People don't like to contemplate their own deaths, but they do need to consider what will happen to their assets when they die. Tax issues, medical decisions, and a wide range of planning documents make the process even more complicated. But you can give your clients peace of mind by creating effective wills and trusts that carry out all of their wishes.

Order today to learn the fundamentals of preparing estate planning documents, including wills, trusts, and ancillary documents such as powers of attorney. Discover the pros and cons of using various types of documents, as well as the tax ramifications involved. Tackle the ethical issues related to estate planning, both from the attorney's perspective and from that of the client who must make end-of-life medical decisions. Have the skills and information you need right at your fingertips!

1. Fundamental Principles of Will Drafting
2. Using Living Trusts and Powers of Attorney as Estate Planning Tools
3. Basic Tax Considerations - What You Need to Know in Order to Choose the Appropriate Plan
4. Ethics and Estate Planning
5. Planning Methods to Control Medical Treatment

1. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF WILL DRAFTING
   9:00 - 10:30, Bethany J. Currie
   1. Selecting the Vehicle - Initial Advice to the Client
   2. Checklist for Gathering Client Information
   3. The Statutory ABCs: What is Required?
   4. Methods of Designating Fiduciaries
   5. Disinheritance and No Contest Clauses - Will They Stand?
   6. Protective Clauses for Minors, Incompetent Persons and Beneficiaries With Special Needs
   7. Building Flexibility Into the Plan - Checklist of Special Provisions
   8. Practical Pointers With Sample Forms
   9. Developing a Document Preparation System
2. USING LIVING TRUSTS AND POWERS OF ATTORNEY AS ESTATE PLANNING TOOLS
   10:45 - 12:00, Tara J. Higgins
   1. Common Elements in Trust Agreements
   2. The Revocable Living Trust - Why You Should Use It
   3. Disadvantages of Revocable Living Trusts
   4. Sample Pour-Over Will and Living Trust Agreements
   5. Durable Powers of Attorney
3. BASIC TAX CONSIDERATIONS - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN ORDER TO CHOOSE THE APPROPRIATE PLAN
   1:00 - 2:15, David L. Leitner
   1. Tax Considerations of Drafting Living or Testamentary Trusts
   2. Marital Deduction Planning - Qualifications and Basic Formula Approaches
   3. Estate and Gift Taxes
   4. Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes
   5. Income Tax - Ramifications of Trusts
4. ETHICS AND ESTATE PLANNING
   2:30 - 3:30, Jody K. Bauer
   1. Selected Ethical Rules Affecting the Estate Planner
   2. Who's Your Client? Conflict of Interest
   3. Competency - A Word to the Wise
   4. Practice Before the IRS
   5. Attorney Fees
5. PLANNING METHODS TO CONTROL MEDICAL TREATMENT
   3:30 - 4:30, David J. Hellstern
   1. What a Living Will Can and Cannot Accomplish
   2. Picking Up Where a Living Will Ends - Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care/Health Care Proxy
   3. Preserving Your Client's Dignity Through the Patient Self-Determination Act
   4. Anatomical Gifts - Making the Difficult Decisions During Life and Upon Death

JODY K. BAUER is an attorney in West Des Moines where her firm, Jody Bauer PLLC, is a general practice including, but not limited to, wills, trusts, estate planning, probate, elder law, and real estate. She earned her B.S. degree in civil engineering, with distinction, from Iowa State University; and her J.D. degree, with honors, from Drake University Law School. During her time at Drake University, Ms. Bauer received Excellence for the Future awards for her scholarship in both federal estate and gift tax and federal business law. She also served as a student attorney at the Drake Elder Law Clinic. Ms. Bauer is a member of the Iowa State and Polk County bar associations.

BETHANY J. CURRIE is an attorney with the firm of Johnson Sudenga Latham Peglow & O'Hare PLC in Marshalltown, where her practice includes, but is not limited to, workers' compensation, personal injury, litigation, criminal law, juvenile law, real estate law, probate law, and tax returns. Prior to her present position, Ms. Currie was a law clerk to the Honorable Linda R. Reade, U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Iowa (2003 to 2005). She earned her B.A. degree, cum laude, from Augustana College; and her J.D. degree, magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, from Drake University Law School. Ms. Currie is a member of the Iowa Association of Justice and the Iowa State and Marshall County bar associations.

DAVID J. HELLSTERN has practiced law with the Kreamer Law Firm, P.C. in West Des Moines since its inception in 2005. Mr. Hellstern has a general practice including, but not limited to, business law; construction law; family law; and wills, estates and probate law. He earned his B.B.A. degree from the University of Iowa, and his J.D. degree from Drake University Law School. Mr. Hellstern is a member of the Polk County, Iowa State, and American bar associations. He is licensed to practice in Iowa, the Northern and Southern Federal Districts of Iowa and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

TARA J. HIGGINS is an attorney with the firm of Duncan, Green, Brown & Langeness P.C. in Des Moines, where she engages in a general practice including, but not limited to, estate planning, guardianships and conservatorships, and probate. Ms. Higgins earned her B.A. degree, with high distinction, from the University of Iowa; and her J.D. degree from Northeastern University. She is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association.

DAVID L. LEITNER practices in the areas of insurance law, personal injury law, and estate planning in the West Des Moines firm of Leitner Law Office. Mr. Leitner received his B.A. degree at the State University of New York at Albany and his J.D. degree from the University of Iowa. He has written numerous articles regarding insurance law and has contributed to several books on the subject, including The Law and Practice of Insurance Coverage Litigation, published by West Publishing in 2000; Managed Care Liability, published by the American Bar Association in 1997; and Recurring Issues in Insurance Disputes, published by the American Bar Association in 1996. Mr. Leitner is a member of the Iowa State and Nebraska State bar associations.

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