02.15.10
Report “Forecast 2010: Navigating Retirement Unknowns” Launched
In the early part of the report, an economic climate discussion and a summation of where we have been and where we are, takes place. There are occasional “outtakes” about the crisis for informational purposes, in addition to a section focused on crisis commentary. It’s important to view the crisis from different vantage points to make sense out of it for retirees and for helping them plan, if you are an advisor.
Some key points about demographics are presented, and how they relate to retirement security. In the section on longevity risk, a variety of forces which impact it are presented along with some common solutions. At present one of the few products that can guarantee against longevity risk is a fixed annuity, or a variable annuity with particular guarantees.
Following that discussion, the topic of heath care is covered, with a focus on Medicare’s challenges as it relates to retirement planning. We illustrate some of the growth trends which may help in anticipating future out of pocket expenses or areas for which one would want to insure against. Finally, some pressure points on the horizon are outlined such as: DB-DC tradeoffs, retirement ages’ issues and economic growth, asset prices and demographics.
One takeaway from this report would be that we are living in an era of uncertainty, even though some good news is occurring in spots. Be aware of the risks, and plan in a sensible way for their emergence. Be more vocal with those who represent your interests; ask questions of those who manage your resources. Understand the ways in which your retirement assets work, together and separately.
The link to the report page.
