ESTATE PLANNING COUNCIL OF SAN DIEGO

Topic:

Using A Charitable Remainder Trust To Stretch IRA Distributions To Beneficiaries

Does It Really Work? 
Speakers: Helen Cheng and Rick Brooks

Helen Cheng | Office Managing Director

Helen is a partner in the private client and tax team and is the Office Managing Director of the San Diego office. She is a trusts and estate attorney who focuses on exempt organizations and international tax planning for inbound and outbound transactions. She assists clients in all aspects of estate planning, estate and trust administration and charitable planning.

Helen brings a diversity of experience to her clients. After graduating from Stanford Law School, she practiced international corporate tax law in China and California where she worked with multinational corporations, such as Oracle, Intel and Seagate, on sophisticated international tax planning techniques. Helen is also certified as a specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

Previously, Helen worked at the San Diego Zoo to create its licensing and technology transfer program. She was directly responsible for the creation of the San Diego Zoo Global Centre for Bioinspiration and worked with companies such as Procter & Gamble, WD-40, Nike and Qualcomm to develop technologies inspired by nature.

Helen has been faculty at the UC Irvine School of Law, where she has taught Charitable Planning and Tax Exempt Organizations. Helen is co-chair of the ABA's Real Property and Trust & Estate Law, Legislative and Regulatory Issues Committee. She is on the planning committee for the Western Conference on Tax Exempt Organizations, and currently serves as chair of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners San Diego Branch (STEP SD) and on the STEP USA board of directors. She also serves as general counsel for the International Community Foundation.

Helen is recognized as a Leader of Influence in Law by San Diego Business Journal for 2024. Helen has been ranked in the 2025 Chamber High Net Worth Guide as 'Up and Coming' for Private Wealth Law. She is also recognized as a recommended lawyer in The Legal 500 US 2024 and 2025 guides in the area of Not-for-Profit Tax and as a Best Lawyers 'One to Watch' for 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Rick Brooks | Senior Financial Advisor

Rick brings more than 20 years of experience in financial services to Blankinship & Foster.  One of the three principals and owners of the firm, Rick specializes in portfolio management, financial, tax, and estate planning issues for clients from all walks of life.

Before becoming a financial advisor, Rick served in the United States Navy for 6 1/2 years, where he completed two deployments to the Persian Gulf and left the Navy as a Lieutenant.

From 2011 to 2018, Rick served on the Board of Directors of Girl Scouts San Diego, serving as Chair of the Board, leading the Investment Committee and serving on the Executive and Finance Committees.  Rick is also a past President of the CFA Society of San Diego and served on its Board of Directors in various capacities.

Rick is a member of the CFA Institute, National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), Financial Planning Association (FPA), San Diego Rotary (Club 33), and is past President of the Estate Planning Council of San Diego.

Rick and his wife Roseanne live in Mission Hills.  When he's not thinking about investments, Rick enjoys spending time with his family, theater, cooking, skiing, traveling and reading.  

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