Financial Planners Telephone Seminars - Training Resources

Estate Planning for the Final Years of Life BenefitsEmpirical evidence and directed studies indicate that the majority of Americans fail to plan for their final years of life. Ironically, this is the time when many people are confronted with their greatest challenges and most stressful experiences. This teleconference will cover why people need to plan, what they need to plan for and how to apply proven strategies for dealing with the final  more...

A Primer on International Estate Planning BenefitsIndividuals are increasingly 'international' today - especially wealthy ones. More and more clients work or study abroad, own property in more than one country, find their spouses abroad and qualify as citizens or residents of multiple nations. All of this can subject clients to the competing property, succession and tax laws of multiple jurisdictions. This teleconference will help you  more...

S Corporations: How to Avoid Common and Often Overlooked Pitfalls (Simple to Complex) BenefitsAs many practitioners will attest to, there are many pitfalls when S corporations are involved. This teleconference will identify the most common pitfalls, such as not properly maintaining earning accounts, ineligible shareholders, the one class of stock principle, invalid or missing S Corporation elections and built-in gain. You'll not only learn how to identify these pitfalls, but you'll  more...

Family Limited Partnerships in Estate Planning BenefitsMany estate planners who are asked about family limited partnerships or family limited liability companies do not understand the reasons for forming these entities in the planning process. They also are not clear on what is the current status of statutory and case law concerning the continued use of these entities. This teleconference will help you learn to identify when the use of this  more...

Utilizing Spendthrift Trusts in Estate Plans BenefitsA spendthrift trust is an invaluable tool in protecting assets for the beneficiary. This teleconference will introduce you to the use and purpose of spendthrift trusts. Additionally, this program will provide specific guidance of drafting an effective spendthrift trust and highlight drafting pitfalls. Attorneys, estate planners, accountants, presidents, vice presidents, CFOs, controllers,  more...

The Fundamentals of Estate Planning for Pets BenefitsPets are an important part of the lives of many individuals. People own pets for a variety of reasons - they love animals, they enjoy the companionship and they enjoy receiving unconditional love. On many occasions, pets have supplanted children in people's lives. Planning for these companions requires a comprehensive look at the various opportunities and techniques which are available to  more...

Matrimonial Considerations in Estate and Trust Planning BenefitsThis teleconference will review matrimonial implications to estate and trust planning. It will focus on the use of trusts and other estate planning techniques before marriage and during, after and before remarriage, to protect assets from matrimonial claims. Practical planning concepts; drafting considerations; income, gift and estate tax implications; and ancillary considerations will be  more...

Using Investment Policy Statements as an Investment Tool: It's an Art, Not a Science BenefitsThis teleconference will bring together a panel with differing perspectives on the use and creation of investment policy statements, including outside legal counsel to address perceived problems arising from nonconforming activities; inside legal counsel to discuss techniques for ensuring that the instrument clearly and fully reflects the investor's expectations and the firm's  more...

Preparing an Accurate Form 1041 BenefitsWith more individuals using trusts in estate planning, knowing how to prepare an accurate Form 1041 is becoming more important than ever. Properly computing taxable income and correctly allocating taxable income between the entity and its beneficiaries can avoid not only challenges by the IRS but also disgruntled beneficiaries. This teleconference will help you understand the main rules on  more...

Funding Trusts in Estate Planning BenefitsIt is all too common for clients who go through the time and expense of creating a revocable trust to not properly fund the trust. Failing to fund a revocable trust will often defeat the very purpose for creating such a trust, i.e., avoiding probate and the public disclosure of assets. This teleconference will provide an overview of the mechanics of contributing property to revocable  more...

Form 709: Gift Tax Fundamentals BenefitsTransfer taxes are imposed on the gratuitous transfer of property. When property is transferred during lifetime, a gift tax may be imposed. While the most ignored tax, failure to properly comply with the gift tax laws during life may cause estate tax problems at death. During this teleconference, you will learn when a gift tax return should be filed, what type of gifts need to be reported,  more...

Pitfalls of Participant Loans in Retirement Plans BenefitsParticipant loans in a qualified employee benefit plan are a common problem area due to their complex administration. Plan sponsors of qualified employee benefit plans need to be aware of many pitfalls to avoid tax consequences. Even worse than tax consequences is the possibility of the entire plan losing its preferred tax status. This teleconference will explain the regulations of  more...

