Becky Swansburg · 30 Oct 2026 · 9 minutes

Best Conferences for Financial Advisors Worth Attending in 2027

best conferences for financial advisors 2027

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By Becky Ruby Swansburg, CEO, Stonewood Financial

Reviewed September 23, 2026. Dates and prices are subject to change, so check details on each event’s website before you register.

A conference is a commitment. There’s the registration fee, the flight, the hotel. And for many independent advisors, there is the biggest cost of all: days out of the office.

I’m someone who attends a LOT of conferences. Sometimes I’m the presenter. Sometimes I’m the attendee. But every time I’m focused on learning.

With so many conferences happening in our industry, which ones are worth your time?

Here’s what I look for in a conference – and a few that consistently hit the mark.

A great conference leaves you not only with new ideas, but with the confidence to implement them into your practice fast.

Personally, I appreciate a good mix of big-picture thinking (how do we approach taxes for our clients in today’s fiscal environment?); current or emerging topics (what does November’s election mean for IRAs and 401(k)s?); and hands-on strategies I can implement when I get back to the office (how to best structure Roth conversions post-OBBBA).

Here are four ways I tend to evaluate if a conference is worth my time:

What will I learn? I like events with practical sessions and strategies I can implement. If practice growth is your goal, the conference has to deliver actionable insights.
Who is in the room? Conferences are not only a great place to learn from the presenters, they’re a great place to connect and learn from fellow advisors. I look for conferences where I’ll be surrounded by peers who are also driving growth for their practices.
What does it take in time and money? I often find a smaller, more targeted conference makes a bigger impact than large scale events. I want to make sure the conference learning far outweighs the conference cost, and often smaller events drive bigger value in specific areas where I’m focused.
Do I need CE? It’s always a bonus if a conference can also cover some of my CE credit needs.

There’s no better way to start the year strong than to attend some great conferences in Q1. So for independent advisors who specialize in retirement income and taxes, here are some of my favorite annual learning conferences taking place in early 2027:

Ed Slott and Company’s Instant IRA Success

When: February 18-19, 2027
Where: Orlando, FL
CE: CE credits available[2]

Why go: This two-day workshop discusses rules related to retirement accounts, including updates on the SECURE Act, SECURE 2.0 and OBBBA. Attendees depart with a reference manual of over 400 pages.[2] If Roth conversions, inherited IRAs and RMDs are topics that arise frequently in your client meetings, this one is worth a spot on your calendar. Fair warning: Ed and his team go DEEP. Get ready to learn a lot. Registration Details

NAIFA’s FSP Institute

When: February 7-10, 2027
Where: Nashville, TN

Why go: The FSP Institute is an advanced planning conference that focuses on estate, retirement, tax and insurance planning. It’s great insight for advisors serving higher net worth clients and for those of us who want to go well beyond the basics on common planning topics. If your practice includes a mix of AUM, annuity and insurance planning, this conference can help you with new ideas across the spectrum. Registration Details

Stonewood’s Innovate Summit

When: February 25-26
Where: Louisville, KY

Why go: Okay, this is our conference, so of course I think it’s great! We crafted Innovate specifically to meet all of my conference criteria above. Over two days, you’ll learn how to protect your clients from legislative changes in Washington, optimize Roth conversion structures, drive leads for AUM, life and annuity business, and more. You’ll leave with a roadmap to implement these strategies into your practice – fast. Registration Details

IMO & Carrier 2027 Kick-Off Conferences

When: Varies
Where: Varies

Why go: Many IMOs, FMOs and insurance carriers kick off the new year with learning conferences that often double as celebrations of the past year’s achievements. These are a great opportunity to network with other advisors, connect with organizational leadership, and learn new ways your partner organizations may be able to drive your practice growth.

