America Speaks Out—and Against—401(k) Annuities
As of March 2, the responses to the Obama administration's request for input on lifetime options in 401(k) plans tended to be angry but well-reasoned.
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‘Saving More’ Trumps ‘Working Longer’
"I'll-work-till-I-drop" is often the first, but rarely the most sensible, response to a setback in retirement savings.
A Regulatory Nudge Is Needed
Since current Wall Street risk management methods are in the interest of those who work on Wall Street, they will not be changed except by regulatory means.
The Exploitation of Sherry Pratt
Identity theft does not begin to describe the harm done to a quadriplegic woman who died of bedsores in a Chicago nursing home.
Robin Hood or Just Robbin’?
Rhode Island attorney Robert Flanders said "stranger-originated annuity transactions" are perfectly legal.
The Future of Fixed Annuities: A 2020 Vision
Jack Marrion predicts that by 2020 the securities industry will exercise control over the annuity market in the U.S.
The Search for a Safe Withdrawal Rate
In this article, I highlight work by Michael Kitces, who looks at stock market valuation levels as guides to setting retirement withdrawal strategies.
Spotlight on Chairman Schapiro
Lawsuits questioning the competence and integrity of the SEC chairman were discussed at a closed-door meeting of the FINRA board of governors in New York February 10.
To Insurers’ Relief, VA Owners Acted Inefficiently
Ruark Consulting's study showed that one in five owners of contracts with a guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefit (GLWB) or guaranteed minimum income benefit (GMIB) took withdrawals between 2005 and...
SunAmerica Links VA Rider Fees to Volatility Index
Designed for the Polaris series of variable annuities, the two new guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefits are called Income Plus 6% and Income Builder 8%.
Employer Match Strikes a Hot Debate
Academic and industry researchers clashed over methodology, but they appear to agree that auto-enrollment in 401(k) plans might have unintended consequences on the employer matching contribution.
Heard On The Grapevine
An all-star group of RIIA members engaged in a spontaneous online debate about 'time-segmentation' bucket methods. Here’s what they said.
Obama Is All Ears About Annuities
But there's no clear indication that Washington understands the nuances that make annuity decisions so complex and problematic.
The Visible Hand Behind the Crisis
Viral Acharya and colleagues at NYU's Stern School of Business say the economy was pushed off a cliff by bankers skirting reserve requirements.
VALIC Sued Over “Redundant” Tax Benefits
Lawsuits accusing insurers of selling tax-deferred annuities to fund tax-deferred accounts have not been entirely unfruitful for plaintiffs.
Unfinished Business
Ernst & Young's Lynn Pettus and Hall Kesmodel show how the regulations governing participant education have shifted over the years, and how the changes in Washington have delayed their...
A Decade to Remember. Or Not.
The president of PPCA, Inc., and Target Date Solutions looks back at the worst calendar-decade for U.S. stocks since the beginning of the Great Depression, and offers his informed...
Test Your Financial Sophistication
Here are 18 true-or-false questions that economists asked Americans over age 55. The average score among the college-educated was 68%. Perhaps you'll fare better.
The Passion of Anna
Economist Annamaria Lusardi started studying financial literacy in 2000. She soon realized that it's not a luxury for the few. It's an empowerment tool for the many.
‘Here There Be Dragons’
There is no actuarial roadmap through what could be a completely restructured health insurance marketplace. "It's terra incognita," says this consultant and author.
