LA Specific

Trusts, Estates & Probate

4.36

Step-by-Step Guide to Drafting Wills and Trusts in Louisiana

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Louisiana CLE Approved 6 Total
OnDemand
5 hours 57 minutes
Okyeame Haley
Carla Sigler
Wesley Blanchard
Donovan Francis
With Okyeame Haley from Haley Law Practice L.L.C. + 3 others
Recorded June 02, 2025
Product ID 100135

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Overview

Complete With Essential Sample Forms, Tax Tactics, and Troubleshooting Solutions

Do you have all the information you need to draft customized testamentary documents for each of your clients? Don't spend years gathering precious bits of legal practice wisdom - our experienced attorney faculty are here to share their time-tested methods of identifying clients' needs and creating custom-tailored wills and trusts to fit each specific situation. This legal primer offers all the tools and sample forms to get you started. Get the fundamental skills you need to build your estate planning practice - register today!

  • Get practical will and trust drafting skills to speed up the process and give the testator's last wishes power.
  • Stave off conflicts of interest with a clear determination of who your client is from the start.
  • Learn how to deal with interested relatives who want to be present at all the planning meetings.
  • Explore the pros and cons of using a revocable living trust in the will's stead and find out when it's a better option.
  • Explore the functions and mechanics of major trust structures - and make certain you choose the right tool for each job.
  • Give each provision full power with precise word choices - get sample forms to speed up the process.
  • Make sure your remarried and unmarried clients know the default inheritance laws and help them make sure the right beneficiaries are assigned.
  • Anticipate key tax issues, including individual income tax planning and trust taxation.
  • Phrase the fiduciary and beneficiary designations to leave no room for misinterpretation.
  • Help your clients make the tough medical decisions regarding long-term care, end-of-life and organ donation.
  • Learn how to verify and document the testator's competency to close the door on any potential will contests.

Abbreviated Agenda

  1. Key Elements of Effective Wills
  2. Trusts as Alternatives to Wills
  3. Basic Tax Concerns
  4. Documenting Long-Term Care, Incapacity, and End-of-Life Decisions
  5. Planning for Unmarried and Remarried Couples
  6. Ethics

Related Topics

Product ID 100135

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Louisiana CLE Approved 6 Total
Select Jurisdiction
CLE

Agenda

All times are shown in

  1. Key Elements of Effective Wills

    1. Establishing Statutory Framework
    2. Types of Wills
    3. Verifying and Documenting the Testator's Competency
    4. Beneficiary Designations in Retirement Plans and Life Insurance
    5. Pension Distributions During and After Life
    6. Titling Assets
    7. Designating Fiduciaries
    8. Planning for Disabled Children
    9. Sample Will Verbiage
    10. Sample Forms
    11. Updating Will Documents

  2. Trusts as Alternatives to Wills

    1. When to Recommend a Trust Over a Will
    2. Types and Functions of Trusts
    3. Selecting Trustee(s)
    4. Choosing Trust Situs
    5. Trust Funding Basics
    6. Sample Forms

  3. Basic Tax Concerns

    1. Get Updated on Changing Legislation and Case Law
    2. Federal Estate and Gift Tax Update
    3. Assess the Impact of the State Estate Tax
    4. Individual Income Taxes - Issues You Need to Look At
    5. Generation Skipping Transfer Tax - Recent Changes
    6. Trust Taxation Basics
    7. Disclaimer Trusts
    8. Crummey Powers and the IRS
    9. Frequently Asked Questions About Fiduciary Taxes
    10. Tips for Calculating Tax Deductions
    11. Why a Comparison to Neighboring States' Taxes is Important

  4. Documenting Long-Term Care, Incapacity, and End-of-Life Decisions

    1. Basic Medicaid Planning
    2. Long-Term Care Options and Planning in a Nutshell
    3. Advance Medical Directives
    4. Powers of Attorney
    5. DNR Orders and Organ Donation Considerations

  5. Planning for Unmarried and Remarried Couples

    1. Pre- and Post-Marital Agreements
    2. Planning for Children From Previous Marriage(s)
    3. Estate Planning for Same Sex Couples

  6. Ethics

    1. Defining Who Your Client Is From the Start
    2. Handling Clients With Diminishing Mental Capacity
    3. Lawyers Acting as Fiduciaries
    4. Use of AI in Estate Planning?
    5. Conflicts of Interest

Who Should Attend

This basic level online seminar offers foundational will and trust drafting skills that will benefit:

  • Attorneys
  • Paralegals
  • Trust Officers and Personal Representatives
  • Estate Planners
  • Accountants and CPAs
  • Tax Professionals

