IDFA Online Learning

You finally obtained your CDFA and are hyped to put your credential to work, however it's easier said than done. This workshop will guide you through the steps and strategies needed to build a successful divorce planning practice. Covered topics include:

• Conducting initial conversations with prospects/clients/other divorce professionals
• Necessary marketing literature and resources you need to launch your practice
• Setting meeting protocol and onboarding processes for new clients
• How to charge for your services and billing practices
• Preparing your financial "work product" for clients
• Ways to successfully work with other divorce professionals
• Post-divorce follow-up
• Where to turn when you get stuck

You will learn practical tips and tools to help overcome your initial challenges and leave with specific action plans you can confidently implement to ensure your success. This workshop will be most suitable for those who have obtained their CDFA designation within the last few years and want to confidently take their divorce niche to the next level.

Those who register will be asked to complete a short questionnaire sent in advance of the workshop. This will give the presenter further insight into the attendee's CDFA practice and some of the challenges they may be facing.

Approved for 3.5 hours of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

Discussions center around how to calculate and determine what is considered marital among the various states, Issues related to DROP and BacDROP, survivor benefits, using QDROs for child support, and how to effectively deal with plans that cannot be divided as marital property. Sample language will be provided along with a basic understanding of QDROs and the importance of settlement agreement language.

Approved for 3.5 hours of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

Welcome to the 2022 VIrtual Conference Series.  Join Carol Lee Roberts and Nancy Hetrick as we explore a wide variety of topics that will inform and enhance your CDFA practice.

This session will cover some of the basic branding and marketing necessary to effectively get the word out about your new niche. Topics include:

• Defining your vision and your target markets
• Crafting a successful marketing plan and content creation

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

A panel discussion including representatives from many large broker/dealer firms. 

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

Carol Lee Roberts, CFP®, CDFA®, CeFT, CCyBP, ICE-CCP, President

Cynthia A. Hanson, Director of Financial Planning and Business Unit Compliance Liaison for Financial Planning and the Advisor Business Development Group

De Eshelman, Vice President, Private Wealth Consulting Wealth Planning, Global Wealth Solutions

Learn how to protect both you and your clients' important data and information.

1. Why Cyber Security Matters in Divorce Proceedings

• a. Cyber Security Defined
• b. Emotional States During Divorce Proceedings
• c. Linking Emotional States and Cyber Security

2. Threats Exposed and Magnified During Divorce

• a. Phishing Attacks
• b. In-Person/Telephone Social Engineering
• c. Personal Espionage

3. Countering the Threats

• a. Be aware of the threats
• b. Identify the threats
• c. Report incidents

4. Continuous Learning and Cyber Security

• a. Evolved Threats
• b. New Threats
• c. Evolved Countermeasures
• d. New Countermeasures

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

Family Law Software is an indispensable tool in the CDFA toolbox.  It is the only financial planning software created expressly for financial planning in the context of a divorce. Using Family Law Software, you can create detailed after-tax cash flow projections, to help the parties plan their financial future, and you can help the parties divide the assets on a pre-tax and after-tax basis.  This session will present a quick overview for new CDFAs, followed by tips and new features for experienced users. We will also take a look at the new file handling capabilities of the Cloud edition.

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

Introduction of day two sessions and important housekeeping information regarding CE credit.

Carol Lee Roberts, CFP®, CDFA®, CeFT, CCyBP, ICE-CCP, President

Join our expert and discover the value of collaborative practice in providing a kinder solution to divorce. Learn how professionals with the CDFA designation understand and participate in Collaborative Practice using Dispute Resolutions for Couples looking to transform their marriage in a respectful and healthy way.

Approved for 1.5 hours of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

The intersection of mediation and CDFA work provides an opportunity for financial professionals to work closely with their clients to find mutual agreements outside of the litigation system.  Often as CDFAs, we work with an individual to help them through their divorce, but the financial neutral role gives you a unique opportunity to help a couple find solutions that will benefit them individually and as a family unit.  This panel of mediators and CDFAs will discuss the different roles of the financial neutral in divorce, how CDFAs can work collaboratively with mediators, as well as real world examples of successful... and not so successful... integrations between mediation and financial neutrals.  Come join us to better understand the financial neutral role and how you can integrate it into your practice today.

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

Join Ivy Menchel in learning how professionals in lending, transition planning, and divorce coaching can increase your efficacy as a CDFA professional. 

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

Laurel E. Starks,

Jody Bruns, President & Founder, Divorce Lending Association, LLC

Today we will be using a single case study to weave through various concerns including small business ownership, creative housing solutions and separate property tracing.

Steven J. Sless, CLTC, Division President

Continuation of our Intensive Case Study.  Learn what to look for when one spouse owns a small business. 

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

Learn how to spot and explain creative housing solutions to couples facing divorce.

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

As we work through our case study, this session will teach how to determine what's separate property, what's not, and what's in that dreaded grey area and how do we deal with it. In addition we'll explore what is considered an asset and what is considered income available for support. As a bonus, we'll also talk about pre-marital  portions of retirement accounts and how to unwind the separate property.

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

What you don’t know about helping with your client from post-divorce to re-partnering. Join our discussion on financial considerations post-divorce and repartnering options.  Take away tools to help in your practice.

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

Welcome to our hot topics day of the IDFA conference.  We will discuss Cryptocurrency, Acting as an Expert Witness, Lifestyle Analytics and will close the day with CFP Ethics.  All sessions will be available for one year after the conference and live participants will receive 5 hours of CDFA and CFP Continuing Education.

Increasingly, more and more Americans are purchasing cryptocurrencies. Currently, there's a 1 in 5 chance that a spouse will own some amount of crypto. Given this backdrop, it's important for divorce professionals to have a basic understanding of how cryptocurrencies are typically acquired and held by individuals. Also of importance is understanding how crypto is valued, as well as the tax implications of transacting in these digital assets. This presentation will cover these topics and more so that CDFA professionals can gain a foundational understanding of how to deal with this growing trend; one which they will likely encounter at some point in their divorce practice.

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

Tim Voit has appeared as an expert witness on many occasions.  Learn how to effectively appear as an expert witness and what NOT to do.

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit

Lifestyle Analytics is not just for the Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous. This session will apply to even middle-class cases when applied correctly and you do not have to be a CPA Forensic Accountant to prepare one. In fact, I believe a CDFA® professional with a more traditional financial planning background may be more qualified to prepare a lifestyle analysis than a traditional forensic accountant. Learn why and how to convince attorneys to get the referrals.

Approved for one (1) hour of CDFA Continuing Education Credit