HARTFORD, Conn., July 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The retirement income market represents a unique opportunity for insurers to realign their solutions to meet an evolving consumer need, according to a new study by Conning Research & Consulting.

"Life and annuity insurers have been helping individuals amass assets in preparation for retirement. At the end of 2011, for example, individual and group annuities held 46 percent of all defined contribution plan assets. Beyond annuities, however, we estimate there was an additional $7.3 trillion in combined IRA and defined contribution plan assets. Now, insurers have a growing opportunity to help individuals turn those assets into retirement income," said Scott Hawkins, analyst at Conning Research & Consulting. "Of course, these assets are attracting other competitors, primarily mutual funds who've also helped investors accumulate retirement assets, and insurers need to respond to that competition. However, turning those assets into a secure income stream for retirees requires managing investment volatility and longevity risk. Managing those risks plays to the natural competitive advantage insurers have over their competition."

The Conning Research study, "The Big Payout: Growing Individual Retirement Income Opportunities" brings the opportunity associated with retirement income solutions into focus and analyzes the challenges that insurers face in planning for the growth in the retirement income market.

"As life-annuity insurers look to the future of the retirement income market, the path to growth involves careful strategic planning," said Stephan Christiansen, director of research at Conning. "Our analysis highlights the need for insurers to meet the competitive challenge represented by the mutual fund industry, and refine their messaging to the retiree and pre-retiree segments. Adding to the competitive marketing complexity, insurers also face substantial investment issues related to these products, and statutory capital constraints. Yet those insurers that succeed in meeting these challenges may be positioned to enjoy their largest growth opportunity over the coming decade."

"The Big Payout: Growing Individual Retirement Income Opportunities" is available for purchase from Conning Research & Consulting by calling (888) 707-1177 or by visiting the company's web site at http://www.conningresearch.com.

About Conning Research & Consulting

Conning Research & Consulting is a division of Conning, a provider of asset management and insurance industry research and consulting services to insurers. Conning Research & Consulting has published independent insurance industry research for 50 years, including market coverage of 30 segments of the industry in addition to industry forecasting and identification and analysis of major strategic issues. As a result of its wealth of experience and intimate knowledge of the insurance industry, Conning understands industry challenges and opportunities and provides in-depth analyses on a wide range of industry products and issues. Conning is headquartered in Hartford, CT.

Contact: Anne Steinberg Kitchen Public Relations, LLC 212-687-8999 anne@kitchenpr.com

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Conning Research: Retirement Income Market - A Significant Growth Opportunity for Life-Annuity Insurers

DALLAS, July 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cathy DeWitt Dunn, president of Dallas Fort Worth-based financial services company, DeWitt & Dunn, LLC, and host of the syndicated radio show, Safe Money Talk Radio, has words of encouragement for teachers regarding their retirement accounts. Texas teachers can choose to say no to falling portfolio values and high fees by taking control of their 403(b) retirement plans. Today's Texas teachers have the option of moving their 403(b) monies from variable annuity ownership into fixed index annuity ownership.

A 403(b) is the teaching profession's equivalent of a 401(k) investment plan. Nearly 80% of all 403(b) money is tied up in annuities, with the majority in variable annuities. Variable annuities were particularly popular in the 1980s and 1990s during times of strong market growth. Variable annuities provide exposure to market upside but do not offer principal protection or performance guarantees.

"Variable annuities made sense for some investors when markets were going strong," said DeWitt Dunn. "However, markets don't always go up. In fact, we've seen two 50% stock market drops since 2000 that have taken a toll on millions of Americans' retirement accounts. Many investors, including teachers, are now demanding options that offer principal protection, performance guarantees, and the potential for growth. For teachers and their 403(b)s, a fixed index annuity offers these benefits and more."

As part of a 403(b) retirement plan, a fixed index annuity provides the opportunity to participate in stock market gains. However, unlike a variable annuity, the account's principalincluding any gains made from contributions, bonuses, or positive stock market performanceis locked in and 100% protected by the insurance company against any losses. Fixed index annuities havealso eliminated the feesinvolved with variable annuities, which may make them a less expensive option for a retirement income solution.

