Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog

Skills Training for Estate Planners CLE Program

The ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law is sponsoring the Skills Training for Estate Planners CLE Program July 21-25, 2008 at the New York Law School.

Here is description of the program:

For over ten years, this skills training has been the ideal CLE program for lawyers with less than five years of estate planning practice, and for lawyers who are interested in changing their careers.

This intensive five day program will provide expert instruction on:

• Basic Fundamentals
• Substantive Skills Development
• Technical Skills Development
• Ethical Considerations

Trusts CLE -- Domestic and International

On May 22-23, 2008, Financial Events International is sponsoring a seminar entitled Advanced Planning: Domestic and International Trusts in New York.

Here is a description of the program:

Our conference will deal with trusts and estate planning for both U.S. clients with foreign connections and foreign clients with U.S. connections and discuss thoroughly Tax and reporting rules relating to foreign trusts, their regulation and their implementing. This event will also facilitate networking among international and U.S. delegates

This is an ideal event for lawyers, private bankers, wealth managers and trust company representatives from across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean and other international jurisdictions worldwide.

Speakers and presenters will include a broad mix of international experts that will guide you through the key legal, regulatory and taxation issues of getting up and managing domestic and international trusts.

Specific topics for this discussion include:

• Cross Border Estate Planning (with a sample case)
• Asset Protection
• Trust Administration- Jurisdiction Comparisons
• Trust Protector Issues: The Use of Trust Protectors in International and U.S. Trusts
• Private Trust Companies- Their Proliferation and Uses
• 2005 Bankruptcy Code Analysis- Impact on U.S. Assets and U.S. Trusts
• Integration of Trusts and Family Offices
• Life Insurance, Including Domestic and International PPVUL, An Increasingly common Trust Asset
• Foreign and Domestic Foundations- Uses, Integration, Application
• Case Study: Family Office Caliber Planning for Multi-National Families
  Dealing with Institutional Trustees
• OECD/FATF Updates and Impact on Trust Planning
• Swiss Trusts- Taxation
• Delaware Trusts – the latest
• Outsourcing Your Private Trust Companies- A New Kind of Trustee

The Special Needs of Women in the Estate Planning Context

The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education are sponsoring a teleconference and live audio webcast on May 6, 2008 entitled Working with Women Clients in Estate Planning:The Difference is More Than Just Changing Pronouns.

Here is a description of this program:

Women today control more than 50% of the total personal wealth in the United States and the percentage is expected to rise in the coming decade. However, many American women have not done estate planning to protect their assets, their families, and themselves. Since most women will survive their husbands, the need for estate planning continues and often becomes more important for widows.

Working with women clients requires a different approach than working with men, and estate attorneys need to understand the nuances of designing client services for this growing market.

Attend this program to:

• Learn about the communication styles of women
• Find out how women make decisions
• Become aware of women's expectations
• Learn how to engage women in the planning process

Estate Planning and Probate CLE

The State Bar of Texas is sponsoring the following seminars for the 32nd Annual Estate Planning and Probate Course:

• Live Presentation in Dallas, Texas on June 11-13
• Video Replay in San Antonio, Texas on August 6-8
• Video Replay in Houston, Texas on September 17-19

Course highlights include:

• Expert Panels Discuss Public Benefits and Finance Issues
• Seven Strategies to Stay at Home Longer
• Attorney Ad Litem Certification
• Examining the Medical Expert Witness in a Guardianship Case
• ABA Enhancing Capacity Guidelines

Come a day early to attend the Nuts and Bolts of Estate Planning and Probate.

This course is specifically designed for new attorneys and attorneys new to the practice. Topics include the client interview and engagement, estate planning process, probate process, and guardianships.

Ethical Issues in Trusts and Estates CLE

The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, Section of Family Law, Young Lawyers Division and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education are sponsoring a teleconference and live audio webcast on April 16, 2008 entitled Ethical Issues in Trusts and Estates - Part Eight of the Essential Issues in Trust and Estate Law Teleconference Series.

Here is a description of this program:

The Essential Issues in Trust and Estate Law Series provides attorneys with the opportunity to learn more about the key basics of trust and estate law. Whether you are a new attorney wanting to know more about trust and estate law, or a seasoned attorney looking for a refresher, this series has the information you need. Click here for more information on the series and series registration options.

