Living Benefits

Decorative pattern

Living Benefits

How to integrate RDSPs, Henson trusts and annuities

With the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) expected to launch late this year, financial advisors need to make sure all relevant aspects of planning for people with disabilities are properly coordinated. Based on the RESP model, the RDSP offers incentives to friends and families to provide higher income for people with severe disabilities and encourage […]

By Janet Freedman |December 18, 2008

10 min read

Decorative pattern

Living Benefits

Insurer strength secures GMWBs

Investors have been seeing the ugly side of guaranteed products these days. Arguably, the most popular guaranteed investments — guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit (GMWB) products — remain quite firmly guaranteed as long as their issuer’s balance sheet can carry the risk. Many PPNs and some guaranteed target-date funds that use constant proportional portfolio insurance (CPPI) […]

By Mark Noble |December 5, 2008

4 min read

Decorative pattern

Living Benefits

Premium Advice — Insured annuities and philanthropic needs

At the recent CALU associate members’ meeting, Malcolm Burrows from Scotia Private Client Group’s Philanthropic Advisory Services gave a presentation on charitable giving. In it, he discussed a renewed client interest in utilizing insured annuities in a charitable sense. Subsequently, at different meetings — within, and outside of, my own company, I again heard talk […]

By Chris Paterson |December 3, 2008

4 min read

Decorative pattern

Living Benefits

Income guarantees

Necessity is the mother of invention, as the proverb says. Whenever there’s a need, someone will invent a device to meet that need. While the expression generally refers to things mechanical, it’s also true in the investment management market. Mutual funds, exchange traded funds, linked notes and many other structured investment vehicles all represent innovations […]

By Jason M. Pereira |October 8, 2008

3 min read