Hope is
Not
a Financial Plan
Weekly Newsletter
How An Annuity Improves A Retirement Plan
“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...
read moreStock Market Uncertainty? A Fixed Indexed Annuity Can Help Put You at Ease
A crystal ball into the stock market’s performance – wouldn’t that be useful! While predicting market performance to-a-t is not possible, you can help protect your savings by preparing for market uncertainty. Market Uncertainty Heightens This past December marked the...
read moreThe Benefits of Filing Taxes Early
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...
read more3 Trends Changing the Retirement Landscape
The last two decades mark a distinct time of change, even in the retirement landscape. As we continue to start 2019 off on the right foot, it is important to keep in mind current retirement trends that could affect our overall well-being during our golden years. So...
read moreLooking for Guaranteed Lifetime Income? Join the Club
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...
read moreFixed Indexed Annuity: Suze Orman and Annuity
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...
read more2019 Social Security Earnings Test Limits
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...
read moreIf you’re planning to retire in 2019, here’s how to make sure you’re prepared
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...
read moreIs retirement good for health or bad for it?
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...
read moreRetirement Savings Resolutions for the New Year
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...
read moreThe Social Security Retirement Age Increases to 66.5 in 2019
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...
read moreHoliday Wish List 2018: Financial Security
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...
read moreFixed Indexed Annuities FAQ
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...
read moreA Retirement Recipe for a Hearty Turkey Day
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...
read more7 Surprising Ways Retirement Will Change Your Life
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...
read more‘Safer’ harbor for annuities can help fix retirement woes
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...
read moreDid You Let Retirement Scare You Off This Halloween?
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...
read moreProtect Your Financial Plan by Avoiding These Retirement Pitfalls
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...
read more5 Things To Consider When Building Your Retirement Financial Plan
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...
read moreOut With the $1 Million Goal for Retirement: What You Will Really Need
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...
read moreTeacher’s Retirement Q&A on Fixed Indexed Annuities This Back-to-School Season
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...
read moreYour biggest retirement expense: What Medicare Doesn’t Cover
Once you turn 65 you are eligible to enroll in the Medicare health insurance system. It is fantastic program that charges a relatively small premium for broad services. But it is a serious mistake to think that all you need to do is make it to 65 and you’re set. No....
read moreA Simple Way to Get Guaranteed Income in Retirement
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...
read moreCelebrate America’s Workforce by Helping Them Take an Active Role in Their Retirement
This week was a full celebration of America’s workforce! Labor Day kicked off the festivities on Monday, September 3, recognizing the social and economic accomplishments of American workers. At the same time, National Payroll Week(NPW), September 3 – 7, celebrated...
read more3 Simple Ways to Save for Retirement
Summer is here, and the future is brighter than ever. If you are busy planning, saving and budgeting for a summer vacation, use these tips to make the most out of your summer and get your retirement savings on track. 1. Spend less and save more. With this warmer...
read moreFor Retirement Savers
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...
read moreCelebrating Senior Citizens – Today and Every Day!
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...
read more3 Ways To Celebrate National Dollar Day While Preparing For Your Golden Years
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...
read moreIs a Fixed Indexed Annuity Right for Me?
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...
read moreThe 10 Best Places to Retire Overseas in 2018
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...
read more10 Surprising Facts About Retirement
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...
read moreCelebrate Financial Freedom with Fixed Indexed Annuities
The Fourth of July may be over, but your financial freedom never has to end, and with the right retirement vehicles in your financial portfolio, it doesn’t have to. In fact, there are many ways retirement can increase financial freedom and ensure security by providing...
read moreReasons for purchasing an annuity
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....
read moreAnnuities and Structured Settlements
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...
read moreFixed Indexed Annuities 101
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....
read more3 Ways to Prepare Your Dad for Retirement after Father’s Day
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...
read moreHigher interest rates fuel retirement account annuities
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...
read moreDear Baby Boomer: Retirement Is This Close, and You Need to Deal With a Few Issues
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,...
read moreThis Is What Life Without Retirement Savings Looks Like
Many seniors are stuck with lives of never-ending work—a fate that could befall millions in the coming decades. CORONA, Calif.—Roberta Gordon never thought she’d still be alive at age 76. She definitely didn’t think she’d still be working. But every Saturday, she goes...
read moreThree Common Mistakes to Avoid At Any Age When Saving For Retirement
This May we are celebrating Older Americans Month and the 2018 theme of Engage at Every Age teaches us that age is not a factor when it comes to taking part in activities to enrich one’s emotional, mental, and physical well-being. One activity that is key for...
read more6 Lessons From the First Year of Retirement
After one year of retirement, here’s what you need to do. Once you get through the first year of retirement, you probably think you can coast for the next 30 years. That’s not necessarily true. This is not the time to get comfortable. Things are never that simple in...
read moreThe Atlantic Roundtable Dinner Sparks Conversation on the Future of Retirement
Recently, an esteemed group of experts in business and finance, economists and education, convened in Washington, D.C. along with our Executive Director Jim Poolman and editors from The Atlantic for a roundtable dinner to talk about the reality of retirement readiness...
read moreIs Your Work Environment Setting You Up to Achieve Your Retirement Goals? New Study Tells All.
This week the Indexed Annuity Leadership Council (IALC) released The State of America’s Workforce: The Reality of Retirement Readiness study and corresponding white paper, which found retirement readiness is influenced by two key factors: the industry you are in and...
read moreNew Data Breaks Workforce Stereotypes: Two Blue-collar Industries Outpace White-collar Retirement Readiness
Heavy Reliance on Social Security for Income Stream, A Solution Provides Guaranteed Lifetime Income The story of saving for retirement today has two key factors: the industry you are in and your company size. Newly released retirement-readiness scores show workers in...
read moreTop 3 Things to Ask Your Financial Professional During Financial Literacy Month
April is National Financial Literacy Month and a perfect time to increase your financial literacy, while establishing and maintaining healthy money and finance habits. One way you can become financially savvy is by getting advice from financial professionals....
read moreFour Reasons to Own an Annuity
Now that the Powerball winner has come forward to claim her prize of $758 million (before taxes), you can’t turn on the television or radio without hearing the word “annuity.” The winner of the lottery had a very important choice to make: to take an after-tax lump sum...
read moreFixed Indexed Annuities FAQ
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...
read moreOlympic Athletes Can Teach Us Valuable Lessons About Retirement
Last month, athletes from around the globe came together to compete in the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics. While for some, these games were a debut, others retired from their sport following the competition. Each Olympian’s journey is unique from its infancy to its...
read moreBenefits of Fixed Indexed Annuities
Fixed indexed annuities (FIAs) address many basic retirement concerns: protection of hard-earned dollars, tax-deferred growth, balance, and lifetime income. Get some peace of mind — no matter what happens in the market. Consider these five key benefits: Guaranteed...
read moreDiscover 3 Ways to Bridget the Gender Savings Gap On International Women’s Day 2018
As we celebrate women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements this International Women’s Day, the Indexed Annuity Leadership Council (IALC) wants to raise awareness that when it comes to savings, the gender savings gap is still huge. This post,...
read more