InterActive Legal Academy Estate Planning Basics
2026-04-06 00:00 - 2026-05-01 23:59 (America/New_York)
1:00–2:00 PM ETTues & Thurs: Live Online InstructionFri: Drafting Workshops Q&A

CLE Approved*

InterActive Legal Academy is education by lawyers for lawyers. The Estate Planning Basics Series offered in April is an introduction to estate planning documents and concepts, with a focus on how property is transferred both at death and during lifetime.

Register Today – Live Classes Begin April 6th

Can’t wait until the next live session of the Estate Planning Basics Series?

Purchase On-Demand

What You’ll Learn

Learn how property passes at death and during lifetime

Understand the purpose and structure of core estate planning documents

Know when and why to use revocable trusts

Identify key planning issues for spouses, descendants, and other beneficiaries

Understand testamentary trusts and basic lifetime planning strategies

Gain practical drafting tips for common estate planning document

And more—reinforced with case studies, sample drafting language, and live Q&A

Course Syllabus

Week #1 – April 6-10

Session NameFacultyDescriptionOptional Kick off Meeting(April 6, 2026; 1pm ET) Teresa L. Bush, Esq.Administrative meeting in advance of the official program:• Check connections• Review Syllabus• Answer any questionsWhat is Estate Planning?(April 7, 2026; 1pm ET) Academy FacultyFoundations of estate planning:• Planning for death and incapacity• Probate, probate alternatives, and property transfer at death• Core estate planning documents, including Wills, Revocable Trusts, Powers of Attorney, and Health Care DirectivesTransferring Property at Death(April 9, 2026; 1pm ET) Academy FacultyMethods of Disposing of Property at Death: • Asset types and how they pass at death• Outright and trust-based dispositions under Wills and trusts• Common dispositive provisions, including fiduciaries, guardians, and contingenciesWeek 1 Workshop(April 10, 2026; 1pm ET) Academy FacultyWeek 1 concept review: • Case studies and sample language • Q&A

Week #2 – April 12-17

Session NameFacultyDescriptionEstate Planning During Lifetime Part 1: Incapacity Planning(April 14, 2026; 1pm ET) Academy FacultyPlanning for Incapacity:• Use of Revocable Trusts during incapacity• Delegation of authority through Powers of Attorney and guardianship• Health Care Directives and medical decision-makingEstate Planning During Lifetime Part 2: Lifetime Transfers(April 16, 2026; 1pm ET) Academy FacultyLifetime Transfers and Gifting Strategies: • Funding Revocable Trusts• Lifetime gifts to individuals, charities, and trusts• Introductory use of Irrevocable Trusts for tax, Medicaid, and family planningWeek 2 Workshop(April 17, 2026; 1pm ET) Academy FacultyWeek 2 concept review: • Case studies and sample language • Q&A

Week #3 – April 20-25

Session NameFacultyDescriptionIntroduction to Planning with Trusts (April 21, 2026; 1pm ET) Academy FacultyTrust-Based Planning Techniques: • Reasons to use trusts instead of outright distributions• Trust creation, administration, and distribution standards• Beneficiary powers and trust terminationEstate Planning for Married Couples(April 24, 2026; 1pm ET) Academy FacultyPlanning Considerations for Spouses: • Ownership of property between spouses• Joint trusts, divorce, remarriage, and disinheritance issues• Overview of tax consequences of spousal transfersWeek 3 Workshop(April 25, 2026; 1pm ET) Academy FacultyWeek 3 concept review: • Case studies and sample language • Q&A

Week #4 – April 27 – May 1

Session NameFacultyDescriptionEstate Planning for Descendants(April 28, 2026; 1pm ET) Teresa L. Bush, Esq.Planning for Children and Other Descendants: • Outright and trust-based gifts to descendants• Planning for minor beneficiaries and guardianship• Adjustments for lifetime gifts and special family circumstancesSpecific Topis(April 30, 2026; 1pm ET) Academy FacultyAdvanced and Special Planning Topics: • Planning for complex assets, including retirement benefits, businesses, and real estate• Considerations for business owners and higher-net-worth clients• Introductory estate tax planning conceptsWeek 4 Workshop(May 1, 2026; 1pm ET) Academy FacultyWeek 4 concept review: • Case studies and sample language • Q&A

Faculty

Learn directly from respected practitioners and thought leaders in estate planning.

