ABA Elder Law Committee Fall 2017 Report

ABA Elder Law Committee Fall 2017 Report

2017–2018 COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT FORM

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Division Number and Name: Division 3: Practice Specialty

Division Director Name: Daniel Tann

Reporting Board or Committee: ABA Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Committee

Completed By: Kenneth Vercammen Co-Chair, Edison, NJ

1.   What has your board or committee done since its last report (e.g., conference call, meetings, use of discussion lists, planning for CLE programs, publications and articles, collaboration with other boards, committees, or sections)?

-       Sent email to members with copy of 2017-18 Business plan

-       Scheduled meeting for Friday, October 20 GPSolo 3:00pm- 4:00 Seminar and roundtable at the St. Paul Hotel

-       Held Committee Meeting at New York Annual meeting on Friday August 11

-       -Helped publicize Solo Division’s book “Wills and Estate Administration Practice” approx 240 pages to help raise revenue for section- Sale of book reported to be good

2.   What is the status of your board or committee’s business plan for the year (e.g., participation of board or committee members, goals achieved, and new goals)?

-       Submitted program form to Group Legal for New Orleans meeting 2018

-       Offered to do program if there is a Solo day in Chicago 2018

-       Will Participate in quarterly ABA Commission on Law and Aging networking call next Oct 9  

-       Scheduled Committee meeting for October 20 GPSolo 3:00pm- 4:00

3.   Does your board or committee need any assistance from the Director, Staff, Division Officers, or Council? If yes, please explain:

Yes We need help setting up program for New Orleans and Chicago  

-The Committee anticipates guidance, support and/or involvement from our Division Director regarding publicizing the Wills and Estate Administration book

ACTION ITEMS

List any action items to be presented to Council. These are items that require discussion, reporting, and/or decision-making on the part of the Council (e.g. a request for support of matters appearing before the House of Delegates, revisions of Division policies, and requests for use of extraordinary Division resources).

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

List any informational items to be represented to Council. These items are matters for the Council’s information and do not require action.

ABA Estate Planning, Probate and Trust and Elder Law Joint Committee Meeting Friday, October 20 GPSolo 3:00pm- 4:00 Seminar and roundtable Free to attendees at the St. Paul Hotel

    Ideas to be discussed:

- BUILDING THE MILLION DOLLAR ESTATE PLANNING PRACTICE

    

Ethically Building Your Practice using free and low-cost online methods

1.     Website specific http://www.njwillsprobatelaw.com

2.     Blog https://njprobate.blogspot.com [no comments permitted]

3.     Facebook Law Office

4.     LinkedIn- post articles, events

5.     Google+ aka Google Plus

6.     Twitter

7.     YouTube

8.     Avvo Legal rating

9.     JD Supra

10.  Justia Lawyer Directory:

11.  Yelp for Business Owners

12.       Marketing Your Wills & Estate Administration Practice

13.       Happy Hour networking party for professionals such as Accountants, CPA’s, Financial Planners plus clients and friends.

14.       Wills and Power of Attorney for AARP members Seminar                            

15.       Brochures to Bring to Wills and Elder Law Program

16.       WILLS AND ESTATE ADMINISTRATION SEMINAR EVALUATION                  

17.        

18.       Calling to Invite Clients to Events and Annual Will Seminar www.facebook.com/events/1114988428957

Changes in Estate Tax and Probate for AARP members Seminar October 11, 201

Changes in Estate Tax and Probate for AARP members Seminar

October 11, 2017  10:00 meeting, 10:30 speaker

Old Bridge AARP Chapter 4854

Location:

Most Holy Redeemer Church

133 Amboy Rd.

Old Bridge, NJ 08857

Speaker: Kenneth Vercammen, Esq. of Edison

(Co-Author- NJ Elder Law & Probate)

The NJ Probate Law made a number of substantial changes in Probate and the administration of estates and trusts in New Jersey.

Main Topics:

1. The New Probate Law and preparation of Wills              

2.  Increase in Federal Estate and Gift Tax exemption

3. Major changes to NJ Estate Tax & changes to taxes on pensions effective Jan 1, 2017

4. Power of Attorney                       

5.  Living Will                                           

6.  Administering the Estate & Probate

     

        COMPLIMENTARY MATERIAL: Brochures on Wills,  Probate and Administration of an Estate, Power of Attorney, Living Wills, Real Estate Sales for Seniors, and Trusts.

Information call President Roseanne Chraznowski 732-583-6195

         You don’t have to be wealthy or near death to do some thinking about a will. Here is your opportunity to listen to an experienced attorney who will discuss how to distribute your property as you wish and avoid many rigid provisions of the state law. Topics covered by author of “Answer to questions about Probate” will include: Wills, Power of Attorney, Probate, revocable trusts, irrevocable .

