That Annuity Show

In this episode, we delve into the dynamic landscape of annuities and retirement markets, exploring the promising opportunities of 2024 amidst the evolving Retiretech scene. Join moderator Doug Roth of CT Innovations and industry experts Ray Jang from Primetime Partners, Marie-Christine Razaire representing Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, and Andrew Wegrzyn of SixThirty Ventures as they discuss strategies for making smart bets on the future of retirement. Discover insights on navigating the shifting sands of valuation resets and uncover the untapped potential that lies within the annuity and broader retirement markets. Gain exclusive access to expert predictions on which opportunities are primed for success in 2024 and which ventures are poised to attract funding. Subscribe now to unlock valuable insights and actionable strategies:   This episode was recorded live at Retiretech Vegas in April 2024. Click to watch the full panel: 

In this episode of That Annuity Show, recorded live at RetiretechTM Vegas, we delve into the dynamic interplay between technology, regulation, and innovation within the insurance industry. Our panelists, including Commissioners Andrew Mais from Connecticut, Nathan Houdek from Wisconsin, Kathleen Birrane from Maryland, and Troy Downing from Montana, along with moderator George Esposito of Zinnia, lead a discussion on the pivotal role of artificial intelligence (AI) in reshaping the landscape of insurance. Throughout the conversation, they stress the crucial balance between fostering innovation and maintaining regulatory oversight to uphold fair treatment of policyholders. With a keen eye on the potential risks associated with AI and machine learning, the panelists underscored the importance of financial literacy and ongoing consumer education initiatives. As the dialogue unfolds, technological advancements in insurance distribution emerge as a central theme, highlighting the transformative potential of AI-driv

On April 8-10, we held our third RetiretechTM event...this time in Las Vegas. Joe Jordan joined us as a keynote speaker. The next day, we caught up with him in the expo hall of RetiretechTM Las Vegas and talked to him more about the future of purpose-driven retirement planning. Learn more: https://imagine.nfg.com/retiretech-2024/

Tamiko Toland and Michael Finke join us today as founders of Income Path. Income Path is a tool that visualizes retirement income paths and the impact of annuities on that journey. A conversation with Bill Sharpe in 2018 provided the spark for this new venture. The tool aims to shift the narrative from fear-based discussions to positive outcomes and flexibility. It allows individuals to modulate their annuity allocation and equity allocation to create the desired income path. The target audience for Income Path includes financial professionals and institutions, and the tool can be used throughout retirement to evaluate and adjust income plans. Takeaways Income Path is a tool that visualizes retirement income paths and the impact of annuities on those paths. The tool aims to shift the narrative from fear-based discussions to positive outcomes and flexibility. Individuals can modulate their annuity allocation and equity allocation to create the desired income path. Income Path is targeted towards financial pro

217 - The Peak 65 Zone Is Here With Jason Fichtner Jason Fichtner, Chief Economist, Bipartisan Policy Center & Executive Director, Retirement Income Institute, Alliance for Lifetime Income joins us today to talk to us about his latest paper. Jason recently released the 2024 edition of “The Peak 65® Zone Is Here – Creating A New Framework For America’s Retirement Security". On our show, Jason Fichtner discusses this paper, the retirement income challenge, and the need for protected income strategies.  He highlights the moment and the retirement challenges faced by the baby boomer generation. Fichtner emphasizes the transition from defined benefit to defined contribution plans and the importance of optimizing Social Security benefits. He also discusses the use of bridge annuities to convert retirement assets into a stream of income. The role of the workplace in retirement planning and the need for prescriptive advice are also discussed.  The conversation explores the need for protected income products in de

In this episode, Paul Tyler and David Czerniecki, Chief Investment Officer for Nassau, discusss various economic topics, including China's economic slowdown, energy prices, inflation, and global conflicts. They explore the implications of these issues on the global economy and provide insights into potential future developments. Takeaways China's economic slowdown has implications for the equity markets, interest rates, and global growth. Energy prices have remained stable despite conflicts and disruptions in shipping lanes. Achieving the target inflation rate of 2% has been challenging due to sticky prices in the services sector. Global conflicts, while tragic, have had a muted economic impact so far. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:05 China's Economic Slowdown 09:01 Inflation 14:06 Global Conflicts

