Dave Emery Takes a Trip to Washington to Fight for Financial Education

8/9/2022

Last month, Dave Emery took a trip to Washington, DC. The goal? To talk to local Congressmen and advocate on behalf of the Financial Planning Association (FPA).

Now, just what is the FPA?

Dave is a member of the Philadelphia Tristate Chapter of the FPA – a group  of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals that is currently about 19,000 members strong. Each year, members in charge of advocacy gather in Washington, D.C. to cover issues at the national level, and then travel again to Harrisburg, PA to address any issues at the local level.

Most recently, the FPA has come under new leadership, with a new CEO and a brand new acronym that represents the association’s key goals: PLAN. 

P – Practice Support

L – Learning

A – Advocacy

N – Networking

What does the FPA advocate for?

One of the key issues they talked about in Washington was the need for greater financial literacy within the educational system, particularly at the elementary and secondary school levels.

From the FPA Statement on Financial Literacy:

“FPA encourages schools to teach the basic components of personal financial management to help with vital financial functions such as understanding credit, savings, loans, home and rent responsibilities and how to manage debt responsibly. Doing so will help with the overall goal of preparing students for independence and financial wellness.”

Another important educational component? Supporting the following bill: Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce – HR.2171 (Spanberger) / S.905 (Klobuchar). The bill would allow funds from a 529 savings account – typically limited to qualified higher education expenses like paying for tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board at colleges and universities – to be used towards obtaining or maintaining professional certifications.

How does this relate to you?

One of the main concerns we run into again and again with clients is how they can save for their children’s college education in a way that will fit in with their overall financial plan. The importance of instilling financial literacy from an early age very often becomes part of that discussion.

For our clients, it can be useful to stay informed on what legislation is on the horizon that might have a direct impact on how these goals take shape over time, as well as who is advocating for them, when, and where. Check out the FPA’s Advocacy page to learn more about policies that may be of interest to you. Or give Dave Emery a call with questions!

Source:

“Advocacy Issues Fact Sheets”, Financial Planning Association, June 28, 2022

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