Bridging the Past and Future

The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys (the “Academy”) held its annual Fall Summit in San Diego themed on building a bridge between the past and future and that’s exactly what this Summit did. As much as I enjoy living in the Sunshine State, when I breathed in the crisp San Diego air, I questioned my decision to live in Florida. Within minutes of my check-in at our hotel on the beautiful island of Coronado, I had already seen and hugged several Academy Members and members of the Academy’s Team. Fall Summit 2024 had begun, unofficially.

Thursday morning, Academy Members who have chosen to participate in Academy Wealth met to hear the great strides that have been made in the short year since the entity’s inception. The company started as an idea and it has blossomed into a thriving sister company dedicated to helping Members become enterprise law firms. Later that afternoon, Academy founders, Robert Armstrong and Sanford M. Fisch, opened the conference with their Founder’s Message. As always, it was inspiring. They reminded us that although vast changes in the legal field have occurred over the years, the relationships remain constant and paramount to a successful business. No matter the direction the law takes, it will always focus on relationships and we excel there. Our Thursday evening cocktail party overlooking the San Diego skyline reminded me of those relationships and creating a bridge between the past and future when Director of Education Emeritus, Steve Hartnett, joined us. He was bombarded with Member hugs, inquiries, and well wishes.

The Academy requires its Members to earn 36 hours of continuing legal education (“CLE”) in Estate Planning, Tax, Elder Law, and Ethics. The Academy’s rigorous continuing education requirement ensures its Members know and understand the latest developments in these fields. Many Members earn significant hours at the two semi-annual Summit conferences each year at which they can create their ideal schedule by choosing sessions on marketing, practice management, technology, or education. Friday marked the start of our quest for knowledge when Frances Becker from South Dakota Trust Company took the stage, extolled the benefits of planning with directed Trusts, and convinced the audience that South Dakota brings various benefits to Trust Administration. I took the afternoon slot with a talk on the SECURE Act, the proposed Treasury Regulations, the Final Treasury Regulations, SECURE 2.0, and the proposed Treasury Regulations thereunder and promised to deliver more content on this evolving area.

Saturday morning began with Jay Adkisson talking to us about the ethics issues facing Estate Planning attorneys who undertake financial planning and insurance services. Later, I gave a talk on Special Needs Trusts. I’m told that the highlight of Saturday night was the extraordinarily competitive pickleball game. On Sunday morning, Donna Hooper-Harwick joined me to talk about how to “Fix Your Funding.” Many of our Members shared both their frustration and success in this area and provided advice on unique assets. I ended the Fall Summit by exploring the impact that the sunset of the provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 will have on the Estate Planning landscape. Trusts and Estate Practitioners have been aware that certain provisions expire on January 1, 2026, absent additional legislation and need to start talking about those changes with their clients now.

I had the pleasure of sitting in on another one of the Academy’s most impressive programs, Peak Performers. While I remain sworn to secrecy, I’m happy to report that after four hours  I left with several tips and tricks to help streamline my world. I enjoyed the intimate setting and everyone’s willingness to share, learn, and grow together.

As I sit on the plane headed home, it’s hard not to feel a little sad that yet another Summit has come to an end. I’m grateful for my Academy family and the magic we share when we are together. While I gave many talks during summit, it was the individual conversations that I enjoyed the most, getting to know our new Members a bit better, reconnecting with other Members, and developing new relationships with long-standing Members. Summits always offer free and open exchanges from Members from across the country. We have an incredible Academy Team dedicated to the success of our Members and Fall Summit 2024 demonstrated that many times over. Of course, the Members themselves make the Academy all that it is. They push us, they inspire us, and they motivate us. This mutually beneficial relationship allows Members to adapt to changes in Estate Planning while maintaining excellent client relations. Perhaps it’s time to see what the Academy can do for you!

Tereina Stidd, J.D., LL.M.
Director of Education
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com