The Foundation for Financial Service Professionals announced the recipients of 14 Paul S. Mills Scholarships. This annual program provides need-based scholarships to students pursuing a degree in a financial service-related field.  

 Four Eileen J. Prus and Edmund O. Ciske Jr.-designated Paul S. Mills Scholarships for $3,000 were awarded to Luckson Chigarire of The College of St. Scholastica, Kemoni Dunn of Florida A&M University, Tyler Kleinsasser of South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, and Brooklynn Robinson of Husson University. This special scholarship designation was established in 2025 through a generous gift from the estate of Eileen Prus, a dedicated, long-time member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals. Her enduring legacy will support the highest-scoring applicants each year.

More and more, your clients may see ads on television and online promoting the pitch: “If you have a life insurance policy you no longer need…” meaning there are ways today to sell or turn in a policy and receive money. A particular company boldly advertises these transactions as “Sitting on a Gold Mine.” These transactions or products are called viatical life settlements or senior settlement polices and have become increasingly popular in the last several years. In layman’s terms, they provide a means of selling an existing life insurance policy to a third party (represented by a person, entity, or financial institution) other than the company that issued the original policy. The policy holder (seller) can then receive an immediate financial payment from the third-party offering the settlement.

Medicare professionals are navigating a rapidly changing environment. New regulations, carrier decisions, compensation uncertainty, and evolving client needs are reshaping how licensed professionals serve Americans preparing for and living in retirement. In this environment, advocacy, education, and collaboration are more important than ever.

Choosing the right insurance coverage can feel complicated, especially when comparing plan types, costs, eligibility requirements, and coverage features. NAIFA members have access to a range of insurance benefit options designed to help support their personal, family, and professional needs.

As NAIFA’s President, I would like to wish NAIFA members and all of our professional colleagues a happy 4^th of July. We celebrate America’s 250^th birthday knowing that we can take pride in the fact that for the past 136 years NAIFA has helped make our nation better by supporting financial professionals who build financial freedom and security for American families and businesses.

NAIFA is pleased to collaborate with Mediaplanet on its newly released Women in Finance campaign, which highlights leaders and organizations working to expand opportunities for women across financial services.

For many business-owner clients, their company is their largest and most illiquid asset, making accurate valuation essential to estate, retirement, and succession planning. Without a clear understanding of what a business is worth, financial professionals may miss key planning gaps, liquidity risks, and opportunities to help clients protect and grow enterprise value.

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, NAIFA Secretary Carina Hatfield reminds us that the American Dream has always depended on people willing to take a chance on themselves, their businesses, and their futures. In her article published in InsuranceNewsNet, The Freedom to Dream, the Courage to Build, Carina reflects on her own journey as a third-generation insurance agency owner and the role financial professionals play in giving others the confidence to pursue their own dreams

Financial professionals can help consumers stay disciplined during market swings by establishing dependable income before focusing on long-term growth opportunities

By Jason Mickool,  guest contributor

Many Americans retire with strong savings and well-constructed plans, but their confidence can unravel quickly once market uncertainty begins to affect their everyday financial security.

A sharp downturn stops feeling temporary and starts feeling like a threat to their lifestyle, healthcare plan, or ability to remain retired. Even people with substantial savings can become hesitant investors once unpredictability takes over. They pull back from equities, claim Social Security earlier than expected, hold excessive cash, or delay spending because the entire strategy begins to feel fragile.

Ryan Scritchlow, an insurance agent with COUNTRY Financial in Bloomington, IL, brings an entrepreneurial mindset and a passion for building into his work in financial services.

Before entering the industry, Ryan was already starting businesses, launching his first company in college and developing a strong interest in creating systems, solving problems, and working with people. What ultimately drew him to financial services was the realization that it offered the same opportunity to build, just in a different way. From developing a business and structuring policies to building long term client relationships, the role aligned naturally with his strengths.