Webinar: Split-Dollar: An Innovative Executive Benefit Strategy for Independent Schools

Webinar: Split-Dollar: An Innovative Executive Benefit Strategy for Independent Schools

Independent schools face a distinctive challenge in executive compensation: they must compete for top talent against well-resourced institutions while managing limited budgets, public perception, and the compliance pressures unique to tax-exempt organizations — including Form 990 Schedule J reporting and the IRC §4960 excise tax on excess compensation.

In this session, Michael R. Cowart and Michael R. Cowart, Jr. of The Cowart Group will introduce loan regime split-dollar (LRSD) — a powerful and often underutilized executive benefit strategy that is gaining traction in the independent school market. Attendees will learn how LRSD can convert compensation expense into a school-owned asset, provide key executives with tax-advantaged retirement income and death benefit protection, and help schools avoid the reporting and excise tax pitfalls associated with traditional 457(f) arrangements.

Drawing on real-world independent school case studies, the session will walk through plan mechanics, illustrative scenarios, risk considerations, and how LRSD fits within a bundled executive benefits framework alongside 457(b), 457(f), and supplemental insurance.

Meet the Speakers:

Michael R. Cowart, The Cowart Group

Michael R. Cowart, Jr., The Cowart Group

Program Credit Information

CPE Credit

• Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the limitations of qualified retirement plans and group insurance for highly compensated school executives

2. Identify the key features and tax treatment of loan regime split-dollar plans

3. Recognize how LRSD addresses Form 990 optics and IRC §4960 excise tax exposure

4. Evaluate LRSD as part of a comprehensive executive benefits strategy for independent schools

• Field of Study: Taxes
• Instructional Method: Group Internet-Based
• Program level: Basic
• Prerequisites: None
• Advanced Preparations: None
• Recommended CPE Credits: 1.0
  

MISBO is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

HRCI Information

This program has been pre-approved for 1 HR (General) recertification credit hours toward
aPHR®, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through
HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®).

MISBO is a recognized provider of recertification credits. HR Certification Institute® pre-approved this program for credits towards aPHR™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification.

SHRM Information

SHRM PDC Credit: 1.0
SHRM BoCK: HR Expertise

MISBO is recognized by SHRM to offer SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP professional development credits (PDCs). For more information about certification or recertification, please visit www.shrmcertification.org.