Estate Planning 101: Key skills for new practitioners

John Bunge | Holland & Knight

John Bunge is a tax and private wealth services partner in Holland & Knight’s Nashville office. John helps clients navigate the confluence of tax planning, business succession planning and estate planning, and seeks to find the most elegant solutions possible to reach their goals.

John helps clients reach their charitable goals, using charitable giving techniques to minimize income, estate and gift taxes, and advising clients on the formation and operation of tax-exempt organizations, including private foundations.

He also counsels families regarding the formation, structuring and operation of family offices and private trust companies.

Additionally, John helps clients minimize income taxes through individual, partnership and corporate tax planning. He also has experience assisting taxpayers through IRS audits, appeals and U.S. Tax Court litigation.

Christie Tournet | Christie Tournet & Associates, LLC

Prior to becoming a trusted counselor, Christie Tournet earned over a decade of experience in the Louisiana construction and real estate industries. Christie created business plans that secured debt, equity, and grant financing; she performed job-cost accounting and project management; and she oversaw all aspects of office management and human resources in that endeavor.

Christie attended Loyola University in New Orleans and majored in Economics and International Business with a minor in Spanish. Christie graduated summa cum laude and earned both the Bank of Louisiana Award for the Outstanding Economics Graduate and the World Trade Center Award for the Outstanding International Business Graduate.

Prior to pursuing her Juris Doctorate at Loyola University, Christie became a Louisiana Notary Public. Then, while attending law school, Christie continued to work full time and she received the LaNasa-Greco endowed scholarship in her second and third years of law school as well as the Loyola Law Excellence Award in Probate.

Before passing the Louisiana Bar, Christie also attained a Louisiana real estate salesperson license. She then worked for a large, regional defense firm in workers’ compensation and construction defense and estate planning and estate administrations until she started her own practice.

Christie’s hands-on experience in business management, real estate, and the legal industries permits her to appreciate her clients’ issues through a unique lens. Christie enjoys meeting with her clients to gain an
understanding of their unique concerns to tailor estate plans specific for that client. We also work with Succession Representatives, Tutors, and Trustees to provide experience, guidance, and results.

Session I – Strategic Disclaimers: Enhancing estate planning efficiency and flexibility | 11:00am – 12:40pm

• State law legal requirements and comparison to tax law requirements | 11:00am – 11:30am
• Drafting estate plans that contemplate potential disclaimers and comparison to other structures | 11:30am – 12:00pm

Break | 12:00pm – 12:10pm

• Disclaimers as post-mortem planning (without “pre-planning”) | 12:10pm – 12:20pm
• Creditor protection considerations | 12:20pm – 12:30pm
• Practical considerations, including family dynamics and relationships | 12:30pm – 12:40pm

Session II – Estate Planning 101: Key skills for new practitioners | 12:40pm – 2:20pm

• Estate Planning Basics | 12:40pm – 12:47pm
• Fundamental Estate Planning Documents | 12:47pm – 12:54pm
• Understanding Probate | 12:54pm – 1:01pm
• Estate Tax Basics | 1:01pm – 1:10pm

Break | 1:10pm – 1:20pm

• Asset Titling and Ownership | 1:20pm – 1:27pm
• Beneficiary Designations | 1:27pm – 1:34pm
• Estate Planning for Blended Families | 1:34pm – 1:41pm
• Special Needs Planning | 1:41pm – 1:48pm
• Business Succession Planning | 1:48pm – 1:55pm
• Ethical Considerations in Estate Planning | 1:55pm – 2:02pm
• Client Communication and Counseling | 2:02pm – 2:09pm
• Recent Developments and Trends in Estate Planning | 2:09pm – 2:20pm