Dubya’s Lingering Gift
Tax rates are obviously northbound. So high-bracket folks should convert to Roth IRAs next year, right? Not necessarily, advisors told us.
Estimating Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs in Retirement
Couples can expect to spend $200,000 or more on premiums, deductibles and co-pays in retirement. This article is the first in a series on retirement risks.
The View from Taroko Gorge
Touring this marble-walled canyon, I could see millions of years into Taiwan's geological past and a few years into its demographic future.
Taiwan Grapples With Retirement Finance
Over lunch in Taipei, economist Jack Wu explained the pension dynamics of an aging society.
Featured
Out-of-Pocket Medical Costs in Retirement: Part II
At the rate we're going, the cost of health care will eventually dwarf retirees’ ability to pay for it.
Fidelity Outsources GWB Production to MetLife
The living benefit guarantees became too expensive for FILI, Fidelity's life insurer, to underwrite cost-effectively.
News
Merrill Lynch Has Answers for Roth IRA Questions
Merrill Lynch has given its financial advisors a “customized analysis tool” to help clients determine if a Roth IRA conversion is right for them.
Income-Oriented Advisors Seek Validation: Survey
“The market now seems divided among total return, pooled and income floor practitioners with none of these approaches appearing to dominate," say Howard Schneider and Dennis Gallant.
Three Liquidity Options in New SPIA from Security Mutual Life
The contract owner may withdraw up to 50% of the next 12 months' payments at least once during the life of the contract.
Reputation of ‘Alternatives’ Survives the Crash
More than 60% of institutions and advisors believe alternatives will at least equal traditional investments in importance over the next five years.
Sales of Indexed Annuities Cool in Third Quarter
“The big story this quarter is the shake-up in rankings among the indexed annuity carriers," said Sheryl J. Moore, President and CEO of AnnuitySpecs.com.
Should Annuity Firms Care About Social Media?
The annuity industry has been slow to adopt social media. But given the industry’s target audiences, does it matter? Download an excerpt from the report "Social Media: Trends and Tactics in the Financial Services Industry."
RMD and Dangerous? Not Really.
The RMD must surely suffer when people discuss Roth IRA conversions, just as cavemen suffer when they see Geico commercials.
