Understanding the Issues of Transferring a Business to Charity
Thomas J. Ray, Jr., Esq.
For our clients owning closely held business interests, business succession planning is a critical component of the planning effort. As advisors, we need to be at least generally aware of the various “tools” that are available to help our clients reach their planning objectives. This general understanding “opens the door” to client centered collaborations with other advisors who are able to design and implement the desired planning structures.

This critical presentation will explore the options available when the client’s goal is to pass a family business to charity, either because of the (perceived or real) lack of family members or key employees able to sustain the business, or because of the client’s overriding philanthropic intent. Learn from the advisor who wrote the book (Charitable Gift Planning: A Practical Guide for the Estate Planner) as to the pros and cons of charitable options for business owners.

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The Tiered Systematic Approach for Implementing Estate Planning Services for Physicians and Dentists
Jeffrey Matsen, Esq.
WealthCounsel and Advisors Forum member Jeff Matsen will follow up on a previous physician planning teleconference with a presentation of how to address the Physician’s estate and asset protection planning needs. Jeff has devised a seven-level tiered approach that covers all of the basic and fundamental needs of physicians, dentists and other professionals in setting up and protecting their practice, their investments, and their personal assets. The presentation will finish with case studies that will highlight the planning and strategy techniques involved.

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Understanding (and Explaining) Interest-Rate-Sensitive Strategies
Matt Brown, Esq.
This timely webinar examines the unique planning opportunities created by our current historically low interest rates. Join Matt Brown as he explains, in a client friendly way, how various strategies are impacted by interest rates and other factors and why now is an ideal time to enter into certain strategies – even with estate tax repeal (at least temporarily).
You will learn:

• How to generate business by providing significant value to clients through implementation of income and estate-tax-saving strategies including: Intra-Family Loans, Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts, Sales to Grantor Trusts
• Why and how clients can get more “bang for their buck” by using these and other strategies dependent on current interest rates
• How to explain these strategies to clients so that they will move forward

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Ongoing Significance of Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation
Michael Stolbach, JD, MBA
This Interdisciplinary Series webinar will explore the continuing significance and popularity of Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC), including the types of NQDC plans, advantages and disadvantages, and the taxation of these plans. NQDC plans under the new law 409A are a flexible tool to assist in the recruiting, retaining, rewarding and (now) retiring of key executives. This call will describe the fundamental provisions of the most popular plan design and tell why the best approach follows the “keep it simple” rule. Additionally it will review the alternatives of plan financing, which is the how and why assets are commonly set aside to support plan liabilities. Finally, it will describe:

• The best practices of administrative services; and
• The future of NQ plans – the importance of “doing it right” and what is on the horizon.

This teleconference is relevant to all wealth planning professionals, including financial advisors, CPAs and attorneys, as this is an area where the planning team must work together to implement the plan. Learn how you can use NQDC plans as a way to position the planning team with business owners and key employees.

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Special Needs Planning for More Affluent Families
Stephen Dale, Esq.
Providing for a loved one with a disability can be a complex process that requires life-long attention. Government-sponsored programs that traditionally provided services have either been eliminated because of budget cuts or provide services that are less than adequate, causing families to seek solutions beyond government programs.
Presented by nationally known special needs planning expert Stephen Dale, this critical webinar will address how to provide life-long advocacy and case management to ensure that families with special needs will receive the best treatment possible. Learn how to best utilize a team approach in addressing these motivated clients’ finances and long-term stability as they relate to the treatment and care of family members with developmental, psychiatric or physical challenges.

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Top Ten Ways to Avoid Trust & Estate Litigation, or Getting that 3AM Call
Anthony Diaz, Esq., CPA
This webinar will discuss potential problem areas of estate, trust and probate administration that could lead to a dispute or litigation involving your clients. All wealth planning professionals, including financial advisors, CPAs and attorneys, need to be aware of these potential pitfalls when advising clients and/or drafting documents to avoid that “3 AM call”. Many of these types of professionals are not experienced in litigation and need to hire an attorney who is. Or you could be called as a witness, which would necessitate another attorney handling the dispute. Attend this webinar to help learn how to avoid a dispute or litigation that could potentially expose you as a lawsuit defendant.

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Understanding Business Transfer Motives
Sam Torolopoulos, CPA
Business succession planning is often difficult for business owners – and for their advisors – because the particular owner may have multiple and sometimes competing transfer motives. However, the owner may not fully understand these various motives, or what is truly driving the transfer of the business. Doing so, however, has a profound impact on business owners’ willingness to move forward with any proposed succession plan.

