by Ethan Okura | Feb 11, 2020 | Estate Planning
On December 20, 2019, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was signed into law by President Trump. The SECURE Act makes some really big changes to the way that retirement accounts must be distributed—especially after the original...
by Ethan Okura | Jul 15, 2019 | Estate Planning
The world today is increasingly interconnected. Global travel is commonplace these days, as is moving to another country for work or other opportunities. International marriages are also more commonplace. So, what do these facts have to do with estate planning? All of...
by michelle | Jun 7, 2019 | Estate Planning
FRAUDULENT STUDENT LOANS AND IDENTITY THEFT By: Ethan R. Okura Sometimes you can do everything right, but have everything go horribly wrong. Sometimes you do nothing at all, and still have everything go very wrong. In the United States, you’re supposed to be innocent...
by Ethan Okura | Apr 11, 2019 | Estate Planning
Many of my past columns have focused on how to structure your estate plan to protect your home. I’ve discussed protecting your primary residence and other real property from probate through the use of revocable and irrevocable trusts, through joint ownership or...
by Ethan Okura | Mar 11, 2019 | Estate Planning
By: Ethan R. Okura Back in December of 2009, my father, Sanford K. Okura, wrote an excellent article titled “Tenants by the Entirety.” It explained the pros and cons of holding property as “tenants by the entirety” as opposed to holding them in revocable trust(s). At...
by michelle | Feb 20, 2019 | Estate Planning
By: Ethan R. Okura It’s that time of year again. No, not Valentine’s Day…and I’m not even talking about President’s Day. I’m talking about Taxes! Your personal income tax return isn’t due until April 15th, and if you’re like many people, you might file for an...
by michelle | Jan 5, 2019 | Estate Planning
By: Ethan R. Okura Hawai‘i Herald Columnist Happy New Year! The following is a 2019 update on important numbers used in estate planning and Medicaid planning in Hawai‘i. How much money and property can a person have at death without paying estate taxes? At the end of...
by michelle | Dec 20, 2018 | Estate Planning
By: Ethan R. Okura Happy Holidays! This is the time of the year when we make an extra effort to be thankful for all that we have. We focus on the spirit of giving and we wrap up presents for our family and loved ones. This thought made me chuckle a little at a recent...
by michelle | Nov 8, 2018 | Estate Planning
By: Ethan R. Okura There’s no question about it: Saving for retirement is not easy. There are quite a few types of retirement accounts. Each has its own rules and tax benefits, although, for the most part, they tend to be similar. The amounts you can contribute,...
by michelle | Oct 14, 2018 | Estate Planning, Trusts and Wills
The Role of the Successor Trustee: What Am I Supposed to Do Now? By Ethan R. Okura We have often seen this scenario: A parent, sibling, or dear friend has finally gotten around to doing their initial estate planning. You are so happy for them. And then you...
