Securing a Comfortable Retirement in the Age of Spending Webcast
This course gives CPAs the knowledge to help their clients plan for retirement by evaluating how much retirement income will be required and strategizing about how to reach retirement goals.
November 3, 2026
Live Webcast
NASBA 16
Instructor
Don Cochran
View Bio
Instructor
Don
Cochran
View Bio
Mr. Don Cochran
Bio
Don has practiced law in both Iowa and Minnesota for over 40 years. He is currently in a solo law practice in Apple Valley, Minnesota, focusing on tax, estate planning, and small business organization and management. He was a CPA with the small and emerging business practice of then-Big 8 accounting firm Touche Ross in Bloomington, Minnesota, and he has served as the Vice President of Tax and CFO with various privately and publicly held companies. He also served as an advanced sales consultant with Securian Financial, Nationwide Financial, and Pacific Life Insurance Company?s Annuity and Mutual Fund division, providing advanced planning support for financial advisors on topics of financial and estate planning for small to medium-size businesses and wealthy individuals. Don is actively involved in continuing education and other seminars for financial professionals and accountants, on topics related to tax issues for individuals and small businesses; current financial planning and asset transfer; and preparing for and living through retirement. Don is much sought after as a presenter of CPE for seminars sponsored by state societies of CPAs, CPA firms, and other providers of continuing education for financial professionals, and is a featured speaker at several national tax conferences. Don earned a Bachelor of Science in general science from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, and graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law with his Juris Doctorate. In addition to being a licensed attorney in Minnesota and Iowa, he maintains his license as a certified public accountant. He also attained the designations of Certified Financial Planner and Certified Retirement Consultant.
This course gives CPAs the knowledge to help their clients plan for retirement by evaluating how much retirement income will be required and strategizing about how to reach retirement goals.
Learning Objectives
Help clients determine how much retirement income is necessary for the desired retirement lifestyle
Identify resources available for retirement
Explain how budgeting can determine retirement resources
Understand how to build the three-legged retirement stool through employer retirement, savings, and Social Security
Understand the need for Plan B when the ideal retirement goal is not achievable
Explain ways that clients can convert the equity in a home to retirement income
Explain how the value of a small business can be converted to retirement income
Explain survival possibilities and how first-to-die and last-to-die survival probabilities are used in retirement planning for married couples
Understand timing regarding the use of taxable retirement funds and nontaxable funds, as well as strategies to minimize income tax on Social Security
Recognize the role of various investment types, such as life insurance, annuities, mutual funds, equity holdings, and bonds in retirement planning
Summarize key points of recent research on the sustainability of retirement income and maintenance of desired retirement lifestyles
Major Topics
Retirement planning using variables such as desired lifestyle, travel plans, housing plans, medical needs, and family needs to customize a retirement plan unique to the client
Using a residence and other real estate as retirement assets through equity and rent
Using a small business as a retirement resource through creative retirement plans
Overview of asset allocation, portfolio management, portfolio rebalancing, and investment selection concepts, before and after retirement
The three-legged retirement stool: employer retirement, savings, and Social Security
Planning with the retirement provisions of SECURE Act 2.0
Updates introduced by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Distribution/asset liquidation planning
Analysis of the most current/important research on retirement planning and sustaining retirement income levels