NYFA and EMCA Community Education Seminar: US Retirement Planning and Prevention of Financial Fraud

On the afternoon of November 21, 2025 (Friday), the New York Firearms Association (NYFA) and the Eastern Prairie Chinese Association (EMCA) jointly hosted a community education seminar on the theme of " Retirement Planning and Preventing Financial Fraud in the United States." The event invited Shannon Lee, Founder of US United Consulting and Secretary General of the NYFA, and James Jiao, General Manager of Northwestern Mutual's Queens Office, Senior Financial Advisor, Founder of James Financial, and current President of the Eastern Prairie Chinese Association (EMCA), to share their knowledge on two topics of high community concern: financial security and retirement planning.

In her opening remarks, Shannon Lee, drawing on NYFA's core mission, explained that community safety education extends beyond physical self-protection to encompass the crucial aspect of financial security in daily life. NYFA has long promoted community education through skills training and public lectures, and the frequent occurrence of financial fraud makes "financial security" a vital component of community safety education.

（SHANNON LEE graduated from Beijing Capital University of Economics and Business and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Business at Queens College. In January 2021, she founded U.S. United Consulting Inc.; in February of the same year, she was appointed Secretary General of the New York Firearms Association (NYFA). She holds relevant licenses in life, accident, and health insurance in the state of New York.）

In her lecture, Shannon systematically outlined the characteristics of common financial scams, including using "zero-risk, high-return" promises as bait, pressuring victims to transfer money immediately, impersonating official institutions, and misleading the public through fake links or websites. She reminded everyone to protect their personal information, verify the qualifications of investment institutions, and be wary of calls claiming to be from government departments, emphasizing the importance of proactively calling official numbers to verify information.

She also pointed out that if you encounter a scam or suspect you have been scammed, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the FBI Cybercrime Complaint Center (IC3), the state attorney general's office, and local police. She emphasized that raising awareness and mastering basic identification skills are the best ways to prevent losses.

Following this, James Jiao provided an in-depth introduction to retirement planning and wealth management. He began by explaining how to identify a legitimate financial institution, including whether it is regulated by the state or federal government, whether its registration can be found with the SEC or FINRA, and whether it has clear and transparent fee and compliance documentation. He further explained the history of Northwestern Mutual since its founding in 1857, emphasizing the institution's outstanding performance in risk management, integrity culture, and long-term stable development.

(James Jiao graduated from Baruch College, New York with a degree in Finance (minor in Economics) and is currently pursuing a CFP degree at New York University. He joined Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management in 2017, was promoted to General Manager of the Queens Office in 2022, and founded James Financial. He holds multistate insurance and securities licenses (Series 7, 6, 63, SIE) and is currently the President of the Eastern Prairie Chinese Association (EMCA).)

Regarding retirement planning, James provided a detailed analysis of the US retirement system and the five major risks currently faced by residents: insufficient funds due to increased life expectancy, stock market volatility risk, tax risk, inflation eroding purchasing power, and the structural problem of potential future Social Security reductions. He reminded everyone that the earlier you start planning for retirement, the greater the advantage. Through long-term investment, asset diversification, reasonable insurance coverage, and smart tax arrangements, you can effectively reduce the economic pressure after retirement.

James also used several family case studies to illustrate how to achieve steady financial growth through scientific planning. These included how to allocate resources among education funds, retirement accounts, insurance coverage, and investment assets; how to cope with future inflationary pressures; and how to accumulate wealth steadily through long-term compound interest. He hopes that these examples will help people understand the importance of advance planning and create a safer and more secure future for their families.

(James provided an in-depth explanation to community residents about the potential impact of future market volatility on returns.)

The lecture was rich in content and highly practical, and attendees expressed that they benefited greatly, not only improving their ability to prevent financial fraud but also gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the US retirement system. Many residents also consulted the two speakers on practical issues such as financial management, insurance, Social Security, and family planning, creating a lively atmosphere.

（James demonstrated a high level of professionalism and extensive financial knowledge during the lecture.）

At the end of the event, the Secretary General of NYFA thanked James, noting that NYFA and EMCA share the same goal: to raise community safety awareness and promote effective community education. James also expressed his honor to co-host the seminar with NYFA. He emphasized that as members of the community, they have a responsibility to help the public improve their safety knowledge and to provide families and businesses with more comprehensive risk management and financial planning services through professional expertise.