All you need is love…and the Estate Planning Institute! Whether you attend in person or get a ticket to ride via Zoom, you’ll twist and shout about the most current estate planning issues and news. Leading experts and financial professionals will come together to perform a live and hopefully sold-out show to help you understand all the latest changes! Miss this event and you could wind up nowhere, man! Need some help? Mark your calendars and let it be a time to learn about new rules and tax legislation that affects estate planning.
Click here to register, sponsor, or donate to this year’s EPI!
Being held at the Las Cruces Convention Center located at 680 E. University, Las Cruces, NM.
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The Estate Planning Institute is designed for attorneys, accountants, bankers, investment advisors, estate planning and tax practitioners, financial planners, and anyone that needs to provide effective estate planning for their clients. Reserve your space TODAY!
There are no qualifications or prerequisites to participate in and benefit from this program.
Continuing Professional Education Credits
This program will be submitted to qualify in New Mexico and Texas for up to:
15.6 continuing education credits based on a 50-minute hour
13 continuing education credits based on a 60-minute hour
2 MCLE credits of Ethics/Professionalism
Registration Rates
The registration rates listed below vary for the time of the registrant’s payment. Each registrant will receive one reserved spot to attend our Estate Planning Institute for both days and includes an electronic PDF file of the 2021 Speaker Manual. If you would like to have a printed copy of the 2021 Speaker Manual it will be an additional $30.00 per manual.
Standard: $400
Includes PDF of speaker manual
Rate after October 8, 2021
Payment Information
The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico accepts credit card and check payments. Credit or debit card payments can be made online, or through the phone. Check payments need to be made out to “The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico” and should be mailed-in to our CFSNM office location. Our office location address is as follows:
2600 El Paseo Road
Las Cruces, NM 88001
Online Payment
Payments can be made online with a credit card by clicking the link directly below.
Pay Online
Company Invoice
If you will be attending on behalf of a business and they will need to be billed an invoice please email info@cfsnm.org or call our office number listed below.
Phone Payment
Call 575-521-4794 to pay over the phone with a CFSNM team member.
Cancellation Policy
You may cancel by October 29th with a $25 cancellation fee;$100 thereafter.
Testimonial
“As an estate planning professional, I find this to be a very valuable two-day event right in my own geographic area. The topics are always timely and range from general and best practices to more advanced and in-depth information. The presenters are knowledgeable in their fields which include accounting, law, and finance. I’m always impressed with how much I learn and can use to help my clients, and I always enjoy networking and learning about other professionals and resources in my own area.”
Lauren D. Serrano, Associate Attorney — ScottHulse PC
Speaker Schedule
Speakers:
Vickie Wilcox, J.D., LL.M. (Taxation) – Professor, Speaker & Author
Wilcox & Meyers P.C.
Presentation Topic: The New Elizabeth Whitefield End-Of-Life Options Act and Health Care Documents
Vickie is a graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Law, and earned her Masters of Law (LL.M.) in Taxation from New York University. Vickie grew up in Deming, New Mexico, and has been a trust and estate planning attorney in Albuquerque for over twenty-five years. She is an ACTEC (American College of Trust and Estate Counsel) Fellow and is also a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She is honored to have been appointed by the Supreme Court of New Mexico to serve on the State Disciplinary Board, and has also been recently appointed by the New Mexico Board of Bar Commissioners to the New Mexico Legal Specialization Commission.
Vickie practices in the areas of estate planning, tax law, probate, estate and trust administration, charitable giving, business planning, and business succession planning. She speaks both locally and outside of New Mexico to financial advisors, attorneys, accountants, and others on tax and estate planning, business planning, charitable giving, planning related to qualified retirement benefits, and legal ethics.
Gifford Davis, CIMA – Vice President & Senior Portfolio Manager
U.S. Bank Wealth Management
Presentation Topic: Market Views
As a Portfolio Manager, Gifford delivers investment services to help clients work toward their goals. Gifford uses his experience to establish an integrated investment approach, offering asset allocation strategies and recommendations based on short and long-term financial objectives, financial status and risk profiles.
