Upcoming Webinars

Chances are several of your clients are sitting on realized capital gains right now — and most of them have no idea the rules for sheltering those gains in a Qualified Opportunity Fund just changed dramatically.The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made the Opportunity Zone program permanent and introduced what the industry is already calling "OZ 2.0": a new 10-year rolling zone-designation process beginning January 1, 2027, enhanced basis step-ups for rural investments, and new reporting requirements for funds and the businesses they invest in. At the same time, the original Opportunity Zone rules are still in effect for capital gains invested before December 31, 2026 — which means you have a narrow window to help clients figure out which set of rules actually serves them better.Join John Bacigalupi, SVP – Regional Director & National Private Markets Specialist at Cantor Fitzgerald Asset Management, for a practical session built for financial advisors — not a legislative recap, but a working guide to what's actually changed and how to put it to use.You'll learn:- What's different between the original Opportunity Zone rules and OZ 2.0, including the new rolling five-year deferral period, the standard 10% step-up in basis at five years, the enhanced 30% step-up for qualified rural funds, and the move to a full basis step-up to fair market value after 30 years with no sale required- Why the December 31, 2026 deadline still matters for clients who want to invest under the original rules- How the new 10-year rolling zone-designation process will reshape which census tracts qualify starting in 2027 — and what that means for evaluating funds today- How to identify which clients are strong candidates for an Opportunity Zone strategy, and how to talk about it with them in plain terms*CE/CPE Eligible: 1.0 CE credit(s) is(are) available to FEN Members with these designations: CFP, CLU, and ChFC. CPA members will earn 1.0 CPE credit(s).
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this session.
Advanced Preparation: None
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
NASBA Approved
Financial Experts Network (Sponsor Id#: 145173) is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
 

Charitable giving is about much more than tax deductions and financial transactions. For many clients, philanthropy represents an opportunity to express deeply held values, support meaningful causes, engage family members, and create a lasting legacy. Yet financial advisors often face an important challenge: how to move beyond the numbers and help clients translate their personal passions into thoughtful, effective charitable giving strategies.Join Scott Coulter, CFP®, Senior Vice President and Chief Wealth Planning Officer at Ledyard, and Richard “Rick” Peck, CFP®, CAP®, ChFC®, independent philanthropy advisor and founder of The Philanthropy Guy®, as they explore a practical, three-stage approach to values-driven philanthropy—connecting strategic visioning, tactical giving, and multigenerational family engagement.Drawing on philanthropic research, current giving trends, and real-world client examples, Scott and Rick will demonstrate how advisors can strengthen client relationships while helping individuals and families make a greater charitable impact.In this session, you’ll learn:Why charitable planning is an increasingly important component of comprehensive wealth management—and how it can strengthen client relationships.How to uncover clients' personal values, charitable passions, and long-term philanthropic goals through meaningful conversations.How to evaluate charitable giving strategies, including donor-advised funds, charitable trusts, planned gifts, and contributions of appreciated securities and other non-cash assets.How to engage multiple generations in charitable decision-making while helping families establish a lasting philanthropic legacy.*CE/CPE Eligible: 1.0 CE credit(s) is(are) available to FEN Members with these designations: CFP, CLU, ChFC, RICP. CPA members will earn 1.0 CPE credit(s).
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this session.
Advanced Preparation: None
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
NASBA Approved
Financial Experts Network (Sponsor Id#: 145173) is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
 

