Honolulu Financial Partners

As the holiday season progresses, remember that you aren’t the only one “fishing” for deals online. Hackers and scammers are too — although for them, we call it “phishing!” As you probably know, phishing is the practice of tricking Internet users into revealing personal or confidential information which can then be used illicitly. Black Friday is no longer the only big sale. Cyber Monday is another day of spending in November. With more and more holiday shopping being done online these days, it’s important to stay alert and avoid cyber-attacks that could negatively impact your finances. Watch out for these types of phishing scams: 1. Cyber attackers pose as shipping companies or online retailers, asking for personal information to resolve a shipping error. 2. Scammers posing as legitimate organizations asking for charitable donations, hoping to cash in on your generosity. 3. Scammers sending texts asking for your PIN to reactivate your debit card or to cancel some trial of a service to avoid charges. 4. Thieves will often go into retailers and find gift cards that are yet to be purchased. They write down the numbers to the gift cards and track them electronically until they are purchased. Once activated, the scammer will drain the funds, leaving the gift card empty 5. If the newest smart-gadget is being sold for a price that seems too good to be true, it probably is! You don’t want to be the victim of purchasing counterfeit goods. Stay protected from phishing using these tips: 1. Never provide your passwords, pin numbers or any personal information to an unsolicited request. 2. Confirm the source of any text, email, or phone call is legitimate by contact the business or organization yourself. 3. Don’t respond to any texts from numbers you don’t recognize and alert your wireless provider to any suspicious texts. Discuss these scams with your loved ones regularly 4. Avoid gift cards that are damaged or contain no packaging. If you feel unsure, you can always ask the staff if they have any that are kept out of public reach. Don’t buy gift cards from third party vendors you aren’t familiar with. Stay vigilant this holiday season and protect yourself from phishing scams—your peace of mind and financial security are worth it!

FAFSA applications have now opened up for all! The deadline to apply is June 30th, 2025 but the best time to apply is now.

Wishing you and your family a happy Thanksgiving!

In the latest LPL Market Signals podcast, LPL Research’s Chief Equity Strategist, Jeffrey Buchbinder, is joined by Chief Technical Strategist Adam Turnquist, as they recap last week’s strong bounce back for stocks, highlight the improving market breadth, and provide some perspective on market concentration.

Reflect on your present blessings, of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. —Charles Dickens Thanksgiving gives us all a chance to reflect on the people we know, the things we have, and the great experiences and richness that life brings. Taking time out of our busy schedules to remember the good things is important. This holiday, so synonymous with gratitude, is the perfect time to count our blessings. We know that gratitude has long been viewed as a key element to happiness, well-being, and wholeness by both the religious and philosophical communities. My hope is that as we remember the good in our lives this Thanksgiving, we will keep in mind the value of sheer gratitude and how it creates happiness in ourselves and in those around us. I wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving Day!

In 2025, Medicare will undergo some of the most significant changes in a generation. Changes to Medicare will include a $2,000 limit on out-of-pocket Part D drug costs, an opt-in payment plan, and some potential broad changes in Medicare Advantage plans.

