45th Annual Estate Planning Retreat Out of Stock
Co-sponsored by the Trust and Estate Section of the Colorado Bar Association
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This year, we're celebrating a milestone-45 years of bringing the trust and estate planning community together. And where better to mark this “sapphire” anniversary than in the Vail mountains. Join colleagues and friends to connect or reconnect. The Retreat is as much about the people as it is the practice!
Here are some of the gems you'll unearth:
- A keynote cyber property mine tour with 2015 Estate Planning Hall of Famer Professor Gerry W. Beyer who will explore estate planning with electronic communications, cryptocurrency, NFTs, and the metaverse.
- Tales from experienced miners, in other words, a panel of probate judicial officers to guide you.
- Multiple and different veins to follow that will interest the new, seasoned, and somewhere in between planner/litigator/miner.
HOTEL INFORMATION:
The Hythe Vail (formerly the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort), 715 West Lionshead Circle, Vail, CO 81657
CBA-CLE has reserved a block of rooms for attendees. Room rates start at $235 plus applicable taxes and fees. Be mindful that there is a limited number of rooms available, so it is best to reserve your room early. Based on availability, rooms are being held at the conference rate until May 26, 2025.
To receive the group room rate, please indicate that you are a guest of the Estate Planning Retreat when you make your reservation. Reservations will be accepted by telephone at 877-622-3140 or online using this link.
All reservations will require a credit card guarantee, and a deposit equal to one night of lodging with tax is due at the time of booking. The balance is due at check-in. Reservations cancelled after May 26, 2025, will forfeit the deposit equal to one night's room and tax. Daily resort fees are waived for guests booking inside CBA-CLE's room block, and complimentary wireless internet access will also be provided in guest rooms booked within our block.
Cancellation Fee: If you are unable to attend, please notify CBA-CLE by Thursday, May 29, 2025. We will gladly refund your tuition in full or apply your tuition to the home study. Cancellations after Thursday, May 29, 2025, will be refunded less a $150 cancellation fee.
CBA Trust and Estate Section Scholarship to Attend Retreat In-Person
The Trust and Estate Section of the Colorado Bar Association has seven full scholarships to the 45th Annual Estate Planning Retreat, which will be awarded to eligible applicants after CBA-CLE has reviewed the applications. Check back soon for details and the link to the scholarship application.
Hosted by the Trust & Estate Section of the Colorado Bar Association
THANK YOU TO OUR 2025 SPONSORS!
Platinum
Midwest Trust Company
Gold
Holland & Hart LLP
Huntington Private Bank
JAMS
Silver
Alpine Bank Wealth Management
Baysore & Christian Fiduciary Services
Bennett Thrasher LLP
Bessemer Trust
BOK Financial Private Wealth
Buchalter
Guardian Real Estate Group - Probate Team
Investment Trust Company
Krause Financial
Members Trust Company
National Care Advisors
Parkside Financial
Rose Community Foundation
Conference
Sunflower Bank, N.A.
Home studies will be available 2-3 weeks following the live program.
CBA-CLE is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, and employment. To request an accommodation please contact [email protected] at least 14 business days in advance.
The program is accredited in Colorado. CBA-CLE staff can provide a Uniform Certificate of Attendance, and it is the attendee's responsibility to complete the accreditation outside of Colorado.
Thursday, June 12, 2025
4:30 - 5:00 pm
Trust and Estate Ambassador and New Attendee/New Attorney Meetup
5:00 - 7:00 pm
Welcome Reception
Friday, June 13, 2025
7:15 - 8:00 am
Registration and Breakfast (for Registered Attendees Only)
8:00 - 8:05 am
Welcoming Remarks
Extended by Jody Davis, Esq., CBA-CLE Program Attorney, and Jonathan F. Haskell, Esq., Wade Ash LLC
8:05 - 9:05 am
Probate Judicial Panel
Panelists include:
The Honorable H. Clay Hurst, Presiding Probate Judge, 18th Judicial District/Arapahoe
The Honorable Elizabeth D. Leith, Presiding Judge, Denver Probate Court, 2nd Judicial District
The Honorable C. Jean Stewart (ret.), Jean Stewart LLC.
Panelist and moderated by The Honorable Sara S. Price, 17th Judicial District Magistrate, Brighton.
9:05 - 9:25 am
Transition to Breakout Sessions - Please visit your sponsors
9:25 – 10:15 am
Round A Breakout Sessions
Please choose from Sessions 1 or 2
Session #1
Business Succession Planning; Focus on Pre-Liquidity Considerations
Most client-families are owners of closely held businesses. This presentation will focus on many of the business succession issues, more specifically pre-liquidity issues, we face with our clients, including:
- Income Tax Considerations: state income tax planning (forum selection and ability to use states like NV and WY to avoid state income tax), use of charitable vehicles for income tax mitigation, and QSBS eligibility and stacking.
