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The need for certain innovations is just too obvious to explain why they’ve taken so long to emerge. One example is the process of assessing an investor’s risk tolerance for generating retirement income. Why is this important?
Certain types of retirement income are guaranteed (lifetime annuitization and GMWB income, as examples). Other income streams are [...]

I am pleased to announce that Keith Strykula, Founder and Chairman of the non-profit Structured Products Association (SPA) has agreed to an in-depth interview as part of the Industry Leaders & Innovators series. I’ll explore a variety of issues with Strykula including his vision for the scope of structured products in the consumer [...]

Meir Statman’s research focuses on behavioral finance. He attempts to understand how investors and managers make financial decisions and how these decisions are reflected in financial markets. The questions he addresses include: What are the cognitive errors and emotions that influence investors? What are investor aspirations? How can financial advisers and plan sponsors help investors? [...]

“Let’s go sell some annuities!” We got the tools, and the education too.”
“We got the drive, it ain’t no jive. We got the only game alive”
“We got the FMO to see us through!”
The Cracker Rappers
“Let’s Go Sell Some Annuities”
Don’t you just love YouTube? It allows everyone in the world to see what everyone else [...]

Yesterday’s essay focusing on the indexed annuity marketing utilized by Tony Bass of Georgia elicited quite a lot of interest. I heard from Mr. Bass who informed me that he removed his YouTube video and “free report” as a result of my writing about them. He also asserted that he was not attempting [...]

I don’t know where to begin or who to blame: The annuity agent trying hard (and very creatively) to market indexed annuities? Or the carrier or carriers he represents? The regulators? Maybe it’s just a manifestation of “The Process” out of which negative results emerge from the efforts of good people.
Today I [...]

An interview with Dallas Salisbury, President & CEO of the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) will be appearing soon as part of the Leaders & Innovators series.
EBRI is an unbiased research organization whose stated mission is to contribute to, to encourage and to enhance the development of sound employee benefit programs and sound [...]

Macchia – Just by way of background for my readers, would you be kind enough to talk about your position and title at Northwestern Mutual, and specifically, what your role there involves?
Robinson – Sure. I am responsible for developing the strategic initiatives for what’s called our Investment Products and Services Division. My primary focus right [...]

Two of the nation’s leading experts on retirement income distribution planning, Philip G. Lubinski, CFP® and Briggs A. Matsko, CFP®, will be featured in my new interview series called “America’s Elite Financial Advisors.” Both Lubinski and Matsko have spent years developing and implementing income-generation strategies for their respective retail clients. Their success in [...]

Following my essay on the July 8th article that appeared on the front page of the New York Times, I heard through a friend that a life insurance executive employed by one of the companies mentioned in the Times article read my piece and then called my friend to ask, “Whose side is Macchia on?” [...]

“Executives at most admired companies conduct all business as though every conversation, every e-mail, every meeting and every Board discussion was going to appear tomorrow on the front page of The New York Times, or typed up and distributed to all of their customers. So I think your ‘New York Times Test’ is absolutely [...]

Harry Stout heads-up the $80 Billion Retail Annuity Group of ING. He is exceedingly aware of the long-term nature of annuity contract guarantees and has focused ING on managing risk “,…..very intelligently and very aggressively to make sure that you honor all of the economic policies and guarantees that you have in the contracts that [...]