Join us for a game-changing presentation where you will learn the top 5 economic drivers and how they are impacting the nation’s economy. Key historical drivers for inflation and outlook for 2026. How best can we prepare our clients? An in-depth analysis of major factors shaping economic outcomes, including interest rates, global conflict, wage dynamics, business confidence, and demographics
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Trump Accounts, Federal DOL Independent Contractor, and Tariffs– what’s next in 2027?
Diane Boyle, Senior VP, Govt Relations for NAIFA National
What is happening at our Nation’s Capitol? Hear directly from NAIFA’s top lobbyist and Senior VP, Diane Boyle, as she outlines all the new stuff coming from the Capitol.
The Department of Labor (DOL) has proposed a new worker classification rule that uses an economic reality test. It is similar to the 2021 rule that the Biden Administration sought to change. It would apply to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. The new proposed rule builds heavily on the 2021 standard. It starts with a look at two main factors:: Control of the Work and Entrepreneurial Opportunity.
Retirement Trump Accounts for Adults – and Trump Accounts - yet undefined new retirement savings program for those whose employers do not offer an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan. It might open the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) to those eligible for it, or tweak the existing MyIRA program. What we know, and how to advise your clients.
Will Tariffs replace Income Taxes – mentioned at the State of the Union, but not much more detail. Status update?
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM
4 Under 40 Awards
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM
Morning Breakout Sessions
Choose from one of the two sessions below.
Breakout 1 Investment/ Insurance Track
Estate Planning for Short Life Expectancies
Gary Altman, Esq., Altman Associates
What do you recommend when a client tells you that he is likely to die within the next 90 days?
Breakout 2 Tax Trends Trusts
Avoiding Double Taxation and Preserving Settlement Value Through Strategic Fiduciary Planning
Rachel McCrocklin, CFP, CeFT, Prudential
Insurance and financial professionals are increasingly encountering settlements that trigger unintended tax consequences for claimants and advisors alike.
This session provides a practical, fiduciary-focused framework for understanding Qualified Settlement Funds, Plaintiff Recovery Trusts, and related structures that preserve settlement value, avoid double taxation, and reduce professional liability.
You will learn:
- How double taxation arises in settlement scenarios and why it is often missed
- When Qualified Settlement Funds and Plaintiff Recovery Trusts are appropriate and compliant
- The role insurance and financial professionals play in early issue spotting and referrals
- How fiduciary-led planning reduces risk while improving client outcomes
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Morning Breakout Session
Choose from one of the three sessions below.
Breakout 1 Technology track
Take Your Agency to the Next Level – Using Technology and Tools to Increase Profits?
Alison Susko, Asset-Map Torie Happe, Jump.AI
What specific technology tools they agents use most effectively, and why? How does one build a client service model approved by your compliance officers? What are the realities of using artificial intelligence tools as it relates to compliance with your broker/dealer?
Breakout 2 High Net Worth Track
Mastering Affluent Client Acquisition
Kevin Eberly, Regional VP, Hartford Funds
Elite Financial Professionals Share Secrets to Acquiring Affluent Clients
Most financial professionals work hard at pursuing affluent client prospects, but few are successful. It’s not for a lack of trying, so what’s the problem? Elite financial professionals have cracked the code!
Through extensive research, Oechsli, a thought leader on affluent client acquisition, discovered the street-tested strategies elite financial professionals consistently use to win clients with assets of $1MM or above. Now, Oechsli is sharing these secrets with you.
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Lunch. Awards, Legislative Update Panel and Awards
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Cutting Through the Noise: 6 Strategies for Overcoming AI Analysis Paralysis in Your Insurance Agency
Jason Gobbel, Chief Solutions Officer/Partner, Kite Technology Group
Artificial intelligence has quickly gone from futuristic concept to everyday conversation. Tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are being hailed as game changers for productivity, client communication, and data analysis. But for many independent insurance agency owners, the excitement comes with a side of anxiety: Where do you even start? It’s a fair question. AI is being marketed as capable of almost anything, which makes it hard to decide what’s actually worth doing first. The result is a lot of talk, a few experiments, and not much measurable progress. That’s analysis paralysis in action.
The good news is, there are practical strategies insurance agencies can use to cut through the noise and start seeing real results with AI. Strategies to Help Agencies Move Past AI Analysis Paralysis
1. Understand the Different Types of AI
2. Identify Your Agency’s Pain Points
3. Focus on Quick Wins, Not Total Transformation
4. Leverage the AI Tools You Already Have
5. Build an AI Policy Before You Build an AI Strategy
6. Partner with Experts Who Understand Your Business
Bringing It All Together
AI isn’t a single solution. It’s a collection of tools that serve different purposes. Generative AI helps your people think faster. Automation helps your processes run smoother. Integration helps your systems work smarter. The real power comes from knowing which one to apply first. Start small, stay focused on real business needs, and let results, not hype, guide your next step. The agencies that win with AI won’t be the ones who do everything. They’ll be the ones who start somewhere, learn quickly, and keep moving forward.