Gifford began his career in the banking and financial services industry in 1991. His professional background includes extensive experience in portfolio construction, asset allocation and use of alternative investments with a strong focus on servicing his clients.
Gifford is an active member of his community, serving as a member of the Investments & Wealth Institute, New Mexico Estate Planning Council and as a member and co-chair of the finance committee for the Catholic Foundation, Archdiocese of Santa Fe. He has also served on the Board of Trustees for Dominican Ecclesial Institute and as a Board Member and Major Gifts Committee Chair for New Mexico Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
When Gifford is not at work, he enjoys traveling and spending time with his family and friends. He is also very active in his church.
Anne L. Taylor – Chief Disciplinary Counsel
The Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of New Mexico
Presentation Topic: Ethics/Professionalism
Anne L. Taylor is Chief Disciplinary Counsel for the Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the New Mexico Supreme Court Disciplinary Board where she has worked since January 2002 as both Assistant and Deputy Disciplinary Counsel, before being appointed Chief in November 2020. She serves as the Disciplinary Counsel liaison to the New Mexico Client Protection Fund. Anne has a J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law in Nashville, Tennessee.
Jane Gagne – Assistant Disciplinary Counsel
The Disciplinary Board of the New Mexico Supreme Court
Presentation Topic: Civility: How to be a zealous, reasonable, even kind. attorney – all at the same time. And why you should.
Jane Gagne joined the Disciplinary Board in 2011. After working years in the computer field and bicycle-racing professionally, Jane decided to change careers and went to law school. Graduating from The University of New Mexico School of Law in 1994, Jane spent a decade practicing plaintiff’s employment and civil rights law.
Dr. Jim Peach – Retired Professor
New Mexico State University
Presentation Topic: Economic Conditions in the US and New Mexico
Jim Peach received his PhD in economics from the University of Texas at Austin in 1978. From 1980 until July 1, 2018 Jim was a faculty member in the Department of Economics at New Mexico State University. He now holds emeritus status. When he retired, he was Regents Professor, Chevron Endowed Professor, and Faculty Athletics Representative to the NCAA. Peach has received numerous awards for teaching, research and service and he has published widely. Each year he gives many public presentations and media appearances on topics such as the national economy, the New Mexico economy, international trade, and energy. Peach is an optimist and a Cubs fan.
John Attwood, VP – Trust Officer and NCG
First American Bank
Presentation Topic: Beyond HEMS…You Want What?
John joined First American Bank in Albuquerque with13 years of experience in trust and estate administration. Since 2006, John has held certification as a Nationally Certified Guardian (NCG) which qualifies him to administer Conservatorships, Special Needs and Personal Injury Settlement Trusts. His experience in this field includes working with clients challenged by TBI, Paraplegia, Quadriplegia and Mental Illness.
He has a B.A. from Oklahoma Wesleyan University and graduated from American Bankers Association Intermediate and Advanced Trust School.
John has served as President of the New Mexico Alzheimer’s Association and New Mexico Guardianship Association and on the board of the University of New Mexico Anderson School Foundation and the Parker Center for Family Business, formerly The N.M. Family Business Alliance. He is a member of the Albuquerque and Santa Fe Estate Planning Councils.
He advises several non-profits regarding organization sustainability through planned giving. He works with ARCA, Albuquerque Public Schools Foundation, Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum, Colorado and New Mexico Planned Giving Roundtables. John recently joined the N.M. Cattle Growers Association and is interested in the unique challenges facing farmers and ranchers regarding estate planning and business succession.
