Prudent Practices for Fiduciary Advisers
presented by Mario Giganti, CPA, CFP®, AIFA®

Approved for 1 CE for CFPs and CPAs

Over the years, the strict fiduciary duties outlined in the law have discouraged plan sponsors from providing their workers with the professional advice they need to plan for retirement.  The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) provides certain safe harbors for plan sponsors to provide an available advice platform to their participants without increasing fiduciary liability.

The handbook, Prudent Practices for Fiduciary Advisors, provides a fiduciary practice framework designed to address the needs of the newly designated fiduciary adviser in delivering custom advice to plan participants and their beneficiaries with regard to their qualified plan investments. 

Although providing investment advice to plan participants is not new, the new safe harbor creates significant marketing opportunities for advisers in the insurance, banking, securities and advisory industries as long as each can be fiduciary advisers under the new ERISA safe harbor described in PPA.  The practices are intended to demonstrate to the fiduciary adviser how he or she may best adhere to ERISA requirements and satisfy the new exemption requirements of Section 601 of the PPA. 

Mario Giganti is a nationally recognized investment expert in Procedural Prudence, Fiduciary Standards and Best Practices that define a Prudent Investment Process.  He works with individual clients integrating the concepts of the financial planning process into their daily lives, provides investment advisory services to trustees and fiduciaries of qualified plans and endowments, and is a faculty member for the Center for Fiduciary Studies in Pittsburgh. 

Mario’s diverse background in large and small businesses as well as the accounting, brokerage and financial planning industries blends an expertise not typically found in this area.  He has written articles on investment fiduciary responsibility, with his comments appearing in Investment News and the Akron Beacon Journal, among others.  He has also published articles that can be found on the 401(k)helpcenter website, a valuable resource to the retirement plan community.

He is heavily involved in different community activities and with his college alma mater, Walsh University.  In 2004, he was recognized as Walsh’s “Outstanding Alumnus of the Year” for his personal, professional and community activities.  In 2006, he was elected into the Walsh University “Wall of Fame” for his accomplishments on the soccer field.  Mario, his wife Kim and sons Michael & Vincent reside in Uniontown, Ohio.
 

Reverse Mortgage Basics
presented by Mark King

Approved for 1 CE for CFPs and CPAs

This one-hour class will present an overview of the HUD Reverse Mortgage Program.  Financial Professionals will gain insight and practical application of reverse mortgages as a planning tool.  The new home purchase option will also be reviewed.

Mark has three years experience consulting and originating reverse mortgage loans for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in North Olmsted..

He is certified to conduct continuing education for lawyers, Realtors, financial planners and insurance professionals.

Last year he originated just under one hundred loans. This has provided him with unique insight into the reverse mortgage industry.

A home purchase option will soon be added to the National Reverse Mortgage Program.

Last year there were over one hundred thousand loans originated,  that number is expected to double this year.