May 8, 2024

Don McCrea, PhD AND Russell Jackman, Esq
Succession Planning for professionals

Estate planning and other practice professionals have a moral and ethical responsibility to their clients to plan for an unexpected absence. This talk will give attendees the knowledge and tools to build a business succession plan.

This presentation will help attendees:

1. Understand what succession planning is and why it's critical.

2. Learn the steps you have to go through to develop your succession plan.

3. Understand the risks of not having a succession plan.

Many thanks to our March meeting sponsor, MCEPC member Jake Miller and Fairview Capital.

March 13, 2024

Justin miller, JD
Secrets of Successful Families: Creating a Lasting Legacy

How can you help families avoid the “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations” phenomenon? Not only is it important to prepare the money for the family, but it also is important to prepare the family for the money. This seminar will present the common characteristics of families who have successfully transferred their values—in addition to their wealth—to future generations and will provide examples of practical planning techniques that have helped such families build lasting legacies. This presentation will help attendees: 

1. Understand the challenges for families attempting to transfer wealth to future generations.

2. Identify opportunities to minimize the impact of federal and state income taxes on trusts and estates while preserving family harmony.

3. Determine ways to help clients align their tax planning strategies with their values to create a lasting legacy.

Many thanks to our May meeting sponsor, MCEPC member Bruce Raabe and Relevant Wealth.

January 10, 2024

JEANETTE BROOKS
The State of the Professional Fiduciary Industry 

This presentation will demystify fiduciaries, helping estate planning professionals understand how, when and why to work with a professional fiduciary. It will illuminate current trends with fiduciary practices, fee structures,  fiduciary offerings, and fiduciary succession. 

Attendees will leave with a better understanding of: 

1. pros and cons of a private fiduciary vs. a corporate trustee;

2. roles of a private fiduciary;

3. the process of working with a fiduciary.

About the presenter

Janette Brooks's corporate career as a CPA, CFO, and many other trusted positions, allowed her to serve as a trusted advisor with oversight and responsibility for significant wealth, confidential family matters and confidant for many individuals.

After working in the corporate sector for over 20 years with Affluent, Ultra High Net Worth and Family Office Clients, Janette found herself wanting to offer a greater level of personal attention and focus during wealth transition triggering events.

Many thanks to our January meeting sponsor, MCEPC member Nick Bucklin and Freestone Capital Management. 

November 8, 2023

Ruchika Mishra, Ph.D.
California's Updated Law Regarding Surrogate Decision Making

California law now allows providers and hospital designees to appoint a surrogate decision maker on behalf of a patient. This education session will review the updates to the law and discuss implications for practice.

This presentation will:

1. Help attendees gain understanding of amended CA Probate Code 4711.

2. Discuss the addition of CA Probate Code 4712.

3. Identify relevance of the updates to CA law for surrogate appointment in practice.

About the presenter

Dr. Mishra is the Program Director for Bioethics at Sutter Health. She has a PhD in Medical Ethics from the University of Leeds, UK and completed her Clinical Ethics Fellowship training at CPMC in San Francisco. She serves on the Board of Directors for the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities and has published widely and taught medical ethics to a variety of professionals.

Many thanks to our meeting sponsor, Emily Menjou and Exchange Bank Trust and Investment Management. 

September 13, 2023

Charles Shultz, LLM Taxation
Demystifying the Corporate Trust

This presentation will educate estate planners and financial advisors on the onboarding and administration processes of corporate trustees, and provide drafting suggestions for planners to aid in proper administration of trusts to ensure the ability to carry out the grantor’s intent. While the focus may be on corporate trustees, the lessons of this presentation can aide the individual trustee, as well.  

Attendees will leave with a better understanding of

• how trustees (in particular corporate trustees) evaluate new business,

• how corporate trustees administer trusts and

• how drafting can aid in administration of trusts and carrying out a settlors intent.

About the presenter

Charles Shultz is a graduate of Loyola Law School, Los Angeles (1993) and obtained LLM in Taxation from NYU in 1994. He practiced as an estate planning attorney and trust litigator for 22 years and was a mediator and Temporary Judge for the Los Angeles Superior Court. Mr. Shultz has been the Chief Fiduciary Officer for City National Bank Trust and Estate Services since 2017. 

May 10, 2023

Krystalynn Schlegel and Michael Schlegel
Life Insurance Today - Where have we been, Where are we now!

This session will provide an overview of the history of life insurance products and their evolvement. The presenters will discuss the advancement of underwriting solutions for new policies, cost of insurance changes, interest rates and available riders, and touch on some very basic applications of life insurance with some case studies.

Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the current life insurance environment and how to apply life insurance in planning conversations.

About the presenters

Mike Schlegel and Krystalynn Schlegel are a father-daughter duo helping clients understand risk products in today's environment. Mike has been in the life insurance industry for over 50 years and this will be Krystalynn’s twentieth year.

March 8, 2023

Justin miller, J.D.
Estate Planning Paralysis: Getting Your Clients to Act in 2023

When evaluating tax, estate, and philanthropic planning advice, many clients often find themselves paralyzed from taking any action. How do you determine the optimal solutions to address your clients’ needs, communicate sophisticated planning strategies in a manner that is easy to understand, and motivate a client to implement those strategies? This seminar provides concrete methods for you to help clients move beyond anxiety and confusion and take action—even in an environment of ongoing market volatility and economic uncertainty.

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

1. Help your clients recognize and articulate their own estate planning needs.

2. Better communicate the strategies and solutions you offer to your clients.

3. Motivate your clients to take action now and avoid the cost of procrastination.

About the presenter

Justin Miller, J.D., LL.M., TEP, AEP®, CFP® Justin Miller is a Partner and National Director of Wealth Planning at Evercore Wealth Management and a Managing Director at Evercore Trust Company, where he works collaboratively with accountants, attorneys, and other advisors to provide comprehensive wealth planning advice to clients. Justin also is an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University School of Law, a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. In addition, he is a frequent speaker at major conferences, has published numerous articles, and is regularly quoted as an industry expert in the media. Justin received a B.A., with honors, from the University of California, Berkeley, and a J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law.

Many thanks to our meeting sponsor, Homa Rassouli, Reverse Mortgage Specialist.

January 11, 2023

Alma Soongi Beck, Esq. and Jonathan Cordero, Ph.D
Land Back to Indigenous Communities: Essentials for Advisors on Indigeneity, Land Transfers, and Avoiding Settler (and Settlor) Pitfalls

Land Back is an Indigenous-led movement that involves knowing whose lands we are on, educating ourselves and others, and in the case of estate planners, financial advisors, and tax advisors, assisting our clients in taking action to return land in a way that strengthens Indigenous sovereignty and communities.[FN1] Land Back movements in North America have existed for generations, and in recent years, have gained wider public recognition across social movements and communities, including in climate justice and racial justice circles.[FN2] For professional advisors, the issue of Land Back is both simple and complex. While the mechanics of transferring property and assets during life and at death might seem simple, Land Back to Indigenous Communities needs to be done thoughtfully, in relationship with the Original Peoples of the lands being returned, and with an understanding of the impacts of the land return being contemplated. Come learn more and help us build the conversation in our professional advisor circles!

Participants will learn:

1. What is Land Back to Indigenous Communities?

2. Why is it important for estate planners, financial advisors, and other professional advisors to know about Land Back?

3. What obstacles do Indigenous communities face as recipients of Land Back?

4. What complexities can arise when transferring Land Back to Indigenous Communities?

5. What pitfalls should be avoided when counseling clients on Land Back to Indigenous Communities?

About the presenters:

Alma Soongi Beck, Esq. Trusts and Estates Attorney, Hopkins & Carley and Climate Justice Co-Chair, Climate Reality Project Bay Area Chapter

Jonathan Cordero, Ph.D (Ramaytush Ohlone/Chumash) Metush (Chair) of the Ramaytush Ohlone peoples Executive Director, Association of Ramaytush Ohlone Affiliated Scholar in the Indigenous Law Center at UC Hastings

FN1. LANDBACK - Building lasting Indigenous sovereignty. What Is Land Back? - David Suzuki Foundation Return Land / Land Return - The Sogorea Te Land Trust (sogoreate-landtrust.org) Northern California Esselen tribe regains ancestral land after 250 years | California | The Guardian FN2. Climate Justice Means Returning Land to Indigenous Peoples | Them In 'Required Reading,’ Indigenous Leaders Call for Landback Reforms and Climate Justice | Civil Eats Land Back: A Necessary Act of Reparations - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly

Many thanks to our meeting sponsor, Dan Fuhrman, CFP®, Private Wealth Management William Blair. Dan has been helping successful individuals and families organize and simplify their financial lives for over twenty years. His practice is focused on working with clients facing a liquidity event such as a job change, the sale of a business, retirement, an inheritance, or participation in their company’s IPO.

