The NAIFA-sponsored gathering puts retirement income front and center with dedicated sessions on the federal program’s biggest questions
The National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts (NARSSA), the country’s foremost organization dedicated to training and credentialing a select group of Social Security specialists, has revealed plans to host the inaugural RSSA® Social Security Summit on the first day of Protectors Vegas. The event, organized under the umbrella of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), unites the life, annuity, and financial protection sectors from Nov. 9th through Nov. 11th at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada. With an expected crowd of more than 1,000 attendees, 75 exhibitors, and 150 speakers spread across 75 sessions, this year’s Protectors kicks off with a focused track on Social Security, a cornerstone of retirement income planning. The day’s agenda includes multiple keynote addresses and panel discussions led by a mix of corporate executives and subject-matter specialists in Social Security benefit optimization.
During the Summit, practitioners, policy experts, and industry insiders will take the stage to explore how smarter claiming strategies can bolster a more resilient retirement plan. These conversations will directly address the real-world concerns clients bring to advisors: the optimal retirement age, coordinating spousal and household benefits, and designing income streams that endure throughout retirement. Confirmed speakers for keynotes and panels include Joel Eskovitz, Director of Social Security & Savings at the AARP Public Policy Institute; Carroll Golden, Executive Director of Knowledge Centers at NAIFA; Heather Schreiber, President & Founder of HLS Retirement Consulting; and Matt McClure, Senior Manager of Media Hosting & Production at AmeriLife, among others.
“Protectors brings together the life, annuity, and protection industry, and Social Security belongs at the center of that retirement income conversation,” said Ted Rosedale, Chief Operating Officer of NARSSA. “We’re proud to serve as the Social Security sponsor and partner with Protectors to present the RSSA Social Security Summit on opening day. Together, we’re bringing Social Security experts and industry leaders to the stage to help agents, advisors, and distribution teams connect Social Security planning with the income and protection strategies their clients depend on.”
Growing Industry Adoption of Social Security Benefit Planning
Social Security serves as the foundation for most retirement income strategies, making it a critical topic for professionals guiding clients toward long-term financial security. The subject aligns seamlessly with Protectors’ core themes: retirement income, annuities, longevity, and financial stability. The Summit launches this dialogue on November 9th, with the conversation carrying through the remainder of the conference.
For agents and advisors, this represents a chance to expand their expertise, build stronger client bonds, and discover how Social Security planning can serve as an entry point for broader retirement discussions. For carriers, distributors, and technology firms, it provides insight into how Social Security education and planning can enhance advisor effectiveness and drive consumer engagement.
The objective is straightforward: equip professionals with the tools to connect Social Security choices to the income and protection frameworks that define their clients’ retirement years.
Jay Weintraub, CEO of Connectiv, the organization behind Protectors, commented, “Protectors Vegas, powered by NAIFA, is a world-class event for financial planning professionals serving in the life, annuity and financial protection markets. It is designed for those who want to continue to be on the cutting edge of the retirement planning industry. As a way to offer even greater value to those attending, we are excited to partner with the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts by offering the industry’s first-ever Social Security Summit. The Social Security Summit will feature a lineup of Social Security experts who are helping transform the financial planning industry.”
RSSA Social Security Summit Itinerary
The opening day of Protectors Vegas will host the RSSA Social Security Summit, featuring a series of keynotes and panel sessions with industry leaders and specialists, including:
Opening Remarks:
– Bill Arnone, Former CEO, National Academy of Social Insurance
Panel:
– Moderator: Melissa Vannette, VP, Public Affairs, RSSA / NARSSA
– Panelist: Martha Shedden, President & Co-Founder, RSSA / NARSSA
– Panelist: Natalie Contorno Lee, Founder, Alpha Lee Insurance
– Panelist: Matt McClure, Senior Manager, Media Hosting & Production, AmeriLife
– Panelist: Mike McGlothlin, EVP, Retirement, Ash Brokerage
– Panelist: Carroll Golden, Executive Director of Knowledge Centers, NAIFA [Protectors speaker]
Presentation:
– Heather Schreiber, President & Founder, HLS Retirement Consulting
Presentation:
Topic: Social Security policy
– Joel Eskovitz, Director, Social Security & Savings, AARP Public Policy Institute
Presentation:
– Garrett Burrow, Annuity.com
– Roy Snarr, Co-Founder, Annuity Producers
Closing Remarks:
– Ray Harris, Founder & President, Social Security Claiming Experts
“The RSSA Social Security Summit will offer financial planning professionals a timely and ever-so-important dive into the world of Social Security and how those retirement benefits can be a bridge to help them better assist their clients’ overall retirement strategy,” said Michael McGlothlin, Executive Vice President, Retirement, at Ash Brokerage. “I’ve always believed that the financial advisor of the future will not be paid for assets under management, but rather managing all the retirement risks, including Social Security benefits, as it remains the most complex and important decision that advisors can help Americans make for their retirement.”
Additional information about the RSSA Social Security Summit can be found at: https://protectorsvegas.com/rssa-social-security-summit/.
About NARSSA
Established in 2017, the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts (NARSSA) stands as the nation’s premier education, credentialing, and technology organization focused exclusively on Social Security planning. Through its nationally recognized RSSA® (Registered Social Security Analyst®) designation, comprehensive educational offerings, and proprietary RSSA Roadmap® software, NARSSA provides financial, insurance, and tax professionals with the specialized expertise and resources to guide individuals and families toward more informed Social Security claiming decisions and improved retirement outcomes.
NARSSA is an AgeTech Collaborative™ from AARP® portfolio company, and its RSSA® education program is delivered through leading academic institutions such as The American College of Financial Services and Kaplan Financial Education. The organization’s mission centers on enhancing retirement security by ensuring every American has access to trusted Social Security education and guidance.
For further details, visit www.narssa.org or www.rssa.com.
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Note: RSSA® and the term Registered Social Security Analyst® are registered U.S trademarks owned by NARSSA.
David Splivalo
National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts
david.splivalo@rssa.com
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Why it matters: With Social Security serving as the bedrock of most retirement plans, this summit signals a growing recognition that professional guidance on claiming decisions is becoming essential—not optional—for advisors serving clients approaching retirement. As the industry evolves beyond asset management, this event underscores a shift toward holistic retirement risk management that could reshape how financial professionals approach client conversations.
