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Retirement and the New Demographics of Uncertainty
Guiding Boomers through the income gap
by Mike Foy
The fear of outliving their financial resources is a major concern for many Americans and a key reason they continue to seek professional financial advice and guidance. There are numerous reasons this concern has become more acute in recent decades, including the shift of risk from employers to employees as pensions and defined benefit plans…
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Gen X’s Deep Dive Into Financial Stress
What Advisors Need to Know About the MTV Generation
by Christy DeFrain
Gen X (born between 1965 and 1979) is now the second largest generation in the workforce today, and this group of “latchkey children” and “slacker” young adults can be viewed as America’s neglected middle child. Bookended by two much written-about generations -- the Baby Boomers ahead and the Millennials behind -- this driving force behind…
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Do Your Employee Benefits Benefit Your Employees?
For financial planners, the mantra is ‘know your client’; For employers, the mantra should be ‘know your employees’
by Herbert K. Daroff, J.D., CFP, AEP
I have heard estimates that the cost of providing employee benefits ranges from 60% to 80% of payroll. That is, if your payroll is $1,000,000 then you likely spend another $600,000 to $800,000 on employee benefits. When’s the last time you asked your employees what they think of the benefits you provide?
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Crash-Proofing Retirement
Asian Americans prefer preservation over growth yet may be taking more risk than they realize
by Wonhong Lee
Ten years ago the stock market crashed, wiping out approximately $2 trillion of retirement savings, according to the Congressional Budget Office1. It was a frightening time for many investors, especially for those who were within five years of retirement and had maintained a high percentage of equity exposure.
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Building An Income Safety Net
How long-term-care insurance can help prevent the erosion of your clients’ retirement plans
by Samantha Stein
Saving for retirement is not the strongest suit of most Americans. They feel that their efforts are not enough to meet the financial realities of retirement. In fact, nearly 8 in 10 of Americans are “extremely” or “somewhat” concerned about living a comfortable retirement based on the new data from Northwestern Mutual.
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The Rising Star of Human Capital Management
Delivering on a benefits technology strategy - It’s all about efficiency
by Wendy Carberg
Delivering on a benefits technology strategy – It’s all about efficiency by Wendy Carberg Ms. Carberg is Customer Experience and Digital Lead, at Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Visit www.guardianlife.com The digital transformation of companies is both exciting and daunting for many employers. It’s exciting because the opportunities to digitize one’s business to create…
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How Diverse Is Your Client’s Retirement Cash Flow?
Innovative solutions for retirement income management challenges
by Ray Caucci
Today, it can be harder than ever to guide families toward a successful retirement. With men and women struggling to build the nest egg and cash flow they want, the classic advice and financial options typically offered to them don’t always give them the protection or security they need.
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Voluntary Disruption
Bringing the benefits portfolio out to the cutting-edge
by Eric Silverman
Disruptor” is such a loaded word, isn’t it? But it is a precise description of healthcare industry thought leaders like David Contorno of Lake Norman Benefits in Mooresville, NC, Mark Gaunya of Borislow Insurance in Boston, MA, and Andy Neary of The Olson Group in Omaha, NE.
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The 7 Challenges of Online Identity Verification
How trust will drive the growth of the sharing-economy
by David Thomas
The Sharing Economy is transforming how we interact and conduct business, commerce, healthcare, and more. It is “upending mature business models across the globe” and it’s growing like crazy. The sharing economy has created endless opportunities on the Internet.
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The Sharing Economy: Who Can You Trust?
Navigating personal identity & managing risk
by David Thomas
The lack of uniform definition of online identity verification, and the perils of storing sensitive information once it is obtained, create an untenable situation for digital platforms managing multiple and ever-shifting users (both providers and consumers).
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Responsively Designed Retirement Websites
How plan providers are approaching this digital trend
by Olivia Jack
As consumers manage more aspects of their financial lives from their mobile devices, more retirement plan providers are turning to “responsively designed” websites to deliver the best possible digital user experiences.
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Estate Planning For The Client’s ‘Real’ Estate
The home is often the most complex part of an estate plan
For most families, a home is among their most valuable assets, both financially and emotionally. Primary homes and vacation homes are often the most complex parts of an estate plan. Few possessions are wrapped up in so much history and emotion, are worth so much money, and are so complicated to inherit.
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Why Do Charitable Gifts NEVER Make Economic Sense?
But for your charitably inclined clients, there are a wealth of advisory options
by Herbert K. Daroff, J.D., CFP, AEP
With lower income tax brackets, higher standard deduction, and larger Federal estate tax exemptions, will charitable giving suffer? Keep in mind, that in some states, we still have state estate taxes. And, keep in mind that retirement accounts are still taxable as ordinary income whenever they are distributed.
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