Leaders Blog

Financial professionals are increasingly being asked to evaluate all available options when a client’s life insurance policy no longer aligns with their goals. As the secondary market for life insurance continues to grow, understanding how and when to incorporate life settlement strategies into planning conversations has become an important part of delivering comprehensive guidance. 

Join NAIFA on Tuesday, April 28 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Eastern for a webinar exploring how the secondary market for life insurance is creating new planning opportunities for financial professionals. Sponsored by Coventry, this session will focus on the trends driving market growth and how these strategies are being applied in real client situations.

Peter Hershon, Senior Vice President of Account Services at Coventry, will lead the discussion. With more than two decades of experience in life insurance and life settlements, Hershon brings a deep understanding of the marketplace and the evolving role these solutions play in financial planning. He will walk attendees through the most common applications advisors are using, including term settlements, policy replacement strategies, and retained death benefit options.

NAIFA has created a Congressional Conference marketing toolkit to help chapters promote our signature advocacy event, May 18-19 in Washington, D.C. The kit includes social media and web graphics, a logo set, suggested language for email outreach, and suggested social media messaging. It also has items you can share with your members, like "I'm attending" graphics and a customizable press release template.

Business owners represent one of the most important planning opportunities for financial professionals today. With estate tax thresholds at historically high levels, many planning conversations are shifting toward strategies that help business owners reward key employees, protect their companies, and prepare for long-term transitions.

As we gear up for another exciting year of PAC Madness, it's time for chapter leaders to lay the groundwork for another successful year of PAC fundraising. Building on the tremendous success of 2025, 2026 promises even more opportunities to rally our members and amplify NAIFA's advocacy impact. This double-elimination tournament-style event runs from February 23 to April 17, focusing on raising funds and recruiting new contributors to support legislative candidates who protect our industry from burdensome regulations and taxes.

Estate planning continues to evolve, and 2026 is shaping up to bring important developments that financial professionals cannot afford to overlook. From tax updates to shifting rules around inherited retirement accounts, staying current is essential to delivering meaningful value to clients.

NAIFA’s upcoming webinar, "Social Security Literacy and Income Planning: The Missing Link in Insurance and Financial Advice", focuses on one of the most influential yet frequently oversimplified components of retirement planning.

NAIFA’s Investment, Retirement, Estate, and Advanced Planning Center will host a free live webinar, 2026 New Developments and Planning Ideas, on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm Eastern. This webinar is open to everyone and is designed for financial professionals who want a clear, practical review of recent legal and regulatory changes and how those developments translate into real planning opportunities for clients.

February 17-20
Lake Nona Wave Hotel
Orlando, Florida

We are just about a month away from the FSP Institute in Orlando, Florida, and it's not too late to be a part of this extraordinary professional learning experience. Mike McGlothlin is a multi-year attendee, and he says that on top of cutting-edge educational sessions, the Institute offers unmatched opportunities to create and extend relationships with highly successful professionals. "There's no other place where you can have a CPA, estate planner, asset manager, financial planner, all in the same room .. and talking about how we improve outcomes for clients."

NAIFA’s Medicare Collective will host "Navigating Disruption and Market Contraction in Medicare Business in 2026 and Beyond" as part of Medicare Collective Impact Day on Thursday, January 29, 2026, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm Eastern. This free live virtual event for both NAIFA members and nonmembers brings together professionals who work directly in the Medicare market to discuss the real challenges that financial professionals are facing as the landscape continues to change.

February 17-20
Lake Nona Wave Hotel
Orlando, Fla.

The FSP Institute is an advanced planning experience designed for financial professionals looking to elevate their practices to new heights. It is a high-impact, collaborative event that features some of the leading experts as instructors facilitating conversations and sharing their knowledge and insights. Sessions will focus on such topics as advanced tax strategies, the impact of new legislation on college-funding strategies, financial ramifications of elder care, and many others all led by leaders in their fields. Registration is now open.