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Estate Planning 101

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Michigan Farm Bureau: 2018 Take Root Conference
February 26, 2018

Morning Program
Breakout Sessions
Note: Attendees will choose 2 out of 4 breakout sessions they want to attend.

Breakout A: Estate Planning 101
Doug Mielock, Foster Swift
Maximize and preserve wealth during lifetime
Transfer wealth at death to intended recipients
Minimize estate administration expenses
Reduce or defer taxes
Property Ownership
Avoid conflict among family members

Doug Mielock
Breakout B: Farm Estate Planning Tax Considerations
Jeff Bushey, CPA, Nietzke & Faupel, PC

Kristiana Coutu, Varnum
Review of current estate tax system
Structures for farm transitions
Using estate tax rules to create tax benefits
Structures to reduce and or eliminate estate taxes
Pitfalls to avoid in estate and succession planning

Jeff Bushey Kristiana Coutu
Breakout C: Financing Options for Long-Term Care
Sally Babbitt, Babbitt Legal Group, PC

Learn what your options are for paying for long-term care, and the pro's and con's of each method including Medicaid, Insurance, Private Pay, and Medicare.
Sally Babbitt
Breakout D: Financing your Estate Plan
Joe Solitro, Farm Bureau Insurance

Sean Cook, Warner Norcross & Judd, LLP
Financing options to allow you to retire and ensure your family farm stays intact (Life Insurance, Investments; Annuities, etc.)

Joe Solitro Sean Cook
Lunch Provided

Afternoon Program
Breakout Sessions
Note: Attendees will choose 2 out of 4 breakout sessions they want to attend.

Breakout A: Succession Planning 101
Dean Reisner, Varnum
Farm Transfer Factors & Strategies; Distribution Issues with Farming and Non-Farming Beneficiaries; Buy/Sell Agreements; Choosing the Best Business Structure; Building a Management Team; & Communication.

Dean Reisner

Breakout B: Limited Liability Companies for the Farm Business
Henry L. Knier, Smith, Martin, Powers & Knier

Comparison of Farm Business Structures; Advantages and Disadvantages of an LLC; Setting up an LLC; Terms for an Operating Agreement
Henry Knier
Breakout C: Transferring Corporate Interest and other Asset
Eric Fox, Attorney at Law

Stock and patronage in co-operatives
Eric Fox
Breakout D:Succession Planning Opportunities for Farm Real Estate
Trent Hilding, Law Firm of Trent C. Hilding
How to deal with leases (land/hunting/wind) and mineral rights on a farmer's succession plan

Trent Hilding

Closing Session: Farmer Q&A Panel
Doug Mielock, Foster Swift

Listen to your farmer peers discuss their experiences (successes and failures) dealing with estate and succession planning. Learn what worked, what didn’t, and advice they want to pass on to their fellow farmers.

Click to register.