Many Texas Teachers do not know they are allowed to move their existing 403(b) account to a safe alternative, and that doing so is a non-taxable transaction. DeWitt Dunn is currently working with plans that provide up to a 5.5% matching bonus on all contributions. Once enrolled in a 403b plan driven by a fixed index annuity, teachers may contribute into the plan via a payroll deduction on a continuing basis.

"Over the past year, we've helped teachers across Texas protect their 403(b) retirement accounts from market instability and losses by moving them out of variable annuities," said DeWitt Dunn. "If you're a teacher, protecting your retirement nest egg while still benefiting from market upside can be accomplished by completing some fairly simple home worknamely choosing a safe, high quality fixed index annuity for your 403(b)."

Additional information specifically for teachers and 403(b) retirement income planning may be found by visiting http://www.annuitywatchusa.com/just-for-teachers.

About DeWitt & Dunn, LLC DeWitt & Dunn, LLC is proud to be on the forefront of innovative financial solutions for retirement income planning. The company specializes in helping individuals and families strengthen their retirement outlook with lifetime income solutions not available from traditional brokerage houses. DeWitt & Dunn has helped thousands of people start their personal journeys towards a stronger retirement with strategies designed to protect principal, generate retirement income that can't be outlived, and eliminate market loss. Additional information on DeWitt & Dunn and Annuity Watch USA may be found by visiting http://www.annuitywatchusa.com

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Retirement income planning expert Cathy DeWitt Dunn urges Texas teachers to understand their 403b product options when ...

By Allison Linn, TODAY

The tight job market has taken a serious toll on some peoples retirement plans, forcing many to withdraw money set aside for their golden years early despite the potential for stiff penalties.

A new survey from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies finds that about one-third of people who are unemployed or underemployed and have a retirement account have withdrawn money from that account.

Thats despite the widespread knowledge that such a withdrawal could carry a stiff penalty if the person is under 59- years old.

Whats more, many unemployed and underemployed people reported having very little money set aside for retirement.

Transamerica used a Harris panel of 621 people who were either unemployed or underemployed for the survey. A person was defined as underemployed if they were working part-time because they couldnt find a full-time job or had a full-time job but still considered themselves to be less than fully employed.

The data suggest that some younger people are dipping into retirement savings even though that can lead to costly penalties and fees. The researchers also looked more narrowly just at people who were under 60 years old and had a retirement account with their most recent employer. More than four in 10 of those people said they had taken a withdrawal.

The unemployed and underemployed workers also reported very little savings for retirement. The Transamerica survey found that the median household savings in retirement accounts was just $5,800. The figures included people who hadnt saved anything at all.

The respondents in their forties and fifties had the lowest median retirement savings of $2,300. Those in their twenties had a median savings of about $10,000, and those in their sixties had a median savings of $47,000.

Have you had to dip into your retirement accounts early?

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Many of jobless dipping into retirement savings

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., July18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A new generation is redefining retirement by diving into high-energy activities and seeking new experiences from motorcycle riding and hiking to kayaking and white-water river rafting.

The nation's premiere active adult community builder reports that high-energy clubs and activity groups are gaining popularity across the nation, with health and fitness emerging as a top interest among both Del Webb residents and prospective homebuyers.

"Recreational interests among Baby Boomers are more diverse than ever before. Sure, golf and tennis are still popular, but now so are outdoor adventure activities like canoeing and kayaking, marathon running, rock climbing, off-roading and even sky diving," said Judy Julison, Del Webb's national director of lifestyle. "I've worked in the industry for more than 30 years and have never seen a more diverse group of people with so many varying interests."

Julison added that expectations about age, vitality and quality of life continue to be redefined and emphasize the importance of physical activity for many Del Webb residents. Advancements in health care and improved access to wide variety of fitness and wellness oriented programs have contributed to promoting improved health and extending life expectancy. Boomers feel years younger than their chronological age and this typically is reflective of their active lifestyle, she said.

According to the most recent Del Webb Baby Boomer survey, 80 percent of Boomers indicated that they feel younger than their current age. More specifically, younger Boomers, age 50, said they feel 10 years younger, Boomers in their early 60s said they feel 13 years younger and Del Webb residents with a median age of 65 said they feel 15 years younger than their actual age.

"Baby Boomers enjoy 'experiences,' rather than just 'activities.' They are also known to go to great lengths to resist the realities of aging," Julison said. "Our Del Webb residents are constantly seeking new, active and high-energy activities that can be incorporated into their everyday life, that also allow them to socialize and have fun. They are often motivated by a simple desire to try something new or to engage in an experience that challenges them physically and mentally."

