You're Going to Do this Whether We're a Member or Not...
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- The draft IRS regulation for the 20% business deduction for pass-through entities was recently released and insurance agents have been expressly exempted from the definition of a specified service trade or business, which are subject to being phased out of this deduction. IIABA is optimistic that there will not be any material changes in the final version of the regulation. IIABA’s government affairs team played a critical role in ensuring that insurance agents would not be subject to the phase-out of this deduction.
- The National Flood Insurance Program (“NFIP”) received a four-month extension. IIABA’s government affairs team had to work hard to keep the program from lapsing.
What If? What if the Big I wasn’t there? What if IIAV wasn’t there. Legislation doesn’t just happen. My brother once told me, “No one looks after #1 except yourself…” It’s a lesson that I never forgot.
At the National Board meeting this past weekend we received lots of reports and our Federal affairs team mentioned these two items. These two things didn’t just happen. The IIABA Federal Affairs team was an integral part of making both of these initiatives happen. There are many individuals and interests out there with an opposing position. At least one senator was adamantly against an extension for the NFIP and didn’t care if it completely disrupted the insurance, banking and real estate markets. His position almost prevailed.
With everyone looking for dollars, the 20 percent business deduction for pass-through entities didn’t just happen. There are many interests who would be just as happy to divert these tax dollars to some goal or mission instead of returning these funds back to the small business. And the exclusion for insurance agents didn’t just happen. Again, you can thank our Federal Affairs team for making sure that our interests are protected.
By far, the IIABA Legislative Team is one of the most effective lobbys in Washington D.C. — and they work for YOU. They make it happen because you can’t be there. You can’t keep an eye on the opposition. You can’t visit with all legislators, or even all the influential legislators on a committee. You know as well as I do that once you leave a legislator’s office, the likelihood that someone walked in after you with an opposing viewport is very likely.
How much is the tax proposal worth to your agency? How much of your business relates in some way to your clients? What if the IIABA wasn’t there?
We’ve heard it time and time again, “you’re going to lobby whether we are a member or not, so we get the benefit of membership without having to pay for it.” I’ve learned to say “freeloader” under my breath. Don’t burn bridges. I’ve had agency owners call me, insisting that we take a legislative position ... and they were not even members. Does the word “audacity” come to mind?
IIAV and our sister organization the IIABA are insurance policies for our membership and profession. I’d love to figure out how to ensure that our efforts only benefit our own members. But that’s not what we’re all about and our mission is to represent the industry and profession wholly.
So when you look at some of our accomplishments — both on the legislative side and otherwise — it might be worth just thinking for a moment ... what would have happened if IIAV/IIABA was not there? As we look at legislative proposals for 2019 ... it’s a scary thought!
Do YOU have time to look at cybersecurity and agent licensing legislative proposals now? Later is too late.
Robert N. Bradshaw, Jr., MAM
IIAV President & CEO
