Investment Instruments

Contribution limits for 401(k) plans and IRAs were unchanged, but the 1.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment announced by the IRS this week will change pension plan deductions for 2014.

Forty-four percent of those surveyed said they would like annuity manufacturers to focus on developing less-complex product designs in the next 12 months.

The industry has speculated for years that the strong U.S. economy and financial markets of the 1990s were spurred on by boomers.

Direct-to-investor assets have nearly doubled since 2008, outpacing the growth of traditional advisory models used by large wirehouses, according to research from Boston-based Cerulli Associates.

Many are desperate for larger tax deductions and accelerated retirement savings, which presents an opportunity for advisors, who can help clients accomplish this through a cash balance plan.

The U.S. Treasury is strongly considering offering bonds to help workers whose companies dont offer retirement plans save for their later years.