Who Should Attend

This basic-to-intermediate level seminar is designed for:

• Attorneys
• Accountants
• Trust Officers
• Personal Representatives and Executors
• Enrolled Agents

All the Forms, Checklists and Practical Knowledge You’ll Need to Administer Any Estate

Estate administration practice is steeped in forms and procedures, but underneath it all are people’s unique needs and circumstances. This practical workshop offers you a chance to learn through doing! Follow every step of the administration and work together with your peers and faculty to answer common questions and prepare for handling key tasks. Get all the tools you’ll need and learn how to use them, so you can focus on the people behind the paperwork and administer each estate quickly and tax-efficiently. Register today!

• Learn through doing! Follow our instructors in guided learning and exercises to gain
  practical estate administration knowledge.
• Work through a plethora of scenarios you will likely face when administering the estate.
• Take a quick quiz to test your knowledge of elective share procedures.
• Get a master checklist for each step needed to administer the estate.
• Complete a sample tax return to understand how every action in administration affects
  tax.
• Face common ethical dilemmas in case studies and together decide what the right course
  of action is.
• Review sample notices, affidavits and agreements to save on drafting time.
• Prepare a petition to administer the estate using a fact pattern and see it through to final
  accounting.

Course Content

• Preparing the Petition, Initial Steps and Forms (with Interactive Exercise)
• Completing Inventory and Appraisement: Exercises and Examples
• Handling Creditor Claims and Debt
• Taxes: Preparing the Forms and More (with Hands-on Tutorial)
• Final Accounting, Distributions and Closings: A Complete Walkthrough
• Ethics in Estate Administration: What Would You Do?

Continuing Education Credit

• Continuing Legal Education – CLE: 8.00 *
• International Association for Continuing Education Training – IACET: 0.70
• National Association of State Boards of Accountancy – CPE for Accountants: 8.00 *

* denotes specialty credits

Agenda / Content Covered

1. Preparing the Petition, Initial Steps and Forms (with Interactive Exercise)
   8:30 – 9:45, Robert E. Bollengier
   1. Key Laws Governing Estate Administration
   2. Choosing the Right Form of Administration
   3. Checklists: Estate Administration Timeline Step-by-Step
   4. Compiling and Reviewing Initial Documents
   5. Exercise: Preparing the Petition
2. Completing Inventory and Appraisement: Exercises and Examples
   9:45 – 10:55, Ralph M. Kinder
   1. Marshalling Assets
   2. Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets
   3. Valuing the Assets
   4. Exercise #1: Determining Elective Share
   5. Exercise #2: Sample Initial Accounting Review and Q&A
3. Handling Creditor Claims and Debt
   11:10 – 12:00, Robert E. Bollengier
   1. Notice to Creditors
   2. Determining Claim Priority
   3. Responses to Claims
   4. Steps to Ensure all Debt is Located and Handled Correctly
4. Taxes: Preparing the Forms and More (with Hands-on Tutorial)
   1:00 – 2:15, Robert E. Bollengier
   1. Timeline, Tax Forms and When to Use Them: A Brief Lecture
   2. Exercise #1: Choosing the Taxable Year for the Estate
   3. Exercise #2: Filling in the Individual Income Tax Return
   4. Exercise #3: Filling in the Fiduciary Income Tax Return
5. Final Accounting, Distributions and Closings: A Complete Walkthrough
   2:30 – 3:40, James Wilcox Whitney
   1. What it is, What Needs to be Included
   2. Distributions: What You Need to Know
   3. Exercise: Sample Final Accounting Review and Q&A
6. Ethics in Estate Administration: What Would You Do?
   3:40 – 4:40, Matthew J. Leonard
   1. Scenario #1: Conflicts of Interest
   2. Scenario #2: Confidentiality and Attorney-Client Privilege
   3. Scenario #3: Attorney Fee Agreements
   4. Scenario #4: Testamentary Capacity

Program Description

A Detailed Overview of Estate Planning Procedure and Strategy

Do you have all the knowledge and skills you need to draft tailored testamentary documents and minimize tax burdens for each of your clients? This two-day comprehensive course will become your ultimate guide to estate planning. From client intake through tax planning and business succession strategies, you will receive tips, sample forms and answers to your most pressing questions to help you excel. Get the latest knowledge on effective will and trust planning techniques – register today!

