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SEP-OCT 2026

BI-MONTHLY NEWS / GEMS / SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS

181 Qualifying Advisors. One Exceptional Experience. IFG's PME 2026 | Scottsdale, AZ

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ANNUITY SOLUTIONS

RMDs and Market Losses: A Conversation Worth Having Pg.14 CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

IFG Monthly Rep Rankings Leaderboard Pg.32

Congratulations! To Those Who Have Qualified for 2027 Elite Status! 63 Advisors Have Qualified So Far! Two Months Left to Qualify $1,100,000+ GDC Required* Kyle Addington Sean Agahi Ryan Ansted Ian Arrowsmith Jammie Avila Kirk Badii Nick Behnke Dustin Blodgett Peter Blok Blake Bonner Pat Brennan Tatyana Bunich Steve Carlton James Chang Kelly Clyde Cindy Couyoumjian Ari Crandall Dan Dougherty Dillon Dougherty Mark Ealy Jay Eng

Jim Fahy Jim Flanagan Joshua Goldsmith Marcus Henderson David Herman Rachel Hoang Joel Hooper Michael Hyat Kathy Keadle Diane Kimbro Kyle Kirwan Josh Koehnen Rich Krafcik Suzy Lawrence Josh Lee Hal Lippman Marc Lord Matthew Marcom Ron Martin Deepen Modi Art Molloy

Anthony Napolitano Zoe Ng Greg O'Donnell Gregory Ostrowski Jodi Padgett Amrish Patel Grant Prescott Peter Prescott Chad Schiel Jason Segawa Herb Shiraishi Larry Steckler Steve Sutley Jonathan Szostek Michael Tannery Joyce Thomas Chris Vizzi Shawn Walker Bryan Wertzer Frank Wong Jay Wurtzler

March 1–5, 2027 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii

*Total 2026 GDC production

IN THIS ISSUE SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS

Strategic Planning: A Blueprint for a Strategic Blueprint Nextfor $10a Million Thriving Wealth Planning: AYour Management Practice May Already Be in Thriving Wealth Management Practice Focus Advisor Solutions

Your Practice

Client? Answer These 7 A robust, strategic plan isn’t a static document that sits on a shelf. Instead, it’s a dynamic tool that helps you clarify your vision, set measurable goals, and track your progress throughout Questions

14 RMDs and Market Losses: A Conversation Worth Having

the year. This disciplined approach can lead to tangible benefits, such as higher revenue, increased scale, and client growth.

The Focus Approach: Assess, Plan, Execute At Focus Advisor Solutions, we recommend a three-step framework designed to simplify the process and make it more manageable—assess, plan, and execute.

Make Alts a Repeatable Part of Get a of Theclearer first step ispicture to take a comprehensive and objective look at your practice’s current state. assessment involves a qualitativePractice review to understand your howThis RILAs work for both youa quantitative andYour STEP 1: ASSESS

strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT).

• Quantitative analysis: This is where you dive into the numbers. By using your firm’s internal data and comparing it to external industry benchmarks from sources like Charles Schwab, Dimensional, Fidelity, or Cerulli, you can establish a clear performance baseline. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are crucial here, as they provide a way to measure your progress against both your team’s goals and industry standards. These metrics—which can include things like average revenue per household, client satisfaction scores (CSAT), and net new assets—help ground your planning in reality.

Making Alternatives Part of the Practice, Not a Product Pitch

IFG Women’s Summit

How Alternative Investments Can Differentiate Your Practice and Drive Referrals

A New Structured Products Experience: More Choice, Greater Transparency, and Improved Efficiency

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ADVISOR SOLUTIONS

Monthly Rep Rankings 32 IFG Leaderboard

ADVISORY SOLUTIONS

Your Next $10 Million May Already Be in Your Practice

By Abbey Eastham Director, Investment Advisory Consultant

ince moving into my field-based Advisory Consultant role, I’ve had the opportunity to sit down with advisors and really get into their businesses: where their assets are today, where they want to grow, and what may be getting in the way. One thing I’ve noticed in these conversations is that growth doesn’t always have to start with finding the next new client. Sometimes the opportunity is already sitting within your existing book of business. Before spending all of your energy looking outward, it may be worth taking a closer look at the business you already have. Here are five places I would start. 1. Look at the Gap Between Brokerage and Advisory Take a look at your book. How much of your business is advisory today, and how much is still held in brokerage accounts?

There may be very good reasons for clients to remain in brokerage. But there may also be relationships that started years ago when the client’s needs were different. As their assets and financial lives have become more complex, has the way you work with them evolved too? This can be an opportunity to revisit whether advisory may now be a better fit for some clients. It can also open the conversation to solutions such as Fund Strategist Portfolios (FSPs), Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs), models, and other thirdparty strategies that may not have been part of the original relationship. 2. Take Another Look at Cash I continue to hear about clients holding significant amounts in cash. In some cases, that is absolutely intentional. In others, the money accumulated and no one has revisited the plan.

As rates and client circumstances change, this is a good reason to revisit what the cash is for, when it may be needed, and whether the current strategy still makes sense. For assets that are no longer earmarked for short-term needs, consider whether professionally managed fixed income or incomeoriented strategies could play a role. The goal isn’t to “sell” the client out of cash. It’s to make sure their assets are still aligned with their goals. 3. Look for Clients Whose Financial Lives Have Changed Think about what has changed for your clients over the past few years. Has someone retired? Received an inheritance? Sold a business or property? Changed jobs? Accumulated a large position in company stock? These events can create opportunities to revisit how assets are being managed and whether the current investment strategy still fits. A client with a concentrated stock position, for example, may benefit from a conversation about diversification, taxes, and solutions such as direct indexing or tax-managed strategies. A client approaching retirement may need a completely different conversation around income and risk. The important part is recognizing when a change in the client’s life creates a reason to take another look. 4. Ask: Would I Recommend the Same Solution Today? A client relationship that made sense five or ten years ago may look very different today. Their assets may have grown, their tax situation may have changed, or they may now need income, additional diversification, or a different approach to risk. Ask yourself: “If this client walked into my office today, would I recommend the same investment solution they currently have?”

If the answer is no, it may be time to revisit the options available today. Third-party managers, tax-managed strategies, alternatives, and other solutions available through IFG may provide capabilities that weren’t necessary, or available, when the relationship began. 5. Find the Opportunities You Don’t Have Time to Pursue This may be the biggest one. If you’re spending a significant amount of time researching investments, trading individual accounts, maintaining clientspecific portfolios, and rebalancing, what aren’t you doing with that time? For advisors who enjoy managing money and consider it a core part of their value proposition, that may be exactly where they should spend their time. But if managing every account individually limits your capacity, consider whether creating models or third-party managed accounts could make part of your process more repeatable. Creating capacity isn’t just about efficiency. Capacity creates room for the next client, the next referral, and the next $10 million. Start With the Business You Already Have When I meet with advisors, my goal isn’t to walk in with a product to sell. I want to understand your practice, where you want to grow, and what may be standing in the way. From there, we can determine whether there is an investment solution, technology, resources, or process that can help. So before asking, “Where will my next $10 million come from?” take another look at the clients who already know and trust you. The opportunity may be closer than you think. Want to look for opportunities within your own practice? Reach out to me if you’re interested in a book of business review. We can look for potential opportunities and identify where IFG’s advisory resources and solutions may be able to help.

