CLE on Estate Planning for Family Businesses

ALI CLE is sponsoring a telephone seminar/audio webcast entitled Toughest Issues in Estate Planning: Advising Families in Business on Tuesday, September 11, 2012, from 12:30-2:00 pm Eastern. The following speakers will be in attendance at the CLE:

• Dennis I. Belcher, McGuireWoods LLP
• Ann B. Burns, Gray Plant Mooty
• Louis A. Mezzullo, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

Provided below is a description of this program:

The life cycle of a family business presents multiple opportunities for trust and estate counsel to guide owners effectively to preserve family wealth, minimize tax liabilities, and enable a smooth succession to the next generation of owners.

A distinguished panel of Fellows of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) will discuss a number of estate and tax planning issues that affect family businesses and offer practical guidance and resources to help you better serve your family business client.

Issues to be analyzed include:

• Premortem Issues:
  • Control or Estate Tax Planning? How to handle the competing goals of the family business owner who wants to retain control of the family business but who also wants to minimize transfer taxes.
  • Family Opportunities. How the family business owner can provide opportunities in the business for family members and valuable employees while preserving flexibility and control. 
  • Management Transition. How the business owner can transition the management of the family business to the next generation?
•  Postmortem Issues:
  • Chaos in the Administration of Family Business Owner’s Estate.How to handle the chaos that frequently arises during the administration of a family business owner’s estate where portions of the business are owned by numerous family members and employees.
  • Retain or Sell? How to advise the family on whether to retain or sell the family business.
  • Preparing the Family Business for Sale. How to prepare the family business for sale.