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NAPFA Provides Consumers with Quality Control while Maintaining Flexibility for Financial Advisors
NAPFA is the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors.
NAPFA membership consists of financial advisors who provide comprehensive financial planning services on a fee-only basis.
NAPFA member David B. Jacobs serves as a representative for this interview. David serves on the committee for both the School of Retirement and the School of Risk Management for NAPFA University.
Annuity Digest: Please tell us a bit about NAPFA and how the organization serves financial services consumers.
Gold on a Tear While Buffett Takes a Break
If gold prices and Warren Buffett’s investing activities are any indication, the near-term could prove difficult for investors.
Warren Buffett was selling more stocks than he was buying earlier this summer, and Berkshire Hathaway’s stock purchases fell to the lowest level in five years.
Buffett biographer Alice Schroeder thinks that Buffett is actually starting to worry.
Moshe Milevsky on Annuity Market Reform
Moshe Milevsky is one of the leading figures in the annuity industry.
He is an Associate Professor of Finance at the Schulich School of Business in Toronto. Professor Milevsky always seems generous with his time and ideas--his writing and research reach wide popular, academic and industry audiences.
Retirement Vulnerability Index Highlights Need for Sources of Guaranteed Income
A not for profit coalition of organizations known as Americans for Secure Retirement has published an interesting summary of an Ernst and Young study that focuses on the impact of longevity risk on middle-income Americans.
The Retirement Vulnerability Index is an interactive map that provides state-level summaries of the data from the Ernst and Young Study.
The following results are displayed for each state:
The Garrett Network's Fee-Only Approach Creates Natural Partnerships Between Clients and Financial Advisors
Sheryl Garrett is the founder of the Garrett Planning Network.
The Garrett Network consists of approximately 300 financial advisors who provide services on a fee-only basis and act as fiduciaries.
Read on to understand how and why the Garrett Network seeks to make objective, competent financial planning services widely available.
Annuity Digest: Why would your everyday consumer of financial services be interested in The Garrett Network—what is the basic value proposition?
Sheryl Moore on Fixed Indexed Annuities and the SEC’s Proposed Rule 151A
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) proposed Rule 151A would change the securities status of indexed annuities from fixed insurance products to registered, securities products.
The proposed rule would have a significant impact on their entire industry landscape. SEC 151A would affect the way in which insurance companies develop fixed indexed annuity (FIA) products, how distributors sell the products, and ultimately the manner in which consumers purchase FIA products.
Standalone Living Benefits Provide Guaranteed Income without Annuities
The standalone living benefit (“SALB”) is a relatively new and innovative product in the retirement income arena.
A SALB is basically the same thing as the guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefit (GLWB) that accompanies many variable annuities. The GLWB feature allows the contract holder to withdraw a fixed percentage of the total annuity premiums each year regardless of market performance.
An Interview with Retirement Planning Expert Henry Hebeler
Henry "Bud" Hebeler is a former Boeing executive who has been running a retirement planning company for over twenty years.
His company, Analyze Now (www.analyzenow.com), provides information and tools that help individuals with retirement planning. The company has helped thousands of people and is well respected among journalists and industry observers.
Ordinary Investors Can Outsource their Hedging and Derivatives Management through Annuities
Concerned about the possibility of another market swoon?
Take a look at some of the living benefits features that can be attached to most variable annuity products to hedge market risk and lock-in a floor of income.
How about inflation risk?
Buy a fixed annuity with inflation protection.
How about capturing a portion of the market upside while also having downside protection?
Human Capital is the Best Inflation Hedge
Warren Buffett commented on the likelihood of future inflation during the most recent Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting and in his most recent shareholder letter.
Buffett’s advice for protecting against inflation involves two options: