How Many VA Owners Will Bail Out?
Issuers of variable annuities with income benefits could face lower-than-expected lapse rates and higher reserve requirements over the next 18 months, says Oliver Wyman.
A 5-Year Cushion against Market Risk
'Prudent Asset Allocation' gives you the confidence of knowing that over the next five years, you don’t have to worry about market conditions,” says Louis S. Harvey of Dalbar, the financial services research firm. 'You can put more money into growth assets.'
‘Smart,’ from UK, Enters the US PEP Market
'Smart' is the recently-launched American branch of a British fintech with expertise in a kind of retirement savings plan that's called a 'master trust' in the UK and a 'pooled employer plan' or PEP in the US. RIJ interviewed two of its top executives.
Research Roundup
Almost every controversial subject in the US today--from Fed policy to machine learning to immigration--contains an element or theme related to retirement policy. The articles reviewed in this month's Research Roundup are proof of that.
Featured
“Too Good to Last”
Curiosity about investments in secondary market annuities, which earn up to 9%, is growing. But these “factored products” are scarce—and virtually unregulated.
Five Ways to Adjust to a New Tax Landscape
A consortium of advisors who represent Securities America offered these suggestions for how investors and their advisors can adjust to the expiration of EGTRRA and JGTRRA at the end of 2010.
News
NIH Devotes Only 11% of Budget to Elderly Studies
Although there has been moderate growth in spending at all 27 N.I.H. research centers, the growth is slower at the National Institute on Aging.
Orszag to Depart OMB Director Post
“Basically, the OMB Director is a brutal job and subject to quick burnout," commented one political blogger.
Towers Watson Explains New Pension Relief Law
A Client Alert details the implications of the "Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010."
The Guardian Offers New SPIA
As an inflation hedge, the product’s Annuity Payment Increase Benefit option increases the annuity payment each year by a fixed dollar amount.
The Global Distribution of Millionaires
In Singapore and Hong Kong, millionaire households account for 11.4% and 8.8%, respectively, of all households, according to Boston Consulting Group.
