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The 2014 ASPPA Annual Conference: Customization and Diversification

Keeping with the theme “Raising the Bar,” we hope you will find that the 2014 ASPPA Annual Conference educational offerings will prove to exceed expectations in content, delivery and selection. Content for the 2014 ASPPA Annual conference has been programmed using the results of the voting tool made available last Fall. ASPPA members voted for the topics they most wished to see and had the opportunity to submit their own suggestions for exciting and relevant subject matter. 

Building on its successful launch, the 2014 ASPPA Annual conference will expand the diversification of the learning environments/styles offered that it began last year. We are excited to have even more small group “Conversations That Matter” (CTMs) and will also spread the learning labs over Monday and Tuesday to allow attendees to take advantage of as much content as they desire.

Conversations That Matter

You may have heard a buzz following last year’s CTM sessions and wondered what all the hype is. CTMs create an opportunity to participate in engaging, facilitated conversations that explore questions and issues that affect our ever-changing industry. A facilitator and a subject matter expert (SME) present a short overview of a case study or key questions, then engage the audience in an exploratory conversation with a focused group of colleagues. These roundtable sessions promote interactivity between attendees, allowing for brainstorming, problem-solving and engagement with some of the industry’s most sought-after experts. To ensure the discussions are filled with the most significant topics, addressing the most pressing issues attendees face, SMEs and facilitators will be coordinating with session attendees before the conference.

These sessions provide the intimate feel of a small conference with the expertise and resources of Annual! In order to make these sessions a success, enable for full participation and provide for great networking opportunities, these sessions are limited to a smaller audience and require pre-registration.

Register now! Take part in these exciting sessions and return to your office with practical advice and suggested action steps that will help you successfully implement and/or utilize strategies and approaches to similar situations you may encounter. There are twice as many sessions as last year; nonetheless, it still is best to register early as these classes fill-up quickly.

  • 10/27 10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Business Owners Roundtable
  • 10/27 2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. How to Do the “How-Tos”
  • 10/28 9:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Headache or Opportunity? Working through the PPA Restatement Cycle
  • 10/28 11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Design or Disaster, Proper Use of the Safe Harbor 401(k)
  • 10/28 2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Delivering on Your Sales Pitch: Effective Strategies for Takeover Case Success
  • 10/28 4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Advanced Issues with Participant Loans and Hardship Withdrawals
  • 10/29 10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Strategies for Increasing Participant Savings

Learning Labs

How many of us liked to get extra credit from the teacher? While attendance is not necessary in order to receive your full 25 hours of ASPPA CE credit traditionally available at Annual, these extra sessions offer one credit per lab if you are looking for an alternative learning experience.

There are seven optional 50-minute learning labs held on Monday and Tuesday that give you Cliff’s Notes-style overviews of selected topics. The learning labs this year are split between lunch on Monday and lunch on Tuesday, (rather than all the labs being on lunch Tuesday as they were last year).

  • 10/27 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Creditor Protection of Retirement Plan Assets
  • 10/27 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Educating the Employer on the Rules They Need to Know to Provide Accurate Census Data
  • 10/27 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Form 1099-R Reporting for Corrective Distributions, Roth Distributions and Other Unusual Transactions
  • 10/27 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Unscripted Peer-to-Peer Conversations
  • 10/28 12:40 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Top 10 Top-heavy Errors: A Case Study Approach
  • 10/28 12:40 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Catch-up: The Good, The Bad and The Fiscal Year
  • 10/28 12:40 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Unscripted Peer-to-Peer Conversations

Make the 2014 ASPPA Annual your own! With a diverse range of topics, learning environments and an opportunity for extra credit, you have the opportunity to create a personalized and unique conference experience based on your needs, expertise and practice. Register early to take advantage of the best selection of available topics and sessions — looking forward to seeing you there!

Jennifer Gibbs Swets, QPA, QKA, ERPA is a senior manager with Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP in the Norfolk, Virginia office. She is co-chair of the ASPPA Annual Conference Committee. 

William C. Grossman, QPA, ERPA, APA, GFS is the director of education and communications with McKay Hochman. He is co-chair of the 2014 ASPPA Annual Conference Committee.