This program is designed towards providing a solid understanding on the basics of estate planning to attorneys and legal professionals entering the trusts and estates field, attorneys seeking a review of estate planning concepts and those wishing to gain a detailed overview of the field. The course will begin with the discussion of the typical documents that make up a client’s estate plan with an in-depth description of the uses of each of the documents and practical pointers in their drafting.

The two methods of passing property at death will be covered and how these two methods affect a client’s estate plan and can create pitfalls for the unwary. The intestacy laws will also be discussed and the second half of the course will focus on the creation of an estate tax efficient plan, the typical trusts utilized, factors affecting the design of such trusts and the review of important non-tax issues that the practitioner should consider in the preparation of a client’s estate plan. The last covered point will focus on the integration of all the issues, concerns and factors in a client’s estate plan and how the lawyer can add value by anticipating issues for the client.