Advanced Probate Administration for Paralegals

Agenda / Content Covered

1. Preparing for Estate Administration
   11:00 - 12:00, Thais Amaral Tellawi
   1. Gathering Critical Information from the Client
   2. Questions to Ask Fiduciary Accountants and Financial Advisors
   3. Drafting Informal Testate and Intestate Forms: Applications, Orders and Petitions
   4. Drafting Formal Testate and Intestate Forms: Applications, Orders and Petitions
   5. Efficiently Prepare Interim Court Pleadings
2. Managing the Estate's Assets
   12:00 - 1:00, Thais Amaral Tellawi
   1. Accessing and Inventorying Safe Deposit Box
   2. Proper Documentation for Selling or Transferring Assets
   3. Request and Claim for Exempt Property and Family Allowances
   4. Life Insurance Proceeds with Form 712
   5. Managing Real Estate
   6. Preparing Documentation for Inventories and Appraisals
3. Handling Creditors and Other Interested Parties
   1:15 - 2:15, A. Michelle Poss
   1. Drafting and Publishing Notices to Creditors and Heirs
   2. How to Prioritize Claims Against the Estate
   3. Submitting Proper Notice of Disallowance of Claims
   4. Preparing K-1 Reports for Estate Beneficiaries
   5. Obtaining Grant of Letters of Administration
4. Ensuring the Payment of Taxes
   2:45 - 3:45, Cheryl Holst
   1. Using IRC §6501(d) to Get the Tax Data You Need
   2. Working with the Accountant to Complete Income Tax Returns
   3. Tips for Completing Estate Tax Return Form 706
   4. When Do You Need IRS Form 709?
   5. Preparing the Fiduciary Income Tax Return Form 1041
   6. Get Early Determination of Taxes with IRC § 2204
   7. How to Arrange for Temporary Payment of Taxes
5. Document Management Tips for Probate and Estate Filings
   3:45 - 4:45, Eric Ladley
   1. Database Methods to Organize Client Documents
   2. Ticklers and Calendaring for Probate and Estate Planning
   3. Streamline Your E-Filing Process
   4. Calendaring Tips for Probate and Estate Documents
   5. Effective Correspondence with Probate Court and the IRS
   6. Appearing Before the Registrar During Informal Proceedings
6. Ethics for the Probate Paralegal
   5:00 - 6:00, Eric Ladley
   1. Properly Terminating Fiduciary Responsibility
   2. Privileged vs. Non-Privileged Communications
   3. Unauthorized Practice of the Law
   4. Safeguarding Against Malpractice Actions

Accreditation Details:

Thais Amaral Tellawi is a managing partner with the law firm of Amaral Tellawi Law, where she focuses her practice on estate planning, including wills, trusts, guardianship, and probate. Ms. Tellawi represents individuals, families and business owners. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Attorneys in Tax and Probate, and National Association of Financial and Insurance Advisors. Ms. Tellawi earned her B.A. degree from the University of Houston and her J.D. degree from Texas Southern University.

Cheryl Holst is a senior trust/estate and tax paralegal at Spencer Fane LLP. Ms. Holst prepares federal and state individual income tax returns, charitable organization informational returns, fiduciary income tax returns, federal and state estate tax returns and federal gift tax returns (and any other returns deemed necessary by supervising attorney). She is proficient in various state tax returns. Ms. Holst monitors and maintains the master list for individual, fiduciary and gift tax preparation for all firm clients, as well as tax files and tax information. She prepares and organizes data during estate tax and gift tax audits. Ms. Holst prepares estate planning documents including powers of attorney, wills, deeds, revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts, and is proficient in estate and trust administrations. She researches estate planning procedures in various states and assist attorneys with certain state guidelines. She is a member of NALA, the St. Louis Paralegal Association and volunteers with the IRS program VITA. Ms. Holst earned her A.A. degree in Paralegal Studies from Lewis & Clark Community College and her B.A. degree in Business Administration/Management from Harding University.

Eric Ladley , CELA, is an attorney with Montco Elder Law, LLP; where he focuses his practice in the areas of estate planning, long-term care planning, estate administration, and guardianships. He is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. Mr. Ladley also is accredited by the Veterans Administration to represent Veterans and can prepare, present and prosecute claims before the Department. He is a member of Montgomery County Bar Association, Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys and Lycoming Law Association. Mr. Ladley earned his B.A. degree from George Washington University and his J.D. degree from Penn State Dickinson School of Law.

A. Michelle Poss is a sole practitioner in Nashville. She represents clients in the practice areas of elder law; disability and probate, including estate administrations, conservatorships and guardianships; trust administrations; Social Security; and V.A. claims. Ms. Poss is a V.A. accredited attorney and is a Rule 31 general civil mediator. She is licensed to practice in all Tennessee courts, and is admitted to the Tennessee Supreme Court and the U.S. federal courts. Ms. Poss is an active member of the Nashville Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association and the Conservatorship Association of Tennessee. She currently serves as president of the Conservatorship Association of Tennessee, co-chair of the NBA probate committee, previous board member of CASA and the St. Thomas Foundation Murfree Circle. Ms. Poss earned her B.S. degree from the Middle Tennessee State University and her J.D. degree from Nashville School of Law.