Volume Six • Number Two • Spring 2008

(888) 315-0872
info@InterActiveLegal.com

Jonathan G. Blattmachr
Editor-in-Chief

InterActive Legal Systems

Corporate Headquarters
100 Highland Park Village
Suite 200
Dallas, TX 75205

Michael L. Graham
President & CEO

Patricia A. McLelland
Chief Operating Officer

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sales@InterActiveLegal.com

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FEATURES

Medicaid Planning with Annuities

by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire.

Please scroll down to Articles of Interest to access this article by guest author Thomas D. Begley.

A More Real World Clause for Disposition of Tangibles

By Jonathan G. Blattmachr and Michael L. Graham.

Please scroll down to Articles of Interest to access this article.
 

COMPANY NEWS

Bernard A. Krooks Joins Elder Law Editorial Team

InterActive Legal proudly announces that Bernard A. Krooks has joined Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Andrew H. Hook and Stephen J. Silverberg on the elder law editorial team for InterActive LegalSuite’s Elder Law & Special Needs Planning system. Mr. Krooks is a founding partner of Littman Krooks LLP in New York. Mr. Krooks is a CPA, Certified Elder Law Attorney, and has an LLM in taxation. He is a past President and Fellow of NAELA, as well as a Fellow of American College of Trusts & Estates Counsel (ACTEC). We welcome him aboard!

NAEPC & ILS to Cooperate on Educational Webinars

The National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC) and InterActive Legal are pleased to announce a joint effort whereby the two organizations will cooperate to provide high quality educational webinars to the estate planning and elder law communities. More information will be forthcoming. Call Patricia McLelland (321) 252-0093 for information on upcoming events.

EVENT NEWS

Hurry, While Space is Still Available!
Spring 2008 Drafting Bootcamp – Boston, April 24-25

Join us for a 2-day drafting bootcamp, April 24-25, at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport on “Multi-Generational Planning & the Sandwich Generation.” Thought-provoking workshops focus on leveraging the power of InterActive LegalSuite™ to improve profitability and the delivery of legal services. Speakers include Jonathan G. Blattmachr and Michael L. Graham (moderate-advanced tax oriented and non-tax planning techniques) and Andrew H. Hook and Letha Sgritta McDowell (economics of the elder lawyer and helping elderly clients avoid falling victim to a "Negative Inheritance.") Case studies will challenge you to consider cohesive cross-generational plans. Contact Holly Graham Mitchko at HMitchko@InterActiveLegal.com for more information on the workshop and hotel accommodations. You can sign up on line by clicking http://ilsdocs.com/conferences/register.php?conferenceID=2.

Temporary License for Your Laptop for Spring 2008 Drafting Bootcamp
Installation Appointment Dates: April 14-21

Joining us for the 2-day Drafting Bootcamp, April 24-25, at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport on “Multi-Generational Planning & the Sandwich Generation”? If you plan to follow along with the speakers' programs using your laptops, please make sure you have the updated copy of the necessary software pre-loaded prior to the Bootcamp.

Contact Deslin Hinkson at DHinkson@InterActiveLegal.com during the week of April 14th to set up your appointment to get your temporary 30 day license code that will allow you to run the software from your own machine in the classroom. Appointments are a must, so contact Deslin today.

Please note: NO technical staff will be on-site in Boston to aid with installs.

Douglas W. Conner 29th Annual Advanced Estate Planning & Administration Seminar

Join us in Hot Springs, Virginia April 18-20. Stop by the exhibit area and meet speaker Andrew H. Hook. Mr. Hook is a certified elder law attorney and an editor of InterActive LegalSuite’s Elder Law & Special Needs Planning system. Andy Hook and Nicole Splitter will be on hand to demonstrate the power of this exciting and comprehensive new system, which takes a process oriented approach to developing and implementing the right plan for elderly or disabled clients.

2008 NAELA Symposium (Ka ‘Ohana, Maui)

May 14-18 – If you are attending this year’s NAELA Symposium in Maui, please visit us in the exhibit area and ask for a demonstration of Elder Law & Special Needs Planning.

PRODUCT NEWS

Competitive Upgrade Special

Are you completely satisfied with your current drafting system? Please ask our sales team about special competitive upgrade incentives available for current users of WealthCounsel/WealthDocs™, Lawgic™, Cowles Trust Plus® and Drafting Wills and Trust Agreements™ (DWTA). Contact sales@InterActiveLegal.com or call (321) 252-0100 for information and to schedule a personal web demonstration of InterActive LegalSuite products (Wealth Transfer Planning™, Elder Law & Special Needs Planning™ and Essential Estate Planning™). This is a time sensitive offer so call today.

