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Americans prefer not to think about long-term care: Sun Life
Wed, Sep 14, 2011
Most people dread nursing homes. 83% of Americans age 50 and older would rather survive five years at home than 10 years in a nursing home.
Industry Views
$300 Billion, Up for Grabs
Cogent Research's new 2012 Assets in Motion study can help you understand and benefit from the rising flow of money from qualified plans to rollover IRAs.
Burton Malkiel Talks About Efficient Markets
In this video sponsored by Vanguard, Burton Malkiel, Princeton professor and author of "A Random Walk Down Wall Street," talks with RIJ editor Kerry Pechter about what "efficient market" means to him. The 10th edition of "A Random Walk" has just been published.
New Income Solutions for Long Retirements
With the numbers of people over age 100 growing rapidly, there is an equally growing need for advisors to consider an array of retirement income solutions.
Annuity Issuers Slowly Enter The Digital Age
Annuity issuers are making a concerted effort to implement and promote paperless document delivery services.
401(k)s: They’re Not (Necessarily) Just for Employees Any More
A growing number of 401(k) plan sponsors, retirees, record keepers and regulators want retirees to stay in their plans well into, or even straight through, retirement, PIMCO has found.
The Future Of Online Customer Feedback Has Arrived
TIAA-CREF’s TC Listens website is an innovative new medium for obtaining client feedback online.
TIPS for Retirement Investing in the ‘New Normal’
TIPS can preserve purchasing power, provide systematic income and offer the assurance of a government guarantee for retirees depending on income from their investments.
Firms Back Variable Annuity Product Launches With Aggressive Online Marketing Campaigns
With variable annuity sales down, firms are intensifying online product marketing campaigns to reach more prospective investors.
Found in Translation
Annuity issuers are reaching out to non-English-speaking investors through websites written in Spanish and Asian languages, according to Corporate Insight.
Behavioral Economics and Retirement Investing
PIMCO and its Allianz affiliates recently sponsored a new study, “Behavioral Finance and the Post-Retirement Crisis.” PIMCO Retirement Product Manager Tom Streiff explains how the study’s findings can foster the development of successful retirement income products.
Annuity Issuers Embracing Social Media One Tweet At A Time
A growing number of annuity issuers are using creative approaches on Twitter to reach new audiences online.
Roth IRA Conversion Promotions Are All The Rage Online
Many firms have launched engaging online sales campaigns focusing on the Roth IRA conversion opportunities that will be available in 2010.
Annuity Firms Turn Their Focus To Online Client Security
Annuity firms introduced enhanced online security measures in 2009, but they remain laggards in the financial service industry.
Should Annuity Firms Care About Social Media?
The annuity industry has been slow to adopt social media. But given the industry’s target audiences, does it matter? Download an excerpt from the report "Social Media: Trends and Tactics in the Financial Services Industry."
Marketing Online Education To Advisors
Our latest research shows that dynamic displays, such as Flash interfaces, offer firms engaging new ways to present and market online educational content to advisors.
Industry Views are special reports that are sponsored and independent from RIJ's editorial content.
DATA CONNECTION
Health Care
Health insurance ate your raise
Wed, Sep 07, 2011
Between 2000 and 2009, the share of compensation gains provided in the form of more expensive benefits ranged from 35.2% to 60.8% for U.S. workers, depending on their level of income, according to Towers Watson.
Repealing ‘Obamacare’ Would Bring Back ‘Donut Hole’—EBRI
Tue, Aug 30, 2011
“Medicare beneficiaries with high outpatient drug use would be most affected by repeal and would need to save an additional roughly 30‒40 percent to make up the shortfall,” said EBRI’s Paul Fronstin, lead author of the report.
Average annual cost of private nursing home room: $85,775
Wed, Apr 27, 2011
You can save more than $10,000 a year by sharing a room with someone else, according to the 2011 Cost of Care survey by John Hancock Financial.
America Isn't a Corporation
Mon, Apr 11, 2011
Congressman Paul Ryan's approach to the budget makes sense only if you think America should function like a corporation and that Medicare payments are income for beneficiaries. Nix to both ideas.
Origins of ‘Obamacare’ Revealed
Wed, Mar 02, 2011
The concept of the individual health insurance mandate originated in 1989 at the conservative Heritage Foundation, according to the website Procon.org.
A Death in the Family, Part II
Tue, Jan 25, 2011
Forget "death panels." Loving, decisive words from a doctor helped this dying pianist decide to let go of her life. The conclusion of a two-part story.
A Death in the Family, Part I
Wed, Jan 19, 2011
For the very old and their families, preservation of life often competes with preservation of finances. Here's how one California family coped with an elderly mother's death. (The first of two parts.)
Many Americans unprepared for health expenses in old age
Wed, Jan 12, 2011
More than one-third of Americans ages 45 to 70 are worried about running out of money during retirement, but only 20% plan to purchase any form of guaranteed lifetime income.
Health spending grew less rapidly in 2009
Wed, Jan 12, 2011
Health spending rose only 4% in 2009 to $2.5 trillion, or $8,086 per person, down from 4.7% in 2008. Consumers spent $299.3 billion out-of-pocket on health care, up 0.4%.