• Get two full days of estate planning training, so you can help clients protect and transfer assets exactly as they intend.
• Get practical will and trust drafting skills to speed up the process and give the testator’s last wishes power.
• Stave off conflicts of interest with a clear determination of who your client is from the start.
• Explore the pros and cons of using a revocable living trust in the will’s stead and find out when it’s a better option.
• Explore the functions and mechanics of major trust structures – and make certain you choose the right tool for each job.
• Give each provision full power with precise word choices – get sample forms to speed up the process.
• Make sure your remarried and unmarried clients know the default inheritance laws and help them make sure the right beneficiaries are assigned.
• Minimize the taxable estate with effective tax planning techniques.
• Phrase the fiduciary and beneficiary designations to leave no room for interpretation.
• Help your clients make the tough medical decisions regarding long-term care, end-of-life and organ donation.
• Learn how to verify and document the testator’s competency to close the door on any potential will contests.

Who Should Attend

This basic-to-intermediate level two-day seminar is designed for:

• Attorneys
• Estate and Financial Planners
• Trust Officers
• Paralegals
• Accountants
• Tax Professionals

Course Content

DAY 1

1. Client Screening and Intake
2. Key Elements of Effective Wills
3. Basic Tax Planning
4. Documenting Long-Term Care, Incapacity and End-of-Life Decisions
5. Planning for Unmarried and Remarried Couples
6. Estate Planning for Small Businesses

DAY 2

7. Trusts 101
8. Who is the Fiduciary?
9. Revocable Living Trusts
10. Trusts Used for Tax Reduction – Drafting Tips and Samples
11. Grantor Trusts
12. Ethical Considerations

Continuing Education Credit

Program Description

Get the Latest on Medicaid Application and Asset Planning Tactics

Middle class Americans seeking asset protection cannot afford to ignore the potentially devastating costs of nursing home and other long-term care. Nursing homes are among the most common and largest creditors an average American is likely to face in his or her lifetime, but only about 10% of the population has long-term care insurance. For the other 90%, Medicaid is the primary source of payment, so a basic understanding of the Medicaid asset protection process is vital for all professionals who work with seniors and their families. This course will provide an overview of asset protection concepts and strategies that elder law attorneys can use to legally and ethically protect assets while facilitating earlier Medicaid eligibility; and a set of crisis-management tools to prevent and correct inadvertent loss of benefits. Register today!

• Learn what the income eligibility requirements are when applying for Medicaid.
• Protect your clients’ interests by knowing what’s exempt and what’s not.
• Employ the most practical and effective asset transfer methods to comply with the spend-down requirement.
• Explore crisis planning methods to restore Medicaid benefits as quickly as possible.
• Guide clients through the Medicaid qualification process by knowing what’s involved.

Who Should Attend

This basic-to-intermediate level seminar is designed for:

• Attorneys
• Nursing Home Administrators
• Social Workers
• Geriatric Care Managers
• Trust Officers
• Accountants and CPAs
• Estate and Financial Planners
• Paralegals

Course Content

1. Applying for Medicaid – The Four Eligibility Requirements
2. Pre-Need Asset Planning
3. Crisis Planning and Assistance
4. Trust-Based Medicaid Planning in Detail
5. Using Special Needs Trusts – Sample Trust Review
6. Applied Legal Ethics

Continuing Education Credit

Program Description

Prevent the Estate Administration Process From Getting Bogged Down in Problems

Complex estates, poor planning, dysfunctional families and other hitches can quickly complicate an estate administration. Do you know how to handle these snags without tacking on unnecessary expenses or prolonging the process? In this program, seasoned faculty will teach you how to avoid or troubleshoot common problems and settle an estate as efficiently as possible. Fine tune your estate administration skills – register today!

