IDFA Online Learning

Join Carol Lee Roberts for the kick off of the 2021 virtual conference. 

This session will reveal some of the most common errors in divorce decrees that cost people money or result in unenforceable terms, or fail to take taxes into consideration.  Learn how to ensure your client actually receives what they think they will. Your role isn't over when the agreements are made. How a CDFA® is critical in establishing sound agreements.

Approved for one hour CDFA Continuing Education Credit. 

Nancy Hetrick, CDFA®, AWMA®, MAFF®

How will the changing landscape of the financial services industry impact your practice? Join Ethan Hooper of Ameriprise as he analyzes the current trends in Financial Services.

One hour of CDFA Continuing Education. 

This extended session will take a deep-dive into developing a successful niche divorce practice on a shoestring budget in record time.  Topics to be covered include:

• - Defining your vision and your target markets
• - Crafting a successful marketing plan and content creation
• - The Nine Areas to Master for a Successful Business and what to tackle first
• - The Client Lifecycle
• - Mastering the Initial Consultation

If you’ve had your CDFA® for a while but you aren’t seeing the results you had hoped for, this session is for you.

This is a pre-conference session and requires a separate registration and fee,  it is not included in the virtual conference registration.  Approved for three and one half (3.5) hours of CDFA  Continuing Education credit. 

This program will address the dynamics of working with clients with high conflict personalities and personality disorders. The goal is to increase your understanding of the different types of personality disorders and types of high conflict personalities most likely to be encountered in divorce settlement discussions, how these characteristics can impact negotiations, and what you, as the professional, can do about it. Being able to recognize these dynamics and learning how to better communicate with and manage these types of clients in the divorce process will allow you to be more successful (and less frustrated) during the settlement discussions and negotiations.

Approved for one hour of CDFA Continuing Education. 

Dr. Honey Sheff, Ph.D., P.C.

As "grey divorce" becomes more prevalent around the country, CDFAs are being asked to assist in tracing the increase in separate property during a marriage. In this advanced-level session, Jacki and Lili, who practice in two different states will share their insights on several different methods that can be used and offer opinions on the pros and cons of each. 

Throughout their session, they will provide real-life examples that illustrate the steps for each method. Last, they will point you in the right direction to determine if there is a prescribed method already in place in your jurisdiction.

Approved for one hour of CDFA and CFP Continuing Education credit. 

The divorce settled but not “settled” yet.  Our clients are exposed to unseen risks and opportunities that a post-divorce world presents. When a CDFA is brought in at the end of a case or post-divorce, there are still many steps we can take to improve and protect our clients’ financial lives - even if there is not much time left to do so.

 In Ms. Friedman’s presentation, she will discuss how we can keep clients motivated to move forward with their financial life while avoiding many common post-divorce missteps.  Through stories from her ten years practicing as a CFP/CDFA, Ms. Friedman will discuss ideas for late-stage divorce analysis and post-divorce work considering the most common areas of financial planning and divorce financial analysis.  Areas include attorney and client resistance to change, divorce fatigue, traditional financial planning topics and premarital agreements.

 Focus on the “Future Self”: Changing Mindsets during divorce and after

Having the “Investment Talk” : Financial Education during and post-divorce

Best practices for moving accounts efficiently

Establishing practices for tax preparation and estimated payments

Tracking promissory notes and stock options post-divorce

Discussing estate planning during and post-divorce

Planting the seeds for planning a second (or third) marriage

This session has been approved for one hour of CDFA Continuing Education credit. 

RSU's, NQSO's, ISO's, DC's, DB's- Oh my! In this session, participants will get an understanding of all types of executive compensation, how they work, how to value them, and possible solutions for division in divorce. There will be advanced topics on taxation, division scenarios, and case study examples to illustrate unique situations and outcomes both during the divorce process and in the years following

This session has been approved for one hour of CDFA Continuing Education credit. 

Mindfulness is a science-based method of preparing your nervous system for the nervous system that’s about to walk into the room. With intention and practice, your way of being can dramatically affect—even regulate—a person who is upset or angry. Your way of being can also draw out someone who appears to have checked out.

Experience 4 practices that cultivate the crucial relational skills you need to ground yourself, connect with your client, get to the heart of what matters to them, and do what is best.

This session has been approved for one hour of CDFA Continuing Education credit. 

A client hires you as their CDFA. As you begin your analysis, the client fact pattern exposes

issues that are going to be more challenging than you originally anticipated and now you are
asking yourself the question, “What do I do now?” 

This pre-conference workshop will be a hands on, interactive case study intensive session
designed to help CDFA professionals answer this question and master the divorce finance
analysis for their client scenarios. 

