Articles
Reference articles and commentary on annuities, lifetime income, and retirement finance. Updated over time.
The Costs of Investing and How the Fund Management Industry Comes Out on Top
A common refrain among the financial media and the asset accumulation community is that annuities represent a poor option because of the high fees and expenses—much of which is presumably directed towards compensation of intermediaries—that are incurred by the customer.
A Changing Variable Annuity Landscape -- What to Watch for in the Next Few Years
This is the second part of an interview with variable annuity industry analyst and consultant Ryan Hinchey .
A Changing Variable Annuity Landscape -- The Consumer Perspective
This is the first part of an interview with Ryan Hinchey .
The Case for Mutual Insurance Companies
The benefits of choosing to be a customer of a mutual insurance company are very real.
Calculating the Value of a Longevity Annuity
A longevity annuity is arguably the most efficient way to insure longevity risk. Consider the following example to see why this is the case:
Calculating the Extra Yield Provided by a Life Annuity
A common question is how annuities compare to other financial products that seem similar such as bonds, certificates of deposit and money market funds.
The Business Week Cover Story on Retirement--Life-Cycle in Theory but Status Quo in Practice
Business Week just ran a timely cover story on the post-financial crisis retirement landscape. Portions of the feature present a remarkable contradiction.
Bob MacDonald on the Unprecedented Opportunity in the Annuity Industry
Bob MacDonald has had a storied career as a leading entrepreneur and executive in the financial services industry.
Buffett's Investment in Goldman Sachs
It's been a year since the market bottomed and the financial crisis presumably peaked. There has been enough time for noted financial journalists such as Roger Lowenstein and Michael Lewis to write soon to be released books on the crisis.
Breaking-Down the Annuity Expense Criticism
Coverage of annuities by the broader financial media tends to be negative, with much of the criticism focused on annuity expenses .
Billion Prices Project Provides Real-Time Alternative to Consumer Price Index
The Billion Prices Project from MIT provides real-time inflation indexes that provide an important alternative to headline or official inflation indexes such as the consumer price index.
The Best Time to Buy an Annuity Depends on Mortality
A key to the best time to buy an annuity involves mortality and the probability of receiving payments from the insurance company.