Curt is the founder and currently sole owner of the law firm called The Estate Planning Center. He started the firm in 1989 as a general law practice, but within a few years was concentrating his work in estate planning.

In 1996 he was invited to join the National Network of Estate Planning Attorneys. Curt joined and from that time forward limited his practice exclusively to estate planning. In 1999 he actively implemented his “Three Step Strategy™” practice model; and in 2002 he joined LifeSpan LLC, a group of estate planning attorneys “unreasonably committed” to delivering predictably positive estate planning results for their clients through the LifeSpan Planning Process™.

Within the National Network Curt quickly distinguished himself.  In 1999 he was asked to start teaching other Network attorneys topics relating to practice management and incentive trusts. In 2001 and 2002, Curt was an instructor of the ESTATE PLANNING PRACTICUM©, an intensive week long training course, and ESTATE PLANNING PRACTICUM II©, an intermediate training course for Network members. In 2006 he began teaching the two-day “Generation Skipping Transfer Tax” course for National Network attorneys, along with team-teacher Mike Dolan of Colorado.  He also served his Network colleagues for many years on the Member Advisory Board.

Since Curt’s practice often involves sophisticated strategies for higher net worth clients, he is a graduate of THE ADVANCED PLANNING STRATEGIES PROGRAM, a comprehensive two year course in advanced estate planning, tools, techniques and professional collaboration.  His professional development has included participation in each of the following:

Curt received his law degree from The University of Texas in 1989, and his BA from Buena Vista College in 1986. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Christian Legal Society.

Curt serves his community in a variety of ways: on non-profit boards and in his local church. He has served as Executive Director of the Rutherford Institute of Illinois and as a law instructor at Kaskaskia Community College.

He since 1989 has been the husband of Laura, who is an accomplished musician, homemaker and inspirational blogger. They are the devoted parents of two wonderful daughters: Rachelle (Hillsdale College 2017 highest honors) playwrite and entrepreneur, and LaRae, an Oxford DPhil in Greek and Latin Languages candidate (2019) and Junior Dean at Wycliffe College, Oxford.

A more formal “resume” follows for those who like additional details:

CONTINUING EDUCATION

THE ADVANCED PLANNING STRATEGIES PROGRAM of the National Network, a comprehensive two year course in advanced estate planning, tools, techniques and professional collaboration

ADVANCED STUDIES FOR WEALTH AND ESTATE PLANNING, April, 2000, the ESPERTI-PETERSON INSTITUTE

Continuing education through MASTERS 2003 class of the ESPERTI-PETERSON INSTITUTE

EXPERIENCE

THE ESTATE PLANNING CENTER, Founder and President. This law firm was founded by Curt in 1989, in Salem, Illinois. The practice is concentrated in the unique, pro-active Three Step Strategy™ estate planning process known as LIFESPAN™.

Design and implementation of successful planning for all sizes of estates, from small-estate Medicaid planning to high-net worth sophisticated EPC WEALTH DESIGN tax planning

Special interests include Maximizing the Impact of Your Life and Legacy through Protective Trusts, Family Values Integration and Incentive Trusts

INSTRUCTOR

Instructor of the ESTATE PLANNING PRACTICUM©, an intensive week long training course for members of the NATIONAL NETWORK OF ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEYS, 2001 – 2002

Instructor of the ESTATE PLANNING PRACTICUM II©, an intermediate training course for members of the NATIONAL NETWORK OF ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEYS, 2001 – 2002

Periodic instructor of breakout workshops for semi-annual COLLEGIA: conventions of the NATIONAL NETWORK OF ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEYS; on practice management, estate planning tools and techniques, and “impact” planning

Frequent guest speaker at public, professional and private workshops and seminars on estate planning, including accredited continuing education programs for licensed financial professionals

Instructor of law, 1990 – 1992, KASKASKIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Centralia, Illinois

MEMBER

LIFESPAN LLC, a professional association of attorneys unreasonably committed to delivering their clients exceptional estate planning results

NATIONAL NETWORK OF ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEYS, Charter Member

ILLINOIS BAR and ILLINOIS STATE BAR ASSOCIATION since 1989. Member of sections on TRUSTS & ESTATES and ELDER LAW

CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY, a national organization of Christian attorneys and law students

AUTHOR

The Estate Plan Edge®: a monthly column of The Prairie Farmer®, Illinois’ premiere farm magazine.

Contributing author to WAYS & MEANS: MAXIMIZE THE VALUE OF YOUR RETIREMENT SAVINGS, published by Esperti Peterson Institute Incorporated, 1999

COMMUNITY & PERSONAL

SALEM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT #111 board of education 1991-2003

Advisory Board Member of the SOUTH CENTRAL PREGNANCY CARE CENTER, of Salem

Former Executive Director of THE RUTHERFORD INSTITUTE OF ILLINOIS

EDUCATION

Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF LAW Austin, Texas, 1989: Law School Admission Test score of 41 (93rd percentile); accepted as non-resident. Honors: Received honor grades in Constitutional Law I, Marital Relations & Divorce, Business Associations, Federal Income Tax, Religious Liberties Seminar, and Intellectual Property; received high scores in Hutcheson Moot Court and in Novice Mock Trial; partial scholarship award each year based on character, scholastic record and financial need; Participated in both the Children’s Rights Clinic and the Criminal Defense Clinic, and presented brief and oral arguments in Texas Court of Appeals in a Criminal Defense Clinic case in January of 1989; President and on the Steering Committee of Lawyers Christian Fellowship, a prominent University of Texas School of Law student organization; intra-mural basketball on successful Law-Grad Division team “Contempt of Court”

B.A. Management Science, BUENA VISTA COLLEGE Marshalltown, Iowa, 1986, Magna Cum Laude; January, 1985 to June, 1986 Degree: B.A. Honors: Magna Cum Laude with final cumulative G.P.A. of 3.72. Major: Management Science. Minor: Psychology.

MARSHALLTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Marshalltown, Iowa; three semesters in 1982 – 1985. Major: Business. Honors: Phi Theta Kappa honor society, the National Honor Fraternity of the Community and Junior Colleges

COVENANT FOUNDATION COLLEGE, Greenfield, Indiana; two semesters part-time, one full-time. Major: Bible and Music. Honors: Dean’s List; traveled and sang in a public relations quartet from September 1983 through August, 1984. Was offered scholarship to continue in 1984-1985, declined it to pursue my legal education.

CLARK BUSINESS COLLEGE, Indianapolis, Indiana, while attending Covenant Foundation College part-time. Major: Business Administration. Honors: President’s List; 4.0 GPA