Category: Wisdoms

  • A Conversation About Life

    This past year, our office established the Heartfelt Legacy Foundation™, which in turn, purchased the right to associate with Honoring Choices®. This national group is raising awareness about making end-of-life choices, encouraging family discussions so that loved ones’ choices may be honored and respected. In the coming months, Honoring Choices® Hawaii plans to bring awareness…

  • What Legacy Will You Leave?

    You may be surprised to learn that an estimated 70 percent of American adults have not yet made a will or trust, even though these documents are vitally important to all individuals and families. For those who never complete their estate plans, the government will apply a series of laws that may or may not…

  • Real Property Tax Credits for Homeowners

    Property owners who meet certain eligibility requirements may apply to the City and County of Honolulu for a real property tax credit to reduce their property taxes. Depending on your age, you may qualify for a tax credit equal to the amount of taxes owed for the 2015 and 2016 tax year that exceed 3…

  • Estate Planning for College Students

    I recently received a call from a client who has a daughter attending college on the Mainland. Her daughter had been in a ski-accident and was in the hospital. When the mother called the hospital to find out her daughter’s status, they would not release any information or allow the mother to make any decisions…

  • Gifts Anyone Can Afford

    Sometimes I am asked by people how they can help our cause without disturbing their finances. Surprisingly, there are ways to accomplish that goal. Each situation is different, so consulting your tax advisor is a good idea. You may wish to consider these ideas: •  Designating a charity as a beneficiary in your will or…

  • Another Option: Reverse Mortgage

    Many families worry about the financial future of their retired parents. For peace of mind and the well-being of your parents, it’s important to talk with them about the kind of financial help they may need to “age in place.” Most people want to live out their years in the home they have lived in…

  • Paying for Long-Term Care

    According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal on May 14, 2012, if you are married and you and your spouse both reach the age of 65, there is a 70 percent probability that one of you is going to need long-term care. As if that is not troubling enough, a great many…

  • Calling the Police: It’s Called ‘Tough Love’

    Wanda (not her real name) took out a home equity loan on her Waianae house. She intended to renovate her home so that her adult daughter could move in, care for Wanda and help repay the loan. Once the $290,000 was in their joint checking account, however, her daughter withdrew it and took her family…

  • What’s the Right Life Insurance?

    For most people, it isn’t a question of whether to own life insurance, but what kind of coverage is most appropriate for their circumstances. There is no “one-size-fits-all” policy. You need to determine what works best for you. Choosing life insurance involves finding the right balance between the cost of insurance and the most appropriate…

  • Be Giving While You’re Living

    Kingdom Advisors founder Ron Blue takes an interesting approach to estate planning. He advocates lifetime giving as a way to assure that the objects of your bounty are worthy recipients of your wealth. This could play out a couple of different ways. As Blue points out, there are three places your “stuff” can go after…

  • Four Myths About Kidney Disease

    What do you know about kidney disease? Are you sure that what you heard is correct? Here are 4 common errors: Myth 1: Kidney disease is rare One in seven adults in Hawai‘i has kidney disease and one in two are at risk for the disease. High blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of kidney…

  • Lost in Translation

    Did you play the game “grape vine” as a child? You whisper something to someone who whispers it to another, until the last person gets the message. The last person says the message out loud. At best, it is a very garbled version of the original message. Think about estate planning. People tell their attorney…