Estate Planning & Probate

All real estate attorneys know the rules of estates and probate when things run their normal course. But what if things don’t?

This course explores estate tax planning considerations when advising clients on how to structure estate plans to maximize tax planning efficiencies. Learn to navigate the maze of estate tax planning at the federal and state level with modified funding formulas, annual gifting and lifetime gifting.

This course focuses on helping attorneys better understand the impact their clients', and their own, religious beliefs can have as they work through the estate planning process.

This course covers ten tips you can apply when drafting estate planning documents to help avoid litigation later.

This course provides an introduction and discussion of topics needed to navigate the complexities of estate planning, administration, and litigation in Illinois.

This course addresses how to correctly draft trustee succession provisions (considering unintended vacancy of office of co-trustees). It also covers off on how to change trustee succession of irrevocable trusts (NJSAs, decanting) and incapacity of trustees.

This course provides an overview of the estate and trust administration process in Illinois, from client intake to closing the estate or trust. It is tailored to attorney’s who have been licensed for 0-5 years, with more focus on the simpler estate and trust administration scenarios.

Upcoming sunsetting of provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is quickly approaching. This course can help you identify which clients this will affect and how. It provides insight into how to navigate the complexities of the 2024 election year and various changes in tax treatments.

This course helps estate planners understand and advise on a variety of topics impacting nearly all clients with Individual Retirement Accounts. Topics addressed include tax deferral during the owner's lifetime, required minimum distributions, qualified charitable distributions, beneficiary selection and designations, spousal rollovers, and inherited IRAs.

This course addresses matters relevant to clients moving out of Illinois, including estate taxes, trust law, and POA matters. It also covers issues that new Illinois residents should consider in those same areas when they move to the state.

When clients consider their “estate planning”, many readily note the need for a Will. In fact, estate planning encompasses much more, including preparation of various estate planning documents, coordination of beneficiary designations, and much more. This course addresses the basics for crafting the typical estate plan.

This course examines post-death “fixes” to resolve various estate planning issues. The program explores actions that can be taken during the estate administration process to address unforeseen issues with the decedent’s estate plan. The course concludes by describing ways in which to plan during life to avoid such issues and maximize flexibility after death.