A recent survey of registered investment advisors by Spectrem Group of Chicago for Ameritas Advisor Services found that although 63 percent of advisors expect retirement income planning to be a huge part of their business in the years ahead, more than half do not have specialized investment options readily available for clients seeking retirement planning advice.
Additionally, the Spectrem study found that advisors are rarely offering annuities as part of their retirement-planning strategy, despite the product's ability to help address some issues today's investors face: increased longevity, inflation, and market and investment volatility.
Mitch Politzer, senior vice president of Ameritas Advisor Services, attributes this "annuity aversion" to a number of possible "misconceptions" concerning withdrawal charges, expenses, licensing requirements and loss of investment control for investors and advisors alike.
