A Smarter Form of SWiP
Financial advisor Larry Frank Sr. of Rocklin, Calif., a small town in the arid foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, has fine-tuned the classic 4% "SWiP" approach to drawing down retirement income.
Making More Than Peanuts at MetLife
The financially fit, well-diversified insurer collected almost twice as much in annuity premiums as its closest competitor in the first quarter of 2009, benefiting from a “flight to quality” in the wake of last year’s economic meltdown.
Can Retirees “Thrive” On Deferred Income Annuities?
Iowa insurance man Curtis Cloke thinks he has solved the "annuity puzzle" by building ladders of deferred income annuities for his clients. Now he and his partners are scaling up his "Thrive" system and taking it national.
The End of the VA Arms Race
The variable annuity "arms race" is over, a victim of the equity crash, low interest rates, and the destructive effects of competition for market share - mainly among publicly held life insurers. Here's a three-part look at what has happened, why it happened, and what could happen next in the "living benefit" space.
Featured
New Treasury Official Outlines Plans for Retirement Overhaul
J. Mark Iwry spoke to a National Press Foundation group about the Automatic IRA, the Saver's Credit and the R-Bond, which he hopes will work in unison to bring employer-based retirement plans to workers who currently don't have them.
The Longevity Opportunity
Is calling longevity a "risk" the best way to connect with our clients and prospects on this critical and often sensitive issue?, asks the chief operating officer of the Retirement Income Industry Association.
News
Quincy Krosby Joins Prudential Annuities as Chief Market Strategist
Quincy Krosby, a former Assistant Secretary of Commerce and U.S. representative to the International Monetary Fund, has joined Prudential Annuities in the newly created position of chief market strategist.
Top 15-year Fixed Annuity Rate Falls Slightly
Beacon Research has released the names of the top-yielding certificate-type fixed annuities, as of June 15, 2009. The effective yield of Protective Life's 15-year ProSaver Platinum fell to 5.25% from 5.45% over the prior two weeks.
Selling to Seniors Is Different, New Study Shows
If given enough time to deliberate, seniors are no more risk-averse or conservative than young adults, according to research by Advantage Compendium's Jack Marrion.
In Helping Clients Plan for Retirement, Advisors Focus on Process, Not Product
For top advisors, retirement income planning involves a step by step process; it's not about picking the right annuity or right mutual fund, says consultant Howard Schneider.
Cost-Cutting by Broker-Dealers and RIAs Creates Opportunities for FundQuest
Difficult economic conditions have spurred broker-dealers to outsource some of the functions that they once provided internally, said David Robinson, managing director of national accounts at FundQuest.
