Annuity opportunities in today’s environment: BLOG
March 18, 2015 by Ryan McGee, Ash Brokerage
Your success is not contingent on a product or a rate. Sometimes as advisors, we can become discouraged by market conditions, especially when our livelihoods could be disrupted by things out of our control. As we continue to see a significant number of pricing decreases from carriers, along with the pressures of our current rate environment, you might be wondering how to keep these challenges in perspective.
First, don’t buy into the mindset that guaranteed products are no longer competitive. Your clients still need your help and expertise to provide better, safe returns on their money. Our solutions remain one of the best alternatives for clients seeking safety, higher rates of return and guaranteed income. According to Bankrate.com, there is still a large amount of funds — $13 trillion — earning less than 25 basis points in banks and institutions. As I write this, the national average for a five-year CD is around 0.8 percent.
Second, in the United States today, there are 20 million more people ages 50 to 74 than there were 10 years ago. That means there are one-third more prime annuity prospects. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than half of the Americans in that age group have more than $100,000 in investable assets, and more than one-third have more than $250,000.
Both of these scream annuity opportunity from the rooftops!
Recently released numbers from the LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute show total annuity sales improved 11 percent in the first quarter of 2014, compared to the first quarter of 2013, totaling $57.7 billion.
The sales were driven largely by fixed annuities, which experienced a 43 percent increase in the first quarter, reaching $23.5 billion. Indexed annuity sales also rose 43 percent in the first quarter, totaling $11.3 billion. This proves the opportunity is there, and your clients are responding!
To help your clients succeed, I truly believe the stars are aligned between the intersection of opportunity and strategic partnerships.
