March celebrates National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), a time to help people understand their consumer rights and make well-informed decisions about money and saving for their retirement. No matter your age, some of the most important financial decisions relate to...

Women’s History Month is a time to look back at the vital role women have played throughout history. In every industry, women are natural leaders and change makers – from Congress to financial services. In addition to driving change around women’s rights, many women...

Both annuities and life insurance should be considered in your long-term financial plan. While both include death benefits, you buy life insurance in the event you die too soon and an annuity in case you live too long. In other words, life insurance provides economic...

“Your article on annuities [Does An Annuity Belong In Your Retirement Plan?] did not demonstrate that an annuity always improves a retirement plan.” True, Warren Buffet’s retirement plan would not be improved by an annuity because he will not face the mortality and...

Tax season has officially started and if you’re an early bird looking ahead to April, you might have already started filing your 2018 taxes. Regardless where you are in the process, here are a few tips to keep in mind for tax season this year. Taxes in retirement are...

In case you didn't know, there is such a thing as a lifetime income club. Of course, it goes by another name: annuities. To an economist, an annuity is the most sensible way to provide safe income in retirement. In fact, economists spend more time researching why more...

Annuities are getting more and more popular among seniors, and for good reason. Annuities are not right for everyone but are a real blessing for many seniors. Annuities are a popular choice for investors who want to receive a steady stream of income in retirement. The...

If you work while collecting Social Security benefits, you can get hit with hefty benefit reductions. Here are the earnings limits for this year. Can you work and collect Social Security at the same time? The short answer is yes, it's possible. However, if you haven't...

Sarah O'Brien While some people might have been saving and planning for decades for retirement, others might not have given much thought to their life after full-time work. If you plan to continue working in some capacity, keep in mind the effect it could have on your...

Patrick J. Skerrett Former Executive Editor, Harvard Health For many people, retirement is a key reward for decades of daily work—a time to relax, explore, and have fun unburdened by the daily grind. For others, though, retirement is a frustrating period marked by...

Every New Year we think about our resolutions, which typically includes some promise to better ourselves. Pledging to go the gym more, eat healthier, be more active, spend additional time with friends and family, and decrease our social media intake, are a few that...

By Emily Brandon, Staff Writer Workers with an older retirement age get smaller Social Security payments throughout retirement. WHILE YOU CAN START Social Security payments at age 62, your monthly checks are reduced if you begin collecting benefits at this age. To...

What’s on your loved one’s gift wish list? Are they asking for the latest technology? Fashionable apparel? A must-have toy? No matter the buzz-worthy item, what they may want consider is a gift that lasts a lifetime. Remember, it is just a matter of time before a new...

Discover our most frequently asked questions about fixed indexed annuities (FIAs). Get the answers you need to help calculate your path to retirement. What is an annuity? In the most basic sense, an annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company that says...

Coming to you from the Indexed Annuity Leadership Council (IALC) is a new recipe to add to your Thanksgiving menu. We all have our Thanksgiving favorites, from turkey to stuffing, to sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and more. But as you sit around your table reflecting on...

YOU CAN PLAN FOR IT, dream about it and try to visualize it, but there's no way to tell for sure what retirement will be like for you until after you've actually pulled the trigger and left the job. As you contemplate this major life change, remember to prepare for...

Americans are living longer into retirement, but the financial solutions needed to support them have not kept pace with their needs. With a number of bipartisan proposals currently under consideration, the U.S. Congress has the opportunity to take significant steps...

Halloween might get less scary as we age, but there are a lot of frightening aspects of retirement in 2018. In fact, recent data on the state of America’s workforce shows just how underprepared for retirement many Americans are. While running out of money, drastic...

With just a few months left in the year, National Financial Planning Month is a great time to take charge of your retirement saving strategy. Some of the most important things you can do are to make sure you’re creating a diverse portfolio that will protect your...

October marks National Financial Planning Month, a time when Americans can look at how they are saving, their retirement goals, and how they can create a tailored approach that works for them. October is the perfect time of the year to plan, with summer winding down...

Think about your retirement dreams and realities to set a savings goal for the future. By Rachel Hartman, Contributor IN THE PAST, saving $1 million for retirement was considered a benchmark to help you enter retirement comfortably. But times have changed, and that...

Teachers are among the hardest working professionals and have the unique responsibility to prepare our younger generations for the future. And, as educators across the country are participating in another back-to-school season, it is a good time to highlight how these...

By Walter Updegrave People crave guaranteed income in retirement, but they cringe at the mention of the word “annuity.” That disconnect can make it tough to ensure a steady flow of dollars in later life. One answer: Go with an annuity, but keep it simple. The appeal...

As a retirement saver, we know the tax reform debate of 2017 reawakened the need for you to examine and evaluate your retirement savings plans and educate yourself on all available options for planning. Our educational videos on retirement planning and fixed indexed...

Indexed Annuity Leadership Council Every August 21 we honor our seniors and recognize their achievements to society. This tradition began in 1988 when former President Ronald Reagan declared August 21 to be National Senior Citizens Day. Prior to this declaration, many...

With pennies in your back pocket and dollars in the couch, money may seem like it’s virtually everywhere. But, do you know when this phenomenon first began? In 1786, 232 years ago today, Congress established the U.S. monetary system. However, the first U.S. dollar was...

Ensure you have the financial security to be in control of your retirement. Before determining if an FIA is right for your portfolio, make sure you understand the specific product features and if the benefits ladder into your goals. If you… have a retirement plan in...

The Algarve region provides all that a continental lifestyle has to offer, from medieval towns and fishing villages to open-air markets and local wine. Retirees can choose to live or retire in any country in the world. A move to a new country can allow you to live...

Retirement might not live up to your expectations. Most retirees are prepared for more free time and less stress, but some other aspects of retirement could be unexpected. Many retirees have significant financial worries and health concerns, and an excess of free time...

Annuities can serve many useful purposes. If you are in a saving-money stage of life, a deferred annuity can... Help you meet your retirement income goals. Employer-sponsored plans such as a 401(k), 403(b) or Keogh are an important part of planning for retirement....

You’re unlikely to reach retirement age without somebody asking you about annuities. They want to know whether you considered buying one, and if they work for an insurance agency, they’re likely to try to sell you on the benefits of a lifetime income that annuities...

When you think about retirement, what are your goals? For most people, the answer is a nice balance between stability, favorite pastimes, and new adventures. Balance is also important in your financial life: between reward and risk, nest egg preservation, and growth....

Although most people know it’s never too early to start planning for retirement, many Americans aren’t truly prepared, and there are many supporting statistics from the Indexed Annuity Leadership Council’s (IALC) data: One in four baby boomers (think: your dad) have...

When the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note recently peaked a few basis points above 3% in May, for many market observers, a psychological barrier had been breached. That closely watched benchmark bond hadn’t exceeded 3% since July of 2011. “That’s a pretty...

Here are four challenges to jump on right now to make sure your retirement is a happy one. I know you’re ready. You’re so close to retirement, you can taste the cool beverages on the beach and feel the sand between your toes. Unfortunately, at the rate you’re going,...