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

1. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF WILL DRAFTING
   9:00 - 10:15, Catherine Richmond
   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
   10:30 - 11:45, Stephen A. Unsworth
   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
   12:45 - 2:00, William J. Fisk
   1. Tax Considerations of Drafting Living or Testamentary Trusts
   2. Marital Deduction Planning - Qualifications and Basic Formula Approaches
   3. Estate and Gift Taxes
   4. Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes
   5. Income Tax - Ramifications of Trusts
4. ETHICS AND ESTATE PLANNING
   2:00 - 3:00, Stephen A. Unsworth
   1. Selected Ethical Rules Affecting the Estate Planner
   2. Who's Your Client? Conflict of Interest
   3. Competency - A Word to the Wise
   4. Practice Before the IRS
   5. Attorney Fees
5. PLANNING METHODS TO CONTROL MEDICAL TREATMENT
   3:15 - 4:30, Stephen A. Unsworth
   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

WILLIAM J. FISK is an attorney with the law firm of Witten, Woolmington & Campbell, P.C. He practices in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, family law, valuation disputes and tax aspects of commercial law. In addition to being an attorney, Mr. Fisk practiced as a certified public accountant for more than 25 years. He is a member of the American Bar Association's Business and Tax Law sections, the Vermont Bar Association, the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts, the American Institute of CPAs and the Vermont Society of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Fisk is a past chairman of the Vermont Board of Public Accountancy and past president of the Vermont Society of Certified Public Accountants. He has previously served as an adjunct instructor in accounting, finance and tax at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Western New England College and Holyoke Community College. Mr. Fisk earned a B.B.A. degree from American International College, an M.B.A. degree from Western New England College and a J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Albany Law School of Union University.

CATHERINE RICHMOND is a director with the law firm of Stebbins Bradley, P.A., where she focuses her practice on estate planning, estate administration and related real estate matters. She has lectured for the Vermont Bar Association on powers of attorney, guardianships, and the Vermont Uniform Trust Code and regularly speaks on issues related to her practice. Ms. Richmond was an active member of the Vermont Uniform Trust Code study committee formed to draft a new body of Vermont trust laws from the Uniform Trust Code. The Vermont Uniform Trust Code was enacted into law on May 14, 2009, effective July 1, 2009. Ms. Richmond is admitted to practice law in Vermont and New Hampshire and is a member of the Upper Valley Planned Giving Council, the New Hampshire Bar Association (sections on Real Property, Probate and Trust Law) and the Vermont Bar Association (sections on Probate and Trust Law, and Property Law). She earned her B.A. degree from Bates College, her M.B.A. degree from Plymouth State College and her J.D. degree, cum laude, from Vermont Law School.

STEPHEN A. UNSWORTH is an attorney in Essex Junction, Vermont. Mr. Unsworth has more than 30 years experience in estate planning. He is a past board member and a current member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, a nationally recognized organization serving the needs of legal professionals concentrating on estate and legacy planning. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, Mr. Unsworth was honored as a Super Lawyer in the New England Super Lawyers magazine. He is a past president of the Chittenden County Bar Association, was chairman of the Vermont Bar Association Continuing Education Committee and was awarded a certificate from the Vermont Bar Association for being an outstanding chairperson. Mr. Unsworth is a member of the Vermont Bar Association (Elder Law, and Probate and Trust sections), the Maine Bar Association and the Chittenden County Bar Association. He was awarded a certificate of appreciation from the Vermont Administrative Judge for his work in Small Claims Court. Mr. Unsworth has taught business law courses at the University of Vermont and Champlain College. He has been a presenter in numerous continuing legal education seminars for attorneys and paralegals in Vermont and nationally. Mr. Unsworth graduated, with distinction, from the University of Maine at Orono and earned his J.D. degree from Western New England College School of Law in Springfield, Massachusetts. He is admitted to practice law in both Vermont and Maine.

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