With 73 percent reporting they exercise regularly, Del Webb residents are embracing more health-oriented and fitness activities. This is also reflected in the residents' requests for new group fitness classes, organized sporting events and increased attendance at the communities' fitness centers.

Seeking more adventure activities is definitely in line with Jack Burch's idea of retirement, as he regularly participates in motorcycle rides. Jack, 58, a Carolina Preserve by Del Webb resident, started riding a scooter when he was 10 because it was "easier than walking up the hill to fetch the cows." From there he rode dirt bikes and street bikes. "I gave up riding while raising five children but my wife and I have returned to it now that they are grown."

His wife Carol Burch, 55, also enjoys all kinds of rides in North Carolina and beyond from three hour rides to trips that are 300 miles a day for a week.

"Riding on the back seat just wasn't for me, so I took the class and got my own. Now when we go on trips whether they are three hours or 300 miles daily for a week, I am in control. I can smell those beautiful flowers on the side of the road and yes, also the cow dung," Carol says. "I look forward to each and every ride exploring new areas and absolutely love the mountain twisties. This is something we can do into our 80s."

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Baby Boomers Redefine Retirement With Adventure Activities

I plan to leave my job in about seven years. What should I be doing in my remaining working years to prepare for retirement? -- P.W., Hattiesburg, Miss.

It's smart to take a harder look at your plan as you enter the five- to 10-year home stretch into retirement. After all, you don't want to discover on the eve of your departure that you're woefully unprepared or, worse yet, realize after retiring that you left your job too soon and will have to live more frugally as a result.

To assure you're making progress toward your expected retirement date -- and to give yourself a chance to make adjustments if you're not -- I recommend you take the following four steps in the final years of your career.

1. Do annual retirement-readiness checkups. The idea is to see whether your retirement timeline is realistic -- that is, whether the estimated income you'll get from Social Security and any pensions, combined with a sustainable level of withdrawals from your savings, will actually allow you to maintain an acceptable standard of living when you leave your job.

You can perform this sort of analysis by going to an online calculator like Fidelity's Retirement Income Planner. One of the features I like about this tool is its interactive retirement budget worksheet, which allows you to get a much more accurate fix on how much income you'll actually need in retirement than you would by simply assuming you'll require a certain percentage of your pre-retirement salary.

By doing this evaluation yearly, you'll be able to see whether you're making sufficient progress toward your scheduled retirement date or whether you need to engage in some fine tuning, such as saving more or perhaps delaying your exit.

Related: Can you retire early?

2. Assess your retirement investments. Managing the money you've accumulated in 401(k)s and other retirement accounts can be tricky in the years leading up to retirement.

You still need to invest for growth to build your nest egg's value in the remaining years of your career and to maintain purchasing power throughout retirement. But you don't want to invest so aggressively that a market downturn derails your plans.

There's no single mix of stocks and bonds that's right for everyone. But in the final stages of your career you probably want to keep roughly 50% to 60% of your portfolio in stocks and the rest in bonds and cash. That should give you a decent shot at capital growth while also providing some downside protection.

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Retirement planning while you're still working

Intro: For the past 25 years, the number of people ages 65-69 in the workforce has gone up a whopping 74 percent. If that trend keeps climbing you might be asking yourself if you'll ever get to retire. Well, there's no doubt the retirement landscape has changed, but it's still a viable option if you prepare yourself for the new realities.

Reality number one is that you must be more self-reliant and take more personal responsibility for your retirement. That means saving earlier and saving more.

Take SOT: Greg McBride, Senior Financial Analyst

"The game has changed. The burden is increasingly on us as individuals to save for our own retirement, so aim to save 15% of your income specifically for retirement. And the sooner you get to that threshold, the better."

Continue VO: Another reality is to have a back-up plan. Chances are you'll need more money in retirement than you realize ... so just participating in a 401(k) still might not be enough. Supplementing your retirement with a Roth IRA can boost your retirement savings, while providing flexibility to withdrawal money tax-free in retirement ... since you already paid the tax when you made the contribution in your working years.

Take SOT: "Anyone with earned income is eligible to contribute to an IRA. Even a stay-at-home spouse or someone without their own income can still contribute based upon household earnings."

