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Investment advisers' confidence in the financial health of the insurance industry and#8212; though still underwhelming and#8212; is on the rebound, according to the InvestmentNews 2010 Insurance Product Survey. Read More »
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Stock market volatility has caused some advisers to shy away from the sexiest life insurance policies and#8212; variable universal life and variable life and#8212; and to steer clients to a tamer cousin, universal life. Read More »
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Polarized attitudes toward annuities remain; more focus on riskA new survey further confirms the growth opportunity for advisors from focusing on retirement income products and strategies. However, the report also notes heightened concern among brokers and RIAs with managing investment risk for investors.The Continued Evolution of Retirement Income Delivery: An Analysis of Leading Practices in Ad Read More »
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The annuity contracts that were first offered by insurance carriers over a century ago were relatively simple instruments. They were designed to insure the risk of superannuation, or outliving one's income, and provided a guaranteed income stream to annuitants in return for either a lump-sum or periodic investment. But annuity contracts have become increasingly complex over the years... SF Gate: Read More »
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Raise your hand if you can explain why anyone still believes in credit ratings.One of the enduring questions of the financial crisis is how the credit ratings establishment got so much so wrong for so very long. How could century-old institutions like the Moody’s Investors Service give their triple-A blessings to subprime junk?It is time — in fact, past time — for Washington to get some answers. Read More »
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At the beginning of August 2010, we used our model of the S&P 500 to make three predictions of where stock prices would go during the month. We predicted: The level the S&P 500 would average in the early part of the month (1123-1175).The average level of stock prices to which the S&P 500 would go next (1074-1127).The change in the year-over-year growth rate of stock prices that woul Read More »
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Clearing firms, facing declining revenue and in-creased competition, have something new to worry about: More and more broker-dealers are seeking loans as an incentive to sign on with a new firm. Read More »
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With the right genes, longevity insurance a plus Among the many risks retirees face is living too long and outliving their money.Of course, the first part is a risk many would welcome. It beats the alternative.Fortunately, there is a solution in longevity insurance, better known as annuities or life annuities. These are contractual arrangements between an "annuitant" -- yourself -- and a life ins Read More »
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Brokers and registered investment advisors don't treat their clients the same way. Investors should end "buyer beware."All advisors should be held to the same code of conduct. Most investors assume that they can trust their financial advisors to act in their best interest. What they don't know is that some advisors are legally required to act for them while others are not. The financial reform ac Read More »
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Employer groups, responding to the Labor Department's proposed investment advice regulations on May 5, 2010, said that the DOL should not attempt to regulate what constitutes "generally accepted investment theories."In the proposed investment advice rules, which were issued in March 2010, the DOL made a request for public comment on the conditions applicable to investment advice arrangements that Read More »
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