Most of us didn’t get into this work to impress clients with equations; we’re here to change lives. Yet, for both clients and advisors, “math anxiety” often blocks progress. In this practical session, I’ll share an approach to explaining financial concepts that replaces formulas with plain language, stories, and metaphors. The result: greater clarity, higher follow-through, and better client outcomes.
Category: May 8, 2026
So You Want To Write A Book?
So You Want to Write a Book is a practical, beginner-friendly session designed for anyone who has ever said, “I should write a book,” but didn’t know where to start. We’ll begin by breaking down the different publishing routes—traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing—highlighting the pros, cons, time commitments, and typical costs associated with each. Participants will gain a realistic understanding of what it takes to bring a book to life, beyond just putting words on a page.
From there, we’ll walk through a step-by-step framework that moves you from initial idea to manuscript development, editing, design, publication, and beyond. We’ll cover common challenges, marketing realities, and what happens after your book is out in the world. Whether you want to publish for impact, income, or credibility, this session will give you the clarity and confidence to move forward with informed expectations and a roadmap you can actually follow.
Reading the 1040 with Confidence: Turning Tax Data into Smarter Client Planning
The Form 1040 is often viewed as a tax requirement, yet it remains one of the strongest historical snapshots of a client’s financial year, and an underutilized tool for planning, counseling, and client conversations. While the return never captures someone’s entire financial picture, it does reveal meaningful patterns in how a client earns, saves, gives, invests, and makes financial decisions. It is also a key document for lending and financial verification, even though advisors rarely explore it in depth.
This session teaches financial professionals how to read the 2025 Form 1040 and its major schedules with confidence, identify behavioral signals and planning opportunities, and use simple strategies to open deeper conversations with clients. We’ll also review withholding and refund patterns, common notice adjustments under the MATH Act, and clear guidance on when to involve a tax professional. Attendees will leave knowing what to look for, why it matters, and how to translate tax data into smarter client planning.
Make Your Point
Make Your Point is one of the most unique traditions at MilMoneyCon. It’s a fast, fun, peer-powered session where you take the stage.
It’s your chance to shine a light on an idea, trend, challenge, insight, or solution you believe the military money community needs to hear. Because at MilMoneyCon, the best ideas don’t just come from the stage, they come from the room.
These aren’t long presentations, they’re Power Points:
Three attendee-voted speakers. Five minutes each. One mic. One message that matters.
Your point can be anything that helps others — a new method you’ve tried, a trend that’s raising concerns (hello, Buy Now Pay Later), a solution that’s working, or something the community should be paying closer attention to.
No slides. Just a microphone and real ideas that move us forward.
How It Works
1. Submit your point
Visit the Make Your Point station in the Exhibitor Hall at the start of the conference and write down the idea you want to share.
2. Vote on topics
Throughout the first two days, attendees can review submissions and vote for the points they most want to hear during the voting period (announced in the app).
3. Take the stage
The top three vote-getters will deliver their five-minute “Make Your Point” during the final day morning session.
Just you, the mic, and your message. It’s simple, powerful, and straight from the community.
Bonus:
Selected Make Your Point Presenters will receive a free ticket to next year’s MilMoneyCon — a small thank you for stepping up and sharing something that helps move us all forward.
Why It Matters
Make Your Point is where rising tides truly lift all ships.
It’s how we:
- Surface emerging issues
- Share practical wisdom
- Spark meaningful conversations
- Learn from one another
- Strengthen our community from the inside out
If you’ve ever thought, “People need to know about this,” this is your moment.
Come ready to contribute, vote, and cheer on your fellow attendees because the ideas that create momentum usually start with someone willing to speak up.