November 9, 2022

Dennis Jaffe, Ph.D.
Dealing with Overcoming Conflict and Differences in Family Businesses

Every family faces differences that, if not addressed, can turn into conflict. A family business and family wealth is especially difficult, because it combines two different social systems--a family based on love, care and obligation, and a business based on performance and accountability. This session will look at how families can actively face their differences and what an advisor can do to help them find paths forward.

Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to:

• bring a family together to resolve differences

• clearly define their purposes and goals

• discover fairness for all parties amid differences

September 14, 2022

Gigi Orta, JD
Know Your (Stock) Options: Understand Exec. Compensation & Estate Planning

In today's tech world, clients are now receiving various types of compensation, including ISOs, NQSOs, RSUs, PSUs, and RSAs. Join us for a comprehensive overview of the various types of executive compensation clients are receiving today, and the income tax and estate tax planning opportunities for each.

In this talk, we will cover the tax implications of exercising various types of stock options, understand the value of Qualified Small Business Stock, and learn valuable estate tax and income tax planning tips for clients who have these forms of compensation.

May 11, 2022

Lawrence Kotlikoff, PhD
An Economist's Secrets to Optimizing Social Security, Retirement, and Personal Financial Planning

For nearly four decades, Lawrence Kotlikoff, currently a Warren Professor of Economics at Boston University, has been one of America’s most renowned economists as well as a prolific author on all matters related to Social Security and personal finance. A truly original thinker, he will provide us with insights and analysis to help ensure that we make the most optimal decisions regarding Social Security benefits, retirement planning and tax planning.  

About the presenter:

Laurence Kotlikoff is the William Fairfield Warren Professor of Economics at Boston University, as well as the President of Economic Security Planning, Inc., a leading provider of software specializing in economics-based retirement and Social Security planning.  In 2014, The Economist named him one of the 25 most influential economists in the world.

Professor Kotlikoff received his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 1977, and has served as a Senior Economist with the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, and has also served as a consultant to the Federal Reserve, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. He has provided expert testimony on several dozen occasions to Congressional Committees, including the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Budget Committee, and the House Ways and Means Committee. 

A renowned personal finance expert, Professor Kotlikoff has authored or co-authored twenty books, hundreds of professional articles, and thousands of columns and articles covering personal finance, retirement planning, Social Security, climate policy, and tax reform for the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and dozens of other publications.  He co-authored “Get What’s Yours”, the best-selling book ever written about Social Security.  His most recent book “Money Magic – An Economist’s Secrets to More Money, Less Risk, and a Better Life”, challenges many commonly-held assumptions about financial and retirement planning.

March 9, 2022

Veronica K. Cerruti
Don't Get Caught in the Dog House - Estate Planning Considerations for Clients' Pets

This presentation will be a discussion of estate planning provisions that may be added to estate planning documents to provide for a client's animal companions after the client's death.

Attendees can expect to learn about:

• How pets were traditionally dealt with under estate planning law

• Current laws relating to the disposition of pets

• Pet trusts

About the presenter:
Veronica Cerruti is a trusts and estate planning administration attorney who’s a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP. She’s a Certified Legal Specialist in Trusts & Estate Planning, California State Bar. Her practice focuses on trust, estate and transfer tax planning, with an emphasis on family wealth transfers for large estates, business succession planning, sophisticated estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax savings techniques, and complex probate and trust administrations.

Her practice includes: preparation of wills, trusts and ancillary documents; business succession planning; generation-skipping and dynasty trust tax planning; asset protection planning; estate and trust administration; preparation and review of gift and estate tax returns; prenuptial and postnuptial agreements; irrevocable insurance trusts; court proceedings relating to the administration, modification or termination of irrevocable trusts; analysis of trust litigation issues; and trust accountings.

Veronica is a frequent speaker for educational programs on a variety of estate planning topics and techniques, including seminars for individuals who are interested in providing for their pets in the event of the individual’s incapacity or death. 

Jan. 12, 2022

panel discussion with Brian Ahlemeyer and Jennifer Chan
The Investment Landscape: recap of 2021 and guide to 2022

This panel will be moderated by financial planner and MCEPC board member Jake Miller of Fairview Capital.

Panelists Brian Ahlemeyer and Jennifer Chan will provide an overview of the investment landscape coming out of 2021. They will start by reviewing investment returns from the major assets classes and will shed light on forward looking return expectations given current risks. They will then touch on the most talked about topics in the personal investment universe (ESG investing, the search for yield, etc.) and what roles they play in client portfolios.

