This Just In... 1st Quarter 2012 NAEPC Journal of Estate & Tax Planning Released Visit www.NAEPCJournal.org to see all of the exciting additions today! Message from the President Clark B. McCleary, CLU, ChFC, MSFS, AEP® McCleary & Associates Houston, Texas Dear Colleagues, One of the many benefits available to you as a result of membership in your local estate planning council is the Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) designation. Most of you qualify for this prestigious designation without the requirement of further course completion because you already have one of the qualifying designations or degrees and have completed the requisite years of service in the estate planning field. All that remains for you to acquire the designation is to complete an application and be approved by our designation committee. Details for the application process can be found in AEP® Committee Chair Eileen Dougherty's message below. More good news about the AEP® designation: The Society of Financial Service Professionals recently determined that the AEP® designation is to be added to their list of those designations and degrees that qualify one for membership in the Society! As most of you know, the Society maintains the highest standards in its membership rules and reviews thoroughly and critically any designation before adding it to the approved list. Many of our local council members are Society members as well and qualify for that membership because of the primary designations they hold. Now it is possible for those council members who do not hold one of the other qualifying degrees or designations to achieve membership in the Society by acquiring the AEP® designation. We express our appreciation to the Society for recognizing the high degree of professionalism one must display before acquiring the AEP® designation and their acceptance of same for membership in that organization. Finally, since the AEP® designation is on my mind, I want to encourage every member of our local councils to become an AEP®. And, no, that designation is not better than your other degrees and/or designations that qualify you for council membership, but it is different. Your primary designations qualify you for estate planning council membership and for the AEP® designation. The former tell the world that you hold a large body of knowledge in your professional specialty, and the latter proclaims your intent and continuing desire to use that special body of knowledge within the team concept of estate planning for the benefit of your clients—and that you are comfortable enough in your own skin to recognize that professionals in other disciplines bring skills to the table that may be outside your sweet spot, yet of benefit to your mutual clients. That is what my AEP® designation says to my clients, so why not join the club now?!

Who Am I? Reflections on the Values of NAEPC... I am an Accredited Estate Planner®. This is not just a title, but a validation that I have completed graduate level courses in the area of estate planning, as well as having many years of time to polish my proficiency with the public. I belong to both the local and national levels of estate planning councils, which are membered by attorneys, CPAs, trust officers, and financial professionals like myself. Our commitment is to work in conjunction with each others' individualized expertise for the best interest of the client. When I present myself to the other disciplines as an AEP®, it is recognized that my background commands respect for the contributions that are made. Often, there is a collaboration of academics and experience that places the client in a better position than if they dealt with one discipline solely. Paul J. Pantano, CLU, ChFC, CASL, AEP®, MSFS   In This Issue MAR 2012 Who We Are Message from the President National  Financial Literacy Month, April 2012 49th Annual Conference Accredited Estate Planner® Designation Information NAEPC Journal of Estate & Tax Planning / NAEPC Publications Committee Report Member Benefits, Programs & Services Council Relations Committee Updates Estate Planning Law Specialist Designation Information Subscription Options   NAEPC National Website {ADDRESS_2} Follow us on:

National Financial Literacy Month, April, 2012

Please join us in promoting April as National Financial Literacy Month. This significant public service initiative was announced by the Presidential Proclamation signed by President Barack Obama. A full version can be seen on our public portal of estate & financial planning information, www.EstatePlanningAnswers.org.

In response to this declaration, the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils and The NAEPC Education Foundation have teamed up with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the American Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants, the American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, the Society of Financial Service Professionals, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning (all members of the Synergy Summit, a unified think tank and voice of leadership for leading financial service organizations), and the Financial Planning Association®. Together these organizations represent over 800,000 professionals and the accountants, attorneys, financial planners and advisors, insurance agents and brokers, and trust officers that are members of these professional associations will mobilize the entire financial and estate planning community by providing support, tools, and education for professionals and the public they serve.

You can help promote public and professional awareness of National Financial Literacy Month by placing financial and estate planning editorial content within your website, newsletter, social media groups, local newspapers, and radio/television/web based shows.

A full complement of sample documents is available for your use; take a look and begin using them today! Your efforts in doing so will:

1. Provide the public with fundamental principles of estate and financial planning
2. Educate the public on how to use these principles through their personal financial challenges
3. Assist the public in locating an appropriate multi-disciplinary team of professionals for their unique situation
4. Motivate the public to take proper action by visiting their team of professionals to improve their estate and financial planning situations
5. Serve as a friendly reminder and polite nudge to the public to get and keep their finances in order
6. Benefit nonprofits through many new potential planned giving opportunities, gifts, bequests, and alternate beneficiary designations.

49th Annual Conference scheduled from November 7 - 9, 2012
in Orlando, Florida

Please plan on joining us from November 7 - 9, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. The hosting property, Buena Vista Palace, is near Downtown Disney and the conference is timed to be near both the Festival of the Masters art show and the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival… this conference provides a perfect opportunity to plan a family vacation or some extra time away! Conference attendees are eligible to take advantage of special Walt Disney World® discounts too!

