Tag: estate taxes

  • Grief & Bereavement — Part III

    Facing one’s mortality is the unspoken uneasiness that rests just below the surface of the conversation with an estate planning attorney. Estate planning attorneys are well-versed in the law of estate planning. But as they focus heavily on probate avoidance and tax minimization, they may overlook the emotional, human side of estate planning. Therefore, the…

  • Grief & Bereavement — Part I

    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. If allowed to proceed through the grieving process with minimal guilt, anxiety, stress, unresolved issues and conflict, we can help each griever experience their grief…

  • Estate of Mind

    Remember the classic Abbott and Costello comedy routine, “Who’s on First?” The longer they banter, the more their  frustration grows due to their seeming lack of understanding of the game they are discussing — and hilarity ensues. Similarly, the language of estate planning can give rise to problems for the uninitiated, but the problems that…

  • 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.

  • Let the IRS Take a Bath for Change

    Nobody likes to pay taxes, but most of us like to take baths. Unless the bath is the kind where money flows out of your pocket and down the drain. If you feel like paying taxes is a lot like seeing your money go down the drain, you will be glad to know about an…