Understanding Business Valuations From Purpose to Product BenefitsThe business valuation field is widely fragmented with a variety of specialized services, appraiser credentials, business valuation standards and business valuation deliverables. For this reason, the business valuation methods employed, products delivered and prices charged can vary widely depending on the purpose of the business valuation and the appraiser or firm engaged. Therefore, it  more...

When Worlds Collide - Bankruptcy and Probate BenefitsUntil the U. S. Supreme Court's 2006 decision in Marshall v. Marshall, 547 U.S. 293 (2006), there was a common belief among many bankruptcy and probate practitioners that the so-called probate exception to federal jurisdiction served to prevent bankruptcy courts from adjudicating any matters that were related, even only slightly, to a probate estate. In giving a very narrow interpretation  more...

Buying and Selling Partnerships, LLCs and Other Similar Entities BenefitsCorporations and alternative entities have distinctly different frameworks for defining the tax, economic and management rights and obligations of their equity owners. But oftentimes business people and their advisors structure and negotiate purchases and sales of equity interests in alternative entities using concepts from the corporate model. Failing to account for the differences  more...

Basics of Trust Administration nThis teleconference will provide an overview of basic principles of trust administration under U.S. law, including powers and duties of trustees; relations with beneficiaries; removal and replacement of trustees; the use of directed trustees, protectors and investment managers, etc., to "slice and dice" trustee powers; probate court involvement in trust administration; and concepts in fiduciary  more...

Developing an Effective Property Management Plan nThe world of real estate and finance has changed dramatically. Are you interested in making more money? Having more free time? Living life with less stress? If you are a professional HOA property or community manager, or if you are thinking of becoming a HOA property manager, you will want to know what's new in property management. Become acquainted with the newest technology and how you can  more...

Drafting Trusts in Estate Planning nEstate tax laws keep changing. Did you know that even though the estate tax exemption is predicted to stay at $3.5 million the lifetime gift tax exemption will stay at $1 million, leaving the door open to reduce the estate tax exemption back down to $1 million when Congress tries to balance the budget in a few years? In addition to estate taxes, clients' families need protection from probate, bad  more...

FIN 48 - Uncertainty in Income Taxes nIn an effort to curb the growing number of diverse accounting practices companies are using to analyze and report their tax positions, the Financial Accounting Standards Board recently enacted FASB Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes. It is effective for all U.S. GAAP financial reporting enterprises, including pass-through and not-for-profit entities, for tax years  more...

Tenancies in Common - Legal and Practical Issues nDuring the last five years, the tenant-in-common offering industry has grown to approximately $5 billion in annual equity raised. While specific data is hard to find, industry experts estimate that between $10 billion and $12 billion has been raised and spread across more than 2,000 offerings. In the last year, the number of materially under-performing TIC transactions has increased. As the  more...

Valuation for Gift and Estate Tax Purposes in a Troubled Economy nWhether we are in a recession or depression, the values of assets are not what they once were. If you are contemplating whether to consider gift and estate tax planning or executing a plan, what will the impact of this troubled economy be on your tax valuations? This teleconference provides up-to-date guidance on current market conditions, and evolving valuation industry practices and techniques  more...

Tax and Practical Aspects of Business Succession Planning nClosely held family businesses are often as important to the owners of that business as are their own children. With business failures increasing in today's economic environment, the importance of a well planned, dynamic and long-term succession plan is vital to the continuation of the family business as it is passes from generation to generation. Tax considerations are one part of that plan, but  more...

Convergence of Estate Planning, Trust Administration and Financial Advice nIn the current volatile and uncertain economic climate, estate planning advisors and their clients need to re-examine conventional estate planning wisdom, better understand how fiduciary performance will be tested and evaluated, and more carefully assess the perceived benefits and actual risks of a variety of investment types within planning structures.  more...

FASB Statement 157 - Fair Value Update on Corporate Asset Valuation nOver the past 12 months we've seen unprecedented turmoil in the financial services industry, capital markets and global economy. Perhaps an overused term, but "perfect storm" seems like an apt descriptor for the economic events of 2008. While implementing changes mandated by FASB 157 could be challenging for companies - and has been in some cases - the rule aims to make it easier to communicate  more...