Join us for this critical yet foundational business succession webinar where we will address:

• The importance of determining, early on in the planning process, the business owner’s motives
• Matching the business owner’s motives with possible transfer channels
• How those transfer channels influence the ultimate transfer method or methods chosen
• How the business transfer methods selected impact the value of the company
• The importance of discussing all of the above with the business owner so as to enhance the business owner’s efficacy of the planning process, both business and personal

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Current Tax Planning to Avoid the Future Health Care 3.8% “Surtax”
Robert S. Keebler, CPA, MST, DAEP
As most people know, Congress passed a historic healthcare bill which will affect virtually every American. What most people don’t know, though, is that within this voluminous new law is a special provision adding a “surtax” to high-income taxpayers. In a nutshell, starting in 2013 people who make over $200,000 ($250,000 if married filing jointly) will be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on the lesser of: (1) “net investment income” (e.g., interest, dividends, capital gains, royalties, passive income, etc.) or (2) the excess of “modified adjusted gross income” (“MAGI”) over $200,000 ($250,000 if married filing jointly).

Notwithstanding the above, it is important to point out that neither traditional IRA (or other qualified retirement plan) distributions nor Roth IRA distributions are considered “net investment income” for purposes of the 3.8% Medicare tax. However, traditional IRA distributions do count towards the MAGI threshold calculation, but Roth IRA distributions do not count. Accordingly, there is a window of opportunity for high-income taxpayers to convert to a Roth IRA so as to avoid application of the 3.8% Medicare “surtax”.

Learn About:

• The new 3.8% surtax
• What items of income count towards surtax
• Examples of application of surtax
• Planning around the surtax

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Understanding the Issues of Transferring a Business to Family Members
Bruce Abernethy
For our clients owning closely held business interests, business succession planning is a critical component of the planning effort. As advisors, we must be at least generally aware of the various “tools” that are available to help our clients reach their planning objectives. This general understanding opens the door to client centered collaborations with advisors who are able to design and implement the desired planning structures.

This presentation will illustrate the application of one particular planning tool that is often useful in situations where a client’s goal is to pass a family business interest “down stream” – i.e., to one or more younger generation family member(s). The transaction is generally referred to as a “sale to a grantor trust” transaction. The program will not only focus on some of the technical aspects of the techniques, but will also demonstrate an effective way to explain and present the technique to clients and their advisors in a way that they will better understand.

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Using Safe Withdrawal Rates to Discuss the Bear Market’s Impact: Can Your Clients Still Afford to Retire?
Michael E. Kitces, MSFS, MTAX, CFP®, CLU, ChFC, RHU, REBC, CASL
In this timely and practical session, nationally known financial planner Michael Kitces will address:

• What are “safe” retirement withdrawal rates;
• Why are they superior to relying solely on traditional retirement projections;
• How can you apply them with your clients and in your practice;
• How you can use them to help evaluate retirement savings goals;
• How to discuss these issues in a way clients and prospects can understand – and in a way that will separate you from other advisors; and
• The challenges to be aware of when applying safe withdrawal rates with clients.

This session is absolutely critical if you work with, or want to work with, clients who are retired or approaching retirement. Learn how to generate business by distinguishing yourself with superior knowledge about how to evaluate retirement income needs and sustainability during our current market volatility and economic uncertainty.

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Solidifying the Investment Advisor Relationship through Creative Trust Planning
Matt McClintock, Esq.
In this practical session, Matthew McClintock will address how creative trust planning can help your team of advisors work together to ethically yet effectively manage the client’s assets as the client desires, even after death and possibly for multiple generations. You will learn:
· When to bifurcate trustee responsibilities to include an investment trustee
· When and how a trustee should delegate investment responsibilities
· How trusts permit the investment advisor to retain assets for multiple generations

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Planning Opportunities Under the Economic Stimulus Package
Mark T. Bakko, CPA, MBT
This timely teleconference will cover the various planning opportunities for you to explore with your clients that will result from the $787 billion Economic Stimulus package that was signed into law on February 17, 2009.

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Education Funding Alternatives
Carl Waldman, Esq. and Rich Linsday, CLU, ChFC, AEP
According to The College Board, the average annual cost of attending an in-state four-year public college in 2008-2009 is more than $14,000 per year; and more than $34,000 per year for a four-year private college. With costs increasing at 2 to 3 times the rate of inflation, it should come as no surprise that saving for college is the most significant savings goal of many adults facing future college costs for their children.
Join us for this critical teleconference to learn how advisors can work together to assist clients with the various education savings tools available, which can bring significant value to the planning team-client relationship.