Mark E. Osborne, J.D. – Managing Partner
Osborne, Helman, Knebel & Scott, L.L.P
Presentation Topic: Asset Protection
Mr. Osborne is the managing partner of Osborne, Helman, Knebel & Scott, LLP. Mr. Osborne practices primarily in the area of trust and estate planning, with an emphasis on taxation, asset protection, and international transactions. Mr. Osborne is an author and frequent lecturer on numerous wealth transfer topics. He has made presentations and published articles nationally and internationally on the subjects of asset protection, foreign tax compliance, international inheritance rights, and related cross-border topics. Mr. Osborne is the founding Editor of the International Estate Planning Guide, a publication of the International Bar Association. Mr. Osborne is serving as Vice Chair of the Individual Tax and Private Client Committee of the International Bar Association, and he is Chair of the Board of the Texas Chapter of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. He is also a Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for Trusts and Estates featured in U.S. News and World Report.
Pete Davis – President
Davis Capital Investment Ideas
Presentation Topic: Washington Update
Pete Davis advises Wall Street money managers on Washington policy developments that affect the financial markets. President of his own consulting firm since 1992, Davis Capital Investment Ideas, he draws on 11 years of experience as a Capitol Hill economist with the Joint Committee on Taxation (1974-1981), the Senate Budget Committee (1981-1983), and Senator Robert C. Byrd (1992). He worked in the House and Senate, and for Republicans and Democrats. He brought the first computer policy model, the Treasury Individual Income Tax Model, to Capitol Hill in early 1974, when he became a revenue estimator on the Joint Committee on Taxation. He formulated the 1975 rebate, the earned income tax credit, the 1976 estate tax rates, the 1978 marginal tax rates, and the Roth-Kemp tax cut. He left Capitol Hill in 1983 for the Washington Research Office of Prudential-Bache Securities, where he advised investors for seven years.
Dr. Gerry W. Beyer J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. – Professor
Texas Tech University School of Law
Presentation Topic: Don’t Get Lost in Cyberspace: How to Plan for and Administer Digital Assets
Dr. Gerry W. Beyer joined the faculty of the Texas Tech University School of Law in June 2005 as the first holder of the Governor Preston E. Smith Regents Professorship. Previously, Prof. Beyer taught as a professor or visiting professor at several other law schools including Boston College, Boston University, The Ohio State University, Southern Methodist University, the University of New Mexico, Santa Clara University, St. Mary’s University, and La Trobe University (Australia).
Prof. Beyer is the author of dozens of books and hundreds of articles focusing on various aspects of estate planning. He is the recipient of over twenty teaching and writing awards including the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the most prestigious university-wide teaching award at Texas Tech. Prof. Beyer is the editor of the most popular estate planning blawg in the nation which after being named for five consecutive years to the ABA Journal’s Blawg 100 was awarded Hall of Fame status in 2015. Prof. Beyer presents dozens of continuing legal education presentations each year for many national, state, and local bar associations, universities, and civic groups.
Professor Beyer received his J.D. from The Ohio State University and his LL.M. and J.S.D. degrees from the University of Illinois. He is a member of the Order of the Coif, an Academic Fellow and Regent of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a member of the American Law Institute, and was inducted into the Estate Planning Hall of Fame by The National Association of Estate Planners & Councils.
Eric Walton| Brad Beasley – Certified Public Accountants
Spence Asset Management| Beasley Mitchell & Co.
Presentation Topic: Intersection of Investment and Taxes
Eric Walton is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer for Spence Asset Management. Spence Asset Management is the second largest independent Registered Investment Advisor in the State of New Mexico managing over $650 million in assets. His duties include overseeing day-to-day operations, manage personnel, institutional/individual marketing activities and growth initiatives for the firm.
He is the Portfolio Manager for the firm’s equity portfolio and is the chair of the investment committee; committee responsible for managing individual equities and bonds.
He earned his Bachelors Degree from New Mexico State University in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance. In addition to various boards and committees served on within the community and region, Eric is proud to have founded the Spence Asset Management Foundation in 2012. The foundation is the philanthropic arm of the company that provides grants and scholarships to children in the communities Spence Asset Management services.
