Probate is an intricate area of law requiring precision and great attention to detail. Do you have the skills to properly wrap up an estate and ensure the last bequests are interpreted correctly? This pragmatic briefing will walk you through the rules and provide practical advice for situations when the statutes or codes don't provide guidance. Review the timeline of the probate process and identify deadlines and key issues you must be aware of. Order today!

1. Local Probate Court Rules and Procedure
2. The Initial Filing
3. Who is the Personal Representative?
4. Proper and Prudent Treatment of Assets
5. Tax Planning and Consequences of Probate
6. Ethical Considerations
7. Closing the Estate and Other Issues

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

• LOCAL PROBATE COURT RULES AND PROCEDURE
  9:00 - 9:30, Mark W. Bidwell
• THE INITIAL FILING
  9:30 - 10:15, Mark W. Bidwell
  • When is Probate Necessary? Formal vs. Informal?
  • What Documents to Include?
  • Who Must and Should be Notified?
  • The Master Timeline - Don't Miss any Crucial Due Dates!
  • Intra-Office Communication - Setting up the File so That Your Staff can Properly Act on It
  • Dealing With Intestacy
• WHO IS THE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE?
  10:30 - 11:15, Mark W. Bidwell
  • Helping Clients Pick One
  • Educating the PR on his/her Duties
  • How Much is it in Your Interests and Within Ethical Bounds to Help the PR?
  • Representing PRs in Probate Disputes/Litigation
• PROPER AND PRUDENT TREATMENT OF ASSETS
  11:15 - 12:15, Amy L. Gostanian
  • Assess and Document Before or After the Initial Filing?
  • Tips for Effective Marshaling of Assets
  • Step-up Basis of Various Assets
  • Exempted Property
  • Requesting Decedent's Policy Information From the Insurance Companies and Insuring Remaining Property
  • Spousal Rights to Property
  • Treatment of Real Property in Probate - Tenants, Mortgages, Foreclosures, Sales, etc.
  • Business Transfers
  • Typical Creditors and How to Deal With Them
  • Procedures for Probating an Insolvent Estate
• TAX PLANNING AND CONSEQUENCES OF PROBATE
  1:15 - 2:15, Amy L. Gostanian
  • Crucial Due Dates Timeline
  • Obtaining Tax Identification Numbers
  • Matching Estate Inventory and Tax Return in Probate
  • Filing the Final Tax Return
  • Tax Issues Connected With Insolvency
  • Simple Tips for Minimizing Tax Burden
  • Tax Treatment of Trusts
• ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
  2:15 - 3:15, James A. Busse Jr.
  • Who is the Client? Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
  • Tips on Dealing With the Grieving Family
  • Keeping Your Clients in the Know - Why it Pays off and How to do it Efficiently
  • Getting Paid: Billable/Non-Billable Hour and Retainer Agreements
  • Preventing Unauthorized Practice of Law by Legal Staff
• CLOSING THE ESTATE AND OTHER ISSUES
  3:30 - 4:30, James A. Busse Jr.
  • Preparing the Final Estate Accounting
  • Trust Administration and Termination in Probate
  • Common Probate Mistakes to Avoid
  • Property Disputes
  • Current Legislative/Case Law Updates and Forecast

MARK W. BIDWELL is a sole practitioner in Irvine, who practices in the areas of estate planning, probate and business law. Mr. Bidwell has served as an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University and as a guest lecturer for the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is a member of the Newport Harbor Bar Association and the Orange County/Long Beach Estate Planning Committee of the California Society of CPAs. Mr. Bidwell earned his B.A. degree from the University of Colorado and his J.D. degree from Loyola Law School. He also is an inactive Certified Public Accountant in the state of California.

JAMES A. BUSSE JR. is a sole practitioner in Long Beach. He has been an attorney for more than 8 years and focuses his practice on estate planning, probate, conservatorships and mediation. Mr. Busse opened his practice following a nearly 40 year career in the aerospace industry. He is a member of the State Bar of California, the State Bar of Nevada, and the Los Angeles County and Long Beach County bar associations. Mr. Busse earned his B.A. degree from California State University at Long Beach, his M.E. degree from the California Institute of Technology, his M.B.A. degree from Claremont Graduate University and his J.D. degree from Loyola Law School.

AMY L. GOSTANIAN is an attorney in Irvine, where she practices in the areas of estate planning and administration, probate and trust litigation, and Medi-Cal planning. Ms. Gostanian is certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization in estate planning, trust and probate law. She is currently a member of the State Bar of California, and the American, Los Angeles and Orange County bar associations. She earned her B.A. degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her J.D. degree from Pepperdine University School of Law.

Please refer to Continuing Education Credit FAQ for general information about seeking credit for your participation in one of our continuing education programs.

Additionally, our team of credit specialists are here to answer your specific credit-related questions weekdays 7am - 5pm Central:

Phone: 866-240-1890

Email: credit@nbi-sems.com