Retirement planning

The incorporation of guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefits (GMWBs) into defined contribution plans may reduce the level of assets required for plan participants to achieve the same level of retirement income, according to Prudential Retirement.

Americans’ retirement expectations have changed dramatically in the past few years, with a vast majority planning to live more frugally and to delay retirement, SunAmerica Financial Group and Age Wave found in a survey of 1,001 people age 55 and older that was the basis for the “SunAmerica Retirement Re-Set Study.”

American workers lapsed into investing inertia after the market collapsed in 2008, but standing still actually benefited many and helped their workplace retirement plan balances rebound by 31% between 2007 and 2010, Vanguard said this week.

Continued scrutiny by regulators and legislators on the fees and outcomes of 401(k)s and other defined contribution plans is pressuring revenues at asset managers, advisors and recordkeepers and will shape the future of the DC retirement plan market, according to a new study from Financial Research Corp., “Trends in Retirement/401(k) Plans and Administration.”

In a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), experts recommended that middle-income retirees convert a portion of their savings into an inflation-adjusted annuity or opt for an annuity instead of a lump sum from an employer sponsored defined benefit (DB) plan. They also recommended that Americans delay taking Social Security benefits until at least full retirement age.

As if it weren't already enough of a challenge to prepare investors for retirement. Besides the main worry of getting investors to save enough to live a dignified life in their senior years, there are growing concerns over longevity risk, rising healthcare costs and the ravages of inflation.

In a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), experts recommended that middle-income retirees convert a portion of their savings into an inflation-adjusted annuity or opt for an annuity instead of a lump sum from an employer sponsored defined benefit (DB) plan. They also recommended that Americans delay taking Social Security benefits until at least full retirement age.

The memory 2008-2009 market crash clearly continues to freak out Baby Boomers, according to a new survey by Allianz Life Insurance.

U.S. retirement assets rose 3% from year-end 2010 to $18.1 trillion as of March 31, the Investment Company Institute said.

Saving for retirement is just the tip of the iceberg for your clients. Planning for living a longer life is another thing altogether.

What do you tell the 55-year-old who's burned out but looking at another 15 to 20 years of work?

The CEO and head of distribution for DWS Investments Americas discusses new products and how the industry can better meet changing retirement needs.

Not enough Americans are saving for retirement -- and the ones who are, aren’t saving enough. Which is why ING’s Retirement division has launched a number of programs to help encourage individuals to save more in their defined contribution retirement plans.

When individuals are faced with too many options they become paralyzed and don’t make the best decisions– even when it comes to 401(k) options, according to a new study co-authored by Columbia Business School and University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Successful retirement preparation is driven by three variables: consistent saving and investing, access to financial advice and access to workplace retirement plans, according to a survey by Putnam Investments released on Wednesday.

Couples approaching and even already living in retirement are struggling with communication, planning and management of their retirement finances, Fidelity Investments found in a May 2011 survey of 1,296 husbands and wives.

While couples are saving for retirement, they don’t seem to be discussing their retirement goals, according to a new survey by Fidelity Investments.

Memories of the 2008-2009 market crash are keeping Baby Boomers from investing at a time when many are fearful they'll outlive their retirement savings, according to a new survey by Allianz Life Insurance.

If your clients have money in retirement accounts they won’t need to live on, they can put that money into a Roth IRA and avoid paying taxes on any gains. Now, grandkids can inherit up to $5 million tax free.

In a panel discussion at the Insured Retirement Institute’s (IRI) regulatory conference on Tuesday officials from the Departments of Labor and Treasury discussed increasing access to guaranteed lifetime income products and the proposed rule on the definition of a fiduciary that would regulate retirement savings programs and professionals.