Mainstream academics and policymakers presume a structurally stable world in which probabilities can be assigned to future outcomes – ignoring uncertainty, stock accumulations, and the financial imbalances of the real world, writes a former Canadian central banker.

Addressing The Economic Club of New York on May 29, the former Fed chairman said that “the Federal Reserve, with assets of $3.5 trillion and growing, is… acting as the world’s largest financial intermediator.”

From the start of 2008 to the end of 2012, the average Vanguard DC account balance rose by cumulative 12% from market performance alone (not counting contributions), according to Vanguard’s fact-filled annual retirement plan report.

How do your clients respond to a loss? How do you help them 'stay the course' during volatile markets? These and other questions were the focus of the latest edition of the Brinker Barometer, a regular survey of advisors at insurance companies, b/ds and in sole practice.

A wide range of readers—from insurance company executives looking for sales trends as well as individual investors trying to understand the difference between fixed and variable annuities—is likely to find something useful in this 190-page spiral bound book.