Featured Archives - Retirement Income Journal

‘Circuit Split’ over DOL Fiduciary Rule?

By Kerry Pechter Fri, Mar 16, 2018

In my opinion, allowing IRA rollover money to escape the protections and restrictions that govern 401(k) plans will eventually nullify the federal government’s rationale for tax deferral—a benefit that...

Published March 16, 2018

What the Divergent DOL Rulings Mean: Wagner

By Editorial Staff

'Even though there is not a clear conflict among the Circuits, this case will likely be heard by the Supreme Court,' said ERISA attorney Marcia Wagner after judges in...

Published March 16, 2018

Behavior risk is rising for FIA living benefit issuers: Ruark

By Editorial Staff Thu, Mar 8, 2018

The amount of client assets protected by a GLIB outside the surrender charge period—a measure of the rising behavioral risk exposure for FIA issuers—increased 82% from 2017 to 2018,...

Published March 8, 2018

The Real Engine of the Business Cycle

By Amir Sufi and Atif Mian

'Credit-supply expansions often sow the seeds of their own destruction,' write our two guest columnists, who collaborated on the 2014 book, House of Debt. They teach at the U....

Published March 8, 2018

Bond Market Frets Over Treasury Supply

By Stephen Slifer Thu, Mar 1, 2018

'Without wanting to be unduly alarmist, the U.S. has a debt problem,' writes our guest columnist regarding the roots of recent market volatility. 'And that is not going to...

Published March 1, 2018

Homage to Andalusia

By Kerry Pechter

Sevilla’s residents radiated a comforting joie de vivre. That, along with the Andalusian sunshine, made my spouse and I think seriously about returning, if not retiring, to southern Spain.

Published March 1, 2018

Annuity Sales Declined in 2017: LIMRA

By Editorial Staff Thu, Feb 22, 2018

Structured annuity sales increased 25% in 2017, to $9.2 billion, but indexed annuity sales fell year-over-year for the first time since 2009, according to the LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute.

Published February 22, 2018

IRI Presents its Lobbying Goals for 2018

By Kerry Pechter

The Insured Retirement Institute, which advocates for the interests of manufacturers and distributors of annuities on Capitol Hill, held a somewhat muted press conference this week.

Published February 22, 2018

The Lessons of Black Monday

By Barry Eichengreen Thu, Feb 15, 2018

When interpreting the recent market lurch, many will think back to 2008. But a better historical precedent for current conditions is Black Monday: October 19, 1987, writes our guest...

Published February 15, 2018

Two ‘Santas’ Can Be Worse Than One

By Eugene Steuerle

In 1976, Jude Wanniski recommended the 'Two Santas' strategy, whereby Republicans would be as generous with tax cuts as Democrats were with spending. The Trump tax cut is only...

Published February 15, 2018

New York, New Jersey, NAIC propose investor protections

By Wagner Law Group Wed, Feb 7, 2018

New York regulators have proposed a “best interest” standard for sales of life and annuity products, the Wagner Law Group reported. Some New Jersey legislators want non-fiduciaries to disclose...

Published February 8, 2018

Not All 401(k)s are Created Equal; Should They Be?

By Kerry Pechter

Teresa Ghilarducci's proposal for mandatory U.S. retirement plans is no more radical than changes proposed overseas.

Published February 8, 2018

Tax Cut Will Drive Global Growth: Chao

By Philip Chao Thu, Feb 1, 2018

'The likelihood of an inverted yield curve in 2018 has been reduced, so the likelihood of a recession has been pushed out further into 2020 and beyond,' writes Chao,...

Published February 1, 2018

Why Bruce Springsteen Is America’s Most-Likely Income Annuity Buyer

By Kerry Pechter

Cannex, the Canadian-American annuity data shop, has just released its analysis of 2017 sales of immediate and deferred income annuities. It turns out New Jersey-ites buy the most income...

Published February 1, 2018

The World’s Priciest Stock Market

By Robert Shiller Thu, Jan 25, 2018

'In pricing stock markets, people don’t seem to be relying on any good forecast of the next ten years’ earnings. They just seem to look at the past ten...

Published January 25, 2018

The Fragility of VA Living Benefit Guarantees

By Kerry Pechter

Their reliance on VA with living benefits has made life insurers 'more like pension fund managers because they have risky assets and guaranteed liabilities,' write economists at NYU-Stern and...

Published January 25, 2018

Ready or Not for the Next Recession?

By Barry Eichengreen Thu, Jan 18, 2018

'Expansions don’t last forever. A storm will surely come, and when it does, we will be poorly prepared for the deluge," writes the author and macroeconomist at the University...

Published January 18, 2018

Morningstar’s Take on Income Annuities

By Kerry Pechter

In a recent article, Morningstar's Canadian research director shows, mathematically, how one might use term life insurance and income annuities (in sequence) to cope with one of life's known...

Published January 18, 2018

How Demand-Siders See the New Tax Law

By Laura Tyson and Larry Mendonca Thu, Jan 11, 2018

'The [new tax law] will likely stimulate investment and encourage domestic and foreign companies to do business in the United States,' write Tyson (above) and Mendonca. 'But the increase...

Published January 11, 2018

Why Low Inflation Is No Surprise

By J. Brad DeLong Thu, Jan 4, 2018

'Those who have used the prevailing economic fable about the 1970s to predict upward outbreaks of inflation in the 1990s, the 2000s, and now the 2010s have all been...

Published January 4, 2018

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