To ensure a successful outcome in settling an estate for your clients, you need to have a thorough understanding of the probate process. How does your knowledge stack up? Get the solid foundation you need to thrive in the probate arena with this complete guide. Examine the nuts and bolts of the probate process so you'll be better prepared to handle decedents' estates. Order today!

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

1. INITIATING THE PROBATE PROCESS
   8:30 - 9:45, Michelle Wong Halabi
   1. Interviewing and Determining the Personal Representative
   2. Evaluating the Estate to Minimize Costs and Expenses -- The High Cost of Dying
   3. Locating, Collecting and Taking Inventory of the Decedent's Assets -- Probate vs. Nonprobate
   4. Determining Which Types of Administration are Right for You -- Informal or Formal
   5. Elections and Filings
   6. Handling Claims Against the Estate
   7. Using Renunciation and Disclaimers as a Post-Mortem Planning Device
2. SPOUSE'S RIGHTS AND FAMILY MAINTENANCE
   10:00 - 11:00, Michelle Wong Halabi
   1. Determining the Existence or Nonexistence of a Will
   2. Duties of the Personal Representative
   3. Homestead and Exempt Property -- What is Legally Your Client's, Regardless of Value
   4. Effect of Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
   5. The Surviving Spouse's Elective Share
   6. What are the Family Allowances That Can be Taken?
3. BASIC TAX MATTERS
   11:00 - 12:15, Brandon A. Borgmann
   1. Tax Compliance
   2. Coordinating and Filing Estate and Income Tax Returns
   3. Planning for an Estate Tax Audit
   4. Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes
   5. Disclaimers
   6. Reverse QTIP Elections
4. CLOSING THE ESTATE
   1:15 - 2:20, Jacqueline Ferris MacLaren
   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
5. ETHICS IN PROBATE PRACTICE
   2:35 - 3:35, Jacqueline Ferris MacLaren
   1. Performing Competent Legal Services
   2. Identifying the Client
   3. Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
   4. Distinguishing Privileged and Non-Privileged Communication
   5. Keeping the Client Informed
   6. Establishing Attorneys' Fees
6. COMMON PROBATE PROBLEMS AND HOW TO SOLVE THEM
   3:35 - 4:40, Brandon A. Borgmann
   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
   4. Lost/Withheld Wills

BRANDON A. BORGMANN is an attorney in the Columbus law firm of Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP. Mr. Borgmann focuses his practice on estate administration and related tax issues, estate planning, tax exempt entities, and elder law. He is an adjunct professor and Corporate Moot Court team coach at Capital University Law School. Mr. Borgmann is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and the Columbus Bar Association (Probate Court Committee and Estate & Gift Tax Committee). He earned his B.S. degree from The Ohio University and his J.D. degree from Capital University Law School.

JACQUELINE FERRIS MacLAREN is an attorney in the Columbus law firm of Onda, LaBuhn, Rankin & Boggs Co., LPA. Ms. MacLaren has been an attorney for more than six years and focuses her practice on estate planning, business planning and probate law. She is a member of the Columbus and Ohio State bar associations. Ms. MacLaren earned her B.A. degree from The Ohio State University and her J.D. degree from Capital University Law School

MICHELLE WONG HALABI is an attorney in the Columbus law firm of Kegler, Brown, Hill & Ritter Co., LPA. Ms. Halabi works in the firm's estate planning and probate practice area, advising clients on wealth transfer, estate administration and tax planning. She is a member of the Ohio State, Columbus and California bar associations. Ms. Halabi earned her B.S. degree, magna cum laude, from California State University, her J.D. degree from Pacific McGeorge School of Law and her LL.M. degree in taxation from the University of San Diego School of Law.

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