Articles
Reference articles and commentary on annuities, lifetime income, and retirement finance. Updated over time.
Achaean Financial is Proving Innovation is Alive and Well in the Annuity Business
Lorry Stensrud, a seasoned executive turned entrepreneur, is on the leading-edge of retirement income product development with his new Venture Achaean Financial.
The Absolute Return Unicorn - Investment Products Offering Both Gains and Protections Prove Elusive
The asset management industry has struggled to provide older investors and retirees with investment products that provide returns with little or no risk of losing principal. In other words, the industry has not had any success in developing investment products that provide return without any…
Up to 64% of American Households at Risk of Failing to Maintain their Standard of Living in Retirement
The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College released a brief and an update of their National Retirement Risk Index (NRRI). A link to the brief summary can be found here.
Annuities in Japan
The Japanese annuity market is an interesting case study.
Annuity Duration
Are longevity annuities analogous to very long duration bonds with the weighted average of future cash flows pushed so far into the future?
An Interview with Wharton Professor David Babbel - Part One
This is the first part of an interview with Wharton Professor David Babbel. Professor Babbel led the fixed indexed annuity study that is discussed in several previous posts on Annuity Digest. These posts can be accessed by clicking here. Part 2 of this interview will be posted later this…
Buffett Blasts Life Insurers for Taking on Crazy Risks with Variable Annuity Guarantees
Credit risk and the general health of life insurance companies that provide variable annuities were topics of conversation during the recent Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting. Warren Buffett was critical of the life insurance companies that have provided what are in his opinion…
Calculating the Value of a Pension Buyout Offer
One way to evaluate a pension buyout involves calculating what your future pension payments are worth today and then comparing that value to the buyout offer.