Strategic Planning: A Blueprint for a Thriving Wealth Management Practice Focus Advisor Solutions

In the competitive world of wealth management, success isn’t just about asset growth; it’s about having a clear, actionable plan across an advisor’s practice. Research consistently shows that firms with a documented strategic plan outperform those without one, achieving superior growth and practice performance. Firms that engage in formal strategic planning can see double the annual revenue growth and nearly triple the asset growth from net new flows compared to their peers. A robust, strategic plan isn’t a static document that sits on a shelf. Instead, it’s a dynamic tool that helps you clarify your vision, set measurable goals, and track your progress throughout the year. This disciplined approach can lead to tangible benefits, such as higher revenue, increased scale, and client growth. The Focus Approach: Assess, Plan, Execute At Focus Advisor Solutions, we recommend a three-step framework designed to simplify the process and make it more manageable—assess, plan, and execute. STEP 1: ASSESS The first step is to take a comprehensive and objective look at your practice’s current state. This assessment involves both a quantitative and a qualitative review to understand your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). • Quantitative analysis: This is where you dive into the numbers. By using your firm’s internal data and comparing it to external industry benchmarks from sources like Charles Schwab, Dimensional, Fidelity, or Cerulli, you can establish a clear performance baseline. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are crucial here, as they provide a way to measure your progress against both your team’s goals and industry standards. These metrics—which can include things like average revenue per household, client satisfaction scores (CSAT), and net new assets—help ground your planning in reality.

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ADVISOR SOLUTIONS

• Qualitative review: Beyond the data, a qualitative analysis using the SWOT framework is essential for understanding your practice’s identity, culture, and relative strengths. This part of the assessment should involve the entire team, giving them a sense of ownership and a chance to provide input on what has worked, what hasn’t, and what they’d like to focus on in the future. Studies confirm that high-employee engagement, which is fostered through this inclusive process, is linked to higher profitability, productivity, and customer loyalty. IN-HOUSE STEP 2: PLAN PM & OPS Once you’ve assessed your current position, the next step is to translate those insights into a concrete, forward-looking plan. This is where you map out your key initiatives, design a revenue plan, and set specific and measurable goals. • Mapping your action plan: The assessment phase will likely generate several ideas for initiatives. To improve the chances of achieving those goals, it’s best to focus on no more than two or three strategic initiatives in a given year. These initiatives might relate to improving your client experience, optimizing your service model, or developing new referral strategies. • Building a robust revenue plan: A strategic plan is incomplete without a clear growth plan. This plan should be a central part of your annual process and reviewed frequently, ideally monthly. A key component is a pipeline strategy that tracks leads, qualified prospects, and projected new households. It’s also critical to monitor how long a prospect stays in your queue. If an individual remains in the process for six months or more, they are significantly less likely to become a client, which could signal a breakdown in your sales process. • Setting SMART goals: The data from your assessment provides the foundation for setting realistic yet ambitious goals. Each goal should follow the SMART framework: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. For example, instead of a vague goal like “improve client acquisition,” a SMART goal might be to “increase the prospect conversion ratio to 60% within the next two quarters by implementing a new pre-proposal follow-up sequence.” Each goal should also have a designated owner responsible for tracking and managing it. STEP 3: EXECUTE Even the most sophisticated plan is useless without a disciplined approach to execution. The execution phase is about ensuring your plan remains a living document that guides your dayto-day decisions. • Operationalizing the plan: This involves a consistent rhythm of practice reviews. Monthly reviews are recommended for growth-related targets and pipeline management. Quarterly reviews are ideal for scale-related metrics like capacity and gross-fee efficiency. The entire strategic plan should be reviewed and adjusted annually. A best practice is to dedicate about 20% of your total annual work hours to internal meetings and strategic reviews, focusing on working “on” the business, not just “in” it. Advisor Use Only

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• Tracking progress and accountability: Effective execution relies on transparent and consistent tracking. A simple spreadsheet or a dedicated business intelligence tool can serve as a dashboard to monitor your progress against your KPIs, making the data accessible to the entire team. The annual strategic planning meeting is the anchor for this entire process. It’s a dedicated time to step back from daily operations and take a holistic look at the business. By preparing for this meeting with key data and facilitating an open discussion, you can align your team and create a clear roadmap for success. By embracing this structured, data-driven approach, wealth management firms can create a culture of strategic thinking and continuous improvement. Ultimately, firms that plan effectively are better equipped to adapt, grow, and thrive over the long term. Sources: 1. Schwab 2025 Benchmarking Insights study. Top Performing Firms are those that rank in the top 20% of the Firm Performance Index. The index evaluates all firms in the study according to 15 metrics to arrive at a holistic assessment of each firm’s performance across key business areas. Past performance is not an indicator of future results. 2025 RIA Benchmarking Study from Charles Schwab, fielded January to March 2025. Study contains self-reported data from 1,288 firms. Participant firms represent various sizes and business models categorized into peer groups by AUM. https://advisorservices.schwab.com/insights-hub/perspectives/grow-your-practice 2. Gallup: Benefits of Employee Engagement: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236927/employee-engagement-drives-growth. aspx#:~:text=%2A%2041,in%20profitability

Disclosures: For educational purposes only. This reflects the opinions of Focus or its representatives, may contain forward-looking statements, and presents information that may change. Nothing contained herein may be relied upon as a guarantee. The appropriateness of a particular strategy will depend on an adviser’s individual circumstances. This is prepared using third party sources considered to be reliable; however, accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Services are offered through Focus Advisor Solutions, LLC (“Focus”), an SEC registered investment adviser. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training and does not imply that the SEC has endorsed or approved the qualifications of Focus or its representatives. Focus has been part of the Focus Financial Partners partnership since 2007. Prior to July 2026, Focus Advisor Solutions was named Focus Partners Advisor Solutions. ©2026 Focus Financial Partners, LLC. All rights reserved. RO-26- 5875837

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ADVISOR SOLUTIONS

IFG RECRUITING REFERRAL PROGRAM

Earn Up to $50,000 for a Successful Referral Referrals play an important role in our continued growth. If you know a financial advisor who may be considering a move and would be a great fit for IFG, we encourage you to take advantage of our referral program. QUALITY ADVISORS Help us attract top talent and strengthen our advisor community.

STRONGER GROWTH Help drive IFG’s continued growth and success.

THE PROGRAM When you refer a qualified advisor who joins IFG and meets the minimum production requirement of $500,000 in verified trailing GDC commissions and fees, you can earn up to 5% of their production, paid in two stages:

UPFRONT Earn up to 3% of the advisor’s verified trailing GDC (minimum $500,000).

AFTER 12 MONTHS Earn an additional 2% based on the advisor’s actual production once they’ve been with IFG for 12 months.

EXAMPLE If you refer an advisor with $1 million in verified trailing GDC who subsequently joins IFG:

REWARDING CONNECTIONS Your referrals help us grow, and we want to thank you.

Upfront referral payment (3%)

$30,000

Additional payment after 12 months (2%) $20,000 Total potential referral compensation $50,000

This program is our way of thanking you for helping IFG grow. To learn more or discuss a potential referral please contact us: DAVID FISCHER Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer dfischer@ifgsd.com

JESSICA BRUNGARD Recruiting & Transition Coordinator jbrungard@ifgsd.com

TOGETHER, WE BUILD MORE.

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS

Is a RILA Right for Your Client? Answer These 7 Questions By Athene

registered index-linked annuity, or RILA, is an insurance product that’s become increasingly popular with accumulation-oriented clients who are thinking ahead toward retirement. RILAs offer attractive growth potential while providing a level of downside protection from market risk that variable annuities (VAs) may not provide. But with so many RILA products entering the marketplace, how do you choose the right one for your client? Answering these seven questions can help you narrow the field. 1. With a RILA, what’s the growth opportunity for my client? Registered index-linked annuities commonly feature capped indexed interest crediting methods, some advertising cap rates of 200 percent or more. This may look impressive, but the best value for your

client isn’t always found in the highest rate. When comparing rates, it’s important to consider the potential of the crediting method as a whole. 2. What’s the participation rate in RILAs? Some RILAs offer participation rate methods alongside capped options. While a cap rate allows 100 percent participation in positive index returns up to the cap, a participation rate — sometimes greater than 100 percent — works as a multiplier on any increase in the index. 3. Does the product offer flexible features and benefits to help address my client’s objectives and retirement goals? The old saying “variety is the spice of life” holds true for annuities, especially RILAs. Just as your client’s financial goals can change over time, so can their tolerance for risk. With so many RILA

For financial professional use only. Not to be used with the offer or sale of annuities.

options available, it’s important to offer an insurance product that is flexible enough to adapt to evolving needs. Here are a few things to look for: •

Diversified index options: Index performance differs in a variety of market environments, which enables clients to diversify for the highest potential return.

•

A choice of downside protection levels: Different ways to help balance risk and reward. A higher level of protection from downside risk likely means a lower cap on upside potential, and vice versa.

•

Multiple term periods: Both short and long-term crediting strategies offer unique benefits.

•

Liquidity features: Penalty-free withdrawals, a death benefit and confinement and terminal illness waivers may add flexibility to a RILA.

6. Is the issuing company a quality carrier? The strength and stability of a carrier can be critical when selecting an annuity, especially one designed for long-term savings. Look for a highly rated carrier with a strong business model, sufficient capital and experienced leadership. The carrier you decide to work with should be able to help meet the challenges of today’s marketplace, give your clients confidence, and help you build your business. 7. Will the company provide the support needed throughout the sales process? The relationship among carrier, financial professional, and client is a long-term commitment. The carrier you work with should be able to provide support before, during, and after the sale. This support can include but is not limited to: •

Before the sale: Insurance product training, education and forward-thinking thought leadership you can leverage to provide thoughtful retirement planning advice to your clients.

•

During the sale: Dedicated sales support, established new business processes, and well-designed materials.

•

After the sale: Exceptional customer service and strong claims-paying abilities.

4. Is a RILA a structured annuity? Yes, a RILA may also be referred to as a buffered annuity, structured annuity, or indexed variable annuity. 5. What makes this annuity product stand out? While RILA products have similar designs, some offer features to help maximize return potential. Custom interest crediting methods are a great example. Far from complicated “bells and whistles,” the best of these methods are designed to adapt to economic conditions, helping relieve clients of the burden of trying to time the market.

A RILA may be a great addition to a client’s retirement portfolio, depending on their financial goals and risk tolerance. Before you offer a RILA, be sure to select a company and product that can check all the boxes — a company like Athene. Visit Athene.com to find out more.

Registered index-linked annuities have a risk of substantial loss of principal and related earnings. They are designed to be a long-term investment product used to help provide income for retirement and are not suitable as a short-term investment. Withdrawals and surrender of taxable amounts are subject to ordinary income tax, and except under certain circumstances, will be subject to an IRS penalty if taken prior to age 59½. Indexed annuities are not stock market investments and do not directly participate in any stock or equity investments. Market indices may not include dividends paid on the underlying stocks and therefore may not reflect the total return of the underlying stocks; neither an index nor any market-indexed annuity is comparable to a direct investment in the equity markets. Athene Annuity and Life Company (61689), headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, and issuing annuities in 49 states (excluding NY) and in D.C., and Athene Annuity & Life Assurance Company of New York (68039), headquartered in Pearl River, NY, and issuing annuities in New York, are not undertaking to provide investment advice for any individual or in any individual situation, and therefore nothing in this should be read as investment advice. This material should not be interpreted as a recommendation by Athene Annuity and Life Company, Athene Annuity & Life Assurance Company of New York or Athene Securities, LLC. Registered index-linked annuities can only be marketed and sold by securities licensed financial professionals. Any discussion of this product must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus. For financial professional use only. Not to be used with the offer or sale of annuities.

Growth potential. Levels of protection.

Help clients control the balance between both.

Athene Amplify 3.0 ®

REGISTERED INDEX-LINKED ANNUITY

Protection you choose. Flexibility you define. Helping clients protect what they’ve saved while still allowing their money the chance to grow can be a challenge. And when the market drops, it takes a much larger recovery to get back to where they started. Athene Amplify® 3.0, a registered index-linked annuity, can help limit the impact of those downturns. Just choose a level of protection — called a buffer — which helps absorb part of the loss if the market index falls. This enhanced flexibility within the contract means clients can align their level of protection with their comfort level and long-term goals.

