WHERE HAVE YOU GONE, CHIP HILTON?
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Investment Management Roundtable Discussion – Personal Estate Planning
In a world where retirement plan innovation often comes with more flash than substance, it’s refreshing to see a strategic alliance that actually addresses a fundamental challenge in defined contribution plans: providing real...more
On April 21, New Jersey became the 50th and final state to adopt the Best Interest standard for annuity transactions. The new New Jersey standard is based on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)...more
The recent rule and form amendments adopted by the SEC to facilitate the registration of registered index-linked annuities (RILAs) and market-value adjustment annuities (MVAs) on Form N-4 have been broadly welcomed by the...more
Life insurers operating in California can breathe a little easier this morning. Since 2021, life insurers have been facing a wave of class action lawsuits and potentially crushing liability based on alleged violations of...more
The Mitchell Williams Insurance Regulatory team of attorneys recently attended the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Fall 2024 National Meeting which was held in Denver, Colorado. We have prepared a...more
The stay of the effective dates of the amended fiduciary regulation and amended exemptions means that the “old” fiduciary regulation (the 5-part test) and the amended exemptions continue in effect indefinitely. As a result,...more
On July 1, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced new rules for registered index-linked annuities (RILAs) and registered market-value adjustment annuities (MVAs). The new rules will significantly impact...more
Pension risk transfers (“PRTs”) continue to make the news. And well they should. Last year alone, over $100 billion in liabilities were transferred from defined benefit pension plans to insurance companies. And the trend...more
Over the last several years, numerous large pension plan sponsors have transferred billions of dollars in financial risk related to their pension plan benefit obligations to insurance companies through the purchase of group...more
Worried that the cards may be stacked against certain consumers and producers, the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) released a circular letter and filing guidance note on July 17 to remind insurers of their...more
Earlier this week, the New York Department of Financial Services (“DFS”) published Circular Letter No. 6 (2023) identifying activities by life insurance and annuities providers that it views as being unlawfully discriminatory...more
New guidance from the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) takes aim at improper discrimination by life and annuity writers in the state. DFS Insurance Circular Letter No. 6, issued on July 17, explains that New...more
On July 17, 2023, the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) issued Insurance Circular Letter No. 6 (2023) (“Letter No. 6”) and a concurrent press release seeking to clarify, and in our opinion repeal, earlier...more
On February 24th, the NAIC Life Insurance and Annuity (A) Committee (A Committee) adopted amendments to Actuarial Guideline (AG) 49-A to address a concern raised by state insurance regulators regarding the use of...more
After a blustery fall, the NAIC’s Life Actuarial (A) Task Force (LATF) adopted the following at its December 2022 meeting: Actuarial Guideline LIV – Nonforfeiture Requirements for Index-Linked Variable Annuity Products...more
More than 25 years have elapsed since the SEC adopted Exchange Act Rule 17a-4(f) governing electronic recordkeeping by broker-dealers. In an effort to update the rule to reflect “technology neutral” concepts, the SEC adopted...more
Sales of fee-based annuities have soared in recent years. However, the financial planners and investment advisers that use them with clients may be unknowingly exposing themselves to future enforcement action from state...more
On July 25, 2022, the Index-Linked Variable Annuity (A) Subgroup of the NAIC’s Life Insurance and Annuities (A) Committee issued for public comment an exposure draft of proposed actuarial guidelines for index-linked variable...more
The National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) unanimously agreed to waive a red flag protesting insurers’ offers of enhanced cash surrender values. At its summer meeting, NCOIL adopted a Resolution Identifying Certain...more
The Mitchell Williams Insurance Regulatory team of lawyers recently attended the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) 2022 Summer National Meeting which was held in Portland, Oregon on August 9-13th. We have...more
On August 15th, the NAIC’s Life Actuarial (A) Task Force (LATF) re-exposed for comment four options to address a concern raised by state insurance regulators regarding the use of illustrations for indexed universal...more
The death of a loved one brings stress, despair and grief. It also often precipitates disagreements regarding the intended beneficiary of an annuity, life insurance policy or other account of the decedent. The financial...more
The Life Insurance and Annuities (A) Committee sprang into action during the NAIC Spring 2022 National Meeting in April. The A Committee discussed recent activities and 2022 plans for its Life Actuarial Task Force (LATF), its...more
Insurers writing variable annuities in New York will want to focus on newly proposed requirements from the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) on separate account contracts...more
The Department of Labor’s “Fiduciary Rule,” PTE 2020-02: The FAQs - Key Takeaways - ▪️ The DOL has issued FAQs that generally explain PTE 2020-02 and the expanded definition of fiduciary advice. ▪️ In FAQ 18, the DOL...more