Category: January – February 2022
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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…
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‘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…
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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.
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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.
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Medicare Payment Help is Available
Having trouble paying for Medicare or other health costs? Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) are available to help older adults pay their monthly Part A/B premiums, annual deductibles, or copayments for visits and services. MSPs are administered by the Hawaii Med-Quest Division.
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Detecting Financial Incapacity in Seniors
Recently, the SEC, NASAA and FINRA published a report to help advise financial professionals in detecting signs of diminished capacity among older investors. Some red flags: The senior seems unable to process even the simplest concepts. The senior appears to have memory loss. More…
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Hospice is About Living Fully
In Hawai‘i, it is common that some kūpuna will remain at home under the care of younger family members, even as their health declines. Aging at home can work well for some ‘ohana, but care becomes more complicated if your loved one is facing a serious or terminal illness and experiencing symptoms that are challenging…
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Humility Meets Compassion
Twenty years ago, I was hired as the assisted living director for a Jewish community, where I learned about their culture, faith and life experiences. Some of the residents I cared for were Holocaust survivors and I listened to their stories. One survivor, who I will call “LL,” lost his mother and sister during this…
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Create a Safe Home Care Environment
When planning for the in-home care of their kupuna, family caregivers may have difficulty looking at the home environment and adapting it to provide proper care. For example, a room layout that worked well when the loved one was mobile may not be ideal when circumstances change and bed-bound care is required. Back injuries, sprains…
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Common Misconceptions About Hospice
Despite hospice care’s increasing popularity, there are still widely held misconceptions regarding end-of-life care. This article by members of the Society of Certified Senior Advisors (www.csa.us) seeks to dispel many myths about hospice care and to present accurate information on this growing segment of our healthcare system. By doing so, it is hoped that hospice…