Innovate Summit: The Growth Conference for Independent Advisors
Two days in Louisville with around 100 independent advisors focused on retirement, tax, annuity and life insurance planning. Get practical training on tax and legislative risk, Roth conversions, retirement income and lead generation you can put to work the week you get home.
February 2027. Louisville, KY. $599, and complimentary for Stonewood members.
Learn More About Innovate Summit Compare Membership Options →

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How to get more out of any conference

A conference ticket is you pass to get in. But the value of a conference is what you do with the 2-3 days you’re there. Here are four things I do to get the most out of conferences I attend:

Pick one goal before you arrive. Want to have better client Roth conversations? Want to develop a new lead source? Interested in incorporating IRMAA into your planning? Pick a primary goal for attending the conference, and make sure you’re accessing sessions that help you achieve it.
Don’t skip breakfast. This one delivers a double benefit. Obviously, learning takes energy and to stay engaged through a full day of presentations, you’ll need to fuel up. But I also find some of the best conversations happen over breakfast. Your fellow advisors are processing what they learned the day before, and it’s easy to start conversations and hear how other advisors are driving success.
Begin a “Monday list.” Write down ideas you want to discuss or implement the week you get back. I keep this separate from my conference notes. When I’m back in the office, I have a quick punch list of items to discuss with my team and I’m more likely to implement what I’ve learned.
Debrief with your team. The best way to master a topic? Explain it to someone else. I always make time at our team meeting to share what I’ve learned and get feedback on where we might implement these ideas for faster growth.

Planning now will help you get a quick start in 2027.

And if you’re looking for some sales ideas to hold you over until the Q1 2027 conferences get started, see our post on sales ideas for financial advisors.

Happy learning! Hope to see you at a conference soon.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best conferences for financial advisors focused on retirement income?

Good choices are Ed Slott’s Instant IRA Success workshop, the FSP Institute, and Stonewood’s Innovate Summit for independent advisors who specialize in retirement income and tax planning. Which is right for you depends on whether you want technical knowledge, peer networking or practice growth ideas. Many advisors attend all of these conferences and more.

Which financial advisor conferences offer CE credit?

Ed Slott’s Instant IRA Success workshop and a number of association conferences offer CE credits. Different events and designations carry different CE types and hours, so be sure to check each conference’s site for applicable credits before you register.

When are 2027 conference dates usually announced?

It depends. Some events release dates a year or more in advance, others announce a few months before. Some of the 2027 events had dates announced in September 2026, some did not. Check each event’s website and sign up for updates to get ready in advance.

Are virtual conferences worth it?

They can, especially when time or travel budget is tight. Through online training you can learn without taking days out of the office, and some sessions even offer continuing education. Many advisors combine one or two in-person events with online learning, as in-person events tend to be more conducive to networking.

How many conferences a year make sense for an advisor?

No, there is no set number. Many advisors have found that one or two well-chosen events with a clear purpose can do more than a full calendar. Begin with the event that best fits your highest priority this year.

How much does it cost to attend a financial advisor conference?

Costs are very different. Registration on this list ranges from $599 for Stonewood’s Innovate Summit (free for members) to $1,500 or more for other conferences. Travel, hotels and time away from the office all add up, so it’s helpful to budget for the entire trip.

Planning your 2027 calendar?

The right conference is one that sends you home ready to try something new. Decide what you want to accomplish, select one or two events that work and block out time the next week to apply what you learned.

If your goal this year is to grow your practice, we hope to see you in Louisville. Find out more about Innovate Summit or request a demo to see how Stonewood members use our reports to bring the ideas home to their own clients’ numbers.