See Amplify 3.0 in action Athene.com/Amplify3

INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE: • NOT FDIC INSURED • NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY • NOT A DEPOSIT OR OTHER OBLIGATION OF, OR GUARANTEED BY, THE BANK OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES • SUBJECT TO INVESTMENT RISKS, INCLUDING POSSIBLE LOSS OF THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT INVESTED Registered index-linked annuities can only be marketed and sold by securities licensed financial professionals. They are designed to be long-term investment products used to help provide income for retirement. They are not appropriate as short-term investments. There is a risk of substantial loss of principal and related earnings depending on the Segment Options to which the Purchase Payment is allocated. In the event of negative index performance, Segment Credits may be negative after application of the Buffer Rate and the Contract Owner bears the portion of loss that exceeds that rate. Indexed annuities are not stock market investments and do not directly participate in any stock or equity investments. Market indices may not include dividends paid on the underlying stocks and therefore may not reflect the total return of the underlying stocks; neither an index nor any market-indexed annuity is comparable to a direct investment in the equity markets. Athene Amplify 3.0 ICC25 RIA III (05/26)/RIA III (05/26), ICC25 CS III (05/26)/ CS III (05/26), ICC25 CW III (05/26)/CW III (05/26), ICC25 TIW III (05/26)/TIW III (05/26), ICC25 SCS III (05/26)/SCS III (05/26), ICC25 Fixed III (05/26)/Fixed III (05/26), ICC25 Buffer PTP III (05/26)/Buffer PTP III (05/26), ICC25 Performance Blend III (05/26)/Performance Blend III (05/26), ICC25 Dual Direction III (05/26)/Dual Direction III (05/26), ICC25 Trigger III (05/26)/Trigger III (05/26), ICC25 Dual Trigger III (05/26)/Dual Trigger III (05/26), ICC25 GMDB III (05/26)/GMDB III (05/26), ICC25 Performance Lock III (05/26)/Performance Lock III (05/26) or state variation issued by Athene Annuity and Life Company, West Des Moines, IA, member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker-dealer. Product features, limitations and availability vary; see the prospectus for details. Product not available in all states. This material is a general description intended for informational and educational purposes. Athene Annuity and Life Company (61689), headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, and issuing annuities in 49 states (excluding NY) and in D.C., (“Athene”), is not undertaking to provide investment advice for any individual or in any individual situation, and therefore nothing in this should be read as investment advice or considered a recommendation by Athene or Athene Securities, LLC. For financial professional use only. Not to be used with the offer or sale of annuities. (06/26) 44002

ANNUITY SOLUTIONS

RMDs and Market Losses: A Conversation Worth Having

By Camryn Bolek Annuity Investment Consultant

or many retirees, required minimum distributions (RMDs) are simply a fact of life. Beginning at age 73 for most retirees, the IRS requires withdrawals from qualified retirement accounts, regardless of market conditions. While RMDs may seem manageable during periods of strong market performance, they can create significant challenges when paired with a market downturn. Financial advisors understand the concept of sequence-of-returns risk: negative market returns early in retirement can have a disproportionate impact on a client’s long-term financial outcomes. When mandatory withdrawals are added to declining account values, the effects can be even more damaging. Assets withdrawn during a down market are no longer available to participate in a future recovery, potentially leaving clients with less wealth and less confidence in their retirement strategy. This dynamic raises an important question: How can advisors help clients satisfy RMD requirements without forcing them to fully absorb market losses at the same time? In the following example, two 72-year-old clients have a portion of their retirement plan in a qualified account with a $500,000 balance. The first client has a fee-based qualified account (IRA) with the American Funds® The Growth Fund of America®

- Class F-31 and a 0.5% platform fee and remains invested through both an up and down year. The second purchased Nationwide’s stop-loss RILA Defined Protection Annuity 2.0 with the 95% Protection Level and 50% participation rate and 1.50% strategy spread.

Nationwide Defined Protection® Annuity 2.0 (DPA 2.0) was designed to address a common client concern: how to remain invested for growth opportunities while limiting downside exposure. Comparing the two hypothetical client accounts above, with one having 95% protection and another having no protection, the result is a larger balance in the asset that had protection and upside potential using Nationwide’s Defined Protection Annuity. DPA allows clients to select a level of protection

against index losses over a defined outcome period. Depending on the option selected, protection can cover a portion of market declines or, in some cases, provide protection against the full amount of negative index performance during the segment term. For clients approaching or already taking RMDs, this structure may offer a valuable advantage. Rather than experiencing the full impact of a severe market decline, clients may see losses limited to their selected protection level, helping preserve more assets for future growth and distributions. While past performance does not guarantee future results and individual outcomes will vary, the example highlights an important principle: protecting assets from significant declines may improve a retiree’s ability to sustain withdrawals while remaining positioned for future growth. Today’s retirees face a unique set of challenges. Market volatility, inflation concerns, longevity risk, and mandatory distributions can place considerable pressure on retirement portfolios.

For clients who are concerned about market losses but still want the opportunity to participate in market gains, Nationwide Defined Protection Annuity 2.0 may provide a compelling middle ground. By limiting downside exposure while preserving growth potential, advisors can help clients navigate RMD years with greater confidence. As more retirees enter the distribution phase of retirement, the conversation is no longer solely about accumulation. It is increasingly about preserving assets, managing risk, and creating sustainable retirement outcomes. When market downturns and RMDs collide, protection matters. Helping clients avoid the double impact of forced withdrawals and significant losses may not only preserve portfolio value, but also strengthen their confidence in the retirement plan you’ve worked together to build. Please reach out to me, cbolek@ifgsd.com, or Michael Spence, mspence@ifgsd.com, to schedule a meeting for further annuity assistance.

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Exclusive no-fee lifetime income Meet the moment with TSIA Income Creating retirement income is one of life’s most important financial challenges. Help your clients meet the moment with our new income-focused RILA designed to provide guaranteed lifetime income. Transamerica Structured Index Advantage® Income Annuity offers an exclusive income option that’s available for no fee. Your clients can also benefit from cost-efficient opportunities for protected growth, a buffer for market downturns, and a choice of crediting strategies to help align with their financial goals. Access product details and advisor-ready resources to help position TSIA Income with confidence. Visit TSIA Income Registered Index-Linked Annuities are long-term, tax-deferred vehicles designed for retirement purposes and are not for everyone. They are subject to possible loss of principal and earnings due to market fluctuation, investment risks as a result of fees and charges under the policy including surrender charges, other transaction charges, and periodic charges. Your clients should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Before your client invests, they should carefully read the prospectus and other documents the issuer filed with the SEC. Go to transamerica.com for the prospectus containing this and other information. All policies, riders, and forms may vary by state and may not be available in all states. ICC24 TPVA14IC-0720 (SC), TPVA14FL-0720 (SC), TPVA14OR-0720 (SC), TRIA10OR-R0821, ICC25 TRGL26IC-0825 (IS), ICC25 TRGL26IC-0825 (IJ), ICC25 TRGL27IC-0825 (IS)(SU), ICC25 TRGL27IC-0825 (IJ)(SU), ICC25 TRGL27IC-0825 (AS), ICC25 TRGL27IC-0825 (AJ), ICC25 TRGL27IC-0825 (IS)(AD), ICC25 TRGL27IC-0825 (IJ)(AD), TRGL26FL-0825 (IS)(SC), TRGL26FL-0825 (IJ)(SC), other versions also available, TRGL26OR-0825 (IS), TRGL26OR-0825 (IJ), TRGL27OR-0825 (IS)(SU), TRGL27OR-0825 (IJ)(SU), TRGL27OR-R1225 (AS), TRGL27OR-R1225 (AJ), TRGL27OR-R1225 (IS)(AD), TRGL27OR-R1225 (IJ)(AD). For Financial Professional Use Only. Not for Use With the Public. 5846292 © 2026 Transamerica Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

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Annuities are issued by Jackson National Life Insurance Company® (Home Office: Lansing, Michigan) and in New York by Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York® (Home Office: Purchase, New York). Variable annuities are distributed by Jackson National Life Distributors LLC, member FINRA. These products have limitations and restrictions. Contact Jackson for more information. Guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.