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Implementing Non-Qualified Plans for Key Employees and Employers
Michael J. Kiley, MSFS, CLU

The May 2009 Interdisciplinary Teleconference will discuss a topic that generates consistent business, even in those areas hard-hit by the economy: Non-Qualified Plans. Looking at Non-Qualified Plans from both the employer and employee perspectives, national expert Michael J. Kiley, MSFS, CLU, of Chamberlain Financial & Insurance Services, LLC will explain the characteristics and legal issues surrounding these types of plans and, significantly, the steps to implementation. Non-Qualified Plans are an excellent vehicle for your business clients to provide measured and controlled incentives to their key employees, and the conditions for fulfillment can be tailored specifically to the employee and/or management team. Join us for this practical teleconference to learn more and begin generating consistent new business with Non-Qualified Plans.

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Paying for Large Insurance Premiums
Daniel Capobianco, J.D. and Ron Ware, J.D.
Life insurance is often a critical component in wealth transfer planning for high net worth individuals. High net worth planning invariably involves generation-skipping transfer tax issues and potential estate taxes. Large insurance death benefits means very large insurance premiums that will often exceed the insured’s $1,000,000 lifetime gift exclusion. Traditional Crummey trusts are not practical to absorb such large gifts.

In this June 17 teleconference, Dan Capobianco will explain how to effectively fund large life insurance premiums, as well as leverage GST exemptions through the integration of multiple tax and estate planning strategies. By attending this teleconference you will learn:

• Several strategy combinations that pay for large insurance premiums;
• Ideas the planning team can implement together; and
• How to discuss these strategies with your clients in a way that encourages them to move forward.

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Life Insurance Trusts – Continuing Relevance for You & Your Clients
Bill Conway, Esq. and Warren Negri

• Interested in automatically becoming the ‘most valued advisor’ for the next generation of the families of your most valued clients?
• Interested in increasing your assets under management?
• Interested in increasing the value of your practice at retirement or sale?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, attend this fundamental yet critical teleconference on July 15, 2009 when attorney William Conway and financial advisor Warren Negri will teach you one of the easiest and best ways to increase the value of your business while providing even greater value to your clients. You’ll learn why the reasons for having a Life Insurance Trust own life insurance are more pronounced now than ever, including:

• for flexibility during the client’s lifetime;
• for asset protection for beneficiaries; and
• to continue the client’s asset management style potentially for generations

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The Continuing Usefulness of GRATs
Frank Rainaldi, CLU, ChFC, DAEP
This presentation on GRATs will be based on a series of mini-case problems that are taken from his Kugler Estate Planning Technique book (9th edition). The cases are designed to show the practical use of different types of GRATS to satisfy different objectives.
The material will cover such items as:

• Why a pass-through tax entity that generates sufficient income to satisfy the annuity payout is ideal
• How additional leverage can be provided via minority and lack of marketability discounts
• How to structure a long-term GRAT to maximize benefits to the remainder beneficiary
• Why an increasing annuity payout will produce a greater remainder value than a level annuity payout

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Just What the Doctor Ordered: Introduction to Planning for – and Marketing to – Physicians
Jeff Matsen, Esq. and Dr. Mark Monasky, Esq.
The presentation will focus on Mark’s unique understanding (as a practicing wealth planning attorney and neurosurgeon) of physicians and how the advisor team needs to market and relate to them. The presentation will also include a brief step by step approach by Jeff and Mark with respect to planning and designing the proper estate and asset protection plan for the physician. Mark will help you understand how physicians think and how best to secure physician clients. Jeff will emphasize the multi-level approach that the advisor team needs to use with respect to setting up the proper practice, estate and asset protection planning structures for the physician.

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Estate Tax, Income Tax, and Life Insurance Planning with Charitable Lead Trusts
Matthew Brown, Esq.
Charitable lead trusts are often touted as an ideal tool for eliminating estate taxes or for generating income tax deductions. In some contexts, they are underutilized. In other contexts, they are over promoted as a panacea.
In this practical presentation, attendees will learn how to determine appropriate lead trust prospects, the basic lead trust structures available and when to use which, and a detailed discussion of lead trust mathematics. We will address business succession planning with lead trusts (e.g., the “Frozen CLAT”). And we will address recent developments with lead trusts, including the ability to backload payments (the so-called “Sharkfin CLAT”) and the use of life insurance with an inter vivos grantor lead trust to increase the value of the income tax deduction (often called the “Super-CLAT” and more recently branded the “ECLAT” or “Enhanced CLAT”).
In addition we will discuss:

• Advantages of a CLAT over a CLUT
• When to use a CLAT versus a CLUT
• Backloading CLATs
• Frozen CLAT
• Using CLATs to transfer the family business
• Life Insurance and CLATs
• Grantor CLAT with Life Insurance (the so-called ECLAT)

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Asset Protecting IRAs – Including Inherited IRAs – with Retirement Trusts
Jonathan A. Mintz, J.D.
Free for WAI and full Advisors Forum members!