About the presenters:

Brian Ahlemeyer joined Fairview Capital in 2014 as a private client advisor. Prior to joining Fairview, Brian spent over ten years with Fidelity Investments after starting with Prudential Financial. Most recently he was a Vice President, Senior Account Executive in the Private Client Group. Brian received his undergraduate degree from Franklin & Marshall College.

Jennifer Chan spent her early career in public relations and communications in the entertainment and consumer goods industries. She was introduced to the wealth management industry as a communications consultant for Wells Fargo. Her experience crafting client-friendly wealth management messaging for the bank spurred a transition to finance in 2014, when she began as an investment professional. Her work with Wells Fargo included constructing and rebalancing portfolios for high-net-worth clients. Jennifer then joined Wetherby in 2016. Her commitment to her clients and her financial acumen quickly endeared her to clients and colleagues alike. She was promoted to Wealth Manager in 2020 and also co-leads Wetherby’s multigenerational financial education efforts. She works with clients to manage their investment portfolios and wealth planning needs, helping them have peace of mind in achieving their unique financial goals. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Communications, cum laude, from University of Southern California, an MBA from Yale School of Management and is a Chartered Financial Analyst® charterholder and a 21/64 Certified Advisor. She currently serves on the Advisory Committee for 21/64, a nonprofit providing multigenerational advising, facilitation and training for next generation engagement, especially within family philanthropy and other family enterprises.

Sept. 8, 2021

Gigi OrtA
Planning in an Uncertain Time: What Can You Do For Your Clients?

While we wait for final tax law changes to be implemented, practitioners can still help their clients minimize California income tax (individual and fiduciary) and achieve anonymity with real estate purchases. To that end, Gigi Orta, Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, will discuss Planning in an Uncertain Time: What Can You Do For Your Clients? A deep dive into California tax minimization and achieving anonymity in real estate purchases.

About the presenter:

Gigi Orta is Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank in San Francisco and Palo Alto. Former founding partner of Osterloh & Orta, LLP, a boutique estate planning firm in Oakland, California. Extensive knowledge of all aspects of estate planning, trust administration, and probate, including business succession planning, estate and gift tax, and wealth transfer.

Named as a Northern California estate planning "Super Lawyer" for nine consecutive years (2007-2016). Holds an L.L.M. in Taxation from Golden Gate University of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of San Francisco, and B.S. from Syracuse University.

Author, CEB California "Decedent's Estate Practice" and adjunct Professor of Law at John F. Kennedy University School of Law.

Specialties: Estate planning, trust administration and probate.

May 12, 2021

THOMAS J. PAULOSKI
Leaning into Social Distancing: A Perfect Storm for Wealth Transfer

Tom Pauloski, National Managing Director of Bernstein’s Wealth Strategies group, will lead a provocative discussion on planning issues and strategies in the current environment. Among the topics that Tom will address:

• How the Democrats‘ tax proposals may impact wealth transfer strategies

• Avoiding generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax on nonexempt trusts

• Using private placement life insurance (PPLI) to mitigate portfolio income tax

This will be an interactive conversation, followed by Q&A. 

About the presenter:

THOMAS J. PAULOSKI is National Managing Director for Wealth Planning and Analysis, the research division of Bernstein Private Wealth Management’s Private Client Group. He works with private clients and their advisors on wealth transfer strategies, focusing on tax-efficient wealth management and asset allocation decisions. Previously, Tom was a partner at the Chicago law firm of Winston & Strawn LLP, where he concentrated his practice in estate, tax, and business planning. Tom also has been a member of the Chicago law firm of Levin & Schreder, Ltd., a Vice President in the Private Client Group of Zurich Life in Long Grove, Illinois, and a partner at the Chicago law firm of Schiff Hardin & Waite.

Tom is a nationally known speaker on estate planning, tax, and insurance issues, and has written numerous articles and continuing legal education materials on estate planning topics. He serves on the faculty of the American Bankers Association National Trust and National Graduate Trust Schools, and has served on the adjunct faculty of the Cannon Financial Institute Schools. Tom has been an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and has taught estate planning classes at Northwestern University Law School. Tom also has served on the editorial board of Trusts & Estates magazine. He retired from the United States Naval Reserve in 2003, after 21 years of service.

Tom received his bachelor of science degree in environmental engineering from Northwestern University, and his juris doctor, magna cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Loyola Law Journal.

