Webinar  September 21, 2021

Leaving A Lasting Impact


The death or disability of a loved one is a challenging and stressful event that can be difficult to navigate — especially when the rest of the family has to handle their loved one’s finances. It can be easy to make financial mistakes during such a confusing time, and XML is here to help.

On Tuesday, September 21 at 12:00 PM ET, we are holding a follow-up to our May webinar on estate planning to discuss the financial uncertainty that follows the death or disability of a loved one. In a discussion moderated by XML’s Lauren O’Brien, Karen Drancik (Senior Vice President at Neuberger Berman) and XML-W’s Michelle Cooper will discuss the keys to navigating this uncertainty and how proper estate planning can minimize stress and confusion for your loved ones once you are gone. In addition, we will cover:

  • How to help you and your family feel prepared for all of life’s expected and unexpected times
  • The sensitive yet critical conversations you should have with your family about preserving and transferring the legacy you will one day leave behind
  • How to minimize the types of inadvertent mistakes that often occur during times of turmoil

As a gift for attending, participants will be mailed their very own Love Letter booklet following this webinar.

Register for this webinar by filling out the form below:

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This webinar is for educational and informational purposes only. Content is not intended to be a recommendation, solicitation or endorsement of any company, strategy or service discussed nor should it be perceived as individual advice.

Karen Drancik

Karen Drancik is a Senior Vice President at Neuberger Berman, where she has worked since 2006. Karen is a Business Development Advisor with the Neuberger Berman Advisor Institute. Previously, Karen was regional vice president and alternative investment specialist at Evergreen Investments, where she sold Hedge Fund of Funds, Private Equity, Managed Futures and Commodities funds. Karen has over 20 years of portfolio management and sales experience with firms such as Wachovia and Bank of America Capital Management. Karen received a BA in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Michelle Cooper, JD, MBA

Michelle Cooper, JD, MBA is the Director and Co-founder of XML-W, a division of XML Financial Group that focuses on the planning and financial needs of women at all stages of their lives. She brings to XML-W over 25 years of experience in the estate planning, finance and tax fields. Prior to joining the XML team, she worked for Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust (both entities are now owned by Bank of America) as a Director, helping high-net-worth clients design and update their estate plans. She also had the responsibility of educating over 650 financial advisors on estate planning and trust services. Before starting her career at Merrill Lynch in 1996, she worked as an attorney specializing in tax and estate planning for the law firms of Ralph R. Polachek & Associates and Joseph, Gajarsa, McDermott & Reiner, P.C.

Lauren O’Brien, CFP®, CPA

Lauren O’Brien, CFP®, CPA is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, committed to helping her clients on their life journeys with thorough financial planning. She partners with clients to create a roadmap. She believes in building clients’ confidence in their financial decisions, and she is a strong proponent of ongoing financial literacy and education. Lauren’s journey has afforded her opportunities to work in three continents with several prestigious firms, including Wells Fargo Advisors, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Deloitte. Fully bitten by the travel bug, she continues to enjoy travel, both locally and globally. She recently visited her 46th state, as part of a quest to see all 50 U.S. states, and she has traveled to six of the seven continents over the last decade. Lauren is proud of her commitment to her community, and her core purpose is to have a lasting impact on her clients and her community.