Speakers

Okyeame Haley
Okyeame
Haley
Haley Law Practice L.L.C.
Carla S Sigler
Carla S.
Sigler
Wesley J Blanchard
Wesley J.
Blanchard
WJ Blanchard Law, LLC
Donovan R Francis
Donovan R.
Francis
BFH Law Group
Speaker bio
Okyeame Haley

Okyeame Haley

Haley Law Practice L.L.C.
Okyeame Haley

is an attorney with his own private practice, Haley Law Practice L.L.C. He practices in the areas of trust and estate planning, and business formation. Mr. Haley is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, ElderCounsel, and WealthCounsel. He earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Xavier University of Louisiana, his J.D. degree from Howard University School of Law and his LL.M. degree from Washington University School of Law. Mr. Haley was chief deputy clerk for the Louisiana Supreme Court, research attorney on the U.S. House of Representatives Banking and Finance Committee, and a law clerk for Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Angelique Reed. He is also a retired law clerk for Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson. Mr. Haley is licensed to practice law in Louisiana and recently completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Entrepreneurship program.

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Speaker bio
Carla S Sigler

Carla S. Sigler

Carla Sigler

is a solo practitioner at Sigler Law, Inc. She serves clients with integrity and skill in the areas of criminal defense, family law, business litigation, estate planning, successions, and represents government agencies and serves as the Vinton Magistrate Judge. As an experienced appellate advocate, Ms. Sigler won a murder case before the U.S. Supreme Court while serving as an assistant district attorney. She also is available for legal writing and research, and appellate advocacy work and consultation. Ms. Sigler earned her B.S. degree from McNeese State University and her J.D. degree from Paul M. Hebert LSU Law Center. She is a member of the Southwest Louisiana Bar Association and State Bar of Texas. Ms. Sigler is also a member of several federal bars, including the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and U.S. District Court Middle and Western districts of Louisiana. In her practice she represents a number of succession clients in issues involving real estate sales and fiduciary litigation. Ms. Sigler has been appointed by courts to serve as an administrator in succession cases and has been asked to provide expert testimony.

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Speaker bio
Wesley J Blanchard

Wesley J. Blanchard

WJ Blanchard Law, LLC
Wesley Blanchard

is an attorney at WJ Blanchard Law, LLC. He focuses his practice on wills and trusts, powers of attorney and living wills, successions and estate litigations, and auto accident. Mr. Blanchard earned his bachelor's degree from the University of New Orleans as the Outstanding Political Science graduate, and his J.D. degree from Loyola University in New Orleans. Prior to founding WJ Blanchard Law, he worked at a prominent law firm handling matters ranging from the drafting and execution of succession and wills, to the representation of personal injury clients and national insurance companies in connection with high value litigation. Mr. Blanchard is admitted to practice law in Louisiana.

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Speaker bio
Donovan R Francis

Donovan R. Francis

BFH Law Group
Donovan Francis

is an attorney at BFH Law Group, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has assisted clients in estate planning, tax, bankruptcy, and corporate matters. Mr. Francis has extensive knowledge of estate planning issues, and provides a wide array of services to business clients, including contract review, negotiation, entity formations, and employment matters. While working for the Louisiana Workforce Commission, he assisted with tax collection/non-profit revenue optimization, public policy, and labor and employment law. Mr. Francis earned his B.A. degree from Emory University and his J.D. degree from Tulane University Law School. He is admitted to practice law in Louisiana and Texas; and before U.S. District Courts Louisiana, Eastern and Western districts; and U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, Louisiana, Eastern and Middle districts.

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In the unlikely event that NBI cancels or reschedules an upcoming program, each registered attendee will be contacted via email by a representative of NBI. Outreach to attendees begins as soon as NBI is made aware that a program will not move forward at its originally scheduled date and time.
Are multiple attendee discounts available?
Yes, the more people you bring from your organization, the more you save. After the first registration, each additional attendee receives a special discount off of their total tuition.
When will the OnDemand be available and how long will I have access to the content?
The OnDemand Video will be available to stream within 14 days of live broadcast date. You will have access to the content for 6 months in your account. If you’re a subscriber, you’ll have access to your course recordings until 7 days after the expiration date of the subscription.
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When you enroll prior to the live event date you will receive access to the live-streaming webinar which will allow you to interact with faculty in real-time. With each course, you will receive access to the content via OnDemand Streaming and the Video Download. Course reference materials are included with each course purchase in a downloadable PDF format.
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While only paid registrants can receive continuing education credit for attending, there are no limitations to the number of viewers at each connection.

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