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The Stag Brings Back GLWBs
Tue, Jul 12, 2011
In an about-face on VAs, The Hartford has gone back to the GLWB, tempering its risks with a CPPI fund. The arrival of Steve Kluever from Jackson National in March reflects the new thinking.
Industry Views
Burton Malkiel Talks About Efficient Markets
In this video sponsored by Vanguard, Burton Malkiel, Princeton professor and author of "A Random Walk Down Wall Street," talks with RIJ editor Kerry Pechter about what "efficient market" means to him. The 10th edition of "A Random Walk" has just been published.
Industry Views are special reports that are sponsored and independent from RIJ's editorial content.
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Cover Stories
VAs: In Search of a Winning Formula
Tue, Jul 05, 2011
VA issuers should take a cue from Michael Jordan, and realize that team players win more championships than individual stars, advises Bing Waldert of Cerulli Associates.
Putnam, A Work in Progress
Wed, Jun 29, 2011
With the announcement of a retirement research center, Putnam Investments joins the "thought-leadership" game. It's all part of CEO Bob Reynolds' campaign to rebuild a tarnished brand--and to change the way America saves.
What's Your Competition Doing? E&Y Knows
Mon, Jun 20, 2011
Launched five years ago, Ernst & Young's Retirement Income Knowledge Bank has become a useful map of the competitive landscape for insurers and broker-dealers.
Featured Stories
NYLife Targets VA Buyers with New DIA
The new multi-premium contract allows a person to build a personal pension with a series of contributions leading to lifetime income beginning at a pre-determined but flexible start date.
Columns : Guest Column
Summer Cliffhangers in the VA Soap Opera
Mr. McDonnell publishes Soleares Research, a website devoted to variable annuity industry news. Here's his take on the latest trends in VA contracts.
The Decumulation Beat
The Journal Plays Gotcha! with EBRI
In a July 7 article, the Wall Street Journal reported that auto-enrollment in 401(k) plans has backfired, sticking some people at a lower contribution rate than they might have elected. In its desire for a man-bites-dog story, the Journal overreached.
News
Variable annuity filings: Jan-June 2011, from Beacon Research
Tue, Jul 12, 2011
Here's a hyper-linked list of variable annuity prospectuses filed with the SEC from January 1 to June 30, 2011. The list was provided by Chicago-based Beacon Research, host of annuitynexus.com
Couples readier for retirement than singles: RAND
Wed, Jul 13, 2011
A 30% reduction in Social Security benefits would reduce the percentage of married people who are adequately prepared for retirement by 7.8 percentage points and the percentage of single people by 10.7 percentage points, two RAND economists found.
Actuary to Congress: Raise SS retirement age
Wed, Jul 13, 2011
Even in 1940, however, men who reached age 65 had an average life expectancy of 12.7 years—meaning that half lived longer than that. (Albus Dumbledore was nearly 116 years old when Severus Snape killed him.)
Austria urged to thwart early retirement
Wed, Jul 13, 2011
Though Austria’s statutory retirement ages are 65 for men and 60 for women, Austrian men retire at age 58.9 on average while women retire at age 57.5 on average.
The Bucket
Wed, Jul 13, 2011
Brief or late-breaking items from Morningstar, Milliman, Vanguard, Allianz Life, Great-West Retirement Services and MassMutual.