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ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS

Make Alts a Repeatable Part of Your Practice

By Colby Taylor Director, Alternative Investment Consulting

our clients are already curious about alternatives. The advisors who grow fastest this year will be the ones with a simple, repeatable way to start that conversation and carry it through to a closed ticket.

The takeaway for your practice: your clients are hearing about private markets from the media, from friends, and from other advisors. If you are not the one who brings it up, someone else will.

Demand Is Not the Hard Part

Five Steps to an Alts Conversation That Converts

Advisors are no longer debating whether to use alternatives. The open question is how to deliver them across a whole book without it turning into a one-off project every time. What advisors are saying

Number Source

Plan to maintain or increase alts allocations over the next 12 months

89%

iCapital 2026 Global Advisor Survey

Plan to actively increase, up from 14% in 2025

39%

iCapital 2026 Global Advisor Survey

Currently allocate more than 10% of client portfolios to alts

49%

CAIS and Mercer 2026 survey

Of advisors serving nonaccredited clients, share already allocating to alts

80%

CAIS and Mercer 2026 survey

Use evergreen funds, either exclusively or alongside drawdown vehicles

82%

CAIS and Mercer 2026 survey

The market is following the advisors. Cerulli reports advisors already hold $2.2 trillion in less-than-fullyliquid private capital, with interval funds at roughly $132 billion across 147 funds at year-end 2025.

1. Tier your book. Start with households that show a trigger: an income need, a recent sale, a concentrated position, or frustration with taxes. You do not need a book full of ultra-highnet-worth clients, since retirees and everyday affluent households have these needs too. Accredited investor status is within reach for many of them, with income over $200,000 ($300,000 jointly) in each of the last two years, or net worth over $1 million excluding the home. Ten well-chosen conversations will do more than a mass mailer. 2. Listen for the trigger. Clients rarely ask for “alternatives.” They tell you what is bothering them, and that is your opening (see the table below). 3. Frame the structure as a feature. Periodic liquidity is built into interval funds and nontraded REITs, and it lets managers invest for the long term instead of selling to meet daily redemptions. Cerulli calls interval funds the

vehicle of choice for advisors seeking semiliquid exposure to private markets. Position this as mid- to long-term money the client does not need to touch. Still, walk through the redemption terms up front, including that windows are limited and can be reduced or suspended, so there are no surprises. 4. Standardize the process. Set a target allocation range for your practice, use the same opening questions every time, and ask your sponsor wholesaler for a client-ready summary to have on hand. 5. Book the next step before the meeting ends. Send a short recap within two days and put the follow-up on the calendar while the client is still in the room. Client Triggers and Where to Start the Conversation What the client says

Conversation to open

Where to look on the IFG shelf

“I need more income, and I’m tired of rate swings.”

Incomeoriented investments

Non-traded preferreds, interval funds

“I just sold a property or a business.”

Tax-aware reinvestment of gains

DSTs, QOZs

“Too much of my wealth sits in one stock or one market.”

Diversification beyond stocks and bonds

Private equity, interval funds

“I want real estate, but not the landlord headaches.”

Passive real estate exposure

Non-traded REITs, DSTs, Real Estate DPPs

“I live off my portfolio income and want to keep more of it after taxes.”

Tax-aware income

Real estate and oil & gas DPPs

Every recommendation still has to fit the client’s objectives, liquidity needs and risk tolerance. The table is a way to start the conversation, not a substitute for suitability. Capture Money in Motion Some of the best alts conversations start with a deadline instead of a preference. A client who just sold something is already deciding where the money goes next, so ask every one of them that question and know the clock. Either you help them invest the proceeds or the IRS will.

Event

The clock

Where it fits

1031 exchange after selling investment or business real property

45 days to identify replacement property and 180 days to close

DSTs can serve as the replacement property

Capital gain from stock, a business or property

Gain invested in a qualified opportunity fund can be deferred, and the program is now permanent

QOZFs

High income year

Drilling programs can offer a deduction for a portion of the investment in the year it is made

Oil and gas drilling programs

All of these strategies are generally limited to accredited investors, so confirm status first. Keep the other guardrails in view. DSTs are illiquid, with hold periods that typically run five to seven years. Drilling program returns are tied to commodity prices. QOZFs carry the risk of the real estate or business inside the fund. Tax outcomes differ for every client, so bring in the client’s CPA early. Show Tax-Sensitive Clients the After-Tax Yield For any tax-sensitive client, from the retiree living off portfolio income to the high earner, what they keep matters more than the headline yield. Some private market investments, like real estate and oil and gas, can shelter part of their income, so more of it can stay in the client’s pocket. Here is a hypothetical illustration for a client in the 24% bracket, well below the top rate. Imagine the effect for your higher rate clients. This is what client keeps from the same 7% distribution on $100,000 at three sheltering levels, federal tax only. Per $100,000 invested at a 7% distribution

Fully taxable

25% sheltered

50% sheltered

75% sheltered

Annual distribution

$7,000

Taxed this year

$7,000

$5,250

$3,500

$1,750

Tax at 24%

$1,680

$1,260

$840

$420

Client keeps

$5,320

$5,740

$6,160

$6,580

Delta

Baseline

+$420

+$840

+$1,260

ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS

Hypothetical illustration per $100,000 invested at the same 7% distribution, for a client in the 24% bracket, federal tax only, before state taxes. The sheltering levels are examples, not a projection. Distributions are not guaranteed and can be reduced or suspended.

Click to Get Started Back your conversations with the data. Each of these is one click away. •

CAIS and Mercer 2026 advisor survey for talking points on how peers are allocating

The more of the $7,000 distribution that is sheltered, the more the client keeps, ranging from an additional $420 each year at 25% to $1,260 at 75%.