Even after the recent economic downturn, clients hold nearly $15 Trillion in IRAs and qualified plans, and much of this will be transferred to beneficiaries in the coming years. Since IRAs are protected to at least some extent under state law, most clients and their advisors believe that these assets are similarly protected from the creditors of the beneficiary.

To the contrary, there is a little-known yet alarming trend of courts finding no asset protection for inherited IRAs. Significantly, every court that has considered this issue, including courts in the two most debtor friendly states (Florida and Texas), have ruled that IRA beneficiaries have no asset protection for IRAs. And it is reasonable to assume that other jurisdictions will follow suit.

This important teleconference will teach you how to provide asset protection for IRA beneficiaries using trusts designed specifically for this purpose – and to ensure that the beneficiary achieves maximum tax deferral if that is the client’s objective. This structure provides significant advantages to clients and beneficiaries – and can generate significant revenue to the planning teams who recommend it.

We encourage you to ask attendees to think about clients with significant IRAs and qualified plans and bring these case studies with them so that you can discuss these after the teleconference.

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Planning Opportunities Created by Roth IRA Conversions
Robert S. Keebler, CPA, MST, DAEP
Once a client has decided it is desirable to convert to a Roth IRA, there are a number of other issues that must be reviewed. In particular, a Roth IRA conversion raises income tax issues, asset protection issues, beneficiary designation issues, estate tax apportionment issues, and in some instances may require drafting of trusts (when appropriate) to take advantage of certain income tax/asset protection attributes. These issues are discussed:

• Recharacterizations
• Charitable Lead Trusts & Charitable Remainder Trusts
• Beneficiary Designations
• “Bypass Trust” Funding
• Estate Tax Apportionment
• Bankruptcy/Creditor Protection Issues
• IRA Trusts

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Exciting New Opportunities in Business Succession Planning
Presented by James Flick, J.D., CLU, ChFC, CPA and Timothy L. Messett, CLU

Most business owners like the benefits of cross-purchase buy-sell agreements but do not like the number of insurance policies required, particularly as the number of owners increases. This teleconference will explore a strategy recently blessed by the IRS that has the advantages of a cross-purchase agreement without the need for multiple policies on each owner. Learn how this powerful strategy will encourage your business owner clients to move forward with their critical succession planning – helping you add to your bottom line.

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Planning for Special Needs Beneficiaries
Presented by Diedre Wachbrit and Jeff Sorensen

This practical teleconference will examine the unique planning requirements of families with loved ones who have special needs. Special needs planning is an area where clients are highly motivated to ensure the safety and security of their loved one, but many misconceptions result in catastrophic results. Learn how the planning team can work together to meet the goals of these families while ensuring lifelong care and sufficient funding for special needs beneficiaries.

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Opportunities in Planning for Unmarried Couples
Presented by Jerry Simon Chasen and Tanya Pages, CLU, ChFC, CFP

This teleconference will review the particular challenges and opportunities in working with clients who are non-married but living together as family. We will address necessary modifications to basic estate plans, and examine advanced planning opportunities (including old fashioned GRITs). We will also touch upon the possible implications of the new “civil union” and “domestic partnership” statutes. Since the absence of the marital deduction means taxation concerns when the first of a couple passes, and these concerns can be tempered by planning with insurance, we will look at how insurance can be an integral part of the plan.

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Understanding the Opportunities in Planning for the Elderly
Presented by Louis Pierro, Esq., and Philip Gallant, CLTC

The demographics are obvious, but many wealth planning professionals don’t understand the interdisciplinary opportunities that exist in planning for the elderly. This practical teleconference will provide an overview of these opportunities and explore concrete ways that members of the wealth planning team can work together to provide significant value in this growing area. Learn how you can not only serve this market but also generate significant additional revenue for you and your professional colleagues.