Year-end tax planning is about more than knowing which deductions exist. It’s about having the right financial information, understanding your projected tax liability, and making strategic decisions while there is still time to act.In this practical, action-oriented session, Catherine Tindall, CPA, will walk through the year-end tax planning process she uses with financial advisor firm owner clients. Using a detailed presentation with practical checklists, real-world examples, and a framework you can apply to your own wealth management business, Catherine will show you how to work through the process step by step.You’ll learn how to connect the numbers to decisions—not just what the tax code says, but how to put that information to work in your business.Topics include:Reviewing your financials before year-end: The accounting issues and reporting gaps that can distort your tax projections, what to look for in your profit and loss statement and balance sheet, and how to prepare your numbers for meaningful planning.Evaluating your estimated tax payment strategy: How to compare projected liability against payments already made, understand safe harbor requirements, and decide whether to adjust payments or preserve cash for other priorities.Identifying year-end tax-saving opportunities: How to evaluate strategies involving business structure, deductions, retirement contributions, and other techniques—and weigh the potential tax benefit against cash flow, implementation requirements, and the needs of your practice.Throughout the session, Catherine will share the checklists and decision-making framework she uses with advisor clients, so you’ll know not only what to look for but what to do with what you find.You’ll leave with a clearer picture of your year-end tax position, a practical process for identifying opportunities, and the confidence to make informed tax decisions before December 31. This is tax planning in practice—not just a presentation of technical information. *CE/CPE Eligible: 1.0CE credit(s) is(are) available to FEN Members with these designations: CFP, CLU, ChFC, CDFA,  and RICP. CPA and EA members will earn 1.0 CPE credit(s).
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this session.
Advanced Preparation: None
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
NASBA Approved
Financial Experts Network (Sponsor Id#: 145173) is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
  

Discover multi-year tax planning strategies, Roth conversion opportunities, and techniques to reduce federal, state, and local tax liabilities.

Learn practical approaches to strengthening estate plans, protecting assets, transferring wealth efficiently, and avoiding costly planning mistakes.

Gain insights into emerging Social Security issues and lesser-known claiming strategies that can improve client outcomes.

Many successful business owners and high-net-worth clients appear “unqualified” on paper when applying for home mortgages—reporting minimal taxable income while maintaining strong cash flow, substantial assets, and significant borrowing capacity.Traditional residential lending guidelines often fail these clients, limiting their ability to purchase, refinance, or strategically finance real estate.Join three mortgage experts to learn how Non-QM (Non-Qualified Mortgage) solutions can help your clients who report low-income but have significant assets. You’ll learn how alternative underwriting approaches—such as bank statement loans, asset-based lending, and DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loans—can help clients secure home financing despite complex or tax-optimized income profiles.We’ll focus on real-world application, including:How to identify clients who are ideal candidates for Non-QM home financingWhen these strategies outperform conventional mortgage optionsHow to integrate Non-QM lending into broader financial and tax planning conversationsThe goal is simple: help you better serve clients who have the wealth—but not the W-2 income—to qualify for traditional home mortgages.
*CE/CPE Eligible: 1.0 CE credit(s) is(are) available to FEN Members with these designations: CFP, CLU, ChFC, RICP, and CDFA. CPA and EA members will earn 1.0 CPE credit(s).
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this session.
Advanced Preparation: None
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
NASBA Approved
Financial Experts Network (Sponsor Id#: 145173) is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org. 

Social Security is usually judged by how much income it replaces. A better question for many clients is how much of that check is still left after paying for healthcare.Join Matt Rutledge, Professor of the Practice in the Boston College Economics Department and Research Fellow at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, as he presents new research on how out-of-pocket medical costs reduce retirees’ spending power.Using Health and Retirement Study data on Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older, Rutledge looks at how premiums, deductibles, co-pays and uncovered services cut into both Social Security and total retirement income. The findings may surprise you. The typical retiree keeps about 71% of their Social Security check after medical costs, but 1 in 4 spend more than half of it, and about 5% spend all of it. Measured against total income, the burden looks much lighter, which is exactly why it is easy to miss for clients who rely mostly on Social Security.Key topics include:How much of Social Security and total retirement income is left after out-of-pocket medical costsWhy the burden falls hardest on women, retirees in poor health, and lower-income households not on MedicaidWhether Medicare Advantage, retiree health insurance, or Medicaid actually lowers out-of-pocket costsHow Part D and the Inflation Reduction Act changed prescription drug costs, and where costs remain uncontrolledWhat’s ahead: the 2027 Medicaid cuts, pressure on Medicare Advantage, and the “elephant in the room,” long-term careAdvisors will come away with a clearer way to judge whether a client’s retirement income is enough once healthcare is paid for, and which clients are most at risk.