•

Mercer: State of Alternative Investments in Wealth Management 2026 for the full findings, including evergreen fund usage

Your 30-Day Action List

•

iCapital 2026 Global Advisor Survey coverage for the demand data behind your outreach

•

Cerulli on advisor-held private capital for market size and interval fund growth

Tick these off as you go. ☐ Week 1: Review your households and flag 25 with an income need, a tax event, a concentrated position or a recent liquidity event ☐ Week 1: Confirm a target alts range for your practice with your compliance team

Ready to start? Ask your sponsor wholesalers for client-ready materials and reach out to your IFG Alternative Investment Consultant to match a specific client situation to the right product.

☐ Week 2: Schedule five alts conversations from your flagged list ☐ Week 2: Ask your sponsor wholesalers for client-ready materials, and your IFG alternative investment consultant for help matching products to your flagged clients ☐ Week 3: Hold the conversations, and set the time horizon and redemption terms up front ☐ Week 4: Send recaps, book follow-ups and log every conversation in your CRM

Sources and Disclosures • InvestmentNews: Advisors want more alternatives but scaling up is the hard part (iCapital 2026 Global Advisor Survey, 870 advisors, August 2026) • Opalesque: Alternatives moving from niche to norm (CAIS and Mercer 2026 survey, 789 advisors) • InvestmentNews: Private markets seen adding $2 trillion to advisor books (Cerulli, July 2026) The material shown above is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended as individualized tax advice to potential investors or as a projection of performance. The tax ramifications of an investment will vary from investor to investor depending on each individual’s circumstances. You are encouraged to seek independent tax advice with respect to the tax ramifications of an investment. Alternative investments are speculative, illiquid and involve a high degree of risk. They may not be suitable for all investors, and investors may lose some or all of their principal. Non-traded REITs and interval funds offer limited liquidity through periodic redemption or repurchase windows, which may be reduced or suspended. Non-traded preferreds may offer limited or no liquidity, and redemption terms vary by offering. Programs such as DSTs, QOZs and oil and gas programs are generally limited to accredited investors. Distributions are not guaranteed, may include a return of capital, and can be reduced or suspended. Tax treatment varies by investor; consult a tax professional. This material is for registered representatives only and is not for client distribution.

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As of 09/09/2026

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS

Making Alternatives Part of the Practice, Not a Product Pitch By Adam Dooley President, Waveland Capital Partners

n my work with independent advisors and wealth managers across the country, I have seen a clear difference between practices that occasionally sell an alternative investment and those that use alternatives well. The strongest practices do not treat them as a separate product category. They make alternatives part of the way they build portfolios, conduct client reviews and explain investment decisions.

brings them a new offering. They can ask, “Is there a role for private markets or another alternative strategy in this portfolio today?”

That approach also makes the sales conversation easier. Instead of introducing a product and then trying to find a place for it, the advisor starts with a client need and determines whether an alternative strategy can help address it.

The best advisors are very good at translating alternatives into language clients can understand. What does the investment own? Where is the potential return expected to come from? How long may the capital be committed? When might the client receive distributions? What are the principal risks, fees and liquidity limitations?

1. Start with the client need A good alternatives conversation rarely begins with, “I have an investment I want to show you.” It starts with a problem the client already understands. Does the portfolio need more income? Is too much of the client’s wealth tied to public markets? Would another source of return improve diversification? Is the client comfortable giving up some liquidity in exchange for access to a different opportunity set? When the discussion starts there, the investment is presented as part of the portfolio solution rather than as a product sale. 2. Give alternatives a defined role in the portfolio Many of the leading advisory practices I work with establish an alternatives allocation for appropriate clients rather than evaluating each offering in isolation. The amount will differ by client based on liquidity needs, risk tolerance, time horizon, tax circumstances and overall objectives. The important point is the discipline. A defined framework helps the advisor explain why an investment belongs in the portfolio and prevents alternatives from becoming a collection of unrelated transactions. 3. Put the conversation on the review agenda One of the simplest sales practices is to make alternatives a regular topic in appropriate client reviews. Advisors do not need to wait until a sponsor

Sometimes the answer is no. That is still useful. The advisor has introduced the subject in the context of planning, and the next conversation will feel familiar rather than promotional. 4. Explain it in plain English

Clients do not need industry jargon. They do need to understand the tradeoffs. Addressing those points directly builds confidence and usually leads to a better conversation. 5. Make the process part of your value proposition Alternatives can also help an independent advisor demonstrate the depth of the practice. Access alone is not the differentiator. The real value is the process used to source opportunities, conduct due diligence, size allocations and monitor investments after the commitment is made. The leading practices explain that process to clients. They can tell a client why a manager was selected, how the strategy complements the rest of the portfolio and what the advisor will watch over the life of the investment. For advisors, that is the larger opportunity. Alternatives should not feel like something that gets pulled off the shelf when a new fund becomes available. They should be part of a broader investment toolkit and used when they fit the client’s objectives. When the process is consistent, the sales conversation changes. It becomes less about selling an alternative investment and more about showing the client that the advisor is considering the full range of tools available to build a better portfolio.

IFG WOMEN’S SUMMIT January 10–12, 2027 L’Auberge Del Mar, Del Mar, California

Built for exceptional advisors.

Designed as an exclusive experience.

ndependent Financial Group is proud to have one of the highest percentages of women advisors in the industry, and we are excited to bring this community together for our inaugural IFG Women’s Summit!

Whether you're looking to exchange ideas, strengthen your network, or find inspiration for what comes next, we look forward to welcoming you to Del Mar for an experience designed to help you lead, inspire, and elevate.

Created with our women advisors in mind, this special event is an opportunity to connect with fellow advisors, share experiences, gain fresh perspectives, and celebrate the impact women are making in wealth management.

We can't wait to see you there!

Throughout the Summit, attendees can look forward to engaging discussions, inspiring speakers, practical insights, and memorable experiences focused on professional growth, leadership, and building a thriving practice.

Elevated thinking. Genuine connection. Greater impact.

ELITE ADVISOR CONFERENCE March 1–5, 2027 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii

Reserved for IFG advisors with $1,100,000+ in GDC

The highest level of success deserves an exceptional experience. The Elite Advisor Conference brings together IFG’s top-producing advisors for an exclusive opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate success in one of the world’s most extraordinary destinations. Designed to recognize our Elite Advisors, this intimate experience blends meaningful education and networking with memorable experiences, relaxation, and time to build lasting relationships. An exclusive experience. Exceptional advisors. Meaningful partnerships.

ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS

How Alternative Investments Can Differentiate Your Practice and Drive Referrals

By Nathan Moore Alternative Investment Analyst

n today’s competitive wealth management industry, advisors face a familiar question: How do you demonstrate value beyond traditional portfolio management? Low-cost investment platforms have made diversified portfolios increasingly accessible. For advisors, differentiation often comes from something harder to replicate: understanding a client’s unique financial challenges and helping identify solutions they may not find elsewhere. Alternative investments can play an important role in that process. With access to a broad selection of specialized strategies through IFG, advisors have opportunities to serve complex client needs, deepen relationships, and generate referrals that support long-term practice growth. Differentiating Through Specialized Solutions Clients do not always arrive with clearly defined investment objectives. They arrive with problems: a rental property that has become burdensome to manage, a business sale creating a substantial tax liability, or a concentrated stock position with significant unrealized gains. These situations create opportunities for advisors to move beyond investment performance and engage in broader financial planning conversations.