March 10, 2021

Susan R. Schoenfeld, JD, LL.M. (Taxation), CPA, MBA
Family Wealth — A Hard Look at the “Soft” Issues

A motivational discussion of the so-called “soft issues” of the High-Net-Worth community and the concerns that keep them up at night, for families of wealth and the professionals who serve them -- or want to! Perfect for:

 Families and Family Offices
 Wealth managers and advisors
 Insurance professionals
 Financial planners
 Estate planners
 Other Trusted Advisors

Attendees will learn how to guide clients on such issues as:

• How to raise children in an atmosphere of wealth to become productive members of society? How much to give your children, and when? The three keys to educating your children about wealth

• The Equal vs. Equitable Debate: Why Equal is not always Fair

• The Money Talk: It’s not always easy for parents to talk to their kids about money

• How to Discuss Prenuptial Agreements without causing World War III

• Defining Your Family’s Values, Culture and Legacy

• Developing a Satisfying Approach to Family Philanthropy

Read more on the topic from Susan Schoenfeld.

Susan R. Schoenfeld, JD, LL.M. (Taxation), CPA, MBA, is CEO and founder of Wealth Legacy Advisors LLC. She is an award-winning Thought Leader to families of wealth, and Public Speaker to the financial services industry who serve them -- or want to! -- on the human issues that keep families of wealth up at night: Legacy, Next Generation, Stewardship, Governance, Leadership Succession, and Philanthropy. Based in NYC, she is a “recovering” Attorney and CPA, and “one of the few women on the national speaking circuit who is guiding financial services firms and their clients to connect with the human side of the client relationship.” - Family Wealth Report Awards 2020. Susan’s passion is helping families (and their provider organizations) with the tools to take them to their full potential. For more, visit SusanSchoenfeld.com.

JANUARY 13, 2021

Michelle Lerman, Michele Hassid and Tim Galusha
A Panel Discussion on Prop 19 and Its Impact on Planning for Real Estate

Michelle Lerman, Michele Hassid and Tim Galusha will discuss Proposition 19 and its impact on planning for real estate. They will also discuss other related family succession techniques, including family partnerships, used to minimize property tax reassessments. Time allowing, we will go into other current developments.

NOVEMBER 11, 2020

RUCHIKA MISHRA, PHD AND ROBERT FULBRIGHT, JD, MA
IMPLEMENTING THE CALIFORNIA END OF LIFE OPTION ACT

In the fall of 2015, California became the fifth state in the nation to legalize physician aid-in-dying. The End of Life Option Act was signed into law with high approval ratings among Californians and an expectation of access to this new form of care. However, the law remains controversial among health care providers. This ambivalence, combined with unanswered questions in the law and pre-existing barriers to quality end of life care, have created challenges to implementation for providers and access for patients.

In this presentation, the speakers will provide an overview of the law, describe implementation challenges and ethical issues faced by healthcare providers and institutions.

This presentation will:

• Define a "qualified patient" for purposes of the End of Life Option Act

• Describe the opt out provisions for individual and institutional healthcare providers under the Act

• Help attendees gain a better understanding of both practical and ethical issues that have arisen in implementation of the Act

Dr. Ruchika Mishra is the Bioethics Program Director for Sutter Health Bay Area. She has a PhD in Philosophy, specializing in Medical Ethics, from the University of Leeds, England. She completed her Bioethics Fellowship at CPMC, San Francisco.

Mr. Robert Fulbright is a Bioethicist for Sutter Health Bay Area. He has a J.D. from the University of Kansas and a Master's degree in Biomedical and Health Care Ethics from the University of Leeds. He completed his Clinical Ethics Fellowship at CPMC, San Francisco.

Many thanks to our November meeting sponsor, Homa Rassouli, reverse mortgage specialist.

SEptember 9, 2020

Mike Zaidlin

The Secure Act: Impacts and Strategies

The SECURE Act, passed into law at the end of 2019, will have a major impact on tax, retirement, and estate planning, particularly in light of the loss of the lifetime “stretch” for most beneficiaries of retirement accounts. As a result, tax, financial, and estate planning professionals with an integrated understanding of the SECURE Act will be of even greater value to their clients, in addition to gaining knowledge that will be useful in their own personal planning.

This presentation will survey the new rules under the SECURE Act, then explore how those new rules impact both the retirement account owner as well as beneficiaries of those accounts, and explore the various strategies that both parties can take to mitigate those impacts, including matching of assets and beneficiaries from a marginal tax brackets standpoint, use of Roth conversions, Qualified Charitable Contributions, Charitable Remainder Trusts, and life insurance by the account owner, as well as review tax-minimizing withdrawal strategies by beneficiaries.