Jonathan G. Blattmachr, JDEditor in Chief and Co-FounderInterActive Legal

Teresa L. Bush, Esq.Director of Education and Support ServicesInterActive Legal

Elizabeth (Beth) Q. Boehmcke, Esq.Advisor EmeritusInterActive Legal

Michael L. Graham, Esq.Chairman and Co-FounderInterActive Legal

Vanessa L. Kanaga, Esq.InterActive Legal Advisor

Letha Sgritta McDowell, CELAInterActive Legal Advisor

Rebecca Strub, Esq.Legal Content ManagerInterActive Legal

Mary E. Vandenack, CAP®InterActive Legal Advisor

Deirdre Wheatley-Liss, Esq.InterActive Legal Advisor

Tuition

Non-Subscriber: $699**Subscriber: $399

Special Pricing for Law Students (proof required)

2-Hour Lifestyle Lawyer, Elder Law College, Million Dollar Solution, and Personal Family Lawyer members receive a tuition discount. Contact your organization for details.

Save Your Seat Today

**Non-subscribers who attend may apply a tuition credit toward a new InterActive Legal subscription(if purchased within 60 days of the series end).

*CLE Approved

The Estate Planning Basics Series is approved for 12 hours of Florida CLE credit.

Certificates of attendance are provided.

Attendees outside Florida may apply for credit with their own state bar.

CLE credit may be available only for sessions attended live.

Want to Learn More about InterActive Legal Academy?

Our faculty and support staff will be happy to help you with inquiries, registration, information on future sessions, and questions about the material presented in the most recent sessions.Email academy@wp-staging.interactivelegal.comSupport Hours are 8:30am – 5:30pm ETMonday through Friday, except holidays

Trusted by Estate Planning Attorneys Nationwide

Hundreds of attorneys have turned to InterActive Legal Academy to sharpen their estate planning knowledge and strengthen their drafting skills. With instruction led by practicing attorneys and nationally recognized thought leaders, the Academy is where legal theory meets real-world practice.

“Having recently completed the Estate Planning Course, I’m compelled to share my thoughts on its practical value for attorneys like myself who are just starting out in the field. As a new attorney, I found this course to be an invaluable resource in kickstarting my career. The course provides a roadmap for navigating the intricacies of estate planning. From understanding the basics of wills and trusts, to how to tailor each document to a client’s needs, each session offered insights that I could apply in my practice. As someone who’s been practicing for little over a year as an associate, I found that the course served as a much-needed thread to tie together the various drafting techniques and conceptual frameworks I’d encountered in my day-to-day work. It bridged the gap between theory and practice, helping me see how each piece of the puzzle fit into the larger picture of estate planning. One aspect I particularly appreciated was the emphasis on real-world scenarios. Rather than dealing in hypotheticals, the course drew from the instructors’ own experiences and case studies, providing a glimpse into the practical challenges and considerations that estate planning attorneys must face on a day-to-day basis. I fully recommend that anyone considering estate planning as their practice should take this course, and I only wish I had taken it sooner!.”Alexander SanchezAttorneyNew York, New York

“The course was very well laid out. I enjoyed how the courses built upon one another allowing for someone with little knowledge to have a good foundation prior to diving into the harder to grasp concepts and estate planning. The handouts and video recordings were very beneficial, and the end of the week workshop helped to solidify how to apply the knowledge into everyday work and documents.”Paige KellyKelly, Passidomo & Kelly, LLP,Naples, Florida

“I’ve taken many CLEs over the past few years geared to those new to estate planning. Most of them assume too much prior knowledge and dive in in the middle of things. Or, if they are basic enough, they aren’t nearly comprehensive enough. The ILS Basics course is the best I’ve taken because it did not assume any prior knowledge, and it is also comprehensive and puts everything in context. It’s the course I would recommend someone new to estate planning take first.”Mike Beshara AttorneyDallas, Texas

“As a solo practitioner, participating in the Estate Planning Basic Series is an investment in my legal education. It helped me to refresh legal concepts, validate procedures, and learn new ways to work more efficiently. From each speaker, I got a new perspective to handle my daily work and expand my knowledge. It is a great tool to keep you on your path to success!”

Erika MoralesDuluth, Georgia

“I have now taken both the Basics and Tax Planning courses offered from Interactive Legal Academy. The material made available is excellent, and the presentations cover an extensive array of knowledge. I know that what I’m being taught is authoritative and features some of the industry’s best thinking. There really aren’t many options for a full course on estate planning, and definitely nothing so affordable. Teresa Bush deserves a great deal of credit for how she has helped put these all together.”

Stephen PappaterraAttorneyMoorestown, New Jersey
