A Revolt Against PE-Led Annuity Issuers
Matt Zagula is an annuity wholesaler and fixed indexed annuity (FIA) designer. He and forensic accountant Tom Gober created the TSR ratio, a scale for rating FIA issuers. Mutual...
Don’t Fight Inflation with Unemployment
If our current inflationary trend is caused by kinks in the global supply chain, does it make sense to raise interest rates, knock asset prices down, and put people...
How to Dodge the ‘Inflation Ninja’
'Inflation is like a ninja,' write the authors of a timely article in The Journal of Investing. These experts from the CFA Institute and Franklin Templeton review the major...
Thanks-givings (Not Misgivings) about Social Security
This year I'm claiming the Social Security benefits that I've earned on my own work record. I'm old enough now to be truly thankful for Social Security, whose future...
The Alt-Asset Teams that Reinvent Annuity Companies
'Insurance Solutions' groups use private assets to boost the returns of life/annuity company investment portfolios. RIJ talks with Todd Fonner of Investcorp Insurance Solutions about this trend.
One Life Insurer’s Pivot to Private Assets
American Equity Investment Life’s ‘AEL 2.0’ strategy is designed to help it thrive even in a low yield environment. Allocating up to 40% of its money to ‘private assets’...
The Trust Gap between Advisers and Black Women
A new study by The American College's Center for Economic Empowerment and Equality shows that Black women don't trust financial advisers. But to learn the origins of that mistrust,...
NAIC Eyes ‘Bermuda Triangle’ Strategy
A document from the NAIC's Financial Stability Task Force reflects the concerns that the NAIC has heard from a variety of sources about the increased ownership of life insurers...
Charting the Bitcoin Universe (and other New Research)
This Research Roundup offers a map of the world of cryptocurrency trading, a look at 'Participating Longevity-Linked Annuities,' an investing strategy for low-yield times from David Blanchett, and answers...
Another Annuity Issuer Enters the ‘Bermuda Triangle’
American Equity Investment Life Insurance Co., a top-ten fixed indexed annuity seller, is partnering with Brookfield Asset Management on a $10 billion reinsurance and investment deal. Their plan looks...
Inflation, Debt, Debt, Interest Rates, Taxes: They Can’t All Be Low
If you read the papers, watch the news, or scroll through sites, you'd get the impression that all four horsemen of the financial apocalypse will attack us at once....
The New Table Stakes: ‘Unified Managed Income’
To get attention today, income calculation software has to do a lot. Like tell wealth managers and recordkeepers when, in what quantity, and from what sources they should send...
Retirement Parachutes, in Different Colors
'Constance' from RetireOne and Midland National lets advisers hang an income-for-life rider on a non-annuity portfolio. Five 401(k) plan sponsors are adopting 'LifePath Paycheck' from BlackRock, Brighthouse and Equitable....
2011-2020 FIA Returns Were Modest, Data Suggests
FIAs returned an average of 3.23% per calendar year from 2011 to 2020 (inclusive), my review of data from LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute showed. FIA industry assets grew 180%...
Prudential’s new approach to the DC world—and to the income challenge
PGIM, Prudential Financial's asset management group, has a new unit, PGIM DC Solutions. Its CEO, Linda Gibson, said the market demands 'a comprehensive approach to retirement income... We have...
Let’s Get This (Income) Party Started!
I watched a webinar this week on 'Key Trends in Defined Contribution Plans,' hosted by the Georgetown Center for Retirement Initiatives. Regarding demand for income options in 401k plans,...
Research Roundup
This month we bring you scholarly articles on the Social Security 'tax torpedo,' the likelihood of needing long-term care, the best decumulation strategies from DC plans, the people most...
Learn to [Ted] ‘Lasso’ Women Clients
David Macchia of Wealth2k and author Marcia Mantell are about to launch a new service, Women And Income, a turnkey marketing, income planning and lead generation service for advisers....
How to Make US Retirement Policy Work Better
"Wealth After Work," a new book edited by William Gale, Mark Iwry and David John (Brookings Institution Press, 2021) gathers together the many retirement-related reforms that they and other...
A New Path to Inflation-Resistant Income
Achaean Financial's novel hybrid design for a lifetime income annuity is being brought to market by National Western Life. We spoke with Achaean founder Lorry Stensrud and NWL's Chad...
