Retirement

“How can you do that to your kids?” That’s the question Sacramento’s Sarah Cook hears all the time. And rather than making her feel embarrassed or guilty, she revels in the scorn.

New research from LIMRA finds that total individual annuity sales rose 6% during the fourth quarter of 2010 as compared to the same period last year to reach $57.6 billion.

Assets in 529 college savings plans have grown 56% in the past 24 months, beating industry estimates by 30%, according research by Financial Research Corp.

Thirty-four percent of the 3,171 adults that The Harris Poll surveyed in February expect the economy to improve in the coming year, 42% expect it to stay the same and 25% think it could get worse.

Women are not only becoming more responsible for the finances in their own homes, but they are passing on their knowledge to their own parents.

When employers present employees with an easy, one-click option to enroll in or make a contribution change to their 401(k) plan during the annual health benefits process, the result is significant increases in 401(k) participation.

Major brokerage firms are taking different tacks in preparing brokers for expected new rules from the Department of Labor that will constrict their ability to advise companies on retirement plans.

The notion that you can do well by doing good is alive and well in the 401(k) and qualified plan marketplace. Advisers, however, are walking a tightrope. With a big push by the government for more disclosure and stricter fiduciary standards, broker-dealers are struggling to allow their advisers to act as fiduciaries without opening themselves to unwanted liability. Meanwhile, plan sponsors are looking for advisers who can help their participants be more successful in retirement yet limit their costs, liability and work.

As the economy starts to stabilize, retirement plan experts say plan sponsors need to emphasize certain elements of their retirement education and advice programs to get workers back on track and saving for retirement.

Only 10% of Americans with $5 million to $25 million in investable assets described themselves as “very wealthy” in a recent survey by Spectrem Group, and 28% considered their wealth “moderate.”