Warren Buffett is considered to be the world’s greatest investor. He is currently the fourth wealthiest man in the world and the second in the United States with a net worth of $53.5 billion. He is constantly featured in the news, and Time magazine named him one of the world’s most influential people. Every year [...]
Hawaii is one of the most expensive places to rent or buy real estate. In fact, the cost of living in Hawaii is 30 percent higher than the national average! According to the Honolulu Board of Realtors, the median price of a single-family home on Oahu is $640,000 and a condo is $346,700. A 30-year [...]
When I was in high school, I heard a speaker say that the secret to success was by failing. It turns out he was right. I have learned much more from failure than success. Success actually can be a very poor teacher, especially if done through bad habits. Bill Gates stated, “Success is a lousy [...]
Many people look forward to retirement as the finish line in life. In reality, it is the start of a new journey, one with unexpected expenses that can set you back, with little room to recover. With life expectancy increasing, retirement can last 20 to 40 years! Here are the most-common expenses in retirement that [...]
Great leaders are critical to any organization. In fact, it is impossible to have an elite and long-lasting organization without great leadership. There are plenty of books, research and studies on leadership. From my personal experience in dealing with the military, politics, business and nonprofits, there are certain traits that leaders possess, regardless of sector. [...]
When people find out I am a financial adviser, usually the first question I am asked is what I believe the next best investment is, or how my performance has been in the past. Getting a good return on your investment is important, but there are more important reasons to hire a financial adviser. There [...]
A middle-income family will spend roughly $250,000 to raise a child. For higher earners, it shoots up to $500,000! This is a large investment for anyone, but as any parent will tell you, an important one. A recent survey showed that 75 percent of parents believe their kids are “a little spoiled.” It is easy [...]
Part of thinking smart in life is learning to communicate and write properly. Applying for a job or school, pitching ideas, communicating to customers and coworkers or marketing through social media can be thrown off with minor mistakes. Hiring companies state that spelling or writing mistakes on resumes are one of the top reasons they [...]
The average taxpayer spends 23 hours on their tax return, and 80 percent of them will hire a professional or use tax software – even though 64 percent of them will not owe any taxes. Taxes are becoming more and more complicated, increasing the chances of making mistakes on a tax return. There are more [...]
With taxes due April 15, it’s important to do tax returns properly, especially if you do it yourself. Tax planning is a very important part of the financial planning process. If you understand credits and deductions, you can save potentially thousands of dollars. If you own a home, you could qualify for great tax breaks. [...]
