2008 Annual Meeting Schedule

The International Forum 2008 Annual Meeting January 12-16, 2008 Loews Miami Beach Hotel Miami Beach, Florida

No events can be scheduled which conflict with the published dates of The International Forum Annual Meeting without prior written permission from The International Forum.

Saturday, January 12

 
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
CE Session
Policy Management of Income Producing Variable Universal Life Insurance Contracts: Love Letters or Law Suits?

Andrew Shapiro, CLU, ChFC, Nationwide Financial

Examine the problems and pitfalls common to income producing policies and explore some innovative solutions to assure you receive love letters, not lawsuits.

Sponsored by

5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
CE Session
The Wealth of Opportunities with Life Insurance

Deborah O’Neil, JD, CFP™, CLU, AXA Equitable Insurance Company
Dan A. Cornwell, Cambridge Wealth Strategies

Life insurance provides many valuable benefits besides the obvious, family protection and liquidity. Explore the use of life insurance for wealth creation, wealth accumulation, wealth management, wealth protection and wealth distribution. Participate in a high-level review of various methods to complement a client’s current assets with life insurance.

Sponsored by

Sunday, January 13

 
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Grand Opening Continental Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
Sponsored by MetLife

8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
General Session

 
The Bubble Boom

Harry S. Dent, Jr., HS Dent Company

Discuss how demographic and technology trends have driven an unprecedented boom that has seen one bubble after the next in stocks, oil and commodities, and most recently, real estate. Learn about this great boom finally ending between late 2008 and late 2009 causing major implications for asset allocation strategies.

Sponsored by

9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Refreshment Break

10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
CE Session
21st Century Advanced Estate Planning…Is Like a Three-Legged Stool

Henry Whiffen, MSFS, CFP, AEP, CAP, CLU, ChFC, The Estate Advisory Group
Dick Oshins, JD, MBA LLM in taxation, Law Offices of Oshins & Associates, LLC

Learn about and discuss the three-legged stool approach. This approach addresses zeroing out the estate tax on large estates, bringing family values into the planning process and cutting-edge issues such as charitable planning, while expanding upon little-known dangers, opportunities and sales ideas for the advanced planner.

CE Session
Buy-Sell Agreements: Ticking Time Bombs or Reasonable Resolutions?

Z. Christopher Mercer, ASA, CFA, Mercer Capital Management

Explore the topic of buy-sell agreements from a business appraiser’s perspective, highlighting those issues that typically cause trouble for your clients. Gain insight into the problems of fixed-price or formula pricing, the different appraisal mechanisms, common misunderstandings that can end up as big money issues, and, of course, the pitfalls of dated templates sometimes used by law firms.

12:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Lunch Session
CE Session
Financing Nonqualified Plans: How to Sell COLI without Selling Insurance

Blaine Laverick, CEBS, CRPS, CLU, ChFC, CMS, Principal Financial Group

Nonqualified deferred compensation plans are becoming a normal part of many companies’ benefit strategies. Financing those benefits is a critical decision point. Learn about benefits, cash flow impact, tax treatment and cost considerations between the most popular financing techniques – in other words, how to sell COLI without selling insurance.

Sponsored by

2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Breakout Sessions 1-4

 
CE Session
1. Advanced Planning for Family Office Clients

Thomas J. Handler, JD, PC, Handler, Thayer & Duggan, LLC.

Review integrated advanced planning for ultra high net-worth and family office clients while focusing on the income tax, estate tax, asset protection, insurance, business planning and marital planning components. Explore current and emerging trends in the family office niche.

CE Session
2. To Stretch or Not to Stretch – That is the Question for IRA Distributions

William R. Brereton, JD, CLU, The Brereton Group Ltd.

Many high net-worth individuals have been told by their advisors that “stretching” IRA distributions produces the most favorable tax result and the largest IRA payout. “Stretch” planning only has positive benefits for assets that will not be subject to transfer taxes. A conversion to a Roth IRA will increase the total amount of after-tax distributions by at least 2.5 times. Life insurance, an essential component, also enhances the economics of the transaction. Explore the opportunities of this Roth conversion strategy.

