Kerry Pechter, Author at Retirement Income Journal

Articles by Author: Kerry Pechter

Editor and Publisher of Retirement Income Journal, Kerry Pechter is author of Annuities for Dummies (Wiley, 2008) and former editor of the SourceMedia publication, Annuity Market News/Retirement Income Reporter. He has been an annuity columnist for Senior Market Advisor, and his feature articles have appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Men's Health and many other national publications. From 1997 to 2006, he was a writer and editor supporting the Retirement Resource Center at The Vanguard Group. In 2009, he traveled to Taiwan and reported on the retirement industry there as a fellow of the National Press Foundation. A graduate of Kenyon College and recipient of a fellowship in creative writing at Indiana University, Pechter resides in Emmaus, PA, with his wife Lisa, the director of marketing and publicity for the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University.

Allianz Life adds living benefit to structured index annuity

By Kerry Pechter Thu, Aug 30, 2018

The new Allianz product offers four index options, two death benefit options, five combinations of performance caps and downside buffers and a living benefit rider with deferral bonuses and...

Published August 30, 2018

Meet the First ‘Structured Outcome’ ETF

By Kerry Pechter

Innovator Capital Management and Milliman have built the first structured outcome product on an exchange-traded fund (ETF) chassis, challenging the annuity monopoly in this category.

Published August 30, 2018

The Science (Not Sci-Fi) of Social Security

By Kerry Pechter Thu, Aug 9, 2018

The overlap of Social Security policy and behavioral finance was the subject of several papers aired at the Retirement Research Consortium’s 20th annual meeting last week. Economists are trying...

Published August 9, 2018

The Big Turnaround in Retirement Policy

By Kerry Pechter

Since November 2016, the direction of retirement policy in the U.S. has reversed. Legislators, not bureaucrats, are in the lead. The SEC, not DOL is in charge of ethics....

Published August 9, 2018

‘PEP’ Talk

By Kerry Pechter Thu, Aug 2, 2018

In this sixth installment of our series on "pooled employer plans" or PEPs (also known as "open multiple employer plans" or MEPs), we asked 401(k) experts if this new...

Published August 2, 2018

A Brave New Deregulated 401(k) World

By Kerry Pechter

'There are three factors that we think are converging and are likely to help move the needle” in terms of expanding plan adoption by small employers, said Ben Norquist,...

Published August 2, 2018

Sneak Preview of New Book on Behavioral Finance

By Kerry Pechter Thu, Jul 26, 2018

In a chapter of a forthcoming book, four Ivy League academics discuss the possible reasons why so few people buy life annuities. I add a few theories of my...

Published July 26, 2018

Mind the Coverage Gap

By Kerry Pechter

'I am not aware of any predictions that a significant percentage of small employers who do not currently offer a plan will now adopt a PEP,' said Jack Towarnicky,...

Published July 26, 2018

The ‘Institutionalization’ of the 401(k)

By Kerry Pechter Thu, Jul 19, 2018

The defined contribution retirement system may be about to become less employer-driven and more industry-driven. RIJ talks about it with DCIIA president and CEO Lew Minsky.

Published July 19, 2018

Turning the 401(k) on Its Head

By Kerry Pechter

Executives at State Street Global Advisors, Transamerica, Securian, and Prudential discuss their strategies for developing multiple employer 401(k) plans for small companies and helping to close the 401(k) ‘coverage...

Published July 19, 2018

Border Turmoil and Social Security Solvency

By Kerry Pechter Thu, Jul 12, 2018

'The inflows of migrant workers compensate the falling birth rate in our country, which is the gravest threat to the sustainability of our pension system,” an Italian official said...

Published July 12, 2018

Provider-Sponsored 401(k): Part III

By Kerry Pechter

This is the third installment of our series on the push for shifting plan sponsorship from employers to service providers and the "institutionalization" of retirement in the US. This...

Published July 12, 2018

My Encounter with CFPs Who Like Annuities

By Kerry Pechter Thu, Jul 5, 2018

It seems self-evident that advisors who have insurance somewhere in their DNA—who sold insurance early in their careers—will be much more receptive to selling annuities later in life.

Published July 5, 2018

Fuzzy Words in a Retirement Bill

By Kerry Pechter

The Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 2018 has bipartisan support and a greater-than-average chance of passing. Many believe that it could lead to provider-sponsored 401(k) plans. But bill...

Published July 5, 2018

Everybody into the Pool?

By Kerry Pechter Thu, Jun 28, 2018

If pending legislation passes, retirement service providers could begin to sponsor 401(k) plans. Asset managers are especially keen on these ‘pooled employer plans’ or ‘open MEPS.’

Published June 28, 2018

JENGA as a Financial Metaphor

By Kerry Pechter

Playing JENGA and watching the interest rate yield curve flatten involve similar degrees of suspense.

Published June 28, 2018

Adding a ‘Retirement Tier’ to 401(k)s

By Kerry Pechter Thu, Jun 21, 2018

Drew Carrington, who markets Franklin Templeton funds through jumbo 401(k) plans, believes that plans should include a “retirement tier” reserved for participants who are nearing retirement. His payout funds...

Published June 21, 2018

How Much Retooling Does the 401(k) Need?

By Kerry Pechter

At the ERISA Advisory Council's meeting this week and at an EBRI webinar, proposals to inject lifetime income elements into 401(k) plans were debated and evaluated.

Published June 21, 2018

Introducing the ‘Alliance for Lifetime Income’

By Kerry Pechter Thu, Jun 14, 2018

Two dozen major life insurers and asset managers have formed a non-profit to educate the public about the benefits of lifetime income products. That's never been done before, they...

Published June 14, 2018

‘Show Me the Income’

By Kerry Pechter

The focus was on mutual funds and ETFs at Morningstar's 30th Investor Conference this week in Chicago, but retirement financing and the 'best interest' proposal were also discussed. (Photo:...

Published June 14, 2018

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