FL Specific

Trusts, Estates & Probate

4.5

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

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Florida CLE Approved 7 Total
OnDemand
5 hours 55 minutes
Amy McGarry
Lisa DiFranza
Christopher Bondani
Michael Norvell
Collett Small
With Amy L. McGarry from Amy McGarry Law Office + 4 others
Recorded February 24, 2025
Product ID 99708

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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. Ethics
  6. Planning for Unmarried and Remarried Couples

Related Topics

Product ID 99708

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Florida CLE Approved 7 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. 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

  6. 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

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

Amy L McGarry
Amy L.
McGarry
Amy McGarry Law Office
Lisa A DiFranza
Lisa A.
DiFranza
DiFranza Law, P.A.
Christopher J Bondani
Christopher J.
Bondani
Hill & Bondani, PLLC
Michael C Norvell
Michael C.
Norvell
Medicaid Planning & Resource Center, Law Firm, PLLC
Collett P Small
Collett P.
Small
Slater & Small
Speaker bio
Amy L McGarry

Amy L. McGarry

Amy McGarry Law Office
Amy McGarry

is a board-certified elder law attorney in Lee County, Florida. She is the sole owner of Amy L. McGarry Law Office, PL in Cape Coral. Ms. McGarry handles elder law issues consisting of guardianship, estate planning, probate, trust administration and Medicaid planning. She originally practiced in Medina County, Ohio. Ms. McGarry is licensed by the Ohio Supreme Court and by The Florida Bar. She is a member of The Florida Bar (member, Elder Law Section and Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section) and the Florida State Guardianship Association. Ms. McGarry is a committee chair for the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys and an active member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and SW Florida Guardianship Association. She earned her B.A. degree from the University of Dayton and her J.D. degree from the University of Akron.

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Speaker bio
Lisa A DiFranza

Lisa A. DiFranza

DiFranza Law, P.A.
Lisa DiFranza

is the founder of DiFranza Law, P.A., whose practice focuses on guardian advocacy, guardianships, elder law, probate, and estate planning. She started the firm in 2014 serving in the area of guardianships and guardian advocacy by volunteering with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA) and continues to work in the community volunteering with JALA. Ms. DiFranza was awarded the 2018 Small Business of the Year, Beaches Division of the JAX Chamber. She served as chair of The Florida Bar Consumer Protection Law Committee for 2019-2020. She also serves on the Jacksonville Bar Pro Bono Committee, Elder Law Committee and Estate Planning and Tax Committee, and is liaison to Fourth Circuit Pro Bono Committee. Ms. DiFranza earned her J.D. degree, cum laude, from Florida Coastal School of Law and is admitted to practice in Florida and the U.S. Middle District Court of Florida.

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Speaker bio
Christopher J Bondani

Christopher J. Bondani

Hill & Bondani, PLLC
Christopher Bondani

is a solo practitioner with Hill & Bondani, PLLC, and practices in Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. He offers legal advice and assistance in connection with a wide variety of complex legal matters that include estate planning, trusts, probate, asset protection, business law, limited liability company law, partnerships, corporations, not for profits, tax law, elder law, and deferred compensation/ERISA. Mr. Bondani is a member of The Florida Bar and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court. He earned his B.S. degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; his J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Florida Coastal School of Law; and his LL.M. degree in tax law from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law.

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Speaker bio
Michael C Norvell

Michael C. Norvell

Medicaid Planning & Resource Center, Law Firm, PLLC
Michael Norvell

graduated from the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin School of Law in 1976 and was admitted to the Florida Bar in November of 1976. Prior to entering law school, he served in the US Army from 1965-1967 where he was part of the Army Engineer Field Unit of the Ethiopia - U.S. Mapping Mission. This mission was the last ground mapping of an entire country ever undertaken. Mr. Norvell's practice has transitioned to late life issues, such a guardianship, Medicaid planning, trust and probate administration and litigation. He has been working in the area for over 40 years and has two practices in the Leesburg area with one office dedicated to the sole practice of Medicaid Planning. Mr. Norvell is a member of the University of Florida President's Council and the University of Florida Legacy Society.

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Speaker bio
Collett P Small

Collett P. Small

Slater & Small
Collett Small

is a founding partner of Slater & Small PLLC with offices in Pembroke Pines and Coral Springs. She is board-certified by The Florida Bar as a specialist in elder law. Ms. Small served as the chair of the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar 2017-2018 and is the president for The Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys. She is on the Board of Directors for the Weston Bar Association. Ms. Small is a member of the executive council of the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar and currently chairs the Strategic Planning Committee. She is also a member of the Joint Public Policy Task Force of the Elder Law Section. Ms. Small is an adjunct professor of Law at St. Thomas University, School of Law in Miami, where she teaches the Elder Law Clinic and Family Wealth Management. She earned her B.A. degree from Florida International University and her J.D. degree from St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law.

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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.
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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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