Advisor Sales Strategies

Annuity Think Tank has started a television site dedicated to annuities, called annuity television. The consumer site will offer educational annuity videos, while providing annuity white papers, free reports and daily annuity-related blogs.

State governments are focusing increased attention on legal and regulatory protections against elder abuse, including scams that deprive older people of financial assets.

Average returns for funds with an equal mix of stock and bond allocations have historically been statistically equivalent during recessions and expansions, according to Vanguard.

For the third quarter of 2011, the John Hancock Investor Sentiment Index score is +10, a significant drop from the +18 score in the years second quarter and from the +22 score of the inaugural index in Q1 2011.

The funding deficit for the nations 100 largest corporate pension plans grew in September, increasing by $124 billion, according to Millimans 100 Pension Funding Index. This was the largest monthly drop in the plans funded status in 11 years, the report said.

Stocks got a lift Friday by news that the U.S. economy generated more jobs than anticipated over the past three months, reinforcing hopes that the world's largest economy will not be sliding back into recession.