American College of Financial Services (Horizons Conference) 2026: Part 1

Retirement plans don’t usually fail because of a bad spreadsheet. They fail because of a life event. From the sold-out Horizons 2026 conference at The American College of Financial Services, we bring you three powerful conversations that hit the real pressure points in retirement planning: widowhood, longevity risk, taxes, Social Security, Medicare costs, and the emotional weight of major transitions.First, we sit down with Gene Chatsky of HerMoney.com and the Her Money Podcast to talk about why so many women end up managing money alone later in life. One statistic says it all: 80% of men die married, and 80% of women die single. We unpack what that means for financial independence, getting organized, and making sure both spouses understand where the money is and how the plan works before it’s urgent.Next, Lindsay Lewis (CFP, ChFC) shares what she’s seeing with widows and why the average widow is far younger than most people assume. We dig into the “three G’s” framework (grief, growth, grace), the need for a structured 30/60/90-day game plan, and the guardrails that can prevent rushed decisions. We also cover the wealth transfer to women, the advisor talent gap, and why AI can’t replace the empathy and trust people want from a real financial advisor.Finally, Heather Schreiber connects Social Security claiming strategy to coordinated retirement income planning. We talk about the temptation to file at 62, how permanent benefit reductions work, and how Medicare premiums and IRMAA surcharges can change your net income for life. If you want a tax-smart retirement paycheck that lasts, this conversation brings the pieces together.Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find help planning a safer, smarter retirement.Send us Fan MailTo learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com