Advocacy in action blog

NAIFA is pleased the House Ways and Means Budget Reconciliation Title recognizes the need for American families and businesses to plan for their financial futures with access to knowledgeable professionals, affordable insurance products, and certainty in policy. 

A stable tax system that continues to encourage Americans to plan and save for their future is more important than ever. Families are able to protect themselves through the current tax treatment of cash value life insurance, incentives to participate in individual and employer-sponsored retirement plans, savings vehicles for education and emergencies, paid leave, long-term care insurance, and disability insurance, and employer-provided health insurance. These measures reflect sound tax policy, established over decades, that gives Americans of all backgrounds the opportunity to attain a secure financial future.  

NAIFA applauds the measure to permanently extend and increase the Section 199A deduction, which many of our members utilize to provide products and services that millions of Americans rely on to improve their financial security. The Section 199A deduction allows small- and medium-sized businesses, which are the backbone of the American economy, to remain competitive and to retain parity in corporate and passthrough income taxation. In addition:

On behalf of the entire NAIFA family, I am pleased to congratulate NAIFA’s Senior Vice President for Government Relations Diane Boyle, who has been recognized as a Top Association Lobbyist for 2024 by The Hill, a prestigious newspaper covering federal politics. 

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. 

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).

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.

A message to NAIFA Members:

Throughout September, it has been truly inspiring to witness NAIFA members actively participating in Life Insurance Awareness Month by shining a much-needed spotlight on the tremendous value of life insurance. Your commitment to highlighting the importance of this product while educating millions of consumers on the broader issues of financial literacy helps ensure that Americans understand the many tools available to secure their financial futures.

National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) CEO Kevin Mayeux, CAE, issued the following statement on the decision by some health plans to cease new and renewal commissions for Medicare prescription drug (Part D) plans and terminating existing marketing service agreements: