November 13, 2008

Subject: Comments on "File No. S7-14-08 "

I am a member of the FPA (Financial Planning Association) & a CFP® Certificant. Also, I hold insurance & securities licenses. I support the SEC oversight on Indexed Annuities. I have been in the financial services business for almost ten years. My first job was selling insurance products for one of the largest insurance companies in the world. I have been at Indexed Annuity training meetings & witnessed the promotion of these products by the insurance industry. The insurance companies promote selling these products through insurance agents that lack the necessary training to advise clients on investing their money into these products. The insurance agents are ill equipped to advise clients on investing their money b/c their training is geared toward insurance sales & not investments. I know b/c I was originally one of these insurance agents. I realized the problems with the promotion of these products & chose to educate myself further via securities licensing & the rigorous CFP® education program. The investing public would be safer if these products had additional oversight. Thanks.

Regards,

Tommy

Thomas Gardner, CFP®
Gardner Financial