March 25, 2012

The rippling effect of Hartford's restructuring

By Darla Mercado

Insurer never recovered VA business it lost after the financial crisis

• annuities,
• Insurance

March 21, 2012

The Hartford does 'something drastic,' will exit annuity and life insurance businesses

Venerable insurer makes dramatic move amid pressure from shareholder John Paulson

• annuities,
• Hartford Financial Services Group,
• life insurance,
• retirement & insurance

March 21, 2012

The Hartford's annuity exit a shocker for advisers

By Darla Mercado

Carrier's wholesalers met with advisers as recently as last week, said insurer was “committed” to annuity space

• annuities,
• Hartford Financial Services Group,
• life insurance,
• retirement & insurance

March 19, 2012

'Transformative events' shape client's financial thinking, survey finds

By Jeff Benjamin

Upper-middle class more worried about life's big moments than the next 12 months

• fixed annuities,
• health care,
• Individual retirement accounts (IRAs),
• long-term care,
• retirement & insurance,
• retirement planning

March 18, 2012

These tech tools know how to take annuities into account

By Davis D. Janowski

The question that nags at the back of many investors' minds — “Do I have enough for retirement?” — can be difficult for an adviser to answer neatly when a client owns or is thinking of buying an annuity. To date, there has been little in the way of...

• annuities,
• ING Group,
• retirement planning,
• technology

March 14, 2012

Indie B-D reps flocking to fixed indexed annuities

By Darla Mercado

Fixed indexed annuities were a hot product among independent broker-dealer reps last year as clients sought a safe-money alternative to CDs, made virtually worthless by low interest rates.

• fixed annuities,
• Insurance

March 6, 2012

VA clients holding on to their VAs instead of surrendering them

By Darla Mercado

VA clients are less likely to surrender their variable annuities, as living benefits retain high value

• retirement & insurance,
• variable annuities

March 5, 2012

Banks missing a trick by not selling insurance: Survey

By Darla Mercado

Sales of insurance — as well as investment products — tends to attract more profitable customers; big edge in trust over brokerages

• annuities,
• life insurance,
• long-term care,
• retirement & insurance

March 2, 2012

New Jackson National VA does away with living benefits

By Darla Mercado

Insurer turns focus to tax deferral, alt investments and fee-based advisers

• retirement & insurance,
• variable annuities

February 26, 2012

The top 25 sellers of variable annuities

Participating issuers, ranked by sales

• Insurance,
• variable annuities