Working longer may not only helps finances, but sharpness of mind, too. Postponing collection of Social Security from 62 to 70 can mean a 76 percent increase in benefits. Plus, studies by the American Economic Association have shown that staying in the labor force in your later years also helps with cognitive function of the brain ... use it or lose it! Another jarring reality? Even those who diligently save face staggering health care costs. Medicare doesn't cover everything, in fact the average 65-year-old couple will spend 260,000 on out-of-pocket healthcare during their retirement years, according to Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

Bottom line: Save more, save earlier and be prepared to work longer. To learn more about funding your retirement, just visit the retirement tab at Bankrate.com. I'm Kristin Arnold.

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Video: Working longer in retirement

ATLANTA, July 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Jack Albertson, a leader in retirement planning seminars and popular radio talk show host, unveiled a new website designed to help Georgia retirees understand the basics behind retirement planning. BestRetirementGuy.com offers pre-retirees and retirees free educational videos and a list of important retirement terms defined.

Heralded as "The Retirement Guy," Albertson has been offering Georgians retirement information, estate planning, retirement income planning, taxes, and investment services for over 21 years. The launch of his website marks a new era in retirement information, giving members a free and accessible orientation on the basics of retirement annuities, the benefits and drawback of each classification, and even strategies behind retirement investing.

The Fox Business featured author launched the site to help Georgians make the most of their retirement funds. "With all the bumps in the road throughout your retirement years, it is vital that you map out a retirement strategy to minimize taxes, guarantee income, fight inflation, increase your purchasing power and protect your nest egg," says Albertson. He hopes his website gives pre-retirees and retirees critical information they need to plan ahead.

Rusty Humphries, a nationally-syndicated news talk host in Atlanta, supports Albertson's mission to help Georgians reach their retirement goals, "We all plan to start saving for retirement 'one day,' but getting past the jargon and details is hard. Jack makes it easy to understand so that anyone can start his retirement plan and actually know what's going on in their financial statement each month."

Signing up is free and the first step to accessing the informational videos on http://www.BestRetirementGuy.com. From there, visitors can learn more about the specifics of retirement account types, forms of interest, and more by checking out the retirement glossary.

Jack Albertson helps Georgia families and individuals realize and fulfill their retirement goals through Albertson Financial. Working with pre-retirees and retirees for over two decades, Albertson and his staff pride themselves on both protecting and growing client assets. An often called-upon key speaker for college and university events, he has also served as a retirement planning seminar trainer and leader. Albertson was honored with the National Leadership Award in 2003 and is the honorary chairman of the National Business Advisory Council.

Media Contact: Jennifer Albertson 770-641-7771

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Retirement Made Easy: Radio Personality and Retirement Planning Expert Helps Georgians Understand the Basics of ...

LONDON -- The last five years have been tough for those in retirement. Portfolio valuations have been hammered, annuity rates have plunged, and uncertainty has ruled the roost. There's no sign of things improving anytime soon, either, as the eurozone and the U.K. economy look set to muddle through at best for some years to come.

A great way to protect yourself from the downturn, however, is to build your retirement fund with shares of large, well-run companies that should grow their earnings steadily over the coming decades. Over time, such investments ought to result in rising dividends and inflation-beating capital growth, especially if you keep the shares within a tax-efficient ISA or SIPP.

It's no coincidence that the world's most successful investor, Warren Buffett, prefers such companies. He recently invested in a large FTSE 100 (INDEX: ^FTSE) company that fits the bill perfectly. You can find full details in this free report.

In this series, I'm tracking down the U.K. large caps that have the potential to beat the FTSE over the long term and support a lower-risk, income-generating retirement fund. Today I'll take a look at Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB.L) , whose 140 billion pound market capitalization makes it the largest company in the FTSE 100 and one of the world's five "supermajor" oil companies.

In this article I've focused on Shell's class "B" shares, which pay dividends in pounds and are most commonly held by U.K. investors. Shell also has class "A" shares -- Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSA.L) -- which are virtually identical but pay dividends in euros. The total value of these two types of shares gives Shell its 140 billion pound market cap.

Size matters Shell is an integrated oil company, which means that on top of extracting oil and gas and selling it on the open market, it also sells refined products like petrol and diesel to consumers. This means that it is not solely dependent on a high oil price to make big profits -- although that certainly helps! The link between profitability and the price of oil also explains why Shell's yearly performance is not directly linked to the FTSE 100:

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Is Shell the Ultimate Retirement Share?

