Meet the Dare-Devils Who Own Annuities

In an elaborate media event to launch the Alliance for Lifetime Income, a jet-car driver, a shark wrangler, and four C-level life insurance company executives gathered in and around Times Square Oct. 4. The Alliance is promoting guaranteed income products.
Anecdotal Evidence

Ohio National Hits the Trail

By Kerry Pechter
Advisors who sold rich Ohio National variable annuities with guaranteed minimum income benefits are fuming at the insurer's announcement that it would no longer pay "trail" commissions to certain sellers of those contracts.

Jackson joins Envestnet Insurance Exchange

By Editorial Staff
Envestnet will be offering a service called Guidance Desk that will allow unlicensed RIAs access to the consulting and fiduciary services that would enable them to use the Insurance Exchange. This service is still in development.
Research

Some investors ‘bet the farm’

By Editorial Staff
Most respondents overestimate the probability of rare events, and underestimate the likelihood of more certain, but lower-value, payouts, according to a new paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Guest Column

Individual Tontine Accounts – Yes, Seriously!

By Richard Fullmer and Michael Sabin
Tontines offer investors a way to pool mortality and longevity risks directly among themselves, without intervention by any insurance company, write our guest columnists. (Pictured: Lorenzo di Tonti, creator of the tontine.)

Are fewer people seeking financial advice?

By Editorial Staff
'After an extended period of good economic news—and right before recessions—people tend to believe that they do not need financial advice,' according to this brief from MacroMonitor, a publication of Consumer Financial Decisions, a unit of Strategic Business Insights.

COVER STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

October 5, 2018

Red Bulls and Blue Bears

By Kerry Pechter
After the 2016 election, Republicans shifted toward equities and Democrats shifted toward bonds. MIT researchers found that out of step with the classic image of the ‘rational investor’ and called their findings ‘worrisome.’
September 27, 2018

On the Case: Plan for A Couple with $750K

By Kerry Pechter
RIJ asked advisor/actuary Jerry Golden, founder of Golden Retirement, Go2Income.com, and the Income Power method, to develop a retirement income plan for the 'M.T. Knestors,' a couple with about $750,000 in investable assets.
September 21, 2018

How to Make Your Widow Merrier

By Kerry Pechter
The generosity of the Social Security spousal benefit is something every primary earner should understand. Yet many spouses--and even some professionals--aren't sure exactly how it works.