Honolulu Financial Partners

Year-end is perfect for reviewing your retirement healthcare coverage. Ensure your Medicare or insurance meets your needs and check for changes. Consider a supplemental plan to avoid unexpected expenses.

Now that the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, attention is turning to planning for the holidays. But there’s something else on the rise this time of year: Charitable giving. One of the best ways to practice charity is by giving our time, talents, and even money to help those in need. Here are a few tips on how to donate safely and effectively: 1. Donating your time can be just as good as donating your money. Sometimes, the best way to help other people is simply to be there for them. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or orphanage. Spread the spirit of the season everywhere you go by simply aiding those who look like they may be in need of help. 2. Do your research before donating to a charity. Ask for detailed information from the organization, including their contact info. Search for the organization online to verify legitimacy. Add the word “complaint(s)” or “scam.” It will pull up information if someone has been scammed before. 3. Get it in writing! No matter what you give, make sure you keep some type of record. (Especially for CASH donations, because those must be documented in writing in order to claim a deduction.) Get a receipt, a letter from the organization you donated to, or a bank statement. Per the IRS, it “should include the name of the charity, the date, and the amount donated.” 4. Find out if the charity is registered by contacting the National Association of State Charity Officials.

Most expect the Federal Open Market Committee to cut interest rates in 2025. The question of how much will be informed by economic data.

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!