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Given the current constraints of COVID-19, face-to-face meetings are logistically impossible, and the market is increasingly unpredictable. So how do registered investment advisors learn to navigate the current virtual M&A market?

American International Group is open to taking on a minority partner for its Life & Retirement business, but the insurer is moving ahead with selling the 19.9% stake through a public offering. The company announced plans to sell the Life & Retirement stake in October.

“My sense is that the regulation has evolved to such an extent that many people think it should be part of the portfolio,” says Rick Rieder, chief investment officer of global fixed income at BlackRock.

Consumer priorities have changed significantly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly half (45%) of consumers surveyed planning to save more and those most impacted financially seeking to mitigate future financial uncertainty.

The outlook for the year ahead is on the upswing. With the Federal Reserve continuing to maintain short-term interest rates near zero and vaccinations increasing in number and availability, the prospect for reopening the economy and returning to normalized growth seems likely.

There are still plenty of options on the table for the Biden administration to reshape the rule — a holdover from the Trump administration. The investment advice rule itself was a replacement for the unpopular fiduciary rule published by the Obama administration.

Digitalizing processes should not be seen as a replacement for the existing agency model. On the contrary: Digital technology should help insurers to automate standard processes and enable the agent as they advise the client to add an extra layer of personalized services.

As of Dec. 27, 2021, federal law will require health insurance agents and brokers to disclose all commissions to current clients as well as prospects.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, the federal budget act passed by Congress and signed by then-President Donald Trump on Jan. 3, contains a section aimed at commission transparency in health insurance. The law requires health insurance agents and brokers to detail their services as well as their direct and indirect commissions to current and potential clients.

The Department of Labor announced today that its investment advice rule — a holdover from the Trump administration — will take effect as scheduled Feb. 16. There had been speculation that President Joe Biden would withdraw the rule in favor of a rule that closer mirrored the fiduciary rule put forth by the Obama administration.

Brighthouse Financial has been increasing fixed annuities, which is counter to what many other carriers are doing because of the pressure of low interest rates and capital intensity. But rates decreased from about 1.5% to around 1% in the fourth quarter, company executives said.

Employer-based coverage will continue to dominate the health insurance landscape in 2021. But the individual health care exchange could gain ground as more workers become freelancers and independent contractors. That was one of 10 trends in health insurance and voluntary benefits discussed during a recent webinar by Aite Group.

The Securities and Exchange Commission released the first proposed changes in the rules affecting advisor advertising in 40 years. But what did they change?