CFSEK Estate Planning Forum 2026

The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas is hosting the 2026 Estate Planning Forum in partnership with Tim O’Sullivan on Friday, June 26 at Block22 in Pittsburg. Registration is due by June 19th in order to make sure food is ordered. The Forum, which is held every year, offers a free lunch and free Kansas continuing-education credits for attorneys, insurance agents, CPAs, and other professional advisors. Please contact Samantha Guy, or call the Foundation at 620-231-8897 for more information.

Register for the 2026 Estate Planning Forum:

Agenda

8:30 – 9:00 Sign-in

9:00 – 9:50 Trust Accounts in Kansas: Clicking Your Heels Won’t Fix Bad Decisions – Ethics Course

Credits: CLE only (Ethics)
Presenter: Kathleen Selzler-Lippert

Every state has professional rules governing fees and safekeeping of property belonging to clients or others. While the state rules have some similarities, they are often a little or a lot different depending on the jurisdiction. This CLE is only about Kansas rules related to fees (KRPC 1.5) and safekeeping (KRPC 1.15). It is critical to know the specific rules for the jurisdiction where you practice. 

10:00 – 10:50 Holistic Estate Planning

Credits: Approved Credits for CLE, CPE, Insurance CE, PACE.
Presenter: Tim O’Sullivan

Tim will present an interactive discussion of two typical estate planning situations.  The first will be a young family with two young children.  The second will be an older working couple with three adult children, one of whom is a surgeon and the other is a teacher.  He will comprehensively address how the couple’ estate plans should be developed from their first meeting with their estate planning attorney through the execution of their estate plans.  Included will be the ethics of joint representation; wills v. revocable trusts; gathering of information; the structuring of the estate planning documents, income tax issues; asset protection, etc. Supportive materials Tim has authored will be included.   

11:00 – 11:50 Holistic Estate Planning Continued

Credits: Approved Credits for CLE, CPE, Insurance CE, PACE.
Presenter: Tim O’Sullivan

Tim will present an interactive discussion of two typical estate planning situations.  The first will be a young family with two young children.  The second will be an older working couple with three adult children, one of whom is a surgeon and the other is a teacher.  He will comprehensively address how the couple’ estate plans should be developed from their first meeting with their estate planning attorney through the execution of their estate plans.  Included will be the ethics of joint representation; wills v. revocable trusts; gathering of information; the structuring of the estate planning documents, income tax issues; asset protection, etc. Supportive materials Tim has authored will be included.   

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

Lunch will be provided by the Blue Spoon, courtesy of the Community Foundation. Attendees can choose one of the following lunch options when registering:

  • Hoagie Lunchbox: A ham & turkey sandwich with a side salad and homemade cookie.
  • Cobb Chicken Salad: Mixed greens with chicken and ranch dressing with a homemade cookie.
  • Thai Chicken Salad: Mixed green with chicken and a thai peanut dressing with a homemade cookie.
  • Sweet Strawberry Chicken Salad: Mixed greens with chicken and a strawberry vinaigrette with a homemade cookie.

All above options have a gluten-free option. Dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian options are available.

1:00 – 1:50 Kansas 2026 Legislative Updates

Credits: Approved Credits for CLE, CPE, Insurance CE, PACE.
Presenter: Joseph Molina

Joe will cover the 2026 Legislative Session. His focus will be on new laws approved by the governor that become law this year. 

2:00 – 2:50 Long-Term Care Planning with Farm & Ranch Scenario

Credits: Approved Credits for CLE, CPE, Insurance CE, PACE.
Presenter: Tim O’Sullivan

Another scenario will be discussed with a farm couple with two adult children who are concerned about long-term care planning, as well as estate planning in general. This case will address a multitude of tax, asset protection, governmental resource and other estate planning issues.  Supportive materials will be provided with this presentation. 

3:00 – 3:50 Blended Family Estate Planning

Credits: Approved Credits for CLE, CPE, Insurance CE, PACE.
Presenter: Tim O’Sullivan

This scenario will involve a married couple who have children from prior marriages.  They have in mind a plan for distributing their joint estates between the children of both upon the death of the survivor.  A multitude of tax, asset protection, governmental resource and other estate planning issues will be addressed.  Supportive materials will be provided with this presentation. 

Venue

The Estate Planning Forum will be hosted in the large conference room of The Foundry at Block22 in Pittsburg, 402 N. Broadway. The main entrance to The Foundry is located on 4th Street.

