteract holiday stress, lower back pain, and health problems due to excess cold. Use these points to boost your immune system! Place your…
Queen’s Medical Center vs. Koga

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser has featured several stories by reporter Dan Nakaso about the plight of Karen Okada. Karen is a 95-year-old woman who signed a “Death with Dignity Declaration” and a “Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Instructions” back in 1998. Both documents purport to control “in all circumstances.”

The Queen’s Medical Center has determined that Karen is essentially brain dead, or, in any event, has “permanently” lost the ability to participate in medical treatment decisions, and that the provisions of her Death with Dignity Declaration now require that her feeding tube be withdrawn.

On the other hand, Karen’s healthcare agent, in consultation with doctors who are not associated with Queen’s, disagrees with the hospital’s physicians. What the agent knows, and the Queen’s physicians discount, is that just before she was hospitalized, Karen was conscious and able to interact meaningfully with her family and caregivers. During the time she has been at Queen’s with pneumonia, Karen has been unresponsive during examinations, but she has smiled at least twice at her adult grandchildren and nodded to her grandson in response to his question of whether she was able to breathe freely.

The policy of Queen’s is to give precedence to an advance healthcare directive over a durable power of attorney in all events, and without inquiring into why a person may have signed contradictory documents. Accordingly, Queen’s sued Karen’s healthcare agent in order to get a court order forcing him to order that Karen’s feeding tube be removed.

Since no one would want to be part of this kind of drama, what can you do to make your wishes clearly known so there will be no questions?

1. If you do not have an advance health care directive, get one. Make sure your loved ones, including your children over the age of 18 have one too.

2. Learn all you can about the options that can be written into your advance health care directive. These are not “one size fits all” documents. Your wishes may differ greatly from those of your friends and family members, and the document you sign should express your particular desires.

3. If you have an advance health care directive that is more than 5 years old, there is a good chance that it will not accomplish what you think it will. Review it right away with your legal counsel. Make any appropriate changes and updates.

4. If you want to give a trusted family member or friend the power to make health care decisions for you, make sure the power of attorney meshes well with any other instructions.

5. Be sure to give your health care providers your permission to give your medical information to your family members or other trusted decision makers. Federal and state privacy laws restrict your doctor from talking with your health care agent unless you grant that permission.

6. Review your advance health care directive periodically to make sure it accurately states your current wishes. Once per year is not too often.

7. Make sure you have a mechanism in place for giving you access to your advance health care directive, no matter when or where an emergency might occur. Not all health problems happen at home, and if you have a crisis while you are traveling, you will need a way to make your health care documents accessible to your caregivers.

8. Talk with your family about your wishes before a crisis arises. Make sure everybody is on the same page. If your decision makers indicate hesitation about carrying out your wishes, think about naming someone who will. Your assurance to your loved ones of how seriously you intend your instructions to be taken will give them the courage to carry them out.

Knowledge is power. The more you know about advance health care directives, the more likely it will be that your wishes will be carried out.

Scott Makuakane, Attorney at Law
Specializing in estate planning and trust law.
www.est8planning.com
O‘ahu: 808-587-8227, Maui: 808-891-8881
Email: maku@est8planning.com

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser has featured several stories by reporter Dan Nakaso about the plight of Karen Okada. Karen is a 95-year-old woman who signed a “Death with Dignity Declaration” and a “Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Instructions” back in 1998. Both documents purport to control “in all circumstances.” The Queen’s Medical Center has…
The Perfect Match

A living donor offers a two-for-one gift of life

Nearly 15 years ago Andrea Lee’s youngest daughter Jenevieve was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a long-term autoimmune disorder that may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain and other organs. Jenevieve was 15, an age where her main concern should have been friends and fun. Instead, she focused on staying out of the sun, away from those who were sick and eating bananas for potassium. By the time she was 25, her ravaged body needed drugs, surgeries and dialysis. Her kidneys were functioning at a dismal 7 percent.

Jenevieve made many friends at the three-times-a-week dialysis treatments. She knew the nurses by first name, befriended the regulars, and made craft gifts for everyone. Outside of dialysis, except for a limp from osteoporosis of a hip joint, one would never guess that she was so sick with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). A life of dialysis seemed the answer until Jenevieve and Andrea were sent to a class about kidney transplantation.

