Category: Wisdoms

  • Communication & Grief

    Grief is a natural response to the loss of someone special. The process of grieving allows the griever to adapt to a new world of existence without the loved one.

  • Hawai‘i Lawyers Helping Seniors

    Fifteen years ago, the Hawai‘i State Bar Association created the Senior Counsel Division (SCD). Its members are Hawai‘i attorneys who are 50 years of age or older (which is over half the Hawai‘i State Bar), and number in the thousands.

  • Covering Your Assets

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

  • Insurance You May Not Realize You Need

    Insurance is a product for the what-ifs in life. A good insurance policy can reduce the financial impact of an adverse event, mitigate financial losses, provide stability and offer some peace of mind during difficult times. Some insurance coverage is deemed so important, it’s mandated by law. But there is also lesser-known insurance coverage worth…

  • Minimize Asset Distribution Drama

    Minimize Asset Distribution Drama

    Minimizing estate asset distribution conflicts among survivors proves to be a challenging consequence of death. Hard-to-divide assets such as a family heirloom or the family home can cause the fracturing of relationships.

  • What’s in YOUR Toolbox?

    Trusts are tools. Like screwdrivers, they come in a variety of sizes and shapes, each designed to accomplish a defined result. You need a screwdriver with a tip that looks like a straight line for a screw with a head that has a straight slot in it. You need a screwdriver with a tip shaped…

  • Before Cosigning Your Child’s Loan…

    As your child heads off to college or starts life as an independent young adult, he or she will likely face new financial responsibilities, such as a car purchase, rent or college tuition payments. Given their lack of credit history, it may be difficult for them to obtain a loan without a parent or another…

  • Dealing With Details While Grieving

    With death comes grief, the natural emotional response to losing someone meaningful. With death comes a myriad of complexities that grievers face that can significantly interfere with the natural progression of grief and adaptation to a new life without the significant other person. These complexities, which we call “estate administration,” include: 1) making funeral and…

  • I’m a Trustee… Now What?

    Inheriting property can be both a gift and challenge. As a trustee, you’re not just receiving real estate, you’re inheriting family responsibilities, property maintenance and tax implications. In Hawai‘i, the complexity increases given the unique real estate landscape. So what options can maximize the potential of your inheritance? Consider the 1031 Exchange, which permits trustees…

  • What’s Wrong With Probate?

    Probate can be a simple, painless process. Sometimes, however, it can be a nightmare, and that’s what gives it a bad name. Probate just means “to prove.” Your personal representative has to prove to the court that the document being offered for probate is your last will. Probate begins with your personal representative filing your…