American Heart Association Webinar Addresses Estate Planning Gap with Focus on Trusts

More than 80% of people in the United States acknowledge the importance of estate planning, yet fewer than a third have established a will or trust, according to the 2025 Trust & Will Estate Planning Report. To bridge this substantial gap, the American Heart Association is hosting a complimentary webinar on Thursday, February 26, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time, focusing specifically on revocable living trusts and charitable remainder unitrusts. The session aims to demystify these financial instruments for donors of any age, using plain language and real-life examples to illustrate how trusts are structured and utilized.

Lee Shapiro, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association, emphasized the webinar's goal to make estate planning more accessible. "Estate planning can be overwhelming without proper guidance. Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a legacy that protects their money and their generosity," Shapiro stated. The one-hour webinar will feature guest experts in wealth management, estate law, and trust administration, including Clare Ceplecha, JD, CFTA, Mary Alfred, JD, and Samuel M. DiPietro. Attendees will learn the definitions of trusts, how they are created and maintained, the rules governing simple and complex trusts, and how trusts can facilitate charitable giving.

Participants who register will receive free resources about charitable trusts and revocable living trusts. The webinar underscores the power of planned giving to create lasting impact. Donations from planned gifts enable the American Heart Association to advance its 2028 Impact Goal, driving breakthroughs in science, policy, and care. Donors who include the Association in their estate plans through charitable financial planning are recognized as members of the Paul Dudley White Legacy Circle, part of the Cor Vitae Society. This recognition honors a founder and pioneer in preventive cardiology.

Legacy gifts are crucial for sustaining the American Heart Association's role as the leading non-governmental funder of cardiovascular research in the nation, with over $5.9 billion invested in scientific discovery since 1949. Such generosity fuels lifesaving research and education, contributing to longer, healthier lives for future generations. Advanced online registration is required to attend the free webinar, which can be completed at heart.org/plan. The initiative addresses a critical need for public education on estate planning, empowering individuals to secure their financial assets and philanthropic intentions effectively.