- Estate Tax Considerations: transfers to family members or trusts, timing of transfers, valuations, formula clauses, and transferring or retaining control of the business.
Presented by Donald (Skip) Hutchins, J.D., LL.M., BakerHostetler, and James S. Judd, J.D., LL.M., BakerHostetler.
Session #2
Burning Questions About the Boiler(plate): Why is That There?
The boiler (or other HVAC equipment) lurking in your basement comprises many moving parts which, when taken independently, may not seem significant. But each part enables the system to make your home comfortable by producing (or reducing) heat. Removing or adding one part could prevent your well-designed system from producing the expected result or even cause it to break down completely. The same applies to estate planning documents. This session will discuss seemingly innocuous provisions found in wills and trusts, delve into the significance of the provisions, and what could happen without them. Understanding these provisions not only helps you serve your clients but is also critical to fulfilling your duty of competency.
Presented by Michelle Mieras, J.D., LL.M., CTFA, CDFA®, BMO Wealth Management.
10:15 – 10:25 am
Break
10:25 – 11:15 am
Round B Breakout Sessions
Please choose from Sessions 3 or 4
Session #3
Death of a Narcissist – Unfunded Trusts and Trustee Releases
In this session, the presenters will explore the challenges of an unfunded trust through a case study, addressing concerns and solutions. The discussion will then shift to the complexities of trustee releases, focusing on the critical interplay between beneficiaries' demands—"Give me my money,"—and trustees' requirements—"Sign here first."
Presented by James (Jim) R. Walker, J.D., LL.M., Womble Bond Dickinson, and Jonathan F. Haskell, Esq., Wade Ash LLC
Session #4
Banks and Trust Companies as Fiduciaries: Practical Advice on How We Work
This presentation will offer some insight into how to work with banks and trust companies, walking you through the life cycle of the relationship. We’ll focus on:
- How should your client pick the right fiduciary, and what are the questions that they should ask?
- Once your client has picked a fiduciary, how do you successfully nominate them in the documents?
- When it’s time for the bank or trust company to serve, how does the Trust Officer onboard the account?
- How do Trust Officers review discretionary distribution requests, and what is the process for these to be approved?
- Top Tips for Working with Banks and Trust Companies
Presented by Gina M. Trevey, JD, CTFA, Raymond James Trust N.A., and Holly M. VandeHoef, JD, CPWA®, Midwest Trust Company
11:15 – 11:30 am
Networking Break – Please visit your sponsors
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Round C Breakout Sessions
Please choose from Sessions 5 or 6
Session #5
Mediating Probate Disputes: Navigating Family Dynamics, and Opportunities and Pitfalls under the Colorado Dispute Resolution Act (CDRA) and Case Law
Probate matters (both pre-suit and during litigation or arbitration) often involve complex family dynamics. These include perceived inequalities, unresolved conflicts, and differing expectations about fiduciary selections, division of estates, and trust distributions. Mediation provides a flexible, private, participant-directed process to understand and address the interests of each family member. In this presentation, we will discuss identifying and addressing family dynamics while preparing parties, counsel, and the mediator for mediation, and then navigating those dynamics during the mediation session. We will also discuss important opportunities and traps under the Colorado Dispute Resolution Act (CDRA) and case law. These will include courts’ power to compel mediation and limitations on that power, confidentiality, creating and enforcing binding mediation settlement agreements, who may be bound by a mediation settlement agreement, obtaining court continuances of hearings and trials to pursue further mediation negotiations without the stress of approaching trial dates, and lawyers’ ethical obligations related to mediation.
Presented by Steven C. Choquette, Esq., JAMS, and Kris A. Zumalt, Esq., JAMS
Session #6
‘Til Death (or Divorce) Do We Part: The Intersection of Marriage and Modern Estate Planning
The modern planning landscape provides trust and estate attorneys with the opportunity to discuss a variety of strategies with their clients. Many of these strategies work particularly well for married couples but can create complications when that marital status changes. This presentation will use real-world scenarios to discuss important considerations for attorneys and clients given the intersection of marriage, divorce, and modern estate planning. The 3-person panel includes experts in the areas of estate planning, family law, and trust/estate administration. Discussion will include pitfalls to be on the lookout for, best practice pointers, and ethics considerations.
Presented by Kara Chobrak, Esq., Buchalter, Jessica R. Diaz, Esq., Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, and Elizabeth T. Meck, Esq., The Northern Trust Company
12:30 pm
Adjourn
5:30 – 7:30 pm
Annual Wine Reception – Sponsored by Midwest Trust Company
Optional Add-on Activity: Golf - TBD
Saturday, June 14, 2025
7:15 - 8:00 am
Breakfast (for Registered Attendees Only)
8:00 - 8:05 am
Welcome Back and Announcement of the 2025 R. Sterling Ambler Award Recipient
Extended by Jonathan F. Haskell, Esq., Wade Ash LLC
8:05 – 8:10 am
CBA Trust & Estate Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity Committee Remarks
8:10 – 9:00 AM
You Can’t Ask That! (But You Should): Gender, Pronouns, & LGBTQIA+ Representation in Estate Planning and Litigation
This session will provide a crash course in gender, pronouns, and terminology that is central to representing LGBTQIA+ clients, as well representing clients who are not LGBTQIA+ but who have a family member whose gender, pronouns, or name change the client doesn’t understand. The panelists will discuss practical and real-life application of this information in both estate planning and litigation contexts. The presenters will also open the floor for attendee questions on this topic that might feel too delicate to raise in other contexts.