The representation of individual clients can always present a variety of ethical issues. The difficulties are often more complex in the trusts and estates field where the concepts of fiduciaries and beneficiaries are introduced. This teleconference and live audio webcast will review a variety of ethical rules that govern the representation of clients from both the attorney and the firm perspective. The faculty will note where there are additional complications created in a trusts and estates relationship and attempt to provide some suggestions and guidance on how an attorney can proceed in an ethical manner in addressing these issues.

Offshore Trusts CLE

The National Constitution Center is sponsoring a live audio conference on April 22, 2008 entitled Offshore Trusts: Tax Essentials for International Estate Planning.

Here is a summary of the program:

Increased interest in foreign trusts has dramatically risen over the past few years. Applying the proper tax and transparency requirements is vital in structuring international estate planning. What are the current international and domestic estate planning essentials that you need to be aware of? Join us for this 60-minute audio program where you will discover:

• Tax Disclosure and Transparency: What You Need to Know Now
• Strategies to Secure Foreign vs. U.S. Assets of International Trusts
• Residency Rules & Expatriation: How Will this Affect Your Client?
• Foreign Grantor Trusts: Taxable & Nontaxable Assets

ERISA Basics CLE

ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits and the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel are sponsoring a conference on June 4-6, 2008, in Chicago, Illinois entitled ERISA Basics.

Here is how past participants have described this program:

“The format of overview and breakout sessions made virtually every minute of the conference useful and informative.  I was also impressed with not only the high legal caliber of the presenters but also their skill in presenting and teaching the material.”***

“The program catered to all levels of experience—from first year attorneys to those who have practiced for 10 years.  The program can either provide a new benefits attorney with the basic building blocks of benefits law, as it did me, or expand an experienced attorney’s knowledge of the basics.”

The Morning After: Avoiding Tax Surprises in Trust and Estate Litigation CLE

The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education are sponsoring a teleconference and live audio webcast on April 1, 2008 entitled The Morning After: Avoiding Tax Surprises in Trust and Estate Litigation.

Here is a description of this program:

How you frame your pleadings or draft your settlement agreement may have unintended tax consequences. Without knowing the tax consequences of litigation for beneficiaries, fiduciaries, and the IRS, you don’t know how much your client actually won or lost. The time to learn the tax rules is now, not in the midst of an all-night mediation. In this program, the speakers will highlight the essential income and transfer tax rules you must know and illustrate those rules with a case study.

Participants in this program will learn about:

• Taxation of will contest settlements and other payments from estates
• Income tax basis of property received in settlements
• Taxation of sales of expected inheritances or remainder interests in trusts
• Requirements for a settlement payment to qualify for the marital and charitable deductions
• The effect of proposed regulations under Section 2053 regarding deductible claims for estate tax purposes
• GST tax considerations regarding qualified severances and modifications of grandfathered trusts

The Christiansen Case and the Use of Formula Clauses CLE

The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education are sponsoring a teleconference and live audio webcast on March 26, 2008 entitled The Christiansen Case and the Use of Formula Clauses.

Here is a description of this program:

Defined value clauses and formula clauses have long been used in estate planning. The IRS has often challenged them when they result in shifting assets or value in a way that minimizes or eliminates federal transfer taxes. In Christiansen v. Commissioner, the Tax Court approved a formula disclaimer based on reasoning applicable to defined value clauses more generally. Attend this teleconference and live audio webcast to learn:

• How defined value clauses and formula clauses work and the differences between different types of clauses
• How the IRS and the courts have viewed these clauses in the past
• What the Christiansen decision may mean for defined value and formula clauses
• Alternative methods of reducing valuation risk, including the use of consideration definition clauses
• How to effectively use these clauses in your client’s planning

Working Through the Knight (Opinion) CLE

The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, Section of Taxation, and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education are sponsoring a teleconference and live audio webcast on March 20, 2008 entitled Working Through the Knight (Opinion): The Supreme Court Applies the "2% Floor" to Trustees.

Here is a description of this program:

The Supreme Court has resolved 17 years of litigation by holding that investment advisory fees of a state or trust are generally subject to the "2% floor" of IRC section 67, unless the trustee can show that an individual owner of property would not commonly incur that cost. This is an issue of keen and widespread interest to fiduciaries and tax return preparers.

