Variable annuity deferral bonuses are working: Ruark
GLWB withdrawal frequencies have increased consistently at normal retirement age and above, with over half of withdrawals now at or near the maximum benefit amount, according to a study...
Annuity wholesalers should be consultants for advisors: Global Atlantic
Many advisors prefer 'a multi-product annuity platform' that allows for 'customizable retirement planning,' the survey by the multi-product annuity provider showed.
US workers are willing to pay for better retirement benefits
But fewer than one in four would pay for tools and services that help them live healthier lifestyles or help improve their finances, a Willis Towers Watson survey shows.
Auto-escalation begins in the UK, with ‘close monitoring’
In the UK, the minimum contribution to auto-enrolled defined contribution plans will reach 8% in April 2019, including a 3% mandatory employer contribution.
How Canadians regard lifetime income: CANNEX
Fewer than half of Canadians surveyed were confident in their ability to maintain their standard of living until age 90, while 58% would expect a decline in living standards...
Lincoln Financial joins the index-linked variable annuity (ILVA) party
'Lincoln Level Advantage' comes with four index options, two term lengths and four levels of protection. It also offers variable subaccounts and a living benefit.
‘OnePension’ lets employers put DB back in DC
'We now have a solution that adds a guaranteed component to the retirement plan without being burdensome,' said Pete Welsh of OneAmerica, the provider of OnePension.
Honorable Mention
MetLife and Ernst & Young collaborate on financial wellness program; eMoneyAdvisor adds lead-generator to its platform; VALIC and RetireUp partner on Retirement Pathfinder.
Working 9-to-?
'Each one percentage point increase in Social Security's Delayed Retirement Credit is associated with a roughly one percentage point increase in the employment rate of men ages 65 to...
Unequal plan coverage persists, report shows
'In 2016, the participation rate was just 47.3% of family heads with annual family income of $10,000 – $24,999, compared with 89.9% for those with annual...
AXA IPO attracts $2.75 billion
AXA, which is Europe’s second-biggest insurer by market capitalization behind Allianz, has said that the proceeds will help finance its earlier acquisition of insurer XL Group.
Honorable Mention
Principal Financial to purchase more shares, Prudential inks longevity transfer deal and publishes financial wellness study, FedEx buys group annuity from MetLife, Piwowar resigns from the SEC, and Nationwide...
Fiduciary rule litigation isn’t over
AARP wants the entire panel of Fifth Circuit judges to review the ruling by the three-judge panel, which ruled 2 to 1 against the DOL fiduciary rule.
Financial Engines purchased by private equity firm
There were 208 M&A deals involving asset management firms worth $21 billion in 2017, according to Sandler O’Neill & Partners. Combined deal values were up about 23% from the...
Undersaved? Work a little longer
A 66-year-old worker who works one year longer and claims Social Security one year later could see a 7.75% rise in his inflation-adjusted retirement income, according to new research....
Honorable Mention
Principal Financial will partner with ARAG to provide financial wellness programs; Lincoln Financial completed its purchase of Liberty Life Assurance.
The link between 401(k) litigation and in-plan annuities
Fear of litigation has made 401(k) plan sponsors leery of innovation, including the adoption of annuities as investment options, these authors suggest.
Fund flows bounce back in March: Morningstar
The Morningstar Categories with the highest inflows in March were foreign large-blend, ultra-short bond, and intermediate bond funds, respectively.
Broker-dealers will need scale or specialization: Cerulli
'As advisors have adopted passive strategies, ETF structures, and institutional share classes, revenue-sharing to B/Ds has decreased,' a Cerulli analyst writes.
Principal Financial to join Washington State ‘Retirement Marketplace’
Providers already on the Marketplace include Finhabits, which offers individual IRAs, and Saturna Trust, which offers a solo 401(k) for the self-employed.
