Category: Wisdoms

  • Navigating Your First Year in Retirement

    Like most Americans, you’ve probably spent years working to achieve the retirement of your dreams. Then there comes a point when this career milestone changes from a distant goal to an imminent reality. You can make your first year away from work more rewarding and less stressful when you take the time to anticipate  potential…

  • The Two Asset Distribution Standards

    As an estate planning attorney, I observe how families decide to distribute their assets among their children. I have seen two main standards used to determine the gift. First is the standard of meeting needs and wants. As parents, we know the needs and wants of our children, and do our best to meet both…

  • ‘No Mom, I’m Not in Jail’

    I recently received a telephone call from my mother. Given that I was in a meeting, I didn’t answer it, but instead let it go to voicemail. Almost immediately, the phone started buzzing again from her same number. Usually, my mom would just leave a message, so this second call was very unusual. I excused…

  • Estate Taxes: What’s Around the Corner?

    After spending a lifetime of earning, saving and investing — and paying income and capital gains taxes all the way along — you may wonder why our government feels entitled to tax the value of what’s left when you die. However, the IRS and the State of Hawai‘i both want a piece of your estate.

  • Retirement Plans for Small Businesses

    If you are among the nation’s more than 31 million small businesses owners1, you likely spend much of your time juggling day-to-day business activities and put off planning for the future. If retirement planning has fallen on your back burner, now is the time to bring it to the forefront.

  • How to Choose the Best Fiduciary

    Two of the most frequently asked questions I hear are “How do I choose a trustee?” and “Am I choosing the right trustee?” Here are six criteria to help you choose the right fiduciary for you.

  • Family Business Succession Basics

    Only about 25 percent of family businesses survive for 15 years or more, and only about 25 percent of the “survivors” will survive the transition to the next generation. There are many contributing factors.

  • Navigating Today’s Housing Market

    In many parts of the country, home prices have been soaring. According to the National Association of Realtors, the median existing-home price rose more than 17 percent in the one-year period ending in March 2021. This reflects just how competitive the market has become for homebuyers. If you are among those looking to purchase a…

  • Define Your Legacy’s Intentions

    According to the book, Preparing Heirs: Five Steps to a Successful Transition of Family Wealth and Values, “60 percent of transition failures were caused by a breakdown of communication and trust within the family unit.” With the aging demographic of baby boomers, the high cost of living in Hawai‘i and the increase in multigenerational homes,…

  • Ingredients for Cooking Up a Scam

    In the dozen-plus years I have specialized in prosecuting elder financial fraud cases at the Prosecutor’s Office, it has become pretty easy for me to spot and disassemble how the majority of scams work. Like how a master chef can taste a dish and tell you the ingredients he tastes, I can smell a “business…

  • Give While You Live

    Making gifts to your loved ones during your lifetime will enable you to see how your beneficiaries handle newfound wealth. This could be a great way to “test drive” your estate plan and determine how well it works while you are still able to make adjustments. If one beneficiary turns out to be a poor…

  • Demystifying Life Insurance

    The COVID-19 pandemic reminded Americans how fragile life is. Applications for life insurance policies in the United States increased 4 percent in 2020, according to the MIB Life Index. If you’re thinking about purchasing life insurance coverage, here’s some basic information to help you make an informed decision.