You don't have to move full-time to reap the rewards of retiring overseas. Selling everything you own, packing your bags, and leaving your home, your family, and your friends to retire in a new country may seem bold, intimidating, even ridiculous. Perhaps you don't want to sell your house. Maybe you don't want to be a plane ride away from your grandchildren all year long. Some people have business or family responsibilities in the United States that would make it inconvenient to reside overseas 12 months a year.

These are all good reasons to retire overseas part-time. Another reason is improving your budget. If your retirement nest egg has taken a beating recently, your prospects for retirement living in the United States may seem grim. But if you spend half the year someplace where the cost of living is significantly reduced and rent out your U.S. home while you're away, your retirement funds could expand accordingly during the months you're stateside. Retirement could go from a source of concern to a cause for excitement.

One good strategy can be to follow the seasons. When the snow starts falling up north, head south. Combine city living with a mountain escape or small-town charm with a beachfront retreat. Soak up Continental pleasures, then withdraw to country life.

A part-time retirement abroad makes even more sense if you can rent out your place back home while you're off enjoying foreign pleasures. Find the retirement haven that complements your situation at home and buy there. If you can also rent out the foreign residence when you're away, your budget becomes a whole lot easier to manage.

One very sensible and manageable approach could be to spend half the year in the States and half the year down south, for example. This snowbird approach to retirement isn't new. Retirees from upstate New York and the Dakotas have been migrating south for decades. The difference today is that they're migrating farther south. Panama has become the new Florida, the top choice among Americans looking to escape winter back home by spending that season in far sunnier climes. Other top snowbird destinations include Mexico and Nicaragua.

Part-time retirement overseas has other practical benefits. Paul and Vicki Terhorst retired 25 years ago. However, they didn't retire to anywhere. They retired, literally, overseas. They move around the world as their wanderlust and, critically, their retirement budget dictates. When Paris was a far more affordable place to live than it is right now, they lived in Paris. When the cost of living in that city became more than their budget could bear, they moved to Buenos Aires. When inflation made Argentina too expensive, they moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where they've been living, happily, for the past eighteen months.

One more benefit to part-time retirement abroad: It means you don't have to worry about foreign residency options or visas. Remember, you must obtain a residency visa only if you intend to reside in the country permanently, which generally means more than six months a year. You'd have your work cut out for you trying to organize full-time legal residency as a retiree in Croatia, for example, or New Zealand. Both of these countries offer many advantages and appealing lifestyle options for the would-be retiree, but neither makes it easy for retirees to become full-time residents.

Kathleen Peddicord is the founder of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group. With more than 25 years experience covering this beat, Kathleen reports daily on current opportunities for living, retiring, and investing overseas in her free e-letter. Her book, How To Retire Overseas--Everything You Need To Know To Live Well Abroad For Less, was recently released by Penguin Books.

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Reap the Many Benefits of a Part-Time Retirement Overseas

By Joanna Robinson

PUBLISHED: 04:23 EST, 16 July 2012 | UPDATED: 11:42 EST, 16 July 2012

Pensioners are increasingly unwilling to sacrifice their quality of life in retirement in order to leave their relatives with an inheritance, a new study has claimed.

The research, from specialist insurer Just Retirement, has revealed a shift away from the traditional desire to leave significant assets to family members.

The belief in a duty to leave something for the next generation seems to be waning in those currently approaching retirement, for whom having a good quality of life takes top priority the study says. But is that really a bad thing and wouldn't any child rather their parents enjoyed retirement than scrimping to give them money? Joanna Robinson takes a look at the debate.

The good life: pensioners choose quality of life in retirement over inheritance for the next generation

The survey, which used 300 hours of interviews with more than 1,000 people, found 61 per cent of older people would not sacrifice their own lifestyle to make sure they can leave money to their family when they die.

One respondent said Id like to leave something to my children if theres anything left, but I wont ruin my retirement.

Another explained: Im not particularly worried as both my daughters are doing well.

One of the most interesting findings is the clear difference between generations, said Stephen Lowe, group director of external affairs and customer insight at Just Retirement.

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Should enjoying retirement be a priority over leaving an inheritance?