Staying current on estate planning developments is crucial for delivering informed guidance to clients. That’s one reason we publish “Trust Issues.” But we can’t cover it all in a quarterly newsletter, so I have curated a list of resources below (in no particular order) that have been helpful to me. In addition to more formal CPE/CLE options, these resources help keep me abreast of the latest trends, strategies, and legal considerations in estate planning. Of course, we’re always here to help, but the list below may prove useful to you in navigating this dynamic landscape effectively.
NAEPC Journal of Estate & Tax Planning
The NAEPC Journal publishes articles on estate planning and its disciplines from professionals and council members. New issues are published approximately twice a year and feature analyses and assessments on a variety of developments related to estate planning. The most recent issue (July 2024) focuses on court cases and timeless planning strategies, and a new issue is being published this month.
State of Estates – Newsletter from Griffin Bridgers
State of Estates explores a wide variety of estate planning and trust topics, including estate planning developments and, more recently, the introduction of AI (AI in Estate Planning: Reading the Law, and What That Means? (substack.com)). Griffin Bridgers, the author, is an LLM estate planning attorney that seeks to offer “intermediate and advanced education on tax and estate planning issues for attorneys, CPAs, wealth advisors, trust officers, and other wealth transfer professionals” through free and paid subscriptions.
The Estate Planner – Newsletter
Wealth Management regularly publishes articles on their Estate Planning Newsletter, which I receive weekly. This specific newsletter discusses topics on estate planning and trusts. However, there are also subscription options within the newsletter to tailor it to your preferences, such as Investment Strategies and Resource Spotlights, with varying publishing frequencies. Many of their articles are also available online, such as Estate Planning in a Spooky 2024 Landscape | Wealth Management.
Family Office University – Newsletter from Arent Fox Schiff law firm
Family Office University is a legal newsletter that discusses legislation and court proceedings surrounding trusts and estates. This can include proposed laws, ongoing litigation, and relevant court decisions.
The Practical Planner – Newsletter from Martin Shenkman
The Practical Planner is a quarterly email or physical newsletter that offers ideas, both creative and more practical, for financial planning. Each edition includes major updates, lesser-known recent developments, and a checklist to consider when planning estates, taxes, and more!
Gorin’s Business Succession Solutions – Newsletter & Blog from Steve Gorin
Business Succession Solutions is a blog and quarterly newsletter. While the blog is centered around business owning strategies and tax information, the newsletter offers more of a “deep dive” for professionals. Each newsletter includes links to the technical materials it covers and is followed by an optional webinar for continuing education credit. Recent articles include discussing the Corporate Transparency Act and its effects on Tax ID requirements.
PFP Digest – Newsletter and Podcast
The PFP Digest (aicpa.org) by AICPA & CIMA discusses estate planning news and trends. They also publish a podcast on personal financial planning that occasionally delves into estate planning topics.
ACTEC Foundation – Podcast
ACTEC Foundation is an arm of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel that offers educational resources to families and professionals alike. It has a good podcast dealing with many estate planning and adjacent legal and tax related topics. While some are more basic and general, and others are very technical and specific, making it a good resource for all aspects of estate planning.
Wealth and Law – from Brent Nelson
Brent Nelson, a Georgetown LLM and ACTEC Fellow is a good follow on LinkedIn. His blog and podcast can be found at WealthAndLaw.com.
Digests – Mondaq and Google Alerts
I’ve also subscribed to an aggregated news digest from Mondaq. It sends out newsletters and blog posts customized based on the reader’s general location and selected industry preferences. Personally, I regularly receive articles on estate planning, tax, and legal matters, as well as some more varied readings. Its range makes each issue a “dice roll” of topics, but there is usually a good pearl of information each week.
You may also want to consider setting up a Google Alert for estate planning and estate planning related topics. A Google Alert is just an e-mail with links Google finds on the internet related to your search term. You’ll need an account with Google, but you can set preferences for how closely-tailored to your terms you want the hits to be, what sort of resources Google will search (EG, only blog posts, or blogs and video results) and how often Google sends an e-mail. As with other automated options, some of the results are helpful, and some aren’t.
CONCLUSION
This list is by no means exhaustive, but is offered as a starting point for professionals and individuals alike to stay informed about the ever-evolving world of trusts, estates, and related topics. As a busy professional, I don’t devour every word of any of these, but exposure to these resources provides a valuable way for me to keep my metaphorical finger on the pulse of planning strategies, news, and emerging trends. Estate planning is a dynamic field. We hope to be a go-to resource for you in this arena, but trust these options will assist you in providing accurate and timely assistance to your clients.