56th Annual Sidney Kess Estate, Tax & Financial Planning Conference

Don’t miss your chance to hear from top experts at this year’s Sidney Kess New York Estate, Tax & Financial Planning Conference. You’ll learn the latest information on estate, tax, and financial planning, and how to navigate these evolving processes.

Nontransitional Credits Offered
14 CLE Credits (including one Ethics, one Technology, and one Diversity credit)
14 CPE Credits
CE Credits for CFP professionals will be offered
Credits will be given for each session attended in accordance with CLE, CPE, and CFP requirements.

Hot Topics for this year include:

  • A Comprehensive Tax and Estate Planning Update for NY
  • Creditor Protection Without Asset Protection Trusts -- How to Create an Effective Estate Plan that
  • Protects Assets from Creditors While Achieving Tax and Practical Goals for Families and Businesses
  • Using the Charitable Gift Annuity to Defer Reporting the Gain Realized from the Immediate Sale of Marketable Securities
  • What the New OBBB Act Means for Philanthropy
  • Advising clients when a beneficiary has mental health issues
  • Tax Aspects of Divorce
  • AI and Ethics: Practical Stuff You Must Know
  • Income Tax Planning in the Current Tax Environment
  • Estate Planning in the Current Environment

Conference Fee: $195 per person, which will include a link to a downloadable e-binder. UJA estimates that the fair market value of attending the conference is $195 and does not qualify for a charitable deduction. No other goods and services will be provided.

Financial Aid Policy — Applicants for financial support may apply for reduced fees or scholarships based on financial hardship. Under this policy, any individual who has a genuine financial hardship may submit, in writing, on letterhead, an explanation of the hardship and, if approved, may receive full or partial assistance, depending on the circumstances. Please send financial aid requests to .

Cancellation policy: $25 handling fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations after Sunday, October 19, 2025.

Sessions

10/22/2025 - Session 1

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 | 10:00 AM - Wednesday, October 22, 2025 | 6:00 PM

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Virtual


10/23/2025 - Session 2

Thursday, October 23, 2025 | 10:00 AM - Thursday, October 23, 2025 | 6:00 PM

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Virtual

Leadership

Faculty

Chair
Martin M. Shenkman, J.D., CPA, M.B.A.
Attorney
Shenkman Law
Fort Lee, NJ

Ted R. Batson, Jr., JD, MBA, CPA
Partner and Tax Counsel
CapinCrouse LLP
Indianapolis, Indiana

Jeremiah W. Doyle, IV, Esq.
Director
BNY Wealth
Boston, MA

Elizabeth Forspan, Esq.
Managing Attorney
Forspan Klear LLP
Great Neck, NY 

Alan S. Gassman, J.D., LLM
Partner
Gassman, Crotty & Denicolo, P.A.
Clear Water, FL 

Jerome M. Hesch, MBA, J.D.
Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone LLP
Special Tax Counsel
Adjunct Professor of Law
Mineola, NY 

Robert S. Keebler, CPA/PFS, MST, AEP (Distinguished)
Partner
Keebler & Associates, LLP
Green Bay, Wisconsin

Sharon L. Klein, Esq.
EVP, President – Family Wealth, Eastern U.S. Region
& Head of National Divorce Advisory Practice
Wilmington Trust, N.A.
New York, NY 

Amanda Koplin
CEO
Koplin Consulting
San Antonio, TX

Edward Mendlowitz, CPA, PFS, ABV, CFF
Emiritus Partner
Withum
East Brunswick, NJ

Avery E. Neumark, J.D., LLM, CPA
Partner, Senior Consultant
Cbiz Marks Paneth LLP
New York, NY

Wendy Oliver Pyatt, MD
CEO, Chief Medical Officer & Co-Founder
Within Health
Miami, FL 

Rachel Schnoll
CEO
Jewish Communal Fund
New York, NY

Steven G. Siegel, J.D., LLM (Taxation)
President
The Siegel Group
Morristown, NJ

Bryan C. Skarlatos, Esq.
Partner
Kostelanetz LLP
New York, NY 

Mary E. Vandenack, J.D., ACTEC, COLPM®, CAP®, Accredited Estate Planner® (Distinguished)
Partner
Duggan Bertsch, LLC
Chicago, IL

Chair
Martin M. Shenkman, J.D., CPA, M.B.A.
Attorney
Shenkman Law
Fort Lee, NJ

Ted R. Batson, Jr., JD, MBA, CPA
Partner and Tax Counsel
CapinCrouse LLP
Indianapolis, Indiana

Jeremiah W. Doyle, IV, Esq.
Director
BNY Wealth
Boston, MA

Elizabeth Forspan, Esq.
Managing Attorney
Forspan Klear LLP
Great Neck, NY 

Alan S. Gassman, J.D., LLM
Partner
Gassman, Crotty & Denicolo, P.A.
Clear Water, FL 

Jerome M. Hesch, MBA, J.D.
Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone LLP
Special Tax Counsel
Adjunct Professor of Law
Mineola, NY 

Robert S. Keebler, CPA/PFS, MST, AEP (Distinguished)
Partner
Keebler & Associates, LLP
Green Bay, Wisconsin

Sharon L. Klein, Esq.
EVP, President – Family Wealth, Eastern U.S. Region
& Head of National Divorce Advisory Practice
Wilmington Trust, N.A.
New York, NY 

Amanda Koplin
CEO
Koplin Consulting
San Antonio, TX

Edward Mendlowitz, CPA, PFS, ABV, CFF
Emiritus Partner
Withum
East Brunswick, NJ

Avery E. Neumark, J.D., LLM, CPA
Partner, Senior Consultant
Cbiz Marks Paneth LLP
New York, NY

Wendy Oliver Pyatt, MD
CEO, Chief Medical Officer & Co-Founder
Within Health
Miami, FL 

Rachel Schnoll
CEO
Jewish Communal Fund
New York, NY

Steven G. Siegel, J.D., LLM (Taxation)
President
The Siegel Group
Morristown, NJ

Bryan C. Skarlatos, Esq.
Partner
Kostelanetz LLP
New York, NY 

Mary E. Vandenack, J.D., ACTEC, COLPM®, CAP®, Accredited Estate Planner® (Distinguished)
Partner
Duggan Bertsch, LLC
Chicago, IL

contact us

Questions? Get in touch.
Inna Galperin

212.836.1204