WP&BC Webcast
The WP&BC Governing Board in Sacramento sponsored a 100-minute webcast with Ilene Ferenczy as the presenter on December 14. The webcast covered Ethics, and included scenarios of common problems with discussions of possible solutions.
ASPPA VIRTUAL CONFERENCE – Washington, DC
Ilene Ferenczy was in DC following her AICPA Conference appearance earlier in the week to be part of the panel for the popular ASPPA-sponsored Virtual Conference on December 8. She co-presented a session on ethics, one on plan design issues that should be discussed during year-end plan reviews, and was also part of the “Ask the Experts” concluding session.
AICPA NATIONAL EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONFERENCE – Washington, DC
On December 5, Ilene Ferenczy presented a general session to the attendees of this annual CPA conference regarding current litigation and legislation in employee benefits. Instead of a presentation, she had an on-stage conversation with John Eder, CFO of Hard Rock Cafe, and questioned him regarding a DOL audit his company recently went through and discussed procedures and the outcome.
FULL-DAY TRAINING WORKSHOPS – Austin and Dallas, TX
Ilene Ferenczy was in Texas the week of November 6th, traveling first to Austin to present a training workshop on 11/7 to the members of the ASPPA Benefits Council of Central Texas, followed by a trip to Dallas to present the same full-day program to the members of the ASPPA Benefits Council of Dallas/Fort Worth on 11/9. Both groups heard presentations on “Keeping Current: Washington Update,” “Plan Corrections Every TPA and Financial Advisor Should Know,” “EPCRS for the Experienced Practitioner,” “Ethics & Professional Responsibility,” “Nightmare on TPA Street,” and a fun game of “Pension Jeopardy.” CE credit was available in both locations.
DC-1 TWO-DAY EXAM PREP COURSE – Atlanta, GA and online
The ASPPA Benefits Council of Atlanta sponsored an Interactive Live Stream Webinar featuring Ilene Ferenczy and Alison Cohen and there was the option of attending in person in Atlanta. Ilene & Alison taught a DC-1 Exam Prep class with two four-hour sessions held on Thursday & Friday, November 2-3, 2017, from 12:00 to 4:00 pm. A total of 8 ASPPA Continuing Education Credits were available for all participants, which made this an excellent opportunity for all ASPPA credentialed members to obtain required CE credits as well as refresh their basic understanding of retirement plan rules.
ERISAPEDIA/FERENCZY BENEFITS LAW CENTER WEBCAST
On October 17 and repeated on October 31, ERISApedia and Ferenczy Benefits Law Center offered another one-hour webcast as part of our free research training series. Ilene Ferenczy partnered with Tim McCutcheon of ERISApedia to present “Common Problems in Mergers & Acquisitions.” CE and ERPA credit were available. For more information on upcoming free webcasts, go to www.erisapedia.com.
ASPPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE – National Harbor, DC
Ilene Ferenczy and Alison Cohen attended this annual national conference during October 22-25. Ilene presented a session on “Protections of the Written Word,” and co-presented another session on “Fiduciary Case Studies,” as well as participated in the always popular “Current Events” session featuring a host of pension notables in the format of “Hollywood Squares.” Alison was also a participant in “Hollywood Squares,” and presented workshops on “Ethics and Best Practices for Fiduciary Service Providers,” and “A VCP Fix-It Guide for Common Errors: Part I.” On the day prior to the conference, Ilene attended the ASPPA Leadership Council meeting, and she stayed on at National Harbor after the conference to attend a national meeting of the NAACI and give a presentation there on service agreements.
ERISAPEDIA/FERENCZY BENEFITS LAW CENTER WEBCAST
ERISApedia and Ferenczy Benefits Law Center teamed up on September 19 at 2:00 pm EDT to offer a two-hour webcast on a special set of retirement plan relief rules just announced for Hurricane Harvey. This webcast was part of our free research training series. Derrin Watson presented “What a Relief: Disaster Assistance for Retirement Plans.” CE and ERPA credit was available. For more information and to register for upcoming free webcasts, go to www.erisapedia.com.
FIS ADVANCED PENSION CONFERENCE – Chicago
During September 6-8, Ilene Ferenczy was one of the four main presenters at this semi-annual conference. Some of the sessions were led by Ilene alone, and some were co-presented. Her topics for this fall’s training were: “Keeping Current”; Advanced Hardships & Loans”; Final Fiduciary Regulation – Current Status”; Govern Yourself Accordingly: How Governance Documents Can Help Your Clients Be Prudent”; and “M&A: How I Learned to Love the 410(b)(6) Transition.” In addition, Ilene once again participated on the “Ask the Experts” panel and was a participant in the ever-popular “Pension Jeopardy” contest.
ASPPA BENEFITS COUNCIL OF ATLANTA – Atlanta
Alison Cohen and Ilene Ferenczy joined forces on August 29 to co-present a luncheon workshop at the Buckhead Club on “Controlled and Affiliated Service Groups” to the metro Atlanta members of the ABC.
