NAIFA is deeply concerned by company announcements indicating they no longer will pay commissions to Medicare agents. And today, Humana announced they will no longer use agents to sell Prescription Drug Plans (PDP). This alarming trend threatens not only the livelihood of financial professionals but also the millions of seniors who rely on them for help navigating their healthcare options. If you learn of other announcements, please forward them to communications@naifa.org.

NAIFA’s Advisor Today is pleased to announce the winners of its annual 4 Under 40 awards: Nicholas Limongelli, CLU, of NAIFA-New York; S. Grayson Owen, CLU, REBC, of NAIFA-Georgia; Carson Porter, CFF, FSS, RICP, LUTCF, CHLU, of NAIFA-Nevada; and Rachel Sayyad of NAIFA-Maryland.

Brandon Smith is an Executive Vice President at Milestone Financial Solutions, a firm that offers financial planning, investment, retirement, and estate-planning services to help clients reach key life goals. In his role, he provides comprehensive short-term and long-term financial and business planning catered to the needs of each client. His professional designations include CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, and CPFA. Before joining Milestone, Brandon began his career with AXA Advisors and later became a Registered Representative with The Leaders Group.

The Financial Times is inviting NAIFA members to attend (in person or virtually) its full-day conference, Guiding Generations: The Future of Estate Planning, presented by FT Live and Financial Advisor IQ in partnership with Trust & Will, taking place October 23, 2025, in New York and online. The event is free to all financial professionals. NAIFA is a supporting partner. 

For Matthew Crocker, founder of Crocker Financial LLC in Kent, Ohio, the financial services profession is more than a career—it’s a calling.

Matthew’s journey began in college, when a risk management class first opened his eyes to the world of insurance. Years later, that spark turned into a profession, inspired in part by personal experience. “Having had to rely on the GoFundMe method for a family member, I wanted to make sure others didn’t need to feel the same shame I did,” he shared. “This industry gives me the opportunity to make a visible difference in people’s lives, and that’s what attracted me most.”

Uncertainty is not new, but for clients nearing or in retirement, financial volatility can create unique challenges. In his recent Journal of Financial Service Professionals article, John N. Migliaccio, PhD, RFG, FGSA, MEd, draws on lessons from past disruptions including the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic to explore how advisors can help clients reframe risk and focus on what truly drives financial decision making.

New findings from the Alliance for Lifetime Income’s 2025 Protected Retirement Income and Planning Study show that financial strain is leading many Americans to sacrifice their own retirement savings and economic well-being in order to support loved ones.

According to the study (now in its seventh year), nearly half of all consumers surveyed said they have made financial sacrifices for family members: 17% of consumers surveyed said they support adult children 26 and older; 10% support grandchildren and 7% support parents or in-laws. More than half say that their financial support affects their retirement savings.

Despite this, only 28 percent reported speaking with a financial professional about the impact on their long-term financial plans.

The Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA), signed into law by President Biden in January 2025, eliminated two long-standing rules—the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These rules had reduced Social Security benefits for over 3 million public employees, like teachers, police officers, and other government workers, who also received pensions from jobs that didn’t pay into Social Security. WEP reduced their personal benefits, while GPO reduced spousal or survivor benefits. The repeal applies retroactively to benefits starting in January 2024. David G. Freitag, CLU, ChFC, CRPC, and Bruce A. Tannahill, JD, CPA, AEP, discuss the implications for financial professionals and their clients in the current issue of the Journal of Financial Service Professionals.

NAIFA is proud to announce that Shane Westhoelter, AEP, CLU, LUTCF, LACP, the Founder and CEO of Gateway Financial Advisors, LLC., Gateway Insurance Group, Inc, and Gateway Insurance & Financial Services, LLC in Albuquerque, N.M., is the 2025 recipient of NAIFA’s Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award.

When I first stepped into a leadership role at NAIFA, I did it as a volunteer. What I didn’t realize at the time was how rewarding, energizing, and impactful the experience would be. Serving as a volunteer leader has not only been gratifying on a personal level, it has also been one of the best investments I’ve made in my career, my leadership skills, and my ability to serve our profession.