Continuing-education credits

This section includes important information about what continuing-education credits will be offered as part of the 2026 Estate Planning Forum.

Information for Lawyers

This year’s Estate Planning Forum is approved for 6 hours of CLE, including 1 hour of ethics.

At the end of the Forum, you will be asked to complete a CLE affidavit. You will need to know your Kansas Supreme Court Registration Number to complete the affidavit. The Community Foundation will submit attendance to Kansas CLE by June 29.

Information for Insurance Professionals

The Kansas Department of Insurance has approved 2 hours of general CE credits for the morning sessions of the Estate Planning Forum. It has also approved 3 hours of general CE credits for the afternoon sessions (1:00 – 4:00).

The Kansas Department of Insurance does not recognize partial CE credit for partial attendance of a CE-accredited event. You must attend at least 80% of the morning sessions (based on time) to receive the 2 hours of credit for the morning. Likewise, you must attend at least 80% of the afternoon sessions (based on time) to receive the 3 hours of credit for the afternoon.

The Community Foundation will report course-attendance information to the Kansas Department of Insurance by June 29.

Information for CPAs

The Estate Planning Forum has not been preapproved for CPE credits, and Kansas CPAs report their own continuing-education attendance to the Kansas Board of Accountancy.

CPAs seeking continuing-education credits should know the following:

  • Learning objectives and content for each session are summarized in the descriptions above.
  • There are no prerequisites or requirements for advance preparation for the Estate Planning Forum.
  • Each session has a beginner or intermediate program level.
  • Instruction will be delivered in person in a classroom setting.
  • The Forum provides a recommended 5 hours of CPE credit.
  • You must register for the Forum using the form below, by contacting Samantha Guy, or by calling the Foundation at (620) 231-8897.

Information for other professionals

The Community Foundation has not sought or obtained preapproval for any other professional continuing-education credits. However, we can provide a PACE attendance certificate for holders of a CLU or ChFC designation.

About our presenters

Portrait of Tim O'Sullivan

Tim O’Sullivan, JD, LLM

Timothy P. O’Sullivan is Senior Counsel with Wheeler & Mitchelson, Chartered in Pittsburg, Kansas, concentrating his practice in the areas of estate planning, elder law, probate, and trust law, and taxation. Tim holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from St. Louis University, a Juris Doctorate from Washburn University (with honors), and an L.L.M. in Taxation from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. He was admitted to the Kansas Bar in 1975 and admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court in 1982.

Tim has served as President of the Executive Committee of the Real Estate, Probate & Trust and Tax Sections of the Kansas Bar Association, as well as the Kansas Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America© in Estate Planning and Elder Law and in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers® List in Estate Planning. Tim is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).

He has also served as an adjunct professor in Estate Planning at Washburn University School of Law (1992-present), the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (1996-2000), and in the L.L.M. in Estate Planning program at the University of Miami (Florida) School of Law (1996-2000). Tim is one of the most frequent speakers on estate planning topics for the Kansas Bar Association.

Joseph N. Molina III, JD

Joseph began serving as Director of Legislative and Access to Justice platforms. Prior to joining the KBA, he was Chief Legal Counsel for the Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority, where his practice involved insurance subrogation, labor law, and employment law. He also previously served as an Assistant Attorney General, acting as the Director of the Kansas No-Call Act. Molina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Philosophy, and Economics from Eastern Oregon University, along with a juris doctorate from the Washburn University School of Law. His primary responsibility is statewide advocacy for KBA issues.

Molina is married to his wife of 20 years, Malessa. He has two sons, Jonah (18) and Isaiah (15). He also has a hanai daughter, Vanessa, who has a young daughter named Alice. Molina is on the Board for Kansas Red Cross and a member of Topeka Sertoma. Molina is originally from Maui, Hawaii, having moved to the mainland for college in 1999.

Kathleen J. Selzler Lippert, JD

Kathleen J. Selzler Lippert, JD, is a graduate of Drake Law School who has dedicated her entire 30-year legal career to public service. She began her career as a prosecutor, initially for a drug task force, and later as an Assistant District Attorney in Shawnee County where she prosecuted felony domestic violence cases, including homicides. She then practiced administrative law for over a decade by serving in a variety of roles for the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, including Executive Director.

Since December 2019, Kathleen has served as a Deputy Disciplinary Administrator with the Office of the Disciplinary Administrator. She is a wife and mother of three young men who are now embarking on the adventures of adulthood.