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Income Tax Rules Every Wealth Planner Should Know
Presented by Matt Brown, Esq. and Geoff Seaman, MBA, JD

Not every wealth planner can be expert in the intricacy of income tax planning, but an understanding of certain income tax provisions is critical given their overlap into aspects of wealth planning. In this practical teleconference, we will outline those “must know” income tax rules and explain how your understanding of these rules can help you to provide better client services, work better with clients’ other advisors, and make more money.

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Practical Applications of Deferred Compensation
Presented by Blaine Laverick, CEBS, CRPS, CLU, ChFC, CMS

This teleconference will explore the basics of Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC), including the types of NQDC plans, advantages and disadvantages, and the taxation of these plans. This teleconference is relevant to CPAs, attorneys, financial advisors and other members of the wealth planning team as this is an area where the planning team must work together to implement the plan.

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Everyday Applications for Section 1035 Transfers
Presented by Frank L. Rainaldi CLU, ChFC, DAEP and William A. Conway J.D.

In this “can’t miss” teleconference, nationally known experts Frank Rainaldi, CLU, ChFC, DAEP and William A. Conway, JD will provide an in-depth analysis of everyday real-life situations for IRC Section 1035 transfers of life insurance policies, with a special emphasis on solutions where the policy loan exceeds the cost basis (IRC Section 72 vs. Section 1031). After covering the tax aspects of Section 1035 transfers, the presenters will examine several cases involving real life situations that illustrate the viability of converting existing life insurance policies to recently developed policies designed specifically for estate and business planning purposes. The materials will include several case examples from the Kugler Life Insurance Product Technique Book, well-known for structuring very complex subjects in a format that can be easily followed and understood by advisors and their clients.

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The Use of Captive Insurance in Estate and Business Planning
Presented by Matt Brown, Esq. and R. Wesley Sierk, III, ACI, ARM, CLU, ChFC

In this must-attend teleconference you will learn what you need to know about captive insurance companies including the background of captives, why they work in general, and why they have increased in popularity in recent years. You will also learn the risk management, income tax, estate planning, and life insurance applications (and potential abuses) of captive insurance companies. Finally, this teleconference will teach you both the best and worst practices within the captive industry, with a special emphasis on how you can identify potential captive candidates.

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Final Expense Trusts – What are they and why should you care?
Presented by Matt Zagula and Rick Law

More than 90% of Americans believe that pre-funding their funeral is a good idea, yet only 12% of those surveyed have pre-planned in this area. Learn why elder law and estate planning clients would prefer that this discussion take place in the context of their other planning, and how the attorney and financial advisor can work together to fill this unique planning need. Final expense planning is an untapped market that creates a significant marketing and revenue-generating opportunity for those professionals who understand it.

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Real Estate Integrated Financial Solutions - How to provide and enhance lifestyle, giving and estate planning opportunities for Mom & Pop to the Mega-Wealthy
Presented by Randall Luebke, RMA, RFC

Perhaps more than any other asset class, real estate can provide your clients with tax advantages, leveraging opportunities, an inflation hedge, asset protection and wealth creation opportunities. In this teleconference you will learn several practical strategies, including reverse mortgages, forward mortgage hybrids, and strategies using real estate options. From the single family residence to the vacation home (401kabin) and income property, this teleconference will present a variety of ways you can optimize your client's real estate holdings, protecting their equity from loss, increasing their safety and liquidity, and reducing the taxes they pay.

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Planning for Farmers
Presented by Scott P. Miller, Esq.

What is Farm Succession/Transition Planning? What are the working parts to a successful Farm Succession/Transition Plan? What skills, background or training should you have to implement a successful plan? Where are the clients and who are the referral sources that these clients would come from? What type of marketing works to attract farming clients? This teleconference will answer all of these questions and provide you with the tools and planning techniques that may be used in developing your client’s farm succession/transition plan.

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Lies and Life Insurance Illustrations!
Presented by John D. Bledsoe CFP, CLU, ChFC, MSFS, AEP

This practical teleconference will teach you how to help your clients best manage their existing life insurance…as well as proposed new insurance. You will learn:
-The three factors that influence life insurance and the impact of these factors.
-What is guaranteed, what is not and what to expect.
-When to skip, lower or raise the premium on existing policies.
-The common problems with all life insurance illustrations and how to overcome them.

Nationally known expert John Bledsoe will help you and your wealth planning colleagues understand the complex and often misleading but important part of most clients' estate plan. You will learn how to cut through the volumes of complex numbers quickly to understand what is important to know to best advise your client. John promises to make this mundane topic fun - or at least less painful - with his unique style and experience.

