Variable Annuities

Insurance Companies Experiencing Sellers’ Regret Over Variable Annuities

Published on: July 15, 2013 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

According to The New York Times, a number of insurance companies that sold variable annuities with healthy death or income benefits prior to the financials crisis are regretting this decision. One reason for this is that they are finding it hard to meet the obligations-payouts of at least 6% or guaranteed returns-that come with them.

Now, some insurers are currently trying to get annuity owners to agree to buyouts or move into investments that have lower returns. In some cases, the penalty for not complying is the loss of the payment that was guaranteed to them. Unfortunately, says The Times, the notice of these changes and potential ramifications are not being made explicitly clear to annuity owners, who may be hearing them via generic-seeming notices sent in the mail that don’t show no indication that the letter might be urgent.

One company, The Hartford, has notified advisers and clients that they have until October to change the asset allocation in specific variable annuities. This is to decrease the balance of the client, which would lower how much the company has to pay out. Rather than a 5% lifetime guaranteed payout, the annuity’s owner would receive a lower payout according to a decreased account value. Failure to comply will result in the loss of the rider that guaranteed payment no matter what the annuity’s value in cash. (A spokesperson for The Hartford, which is exiting the annuities business, said that the investment changes only apply to owners with contracts where such changes are allowed.)

SEC Focuses More Attention On Accounting Fraud, Variable Annuities, & Market-Maker Risk

Published on: June 26, 2013 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Jo White says that the agency will direct more resources toward going after financial fraud and accounting fraud. She was, however, clear to point out that this did not mean that a new accounting and financial fraud unit would be created, despite calls for one by some industry members. White spoke at the CFO Network 2013, where she also announced that the Commission was modifying its “neither admit, nor deny” settlement practice. This is an announcement that our stockbroker fraud law firm addresses in a different blog post.

The Commission is currently assessing its Enforcement Division’s specialized units, and this review is expected to result in certain size refinements and mandates, as well as the establishment of maybe one or more new units. Enforcement Division co-director George Canellos, however, said that the same reason why such a unit wasn’t set up three years ago when five specialized units (focusing on market abuse, asset management, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, public pensions, and municipal securities) were established still holds.

The SEC said then that nearly every regional office has attorneys and experienced accountants they believed are able to handle such cases. That said, the Commission will give over more resources to surveillance and become even more proactive about identifying where there are risks in accounting issues. This will include the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis’s development of an “Accounting Quality Model” that would let the SEC identify financial statement outliers. There also will be more partnering between the Enforcement Division’s Office of the Chief Accountant and the Division of Corporation Finance to come up with more accounting leads.

Securities Roundup: FINRA Tells Broker Dealer to Cease-a-Desist Its Allegedly Fraudulent Sales, SEC Supports Creation of Variable Annuities Summary Prospectus, & US Supreme Court Hears Amgen & Comcast Appeals to Shut Down Class Action Lawsuits

Published on: November 15, 2012 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

FINRA has filed a temporary cease-and-desist order barring WR Rice Financial Services Inc. and Joel I. Wilson, its owner, from taking part in allegedly fraudulent sales activities and the conversion of assets or funds. The SRO is also filing a securities complaint accusing both the Michigan based-brokerage firm, Wilson, and other registered representatives of selling over $4.5 million in limited partnership interests to approximately 100 investors while leaving out or misrepresenting material facts.

Per the broker fraud case, the broker-dealer and Wilson got investors to participate by promising them that their funds would be placed in land contracts in Michigan on residential real estate and that the interest rate they would get would be 9.9%. The money was instead allegedly used for unsecured loans to companies under Wilson’s ownership or control.

In other securities news, the SEC’s Division of Investment Management director Norm Champ recently stated that the Commission’s report on retail investors and their financial literacy gives basis for creating a summary prospectus for variable annuities. Speaking via teleconference at the American Law Institute-Continuing Legal Education Group conference on life insurance products on November 1, Champ reported that investors in the study agreed that the mutual fund summary prospectuses were user-friendly. He expressed optimism that a summary prospectus for variable annuities could give significant disclosures and related benefits if designed and implemented well and that the framework used for the mutual fund summary prospectus should prove to be an effective model.

Texas Securities Fraud Over Sale of Allegedly Bogus Annuities to Elderly Seniors

Published on: December 14, 2011 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Two men are accused of Texas securities fraud involving the sale of bogus annuities to the elderly. The authorities arrested Leon Randy Sinclair III, a 53-year-old Houston man, on charges of theft by deception, misapplication of fiduciary property, and money laundering. Sinclair and his San Antonio-based business partner, Luther Pierce Hendon, allegedly transferred money from the investment policies into their own bank accounts.

Dozens of elderly persons were reportedly bilked out of their life savings while the two men allegedly stole millions of dollars. The elderly clients were sold charitable gift annuities that they thought would go toward their savings for the future. Unfortunately, per the criminal complaints filed against Hendon and Sinclair, the money they were investing actually went to the two men.

Annuities

Most Investors Ignore Prospectus for Variable Annuities, Reports IRI

Published on: July 5, 2011 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

According to the Insured Retirement Institute, the majority of consumers don’t read the prospectus that accompanies a variable annuity purchase. IRI, which issued its report last week, also found that:

• 94% of consumers would like to get a prospectus summary that is shorter and is available either online or per their request. Most variable annuity prospectuses are 100 to 300 pages long.

• 59% of consumers said they would more likely discuss the product with their investment adviser if they were given a prospectus that was shorter and easier to understand.