Presented by Kailie H. Wilson, Esq., Frazer-Abel | Kelly, and Jodie Gilbert, Esq., Watershed Estate Planning LLC
Submitted for 1 EDI Credit
9:05 – 10:05 am
Keynote Presentation
Estate Planning for Cyber Property – Electronic Communications, Cryptocurrency, Non-Fungible Tokens, and the Metaverse
New types of property without tangible form are evolving rapidly from ubiquitous electronic communications such as e-mail and text messages to the generally understood realm of cryptocurrency, to the growing use of ethereal non-fungible tokens, and to the fringes of the Metaverse. Without an understanding of these assets, attorneys will lack the sophistication necessary to provide sage advice to their estate planning clients. The presentation begins by describing the structure of these cyber assets and then moves on to examine the planning techniques currently available starting with basic steps that provide substantial predictability. Focus will then be directed to the uncertainty in outcomes that arises because many of these virtual assets have extreme value volatility and the prudent methods which may be used for handling these assets in estates and trusts to reduce the potential of fiduciary liability.
Presented by Gerry W. Beyer, J.D., LL.M. and J.S.D., Governor Preston E. Smith Regents Professor of Law, Texas Tech University School of Law
10:05 - 10:30 am
Networking Break – Please visit your sponsors
10:30 – 11:20 am
Round D Breakout Sessions
Please choose from Sessions 7 or 8
Session #7
Marital Deduction & Formula Funding Clauses
This presentation will cover selected aspects of the federal estate tax marital deduction and planning, with a particular focus on marital deduction funding formulas.
Presented by Daniela Ronchetti, Esq., Tuthill & Hughes LLP
Session #8
Fundamentals of Drafting Irrevocable Trusts.
This presentation will focus on structuring and drafting irrevocable trusts. Information presented will include the following: (i) discussion of structure and type of irrevocable trust to choose for a client’s particular situation, (ii) grantor versus non-grantor irrevocable trusts and how to cause grantor trust status, (iii) Crummey powers, (iv) generation-skipping transfer tax treatment and related considerations, (v) the role of fiduciaries and advisors (independent trustee, trust protectors and investment advisors), (vi) caution in drafting to prevent estate tax inclusion, (vii) provisions to incorporate flexibility into the irrevocable trust document, and (viii) forum selection. This presentation will not cover irrevocable trusts in the Medicaid planning context.
Presented by Cindy Basham, Esq.
11:20 – 11:30 am
Break
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Round E Breakout Sessions
Please choose from Sessions 9 or 10
Session #9
Claims Against an Estate – Types, Timeliness and When and If to Pay Them
We will discuss creditor claims against decedent's estates and ward's and protected persons' estates. This will include how and when to give notice to creditors, how to analyze and respond to pre-death, date-of-death, and post-death claims, how to calculate creditor bar dates, how claims are allowed and disallowed, and how to handle and respond to requests for the family and exempt property allowances. We will also discuss payment and priority of personal representative's fees and attorney fees, and claim priority of other claims and allowances, child support claims, payment of claims and allowances, and a personal representative's liability for improperly paid claims. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.
Presented by Andrea N. Mahoney, Esq., Olsen & Mahoney, LLP, M. Kent Olsen, Esq., Olsen & Mahoney, LLP, and Gordon J. Williams, Esq., Gordon J. Williams, P.C.
Submitted for .6 Ethics/Professionalism Credit
Session #10
Trust Modification for Trust & Estate Practitioners
This presentation will discuss why we may have need to modify an irrevocable trust after its creation and review avenues to modify an irrevocable trust. Avenues for modification would include using trust terms (with practice pointers for planners to make documents more flexible); modification without court intervention (decanting, by agreement, etc.); and modification with court intervention (UTC, reformation, etc.). We'll discuss the pros and cons of various approaches, and review recent case law regarding trust modification (ex. are beneficiaries who consent to trust modification making a gift for transfer tax purposes, etc.) This presentation will be of interest to planners (drafting tips), estate/trust admin (finding solutions to modify irrevocable trusts), and potentially litigators.
Presented by Hayley M. Lambourn, Esq., Wade Ash LLC
12:30 pm
Adjourn
- CLE Pass Price *FREE! - exclusions may apply
- Standard Price $879.00 USD
- Member Price $679.00 USD
- General Credits 14.00
- Ethics Credits 0.60
- EDI Credits 1.00