Terms of Service

These Terms of Service set out the ground rules for registering for ASCEND and using our website. Please read them alongside our Privacy Policy before registering or using our services.

Acceptance of Terms

These Terms and Conditions govern your use of nextgenbenefits.com and your participation in programs offered by NextGen Benefits, LLC. Our programs include the Mastery Track and Boot Camp, Executive Mentorship, the NextGen Benefits Mastermind Partnership, the ASCEND Conference, and related coaching, events, content, and publications.

By using the Site or registering for any Service, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Site or Services.

Eligibility: The Services are intended for business professionals age 18 or older. If you register on behalf of a company, you confirm you are authorized to bind that company to these Terms, and includes that company.

Programs, Registration, and Applications

When you register, you agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information and to keep it up to date.

Some Services, including Executive Mentorship and the Mastermind Partnership, have limited enrollment and are available by application only. We may accept or decline any application at our sole discretion.

Program descriptions on the Site, including session counts, schedules, formats, and included materials, summarize what is offered. The specific terms of your program are set out in your registration form, invoice, or separate participation agreement. If those terms conflict with these Terms, the program-specific terms control.

We may change program content, schedules, speakers, facilitators, or delivery format (for example, in-person to virtual) when reasonably necessary. We will try to give reasonable notice of material changes.

Fees, Payments, Refunds, and Cancellations

  • Fees:
You agree to pay all fees shown at the time of registration. Prices are in U.S. dollars and do not include applicable taxes unless stated. Payments are processed by third-party providers under their own terms.
  • Installment Plans
If you choose an installment option, you authorize us and our payment provider to charge your payment method on each scheduled date until the full program price is paid. Choosing installments is a commitment to pay the full program price, not a month-to-month subscription. If a payment fails, we may suspend your access until your account is current.
  • The ASCEND Guarantee

If, after attending ASCEND's first full day, you are not satisfied with the programming or your experience, we will provide you with a full refund of your actual registration fee and a $500 American Express card to offset your travel expenses. To claim it:

  • Claim within the window. Request your refund at the end of Day 1 or before the start of Day 2 programming. Requests made after Day 2 programming begins are not eligible.
  • Request it in person. See any ASCEND staff member on site. They will provide a short refund form for you to complete.
  • Receive your gift card on site. Upon completing the form, you will receive a $500 American Express gift card at the time of your refund. Your registration fee refund will be issued to your original form of payment.
  • Surrender your badge and depart. Once you claim the Guarantee, you agree to return your conference badge and leave the event premises. Your registration, including access to all sessions, meals, receptions, and other ASCEND activities, ends at that time.
  • Guarantee Eligibility
  • Paid registrants only. The Guarantee applies to attendees who paid a registration fee, including recipients of partial scholarships.
  • Refund amount. The refund equals the registration fee you actually paid, after any discounts or scholarship amounts.
  • Not eligible: complimentary registrations, full scholarship recipients, and passes included with sponsorship packages.
  • Once per person. The ASCEND Guarantee may be used only once per person. An attendee who has claimed the Guarantee at any ASCEND conference is not eligible to claim it at any future ASCEND conference.
  • Registration Fees

Apart from the ASCEND Guarantee, registration fees are not refundable. However, we make it easy to preserve the value of your registration in either of two ways.

  • Transfer to a colleague. You may transfer your registration to a colleague at any time before the event, with no transfer fee. Simply notify NextGen Benefits of the substitute attendee's name and contact information.
  • Apply as a credit. You may apply your registration fee as a credit toward a future ASCEND conference or another NextGen Benefits program. The credit remains available for 12 months from the date of the ASCEND event for which you registered, may be applied to multiple programs until the full amount is used, and has no cash value and expires if not used within the 12-month period.
  • No-shows. Registrants who do not attend and do not request a transfer retain the credit described above.

For transfers, credits, or questions about this policy, contact NextGen Benefits at info@nextgenbenefits.com.

  • Chargebacks:
If you believe a charge is incorrect, please contact us first so we can resolve it. Filing a chargeback for fees you owe under these Terms may result in termination of your access to the Services.

Events, Including ASCEND

  • Additional terms:
ASCEND registration may be handled through attendascend.com and may be subject to additional event terms. Those terms apply alongside these Terms.
  • Recording and Likeness
Events, Boot Camps, and group sessions may be photographed, recorded, or livestreamed. By attending, you consent to NextGen using your name, image, voice, and likeness as captured in those materials for program delivery, promotion, and marketing, without compensation. If you do not want to be recorded, tell the event staff and we will make reasonable efforts to accommodate you.
  • Travel and Lodging
Registrants are responsible for their own travel, lodging, and related expenses. Except for the $500 gift card provided under the ASCEND Guarantee, NextGen Benefits is not responsible for airfare, hotel, or other costs incurred, including in the event of cancellation or postponement. Hotel reservations are governed by the hotel's own cancellation policy. We encourage attendees to purchase refundable fares or travel insurance.
  • Cancellation by NextGen Benefits
If NextGen Benefits cancels ASCEND, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee paid, or may elect to apply that amount as a credit toward a future NextGen Benefits program.
  • Postponement
If ASCEND is postponed, your registration will automatically carry over to the rescheduled dates. Registrants who cannot attend the rescheduled event may transfer their registration or apply it as a credit under the terms above.
  • Events beyond our control
NextGen Benefits is not responsible for failure to hold ASCEND as scheduled due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, severe weather, natural disasters, public health emergencies, government actions, labor disputes, travel disruptions, or venue unavailability. In such cases, our obligation is limited to the refund or credit described above.
  • Program changes
NextGen Benefits reserves the right to change speakers, sessions, schedules, or venue details as needed. Such changes do not entitle registrants to a refund outside the ASCEND Guarantee.

