Reaping the Benefits of DFA: Turning Industry Readiness into Adoption

As fall arrives, the industry has an opportunity to turn years of investment in Digital First for Annuities (DFA) standards into measurable results.

The Insured Retirement Institute’s (IRI) Adoption Dashboard now makes it easier to see that opportunity. The Distributor Priority Dashboard shows where demand is strongest, while the new Solutions Provider Dashboard highlights which firms have solutions in production, in development, or planned for implementation.

Together, these tools can help members identify potential partners, align priorities, and accelerate adoption without having to start from scratch.

As firms finalize their 2027 plans, IRI encourages members to explore the dashboards and identify where existing capabilities and industry demand can come together to deliver real operational improvements.
DFA Dashboard: Tracking Standards Versions

We are expanding the DFA Dashboard to track which versions of Digital First standards firms have implemented. As standards continue to evolve, having visibility into version adoption across the industry will help identify differences between firms, support implementation planning, and improve coordination between carriers, distributors, and solution providers. This information will also help us better understand where firms may be using different versions of the same standard and identify opportunities to support alignment and future adoption.

As part of our monthly DFA follow-ups, we will begin asking firms to share which versions of the standards they have implemented. Thank you in advance for helping us build a more complete picture of industry adoption!
Standard Spotlight: Inforce Non-Financial Transactions

Inforce non-financial transactions, including owner and party changes, contact information updates, and broker/dealer and representative of record changes, remain largely manual across the industry. The goal is to develop consistent API standards that reduce operational complexity, improve efficiency, and enhance the customer and advisor experience.

A high-level discussion on authorization will take place November 2, with initial working group meetings beginning in December. 

Want to get involved? Contact mhendrickson@irionline.org and hpikus@irionline.org to learn more.
DFA1: The Future of Annuities
In the October edition of DFA1, Katherine Dease, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, IRI, says the industry is changing right now. Younger buyers expect 24-7 access to their income and account values. Financial professionals want every product they recommend to show up in their planning tools right away. She explains how DFA gives firms a reusable way to connect data and technology, so they can meet those expectations.

Operations & Technology Important Dates

Digital First Steering Committee
November 11 | Cancelled | December 9 | 4 p.m. ET

Strategy Implementation Committee
November 13 | 10 a.m. ET

Operations and Technology Committee
December 16 | 4 p.m. ET

Governance Subcommittee
Mondays | 11:30 a.m. ET

Business Champion Stand-up
Wednesdays | 10:30 a.m. ET