Joanne Marcus, MSW | Commonwealth Community Trust

Joanne Marcus, MSW, serves as the President and CEO of Commonwealth Community Trust (CCT). Ms. Marcus has worked in nonprofit administration since 1978 and has led CCT since 2000.

As an expert in the field of Pooled Special Needs Trust administration, Ms. Marcus has published numerous articles for professional organizations including The National Alliance on Mental Illness and The National Medicare Secondary Payer Network. Ms. Marcus is frequently asked to present to professional organizations and family groups nationwide including The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, The American Academy of Estate Planners, The United Spinal Association, and Stetson University College of Law.

CCT was founded in 1990. Under the leadership of Ms. Marcus, CCT has grown to serve close to 3,000 trust beneficiaries that are vulnerable, injured, or have special needs throughout the United States.

Ben Tiefenback, Esq. | Commonwealth Community Trust

Ben Tiefenback, Esq., is Counsel and Director of Client Services at Commonwealth Community Trust, a non-profit pooled trust administrator serving beneficiaries across the United States who are injured, vulnerable, or have special needs.

Prior to joining CCT, Mr. Tiefenback was a trust and estate attorney at Sands Anderson PC and TrustBuilders Law Group. His practice focused on estate planning and trust creation and administration, with an emphasis on special needs trust planning due to his personal experiences with special needs issues in his family.

I. Regulatory Compliance | 12:00pm – 12:12pm

II. Investment Management | 12:12 – 12:24pm

III. Risk Management | 12:24pm – 12:36pm

IV. Fiduciary Responsibilities | 12:36pm – 12:48pm

V. Distribution Policies | 12:48pm – 1:00pm

Break | 1:00pm – 1:10pm

VI. Tax Considerations | 1:10pm – 1:22pm

VII. Communication and Transparency | 1:22pm – 1:34pm

VIII. Contingency Planning | 1:34pm – 1:46pm

IX. Technology and Automation | 1:46pm – 1:58pm

X. Professional Collaboration | 1:58pm – 2:10pm