Deciphering the Annuity Puzzle
My Advisor Perspectives column for July is now available. It is, “Deciphering the Annuity Puzzle: Practical Guidance for Advisors.” In this column, I explain the economic theory behind the puzzle. The puzzling issue is why people do not annuitize more of their assets at retirement since it removes longevity risk from the equation and allows […]
Why Do Economists Say There is an Annuity Puzzle?
Economists are known for describing the annuity puzzle. The puzzle is: why do people not purchase income annuities (exchange a lump sum payment for a guaranteed lifetime income stream) to the extent predicted by economic theory? A number of explanations have been offered. Today I will not get too much into the explanations for the […]
Are Annuities (SPIAs) Okay When Interest Rates are Low?
Readers of my last blog entry, Annuities and Delayed Social Security, provided many valuable comments, prompting me to now write a follow-up post. Most of the discussion centered on a chart showing the relationship between annuity payout rates and interest rates. That chart was actually a last minute addition, as I saw the picture on […]