Form 706: Estate Tax Return Fundamentals nAmericans have been able to accumulate wealth. It is estimated more than $10 trillion dollars in wealth will be transferred over the next 15 years. If a person has been fortunate to amass significant wealth, the government imposes a tax when the person transfers their wealth at death. In 2009, if a person's gross estate plus adjusted taxable gifts equals or exceeds $3.5 million in value, a Form  more...

Estate Planning Opportunities in an Uncertain Environment nMotivate the reluctant client; freeze the estate value to reduce the estate tax load. How many of us have clients waiting on the sidelines to decide what to do after experiencing 2008? The uncertain times and uncertain market have actually created the perfect time to use some of the advanced planning tools in the estate planner's arsenal. Depressed values for good assets open up the opportunity  more...

Updating and Maintaining Wills, Trusts and Estate Plans for the Evolving Client nThis teleconference has two primary focuses. The first part will highlight issues and opportunities for a drafting attorney to revisit and update an existing client's estate plan or prepare an update for a new client with existing documents. This part will focus on when and why clients need to review and revisit their estate plans and how to spot those issues for existing and potential clients.  more...

Managing Risk and Investments for Trustees and Other Fiduciaries nAlthough the investment decisions by fiduciaries supposedly are not to be judged with hindsight, and trustees are not deemed to be guarantors of the investment performance of trust assets under their management, as a practical matter, claims by beneficiaries for poor investment performance will only be raised when the trust has sustained losses. Further complicating the matter, such litigation  more...

Investing IRAs and Qualified Plan Rollovers in Real Estate, Franchises, Start-Ups and Other Private Investments - Techniques and nA growing number of IRA owners and recipients of qualified plan rollovers have sought to take control of their own investments by investing directly in real estate and small businesses that they may intend to manage or otherwise be personally involved in. This trend has accelerated in recent years as syndicators, entrepreneurs, private fund managers and franchisors have come to view IRAs and  more...

Reading Financial Statements: A Creditor's Perspective nThis teleconference will teach you how to read and understand financial statements, especially from a creditor's perspective. It is also for investors and business owners who not only desire to expand their business, but who want a better handle on what the number on their financial statements mean and how they can become useful tools. This teleconference will impart useful and practical ideas,  more...

Estate Planning for Vacation Homes nSummer and holiday gatherings at the family vacation home have become important traditions for many families. Providing a place where family members can relax, reconnect and escape the busy pace of life is increasingly significant to many families. Parents want to perpetuate these cherished memories and experiences throughout the generations. To do so requires careful, thoughtful planning by both  more...

Restructuring: Changing Your Choice of Business Entity nEach business goes through various stages of its life cycle as it grows. The plans of its owners change, and management succession and exit strategies become more immediate concerns. As a result, initial tax and state law decisions need to be revisited, and when warranted, consideration of changes to a company's tax and legal structure may be advisable or necessary. This teleconference will  more...

Mortgage Cocktail: Lessons From the Credit Crisis and What May Be Next nJoin us at this teleconference and you'll gain perspective on the massive forces moving within the credit markets - the genesis of their movements, their direction and their likely consequences. We'll spend some time describing less obvious contributors to the arc of the credit bubble. During the majority of the teleconference, you'll hear about fiscal and monetary solutions to the crisis and the  more...

IRA Rollovers and Transfers: Common Portability and Processing Concerns nThis teleconference is specially designed for those who advise their clients on IRAs. We'll focus on the options available both to IRA owners and their beneficiaries when it comes to transferring an IRA. You'll find out how an IRA owner can obtain relief for missing the 60-day rollover deadline and learn about the permissible ways a spouse and nonspouse beneficiary can set up an inherited  more...

A Tax Primer on Real Estate Investment Trusts nMore than $375 billion are invested in approximately 180 publicly traded real estate investment trusts (or REITs). In addition, billions more are invested in privately held REITs. This teleconference will provide an introductory summary of the tax requirements REITs face in their formation and ongoing operations. You will develop a basic understanding of REITs through this program. The  more...

Current Issues in Revocable Living Trusts Benefits Revocable living trusts are a foundation of many estate plans. The use of a revocable living trust generally provides for a confidential distribution of family wealth without required court interference and also allows for assets to avoid probate in most jurisdictions. Using a revocable living trust allows for planning in the event of incapacity without having to formally declare a  more...