The Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning in Orlando, Fla. is now a distant memory for many of us. But, if you missed the conference, you needn’t feel left out. A summary of the topics that were covered will be provided in “A View from the Audience,” by Kevin Matz, which will appear on our website early this month. Also, you can register for our “Highlights of Heckerling” webinar, presented by Martin M. Shenkman, at http://bit.ly/1BylgPr. Marty will review the key takeaways from the conference, including a discussion of income versus estate planning and portability versus credit shelter trusts. The webinar takes place on Feb. 4 at 2 pm and will be archived on our website, so you can view it at your leisure.
Networking and attending conferences play important roles in growing an estate-planning practice, but it’s also critical to keep up with the times and the ever-changing issues that affect your clients. Our Modern Practice Committee Report covers some of the changes in the needs of estate-planning clients and what planners can do to better meet those needs. For example, “Boomers and Beatles,” by Martin M. Shenkman, p. 29, discusses how to help the estimated 5 million baby boomers who are retiring every year. And, “Navigating the Discussion of Business Succession Planning,” p. 15, by Avi Z. Kestenbaum and Christine K. Knox, focuses on communicating with clients on sensitive issues, particularly those involving family business succession. “Creating a Family Legacy,” p. 20, by Marvin E. Blum and Anna K. Selby, looks at the estate planner’s role in helping clients identify what they would like to achieve and how to go about achieving it.
Finally, we’re happy to include Christopher P. Woehrle’s first philanthropy column, “Planning for Qualified and Nonqualified Charitable Lead Trusts,” p. 8. Christopher will be providing us with updates from the charitable giving world every other month.
