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Sounds Like a Plan
Wed, Jan 25, 2012
A directory of 27 software tools accompanies this overview of the rapidly evolving financial planning technology industry.
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
Technology
The Outer Limits of Outsourcing
Wed, Jan 11, 2012
Advisors can’t do everything themselves. But they need to be careful in choosing what to hand off to a software tool, a vendor or an assistant.
The ‘Safety First’ Income Planner
Tue, Jan 10, 2012
Maryland advisor Antoine Orr couldn’t find an income planning tool that matched his low-risk, low-debt philosophy. So he created the Plancorr Planner.
Four Income Planning Tools
Wed, Jan 04, 2012
Here are brief reviews of four noteworthy but not-widely-known retirement income planning software tools, provided by the publisher of Virtual Office News and the T3 Newsletter. Mr. Bruckenstein is also a CFP.
RSQ-y Business at John Hancock B/D
Wed, Oct 12, 2011
John Hancock Financial Network will offer its advisors the Retirement Sustainability Quotient, an income planning tool that Moshe Milevsky (pictured) developed for ManuLife Financial, JHFN's Canadian parent.
Wealth2k income planning tool added to Pershing advisor platform
Wed, Oct 12, 2011
Income for Life Model, a time-segmentation retirement income planning tool from Wealth2k, will be integrated into the NetX360 advisor web platform offered by Pershing, the clearing firm owned by BNY Mellon.
Introducing the Virtual RIA
Tue, Sep 27, 2011
Internet start-up Personal Capital is out to prove that mutual funds and face-to-face financial advice are obsolete. (At center, CEO Bill Harris, with Jim Del Favero, VP, product management (seated) and Ehsan Lavassani, engineering director.
Raymond James launches the RightBRIDGE Annuity Wizard
Tue, Aug 02, 2011
The new tool, developed with CapitalRock, gathers key information from clients about their income, liquidity, time horizon, risk tolerance, expenses, and guarantees, and finds the appropriate variable annuity.
Putnam’s iPhone “app” puts point-of-purchase savings into 401(k)
Wed, Jun 08, 2011
First, find a bargain. Then calculate its value 30 years from now. Then contribute to retirement plan.
A Hub Named RICC
Wed, Jun 01, 2011
DST Systems’ Larry Kiefer says his firm’s new “middleware” simplifies the distribution of lifetime income products to plan participants, IRA owners and others.
SPARK accepting requests to change lifetime income product data standards
Wed, Jun 01, 2011
The SPARK Institute's Data Layouts for Retirement Income Solutions provides the standards for DST Systems' RICC hub featured in today's issue of RIJ.
Pershing positions itself as source for retirement-oriented advisors
Wed, Apr 27, 2011
The global clearing-and-execution firm and BNY Mellon unit has set up a website, Retirement PowerPlay, to help advisors "grow their retirement businesses” and has published a call-to-arms entitled, "The Secret Knock."
New technology offers to help plan advisors meet fee disclosure rules
Wed, Apr 27, 2011
The AXIS Retirement Plan Analytic Platform is designed to service all retirement plan types through a single web-based interface and data repository, according to the manufacturer, Castle Rock Innovations.
LPL Taps Five Insurers for New VA Platform
Tue, Feb 22, 2011
Advisors who use LPL Financial’s new Fee-Based Variable Annuity platform can manage VA subaccounts just like mutual funds. (Photo at LPL’s San Diego office.)
SPARK Institute starts data project for non-registered plan investment options
Tue, Dec 28, 2010
The new standards will help the providers share the comparison chart information electronically with one another and with existing investment information aggregators, the institute says.
Wealth2k Enhances Income Illustration Software
Wed, Oct 06, 2010
The software will solve for a “floor” of guaranteed retirement income, and can incorporate a variety of income sources in the “flooring” calculation.
Broadbridge Acquires NewRiver for $77 Million
Tue, Aug 17, 2010
The acquisition accelerates Broadridge’s e-strategy while strengthening its industry-leading compliance communication capabilities, the company said in a release.
New River and Newkirk in Electronic Delivery Deal
Wed, Aug 04, 2010
Newkirk Products, Inc., has agreed to distribute NewRiver’s Prospectus Express product in the 401(k) and 403(b) markets via Newkirk’s Fund Central platform.
Use of Summary VA Prospectuses Soars
Wed, May 26, 2010
“Insurance companies and their fund partners could provide a windfall of over $220 million if they continue to adopt the summary prospectus,” said NewRiver CEO and chairman Russ Planitzer.
Freedom One Financial To Use vWise Participant Education Tools
Wed, Jan 20, 2010
vWise's SmartPlan Enterprise “provides the benefits of a personal financial professional in a website available 24/7/365.”
AXA Equitable To Help Advisors Build a ‘Retirement Income Planning Practices’
Wed, Jan 20, 2010
The program, which combines live presentations with self-study materials, is approved for continuing professional education credit in 49 states.
The Trouble with Calculators
Thu, Jan 14, 2010
A new critical survey of twelve retirement planning calculators shows why they're so frustrating to use.
J.P. Morgan Adopts FundQuest’s Advisor Gateway™ Platform
Wed, Oct 14, 2009
The program uses FundQuest's reporting, portfolio modeling, fund selection, and rebalancing technology.
Boston College Gets Financing for Financial Literacy Center
Wed, Sep 30, 2009
“Given the turbulent economic climate and the shift of financial risk to individuals, people need help,” said Center Director Alicia Munnell.
NewRiver Upgrades Compliance-Facilitating Solution for Variable Products
Wed, Sep 23, 2009
Variable Products Express Version 2.0 allows providers to take advantage of web-based delivery of summary prospectuses without sending contract owners to other websites for information.
LifeYield Launches New Retirement Income Website
Wed, Sep 16, 2009
LifeYield's technology reviews the multiple taxable and tax-advantaged accounts held by family members and selects the most appropriate assets to liquidate.
One-Stop Shopping for Retirement Risk
Wed, Aug 12, 2009
Steve Zaleznick sells insurance direct to the elderly online. But can his call center reps offer more than piecemeal planning?
Securities America, Wealth2K Help Advisors Fight “Big Brands”
Wed, Aug 12, 2009
To compete, "advisors must introduce high-end, high-impact communications tools,” said David Macchia of Wealth2k.
Its Technology Eases Hedging of GLB Riders, UAT Claims
Wed, Aug 12, 2009
The firm said its real-time portfolio statistics could help insurers preserve GLB features in their products.
Nationwide and MSSB Ink SALB Deal
Wed, Aug 05, 2009
A Nationwide income guarantee will be offered to Morgan Stanley Smith Barney's Select UMA holders. The wirehouse expects to use up the initial $250 million capacity in six months.
Got Anger? ShareOwners.Org Cites Investor Indignation
Wed, Jul 08, 2009
ShareOwners.org wants stronger regulation of the securities industry, increased accountability of corporate boards and CEOs, greater financial transparency and protection of the legal rights of investors.
Technology Aims To Detect Style Drift in Target-Date Funds
Tue, Jun 23, 2009
UAT, Inc., a Denver-based technology firm, created a fund monitoring system that can help retirement plan sponsors find out if the sub-advisors of target-date funds in their plans are engaging in style-drift.
