Volatile Markets, Smart Estates: Keebler’s Top Tax Plays
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
Release Date: 05/30/2025
AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
Trump Accounts are here, and they come with a mix of opportunity and complexity. In this episode, Cary Sinnett (PFP Podcast) and April Walker (Tax Odyssey) team up with Sebrina Ivey, CPA/PFS, to break down the key rules and planning implications CPA Financial Planners need to understand. What’s covered: · What Trump Accounts are and how they differ from 529s, UTMA/UGMA, and ABLE accounts · The contribution, investment, and trustee rules during the “growth period” · Key...
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Non-grantor trusts are stepping into the spotlight, not for estate tax, but for income tax planning. In this episode, Cary Sinnett sits down with tax expert Bob Keebler to explore how the One Big Beautiful Act (H.R.1) reshapes the planning landscape. You’ll hear how you can use trusts to reclaim lost SALT deductions, stack §199A benefits, shift income across generations, and even layer in QSBS exemptions. If your clients are hitting phaseouts or facing high state taxes, this episode delivers advanced strategies to optimize their tax position now and into the future. Non-Grantor Trusts:...
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Busy season does not have to define a CPA’s entire year. In this episode of the AICPA Personal Financial Planning Podcast, Cary Sinnett sits down with Deb Meyer, CPA and founder of WorthyNest, to discuss her path from tax compliance to integrated financial planning. Deb shares why she merged her CPA firm and RIA, how advisory services changed her client relationships, and what CPAs should realistically expect when adding financial planning to their practice. The conversation covers leadership, delegation, client trust, pricing evolution, and the personal motivations behind making the shift....
info_outlineAICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP)
Host Cary Sinnett is joined by Dr. Brianne Smith, a PFP practitioner, CPA firm owner, and accounting professor at Auburn University, for a timely conversation on artificial intelligence in financial planning. Artificial intelligence is moving quickly into financial planning workflows, but not all “AI” tools are created equal. For CPA financial planners, the opportunity is significant: increased efficiency, deeper insights, and more client-centered communication. The risk lies in adopting technology without fully understanding what it does, how it works, and where human judgment must...
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In this episode, host Cary Sinnett is joined by Jeff Levine, CPA, CFP, a nationally recognized tax planning thought leader, to examine one of the most persistent dilemmas in personal financial planning: the tension between income tax strategies and estate tax minimization. They explore why these two priorities often conflict and walk through practical examples CPA financial planners face when advising clients on gifting, step-up in basis, trust structures, and navigating compressed tax brackets. Jeff explains how changes to the federal estate tax exemption, evolving client...
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What happens when technical excellence meets deep human empathy? In this episode, Carl Richards, CFP®, author of and creator of the famed “Sketch Guy” column in The New York Times, joins host Cary Sinnett to explore how CPA financial planners can foster trust through simplicity, storytelling, and purposeful conversation. Carl shares how sketches can cut through complexity, how planners can create space for real client understanding, and why listening with intention may be your most powerful technical skill. Whether you're coaching a client through uncertainty or explaining a nuanced...
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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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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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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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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...
info_outlineWhen the markets swing, smart estate planning can make or break your client’s legacy. In this episode, Bob Keebler, CPA/PFS, joins Cary Sinnett to reveal the overlooked tax moves CPA financial planners need to know—from the strategic use of the Alternate Valuation Date (AVD) to avoiding costly missteps with the Kenan Doctrine.
Learn how the 645 election can shift tax treatment in your favor, why timing and valuation matter more than ever, and how to deliver sharp planning with empathy during emotional times. If you advise estates in a volatile market, these insights could reshape your postmortem playbook.
💡 Topics Covered:
- Alternate Valuation Date: when and how it reduces estate tax
- Kenan Doctrine: the hidden capital gain trap in bequests
- 645 Election: unlocking more favorable tax treatment for trusts
- Managing concentrated positions and planning for liquidity
- Balancing technical expertise with compassionate client communication
🔗 Resources & More:
- Guide: Vol. 1 - The Adviser’s Guide to Financial & Estate Planning – 15th Ed
- Webcast: Critical Income, Estate and Trust Planning for 2023 and Beyond
- Article: NumberCruncher for Financial Planners
This episode is brought to you by the AICPA’s Personal Financial Planning Section, the premier provider of information, tools, advocacy, and guidance for professionals who specialize in providing tax, estate, retirement, risk management and investment planning advice. Also, by the CPA/PFS credential program, which allows CPAs to demonstrate competence and confidence in providing these services to their clients. Visit us online to join our community, gain access to valuable member-only benefits or learn about our PFP certificate program.
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