May 12, 2026 Agenda
| 11:30 am ET | Doors Open Pre-Conference Table Topics |
| 12:00 pm ET | Conference Begins |
| 12:00 pm ET - 12:15 pm ET | Virtual Networking Exhibit Hall Open |
| 12:15 pm ET - 12:30 pm ET | Opening Remarks |
| 12:30 pm ET - 1:20 pm ET | AI Is Transforming Estate Planning: Practical Applications and Ethics Considerations Martin M. Shenkman, CPA/PFS, MBA, JD, AEP® (Distinguished) |
| 1:20 pm ET - 1:35 pm ET | Break Exhibit Hall Open Wellness Moment |
| 1:35 pm ET - 2:25 pm ET | Retirement Assets for First and Second Marriages: Let the Fun Begin Christopher R. Hoyt, JD, AEP® (Distinguished) This session will examine the rules, strategies, opportunities, traps, and solutions when married individuals have retirement assets. The session will address the most common obstacles that can arise in second marriages, especially when children from a prior marriage are named as the beneficiaries of a retirement account, and the different rules that apply to IRAs compared to 401(k) plans. |
| 2:25 pm ET - 3:15 pm ET | Stewardship & Strategy: A Framework for Choosing the Right Fiduciaries Erin E. Markham, CTFA, TEP, AEP® & Jill L. Miller, JD, LL.M. This interactive workshop guides participants through the fundamentals of estate planning and the critical role fiduciaries play in carrying out their wishes. Attendees will explore key fiduciary roles, evaluate important legal and practical considerations, and apply these concepts to their own plans through guided exercises. By the end of the session, participants will have greater clarity and confidence in selecting fiduciaries and identifying potential updates to better align their estate plans with their goals. |
| 3:15 pm ET - 3:35 pm ET | Break Exhibit Hall Open Wellness Moment |
| 3:35 pm ET - 4:25 pm ET | Exploring IRS Enforcement Campaigns on Charitable Donations Hale E. Sheppard, JD, LL.M. (taxation), LL.M. (international law) The IRS has been challenging various types of charitable donations for years, raising some standard arguments, evolving during the process, and expanding its focus over time. What started as the IRS scrutinizing donations that it considered abusive has morphed into frequent challenges to charitable gifts that are, by most accounts, routine. This presentation explores recent IRS attacks on charitable donations of conservation easements, artwork, ownership interests in special-purpose entities, closely held businesses, religious artefacts, bargain sales, and more. |
| 4:25 pm ET - 4:30 pm ET | Closing Remarks |
October 21, 2026 Agenda
| 11:00 am ET | Doors Open Pre-Conference Table Topics |
| 11:30 am ET | Conference Begins |
| 11:30 am ET - 11:45 am ET | Virtual Networking Exhibit Hall Open |
| 11:45 am ET - 12:15 pm ET | Opening Remarks Annual Meeting Acknowledgment of 2026 Awards & Honors |
| 12:15 pm ET - 1:05 pm ET | Federal Tax Update Samuel A. Donaldson, JD, LL.M., AEP® (Distinguished) |
| 1:05 pm ET - 1:30 pm ET | Break Exhibit Hall Open Wellness Moment |
| 1:30 pm ET - 2:20 pm ET | Premium-Financed Life Insurance in Litigation: Lessons from the Expert Witness Stand Lawrence J. Rybka, JD, CFP®, AEP® (Distinguished) |
| 2:20 pm ET - 3:10 pm ET | Digital Estate Planning: Afterlife in the Cloud Jamie P. Hopkins, JD, MBA, LL.M., CLU®, ChFC®, CFP®, RICP® |
| 3:10 pm ET - 3:30 pm ET | Break Exhibit Hall Open Wellness Moment |
| 3:30 pm ET - 4:20 pm ET | What Practitioners Should Know About Serving the LGBTQIA Community Natalia K. Gentry, JD |
| 4:20 pm ET - 4:30 pm ET | Closing Remarks |
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