This presentation will also cover the SECURE Act rules which impact 529 college savings plans, employer retirement plans and the Kiddie Tax, and will also review how retirement accounts are affected by the recently passed CARES Act.

Attendees will leave with a better understanding of:

• Rule changes under the SECURE Act, including elimination of the age limit for retirement plan contributions, new starting age for required minimum distributions by the account owner, loss of the lifetime stretch for most beneficiaries, and rule changes to 529 plans, employer retirement plans, and the Kidde tax.

• Eligible and Non-Eligible Designated Beneficiaries under the SECURE Act.

• Strategies available to the retirement account owner as well as beneficiaries to mitigate the loss of the lifetime stretch for non-eligible designated beneficiaries.

• Whether the surviving spouse should still be the “default” retirement account beneficiary.

• Roth conversion planning, Charitable Remainder Trusts, Conduit and Accumulation Trusts, and life insurance in light of the SECURE Act.

• “Applicable Multiple Beneficiary Trusts” for disabled and chronically ill beneficiaries.​

• How the CARES Act affects retirement accounts in 2020.

Mike Zaidlin, J.D., is the founder of Madrone Investment Advisory, LLC, a San Rafael-based Registered Investment Advisor and financial planning firm which currently manages $105M in assets for families and individuals. He is a graduate of the U.S.F. School of Law and practiced estate planning law prior to forming Madrone in 2009.

Many thanks to our September meeting sponsor, Relevant Wealth.

SEptember 11, 2019

jacob stein, esq.
asset protection in high stakes cases

From the underlying substantive law to practical aspects of making your client judgment-proof (i.e., what works and what does not), this program will provide an overview on protecting your clients’ assets from plaintiffs and creditors.

We will focus on the strategies and solutions used to protect common assets such as houses, bank and brokerage accounts, businesses, professional practices and retirement plans. The instructor will share real-life stories and anecdotes and will present a very practical approach to protecting assets.

Jacob Stein, Esq. is the managing partner of Aliant, LLP. He is a private wealth attorney and one of the country’s best-known asset protection lawyers. Over the past 20 years Jacob has completed over 3,000 asset protection transactions and is the author of numerous articles and several books. Jacob is also a frequent speaker, teaching over 50 legal seminars and webinars a year.

Many thanks to our September wine sponsor, Mary Jo Lafaye of Retirement Funding Solutions / a Mutual of Omaha Bank Company.

November 13, 2019

Steve Devereaux, Cynthia Bonavia & Brad Rogerson
Opportunity Zone Qualifications and Benefits: A Panel Discussion

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 established a program designed to stimulate business growth in economically downtrodden areas known as Opportunity Zones. By appropriately investing in a Qualified Opportunity Zone investment vehicle, a taxpayer may be able to defer taxation on current year capital gains and receive future tax benefits if required investment periods are met.

The panel will be walking through the qualifications and complexities regarding Qualified Opportunity Zone investments and the related tax impacts both currently and for years to come.

Learn more about our presenters, Steve Devereaux, Senior Manager at Devereaux, Kuhner &Co. LLP; Cynthia Bonavia, partner at Devereaux, Kuhner &Co. LLP; and Brad Rogerson, partner at Hanson Bridgett.

Many thanks to our November wine sponsor, Adam Holtzman and Ghirardo CPA.

january 8, 2020

March 11, 2020

Robert E. Burton, LLB, CLU, ChFC, AEP
What Every Estate Planner Should Know About Modern Life Insurance Policies and Their Myriad Uses

This presentation will be a comprehensive review of life insurance policies available in today's marketplace, including the myriad uses of these policies for personal, estate planning, and business purposes. Some tax traps to avoid with today's life insurance policies will also be covered as will some important design issues and the need for periodic reviews to assure that performance is living up to expectations.

Attendees will come away with a better understanding of:

• Available policies and which policies to use in different situations

• The need to measure policy performance periodically and what to look for

• Some tax aspects and design considerations

Robert E. Burton LLB CLU ChFC AEP, a graduate of Yale University and Columbia Law School, has had a long and distinguished career in the life insurance industry. For 20 plus years, he was New York Life’s West Coast Senior Advanced Planning Consultant and then spent four years as VP of Management Compensation Group-SF, specializing in non-qualified benefit plans for large corporations. He then became a NYL agent and later affiliated with The Silver Group, which joined Provada Insurance Services in 2006 where he was Director of Advanced Planning until 2012, when Provada was taken over by another firm that changed the direction of its operations. He is now an independent agent under the name, Burton Insurance Services. Read more. 