Sources and References

[1] “Best Financial Advisor Conferences for 2026,” Michael Kitces, Kitces.com. Accessed 09/23/26. Available online: https://www.kitces.com/blog/2026-best-financial-advisor-conferences-list-fpa-futureproof-sway-rts-heckerling-t3/
[2] “Instant IRA Success: Ed Slott and Company’s Exclusive 2-Day IRA Workshop, February 18-19, 2027, Orlando, FL” (brochure), Ed Slott and Company. Accessed 09/23/26. Available online: https://cdn.irahelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/ORLANDO_FEB_2027_Brochure_WEB.pdf
[3] “2027 FSP Institute,” NAIFA. Accessed 09/23/26. Available online: https://institute.naifa.org/2027
[4] “Master List of Financial Advisor Conferences for 2026-2027,” Kitces.com. Accessed 09/23/26. Available online: https://www.kitces.com/master-list-top-financial-advisor-conferences-ranked-best/ and https://www.kitces.com/conference/fsp-institute/
[5] “Attend,” Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). Accessed 09/23/26. Available online: https://mdrt.org/attend/
[6] “MDRT Call for Speakers: Important Submission Information,” Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). Accessed 09/23/26. Available online: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NM_Open_Call
[7] “T3 Technology Conference Opens Registration for 2027 Event Focused on the AI-Augmented Advisor,” Business Wire release. Accessed 09/23/26. Available online: https://www.01net.it/t3-technology-conference-opens-registration-for-2027-event-focused-on-the-ai-augmented-advisor/ and https://t3conferences.com/
[8] “Orion Ascent,” Orion. Accessed 09/23/26. Available online: https://orion.com/ascent
[9] “Innovate Summit: Financial Advisor Conference & Practice Growth Training,” Stonewood Financial. Accessed 09/23/26. Available online: https://www.stonewoodfinancial.com/innovate-conference/
[10] “Future Conferences,” National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA). Accessed 09/23/26. Available online: https://www.napfa.org/community/future-conferences
[11] “Instant IRA Success: Virtual, September 16-17, 2026” (brochure), Ed Slott and Company. Accessed 09/23/26. Available online: https://cdn.irahelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Virtual_SEPT_2026_Brochure.pdf

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An advisor was working with a prospect who was a real "do-it-yourselfer" when it came to Roth conversions. The client was converting assets up their existing tax bracket – and hadn't considered any impact to IRMAA.

With Roth Done Right, the advisor was able to show an alternate pattern that sped up the conversion to 6 years. The new structure offered $30,000 savings in conversion taxes – a 20% reduction on the prospect's conversion tax bill. The report also showed hundreds of thousands of dollars in long-term tax and IRMAA savings from the converted assets – an amount the prospect hadn't been able to quantify on his own.

Outcome

A new client with $1M in new AUM, and a $1M FIA sale to fund the conversion process.

An advisor was working with a prospect who already had assets with Ken Fisher. Fisher's team presented a 5% systematic withdrawal projection, so the advisor needed a stronger way to frame the income conversation.

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Outcome

$1.5M placed and a $100K in new business revenue.

An advisor was working with a 58-year-old couple with an established, well-funded retirement income plan, leaving an additional $3M IRA to build out a legacy for the kids. The couple's existing advisor had no real additional plan for this money, other than to keep it in their managed account and grow that money as much as possible for the kids.

Using the Legacy Done Right report, the advisor showed the need for tax planning on this $3M IRA. According to the advisor, the simple analysis "opened up the wallet" to the Roth conversion story. The advisor then used the blended Roth/Life feature in the report to show a blend of Roth Conversion assets with some Life Insurance to help maximize the client’s legacy.

Outcome

$3M in motion. The advisor picked up a $1.5M FIA sale that will be converted to Roth. And the advisor also sold a 5-Pay Protection focused IUL policy at $225,000 of premium per year.

An advisor group incorporated the Total Tax Burden report into the strategy presentation for all new prospects. They ran the tax snapshot for every new client as part of their first meeting conversation, quantifying the growing tax burden of IRA money – and illustrating the kinds of tax savings possible when working with their firm.

Starting in January of 2023, this simple analysis was presented to every single prospect who walked in the door. The goal was to differentiate their practice and drive overall revenue growth through various Roth conversion strategies.

Outcome

From 2022 to 2025, new annual AUM rose from $5M to $50M. Annual FIA sales rose from $3M to $35M. And annual life premium rose from $50K to $1M.

Best Conferences for Financial Advisors Worth Attending in 2027