Advocacy IFAPAC - Ocala Florida

The Insurance and Financial Advisors Political Action Committee (IFAPAC) advances the legislative interests of NAIFA, seeks to preserve a favorable governmental climate and promotes the best interests of consumers—as served by active members of local associations – by supporting the campaigns of carefully selected candidates for elective office. There is no more important function of NAIFA than impacting on laws and regulations affecting the products NAIFA members sell and the customers they serve. Our legislative and political programs are NAIFA’s first line of offense and defense. NAIFA created its political action committee in 1966. IFAPAC was and still is the association’s strong response to the need for vigorous, effective representation on behalf of members of its local and state associations.

NAIFA OCALA 2013 IFAPAC CONTRIBUTORS:

George Dennis Williams INVESTOR ($50-$99)
Charlene T. Agin CENTURY ($100-$199)
Susan C. Lynn CENTURY ($100-$199)
Ronald Wilson Thompson CENTURY ($100-$199)
Laurel Ziemann AMBASSADOR ($200-$299)
Curtis W. Neuman, LUTCF STATESMAN ($300-$499)
Vince J. Orlando, LUTCF, FSS STATESMAN ($300-$499)
Tom M. Cothron, LUTCF DIPLOMAT ($1,000-$2,499)

CONTRIBUTION LEVELS:

CAPITOL: $5,000+
EMISSARY: $2,500 - $4,999
DIPLOMAT: $1,000 - $2,499
ENVOY: $500 - $999
STATESMAN: $300 - $499
AMBASSADOR: $200 - $299
CENTURY: $100 - $199
INVESTOR: $50 - $99
CONTRIBUTOR: UP TO $50


WHAT IS IFAPAC?

The Insurance and Financial Advisors Political Action Committee (IFAPAC) is a term used to describe collectively the PAC sponsored by NAIFA at the federal level and the PACs sponsored by each state association. Each PAC is a fund that supports the campaigns of candidates for public office who understand issues important to insurance agents and financial advisors. IFAPAC’s goal is to help the associations advance the legislative and regulatory interests of the members of NAIFA. While any U.S. citizen can contribute to IFAPAC, only members of local NAIFA associations may be solicited to do so. Contributions must be voluntary. Contributions are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. Of approximately 3,700 political action committees registered with the Federal Election Commission, IFAPAC ranks in the top 1 percent. IFAPAC is the largest insurance PAC in the country. In the last election cycle, the national IFAPAC and the 50 state IFAPACs contributed approximately $2.5 million to federal and state candidates and committees.

The IFAPAC network is needed even in years when there aren't federal elections. The candidate evaluation and support processes go on all the time. PACs that have the resources to make contributions when candidates need them most are highly visible in the political arena. IFAPAC occasionally makes debt-retirement contributions following elections and some states hold elections in odd-numbered years.

On the national level, a panel of ten NAIFA members, appointed by the Executive Committee of NAIFA, determines which candidates for federal office will receive PAC contributions. This group is called the Candidate Selection Group. On the state level, contributions to candidates are made via a similar volunteer committee process. Input from state and local association officers and current contributors is vital to the ability of state and national selection committees to make informed decisions regarding which candidates to support. IFAPAC encourages contributors to provide factual information on candidates.

For more information about IFAPAC and to make contributions securely online (https://member.naifa.org/IFAPAC/IFAPACDirective.aspx)

Member Action Needed on PAC Contribution Directive

The new SEC “Pay to Play” Rule went into effect on March 14. Although this new Rule affects only some NAIFA members, NAIFA has had to adjust its IFAPAC fundraising procedures for all NAIFA members.

Sharing your IFAPAC contribution with both NAIFA-Florida IFAPAC and your NAIFA IFAPAC is in the best interests of our advocacy program. Accordingly, it is imperative that you take action to make sure your contribution is shared with NAIFA-Florida PAC – if your company and/or broker-dealer permits the contribution sharing. If you do nothing and do not fill out a directive, by default, all of your PAC contributions will stay with NAIFA-IFAPAC and will only be used for federal candidates. This will seriously impact our ability to continue with our strong advocacy program in Florida.

ALL NAIFA members must complete the Directive, even if you believe the new SEC Rule does not affect you.

Here’s what you must do:

Contact your company and/or broker-dealer compliance office(s) to find out if you may contribute to both your state association IFAPAC and the national IFAPAC.

Complete the IFAPAC Directive:

Online:
Go to (https://member.naifa.org/IFAPAC/IFAPACDirective.aspx) then go to Online IFAPAC Directive and under “please select one of the following options” – check the first box (“Please continue to share my IFAPAC contribution between NAIFA’s federal PAC and my NAIFA state association PAC.”) ( If you need your member ID to log on, call the NAIFA-Florida office at (850) 422-1701.)

Mail or Fax:
For the IFAPAC Directive page, print a copy of the Directive, complete it and fax it to 703-770-8151. (http://www.naifa.org/advocacy/ifapac/p2p/)

For more information: Contact Magenta Ishak (ifapac@naifa.org), Assistant Vice President of Political Affairs, (703) 770-8152.

FIND YOUR ELECTED OFFICIAL
You may have never run for public office.
You might not know much about politics. But with NAIFA's Advisors Political Involvement Committee (APIC),
you can still make a difference.

Influence how Congress votes on legislation important to insurance and financial services professionals.
Learn more about NAIFA's Legislative and Regulatory Issues (http://naifa.org/advocacy/legislative/)

NAIFA's Legislative Action Center.
Contact your elected official today! (http://capwiz.com/naifa/home/)