All successful financial planning practices face the challenge of scaling their advice to serve more clients and make their businesses more profitable. However, making a practice more scalable while still providing excellent service to the client can be a multi-faceted challenge that can take advisors years to address while finding themselves unable to grow sustainably. In this webinar, Michael Kitces shares research on scalability, walking advisors through the process of establishing expertise, systematizing client deliverables and engagement, coping with client variability, and delegating to leverage time efficiently. Throughout the webinar, Michael provides practical steps advisors can take to work forward scaling to financial advicers and how doing so can not only make practices run more efficiently but also increase advisor revenues.
Ponzi schemes aimed at defrauding unsuspecting individuals and taking their money have existed for hundreds of years. The Madoff scheme brought this type of scam to the attention of the American public in 2008, but there are many other such schemes that have operated in the United States since then. The purpose of this course is to familiarize tax professionals with Ponzi schemes and help them identify the hallmarks of such schemes. The guidance offered to tax professionals to deal with clients who have suffered Ponzi losses is presented and discussed, together with examples from the U.S. Tax Court in which taxpayers are seeking to recover their losses.
SECURE Act 2.0 - Review and What is Effective in 2025
This course will provide advisors with a review of the SECURE Act 2.0 that was passed in 2022 and discusses what provisions are going to be effective starting in 2025. Specifically, this course will cover the new RMD age rules and penalties, the various inherited IRA beneficiary designations and distribution requirements, and the added option for Qualified Charitable Distributions. Additionally, this course will discuss the new catch-up contributions to 401(k) plans and auto enrollment for employer retirement plans. Lastly, this course will provide advisors with best practices for advising clients on these new rules and guidelines.
Jeff Levine, CPA/PFS, CFP' and Director of Advisor Education at Kitces.com, will give an in-depth breakdown of the SECURE 2.0 Act that has been passed by both houses of Congress and is expected to be signed into law before the end of 2022. In this breaking-news webinar, Jeff will go over the numerous provisions of SECURE 2.0 that will be relevant for advisors and their clients, including the legislation's gradual pushing back of the RMD age from 73 to 75, the expansion of opportunities to make Roth contributions (including new SEP and SIMPLE Roth IRAs), and the elimination of RMDs on Roth-style employer retirement accounts; along with the ability to transfer 529 plan assets to a Roth IRA, expanded catch-up contribution limits, new exceptions to early-withdrawal penalties, and more. Advisors will walk away with information on how their clients will potentially be affected by the new law, as well as ideas on how to take advantage of some of the new planning opportunities it opens up.
This course provides an overview of self-directed IRAs, their risks, and potential benefits. The course begins summarizing the differences between a traditional IRA, a Roth IRA, and a self-directed IRA. . Next, the course describes the advantages and disadvantages of holding assets in a self-directed IRA. The course then describes some of the unique risks of a self-directed IRA, such as rules regarding disqualified persons and prohibited transactions. Next, the course briefly outlines the risks and potential benefits of a wide range of assets that can be held in a self-directed IRA such as real estate, precious metals, private placements, tax liens, crowdfunding projects, and cryptocurrency. Risks specific to holding NFTs and cryptocurrencies in cold storage wallets are highlighted. The course then covers why an investor may want to choose a self-directed IRA with checkbook control, as well as their specific risks. Finally, the course explores some of the prohibitions and best practices for investment advisers that offer services to self-directed IRA investors.
As the senior client population continues to grow, so does the importance of protecting this vulnerable group, which is frequently targeted for financial exploitation. In many cases, age-related factors may affect a client's ability to make sound financial decisions, making it the IAR's responsibility to remain vigilant, apply appropriate safeguards, and act in the client's best interest at all times. This course prepares IARs to meet their fiduciary duty when working with aging investors by recognizing red flags, documenting concerns, and applying SEC-compliant reporting protocols. You'll explore real-world scenarios, evolving regulatory expectations, and best practices for safeguarding vulnerable clients, including how to communicate effectively, identify diminished capacity, and respond to potential elder abuse. By the end of this course, you'll be equipped to act decisively, protect your clients, and ensure your actions meet today's heightened regulatory standards.