Phoenix issues “Medicaid annuity”
Wed, Dec 15, 2010
A Medicaid annuity allows a couple to zero out its assets, qualify for subsidized long-term care for the ill spouse and provide an income for the non-institutionalized spouse by putting money in a particular type of SPIA.
Despite reform, retirees face steep health care costs
Wed, Dec 01, 2010
Some prior estimates have been significantly revised downward as a result of changes to Medicare Part D (prescription drug) cost sharing that will be phased in by 2020 due to the recently enacted health reform law.
Health Benefit Costs Grow 3X Faster than CPI
Wed, Nov 24, 2010
The prevalence of retiree medical plans slid to its lowest point ever in 2010, with just 25% of large employers offering an ongoing plan to retirees under age 65.
Long-Term Care ‘Eats’ 3 Sq. Ft. of U.S. Homes Per Day
Wed, Aug 11, 2010
“Five years ago we started translating long term care costs into square feet of real estate, to highlight the heavy burden of paying for care,” said Denise Gott, chairman of LTC Financial Partners LLC.
To Shrink Medical Costs, Make Them Visible: SOA
Thu, Jul 15, 2010
Consumers feel they could make more informed decisions if they had more information on medical procedures and options for care, the SOA found.
A Longevity Test: Science or Science Fiction?
Tue, Jul 06, 2010
After studying the genomes of centenarians in New England, two Boston University researchers say they have identified a set of genetic variants that predicts extreme longevity with 77% accuracy.
HSAs No Panacea for Retiree Medical Costs: EBRI
Wed, Apr 07, 2010
If it's true that retired couples will need $350,000 on average to cover costs not covered by Medicare, Health Savings Accounts won't be large enough to do the job, says the benefits research organization.
From Genworth, a Less Painful Way to Buy LTC Insurance
Wed, Mar 31, 2010
With this product and others like it, the cost of LTCI is greatly reduced because the fixed annuity assets serve as a very large deductible.
Insult to Injury: Disability’s Impact on a Retirement Plan
Wed, Mar 31, 2010
Even good retirement plans can backfire if you do not carefully consider the effect of disability and lost earning power on retirement savings.
Vandalism Follows Obama Health Bill Signing
Thu, Mar 25, 2010
On Wednesday, Democratic legislators had reportedly received death threats and been the victims of vandalism because they voted for the health care bill.
White House Tweaks Senate Health Care Bill
Wed, Feb 24, 2010
Obama wants to close the Medicare prescription drug 'donut hole' and regulate 'unreasonable' health insurance premium hikes.
Labor Secretary Links Health Care Reform, Retirement Security
Wed, Oct 28, 2009
“My own father, who had a stroke last year, has seen his prescription drug costs skyrocket," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis.
One-Third of Health Care Spending Wasted
Wed, Oct 28, 2009
“By attacking waste, health care costs can be reduced without adversely affecting the quality of care or access to care,” said Robert Kelley of Thomson Reuters.
No Health Insurance? You Court Financial Catastrophe
Wed, Oct 21, 2009
The assets of uninsured households declined between 30 and 50 percent among those ages 51 to 64 who experienced a major illness.
Employers Expect Health Reform to Raise, Not Lower Costs
Thu, Oct 01, 2009
Only 10% of employers would support an “employer mandate” that required them to provide health insurance to employees.
How America Can Cut Its Medical Bills By $1 Trillion
Wed, Aug 26, 2009
Americans in their early 50s have twice the hypertension, obesity, and diabetes rates as Europeans.
Does Employer-Based Health Care Get a Free Ride?
Wed, Aug 26, 2009
'If all premiums were taxed as income, you’d get quite a disruption,' said an Urban Institute analyst.
Will Boomers Pony Up for these Riders?
Tue, Aug 18, 2009
Deferred annuities have lapse rates as high as 40% to 70%, but the lapse rates of LTCI/annuity hybrids could shrink to as low as one or two percent—the rates associated with LTCI policies.
Obesity Linked to Retirement Insecurity
Wed, Aug 05, 2009
Per capita medical spending for the obese is $1,429 higher per year, or roughly 42% higher, than for someone of normal weight, a new research study claims.
What Obama Didn’t Say About Health Care
Wed, Jul 29, 2009
Doctors may choose to donate care to the needy when it suits them. But they won't let the government turn their profession into a public utility.
Mapping Out the Market for LTC Hybrids
Wed, Jul 08, 2009
In some cases, the fixed annuity will lead the sale and in others the LTC insurance will lead the sale.
SPIA/LTC Hybrid Still Just a Concept
Tue, Jul 07, 2009
In this product, the adverse selection factors that plague both LTC insurance and immediate annuities would partially cancel each other out.
A Short Cut to Long-Term Care Insurance
Tue, Jul 07, 2009
United of Omaha, Genworth Life, Bankers Life, and OneAmerica have introduced LTC/annuity hybrids in the run-up to January 1, 2010, when distributions from annuities to pay nursing home bills will be tax-free.