CE Session
3. Asset Protection for the High Net-Worth Client

Denis Kleinfeld, JD, CPA, Rothstein, Rosenfeldt, Adler

In today’s hyper-litigious society, protecting wealth is a prominent goal of every integrated financial, retirement or estate plan. Insurance, the key traditional planning tool, is ideally suited for asset protection planning. Explore why, where and how insurance can be used in innovative asset protection planning structures.

CE Session
4. LBP 401(k) PlusSM – Leveraged Life Insurance Premiums in an Untapped Market

Robert Gaspard, Peachtree LBP Finance Company, LLC

It has virtually become a requirement to provide a 401(k) plan for employees. From the employer perspective, a major disadvantage of having a 401(k) plan is the mandated compliance testing that must be performed every year. Learn about an attractive solution that leverages life insurance to enable companies to provide comparable benefits to key employees.

3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Refreshment Break

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Breakout Sessions 5-8

 
CE Session
5. Single Employer Welfare Benefit Plans – The Facts

Judi Carsrud, Niche Plan Sponsors, Inc.
Philip Rowe, CLU, Niche Marketing, Inc.

The IRS recently issued guidance on 419 plans, allowing financial planners to better evaluate a client’s circumstances to determine if a 419 plan is the right fit. Rising health care costs and 76 million baby boomers putting a strain on government programs such as Medicare and Social Security emphasize the need to start planning now for retiree health care expenses. Explore how a welfare benefit plan might be the ideal planning tool to solve these issues.

CE Session
6. Excuse Me, But There is a Hole in Your Protection!

Thomas Petersen, RHU, FLMI, ALHC, HIA, Petersen International Underwriters

Large and small income earners and businesses often have a need for various specialty disability insurance protections. Discuss excess and specialty disability plans for buy sell, buy-in, key person, severance and contract agreements, venture capital funding and bank loans, as well as excess of personal or group disability plans.

CE Session
7. Valuation of Life Insurance Polices and Those Held in Qualified Plans

Liz Monty, CPA/ABV, CFE, CVA, CrFA, Veriti Consulting, LLC.
John White, MBA, CPA/AVB, CFE, CBA, ASA, CrFA,
Veriti Consulting, LLC.

Recent tax law changes have significantly impacted the value of life insurance policies being held in qualified plans. A fair market valuation may be completed, which typically yields discounts resulting in lower values than those calculated by IRS safe harbor rules. Explore approaches and methodologies being used to value life insurance polices for tax purposes.

CE Session
8. Life Insurance as an Asset Class

Mark Teitelbaum, JD, CLU, ChFC, LL.M, AXA Equitable Insurance Company

Life insurance can be an attractive financial instrument to protect clients and their families. Learn how it can be used by clients as a tool to assure stability in a portfolio.Because the death benefit risk is carried by the life insurance company, the risk of the asset is shifted away from a client. In effect, life insurance death benefits have no correlation to other sectors of the investment marketplace, making it an effective wealth transfer tool and a hedge against potential fluctuations in the overall portfolio.

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Networking Time

6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
First-Time Attendee Welcome Reception

7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
President's Reception

Sponsored by

Monday, January 14

 
6:30 a.m. - 7:45 a.m.
Breakfast Session

CE Session
Now That the Secondary Market Is Here to Stay, What’s Next?

Join Coventry’s CEO and co-founder for an incisive overview of the role the market plays in the new financial services landscape. Discuss the secondary market’s impact on advisors, carriers and product development, and take part in a penetrating analysis of the forces that will continue to drive the market’s ongoing evolution.Alan H. Buerger, Coventry

Sponsored by

8:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
General Session

 
How to Write a Strategic Plan to Drive the Growth of Your Enterprise

Charles D. Hollander, Applied Strategies & Counsel, Inc.

A compelling business strategy leverages your firm’s competitive advantage and serves as a guide to making wise and confident business decisions that drive your vision. Defining your business strategy requires a methodical, step-by-step strategic decision making process. Learn practical tools to complete a written strategic plan comprised of carefully selected components that, when connected, will short-list your competition and drive growth to your firm.

CE Session
Life Settlements – A Product and Industry Update

Scott Kirby, Advanced Settlements
Brian Casey, Esq., Lord, Bissell & Brook, LLP

Life settlement companies, life insurance producers and financing sources all want to know more about this emerging and complex industry. Discuss the many legal and business issues that participants in the marketplace encounter. Learn life settlement basics, describe various transaction structures and receive a perspective on where the industry is headed.

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Refreshment Break

11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
General Session

 
The Dan Marino Foundation

Dan Marino

Dan Marino is one of the most celebrated athletes in the world. As quarterback of the Miami Dolphins for 17 consecutive seasons, he held 20 National Football League records and was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Marino and his wife, Claire, created the Dan Marino Foundation in 1992, motivated by experiences in raising their second son, Michael, who has autism. The mission of The Dan Marino Foundation is to impact autism by supporting integrated treatment programs, outreach services and disease research for children with chronic illnesses and developmental disabilities. Marino will share his commitment to the foundation during his presentation.

Adjusting to Changing Circumstances

Second City Communications

Change will happen. Can your organization identify and seize the opportunities that come with change? Through the lessons of improvisation, learn how to accept that change is inevitable, adapt quickly to change, share the risks and successes of change as a team and minimize “reflex” of automatic fear or contempt of change.

12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Networking Lunch

Sponsored by

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Breakout Sessions 9-12

 
CE Session
9. The Regulatory World Today: Putting All the Pieces Together

Brian Casey, Esq., Lord, Bissell & Brook, LLP

Your company cannot manage its financial and strategic priorities without a thorough understanding of the regulatory issues impacting the life insurance industry. Learn about the latest regulatory and NAIC developments on issues that need to be at the forefront of your business.

CE Session
10. Designing Non Qualified Plans that Give You a Competitive Advantage

William L. MacDonald, MBA, Retirement Capital Group, Inc.

Discuss designing and funding nonqualified plans in various markets from the Fortune 500 to the mid-size LLC, S-Corporation and partnership, as well as not-for-profit firms. Learn industry trends to build flexible and competitive plans.

CE Session
11. A Wealth Transfer Concept Using a Defined Benefit and Trust

Charles W. Day, CLU, EA, CPC, MAAA, MSPA, Actuarial Business Solutions, LLC.

Participate in this demonstration of a specialized defined benefit being used as a tool for asset transfer and estate and income tax planning.

CE Session
12. A New Approach to Long-Term Care Insurance, Multi-Life and Corporate LTC

Steve Cain, CLTC, CSA, MARSH Private Client Life Insurance

Advances in medical treatment and technology are extending lives longer than ever before. There is a greater likelihood that an individual will experience some type of acute or chronic ailment that requires medical or extended healthcare, which creates a greater necessity for post-retirement healthcare planning. Explore a new framework and fresh approach for long term care planning conversations and sales.

3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Refreshment Break

3:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Un Meeting Sessions

UnMeeting Session #1
Welfare Benefit Plans, Past and Future – Where do we go now?

UnMeeting Session #2
Executive Compensation Post 409A

UnMeeting Session #3
Premium Financing

UnMeeting Session #4
Estate Planning Post Pension Protection Act (PPA)

UnMeeting Session #5
Qualified Pension Plans

UnMeeting Session #6
Long Term Care

UnMeeting Session #7
Life Settlements and the Insurance Industry’s Initiative into the Settlements Marketplace

4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Breakout Sessions 13-16

 
13. Attract the Mega-Affluent in Bunches

Scott Keffer, Wealth Transfer Solutions, Inc.

