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Correction

November 2008 - The name of Shlomo Benartzi, professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, was misspelled in our October 2008 issue.

Executive Moves

November 2008 - AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co. has named Claude A. Methot executive vice president of life and annuity product development. A member of the executive management committee, Methot will report to AXA CEO Christopher M. 'Kip' Condron.

Research Watch

November 2008 - Americans may have a harder time securing an adequate retirement income in a weaker economy, according to a new study sponsored by AARP.

Independent RIAs Lead Retirement Income Race

November 2008 - Fee-based independent advisers are beating out fund companies, bro- kerages and insurers in the quest to manage the Baby Boomers' savings.

AIG Failure Fuels Regulatory Turf War

November 2008 - The Federal Reserve's bailout of American International Group has revived the debate about whether the federal government should regulate insurance companies.

Portrait of a Financial Giant

November 2008 - The offspring of a 1998 merger between NationsBank and BankAmerica, Bank of America has grown steadily through acquisition since then.

Bank of America Gains Merrill Lynch's 401(k) Plans and More

November 2008 - With Bank of America's purchase of Merrill Lynch for about $50 billion in mid-September, the bank took a big step toward becoming a force in the retirement industry.

Orange You Glad To Be ING?

November 2008 - ING has had better luck in this year's tough variable annuity market than any of its rivals, with sales of $4.03 billion in Q1 and $7.95 billion in Q2.

What Would Bogle Do?

November 2008 - I worked for Vanguard for several years. And imbibed its philosophy.

Morgan Stanley Ready for Electronic VA Sales

November 2008 - A Merrill Lynch rival, Morgan Stanley, has also been aggressive in putting variable annuities on its advisers' workstations.

The STP Pilot: Cleared for Takeoff

November 2008 - In a roundtable discussion sponsored by the DTCC, six executives with stakes in the STP initiative gathered to evaluate its progress.

Research Watch

October 2008 - A 'perfect storm' of economic forces makes lifetime income annuities a smart move for women, according to a Wharton Financial Institutions Center essay.

Annuity Providers Face a Challenge: Advisers' Aversion

October 2008 - Chicago-based Spectrem Group found that 70% of advisers avoid locking their clients into annuities and would prefer other long-term retirement products.

The State of STOLI Laws

October 2008 - Recent amendments to the Viatical Settlement Model Act prohibit the sale of a life insurance policy for five years except in cases of terminal illness.

Putting a Freeze on STOLI (Not the Vodka)

October 2008 - Baby Boomers with in-force life insurance but inadequate savings are the target market of the burgeoning but much-criticized life settlement industry.