BALTIMORE ESTATE PLANNING COUNCIL

Limited to Nine (9) Classifications. The members of this Council shall be limited to: (1) Trust Members, (2) Financial Advisors, (3) Attorneys, (4) Certified Public Accountants, (5) Philanthropic Professionals, (6) Valuation Members, (7) Insurance Advisors (8) Allied Professionals, and (9) Emerging Planners, who, respectively, reside or do business in the State of Maryland.

1.         Trust Members

The number of active trust members shall be set, from time to time, by the Board of Directors.  Except as otherwise provided herein, each active trust member shall be at all times during his or her active membership, employed by a bank, brokerage or other financial institution with trust powers, as a trust officer or other designation pertaining to estate planning. 

All applicants for trust membership shall be sponsored by two (2) active Council members, one of whom shall not be employed by the same bank, brokerage or other financial institution as the applicant at the time of filing of the application.

2.              Financial Advisor Members

The number of active financial advisor members shall be set, from time to time, by the Board of Directors.  Each active financial advisor member shall be at all times during his or her active membership a financial professional who is actively engaged in estate planning in the State of Maryland. 

All applicants for financial advisor membership shall be sponsored by two (2) active Council members, one of whom shall not be employed by or affiliated with the entity with which the applicant is associated at the time of filing of the application.

3.              Attorney Members

The number of active attorney members shall be set, from time to time, by the Board of Directors. Each active attorney member shall be at all times during his or her active membership in good standing and admitted to practice before the Court of Appeals of Maryland, and actively engaged in estate planning.

All applicants for attorney membership shall be sponsored by two (2) active Council members, one of whom shall not be affiliated with the law firm, if any, with which the applicant is associated at the time of filing of the application.

4.         Certified Public Accountant Members

The number of active certified public accountant (CPA) members shall be set, from time to time, by the Board of Directors. Each active CPA member shall be at all times during his or her active membership in good standing and duly licensed as a certified public accountant in Maryland, and actively engaged in estate planning.

All applicants for CPA membership shall be sponsored by two (2) active Council members, one of whom shall not be affiliated with the accounting firm or other entity, if any, with which the applicant is associated at the time of filing of the application.

 5.         Philanthropic Professional Members

 The number of active not-for-profit professional members shall be set, from time to time, by the Board of Directors. Each active not-for-profit professional member shall be currently employed in any aspect of estate planning by a local or national level educational, medical, religious, cultural or charitable organization as defined in Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

All applicants for philanthropic professional membership shall be sponsored by two (2) active Council members, one of whom shall not be employed by the same organization as the applicant at the time the application is filed.

6.         Valuation Members

The number of active valuation members shall be set, from time to time, by the Board of Directors. Each active valuation member shall be at all times during his or her active membership in good standing and duly licensed if required in Maryland,  and actively engaged in valuation in connection with estate planning and/or administration of estates and trusts. 

All applicants for valuation membership shall be sponsored by two (2) active Council members, one of whom shall be a valuation or CPA member who shall not be affiliated with the valuation or accounting firm or other entity, if any, with which the applicant is associated at the time of filing of the application.

7.         Insurance Advisor Members

The number of active insurance advisor members shall be set, from time to time, by the Board of Directors.  Each active insurance advisor member shall be at all times during his or her active membership a licensed insurance agent in Accident and Health or Sickness, Casualty, Life, Property, Variable Life and Variable Annuity with the Maryland Insurance Administration and actively engaged in estate planning in the State of Maryland. 

All applicants for insurance advisor membership shall be sponsored by two (2) active Council members, one of whom shall not be employed by or affiliated with the entity with which the applicant is associated at the time of filing of the application.

8.         Allied Professional Members

A member must be an academician or service specialist whose expertise is directly relevant to estate planning.  The Membership Committee will review all applications and recommend individuals for membership as allied professionals on a case-by-case basis.  Eligibility for membership in this classification shall be construed narrowly and the total number of members in this classification shall be limited to not more than 5% of the maximum membership of the Council.

Allied Professionals shall include, but not be limited to, our current members who are auctioneers, real estate agents and mortgage brokers.

All applicants for allied professional membership shall be sponsored by two (2) active Council members, one of whom shall not be employed by the same organization as the applicant at the time the application is filed.

9.         Emerging Planners Members

A member must be an emerging professional who is currently employed in the estate planning field and who is actively working to obtain an applicable professional designation which would make them eligible in another membership classification.  Membership in this classification is limited to a period of 36 months (after which a member must either qualify for another classification or resign) and is nonvoting.  

The membership fee will be a minimal fee agreed upon by the Board each year.  Membership will include attendance to one BEPC meeting, an educational event geared towards Emerging Planners, and for all BEPC social events.  

There is no limit to the number of members in this classification.  An application is not required.