The Estate Planning Council of Diablo Valley is always interested in welcoming new members who will actively participate in our group. We encourage you to attend a meeting and meet our members. Meetings are for members and their guests. If you are new to our community and do not know a member who can sponsor you at a meeting, please contact the Membership Director or the Council Office at (925) 778-1165 to make a reservation.

The Estate Planning Council of Diablo Valley ("Council") has bylaws that provide for six (6) membership categories:

1. Attorneys;
2. Certified Public Accountants (CPA);
3. Certified Financial Planners (CFP);
4. Chartered Financial Consultants (ChFC), Chartered Life Underwriters (CLU);
5. Trust Officers, Private Fiduciaries;
6. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA); Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA)
7. Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC);
8. Judicial Officer, Probate Examiner, Probate Referee;
9. Member-at-Large

An active member shall render services in one of the five professional categories listed in paragraph 2.a. above of these Bylaws (hereinafter “categories 1 through 5”), or may be admitted as a Member-at-Large in the manner specified in paragraph 2.c. below of these Bylaws (hereinafter “category 6”). In addition, an active member must demonstrate that they are clearly engaged in estate planning activities.

An active member shall have his or her place of business or residence in Contra Costa County or shall have continuing business contacts with Contra Costa County of a type and frequency satisfactory to the Board of Directors.

Any person who does not meet these requirements but who is a member of the Council as of the effective date of these revised Bylaws may maintain membership in the Council notwithstanding.

An applicant shall be admitted as a Member-at-Large at the discretion of the Board based upon the applicant's demonstrated qualifications, including, but not limited to, the type and length of employment related to estate planning and/or estate administration, level of formal education and activities in the estate planning arena as demonstrated by memberships in other organizations, speaking and/or teaching engagements, published articles, and general stature in the business and/or academic community. The Board may also consider the importance of having a diversified group of Members-at-Large as a factor in its decision to admit an applicant for a Member-at-Large position.

Applicants for active membership shall attend at least one meeting of the Council within the last three meetings of the Council, and must be nominated by two active members in good standing, who have been members for at least a year, and have sufficient professional contact with the applicant to assert that the applicant meets the membership criteria. Applicants for membership shall become members upon a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Board of Directors present at a duly constituted meeting of the Board.

Each professional category of active members (categories 1 through 5) of this Council shall be limited to forty percent (40%) of the total active membership. Members-at-Large (category 6) shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the total active membership.

The membership of any member shall automatically terminate without action by the Board and without notice to the member, if a member fails to pay his or her dues on or before sixty days after the due date. The Board may, in its discretion, reinstate such member upon payment in full of dues owing, to the same status as if the default had not occurred.

For more membership information, please see the Council Bylaws which can be found by CLICKING HERE