Beware the ‘Specialized’ ETFs

In this month's Research Roundup, RIJ shares four recent academic papers on the proliferation of ETFs, the danger (or not) of national debt, rational inflation expectations, and the impact of recent changes in RMD rules.
Anecdotal Evidence

‘Bermuda Triangle’ Deal for Principal Financial?

By Kerry Pechter
Principal Financial Group, Elliott Investment Management, and Prosperity Life (majority owned by Elliott) may be headed for the same type of 'capital liberating' reinsurance deal that so many other life/annuity companies have struck with big asset managers in recent years.

‘COVID-19 is not a retirement story’: CRR

By Editorial Staff
'A hot topic these days is how COVID-19 and the ensuing recession have affected retirement. The surprising answer may be: Not very much,' write Alicia Munnell and Anqi Chen of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

Meet Laurence Black, Interpreter of Indexes

By Editorial Staff
There's a confusing profusion of new indexes behind ETFs and annuities. Laurence Black of The Index Standard says he can make sense of them. Watch as Tamiko Toland of CANNEX interviews Black (in photo) about his solutions. (There's a short video and a longer one.)

Honorable Mention

By Editorial Staff
Pacific Life offers an investment-only VA; Wells Fargo will sell its asset management business; Philips, MetLife and Principal Financial seal $1.2 bn pension risk transfer deal; Security Benefit receives IRS approval of annuity fee deductions.

COVER STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

February 18, 2021

Jackson National Puts Its Future in Veteran Hands

By Kerry Pechter
Laura Prieskorn (left) and Marcia Wadsten are the new CEO and CFO of Jackson National Life. The leading seller of variable annuities in the US is in the process of demerging from its long-time...
February 11, 2021

Which ‘Dependency Ratio’ Should We Use?

By Kerry Pechter
Economists typically use the 'aged dependency ratio' to show the burden of the Social Security program on workers. But the 'total dependency ratio' might be more informative. (Photo by Johann Walter Bantz.)
February 4, 2021

Boola-Boola, Retirement Moolah

By Kerry Pechter
Yale's $7 billion 403(b) plan offers TIAA's RetirePlus Pro target-date solution to its 27,000 active and retired participants. The portfolios use Vanguard and TIAA CREF funds, and a liquid version of the TIAA Traditional...