Joint Council Breakfast

Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2027
Time: 08:30 AM - 10:15am
Location: TBD
Speaker: Cliff Schlesinger

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This meeting will be held jointly with the Estate Planning Council of Montgomery County, MD. 

Program Description and Benefits: Planning in a Current High Exemption Environment: Strategies and Opportunities Beyond the Federal Estate Tax

Current historically high federal gift, estate, and GST tax exemptions continue to shift the focus of estate planning. As a result, practitioners must increasingly balance transfer tax considerations with income tax awareness, state estate/inheritance tax exposure, and flexibility in plan design. Thoughtful planning remains essential to achieve family, legacy, and philanthropic objectives.

This program will focus on advanced planning techniques for individuals and married couples, including those whose estates fall under (or are close to) the federal exemption levels. Topics will include considerations for foundational estate planning documents, lifetime gifting strategies, income tax basis planning, charitable planning, and opportunities for post-mortem planning.

Speaker Biography: 

Cliff Schlesinger is a Managing Director in Goldman Sachs' Family Office Wealth Advisory Services team, where he advises private clients and their advisors on sophisticated wealth management, estate planning, and tax strategies. He also serves on the Board of Directors of The Goldman Sachs Trust Company, N.A.

Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Cliff was a partner at Wolf Block Schorr & Solis-Cohen LLP and chaired the firm's Private Client Services Group. A Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), he is a past president of the Philadelphia Estate Planning Council and has received both its Mordecai Gerson Meritorious Service Award and Distinguished Estate Planner Award. Cliff is a frequent author and speaker on estate planning, wealth transfer, and philanthropic planning.

Logistics:

Event Information

  • Cost: $60 for members | $80 for guests and emeritus members | Complimentary for student members.
  • Guests: Guests are warmly welcomed when accompanied by a Council member.
  • Parking: TBD
  • Meeting Location: TBD
  • Breakfast: A buffet breakfast will be served.
  • Photography: Photographs may be taken during the event and used in future Washington, D.C. Estate Planning Council promotional and marketing materials.

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