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

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

1. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF WILL DRAFTING
   9:00 - 10:15 and 10:30 - 11:15, Richard J. Abbondanza and Gail P. Kingsley
   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
   11:15 - 12:15, Richard J. Abbondanza and Gail P. Kingsley
   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
   1:15 - 2:15, Richard J. Abbondanza and Gail P. Kingsley
   1. Tax Considerations of Drafting Living or Testamentary Trusts
   2. Marital Deduction Planning - Qualifications and Basic Formula Approaches
   3. Estate and Gift Taxes - Federal and State Systems
   4. Drafting for the Maine Q-Tip
   5. Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes
   6. Income Tax - Ramifications of Trusts
4. ETHICS AND ESTATE PLANNING
   2:30 - 3:30, Richard J. Abbondanza and Gail P. Kingsley
   1. Selected Ethical Rules Affecting the Estate Planner
   2. Who's Your Client? Conflict of Interest
   3. Competency - A Word to the Wise
   4. Attorney Fees
5. PLANNING METHODS TO CONTROL MEDICAL TREATMENT
   3:30 - 4:30, Richard J. Abbondanza and Gail P. Kingsley
   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

RICHARD J. ABBONDANZA is a partner in the Portland law firm of Hopkinson & Abbondanza. He earned his undergraduate degree from Amherst College, cum laude, and his law degree from Catholic University of America. Mr. Abbondanza regularly speaks on the subjects of estate planning, retirement planning, and real estate and business succession planning. He is admitted to practice in all Maine courts. Mr. Abbondanza is a member of the Maine Estate Planning Council; WealthCounsel, a national association of estate planning attorneys and advisors; and a recent graduate of the two-year Laureate Program of the Southern California Institute. He serves on the boards of North Yarmouth Academy, the Institution for Civic Leadership, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine.

GAIL P. KINGSLEY is the managing partner in the law firm of Libby O'Brien Kingsley & Champion, LLC, with offices in Kennebunk, Maine; and Waltham, Massachusetts. She is a graudate of the University of Connecticut (B.S. degree in business administration), Boston College Law School (J.D. degree, cum laude) and Boston University Law School (LL.M. degree in taxation). Ms. Kingsley concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, probate and taxation. She is a frequent lecturer on the subjects of estate planning, estate taxation, drafting effective wills and trusts, health care proxies and durable powers of attorney. Ms. Kingsley is a member of the Board of Directors of Avest Housing of Portland, Maine. She is a director of the Kennebunk-Kennebunkport Chamber of Commerce and a corporator of Kennebunk Savings Bank. Ms. Kingsley also is a member of the Board of Trustees of South Congregational Church, UCC, in Kennebunkport.

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

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Phone: 866-240-1890

Email: credit@nbi-sems.com