Many thanks to our January wine sponsor, Brigit Kavanagh of Kavanagh Rhomberg LLP.

RUCHIKA MISHRA, PHD AND ROBERT FULBRIGHT, JD, MA
IMPLEMENTING THE CALIFORNIA END OF LIFE OPTION ACT

Rescheduled for November 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

In the fall of 2015, California became the fifth state in the nation to legalize physician aid-in-dying. The End of Life Option Act was signed into law with high approval ratings among Californians and an expectation of access to this new form of care. However, the law remains controversial among health care providers. This ambivalence, combined with unanswered questions in the law and pre-existing barriers to quality end of life care, have created challenges to implementation for providers and access for patients.

In this presentation, the speakers will provide an overview of the law, describe implementation challenges and ethical issues faced by healthcare providers and institutions.

This presentation will:

• Define a "qualified patient" for purposes of the End of Life Option Act

• Describe the opt out provisions for individual and institutional healthcare providers under the Act

• Help attendees gain a better understanding of both practical and ethical issues that have arisen in implementation of the Act

Dr. Ruchika Mishra is the Bioethics Program Director for Sutter Health Bay Area. She has a PhD in Philosophy, specializing in Medical Ethics, from the University of Leeds, England. She completed her Bioethics Fellowship at CPMC, San Francisco.

Mr. Robert Fulbright is a Bioethicist for Sutter Health Bay Area. He has a J.D. from the University of Kansas and a Master's degree in Biomedical and Health Care Ethics from the University of Leeds. He completed his Clinical Ethics Fellowship at CPMC, San Francisco.

Many thanks to our January wine sponsor, Marin Community Foundation.

may 13, 2020

Keith Schiller
Avoiding Estate Tax Reporting Traps and Using Estate Tax Returns to Save Income Taxes

This meeting will be held virtually.

This presentation will highlight the use of estate tax returns for the purpose of saving income taxes and helpful practices to avoid some of the common mistakes that create practitioner liability in connection with the preparation of the federal estate tax return.

Among the significant topics will be return filing requirements; top audit liability issues; identifying estate tax returns with “free” (no added cost) portability elections; use of QTIP elections to secure basis adjustment when the surviving spouse dies and valuation discounts on the death of the deceased spouse.

The presentation will also cover portability elections of the decease spousal exclusion amount, basis consistency rules and valuation discounts on the death of the first spouse, and reporting expenses of administration.

Attendees can expect to leave with a better understanding of:

1. New IRS guidance on estate, gift and GST filing and related issues as a result of COVID- 19.

2. How to use the federal estate tax return to save income taxes.

3. How to best explain the benefits and relative costs of filing estate tax returns with portability elections to save income tax on the death of the first spouse.

4. Identify key risk and liability traps for practitioners with federal estate tax returns.

Keith Schiller, Esq., of the Schiller Law Group, a PLC, of Alamo, California, has greater than 45 years of experience with taxation, tax compliance, and estate and business succession planning. Keith works with clients, judges and tax practitioners throughout California, consulting on estate planning: trust administration; estate tax, gift tax, GST tax compliance (review of returns, audits, appeals and Tax Court), and applications for private letter ruling requests with a variety of estate, GST, gift and income tax issues or secure additional time to file supplemental returns as a result of missed elections in the filing of tax returns. Learn more about Keith Schiller.

September 12, 2018

Impact Investing: A panel discussion

Marin County Estate Planning Council is pleased to welcome Jennifer Acker Ayer, Will Jacobsen, Evan Mizrachy, CFA, CAIA, and Julia W. Sze, CFA, to our September meeting to present a panel discussion on Impact Investing. 

Impact Investing is heading toward the mainstream, and more major investment managers are flocking to impact investments. The panel will discuss the full range of approaches within the spectrum, from socially responsible investing to direct private equity and debt investments. The focus will be on how financial advisors can support their clients in designing, developing and implementing impact investing strategies in their portfolios.

Read professional bios of our esteemed presenters here.

Would you like to attend? Email the MCEPC admin.

Many thanks to our September sponsors, MCEPC At Large members: 

Mary Alice Cardenas (Reverse Mortgage Funding, LLC), Tom Fernwood (Kidder Matthews), Suzanne Karch (My Estate Services), and Al Statz (Exit Strategies).

November 14, 2018

Rich Benson
Property Taxes, Taxes & Taxes: When Will It End?