Get More From Your Financial Experts Network MembershipJoin Tom Dickson, Founder and Host of Financial Experts Network, for a quick tour of new member features and resources:New ways to stay informed. Choose every webinar announcement or a weekly digest, and sign up for text alerts.Referral rewards. Earn free months of membership with your personal referral code.Your CE library. Find courses in our library of 80+ on-demand self-study CE courses, recorded webinars and Masterclasses, complete quizzes, and download your certificates and CE history.Masterclass preview. Get a first look at our February 2027 Retirement Accounts Masterclass with Denise Appleby, a four-part, 8-credit series covering the full retirement account lifecycle: Build It, Move It, Use It, and Pass It On.Bonus: AI in your practice. In a 15-minute segment, Dr. Leigh Coney of WorkWise Solutions shows how Claude, Anthropic’s AI assistant, can prepare client reviews, write up meeting notes and check client emails. He’ll compare plans and costs for solo and small firms, and walk you through setting it up yourself.

Financial advisors and tax professionals routinely help clients establish trusts to protect wealth, avoid probate, reduce taxes, preserve privacy, and create a lasting family legacy. But what happens after assets are transferred into a trust? Many professionals are surprised to learn that moving assets into a trust can create new insurance and liability exposures that are often overlooked during the planning process. Homes, investment properties, vehicles, collectibles, watercraft, and other assets may no longer be properly insured once ownership changes. Trustees may face personal liability. Beneficiaries can encounter unexpected coverage gaps. And in some cases, theft, fraud, or fiduciary misconduct can threaten the very assets the trust was designed to protect.Join insurance expert Aryn Johnson for an eye-opening webinar that explores the intersection of estate planning and risk management.During this session, you'll learn:✓ Why trust-owned assets often require changes to existing insurance policies✓ Common insurance gaps involving homes, vehicles, valuables, and umbrella liability coverage✓ How trustee liability can create significant personal financial exposure✓ Why theft, fraud, forgery, and trustee misconduct are growing concerns for affluent families✓ The role crime insurance can play in protecting trust assets✓ Important considerations surrounding trustee liability insurance✓ Real-world examples of trust disputes, trustee theft, and fiduciary litigation✓ Practical questions every advisor should ask clients who own assets in trust✓ How to identify potential risks before they become costly claims *CE/CPE Eligible: 1.0 CE credit(s) is(are) available to FEN Members with these designations: CFP, CLU, ChFC, CDFA,  and RICP. CPA members will earn 1.0 CPE credit(s).
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this session.
Advanced Preparation: None
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
NASBA Approved
Financial Experts Network (Sponsor Id#: 145173) is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
  

For many advisors, growing a successful practice means working harder, managing more complexity, and having less freedom to enjoy the success they've created.But it doesn't have to be that way. After working with thousands of advisory firms, Stephanie Bogan has identified the predictable patterns that separate overwhelmed advisors from those building highly profitable practices with the freedom to enjoy their lives.In this straight-talk session, Stephanie shares the mindset shifts, business model strategies, and proven systems behind the $1 Million, 100-Days-Off Blueprint — showing advisors how to break through capacity constraints, grow revenue and profitability, and reclaim their time without continually adding clients, staff, or hours.You'll learn how to:Break Through Capacity Constraints: Overcome the predictable growth challenges that keep advisors overworked, overwhelmed, and stuck.Grow Revenue and Profitability: Optimize your client base, pricing, and business model to create greater value with less time and complexity.Deliver Deeper Client Value, Hyper-Efficiently: Design smarter client service models that deliver more personalized, meaningful advice and an exceptional client experience while dramatically reducing the time and resources required.Leverage Your Time: Simplify operations, improve productivity, and build systems and support that create capacity without requiring a large team.Master Your Mindset: Make the shifts from working harder to working smarter, and from being the bottleneck to building a business that supports your goals.Because success isn't just about building a bigger business. It's about building a better business and a better life.

Every fourth quarter, retired clients face several decisions at the same time. Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, and December 31 is the deadline to complete a Roth conversion for the year. Most advisors deal with these one at a time. Financial planner Drew Boyer argues they belong in the same client meeting.The problem is IRMAA, the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. It's an income-based surcharge on Medicare Part B and Part D premiums, set using the client's modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) from two years earlier. The surcharge brackets are cliffs: going $1 over a threshold triggers the full surcharge. So a Roth conversion that looks right on a tax-bracket chart in December can raise a client's Medicare premiums two years later. Clients rarely connect the two, and many advisors don't model it.In this session, Drew will show how to run Open Enrollment and Roth conversion planning together so the tax savings from a conversion aren't lost to Medicare surcharges.You'll learn how to:Explain IRMAA, the two-year lookback and how the surcharge brackets workSpot the income that pushes clients into IRMAA: Roth conversions, IRA withdrawals and RMDs, capital gains, property sales and pensionsUse ages 60–63 as the main Roth conversion window, and size conversions to stay under the next IRMAA bracketDecide when it's worth accepting a lower IRMAA bracket to cut future RMDsWeigh savings from switching Part D plans (the out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027) against surcharges a conversion could triggerUse Form SSA-44 to appeal IRMAA after a life-changing event such as retirement, divorce or the death of a spouse

