Bankruptcy and Divorce: Critical Strategies for Dealing with Debt

Can child support and alimony be discharged? How can I force the other side to pay the marital debt? Is there any way to protect the cabin/boat/car in a bankruptcy? How should tax debt be divided? Should my client file for bankruptcy before or after filing for divorce? How can I protect my fees if my client files for bankruptcy protection?

- Barbara J. May; Barbara J. May Law Offices; Roseville

Real Estate: Effective Handling of Quit Claim Deeds, Liens, and SREDJs

How do I obtain proper jurisdiction to pass title? How do I properly convey homestead, non-homestead, marital and non-marital real estate? How do I reserve and release liens created in decrees? What are the special requirements for Torrens land? When and how should Summary Real Estate Disposition Judgments be used? How do I deal with real estate issues in other states?

- Rick S. Little; Commercial Partners Title, LLC; Maple Grove

Health Care Continuation: Answers to Difficult Coverage Questions

How much does the divorced spouse have to pay for continuation coverage? How long does the divorced spouse have continuation coverage? What if the employee terminates employment? What stops the continuation coverage prematurely? What happens to the children's coverage? Can the employee pay the cost of the divorced spouse's coverage on a pre-tax basis through a cafeteria plan?

- Darcy L. Hitesman; Hitesman and Associates, P.A.; Maple Grove

Corporate Transactions and Business Litigation: Demystifying Mergers & Acquisitions and Other Sophisticated Business Planning Techniques

What is the difference between taxable and non-taxable transactions and the effect on the parties' balance sheets? What effect do sophisticated planning techniques such as GRATs and Sales to Intentionally Defective Trusts have on balance sheets? What is the difference between taxable income and cash flow, and why is it important? How do you prevent the divorce process from disrupting the operations of the business?

- Scott L. Anderson; Fabyanske Westra Hart & Thomson; Minneapolis
- Mark Briol; Briol & Associates, PLLC; Minneapolis

Optional Lunchtime Question and Answer Session with Faculty

Get answers to your toughest questions in this interactive discussion with the faculty.

This session is available only at the live presentations. Box lunches will be provided for those who pre-register for this session. The cost of this session is $25 and is not included in the seminar tuition fee. Online registration for the luncheon is not available. Please call Minnesota CLE at 651-227-8266 or 800-759-8840 if you wish to register for this optional session.

Dividing Retirement Benefits: Tackling the Tough Issues

What retirement benefits can be divided by court order? When will my client be able to access the funds? What are the tax implications of the parties' choices? What if someone dies? What if a party remarries? What are the challenges in dealing with PERA, government, and other unusual plans?

- Thomas M. Hughes; Thomas M. Hughes, Ltd.; Roseville

Financial Issues in Divorce: Taxes, Non-Marital Tracing and Business Valuation

How does the current economy impact income for support purposes and the valuation of assets, especially a business? What is the best way to handle the ownership and use of the house from a tax and cash flow perspective? What are the tax ramifications of different filing statuses and using the dependency exemption for the children? How do I protect my client from the financial and tax shenanigans of the other spouse?

- Richard C. Berning; Berning & Heidebrecht, Ltd.; Medina

Immigration Law: How Marriage and Divorce Affect Immigration Status

Does a person's citizenship status have any impact on a divorce? Can a couple seek a divorce in the U.S. if neither is a citizen? Can the court or the spouse who is a citizen in a divorce threaten the non-citizen with deportation? Does a party's citizenship status have any impact on what assets they can be awarded? Does citizenship status have any impact on custody decisions, medical insurance coverage, tax obligations, or ability to receive or deduct spousal maintenance payments?

- Loan T. Huynh; Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.; Minneapolis
- Debra A. Schneider; Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.; Minneapolis

Elder Law: The Impact of Divorce on Medical Assistance and Estate Planning

Is divorce legitimate or necessary when people want to protect marital assets from being dissipated for nursing home care and medical care? How and when are they structured? When should divorce lawyers refer clients to elder law specialists? How does a divorce affect an estate plan? When should divorce lawyers consult with an estate planning attorney? On what topics? How are living trusts, irrevocable trusts, health care directives and short form durable powers of attorney affected by divorce? How does divorce affect social security benefits?

- Stuart E. Schmitz; Schmitz & Schimdt, P.A.; Saint Paul

Child Protection: The Interplay of Child Protection and Divorce

What happens when a child protection matter arises after a divorce has begun? What should the married couple do if one parent is the target of the child protection investigation, but not the other? How does a child protection determination affect a custody and parenting time order that was in effect prior to the child protection matter? How do family court services differ from the juvenile court social services department? How are the rules of juvenile court procedure different from the rules of family court procedure?

- Marian E. Saksena; Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A.; Minneapolis

Tribal Law: Tribal Benefits and Jurisdiction Issues in Family Cases

How do the tribal courts treat spousal maintenance and child support when the family's income is per capita payments? What are per capita payments? Are they income or inheritance or something else? How do I get admitted to practice before a tribal court? What is the difference between tribal court and state court, both in terms of substantive law and procedural rules?

- Gary A. Debele, Course Chair; Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A.; Minneapolis