The primary objectives of estate planning are to provide for the orderly disposition of a person's assets in accordance with their wishes; and to legally avoid paying any unnecessary taxes on the assets prior to them being passed on to beneficiaries. It is useful for persons who are professionally advising or working with seniors (and their families) to at least have a basic understanding of this process as it relates to both advance planning for and the use of care and associated assets prior to death, as well as regarding charitable giving. Subjects will include probate, revocable and irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, estate and gift taxation. The goal of this program is not to train you to give estate planning advice, but rather to give you the knowledge you need to know when to refer your clients to an elder law attorney.

IN VIRGINIA :
     This session will be taught by Bill Fralin, Esq. Bill founded The Estate Planning & Elder Law Firm, P.C. in 1994. He is also an accredited attorney for the preparation, presentation and prosecution of claims for veterans benefits before the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Bill limits his practice to life care planning for seniors, elder law, Medicaid, public benefits eligibility asset protection, care review and advocacy, and estate & incapacity planning.

Bill is one of only 20 attorneys practicing in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia certified in elder law (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation. He was named in 2004, 2007 & 2009 in Washingtonian magazine as one of the top elder law attorneys in the region. Also, he was named in 2007 Super Lawyers magazine as one of the top 100 attorneys in Washington, DC region and was named in Virginia Business magazine as one of the top 50 attorneys in the state of Virginia. Additionally, Bill has been listed in Washington DC Super Lawyers magazine from 2007-2010, Virginia Super Lawyers magazine 2006-2009, and Virginia Business magazine, Legal Elite 2004-2009. In 2003, Bill attained the rating of “AV” from the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory, the highest rating available for legal abilities and ethics. Since 2006, Bill has been listed in The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. Mr. Fralin lectures frequently on topics relating to life care planning for seniors, elder law, asset protection and preservation and  estate and incapacity planning.

IN BALTIMORE AND SUBURBAN MARYLAND:
     This session will be taught by Mindy Felintom, Esq. For over 30 years, Ms. Felinton has had extensive experience in the areas of trusts and estates, pet trusts, probate and trust administration, nursing home law, asset protection, living wills, wills, trusts, Medicaid planning, special needs trusts, guardianships and elder law. Ms. Felinton provides a personal approach to planning and goes beyond mere legal document preparation, to identify clients' personal objectives, striving to understand their goals. Ms. Felinton works closely with family members to make a smooth transition for their Mom, Dad or spouse.

Ms. Felinton is a member of the Maryland, Florida and District of Columbia Bars. She was an Assistant State's Attorney and, as a special prosecutor, handled animal abuse cases, many of which have been profiled on television, radio and in the international press. She is a member of the Estates and Trusts Section and the Elder Law Section of the Maryland Bar, Real Property and Trusts section of the Florida Bar, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Senior Connection volunteer, and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Ms. Felinton is Vice President and a Board member of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and a preferred AARP provider. Ms. Felinton frequently lectures on Medicaid planning, Trusts, Wills, Elder law and Living Wills. She volunteers with House with a Heart and makes weekly visits to a nursing home with her two dogs, Precious and Pumpkin to the delight of residents.

IN ANNAPOLIS AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND:

   This session will be taught by Terry Douglas, founder of the Douglas Law Office based in Annapolis, Maryland. Her practice focus is Estate Planning (including Wills, Trusts, and Powers of Attorney), Long-Term Care Planning, Asset Protection, and Veterans Pension Benefits. Her in-depth experience with both military and civilian families helps her appreciate the importance of providing excellent service, as well as the close personal attention those families want and deserve. Terry provides a variety of free workshops designed to teach fundamental estate planning concepts, and she has served as guest lecturer on estate planning for local community senior centers. She is also a mediator and collaborative law practitioner.
   Ms. Douglas has a law degree from University of Minnesota Law School and a BA in Economics from Wartburg College and was admitted to practice law in Maryland in 1997. She is a member of the  Maryland State Bar Association, Estate and Trust Law Section, Anne Arundel County Bar Association, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, National Care Planning Council, and the Anne Arundel Senior Provider Group. Previosuly she served as Commander (O-5), U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, Judge Advocate General/Legal Officer.