2008 Monthly Series Teleconferences - All calls are 1:00-2:00 p.m. Eastern

• January 23, 2008: Business Succession Planning
• February 13, 2008: Planning for Special Needs Beneficiaries
• March 12, 2008: Opportunities in Planning for Unmarried Couples
• April 16, 2008: Understanding the Opportunities in Planning for the Elderly
• May 14, 2008: Income Tax Rules Every Wealth Planner Should Know
• June 18, 2008: Practical Applications of Deferred Compensation
• July 16, 2008: Everyday Applications for Section 1035 Transfers
• August 13, 2008: The Use of Captive Insurance in Estate and Business Planning
• September 17, 2008: TBA
• October 22, 2008: TBA
• November 12, 2008: TBA
• December 10, 2008: TBA

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Stretch IRAs: Keeping RMDs to a Minimum
Do your clients like the idea of stretching their IRA and delaying income tax for as long as possible? Do you like the opportunity of managing those IRA assets for many years to come? But have you ever experienced an IRA account being cashed after a parent’s death despite her wishes, or seen the value of a sizable IRA account totally decimated because of the combination of estate and other death taxes? If not, the answer could be changed to, not yet. Much has been written about the IRA stretch-out, but nobody has developed a way to actually ensure it will actually happen—until now. This teleconference will reveal a simple yet fail-safe process to ensure that the client’s stretch-out goals are achieved, plus a methodology for the financial advisor to retain the assets under management over the beneficiary’s lifetime.

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A Practical Guide to Asset Protecting IRAs and Qualified Plans
Many clients live in states that do not fully asset protect IRAs, and even clients in those states that do risk moving to a state that does not provide and IRA with complete protection from creditors. With more and more wealth placed in IRAs and qualified plans, many clients are concerned about protecting this significant asset. With proper planning, you can asset protect IRAs and qualified plans and in this teleconference, we will teach you the steps you can take to asset protect these valuable assets.

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Charitable Planning with IRAs and Qualified Plans
Most professionals understand the benefits of naming a charity as the beneficiary of an IRA or qualified plan. What if the client has a large IRA but not enough assets to satisfy the exemption equivalent amount (i.e., unified credit) at his or her death? In this instance, the IRA may also be the ideal asset to satisfy the clients charitable intent, but only if used in combination with charitable planning vehicles. In this teleconference we will teach you several charitable planning strategies for clients with significant IRAs and qualified plans.

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Planning for Seniors with Existing Life Insurance in a World of Uncertain Exemptions
It is standard practice for advisors to help their clients place life insurance in an irrevocable trust. This strategy has many planning benefits, but TOLI policies are often improperly managed, thus bringing significant risk to this asset. Increase your Senior Client Practice by incorporating a “TOLI review” as a standard procedure to save your client money, identify potential problems, minimize your fiduciary risk and increase your referrals. Most Seniors have some existing life insurance, and with increasing exemption limits they don’t know what to do. Ask the questions other attorneys aren’t asking: Have you had an audit of your insurance? Do you still need the insurance you already have? If not, have you considered a Life Settlement? Clients generally trust attorneys more than an insurance agent and will appreciate your insights.

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Practical Applications for Charitable Lead Trusts
Testamentary Charitable Lead Annuity Trusts are sometimes used by wealth clients (e.g., Jackie Kennedy Onassis) to reduce or eliminate estate taxes. However, this planning vehicle is not just for the super wealthy. In this teleconference we will explain the Charitable Lead Trust technique and teach you to (1) identify clients suitable for charitable lead trusts and (2) explain and illustrate the charitable lead trust technique in a manner that encourages clients to go forward with this planning.

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Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)—An Overlooked Planning Opportunity
If you advise business owner clients or wish to enter this marketplace, this is one session you will not want to miss. ESOPs are a highly under-utilized planning tool that, while complex, offer tremendous benefits for owners of closely held businesses. Unfortunately, perhaps because of their complexity, many advisors overlook ESOPs when working with closely held business owners. This teleconference will introduce you to ESOPs, including their advantages and disadvantages; explain when and how an ESOP may be a viable option for a closely held business owner looking to pass ownership of the business while increasing liquidity; and help you identify potential ESOP candidates.

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Combining FLPs with GRATs, Defective Trusts, IRAs and Life Insurance
Particularly for high net worth clients, the proverbial “rubber hits the road” with the integration of various planning strategies, not the implementation of strategies in isolation. Unfortunately, many clients have plans with strategies implemented in isolation. In this teleconference we will explore some strategy combinations that will significantly increase the overall effectiveness of the individual planning strategies, including how to explain strategy combinations in a manner that encourages clients to move forward.

