Local Edward Jones sr. branch office administrator meets with US lawmakers on behalf of individual investors

MEREDITH — Kathy Swanson, a Meredith sr. branch office administrator for the financial services firm Edward Jones, recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with U.S. legislators and discuss issues on the minds of individual investors and business owners — particularly retirement savings legislation to help more Americans save for a secure and dignified retirement — and to promote greater financial education and wellness. Members of the Grassroots Task Force collectively held more than 300 in-person meetings with U.S. legislators.

Swanson serves on the Grassroots Task Force, a volunteer group of financial advisors, branch office administrators and registered branch associates from all 50 states who are dedicated to voicing the investment concerns of individual investors to local, state and national lawmakers. Now in its 37th year, this is one of the longest-running nationwide grassroots outreach efforts to Congress in existence.

The theme for this year's set of meetings was "Activating Our Purpose."

According to new research Edward Jones conducted with Age Wave and Harris Poll, Americans are changing the definition of retirement, and 69 percent say they want to live to age 100. Over the past few years, the Grassroots Legislative Task Force has focused on building momentum for bills that will strengthen millions of Americans' retirements, and this year, there is an added layer of focus on enhancing financial education and confidence.

The group's current priorities, which Swanson discussed in her meetings include:

Establishing a new catch-up contribution to help workers 60 and older who have not been able to save sufficiently for retirement.

Increasing the required minimum distribution age from 72 to 75 to help more workers who are working and living longer to save longer.

Enhancing the small business start-up tax credit, which will enable many small businesses across the country to provide retirement benefits to their employees.

Permitting employers to make matching contributions with respect to student loan repayments that will help workers burdened with large student loan debt to start saving for retirement.

Launching The Military Spouses Retirement Security Act, which helps address the unique challenges military spouses face in saving for retirement by providing a tax credit of up to $500 to small businesses to make military spouses eligible more quickly for retirement benefits.

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