Qualified Educational, Charitable and Civic Groups
as a Public Service to Our Community
Click on the link below to open a PDF copy of a seminar that we give, at no cost, to qualified educational, charitable, and civic groups on Estate Planning and Probate topics, including Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Probate and Non-Probate Assets, What is Probate, How to Avoid Probate, Estate Taxes, Gift Taxes and related matters. It can be as basic or as comprehensive as desired. It is adjusted for the knowledge level of each group and can also be adjusted for professionals such as attorneys, CPAs, investment advisors, and others.
Most recently, we have given this seminar as part of the series known as "Law School for Non-Lawyers" sponsored by the South Carolina Bar and the Lowcountry Legal Clinic; to students in business law at the University of South Carolina at the Beaufort South Campus (Sun City Hilton Head); to St. Andrew By-The Sea United Methodist Church as part of its financial planning series, Hilton Head Island, SC; and The First Presbyterian Church, Hilton Head Island, SC, as part of its financial planning series.
The seminar is designed to be given in as little as 2 hours and can be for as many as 6 hours. If more than 2 hours, it can also be given in multiple sessions of up to 2 hours each, either on the same day or different days. It can also be a series on estate planning all by itself.
If you would like to have this program presented to your group, please call Michael J. Howell at 843-785-7590 to discuss it, further.
Click on the link below to open a PDF copy of an outline on "How To Fund Your Trust" that we have also given as a seminar and workshop to educational, charitable and civic groups at no cost. The outline is in PDF format and can be downloaded and printed, if needed.
The information provides a list of information normally needed by your banker, stock broker, insurance agent, real estate attorney, and other third parties with whom you have assets, in order to transfer the assets into a Revocable Trust. There is also a very good article concerning trust funding under our Estate Planning section. It should be kept in mind that there are some assets which are rarely placed into Trust, such as 401(k)s, IRAs, Annuities and other Pension Type Assets. This is mainly because you can inadvertently trigger an income tax on the entire value of the account. You may also lock yourself into a shorter post mortem payout than is desirable. You should never place these assets into Trust without a letter from your CPA or attorney specifically telling you to do so.
Most trust funding can be taken care of by the client who created the Revocable Trust, assuming they did so with the assistance of a qualified attorney. The notable exceptions are real estate, IRAs, 401(k)s, Annuities and other Pension Type Assets. Also keep in mind that if the Trust is not revocable, it should not be funded without the advice and input of the attorney who created the Trust. In all cases, trust funding should only be after a consultation with and the receipt of a letter or other instructions telling you to proceed from the attorney who drafted the Trust Agreement. If you would like to have this program presented to your group, please call Michael J. Howell at 843-785-7590 to discuss it, further.
No portion of this material should be construed as legal, accounting, or financial advice.It is merely intended as general educational information and does not necessarily represent the planning that should be done in your particular situation. Unless a specific expiration date is otherwise given, all legal fees and/or special offers listed on this website are subject to change or being withdrawn at anytime without notice. However, once your appointment is made, if it occurs within 20 days of your calling us and setting up the appointment, the fee or special offer will be honored for 10 day after the appointment date. Please check back from time to time for the current legal fees and special offers.
