American Heart Association Offers Free Estate Planning Webinar to Address Widespread Planning Gap

More than 80% of people in the United States recognize the importance of estate planning, yet less than a third have a will or trust, according to a 2025 Trust & Will Estate Planning Report. To address this disparity, the American Heart Association is offering a free educational webinar on February 26 focused on revocable living trusts and charitable remainder unitrusts. The session aims to demystify estate planning for donors of any age using plain language and practical examples.

‘Estate planning can be overwhelming without proper guidance. Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a legacy that protects their money and their generosity,’ said Lee Shapiro, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association. 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. Participants will learn how trusts are structured, created, and maintained, with specific details on the rules governing simple and complex trusts.

The educational initiative directly supports the American Heart Association’s broader mission. Planned giving through instruments like charitable trusts is a powerful mechanism for creating lasting impact. Donations from such gifts enable the organization to advance its 2028 Impact Goal, which focuses on driving breakthroughs in science, policy, and care. Donors who include the Association in their estate plans are recognized as members of the Paul Dudley White Legacy Circle within the Cor Vitae Society.

Legacy gifts are described as vital for sustaining the Association’s role as the nation’s leading non-governmental funder of cardiovascular research. The organization has invested more than $5.9 billion in scientific discovery since 1949. This funding fuels lifesaving research and education aimed at helping people live longer, healthier lives for generations to come. The webinar serves as an accessible entry point for individuals to understand how their financial planning can contribute to this ongoing work.

Participants who register for the webinar will receive free resources about charitable trusts and revocable living trusts. The session is scheduled for Thursday, February 26, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Advanced online registration is required and can be completed through the organization’s website. By providing this free education, the American Heart Association seeks to empower individuals to take concrete steps in their estate planning while highlighting how such planning can align personal financial security with philanthropic goals.

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