Wealth management

Rollovers into traditional IRAs occur evenly across all age groups and play a significant role in the growth of IRA assets, according to research by the Investment Company Institute and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

No question about it the recession hurts. But women will heal faster from the economic turmoil than men, according to a Bank of America research note.

Workers around the world expect to retire at 61, a survey of 31,359 people by AXA Equitable found. In the U.S., people expect to retire at age 63.

The $1 million figure that is frequently cited as the silver bullet needed to enjoy a comfortable retirement is actually attainable, Consumer Reports found in a recent survey of 24,270 online subscribers age 55 and up.

Assets in U.S.-listed exchange-traded funds and exchange-traded products surpassed $1 trillion for the first time, reached $1.027 trillion on Dec. 16, reports BlackRock.

Americans are significantly more concerned about future expenses than paying off existing debt or paying their current bills, according to a poll conducted in October by InCharge Debt Solutions.

More Americans plan to consider financial resolutions when the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, a new Fidelity Investments survey finds.

The more education a person has is strongly correlated with how confident they are about their retirement and their ability to save and plan for it, according to the 11th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey.

Baby Boomers are set to inherit $8.4 trillion, and have already inherited $2.4 trillion, according to The MetLife Study of Inheritance and Wealth Transfer to Baby Boomers. Overall, two-thirds of Baby Boomers stand to receive some inheritance in their lifetime.

For younger employees the possibility of an enjoyable retirement is dwindling. According to a study by Aon Hewitt, Generation Y workers can expect stagnant wages, job insecurity and a steady decline in pension plan and retiree medical benefits.

BB&T Bank’s institutional division has added a fixed-annuity option to its 401(k) product, which is called ClearCourse. It’s a Genworth fixed annuity guaranteeing its buyers lifetime income stream.

Twenty-three percent of middle-class IRA remained undecided in October about converting to an IRA, according to a study by First Command, a financial-education firm.

Legg Mason recently announced it has formed the Legg Mason Retirement Advisory Council, comprised of 14 industry leaders who will meet quarterly to discuss major challenges facing retirement products, service provides and best practices.

The economy might be making a slow return to health, but for many baby boomers, that upturn cannot happen fast enough.

According to a new LIMRA’s Guaranteed Income Annuities report, women buy six of every 10 immediate annuity contracts, a significant chunk of the $250 billion annuitization market.

The likelier an event, the less profitable it is to insure. So when MetLife backed out of selling long-term care insurance, it sent a signal that the risk of needing expensive medical care in old age has increased.

College savings funds have slashed fees this year, Morningstar reports, making them worth another look. Nebraska's College Savings Plan and plans run by Fidelity, T. Rowe Price, and Vanguard all cut fees this year.

Imagine this: An entire generation of investors has accumulated a significant amount of investable cash, but was too apprehensive of the stock market, of advisers, and of the potential costs, to know how to invest the money.

Surprisingly, most Americans showed understanding of diversification, asset allocation and dollar-cost averaging, while flunking basic questions about other financial concepts in a survey for Northwestern Mutual. This discrepancy is consistent with findings in a 2006 study.

Assets in U.S. exchange-traded funds rose to $924.9 billion as of Oct. 31 - its highest level on record - up $39.9 billion or 4.5% during the month.