A, B, C’s of Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts

Joseph M. Donohue
Joseph M. Donohue
Donohue, Beasley & Ferber PLLC

Attorney Joseph Donohue, Managing Member of Donohue, O’Connell & Riley PLLC, has expertly advised thousands of clients on how to structure their personal affairs and businesses to minimize taxes, reduce their exposure to unforeseen liabilities and ensure a smooth transition of assets between generations.

Georgia Bender
Georgia Bender
Donohue, Beasley & Ferber PLLC

Georgia brings several years of experience from working as an associate at two prestigious law firms in New Jersey and New York. She enjoys interacting with clients, is comfortable dealing with complexity and has strong research acumen.

Live Video-Broadcast: December 11, 2025

2 hour CLE

Tuition: $195.00
Subscribe to myLawCLEs All-Acces Pass...
Get this course, plus over 1,000+ of live webinars.
Learn More
Training 5 or more people?

Sign-up for a law firm subscription plan and each attorney in the firm receives free access to all CLE Programs

Program Summary

Session I - Considerations: Revocable vs. Irrevocable – Georgia Bender

In this session, attorney Georgia Bender will present a brief analysis of the structures and considerations involved in revocable and irrevocable trusts and when each type of trust may be appropriate. Next, Ms. Bender will go into a broad discussion of revocable trusts and the advantages they bring in flexibility of administration, probate avoidance, and estate tax planning. She’ll then review who might be an ideal candidate for this type of trust.

Key topics to be discussed:

  • Revocable vs. irrevocable
    • Flexibility
    • Tax treatment
    • Asset protection
    • Life circumstances
  • Revocable trusts
    • Joint vs. his & hers
    • Income taxes
    • Estate taxes
    • Ideal candidates

Session II - Irrevocable Trusts and Trust Administration – Joseph Donohue

In this session, Attorney Joseph Donohue will review four common types of irrevocable trusts and the contexts in which they are best used. Next, Mr. Donohue will offer some helpful drafting tips for trusts. Lastly, he will dive into topics surrounding trust administration from tax reporting to key phases, avoiding trust contests, and drafting documents to protect your fiduciary clients.

Key topics to be discussed:

  • Common types of irrevocable trusts
    • Medicaid asset protection
    • Spousal lifetime access
    • Irrevocable life insurance
    • Special needs
    • Drafting tips
  • Trust administration
    • Separate EIN needs
    • 4 key phases of trust administration
    • Avoiding trust contests
    • Protecting your fiduciary

Date / Time: December 11, 2025

  • 1:00 pm – 3:10 pm Eastern
  • 12:00 pm – 2:10 pm Central
  • 11:00 am – 1:10 pm Mountain
  • 10:00 am – 12:10 pm Pacific

Closed-captioning available

Speakers

Joseph M. Donohue | Donohue, Beasley & Ferber PLLC

Attorney Joseph Donohue, Managing Member of Donohue, O’Connell & Riley PLLC, has expertly advised thousands of clients on how to structure their personal affairs and businesses to minimize taxes, reduce their exposure to unforeseen liabilities and ensure a smooth transition of assets between generations. Joe has a unique ability to efficiently process all the complexities of a situation, explain the best strategy in simple terms and craft a plan that protects families and preserves his clients’ legacies. Affluent families and business owners trust Joe to maximize the tax efficiency of their real estate, investment and insurance assets and work with their team of trusted advisors to manage their plans.

Joe graduated summa cum laude from Boston University with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Art History and a minor in French. He was elected as a member of Phi Beta Kappa and graduated with distinction. He then went on to study for three years at Oxford University, where he graduated with a Master of Philosophy in English Literature. He went on to pursue his legal studies at Boston College Law School, where he earned his Juris Doctor with honors and served as executive editor of the BC Law Review.

 

Georgia Bender | Donohue, Beasley & Ferber PLLC

Attorney Georgia Bender joined the Warwick office of Stage and Donohue PLLC in August 2024 as an Associate Attorney. Georgia brings several years of experience from working as an associate at two prestigious law firms in New Jersey and New York. She enjoys interacting with clients, is comfortable dealing with complexity and has strong research acumen. We appreciate having her on our team to continue our high quality of service to the Orange County community.

