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
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
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
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.
NJ Supreme Court sides with Gov. Christie on pension issues
Last year, Gov. Christie cut $1.6 billion from the state's fiscal 2015 public pension contribution, claiming that the state could not afford it.
How Vanguard participants save
Vanguard has released its annual almanac on the savings habits of participants in its retirement plans. You can read highlights from "How America Saves 2015" and link to a...
Ruark reports “good news” on FIA policyholder behavior
AIG Life & Retirement, Allianz, American Equity, Athene, EquiTrust, Forethought, Midland National, Nationwide, OneAmerica, Pacific Life, Phoenix, and Security Benefit participated in Ruark Consulting's study of surrender and partial...
Wood you, could you, be my alternative investment?
TIAA-CREF, which announced the close of a new timberland investment vehicle, has been investing in timberland since 1998 and manages a portfolio of over $2 billion in timber assets...
The Bucket
Brief or late-breaking items from Market Strategies International (Cogent Reports), MassMutual and Voya Financial.
Are Most Glide Paths Upside Down?
Investing in equities early in the lifecycle, when balances are low, offers little advantage and may even discourage young investors who suffer losses. So says one of the studies...
Lincoln’s new FIA links to risk-controlled S&P500 Index
The interest credited on the new OptiBlend option is based on the performance of the S&P 500 Daily Risk Control 5% Index.
Decumulation? Most Americans don’t know the concept
More than half of those with retirement savings have no distribution plan for how they will access or stretch their money once they retire, with one in five not...
A new type of risk tolerance assessment, from FinMason
FinScore determines risk tolerance by showing people two portfolios and letting them decide which one they like more, not unlike the way an optometrist measures a person’s vision.
Stowe succeeds Wells at Jackson National Life
Jim Sopha, chief operating officer, will assume the role of president of Jackson, reporting to Stowe.
Quote of the Week
“We’re not doing anything really fancy or sexy, it’s really basic stuff. The fund business is so different than banking. One, it is an agency business so you as...
What happens when ‘the Fed yields’?
'We would prefer to see the Fed depart from its zero interest rate policy (ZIRP) sooner rather than later,' say analysts at BlackRock Investment Institute.
Beware equity bubble in Europe: Cerulli
"Asset managers should enjoy the QE bonus flows while they last. But the pattern is unlikely to be different from previous cycles, and the end may already be in...
