Trial Preparation From Start to Finish for Paralegals

Whenever a person dies, his or her estate needs to be collected, managed and distributed as outlined in both state and federal law. Join us and gain a comprehensive understanding of essential probate techniques in order to easily organize the decedent's information and manage your ongoing responsibilities. Whether you are new to the process or you are in need of a refresher, this course will provide you with practical knowledge you can put to work immediately.

1. Initiating the Probate Process
2. Spouse's Rights and Family Maintenance
3. Ethical Issues
4. Basic Tax Matters
5. Closing the Estate
6. Common Probate Problems and How to Solve Them

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

1. INITIATING THE PROBATE PROCESS
   9:00 - 10:15, Janet E. Armstrong
1. Interviewing and Determining the Personal Representative
2. Locating, Collecting and Taking Inventory of the Decedent's Assets - Probate vs. Nonprobate
3. Determining Which Types of Administration are Right for You - Informal or Formal
4. Elections and Filings
5. Handling Claims Against the Estate
2. SPOUSE'S RIGHTS AND FAMILY MAINTENANCE
   10:30 - 11:30, Carrie Cline
1. Determining the Existence or Nonexistence of a Will
2. Duties of the Personal Representative
3. Homestead and Exempt Property -What is Legally the Client's, Regardless of Value
4. What are the Family Allowances That Can be Taken?
3. ETHICAL ISSUES
   11:30 - 12:00, Janet E. Armstrong
1. Performing Competent Legal Services
2. Identifying the Client
3. Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
4. Keeping the Client Informed
4. BASIC TAX MATTERS
   1:00 - 2:15, P. Devan Culbreth
1. Overview of Tax Compliance and Post-Mortem Planning
2. Coordinating and Filing the Estate Tax and Fiduciary Income Tax Return
3. Planning for an Estate Tax Audit
5. CLOSING THE ESTATE
   2:30 - 3:30, Justin D. Williams
1. Timing of Distributions
2. Transfer of Probate and Nonprobate Assets
3. Distributions to Minors and Trusts
4. Preparing the Final Account
5. Petition for Complete Settlement
6. Obtaining Discharge of the Personal Representative
6. COMMON PROBATE PROBLEMS AND HOW TO SOLVE THEM
   3:30 - 4:30, P. Devan Culbreth
1. What to do When the Decedent Has Property in More Than One State - Multiple Domiciles
2. Inter Vivos and Testamentary Trusts
3. Intestate Administration

JANET E. ARMSTRONG is a trusts and estates paralegal coordinator for Ward and Smith, P.A. She practices in the areas of probate and estate taxation. In addition to maintaining her own case load, Ms. Armstrong assists attorneys and paralegals with estate administration and estate taxation matters in five Ward and Smith, P.A. offices. She conducts legal and factual research, investigations, and client interviews. Ms. Armstrong prepares pleadings, memoranda and briefs. She also coordinates and manages document preparation and maintains general client contact. She handles all aspects of the case, from initial client contact to final distributions and closing the estate. Ms. Armstrong earned her B.S. degree from North Carolina Wesleyan College. She is a member of the Paralegal Division of the North Carolina Bar Association.

CARRIE CLINE is an attorney with Ward and Smith, P.A., where her practice experience encompasses various areas of civil litigation. Ms. Cline focuses her practice on a variety of trusts and estates matters. Prior to joining the firm, she was an extern for Judge Martha A. Geer of the North Carolina Court of Appeals and an intern for Justice Mark D. Martin of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Ms. Cline's practice group includes trusts and estates and nonprofit organizations. She concentrates her practice on elder law, estate planning and estate administration, and trust and guardianship law. She earned her B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from Florida Southern College; her M.A. degree, summa cum laude, from North Carolina State University; and her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from North Carolina Central University School of Law. She is admitted to practice in North Carolina and all state courts in North Carolina. Ms. Cline is also affiliated with the American Bar Association (Real Property, Trust and Estate Law sections), and the North Carolina Bar Association (Elder Law, Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law sections).

P. DEVAN CULBRETH is an attorney at the law firm of Johnson, Hearn, Vinegar, Gee & Glass, PLLC, where her practice areas include estate planning and administration, elder law and disability planning, business law, and corporate law. Ms. Culbreth is admitted to practice in North Carolina. She earned her B.A. degree, cum laude, from Wake Forest University; her J.D. degree from Wake Forest University School of Law; and her M.A. degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Ms. Culbreth is a member of the North Carolina State Bar; the Wake County Bar Association; the North Carolina Bar Association, including the Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law and Elder Law sections; and the American Bar Association.

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