The Outer Limits of Outsourcing
Advisors can’t do everything themselves. But they need to be careful in choosing what to hand off to a software tool, a vendor or an assistant.
Four Income Planning Tools
Here are brief reviews of four noteworthy but not-widely-known retirement income planning software tools, provided by the publisher of Virtual Office News and the T3 Newsletter. Mr. Bruckenstein is also a CFP.
About those Embedded Derivatives
The variable annuity with a lifetime income benefit--sometimes known as an exotic put option or an embedded derivative--was a product that has come back to bite many of the companies that sold it. Was this product ever the best solution for the Boomer retirement challenge?
Don’t Go Overboard with TIPS
"TIPS can play an important role in most retirement portfolios," writes this Tokyo-based economics professor. "... Like other assets, "TIPS have risks and do not eliminate the need for broad diversification." This article first appeared in Advisor Perspectives.
Featured
Ohio National launches ‘Low-Vol’ VA options
"Going forward, I think the only sustainable product designs will be in the context of risk-levered funds,” said Steve Murphy, FSA, a senior vice president at the Cincinnati-based mutual insurer.
The ‘Safety First’ Income Planner
Maryland advisor Antoine Orr couldn’t find an income planning tool that matched his low-risk, low-debt philosophy. So he created the Plancorr Planner.
News
Aria Retirement Solutions aims stand-alone living benefit at RIA market
SALBs are back in the news. The RetireOne Transamerica solution is the first of what Aria Retirement Services CEO David Stone said will be several income solutions provided by Aria in partnership with major insurance carriers.
Lincoln Financial team will study consumer decision-making
Emily Pachuta will lead the team, as head of Consumer Insights group within Lincoln’s Insurance Solutions/Retirement Solutions division.
Winners of PLANSPONSOR 401(k) Survey announced
Three service providers stood out in PLANSPONSOR's annual Defined Contribution Survey this year: Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Diversified Retirement Corporation, and BMO Institutional Trust Services.
The Bucket
Brief or late-breaking items about Guardian Life, Bankers Life, the Society of Certified Senior Advisors, MetLife, The Principal, Edward Jones, Mutual of Omaha, Securities America, and the SPARK Institute.
The Bucket
Brief or late-breaking news from
The Bucket
Brief or late-breaking news from
The Missing Sockdolager
An article appeared yesterday under the headline, "Variable-annuity guarantees disappoint over time." I think the jury is still out on that.
The Missing Sockdolager
An article appeared yesterday under the headline, "Variable-annuity guarantees disappoint over time." I think the jury is still out on that.
