Editorial Staff, Author at Retirement Income Journal

Published January 26, 2017

'While aggregated industry bond portfolio yields have consistently declined to 4.71% in 2015 from 4.88% in 2014 and 4.99% in 2013, strategic investment decisions have helped mitigate further declines...

Fifth Third Bank acquires The Retirement Corporation of America

Published January 26, 2017

The Retirement Corporation of America provides 'education platforms, lifestyle focused events and investment programs designed to help maximize post-retirement income.'

Transamerica’s statement on its new no-commission VA with income benefits

By Editorial Staff Fri, Jan 20, 2017

'Transamerica has built the Variable Annuity I-Share (and all of our products) with an intent to be fully compliant with existing regulations and the coming DOL fiduciary regulations,' wrote...

Northwestern Mutual starts $50 million fintech venture fund

Investments will range from $500,000 to $3 million. The insurer will focus on"digitizing internal capabilities" rather so-called robo-advice per se.

More than one-in-four seniors never expect to be debt-free

Among people age 65 and older, 28% said they 'never expect to get out of debt.' (In late 2015, 35% felt that way.)

LOMA issues ‘Forecast for the Life Insurance Industry’

'We would expect under two percent growth in North America, with larger single-digit growth in the developing world,' said Tom Scales, research director, Celent and a contributor to the...

A.M. Best forecasts life insurance industry M&A

Disruption from financial technology, or fintech, companies in the industry likely will drive strategically focused M&A activity, A.M. Best predicted.

NextCapital to provide robo-advice to John Hancock plans

By Editorial Staff Thu, Jan 12, 2017

NextCapital and John Hancock will roll out the new digital advice solution across the John Hancock Retirement Plan Services business over the next 12 months.

Vanguard establishes behavioral research center

The Center for Investor Research “will examine how investors make decisions through observational studies based on Vanguard's administrative data and the growing pool of digital interactions,” the Malvern, PA-based...

America’s 20 best online stockbrokers and robo-advisors: NerdWallet

The online credit-card rating site names some of its favorite fintech players.

Tilting at windmills

By Editorial Staff Wed, Jan 11, 2017

A Danish pension fund's investment in American wind farms looked like a safe diversification bet--until the prevailing price of electricity in Texas dropped by more than 50%.

Goodbye “Obamania.” Hello, er, “Trumpelstiltskin”?

By Editorial Staff Thu, Jan 5, 2017

Puns, portmanteau words and neologisms--especially those incorporating the name Trump--dominated Investopedia's annual list of financial terms whose meanings were sought most often on the information site.

“Hipsters, lend us your ears,” says Betterment

By Editorial Staff Wed, Jan 4, 2017

Those who download Betterment's new podcasts will glean “unconventional and entertaining insights on money and life” from “thought leaders” in the fields of finance, entrepreneurship, sports, and show business.

Economies of scale allow Vanguard to further reduce fund fees

Vanguard CEO Bill McNabb said the reductions were not “another volley fired in the fee war” but rather “business as usual” for the Malvern, Pa., firm.

Bull market raises red flag: TrimTabs

“Fund flows tend to be a good shorter-term contrary indicator, so the post-election buying spree bodes poorly for U.S. equities,” said David Santschi, TrimTabs' CEO.

Quote of the Week/Honorable Mention

“Winning is not a secret that belongs to a very few; winning is something that we can learn by studying ourselves, studying the environment and making ourselves ready for...

Published December 22, 2016

In November, money shifted from bonds to (passive) equities: Morningstar

By Editorial Staff Thu, Dec 22, 2016

For the first time in 2016, active intermediate-term bond funds saw monthly outflows, which totaled $4.0 billion in November. However, the category is in the black for the year...

AIG offers fixed-rate annuity with an income rider

Published December 22, 2016

The product offers a 1.5% annual return for seven years and, for 95 basis points a year, a living benefit with a 7.5% simple-interest annual deferral bonus during the...

Honorable Mention