To get started in estate planning, learn the basics of intestate succession, probate, wills, health care directives, general powers of attorney, trusts, gift and estate tax planning, as well as transfers of assets. Become familiar with some basics of transfer tax planning, including A-B trusts and QTIPs/marital deduction planning, portability, planning with life insurance trusts, family limited partnerships and more. Also, particular attention will be paid to the human elements that are impacted by estate planning and related tax strategies.
Learning Objectives
• Identify tax and non-tax estate planning objectives
• Recognize the impact of our legal system on planning and lack of planning with respect to probate, wills and trusts
• Recognize common issues from basic to advanced gift and estate tax planning
• Identify the skills to deal with gift and estate tax problems, as well as the human impact of client planning
Major Topics
• Intestate succession and probate administration
• Holding title to assets
• Lifetime asset transfers and testamentary asset transfer planning
• Structures to avoid or minimize transfer taxes
• Living trusts, including A-B and A-B-C, life insurance trusts, terminating irrevocable trusts, use of trust protectors, trust administration during incapacity and post-mortem