The financial services profession has the power to transform lives, but who is helping ensure the next generation of advisors has the support needed to enter and thrive in our industry?Join Victoria O'Tool, Executive Director of the FinServ Foundation, for an inside look at the nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to careers in financial planning and wealth management for college students across the United States.In this webinar, Victoria will share the Foundation’s story, mission, and impact over the past seven years, highlighting how its free two-year fellowship program is helping students build meaningful careers in financial services.She will also discuss the Foundation’s growing influence on students, universities, employers, and the broader industry, as well as the many ways firms, advisors, educators, and industry partners can get involved through mentorship, sponsorship, and other initiatives that support the next generation of financial professionals.Whether you're looking to give back, strengthen your firm's talent pipeline, or learn more about one of the industry's leading nonprofit organizations, this session will provide practical insights and meaningful ways to make a lasting impact.
What You'll LearnThe history, mission, and vision of the FinServ Foundation
How the Foundation's fellowship program is helping cultivate the next generation of financial planning and wealth management professionals
The impact of scholarships, university partnerships, mentorship, conference access, and career development initiatives
Ways advisors, firms, educators, and industry professionals can support and get involved in the Foundation's work
Why investing in future talent benefits advisors, firms, clients, and the profession as a whole

The first rule of tax planning has always been simple: defer taxes as long as possible. But a growing body of academic research complicates that advice. Some studies show real benefits to taking early distributions from tax-deferred accounts, while others point to Roth conversions as a way for early-stage retirees to capitalize on temporarily low marginal tax rates. The trouble is, most of this research treats the two strategies in isolation — a simplification that makes the math tractable, but doesn't reflect how retirees actually plan.In this session, Dr. Jim DiLellio presents a single-period non-linear programming model that breaks down that isolation, analyzing tax-deferred distributions and Roth conversions together rather than separately. The result is a striking finding: thanks largely to the progressive structure of the U.S. income tax system, multiple — very different-looking — decision paths can lead to equivalent after-tax wealth outcomes.For financial planners, this isn't just an academic curiosity. It's a practical lens for evaluating the FinTech tools already in use, untangling a genuinely complex area of practice, and better managing the longevity and market risks tied to these decisions.

This session, led by Advanced Planning expert Heather Zack, JD, LLM, MSFP, CAP® equips advisors with a practical framework for integrating charitable planning into holistic wealth strategies for high-net-worth clients. The session moves beyond basic giving to explore how tools such as QCDs, donor-advised funds, charitable trusts, and advanced structures like CLTs and “Super CLTs” can be used to optimize tax outcomes, manage concentrated positions, and facilitate efficient wealth transfer.Advisors will also gain insight into aligning philanthropic intent with planning strategy—helping clients articulate their giving goals, evaluate organizations, and create meaningful, values-driven impact. The presentation highlights common execution pitfalls, legal considerations, and coordination challenges across tax, estate, and investment planning, ensuring advisors can guide clients with confidence and precision.Ultimately, this session positions charitable planning not as an add-on, but as a powerful lever for deepening client relationships, differentiating advisory services, and delivering both financial and emotional value.

