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Ethan Okura Named Top 40 Under 40 by Pacific Business News

Ethan Okura Named Top 40 Under 40 by Pacific Business News

Ethan Okura, president of Okura & Associates, was recently listed by Pacific Business News as one of Hawaii’s top 40 professionals under the age of...
The New Power of Attorney

The New Power of Attorney

As of April 17th 2014, Governor Abercrombie signed a bill into law establishing the new Uniform Power of Attorney Act.  It may be a little confusing to people because there already was a Hawaii law allowing powers of attorney, and the old law was called the...
Tax Filings, Payments & Other Considerations (April 2014)

Tax Filings, Payments & Other Considerations (April 2014)

“’Tis impossible to be sure of anything but Death and Taxes.” – Christopher Bullock (Cobbler of Preston) Last month I addressed the serious topic of Death and the disposition of your remains.  On an only slightly brighter note, this month’s article is focused on...
Who Decides What Happens To My Remains Anyway? (March 2014)

Who Decides What Happens To My Remains Anyway? (March 2014)

“Thou know’st ’tis common; all that lives must die, Passing through nature to eternity.” -William Shakespeare (Hamlet) Death.  This is a difficult topic to think about.  Most of us spend most of our lives enjoying work, hobbies,...
2014 Estate Planning Update (February 2014)

2014 Estate Planning Update (February 2014)

Here is a 2014 update on important numbers used in Estate Planning and Medicaid Planning in Hawaii. How much money and property can a person have at death without paying estate taxes? A little over one year ago, Congress passed a law  making the exemption from...
Giving Away Your Home? –Beware Part II:  (January 2014)

Giving Away Your Home? –Beware Part II: (January 2014)

Last month I wrote about the pitfalls of giving your home away without protecting yourself. We came to the conclusion that if you think you have 5 years of good health when you can still live at home before you might need nursing home care, it can be a good idea to...
Giving Away Your Home? –Beware Part II:  (January 2014)

Giving Away Your Home? –Beware Part I (December 2013)

We all know that the possibility of incurring disastrous Nursing Home costs is the biggest threat to most people’s estates today.  Now that we have an exemption of $5.25 million from estate taxes, only the wealthiest 0.14% of Americans will pay this tax. In...

Different Types of Agency: Attorney-in-Fact VS. Trustee (October 2013)

DIFFERENT TYPES OF AGENCY: ATTORNEY-IN-FACT VS. TRUSTEE By Ethan R. Okura   Clients often come to me confused about the different ways their loved ones can act for them if they become incapacitated (or how they can act on behalf of their family members).  Today...

Tax Identification Numbers (September 2013)

TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS By Ethan R. Okura Back in June, I wrote an article on how Obamacare affects the income taxes that trusts pay.  It’s a very complicated subject (taxes always seem to be, don’t they?) and my quick summary of how it works may have left you with...

Agreement of Sale (August 2013)

AGREEMENT OF SALE By  Ethan R. Okura   We all know that we had a recent real estate boom and bust cycle.  From the early 2000s until around 2007 or 2008 the real estate market was going gangbusters. Prices were rising, and a lot of transactions were taking...