- Annuities New Allure
Why investors are once again embracing this very practical tool
by J. Wesley Knowles
Did you know that annuity sales are on the rise? The Secure Retirement Institute (SRI) released its U.S. Individual Annuity Sales Survey identifying a record in annuity sales. These sales were up 14% over the first quarter of 2021 at $35.2 billion.
read more - Planning In The New Volatility
How advisors can help manage the emerging risks to a client’s retirement portfolio
by Eric Thomes
It’s certainly an interesting time to be in the retirement industry. A number of different factors are at play that are changing the way financial professionals and their clients should be thinking about retirement strategies.
read more - Piecing Together The Annuity Puzzle
Benefits of annuities in today’s marketplace
by Mike Janky
Annuities can trace their origins all the way back to Roman times. One of the earliest recorded uses of annuities date back to 1720. It’s safe to say annuities have stood the test of time. Over the last 300 years, there have been many changes to the annuities to what is currently offered by insurance…
read more - Retirement’s Long View
Adjusting income strategy against a volatile interest environment
by Kurt Auleta
With yet another rate increase from the Federal Reserve, financial advisors and their clients are considering additional product options for their portfolio mix to make the most of today’s rising rates. It is also a great time to revisit long-term retirement planning goals.
read more - How Far Can Longevity Reach?
The intricate job of converting savings into income
by Jeff Cimini
The concept of what it means to retire is changing. From early retirement to delayed retirement to partial or phased retirement, individuals today are quickly proving that the definition of retirement is not what it once was. But regardless of one’s definition, while most individuals have spent the bulk of their working lives saving and…
read more - Income Inequality
Managing the underlying threat to sustainable growth
by Dr. Thomas Holzheu
Income inequality is negative for social cohesion, economic growth and financial markets. It is also detrimental to most insurance markets, leading to overall lower insurance penetration and reduced household protection. The Swiss Re Institute looks into these trends in the latest sigma report "Reshaping the social contract: the role of insurance in reducing income inequality".
read more - A Conversation With Chris Huemmer
Getting Real
As investors grapple with an historic low interest climate, reverberations from stifling Covid-19 protocols and newly emerging economic volatility, prospects for asset growth are, to say the least, a little hazy. One area of growing interest is the prospects for real assets, defined as real estate, infrastructure and natural resources.
read more - The Recruitment Conundrum
Deflecting objections with an eye toward closing the deal
by Sarano Kelley
While recruiting new blood is probably high on your priority list, as a manager it can also be one of the more daunting jobs. No matter if you find the ideal candidate and then deliver the perfect pitch as to why they should join you and your firm, that pitch can turn into a curve…
read more - Making Lemonade From Lemons
How Legal & General saw Covid reshape the future of work
by Heather Andrews
While government has eased up on masking and social distancing mandates, as a society we’re returning to life and work with a fundamentally-changed mindset. As employers who take health concerns and risks as seriously for our workers as for our clients, insurers and asset managers need to establish policies for coming back to the office…
read more - Crypto Can No Longer Be Ignored
Mapping a responsible development of digital assets
by Dr. Richard Smith
Traditional financial markets remain skeptical about crypto, and rightfully so. The endless hype and marketing promise of “all reward and no risk” should give any financially literate person pause. The recent Super Bowl crypto commercials, for example, were far from sober. Financial advisors have a fiduciary duty to act responsibly on behalf of their clients…
read more - Investing In Vintage
The case for fine wine in client portfolios
by Nick King
For years, Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) investors have allocated roughly 5 percent of their portfolios to collectible assets like fine wine to efficiently diversify their holdings. The challenge for those not in the UHNW category and their advisors has been inaccessibility given high prices, difficulty in storing and trading, and a general lack of…
read more - The Frightening Emergence Of Synthetic Fraud
We live in a world where identities can be created out of thin air
by Max Blumenfeld
Synthetic identity fraud is the fastest growing type of financial crime in the U.S., often goes undetected and costs financial institutions an estimated $2B a year in losses.
read more - Overcoming The Recruitment Conundrum
A value proposition that moves you ahead of your competition
by Sarano Kelley
When recruiting new talents to their firm, some managers have a prepared value proposition explaining the “why me” and “why my firm.” However, all too many of them just “shoot from the cuff,” hoping to lure top talents away from their competition with a generic recitation.
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