The transplant coordinator helped them navigate the world of organ donation. She scheduled tests and put Andrea in touch with organ donors and recipients. They had experience, tips and connections, plus they understood what Jenevieve and Andrea were going through.

Jenevieve put her name onto a national list of patients who needed a kidney and then waited. While waiting, Andrea learned that one of the best organ donor candidates is a family member. She decided to undergo prescribed lab tests and passed every single test. After a few months, Andrea was cleared as a good donor match for Jenevieve.

In August 2008, Jenevieve and Andrea spent a week in the hospital and the kidney transplant was a success.

Once at home, Andrea allowed her body to heal. Soon she was back to normal— playing with grandkids, working, traveling, and other life activities that she enjoys. At the follow-up visit, her doctor told her that her lab results were so good that it looked like she still had two kidneys!

Today, Jenevieve, who turned 30 this year, thrives. She is a full-time student studying radiology at Kapi‘olani Community College. She wants to give back to the medical community that helped her through her journey. She continues her jewelry craft and makes herself available to those who want to learn about kidney dialysis, transplant or SLE.

Also, Andrea’s family volunteers for the newly established Hawai‘i Organ Transplant (H.O.T.) Support Group, a council of the National Kidney Foundation of Hawai‘i. Its mission is to support and educate people who have had, or are in the process of, an organ transplant. For more information, please visit www.hawaiiorgantransplant.wordpress.com.

National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii
1314 South King St., #304, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
808.589.5976
info@kidneyhi.org
www.kidneyhi.org

A living donor offers a two-for-one gift of life Nearly 15 years ago Andrea Lee’s youngest daughter Jenevieve was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a long-term autoimmune disorder that may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain and other organs. Jenevieve was 15, an age where her main concern should have been friends and fun.…
Creditor-Protection Gets a Boost
Due to recent changes in our state law, Hawai‘i is one of a handful of states that affords creditor-protection to those who hold “Tenants by the Entirety” property. Tenants by the Entirety is a method by which married couples have equal interest in a property and hold the title together. Each owns the undivided whole of the property. In order for one spouse to modify his or her interest in the property in any way, the consent of both spouses is required. One of the benefits of Tenants by the Entirety is that it protects property from creditors. A home held as Tenants by the Entirety may only be reached by creditors of joint debts of both the husband and wife. In the event of an individual debt of (or judgment against) a husband or wife, the property may not be partitioned, sold or encumbered without the permission of both spouses — in essence, protecting the property from a forced sale.

This type of property ownership can cause uncertainty for married couples. Prior to July of this year, couples that wanted to transfer their real estate to a revocable inter-vivos trust (or living trust) would lose the creditor-protection associated with Tenants by the Entirety. Having to choose between the two plans always had a proposed risk — there was never a perfect solution.

Effective July of this year, Congress amended Section 509-2, Hawaii Revised Statues. This law allows couples to hold their real estate in their living trust, as well as maintain creditor-protection. To be effective, the real estate needs to be held as Tenants by the Entirety first and then transferred into the trust.

In order to be eligible to hold real estate as Tenants by the Entirety, you must be a legally married couple, which includes civil unions (effective January of this year) or reciprocal beneficiaries. A valid reciprocal beneficiary relationship must include the following:

each of the parties be at least eighteen years old

neither of the parties be married nor a party to another reciprocal beneficiary relationship

the parties be legally prohibited from marrying one another under chapter 572

consent of either party to the reciprocal beneficiary relationship has not been obtained by force, duress, or fraud

each of the parties sign a declaration of reciprocal beneficiary relationship as provided in Section 572C-5

If you do not have an estate plan or it has been a while since you last visited with your estate-planning attorney, this would be a great time to create or update your estate plan in order to fully optimize these new laws.

Stephen B. Yim, Attorney at Law
2054 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 524-0251 stephenyimestateplanning.com
Due to recent changes in our state law, Hawai‘i is one of a handful of states that affords creditor-protection to those who hold “Tenants by the Entirety” property. Tenants by the Entirety is a method by which married couples have equal interest in a property and hold the title together. Each owns the undivided whole…
Ohana

Linda and I just returned from a trip to Texas and Louisiana. We were hosting a group of folks from Hawai‘i. If I didn’t know what ‘ohana meant before, I do now. Howard and I were the only men in the group. We had a good time. Not as much fun as the ladies had, still, we had a good time. Marilyn was along with her aunt Grace. This gets me to where I’m going when I talk about ‘ohana. Both of them were very quiet, but they joined in all the activities that our group enjoyed. In fact, Grace was somewhat of a ninja. You would look around wondering where Grace was and then—Bang! She’s right in front of you.

