CONEJO VALLEY ESTATE PLANNING COUNCIL

The Conejo Valley Estate Planning Council is an incorporated California Mutual Benefit Corporation and incorporated on September 27, 2019. The general purpose of the Council is to advance the education of estate planning professionals and the publication of estate planning information to the general public. The specific purpose is to assist its members in keeping current on estate planning laws and techniques and in providing the highest level of estate planning service to the public, to inform the public as to the need for and benefits of professional estate planning, and to develop a closer understanding and cooperation among the members of different groups of estate planning professionals. This association is not organized for the private gain of any person or entity, and no part of the net earnings of this Organization shall inure to the benefit of any member. 

Membership in the Conejo Valley Estate Planning Council shall be available to individuals licensed or otherwise certified by a licensing or certifying authority to practice in any of the following nine (9) Membership Categories and residing in or doing business in one or more of the Counties of Ventura, Santa Barbara, or Los Angeles:

1. Certified Public Accountants (CPA): Certified Public Accountants in good standing for two (2) or more years with the California State Board of Accountancy who provide accounting or accounting related services, who evidence a superior knowledge of estate and gift taxation or of the income taxation of trusts and estates, and who are generally recognized by members of their profession as being specialists in estate planning matters;

2. Attorneys: Attorney admitted to practice law in the State of California, licensed by and in good standing for two (2) or more years with the State Bar of California. Said attorneys must exhibit a superior knowledge of estate planning or be otherwise recognized by members of their profession as specialists in estate planning matters;

3. Fiduciaries: Membership shall be limited to those officers of bank and trust companies or individual California Licensed Professional Fiduciaries, or holder of the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation, or equivalent, and are presently engaged in estate planning to which they devote at least fifty percent (50%) of their professional time;

4. Chartered Life Underwriters (CLU)/ Life Insurance: Chartered Life Underwriters in good standing for two (2) or more years with the applicable state regulatory agencies and who are actively engaged in providing life insurance services, or those whose principal business is advising on and selling life insurance and, but for the CLU designation, meet the requirement of any other Membership Category;

5. Wealth manager/ financial planner: Membership shall be limited to those who hold the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), or Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) designation; are in good standing for two (2) or more years with the applicable state and federal regulatory agencies governing investment advisers and the entity responsible for issuing the member’s professional designation; and who devote at least thirty percent (30%) of their professional time to estate planning matters, and who are generally recognized by members of their profession as being specialists in estate planning;

6. Philanthropic Advisors: Membership shall be limited to those who hold the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) or Certified Specialist in Planned Giving (CSPG) designation in good standing for two (2) or more years with the applicable entity issuing the member’s professional designation, or who are actively employed as a planned giving professional by a non-profit organization with two (2) or more years of experience in planned giving;

7. Emeritus Members: Any person who has been a member in good standing for a period of five (5) or more consecutive years and has retired from normal professional activity may be elected to Emeritus Membership in the Council by the Board of Directors. Emeritus Members shall have no voting rights and shall pay dues at an annual reduced rate as determined by the Board from time to time and shall be required to pay for meals at guest rates, at a rate as determined by the Board from time to time; and

8. Member-at Large: An applicant may be admitted as a member-at-large at the discretion of the Board of Directors and by meeting the requirements of Bylaws, Section 2.01-Qualification for Membership and who devote at least fifty percent (50%) of their professional time to estate planning matters. Said admission may be based upon the applicant’s demonstrated qualifications, including, but not limited to, the type and length of employment related to the estate planning process, level of formal education, and activities in the estate planning arena as demonstrated by memberships in other organizations, speaking and/or teaching engagements, published articles, and general stature in the business and/or academic community.

Any individual applying for Membership in the Council shall (1) be actively practicing estate planning in his/her particular Profession for at least two (2) years; (2) be sponsored by two (2) current members in good standing; (3) be approved for membership by the Board of Directors; and (3)  pay the applicable membership dues as determined by the Board each year. No one membership category shall exceed fifty percent (50%), except for the Member-at-Large category, which shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the number of members admitted to the Council in any one Membership Category.

The Council holds five (5) educational program meetings per year (in addition to the Through the Looking Glass all-day estate planning symposium) with continuing education credit for attorneys, CPA's, CFP® designees and AEP® designees.

The Mission of the Conejo Valley Estate Planning Council is to promote the highest quality estate planning services – by developing and improving the capabilities of Council members, fostering cooperation among its professional disciplines, and familiarizing the public with estate planning matters.