We were so glad to have you as a member or guest of the East Valley Estate Planning Council last season! Our board recently met regarding planning for our next season
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We are working on the calendar of programs for 2013/14, being sure to include the topics you requested via our monthly meeting survey responses (yes, we read them!). Here's where we are at:
We are seeking to start the season with an update on current tax planning issues under ATRA, then bring in an expert on Asset Protection Strategies. Over the next few months, we will delve further into Community Property within estate planning documentation, spend some time understanding new issues in Elder Law, and possibly cover some new ground with a practical approach to working with Digital Assets. Also possible is a national expert on Portability, updates on Appraisals and IRS challenges, or ruminations from a seasoned practitioner on tips and tools to Motivate Clients to get their Estate Planning done. We should be able to publish next season's program details to our website by the end of May.
Another thing that was clear from our members' survey responses....you want to continue meeting at Mesa Country Club (MCC). Unfortunately, MCC has increased our monthly costs significantly for next year....we have no choice but to raise dues by $20 to be sure that dues cover the cost of your meals....now close to $28 per person per meeting. Starting June 1st, renewals and new members will be charged $200.
Although any increase in dues is never easy news to deliver, the board noted that the last time dues were increased was in 2008. We believe offering 7 hot breakfast meals, along with the peer based continuing education and friendly networking available in our intimate group for under $30 a meeting still represents an excellent value for your time and financial investment, and we hope that you agree.
Keeping dues at this level for a few years to come is most likely only if we increase our membership count to closer to 80-90 members. The easiest member to find for next year is the one we don't have to replace, so again we will focus on first retaining our members from this year.
We have an offer for you to consider: if you believe you want to renew for next season, and do so on/before May 31st, you may still renew at this year's rate of $180. Renewing your membership online is done by logging on and updating your membership profile. Here's an FAQ you can reference.
We won't launch our new member outreach actively until later this summer, but if you know someone who should be a member, of if you were a guest this year and are considering joining, please feel free send them this e-mail, and encourage joining now, as any new members for next season who join before May 31st would also pay the $180 rate.
Watch for updates over the summer as programs are committed, and sponsorship slots open up. Mark your calendars for our kick off event, Wed, Sept 18th!
