2026 FSP Institute Schedule

5:00-7:00 pm – Registration and Reception

7:15 am – Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:00-9:50 am

A New Look at Life Insurance and Annuities in Retirement Planning

Steve Parrish, JD, RICP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RHU®, AEP®

This session is focused on the use of life insurance and annuities in designing a retirement income plan. It considers not only risk mitigation (living too long and dying too soon) but also using these products to:

• Maximize the efficient frontier of retirement income
• Balance longevity and legacy planning goals
• Create positive after-tax cash flows. 

10:00-11:50 am

Will Social Security Be There When I Need It?

Bradley Hardin, RSSA

As industry professionals, it’s a common theme to hear pre-retirees and retirees discuss the future of the Social Security Administration (SSA). One topic that’s sure to come up is “SSA running out of money” and those people fearing that SSA won’t be there for them when they need it. We will go over and provide education that you can share with your clients to help ease their mind as they navigate the retirement planning process.

During the presentation, we will discuss:

• The funding of monthly SSA benefit payments
• New laws that went into effect in 2025: WEP/GPO
• Current SSA legislation discussions & changes for 2026
• The future of Social Security
• RSSA Roadmap Software

You will learn:

• Understand and explain how monthly benefit payments are funded
• Specify whose benefits were impacted by the 2025 changes: WEP/GPO
• Understand what the current and future changes might be to protect the program
• Learn how an RSSA Roadmap fits into your client’s retirement planning process

12:00 pm – Sit-down Lunch

1:00-1:50 pm
Housing Wealth Integration for Financial Planners

George Bain

 A long-standing gap in traditional financial education is the limited discussion of home equity as a retirement asset. This session examines how housing wealth can be used ethically and strategically, including the appropriate implementation of reverse mortgages—as part of a comprehensive retirement strategy for clients age 55 and older. Attendees will leave with practical insights into integrating housing wealth into retirement planning conversations, while maintaining strict compliance, ethical integrity, and consumer protections. 

Learn to:

• Evaluate Housing Wealth Strategies: Analyze the impact of integrating home equity into a retirement income plan, specifically its role in improving portfolio "safe withdrawal rates" and longevity.
• Deconstruct Reverse Mortgage Mechanics: Explain the technical components of the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), including the growth feature of the Line of Credit and the impact of various disbursement options.
• Implement Ethical Frameworks: Apply a "best interest" standard to housing wealth recommendations, identifying the specific client profiles and scenarios where home equity extraction is—and is not—appropriate.
• Navigate Compliance & Regulation: Identify the key consumer protections and regulatory requirements governing housing wealth products to ensure all planning conversations remain compliant.
• Facilitate Client Conversations: Use behavioral finance techniques to address common client misconceptions regarding debt in retirement and the "legacy value" of the home.

2:00-2:50 pm
Identifying Strategic High-Yield Opportunities for 2026

Bryan Perry

As the 2026 market landscape evolves, investors seeking income must navigate the delicate balance between yield maximization and risk mitigation. This technical workshop examines the specific sectors and asset classes currently offering "sweet spots" - areas where valuations and cash flow potential are aligned to offer compelling risk-adjusted returns.

This session will break down the construction of a diversified income portfolio, and we will explore how to achieve a target blended yield of 10% through a strategic mix of individual securities and specialized funds.

You Will Learn To:

• Identify the top-performing high-yield sectors for 2026 and the macroeconomic drivers behind them.
• Understand the "blended yield" approach—how to mix different asset types to reach income goals while managing net-of-fee returns.
• Analyze current market headwinds and select assets that provide defensive characteristics without sacrificing yield.
• Compare traditional income vehicles to modern high-yield funds to determine suitability for different client profiles.

3:00-3:50 pm
2026 Market & Economic Outlook

Jay D. Hatfield

Hear updates and gain insights into the 2026 Market Commentary & Economic Outlook report. Examine how recent global and economic changes will impact inflation, economic cycles, and investment strategies for 2026.  

