Virginia Probate and Trust Administration
Credits Available
| Credit | Status | Total | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia CLE |
|
6.5 Total | 10-31-2026 |
Buy This Course
OnDemand Video
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or
Overview
Creditor Claims, Distributions, Tax Issues, and More!
Working through issues that arise through probate and trust administration can be daunting. Are you well-equipped with the tools you need to succeed? This insightful course will take you through steps in probate administration, including information on creditor and debt issues, tax and more. You will also get valuable insight on trust administration, including the handling of accounting, distributions and taxes. Don't miss this opportunity to hone your probate and trust administration skills - register today!
- Take a closer look at the initial steps for filing the estate.
- Discuss what needs to be done to handle creditor claims and debts.
- Make sure everything is in order for the final distribution of the estate.
- Review what issues need to be addressed concerning taxes in probate administration.
- Get the latest information on taxation concerns associated with trusts.
- Explore the different types of trusts and how they are used.
- Learn ways to manage, sell and distribute property and assets in trust administration.
- Gain a better understanding of the distinctions between trust fiduciary accounting and income tax accounting.
Abbreviated Agenda
- Probate Process and Overview
- Assets, Creditor Claims and Debt Considerations
- Distributions, Final Accounting and Closing the Estate
- Trust Taxation Issues
- Tax Issues in Probate Administration
- What You Need to Know About Trusts
- Accounting/Distributions in Trust Administration
- Ethics and Estate Administration
Credit Details
Credits Available
| Credit | Status | Total | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia CLE |
|
6.5 Total | 10-31-2026 |
Select Jurisdiction
CLE
Agenda
-
Probate Process and Overview
- Review of the Probate Timeline
- Forms of Administration
- Deadlines to be Aware of
- Documents Used in the Probate Process
- Information Gathering
- Laws of Intestacy
- Initial Petition and Notices
- Sample Forms, Letters and Documents
-
Assets, Creditor Claims and Debt Considerations
- Marshalling Probate and Non-Probate Assets: Key Procedures
- Properly Ensure ALL Debt is Located and Handled
- Required Public Notices to Creditors
- Priority and Payment Determinations for Claims
- Contested Claims and Prescribed Claims
- Appropriately Dealing with Creditors
- Insolvent Estates
- Sale of Assets to Satisfy Creditors
-
Distributions, Final Accounting and Closing the Estate
- Documents Needed to Close the Estate
- Proper Transfer and Timing of Distributions - Probate and Non-Probate Assets
- Distributions in Kind
- Distribution to Minors, Surviving Spouse and Trusts
- Disposition of Unclaimed Assets
- Fees for Personal Representatives and Attorneys
- Annual Accounting Requirements and Format
- Final Accounting Checklist
- Estate Closing Procedures
-
Trust Taxation Issues
- Tax Returns: Annual and Final
- Tax Consequences of Trustee's Actions
- Real Property Taxes
- Income Taxation
- Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes
- Tax Consequences of Paying Retirement Benefits to Trusts
- Tax Basis in the Assets
-
Tax Issues in Probate Administration
- State and Federal Tax Considerations
- Tax Deadlines and Extensions
- Essential Tax Forms and Returns
- Deductions and Exemptions
- Income Tax and Basis Adjustment for Decedent's Assets
- Real Property Tax Considerations
-
What You Need to Know About Trusts
- Types of Trusts and Their Purpose
- Jurisdiction
- Duties and Powers of the Trustee
- Valuation of Assets
- Funding a Trust
- Communication with Beneficiaries
- Amending and Modifying the Trust
- Trust Administration Checklist
- Sample Forms and Documents
-
Accounting/Distributions in Trust Administration
- Notices of Proposed Actions
- Uniform Principal and Income Act
- Trust Provisions Concerning Distributions
- Managing, Selling and Distributing Property and Assets
- Investing Assets
- Distinctions Between Trust Fiduciary Accounting and Income Tax Accounting
- Determining Trustee Fees
- Communication with Creditors
- Distribution to Beneficiaries
- Trust Termination
-
Ethics and Estate Administration
- Breach of Fiduciary Responsibility
- Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
- Confidentiality
- Fee Agreements
Who Should Attend
This intermediate level online seminar is designed for professionals who want to be more effective in the probate and trust administration process, such as:
- Attorneys
- CPAs and Accountants
- Tax Professionals
- Financial Planners and Wealth Managers
- Trust Officers
- Paralegals
Speakers
Speaker bio
Sarah L. McCurry
