Articles
Reference articles and commentary on annuities, lifetime income, and retirement finance. Updated over time.
Understanding Swiss Annuities
Financial services consumers should at least understand the potential benefits of Swiss annuities.
Trees Grow
Trees grow is an expression that makes the case for long-term optimism about business, the economy and capital markets.
Top Stories at Finovate Spring 2011
A brief recap of the top stories from the popular Finovate Conference held in San Francisco during spring 2011.
The Top Reasons to Consider an Annuity
Annuities are complex, largely misunderstood, and often misrepresented in popular financial media. The reality, though, is that these financial products are becoming an increasingly important part of the financial plans of millions of people around the world. In fact, annuities are a vital…
Treasury Department Focuses on Longevity Risk with Retirement Income Guidance
The proposed regulations appear to be squarely focused on longevity risk. Data clearly indicates that people are running out of money as they age.
There is no Free Lunch for Retirees when it Comes to Investment Risk
Whether using math or listening to your gut, it makes sense to be very conservative with return assumptions because there really is no free lunch when it comes to investment risk during retirement.
Teresa Ghilarducci on Pension Reform
Teresa Ghilarducci is a staunch advocate of comprehensive pension reform.
Ten Questions to Ask When a Financial Advisor Says: "You Know I'm Not a Big Fan of Annuities"
Many financial advisors seem conditioned to wear annuity criticism as a sort of badge of honor. As the past couple of years have so painfully revealed, however, this conventional wisdom rests on shaky ground. What types of questions might a client present to an advisor who appears to have a…
Structured Settlements and Annuities
Annuities and structured settlements share a core similarity, but it is not correct to assume that annuities and structured settlements are one and the same.
Standalone Living Benefits Provide Guaranteed Income without Annuities
The standalone living benefit (“SALB”) is a relatively new and innovative product in the retirement income arena. A SALB is basically the same thing as the guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefit (GLWB) that accompanies many variable annuities. The GLWB feature allows the contract holder to…
SOA Paper Examines Retirement Income Reality Gap
A recent paper sponsored by the Society of actuaries provides an impressive and comprehensive review of retirement income-related research.
Slides from David Babbel's Fixed Indexed Annuity Study - Recent Historical Evidence
This is a follow-up on two previous entries that discuss the fixed indexed annuity study from Wharton Professor David Babbel. The previous and related posts can be found here and here. Proper attribution, disclaimers and context for the study are discussed in these previous posts. It is worth…