For most people, retirement planning is not fun; that's why they avoid it. According to a recent study, more than half of Americans don't know how much they'll need to retire comfortably. On average, people think that there is a 45% chance they will outlive their savings, and 41% have taken no steps to address it.

People who are in the retirement planning stage...

With all the index annuity products in the marketplace today, it can be challenging to sort through them to find the right solution for your client. So, it's important to know your client's individual needs along with the various features of the products you work with.

Here are three steps to decide what product is a good fit for your client:

When a client or prospect is ready to retire, they’ll need access to his or her assets to fulfill their income needs. Flexibility is critical during this time. Having a diversified portfolio of investments which they can use is essential for retirement income strategies. It also is important to find out how much income they actually need.

Here are several more...

More than likely, you’ve heard the term “hybrid annuity” float around in conversations, or you’ve even discussed it yourself. The term “hybrid” is used indiscriminately to describe a variety of products, VAs or fixed products, and suggests consumers are “getting more for their money.” So, when people refer to hybrid annuities, what do they actually mean?

People invest billions of dollars in variable annuities with Guaranteed Living Income Benefit riders. After owning these variable annuity policies for several years, many clients begin to reevaluate their purchase and realize they should discuss alternative options with their financial professional.

Plenty of these customers need guidance on what they should do...