Editorial Staff, Author at Retirement Income Journal

Published July 16, 2015

Brief or late-breaking items from MassMutual, Prudential, BlackRock and British pension funds.

DOL proposal could “revamp” advisor business practices: Fitch

By Editorial Staff Thu, Jul 9, 2015

Fitch analysts suggested in a new report that the DOL proposals “could curb the willingness of agents to promote complex and higher fee products to market,”...

Offshore AUM to exceed US AUM by 2019: Cerulli

Global AUM is expected reach US$106 trillion by 2019, but “managers need to be realistic about the efforts required to win business in high-growth markets,” said a Cerulli release...

New whitepaper attacks DOL conflict-of-interest proposal

“If the rule is enacted as written,” write Jack Marrion and Kim O'Brien, “it will cause a severe disruption for many securities brokers and dealers but will be devastating...

The Bucket

Brief or late-breaking items from Cetera, Broadridge, kasina (DST), New York Life and John Hancock, Prudential Financial, Wells Fargo, Raymond James, LPL Financial and Dutch pension funds.

OneAmerica buys BMO’s U.S. retirement business

By Editorial Staff Thu, Jul 2, 2015

According to NAPAnet, OneAmerica serves more than 11,000 plans in the mid-sized market and has over $30 billion in retirement assets under administration.

John Hancock and LPL in participant advice pact

Launched by LPL in 2014, the Employee Advice Solution tool can deliver personalized participant advice through an online service that collects financial information about a participant.

Bank of International Settlements expresses doubts about low rates

"Unless the underlying problems are addressed head-on, short-term gain may be purchased at the price of long-term pain," warn the authors of the bank's 85th annual report on the...

The Bucket

Brief or late-breaking items from Cerulli, Broadridge, Cogent Research, Transamerica, Willis Towers Watson, and Prudential Annuities.

Public comments on DOL are now available; hearing to start August 10

By Editorial Staff Thu, Jun 25, 2015

A portion of the hearing will focus on the Department’s Regulatory Impact Analysis, which addresses the potential or anticipated economic effects of the proposal, and the relative merits of...

“MACS” are poised to lead an active-management comeback: Citi

Sales of bespoke funds will rebound on the wings of new three-pronged “dynamically managed multi-asset class solutions” (MACS), according to Citi’s just published 6th Annual Industry Evolution Survey.

SEC and FINRA publish study of sales to seniors at BDs

With respect to variable annuities, the SEC and FINRA said they found evidence of potentially unsuitable sales to seniors at 34% of the 44 broker-dealers they examined.

The Bucket

Brief or late-breaking items from T. Rowe Price, PIMCO Germany, Charles Schwab, AllianceBernstein, the Retirement Income Industry Association and Fidelity.

Swiss Re’s solution for the macro-economy: Infrastructure

By Editorial Staff Wed, Jun 24, 2015

The global reinsurer points out that support for asset prices doesn't produce real growth, and that an aging population doesn't bode well for growth, but that developing a liquid...

For those born from 1941-50, old age really is golden: NYT

By Editorial Staff Thu, Jun 18, 2015

Some of the 25 million people born between 1941 and 1950—'war babies' and early Boomers—find themselves in a sweet spot, enjoying DB pensions and DC savings, dual incomes, appreciated...

Cerulli: Institutions are switching to strategic beta ETFs

By Editorial Staff Wed, Jun 17, 2015

A new report, "Exchange-Traded Fund Markets 2015: Opportunities in the Face of Changing Dynamics," finds that firms have different approaches to strategic beta.

Cognitive assessment tool receives FDA approval

The new tool, called Cognivue, involves a 10-minute test. The person being tested only needs to grasp the “response device,” a kind of joystick called a manipulandum.

MassMutual offers handy Social Security quiz

MassMutual found that only 28% of those surveyed received a passing grade when asked basic questions about Social Security retirement benefits.