While more than 80% of people in the U.S. recognize the importance of estate planning, 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 hosting a free educational webinar focused on revocable living trusts and charitable remainder unitrusts on Thursday, February 26, at 2 p.m. Eastern time.
The session aims to demystify estate planning through 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 webinar will feature experts in wealth management, estate law and trust administration including Clare Ceplecha, JD, CFTA, Mary Alfred, JD and Samuel M. DiPietro.
The educational content will introduce the definition of trusts, explain how they are created and maintained, detail the rules of simple and complex trusts, and demonstrate how trusts can facilitate charitable giving. Participants will receive free resources about charitable trusts and revocable living trusts upon registration. Registration is available at https://heart.org/plan and is required in advance.
For business and technology leaders, understanding trust structures represents both personal financial planning and potential philanthropic strategy. Trusts provide mechanisms to secure financial assets while creating structured giving plans that can support organizational missions over the long term. The American Heart Association emphasizes that planned giving through vehicles like charitable remainder unitrusts creates lasting impact and supports the organization's 2028 Impact Goal to drive breakthroughs in science, policy and care.
Donors who establish legacy gifts through charitable financial planning are recognized as members of the Paul Dudley White Legacy Circle within the Cor Vitae Society. These contributions sustain the Association's role as the nation's leading non-governmental funder of cardiovascular research, with more than $5.9 billion invested in scientific discovery since 1949. The organization views legacy gifts as vital to fueling lifesaving research and education for future generations.
The webinar represents a strategic approach to donor education that addresses both the emotional barriers to estate planning and the technical knowledge required to implement effective plans. By providing accessible education about trust structures, the American Heart Association aims to empower individuals to take control of their financial legacies while potentially increasing support for cardiovascular research and prevention initiatives.