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Fixing Common Problems with Life Insurance & Life Insurance Trusts
Presented by Scott Gunderson & James Hodge
In this teleconference you will learn:
-How to fix common life insurance ownership issues.
-Strategies for transferring life insurance and trust-owned life insurance without incurring gift or estate tax, including a strategy recently blessed by the IRS.
-What to do when no Crummey letters have been sent or when the maker of the life insurance trust pays the premiums directly to the insurance company.
-How to discuss these planning opportunities with clients in a manner that encourages them to go forward.

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1031 vs. Charitable Remainder Trust: Which is Preferable for Deferring Gain on Real Property?
Presented by Martin Gates and Peter Myers
In this teleconference you will learn:
-The facts to look for when comparing a 1031 exchange to a Charitable Remainder Trust.
-How to explain these strategies in a manner that encourages clients to move forward.
-How to profitably incorporate a comparison of 1031 exchanges and Charitable Remainder Trusts into your practice.

Trusts, Your Powerful Tool for Client Satisfaction and Retention
Presented by Bill Conway
In this teleconference you will learn:
-How assets can be left in trust but be controlled (or not) by the beneficiaries.
-The practical realities of how to plan for and effectively eliminate additional trust taxation.
-How to triple protect trust assets – from divorce, lawsuits and taxes.
-Why trusts will enable financial advisors to manage assets for multiple generations and to obtain more clients.

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Making Medicaid Planning a Profitable Part of Your Practice
Presented by Valerie Peterson and Matt Zagula
This teleconference will demonstrate how Medicaid planning truly requires a team effort on the part of the client's attorney, financial advisor and CPA. You will learn strategies to protect assets for both single persons and married couples using trusts, annuities, long-term care insurance and life insurance, all while minimizing gift and income tax consequences. Don't miss out on the numerous opportunities in this area to provide tremendous value to your clients while strengthening your relationships with referral sources by demonstrating a "win" for everyone involved.

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A Business Owner's Exit Strategy - Using Bank-Funded Life Insurance for Retirement
Presented by Coby Sonenshine, CFA and Paul Robb, CLU, ChFC, CFP

In this teleconference, you will learn about the nationally known Professionals' Retirement Strategy, a strategy that monetizes the dormant value of a business to create more wealth and provide more potentially creditor-protected tax-free retirement income than they would have had otherwise. By implementing the plan, the company becomes better positioned for transition to the next generation and/or 3rd party sale. For those of you in the professional market space, the plan is also endorsed by the California Medical Association. This teleconference will walk through the Plan’s fundamentals, outline the parameters under which the Plan is ideally situated to work, and summarize the benefits by use of a case study.

Purchase recordings of the 2007 Monthly Teleconferences

• January 17, 2007: Stretch IRAs: Keeping RMDs to a Minimum
• February 14, 2007: A Practical Guide to Asset Protecting IRAs and Qualified Plans
• March 14, 2007: Charitable Planning with IRAs and Qualified Plans
• April 11, 2007: Planning for Seniors with Existing Life Insurance in a World of Uncertain Exemptions
• May 16, 2007: Practical Applications for Charitable Lead Trusts
• June 13, 2007: Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
• July 18, 2007: Combining FLPs with GRATs, Defective Trusts, IRA, Life Insurance and More
• August 15, 2007: Fixing Common Problems with Life Insurance & Life Insurance Trusts
• September 12, 2007: 1031 vs. Charitable Remainder Trust: Which is Preferable for Deferring Gain on Real Property?
• October 24, 2007: Trusts, Your Powerful Tool for Client Satisfaction and Retention
• November 14, 2007: Making Medicaid Planning a Profitable Part of Your Practice
• December 12, 2007: A Business Owner’s Exit Strategy - Using Bank-Funded Life Insurance for Retirement

Purchase the recording of this inaugural teleconference
Reframing Your Practice: The Thriving Model™
“Seek first to understand.” Have you ever felt at odds with your client’s lawyer, CPA or other financial advisors? Often this is because the advisors have not developed a productive communication model. The failure of advisors to understand one another and communicate effectively leads to client unease and indecision. The client relationship suffers on all fronts.

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Combining Trusts and 529 Plans to Fund Higher Education
529 plans are an excellent, tax-advantage college-savings tool owned by many clients. However, as clients place more and more funds into 529 plans, questions begin to arise, such as “What will happen to the 529 plan upon the owner’s death?” and, “How can the owner ensure that distributions are made the way she wants them to be made?”

