So you are being told by your retirement specialist that an annuity is a great fit for a portion of your safe money.  After talking it over with your family and friends, you learn that they have the exact opposite reaction towards an annuity.  They tell you its a bad decision, and that you’ll never be able [...]

In an effort to increase productivity and save on operational costs, New York-based MetLife has cut 2,500 financial advisors from its workforce.  That’s almost one-third of the total amount of MetLife advisors as of 2012.  The company also eliminated 25 agencies, leaving only 60 in the U.S.  MetLife’s variable annuity sales have been down considerably [...]

Nationwide has introduced a new product, Nationwide Destination Architect 2.0 an advisory-based variable annuity and Nationwide Lifetime Income Tract, which is an optional rider that will guarantee lifetime withdrawals in retirement for Nationwide Destination Architect clients. Nationwide is hoping that this low cost annuity will help sway hesitant advisors to sell their product. Nationwide Income [...]

In a continuing effort to remain a competitive player in the variable annuity market, Lincoln Financial Group announced this week that it will be offering several new investment options for its variable annuity product lines.  Lincoln hopes that by adding these new options they will be reducing client’s exposure to market risk and fluctuations.  Many [...]

Mention the word “annuity” to a group of seniors, and I’m certain there will be at least one person in the group that will talk negative about it.  But why?  An annuity is a contract with an insurance carrier that is not only designed for your “safe money”, but it also provides protection, and guarantees.  One [...]

Earlier this week, insurance giant Nationwide launched a new variable annuity along with a guaranteed lifetime withdraw rider.  The Destination Architect 2.0 will offer over 100 investment options, and will not have any surrender charges.  According to Eric Henderson, senior vice president of life insurance and annuities for Nationwide, “this product will appeal to fee-based [...]

Earlier this week, Lincoln Financial Distributors (LFD) and Primerica announced that they will be adding additional Lincoln annuity products into Primerica’s retirement portfolio.  According to Will Fuller, president of Lincoln Financial Group Distribution, “Primerica’s decision to expand their array of Lincoln products will better position their representatives to help a broader base of clients protect [...]

Earlier this week, Wells Fargo Retirement agreed to offer Prudential’s IncomeFlex Target to their 3 million plan participants.   According to Sri Reddy, Prudential Institutional Income senior vice president, “the partnership will enable more and more American workers on a more secure path to and through retirement.”  “This type of innovation is important as people look [...]

Most people believe that when they buy a product they are buying a product that can never change.  And with tangible assets you take possession of that is usually the case.  However, when you are entering into a contract you are buying the product and all the terms and conditions of that product.  If I [...]

They say that bankruptcy is when you go from a credit rating to a credit rotting. So it is with the city of Stockton in California which is headed to bankruptcy court. I recently helped an advisor in Santa Monica with a portfolio of Municipal Bonds that included several California General Obligation Bonds. She had [...]