Programs
What the council has been working through.
The law and practice as they actually change, presented by the people working the cases — eight evenings a season, and 17 programs on the record behind them.
The 2026–27 season
Open for registration.
Every evening this season can be booked now, at $95 a head, at Jimmy’s Lakeside Grill, Windsor, California. Speakers and topics appear here as the council confirms them — a seat does not wait on the program.
2025–26 season
2025–26.
Impacts of Proposition 19, Trusts & Property ReassessmentDeva Marie Proto & Rhiannon Yeager
Difficult Estate‑Planning Conversations: Navigating Conflict with Clarity and ConfidenceCaitlin Meredith
Trust and Tax Planning for Business Owners: From Inception to ExitRyan J. Szczepanik
Bridging Perspectives: Estate Planning Across Cultures & the Value of the AEP® DesignationKit Mac Nee
Inside the Appraisal Process: What Estate Planners Need to Know (But Rarely Hear) — A 360° ViewPanel (Louis Cionci, Marcus Wardell, Ryan C. Ward)
The Big Beautiful Bill: What It Means for Estate PlanningJeffrey R. Brooks
2024–25 season
2024–25.
Community, Connection & Charitable Impact: An Evening with Chop’s Teen Club & Community Foundation Sonoma CountyCommunity Foundation Sonoma County & Chop’s Teen Club
Recent Developments in Estate and Gift TaxKyle Martin
Business Succession PlanningSusan Rounds
Understanding Special Needs TrustsEllen Cookman
Exploring Planned GivingCharmaine Stainbrook
California Property Tax and Proposition 19Jennifer A. Vincent
California Directed Trusts—A Big Step Forward for California Trust Law, But What Happens Now?Philip J. Hayes
2023–24 season
2023–24.
Mastering High Net Worth Estate Structuring using Gifting and TrustsTimothy Bachmann & Jim Whittle
Asset Protection StrategiesJacob Stein, Esq
SECURE ACT Planning using Testamentary Charitable Remainder Trusts: From Concept to CompletionPaul Casperson CFP®,AEP®, MS
SECURE ACT 2.0 & the Impact on Estate PlansBob Fields