MSBA One Big Beautiful Estate Planning CLE

For the past eight years, estate planners and their clients have faced significant uncertainty in the face of the looming “sunset” of historically high federal gift, estate, and GST tax exemptions. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”), signed into law by the President on July 4, 2025, has now made those historically high exemption amounts “permanent.” Under OBBBA, the exemption for federal gift, estate, and GST taxes will be $15 million beginning in 2026.

This CLE will summarize some of more significant changes in the new federal tax law that are relevant to estate planning. The presentation will then turn its focus to Maine estate planning opportunities, strategies, and issues under OBBBA and Maine law. Specific topics will include estate planning for income tax basis step planning, charitable planning, planning for “gap estates” between the Maine exemption of $7 million and OBBBA’s $15 million exemption, and unwinding “sunset” estate planning strategies that are no longer relevant.

Presenters:

• Tom Letourneau is an associate in the Private Clients Group at Verrill. Tom understands the human component of estate planning and works with clients to structure their giving to accommodate their needs. He values a team approach and works collaboratively with colleagues and advisors to best serve his clients. Whether it’s tax-efficiency, charitable giving, or ensuring the camp stays in the family, Tom uses his research and drafting skills to find creative solutions for clients. Before going to law school, Tom taught kindergarten for seven years and K-2 science for one year. Born and raised in a small Maine town, he is the first person in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree and is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.
• Meghan Myers is a partner at Brann & Isaacson with a focus on estate planning, estate and trust administration, and real estate. She crafts customized estate plans for clients at all stages of life, whether they are young families concerned with establishing guardians for their children or older individuals planning for the ultimate distribution of their assets. In addition, she compassionately guides clients through the estate administration and probate process. Meghan further assists clients with pre- and post-marital agreements and intrafamily property transfers, including establishing family real estate LLCs, and real estate transactions.
• Griff Leschefske is a partner in the Trusts and Estates Group at Pierce Atwood LLP. His practice centers on estate planning, charitable giving, and probate, trust, and fiduciary litigation, in which he represents individuals, families, fiduciaries, and institutional clients in all aspects of trust and estate planning, administration, and controversy. Griff also represents charitable organizations, educational institutions, and corporate clients with respect to planned giving and philanthropy matters.

Registration for this event is limited to members of the MSBA Trust & Estates Section.