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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
- Tax Issues in Probate Administration
- Trust Taxation Issues
- What You Need to Know About Trusts
- Accounting/Distributions in Trust Administration
- Ethics and Estate Administration
Credit Details
Credits Available
| Credit | Status | Total | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey CLE |
|
8 Total | 07-08-2026 |
| New York CLE |
|
7 Total | 10-21-2028 |
| Pennsylvania CLE |
|
6.5 Total | 10-21-2027 |
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
Matthew C. Samley
is a partner with the law firm of Appel Yost LLP in Lancaster. He practices in the areas of bankruptcy and creditors' rights, real estate, business transactions, small business formation, business buy-sell, estate planning and administration. Mr. Samley serves as parliamentarian for the Lancaster County Commercial and Industrial Real Estate Council. He is on the adjunct faculty for Harrisburg Area Community College in Lancaster, where he teaches a variety of courses in the Departments of Business Studies and Social Sciences. Mr. Samley frequently presents at professional education programs on landlord-tenant collection law, ethics, LLC formation, contracts, and bankruptcy. He is a member of the Business Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Estate Planning Council of Lancaster County and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Conference. Mr. Samley serves on the Board of Directors of the Lancaster Bar Association and on an advisory board to the Lancaster County Community Foundation, a non-profit philanthropic. He earned his B.S. degree, cum laude, from Millersville University and J.D. degree from Dickinson School of Law.
Speaker bio
Patti S. Spencer
is an attorney with Metzger and Spencer, LLP and Spencer Law Firm LLC in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where she provides experience and depth in estate planning, trust and estate administration, complex tax consulting, charitable gift planning, wealth transfer vehicles and retirement plan consulting, and expert witness testimony. Ms. Spencer taught estate and gift tax for eight years as an adjunct professor at Boston University in the LL.M. program, and also was a former professor of trusts and estates at Boston University School of Law. In addition, she has spoken numerous times on topics related to her areas of expertise. Ms. Spencer is the author of a weekly column Taxing Matters, which appeared in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal's Business Monday Section for 14 years. She also has written Pennsylvania Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts Library: Forms and Practice Manual, Data Trace, which is updated annually. Ms. Spencer earned her B.A. degree from Dickinson College, her J.D. degree from Boston University and her LL.M. degree from Boston University. She is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
Speaker bio
Kimberly S. Foulk
is an attorney with Erde, Ferguson, Foulk & Cressman, where she focuses on Medicaid planning, elder law, estate planning, and special needs planning. She has extensive experience working with elder law and estate planning clients during her legal career, acting as primary estate planning paralegal at Cressman Erde Ferguson prior to joining as an attorney in 2020. She earned her B.S. degree, magna cum laude, from Hodges University and her J.D. degree from Mitchell Hamline School of Law, the first ABA-approved hybrid in-person and online law school. Ms. Foulk is a member of the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys (PAELA) and the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania.
Speaker bio
Karen Conn Mavros
is an attorney with the law firm of Flaster Greenberg PC. Her practice includes trust and estate planning and administration. With more than two decades of experience in trust and estate planning and administration, Ms. Mavros focuses on providing personalized counsel and estate and tax plans customized to each client’s distinct situation. She is experienced handling trust and estate administration matters, from probate through distribution, including income, estate, and state death tax filings and the management of contested matters and has handled guardianship matters. In addition to her professional work, Ms. Mavros is dedicated to community service, having served on the board of the Penn Wynne Library Association, where she coordinated community outreach and assisted with fundraising efforts, and volunteered with the Support Center for Child Advocates where she represented minors in criminal cases for abuse. She earned her B.A. degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. degree from Villanova University School of Law, where she participated in the Villanova Federal Tax Clinic, representing low-income taxpayers in matters with the Internal Revenue Service, and the Villanova Environmental Law Journal. Ms. Mavros is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Speaker bio
Karen F. Angelucci
concentrates her practice in the areas of general estate planning and estate administration. Committed to client satisfaction, she works closely with her clients to understand their goals and develop comprehensive estate plans to meet their needs. Ms. Angelucci is experienced in the preparation of estate planning documents including various trust agreements, wills, advanced health care directives (living wills), powers of attorney, as well as prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. She especially enjoys working with individuals and families, guiding them through the Pennsylvania estate administration process following the loss of a loved one. Ms. Angelucci provides compassionate advice and counsel to executors, trustees and beneficiaries. She has experience in the probate and estate administration process in the 5-county area and routinely prepares probate documents, PA 1500 inheritance tax returns, fiduciary tax returns, fiduciary accountings and family settlement agreements. Ms. Angelucci graduated from Saint Joseph's University with a B.A.degree in philosophy. She continued her education at Hofstra University School of Law, where she earned her J.D. degree. Ms. Angelucci is admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Montgomery County Bar Association and Montgomery County Estate Planning Council. Ms. Angelucci has volunteered as an advocate for disabled children through the non-profit organization, A Lawyer for Every Child (ALEC) and has worked with the Bucks County Legal Aid Society representing victims of domestic violence.
Speaker bio
Adam J. Cohen
works with clients across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, focusing on estate and trust administration, elder law, and fiduciary litigation. He has extensive experience handling complex guardianship matters and is a leader in representing disabled individuals, their families, and corporate fiduciaries in establishing and administering special needs trusts. Mr. Cohen also provides advice and guidance to personal injury attorneys and their clients on structuring and preserving recoveries for minors and disabled beneficiaries, helping them secure financial stability while protecting eligibility for public benefits. With a compassionate approach, Mr. Cohen prioritizes listening to and understanding his clients’ needs, ensuring that each legal strategy is tailored to their unique circumstances. Mr. Cohen is actively involved in professional leadership. He serves as the Treasurer of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Elder Law Section and is the editor of the Elder Law Section Newsletter. He has previously taught continuing legal education courses on guardianship issues, and multi-jurisdictional personal injury settlement topics.
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