The Index Annuity Story, Part I

'Zero is the hero' in fixed index annuities, which offer upside without risk of loss. In this first article of a four-part series on FIAs, presented by Retirement Income Journal and Wink, Inc., RIJ analyzes Wink's first-quarter 2019 sales data to establish an overview of the fast-growing index annuity industry.
Regulatory Warfare

SEC Sides with the Brokers

By Editorial Staff
Although there will be no higher standard of conduct for advice on tax-deferred retirement accounts—the essence of the Obama DOL fiduciary rule—the new 'Regulation Best Interest' will apply to rollover recommendations.

Honorable Mention

By Editorial Staff
Bank of America offers new hybrid advice model; Fidelity adds 150 new ETFs to its no-load ETF supermarket; Pacific Life taps Salesforce for CRM services; RetireUp can now model Great American annuities; Dynamic Wealth Advisors to use RetireOne’s RIA insurance platform; Lincoln to expand broker education, use Goldman Sachs securities lending service.  
Product Innovation

A New Flavor of Variable Indexed Annuity

By Kerry Pechter
“You can write this concept out on a cocktail napkin, and ask someone, ‘Are you comfortable with half the downside and more of the upside?’," said Thomas Layton, vice president of product management for Raymond James, who first proposed the new Great American Life contract.

U.S. life/annuity insurers see higher net income in 1Q2019

By Editorial Staff
Net income in the first quarter of 2019 rose sharply over the prior-year period, to $14.9 billion from $3.2 billion, due mainly to a significant decline in total expenses, according to A.M. Best, the ratings agency.

COVER STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

May 30, 2019

Is the SECURE Act Too Weak to Make a Difference?

By Kerry Pechter
Yes, there's a new 'safe harbor' for selecting an annuity provider for a 401(k) plan in legislation that appears headed for the president's signature. But there's no sign that many employers or employees want...
May 23, 2019

‘An Economist Walks Into a Brothel’

By George A. (Sandy) Mackenzie
The legalized version of the world's oldest profession offers a test-case of risk and reward in Allison Schrager's new book, subtitled, 'And Other Unexpected Places to Understand Risk.' Our guest columnist, a former...
May 16, 2019

Three Annuity Cures for Sequence Risk

By Kerry Pechter
New York Life and Fidelity have introduced a variable annuity with principal-protection over 10 years. Similar protection could be obtained with an indexed annuity or with a combination of a fixed rate annuity and...