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. Local Probate Court Rules and Procedure Overview
2. The Initial Filing
3. Who is the Fiduciary?
4. Proper and Prudent Treatment of Assets
5. Tax Planning and Consequences of Probate
6. Ethical Considerations
7. Closing the Estate and Other Issues

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

• LOCAL PROBATE COURT RULES AND PROCEDURE
  9:00 - 9:30, Jacqueline Ferris MacLaren
• THE INITIAL FILING
  9:30 - 10:15, Jason D. Seabury
• When is Probate Necessary? Full Administration vs. Summary Administration?
• What Documents to Include?
• Who Must and Should be Notified?
• The Master Timeline – Don't Miss any Crucial Due Dates!
• Intra-Office Communication – Setting up the File so That Your Staff can Properly Act on It
• Dealing With Intestacy
• WHO IS THE FIDUCIARY?
  10:30 - 11:15, Jason D. Seabury
• Helping Clients Pick One
• Educating the PR on his/her Duties
• Roles of the Fiduciary vs. the Fiduciary's Attorney
• Representing Fiduciaries in Probate Disputes/Litigation
• PROPER AND PRUDENT TREATMENT OF ASSETS
  11:15 - 12:20, Jacqueline Ferris MacLaren
• Assess and Document Before or After the Initial Filing?
• Tips for Effective Marshaling of Assets
• Step-up Basis of Various Assets
• Exempted Property
• Requesting Decedent's Policy Information From the Insurance Companies and Insuring Remaining Property
• Spousal Rights to Property
• Treatment of Real Property in Probate – Tenants, Mortgages, Foreclosures, Sales, etc.
• Business Transfers
• Typical Creditors and How to Deal With Them
• Procedures for Probating an Insolvent Estate
• TAX PLANNING AND CONSEQUENCES OF PROBATE
  1:20 - 2:25, Kaye P. Willi
• Crucial Due Dates Timeline
• Obtaining Tax Identification Numbers
• Matching Estate Inventory and Tax Return in Probate
• Filing the Final Tax Return
• Tax Issues Connected With Insolvency
• Simple Tips for Minimizing Tax Burden
• Tax Treatment of Trusts
• ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
  2:40 - 3:40, Kaye P. Willi
• Who is the Client? Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
• Tips on Dealing With the Grieving Family
• Keeping Your Clients in the Know – Why it Pays off and How to do it Efficiently
• Getting Paid: Billable/Non-Billable Hour and Retainer Agreements
• Preventing Unauthorized Practice of Law by Legal Staff
• CLOSING THE ESTATE AND OTHER ISSUES
  3:40 - 4:30, Jason D. Seabury
• Transfers and Distributions to Beneficiaries (What, When, and How)
• Preparing the Final Estate Accounting
• Fiduciary Accounting Defined
• Other Issues and Requirements Related to Closing of the Estate

JACQUELINE FERRIS MacLAREN is an attorney in Columbus, Ohio. Ms. MacLaren has been an attorney for more than six years and focuses her practice on business transactions, estate and business planning, estate and trust administration 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.

JASON D. SEABURY is a sole practitioner in Westerville. In his 12 years of practice, Mr. Seabury has focused on estate planning, probate and non-probate administration of estates and trusts, and guardianships. Prior to his admission to practice, he was a full time probate paralegal for three years. He is a member of the Columbus and Ohio State bar associations. Mr. Seabury earned his B.A. degree from Westminster College and his J.D. degree from Capital University Law School.

KAYE P. WILLI is an attorney in private practice in Westerville, Ohio, where she practices in the areas of tax planning and compliance for small businesses, trusts and estates, estate and business succession planning, and probate and trust administration. Ms. Willi is certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law, and she is a frequent speaker on topics related to her areas of expertise. She earned her B.A. degree from Miami University and her J.D. degree from Duke Law School. Ms. Willi is a member of the Columbus and Worthington estate planning councils, as well as the American, Ohio State and Columbus bar associations, and the Ohio Society of CPAs.

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