- 687
Does anyone have any recommendations to joining or not joining NAIFA?
NAIFA Membership
- Thread starter RonRoberts
- Start date
- 15,319
- 11,273
The only practical reason I see in joining NAIFA is for political advocacy. (Not that I agree with their positions all the time.)
You can always check out a local chapter meeting and see how it works out for you.
If there's a local YAT (Young Advisor's Team) group, that could be beneficial if you're under 40 or under 5 years in the business.
NAIFA membership is required to be awarded the LUTCF or FSS designations from The American College.
I say to check out the meetings as a guest and see if you like it. Then, of course, this becomes more of a local decision than just the 'benefits' they list on their website.
You can always check out a local chapter meeting and see how it works out for you.
If there's a local YAT (Young Advisor's Team) group, that could be beneficial if you're under 40 or under 5 years in the business.
NAIFA membership is required to be awarded the LUTCF or FSS designations from The American College.
I say to check out the meetings as a guest and see if you like it. Then, of course, this becomes more of a local decision than just the 'benefits' they list on their website.
- Thread starter
- #4
- 687
The last thing that I wish to do is waste my time going to luncheons at $25 a pop and a $500 annual membership fee. But would like to get the whole story. I do like the idea of possibly visiting a few time.
I used to do NAIFA and NALU before that religiously. Over the last ten or more years I just haven't been able to see the local and state meetings as anything other than irrelevant. When I started in1980, our local group had over 400 members. Today it's a little over a hundred.
Career managers join because they have to, and they go to the meetings to passively recruit. I agree with the advocacy, but that's about it unless you really need the industry recognition and awards to keep you motivated.
It won't be the worst $500 you ever spent either way.
Career managers join because they have to, and they go to the meetings to passively recruit. I agree with the advocacy, but that's about it unless you really need the industry recognition and awards to keep you motivated.
It won't be the worst $500 you ever spent either way.
- 4,132
"The last thing that I wish to do is waste my time going to luncheons at $25 a pop and a $500 annual membership fee"
I kinda gave it up for that reason, except ours was breakfast. I got kinda tired of paying for food that I shouldn't be eating in the first place, it wasn't very good either.
Also at one time I helped out with the political arm of the business, sat next to a guy who was lying like a rug to replace my business so I found it hard to belong to a group that mouths the words, but doesn't really mean it.
About a decade ago, I simply asked if I could pay the national fee to belong and skip the breakfasts. Nationally when I asked to join at that level, they said no, they didn't want my $200 bucks to belong unless I paid another $200 bucks to pay for breakfasts I couldn't eat. That's where I left it with them. They didn't want my membership without having to buy breakfast at the same time... so done with them.
I kinda gave it up for that reason, except ours was breakfast. I got kinda tired of paying for food that I shouldn't be eating in the first place, it wasn't very good either.
Also at one time I helped out with the political arm of the business, sat next to a guy who was lying like a rug to replace my business so I found it hard to belong to a group that mouths the words, but doesn't really mean it.
About a decade ago, I simply asked if I could pay the national fee to belong and skip the breakfasts. Nationally when I asked to join at that level, they said no, they didn't want my $200 bucks to belong unless I paid another $200 bucks to pay for breakfasts I couldn't eat. That's where I left it with them. They didn't want my membership without having to buy breakfast at the same time... so done with them.
- Thread starter
- #7
- 687
Thanks. I appreciate the feedback. Unless we are all sitting around sharing our war stories and helping eachother get and keep business I am not interested.
- 742
It's funny this post was today--NAIFA is on the hill this week meeting policitians and reporting back to their locals. I was dragged in kicking and screaming and am now on the board of my local. I am actually glad I did it but chalk it up to a donation for advocacy and an investment in our line of work. Being on the board, I am biased, but I can easily tell why this organization has gone from 200k members plus to much much less than that.
- 4,132
"but chalk it up to a donation for advocacy and an investment in our line of work."
That was my thought back in the day, just belong to the national organization to support advocacy, cept they couldn't or wouldn't even consider it. I had to belong to a group based on my zip, I had to pay for meals I wasn't going to partake in.
Back in the day a real advantage was the continuing ed opportunities those breakfasts allowed. It was a reason to go. However, as the net has done to many things, it is far less expensive to simply go online and spend $50 or less for my continuing ed than pay 200-300 bucks to sit through a a breakfast meeting.
That was my thought back in the day, just belong to the national organization to support advocacy, cept they couldn't or wouldn't even consider it. I had to belong to a group based on my zip, I had to pay for meals I wasn't going to partake in.
Back in the day a real advantage was the continuing ed opportunities those breakfasts allowed. It was a reason to go. However, as the net has done to many things, it is far less expensive to simply go online and spend $50 or less for my continuing ed than pay 200-300 bucks to sit through a a breakfast meeting.
- 11,273
I do believe in "giving back" to your profession. NAIFA is just one avenue for doing so. (But so are forums like these.)
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