Addictions and Impaired Clients: Estate and Related Planning Considerations
Drug use is on the rise in this country and 23.5 million Americans are addicted to alcohol and drugs. That’s approximately one in every 10 Americans over the age of 12. No estate, tax or financial planner can assume that a significant number of client families are not affected (they are). The reality is that the practitioner must understand the commonality of these issues and guide clients, draft documents, and administer estate plans, trusts and financial plans accordingly. And consider that this is only one of the many addictive behaviors that may affect planning. This webinar will provide an overview of the impact of addictions and discuss in specific and practical detail steps practitioners can take to address these issues in their practices. Learn how to ask questions of clients to identify whether addiction issues may exist. Learn and identify signs of addiction in clients, fiduciaries, beneficiaries and others.
Mr. Blattmachr is a Principal in ILS Management, LLC and a retired member of Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP in New York, NY and of the Alaska, California and New York Bars. He is recognized as one of the most creative trusts and estates lawyers in the country and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. He has written and lectured extensively on estate and trust taxation and charitable giving.
Mr. Blattmachr graduated from Columbia University School of Law cum laude, where he was recognized as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and received his A.B. degree from Bucknell University, majoring in mathematics. He has served as a lecturer-in-law of the Columbia University School of Law and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at New York University Law School in its Masters in Tax Program (LLM). He is a former chairperson of the Trusts & Estates Law Section of the New York State Bar Association and of several committees of the American Bar Association. Mr. Blattmachr is a Fellow and a former Regent of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and past chair of its Estate and Gift Tax Committee. He is author or co-author of eight books and more than 500 articles on estate planning and tax topics.
Among professional activities, which are too numerous to list, Mr. Blattmachr has served as an Advisor on The American Law Institute, Restatement of the Law, Trusts 3rd; and as a Fellow of The New York Bar Foundation and a member of the American Bar Foundation.
Amanda Koplin, LPC is a mental health entrepreneur and thought leader who creates innovative solutions to fill gaps in the mental healthcare system. In 2014, she created and developed an idea for a mental health urgent care clinic and sold it in 2016 to create Koplin Consulting, a nationwide concierge mental health treatment team service. Amanda is passionate about helping people achieve mental wellness and creating sustainable support systems and solutions which integrate seamlessly into real life. She is a speaker and a nationally sought after consultant who specializes in creating unique treatment plans and recommendations for individuals struggling with psychological concerns such as addictions, eating disorders, lack of motivation, and other issues impacting mental wellness. She is particularly adept at involving trusted advisors and family members in order to create the greatest impact. Amanda attended the University of Oregon for undergrad where she received two bachelor’s degrees: one in psychology and one in women and gender studies, and a certificate in the substance abuse prevention program. She attended Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein’s College of Medicine where she received her Master’s in Mental Health Counseling. Following graduate school, she did in-home counseling for kids in family court and kids charged with felonies in Supreme Court in New York City. This is where she learned the impact of working with people in real life and the impact of working with all of the systems involved with the person of concern. This job not only influenced Amanda’s philosophy regarding mental health treatment, it inspired her to develop her own practical, real life solution in the form of Koplin Consulting. Her mission is to help others recover their quality of life.
Martin M. Shenkman is an attorney in private practice in Fort Lee, NJ, and New York City. His practice concentrates on estate and tax planning, planning for closely held business, and estate administration. Mr. Shenkman is an author of over 42 books and more than 1,000 articles. He is an editorial board member of Trusts & Estates Magazine and the Matrimonial Strategist, and an advisor for InterActive Legal. He is the recipient of many awards including being a 2013 recipient of the prestigious Accredited Estate Planners (Distinguished) award from the National Association of Estate Planning Counsels. Mr. Shenkman was named Financial Planning Magazine 2012 Pro-Bono Financial Planner of the Year for his efforts on behalf of those living with chronic illness and disability. Investment Adviser Magazine featured him on the cover of its April 2013 issue naming as the lead of their “all-star lineup of tax experts.”