Why Indexed Financial Products are Appealing
I am currently researching and am likely to purchase an indexed universal life insurance product. This first-hand research and learning process has been interesting and is worth sharing.
Why Low Interest Rates Increase the Cost of Your Personal Pension Plan
Retirees and those saving for retirement should think of themselves as the managers of their own personal pension plan.
Why Low Interest Rates Have a Silver Lining
For retirees who are starved for yield, it might be worth taking a look at an income annuity because low interest rates magnify the importance of the mortality yield.
Why is the Growth in Health Spending Considered a Problem?
The crux of the problem seems to be the inability of those who have promised to pay for healthcare spending to actually do so.
Why Fixed Annuities Could Prove Toxic in an Era of Financial Repression
Retirees are on the losing-end of the financial repression equation since their income is based on negative real interest rates.
Why Financial De-Risking May Leave Consumers at a Loss
Financial risk does not just disappear. One party’s reduction in risk is likely passed along in some form to a counterparty.
Why Even Bother with Self-Service Investing During Retirement
I have a huge amount of sympathy for many of the people who are recently retired or close to retirement.
Why the CPI-E should be the Focus of Seniors Concerned about Inflation
The consumer price index for the elderly or CPI-E has weightings that are more appropriate for retirees who have higher medical care and housing expenses.
Why Capital Preservation is a First Principle
While it is good to be in the market during bull periods, it is best to preserve capital and be out of the market during the bear periods.
Why Buy Health Insurance When Health Reform Offers-Up Such an Inexpensive Put Option?
The Obama health reform legislation has the potential to create some serious adverse selection issues for health insurance companies.
Stated differently, there really does not seem to be a rational basis for purchasing an individual health insurance product under Obamacare.
Who Really Needs an Annuity?
Warren Buffett does not need to think about an annuity. While Buffett’s age may qualify him for annuity consideration, his wealth is sufficient to fund any personal income needs that may arise. Also, concerns such as longevity risk and sequence of returns risk are non-issues for him.
At the…
Who Provides Longevity Insurance
The following is a list of the companies that currently provide retail longevity insurance.
What to Think When a Financial Advisor Says: "You Know I'm Not a Big Fan of Annuities"
Disdain for annuities is a thread of conventional wisdom that seems to exist among a broad swath of financial advisors.
In fact, many financial advisors seem conditioned to wear annuity criticism as a sort of badge of honor. The inherent logic roughly resembles the following: I am an objective,…
What Retirees Should Make of the Low Volatility, No-Fear Market
The fear index seems to be signaling that all is well.
What to Make of MetLife's Exit from the Long Term Care Market
MetLife ’s recent decision to exit the U.S.