The presentation will include:

• Popular Property Tax Provisions about estate planning

• Proposition 13 – Aging Analysis, Changes since 1978, Direction of Change, Loopholes, Rabbit-holes, and Traps

• Outlook – Legislation and Ballot Items

Rich Benson is the Marin County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk. Graduating from UC Davis in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, Rich began work for outdoor equipment manufacturer “The North Face.” Combining private sector business experience with academic population statistics, a real estate license and some construction experience, he started a professional career with the County of Marin in 1985 as an entry level appraiser. Rich rose through appraiser positions, Chief of Standards and Assistant Assessor, and was elected Assessor in 2010. As a leader and speaker he has originated and authored numerous regulatory and administrative changes, co-taught the first ethics workshop for the California Assessors’ Association, and in 2017 was President of the California Assessors’ Association.

Many thanks to our November wine sponsor, Marin Community Foundation.

January 9, 2019

TERry FRANKLIN
THE 1846 LAST WILL OF JOHN SUTTON — WHAT’S NOT SO NEW IN WILL DRAFTING AND CONTESTS

Terry Franklin went looking for evidence that would answer the question whether there was love in the relationship between his fourth great-grandfather, John, a white slaveholder in the Antebellum South, and his fourth great-grandmother, Lucy, who was described in John’s 1846 will as his ‘mulatto slave’. The will emancipated Lucy and the eight children and six grandchildren that John and Lucy shared. Terry’s search for answers also revealed a fascinating discovery, perfect for a trust and estates litigator. In this multi-media presentation, Terry retraces the path to his discovery of the will, and the unexpected will contest that threatened to keep his family enslaved. During the presentation, Terry also discusses issues of drafting to anticipate potential problems, the estate planner as witness, and how the facts of an estate planning meeting can play out at trial.

Participants will consider creative approaches for estate planners' efforts who anticipate litigation; participants will consider how facts become testimony in litigated estate proceedings; participants will learn how will contest pleadings in the past compare with current pleadings, and consider the role of the estate planner as witness

Read more about Mr. Franklin’s fascinating discoveries in Harvard Law Today.

Terrence M. Franklin is a seasoned attorney with nearly a quarter century of experience handling trust and estates and probate litigation, disputes and appeals. Mr. Franklin is a graduate of Harvard Law School and obtained his Bachelors of Science from Northwestern University. Prior to Sacks Glazier Franklin & Lodise, he practiced with the Los Angeles office of Morrison & Foerster and as a partner at Ross, Sacks & Glazier, LLP. Read Mr. Franklin’s full bio.

Many thanks to our January wine sponsor, Homa Rassouli, reverse mortgage specialist.

March 13, 2019

Alex rayter
Cyber Guardians - Keeping each other and our clients safe!

As legal, financial and fiduciary professionals our number one commitment is "do no harm". How do we stay true to that adage in a cyber dangerous world? How do we not only 'do no harm', but eliminate risk and add value? Let's survey the cyber landscape together and agree on some best practices that we will takeaway and commit to in our personal and professional lives.

Attendees will leave the presentation with a better understanding of common terminology and concepts, a basic ability to understand and assess cyber risk, and a set of proven best practices to minimize the risk and impact of a cyber incident

Alex Rayter is the principal of a Managed IT and Cyber Security Services Consulting firm serving both commercial and not-for-profit entities spanning and the SMB and middle market. His interest in cyber security is both professional and personal. Alex has done presentations and continuing education training on the topic at various industry affinity groups (middle market, manufacturing, M&A) and the CalCPA annual conference. He runs a group called RISC for Regulatory, Information Security and Compliance Professionals. His company Phoenix 2.0 partners with CPA firms to help them in the IT and Cyber Risk portion of their audits.
Many thanks to our March wine sponsor, Relevant Wealth.

may 8, 2019

ALma beck
Estate Planning for Same-Sex and Unmarried Couples

Since federal recognition of marriage for California same-sex couples in 2013 under United States v. Windsor and for all U.S. same-sex couples under Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, some practitioners have prematurely concluded that planning for same-sex couples is now "the same" as planning for opposite-sex married couples.  While that may be true in some cases, planning for same-sex couples can still vastly differ in important ways.  This program will focus on those differences and nuances, and highlight some of the issues for practitioners to keep aware of when working not only with same-sex couples, but also with opposite-sex unmarried couples.

Alma Soongi Beck is a partner in the Trusts and Estates Group at Lakin Spears LLP and is certified by the State Board of Legal Specialization as a specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law. Read her full professional bio here.

Many thanks to our September wine sponsor, Mary Alice Cardenas of Reverse Mortgage Funding.