Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta testified recently before the House Education and Labor Committee and discussed the late fiduciary rule, which was thrown out by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Acosta was not very clear, one industry expert said, but is likely overseeing efforts to replace the fiduciary rule with a fairer rule.

Overall, U.S. annuity sales were $60.8 billion; an increase of 17% from the first quarter 2018 results. It is the highest first quarter for total annuity sales going back a decade.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says a sharp rise in corporate debt is being closely monitored but currently the Fed does not see the types of threats that triggered the 2008 financial crisis. Powell says views about riskier corporate debt _ known as leveraged lending _ range from “this is a rerun of the subprime mortgage crisis” to “nothing to worry about here.”

Employees are opening their wallets for voluntary benefits, with those sales increasing to $7.2 billion in 2018. According to LIMRA research, since 2010 the percent of employers offering voluntary benefits as part of their overall employee benefits package has increased 11 percent.

Hospital representatives say Medicare and Medicaid pay less than the cost of their services, so they have to charge employer-sponsored plans more in order to cover their costs. In Dayton, about 79 percent of Dayton-area hospital patients on an average day are covered by Medicare or Medicaid, according to the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association.

Just 23% of people globally are very/extremely confident that their healthcare will be affordable in retirement (31% U.S.). Two in five people globally (41%) feel stressed about their long-term financial plans for retirement at least once per month (51% U.S.).

Evidence from around the world demonstrates that publicly financed health care systems result in improved health outcomes, lower costs and greater equity, a group of economists say. As of 2017, the U.S. spent $3.3 trillion annually on health care. This equaled 17 percent of U.S. GDP, with average spending at about $10,000 per person.

The largest outside Democratic group said that the key to defeating Donald Trump is to focus on pocketbook issues and not fall prey to the president’s efforts to tag the party as a band of socialists.

At the Insured Retirement Institute’s Action19 conference, a panel of experts shared how new technology solutions and best interest duties are expanding and changing the fee-based space.

“I think there’s a ton of tailwind for this product,” one expert said.

Cashing out on home equity was a dangerous move in the early 2000s that left many in trouble.

Being a congressman can feel a little like “speed dating,” one former representative said.

U.S. home values fell from March to April, the first month-over-month decline since February 2012.

The group agreed to require distribution of a policy overview in tandem with the buyer’s guide on all life insurance policies. Policies without an illustration will also include a premium and benefit pattern summary. The policy overview is expected to be completed by the NAIC Summer Meeting in August.

What happens when a fixed income investment — such as a certificate of deposit or a deferred fixed annuity — reaches its maturity date? Fidelity Investments found alarming misunderstanding in a new survey. Only 3% of respondents correctly indicated that a fixed indexed annuity is reinvested for the next 12 months at a lower interest rate.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, discussed the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act during a briefing at the start of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Congressional Conference. More than 600 NAIFA members are in Washington for this annual event.

The Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act (RESA) and the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019, or SECURE Act, are very similar bills that would boost annuity use in retirement plans. The House is expected to vote on the SECURE Act before a Memorial Day recess period.

The companies have signed a letter of intent and high-level executives are said to be meeting this week on the deal. Remaining issues include a decision on the new company name and the corporate structure, a source indicated.

Members of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors are urging Congress to enact a package that would help workers better prepare for retirement. NAIFA members are in Washington Tuesday and Wednesday for their annual political advocacy event.

Washington is set to become the first state in the nation to offer a universally available public health insurance option. A set of tiered public plans will cover standard services. They’re expected to be up to 10% cheaper than comparable private insurance, due in part to savings from a cap on rates paid to providers.

More than half of middle-income seniors 75 years or older won’t have enough money to cover assisted living rent and other out-of-pocket medical costs a decade from now, even if they were to sell their homes and use all other financial resources. That’s according to a new study published this month in Health Affairs by the National Investment Center.

An examination of U.S. hospital prices covering 25 states shows that in 2017, the prices paid to hospitals for privately insured patients averaged 241% of what Medicare would have paid, with wide variation in prices among states, according to a new RAND Corporation study. The analysis was done in collaboration between RAND and the Employers’ Forum of Indiana.

Improved profitability for insurers selling Affordable Care Act coverage to individuals last year means health plans could be issuing a record $800 million in rebates to consumers– a national finding that fits with the financial results in Minnesota. The study from the California- based Kaiser Family Foundation suggests that insurers overshot their premium settings.

