March 2026 Quarterly Meeting

TOPIC #1: 2026 Policy and Planning Update: Helping your HNW Clients Leverage a New Planning Paradigm
SPEAKER: Lauren C. Liebes

About the presentation: Over the last several years, our concerns and conversations around tax planning have steadily evolved in response to policy changes and economic conditions.  In 2025, the shifting policy focus of the Trump administration and passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill (“OBBB”) have ushered in a new period of both wariness and opportunity for our industry.   HNW investors especially are focused on the effect recent changes in tax legislation and policy, and the economic climate, may have on their own tax and planning situations. During our session, Lauren will provide an of-the-moment policy update, as well as the top tax and planning considerations for HNW investors that respond to their real-time concerns and capitalize on the current state.  Lauren will address the OBBB, as well as the creative income and estate planning strategies that leverage related planning opportunities and our current economic environment.

About the speaker: Lauren C. Liebes is a wealth strategist at Capital Group. She has 18 years of related industry experience and has been with Capital Group for one year. Prior to joining Capital, Lauren worked as a wealth planner at Citi Private Bank. Before that, she worked as an attorney with the Tax and Estate Planning Practice Group at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP. She received an LLM in taxation and certificate in estate planning from Georgetown University Law Center, a juris doctor from Southwestern Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Boston University. Lauren is based in Washington, D.C.

TOPIC #2: The Value of Personalized Longevity Projection for Retirement Income
SPEAKER: Xianwu (Sean) Zhang, Ph.D. CFP®

About the presentation: Retirement planning often uses generic lifespan estimates, creating suboptimal decisions. This study shows that personalized longevity projections based on demographics and health attributes and derived from Cox proportional hazards models improve Social Security claiming strategies. Personalized longevity estimates applied to respondents of the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study increased the average value of lifetime benefits by $9,000 (women) and $12,000 (men) relative to other approaches. Optimized claiming based on individual health/demographics attributes outperformed both standard actuarial assumptions and common recommended ages. The results demonstrate how personalized longevity assessments can enhance retirement income planning, financial security, and client-advisor alignment.

About the speaker: Dr. Zhang is an Associate Professor of Finance and the CFP® Program Director at John Carroll University, where his commitment to teaching excellence has been recognized by the Boler College of Business for three consecutive years (2022–2025). He holds a Ph.D. in Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University, dual Master’s degrees in Finance and Mathematics, and the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. His research focuses on household finance and investor behavior, exploring how people make important financial decisions, and has been recognized nationally with three “Best Paper” awards: at the 2025 Financial Planning Association (FPA) Conference for The Value of Personalized Longevity Projection for Retirement Income(with K Jeremy Ko, and Qi Sun); at the 2018 American Council on Consumer Interests (ACCI) Conference for Framing Longevity Income(with Michael Guillemette, Jesse Jurgenson, and Deanna Sharpe); and at the 2017 Academy of Financial Services (AFS) Conference for Do Investors’ Subjective Risk Perceptions Influence Their Portfolio Choice?(with Charlene Kalenkoski)

TOPIC #3: The Emotional Journey of the Ultra-High-Net-Worth Client: Understanding the Advisor’s Job to Be Done
SPEAKER: Scott Tatum, CIMA®, CFP®

About the presentation: The sudden arrival of significant wealth may seem like an entirely positive event, but in reality, the swiftness and magnitude of the shift represent an emotional challenge for anyone receiving the newfound prosperity. In this program, we focus on the psychological and emotional dynamics associated with the ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) client’s financial journey and explore how it is significantly different than the journey of the mass-affluent client or the high-net-worth client. We then consider the emotional impact of that journey on the client, how the implications of wealth seriously impact the individual’s capacity to make high-quality decisions, and the impairments that grow out of significant wealth events. The ultimate goal is to explain how the UHNW client’s emotional journey creates five specific opportunities for a financial professional to reach out, make meaningful contact and potentially forge new working relationships with these clients. We close by offering guidance on the types of messaging that work best in each circumstance.

About the speaker: Scott Tatum is the Director of the AB Advisor Institute, where he delivers consulting and training to financial advisors at AB’s partner firms, specifically in the areas of client acquisition, client communication and team management strategies. His goal is to help advisors, teams and managers be more effective in their roles. Tatum joined AB in 2008. His professional experience in the investment industry began in 1985 and includes sales and sales leadership positions. Tatum has held positions with OppenheimerFunds, HD Vest and MFS Investment Management, where he was a regional vice president. He holds a BBA (cum laude) in marketing from the University of North Texas. In addition to being a Certified Financial Planner® professional and a Certified Investment Management Analyst®, Tatum carries NASD Series 7, 24, 53 and 63 licenses. He is based in Dallas, Texas.

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Continuing Education: FPA NEO will request credit for these programs, which will total three hours of CE from the CFP® Board of Standards for CFP® designation holders. A general certificate of completion and one for CPA designees who feel the program satisfies their continuing education requirements will also be available.

Reservation Policy: All attendees are encouraged to register in advance before noon 03/24/26 and walk-in reservations will be accepted on a space-available basis only. In person meeting cost is free for FPA members and $65 for non-members. If you reserve and are unable to attend, please call the office or email admin@fpa-neo.org to cancel by noon 03/24/26 to avoid a no-show reservation billing of $10.00.