IFG’s alternative investment platform includes strategies that may not be readily available through traditional, low-cost investment providers. Access alone, however, is not the differentiator. The value comes from recognizing when a specialized investment could be appropriate, explaining its tradeoffs, and coordinating the broader planning process. That expertise can help position an advisor as a problem-solver, rather than simply an investment manager. Turning Client Solutions Into Referral Opportunities Consider a real estate investor looking to sell a property, defer capital gains taxes, and eliminate management responsibilities. An advisor who introduces a qualifying 1031 exchange into a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) may help address all three objectives, creating a positive experience the client is likely to share with other property owners. Similarly, a business owner selling a company or an executive realizing gains from a concentrated stock position may benefit from evaluating a Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF) for potential tax deferral. Certain oil and gas investments may also offer intangible drilling cost (IDC) deductions. These strategies, when appropriate and coordinated with tax professionals, can demonstrate an advisor’s value in particularly meaningful ways.

The referral opportunity is straightforward: real estate investors know other property owners, and business owners know other business owners. Clients who receive valuable guidance on complex financial or tax-related challenges have a compelling reason to recommend their advisor to others facing similar circumstances. Deepening Relationships and Expanding Your Practice Specialized investment conversations can also uncover opportunities beyond the original transaction. A DST discussion might reveal additional properties, estate planning considerations, or retirement income objectives. A business-sale conversation might lead to broader questions about liquidity, wealth transfer, and investing the proceeds. Working collaboratively with CPAs, estate planning attorneys, and other professionals can further strengthen client relationships while establishing connections with additional potential referral sources. By addressing more of a client’s financial needs, advisors can expand their role beyond managing an investment portfolio and become a more integral part of the client’s broader financial decision-making process. Leveraging the IFG Advantage Advisors do not need to become experts in every alternative investment strategy to capitalize on these opportunities. IFG’s Alternative Investments department supports advisors through product research, due diligence, education, and ongoing investment oversight.

Driven to deliver for our clients As the world’s leading pure-play investment banking and capital markets firm, Jefferies offers clients bespoke advice and exceptional execution informed by our deep product and sector expertise.

Ultimately, clients may not tell their friends about a routine portfolio rebalance. But they may share the story of an advisor who helped them navigate a complex property sale, evaluate a significant taxplanning opportunity, or solve a financial challenge they did not know had a potential solution. That is where specialized investment expertise can become a meaningful driver of differentiation, stronger client relationships, and organic practice growth.

STRUCTURED PRODUCTS

A New Structured Products Experience: More Choice, Greater Transparency, and Improved Efficiency

By Nathan Moore Alternative Investment Analyst

ver the past six months, IFG’s Structured Products team has worked to develop a new structured products platform designed around the needs of our advisors. By expanding our network of distributors and issuers, standardizing advisor compensation, and introducing new technology through Luma, we have transformed the way advisors access, evaluate, purchase, and monitor structured investments. The result is a more comprehensive, competitive, and efficient structured products platform that brings together greater investment choice, increased transparency, and streamlined technology. Our goal is to simplify the investment process, reduce administrative burdens, and provide advisors with the tools and resources needed to better serve their clients and grow their practices. More Choice, Greater Competition One of our primary initiatives has been expanding our network of structured product distributors and issuers. By introducing additional providers to the IFG platform, we have significantly increased the range of available investment opportunities while fostering greater competition among issuers. We believe this increased competition will translate into more attractive investment terms and greater

flexibility for advisors seeking solutions tailored to their clients’ objectives. Whether evaluating incomeoriented strategies, downside protection, or growth opportunities, advisors now have access to a broader marketplace of potential solutions. Standardized Compensation and Greater Transparency We have also standardized the advisor compensation grid across our participating distributors and issuers. This change establishes a consistent compensation framework for comparable product structures, regardless of the distributor or issuer. Advisors can now evaluate competing products with the confidence that compensation is consistent across similar investment types. In addition to improving transparency, this standardization simplifies product comparisons and allows advisors to focus more directly on investment characteristics, terms, and suitability. Streamlining the Investment Process with Luma At the center of this new structured products experience is Luma, a comprehensive technology platform featuring straight-through processing capabilities designed to simplify the investment process.

Gone are the days of cumbersome Excel order forms, manually gathering client information, and navigating inefficient submission processes. Luma provides a centralized, intuitive platform designed to improve the entire structured product purchasing experience. Through the Luma Marketplace, advisors can easily browse, filter, and compare hundreds of available structured notes from multiple issuers. This centralized approach makes identifying and evaluating investment opportunities faster and more efficient, helping advisors spend less time on administrative tasks and more time serving their clients. A New Approach to Portfolio Monitoring and Lifecycle Management The benefits of Luma extend well beyond the initial investment. Luma’s Lifecycle Management capabilities provide advisors with improved visibility into their clients’ existing structured product holdings. Important information, including upcoming maturities, observation dates, intrinsic values, and other

investment-specific events, can be accessed through a centralized interface. These capabilities simplify ongoing portfolio oversight, helping advisors proactively monitor investments, anticipate important events, and communicate more effectively with clients throughout the investment lifecycle. Looking Ahead Collectively, these initiatives represent a meaningful step forward for IFG’s structured products platform. By combining broader issuer access, increased competition, transparent compensation, streamlined processing, and enhanced investment monitoring, we have created a platform designed to support advisors at every stage of the structured product investment process. Ultimately, our goal is not simply to make structured products easier to access, but to make them easier to evaluate, purchase, and manage. This allows advisors to operate more efficiently, strengthen client relationships, and deliver an enhanced investment experience.

Seek More from Active ETFs Financial markets are evolving. Your clients may benefit from a non-traditional investment approach.

No index constraints

Rules-based, repeatable process

Tactically pursues upside

Seeks to limit downside with a Trailing Stop Discipline*

Put our Advisor Consulting team to work to evaluate where we may add value across your client portfolios. DUKZ

DUKH

DUKQ

DUKX

*Trailing Stop Discipline (“Discipline”): This proprietary Discipline has the objective of limiting the magnitude for portfolio drawdowns. The Discipline is based on a manual process that defines sell levels/signals for security holdings in decline, as measured by its price falling below the recent high of its lower band. These are not market orders. Ocean Park utilizes this Discipline directly in the management of non-affiliated holdings. Where Ocean Park invests in its affiliated Ocean Park Mutual Funds or Ocean Park ETFs (“Affiliated Funds”), the same Discipline is applied at the underlying funds level, not on the Affiliated Funds themselves. Please see our Form ADV Part 2A for information on conflicts of interest that exist as a result of Ocean Park investing in Affiliated Funds.

Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of the Ocean Park funds. This and other information about the funds is contained in the prospectus and should be read carefully before investing. The prospectus can be obtained on our website oceanparkam.com or by calling toll free 1·866·738-4363 (1·866-RETI-FND). There is no guarantee that any investment strategy will achieve its objectives, generate profits or avoid losses. ETF’s are subject to specific risks. depending on the nature of the underlying strategy of the fund. These risks could include foreign risk, emerging market risk. liquidity risk, sector risk, as well as risks associated with fixed income securities, real estate investments. and commodities, to name a few. While the shares of ETFs are tradeable on secondary markets, they may not readily trade in all market conditions and may trade at significant discounts in periods of market stress. ETFs trade like stocks, are subject to investment risk, fluctuate in market value and may trade at prices above or below the ETF’s net asset value. Brokerage commissions and ETF expenses will reduce returns. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. The Ocean Park funds are distributed by Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Ocean Park Asset Management. LLC is the investment adviser to the Ocean Park funds, and does not provide advisory services to retail clients. Ocean Park Asset Management LLC is not affiliated with Northern Light Distributors, LLC. Ocean Park Asset Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser (“RIA”) regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The use of the term “registered” does not imply any particular level of skill or training and does not imply any approval by the SEC. For information pertaining to the registration status of Ocean Park Asset Management, LLC, please call 1 ·844-727-1813 or refer to the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov). 20260831-5882203

Leaderboard YTD Leaders Top 100 (as of September 30, 2026) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

Joyce Thomas Greg O'Donnell Zoe Ng Amrish Patel Herb Shiraishi Cindy Couyoumjian Jammie Avila Larry Steckler Anthony Napolitano Dustin Blodgett Art Molloy Kathy Keadle Pat Brennan Rich Krafcik Rachel Hoang Josh Koehnen Gregory Ostrowski Ian Arrowsmith Jodi Padgett James Chang Chris Vizzi Blake Bonner Kyle Kirwan David Herman Jay Wurtzler

26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50.

Nick Behnke Matthew Marcom Ari Crandall Jonathan Szostek Joel Hooper Josh Lee Marcus Henderson Jay Eng Ron Martin Joshua Goldsmith Kyle Addington Michael Hyat Chad Schiel Peter Prescott Bryan Wertzer Kelly Clyde Steve Sutley Steve Carlton Grant Prescott Dan Dougherty Dillon Dougherty Jason Segawa Deepen Modi Diane Kimbro Jim Fahy

51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75.

Peter Blok Suzy Lawrence Mark Ealy Ryan Ansted Frank Wong Gregory Meyer Marc Lord Shawn Walker Sean Agahi James Flanagan Celia Zhang Timothy Hayes Nick Abbott Ace Kuklin Matt Lum Robert Turley Michael Tannery Kirk Badii Jay Sprinkel Jason Barney Hal Lippman Bryan Mazza Jeb Bashaw John Pearson Alex DiVito

76. Karalyn Carlton 77. Tatyana Bunich 78. Beau O'Brien 79. Thomas Otten 80. Brandi Blanchard 81. Karl Cole 82. David Hill 83. Lawrence Huh 84. Jeff Boyd 85. Josh Tschirgi 86. Jeff Fisher 87. Christopher Gleason 88. Cathy Brown 89. Ittai Dvir 90. Jim Braziel 91. Richard Kasher 92. Frances Makino 93. Dean Wilson 94. Rebecca Leonard 95. James Noto 96. Jim Senglaub 97. Kevin Williams 98. Con Dempsey 99. Yong Chang 100. Gail Urban 101. ?? $610,917.94

YTD Top Products Leaders (as of September 30, 2026) Advisory 1. Joyce Thomas 2. Greg O’Donnell 3. Dustin Blodgett 4. Amrish Patel 5. Kathy Keadle 6. Dillon Dougherty 7. Rich Krafcik 8. Larry Steckler 9. Josh Koehnen 10. Art Molloy

Annuities 1. Jammie Avila 2. Anthony Napolitano 3. Matthew Marcom 4. Kyle Kirwan 5. Rachel Hoang 6. Larry Steckler 7. James Chang 8. Joyce Thomas 9. Gregory Meyer 10. Brandi Blanchard

Alternative Investments

Insurance

1. Cindy Couyoumjian 2. Leticia Hewko 3. Chris Vizzi 4. Amrish Patel 5. Michelle Vizzi 6. Ron Martin 7. Kelly Clyde 8. Donovan Kelly 9. Kevin Barrett 10. Robert Gunning

1. Herb Shiraishi 2. Kelly Clyde 3. Blake Bonner 4. Cindy Bai 5. Ron Martin 6. Amrish Patel 7. Steve Carlton 8. Larry Steckler 9. Ally Lavallee 10. Joseph Glomski

Year-to-Date Office Leaders (as of September 30, 2026)

Scarborough Capital Management

Capital Growth, Inc.

Cornerstone Wealth Management

JTW Financial Services

O'Donnell Financial Group

Premier Wealth Advisors

Lee Ng & Associates

South Coast Investment Advisors

Sutley Wertzer, Inc

Annapolis, MD Ryan Ansted, Ian Arrowsmith, Joshua Goldsmith, Samantha Harris, David Herman, Gregory Ostrowski, David Sizemore, Jay Sprinkel, Jonathan Szostek, Shawn Walker

San Diego, CA Art Molloy, Pat Brennan, Jay Wurtzler, Matthew Belardes, Scott Dickerson, Marcella Harkness, Erica Tanner

Las Vegas, NV Jammie Avila, Kyle Kirwan, Anthony Napolitano, John Underwood

San Gabriel, CA Joyce Thomas, Hui Zhang, John Almaguer, Julie Shen, Aaron Digiamarino San Rafael, CA Greg O’Donnell, Michael Nakano, Spencer O’Donnell

San Diego, CA Josh Koehnen, Joseph Leblanc, Ari Crandall, Cole Chodorow Pleasanton, CA John Lee, Zoe Ng

San Clemente, CA Chris Vizzi, Kelly Clyde, Michelle Vizzi

Sacramento, CA Bryan Wertzer, Steve Sutley, Scott Machen, Wade Gribaldo, James Dillon, Jack George

Financial 10 Cinergy Tustin, CA

Cindy Couyoumjian, Leticia Hewko, Kobe Couyoumjian

YTD sales leaders are based on paid dates from January 1, 2026 – September 30, 2026

12671 High Bluff Drive, Suite 200 San Diego, CA 92130 ifgsd.com

For Broker-Dealer use only. Not for public distribution. Any materials provided from third party sources are believed to be reliable, however, we cannot guarantee that it is accurate or complete.