• Minimize frustrations by helping clients understand the process and time it takes.
• Determine what to do with missing wills or interpretation problems.
• Find out how to best deal with the personal representative gone rogue.
• Troubleshoot a variety of asset issues, including missing assets, real estate problems and more.
• Gain best practices for handling complicated creditor claims.
• Pick up tips for overcoming frustrations with income tax returns.
• Make the right decisions when it comes to portability and estate, gift and GST tax dilemmas.
• Discover how others deal with difficult or uncooperative beneficiaries and heirs.
• Avoid conflicts of interest and other legal ethics challenges in estate administration.
• Get real-world solutions to final accounting and closing conundrums.

Who Should Attend

This two-day, intermediate level seminar is designed for:

• Attorneys
• Accountants/CPAs
• Tax Professionals
• Financial Planners
• Trust Officers/Administrators/Managers
• Paralegals
• Course Content

DAY 1

1. Client Misunderstandings About the Process
2. Impediments to Initial Steps and Notices, Opening the Estate
3. Personal Representative/Trustee Problems
4. Marshalling the Assets: Key Complications
5. Creditor’s Claims Frustrations
6. Spouse Elective Share and Disclaimer Difficulties
7. Business Complications in Estate Administration

DAY 2

1. Income Tax Return Troubles and Tips
2. Portability and Estate, Gift, GST Tax Headaches
3. Beneficiary and Heir Problems
4. Distribution Dilemmas
5. Legal Ethics Challenges in Estate Administration
6. Final Accounting and Closing Hitches
7. Sticky Estate and Trust Contests, Disputes, Challenges

Continuing Education Credit

• Continuing Legal Education – CLE: 16.00 *
• International Association for Continuing Education Training – IACET: 1.40
• National Association of State Boards of Accountancy – CPE for Accountants/NASBA: 16.00 *

* denotes specialty credits

Program Description

Make Certain Your Clients’ Long Term Care Needs Are Met

The requirements for Medicaid eligibility are strict, and protective planning is tricky. How does your understanding of Medicaid planning stack up? Join us at this focused seminar to get the answers you need about this complex area of practice. Register today!

• Learn to effectively use trusts to plan for Medicaid without interfering with the overall estate plan.
• Establish exactly what limitations are placed on asset transfers.
• Determine which assets are countable and how they can be converted.
• Learn what the income eligibility requirements are.
• Protect your clients’ interests by knowing what’s exempt and what’s not.
• Deepen your knowledge of transfer penalty provisions.

Who Should Attend

This intermediate level program addresses key questions involved in elder planning and is designed for attorneys. It will also benefit accountants, estate and financial planners, life care planners, and paralegals.

Course Content

1. Penalty Period for Improper Transfers
2. Asset Conversion From Non-Exempt to Exempt
3. The Lookback Period and Qualifying Asset Transfers Rule
4. Irrevocable Trusts in Medicaid Planning
5. Legal Ethics

Continuing Education Credit

Continuing Legal Education – CLE: 7.00 *

Financial Planners – Financial Planners: 7.00

National Association of State Boards of Accountancy – CPE for Accountants/NASBA: 7.00 *

* denotes specialty credits

Strategically Use the Top Estate Planning Tools

The estate planning process is often charged with emotion and filled with legal confusion for clients. Attorneys not only need in-depth familiarity with the top estate planning tools, but also need to know how to strategically use them to their best effect if they want to build their reputations as go-to practitioners. In this comprehensive overview of top estate planning tools, our experienced faculty will go over how to strategically use wills, trusts, advanced directives and more. No matter if you are new to the estate planning arena or are an experienced practitioner in need of a refresher, you are sure to take away valuable techniques you can use to provide maximum benefit to your clients – register today!

• Create wills that prevent future conflict and confusion.
• Ensure you are using the right trust structure when setting up revocable living trusts.
• Make sense of IRS rules regarding retirement benefit planning.
• Take advantage of portability, step-up basis and other essential tax minimization tactics.
• Preserve access to public benefits when creating special needs trusts.
• Gain critical insights on durable financial powers of attorney.
• Make sure healthcare wishes are clearly stated in advance medical directives.
• Strategically use prenuptial agreements as estate planning tools.

