According to ImmediateAnnuities.com, nearly $9 Billion in immediate annuities were purchased in 2012.  However, insurers think the demand is there for significantly more sales with a few additional features being added to their products.   For years the knock on immediate annuities was lack of flexibility once purchased and the negative gamble of the policy [...]

A recent study by LIMRA, reported that nearly $9 billion in immediate annuities were purchased in 2012.  The study also concludes that insurers were hoping to beef up immediate annuity purchases by offering some new feature such as flexible income options, death benefits, and enhanced liquidity.   The insurers believe these changes will encourage consumers [...]

Secondary Market Annuities have been gaining in popularity in recent years as interest rates continue to trend downward.  But What are SMA’s?  According to www.SecondaryMarketAnnuity.net:   Secondary Market Annuities are simply existing in-force Structured Settlement Annuities that people seek to sell for cash today. You may have heard radio and TV jingles for this business. [...]

In 2010, Florida passed a first of its kind suitability law creating rigid parameters on who can own an annuity.  This law was designed around 65 and up residents of Florida.  Among other things, this law limited the length of contract, surrender charges, and policy features the insurance companies could sell in Florida.  It also [...]

Here’s a link to a Video on WSJ.com about Annuities: http://live.wsj.com/video/annuities-the-pros-and-cons/0F4C9BF2-7796-4559-88E3-310B714578BE.html#!0F4C9BF2-7796-4559-88E3-310B714578BE   This is a good report on some of the benefits and tradeoffs of Variable annuities with an assortment of riders, primarily income and death benefit riders.  Please take a minute to watch it.  However, we would challenge WSJ to include multiple types of [...]

At Annuity Think Tank, we read journalists, editorialists, bloggers, and many others who chime in on the virtues, pros and cons, sales practices, and industry updates about the annuity world.  Stan the Annuity Man has quickly become one of our favorites.  He offers accurate, thoughtful, unbiased opinions of the industry.  But more importantly, he leads [...]

Annuities are becoming more and more popular every year.  Sales numbers continue to increase.  The concepts are becoming more mainstream.  Even President Obama is recommending annuities.  In this article from the Boston Globe, Lynn Asinof writes of some of the reasons for the increased popularity and president endorsement.   Today, however, annuities are making a [...]

We have written many posts about the recent Journal of Financial Planning article about the failure of the 4% rule of retirement income.  Here is another good article spelling out the pitfalls of using this rule. In the article, Robert Powell states: According to Blanchett (study), the best (income strategy) incorporates mortality probability, where the [...]

A.M. Best recently affirmed the financial strength ratings of A++ for Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association and its wholly owned insurance subsidiary, TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company.  The TIAA group of companies are market leaders specializing primarily in the education and non-profit pension market.  Not only was TIAA affirmed with this “Superior” rating, but A.M. Best [...]

I would think I am not far off saying that the insurance business in general is in the dinosaur age.  I would bet that most agents in this industry would actually agree and admit that they are there too when it comes to the new age of digital marketing.  We know that more and more [...]