Financial Advisers and Stock Brokers: What’s the Difference?
Posted by admin / Under Annuity (European Financial Arrangements)
You would think that the roles and responsibilities would be clear and there would be a strong line between individuals who call themselves financial advisers and those who call themselves stock brokers. The obvious answer is that advisers give impartial advice based on the best interest of the client and brokers sell products as a third party. Advisers are sworn to put their clients’ interests ahead of their own, thanks to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. In that case, what is a broker? The act also provides this definition. A broker is, “Any person engaged in the business of...
Published on Tuesday 7th of February 2012 06:36:35 AM
The Unloved Annuity Gets a Hug From Obama
Posted by admin / Under Annuity (European Financial Arrangements)
Annuities: The official retirement vehicle of the Obama administration. As slogans go, it’s hardly “Keep Hope Alive,” or even “Change We Can Believe In.” But there were annuities, in a report from the administration’s Middle Class Task Force that came out this week. They are among the tools the administration is promoting as it tries to give Americans a better shot at a more secure retirement. At its simplest, which is how the White House seems to want to keep it, an annuity is something you buy with a large pile of cash in exchange for a monthly check for...
Published on Tuesday 7th of February 2012 06:36:35 AM
Roll over your IRA, 401(k), 403(b), or lump sum pension payment into an annuity tax-free.
Posted by admin / Under Annuity (European Financial Arrangements)
Has anyone here completed the transfer as noted above, e.g. transferred their 401K or 403b funds to an annuity with an insurance company, avoiding tax? If yes, I would think that doing that now would be bad timing, given the low rate environment, correct? Any thoughts on this subject would be appreciated. I'm starting to look into options - thinking - fixed-rate for life - joint lives annuity.
Published on Tuesday 7th of February 2012 06:36:35 AM
Buying an Annuity? Kick the Tires.
Posted by admin / Under Annuity (European Financial Arrangements)
Immediate annuities promise that your money will be there when you need it. But many investors are questioning how good those guarantees really are. The reality is that insurance companies offering annuities can, and have, failed. But policyholders can take comfort from a well-established, industry-financed safety net. Although investments aren't always covered in full, history suggests these annuities are about as safe an investment as you can get without the full backing of the U.S. government. That said, there's no reason to court trouble. The current environment shows why -- even in good times -- investors should seek out the...
Published on Tuesday 7th of February 2012 06:36:35 AM
The Next Catastrophe
Posted by admin / Under Annuity (European Financial Arrangements)
Funds worth trillions of dollars start to plummet in value. Political pressure to be “socially responsible” distorts the market decisions of government-related enterprises, leading to risky investments. Investors who once considered their retirements safely protectedwake up to a sinking feeling of uncertainty and gloom.Sound like the great mortgage-fueled financial crisis of 2008? Sure. But it also describes a calamity likely to hit as soon as 2009. State, local, and private pension plans covering millions of government employees and union workers with “defined benefit” accounts are teetering on the brink of implosion, victims of both a sinking stock market and investment...
Published on Tuesday 7th of February 2012 06:36:35 AM
Share this!