Another fellow traveler was Dorathea, who is a polio survivor. She used a cane to get around and sometimes needed a wheelchair when we had to cover a considerable distance. But she was a champ. One day in New Orleans, we had to walk a few blocks to get to our bus. It was pouring down rain and the sidewalks were slippery. I grabbed her left hand, she gripped the cane with her right and we made it to the bus. She thanked me over and over again, but I thought, This is who we are. This is what we do.

Some day, there will be someone who will do the same thing for me. How do I know? I know because seniors all along the way have taught me the same thing — you get back what you give.

What I remember most about our trip, how-ever, was the laughter. It came from all corners of the bus.

At one point during our trip, coming from a tour of the Riverwalk in San Antonio, we were waiting for an elevator. Linda kept pushing a button and nothing happened. No elevator, no nothing. Finally, Howard leaned over her shoulder and said, “Linda, you’re pushing the lock button. The ‘up’ button is just above it.” The ladies laughed and Linda said, “Sorry, another blonde moment.”

In New Orleans, our friend, Sam, who used to live in Hawai‘i, invited our entire group to his apartment in the French Quarter. He fixed up some gumbo and when I told him it was the best gumbo ever, he said, “I know it is.” We wouldn’t have had that opportunity — or any of that trip’s moments — if it weren’t for ‘ohana.

I’m grateful for my new friends, part of my ‘ohana now. Be sure to take care of yours.

Linda and I just returned from a trip to Texas and Louisiana. We were hosting a group of folks from Hawai‘i. If I didn’t know what ‘ohana meant before, I do now. Howard and I were the only men in the group. We had a good time. Not as much fun as the ladies had,…
The Juggling Duck

I have several friends who are caring for either one or two parents, and when we meet, of course, we ask about each other’s parents. No sooner does the conversation drift to sharing “war” stories about caring for our parents.

Taking care of my parents has taught me to be a juggler. I needed to learn to juggle my job, my own family and being a caregiver. And there have been countless times I’ve dropped one of the balls I was juggling— whether it be the job ball, family ball or the caregiver ball.

I would miss a deadline at work because something unexpected happened with my family. Or, I’d need to change a family commitment because of something I needed to do for my parents. Or worse yet, my mother would asked me to pick up a Sunday paper sale item from Longs Drugs and I’d forget to buy it because I was so busy at work.

I’m not the first adult child learning how to be a juggler. But I’ve come to realize the juggling act I was doing involved three balls of different sizes. As seen on TV, a juggler juggling three baseballs, then he throws out one of the baseballs and his assistant throws to him a bowling ball. To make it more challenging, the juggler then throws out another baseball and the assistant then throws into the mix a bowling pin. So now the juggler is juggling a baseball, a bowling pin and a bowling ball.

I’ve also mentioned to my friends who are taking care of their parents that I learned to be a duck. Yes, a duck … and it’s not because I’m “quacking” up. There are times when my parents say things that raise my blood pressure, so to keep my sanity I’ve learned to act like a duck. I take the attitude that when they say or do something that pushes a button (and parents can push buttons very well), I visualize that I’m a duck. I make every effort to have whatever they say roll off my back, just like water off a duck’s back.

So now when I get out of my car when it’s my turn to take care of my mother, I say, “Quack, quack. I’m a duck.” Of course, this hasn’t work 100 percent of the time but the visualization helps. And, so does the smile.

I have several friends who are caring for either one or two parents, and when we meet, of course, we ask about each other’s parents. No sooner does the conversation drift to sharing “war” stories about caring for our parents. Taking care of my parents has taught me to be a juggler. I needed to…
Movie Premiere: Alliance Française Turns Fifty

Guess who else turned 50?

French in Hawaii: Alliance Française Turns Fifty
a new 54-minute documentary by Marc Delorme

Premier
Sunday, November 25 | 4 pm – 5 pm | KHON2

Honorary French Consul Patricia Lee awards Masao Tamura with the medal of the Legion of Honor.

GM: Tell us about Alliance Française.

MD: Well, if you are not familiar with the institution, you could easy mistaken it for a political action committee or something along those lines. But, in fact, Alliance Franç aise is strictly a cultural organization. It was founded in Paris in 1883 by French art and science philanthropists, such as Jules Verne French and Louis Pasteur. The alliance wanted to encourage the propagation of the French language and culture and to foster friendly relations between France and the rest of the world. Now, it has a worldwide network and our Hawai‘i chapter celebrated its 50th year during 2011-2012. The chapter sponsors French classes, conversations groups, and cultural events such as the French Film Festival at the Honolulu Museum of Art.

GM: Why focus on this organization?

MD: First, I wanted to acknowledge a cultural association,which has survived 50 years in the Islands. But, it was also an opportunity to identify a small French-speaking community within Hawai‘i’s rich diversity.

GM: What should we expect to see?

MD: I documented some of the activities of Alliance Franç aise and interviewed six local French-speakers, including the violinist Iggy Jang, Tahitian artis Jeanne Moua Larsen, astronomer Christian Veillet, French-speaking former Miss Hawai‘i Malika Dudley and her mother Kamila, Chef Mavro and Honorary French Consul Patricia Lee.

GM: Do you speak French?

MD: Yes, I am a native French speaker, along with approximately 1,000 Tahitians and 2,000 natives from the French Mainland who live in Hawai‘i.

GM: Any surprises?

MD: For me, I was pleasantly surprised when some of the interviewees really opened up in front of the camera, people like Chef Mavro and Malika Dudley.

That is always very gratifying for a filmmaker. For you, the surprise is that this documentary is 90 percent in French with English subtitles.

Guess who else turned 50? French in Hawaii: Alliance Française Turns Fifty a new 54-minute documentary by Marc Delorme Premier Sunday, November 25 | 4 pm – 5 pm | KHON2 GM: Tell us about Alliance Française. MD: Well, if you are not familiar with the institution, you could easy mistaken it for a political action…
Insecure? Secure It . . . Online

Question: I’m doing more things online, including shopping and paying bills. What are some things I can do at www.socialsecurity.gov?

Answer: Perhaps the most important thing you can do is to take a look at your Social Security Statement, which allows you to check your earnings record and get an estimate of your future benefits. Revisit your statement annually. If you’re ready to apply for benefits, you can do that online as well. Applying for Social Security retirement benefits online can take as little as 15 minutes. Once you’ve submitted your electronic applications, in most cases, you’re done! Also online, you can find more than 100 publications with information about Social Security and its programs. You also can estimate your future retirement benefit using our Retirement Estimator, which allows you to get personalized estimates based on different retirement ages and scenarios.

Question: I usually get my benefit payment on the third of the month. But what if the third falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday? Will my payment be late?

Answer: Just the opposite. Your payment should arrive early. For example, if you usually get your payment on the third of a month, but it falls on a Saturday like it does this November, we will make payments on Friday, November 2. Find more information on payment schedules for 2012 at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/calendar.htm. If you do ever miss a payment, be sure to wait three days before calling to report it missing. Of course, if you get your payments electronically, you’ll get your payment without having to wait for the mail. Find out more about electronic payments at www.godirect.org.

Question: I’m doing more things online, including shopping and paying bills. What are some things I can do at www.socialsecurity.gov? Answer: Perhaps the most important thing you can do is to take a look at your Social Security Statement, which allows you to check your earnings record and get an estimate of your future benefits.…
AARP: Voter Resources

Straight Talk: Social Security & Medicare

How long will Hawai‘i residents be able to work as they age? How much should seniors pay for health care? What will future retirees need, and what as a nation can we afford? These are some of the issues at stake this election season as the future of Social Security and Medicare becomes the focus of campaign ads on TV, radio, in print and online.

But confusion is running high among Hawai‘i residents, as are concerns over the future of programs vital to many seniors and their families. In response, AARP Hawai‘i is offering information about the challenges facing Social Security and Medicare so that everyone can have a voice in the debate over their future.

“You’ve Earned a Say” (www.earnedasay.org) offers Hawai‘I residents a one-stop resource with straight talk about key election issues. The website outlines the positions of candidates in the presidential, U.S. Senate and House races — in their own words — on Social Security, Medicare and financial security. The site also provides the views of Hawai‘i candidates for the state legislature on issues related to health care, long-term care, the state budget and tax reform — areas of particular concern to older voters heading to the polls in 2012.

The “You’ve Earned a Say” website provides voters with balanced information about Medicare and Social Security proposals that are being debated on the campaign trail— the pros and cons— so they can have a voice in the future of these program. In addition, “You’ve Earned a Say” events are being scheduled at locations across the state.

AARP is a nonpartisan organization for people age 50 and older with nearly 150,000 members in Hawai‘i. It does not support or oppose political candidates, nor contribute money to political action committees, campaigns or super PACs. AARP champions access to affordable, quality health care for all generations, provides the tools needed to save for retirement, and serves as a reliable information source on issues critical to older Americans.

For details and information on “You’ve Earned a Say” events, please call 808-545-6005 or visit www.earnedasay.org.

Straight Talk: Social Security & Medicare How long will Hawai‘i residents be able to work as they age? How much should seniors pay for health care? What will future retirees need, and what as a nation can we afford? These are some of the issues at stake this election season as the future of Social…
Message from the Editor – Oct / Nov 2012

This fall, I hope you will exercise your right as an American to vote on November 6th. Generations Magazine has Linda Coble to thank for our flag-waving cover story, as she is one of my favorite ladies, community leaders, and I am honored to call her my friend. We’d also like to thank Principal Shannon Goo of Lincoln Elementary School for allowing us to shoot the magazine’s cover on campus, as my son Zachary and his schoolmates had a blast. If you need some inspiration to vote this year (or general voting information), turn to our cover story, Make Your Voice Count.

With this year’s Senior Fair just finishing, it reminds me of all the great agencies and non-profit companies we have in Hawai‘i that support our ku¯ puna. My hats off to companies such as Project Dana, the Caregiver Foundation of America, Catholic Charities and government agencies like the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Senior Companion program and Sage PLUS.

As with the past two Senior Fair’s, Generations Magazine handed out magazines and took the opportunity to talk with our readers. We also conducted our annual reader survey. We thank all those who shared comments, as we received plenty: “Great. Very Informative — Right On — Very Educational — Great Magazine! — Bright Future — Great Advice — I love the magazines — Read them faithfully — Enjoy your magazine!!! My daughter (CPA) reads it also to share info with her clients — Very good items — Great, super, informative — Please continue this wonderful service.”

We literally had several hundred readers complete our survey that automatically entered them for a free subscription drawing. We drew five winners to receive a year’s free subscription of Generations Magazine. The winners were Sandra Isokane of Honolulu, Connie Hovland of ‘Ewa Beach, W. Nemoto of Kailua, Carol Williams of Wai‘anae, and Florence Wong of Honolulu. Thank you to everyone for visiting our booth at the Senior Fair.

We enter this fall season with Medicare on our minds. Take your time to get all the information you need to make an educated decision. Each year the Executive Office on Aging’s Sage PLUS program provides wonderful information and volunteers to answer all your questions (see story on page 20).

Lastly, this is flu season so make sure you received your shots, eat healthy and exercise regularly. For a healthy, flu-fighting soup recipe, turn to page 25. For more information on flu shots, turn to page 24.

Live Well,

Percy Ihara, Editor / Publisher
808-368-6747 | Percy@Generations808.com

This fall, I hope you will exercise your right as an American to vote on November 6th. Generations Magazine has Linda Coble to thank for our flag-waving cover story, as she is one of my favorite ladies, community leaders, and I am honored to call her my friend. We’d also like to thank Principal Shannon Goo of Lincoln…
Important Tips for Giving Grandparents
If you enjoy supporting your grandchildren financially — or if this is one of your goals — you’re not alone. Eighty-four percent of seniors say that creating a financially secure life for themselves and their family is an important goal.*

Yet, deciding how to best help your grandchildren can be a struggle, especially if you share some of the same financial concerns as your peers. For example, you may be among the 27 percent of seniors who say changes to Social Security are most likely to jeopardize your retirement plans, or the 23 percent who identify health care costs as the biggest threat.