Who Should Attend

This basic-to-intermediate level seminar offers an overview of the best practices in estate planning and will benefit:

• Attorneys
• Financial Planners
• Accountants and CPAs
• Trust Officers
• Paralegals

Course Content

1. Will Strategies to Prevent Conflict and Confusion
2. Revocable Living Trust Tactics
3. Retirement Benefit Planning Techniques
4. Tax Minimization Tactics: Portability, Step-Up Basis and More
5. Special Needs Trusts (SNTs) and ABLE Account Strategies
6. Durable Financial Powers of Attorney Insights
7. Advance Directive Tips: Making Healthcare Wishes Explicit
8. Prenuptial Agreements as Estate Planning Tools
9. Ethical Considerations

This program is an audio webinar.

scheduled by time zone:

Eastern: 11:00 AM – 2:15 PM

Central: 10:00 AM – 1:15 PM

Mountain: 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM

Pacific: 8:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Program Description

Don’t Let Your Wealth Planning Practices Harm Your Client

Medicaid eligibility and estate recovery rules are complicated, and it’s not always clear what impact planning techniques may have on a client’s benefits and interests in the long run. In this legal program, our knowledgeable faculty will teach you how various trusts and other planning tools impact Medicaid eligibility and estate recovery so you can confidently safeguard your client’s assets without fear of accidentally disqualifying them for Medicaid or putting their assets at risk of recovery. Register today!

• Know the eligibility requirements for Medicaid – and which services and assets are subject to estate recovery.
• Learn how you can capitalize on the benefits of revocable trusts – and other trusts – without interfering with your client’s Medicaid eligibility.
• Examine the advantages and disadvantages of gifting, life insurance and other alternatives to trusts in wealth planning.

Who Should Attend

This essential program is for attorneys. Accountants, financial planners, nursing home administrators, trust administrators/officers, and paralegals may also benefit.

Course Content

1. Who is Eligible for Medicaid?
2. Revocable vs. Irrevocable Trust Considerations
3. How Revocable Trusts Can Interfere with Medicaid Eligibility
4. Income-Only Trusts in Medicaid Planning
5. Special Needs Trusts
6. Medicaid Estate Recovery Summary and Trust Recoverability

Program Description

Who Should Attend

Course Content

1. Applying for Medicaid – The Four Eligibility Requirements
2. Pre-Need Asset Planning
3. Crisis Planning and Assistance
4. Trust-Based Medicaid Planning in Detail
5. Using Special Needs Trusts – Sample Trust Review
6. Applied Legal Ethics

Program Description

Who Should Attend

Course Content

1. Medicaid: Resource and Transfer Eligibility
2. Strategic Use of Medicaid Trusts
3. Maximizing Pre-Need Asset Planning Techniques
4. What to do When the Need for Medicaid is Immediate

Program Description

Provide Your Clients with the Full Spectrum of Trust Options

When assessing complex information, it often helps to break items into basic building blocks. The same approach can be successful when dealing with trusts. Be prepared for specific challenges associated with various types of trusts by understanding their unique characteristics. Our intensive full-day primer will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the wide variety of trusts available. Register today!

• Learn what not to do when selecting and drafting a trust to avoid common mistakes.
• Learn how to choose the most beneficial vehicle for preserving your client’s wealth: understand the purpose behind the various types of trusts.
• Save money on taxes with effective use of trusts.
• Determine whether a client qualifies as a beneficiary of a special needs trust.
• Don’t reinvent the wheel – modify our sample trust documents and use our drafting tips to create airtight trusts.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for attorneys. It will also benefit accountants, tax professionals, trust officers, and paralegals.

Course Content

1. Trust Overview: Legislative Update, Key Parties, Terms and More
2. The Trust Lifecycle: Procedures and Pitfalls
3. Revocable Living Trusts: Drafting, Operation and Termination
4. Using Trusts to Reduce Taxes
5. Grantor Trusts: Drafting, Operation and Termination
6. Special Needs Trusts in a Nutshell
7. Ethical Considerations