Advocacy in action blog

NAIFA President Christopher Gandy along with NAIFA’s Government Relations team met with Department of the Treasury staff on February 24 to discuss the implementation and rollout of “Trump Accounts,” the newly established tax-deferred investment accounts for children under age 18 created by legislation passed last year.

NAIFA joined a trade association coalition in sending a letter to U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) urging Congress to pass legislation to strengthen the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) to reduce the impact of burdensome regulations on small businesses.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered remarks at the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, which he chairs, stating his desire “to improve financial literacy and education for all Americans in partnership with private and non-profit sector partners.”

The U.S. Treasury Department today held a summit touting the so-called Trump accounts (section 530A accounts) enacted in H.R. 1, at which the President spoke about the benefits of the 4-year pilot program for babies born between 2025 and 2028 under which the government will seed each newborn's account with $1,000.

The federal government shutdown has created a great deal of confusion about the federal flood insurance program among insurance professionals and their clients who are homeowners or are in the process of purchasing homes. Advisors may face questions from frustrated clients, and not all of the answers are clear at this point. Policies issued under the federal program remain in force during the shutdown, but the processing and payment of claims may be delayed, according to media reports. Pending applications and renewals are frozen until the government funding impasse ends. Flood insurance requirements for federally backed loans are suspended during the shutdown, according to FEMA and banking regulators.

The insurance business is effectively regulated at the state level, protecting consumers by taking into account local market conditions that impact the business. Laws that prevent federal regulations from straying into state-regulated insurance matters are important to avoid consumer confusion and prevent federal rules that could overlap or contradict state regulations. NAIFA supports legislation introduced by former NAIFA member Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and Representative Bryan Steil (R-WI) that would amend the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to exempt the insurance business from regulations created by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB).

Congress is looking to extend expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – which include reduced individual tax rates and a 20% deduction of qualified pass-through income for sole proprietorships, partnerships, and S-corporations – while at the same time creating new tax cuts President Donald Trump promised during his campaign. The Congressional Budget Office projects that extending the TCJA alone will cost around $4.6 trillion over 10 years. Lawmakers and the administration are looking to cover the cost by finding new sources of revenue and government spending cuts. We would be naïve to think the insurance and financial services industry will escape scrutiny.

Members of Congress need to understand that the products and services provided by insurance and financial professionals are part of the solution. Tax laws and other policies that encourage Americans to take control of their own financial well-being, plan for retirement, and mitigate life’s inevitable risks strengthen the economy and can reduce government spending. Insurance products and services also improve Americans’ quality of life by providing financial security and reducing financial worries. The results of two surveys, one by LIMRA and Life Happens and the other by ACLI, illustrate the points.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network released an interim final rule that eliminates a beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirement for U.S. businesses. The rule exempts domestic reporting companies and U.S. citizens and residents who are beneficial owners of foreign reporting companies.

Participate and make a difference! Come to Washington, D.C., May 19-20, for the 2025 Congressional Conference, NAIFA's signature advocacy event!

Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), and 33 Republican Senators have introduced the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, a bill that would make the 20% pass-through business tax deduction permanent. Representative Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) has introduced companion legislation in the House, which is co-sponsored by 153 Representatives. The deduction is currently set to expire with many provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act at the end of this year.