Agenda

Session I – Considerations: Revocable vs. Irrevocable | 1:00pm – 2:00pm

  • Revocable vs. irrevocable
    • Flexibility
    • Tax treatment
    • Asset protection
    • Life circumstances
  • Revocable trusts
    • Joint vs. his & hers
    • Income taxes
    • Estate taxes
    • Ideal candidates

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

Session II – Irrevocable Trusts and Trust Administration | 2:10pm – 3:10pm

  • Common types of irrevocable trusts
    • Medicaid asset protection
    • Spousal lifetime access
    • Irrevocable life insurance
    • Special needs
    • Drafting tips
  • Trust administration
    • Separate EIN needs
    • 4 key phases of trust administration
    • Avoiding trust contests
    • Protecting your fiduciary

Credits

Alaska

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through Alaska’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity.
Alabama

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Arkansas

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Arizona

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

California

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Colorado

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Connecticut

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

District of Columbia

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hour(s)

Delaware

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Florida

Approved via Attorney Submission
2.5 General Hours

Receive CLE credit in Florida via attorney submission.
Georgia

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Hawaii

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Iowa

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Idaho

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Illinois

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Indiana

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Kansas

Pending CLE Approval
2 Substantive

Kentucky

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Louisiana

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Massachusetts

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hour(s)

Maryland

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hour(s)

Maine

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Michigan

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hour(s)

Minnesota

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Missouri

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Mississippi

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Montana

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

North Carolina

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

North Dakota

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through North Dakota’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity. Section 1, Policy 1.14
Nebraska

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

myLawCLE reports attendance to Nebraska on each attorney’s behalf for all programs. Please do not self-report.
New Hampshire

Approved for CLE Credits
120 General minutes

As of July 1, 2014, the NHMCLE Board no longer provides pre- or post-approval of courses. Attendees must self-determine whether a program is eligible for credit, and self-report their attendance online at www.nhbar.org, based on qualification provisions of Rule 53.
New Jersey

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through New Jersey’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity, except for the courses required under BCLE Reg. 201:2
New Mexico

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Nevada

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

New York

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through New York’s Approved Jurisdiction Group “B”.
Ohio

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Oklahoma

Pending CLE Approval
2.5 General

Oregon

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Pennsylvania

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Rhode Island

Pending CLE Approval
2.5 General

South Carolina

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

South Dakota

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hour(s)

Tennessee

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Texas

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Utah

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Virginia

Not Eligible
2 General Hours

Vermont

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Washington

Approved via Attorney Submission
2 Law & Legal Hours

Receive CLE credit in Washington via attorney submission.
Wisconsin

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

West Virginia

Pending CLE Approval
2.4 General

Wyoming

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

#1 CLE Access Program

  • Over 1,000 Live CLE Webinars each year
  • All CLE webinars broadcasted in last 12 months
  • Programs covering over 35 practice areas
  • Hot topics & changes in the law
  • All formats: Live, Replay, and On-demand
  • Accreditation in every state

Access every CLE webinar,
every format, all year long!

myLawCLE All-Access Pass

only $395 yearly


Register Now

#1 CLE Access Program

  • Over 1,000 Live CLE Webinars each year
  • All CLE webinars broadcasted in last 12 months
  • Programs covering over 35 practice areas
  • Hot topics & changes in the law
  • All formats: Live, Replay, and On-demand
  • Accreditation in every state

Access every CLE webinar,
every format, all year long!

myLawCLE All-Access Pass

only $395 yearly


More CLE Webinars
Upcoming CLE Webinars
Diagnosing and Proving Traumatic Brain Injuries and PTSD
Diagnosing and Proving Traumatic Brain Injuries and PTSD Tue, November 18, 2025
On-Demand
Live Replay
Using AI in Your Law Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide
Using AI in Your Law Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide Thu, November 20, 2025
On-Demand
Live Replay
Abating Tax Penalties (2025 Edition)
Abating Tax Penalties (2025 Edition) Tue, November 25, 2025
On-Demand
Live Replay
Rules and Sanctions Related to Gen AI in Law
Rules and Sanctions Related to Gen AI in Law Fri, December 5, 2025
Live Webcast
Digital Evidence and Technology in MDL Litigation
Digital Evidence and Technology in MDL Litigation Wed, December 10, 2025
Live Webcast