         Here is your opportunity to listen to an experienced attorney who will answer questions how to distribute your property and avoid many rigid provisions of state law. For more information on Wills, Probate and Elder law, visit the Website www.CentralJerseyElderLaw.com.        

https://www.facebook.com/events/431242467277345

Woodbridge Library Wills, Estate Planning & Probate Seminar November 20

Woodbridge Library

Wills, Estate Planning & Probate Seminar

November 20 at 7pm

  Woodbridge Public Library

1 George Frederick Plaza

Woodbridge NJ 07095 

       WILLS & ESTATE ADMINISTRATION-PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND MAKE PLANNING EASY

     SPEAKER: Kenneth Vercammen, Esq. Edison, NJ (Author- Wills and Estate Administration by the ABA)

     Main Topics:

 1. 2017 changes to NJ Estate Tax & changes to taxes on pensions

2. Updates in Federal Estate and Gift Tax 

3. The New Probate Law and preparation of Wills   

4. Why a new Power of Attorney is important 

5.  Living Wills             

6.  Administering the Estate/ Probate/Surrogate   

COMPLIMENTARY MATERIAL: Brochures on Wills, "Answers to Questions about Probate" and Administration of an Estate, Power of

Attorney, Living Wills, Real Estate Sales for Seniors, and Trusts.

     Woodbridge Public Library 732-634-4450

1 George Frederick Plaza

Woodbridge NJ 07095 

     akane@woodbridgelibrary.org

www.facebook.com/events/1922785324675534

    Free Will Seminars and Speakers Bureau for Groups

       

        10 years ago the AARP Network Attorneys of the Edison/Metuchen/Woodbridge area several years ago established a community Speakers Bureau to provide educational programs to AARP and senior clubs, Unions and Middlesex County companies. Now, Ken Vercammen, Esq. and volunteer attorneys of the Middlesex County Estate Planning Council have provided Legal Rights Seminars to hundreds of seniors, business owners and their employees, unions, clubs and non-profit groups. For additional information on the Legal Seminars, contact our Coordinator, Kenneth Vercammen's law office at (732) 572-0500, email VercammenLaw@njlaws.com 

Details on free programs available

These quality daytime educational programs will educate and even entertain. Clubs and companies are invited to schedule a free seminar. The following Seminars are now available:

1. WILLS & ESTATE ADMINISTRATION-PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND

MAKE PLANNING EASY

2. POWER OF ATTORNEY to permit family to pay your bills if you are temporarily disabled and permit doctors to talk with family

       All instructors are licensed attorneys who have been in practice at least 25 years. All instructors are members of the American Bar Association, New Jersey

State Bar Association, and Middlesex County Bar Association. All programs include free written materials.

       You don't have to be wealthy or near death to do some thinking about a Will. Here is your opportunity to listen to an experienced attorney who will discuss how to distribute your property as you wish and avoid many rigid provisions of state law.

      Topics discussed include: Who needs a Will?; What if you die without a Will (intestacy)?; Mechanics of a Will; "Living Will"; Powers of Attorney; Selecting an executor, trustee, and guardian; Proper Will execution; Inheritance Taxes, Estate Taxes  14,000 annual gift tax exclusion,  Bequests to charity, Why you need a "Self-Proving" Will and  Estate Administration/ Probate.

       Sample materials: Hand-outs on Wills, Living Wills/Medical Advance Directive, Power of Attorney, Probate and Administration of an Estate, Real Estate, Working with your Attorney, Consumers Guide to New Jersey Laws, and Senior Citizen Rights.

SPEAKERS BUREAU

        At the request of senior citizen groups, unions, and Middlesex County companies and organizations, the " Speakers Bureau " is a service designed to educate citizens about how laws affect their lives and how the judicial system operates. We have attorneys available to speak to businesspersons, educational, civic and social organizations on a wide range of topics during business hours.

In today's complex world, few people can function successfully and safely without competent legal advice. In order to insure your estate plans are legally set up, you need to know exactly where you stand so that you can avoid possibly catastrophic mistakes impacting both you and your family.

About the speaker: Kenneth A. Vercammen is a trial attorney in Edison, NJ. We is the author of the American Bar Association’s book “Wills and Estate Administration”

He is co-chair of the ABA Probate & Estate Planning Law Committee of the American Bar Association Solo Small Firm Division.  He is a speaker for the NJ State Bar Association at the annual Nuts & Bolts of Elder Law & Estate Administration program.

He was Editor of the ABA Estate Planning Probate Committee Newsletter. Mr. Vercammen has published over 150 legal articles in national and New Jersey publications on litigation, elder law, probate and trial topics. He is a highly regarded lecturer on litigation and probate law for the American Bar Association, NJ ICLE, New Jersey State Bar Association and Middlesex County Bar Association. His articles have been published in noted publications included New Jersey Law Journal, ABA Law Practice Management Magazine, and New Jersey Lawyer. He established the NJlaws website www.njlaws.com which includes many articles on Estate Planning, Probate and Wills. He is a member of the AARP and often lectures to groups on the importance of an up to date Will, Power of Attorney and Living Will.

 KENNETH  VERCAMMEN & ASSOCIATES, PC

ATTORNEY AT LAW

2053 Woodbridge Ave.

Edison, NJ 08817

(Phone) 732-572-0500

 (Fax)    732-572-0030

www.njlaws.com