The following speakers are scheduled to present at the 49th Annual Conference:

• Jonathan G. Blattmachr, Esq., AEP® (Distinguished)
• Herbert Chasman, JD, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP® (Distinguished)
• Jeremiah W. Doyle, IV, JD, LL.M., AEP® (Distinguished)
• Robert S. Keebler, CPA, MST, AEP® (Distinguished)
• Caryn B. Keppler, Esq., EPLS, AEP®
• Ray D. Madoff, JD, LL.M.
• Jeffrey N. Pennell, JD
• Barry C. Picker, CPA/PFS, CFP®, AEP® (Distinguished)
• David Pratt, JD, LL.M.
• Bruce Michael Stone
• Diana S.C. Zeydel, JD, LL.M.

Additionally, Gary L. Flotron, MBA, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP® will be moderating a panel discussion, "The Uniform Prudent Investor Act (UPIA) and Trust Owned Life Insurance (TOLI): The Impossible Dream or A Match Made in Heaven—UPIA Compliance, Risk Management and the Evaluation of Permanent Life Insurance", with:

• Lawrence Brody, JD, LL.M., AEP® (Distinguished)
• Richard A. Schwartz, FSA, MAAA, CLU
• Richard M. Weber, MBA, CLU®, AEP® (Distinguished)
• E. Randolph Whitelaw

The annual conference always boasts an intriguing companion program, and 2012 will be no exception! Our exciting excursions include a trip to Kennedy Space Center, "Afternoon Tea & Three Hot Laps" at the Richard Petty Driving Experience, and Disney's Keys to the Kingdom Tour. Two- and three-day packages are available and include breakfast and social events.

Online hotel reservations and discounted rental car details are now available. The website will be updated as new information arrives—check in often!

Accredited Estate Planner® Designation Information

M. Eileen Dougherty, CTFA, CFP®, AEP®, ChFC®
Semper Trust Company
King of Prussia, PA

The AEP® Committee is thrilled with the volume of new applications that we received in January, which is a great testament to your pride in the designation and your willingness to share your enthusiasm with fellow professionals and council members. And a special thank you to all the NAEPC members who picked up applications for the designation at the NAEPC exhibit booth at the annual conference in San Antonio in November. I am delighted to tell you that the current AEP® membership has nearly 1,600 designation holders as of the end of January 2012. Clark discussed our wonderful news from the Society of Financial Service Professionals in his message above and I hope this will encourage each of you to continue to invite your colleagues and fellow council members into our AEP® family. Look for more news about the work of your AEP® Committee in the next AEP® Alert. Please find details about the application process below.

The Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) designation is a graduate level accreditation in estate planning obtained in addition to already recognized professional credentials within the various disciplines that make up estate planning: attorneys, accountants, insurance and financial planners and trust officers. The only multi-disciplinary designation in estate planning, it is awarded to estate planning professionals who meet special requirements of education, experience, knowledge, professional reputation, and character. See more details and download an application form.

Why should you earn the AEP® designation?

• Gain a competitive edge...success requires setting yourself apart from the competition
• Give the public a way to identify you as a qualified professional estate planner who has the expertise and experience necessary to handle complex estate planning and/or business succession needs
• Acquire access to potential clients through our national searchable database
• Tap into the resources of the NAEPC and special members' only benefits
• Expand your networking opportunities with other estate planning professionals from across the country by attending our annual national conference and earn all of your estate planning hours required to keep the AEP® designation active and in good standing

NAEPC would like to congratulate the newest Accredited Estate Planner® designees:

F. Lynn Baldwin, CLU®, ChFC®, CTFA, CFP®, AEP®	Salt Lake City, UT
Kimberly D. Bernatz, CFP®, AEP®	Santa Ana, CA
Kevin J. Bontrager, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP®	Fort Wayne, IN
Timothy J. Bupp, JD, MBA, LL.M., AEP®	York, PA
G. Bert Clark, Jr., JD, CLU®, CFP®, CAP®, AEP®	Atlanta, GA
Peter J. Enichen, JD, AEP®	Boulder, CO
Beth C. Gamel, CPA/PFS, AEP®	Waltham, MA
Wendy Miki Glaus, JD, MBA, EPLS, AEP®	Honolulu, HI
Mark B. Iverson, CTFA, AEP®	Boulder, CO
Lawrence M. Lehmann, JD, AEP®	New Orleans, LA
Bernard R. Lemily, CLU®, AEP®	Bowling Green, KY
Jeffrey R. Lockway, CFP®, AEP®	San Diego, CA
Roger S. Machlin, CFP®, CFS, CLU®, ChFC®, CASL, MSFS, AEP®	Tampa, FL
Joseph M. Maier, JD, EPLS, AEP®	Milwaukee, WI
Sheila Roesler McCampbell, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP®	Fort Wayne, IN
Stan Miller, JD, AEP®	Little Rock, AR
Alfred G. Morici, JD, LL.M. (taxation), AEP®	North Palm Beach, FL
Paul D. Muller, CFP®, AEP®	Ridgewood, NJ
Amy E. O'Bannon, CTFA, AEP®	Memphis, TN
Daniel J. Orlovsky, CLU®, ChFC®, CFP®, CLTC, MBA, AEP®	Fairfield, CT
David J. Owsik, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP®	King of Prussia, PA
Russell W. Porter, CLU®, CLTC, AEP®	Lafayette, CO
Kevin M. Rackers, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP®	Irving, TX
Bruce G. Read, CLU®, ChFC®, CASL, AEP®	Phoenix, AZ
Don M. Roman, Sr., JD, AEP®	Atlanta, GA
Emily N. Shacklett, CPA/PFS, AEP®	Cleveland, OH
Susan M. Steel, CFP®, AEP®	Indianapolis, IN
Joseph Stone, CLU®, ChFC®, CAP®, AEP®	Hingham, MA
Wendell T. Walker, CPA, CVA, CSCPA, AEP®	Boulder, CO
Melvin A. Warshaw, JD, LL.M. (taxation), AEP®	Boston, MA
Ralph F. Weber, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, REBC, GBA, AEP®	Murfreesboro, TN

