GA Specific

Trusts, Estates & Probate

Live Online

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

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Alabama CLE Approved 6 Total
Georgia CLE Approved 6 Total
CPE for Accountants/NASBA Approved 7 Total
Live Online
6 hours
Sam Thomas
David McGuffey
Cherish De La Cruz
Melissa Sprinkle
With Sam Thomas III from Sam Thomas III Esquire & Associates + 3 others

Fri, Dec 11, 00:00 AM – 00:00 PM

Product ID 102476

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$389

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OnDemand content will be available within 7 days of event date.

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. Documenting Long-Term Care, Incapacity, and End-of-Life Decisions
  4. Planning for Unmarried and Remarried Couples
  5. Basic Tax Concerns
  6. Ethics

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Related Topics

Product ID 102476

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Alabama CLE Approved 6 Total
Georgia CLE Approved 6 Total
CPE for Accountants/NASBA Approved 7 Total
Select Jurisdiction
CLE
Other

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. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. Ethics

    1. Defining Who Your Client Is From the Start
    2. Handling Clients With Diminishing Mental Capacity
    3. Lawyers Acting as Fiduciaries
    4. Practicing Before the IRS
    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

Sam Thomas III
Sam
Thomas, III
Sam Thomas III Esquire & Associates
David L McGuffey
David L.
McGuffey
Elder Law Practice of David L. McGuffey, LLC
Cherish De La Cruz
Cherish
De La Cruz
Pierson Ferdinand
Melissa G Sprinkle
Melissa G.
Sprinkle
Harrison LLP
Speaker bio
Sam Thomas III

Sam Thomas, III

Sam Thomas III Esquire & Associates
Sam Thomas

is an attorney with Sam Thomas III Esquire & Associates. He has practiced for 28 years in the areas of probate, foreclosure prevention, tax resolution, and debt relief. Currently, Mr. Thomas's practice focuses on estate planning. He earned his B.A. degree from Cleveland State University, his M.S. degree from Indiana University and his J.D. degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law.

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Speaker bio
David L McGuffey

David L. McGuffey

Elder Law Practice of David L. McGuffey, LLC
David McGuffey

is in private practice with the Elder Law Practice of David L. McGuffey, LLC located in Dalton, Georgia. He limits his practice to elder law and special needs law. Much of Mr. McGuffey's practice is devoted to helping individuals with chronic health conditions, and to find, get and pay for good long-term care. He is certified as an elder law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. In 2021, Mr. McGuffey launched the educational website EzElderLaw.com. As of now, EzElderLaw has more than 1,000 pages of information available to its readers with more coming almost every day. He earned his B.A. and J.D. degrees from Georgia State University. Mr. McGuffey is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and various local bar associations. He is a past chair of the State Bar of Georgia's Elder Law section and the Tennessee Bar Association's Elder Law section.

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Speaker bio
Cherish De La Cruz

Cherish De La Cruz

Pierson Ferdinand
Cherish De La Cruz

is a partner with Pierson Ferdinand in the firms estate planning and probate department. She designed her practice to include both estate planning, probate and small business law because she understands how much overlap there is in these areas, especially for first- and second-generation American families. Ms. De La Cruz was initially inspired to pursue estate planning in 2013 after losing her aunt to appendix cancer. While taking care of her aunt's affairs, she realized first-hand the stress and hardship that is created when a loved one passes away and they do not have a comprehensive and customized plan. It is even more complicated when they are a small business owner. Today, this personal perspective and her extensive background in investments and life insurance, guides her firm's estate planning process. Leadership in the community is also a key value of hers. That is why Ms. De La Cruz is actively involved in several non-profit organizations; recently graduating from the Catholic Charities Atlanta Leadership Class, serving as past president of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, founding board member of the Exit Planning Exchange Atlanta (2019-2020), Leadership Gwinnett Class of 2019, chair of Elder Law Section of the Atlanta Bar Association (2019-2020), and Mosaic Georgia. She dedicates her time to serving and educating small businesses, families, and the larger community about the estate and business planning process so that her wonderful clients can truly take charge of their life and legacy, knowing that they have done everything in their power to protect their loved ones.

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Speaker bio
Melissa G Sprinkle

Melissa G. Sprinkle

Harrison LLP
Melissa Sprinkle

is of counsel at Harrison LLP. She assists clients with their estate planning and wealth preservation through the creation of wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, the use of lifetime gifting, and business succession planning. Ms. Sprinkle also assists clients with trust and estate administration, including the probate of the will and other probate court actions. She helps clients further their charitable inclinations by creating charitable trusts and charitable foundations. Ms. Sprinkle advises clients on the tax implications of all such estate, trust, and business succession planning. She also advises on the international aspects of U.S. tax matters and asset structuring and succession planning, as part of a multi-office team that advises trustees and international families and family offices on planning for U.S. beneficiaries, U.S. investments, pre-immigration tax planning for foreign individuals who plan to become a U.S. tax resident, expatriation from the U.S., and FATCA and CRS compliance matters. She also advises tax-exempt entities, including public charities and private foundations, with formation and operation issues. Ms. Sprinkle earned her B.A. degree from Kennesaw State University and her J.D. degree, summa cum laude, from Georgia State University College of Law.

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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.
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