Protect Yourself from Texas Securities Fraud by Making Sure that the Company or Agent that Sells You Annuities Has a Valid Insurance License

Published on: March 13, 2010 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

If you are going to buy annuities in Texas, it is important that you make sure that your agent is licensed with the state and also has a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority license. You should also make sure that the annuity you purchased is legitimate and in compliance with Texas standards and laws.

If you buy an unauthorized annuity, you may pay an inadequate return or put your money at risk. You can also become the victim of Texas securities fraud.

What is an Annuity?
This financial insurance contract can grow in value and provide constant income over an extended time period. They are good for growing your retirement, saving for your children’s schooling, setting up a trust fund, or bequeathing money to loved ones. Texas Department of Insurance regulates annuities and keeps an update list of companies and agents that are allowed to sell them in the state.

Three Kinds of Annuities:
Variable Annuities: Higher risk than fixed annuities, variable annuities rely on the stock market’s performance. They usually invest in different financial instruments, including money market funds, equity indexes, mutual funds, and government securities. These annuities let buyers decide how to distribute their accumulated value within the contract’s selected investments.

This kind of annuity doesn’t come with any guarantee of earnings and you can lose your original investment. Because variable annuities rely so much on the stock market, the Securities and Exchange Commission considers them securities.

Fixed Annuities: The most conservative type of annuity. They make earnings at an annually set current interest rate. Although the rate can change, a guaranteed minimum rate must be established. These annuity contracts usually invest in non-stock market, conservative investments. Buyers usually don’t have any say in how the funds are managed.

Equity-Indexed Annuities: EIA’s have traits that can be found in both variable annuities and fixed annuities. They pose a greater risk than fixed annuities and are less risky than variable annuities. Their returns are affected by changes in money, bond, and stock markets, and they come with a guaranteed minimum interest rate.

It is important to remember that annuities are not the best investment for everyone-especially if your financial goals are in the short-term. Your agent should apprise you of any risks and make sure that if you do choose to buy annuities, that they are the right choice for you.

Related Web Resources:
Understanding Annuities, Texas Department of Insurance
SEC Tips for Preventing Annuities Fraud, SEC.gov Continue Reading ›

SEC Says Prime Capital Services, Inc. Defrauded Elderly Investors in Florida with “Free” Lunch Seminars and Unsuitable Variable Annuity Sales

Published on: August 10, 2009 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

The US Securities and Exchange Commission is accusing broker-dealer Prime Capital Services Inc., income tax preparation business Gilman Ciocia Inc., and seven individuals of defrauding senior investors in Florida. The agency claims that the two companies, as well as the individuals named, allegedly used “free” lunch seminars that resulted in the sales of unsuitable variable annuities and, on occasion, millions of dollars in commission.

Robert Khuzami, the SEC Enforcement Director, called the free lunches “bait” for the scam. Elderly investors who are persuaded to purchase unsuitable financial products frequently are never able to fully recover their financial losses, which can severely deplete their retirement savings.

In addition to cease and desist proceedings against the respondents, the SEC is seeking remedial action, including civil penalties and disgorgement. According to the attorney representing PCS, Gilman, PCS President Michael P. Ryan, CCO Rose M. Rudden, one of the registered representatives, and one of the supervisors, the conduct under question occurred in the late ’90’s and 2000’s and has been remedied for some time. The respondents plan to defend themselves against the charges.

SEC investigators say the senior investment fraud scam occurred between November 1999 and February 2007 and that during appointments conducted with seminar participants, PCS representatives either left out important information or made misrepresentations about variable annuities. For example, PCS representatives are accused of telling investors they would have unrestricted access to the money they invested but did not tell them that there would be substantial charges if they withdrew their money early.

The SEC claims that representatives’ commissions when selling variable annuities was 6%. Their commission on other investment products was just 3%. The agency also claims that Ryan and a number of supervisors neglected to implement PCS’s supervisory procedure to identify when misconduct was occurring, as well as prevent broker misconduct from happening.

Related Web Resources:
Read the SEC’s Order (PDF)

“Free-Lunch” Seminars Still Baiting Seniors, Retirement Income Journal, July 15, 2009 Continue Reading ›

“Living Benefits” Annuity May Be Riskiest Product Ever Sold by Insurance Industry

Published on: December 3, 2008 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Variable annuities that guarantee “living benefits” could end up costing insurers a lot more than what they charge for them and may result in falling stock prices. These variable annuities come with a GMWB (guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit). An investor’s money is placed in various mutual fund-like “sub-accounts” in return for a guaranteed minimum payout, as well as a higher return if your mutual funds’ values increase by over a certain amount
This means that even if a buyer sustains significant losses on an investment, he or she must still receive the fixed, minimum income benefits that were promised. It is also important to note, however, that there may not be an increase in future benefits.

Last summer, variable annuities became even more attractive to investors, as insurers competed with one another to generate more business. This move, however, is not boding well for insurance companies.

Fitch, AM Best, Standard & Poor’s, and Moody’s have all placed the life insurance industry in their “negative-outlook” columns. Even if insurers increase their prices or lower future guarantees, these moves may not suffice to cover the benefits they have promised.

Many GMWB annuities buyers had anticipated not having to withdraw from their annuities for a number of years, until their value had increased enough to pay more than the $5,000 annual minimum. Now, this won’t be possible until the annuity recovers everything lost plus yearly costs.

Related Web Resources:

Maximum Risk Didn’t Hurt These Investors, Bloomberg.com, December 3, 2008

The Cost Of Variable Annuity Guarantees, Investopedia.com Continue Reading ›