Charitable & Philanthropic Planning

Designed for Your Organization

Our Enterprise Solutions team works with you to build the right experience — whether that's a keynote address, a half-day workshop, a multi-session webinar series, or a fully integrated training program. Topics, format, session length, and depth of content are all customizable to align with your audience, your objectives, and your timeline.

Course Topics

Charitable Giving
In this session, we will explore new reasons to consider charitable giving and find the techniques that make the most sense for your clients. As the economy, markets, and tax laws change, it alters the techniques clients should use to satisfy their philanthropic wishes. We will discuss the techniques that have been most valuable and what new ideas should be considered for your client’s assets and IRAs.

Charitable Giving in 2026: New Opportunities and Pitfalls for HNW Clients
Charitable planning in 2026 presents both expanded opportunities and heightened risks for high-net-worth clients. This program explores the evolving tax landscape, advanced use of donor-advised funds and charitable trusts, and strategies involving complex or illiquid assets, while addressing common pitfalls such as valuation errors and liquidity surprises. The focus is on integrated, tax-efficient planning aligned with broader estate goals.

Split Interest Trusts
Split interests exist in many types of trusts as a result of a set of rules in the internal revenue code. Understanding this pattern can simplify planning and allow you to learn more faster and relate client objectives with tax advantageous sophisticated estate planning techniques, including charitable remainder, charitable lead, and grantor retained trust types.

Charitable Remainder Trusts
With markets at record levels and as volatile as ever, learning how to take profits off the table and use the gains in a highly tax advantageous manner is a story worth knowing how to tell. Congress gave Americans a special tool to benefit themselves by also benefiting the public good, and the combination is a match made in heaven.

Who Should Enroll and Why

Trust Officers and Fiduciaries will gain a clearer understanding of how charitable structures are administered and how they affect fiduciary duties, distributions, and tax reporting. This course helps you navigate charitable trusts, donor‑advised funds, and philanthropic accounts with confidence while ensuring alignment with governing documents and beneficiary expectations.

Financial Advisors and Wealth Managers will deepen their understanding of how charitable planning supports tax efficiency, legacy goals, and multigenerational wealth transfer. This knowledge enables more meaningful conversations with clients, better identification of philanthropic planning opportunities, and stronger coordination with attorneys and charitable organizations.

Estate Planning and Tax Professionals, including attorneys and CPAs, will benefit from a focused review of charitable strategies and their tax and administrative implications. The course reinforces practical design considerations, highlights common planning pitfalls, and supports more effective integration of charitable techniques into comprehensive estate plans.

Aspiring Trust and Wealth Professionals will find this program to be a strong foundation in charitable and philanthropic planning concepts. By building fluency in charitable tools, terminology, and planning objectives, participants will be better prepared for developing roles involving estate planning, fiduciary administration, or nonprofit‑related advisory services.

Course Instructors

Daniel A. Smith, CFP®, CWS®

As a dedicated professional, Daniel Smith believes that everyone deserves sound advice and exceptional service. With his extensive real-world experience, Daniel brings a spirited approach to his instruction, helping advisors put their knowledge into immediate, practical use to better serve their clients. His expertise lies in sales and relationship management skills, which he seamlessly integrates with the complexities of estate planning, estate taxation, charitable giving, and investment management. By doing so, Daniel empowers advisors to effectively guide wealthy clients and their families in achieving their goals.

Before joining Cannon, Daniel spent years as a client-facing advisor in the Wealth Management and Trust business. His 25 years of experience with Cannon have further enriched his knowledge, as he constantly interacts with top financial advisors and wealthy individuals across the globe, incorporating best practices into his teachings.

A sought-after speaker, Daniel frequently presents at financial services firms and conferences worldwide, covering topics such as sales, exceptional service, estate planning, taxation, and industry trends. His insights have been featured in numerous publications, including Trusts & Estates and Registered Rep magazines. As the leader of Cannon Trust School, the largest trust school in the country, Daniel continues to make a significant impact on the industry. His consulting work spans distance-based learning solutions, private family wealth consultation, and expert witness services.

Meagan MacBean, J.D.

Meagan MacBean is a dedicated professional who believes that exceptional service is rooted in a deep understanding of the complexities of estate and trust law. As the founder of The MacBean Law Firm, LLC, she brings extensive experience as both a practicing attorney and a former Trust Officer to her work. Meagan provides a spirited, real-world approach to her instruction, helping advisors translate technical knowledge into immediate, practical solutions for their clients. Her expertise seamlessly integrates the nuances of estate planning, asset protection, and planning for incapacity with the operational realities of trust and estate administration.

Before establishing her own firm, Meagan spent years advising high-net-worth clients on wealth transfer strategies and fiduciary responsibilities. Her professional background is further enriched by her academic contributions; she serves as a Lecturer at Mississippi State University, where she teaches Real Estate Law, International Business Law, and Entrepreneur Law. This dual perspective, balancing private practice with academic instruction, allows her to empower advisors to effectively guide wealthy families in achieving their long-term goals.

A highly credentialed expert, Meagan is an honors graduate of Cannon Financial Institute Trust School and holds a J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law. Her insights have been featured in publications such as SC Lawyer Magazine, and she is a recognized leader in the field, having been selected for the Mississippi Bar Association’s Leadership Forum and Portico Jackson Magazine’s "Portico 15". Through her work as a guest instructor and her specialized practice in fiduciary litigation and tax preparation, Meagan continues to make a significant impact on the industry.