A 401(k) Defense Against Rising Rates
Stable value accounts can be a smart option for the most conservative slice of a 401(k) portfolio, especially in the current interest-rate environment. Check out the article here
Guaranteed Insurance Accounts – Frequently Asked Questions
Because of the significant allocation of assets to guaranteed insurance accounts and the scant amount of publicly available information, the SVIA has released the following FAQ to shed some light on this segment. This FAQ is limited to an overview of guaranteed insurance accounts and focuses primarily on ‘spread-based’ general account insurance products. Download the […]
EBRI’s 2013 Retirement Confidence Survey: Perceived Savings Needs Outpace Reality for Many
Americans’ confidence in their ability to afford a comfortable retirement remains low— which may reflect a growing awareness of the savings realities ahead, according to the 23rd annual Retirement Confidence Survey. Download the PDF
Negotiating Risk for Stable Value Options
Dwight Asset Management has recently released a paper on stable value risk management which details five aspects of stable value risk and considerations on how they can be effectively managed. Download the PDF
MetLife’s 2013 Stable Value Study
MetLife has recently released their 2013 Stable Value Study, a study of Defined Contribution plan sponsors and stable value fund providers that gauges perceptions of, and insights into, the current stable value product landscape. Check out the study here
New Reporting Requirements Provide Insight into Stable Value Fees
Stable value funds that are managed as individual accounts for a single retirement savings plan have the lowest expense ratios in the stable value marketplace, a new survey from the SVIA confirms. Under new Department of Labor (DOL) regulations, defined contribution plans this year began reporting to their plan participants detailed information about the costs of the investment options in their plans. The […]
A Dodd-Frank Update: Stable Value Still in Limbo
Stable value wrap contracts aren’t considered swap contracts under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010—and they won’t be unless the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) determine that stable value contracts are swaps. A major goal of the Dodd-Frank Act was to bring greater transparency and regulatory oversight to over-the-counter derivatives, or, in the […]
Finding Retirement Security
Stable value is in a new stage of growth and stability. At the height of the financial crisis in the last quarter of 2008, stable value funds held about $347 billion of the assets in defined contribution plans. That number rose to $423 billion by the end of 2009 or 22 percent as investors sought out less volatile investment options. By the […]
A Consultant’s Perspective on Stable Value
A lot changed in the wake of the financial crisis of 2008, including the way retirement plan sponsors and their advisors think about stable value funds. “Twenty years ago, clients wanted a fully benefit responsive, competitive yield from their stable value fund, with no onerous restrictions if they wanted to cancel their contract,” observes plan consultant Angelo Auriemma. “Then the financial crisis hit, […]
