Smart Planning with AI: Real-World Strategies with Chris Benson
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
Artificial intelligence is transforming how CPA financial planners approach research, analysis, and communication. In this episode, Chris Benson shares how he moved from curiosity to confident integration of AI in his daily practice. He explains how AI helps him generate first drafts of client communication, brainstorm planning strategies, and reduce research time from hours to minutes. Chris also provides a balanced perspective on data privacy, compliance risks, and how planners should evaluate new tools without getting distracted by every new release. Whether you are just beginning to...
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How CPAs Are Shaping the Future of Financial Planning with Jimmy Williams
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
Jimmy Williams, CPA/PFS, shares how the role of the CPA is evolving from compliance technician to holistic financial planner. In this episode, Jimmy and host Cary Sinnett explore how trust, technical excellence, and human connection are converging in a new era of planning, and why CPAs are uniquely positioned to lead it. · Learn how CPAs can step into their fullest potential as advisors. · Hear about the added value to your clients and to your practice. · Discover what’s driving...
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Deadlines, Deductions & Decisions: Year-End Planning for the New Tax Era with Bob Keebler
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
Bob Keebler joins Cary Sinnett to unpack why this year-end is anything but routine. With shifting tax thresholds and surprise penalties lurking under the surface, every decision matters more than ever. This rapid-fire episode arms CPA financial planners with critical year-end strategies, from Roth conversions to trust distribution traps. Don’t miss your chance to finish strong and plan ahead with confidence. AICPA Resources: This episode is brought to you by the AICPA’s , the premier provider of information, tools, advocacy, and guidance for professionals who...
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Wealth, Meaning and the Future of Advice with Dr. Brian Portnoy
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
Building wealth is one thing. Defining what wealth means is another. In this episode, Cary Sinnett sits down with Dr. Brian Portnoy, one of the world’s leading experts on the psychology of money, to explore why the future of financial advice isn’t just about technical expertise — it’s about emotional intelligence, perspective, and purpose. Brian unpacks his powerful concept of “funded contentment” — the idea that true wealth is the ability to live a meaningful life, not just grow a bigger balance sheet. He shares practical ways advisors can help clients escape the hedonic...
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Building Financial Capability Across Generations
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
When families look to CPA financial planners, they’re often asking more than just tax or investment questions. They want to know: Will my kids be ready when it’s their turn to inherit? In this episode, Cary Sinnett welcomes Mindy Kalinowski Earley, consultant to ultra-high-net-worth families and Chief Learning Officer at Family Office Exchange. With two decades of experience at the intersection of family dynamics and education, Mindy challenges planners to move beyond balance sheets and into legacy stewardship. Together, they explore: · Why preparing...
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The Exit Blueprint: Strategies to Maximize Value and Minimize Risk
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
When business owners skip exit planning, the fallout can be brutal; value lost, families divided, legacies diminished. But with the right strategy, an exit isn’t chaos, it’s a launchpad: valuations climb, transitions smooth out, and owners step confidently into their next chapter. In this episode of the AICPA Personal Financial Planning Podcast, host Cary Sinnett welcomes Daniel D. Meiklejohn, JD, CPA, PFS. With his rare combination of legal, tax, and financial planning expertise, Daniel helps business owners turn exits from reactive scrambles into deliberate successes, covering everything...
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Portability Denied: The Compliance Misstep That Cost Millions with Bob Keebler
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
What happens when one overlooked detail turns a thoughtful estate plan into a multi-million-dollar tax disaster? In this episode of the AICPA Personal Financial Planning Podcast, nationally recognized tax and estate planning expert Bob Keebler joins Cary Sinnett to unpack the cautionary tale of Estate of Rowland v. Commissioner. Despite well-crafted trusts and modest estates, a simple misstep in making the portability election led to the loss of $3.7 million in estate tax exemption. The case underscores the reality that “substantial compliance is not enough” when filing Form 706—and the...
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A New Kind of Deduction: Advanced Planning Strategies for a Changed Tax Code
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
Jeff Levine joins us to break down one of the most surprising features of the new tax law: a brand-new type of deduction that could significantly change the way we think about AGI thresholds, phaseouts, and entity planning. In this episode, we unpack how the latest changes in the tax code are opening up advanced strategies for clients, and where financial planners need to stay sharp to avoid stealth cliffs and missed opportunities. Key Topics Covered: The new above-the-line deduction and who can benefit Planning around AGI phaseouts and stealth tax cliffs Leveraging non-grantor trusts for...
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Future-Proof Your Firm: Attracting Gen Z to CPA Financial Planning
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
The pipeline is aging—and the profession is feeling the pressure. But what if Gen Z isn’t just the next wave of talent, but the spark that transforms your practice? In this energizing episode, Cary Sinnett sits down with Sherron Permashwar, CPA and founder of The Modern Savvy CPA, to unpack why recruiting Gen Z isn’t just important—it’s essential. Sherron brings her insight as a 27-year CPA veteran with a digital-native following to explore: · What Gen Z really wants from a career in financial planning · How...
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Disaster-Proofing Your Clients' Finances: Lessons from the Front Lines
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
When disaster strikes—wildfire, flood, earthquake—will your clients’ finances survive the storm? In this episode, host Cary Sinnett speaks with Mitch Freeman, CPA/PFS, a nationally recognized advisor with firsthand experience navigating the financial aftermath of natural disasters. Mitch shares practical insights on: · Proactive steps to prepare clients financially for disasters · Insurance challenges in high-risk areas · How private adjusters can ease post-disaster stress ...
info_outlineIn this episode of the AICPA Personal Financial Planning Podcast, Cary Sinnett welcomes Bob Keebler, a nationally recognized expert in estate and tax planning. Together, they break down the critical topic of portability in estate planning—what it is, how it works, and why it matters for both financial planners and clients.
Key Insights:
Portability: Use It or Lose It – If you don't elect portability within the required time frame, the deceased spouse’s unused estate tax exemption is lost forever.
Deadlines Matter – The DSUE must be filed within 9 months of death, but an extension up to 15 months is possible. For smaller estates, a late portability election may be available for up to 5 years.
Bypass Trust vs. Portability – While portability can double a surviving spouse’s exemption, a bypass trust protects future growth from estate taxes. The right choice depends on long-term tax projections.
Estate Planning in 2025 & Beyond – The current $14 million exemption per person is set to sunset in 2026, potentially dropping to $7 million. Planners must prepare clients accordingly.
CPAs Must Be Proactive – Even if a CPA isn’t directly engaged for estate tax returns, they should ask key questions about a client’s estate plan, especially if the surviving spouse's assets could exceed the future exemption limit.
Resources & Links:
- AICPA PFP Section
- Email us your feedback
- Related video and slides: Estate planning deep dive (exclusive to PFP Section members)
This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here. Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com