A Conspiracy against Public Pensions?

By Kerry Pechter
Either paranoid or perceptive, public pension administrators say they are being sandbagged by a pervasive, persistent stealth effort to convert their DB plans to DC and gain greater control over their collectively immense assets. Maybe they're just observing business as usual.

Goldman Touches the FIA Market

By Kerry Pechter
A Bermuda domicile is just one of Global Atlantic Financial Group's competitive edges. Last week, the former Goldman Sachs Reinsurance Group added Forethought, which markets variable, fixed and fixed indexed annuities, to its stable of insurance businesses, which includes Commonwealth Annuity.

Selling Income Annuities on Greed, Not Fear

By Kerry Pechter
Iowa advisor Curtis Cloke claims that his 'Thrive” system,' which finances retirement with period certain, cash-refund deferred income annuities, offers safety without sacrificing upside. He's one of RIJ's 'RetiremEntrepreneurs.'

Out of Commission

By Kerry Pechter
Wondering what life under a strict fiduciary standard might be like? Just ask investors in the U.K. (also known as 'the nanny state') where sales commissions were banned from financial services last January.
Featured

Dealing with Auto-Enrollment’s Dilution Effect

By Kerry Pechter
By increasing enrollment, auto-enrollment inevitably increases the number of employees eligible for a matching contribution, if any, and in such cases can drive up employer costs. Something’s got to give in such a situation, writes Barbara Butrica of the Urban Institute
News

FIA investor barred from New York insurance

By Kerry Pechter
Philip A. Falcone of Harbinger Capital Management may not exercise control over a New York-licensed insurance company for seven years, by order of the New York Superintendent of Financial Services, Ben Lawsky.