Panel Discussion
11:00 a.m.  - 12:15 p.m.

Cognitive Impairment in Donors: Identifying Issues and Applying Best Practices: A medical and legal perspective

Join Brian M. Balduzzi, Esq. Tax LL.M. MBA CFP® CEPA® AEP®IPA at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP and Stephen M. Scheinthal, DO, DFACN, DFAPA, Medical Director for the New Jersey Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health Services at Greystone Park Hospital, and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Geriatrics at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine

According to a 2022 AARP national study, nearly a third of Americans 65 and older have some level of cognitive impairment — including 10 percent who have dementia. And many of our gift planning prospects and donors fall in this age range.

Join us for this panel discussion addressing cognitive decline in donors. This will be a valuable opportunity for gift planning professionals to learn how to navigate situations involving elderly donors with cognitive decline.

The session will cover both medical, legal and fundraising perspectives on:

Dr. Stephen Scheinthal is a board-certified psychiatrist with subspecialty certification in geriatric psychiatry. He is the Medical Director for the New Jersey Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health Services at Greystone Park Hospital, the second oldest hospital in the State of NJ. He is also a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Geriatrics at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine. He is a Distinguished Fellow of both the American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists and the American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Scheinthal is a graduate of UMDNJ-SOM (now Rowan- Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine) where he completed his internship, psychiatry residency, and geriatric psychiatry fellowship. He is a recipient of a Geriatric Academic Career Award from the US Department of Health and Human Services/Health Resources and Services Administration.

Dr. Scheinthal served as the Chair of the Psychiatry Department at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine from 2014 to 2025. He has served as Medical Director for numerous long-term care and assisted living facilities in New Jersey, including New Jersey’s original specialty care facility. He is the Past President of the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, the American Association of Chairs of Departments of Psychiatry as well as the American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists. He Co-Chaired New Jersey’s Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force. Currently, Dr. Scheinthal is a member of the AMA’s Substance Abuse and Pain Care Task Force. He has numerous publications and has presented nationally and internationally. He is frequently named to Top Doc lists and was recently recognized as one of the Top 100 Policy Makers in NJ by Insider NJ.

Families around the world look to Brian Balduzzi to plan and protect their legacies through conscientious client service and a collaborative approach.

Brian provides comprehensive legal advice to help entrepreneurs, executives and families fulfill their goals, offering pragmatic, knowledgeable guidance on financial regulations, laws and trends. Combining his strong command of trusts and estates with his background in tax and investment management, Brian delivers timely and holistic counsel for intergenerational and business succession planning. Whether he is memorializing client wishes and goals in sophisticated estate plans, planning tax-efficient transfers and strategies to minimize personal income, gift, fiduciary and estate taxes, or partnering on business succession and growth needs, Brian listens to and understands clients’ goals and needs, and he delivers the legal strategies to help meet them. Prior Experience Brian started his legal career as a tax attorney for a mid-sized accounting firm, preparing federal and state tax forms for high net-worth individuals and counseling them on their family, corporate and partnership tax planning. Brian transitioned to a mid-sized law firm as a tax and estate planning attorney for technology entrepreneurs, intergenerational wealth-holders, and real estate developers before deepening his financial acumen by getting his MBA at Cornell University. Brian integrated his financial and legal experiences while working at a leading trust company and financial services firm, starting as a fiduciary innovation strategist before being promoted to assistant vice president and operational and planning innovation manager. Before joining Faegre Drinker, Brian practiced in the private client services group of another full-service law firm, working with media and corporate executives, entrepreneurs and intergenerational wealth-holders on sophisticated estate and tax planning, along with estate and trust administration needs.

Brian is admitted to the bar in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida. Brian has an MBA from Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business, LL.M in Tax from Boston University School of Law LL.M. in Tax, a J.D. degree in Law from Boston University School of Law, and a B.A. in English and Secondary Education from State University of New York College at Geneseo.

 2026 Planned Giving Day Conference
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Inn at Villanova

Our theme this year, “Legacy Reflections,” embodies the enduring power of legacy giving for today and tomorrow. Given the increasing array of social, economic and political challenges within our philanthropic landscape, the planned giving community remains confident that donors will continue to provide generous support. Planned giving retains its prominent role as donors reflect upon their personal legacies as well as consider the benefits of deferred along with current giving strategies. Our conference is a destination for personal and professional growth and the authenticity necessary for our collaborative efforts with individual philanthropists, large and small, crafting charitable legacies for tomorrow. Planned Giving Day provides an understanding of various planned giving options and the necessary information to structure and implement these charitable giving strategies. 

Morning Keynote Speaker

Viken Mikaelian is the Founder and CEO of PlannedGiving.com, a leading planned giving marketing platform launched in 1998 — the same year Google was founded. Over 26 years, he has worked with more than 5,000 nonprofit clients and reached tens of thousands more through publications, boot camps, webinars, and advisory work. A nationally recognized speaker and author, he has presented at more than 500 fundraising conferences and authored over 1,500 articles on planned giving and philanthropy. Viken is donating his speaking fee to the Planned Giving Council of Greater Philadelphia.

The Bald Head in the Room

Viken Mikaelian has worked with over 5,000 nonprofits. He could deliver a safe, predictable keynote. He won’t.

Research shows that only 2% of fundraisers ever truly master the legacy conversation. This session is for those who intend to be in that 2%.

Built around short true stories, honest questions, and the theme of the day — Legacy Reflections — this is an interactive keynote where the audience matters as much as the speaker.

Expect laughs. Expect silence. Expect to be part of the conversation.

Bring your own stories. Viken will bring the questions.

Accommodations are available at the Inn at Villanova, the Radnor Hotel and the Residence Inn Conshohocken.