FSP INSTITUTE

5:00-6:00 pm – Registration and Reception

6:00-7:00 pm – Dinner

8:00-9:50 am
Planning for Succession: Cohesive Estate Planning for the Next Generation

Brian Balduzzi, JD, LLM, MBA, CFP

The biggest wealth transfer in modern history is expected to occur over the next twenty years. How are insurance and financial advisors prepared to meet the challenge of discussing their clients’ estate planning documents and goals, as well as those of their clients’ children (and even grandchildren)? These advisors have an opportunity to invest in their relationships with their current clients by exploring timely estate planning strategies, integrating the entire family into wealth transfer conversations, and engaging the next and future generations in their own estate planning. Through proactive conversations with timely strategies, advisors can become an integral part of their client’s families (and their effective and efficient wealth transfers), and leaders in the next generation of estate planning.

You will learn:

• Describe estate planning strategies that impact successive generations
• Apply best practices for discussing estate planning among multiple generations 
• Evaluate how to develop integrated estate planning strategies for successive generations

Creating Financial Security for a Loved One with Special Needs

Kacy Seitz, ChFC, CLTC, ChSNC

Clients want to make sure their loved ones with a long-term dependency continue to live comfortably, even after they’re gone, and planning for a child who may become a long-term dependent goes beyond traditional financial planning. This session will show you how to help your clients better understand the planning their children may need during all stages of life.

Learning Objectives:

• How to build a special needs plan
• Who needs to be on the client’s team
• How government benefits, special needs trusts and Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts work together and individually.

1:00-3:50 pm

ESOPs: How Financial Advisors Participate and Benefit

Kelly Finnell, JD, CLU, AIF

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) are one of the most powerful, yet least understood advanced planning strategies. ESOPs are a liquidity strategy for business owners, allowing them to cash-in on their life’s work for full value with powerful tax incentives for the sellers and their Company. ESOPs are a big-tent strategy with roles for financial advisors, attorneys, bankers, and valuation consultants. This session will be led by an ESOP consultant with 40+ years’ experience and will feature one of the nation’s leading ESOP attorneys and the CEO of an ESOP-owned Company.

You will learn:

• What an ESOP is, how it works, its tax benefits, and how ESOPs are a big-tent strategy with roles and opportunities for financial advisors.
• How Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) are used in ESOP transactions to provide additional equity incentives for the company’s successor leadership team.
• Best practices for ESOP Company executives to maximize employees’ engagement and performance.

How to identify an ESOP Candidate and open the conversation.

6:00-7:00 – Hospitality Suite (sponsored by Ash Brokerage)

8:00-9:50 am

Opportunity Zones, Tax Benefits, Criticisms, and Early IRS Attacks on Funds and Investors

Hale E. Sheppard, MA, JD, LLM, LLM (Taxation)

​Opportunity Zones began attracting thousands of investors in 2018, and now they are attracting Congress and the IRS, too. This presentation explains the purpose of Opportunity Zones, how properties were selected, three main tax benefits for investors, penalties for violations, relevant filing requirements, administrative guidance issued thus far, special anti-abuse mechanisms, initial criticism by various organizations, and burgeoning enforcement efforts, including congressional investigations and IRS audits.

You will learn:

• Understand the basics of opportunity zones
• Tax benefits for investors
• Penalties for violations

Where opportunity zones are headed and how to prepare

Solo Aging + Long-term Care + Longevity: The “Perfect Storm” of Retirement Challenges

John N. Migliaccio PhD, RFG, FGSA

The much-anticipated ramifications of the aging of the baby boom and subsequent generations, changing family patterns, and longevity are beginning to merge into a clearer picture of the future. As these trends continue, so do new needs, challenges, and opportunities for both clients and financial services professional. A basic understanding of Financial Gerontology can provide useful insights into the dynamics of the market for financial services, changing needs of current and future clients, and strategies for more effective financial services.

You will learn:

• Characteristics of, challenges of, and opportunities for advisors and clients who are “child-free,” surviving spouses, and long-lived
• The interactive dynamics of the lifespan, health-span, and wealth-span and its impact on financial planning
• The impact of individual, family, and generational aging on trends in intergenerational financial resources and planning needs
• Opportunities emerging from the growth of the “longevity economy,” and how Financial Gerontology concepts and tools can assist in more effective partnership between clients, their families, and advisors.

12:00 pm – Sit-down Lunch

Post-Election Tax Planning for 2025 and Beyond

Kathleen Bilderback, JD, LLM, AEP
Andrew Rinn, JD, CFP, CLU, ChFC
Linas Sudzius, JD, CLU, ChFC

A new presidential administration could lead to changes that profoundly impact estate planning: namely the sunset or extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. These possible tax changes are being considered at a time that the population is aging and interest rates are uncertain. What do all of these different factors mean to financial planning?

Learning Objectives:

• How professional advisers and planned giving professionals should approach clients in light of the changing economic considerations: possible dramatic changes to the tax system, uncertain interest rates and aging population
• What might become of traditional estate planning techniques
• What non-tax considerations and planning ideas may become more relevant to address

8:00-9:50 am

Look What You Made Me Do: A Checklist for Post-Mortem Tax Planning (Taylor’s Version)

Ashley Case, JD, LLM

This presentation provides practical insights for managing tax obligations after a decedent’s passing. It covers key strategies for income, estate, and gift tax planning, as well as the use of disclaimers and elections to minimize liabilities and ensure efficient estate administration. Attendees will gain tools to navigate complex tax scenarios, optimize deductions, and comply with federal requirements, equipping them to handle post-mortem tax matters confidently and effectively.

You will learn:

• Understand post-mortem income tax requirements
• Implement estate tax planning techniques
• Incorporate gift tax and disclaimer planning into administration

Social Security Optimization

Tom Hegna CLU, ChFC, CASL

Sponsored by Ash Brokerage

Did you know that for many Americans, their largest retirement asset is Social Security? For a lot of people, they spend more time planning their yearly family vacation than they do planning their Social Security benefit. A great seminar for advisors and consumers alike, it’s never too late to start planning your Social Security!