MIDWESTERN SEMINAR SERIES – Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne
Ilene Ferenczy presented a three-day series of seminars for three unrelated entities in the Midwest from August 21-23. Due to their relatively close geographical proximity (Ameritas in Cincinnati, ISCEBS of Northern Indiana in Indianapolis, and ABC of Northern Indiana in Fort Wayne), these three groups hosted full-day seminars back-to-back for their memberships. Ilene spent a day at each location presenting an agenda comprised of “Keeping Current: A Washington Update,” “Give Your Plan Sponsors Best Practices,” “What’s the Deal With the Whole Fiduciary Thing?,” “Defective Plans and How to Cure Them,” and Ethics and Professional Responsibility.”
WELLS FARGO ADVISORS LUNCH & LEARN – Atlanta
Alison Cohen took the podium at Maggiano’s – Perimeter on August 17 at this Wells Fargo-sponsored workshop to give an overview to participants of what the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor are looking for these days, including hotspots, audit agenda items, and dreaded fines. The program was designed for plan sponsors, human resources executives, and benefits personnel.
ERISAPEDIA/FERENCZY BENEFITS LAW CENTER WEBCAST
On August 15th, ERISApedia and Ferenczy Benefits Law Center offered a repeat of our August 3rd free webinar – Part II of a two-part program focusing on EPCRS as part of our free research training series of webcasts. Ilene Ferenczy partnered with Tim McCutcheon of ERISApedia to present “EPCRS Part II: Corrections Tips and Tricks.” CE and ERPA credit were available for participants. For more information on future free training webcasts, go to www.erisapedia.com.
TPA STUDY GROUP – Dana Point, CA
Alison Cohen continued her West Coast presentations on August 10-11 in Dana Point, conducting a study group meeting for several local TPA firms. She covered “Investigations, Audits, and Mistakes – Oh My!”
TRAINING SEMINARS – Houston
Ilene Ferenczy conducted two in-house training events in Houston August 8-9 for two local area TPAs. A total of eight different topics were covered over the two-day period, and there were several opportunities for the participants to be actively involved through small group case studies.
FINANCIAL ADVISOR LUNCH & LEARN – Costa Mesa, CA
Alison Cohen began her West Coast speaking tour with a seminar for local financial advisors on August 9 sponsored by a Santa Ana investment firm. She spoke on “Do You Need to Be a Fiduciary to Show Value?”
ONEAMERICA TRAINING SEMINARS/WEBCASTS – Indianapolis
Ilene Ferenczy was in Indianapolis July 31 – August 2 presenting a combined set of five topics providing six hours of CPE credit to the national employees of OneAmerica. She conducted sessions on “Compensation Consternation,” Makeover Your Takeover,” Top 10 Pitfalls of Plan Administration,” “Mergers & Acquisitions,” and Ethics & Professional Responsibility.” The presentations were offered to employees at various times over the course of the three days and Ilene spoke to live audiences of local employees, with many more employees around the country tuning in via webcast.
ASPPA WEBCAST
Alison Cohen took to the airwaves on July 11 to enlighten national pension practitioners on EPCRS issues with a webcast on “Say it Ain’t So: Real Life EPCRS Case Studies You Just Can’t Make Up!”
ASPPA WESTERN BENEFITS CONFERENCE – Anaheim
July 9-12 marked the dates that Ilene Ferenczy participated in this annual conference designed specifically for retirement and health and welfare benefits professionals, with an emphasis on practical issues important to plan sponsors and their advisors. It was an ideal opportunity for practitioners to speak with nationally renowned speakers and government representatives, and sessions addressed the latest industry developments. Ilene presented a session on “General Ethics” and one on “The Trials and Tribulations of the Conflicted Advice Regulation,” as well as served as one of the experts on the “Ask the Experts – DC” panel.
ABC OF GREATER TWIN CITIES – Minneapolis
Ilene Ferenczy visited Minneapolis on June 13th to present a full-day training seminar for the local ABC chapter. Her topics included: “Ethics Case Studies,” “Multiple Employer Plans,” “EPCRS for the Experienced Practitioner,” “Case Studies in Mergers & Acquisitions,” and a fun session of “Pension Jeopardy” to give the participants a taste of how well they know the current industry trends.
ASPPA WOMEN BUSINESS LEADERS FORUM – Denver
The 2017 Women Business Leaders Forum sponsored by ASPPA focused on leadership speaking and development, the power of ethics, secrets to creating a magical customer experience and building loyalty, and cyber security threats. It was a mix of general sessions and roundtables with plenty of time to network with peers. Ilene Ferenczy was one of the workshop presenters and also led a roundtable discussion on “You and the DOL Regs: How the TPA Biz Has Changed … Or Has It?
ERISAPEDIA/FERENCZY BENEFITS LAW CENTER WEBCAST
On May 25th, ERISApedia and Ferenczy Benefits Law Center offered the second in a series of free research training webcasts. Derrin Watson presented information regarding the intricacies of Forms 5500, and CE and ERPA credit was available.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PENSION ADMINISTRATORS (NIPA) ANNUAL FORUM AND EXPO – Las Vegas
Ilene Ferenczy and Alison Cohen traveled to Las Vegas during May 22-24 to present to the national NIPA attendees. The sessions were conducted in person and simultaneously broadcast virtually. Ilene presented two Compensation sessions – the first session was “Compensation Part I – Allowable Definitions and When to Use Them,” and the second session was a discussion for advanced participants, “Compensation Part II – Income and Advanced Topics.” Alison’s two sessions were “Ethics – Review of Circular 230” and “Case Studies in Ethics.”
NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF CPAs EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS CONFERENCE – Greensboro
Ilene Ferenczy had a full day of presenting to the NCACPA group on May 16. She was the kick-off speaker, setting the tone for the day-long conference, with the topic of “Trends in Employee Benefits.” Later in the morning she co-presented a session on “Surviving a DOL Audit,” and in the afternoon she was part of a panel of experts fielding questions during a Q&A session.
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CPAs (AICPA) EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS CONFERENCE – Nashville
During May 8-10, Ilene Ferenczy was in Nashville to present a general session to all the attendees on “Keeping Current: Legal Update,” as well as co-presenting “Understanding the Mysteries of 401(k) Nondiscrimination Testing and More!” The conference was very well attended by the national membership of CPAs.
MILLIMAN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONSULTANTS FORUM – Atlanta
Ilene Ferenczy addressed the participants at Milliman’s annual conference on May 4th. The attendees included all levels of consultants from the firm and encompassed all types of employee benefits professionals including corporate, multiemployer, and public actuarial, DB and DC Admin, investment consulting, and compliance. Ilene was the keynote speaker and discussed “Case Studies in Mergers and Acquisitions.”
ASPPA EASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE- Philadelphia
Ilene Ferenczy was in Philadelphia on April 26-28 for the regional conference that featured industry experts and legislative representatives providing insight into the latest trends and regulations. Ilene led workshops on “Ethics and Co-Fiduciary Liability With 3(16) Services and Their Implications,” and “Defective Plans and How to Cure Them.” She also was one of the panelists on the “Ask the Experts – Defined Contributions” panel. Following the conference, Ilene stayed on in Philadelphia to attend ASPPA’s Leadership Council meeting over the weekend.
PENSIONS ON PEACHTREE CONFERENCE – Atlanta
Beginning with a Georgia-themed cocktail hour on Sunday evening, Ilene Ferenczy and Alison Cohen once again partnered with the professional educators at FIS (formerly SunGard) to sponsor the annual Pensions on Peachtree Conference. The participants earned several CE credits during the two-day workshop while interacting directly with some of the premier speakers in the industry. As promised, we delivered great networking opportunities, varied and insightful conference sessions, tasty ribs and other delights at the evening BBQ at Ilene’s home, and much more. Be sure to join us next April – the dates will be posted on our website in the near future so you can mark your calendar.
ASPPA BUSINESS MANAGERS AND OWNERS CONFERENCE – Chicago
Ilene Ferenczy traveled to Chicago on April 2-4 to be one of the speakers at this annual ASPPA BMO Conference. The topic was “Reducing TPA Firm Liability: Updating Your Service Contract Post-408(b)(2) and Managing Higher Risk Issues.” Ilene was also a co-panelist for an open Q&A session with the attendees.
TRANSAMERICA RETIREMENT INDUSTRY LEADERS WEBINAR – Webcast
March 30 marked the date that Ilene Ferenczy presented this annual webcast sponsored by Transamerica. The topic was “Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Regs?”
FIS ADVANCED PENSION CONFERENCE – Orlando, FL
FIS Global once again hosted its semi-annual Advanced Pension Conference during February 1-3 in Orlando. Ilene Ferenczy was one of the main speakers. This year’s conference was held at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal. Ilene co-presented the opening general session, “Keeping Current,” a session for all participants devoted to the recent developments with Congress, the IRS, the DOL and the courts. She also co-presented a general session on “The Final Fiduciary Regulations” and a follow-up Q&A session on the regs. She presented multiple sessions on “Plan Governance Overview” and “Radical Mid-Year Changes to Safe Harbor Plans,” as well as served as a contestant in the popular “Pension Jeopardy” contest and as a panelist for the “Ask the Experts” closing session.
ERISApedia WEBCAST
Ilene Ferenczy partnered with Tim McCutcheon (Publisher of ERISApedia) on January 26 to present “A Practical Guide to ERISA Compliance Research” webcast for benefits practitioners on how to do effective pension research. The difference between a competent employee benefits professional and an expert often is nothing more than knowing where to look for answers. Ilene and Tim revealed where they look – not just the statute and regulations but legislative materials, preambles, Q&A compilations, Advisory Opinions, Private Letter Rulings, Revenue Procedures, Notices, FAQs, newsletters, web sites and other secondary sources. They also gave an insider’s perspective on how guidance gets generated and how to determine which resources are most reliable.
LOS ANGELES ADVANCED PENSION CONFERENCE- Los Angeles
Ilene Ferenczy traveled to Los Angeles on January 19-20 to present a session on “Give Your Plan Sponsors Best Practices” at this annual conference. She also presented several Lunch & Learn programs on a variety of topics to various TPAs in the area in the days preceding the conference.