Participants will be working through active client case studies that will result in the following takeaways:

 Tools and processes for client analysis
 Identifying the key issues
 Developing the analysis roadmap

You will not want to miss this opportunity to develop new skills or fine tune your process as an
experienced CDFA!

This is a pre-conference session and requires a separate registration and fee.  Approved for three and a half hours of CDFA and CFP Continuing Education. 

Reading financial statements and a tax return can be overwhelming, especially if it involves a self-employed person.  Where do I start, and what should I look for?  This program will explore what data flows from business reports to the 1040, what to look for during data gathering, potential red flags, and what follow-up questions you should be asking.  Our goal is to provide you the information you can implement immediately in your practice.

This session has been approved for one hour of CDFA and CFP Board Continuing Education credit. 

To be recognized as a QDRO, an order must be a ‘domestic relations order. A domestic relations order is a judgment, decree, or order (including the approval of a property settlement) that is made pursuant to state domestic relations law (including community property law) and that relates to the provision of child support, alimony payments, or marital property rights for the benefit of a spouse, former spouse, child, or other dependent of a participant.

A state authority, generally a court, must actually issue a judgment, order, or decree or otherwise formally
approve a property settlement agreement before it can be a “domestic relations order” under ERISA. The
mere fact that a property settlement is agreed to and signed by the parties will not, in and of itself, cause
the agreement to be a domestic relations order.

There is no requirement that both parties to a marital proceeding sign or otherwise endorse or approve an
order. It is also not necessary that the retirement plan be brought into state court or made a party to a
domestic relations proceeding for an order issued in that proceeding to be a “domestic relations order” or
a “qualified domestic relations order.” Indeed, because state law is generally preempted to the extent that
it relates to retirement plans, the Department takes the position that retirement plans cannot be joined as a
party in a domestic relations proceeding pursuant to state law. Moreover, retirement plans are neither
permitted nor required to follow the terms of domestic relations orders purporting to assign retirement
benefits unless they are QDROs

This session has been approved for one hour of CDFA Continuing Education credit. 

Do you feel like Buzz Lightyear when it comes to Military Divorces?  To Infinity and Beyond? Is all the language confusing: Final Pay, High-Three, Blended Retirement, TSP, TRICARE, CHCBP, SGLI, SBP, G.I. Bill, DFAS, DEERS, LES, BAH, BAS, VA Disability, Frozen Benefit Rule, RAS? 

Knowledge is power! Join David Smith and Diane Hall as they unravel this alphabet soup and provide you with specific strategies related to analyzing and dividing military benefits.

This session has been approved for one hour of CDFA Continuing Education credit. 

Diane Hall, CDFA

Get tips on the use of Family Law Software. Join creator, Dan Caine, and explore the features of Family Law Software.  Learn to use this software to model settlement scenarios.

This session has been approved for one hour of CDFA and CFP Board continuing education credit. 

"The growth of a company is limited by the growth of its leaders."  Get ready for an inspirational and content-rich event! Randy presents his material in a relatable, personable manner, and audiences feel as if they are having an intimate conversation with a wise and trusted friend, one who has been there and can help you by sharing his mistakes and successes.

Randy H. Nelson is an expert in taking entrepreneurial leaders on a self-awareness journey during his presentations, “comfortably” guiding them outside of their comfort zones for maximum take-home value for each participant.

In every event, Randy will challenge his audience in the following three areas:

• To grow their leadership skills as fast as their company is growing
• To double their personal capacity every 2-3 years
• To grow their self-awareness. The fatal flaw of an entrepreneurial leader is their lack of self-awareness

An entrepreneur, business coach, and consultant, best-selling author, and compelling speaker; everything he knows about entrepreneurial and leadership skills comes from his real-world experiences.

Randy inspires his audiences with topics including entrepreneurship, business growth, professional development, and financial/overall leadership. He speaks frequently to entrepreneurial and CEO groups such as EO and Vistage and offers additional keynote presentations and workshops geared towards entrepreneurs and business leaders.

This session has been approved for one hour of CDFA continuing education credit.  

Our panel will provide tips and insights into how to market your CDFA Practice. 

This session is not approved for Continuing Education Credit. 

Jane McAuliffe, CDFA, and Attorney Kerry Rafanenelli have worked collaboratively for the past 5 years, both as co-mediators and Attorney/CDFA.  They will share their insights on how they formed their partnership, how they market their scope of services, and participants will gain insight and ideas on how to position themselves as collaborators with attorneys and mediators.  

This session has been approved for one hour of CDFA Continuing Education credit has been applied for. 

Join IDFA Leadership as they present recent cases that have come before the Disciplinary and Ethics committee and what you can do to avoid violating the Code of Ethics.

This session has been approved for one hour of CDFA Continuing Education credit.