Intellectual Property

  • Our materials:
The Site and all program materials, including the NextGen Benefits model, playbooks, templates, scripts, tools, presentations, recordings, workbooks, and publications, are owned by NextGen or its licensors. They are protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws. "NextGen Benefits," "ASCEND," and related names and logos are trademarks of NextGen.
  • Your license:
While you are an active participant in good standing, we grant you a limited, personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use program materials within your own firm to serve your clients. You may adapt templates and scripts for your own client-facing use.
  • Restrictions:

You may not, without our written permission:

  • Resell, sublicense, publish, or distribute program materials outside your firm
  • Use program materials to create a competing training, coaching, or consulting program
  • Share login credentials, recordings, or materials with non-participants
  • Record sessions yourself, or remove copyright or proprietary notices
  • Feedback:
If you send us suggestions or feedback, we may use them without obligation to you.

Confidentiality and Participant Conduct

  • Confidentiality:
Mastermind, mentorship, and group coaching sessions depend on candid sharing. You agree to keep confidential any non-public business information that other participants share, including client details, pricing, strategies, and financial results, and not to use it for any purpose other than your participation. Do not share your clients' protected health information or other confidential client data in any session.
  • Conduct:

When using the Site or participating in the Services, you agree not to:

  • Harass, threaten, or discriminate against other participants, speakers, or staff
  • Solicit other participants' clients or staff using information learned in confidential sessions
  • Post or transmit unlawful, misleading, or infringing content
  • Interfere with the Site's security or operation, or access it by automated means without permission
  • Impersonate any person or misrepresent your affiliation

We may remove anyone from an event or program for violating these Terms, without refund.

No Professional Advice; No Guarantee of Results

  • Educational purposes only:
The Site and Services provide business education, training, and coaching for benefits professionals. Nothing we provide is legal, tax, accounting, actuarial, investment, insurance, or medical advice. You are responsible for your own compliance with ERISA, the ACA, HIPAA, state insurance laws, licensing requirements, and all other laws that apply to you and your clients. Consult qualified professionals before acting on any strategy.
  • Results vary:
Testimonials, case studies, growth figures, and savings examples reflect the experiences of specific individuals and are not typical or guaranteed. Your results depend on your effort, skills, market, clients, and many factors outside our control. We do not guarantee any particular income, revenue growth, client wins, or cost savings.

Disclaimers, Limitation of Liability, and Indemnification

  • Disclaimer of warranties:
THE SITE AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE." TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, NEXTGEN DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SITE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR FREE OF HARMFUL COMPONENTS.
  • Limitation of liability:
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, NEXTGEN AND ITS OWNERS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, COACHES, SPEAKERS, AND AGENTS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR LOST PROFITS, REVENUE, CLIENTS, OR DATA, ARISING FROM THE SITE OR SERVICES. OUR TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIM WILL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID NEXTGEN FOR THE SERVICE GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM IN THE 12 MONTHS BEFORE THE CLAIM AROSE.
  • Indemnification:
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless NextGen and its owners, officers, employees, and agents from any claims, losses, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising from your use of the Services, your advice or services to your clients, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any law or third-party right.

Third-Party Services, Privacy, and Termination

  • Third-party services:
The Site links to third-party websites and services, including attendascend.com, payment and form providers, and social media platforms. We do not control them and are not responsible for their content, terms, or practices. Your use of them is at your own risk and under their terms.
  • Privacy:
Our collection and use of personal information is described in our Privacy Policy.
  • Termination:
We may suspend or terminate your access to the Site or any Service if you violate these Terms, fail to pay fees when due, or act in a way that harms NextGen or other participants. Termination for cause does not entitle you to a refund and does not relieve you of payment obligations already owed. Sections 3 (as to amounts owed), 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 survive termination.

Governing Law, Disputes, and General Terms

  • Governing law:
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules.
  • Disputes:
Before filing any claim, you agree to contact us and try in good faith to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days. Any claim that is not resolved will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Williamson County or Davidson County, Tennessee, and you consent to their jurisdiction. Claims must be brought individually, not as part of a class or representative action.
  • Changes to these Terms:
We may update these Terms from time to time by posting the revised version on the Site and updating the effective date. Changes apply from that date. Your continued use of the Site or Services after changes are posted means you accept them. Changes will not affect fees you have already paid.
  • General:
These Terms, together with any program-specific agreement and our Privacy Policy, are the entire agreement between you and NextGen about the Site and Services. If any provision is found unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. You may not assign these Terms without our consent; we may assign them in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets. We are not liable for delays caused by events beyond our reasonable control.