An Income-Generating ‘Collar’
Using a 'protective net-credit collar,' the Nationwide Risk-Managed Income ETF has distributed monthly income at an annual rate of 7.88% in 2020, while appreciating 10%. Is there a catch?
Federal Reserve
Fed Puts Yield Curve Control on the Shelf
'The Fed remains focused on downside risks but as of yet is unwilling to act further to support the recovery. Maybe they won’t need to,' writes our guest columnist, an economist at the University of Oregon.
News from our subscribers
Honorable Mention
U.S. equity funds on pace for record outflows: Morningstar; Insurers remain vulnerable to bond downgrades: AM Best; 'Schwab Plan' web-based planning tool unveiled; Fidelity retirement accounts keep growing; Prudential assumes Boise Cascade pension risk; SIMON adds Symetra annuities to its platform.
Anecdotal Evidence
Two Cheers for DOL’s Lifetime Income Disclosure
The Department of Labor's 'interim final rule' on disclosure of estimated lifetime income from 401(k) balances is welcome, but it lacks a critical feature. Public comments might improve it.
Low interest rates shock sales of most annuities
Of major product lines, only registered index-linked annuities (RILAs) saw growth in 2Q2020. RILA sales were $4.5 billion in the second quarter, up 8% from 2Q2019, according to LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute.
COVER STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
August 13, 2020
Life Insurers’ Bermuda Triangle, Part II
The humble fixed indexed annuity is at the center of the restructuring hurricane that has swept through the life insurance industry in recent years. We bring you the second article in a series on...
August 6, 2020
Why Life Insurers Fly into the ‘Bermuda Triangle’
Private equity firms have steadily acquired U.S. life insurers and blocks of fixed annuity business and moved the blocks offshore to free up capital. This worries some people.
July 30, 2020
The Key to Turning On 401(k) Annuities
Micruity, a tech startup with a 30-year-old CEO, says it has the "middleware" that can integrate 401(k) plans and annuity issuers. Will the retirement industry listen?