This presentation will focus on:

• What the Supreme Court's ruling covers
• What room there still might be for full deduction of fiduciary expenses
• What fiduciaries should do in preparing 2007 tax returns
• What fiduciaries should consider in preparing for the future
• What to make of the vexing issue of "unbundling" unitary fiduciary fees
• What effect proposed regulations, Notice 2008-32, and soon-to-be-issued final regulations will have
• How to meet the burden of proof on what an individual owner would “commonly” do with the same property

Annual Course on Estate Planning MCLE

The Center for American and International Law in Plano, Texas is sponsoring a three day program entitled Annual Course on Estate Planning on April 30 – May 2, 2008.

Here is a description of the program:

The Center for American and International Law offers this intensive three-day course for the probate and estate planning practitioner on legal and practical problems encountered in planning estates, drafting wills and trusts, and administering estate in both community property and common-law states, including a consideration of relevant income, estate, and gift tax principles.

Understanding Retirement Assets CLE

The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, Young Lawyers Division and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education are sponsoring a teleconference and live audio webcast on March 19, 2008 entitled Understanding Retirement Assets.

Here is a description of this program:

The Essential Issues in Trust and Estate Law Series provides attorneys with the opportunity to learn more about the key basics of trust and estate law. Whether you are a new attorney wanting to know more about trust and estate law, or a seasoned attorney looking for a refresher, this series has the information you need. Click here for more information on the series and series registration options.

The program will:

• Provide a basic overview of IRAs, including the minimum distribution rules
• Review basic planning concepts with IRAs such as appropriate beneficiaries and naming a trust as a beneficiary
• Discuss the Pension Protection Act in connection with IRAs

The Supreme Court's LaRue Decision CLE

ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits and the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel are sponsoring a teleconference and live audio webcast on April 8, 2008 entitled The Supreme Court's LaRue Decision: What's the Next Generation of 401(k) Litigation?

Here is a description of this program:

The Supreme Court’s decision in LaRue v. DeWolff, Boberg & Associates, Inc. makes it clear that a single participant can bring a fiduciary breach claim on behalf of a defined contribution plan, even if the losses relate only to that participant’s account. However, with two concurring opinions, the LaRue decision leaves many unanswered questions. Our panel of experienced ERISA litigators will discuss how the LaRue decision is likely to impact future 401(k) plan litigation.

Topics will include:

•  Do participants have to exhaust administrative remedies?
•  What are the implications of LaRue for other types of plans?
•  Are fiduciary claims in defined contribution plans really benefit claims?
•  What types of claims and equitable remedies will be available under Section 502 (a)(3)?
•  What actions should 401(k) plans take to lessen the possibility of lawsuits?
•  Will this case impact issues surrounding auto-enrollment and investment advice?
•  Can former participants bring suit if they’ve gotten a distribution?
•  Who's liable if the participant's investment instructions aren't followed?

Trusts as Retirement Plan Beneficiaries CLE

The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education are sponsoring ateleconference and live audio webcast on February 20, 2008 entitled Avoiding Retirement Plan Disasters: Trusts as Beneficiaries and Creditor Protection for IRAs.

Here is a description of this program:

Retirement plans can be a large part of a client’s estate. Proper planning is essential for clients and their beneficiaries to achieve the maximum use of these assets.

This presentation will focus on:

• Why use a trust as beneficiary?
• How inherited IRAs may be exposed to creditors
• What kinds of trusts qualify for maximum stretch of required minimum distributions
• Why a QTIP trust may become an IRA disaster!
• How the beneficiary designation form must be properly integrated with the trust
• What must be done after death to properly administer or fix the trust

Domestic and International Trusts Conference in New York

On May 22 and 23, 2008, Financial Events International is sponsoring a conference entitled Advanced Planning : Domestic and International Trusts in New York, New York.
 
Here is an excerpt from the description of the program:

U.S. Trusts practices continue to experience widespread and highly significant change on a near daily basis. Now U.S. based legislation means an ongoing battle for those in the industry to provide the best possible service to clients, whilst ensuring they stay on the right side of regulation. On top of this, different initiatives from multilateral organizations mean all in the region are affected by developments, and all must strive to stay ahead, offering the best legal and product advice in what is currently an extremely competitive sector.***

Our conference will deal with trusts and estate planning for both U.S. clients with foreign connections and foreign clients with U.S. connections and discuss thoroughly Tax and reporting rules relating to foreign trusts, their regulation and their implementing. This event will also facilitate networking among international and U.S. delegates.***

Conference on Trusts Taxation in Switzerland

On February 26, 2008, Financial Events International is sponsoring a conference entitled Trusts Taxation in Switzerland: Consequences of the Hague Convention and the new Swiss guidelines on trusts in Geneva, Switzerland.

Here is a summary of the program:

Via the Swiss taxation conference, the Swiss government has issued a new guideline that aims at establishing a common framework for trusts taxation within the confederation. The impact of this new guideline on trusts in Switzerland remains to be seen.

The comparison between the current framework in Switzerland and its neighbour countries will provide the participants to our conference with an in-depth analysis of the future of trusts in the confederation.

Family Wealth Enhancement and Preservation Conference

On April 7 - 9, 2008, Financial Events International is sponsoring a conference entitled Family Wealth Enhancement & Preservation: The Western Way vs Islamic Shariah Compliant Way in Ras-Al-Khaimah Emirate, United Arab Emirates.

Here is a summary of the program:

The objective of this event is to reveal the difference existing between the Western Family Wealth Management way and the Islamic Shariah Compliant way and create a debate to which all of the attendees – typically professionals of the financial sector - will participate.

A part of the conference will be dedicated to investment opportunities and regulations in the RAK Free Trade Zone, which is bound to become one of the most active in the Middle East.

A visit of the Free Trade Zone will be organized in order to present the ongoing and future business projects and investment opportunities. The city of Dubai will also be visited and attendees will have the opportunity to meet influential businessmen.

Estate and Business Planning Conference

On February 7 and 8, 2008, the Southern California Institute is sponsoring a conference entitled The Gathering 2008 in San Diego, California. Here is a summary of the program:

The Gathering is a yearly event primarily for advisors in Estate and Business planning. In today’s world no one person can be an expert in all areas of estate, business, tax, and wealth planning.

Some of the topics to be covered include:

·         What’s New – The Heckerling Update

·         Retirement Planning Update

·         New IRS Appraiser & Appraisal Requirements

·         ILIT Rescue Strategies

·         Online Client Data Access

·         Putting Heckerling Into Our Wealth Plans

·         World Class Retail and Wholesale Seminars

·         Corporate Trustee Advantages & Opportunities

·         Asset Protection Planning in 2008

·         "Circle of Friends" Black-Tie Optional Gala

The Family Wealth Management Conference in Geneva

The Family Wealth Management Conference, “an exclusive forum for leading professional intermediaries to meet and discuss some of the key consideration when advising high-net-worth private clients,” will take place in Geneva, Switzerland on January 30-31, 2008.

"[T]he conference will feature an in-depth look at the current developments in divorce law and the resulting challenges that high-net-worth individuals will face when trying to protect their assets.  The topics will be addressed through a strong keynote presentation and further examined via an interactive European-wide panel."

Special Needs Trusts CLE

On January 31 through February 1, 2008, the University of Texas School of Law and the Wealth Management and Trust Division of the Texas Bankers Association is sponsoring a seminar entitled 2008 Changes and Trends Affecting Special Needs Trusts: A Guide for Attorneys, Financial Advisors and Trust Officers in Austin, Texas.

Here is a description of this program:

While special needs trusts offer innovative planning opportunities for a growing client base, it has been very hard to find clear practical explanations, forms and tools to optimize the use and administration of these trusts. This program brings together leading professionals in the SNT field, and offers a great set of seminar materials, including sample forms, resources and tool sets. If you work with special needs trusts—or want to learn how to use, draft, fund and administer them—don’t miss this important program.

Special Needs Trusts CLE

The National Constitution Center is sponsoring a live audio conference on January 30, 2008 entitled Keys to Effectively Administer Special Needs Trusts.

Here is a summary of the program:

Failing to properly administer a Special Needs Trust can result in the loss of important public benefits such as SSI and Medicaid. This can lead to legal pitfalls and a loss of trust assets for your client. How should you properly draft and administer a special needs trust to best fit your client’s individual needs? Join us for this 60-minute audio program where you will discover:

• Identifying & Preserving Public Benefits for Your Client
• Managing Special Trust Assets: Real Estate & Other Property
• Balancing Client Expectations and Trustee Limitations
• Preparing and Planning a Budget to Protect your Clients
• Changes and Trends in Special Needs Trusts you Need to Know

Fiduciary Accounting CLE

The New York City Bar is sponsoring a video replay entitled Everything You Want To Know About Fiduciary Accounting But Were Afraid To Ask! on January 11, 2008, in New York, New York.

