• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The OBrien Law Firm

Estate & Trust Planning Information Center

Call Now: (216) 472-1500

Attend a Free Workshop
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
  • Services
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Financial Planning Assistance
    • Incapacity Planning
    • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration & Probate
  • Workshops
  • Resources
    • Client Care Program
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Estate Planning Articles
    • Financial Advisors
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Estate Planning FAQ’s
      • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Legacy Wealth Planning FAQ’s
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning Frequently Asked Questions
      • Trust Administration & Probate Frequently Asked Questions
    • Newsletters
    • Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning for Niches
      • Trust Administration
  • COMMUNITIES WE SERVE
    • Beachwood
    • Cleveland
    • Willoughby
  • Contact Us
  • BLOG
Home / Our Firm / About The American Academy

About The American Academy

History of the Academy

The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys was established in 1992 by Armstrong & Fisch, one of the most successful estate planning law firms in the country. After providing two decades of superior estate planning guidance and advice to thousands of legal clients, the firm decided to share their methods and practices with attorneys nationwide.

The Academy is a national organization dedicated to promoting excellence in estate planning by providing its exclusive membership of attorneys with up-to-date research on estate and tax planning, educational materials, and other important resources to empower them to provide superior estate planning services. The Academy expects members to have at least 36 hours of legal education each year specifically in estate, tax, probate and/or elder law subjects. To ensure this goal is met, the Academy provides over 40 hours of continuing legal education each year. The Academy has also been recognized as a consumer legal source by Money Magazine and Suze Orman in her book, 9 Steps to Financial Freedom.

For over 20 years, the Academy has been a highly-regarded and sought-after resource for attorneys and consumers alike, and has been recognized by Consumer Reports, Suze Orman in her book, 9 Steps to Financial Freedom and numerous times by Money Magazine.

Why Academy Members Are Unique

Focusing in Estate and Legacy Planning.

Members of the Academy concentrate their law practices in the area of estate planning and reinforce their expertise daily by dedicating their efforts to clients concerned with preserving what they have accumulated for future generations.

Professional Legal Training.

Academy members receive on-going training specific to the field of estate planning to ensure that their legal knowledge and techniques are based on the latest information and resources.

Nationwide Membership.

Members of the Academy are available throughout the U.S. and in most metro areas.

Superior client care.

Most Academy members offer expanded client care services such as in-home consultations, in order to meet the needs of each particular client.

Work with attorneys who focus on estate and legacy planning.

The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys encourages consumers to refer to the member listing located at (www.aaepa.com) to see if an Academy member has completed this continuing education.

Have your estate plan, legacy plan, and your financial plans coordinated.

Academy members recognize the importance in coordinating your estate, legacy, and financial goals together. Members can work as a team with your existing financial advisors.

Attend Workshops on estate and legacy planning topics.

As educators in the field of estate planning, most Academy members regularly conduct Workshops in their local areas to inform and educate consumers and financial advisors on estate planning issues.

Receive special reports on late-breaking estate and legacy planning news.

Regularly published consumer alerts provide timely, accurate hot topics in estate planning such as the latest changes to our estate tax laws.

Preserving Your Wealth With Estate and Legacy Planning

Academy members offer guidance and advice to their clients in every area of estate planning. This list offers a sampling of these services:

  • Advanced planning.Get assistance with matters such as Family Limited Partnerships, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts, and Charitable Remainder Trusts.
  • Asset protection.Receive guidance on protecting your legacy.
  • Creditor protection.Find out how you can protect your estate and your heirs.
  • Divorce protection.Protect loved ones and get informed advice on these important estate planning issues.
  • Estate planning.Receive consultation and planning to ensure that your estate is distributed according to your wishes.
  • Legacy Wealth Planning.Create a Legacy Wealth Plan customized to leave the legacy you want.
  • Living Trusts.Create a Living Trust customized to address all of your family’s unique needs.
  • Long-term health care.Make sure you have properly outlined necessary health care instructions.
  • Probate assistance.Get the assistance you need when someone with or without a Will passes away.
  • Remarriage protection.Protect heirs and their special interest in the event the surviving spouse remarries.
  • Retirement planning.Ensure that your tax-deferred accounts are properly structured to give your family the greatest tax advantages possible.
  • Special needs planning.Tailored plans to protect family members with special needs.
  • Structured buy-out plans.The plan you create for your children to sell land and assets.
  • Tax planning.Preserve your wealth and reduce taxes with proper planning.
  • Trust administration.Create a Living Trust customized to address all of your family’s unique needs, and receive guidance when a family member passes away.
  • Updating documents.Ensure that your affairs are in order with regular estate reviews. Amend or restate your existing estate plan to ensure its effectiveness.
  • Wills.Prepare a Will or other document to outline your wishes.

Disclaimer: The Academy is a membership organization of estate planning attorneys and provides educational and practice management resources to members. The Academy is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. An Academy member is not an employee nor an agent of the Academy. The Academy does not certify or test the competency of any attorney who is a member of the Academy.

Primary Sidebar

Download our free estate planning worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Testimonials

default image

Michael and his team work very closely with you to help build a strategy for you regarding estate planning. They do not overdo it. They work hard to be certain their suggestions/recommendations fit your needs. Michael asks great questions, listens well and delivers on his commitments. I was very appreciative and hugely satisfied.

Anonymous Client Review September 8, 2020

default image

Personal, professional service and follow up. Did what he said he would do at the agreed price.

Paul Client Review September 8, 2020

default image

Michael has a comprehensive knowledge of estate palnning needs and trust issues. I trust his guidance and counsel completely.

Jim Client Review September 8, 2020

Willoughby Office

WILLOUGHBY
38027 Euclid Avenue
Willoughby, OH 44094
Phone: (440) 951-1525
Fax: (440) 951-1807

Beachwood Office

BEACHWOOD
25550 Chagrin Boulevard, Suite 100
Beachwood, Ohio 44122
Phone: (216) 472-1500
Fax: (216) 593-0914

Office Hours

Monday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Map

map for obrien law office

Footer

footer-logo
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, emails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. The information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Site Map | Powered by American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys


© 2022 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.