When was the last time you evaluated your prices? Does this process make you uncomfortable? Let me share a story about a friend and the surprise he experienced when he increased his prices. My friend and his wife had been…
But how – and how much – is very much a work in progress and it’s important that you monitor what happens next Finally, after more than 30 years, true tax reform has become law. Most small and midsize businesses…
The IRS announced today that it is accepting tax returns, with April 17 as the filing deadline for individuals. The IRS also explained tools and resources that will make the tax filing season a little easier for taxpayers. Here is…
The financial services company uses technology, American Sign Language and lip reading to serve both hearing and nonhearing clients Joshua Beal was born deaf. “It was very isolating. I always felt different as a child growing up,” recalls the owner…
Now is the time to start planning so next year is better than this one. Start by reflecting on the current year and identifying what worked well and what didn’t. Were the challenges hiring good staff or training them? Making…
You have a business that is doing well and paying the bills. Maybe it has put one or two children through college. The kids are working, maybe on the Mainland, and not interested in taking over the family business. Now…
Divorce is painful no matter where you live, but the pain in your wallet can be especially torturous in Hawaii. Hawaii is highly ranked for quality of life – which helps marriages thrive – but is also worst in the…
A charitable gift annuity provides a meaningful gift to charity while improving your financial situation in two ways for the rest of your life: a steady stream of income and tax benefits. More important, you create a lasting legacy in…
Six factors to consider when choosing whether to buy or rent a home in Hawaii Trade her peaceful rental on 2 acres in rural Maui for a condo of her very own? No thanks. Over the 30 years she has…
Dane Atkinson used to be the kind of startup CEO that board members praised because he attracted top-notch talent while saving money. Certain candidates were just not aggressive at negotiating their salaries, and he took advantage of that. “It’s easy…
There are many ways to memorialize the dead, but one constant is that a little forethought and communication - before you go - can save your family a lot of money and grief after you're gone. A few times a…
Q: I’ve got a steady job making decent money, but it’s 40 hours/week in a cubicle. Some of my buddies are skipping the “office grind” for freelance work or are jumping on with Uber and Lyft. They’ve got flexibility and…
Even after six years at the helm of the state’s second largest bank, Ho is still a relatively young CEO, at age 50. However, he points out: “There are a lot of miles on the odometer.” We talk to him…
Q: I want retirement plan for my employees that doesn’t bust my company’s budget. Is that possible? Company retirement plans are a terrific incentive for attracting and retaining top talent. Employees are far more likely to participate in an employer-provided plan than…
Meredith Mawhar says she settled on her new career because she was excited by the Research Challenge, a prestigious competition for college students sponsored by the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute. Mawhar is a student at UH Manoa’s Shidler College of…
Interest rates are going up. What can I do to keep my cost of borrowing affordable? Interest rates have been low for so long that many borrowers take them for granted. Savvy business owners, however, are closely watching interest rates…
This new monthly column looks at innovative programs elsewhere and asks: Might this work in Hawaii? In our first column, we explore the city of San Francisco’s mission to bring low-income students onto the college track and hear how one…
YES! A Memoir of Modern Hawaii By Walter Dods Jr., with Gerry Keir and Jerry Burris Walter Dods Jr. was born in Honolulu just before Pearl Harbor, the first of seven children in a close-knit family that struggled to pay…
Ngo is one of only two women in the state heading a publically traded company. She shares career insights and discusses her vision for Central Pacific Bank. You were COO and became CEO on July 1. What was your first…
WHILE TRYING TO SAVE his home from foreclosure, what was most difficult to handle for cattle rancher Jeffrey Medeiros was not knowing the person on the other end of the phone line. “Every time I called the bank, I spoke to…
This Month's Expert Blenn Fujimoto Executive VP & Specialized Markets Division Manager at Central Pacific Bank Q: I’m saddled with student-loan debt, but would like to start my own business. How can I get started? A: STUDENT-LOAN DEBT can be a…
The payday lending industry in Hawaii offers short-term loans with annual interest rates of up to 459 percent. The companies say they are providing an important service, but critics argue they are soaking the needy and driving them further into…
When tricky emotional issues stifle a family’s wealth-management planning, financial advisors call upon therapists to move the process forward. It could be the basis of a twisted reality show: Throw a family into a conference room, have them grapple with…
CREATOR: Larry Fenton has been an ironworker by trade for 26 years, holds a B.A. in history and political science from Chaminade University and a business certificate from the Wharton School of Business, and says he’s “been looking for a…