CDAs and the Law
Contingent deferred annuities (CDAs) are on the minds of insurers these days and took up a fair portion of yesterday’s seminar on securities products of insurance companies at the Practicing Law Institute in New York.
How TOPS Avoids Bottoms
2012 was the first full year of performance of a managed volatility strategy designed by Milliman for TOPS Protected Portfolios and used in Ohio National, Nationwide and Minnesota Life variable annuities with rich GLWBs. The market threw it a curve ball last June.
Three New Annuities to Ring in 2013
Rates may still be low, but annuity products keep coming off the assembly line. American General has a new deferred income annuity, Security Benefit a new fixed indexed annuity and Securian a new variable annuity contract.
New Kids on the Blocks
What happens when Wall Street dealmakers who are in business to make a killing enter the life insurance industry, where people are traditionally in business to make a living?
Featured
A Primer on Safety-First Retirement Planning
Pfau reviews a new book on retirement income planning by financial planner Erin Botsford, who he says "does a good job explaining the safety-first approach to readers who may be unfamiliar with the concept."
Can We Survive Four More Years?
This always-bearish guest columnist expects that it will eventually be morning again in America, but not without an intervening period of financial chaos and catastrophe.
News
After 30 years, Ben Nelson returns to NAIC
The retired Democratic Senator from Nebraska, a former insurance executive and regulator, succeeds outgoing NAIC CEO Terri Vaughn at a turbulent time for the regulation of annuities and other insurance products.
Obama nominates Mary Jo White to chair SEC
A Wall Street and Washington veteran, White has served as federal prosecutor, white-collar defense attorney, and director of the NASDAQ stock exchange.
Nationwide enhances VA alternative asset options
Ten new guidance models, known as Nationwide Guided Portfolio Strategies (GPS), allow advisors and clients to choose among multiple pre-packaged options focused on alternatives.
Europe moves toward financial transactions tax
In October 2012, Italy, Spain, Estonia and Slovakia pledged support for the tax, bringing the number of member states backing the FTT to 11, higher than the minimum of nine countries required.
