Advocacy in action blog

I recently sat down with NAIFA Senior Vice President for Government Relations Diane Boyle to discuss the election and its implications for the upcoming tax reform debate in the 119th Congress. 

American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) President and CEO David Chavern and National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA)—Nevada Political Action Committee Chair Jarod Morgan issued the following joint statement on the best interest annuity rule approved recently by the Legislative Review Committee and supported by the Nevada Division of Insurance:

NAIFA Senior Vice President for Government Relations Diane Boyle participated in a legislative panel at OneAmerica's Long-Term Care Summit. The summit featured discussions by industry thought leaders focused on the future of long-term care, covering everything from industry trends and government and regulation considerations to consumer perspectives.

Join us on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 3 pm Eastern as NAIFA’s Government Relations team unpacks the results of the 2024 general election and its implications for insurance agents and the broader financial services industry. With a new administration, shifts in the Senate and House, and changes across 11 gubernatorial offices and 85 state legislative chambers, this webinar will provide valuable insights on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

The campaigns are done, the voting is over, and the results are becoming clear. Donald Trump will return to the White House as the 47^th President of the United States. Republicans will also control the Senate with at least 52 seats. Races determining which party controls the House of Representatives have yet to be decided (and may not be for some time).

Here we go again! Two more insurance companies, Aetna and Anthem, have informed agents that they will no longer pay commissions on new enrollments to some Medicare Advantage plans. These announcements follow similar ones by insurers earlier this year. The most recent decisions are particularly jarring because they come in the middle of the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, when many agents are deep into the planning process with clients.

2025 is gearing up to be a high-stakes year for tax reform. For financial professionals, it’s a lot like preparing for the Super Bowl. The clock is ticking as Congress pushes toward major tax legislation, driven by the impending expiration of individual tax cuts from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Extending TCJA could add an estimated $4.5 trillion to the federal deficit over 10 years. With such a high price tag, lawmakers are on a relentless hunt for revenue, putting every corner of the financial landscape—including insurance and financial services—under intense scrutiny.

While MarketWatch columnist Brett Arends raises legitimate concerns about the complexities surrounding Medicare enrollment and the insurance brokers who assist beneficiaries (“The Medicare scandal hiding in plain sight,” Oct. 16), he unfairly paints a broad picture of financial professionals as profit-driven actors without considering the critical role brokers play helping consumers navigate the Medicare Advantage marketplace, which now accounts for more than half of all eligible Medicare beneficiaries. Agents and brokers educate consumers on how Medicare works, both broadly and in conjunction with other products such as Part D prescription drug plans, to simplify a complex decision-making process.

Throughout September, NAIFA and our Life Happens community promoted Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM) to educate consumers about the importance of life insurance and empower financial professionals to reach wider communities with LIAM-themed resources and materials. As an important part of the LIAM campaign, NAIFA chapters worked alongside advocacy partner ACLI with elected officials to get proclamations or resolutions recognizing LIAM in at least 19 states.

As we approach the sunset of key provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) set for 2025, taxpayers and businesses alike are bracing for significant changes. With the potential for major tax legislation on the horizon, now is the time to prepare.