Retirement planning

Vanguard launched an online service that allows individuals to compare income annuities from different insurance companies.

Less than a third of investors are aware of a closing loophole that could allow them to convert a Roth IRA into a traditional IRA.

Whether you were in the U.S., Canada or Europe during the financial meltdown, the economic effects were felt by every investor class, which in turn, is now forcing many to find alternative means to curb risk and diversify their investment portfolios.

A recent study indicates the housing crisis has worsened an already-precarious financial condition.

The Boston fund company said that legislation in both the Senate and the House could extend retirement savings coverage the “nearly half of all American workers who have no retirement savings plans through their jobs today.”

New report by Allianz says U.S. pension market is expected to see slower growth.

Fixed annuities, which experienced a sales boom last year in banks, stem the bleeding, while variable annuities finally start trending upward, Kehrer-Limra says.

Schwab survey finds that the majority of boomers aren’t planning to delay retirement.

Market volatility means many entrepreneurs are focusing on the survival of their businesses ahead of their retirement plans.

“An educated customer is our best customer” has been the memorable slogan of Syms for four decades.

In its ongoing effort to expand its middle-market defined contribution and defined benefit business, The Hartford has hired Denise Diana as VP, retirement plans mid-market.

Government’s effort to boost retirement savings could overburden small employers.

Fund managers and other experts say that target-date funds need to increase the amount of information they provide investors to understand their investment risk. But they don’t want the Securities and Exchange Commission to change the way the funds are named.

Investment funds, lawmakers and other fund experts say that target-date funds need to increase the amount of information they provide investors to understand their investment risk. But they don’t want the Securities and Exchange Commission to change the way the funds are named.

Although it supports the Securities Exchange Commission’s goal of bringing more disclosure to target-date funds, the proposal to include asset allocation information in the fund’s name will only confuse investors, BackRock said in a letter to the agency this week.

Because women live longer, require more care and tend to be the primary caregivers in their families, long term care falls disproportionately on their shoulders. Yet according to a recent survey by Genworth Financial women face challenges talking to their families about putting together a financial strategy to deal with long term care.

As baby boomers transition from the accumulation to distribution phase of their financial lives, many RIAs find themselves engaged in a strategic planning process as they decide how to reshape their business models to serve clients in this new stage. For many financial planners, it remains a work in progress.

While low interest rates have been a “boon” to corporate borrowers, the low-yield environment is likely to “exacerbate underfunded pension positions” for corporations in the near term, Fitch said in a new report.

The Boston company said Tuesday it is introducing new Retirement Choices target-date portfolios, which are designed to take participants “to” retirement and accommodate the participant who wishes to select another investment strategy at the time of retirement.

Couples can afford to self-insure if they have enough money to run two households.