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Using Family Limited Partnerships and LLCs as a Financial Tool
If established and administered properly, Family Limited Partnerships (FLPs) and Family Limited Liability Companies (FLLCs) are excellent tools to centralize ownership of family assets and, through limitations on the interests of partners/members, reduce estate taxes. This teleconference will address how FLPs are also excellent financial tools for those advisors who understand them. Learn how to use FLPs and FLLCs as part of the client’s overall wealth plan.

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An Inheritor’s Trust: Creating Asset Protection for Future Inheritances
Most wealth planners overlook planning for an inheritance, particularly if the inheritance will not be received for many years. Instead, planners often focus on planning with existing wealth, thereby missing numerous planning opportunities for their clients - and themselves. This teleconference will address the advice we should give, and what steps our clients can take, in anticipation of an inheritance.

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Innovative Income Tax Planning Using Estate Planning Concepts
Income tax planning has taken on increased significance in wealth planning, and advisors who can assist clients in reducing or deferring income tax offer a notable advantage over their competitors. In this teleconference we will discuss the income tax planning opportunities of using estate planning concepts such as Private Annuities, SCINs, Installment Sales and Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts.

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The WealthCounsel Advisors Forum Study Group Model™
Why is it that building a relationship with other wealth planning professionals is often more difficult than it should be? Even when we recognize the value of strong professional relationships, can we devote the time necessary to create and maintain them? Do we have a proven model to work from? In this session, we will share a model used to both establish and maintain quality professional relationships, while creating an avenue for referrals from these professionals. This model also creates a forum for a sharing of ideas and strategies, while also keeping all parties current on the latest planning techniques.

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Creating a Family Legacy with Life Insurance
Many clients have sufficient assets and income to make annual gifts to children and grandchildren. They often refrain from making such gifts, however, because of concern that the gifts will be wasted on their donees’ lifestyles, subject to claims creditors or divided during divorce. In this teleconference you will learn how to structure lifetime gifts so that they are used for the client’s intended purpose; how to structure lifetime gifts so that they will not be subject to the claims of creditors or former spouses upon divorce; how to create a guaranteed legacy for future generations; and why it may be possible to provide one of the spouses with access to cash value during his or her lifetime.

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IRA Annuitization: Creating a Guaranteed Income Stream for Retirement and a Tax-Free Asset for Beneficiaries
Large IRAs are both a blessing and a curse: They provide a steady income stream in retirement, but their distributions are subject to ordinary income tax. Plus, as income in respect of a decedent (IRD), IRAs do not step-up at the participant’s death – whatever’s left at death will potentially be subject to estate tax and possibly generation-skipping transfer tax. All in all, upwards of 80% of an IRA can be lost to taxes. Given this significant taxation, many clients are looking for planning strategies that will minimize the taxation of their IRAs. In this teleconference we will provide such a strategy.

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Congress Giveth and Congress Taketh Away
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (the “PPA”) enacted by Congress and signed into law by the President on August 17, 2006, contains numerous provisions affecting charities and donors. In this presentation, we focus on three of the provisions estate planners may find the most important for their clients.

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Capital Gains Avoidance with Alaska Community Property Trusts
Under the Internal Revenue Code, married couples who live in Community Property states receive a full “step up” in basis to the fair market value of their property upon the death of the first spouse to die. In separate property states, only the property owned by the decedent receives a step up in basis. Thus, residents of community property states receive a significant capital gains tax benefit by holding appreciated property as community property. This teleconference will discuss an under-utilized strategy that permits residents of separate property states to “borrow” the Alaska Community Property law and avoid capital gains on their highly appreciated property upon the death of the first spouse.

• March 15, 2006: Reframing Your Practice: The Thriving Model™
• April 19, 2006: Combining Trusts and 529 Plans to Fund Higher Education
• May 17, 2006: Using Family Limited Partnerships and LLCs as a Financial Tool
• June 14, 2006: An Inheriter’s Trust—Creating Asset Protection for Future Inheritances
• July 12, 2006: Income Tax Planning with Private Annuities, SCINs, and Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts
• August 16, 2006: The WealthCounsel Advisors Forum Study Group Model™
• September 13, 2006: Creating a Family Legacy with Life Insurance
• October 18, 2006: IRA Annuitization—Creating a Guaranteed Income Stream for Retirement and a Tax Free Asset for Beneficiaries
• November 15, 2006: Congress Giveth and Congress Taketh Away: Three Major Changes Through the Pension Protection Act of 2006 That Affect Charitable Estate Planning
• December 13, 2006: Capital Gains Avoidance with Alaska Community Property Trusts