You will learn:

• Key historical drivers for inflation and outlook for 2026
• Key historical drivers for economic cycles and outlook for 2026
• Practical investment strategies given the current macro-economic environment
• Benefits of active versus passive fund management in the fixed income sector
  

5:30-7:00pm
Hospitality Suite (sponsored by Ash Brokerage)

7:15 – Continental Breakfast

8:00-9:50 am
Avoiding Double Taxation and Preserving Settlement Value Through Strategic Fiduciary Planning

Rachel McCrocklin, CFP, CeFT

Insurance and financial professionals are increasingly encountering settlements that trigger unintended tax consequences for claimants and advisors alike. This session provides a practical, fiduciary-focused framework for understanding Qualified Settlement Funds, Plaintiff Recovery Trusts, and related structures that preserve settlement value, avoid double taxation, and reduce professional liability.

You will learn:

• How double taxation arises in settlement scenarios and why it is often missed
• When Qualified Settlement Funds and Plaintiff Recovery Trusts are appropriate and compliant
• The role insurance and financial professionals play in early issue spotting and referrals
• How fiduciary-led planning reduces risk while improving client outcomes
  

10:00–11:50 am
College Planning Disrupted - Need-to-Know Changes from the New Budget Bill

Cozy Wittman

The new budget bill has significantly reshaped college planning and will require new strategies for parents and grandparents. Student loan and parent loan rules for both undergrad and grad students have changed, 529 Plans have been expanded and financial aid families receive from colleges will be affected. We will explain the myriad of changes and what advisors need to know to navigate the new college planning landscape with their clients.

You will learn:

• Highlight new uses for 529 Plans and review rules and limitations
• Discuss how policy changes toward college and universities will impact scholarships and grants all families receive, regardless of income
• Explore new planning strategies as a result of the policy changes

12:00 pm – Sit-down Lunch

1:00-2:50 pm
Elevating Your Practice – Issues in Aging, Synergy with Aging Life Care Professionals®

Spencer Brown, MSG, LNFA, CMC

During this session, you will learn about the profession of Aging Life Care™ and how it supports families and professionals who navigate adult aging issues. Family caregivers, clients, and the professionals on their team deal with an array of pressures and opportunities to promote dignity and grace for older and disabled adults. We will discuss case scenarios, how to identify situations when adding a specialist in aging well makes sense. As trusted financial, legal and insurance professionals, you will gain valuable insight into how to be the best resource for your clients and those in your sphere of influence. Our time together will be a free-flowing conversation in order for you to reap optimal benefits from our time together.

You will learn:

• The tenets of the Aging Life Care™ profession 
• Common issues in the aging and disability space
  
• How a partnership with an Aging Life Care Professional® can enhance your service to clients
  

5:30-7:00 pm
Reception and Dinner

7:15 am – Continental Breakfast

8:00-9:50 am
Executive Compensation

Kathleen W. Bilderback, JD, LL.M. (Taxation), AEP

10:00-11:50 am
Leading in the New Retirement Era: Prepare for What Changes Hands--and What Doesn't

Carroll Golden, CLU, ChFC, CLTC, CASL, LECP, FLMI

Three massive generational shifts are reshaping how families manage wealth, possessions, and responsibility. In this powerful session, discover how to navigate the Great Wealth Transfer, the Great Stuff Transfer and the Great Responsibility Transfer, integrate long-term care into every plan, and lead with confidence in the age of AI and longevity. Her work challenges advisors to move beyond transactional relationships and step into transformational leadership—building trust, deepening multigenerational engagement, and creating a future-ready advisory firm. 

You will learn to:

• Why the Retirement Timeline is Broken
• The 3 Great Transfers that are Reshaping Planning
• How to incorporate Lifetime Healthcare and Long-Term Care into Plans

• How to Use AI to Build Longevity Literacy Gatherings

12:00 pm – Adjournment