Washington, D.C., is at the center of numerous laws and regulations that affect FPA members and their practices, whether these are changes to the federal tax code, pension or securities laws, or the insurance industry. Find policy papers, comment letters and testimony, and white papers and research that will keep you up to date on industry trends and regulations.

Public Policy

August 12, 2011

FPA Experts and Survey Cite Reliance on Long-term Plans for Consumers and Moderate Reactions to Current Market Turmoil are Best Response

July 18, 2011

FPA Calls on Congress to Raise the Debt Ceiling

Tax Issues

September 6, 2011

FPA Comment Letter to Judiciary Committee Re: H.R. 1249, the America Invents Act (PDF | 306KB)

June 21, 2011

Tax Strategy Patent Coalition Letter in Opposition to Polis Amendment (PDF | 90KB)

February 23, 2011

Savings Coalition of America Letter re: President Obama's Budget Proposals (PDF | 31KB)

February 18, 2011

FPA News Release on Repealing Expanded 1099 Requirements (PDF | 30KB)

February 4, 2011

FPA News Release on Tax Patent Strategies (PDF | 30KB)

February 2, 2011

National Coalition Letter re: Tax Strategy Patents (PDF | 256KB)

December 17, 2010

Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (PDF | 96KB)

September 28, 2010

Joint Letter to Congress to Ban Tax Strategy Patents (PDF | 298KB)

Regulatory Reform 

September 13, 2011

Financial Planning Coalition Statement Before Financial Services Committee re: Broker-Dealer and IA Oversight (PDF | 111KB)

August 2011

Sen. Spencer Bachus Letter to SEC re: Fiduciary Standard for Broker-Dealers (PDF | 137KB)

September 15, 2010

Fiduciary Survey News Release (PDF | 47KB)

National Opinion Survey on U.S. Investors & Fiduciary Standard (PDF | 309KB)

September 12, 2010

FPA Comment Letter to Treasury Department on Financial Education Core Competencies (PDF| 98KB)

August 6, 2010

FPA Summary of the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform and Consumer Protection Act (PDF | 46KB) 

June 15, 2010

FPA Letter to Conference Committee re: Adviser Fees (PDF | 49KB) 

May 27, 2010

FPA Letters to Bill Sponsors re: Independent Contractor Status (PDF | 147KB) 

May 6, 2010

Long-term Care Provision in Health Care Reform Bill  (PDF | 68KB) 

March 26, 2010

Summary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PDF | 74KB)  

March 24, 2010

Coalition update on financial regulatory reform legislation: "Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010" (PDF | 68KB)

October 1, 2009 

Amendment to the Discussion Draft [Investor Protection Act of 2009]: Offered by Mr. Capuano of Mass. 
(PDF | 17KB)  

June 18, 2009 

FPA Summary of President Obama's Plan for Regulatory Reform (PDF | 52KB)  

Comment Letters & Testimony

April 13, 2011

Testimony of Mark Johannessen before the House Ways & Means Committee (PDF | 103KB) 

November 5, 2010

FPA Comment Letter on Proposed Revisions to 12b-1 Fee (PDF | 44KB) 

September 27, 2010

FPA Summary of the Small Business Jobs Act (PDF | 153KB) 

August 30, 2010

Comment Letter on SEC Study of BD and IA Standards of Care/Fiduciary Duty

July 28, 2010

FPA Letter Supporting the Extension of the 15% Capital Gains & Dividends Tax Rate (PDF | 30KB) 

May 5, 2010

FPA Letter to Department of Labor re: Investment Advice Proposed Rule  (PDF | 90KB) 

November 3, 2009

Coalition Letter Opposing FINRA Oversight of Advisers to House Financial Services Committee (PDF |69KB)

October 26, 2009 

Joint Coalition Letter in Support of Fiduciary Duty for Brokers to House Financial Services Committee (PDF |82KB)

October 7, 2009  

FPA Comment Letter to Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee re: Estate Tax Reform (PDF | 42KB)

August 17, 2009

FPA Letter to SEC on FINRA Enforcement  (PDF | 117KB) and SEC's response to FPA Letter on FINRA Enforcement  (PDF | 421KB)

July 28, 2009

FPA Letter to SEC on Custody Rule Amendments (PDF | 212KB)

July 14, 2009  

Joint Letter in Support of Consumer Protection Legislation (PDF | 89KB)

July 1, 2009

Financial Planning Coalition Update to Members (PDF | 67KB)  

April 30, 2009  

FPA Letter to Chairman Schapiro on IA Custody Issues (PDF | 118KB)  

April 27, 2009 

Financial Planning Coalition Outline Agenda (PDF | 52KB)                                       

