Practicing Law in the following areas:
About Barbara Bergstein
Barbara Bergstein specializes in elder law and estate planning. Her practice includes estate and gift taxation planning, asset preservation for government benefits (Medi-Cal), durable powers of attorney and probate, including probate and trust controversy.
Ms. Bergstein is frequently consulted regarding the uses and drafting of special needs trusts for families with disabled children. In addition, she frequently drafts special needs trusts in personal injury settlements for disabled minors and adults.
Ms. Bergstein is the author of “The Uses of Irrevocable Special Needs Trusts in Gift and Estate Tax Planning” which appeared in Tax Information Perspectives, a publication of the Estate & Gift Tax Subcommittee, California Tax Bar.
She is the parent of a child with Autism and has experienced first hand the heartache and struggles of having a loved one with special needs. She has served as a board member of the Autism Society of Los Angeles and often speaks to parents about the rights of children disabilities.
Ms. Bergstein is a frequent lecturer for the State Bar of California, AICPA, and the CalCPA Education Foundation.
Professional Affiliations:- California State Bar (Probate & Trust Section)
- Los Angeles County Bar Association (Probate & Trust Section)
- Beverly Hills Bar Association (Order of Distinguished Attorneys)
- Beverly Hills Bar Association (Probate & Trust Section)
- San Fernando Valley Bar (Probate & Trust Section)
- Member National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys *Past Member Executive Board of the State Bar Estate and Gift Tax Committee
- Past Member Los Angeles County Bar, Trusts and Estates Section, Executive Board
- Past Member of the Incapacity Subcommittee, State of California, Trusts and Estates Section 1994 & 1995 Recipient State Bar of California Wiley W. Manuel Pro Bono Award
Past Lectures:
Charitable Gifting-Uses of Special Needs Trust in Charitable Planning-Western Regional Planned Giving Conference
June 2011
PFAC Conference May of 2010 Uses of Special Needs Trust
Speaker-Estate Planning for the Elderly and Disabled, California CPA
Education Foundation year 2007-2008.
Speaker-Estate Planning for the Elderly and Disabled, California CPA Education Foundation years 2008-2011.
Winter 2007 Presentation to AICPA – Essential Legal Documents for the
Elderly
Winter 2006- Presentation to AICPA – Essential Legal Documents for the
Elderly
Fall, 2005- Elder Law Planning, Continuing Education of the Bar
Contributor, Spidell Tax News Letter Fall 2004, Medi-Cal Planning and
Personal Service Contracts
California State Bar, Fall 2004 “What Every Personal Injury Attorney
should know about Special Needs Trusts.”
State Bar of California, Fall 2003 “Estate Planning for the Elderly and
Disabled.”
Lecturer: California Tax Bar, November 2002 “Estate Planning for the
Elderly and Disabled.”
Numerous community groups including local CPA estate planning groups;
1999-present.
Guest lecturer, Loyola Law School, 2000-2001
Speaker-Estate Planning for the Elderly and Disabled, California CPA
Education Foundation year 2001-2002.
Continuing Education of the Bar 1999-2000 Probate Procedures
Fall 1999 through Winter 2000- Estate Planning for the Elderly-Seminars
California CPA Education Foundation
1999 Chair, California CPA Foundation Elder Law Conference
Fall 1998 through Winter 1998- Estate Planning for the Elderly
California CPA Education Foundation
Spring 1998- Planning with Special Needs Trusts-Presented by California
Advocates For Nursing Home Reform
Television Appearance, “Funding Your Dreams”, PBS Program on Estate
Planning, March, 1998
Estate Planning for the Terminally Ill Continuing Education of the Bar
November 1997
Elder Care Planning: “Public Benefits and Long Term Care
Planning”: Presented to California Certified Public
Accountants September 1997
June 1997 City of Culver City Human Services Department “Legal Issues
for An Aging Society”
An Interdisciplinary Approach to Elder Law Symposium: National Academy
of Elder Law Attorneys 1997
Continuing Education of the Bar Basic Will Drafting March 1997
Estate Planning for the Elderly Organization for Needs of Elderly
(O.N.E.) February 24, 1997
Sponsored by Public Counsel Children’s Right’s Project- MCLE approved
March 26, 1996
“Advocating for Children with Special Needs”
Charter Hospital Seminar; Medi-Cal Asset Protection, February 1996
“The Sunday Show”, AIDS Asset Protection
North Los Angeles County Regional Center Presentation on Clients’
Rights: The Civil Rights of Persons With Disabilities in
Residential Group Homes.
Los Angeles County Bar: “Protect the Child Day”: Special
Education
Advocacy
American Association of University Women: Elder Care Planning
Educational Rights for Parents of Special Needs Children:
Open Arms: Support group for parents.
Elder Care in the 90’s- Legal Planning Encino/ Tarzana Medical Center
Elder Care in the ‘90’s - Still Going Strong
Public Counsel Continuing Education: Special Education
Rights: Incorporating §504 of the Rehabilitation Act into special
education advocacy.
Disclosure IRS Circular 230 disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS, we inform you that any tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding tax-related penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein