Debbie Miner, JD, CFP, CLU, ChFC, RICP, Vice President, National Sales Consulting, Delaware Life Marketing

As the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 nears its expiration this year, Congress and the Trump administration have been busy crafting legislation to extend key provisions and advance other tax priorities. This session will explore what’s currently on the table, the potential obstacles ahead, and the implications for advisors and their clients.

But it’s not all about taxes — we’ll also cover the latest regulatory updates, policy developments, and political trends shaping the industry and the broader financial services landscape.

Join us for an informative and timely discussion that will help you navigate the critical developments emerging from Washington, D.C.

Speaker: Alex Kim, JD, Vice President, Public Policy, Finseca

Connelly punishes redemption agreements funded by life insurance. Huffman increases risks that a buy-sell agreement will not be respected. Escape this double-whammy by using a life insurance LLC to hold the buy-sell life insurance funding a cross-purchase. The lawyer who obtained the private-letter ruling on that arrangement will explain:

• How a life insurance LLC works
• Fairness issues involving older controlling owners and younger minority owners
• How to avoid income tax traps when migrating to a life insurance LLC

Speaker: Steve Gorin, JD, CPA, CGMA, Partner, Thompson Coburn LLP

Join us as a panel of annuity experts debate and discuss planning opportunities and pitfalls in an uncertain tax and regulatory environment.

Speakers:
Chris Bogren, JD, Vice President, Advanced Planning, Jackson; Gary Pence, ChFC, CLU, Director, Advanced Markets, Corebridge Financial

Moderator & Presenter:
Chris Price, JD, Advanced Planning Director, Retirement Strategies, Prudential Financial

With $465 million of business owner wealth transitioning every day, business owners are facing pressure to make critical planning decisions—yet many lack clarity about their most valuable asset: their business. In this session, we will explore how advisors can bridge this knowledge gap, simplify the complexities of business valuations, and deliver actionable insights that align the business with the owner’s broader financial goals. Learn how advisors can engage with business owners in a meaningful, business-centric way and become a trusted partner in their journey toward growth, transition, or exit.

Speaker: Jason Early, Founder and CEO, RISR

It is often assumed by high-net-worth clients or their financial professionals that they can “afford” to self-fund long-term care — but that doesn’t make it a good idea. This session will go over many advantages of using LTC coverage in the financial strategies for the wealthy. Business owners are also a top candidate for LTC planning as they are eligible for premium tax deductions without the usual hinderance individual taxpayers are subject to. Please join us to explore these sales opportunities.

Speaker: Shawn Britt, CLU, CLTC, Director, LTC Initiatives, Advanced Consulting Group, Nationwide

Bonus plans are a popular insurance-based employee benefit, partly because they normally provide the employer an immediate tax deduction, and partly because they are “simple.” However, things aren’t always as simple as they seem. A possible downside of bonus plans is that they don’t provide strong stipulations, which means the employee can quit at any time and walk away with the policy. Having restrictions on the policy or embedded in the plan might make it more likely the employee will stick around, but doing so might complicate the tax treatment. What’s more, even the most basic plan invokes ERISA concerns. To explore these issues, join this discussion of the income and ERISA effects of bonus plans, with particular focus on different types of restricted bonus options.

Speakers:
David Hayward, CLU, ChFC, FLMI, Sr. Advanced Sales Specialist, National Life; Daniel Finn, JD, CLU, CFP, Advanced Solutions Director, Principal Financial Group

Producer Perspectives: Growth and Partnership in Advanced Sales

Join us for a dynamic panel discussion with top producers as they share their journey of mastering advanced sales concepts and the real-world impact on their business growth. Hear how these professionals continue to leverage partnerships with advanced sales teams to elevate their strategies, close complex cases, and provide greater value to clients. From powerful tools and tailored resources to expert consultation, discover what they find most effective in their collaboration — and how you can apply the same insights to scale your own success.

Speakers:
Michael Gisonda , Chief Executive Officer, The Bridge Group; Paul Harris, Author and Founder, P H Financial Advisors

Moderator:
Ann Hagerty, JD, RICP, Director of Advanced Sales, Individual Solutions, Securian

This session is an up-to-date discussion of current tax proposals and laws. From the TCJA to the SECURE Acts, we’ve had the annual dance of interpreting new tax law, and now we have a new set of steps to learn. Explore the latest with income, gift, and estate taxes; inquire where they are taking us; and together let’s innovate on how to handle these challenges.  

Speaker: Steve Parrish, Professor of Practice and Scholar in Residence, The American College of Financial Services

TBA

The traditional fixed withdrawal approach to creating retirement income from investments often focuses on a single failure rate metric to evaluate retirement income choices. This session instead explores the range of retirement lifestyle visualizations using different fixed and variable spending strategies. You’ll review insights on how lucky and unlucky investment returns affect spending over time using:

• A fixed approach such as the 4% rule
• Constrained variable spending methods such as a cap and floor strategy
• Unconstrained variable spending such as required minimum distributions
• A new approach that constrains annual lifestyle adjustments but remains unconstrained over time
• A flexible approach that substitutes lifetime income from annuities for bonds

We’ll see how flexibility impacts potential spending throughout retirement and why failure rates provide limited insight into income risk. Visualizations show how capital market expectations have a surprisingly strong impact on retirement lifestyles, and using historical instead of projected assets returns can create the risk of significant late-life adjustments.

Speaker: Michael Finke, Ph.D., CFP, Professor of Wealth Management and Frank M. Engle Chair of Economic Security, The American College of Financial Services

In this interactive encore session, we’ll break into smaller groups to explore the different ways advanced sales teams manage their practices, including:

• Keeping current in a fast-paced market
• Training and development
• Incorporating technology (e.g., AI)
• Measuring success
• Maintaining a competitive edge

Come to this session ready to share what makes you successful in your role and how we can improve and navigate the advanced sales landscape.

Speakers:

Katherine Goldsmith, JD, CLU, ChFC, ChSNC, RICP (in progress), AVP, Advanced Markets, Western & Southern Financial Group; Thea Marasa-Scafidi, MFin, CFS, CES, VP, Head of Advanced Markets, Global Atlantic Financial Company

How does your company help advisors/agents who want to specialize in special needs planning? How do they become educated on this complex topic? How should an advisor prepare for a meeting about special needs planning? What are the most important questions to ask parents/caregivers? What are the best resources to help special needs clients? How do advisors and clients best work with attorneys who specialize in special needs planning? Join this session for the answers to these questions and more.

Speakers:
Katherine Goldsmith, JD, CLU, ChFC, ChSNC, Assistant Vice President, Advanced Markets, Western & Southern Financial Group; Kelly Piacenti, ChSNC, Head of Special Care, MassMutual

Moderator/Presenter:
David G. Baldwin, JD, CFP, CLU, ChFC, Director of Advanced Strategies, RiverSource Insurance

In 2025, clients will be affected by higher benefit costs due to inflation adjustments, the impact of the Social Security Fairness Act for millions of public-sector workers, and concerns regarding solvency of the Social Security program. Learn how to help your advisors address their clients’ questions about this crucial source of retirement income and, using the Social Security 360 Analyzer tool, consider several alternatives that will help them decide the optimum time to claim their benefits within the context of their overall retirement income plan.

Speaker: Roberta Eckert, RICP, CRPC, CLTC, Vice President, Nationwide Retirement Institute, Nationwide Financial

Estate planning is about more than just taxes. It includes maximizing qualified plan assets, using life insurance in a balanced portfolio, equalizing an uneven distribution, providing survivorship needs in a blended family, and so much more. Advanced planners help families by combining the correct technique with product. Join us as we discuss solutions that use life insurance in the estate plan beyond exemptions, deduction, and brackets.

Speaker:
Jordan Skog, J.D., CLU, ChFC, CFP, Director, Advanced Markets, Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC

Moderator & Presenter:
Amy Bryant, JD, CLU, Director, Advanced Sales, Penn Mutual

This interactive panel session will provide an overview of the rules surrounding IRA beneficiaries under The SECURE Act, with a particular focus on key changes in the final regulations. We will delve into the complex world of trusts as IRA beneficiaries, successor beneficiaries, and more through real-world case studies and examples. Additionally, we will discuss current industry trends related to facilitating inherited IRAs, particularly how insurers are adapting to beneficiary strategies and options under the new regulations. 

Speakers:
Jay Kautt, JD, Vice President, Advanced Market Sales, Athene;  Steve Chmelka, CRC, Senior Retirement Strategies Consultant, Retirement Strategies Group, Pacific Life; Ann Hagerty, JD, RICP, Director of Advanced Sales, Individual Solutions, Securian

The Trump 2.0 era is off to a tumultuous start due to increased uncertainty following the largest hike in tariffs in a century. The session will discuss the significance of the global trade war and how it might play out. People in their middle ages may ride out the storm, but the environment is challenging for those in or near retirement. The session will conclude with several options for them to consider.

Speaker: Nick Sargen, Ph.D., Economic Consultant

The Harsh Reality: All Marriages End

The only demographic in the U.S. with an increasing rate of divorce is the over 50 crowd. Learn how a gray divorce can disrupt the best financial plan. Be able to avoid five common pitfalls when dividing assets and be the trusted advisor your divorcing clients need. 

• Special tax considerations when selling the marital home
• How to value and divide a retirement plan
• Insurance concerns for divorcing clients

Speaker: Carol Lee Roberts, CDFA, CeFT, President, Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts

This workshop is designed for financial planners seeking to elevate their approach with Millennial clients. Participants will gain insight into the values, behaviors, and expectations shaping this generation’s financial decisions. Learn advanced planning techniques, communication strategies, and tech-enabled tools to build long-term trust and deliver tailored, impactful advice. Attendees will leave with actionable frameworks to better serve a new generation of clients and enhance the growth and relevance of their practice.

Speaker: Desiree Day, JD, Head of Case Consultants, Business Resource Center, Guardian Life