The program will feature a panel of trust and estate practitioners and a fiduciary accountant and will include the following topics:

• The preparation of accountings
• The determination of form of accounting and appropriate proceeding
• The forms for judicial and informal accounting proceedings

Special thanks to Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this program to my attention.

Advanced Estate Planning Strategies Course

The State Bar of Texas is sponsoring the 14th Annual Advanced Estate Planning Strategies Course on April 3-4, 2008 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The program will feature expert panel discussions on the following topics:

• Between the Deaths: Planning and Administrative Challenges
• Client Management Issues
• Income Tax Nuggets: Pre and Post Death
• Defective Grantor Trusts
• Multi-Jurisdictional Issues

Circular 230 CLE

The National Constitution Center is sponsoring a live audio conference on January 16, 2008 entitled New Circular 230 Final Regulations: Keeping Up With the Changes.

Here is a description of the program:

The New Final Regulations for Circular 230 have arrived and Tax Practitioners are more at risk than ever before. Circular 230 applies to virtually all written tax advice: violating the new regulations results in severe financial penalties, disbarment or suspension of practice. Join us for a 60-minute audio conference where you and your colleagues will discover:

• What the New Final Regulations mean for your practice
• New requirements for tax opinions: What’s legal? What’s not?
• Procedures to ensure compliance with Circular 230
• Inquiries & the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility: How best to respond 
• New IRS Guidance on monetary penalties against practitioners and their firms for violating Circular 230 
• Best Practices for tax advisors: What you can and can’t do
• New standards for Tax Return Preparer Penalties: What to know now 

Current Issues in Marital Property Law CLE

Lorman Education Services is sponsoring a seminar on January 8, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas entitled Current Issues in Marital Property Law.

Here is a summary of the program:

Attend this cutting-edge seminar and get helpful strategies on premarital agreements. You'll gain a clear understanding of qualified domestic relationship orders. Meet the challenges ahead and find out what you need to know about debtors' and creditors' rights and remedies, as well as military retirement. These are just a few of the valuable tips we'll discuss at this must-attend seminar. You'll acquire the shrewd wisdom and good judgment necessary to succeed - no matter what challenges arise. Don't miss this opportunity to learn to navigate the complex and changing issues surrounding marital property law.

In One Day, You'll Learn To:

• Understand obtaining and granting credit
• Master marriage agreements
• Interpret the effect of a divorce on qualified benefits
• Divide retirement plans so that your client gets his or her fair share
• Explore the elements for a valid qualified domestic relationship order
• Read a leave and earnings statement when handling military retirement issues

FLP and LLC CLE

The National Constitution Center is sponsoring a live audio teleconference on January 3, 2008 entitled FLP's & LLC's: Critical Keys to Protecting Your Clients' Wealth.

Here is a description of this program:

There are a variety of vehicles available to your clients to help them preserve their wealth. How do you determine which business entity best suits the needs of your client? Join us as we discover:

• FLP’s and LLC’s: what’s best for your client?
• Current tax laws and how they affect your planning choices
• Checklist of organizational documents, decisions and elections
• Tax ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of transferring assets into a FLP or LLC

Offshore Trust CLE

The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education are sponsoring a teleconference and live audio webcast on January 15, 2008 entitled Transformation and Transparency: The Current State of the Offshore Trust.

Here is a description of the program:

The use of offshore trusts has risen dramatically in the last few years.  Several offshore jurisdictions go out of their way to make themselves more attractive to outside investors, and many investors see offshore trusts as a safety net.  But is the grass really greener on the other side? This teleconference and live audio webcast will examine the confluence of global events and the use of offshore trusts, including:

• How offshore trusts work
• Asset protection
• Reporting requirements and penalties
• U.S. attitude toward offshore trusts
• Non-U.S. perspective on offshore trusts
• Use for clients in civil law jurisdictions

ABA Spring Symposia

The ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law has announced that it will hold its 19th Annual Spring Symposia on May 1-2, 2008 at the Park Hyatt & The Fairmont in Washington, DC.

