July 2023

July 6, 2023 - Advanced Reverse Mortgage Strategies for Retirement Planning; presented by Shanne Sleder and Moderated by Daniel Guillen, AIF®, CEPA® 
Reverse mortgages are no longer just a product of last resort for retirees. Research has been done by experts in the financial and advisory world such as Wade Pfau Ph.D, CFA, Jamie Hopkins, CFP, RICP, and Barry Sacks Ph.D, J.D., showing how a reverse mortgage may be a useful tool to help enhance and extend retirement assets and complement a well-crafted financial plan for a homeowner.  Shane will share how you can help your clients with the following:

  • A coordinated strategy with a reverse line of credit can help sustain higher spending rates in retirement while preventing portfolio exhaustion
  • Reverse mortgage draws can provide the delays necessary to increase future social security or pension income
  • Use a reverse mortgage to maximize IRA Roth Conversions, and
  • Seniors can “right size” their homes with a reverse mortgage while increasing retirement assets.


July 13, 2023 – Pre-empted for Orange County EPI Chapter Meeting
Join us for Maximize the Value of Human Capital; presented by Ailene Dewar, Daniel Feiman, and Joshua Walters.

For full description and to register, go to: www.SCInstitute.org/EPIOC

July 20, 2023 - Choosing Your Fork in the Road; presented by Joe Strazzeri, Esq. and Shelley Lightfoot 

We all have processes in our practice (whether documented or not) to engage our favorite client and get the work done.  However, at what step in your process do you stop and determine if you are going to do the work yourself or if you need to call your favorite collaborative partner(s)?  What things should you consider about your firm that may be limiting continued growth and expansion - and can those obstacles be overcome with your in-house talent and resources? Does partnering have the potential to get you farther, faster, or is it more risk than reward?  If you were to partner with outside resources, what do you stand to lose or gain?  In this session, Joe and Shelley will share a way to assess your practice and determine whether partnering with fellow advisors offers a solution to these quandaries – and if so, how do you develop the “Fork in the Road” in your process to do so?   

July 27, 2023 – What to Look for in Your Client’s Financial Statements That Will Make the Biggest Difference; presented by Jeffrey Kates, MBA, CEPA  

Business owners are often conflicted when it comes to deciding if, when, and how to transition out of the business.  In reality, a deep dive and clean-up of their business operations and financials will often expand the myriad of internal and external transition options.  Join Jeff as he shares how the financial statements are more than just numbers, they are a way for you to help your clients identify growth and/or financing opportunities and potential issues to remediate prior to escalation. Understand key components of balance sheets; ensure that your clients have their financial reporting available (and accurate on a timely basis); and identify the tweaks and changes that will have the biggest impact regardless of their final transition decision.   

 August 2023

August 3, 2023 – The Money Mind Game: Understanding Investor Psychology; presented by Timothy Bock
Timothy will discuss the range of emotions, biases, and cognitive processes that influence the decision-making and behavior of investors in financial markets. This presentation encompasses the interplay between fear and greed, as investors often experience heightened optimism during market booms and heightened pessimism during market downturns. Timothy will also provide insight regarding how to relate and form deeper bonds with your clients as they experience psychological factors such as confirmation bias, loss aversion, and herd mentality leading to irrational investment decisions, including buying at market peaks and selling during market bottoms.

August 10, 2023 - Pre-empted for Orange County EPI Chapter Meeting
Join us for Speed Dating Part 3: Always Know Who to Call! This session will be led by EPI OC Board Members. 
For full description and to register, go to: www.SCInstitute.org/EPIOC.

August 17, 2023 – ESOP Case Study; presented by Brad Etheridge and Joe Strazzeri, Esq.

Using an actual ESOP transaction, Brad and Joe will share how an ESOP works including unique tax features, financing options, structures, and considerations as well as preliminary valuation factors such as senior debt, sellers note, forecasted cash flow, warrant calculations, tax savings, and total outcome.  However, an ESOP is not appropriate for all businesses.  Also learn how to help your clients understand if an ESOP might be appropriate for them by sharing a comparison of a company profile it is appropriate for - and a profile where it is not suitable.

August 24, 2023 – A Checklist for Advisors:  Maintaining the Quarterback Role Before, During, and After Death; presented by Jeff Kim and Kate Langmore, Esq.
Legal, financial, tax, and other advisors are often overwhelmed by the process of settling an estate, especially when it includes real estate.  Not only is it an incredibly emotional time for the trustee and/or beneficiaries, but there is often conflict, assets, and issues to consider that no one expected to arise.  Join Jeff and Kate as they share a checklist of how you can offer invaluable insights and advice for your clients and help them potentially prevent some of those issues through proper planning/preparation, creating a great collaborative team, and easing the trustee’s burden after death.

August 31 - Pre-empted for Strazzeri Mancini LLP and Southern California Institute Team Building Event
Every 5th Thursday, the Strazzeri Mancini LLP and Southern California Institute Teams close the offices early to enjoy an afternoon of fun team building activities.

You can return to this page anytime to register for additional meetings.