Identity theft and financial fraud are among the most common risks clients face, yet they are often missing from financial plans. Many clients assume their homeowners policy, bank, or brokerage will make them whole. In practice, the coverage that exists is often capped at low sublimits, limited to reimbursing expenses, and triggered only after a loss has occurred. Join protection expert Jonathan Ruggerio for this CE-eligible session (CFP & IAR) to learn how identity theft and fraud affect clients across life stages, with particular attention to older adults, who face rising losses from investment scams, impersonation, and account takeover. Attendees will review the limits and exclusions of common coverage layers, including homeowners identity endorsements and the reimbursement policies of banks and brokerages. The session also covers forms of identity theft advisors encounter directly, including tax identity theft and Medicare/medical identity theft.Attendees will learn a vendor-neutral framework for moving clients from reactive coverage to proactive guardrails, such as credit freezes, account alerts, the IRS Identity Protection PIN, and trusted contact designations. The session also addresses the advisor's own role, including trusted contact requirements under FINRA Rule 4512, protections under the Senior Safe Act, and how to recognize account-takeover attempts that come through the advisor's firm. The session includes two case walkthroughs and time for Q&A.Learning ObjectivesIdentify the most common identity theft and financial fraud patterns affecting clients across life stages, including tax and medical identity theft, with emphasis on older adults.Evaluate how homeowners identity endorsements, bank and brokerage reimbursement policies, and other coverage layers respond to identity-related losses, including their limits, sublimits, and exclusions.Apply a guardrail-based planning framework that combines proactive protections, trusted contact designations, and reactive coverage in a comprehensive client review.

Chances are several of your clients own commercial or investment real estate and are paying more tax than they need to, at purchase, while they own the property, or when they sell. Most real estate tax planning focuses on a single moment. The biggest savings come from planning across the full life of the property.Join Chris Streit from CSA Partners for a practical, lifecycle approach to real estate tax planning. Through real case studies, Chris will show how each stage of ownership creates distinct opportunities and risks for your clients.In this session, you’ll learn:At acquisition: How cost segregation reclassifies building components into shorter-lived property to accelerate depreciation, and how to tell which properties and clients are good candidatesDuring ownership: Strategies for improvements, repairs and partial dispositions that can create deductions and avoid paying tax twice on replaced componentsAt sale: How a 1245 exchange strategy can help reduce depreciation recapture, one of the most overlooked costs of selling a propertyBonus depreciation updates: Where the rules stand after recent tax legislation, and what that means for timing acquisitions and improvementsIRS enforcement: How the IRS’s growing use of AI and data analytics is changing what counts as a defensible cost segregation study, and what to look for in a study provider

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act cut taxes for most households. But for some of your clients, it also reopened the door to the Alternative Minimum Tax, the "stealth tax" many advisors stopped worrying about after 2017.Starting in 2026, the AMT exemption phases out sooner and twice as fast. The phaseout now begins at $500,000 of AMT income for single filers and $1 million for joint filers, down from about $626,000 and $1.25 million. And it shrinks the exemption by 50 cents per dollar, up from 25 cents. Meanwhile, the bigger SALT deduction of up to $40,000 lowers the regular tax bill but gets added back under the AMT. That can push high earners in high-tax states into the AMT. Incentive stock options and private activity bond interest can do the same.This session was inspired by Tobias Salinger's Financial Planning article, "5 key questions to calculate the new alternative minimum tax." The article showed how many advisors and clients are underestimating their exposure. CPA Larry Pon picks up where it left off. He'll turn those five questions into a practical framework you can use with clients before year-end.You'll learn how to:Spot which clients are newly at risk, including high-SALT households, ISO holders and municipal bond investorsWalk through the calculation: AMT income, preference items, the exemption and phaseout, the 26%/28% rates and the tentative minimum taxExplain why the new phaseout creates a much higher effective marginal rate in the phaseout rangeTime ISO exercises, income recognition and deductions to manage AMT exposure across tax yearsRecalculate after-tax yields on private activity bonds under the new rulesKnow which questions to bring to the client's CPA, and where tax guidance ends and tax advice begins

Many clients spend years faithfully paying insurance premiums without ever stopping to ask a simple question: “Does this coverage still fit my life?”The answer may surprise them. In a recent real-world example, a family saved more than $2,000 annually simply by conducting a comprehensive review of their insurance policies. Yet the greatest risk isn’t overpaying—it’s discovering after a claim that critical coverage gaps exist. (Source: NerdWallet)Join insurance expert Aryn Johnson for an eye-opening webinar that will help financial advisors understand why an annual insurance review should be a key part of every client’s financial planning process.During this session, you’ll learn:• Why insurance should never be treated as a “set it and forget it” purchase• The life changes that often trigger the need for coverage updates, including marriage, divorce, retirement, home renovations, business ownership, and growing family responsibilities• How outdated policies can leave clients exposed to significant financial risk• Common opportunities to reduce premiums through discounts, bundling strategies, deductible adjustments, and policy restructuring• Important coverage gaps that are frequently overlooked in home, auto, life, umbrella, and health insurance policies• Questions every advisor should encourage clients to ask during an annual insurance review• How advisors can identify insurance planning opportunities without selling insurance productsWhether your clients are concerned about rising premiums, protecting newly acquired assets, or ensuring their family’s financial security, this webinar will provide practical strategies to help them optimize coverage, reduce unnecessary costs, and strengthen their overall financial plan.A simple annual insurance checkup could save clients thousands of dollars—or prevent a costly mistake when they need protection most.

For affluent families, life insurance can be the cornerstone of an effective estate plan—providing liquidity, protecting heirs, and supporting charitable intent. This session explores how life insurance can fund estate taxes, equalize inheritances, and build multigenerational wealth within a fiduciary, tax-efficient structure.Advisors will gain clarity on when to use life insurance versus other funding mechanisms and how trust-based ownership structures—such as ILITs, SLATs, charitable trusts, GRATs, and dynasty trusts—can maximize estate and income tax advantages while maintaining control and flexibility.Learning ObjectivesEvaluate when life insurance offers the most efficient solution for estate liquidity and wealth transfer.Identify opportunities to integrate life insurance within ILITs, SLATs, charitable trusts, GRATs, QPRTs, and dynasty trusts to protect assets and manage tax exposure.ILIT vs. AMLITAnalyze ownership, premium funding, and beneficiary structures to minimize estate inclusionUnderstand coordination of insurance with gifting strategies, Crummey notices, and trust administration.Collaborate with attorneys, CPAs, and estate planners to execute compliant, client-first strategies.Practical Takeaways:How to pair insurance with charitable and family trusts for flexible, tax-smart legacy plans.Estate planning case studies showing how trust design and policy type impact long-term wealth preservation.Checklists for ownership review, gift tax documentation, and policy oversight within trusts.CE/CPE Eligible: 1.5 CE credit(s) is(are) available to FEN Members with these designations: CFP, CLU, ChFC, RICP. CPA and EA members will earn 1.0 CPE credit(s).
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this session.
Advanced Preparation: None
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
NASBA Approved
Financial Experts Network (Sponsor Id#: 145173) is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

For decades, referrals were the engine that fueled advisory firm growth. While referrals still matter, today's consumers—especially younger generations—are increasingly turning to Google, podcasts, social media, and AI-powered search tools to find financial professionals. The question is no longer whether advisors should invest in marketing and public relations, but how to do it effectively. Join Financial PR & Digital Marketing Strategist Jody Lowe for a practical, action-oriented webinar designed to help financial advisors and firm leaders build a sustainable marketing and PR strategy that generates trust, attracts ideal clients, and drives long-term organic growth. Drawing on real-world examples and proven best practices, Jody will show attendees how to move beyond random marketing tactics and create a repeatable system for business development.During this session, you'll learn:Why referrals alone are no longer enough to sustain growthHow to identify and articulate a compelling differentiator for your firmThe power of earned media, public relations, podcasts, and thought leadershipHow AI and "zero-click" search are changing advisor marketingThe differences between earning leads and buying leads—and when each makes senseHow to identify high-intent prospects and improve lead qualityBest practices for converting inquiries into client relationshipsWhere AI can enhance your marketing efforts—and where it cannot replace human connectionHow much successful firms are investing in marketing and what metrics actually matterWhy organic growth has become one of the most important drivers of firm valuationAttendees will leave with a clear action plan, practical tools they can implement immediately, and a framework for building a marketing engine that compounds results over time. If you're looking to grow your firm, strengthen your brand, and attract more of your ideal clients, this webinar is for you.

Self-employment tax has become one of the most aggressively examined issues in IRS audits — and recent court activity just made it even more complicated.In this timely and technical deep dive, CPA Larry Pon breaks down the rapidly evolving landscape surrounding self-employment tax for LLC members and S corporation owners — including the recent 5th Circuit case that vacated a Tax Court decision involving limited partners, and the pending case in the 1st Circuit that could further reshape the rules.If you advise business owners, this is not theoretical. This is an IRS audit priority.Why This Matters NowFor years, taxpayers have attempted to minimize SE tax exposure by: structuring LLC interests as “limited partner” positions; allocating income strategically and Paying minimal S corporation wages to reduce payroll taxThe IRS has responded aggressively — and the courts are now weighing in.With conflicting interpretations emerging across circuits, advisors must understand:What is still defensibleWhat is clearly audit baitAnd where the gray areas are narrowingWhat Larry Will CoverThe Limited Partner Exception — What It Really MeansThe statutory language of §1402(a)(13)How courts have interpreted “limited partner”Why the 5th Circuit vacated the Tax Court decisionWhat to watch in the 1st Circuit casePractical implications for multi-member LLCsIRS Audit Focus & Enforcement TrendsWhy SE tax is an enforcement priorityCommon audit triggersHow revenue agents are analyzing member participationS Corporations & Reasonable CompensationThe legal standard for reasonable compensationHow the IRS builds its caseData sources and valuation approachesCommon mistakes advisors makeStructuring compensation defensiblyPlanning Opportunities (and Landmines)When SE tax reduction strategies are supportableWhen they cross the lineDocumentation best practicesHow to advise clients in uncertain jurisdictions

Any financial plan is only as good as its assumptions. Join David Blanchett, PhD, CFA, CFP®, Head of Retirement Research and Portfolio Manager at PGIM (Prudential Financial), for a thoughtful review of the four key retirement realities that are often overlooked by financial advisors when developing a financial plan that can significantly impact retirement projections and corresponding recommendations, include that retirees tend to retire early (and suddenly), most retirees don’t work in retirement, retirees typically live longer than they expect, and retirees tend to increase spending by less than inflation. While the aggregate impact of these effects on required retirement savings is mixed, incorporating these insights into a financial plan is important to help set realistic client expectations and to ensure the underlying assumptions in the financial plan are as accurate as possible!

Drawing on empirical research from the Donor-Advised Fund Research Collaborative (DAFRC)—including focus groups and survey responses from 669 financial advisors—this presentation delivers an in-depth analysis of how, when, and why wealth advisors incorporate Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) into their practice. Led by Erinn Andrews (Founder and CEO of GiveTeam), one of the researchers and co-authors of the report and Danny Anderson, CFA, CFP®, CEPA, Partner at Longwise Wealth Partners, this session explores the primary drivers, perceived barriers, and behavioral habits that differentiate high-performing advisors in charitable planning.Attendees will examine key findings across client wealth tiers, learn how personal advisor characteristics (such as personal DAF usage and personal fulfillment) directly impact recommendation rates, and identify actionable strategies to bridge the charitable engagement gap.Learning Objectives:By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:Identify Key Drivers and Vehicle Benefits of DAFs: Analyze the technical, strategic, and personal motivations—ranging from tax efficiency and complex asset donations to client values and relationship-building—that lead advisors and high-net-worth clients to select DAFs over other giving vehicles.Recognize and Overcome Common DAF Barriers: Recognize and address top client concerns with DAFs—such as the irrevocable nature of gifts, rule complexity, and grantmaking restrictions.Benchmark Advisor Practice Behaviors: Evaluate personal practice habits against survey benchmarks—including personal DAF usage, fulfillment-driven advising, and peer mentorship—to accelerate proficiency in serving high-net-worth donors.

Learning Objectives• Compare Traditional and Roth eligibility, funding, and tax-treatment rules.• Determine whether an IRA contribution is permitted, deductible, nondeductible, excess, or subject to correction.• Calculate and document nondeductible IRA basis and explain its effect on future conversions and distributions.• Diagnose common IRA funding errors and identify the appropriate correction path.• Apply contribution rules to married couples and clients participating in employer plans.

Learning Objectives• Compare a transfer, direct rollover, indirect rollover, Roth conversion, and in-plan Roth transaction.• Evaluate whether assets should remain in an employer plan or move to an IRA using tax, legal, investment, and client-specific factors.• Calculate the taxable portion of a Roth conversion when IRAs contain pretax and after-tax amounts.• Determine whether a Backdoor or Mega Backdoor Roth strategy is operationally available and appropriate.• Diagnose common rollover and conversion errors and identify available correction procedures.

