As insurers put the brakes on variable annuity sales, an old rival is emerging as a potential powerhouse in the business.
With rates staying low, carriers have a dim three years on the horizon
With life expectancies rising, fixed income investments won't make savings last longer
Income enhancement still the biggest draw of VAs, study finds
Many advisers say their greatest allies in learning more about the products and closing sales are their own broker-dealer and the carriers themselves.
How Social Security calculates spousal benefits. It's more complicated than you think.
GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and his running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, seem determined to avoid talking about details of their tax plan during the fall campaign, creating a vacuum that their opponents are happy to fill with attacks and that retirement-savings advocates can fill with worry. Retirement-savings tax deferrals also could be on the chopping block to pay for the GOP ticket's goal of reducing tax rates across-the-board.
Advisers urged to get proactive as exclusion could drop to $1 million, from $5 million
At their party conventions, Democrats put the wealthy squarely in the cross hairs for tax hikes, while Republicans promoted tax cuts for all income levels.
Even though their savings are depleted, many clients still think they can have a comfortable retirement -- as long as they work a few years longer. They might want to rethink that plan.
Campaigning on lowering tax man's bite without offering specifics; 'taking their lives into their hands'
With the right elections, married couples can dramatically up their payouts
