First-quarter fixed-annuity sales in the U.S. were down 52% from the year-ago period, falling to an estimated $16.7 billion.
A period of fierce competition to build annuity premiums awaits life insurers as they contend with industry consolidation and the difficulties of standing out from rivals
Life insurers, whose capital buffers shrank during 2008's downturn, emerged from 2009 with a rebound in capital. The reasons? Regulatory changes and a climbing equities market, according to Moody's
Hint: they think the retirement products attract customers who are frightened by the market
Legislators are still tied up with health care issues, leaving retirement initiatives to flounder. Tax proposals may be the exception
Polls show that employees want an annuity option in their pension plan menu. But they also prefer a lump sum to an income stream when they hit retirement age
Combining a variable annuity with a guaranteed-minimum-withdrawal benefit in conjunction with a traditional portfolio can help hike income
Insurer's new boss said the Connecticut company will avoid focusing on any one product after VAs contributed mightily to two straight years of losses
They're not up to speed about the products themselves, either
The increase in class work on how to prepare and present financial plans is intended to bridge theory and practice
An Idaho senator says people who have lost money in fraudulent investment schemes should be able to write off more of their state income taxes.
While practice management experts said advisers must maintain a fine line between finances and personal issues, it's not uncommon for advisers to forge close friendships with their clients.
Sales of both variable annuities and fixed annuities fell in 2009, according to the latest data from LIMRA.
A fund manager accused of cheating investors of more than $100 million has pleaded guilty to fraud charges, admitting he lied to hundreds of investors about the health of his business.
Asset manager Eaton Vance Corp. said Wednesday its profit for its fiscal third quarter fell 37 percent as it recorded lower fund inflows than a year ago.
Goldman Sach's value-at-risk in 2009 was more than twice what it was in 2008. The result? A $13B profit for the year — mostly from trading and investing.
Bank of America fired its top lawyer in December 2008 before its fateful takeover of Merrill Lynch simply to make way for another executive, and not because he had given the company legal advice it didn't want to hear, the Securities and Exchange Commission has said in a court filing.
Ken Kaltman, chief operating officer at National Compliance Services, Inc. in Delray Beach, Fla., will soon have a lasting memento of his $15,000 donation to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. He'll be the proud owner of the wingback chairs that both former presidents actually sat in for their “debate” at the TD Ameritrade conference earlier this month.
Trouble in paradise? Apparently, as Maui Co. sues Merrill Lynch to get back its investments in auction rate securities.
