Voya: From Orange to Origami

Almost four years after its IPO, Voya (formerly ING-US) has rebranded, retooled itself as a fixed indexed annuity shop and launched an ad campaign featuring origami rodents that talk. But it is still searching for the right mix of products, personnel and organizational structure.

What To Tell Nervous (Older) Clients Now

During market turmoil, the messages from “retirement income” advisors to their clients should be substantially different in their content from the messages that investment advisors typically send to their clients.

Which Annuity Is Better? This New Tool Tells You

Cannex, the Toronto-based annuity product data, just announced a new tool, based on research by annuity guru Moshe Milvesky, that enables advisors to do side-by-side comparisons of annuity contracts. The first phase allows comparisons of variable annuity living benefits.

Trump and the Trajectory of Interest Rates

'There could be pressure for rates to go higher as investors digest the deficit spending pushed by Mr. Trump,' said Andrew McCormick, head of T. Rowe Price’s U.S. taxable bond team.
Featured

Will your grandkids shop for annuities on Amazon?

'Should decide to make a large scale entrance into the insurance marketplace, this could further disrupt the current U.S. life insurance distribution model,' A.M. Best said in a release.

Calculating After-Tax Social Security Benefits

A handy crib sheet recently published by Vanguard shows the formulae for calculating the portion of an individual's or couple's Social Security benefits that will be subject to ordinary income tax.
News

Charles Schwab offers hybrid-robo with $25k minimum

Most clients will be invested in a fully automated, diversified portfolio using Schwab Intelligent Portfolios comprised of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from Schwab, Vanguard, iShares and PowerShares.