EVENT CALENDAR

It’s often been said that automation is the future, but most attorneys know that the future is now. Law firms currently use technology in a variety of ways – to manage contact and client information, handle billing, prepare legal documents, and more. Not every firm uses an automated document drafting system, but those that do can often leverage it and use it as a tool for more than just creating documents.

The Loper Bright case, decided by SCOTUS at the beginning of July, and which overruled its 1984 decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., represents a generation change in the importance of all Federal regulations from those issued under antitrust legislation to those under the Internal Revenue Code.  The decision reclaims for the courts the authority to determine what statutes mean and not what a Federal agency (such as the IRS) claims what they mean, by the issuance of regulations. 

This course is designed for elder law and estate planning attorneys looking to enhance their ability to support senior clients with long-term care planning. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the Medicaid program, focusing on proactive and crisis planning strategies. The course will explore the role of a well-structured estate plan and the use of irrevocable trusts in facilitating proactive client strategies.

On June 6, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion in a closely held business valuation case that will have significant impact on many family and closely held businesses.  (Connelly v. United States, U.S., No. 23-146, Opinion 6/6/24.)  The case addressed the valuation of stock in a closely held business and held that the obligation of an entity to buy a deceased equity owner’s shares does not reduce the value of the insurance proceeds received by the entity to fund the buyout.  The Supreme Court’s ruling resolves the conflict between the Connelly case and Estate of Blount v. Commissioner, which had reached the opposite conclusion. 

Drafting trusts that will receive retirement benefits has been a challenge for estate planners, even before SECURE. And as we navigate the post-SECURE landscape, new drafting issues continue to arise. Some of those issues are helped along with new legislation – such as “SECURE 2.0” – or may have been addressed in proposed regulations (that are not yet final). One common issue is how to include charities in the estate plan when planning for retirement benefits.