Americans are facing a retirement longevity crisis, writes our Kim O’Brien. Only one financial product can truly address the threat of outliving your money: an annuity.

As Wall Street analysts lower their predictions of how companies will perform, it becomes easier for those companies to come in equal to or above expectations.

Clients might know that they can get more money by waiting on collecting Social Security, but do they know that if could be a difference of nearly $100,000 if they live to 83?

Changes in federal law open an opportunity for advisors to help families with one of their top financial priorities.

Retained life benefits are the newest twist in life settlements.

A survey reinforces the belief that financial planning is a nonpartisan issue.

The number of mergers and acquisitions among Registered Investment Advisor firms through the first six months is running equal to the record numbers from 2015.

MassMutual says it will likely go the broker-dealer route to sell financial products under new Department of Labor rules. The company is developing its first fixed-indexed annuity product.

Poll shows consumers don’t trust banks or financial advisors.

Less than one-quarter of employers (23 percent) have adopted one or more proven lifetime income solutions. Kim O’Brien says annuities can help solve a lot of employee retirement concerns if employers get on board.

If IMOs become financial institutions under the new Department of Labor fiduciary rule, executives say it will help independent agents survive. But compensation is going down, one executive warned.

CEO of American Equity, major seller of fixed-indexed annuities, assures investors and distributors that it has no plans to leave the lucrative FIA business, despite regulatory hurdles.

The Department of Labor’s new rule raising investment advice standards into retirement accounts will have the greatest impact on nonregistered retail representatives. That’s the word from a top executive with American Financial Group.

The great thing about the annuity marketplace is the wide selection of products that can meet the individual and unique needs of every investor. Shouldn’t that be emphasized?

An appeals court rules that disability benefits date from the time an employee cannot work, not from the time he or she first sees a doctor.

Principal Financial and Ameriprise are among the first companies to detail specific costs related to the Department of Labor fiduciary rule. The bill is expected to cost tens of millions of dollars.

When it comes to supporting advisors serving the lucrative high-net-worth market segment, no single company has captured advisor “mindshare.”

Many broker-dealers still think they can pay variable compensation to their advisors through an exemption in the Department of Labor fiduciary rule, analysts say. It’s not quite that simple.

Many agents and advisors are well behind the curve when it comes to social media. But smaller agencies are having success marketing personality through social media tools.