Approved IAR CE Courses

Stock options can be a valuable portion of a client's compensation. However, Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) can require a significant amount of planning to maximize the benefits of this compensation to align with client goals, especially since ineffective planning for ISOs can result in significant unplanned tax liability. Planning for a client's stock options can also be an emotional experience, where clients may feel overwhelmed or sad when considering parting with company stock. In this webinar, Daniel Zajac, CFP', EA, provides a review of ISOs, explains how to decide on a client strategy for exercising ISOs based on a client's situation and the status of the issuing company, and details how to calculate the potential tax impact of exercising and selling ISOs, including navigating alternative minimum tax. Zajac concludes this webinar with a discussion of how to start conversations with clients about their incentive stock options and build a plan that aligns with their overall goals.

This quiz will include a review of the following articles: Limits Of Tax Diversification And The Tax Alpha Of Roth Optimization and How S-Corp Owner Employees Can Accurately Track Home Office Deductions.

For many financial advisors, compliance can feel like a regulatory box to check in order to offer financial advice. But at its core, regulation is designed to protect consumers, and when the intent behind the rules is understood, it becomes easier to follow them effectively. In this session, Chief Financial Planning Nerd Michael Kitces is joined by compliance experts Terria Heng, Emil Ali, and Leila Shaver to discuss the latest developments in compliance, what RIAs need to keep in mind as they seek to create a positive culture of compliance, develop and operate within their compliance policies and procedures, and what to watch out for to minimize the risk of audit deficiencies when compliance reviews inevitably come.

For many financial advisors, compliance can feel like a regulatory box to check in order to offer financial advice. But at its core, regulation is designed to protect consumers, and when the intent behind the rules is understood, it becomes easier to follow them effectively. In this session, Chief Financial Planning Nerd Michael Kitces is joined by compliance experts Terria Heng, Emil Ali, and Leila Shaver to discuss the latest developments in compliance, what RIAs need to keep in mind as they seek to create a positive culture of compliance, develop and operate within their compliance policies and procedures, and what to watch out for to minimize the risk of audit deficiencies when compliance reviews inevitably come.

Employee stock options can be a powerful part of a client's compensation package, yet they often introduce concentration risk, unexpected tax consequences, and a higher likelihood of triggering alternative minimum tax. In this session, Daniel Zajac explains the full lifecycle of incentive stock options (ISOs), from grant to disposition, with an emphasis on how to identify tax opportunities, mitigate risks like single stock concentration and AMT exposure, and develop strategies that align with client cash flow needs and long-term goals. Participants will leave with actionable frameworks for advising clients on ISO planning and integrating stock compensation into a client's broader financial plan.

Appreciated assets can be both the foundation for wealth and the source of significant tax liability that must be addressed. However, addressing the potential tax impact of these appreciated assets can be a sore spot for clients, often leading them to hold onto assets to their disadvantage or make hasty decisions without considering the various options for addressing capital gains in their portfolio. In this webinar, Tim Steffen, CPA/PFS, CFP', CPWA', delves into the mechanics of capital gains taxation and explores actionable strategies that financial advisors can use to thoughtfully manage their clients' capital gain taxes, considering their clients' objectives and needs. Advanced capital gains management strategies such as custom indexing, Qualified Opportunity Zone Funds, exchange funds, and 351 exchanges will be discussed.

In this continuing education session, learners will review 2 Nerd’s Eye View blog articles: 3 Strategies To Optimize Incentive Stock Options Planning And Address AMT and Using Exchange Funds To Diversify Concentrated Securities (And When It’s Better To Sell Instead).

In the first article, Daniel Zajac details how Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) work, why they create unique tax challenges, and how advisors can strategically guide clients through timing, selling, and AMT-credit planning. In the second article, Ben Henry-Moreland examines how exchange funds can help clients diversify highly appreciated concentrated stock positions while deferring capital gains taxes and explains the tax rules that make these strategies possible.

This month we review the March Blog articles in two quizzes. This quiz includes the following articles: The Impact Of New IRS Proposed Regulations On The SECURE Act: RMDs, Eligible Designated Beneficiaries, Trusts, And More! and Strategies For Maximizing (Or Minimizing!) Rule 72(t) Early Distribution Payments Using IRS Notice 2022-6.

In this continuing education session, learners will review 2 Nerd’s Eye View blog articles: 9 Discovery Meeting Questions To Find Out What Clients Really Want From You And Align Relationship Expectations and A 5-Step Framework To Get More Out Of Discovery Meetings And Uncover What Clients Really Want.

In the first article, Sydney Squires explains the CLEAR framework, a structured approach to improving discovery meetings by helping advisors uncover clients’ deeper motivations behind financial goals. In the second article, Dr. Meghaan Lurtz emphasizes the importance of explicitly setting relationship expectations early in the advisor-client onboarding process to avoid misalignment and build trust. She introduces nine key questions advisors can use to clarify roles, communicate norms, and define success, ultimately improving long-term client engagement and satisfaction.

ETFs have become commonplace in client portfolios as the ETF market has continued to grow at a rapid pace. However, despite the efficiency of the ETF market, this system has also become more fragile, leading to tons of news headlines speculating about the future of ETFs and various investing trends. David Nadig takes advisors through a deep dive into how the ETF market has developed, areas that advisors should actually be concerned about and continue to monitor, and trends that will impact the future of ETF investing. This webinar also features a review of tools and metrics that advisors can use to conduct ETF due diligence, along with a specific list of tools with their pros and cons, including a walkthrough of some commonly used and affordable options.