Education Speakers & Topics ( CPE/ CLE/MCLE)
Friday, January 21st
1:30 PM - 2:20 PM (50)
Alvin Golden, Esq., CPA, Ikard & Golden, P.C.
Estate Tax Update
This program will discuss the latest changes based on Congressional decisions that will change future estate planning.
2:20 PM - 3:10 PM (50)
Cory Dowell, CFP, Bernstein Wealth Management Group
Roth IRA Conversions
The Roth IRA is arguably the most powerful retirement and estate planning tool available. Those who have enough wealth in their personal accounts to pay the taxes on the conversion and still have sufficient assets to delay drawing from their IRA until late in retirement will clearly benefit from converting. In particular, future generations will be far better off inheriting a tax-free Roth than either taxable assets or a traditional IRA. This session will explore the particular income and estate tax planning considerations particular to this strategy.
3:10 PM - 3:20 PM Break
3:20 PM - 4:10 PM (50)
Howard Bernstein, Esq., CPA, Howard O. Bernstein, P.C. and
William T. ( Tommy) Simmons, Esq., Texas Workforce Commission
Workforce Commission
Recent trends in federal and state compliance concerning classification of workers. The session addresses the current environment of increased investigation and penalties for misclassifying workers and will cover proposed legislation.
4:10 PM - 5:00 PM (50)
William Hornberger, Esq., LL.M, CPA and Steven Moore, Esq., Jackson Walker, L.L.P.
Margin Tax
This Texas franchise tax presentation will provide a transactional approach to analyzing the impact of the Texas margin tax including a review and comparison of state vs. federal tax treatment of certain common business structures. The presentation will also provide current information on legislation pending or likely to be filed in the 2011 Texas Legislative Session.
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Networking Reception
Saturday, January 22nd
7:45 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast Buffet
9:00 AM - 11:05 AM (125)
Adrian Van Zelfen, Esq., CPA, The CPA-Team
Tax Roundtable Discussion
Audience participation on any and all Federal Income Tax and tax practice related issues. What have you learned recently that is of value or benefit to the rest of us? Is there something with which you are currently dealing, for which you would gain from the group’s collective wisdom; this is your chance to ask.
11:05 AM - 11:15 AM Break
11:15 AM - 12:05 PM (50)
Joan Conway Waller, Esq., Secore & Waller, L.L.P.
Dodd-Frank in One Minute or Less
This presentation will center on the Dodd-Frank provisions that are likely to directly affect investment advisers or sponsors of securities offerings, and the lawyers and accountants who advise them. Discussion will involve the change in the regulation of investment advisers as well as some related investor protection provisions and the provisions that affect private placements of securities.
12:05 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch Buffet
Faculty Biographies
Howard Bernstein, Esq., CPA, based in Boulder, Colorado, has 30 years of experience in law, corporate financial management, auditing, accounting, financial analysis, sales, personnel recruiting, and management consulting. He works primarily with small and mid-sized companies. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the Bar of the State of Colorado, where his practice emphasizes international law, small business law, employment and taxation. His employment law practice focuses on proper classification of workers as well as litigating employment disputes. He is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the American Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants. He is actively involved in the international and domestic distribution of a diverse selection of products for clients located in the U.S. and abroad. Howard practices before the U.S. Tax Court and has testified as an expert witness regarding matters of federal, state and international taxation. He received his B.A. with honors from Columbia University, his M.B.A. from Cornell University, Johnson School of Management, his Advanced Professional Certificate (post-M.B.A.) from New York University, Stern School of Business, and his J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law. Howard lectures on matters involving employment law, taxation, and legal ethics.
Cory Dowell , CFP, was named a Director in Bernstein’s Wealth Management Group in 2009. He advises clients and their professional advisors regarding taxation, estate planning, risk management, business transactions, investment objectives and charitable giving plans. Mr. Dowell joined the firm as an investment planning analyst in 2004; he became a senior investment planning analyst in 2005 and was named a wealth management specialist in 2006. Previously, Mr. Dowell was a senior investment consultant at Fidelity Investments for eight years. He has advised some of the largest corporations in the world on their equity compensation, retirement plans and investment options. Mr. Dowell earned a BBA in finance from the University of Texas, Arlington, and an MBA with a dual concentration in finance and investment consulting from Southern Methodist University.
Alvin Golden, Esq., CPA, has extensive speaking in estate planning, community property law and employee benefits areas, including programs for State Bar of Texas, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, International Academy of Estate and Trust Law, American Bar Association and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants to name a few. In addition, he is active in the legislative activities for the Real Estate, Probate & Trust Law Section and the Texas Academy of Probate Lawyers and has published articles in Estate Planning Magazine, the ACTEC Journal, Trusts and Estates Magazine, and Texas Tech Estate Planning and Community Property Law Journal.
William Hornberger, Esq., LL.M., CPA tax practice emphasizes transactional and international tax matters and tax controversy issues. Willie received his undergraduate degree (in Accounting), with High Honors, and his J.D. degree, with Honors, from The University of Texas. He also has an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant. Willie is a member of the Dallas Bar Association, the Texas Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. Willie served as the 2008-2009 Chair of the Dallas CPA Society, the 2005 Chair of the Section of Taxation of the Dallas Bar Association and the 2001-02 Chair of the Section of Taxation of the State Bar of Texas and the 2008 Executive Committee of The Real Estate Council. He currently serves as a member of the Executive Board and the board of directors of the Texas Society of CPAs. He also serves on the Board of The Real Estate Council and on the Board and Executive Committee of the Holocaust Museum of Dallas. He has served on the Board of Directors of The Real Estate Council Foundation of Dallas and The Covenant School. He has served as an Adjunct Professor in Taxation at the SMU Law School. Willie is a frequent speaker and author on both domestic and international tax topics and he has been listed in “Best Lawyers in America” under Tax Law since 2003.
Steven Moore is a state tax lawyer whose practice includes planning and controversy work emphasizing sales tax, Texas franchise (aka "margin") tax, and insurance premium tax. Mr. Moore is dedicated, from a value driven perspective, to helping his clients fully comply with and control their tax exposure. Steven has extensive experience in state tax planning for multi-state business models, and regularly provides tax strategy advice relating to business acquisitions and divestitures. An effective negotiator, he works to reach successful and economically viable resolutions to Texas sales, franchise, and insurance premium tax audits. To this end, Steven handles administrative hearings before the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and works with the firm's litigation group to prosecute judicial resolution of Texas tax cases. Recognized for his depth of expertise in state tax matters, he is one of the state's leading attorneys for guidance on the new Texas margin tax and he frequently speaks on this topic, with ongoing commitments for presentations to Texas State Bar and University of Texas CLE programs.
William T. (Tommy) Simmons, Esq., serves as legal counsel for Chairman Tom Pauken, the Commissioner representing employers at the Texas Workforce Commission, where he advises the Commissioner on final-level unemployment and wage claim appeals, assists business groups with employment-related legislation, and counsels employers on Texas and federal employment laws. He is the author of the book Especially for Texas Employers and is also the editor of the Employment Law Handbook of the Texas Association of Business.
Adrian Van Zelfen, Esq., CPA, helps business owners and owners of professional practices. He has written numerous training books on how to succeed in business and master the money game as well as work with the IRS. He is a magna cum laude college graduate and a former USAF Captain.
Joan Conway Waller, Esq., is a partner with Secore & Waller, L.L.P., in Dallas, TX. Jo advises clients on a variety of securities law issues, ranging from offerings of securities to corporate governance and regulatory compliance. The firm represents clients in securities law-related matters, including private placements of securities, registration and licensing of investment advisers and broker/dealers, securities reporting requirements, internal investigations, representation in regulatory investigations or proceedings, and defense of enforcement actions instituted by federal and state securities regulators or self-regulatory organizations.