When evaluating how much financial support to provide, consider the following:

Give only what you can afford. Your financial security should be your first priority. Since there is no way to know with any certainty how long you’ll live, how the market will perform or how inflation may impact your purchasing power, make sure that you gift within your means. Doing so will help ensure your generosity today doesn’t create a financial hardship for you — or your family members — down the road.

Give equally. To help prevent family conflict and avoid damaging relationships, give equally to your grandchildren. If you need to give more to help one of them through a rough patch, adjust your will to even things out and clearly communicate your intentions.

Clarify whether you’re making a loan or giving a gift. If you’re giving a gift, familiarize yourself with federal tax rules, which are based on the calendar year. For example, in 2012 you were able to give up to $13,000 before the federal gift tax is applied. Also, be sure the recipient knows it’s a gift to alleviate any uncertainty about whether they’re required to pay you back.
If you are loaning money, be specific about the terms and repayment. Make sure you have a written document that both parties sign and date.

Discuss your intentions. Only 61 percent of seniors say they regularly discuss finances with their family. If you would like to support your grandchildren and save for their college or home down payment, be sure to communicate this with their parents. This can help your adult children with their own financial planning.

If you want to provide financial support to a family member, consider consulting a financial professional. He or she can help you evaluate your finances and goals and create a strategy. A realistic understanding of your financial picture can help you identify how much you can comfortably give, as well as the most tax-efficient and effective way to go about it.

For info, contact Michael W. K. Yee at (808) 952-1240

*The Money Across Generations IISM study was commissioned by Ameriprise Financial, Inc. and conducted by telephone by GfK in December 2011 among 1,006 affluent baby boomers (those with $100,000 or more in investable assets); 300 parents of baby boomers; and 300 children of baby boomers at least 18 years old. The margin of error is +/- three percentage points for the affluent boomers segment and +/- six percentage points for the parents and children of boomers segments.
Ameriprise Financial and its representatives do not provide tax or legal advice. Consult with your tax advisor or attorney regarding specific tax issues. Brokerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. Some products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions or to all clients. © 2012 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. File # 143286
If you enjoy supporting your grandchildren financially — or if this is one of your goals — you’re not alone. Eighty-four percent of seniors say that creating a financially secure life for themselves and their family is an important goal.* Yet, deciding how to best help your grandchildren can be a struggle, especially if you…
Soups Up!
Diane’s Kale, Bean & Roasted Vegetable Soup

The fall season is here. What better time to prepare for flu season than with a hearty pot of immunity boosting soup.

In order to keep your immune system strong, you need to eat a nutrient dense diet rich in antioxidants and anti cancer phytochemicals, which only come from fruits and vegetables. This soup is packed with just that. Kale, bok choy, onions, garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, and red bell pepper are all micronutrient rich foods that protect us from disease. The beans add a good source of healthy protein and fiber that we need on a daily basis. Feel free to add any other vegetable or other types of beans you may like. It makes a good amount so you can freeze some for later. Know you’re getting everything your body needs to stay healthy and live strong.

PART 1

2– 3 green zucchini

1 yellow squash

1 onion

6– 8 mushrooms

1 red bellpepper

4 carrots

Handful cilantro

5– 6 cloves garlic

Olive oil

Italian seasoning

Slice vegetables onto a foil tent, pour 3-4 Tbsp. of olive oil over them and toss. Add cilantro, sprinkle with Italian seasoning and pressed garlic cloves. Toss again. Close tent and roast on the grill for 30 minutes. If roasting in the oven, bake at 475° until vegetables are tender.

PART 2

4 bunches bok choy

3 bunches kale

3 cloves garlic

Stir-fry with olive oil, garlic, bok choy and kale.

PART 3

3 boxes organic chicken broth

2 cans white cannellini bean

1 can kidney beans

2 cans low sodium diced tomatoes with

basil & garlic

2 cans summer crisp corn

1 tsp cumin

Seasalt & pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

Combine all of the parts in a soup pot and simmer for 20 minutes. View the video below. Enjoy; stay healthy.

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Diane’s Kale, Bean & Roasted Vegetable Soup The fall season is here. What better time to prepare for flu season than with a hearty pot of immunity boosting soup. In order to keep your immune system strong, you need to eat a nutrient dense diet rich in antioxidants and anti cancer phytochemicals, which only come…