Hello FPA Member!

This email is to follow up on our previous invitation to join us in visiting our respective California state legislators in their home district offices during our "Advocacy Week" of September 18th through 22nd, 2017. The full details of our previous email are below my signature. In the meantime here is additional information you will need if you are planning to participate (and do let us know if you are going, by the RSVP information below).

Information for Making Appointments:  They will either make the appointment there on the phone, or they will ask you to put your request in an email.  Click here for a link to the telephone and email scripts that can be used when scheduling your appointments.  As soon as your appointment is made, email info@fpaca.org to let us know so that we can coordinate with other FPA members who may be in your Assembly or Senate district.

Advocacy Week Materials: Below you will find resources that will help you to be successful in planning and attending your legislator visits.  
- Training Webinar (Please note that there are a few minutes of sound distortion due to an attendees' unmuted cell phone so we apologize for this distraction.)
- Legislator Handouts Folder - Please print and bring along to your meetings to distribute.
- Member Tips - Includes a generic "how to talk to a legislator" tip sheet from national, and also a FPA of California customized talking points document

Talking Points This Year: You may encounter specific questions about our advocacy agenda or reasons to meet. Below are some basic talking points for 2017:

-- Any legislation (which comes up every year) to create a sales tax on professional services (like accounting, financial planning or legal work) is opposed by the FPA. The costs (the tax itself plus compliance and reporting) would end up being borne by the individuals paying for the service as it gets passed along to them. That just makes professional services even more expensive for constituents.

-- The FPA of CA is coordinating educational efforts with the Treasurer's Office on the rollout of Secure Choice in 2018. Secure Choice is a program to provide a legitimate retirement plan for employees of businesses that do not already have a qualified retirement plan. We are helping out specifically because of the relationships we had forged years ago with Treasurer John Chang back when he was in the Controller's office. Secure Choice is going to allow millions of Californians to have a safe, secure, low cost and easy way to save for retirement through their paycheck. To the FPA, this is a win for everyone involved.

-- We are looking for more ways that more constituents can have access to top-quality, professional fiduciary advice on personal finances. Any legislation that would contribute to that mutually beneficial end is something we want to be a part of, especially in the future to the protection and regulation of the term "financial planning" or "financial planner."

-- Every Senator and Congress person has outreach programs that they offer. We always like to be connected to these programs and can offer financial literacy education and other pro bono services - especially during our Financial Planning Days in October.
Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the event or the materials provided.

Sincerely,

John
John D. Buerger, CFP® MSFS
President, FPA of California   
Email: president@fpaca.org  
Website: www.fpaca.org