Charitable Planning Panel Discussion!

Help your Clients Do Good, Save on Taxes, and Make the Most of their Assets

A Must-Attend Event

Attorney Michele Feinstein of Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin,  Attorney Hy Darling of Bacon Wilson, and CPA Steven Dane, retired from Cohn Reznick, will share insights, thought-provoking questions, and sample scenarios to help you think about charitable gift opportunities that could benefit your clients and the charities they care about   Explore gift opportunities, tax savings, and best use of assets to encourage productive conversations around philanthropy with clients – a win-win as you help clients give with purpose and create a financial/estate plan that captures their legacy. Increase your comfort level in discussing charitable giving with your clients by joining this lively panel discussion hosted by Kylie Johnson, CAP, Director of Planned Giving, Baystate Health Foundation.

About the Speakers

 MICHELE J. FEINSTEIN

Michele is a shareholder in Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. where she practices in the areas of estate planning, including probate and the administration of estates, estate litigation and elder law as well as corporate and business planning, including all aspects of planning for the succession of business interests.

 A lifelong resident of western Massachusetts, Michele received her Bachelors of Science degree summa cum laude from Boston University, her Juris Doctor degree cum laude from Western New England College School of Law, where she was a member of the Law Review, and received her Master of Law degree (LLM) in Taxation from Boston University.  Michele is a past president of the Estate Planning Council of Hampden County, and has professionally worked with and served on the boards of numerous organizations in the pioneer valley.

 Michele recently co-authored the two volume treatise Massachusetts Elder Law 3^rd edition, for Mathew Bender publications, and is a Senior Adjunct Professor of Law at Western New England  University in the LLM Program for Estate Planning and Elder Law where she has taught since 2005, received the Accredited Estate Planner ® designation from the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils, is regularly named a Massachusetts Superlawyer  and been consistently named to Best Lawyers in America ® where she was named 2023 and 2025 Lawyer of the Year for Trusts and Estates.

Steven M. Dane, CPA, CFF, ABV 

Steven is a retired partner in the CohnReznick’s tax practice and having led the Firm’s estate and trust practice in our Hartford office. He has more than 35 years of professional experience concentrating in tax matters for closely held businesses and their owners. Steve’s experience includes the tax and financial aspects of forming, operating, and transitioning business entities, combined with estate and succession planning, and estate/trust administration services.

Steve has also directed hundreds of business valuation engagements involving many different business types
and industries including professional firms, manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and other types
of service businesses. He has also provided arbitration and mediation services in several matters.

Steve is a frequent lecturer to various bar associations, law firms, and other professional/industry associations
on topics including tax planning, business valuations, forensic accounting, and financial issues in various types
of litigation including divorce. He has also authored articles on litigation, forensic, and business valuation
matters for publications such as Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and Connecticut Law Tribune. Steve’s
licenses and accreditations include Certified Public Accountant (CPA); Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV)
by American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; and Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF). Steve was
previously licensed as a Registered Investment Advisor (Series 66) with the SEC, and a Licensed Securities
Broker (Series 7).

Hyman G. Darling

Hyman has been recognized as one of the area's preeminent estate planners. He has extensive experience with all aspects of estate planning, trusts, tax law, probate and estates, guardianships, special needs trusts and planning, elder law, and long-term care planning. Additional specialties include adoption and real estate.

About the Host

Kylie Johnson

For over two decades, Kylie Johnson has helped donors make charitable gifts that meet their unique needs and goals while allowing them to enjoy the tax-savings and other financial and personal benefits that a gift can provide. A program builder with campaign, major and planned gift expertise, Kylie’s career has spanned grassroots to large nonprofits, including the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, UMass Amherst, and Virginia Tech’s one-billion-dollar campaign, as well as experience as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch. She is currently on the leadership team at Baystate Health Foundation, serving as Director of Planned Giving where she launched a comprehensive planned giving program and advances major gifts. Committed to excellence in serving donors and in educating and partnering with others to promote the power of charitable giving, Kylie earned the Chartered Advisory in Philanthropy (CAP®) designation from the American College of Financial Services, served on the Board and as Co-Chair of the Planned Giving Group of New England’s (PGGNE) Strategic Planning Committee, and served on the board of the Estate Planning Council of Hampden County. She is currently on the board of Valley Classical Concerts and is a long-time instructor for Boston University’s professional fundraising certificate program.