Editorial Staff, Author at Retirement Income Journal

Published September 22, 2016

Passive U.S. equity funds persisted in attracting investor money, with an estimated inflow of $16.4 billion in August, but it was only about half of July's $33.8 billion intake....

Financial Engines prepares to roar

By Editorial Staff Thu, Sep 15, 2016

Counting on synergy between its institutional managed accounts and its 120 newly-named Financial Engines Advisor Centers, the Silicon Valley managed account giant wants to aggregate all of a middle-market...

A.M. Best report defines VA issuers’ dilemma

Qualified VA’s will be affected by the DOL fiduciary rule, which includes more fee disclosures and level compensation structures, said a new report from the ratings agency. About 58%...

Jackson National and the Rolling Stones. Of course.

Sponsored by the British-owned, Michigan-based insurer, a massive traveling exhibit called "Exhibitionism" will feature the personal memorabilia of Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood. It opens...

Lincoln Financial enhances VA income rider

'The 5% rollup starts at purchase and runs for 10 years. It applies only in years when there’s no withdrawal and there’s a hard stop at 10 years from...

Labor Department acts on state-sponsored workplace IRAs

By Editorial Staff Wed, Sep 7, 2016

So far, eight states have passed legislation requiring private-sector employers that don’t offer retirement plans to auto-enroll their workers in state-administered, payroll-deduction IRAs.

Publicly-traded U.S. life insurers see 19% income decline: Fitch

Fitch expects low reinvestment rates to continue to be an earnings headwind in the second half of 2016.

AXA wins excessive fee litigation suit

U.S. Judge Peter G. Sheridan ruled that the plaintiffs failed to prove that AXA Equitable’s Fund Management Group had charged “exorbitant fees” while delegating “all of the services” to...

Schwab’s new TDFs sport ultra-low fees

The new funds, which are available to employer-sponsored retirement plans, have an across-the-board expense ratio of eight basis points (0.08%) and no minimum investment requirements regardless of plan size.

Honorable Mention

Brief or late-breaking items from Voya Financial, MassMutual, TIAA, Diversified Services Group, Ameritas, The Guardian, and the World Demographic and Ageing Forum.

Demand for retail “institutional” funds to accelerate: Strategic Insight

By Editorial Staff Thu, Aug 18, 2016

Distributors are likely to apply the standards of the DOL fiduciary (or "conflict of interest") rule to all client money, not just qualified assets, said Dennis Bowden (pictured), lead...

Vanguard continues to dominate mutual fund flows: Morningstar

“Cost definitely plays an important part , but it’s not the only reason,” Morningstar’s Alina Lamy (pictured) told RIJ. “A lot of it has to do with...

RIJ Takes a Two-Week Vacation

Retirement Income Journal will not appear on August 25 or September 1. The editorial staff is taking its annual vacation. We'll return with the September 8, 2016 issue. Thank...

Advisors in limbo regarding DOL rule

More than four in ten advisors (43%) said they may plan to expand services offered to more holistic planning and 26% may plan to focus on non-qualified accounts, according...

Lull in “fintech” funding observed

A new KPMG report attributed the drop to “a tougher climate for marketplace lenders and a drop in mega-round activity.”

TIAA creates fund to invest in ‘super-regional’ malls

Super-regional malls are “a distinctly strong and stable performer throughout multiple cycles,” said Suzan Amato, managing director of TIAA Global Asset Management.

T. Rowe Price reports on trends in its retirement plans

The average deferral rate among T. Rowe Price plan participants was 7%, far below the recommended level of 15% (which includes the employer match). About one-third of participants are...

Published August 11, 2016

Variable annuity fee income boosts Jackson’s performance

By Editorial Staff Thu, Aug 11, 2016

'Consistent with the rest of the industry, variable annuity sales have slowed due to market volatility and activity surrounding the U.S. Department of Labor fiduciary rule,' said Barry Stowe,...

TIAA buys Everbank