ONLINE
Friday, September 11, 2026
9:00 AM - 4:15 PM
Retirement accounts and Social Security benefits are riddled with complex rules, critical deadlines, and costly pitfalls. Estate planning attorneys must be familiar with these assets and rules to tactically incorporate them into estate plans. This full-day seminar cuts through the complexity, arming attorneys with the best practices and real-world strategies needed to guide clients through these programs and integrate them seamlessly into an overall estate plan. Our faculty will discuss:
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
CHECK-IN & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
9:00 – 9:05 a.m.
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
9:05 – 9:50 a.m.
Coordinating Retirement Accounts in Estate Planning
Successfully coordinating your client’s assets to meet their retirement income needs while managing the associated tax consequences can improve both their retirement security and the legacy they leave behind. This session will help you better understand how your client’s assets are used throughout retirement and how they ultimately transfer to their heirs.
– Bill Meyer
9:50 – 10:20 a.m.
4 Key Tips for Naming Beneficiaries for Retirement Accounts
This session will provide tips and best practices for naming primary and contingent beneficiaries on retirement accounts. Topics will include:
– Amanda N. Juelson
10:20 – 10:30 a.m.
BREAK
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
Answers to Tough Questions About the Intersection of Social Security Benefits, Retirement Planning and Estate Planning
For many clients, Social Security benefits play an important role in their overall retirement plan. This session will provide an overview of Social Security, including retirement benefits for the worker, spousal benefits and survivor benefits, and give helpful guidance for advising clients on retirement decisions and estate planning.
– Brian Rudolph
11:45 – 11:50 a.m.
BREAK
11:50 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
Retirement Accounts and Their Impact on Medical Assistance Eligibility
Careful estate planning is required to ensure retirement accounts don’t count as an available asset and affect a client’s Medical Assistance eligibility. This session will provide an overview of the Medical Assistance rules as they pertain to retirement accounts and discuss practical tips for advising your clients on their best course of action under common circumstances
– Brenna M. Galvin
12:20 – 1:00 p.m.
LUNCH (on your own)
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
SECURE Act: Rethinking Estate Planning with Retirement Accounts
This session features an updated analysis of the continued impact of the SECURE Act on post-death distributions from qualified retirement accounts and will explore various planning strategies and options to effectively structure these distributions for your clients.
– Bryan Jamison
2:00 – 2:05 p.m.
BREAK
2:05 – 2:50 p.m.
Navigating the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Rules
Funds held in retirement accounts cannot be kept there indefinitely. The required minimum distribution (RMD) is the minimum amount you must withdraw from your accounts each year once you reach a certain age. This session will cover:
– Derek M. Dockendorf
2:50 – 3:00 p.m.
BREAK
3:00 – 4:15 p.m.
Strategies for Including Social Security and Retirement Benefits in an Estate Plan – A Scenario-Based Discussion
Join a panel of experienced estate planning attorneys in this scenario-based session as they discuss what planning they would recommend for various circumstances. Learn advanced estate planning tips and explore what strategies may help your clients maximize their assets.
– Bryan Jamison, Amanda N. Juelson & Bill Meyer
– James T. McNary (moderator)
LIVE IN-PERSON
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Minnesota CLE Conference Center
600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 370
Seventh Street & Nicollet Mall, Third Floor City Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota
ONLINE REPLAYS
Friday, September 11, 2026
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Attend online
A moderator will be available to answer questions by email.
$295 MSBA members / $295 paralegals / $345 standard rate
Other discounts that may apply:
Scholarships available!
Need-based scholarships are available for in-person and online seminars. For further information or to obtain a scholarship application, contact us at 800-759-8840 or customerservice@minncle.org.
Minnesota CLE is applying to the Minnesota State Board of CLE for 6.0 standard CLE credits. The maximum number of total credits attendees may claim for this program is 6.0 credits.
