Dickinson Wright Attorneys Henry M. Grix and Kenneth W. Kingma to Address ICLE Probate and Estate Planning Institute, June 8 - 9, Plymouth, Michigan

June 08 2007

Dickinson Wright estate planning experts Henry M. Grix and Kenneith W. Kingma will speak at the 47th Annual Probate and Estate Planning Institute that will be held June 8 - 9, 2007, at the Inn at St. John's in Plymouth, Michigan. The event is organized by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education and cosponsored by the Probate and Estate Planning Section of the State Bar of Michigan.

Grix's June 8 presentation, "Estate Planning for Non-Traditional Families," will focus on the challenges of meeting the estate and tax planning needs of the large and growing segment of the population of Americans living together as non-traditional, unmarried couples, both opposite sex and same sex. Less than half of American households are now comprised on traditional married couples.

Kingma will speak on June 9 about recent events that affect the use of life insurance and irrevocable life insurance trusts (or ILITs) in an individual's estate plan. Part of Kingma's talk is based on a recent article he wrote for the Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Journal and highlights the need for remedial legislation to confirm that an ILIT has a valid insurable interest in the life of the individual who creates the trust. Kingma's presentation will also focus on the proliferation of so-called "stranger owned life insurance" or "investor-initiated life insurance" programs and the myriad of state law and tax issues generated by those programs.

About the speakers

Henry M. Grix is a member in Dickinson Wright's Bloomfield Hills, Michigan office. He focuses his practice on estate planning and trusts and taxation. He received his undergraduate and J.D. degrees from the University of Michigan. Grix is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and a former Chair, Probate and Estate Planning Council, Probate and Estate Planning Section, State Bar of Michigan. He is listed in the 2006 and 2007 editions of Best Lawyers in America and was ranked among Michigan's Top 100 "Super Lawyers" in 2006.

Kenneith W. Kingma is a member in Dickinson Wright's Grand Rapids and Bloomfield Hills offices. His areas of practice expertise include estate and business planning, estate and trust administration, and complex domestic and international tax and transactional matters. He is also experienced in family business and succession planning. He holds a bachelor's degree from Calvin College, a J.D. degree from Valparaiso University School of Law, and an LL.M degree from Boston University School of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the American Bar Association and the Oakland County Bar Association. With respect to the Probate and Estate Planning Section of the State Bar, Mr. Kingma is serving as Chair of the Insurable Interest Legislation Committee, and formerly served on the Disclaimer Legislation Committee. He also served as Chair of the Corporation Committee of the Tax Section of the State Bar. He is a frequent author and speaker on tax, estate planning, trusts and related topics. He is listed in the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, and was recently accepted into the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners based in London, England.


For event information

Institute of Continuing Legal Education
Phone 877.229.4350

www.icle.org




About Dickinson Wright PLLC

Dickinson Wright PLLC, founded in 1878, has more than 240 attorneys in offices located in Detroit, Bloomfield Hills, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Washington, D.C. Dickinson Wright is a full-service law firm with more than 40 practice areas. For more information, visit www.dickinsonwright.com



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