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  • How Do We Advise Resilience & Adaptability?
    How Do We Advise Resilience & Adaptability?

    Clients want to know that their expectations are realistic

    by Chris Huemmer

    In the world of finance and investments, navigating uncertain waters is nothing new. The past few years have presented advisors with a series of market shocks and shifting environments that have led to both challenges and opportunities for their clients’ portfolios. The path forward continues to be rife with uncertainty as the trajectory of growth,…
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  • A Conversation With Mitchell Morrison
    A Conversation With Mitchell Morrison

    AI may not be quite ready to replace the advisor

    by P. E. Kelley

    Over the past year we have witnessed a phenomenal advent of generative AI tools, including GPT-4, ChatGPT and AlphaCode, and a subsequent explosion of possible outcomes for the technology. At the outset, its immediate adoption by users — throughout industry, education and just regular folks — has been definitive. It has captured the imagination of…
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  • Where Are U.S. Investors Putting Their Money?
    Where Are U.S. Investors Putting Their Money?

    A new market environment is changing the landscape of U.S. fund flows.

    by Ryan Jackson

    As global stock and bond returns have ebbed and flowed in recent years, so have the flows into the funds that invest in them. According to Morningstar Direct, U.S. open-end and exchange-traded funds shed about $370 billion in 2022 after reeling in a record $1.2 trillion in 2021. That marked the first calendar year of…
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  • Investors Identify Pros And Cons For Direct Indexing
    Investors Identify Pros And Cons For Direct Indexing

    Is this the managed product of the future?

    New qualitative research reveals individual investor reactions to direct indexing to inform product and innovation strategies, according to Hearts & Wallets, the independent research and benchmarking firm that specializes in saving, investing and financial advice.
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  • Life/Annuity Reinsurers Remain Prepared For Growth
    Life/Annuity Reinsurers Remain Prepared For Growth

    Some have updated mortality assumptions on the heels of the pandemic

    Excess mortality has negatively affected the profitability of global life reinsurers, although the impact of elevated life claims on most is likely to remain a manageable earnings drag, according to a new AM Best report.
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  • Competitive Collaboration In The Life Insurance Industry
    Competitive Collaboration In The Life Insurance Industry

    When an industry comes together, everybody wins

    by Trey Reynolds

    Many books have been written about the benefits of collaboration. Most of us, if not all, would agree that effective collaboration is key to the success of any organization. But when most of us consider the topic of collaboration, we think within the framework of internal collaboration – working with our colleagues to move our…
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  • Health Benefit Cost Expected To Rise 5.4% In 2024
    Health Benefit Cost Expected To Rise 5.4% In 2024

    High inflation, labor shortages seen as root causes

    In September, Mercer, a global leader in redefining the world of work, reshaping retirement and investment outcomes, and unlocking real health and well-being, and a business of Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC), released preliminary results of the 2023 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans. According to the survey, even after taking into account changes US-based employers made to healthcare plans…
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  • The Road Ahead For Holistic Planning
    The Road Ahead For Holistic Planning

    SECURE 2.0's evolving landscape

    We are now nearly nine months into the implementation of some significant retirement reforms known as SECURE 2.0. When the legislation was initially signed into law, we noted how much of a win this is for holistic financial security professionals across the board — leaders, advisors, brokerage firms and everyone in between. Most notably, because…
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  • Enhanced Benefits: The Opportunity Cost Of Partnership
    Enhanced Benefits: The Opportunity Cost Of Partnership

    …When it comes to serving your group clients best

    by Eric Silverman

    I have a regular, ongoing and basic conversation with health brokers where they say they would love to do more with Enhanced Benefits (the industry formerly known as “Voluntary”), but they don’t have the time or resources to focus on them. Even for the brokers who do try to install them, they say they are…
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  • The Revolution Of Artificial Intelligence
    The Revolution Of Artificial Intelligence

    How big data is reshaping the life-settlement industry

    by Wm. Scott Page

    The insurance industry has been no stranger to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recent years. Its potential impact on the sector has been a focal point of numerous discussions, often tied to big data, which has played a crucial role in insurance for decades, given the enormous volume of data generated and managed daily. From actuarial…
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