March 5, 2009

Financial Planning Coalition Regulatory Update (PDF | 155KB) 

February 25, 2009  

FPA Board member Deena Katz, CFP® testimony to Senate Special Committee on Aging (PDF | 85KB) 

FPA Government Relations Chair Andrew Keeler, CFP® testimony to House Small Business Committee (PDF | 74KB) 

February 13, 2009

Highlights of Tax Title of Economic Recovery Agreement (PDF | 39KB) 

January 23, 2009

Letter to Senate Finance Committee re: Alternative Minimum Tax (PDF | 42KB) 

January 21, 2009

Letter to House Committee on Ways and Means re: Alternative Minimum Tax (PDF | 42KB) 

October 30, 2008

Comment Letter to SEC re: Reserve Fund Relief (PDF | 67KB) 

Comment Letter to Treasury re: Temporary Guarantee Program for Money Market Fund (PDF | 77KB) 

October 8, 2008  

Summary of Major Provisions for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (PDF | 70KB) 

October 6, 2008  

Comment Letter to Department of Labor re: Fiduciary Adviser Rule (PDF | 166KB) 

September 22, 2008   

Coalition Letter to SEC on Money Market Fund Transparency (PDF | 104KB) 

September 16, 2008  

Comment Letter to SEC re: Temporary Rule Regarding Principal Trades with Certain Advisory Clients (PDF | 96KB) 

September 10, 2008

Comment Letter to SEC re: Indexed Annuities and Certain Other Insurance Contracts (PDF | 171KB)

June 13, 2008

Comment Letter to FINRA re: Regulatory Notice 08-24 (PDF | 131KB) 

May 16, 2008 

FPA Comments on Overhaul to Form ADV, Part 2 and Adviser Disclosures (PDF | 140KB)

May 12, 2008

FPA Comments on Regulations S-P, Client Privacy and Account Transfers (PDF | 133KB)

March 11, 2008  

FPA of Minnesota Resolution Relating to RAND study (PDF | 133KB)

February 20, 2008

FPA Comment Letter to EBSA on 408(b)(2) Fee Disclosure (PDF | 125KB)

February 12, 2008

FPA Comment Letter to SEC Regarding Special Compensation for Brokerage Services and
Recent Interpretative Guidance by the Agency (PDF | 340KB)

November 30, 2007

FPA Comment Letter to SEC on Principal Trading Relief Rule (PDF | 89KB)

November 16, 2007

FPA Comment Letter to Treasury on Regulatory Reform (PDF | 44KB)

November 2, 2007

FPA Comments to SEC on Proposed Amendments to Advisers Act Rule 202(a)(11)-1 (PDF | 73KB)

September 5, 2007

FPA Testimony Before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging (PDF | 75KB)  

July 27, 2007

FPA Letter to the SEC Regarding Possible Action on Principal Trading Relief (PDF | 52KB)

May 30, 2007

FPA Comment Letter to the SEC Addressing an Interagency Proposal for a Model Privacy Form (PDF | 63KB)

April 25, 2007

FPA Comment Letter to CFP Board Relating to Second Exposure Draft of Proposed Revisions to CFP Board's Standards of Professional Conduct (PDF | 105KB)

April 12, 2007

FPA Comment Letter to the Department of Treasury Addressing the Financial Literacy and Education Commission Request for Comments (PDF | 61KB)

Please Note: For comment letters and testimony dating back more than two years, please e-mail Jennifer.Rudolph@FPAnet.org.

White Papers & Research

• Financial Regulatory Reform: A New Foundation (PDF | 2.1MB) 
• Executive Summary of Financial Regulation Reform (PDF | 49KB)
• Strengthening Consumer Protection Fact Sheet (PDF | 87KB)
• Strengthening Regulation of Core Markets and Market Infrastructure Fact Sheet (PDF | 85KB)
• Improving International Regulatory Standards and Cooperation Fact Sheet (PDF | 76KB)
• Requiring Strong Supervision and Regulation of All Financial Firms Fact Sheet (PDF | 98KB)
• Providing the Government with Tools to Effectively Manage Financial Crisis Fact Sheet (PDF | 80KB)
• 2008 FPA Tax Issues Survey (PDF | 1MB)
• FPA White Paper on Tax Reform Panel Proposals (PDF | 175KB)
• Latest GAO Report on Social Security Reform (PDF | 3.1MB)
• FPA White Paper on Financial Literacy and the Life Cycle (submitted to 2005 White House Conference on Aging) (PDF | 29KB)
• Regulation of Financial Planners (PDF | 21KB)