Author: Susan Neely

Win the Game for Everyday Americans, Pass the SECURE Act

Last Sunday, college football fans nationwide learned which bowl game their team would play in. After weeks of speculation, they gained the certainty they need to plan. Iowa Hawkeye fans like me learned they can book flights to San Diego. They’ll be playing in the Holiday Bowl on December 27. Penn State boosters like my daughter learned they’ll play in the Cotton Bowl on December 28 in Dallas. And University of Texas supporters learned the Longhorns will play in the Alamo Bowl on December 31 in San Antonio. Now it’s time to get certainty from Capitol Hill. Everyday Americans stand … Continue reading "Win the Game for Everyday Americans, Pass the SECURE Act"

How The Life Insurance Industry Is Providing Paid Family and Medical Leave

We need a national solution to help more employers offer paid family and medical leave (PFML). PFML has the attention of leaders on both sides of the aisle and across all sectors because it’s about a basic human desire – the ability to care and be cared for. In the past four years, the number of federal lawmakers supportive of PFML has more than doubled. More than 70 percent of millennial business owners are interested in providing PFML. This month, Congress also took action by including a paid parental leave provision for federal workers in the annual defense authorization bill. … Continue reading "How The Life Insurance Industry Is Providing Paid Family and Medical Leave"

Senate Can Support Volunteer First Responders by Passing SECURE Act

I bet you didn’t know the United States is protected by 80% more volunteer firefighters than career firefighters. I bet you also didn’t know that the number of volunteer firefighters has been dropping precipitously. Don’t feel bad – I didn’t know these facts either. But I do know this: there is legislation awaiting U.S. Senate approval that will help attract and retain these and other brave volunteers. That legislation is the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. The SECURE Act exempts certain volunteer recruitment and retention incentives from being subject to federal income tax. Across the nation … Continue reading "Senate Can Support Volunteer First Responders by Passing SECURE Act"

SECURE Act Benefits the Many, Not the Few

Low and middle-income Americans struggling to save for retirement are counting on the U.S. Senate to pass the SECURE Act. There’s no time to wait. Millions of Americans would benefit. One provision alone will get 700,000 Americans who work for small businesses to begin saving for retirement. SECURE is essential to help address America’s retirement savings gaps. There is overwhelming, bipartisan support for SECURE. In fact, 417 members of the U.S. House voted for the bill. Only three members voted against SECURE.  That’s less than 1 percent of the legislative body. It should be noted that a few have expressed … Continue reading "SECURE Act Benefits the Many, Not the Few"

Financial Advisors from 50 States Urge Senate to Pass SECURE Act

A well-known national motto e pluribus unum or “out of many, one” is a powerful statement of our strength as a unified nation. It reminds us that our country is greater than the sum of its parts and appears on the Great Seal of the United States, as well as most U.S. currency. This isn’t just a high-minded idea. It also illustrates how individuals in the real world come together for a common purpose in our democracy. And that’s just what’s happening today. This morning, financial advisors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia urged U.S. Senate leadership to pass the … Continue reading "Financial Advisors from 50 States Urge Senate to Pass SECURE Act"

91 Business & Community Leaders Call on Senate to Pass SECURE Act

On May 23, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, 417-3. The bipartisan landslide vote was not surprising. SECURE has attracted supporters from across the political spectrum because of all the good it will do for Americans’ financial security. What is disappointing is that in the nearly six months since the House vote, the Senate still hasn’t voted on SECURE. To that end, the American Council of Life Insurers led an initiative for SECURE supporters to sign a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck … Continue reading "91 Business & Community Leaders Call on Senate to Pass SECURE Act"

Life Insurers Help Millennials Through Every Stage of Life

(A version of this article originally appeared in USA Today for Mediaplanet’s Financial Planning and Insurance Campaign.) Here’s something I’ll bet you didn’t know: The oldest millennials are celebrating their 20th anniversary in the workforce this year. Hard to believe, right? But it’s true. The millennial generation—widely defined as people born between 1981 and 1996—has grown up in a flash. An 18-year-old high school graduate in 1999 who didn’t go to college has been in the workforce for two decades. Indeed, millennials are already the largest generation in the U.S. labor force. As they face big questions over starting families, housing and career advancement, … Continue reading "Life Insurers Help Millennials Through Every Stage of Life"