Editorial Staff, Author at Retirement Income Journal

Published October 19, 2017

Stash has a new banking app, Cerulli reports higher CIT sales, David Blanchett's prize-winning paper, and new hirings/promotions at Voya Financial and MassMutual.

The Cost of Following a Game Franchise

By Editorial Staff Thu, Oct 12, 2017

OOPs! Medical expenses can eat up retirement income

Nearly one-fifth of retirees had less than half of their 2014 Social Security income remaining after out-of-pocket (OOP) spending, with 6% of retirees having less than half of their...

Financial Engines adds college and health planning modules for participants

The innovations are part of Financial Engines' initiatives in the emerging field of 'financial wellness' for plan participants.

DOL delay will help annuity sales in 2018: LIMRA

Because of the delay of the DOL fiduciary rule, LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute now expects fixed annuity sales to increase 5-10 percent in 2018, an improvement over the expected...

Fidelity’s global unit to experiment with variable fees

By Editorial Staff Thu, Oct 5, 2017

The annual management fee will rise if an actively-managed fund outperforms its benchmark index, but will fall if the fund underperforms its benchmark, according to press reports.

Why most 401(k)s don’t offer in-plan annuities

Technically, the 401(k) is a profit-sharing plan, not a pension plan. Under federal law, only pension plans need to offer in-plan retirement income options. A new TIAA whitepaper explains.

Threats to broker-dealer model: It’s more than DOL

Even if the DOL conflict of interest rule is ultimately diluted, it has reinforced shift to fee-based advice from commission-based sales, according to Bing Waldert, managing director of...

Market value of U.S. retirement savings reaches $26.6tr in 2Q17

By Editorial Staff Mon, Oct 2, 2017

Mutual funds managed $3.3 trillion, or 65%, of assets held in 401(k) plans at the end of June 2017. Forty-eight percent of IRA assets, or $4.0 trillion, was invested...

Wells Fargo led all banks in annuity fee income in 2Q17

Among large bank holding companies, only Citigroup and KeyCorp posted significant increases in annuity commission revenue in the second quarter of 2017, according to the Michael White Associates quarterly...

Honorable Mention

Brief or late-breaking items from One America, Voya, BlueRock, the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association, New York Life, Prudential, MassMutual, Ubiquity Retirement + Savings, and HealthEquity.

A Disappearing Workforce to Support the Elderly

By Editorial Staff Thu, Sep 28, 2017

To increase sales of active funds, bundle them with passive: Cerulli

'Asset managers must be able to shift and reshape as the industry does. As advisors' needs are changing, so must the product lines,' said Brendan Powers, senior analyst at...

As risk premium shrinks, so does investors’ risk appetite

Investors pulled $23.0 billion out of actively-managed U.S. equity funds, compared with $19.6 billion in July, according to Morningstar’s latest monthly asset flow report.

How wholesalers should adapt to disruption: DST

A new report from DST, "Prevailing in a Changing Distribution Landscape," describes how investment product wholesalers can respond to changes in the advisory and brokerage world.

Economic conditions lift interest in retirement plans: Nationwide

Competition for the best workers and confidence in the economy are causing more business owners to start offering retirement plans or enhance the ones they have, according to a...

Trump Tax Plan Revealed

By Editorial Staff Wed, Sep 27, 2017

'The framework retains tax benefits that encourage work, higher education and retirement security,' said the report issued by the White House Wednesday. It was entitled, Unified Framework for Fixing...