Seeking to assess the strength of the insurance carriers they do business with, many smaller independent broker-dealers — flummoxed by the insurers' opaque balance sheets and arcane accounting practices — are relying on a time-tested tool: their own observations.
The Iowa insurance commissioner has eased accounting rules for 11 insurers based in the state, allowing them to polish up their balance sheets.
ASPPA is asking the government to give employers a break from rules that require many companies to contribute 3% to their employees’ 401(k) plans.
John W. Goff, owner of the Goff Group, may face at least 20 years in prison after his conviction yon charges of mail fraud, embezzlement and filing false documents.
When the SEC declared that equity index annuities are securities last year, it ignored the McCarran-Ferguson Act.
A member of a blue-ribbon panel appointed by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to make recommendations on improving the state’s tax code said the panel’s members are philosophically opposed to taxing professional fees or any other “non-tangible” services but warned that dire economic conditions may make such opposition moot.
Employers persuaded their employees to put their 401(k) investments in the stock market, but now they are trying to persuade them not to abandon their investments.
The Hartford (Conn.) Financial Services Group Inc. yesterday said that would no longer be able to participate in a federal commercial paper program.
The Hartford (Conn.) Financial Services Group received approval from the Connecticut insurance commissioner to change accounting practices.
Insurers are eager to continue developing products in the variable annuity arena — with the search for ways to reduce risk as a top priority.
The Retirement Income Industry Association gave a sneak peek into an initiative designed to encourage financial advisers to take a risk management approach.
Providers will push forward with the development of the income guarantee paired with a unified managed account, and with other vehicles, despite hurdles.
Cash is king” seems to be the catchphrase in these recessionary times. From a tax standpoint, we want to maximize the receipt of cash for our clients through tax refunds and explore the possibilities of deferring tax payments to preserve cash.
It will take investors two to five years to recover from the losses that they have endured in the past year in their 401(k) plans, one industry expert said.
Advisers are admitting now more than ever before that insurers’ solvency and financial strength are at the forefront in their minds when they recommend products.
Seeking to wrest market share from the asset management industry, life insurance executives will embark on a campaign of simplified consumer communications and stress real-life contexts for the use of their products.
Retirement accounts have taken a huge hit since the markets tanked, but they were already in trouble because most consumers weren’t saving enough even when times were good, according to one industry leader.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, Cupid’s arrow may snag that special partner, but be sure it doesn’t snag some financial troubles in the process.
Client interest in establishing spendthrift trusts for beneficiaries is picking up steam, partly due to the fact that wealthy clients are becoming more risk-averse, according to financial advisers.
Mary Jo Hudson, director of the Ohio Department of Insurance, yesterday adopted three accounting rule changes that would grant insurers based there some reserve relief.
