WASHINGTON, D.C. ESTATE PLANNING COUNCIL

Program Description and Benefits: 
This program will help you identify international clients, their unique estate planning issues, and how to develop solutions using life insurance.  Topics discussed will include the throwback tax problem of foreign non-grantor trusts, lowering inheritance tax rates in some jurisdictions, creating tax-free or tax-reduced growth, equalizing estate values, and providing liquidity. Additional discussion will be on the use of life insurance as an efficient substitute to trusts, providing inheritance planning and protecting wealth from creditors. Learn about the potential underwriting issues involved with using foreign situs carriers and the challenges of working with US-based carriers when insuring foreign nationals.

Speakers’ Biographies: 
Leigh Basha, a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP and head of the Washington, DC Private Client Practice Group, focuses on domestic and international estate and tax planning.  Leigh is experienced in counseling an affluent international client base on a wide range of sophisticated matters, including estate and trust administration, family wealth preservation, tax compliance, business succession planning, expatriation and pre-immigration planning.  Leigh received her LL.M. in taxation from Georgetown University Law School and her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, where she is an adjunct professor of wills, trusts and estates.  She earned her A.B. in government from Georgetown University.

Rod Bench was a founder and principal of RA Bench, a financial services organization and member of the M Financial Group, prior to its sale to USI in 2010.  He acts as a senior advisor to many family owned enterprises regarding their succession planning and wealth management issues, both in the US and abroad.  He is recognized as an expert on the design, financing, implementation, reporting, and integration of executive fringe benefit plans. He previously served as an executive officer of New England Financial Group.  Rod is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting and former president of the Estate Planning Council of Seattle.  He is a Chartered Life Underwriter and holds advanced designations in Business Tax Planning, Pension Planning and Estate Planning from the American College. Rod is the proud new owner of a vineyard in Napa Valley, CA.

Logistics:

• Open bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres will follow the program
• No cost for active members | $65 for guests and emeritus members
• Via Metro: Metro Center stop
• Via Car: Parking is available in the building. Enter Columbia Square garage from 12^th Street between E and F Streets. Discounted parking after 5 p.m.
• No-Show Policy: Members who reserve, but do not attend, will be billed $65.