is a partner in the Midlothian law firm of Winslow McCurry & MacCormac, PLLC, focusing her practice on representing area small businesses and practicing trust and estates law. She earned her B.A. degree from Hendrix College and her J.D. degree from Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, Florida. Ms. McCurry is admitted to practice law in Florida and in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Since early 2009, she has practiced in the Richmond area and currently leads her firm's estate practice. Additionally, Ms. McCurry regularly instructs other lawyers in estate and business related topics in Virginia and nationally. She is admitted to both state and federal courts in each principality, including all Virginia General District and Circuit courts, Virginia Court of Appeals, Virginia Supreme Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Speaker bio
Kevin B. O'Donnell
is an attorney with Virginia Estate & Trust Law, PLC. His practice focuses on estate planning, estate administration, tax planning, and charitable giving. Mr. O'Donnell advises clients on entity formation and general corporate law, adoptions, premarital agreements, property settlement agreements, guardianships and conservatorships, will contests, and other fiduciary litigation. He drafts complex, customized wills and trusts to meet each client's objectives, whether they be gift, estate, generation-skipping transfer tax planning, asset protection planning, planning for blended families, or planning for the protection of young beneficiaries. Mr. O'Donnell also enjoys counseling clients through charitable giving, including advising on the use of donor-advised funds, charitable trusts, and private foundations. He earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, from Queens University of Charlotte and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of Richmond School of Law.
Speaker bio
Stephan J. Lipskis
is a partner in Pierce Jewett's Norfolk office who focuses his practice on estate planning, estate and trust administration, elder law, and related matters, including business succession planning, guardianships, and conservatorships. The core of his practice comes down to assisting in the selection of fiduciaries and guiding fiduciaries to properly manage decision-making regarding assets in the event of disability, death, or other concerns. A Norfolk native, Mr. Lipskis particularly enjoys contributing to growing philanthropy in the region. He is a past president of the Hampton Roads Gift Planning Council and regularly speaks to local groups on gift planning, estate planning, and related issues. He has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers, Legal Elite by Virginia Business Magazine, Top Lawyer by Coastal Virginia Magazine, and by Best Lawyers. Mr. Lipskis is an alumnus of Norfolk Academy, University of Mary Washington, and received his law degree from the University of South Carolina where he served on the Honor Council. He is admitted to practice in Virginia.
Speaker bio
Chavioleyette S. Fenelus
is a Virginia-based attorney specializing in tax, business, and estate planning. A cum laude graduate of Liberty University School of Law, she is currently pursuing her LL.M. degree in taxation to further refine her expertise. Ms. Fenelus' mission is to help individuals and businesses protect their life's work through a client-centered, holistic approach to problem-solving. She blends legal knowledge with a deep understanding of her clients' personal and financial goals, crafting tailored strategies to meet their unique needs. Her foundation in law is strengthened by her coursework in business tax, accounting and finance for lawyers, mergers and acquisitions, and wills, trusts and estates. Ms. Fenelus also holds a master's degree in executive leadership and a bachelor's degree in criminology, law and society with minors in intelligence analysis and legal studies. Her diverse academic background informs her strategic approach to safeguarding her client' achievements and planning for their future. With hands-on experience as a small business owner and financial officer in Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Ms. Fenelus brings a practical understanding of the complexities of tax compliance and business operations. Her professional journey includes internships with the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, a clerkship with the Supreme Court of Virginia, and volunteer work with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, where she prepared tax returns for underserved communities. Ms. Fenelus earned her LL.M. degree in taxation from University of Florida Levin College of Law.
Speaker bio
Scott W. Masselli
is a senior associate with Virginia Estate & Trust Law, PLC where he helps his clients create an estate plan that meets their family's goals. Those goals often include protecting assets for younger generations and charitable giving. Mr. Masselli also advises high-net-worth families on reducing estate, gift, and GST taxes. He prioritizes understanding each client's family dynamics and creating an estate plan that works for them. Mr. Masselli also guides individual and corporate fiduciaries through the estate and trust administration process. His experience includes modifying irrevocable trusts to achieve tax savings and to promote family harmony while preserving the settlor's intent. Mr. Masselli earned his J.D. degree, cum laude, from William & Mary Law School.
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