When people think of estate planning, they think about death – the ultimate threat. As creatures programmed to secure survival, considering and planning for our demise is more than a little counter-intuitive. It’s counter-survival.

InsurTech investors completed 85 deals with a total value of $1.42 billion during Q1, 2019, marking the third-straight quarter to deliver more than $1 billion in funding. Deal count increased by 35% over Q4, 2018, although total funding decreased by 11%.

Republican leadership blocked legislation that would extend health insurance coverage to an estimated 90,000 low-income adults and 40,000 children in Kansas, despite majority support in both the House and Senate. A last-ditch attempt to force a vote on Medicaid expansion by holding the budget hostage fell apart Saturday.

Among 1,315 U.S. adults ages 50 or older who are retired, or plan to retire in the next 10 years, finds that nearly half (44%) say Social Security will be their main source of retirement income, followed by just 23% of older adults relying on their pension. Many of those respondents believe they will be getting much more money than recipients receive today.

Fifty-six percent of respondents say current business conditions are “good,” compared to 52% in Q1 2019. Additionally, 60% of small business owners expect an increase in revenues, up from 57% in Q1 and 31% expect an increase in full-time employee numbers, up from 28% in Q1.

Not sure what to get Mom this Mother’ s Day? Instead of the usual chocolate, flowers or jewelry, Lincoln Financial Group’ s Love and Responsibility Survey found the gift that over half of all moms would prefer most is a contribution to their retirement account.

Fed candidates must demonstrate that they prioritize the central bank’s independence. That means they’ll resist arm-twisting from the White House, and they will do unpopular things when it’s in the best interests of the economy. So who are good candidates for open seats on the board?

Health insurance plans that do not meet the Affordable Care Act’ s coverage requirements have become more accessible as President Donald Trump and Republicans loosen federal restrictions on them. A handful of states have taken different approaches to establishing their own consumer protections.

Actress and model Brooke Shields will serve as the national spokesperson for Life Insurance Awareness Month, the annual awareness campaign coordinated by Life Happens and supported by the nation’s leading insurance companies and industry groups each September.

Any new health care program might be an improvement, but the only way to find out would be for people to give up something they know they like. That’s a big ask about something as important to people as their health insurance. That almost certainly rules out sweeping health-care reform.

Life insurers have been facing a challenging environment of low interest rates, higher reserve requirements, poorer claims experience, and sluggish organic premium growth. Insurers who think that lowering expenses is the answer are likely damaging their long-term prospects, according to a new study by Conning.

There may be no bigger decision for a new college graduate than where to settle down and start their career. How should they go about reaching that decision and ensuring that they’re putting themselves in the right position to build the life they’ve always wanted? It all starts with location, location, location.

The Fed is arguably the least transparent agency of the federal government outside of security agencies like the CIA. It is obvious why national security agencies need to be secretive. But why does the Fed? Stephen Moore argues that it doesn’t have to be.

The presidential campaign is underway, and Democrats will try to portray Trump’s policies as an economic mess. The question is whether it will work. The economy is humming along with 3.2% growth, plus low unemployment, plus – perhaps most important – wage increases that have not been seen in years.

Small business owners across the U.S. expect larger increases in revenue this year than in 2018, despite growing trepidation about the national economy and inflation, according to the 2019 Small Business Survey conducted by TD Bank. Fifty-four percent anticipate revenue growth, compared with 52 percent who expected such gains in 2018.

U.S. employers are expected to have delivered a solid month of job growth in April, buoyed by a resilient economy that has confounded concerns that 2019 would begin with a slowdown. Another decent hiring gain would highlight the economy’s steady health just months after many analysts had expressed fear that growth was poised to weaken.

Stephen Moore, the former pro-Trump CNN commentator, has decided to withdraw from consideration to serve on the Federal Reserve, the president announced on Twitter. Moore came under fire in recent days for a series of comments and writings made several years ago that many people found offensive to women.

The Justice Department’s brief solidified President Trump’s support for a lawsuit that could decimate his predecessor’s signature health program, even though Republicans haven’t reached consensus on a replacement. Administration lawyers once took a limited view of the state-driven challenge, saying a narrow slice of Obamacare should be struck down.

George Nichols began his tenure as The American College’s president and CEO on Nov. 1 after a 17-year career with New York Life. He wants to see the school expand by breaking out of its insurance niche and focusing on financial services.