NAEPC Journal of Estate & Tax Planning / NAEPC Publications Committee Report

Charlie Douglas, JD, CFP®, AEP®
Wachovia Wealth Management
Atlanta, Georgia

2011 was an explosive year for the NAEPC Journal of Estate & Tax Planning with more than 60,000 visits and 128,000 articles downloaded! Year-over-year the growth metrics for the Journal more than doubled. Why? Practitioners are increasingly turning to the Journal first to begin to find answers to complex estate planning questions. Simply, practitioners are looking an easy, no-cost solution to find high quality articles from national notables to point them in the right direction. And with core content providers for the Journal's quarterly publication like the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Leimberg Information Services Inc., Trust & Estates magazine, CCH Estate Planning Review and WealthCounsel®, the Journal has established itself as the go-to resource for cutting edge planning strategies. From Recent Developments and Planning Pointers after Tax Reform Act of 2010 to Asset Protection to Insurance, Trust, and Business Succession Planning, the Journal has no online peer.

In addition to networking, the #1 reason why practitioners across a bevy of industries join an estate planning council is to increase their estate planning knowledge. Toward that end, the Journal is the easiest, most cost-efficient way to make that happen and a great benefit of your council membership.

Council leaders, please make sure that your council's website is linked to the Journal and that members are aware of this incredibly valuable resource and that articles are being pro-actively shared with membership. You may visit us at http://www.naepcjournal.org.

Member Benefits, Programs & Services

NAEPC strives to offer our designees, councils and the affiliated local council membership high quality benefits, programs and services at value pricing. We continually look for opportunities that will enhance the value of your membership and make your practice more efficient.

We are very proud to make the following benefits available to you at reduced prices or substantial discounts:

ABA Book Publishing / The ABA Checklist for Family Heirs Acquire Direct Marketing Adams-Hall Publishing / A Parent's Guide to Wills and Trusts… Advisys AfterSteps Amicus Creative Media & Legal Vault Business Valuation Resources, LLC CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business CiviCom Civic Research Institute (Family Foundation Advisor & Journal of Taxation of Investments) DocuBank Estate ++, created by Vaulting Systems International EstatePlanningBinders.com Estate Planning Smarts by Deborah Jacobs

Evaluation Services Inc. Family Business Magazine Florida Domicile Handbook Heart2Hearts Workbook & Deck of Cards / Discuss Directives, LLC Klark Proposal Software Konica Minolta Business Solutions LegacyQuest, LLC Midwest Transaction Group My Estate Planning Organizer and Financial Partner Private Wealth Magazine PS Awards Robert Keebler's Exclusive IRA Converstion Decision Chart & Health Care Surtax Chart Ruby Receptionists Sterling Cut Glass Wealth Management Business

Please remember… all members must utilize a user name/password to access detailed ordering links and information. If you are an At-large member or member of a council that utilizes passwords on a website hosted by NAEPC, you can use the "I forgot my password" option. Others should contact NAEPC with questions about the appropriate user name/password combination.

Council Relations Committee Updates

Joanna Averett, MBA, CFP®, CIF®, AEP® First American Trust San Bernardino, CA Did you know? NAEPC offers several referral lists and documents available for council use. Visit the "information for affiliated councils" section of the website for the full list. We also offer a variety of council-only benefits such as discounts on speaker gifts and award pieces, etc. Take a look today! NAEPC offers all affiliated local councils website platforms at very competitive yearly rates. The platforms are continuously enhanced to include new features, many suggested by existing users. Contact the NAEPC office today to obtain information about initiating new service or upgrading your existing EPC site (including a 50% discount program for the first year of new or upgraded service!). Estate Planning Law Specialist Designation Information The Estate Planning Law Specialist (EPLS) designation is available to attorneys and is administered by the Estate Law Specialist Board, Inc., an attorney-run subsidiary of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. Attorneys who become board-certified under this program demonstrate a high level of professionalism and commitment to the concept of specialization. This program is currently the only program, other than certain state bar association programs which are only for residents of their particular states, accredited by the American Bar Association to Board-certify attorneys as Estate Planning Law Specialists.

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