From Advisor to Advocate: The Power of Personal Stories on Capitol Hill 

By Brad Greenbaum, Vice President, Altigro Pension Services, Inc.

That, to me, is the real value of participating. The day is not about reciting talking points or walking through a list of legislative proposals. It is about helping people understand who we are, what we do and how the issues being discussed in Washington, D.C. affect our businesses, clients and communities.

Being on Capitol Hill, especially if it’s your first time, can feel like a different world. The buildings are imposing. The schedules are tight. You are moving from office to office, often with people you may have just met the day before. But once you sit down across from a lawmaker or a member of their staff, the setting starts to feel much more human. 

That is when the conversation matters. 

I have participated in these gatherings more than once, and each time I come away reaffirming the notion: The human connection makes the difference. Most of the people we meet are smart and engaged, but they do not necessarily know how independent advisors and independent financial services firms operate. They may hear “financial services” and think of large institutions, employee-based firms or entirely different types of businesses. 

That is why it is so important to explain our model clearly and plainly. If we do not do that ourselves, others may fill in the blanks for us. 

Real Stories Make Better Advocacy

In my case, I represent a business in New Jersey that supports retirement plans and the people who rely on them. That gives me a real-world perspective to bring into those rooms. I am not speaking in theory. I am talking about what it means to run a business, serve clients, support employers, and help people prepare for retirement. 

The issues we discussed all came back to that practical reality. They were not abstract policy debates to us. They were questions that affect how independent firms operate, how advisors serve clients, and how confidently business owners can plan for the future. 

On independent contractor status, I talked about why the Modern Worker Empowerment Act (H.R.1319/S.2228) is so important. Independent financial advisors are not gig workers. We chose this model because it allows us to build firms, hire people, support clients directly and take responsibility for the businesses we own. But when the rules keep changing from one administration to the next, it becomes harder for firms and advisors to plan with confidence. 

We also discussed the Clarity for Compensation Act (H.R.7187). That one can sound technical, but the basic issue is simple. The rules around compensation still treat the individual advisor and the business entity as if they are entirely separate. The SEC’s no-action relief was helpful, but it is not the same as having a permanent fix in the law. For people in the room who do not live with these rules every day, that explanation helped connect the issue to how our businesses actually function. 

The GROWTH Act (H.R.2089/S.1839) was another good example, and a bill gaining traction on Capitol Hill. Rather than explaining mutual fund taxation in abstract terms, we shared about the investor who gets a tax bill on capital gains inside a fund even though he or she did not decide to sell anything. That can be frustrating for any investor. For a young person or a family saving outside a retirement account, it can also be a real financial burden. When you put the issue in those terms, it becomes much easier to understand why this is about fairness.

Why Showing Up Matters

That was the idea I carried into the day, and it held up in every meeting. The conversations worked best when we could move from policy language to real examples involving clients, businesses and families. 

I also came away reminded that advocacy is cumulative. The bill numbers we provide, the notes staff members take and the examples we share all become part of a longer process. You may not see the result of one meeting immediately, but you can tell when an issue starts to land. 

For me, that is the value of participating. It is not just a day at the Capitol. It is a chance to be part of the process in a concrete, practical way. It is also a reminder that when independent financial professionals show up and tell their stories clearly, we can help give a voice to the businesses we have built, the clients we serve and the communities that depend on us.