Summary Ron Gura, the co-founder and CEO of Empathy joins us today on our show. Empathy aims to provide support and guidance to individuals who have lost a loved one, helping them navigate the administrative and emotional aspects of the process. He shares his personal journey and the inspiration behind starting Empathy. The conversation delves into the workflow and touchpoints of Empathy's services, the co-branded experience for carriers and producers, and the impact of Empathy's services on claimants. The episode concludes with a discussion on breaking the taboo around death and the value of experience over product in the insurance industry. Takeaways Empathy is a company that provides support and guidance to individuals who have lost a loved one, helping them navigate the administrative and emotional aspects of the process. The taboo around death and loss needs to be broken, and conversations about mortality and end-of-life planning should be encouraged. Empathy offers a co-branded experience for carriers

Summary Andrew Unkefer, an industry legend joins us to talk about the importance of relationships in the industry, the impact of technology, the future of the producer and IMO space, the shift to virtual meetings, consolidation in the industry, the impact of regulation, and the integration of estate planning and financial solutions. Andrew also shares his personal focus and future plans. Takeaways Relationships are still a key aspect of the insurance industry and producers and IMOs that prioritize serving their producers and building partnerships will thrive. The industry is experiencing a shift towards virtual meetings, with some producers successfully initiating relationships and conducting business through platforms like Zoom. Consolidation is happening in the industry, and producers and IMOs need to adapt and concentrate their businesses to remain successful. The integration of estate planning and financial solutions presents a significant opportunity for producers to provide a higher level of benefits a

Zinnia provides technology and administrative services to over 40 life, annuity, and retirement carriers. We had the opportunity to discuss the future of insurance service and technology with Michele Trogni, CEO at Zinnia and Operating partner at Eldridge, and George Esposito, General Counsel, Head of Business Development for Zinnia in their Greenwich, CT offices. As it just so happened, Zinnia announced that it will acquire Ebix Inc.'s Life and Annuity software assets shortly after we met. We quickly added a short interview with Michele to understand what it means for their company and customers going forward. Highlights: Michele Trogni, CEO of Zinnia and operating partner of Eldridge, discusses simplifying insurance through data and technology. Zinnia serves carriers, advisors, and consumers with the goal of modernizing the "rails" of the insurance industry. They are shifting from just a TPA (third party administrator) to a broader technology and data provider focused on carrier growth and better customer

Summary In this episode, Paul Tyler and his guests discuss the Department of Labor's new rules and their implications for insurance agents. They explore the impact on independent agents and the potential migration towards the RIA industry. The conversation also touches on public policy considerations and the need for proper regulation. Michelle Richter-Gordon shares her insights and highlights the importance of understanding the new rules and their potential risks. The episode concludes with a discussion on advocacy and the resources available to navigate these changes. Takeaways The Department of Labor's new rules will have a significant impact on insurance agents, particularly independent agents. There is a need for proper regulation that takes into account the unique characteristics of insurance products and the role of insurance agents. The new rules may lead to a migration towards the RIA industry as agents seek to operate under an investment advising regime. It is important for agents to understand the

Summary James Wong, our guest today, shares his perspective on the future of annuity distribution. The main takeaway…build strong relationships today in order to navigate the changing landscape of the industry tomorrow. The conversation covers industry associations, survey work, product innovation, acquisitions, and the implications for agents and agencies. James also introduces the concept of the Founder's Chair, which aims to support entrepreneurs in the insurance industry.   

