2025 NSSA Advisor of the Year: Merry Dooley

The National Social Security Advisors® (NSSA®) is proud to announce Merry Dooley as the recipient of the 2025 NSSA Advisor of the Year Award, recognizing her outstanding commitment to Social Security education, client service, and professional excellence.

This annual award honors an advisor who exemplifies the mission of NSSA by leveraging their certification to improve retirement outcomes and elevate the standard of Social Security planning within the financial services industry.

Elevating Retirement Outcomes Through Education

Social Security remains one of the most important—and most misunderstood—components of retirement planning. Advisors who develop specialized expertise in this area play a critical role in helping individuals avoid costly mistakes and make confident, informed decisions.

Over the past year, Merry Dooley has demonstrated exceptional dedication to this mission. By integrating Social Security planning into her advisory process, she has helped a significant number of clients better understand their options and make decisions that can have a lasting impact on their financial future.

Her work reflects the core purpose of NSSA: to ensure that advisors are equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to guide clients through complex retirement decisions with clarity and confidence.

Turning Expertise into Real-World Impact

Merry’s approach to Social Security planning goes beyond theory. She has successfully incorporated NSSA training into her day-to-day practice, making Social Security a central component of her client conversations and retirement planning strategies.

Her ability to apply this expertise at scale demonstrates how specialized knowledge can translate into meaningful, real-world outcomes for both clients and advisory practices.

Advancing the Profession

In addition to her direct client work, Merry has been an advocate for Social Security education within the advisor community. By encouraging other professionals to deepen their understanding of Social Security, she is helping raise the standard of advice delivered across the industry.

This commitment to education and professional development aligns closely with NSSA’s broader mission to elevate the quality of retirement planning nationwide.

A Model for NSSA Advisors

“Merry represents the very best of what the NSSA certification is designed to achieve,” said Jason Stanley, Vice-President of Strategy at NSSA. “Her ability to combine technical knowledge with a genuine commitment to client outcomes sets a powerful example for advisors across the country.”

The NSSA Advisor of the Year Award is presented annually to recognize advisors who demonstrate exceptional leadership in Social Security education, client advocacy, and professional excellence.

As the demand for specialized retirement planning continues to grow, advisors like Merry Dooley play an increasingly important role in helping individuals navigate complex financial decisions with confidence.