While Trump administration officials say the president’s policies are helping the economy and in turn small businesses, reports by economists and surveys of owners show the state of small business is more mixed. The new tax law isn’t living up to many owners’ expectations, according to a Bank of America survey.

House Democrats kicked off a hearing on single-payer health care by downplaying Obamacare as an initial stop on the road to universal coverage, saying millions of Americans remain uninsured and a scary diagnosis can still mean bankruptcy.

President Donald Trump called on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by 1 percent and to implement a quantitative easing program that would boost the country’s economy further. Nevertheless, Trump was quick to tweet that if there was a looser monetary policy coming from the Fed, the U.S. economy would “go up like a rocket.”

The Federal Reserve begins its two-day policy meeting Tuesday, at the end of which no major rate action is expected — but some experts think one figure could be adjusted. Tuesday’s will be the Federal Open Market Committee’s third meeting this year. The U.S. economy’s hefty growth over the first quarter of 2019 is one of the main reasons analysts don’t expect a hike.

While 7 out of 10 women say they feel confident in their financial knowledge, research shows that 66% of women have never consulted a financial advisor, a new survey finds. One reason for the gap between women’s confidence and ability to plan for their financial future is that they prioritize immediate family needs, putting retirement savings on the backburner.

The House Rules Committee on Tuesday will hold the first-ever hearing on the Medicare for All universal healthcare proposal. Pramila Jayapal, D- Wash., which proposes a single government insurance plan for all Americans. More than 100 members of Congress, including House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern, have co-sponsored the bill.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters the review is underway concerning Mr. Moore, whom President Trump has not yet formally nominated for the Fed. Mr. Moore, a conservative commentator who writes a column for The Washington Times, apologized Sunday for columns he wrote in the National Review more than 15 years ago.

The Federal Reserve this week will likely reinforce a theme that has cheered consumers and investors since the start of the year: No interest rates hikes are likely anytime soon. The prospect of continued low rates is keeping borrowing costs low for households and companies. It is helping drive record highs in the stock market.

In 2020, a new rule for the ACA marketplace will reduce tax credits for 7.3 million people — a majority of those who receive them — resulting in higher premiums, analysts estimate. And 70,000 more people are expected to be pushed out of the marketplace when they are unable to afford the higher premiums, by the government’s own estimate.

Small business owners’ optimism is showing more signs of ebbing. That’s one of the findings of a semiannual survey of owners released Monday by Bank of America. Forty-eight percent of the 1,504 owners surveyed predicted that the national economy will improve over the next year, down from 55% in the survey taken last fall.

President Donald Trump’s pick for the Federal Reserve Board says he regrets past controversial articles he’s written about women and urged critics to focus on his economic record. Stephen Moore tells ABC’s “This Week” the articles were meant as humor columns, but “some weren’t funny, so I am apologetic.”

Fifty-nine percent of those polled by AARP said it was only “somewhat likely” to “not at all likely” that the combination of their savings, investments and Social Security benefits would be sufficient to cover their financial needs throughout retirement. Only 41% of all respondents said their retirement assets are “very” or “extremely” likely to pay for their needs through retirement.

New York won’t be passing a state-level single-payer health care system this year, but that hasn’t kept the sparks from flying as proponents clash with industry critics who say such a proposal is unworkable. “Look no further than the VA system or the Canadian system, where there are significant wait times, and I don’t think that’s something that consumers want to…

It’s not just the stock market at a record high that’s feeling the Fed effect. Jewelry shoppers, home buyers, retirees and many others are feeling the ramifications of the Federal Reserve’s decision earlier this year to halt raising interest rates, at least temporarily. For some investments, it’s been for the better. For others, not so much.

Since 2011, accumulation-focused annuity product sales have experienced steady growth, which LIMRA SRI researchers predict will continue over the next five years. As a result of low interest rates, income-focused annuity sales had been declining since 2015 until interest rates increased in 2018.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, also wants to cancel most student loan debt. The ideas are contained in a $1.25 trillion plan that draws some basic details from other candidates, notably Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

Securian Financial has entered the $41.5 billion bank distribution channel for individual annuities with customized products and a new sales team. Securian will offer its complete portfolio of individual annuities to banks, the company said in a news release, and is also developing specific products for the channel.