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. The Intial Filing
2. Who is the Personal Representative?
3. Proper and Prudent Treatment of Assets
4. Tax Planning and Consequences of Probate
5. Ethical Considerations
6. Medicaid Estate Recovery and the Probate Process

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

1. THE INITIAL FILING
   9:00 - 10:15, Steven F. Scanlin
1. When is Probate Necessary? Formal vs. Informal?
2. What Documents to Include?
3. Who Must and Should be Notified?
4. The Master Timeline – Don't Miss any Crucial Due Dates!
5. Intra-Office Communication – Setting up the File so That Your Staff can Properly Act on It
6. Dealing With Intestacy
2. WHO IS THE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE?
   10:30 - 11:00, Steven F. Scanlin
1. Helping Clients Pick One
2. Educating the PR on his/her Duties
3. How Much is it in Your Interests and Within Ethical Bounds to Help the PR?
4. Representing PRs in Probate Disputes/Litigation
3. PROPER AND PRUDENT TREATMENT OF ASSETS
   11:00 - 12:15, Paul M. Seideman
1. Assess and Document Before or After the Initial Filing?
2. Tips for Effective Marshaling of Assets
3. Step-up Basis of Various Assets
4. Exempted Property
5. Requesting Decedent's Policy Information From the Insurance Companies and Insuring Remaining Property
6. Spousal Rights to Property
7. Treatment of Real Property in Probate – Tenants, Mortgages, Foreclosures, Sales, etc.
8. Business Transfers
9. Typical Creditors and How to Deal With Them
10. Procedures for Probating an Insolvent Estate
4. TAX PLANNING AND CONSEQUENCES OF PROBATE
   1:15 - 2:15, Paul M. Seideman
1. Crucial Due Dates Timeline
2. Obtaining Tax Identification Numbers
3. Matching Estate Inventory and Tax Return in Probate
4. Filing the Final Tax Return
5. Tax Issues Connected With Insolvency
6. Simple Tips for Minimizing Tax Burden
7. Tax Treatment of Trusts
5. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
   2:15 - 3:15, Steven F. Scanlin
1. Who is the Client? Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
2. Tips on Dealing With the Grieving Family
3. Keeping Your Clients in the Know – Why it Pays off and How to do it Efficiently
4. Getting Paid: Billable/Non-Billable Hour and Retainer Agreements
5. Preventing Unauthorized Practice of Law by Legal Staff
6. MEDICAID ESTATE RECOVERY AND THE PROBATE PROCESS
   3:30 - 4:30, Peter C. Sisson
1. What is Medicaid Estate Recovery?
2. Idaho Code § 56-218 and the Probate Process
3. Which Medicaid Estate Recovery Claims are Valid?
4. In Re Estate of George Perry - Idaho Fourth Judicial District March 2011

STEVEN F. SCANLIN is a sole practitioner in the Scanlin Law Offices, PLLC, in Boise, Idaho, where he practices in wills, trusts and estate planning, probate, small business organization, elder law, and guardianships. He offers advice and consultation services at senior citizen centers on wills, trusts and estate planning. Mr. Scanlin is a frequent lecturer for National Business Institute in his areas of expertise. He wrote "A Public Retirement Plan's View of Valuation and Division of Retirement Benefits at Divorce," published by The Advocate, and has conducted continuing legal education on "Drafting Your First Will and Trust in Idaho." Mr. Scanlin earned his B.S.Ed. degree from Montana State University at Billings, his J.D. degree from the University of Idaho and his M.S.W. degree from Portland State University. He is a member of the Idaho State Bar and the 4th District Bar.

PAUL M. SEIDEMAN is a shareholder and Independent Fiduciary with Tresco of Idaho, Inc., where his main areas of practice are probate and conservatorship administration. Mr. Seideman has previously lectured on corporate training from Washington Mutual Bank. He has three years of experience in probate administration. Mr. Seideman is president of the Idaho Guardian and Fiduciary Association. He earned his B.A. and B.S. degrees from George Fox University.

PETER C. SISSON is a principal in the Boise law firm Sisson & Sisson, The Elder Law Firm, PLLC. His law firm emphasizes a holistic and comprehensive legal practice approach to the issues seniors face as they age called Life Care Planning. Mr. Sisson's law practice also includes Medicaid and estate planning, guardianships, conservatorships, special needs trust planning and probate work. He also is the principal in The Care Management Team, LLC, a geriatric care management company. Mr. Sisson is a Board Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. He is an accredited attorney by the Veteran's Administration, a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the National Care Planning Council, the Boise Estate Planning Council, a founding member of The Better Way Coalition (an organization devoted to improving end of life caring in Idaho now merged with the Idaho State Hospice and Palliative Care Organization to form The Idaho End of Life Coalition) and the Idaho State Bar (Taxation, Probate, and Trust Law Section). Mr. Sisson is licensed to practice law in Idaho, California and Montana. He earned his law degree from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. Mr. Sisson regularly publishes educational articles and lectures on the legal, financial and health issues experienced by families who are dealing with a spouse or parent's long-term care needs. He also has presented numerous continuing education courses for health, legal and financial professionals.

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