Two Advisers, Two Strong Opinions of FIAs

If annuities in general incite controversy, FIAs are easily the most polarizing annuities. Just listen to what Howard Kaplan, an LPL adviser in the New York area, and Harry Keller, a Philadelphia-area adviser affiliated with ING Financial Partners, have to say.

FIAs Come In From the Cold–Sort Of

In this first of a series of RIJ articles on the evolution of fixed indexed annuities, you’ll hear from people at three broker-dealers: One who embraces them, one who still avoids them and one who sells them with mixed feelings.

Must-Read Income Research of 2013

Many outstanding research papers on retirement income were published in 2013. The ten described here contain ideas that annuity product developers, annuity marketers and financial advisers can apply to their work.

Send in the Robots (Don’t Bother, They’re Here)

At the "T3" financial software trade show last week, a pair of robots warmed up the crowd with jokes about the limitations of high-tech planning tools. RIJ visited with reps from three tech firms: RetireUp, AskTRAK and Riskalyze.
Featured

In Hartford, a Public IRA Proposal

RIJ traveled to Hartford on Tuesday for a hearing on a bill that would require most Connecticut employers to offer a retirement plan and would create a default public retirement plan option. Brian Graff of ASPPA and Chad Parks of theonline401k were there too.

Beware of Oligopolies in Banking

"I suspect that 2014 will prove to be a critical juncture for determining the future of the banking industry and the role of regulators within that industry," said the vice chairman of the FDIC in this speech, delivered on February 24 to a business group in Arlington, Va.
News

Schlichter sues a hospital chain for “excessive” plan fees

The latest ERISA suit from St. Louis plaintiffs attorney Jerry Schlichter (pictured) claims that Novant Health Inc. violated its fiduciary duty by paying excessive fees to Great-West Life & Annuity and to a Winston-Salem, NC, brokerage firm.

The Bucket

Brief or late-breaking items from Vanguard, Prudential Financial, Nationwide Financial, LPL, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, the American Bar Association and AARP.