On the Road Again: Spring 2008

Not going to be at these events? Take the opportunity to book a one hour web demonstration of any InterActive LegalSuite product! The one hour session, by appointment and scheduled at your convenience, is information-rich. In a Wealth Transfer Planning demo you will see: the intelligent interviews to produce documents, the seamless integration with Word, the customization facilities, the subscriber internet resources, including the active discussion forum. In the Elder Law & Special Planning demo you will see: the comprehensive checklists, the steps to produce a solid asset protection plan, the array of letters and trusts available to implement that plan. To schedule a webinar demonstration, contact Nicole Splitter. sales@interactivelegal.com (321) 252-0100.

SPECIAL OFFERS AND PRODUCT NEWS FROM OUR ALLIANCE PARTNERS

TimeMatters® Integration Package

Use TimeMatters® 8.0 to its full potential. The Basha Systems Estate Plan Management System ("EPMS") - a Time Matters® feature package integrates seamlessly with InterActive LegalSuite products. The base fee of $1,500 includes remote installation of the package and access to training classes on usage of the EPMS system. Time Matters® is NOT included. For additional information contact sales@interactivelegal.com or call Nicole Splitter (321) 252-0100.

Estate Planning Binders

ProSoft Binders provides high quality custom and stock Estate Planning binders and tabs. Custom binders, stamped with your logo are available in a wide variety of materials and colors for around $35.00 (min. 25). Premium vinyl and bonded leather binders are in stock and ready for delivery. Contact sales@prosoftbinders.com (888) 209-7183 or (321) 252-0093 for information or custom quote.

FROM THE HELP DESK

Interactive Legal Basics Classes: WTP 101 and ELP 101

If you’ve recently purchased the Wealth Transfer Planning and/or Elder Law and Special Needs Planning programs, but you’re just too busy to figure out how to use them, you should consider taking our WTP or ELP Basics 101 class. The Basics Class will teach you to use WTP and/or ELP in just one hour. After taking this introductory class, you will be amazed at how easy it is to begin drafting your documents. All of our "newbies" agree that it's an hour well spent! Sign up for the free WTP or ELP Basics class with our Senior Application Specialist, Jill Teske.

Jill was an Estates and Trusts paralegal for over 20 years and brings her years of drafting knowledge and expertise to the class. The WTP introductory classes are held every Tuesday at 2 p.m. (EST) and Thursday at 10:00 a.m. (EST) and the ELP classes are held every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. and Friday at 2:00 p.m. Both Basics Classes last approximately one hour. The classes cover the basic navigation and functionality of using the InterActive Legal system. In the class you will learn to add a client, create a matter for the client and add documents. You will also learn to create reciprocal documents for the client's spouse. You can register for either class on our website http://www.interactivelegal.com. If you have any questions about either Basics Class, please contact Jill Teske at jteske@interactivelegal.com or (321)-252-0095.

JumpStart Coaching Program

JumpStart Coaching is a one-on-one private training session offered at no charge. We encourage you to sign up for a JumpStart Coaching session as soon as you have completed WTP 101: The Basics. The 60-90 minute JumpStart is specifically tailored to your needs.

You will work directly with Teresa L. Bush, our in-house Attorney/Content Specialist who has over 16 years of experience in drafting estate planning documents. Teresa will clarify many of the available options, point out shortcuts, highlight "help" resources, and make recommendations. Using remote access technology, she will "watch over your shoulder" as you create clients and documents directly on your PC. The goals of this program are to focus on the documents that you will use most in your practice, and to help you feel confident using WTP so that you can maximize your investment. JumpStart Coaching is ideal for attorneys and paralegals who will be using the system to draft documents.

To schedule your private JumpStart Coaching session, view our training schedule by clicking on the link below, or contact Teresa L. Bush via email at tbush@interactivelegal.com or via phone at (888) 315-0872 (Ext. 87). http://www.ilsdocs.com/news/calendar.php?s=2&w=983&h=645

On-Site Training

IInterActive Legal now offers on-site training for firms who prefer a personalized training class held in their own offices. Contact Thea Dedyne for more information and pricing at tdedyne@interactivelegal.com or (321) 252-0100.

ARTICLES OF INTEREST

Medicaid Planning with Annuities

© 2008 by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire. All Rights Reserved.

Introduction

The Medicaid penalty for transferring assets is a period of ineligibility and is imposed only for the uncompensated value of a transfer. Therefore, if assets are transferred to a third party, but full value is received in exchange for the assets, there is a transfer for value and no Medicaid period of ineligibility is imposed.

A More Real World Clause for Disposition of Tangibles

© 2008 by Jonathan G. Blattmachr, Mitchell M. Gans & Michael L. Graham. All Rights Reserved.

Introduction and Background

Ok, we live and learn. Jonathan has been administering estates for more than 35 years (old isn’t he?) and thought he kind of knew at least almost all there was to know about the basics of that task. But he has just learned in an estate where he is an executor that he certainly does not.

Product Training

WTP 101: The Basics

Recommended for all users. This course covers the basic steps needed to navigate WTP and to draft documents. (60 minutes / No charge)

Click here for our schedule.

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