Learning Objectives• Determine the income-tax and additional-tax treatment of distributions from Traditional and Roth IRAs• Evaluate operational procedures for rollovers to and from employer plans• Match common early-distribution situations with the applicable statutory exception.• Calculate and aggregate lifetime RMDs under the appropriate account-specific rules.• Evaluate whether a QCD or another charitable-giving strategy better supports a client’s objectives.• Correct missed RMDs and identify related reporting and documentation requirements.• Coordinate retirement account withdrawals with tax brackets, Social Security, Medicare premiums, and charitable planning.

Learning Objectives• Classify beneficiaries under the post-SECURE Act framework.• Determine the applicable inherited-account distribution period using the owner’s date of death, required beginning date, account type, and beneficiary classification.• Compare the inherited-account options available to surviving spouses.• Evaluate the consequences of naming individuals, trusts, estates, or charities as beneficiaries.• Identify when annual distributions may be required during a 10-year payout period.• Diagnose common beneficiary-designation and post-death administration errors before irreversible action occurs.

Federal debt above $40 trillion. Long-term Treasury yields near two-decade highs. Valuation concentration and AI capital spending that draw louder warnings each quarter. Advisors are fielding a version of the same client question in nearly every review meeting: if these risks are real, shouldn't we be changing the portfolio?Investment manager David Bahnsen argues that investors typically get the first half of that question right and the second half wrong. They correctly identify a legitimate economic risk, then assume that identifying a problem tells them what markets will do next, and when. The distance between a valid concern and an actionable investment decision is where most portfolio damage gets done.In this session, David gives advisors a framework for that conversation: how to take client macro anxiety seriously without letting it drive allocation, what actually separates an economic development that warrants a portfolio change from one that does not, and why anchoring on business profits and the cash companies return to their owners keeps long-term decisions grounded in fundamentals rather than forecasts. The framework is drawn from his new book, Profit from the Profit (Post Hill Press, 2026).Learning ObjectivesAfter attending this program, participants will be able to:Distinguish between a legitimate macroeconomic concern and an actionable portfolio decision, and articulate to clients why the two are not the same thing.Apply a repeatable framework for evaluating whether a given economic development warrants a change in a client's allocation.Explain the difference between returns generated by a business itself, through profits and growing dividends, and returns that depend on the market continuing to pay a higher multiple.Use specific language and historical evidence to respond to common client fears about debt, interest rates, inflation, and valuations without dismissing those fears.

Join Tom Duffy, CFP® for an interactive ethics program built around real-life client scenarios that show how CFP Board’s ethical standards apply in practice—not just in theory.This CFP Board-approved course covers the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, with a focus on fiduciary duty and the obligation to act in clients’ best interests. The session fulfills the 2-hour CFP® Ethics CE requirement and is also approved for CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®, and IAR CE credit.Designed for CFP® professionals who want more than a compliance-driven ethics course, this session helps you better understand your responsibilities while strengthening your ethical decision-making in day-to-day client work.

Headlines promise a $124 trillion “Great Wealth Transfer” that will make millennials rich, create lasting generational wealth and pour trillions into charity. The research tells a very different story, and it matters for how your clients plan their estates.Drawing on IRS, Federal Reserve and academic data, Professor Russell James takes apart the 10 most common inheritance myths. The most quoted transfer estimate appears to be about five times too large. Most inherited wealth goes to people who are already wealthy, and it usually arrives late in life, often when the heir is in their 60s. And inheritances rarely last. A national study found that 42% of heirs age 50 and older were back to their pre-inheritance net worth within 12 months.For advisors, the takeaway is practical: a lump sum at death is often the worst way to leave money to heirs. Professor James shows how to help clients define inheritance goals by their ongoing impact rather than just a dollar amount.You’ll learn:Why the most quoted “Great Wealth Transfer” numbers are inflated, and what the real data showsWho actually receives inherited wealth, and whenHow quickly heirs spend inheritances, and what they spend them onWhy time-phased transfers can protect heirs better than a lump sum at deathHow beneficiary designations, transfer-on-death titling and funded trusts often matter more than the willHow a charitable trust can pass 100% of an estate to family over time and still leave a charitable legacyWhy retirement accounts are often the smartest assets to leave to charity