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According to the leading regulatory lawyers in our industry, advisors are about to get hit with a doozy. Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath say that the DOL is planning to release a new fiduciary rule this spring. Since the new version of the rule is being drafted and put forth under the Biden DOL, it is widely agreed that this newest version will look much like the Obama-era rule that got thrown out by the courts. According to Fred Reish, a partner at the firm, “There will be provisions of 2020-02 that'll be moved over to it. Probably the fiduciary acknowledgement, the best interest standard and maybe specific disclosures of reasonable compensation limitation. It'll look a lot more like a fiduciary type rule than it does right now."

FINSUM: This new rule has been widely signaled but we have never had a good fix on timing, but is now becoming clear. Take note.

Annuities are more available than ever these days. Many large providers have been designing products just for RIAs and are making a big push in the area. Additionally, annuities are now easily included in 401ks. But when is it right to choose one? The overall value of annuities has declined as rates have fallen, but as rates rise, they are becoming more attractive as a source of good guaranteed income. Additionally, they offer unique tax benefits that help enhance returns. Brighthouse, for example is a leading provider of annuities and lead the industry with the FlexChoice (variable annuity) and Shield (index-linked annuities) products. Choosing the right annuity depends on your client’s goals.

FINSUM: Annuities increasingly fit into a client’s portfolio in myriad ways. In some cases for a lower wealth client, it can be a near one-stop shop to accomplish retirement goals, especially if that client is prone to not managing budgets well. In other cases, annuities can provide just a small portion of a portfolio, but do so with guaranteed income.