Approved IAR CE Courses

In this continuing education session, learners will review 2 Nerd’s Eye View blog articles: How To Engage Next Generation Heirs During And After The Estate Planning Process, and Long-Term Care and Estate Planning for Childfree Clients. In the first article, David Haughton, VP of Estate Planning at Carson Group, examines how advicers can use existing planning milestones—such as education funding, charitable giving, smaller investment accounts, and future fiduciary roles—to build familiarity with heirs before a wealth transfer occurs. He explains why apparent familiarity with a client’s family is not the same as a direct advice and educational relationship, and shows how family conversations can be framed as preparation rather than just broad financial disclosure. In the second article, Dr. Jay Zigmont, PhD, MBA, CFP®, explains why traditional estate and long-term care assumptions can fail Childfree clients, particularly when no obvious family member is available to act as agent, executor, trustee, or caregiver. He examines decision paralysis challenges of Childfree clients, conflicts created when a future beneficiary also controls care spending, limitations of conventional HEMS language, and the need to prioritize lifetime care through carefully drafted trusts, professional fiduciaries, and coordinated long-term care planning. Together, the articles help advicers adapt estate planning conversations to the client’s actual family structure, responsibilities, and care goals.

There is a widespread misconception that 'estate planning' is of importance only to the wealthy. This is due, in part, to the emphasis of the financial service industry on planning for estate taxes, which only concern larger estate owners. The truth of the matter is, every person, young or old, who has a family or owns property, needs an estate plan. A good estate plan will allow a person to reach desired economic, legal, and personal objectives. Estate Planning is an educational tool to help financial advisors through the maze of programs, rules and regulations that affect many if not all their clients, their spouses, and dependents.

There is a widespread misconception that 'estate planning' is of importance only to the wealthy. This is due, in part, to the emphasis of the financial service industry on planning for estate taxes, which only concern larger estate owners. The truth of the matter is, every person, young or old, who has a family or owns property, needs an estate plan. A good estate plan will allow a person to reach desired economic, legal, and personal objectives. Estate Planning is an educational tool to help financial advisors through the maze of programs, rules and regulations that affect many if not all their clients, their spouses, and dependents. This course is also designed for financial and insurance professionals to deepen their understanding of ethical practices in the insurance industry.

Financial advisors know the importance of having estate planning documents in place to distribute family assets efficiently and effectively, reduce the risk of family conflict, and minimize the costs and delays of probate. However, when reviewing a client's estate plan, simply checking that estate planning documents are present while overlooking how the documents and other designations integrate can wreak havoc on how the plan will be executed in the future. In this webinar, David Haughton deep dives into the components of a cohesive estate plan beyond wills and trusts. Advisors will gain a deeper understanding of how titling, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and digital asset access can either reinforce or unravel an otherwise well-designed estate plan. Through real-world examples and practitioner insights, this webinar highlights the advisor's critical role in coordinating the moving parts of a plan, ensuring clients' wishes are honored both in life and after death.

This course will provide financial advisors with a comprehensive review of estate planning strategies in both low and high interest rate environments, focusing on how fluctuating Applicable Federal Rates (AFR) and Section 7520 rates shape planning opportunities. Specifically, the course will examine the advantages and limitations of techniques such as Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs), sales to Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts (IDGTs), Charitable Lead Annuity Trusts (CLATs), Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs), and Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs). Advisors will learn how interest rate assumptions impact valuation, freeze and arbitrage strategies, and charitable deductions. The course will also address planning flexibility in mixed or changing rate environments, including loan refinancing, grantor trust powers, and strategy reviews. Through case studies and practical insights, attendees will gain the knowledge needed to guide clients in adapting estate planning techniques to evolving economic conditions and achieving optimal wealth transfer outcomes.

There are many options for estate planning that can minimize taxes, while ensuring that assets are distributed in accordance with your specific wishes. These options are covered in detail in the Estate Planning Fundamentals course. It covers the essentials of wills, probate, living trusts, the pay-on-death option, gift taxes and estate taxes, as well as planning for personal incapacity and much more.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act's permanent $15 million estate and gift tax exemption ($30 million for married couples) has quietly upended the assumptions behind thousands of existing estate plans. Clients who purchased life insurance for estate tax liquidity — often inside irrevocable trusts — may no longer need it for that purpose, while others still have real income-tax-driven reasons to keep coverage in force. This session gives CFP® professionals and IARs a practical framework for revisiting legacy trust and insurance structures now that federal estate tax is a non-issue for the vast majority of clients: when and how to decant or restructure irrevocable trusts built for a lower-exemption world, options for repurposing unneeded life insurance (1035 exchanges to annuities or long-term care hybrids, sales in the life settlement market), and how to benchmark policy cost reasonableness plus why clients with large qualified plan balances may still need insurance for income tax liquidity.

This session focuses on delivering high-impact estate planning strategies for clients with $2–$5 million in net worth, emphasizing practical solutions that balance tax efficiency, control, and cost. Advisors will learn how to avoid both under-planning and unnecessary complexity while addressing key risks related to taxes, business ownership, and trust funding.

This session examines how advisors can effectively plan for the control, access, and transfer of both digital assets and real estate within modern portfolios. It provides practical strategies for overcoming access challenges, optimizing trust structures, and coordinating ownership to enhance protection, efficiency, and long-term planning outcomes.