Millionaires in the United States grew by 55 percent over the last five years. Did your affluent client base grow? Finding the mega-affluent is like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. The market is highly competitive and increasingly commoditized. Our information-overloaded society can drown out your message unless you develop a values-niche strategy and use OPC (Other People’s Credibility) to attract the mega-affluent.

14. Effective Client Discovery Techniques Lead to Clients Engaging with Confidence

Todd Fithian, The Legacy Companies

How do you inspire and motivate your clients to engage with confidence? Together, advisors and clients must uncover and discern the key insights that form the foundation for all decision making throughout the planning process. Effective client “discovery” techniques provide the framework needed to give the client sufficient clarity. Learn and discuss practical steps to help your clients move forward with a strong sense of ownership and conviction.

15. How Captive Insurance Companies Can Transform Your Practice

Wesley R. Sierk, CLU, ChFC, CRIS, Risk Management Advisors

Through the use of captive insurance companies, agents can help their clients reduce liability insurance expenses, reduce taxes, protect assets and transfer millions of dollars to the next generation without estate or gift taxes. Learn from a nationally recognized expert in the field.

16. Protecting Your Intellectual Property – Lessons from the First Tax Patent SOGRAT®

Robert C. Slane, AEP, CLU, The Wealth Transfer Group, Inc.
Steve Milbrath, JD, Allen, Dyer, Doppelt, Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.

Many insurance producers have developed a better mousetrap. Protecting your intellectual property (IP) is more than just a non-disclosure agreement. The inventor of the first tax patent shares with you his story and the lessons he learned including recordkeeping, litigation related items and attacks by professional organizations.

7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
35th Anniversary Gala

Sponsored by

Tuesday, January 15

 
6:30 a.m. - 7:45 a.m.
Breakfast Session

Unlocking Business Value Using Life Insurance and Annuities

Thomas Commito, JD, LL.M, CLU, ChFC, AEP, Lincoln Financial Group

Explore new and creative ways to get retirement income to exiting business owners. Learn the process of how to transfer ownership to the next generation and to secure the payments of retirees. A number of case studies are presented to illustrate the concepts.

Sponsored by

8:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
General Session

 
CE Session
Impact and Effects of the New SEC Proxy Disclosures

Brent Longnecker, CCC, CCP, CBP, Longnecker & Associates

Uncover current trends in executive compensation as well as the new SEC proxy requirements, shedding light on newly disclosed items such as non-qualified deferred compensation, prerequisites and change-in-control payouts.

Fast and Furious Sales Ideas

Moderators invite attendees to the microphone to describe, in two minutes or less, a winning strategy for boosting sales. Come prepared, and you may win The Sid Award. This annual award, named in honor of insurance industry great and 1994 Forum President Sidney A. Friedman, is given to the attendee who presents the best idea.

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Refreshment Break

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Breakout Sessions 17-20

 
CE Session
17. The Bond Alternative Solution Life Insurance in Qualified Plans

Warren Steinborn, Warren Steinborn Associates

Explore retirement accumulation, transition and distribution risks. Analyze the challenge of making retirement income last for 30 years. Address portfolio allocation versus withdrawal rates and the impact of each during the 30 year distribution cycle, while postulating the use of indexed products as a bond alternative for the solution.

CE Session
18. Life Insurance Financing – Designing Win-Win-Win Transactions that Benefit Your Clients, Life Insurance Carriers and Lenders

David Goldman, Credit Suisse Securities

Premium financing has received a tremendous amount of recent attention in the high-end producer market. Outline and discuss the history of premium financing, the present market conditions and the keys to a successful future for all parties involved in the life insurance financing market.