Brad Beasley earned his Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Nevada – Las Vegas in 2000. Brad worked in Internal Audit and SEC Compliance while working in the gaming industry for Harrah’s Entertainment (now Caesar’s Entertainment). Brad has been with Beasley, Mitchell & Co. since 2004, and a partner since 2008. At Beasley, Mitchell & Co., Brad manages the Audit and Assurance practice and provides accounting and tax services to a broad range of clients with concentration in commercial and residential construction, the transportation industry, and franchise operations. Brad has been active in several community and civic organizations as well as serving as Chairman of the Board of the New Mexico Society of Certified Public Accountants, President of the Dona Ana Chapter of CPA’s, President of the Las Cruces Rio Grande Rotary Club and Treasurer of Rotary District 5520, Secretary of the Mesilla Valley Hospice Foundation, and the AICPA Council representative for New Mexico. Brad is a member of the Audit Committee of NMSU, a member of the Emerging Leaders Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and serves on the AICPA Assurance Services Executive Committee.
Kenneth C. Leach, J.D. – Managing Partner
Kenneth C. Leach & Associates, P.C.
Presentation Topic: SLATs, and Why You Should Consider Using One!
Kenneth C. Leach completed his education through the University of New Mexico with his B.A. in History in 1972, and his JD in Law in 1975. He was then admitted to the bar by the New Mexico and U.S. District Court in 1975. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and has been listed on Martindale-Hubbell’s Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. He is a member of the University of New Mexico Law School Alumni Association, the Albuquerque Bar Association, the New Mexico Estate Planning Council and Southern New Mexico Estate Council, and a Trustee on the Board of Trustees of the Albuquerque Community Foundation. Kenneth previously served on the New Mexico Board of Legal Specialization, An Agency of the Supreme Court of New Mexico Estate Planning, Trusts & Probate Law Speciality Committee, the San Juan College Foundation Board (from 2019-2021), The University of New Mexico Foundation Board (from 1995-2003), and as the Chairman of the Gift Acceptance Committee for the UNM Foundation. Kenneth has been listed in the prestigious “The Best Lawyers in America” publication in the Trust & Estates section for 25 consecutive years (1996-2021). He was the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico advisor for the year of 2013, and he received the Excellence in Charitable Gift Planning Award for 2006 by the Albuquerque Community Foundation.
Bridget Mullins, J.D.| Heather Benavidez, M.P.A – Associate| Liaison Officer
Pregenzer, Baysinger, Wideman & Sale, P.C.| New Mexico State Treasurer’s Office
Presentation Topic: Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts
Bridget represents clients in the areas of Guardianships, Probate, Wills, Trusts, Elder Law, and Family Law with a focus on working with Spanish-speaking clients. In addition, Bridget has a strong trial background after spending many years prosecuting domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking cases for the District Attorney’s and Attorney General’s Offices.
Bridget has worked with Spanish-speaking families in many different contexts – as a teacher, an advocate, and as an attorney. While attending law school at the University of New Mexico, Bridget also taught Spanish classes to undergraduate students and earned a Master’s degree in Latin American Studies in addition to her Law Degree. She has also worked on consumer protection issues and taught Financial Literacy classes to help community members learn about debt, investing, and credit.
Heather Benavidez has been a proud public servant for eighteen years, serving in both local and state government. Her service began in the judiciary where she held many positions, culminating in the development and management of the Foreclosure Settlement Facilitation Pilot Program, helping New Mexicans facing the loss of their homes. Her service within the State Treasurer’s Office has been enriched by advocacy work, including providing financial literacy education to youth transitioning out of the foster care system, creating and managing ABLE accounts for individuals living with disabilities, and assisting with the development of a retirement savings account program for employees of small businesses and the self-employed. She is a former municipal judge and magistrate judge, and is on the DWI Planning Council and Juvenile Justice Board of Valencia County. She has a B.A. and Master of Public Administration from the University of New Mexico and resides with her husband in Albuquerque.