November is a month for turkey, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce. For crisp mornings, cold nights, and football. It’s also a month for shopping, especially on “Black Friday.” Most people who shop on Black Friday do so in the hope of securing the best deals before the shelves and warehouses are stripped clean. But the ironic thing is that many people actually end up losing money on Black Friday instead of saving it. So, to keep your wallet “in the black” this Black Friday, here are a few things to remember: 1. Be careful driving to the store. If you’ve ever driven on Black Friday, you know that the roads can be chaotic. Speeding, reckless turns, and bumper-to-bumper traffic can lead to accidents. Accidents, of course, lead to costly repairs and higher insurance premiums…surely erasing whatever savings people otherwise hoped to gain. 2. The deals may be great, but the quality may not. This is especially true of electronics. While items on sale may be discounted, the top-of-the-line, brand-name products might not be. Retailers know that consumers are usually willing to pay top-dollar for these, so they have little incentive to provide lower prices. 3. Use cash, not credit cards. Cash is handy on Black Friday, because it can help limit impulse shopping. If you only have enough cash to buy the items on your list, you’ll be immune to temptation. Furthermore, while credit cards make shopping convenient, they can be a huge drag on your finances, especially with interest rates still being near 40-year highs. 4. Be wary when shopping online. You can’t beat the convenience of online shopping, and sometimes there are even better deals to be found on the web. But scammers and cyberthieves know this, too, and cyberfraud is always rampant around the holidays. So, when shopping online, resist the urge to make a purchase quickly, especially if the deal feels “too good to be true.” This is when people often leave themselves open to scams. Also, try to avoid blind-buying large or expensive items like TVs, furniture, gaming systems, or smartphones unless you know you are shopping from a reputable source. Buying from a third-party or private seller may seem tempting because of lower prices, but you must be able to verify the item actually exists! Finally, be especially careful responding to email promotions. These can be phishing scams. No matter where, how, or if you shop, I wish you and yours a happy holiday season!

Explore insights from the latest LPL Market Signals podcast, where strategists analyze the recent stock market downturn, the bond market selloff, and the nuances of Trump's evolving trade policy. Learn how economic data and Federal Reserve strategies are influencing market movements and shaping investor responses.

Business owners, consider a SIMPLE IRA for your employees. In 2024, employees can contribute up to $16,000, with an extra $3,500 for those 50+. Employers can match up to 3% of compensation, making it a great benefit to attract and retain talent.

I love hearing stories about people who faced overwhelming odds while trying to pursue their goals…but persevered and succeeded anyway. Recently, I was reading just such a story, about someone that I didn’t realize fit into this category: George Lucas. (Yep, the creator of Star Wars.) As a kid, Lucas loved watching campy science fiction shows like Flash Gordon. He longed to create his own space adventure, but on a much grander scale. In his mind, Lucas envisioned something closer to an opera in space. Shooting for the stars is never easy, but still, Lucas decided to give it a try. Shortly after he began, the obstacles started piling up. Just take a look at the odds he had to overcome: The first thing he had to do was write a story. Easy enough—or so it seemed. 🛑 He struggled over everything from characters to dialogue to the basic mythology. It took Lucas multiple drafts across four years to write what would eventually become Star Wars. Many of Lucas’s fellow directors wondered if he had gone crazy! Still, Lucas persevered and finished his script. The next daunting step was convincing a studio to back his movie. Once again, the odds were against him. 🛑 First, United Artists turned him down. Then, Universal. Other studios followed suit. No one wanted to take a chance on an outlandish story about a farm boy and a princess battling an evil empire in a galaxy far, far away. No one thought a film like Star Wars would ever resonate with audiences … or make any money. Still, Lucas persevered, and finally got a backer. Eventually, a studio executive at 20th Century Fox agreed to take a chance. Star Wars got the green light! But Lucas still had obstacles to overcome. 🛑 His budget was $7.5 million, when he was sure he needed at least $18 million. He persevered and made the money on a budget. Then, more challenges happened. 🛑 Much of the film was shot on location in the brutally sweltering Tunisian desert. Crew members kept fainting. 🛑 Equipment kept breaking down. 🛑 Soon, the budget was exhausted, and they were overrun on their schedule 🛑 Members of the cast and crew expressed doubts as to whether the movie would be any good. 🛑 His cinematographer quit, and then his editor. Still, he persevered. 🛑 The studio began pressuring him, being anxious about how long and expensive the project was becoming. 🛑 The responsibility was becoming unbearable, and things only got worse when Lucas started experiencing alarming chest pain. But he persevered. Star Wars was released on May 25, 1977. It earned $775 million worldwide and remains one of the most beloved films of all time. Now that’s what I call overcoming the odds! PHOTO CREDIT: https://lnkd.in/diNN96CV