CE Session
19. Retirement, Health and Welfare Plan Developments – Checklist of Opportunities

Henry Smith, JD, Smith & Downey

Discover the most important recent developments affecting qualified retirement plans and health and welfare benefit plans. Zero in on developments that present opportunities for employers and chances for advisors to add value to each plan. Discuss the new automatic enrollment rules for 401(k) plans, qualified default investment alternative rules, tax planning opportunities of Roth 401(k) plans, the potential for savings with high deductible health plans and the planning opportunities that have recently been improved by Health Savings Accounts.

CE Session
20. Beyond Executive Benefits – The Dynamic World of Compensation Consulting

Tom Miller, CLU, ChFC, CFP, The Vision Link Advisory Group

All business owners have a common goal—sustainable growth with solid profit margins. To achieve this objective a business needs a competitive advantage. Discover how full service compensation consulting provides that advantage. Open doors to business owners’ offices and engage them in far reaching conversations about their wealth accumulation plans and protection needs. Learn about the link between compensation consulting, significant fee opportunities and an open door for product sales discussions.

12:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Lunch Session

CE Session
How to Profit from Nonprofits: Designing Nonqualified Benefits for Executives and Directors of Tax-Exempt Organizations

David Houston, JD, ING

Just like their for-profit counterparts, nonprofit organizations are seeking new ways to recruit, reward and retain key executives. Nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations are also limited as to the types of benefits they can offer key executives. Discuss qualified retirement plans and learn about contribution limits and nonqualified benefits and how they must meet the requirements of ERISA and § 409A. Delve into why nonprofits must also meet the restrictions of IRC § 457.

Sponsored by

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
General Session

Beat the Copy-Cat Economy & Explode Your Profits

Douglas Davidoff, CFP, Imagine Business Development

Insurance companies state their support of the agent/advisor sales channel; however, the more commoditized advisors are, the better it is for them. One needs to only look at the historical relationship between airlines and travel agents to understand today’s dynamic.

3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Refreshment Break

3:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

AALU Update
Annual Business Meeting
Open Forum Session - Forum members only

Wednesday, January 16

 
8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
General Session

 
The Best of Both Worlds? A Closer Look at IUL

Lawrence J. Rybka, JD, CFP, ValMark Securities, Inc.
John S. McSwaney, CLU, ChFC, AEP, McSwaney & Associates Consulting, Inc.

Carriers are now promising both the long-term upside of being in equities and the guarantees in the newest product sets, IUL and VUL hybrids. Learn from two of our industry’s strongest technical minds as they go in depth, in a point/counterpoint format, to examine the promises and pitfalls of Index UL.

CE Session
Financial and Other Benefits of Helping Your Client Exit Their Business in Style

John H. Brown, JD, Business Enterprise Institute

Review the process that thousands of owners and their advisors have used to craft successful business exits. From the first step (setting ownership objectives) to the last (wealth preservation planning), an advisor plays a key role in guiding the owner to a successful ownership transfer.

10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Refreshment Break

Closing General Session

Yes You Can

Jim Stovall, NTN

Gain inspiration through Jim Stovall’s personal journey. After losing his sight at a young age, Stovall went on to become a national champion Olympic weightlifter, the president of the Emmy award-winning Narrative Television Network and a highly sought after author and platform speaker. Stovall is the author of the best selling book, The Ultimate Gift, which has been made into a major motion picture starring James Garner and Abigail Breslin.

Sponsored by

The 2008 Annual Meeting will end at approximately 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

Schedule Subject to Change
Room Assignments Coming Soon

No events can be scheduled which conflict with the published dates and times of The International Forum Annual Meeting without prior written permission from The International Forum. Attendees and Industry Partners at the Annual Meeting must contact Forum Headquarters to obtain such permission and assistance in identifying an appropriate date and time, as well as to ensure that any publicity about such events meets Forum standards.

ForumLIVE CD

The International Forum has uncovered an effective tool for your Annual Meeting needs! All Forum members in attendance at the 2008 Annual Meeting will receive ForumLIVE – a CD of presentations synched to the audio from every session. Complimentary CDs, sponsored by Prudential Financial, will mail two weeks following the Annual Meeting.