Life Insurance CLE

The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, Young Lawyers Division and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education are sponsoring a teleconference and live audio webcast entitled The Basics of Life Insurance Planning on January 10, 2008.

Here is a description of the program:

This program will examine the use of life insurance in estate planning and provide strategies for maximizing its effectiveness. Topics to be discussed include types of insurance, ownership of insurance, and use of life insurance trusts.

2008 Changes Affecting Special Needs Trusts CLE

The University of Texas School of Law and the Wealth Management and Trust Division of the Texas Bankers Association are presenting a CLE entitled 2008 Changes and Trends Affecting Special Needs Trusts on January 31 and February 1, 2008.

Course topics will include:

• Special Needs Trust Overview 
• Protecting and Maximizing Public Benefits 
• Estate Planning For The Incapacitated Family Member
• Court-Created Trusts Including the 142 Trust Statute
• The Changing Face of the Traditional Special Needs Trust 
• Amending the Special Needs Trust
• Advising Trustees on Trust Distributions in Desperate Circumstances: When Every Call is an Emergency
• Sustainable Home Care Plan:  Is it an Oxymoron?
• Housing, Housing, Housing: Ownership, Occupancy, Maintenance and Expansion

Elder Law and Guardianship CLEs

The State Bar of Texas is sponsoring the following seminars in Dallas at the Cityplace Conference Center:

• Advanced Elder Law Course 2008
  March 6, 2008
     
• Advanced Guardianship Course 2008
  March 7, 2008

Course highlights include:

• Expert Panels Discuss Public Benefits and Finance Issues
• Seven Strategies to Stay at Home Longer
• Attorney Ad Litem Certification
• Examining the Medical Expert Witness in a Guardianship Case
• ABA Enhancing Capacity Guidelines

"The Law of Succession in the 21st Century" Conference

As I reported earlier on this blog, The Law of Succession in the 21st Century conference will be held February 8, 2008 at the UCLA School of Law.

This symposium was organized by a subcommittee of the ACTEC Legal Education Committee and is sponsored by the ACTEC Foundation.

You can follow this link to learn more details about this symposium.

Family Limited Partnership CLE

The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, Young Lawyers Division and the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education is sponsoring a teleconference and live audio webcast on December 18, 2007 entitled Introduction to Family Limited Partnerships.

The program faculty will include:

• Paige K. Ben-Yaakov, Attorney, Baker Botts, LLP, Houston, TX
• Stephanie Loomis-Price, Attorney, Baker Botts, LLP, Houston, TX

Trusts Taxation in Switzerland CLE

On February 26 , 2008, Financial Events International will sponsor a CLE entitled Trusts Taxation in Switzerland in Geneva.

Among the key topics that will be fully analysed are:

• Switzerland as a jurisdiction of choice for trusts administration:
  • Confidentiality, know-how and reputation of the Swiss financial centres: a reasonable regulatory approach preventing the risk of over-regulation currently threatening some offshore jurisdictions
  • Switzerland as a “complete” financial centre offering some potential synergies among different branches in the industry (asset management, investment advise, custody, etc as long as fiduciary services)
  • The situation for the tax-payer before and after the law
• Will The Hague Convention usher into a domestic market for trusts in Switzerland?
  • Any lessons to be learned from Italy’s “trusts interni” approach and Malta’s inclusion of trusts in its civil law system?
  • The alternative situation of San Marino, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg: trusts markets for foreign clients only
  • Taxation of domestic trusts in the light of the Italian Circular 48/E and the Swiss CSI Circular 30
• Tax treatment of trusts
  • A clear framework needed, at least for “foreign” trusts.
  • Comparison with other civil law countries recognising trusts or otherwise coping with them ( Italy, France, Austria)
  • Possession of real estate in Switzerland by a trust
• The limits of the new Law
• The importance of trusts for Swiss family offices
• Trusts Swiss Real Estate Holding

Wills, Estates and Probate CLE

The State Bar of Texas and the Real Estate, Probate & Trust Law Section of the State Bar of Texas are sponsoring a live via webcast CLE entitled Building Blocks of Wills, Estates, and Probate on January 8, 2008. 

Course topics will include:

• Basic Estate Planning
• Elder Law Planning and Issue Spotting 
• Document Assembly Products
• Office Technology and Administration 
• Probate Procedures and Alternatives
• Administration Issues