Summary   In this episode of That Annuity Show, Paul Tyler and Tisa Rabun-Marshall interview Marshall Heitzman, VP of Advanced Planning Consulting at TruStage. They discuss the role of annuities in comprehensive planning and the importance of understanding clients' values and goals. Marshall shares his personal experience with behavioral finance techniques and how they can help advisors connect with clients on a deeper level. They also explore the evolution of annuity products and the benefits of including adult children in financial conversations. The episode concludes with recommendations for further reading and ways to reach out for assistance.   Takeaways   Understanding clients' values and goals is crucial in comprehensive planning with annuities. Behavioral finance techniques can help advisors connect with clients on a deeper level and engage them in the planning process. Including adult children in financial conversations can strengthen relationships and ensure continuity of the client-advisor relati

Summary In this episode of That Annuity Show, Bobby Samuelson, President of Life Innovators, discusses the current state of the annuity market and the challenges and opportunities it presents. He highlights the entry of new companies into the market and the different strategies they employ. Bobby also discusses the role of proprietary indices in annuities and the need for innovation in product development. He emphasizes the importance of technology in enabling advisors to tell the annuity story more effectively. Overall, Bobby provides insights into the changing dynamics of the annuity market and the evolving expectations of customers. Takeaways New companies are entering the annuity market, with many focusing on multi-year guarantee annuities (MYGAs) as an entry point. The annuity market is highly competitive, and companies need to differentiate themselves through innovation in product development. Proprietary indices have played a significant role in the annuity market, but there is a need for more innovat

“208 - Improving the #AnnuityUX in 2024 With David Hanzlik"   Summary   In this episode, Paul Tyler, Ramsey Smith, and Dave Hanzlik discuss the annuity industry and the changes that occurred in 2023. They talk about the rebranding of TruStage, the growth in annuity sales driven by the rate environment, and the success of fixed annuities and fixed indexed annuities. They also explore the potential for growth in niche markets, such as deferred income annuities, and the role of registered index-linked annuities (RILAs) in the industry. The conversation highlights the importance of making annuity sales easier for advisors and the potential impact of AI in the industry. The episode concludes with final thoughts and tips for annuity sales professionals.   Takeaways   The annuity industry experienced significant changes in 2023, including rebranding and growth in sales driven by the rate environment. Fixed annuities and fixed indexed annuities performed well in 2023, with advisors recognizing the value of the guar

Summary   Ema Roloff, Co-Founder and Principal Consultant of Roloff Consulting, discusses the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in the annuity and broader insurance industry. She emphasizes the importance of addressing legacy systems and the education gap in digital literacy. Ema provides insights on how to start building digital literacy and recommends finding reliable sources for learning. She also discusses the fear associated with AI and the need to overcome it by focusing on the benefits and practical applications. Ema highlights the power of video content and authenticity in marketing and suggests becoming the favorite teacher to build trust with customers. The conversation concludes with a discussion on reaching the right audience with video content.   Takeaways   Legacy systems and the education gap are key challenges in digital transformation in the insurance industry. Building digital literacy is crucial for individuals and organizations to leverage emerging technologies effecti

We can’t believe we’re near the end of the fourth quarter already. Today we sit down with David Czerniecki, Chief Investment Officer for Nassau Financial Group. We cover interest rates, geopolitics, inflation, and AI.     Interested in learning more? https://

It's hard to escape a news show, magazine or newspaper without reading about AI these days. How will it affect our business? That's what we explore today with David Macchia, CEO and Founder of Wealth2K. Learn more: Gain additional industry insight:  

As the market heads into its final quarter, we thought you would enjoy hearing Tamiko Toland's take on trends in 2023. In this episode, we talk about the 401(k) market, retail annuities, and the consulting firm that Tamiko is building next.

Our world is filled with risks today. At a personal level, we've spent a lot of time talking about risks in managing retirement. Today, we explore how those risks overlap with those of carriers with Tamara Burden, Deputy Chief Risk Officer of National Life Group.

David Czerniecki, Chief Investment Officer of Nassau Financial Group joins us today to talk about the economy. In this episode, we cover a cooling economy in China, an improving outlook for our supply chain, a steadying job market, and the current cost of climate change.