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Customer Acquisition: A Paradigm Shift For Life and Health Insurers
The current public health emergency has proven that for all businesses, agility is essential, and fast change should be anticipated and expected
A Google Trends analysis shows a steady rise in searches for life insurance over the last five years. This trend peaked between January and early March 2020, coinciding with the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. Since March, search activity has returned to pre-pandemic levels. However, the data illustrates that today’s policyholders are increasingly capable of…
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Savings Goals and Stress Levels on the Rise
Many now believe they need to save $1.9 million for retirement
Anxiety about long-term retirement savings is up according to a new survey from Schwab Retirement Plan Services, and so is participant engagement. The nationwide survey of 1,000 currently employed 401(k) plan participants finds that saving enough for a comfortable retirement continues to be their leading source of significant financial stress.
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‘Super Savers’ Remain Confident, Investing Despite COVID-19
Market volatility and economic uncertainty haven’t deterred biggest retirement savers
Despite a global pandemic and recent market volatility, “super savers” are continuing to save big for their retirement, according to a recent survey by Principal Financial Group®. The research indicates that super savers, defined as Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z retirement plan participants saving 90% or more of the IRS maximum or 15%…
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Peak Home Buying Season Shifts from May to August This Year
What does the real estate market say about the economy’s overall health?
Home buying season's usual May peak has shifted to August as buyers and sellers rebound from spring's COVID disruption, according to realtor.com®'s Weekly Recovery Report. This week's data shows growth in pace of sales, demand and prices have surpassed last year levels, while inventory continues to lag seasonal normals.
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Suddenly, Retirement & Social Security Clouded In Doubt
Pandemic has altered present and future plans which has adults across generations more concerned
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dire impact on American's plans for retirement. More than a third of Americans (38%) say their retirement plans have been impacted, most commonly, because they will have to retire later than planned (19%) or won't be able to retire at all (10%). While many retirees receive Social Security as…
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The State of the Social Sector: Navigating in a Time of Uncertainty
Series of reports seeking to help social good organizations interpret the rapidly changing landscape and plan for resilient future
The Blackbaud Institute, a research division of Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the world's leading cloud software company powering social good, today releases The State of the Social Sector: Navigating in a Time of Uncertainty, a series of reports which seeks to help social good organizations interpret the rapidly changing landscape of 2020 and plan for a…
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Bullish Investors Still Targeting Investment Returns Above 10%
This despite Covid-19 shock, though many still hedged their portfolios and reallocated
People are optimistically expecting average annual total returns in excess of 10% over the next five years, despite the uncertainty caused by Covid-19, Schroders Global Investor Study 2020* has found.
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Stocks Have Mixed Reaction
A busy week of earnings saw troubling economic data and seemingly little progress on a new fiscal stimulus package
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.16%, while the Standard & Poor's 500 increased by 1.73%. The Nasdaq Composite Index surged 3.69% for the week. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed stock markets overseas, dipped 0.75%
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How COVID-19 Is Influencing Employers’ Retirement Plan Decisions
Which may lead to significant changes in their staffing and compensation practices
Which may lead to significant changes in their staffing and compensation practices Survey of DC plan sponsors and how the pandemic is affecting their plans, benefits programs, and companies conducted by Secure Retirement Institute® The COVID-19 crisis has had a substantial impact across all social and economic sectors, including defined contribution (DC) plans. The environment…
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Borrowers Skipping Payments on Home Loans More Often Than Other Debt
During the last crisis, consumers prioritized auto, credit cards over mortgages
Residential mortgage borrowers are missing more payments and taking advantage of payment holiday programs at a higher rate than comparable-credit borrowers of auto loans and credit cards, says Fitch Ratings.
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Examining The DOL’s New ESG ‘Investment Duties’ Regulation
Are the needs of retirement plan savers being ignored?
Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), has submitted a comment letter to the Department of Labor (DOL) concerning the DOL's proposed amendments to the “investment duties” regulation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The proposed rule would effectively eliminate the circumstances in which environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors that do not…
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Venture Capital Remains Resilient
$62.9 Billion raised in the second quarter
Global venture capital investment showed continued resilience in the second quarter of 2020, reaching $62.9 billion across 4,502 deals - almost equalling total investment from the first quarter of the year and only slightly off the pace seen in 2019's second quarter, which registered $69.8 billion invested, according to KPMG Private Enterprise's Venture Pulse report.
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CARES Act, As Implemented, Could Significantly Reduce Retirement Balances
Considerable negative impacts facing employees taking full CRDs and failing to pay them back, especially among older cohorts
A new EBRI study from the Employeee benefit Research Institute (EBRI) examining the conditional impact of the CARES Act on retirement income adequacy projects a minimal impact on the future retirement security for those who take loans or coronavirus-related distributions (CRDs) against their retirement funds but repay them. However, there are considerable negative impacts facing…
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