The House of Representatives is likely to vote next week on the bipartisan Incentivizing New Ventures and Economic Strength Through Capital Formation Act -- a package of 20 previously approved bills that contains three measures included in the Insured Retirement Institute's Federal Retirement Security Blueprint. The measures include the Retirement Fairness for Charities and Educational Institutions Act, which would allow 403(b) plans to invest in collective investment trusts, a move IRI says would provide parity with 401(k) plans.

Help clients understand the value of whole life insurance, and dividends.

Vanguard and TIAA announced that the Retirement Lifetime Income Trusts, which embed a fixed annuity into a target-date fund, will become available in the second half of 2026. "The disappearance of pensions left a massive gap in retirement security," TIAA Chief Product Officer Colbert Narcisse says. "This collaboration fills that gap by embedding lifetime income right where 100 million Americans are already saving."

With fewer pre-retirees having access to pensions, many are turning to annuities to secure retirement income, writes LIMRA's Bryan Hodgens. LIMRA research indicates that only 40% of pre-retiree investors have pensions, compared to a majority of current retirees with at least $100,000 in investible assets. This shift has led to a surge in annuity sales, driven by products that address market volatility, inflation and longevity risk. Financial professionals play a crucial role, with 75% of those who recommend annuities seeing their clients purchase them.

Financial experts Edward McQuarrie and William Bernstein challenge Professor Derek Tharp's advice to claim Social Security at 62 to preserve retirement portfolios, arguing for delayed claiming. They critique the underlying assumptions in arguments favoring early Social Security claims, particularly the reliance on persistently high, risk-free portfolio returns, low inflation, and easy access to affordable pre-Medicare health insurance.

Advisors often overlook the biggest barrier to successful long-term care and retirement planning, which is human behavior, according to Les Robinson of Cadaret Grant. Robinson discusses the importance of shifting the mindsets of clients and their family members from reactive to proactive. "The missing link in retirement and care planning is not a lack of resources but a lack of understanding, learning and mindset," Robinson writes.

The Insured Retirement Institute submitted a formal statement to the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, emphasizing the negative effects of increasing Employee Retirement Income Security Act class-action litigation and calling on lawmakers to enact reforms to protect plan participants and maintain robust retirement offerings. "The real casualties of these frivolous lawsuits are individual retirement savers," IRI's Paul Richman and Jason Berkowitz said in the statement. "The looming risk of litigation has caused retirement plan providers to restrict investment options and shy away from adopting innovative features that could greatly benefit participants."

President Donald Trump has expressed interest in adopting an Australian-style retirement system, saying, "We're looking at it very seriously. It's a good plan. It's worked out very well." Australia's superannuation program requires employers to contribute 12% of employees' income to retirement savings, which are managed by professional investors and locked up until retirement, with few exceptions.

The Department of Labor's Employee Benefit Security Administration is facing a tight deadline to issue guidance on alternative assets in 401(k) plans following the recent government shutdown. The guidance, prompted by a White House executive order, could include a fiduciary safe harbor for plan sponsors, says J. Mark Iwry, a former Treasury official. The EBSA is also preparing to release a new fiduciary rule in 2026 that is expected to be less restrictive than the Biden-era version, aligning with the current administration's deregulatory goals.

The wealth management industry is facing a significant shift as Generation Z enters their prime wealth-building years amid the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history, writes Joe Buhrmann of eMoney Advisor. According to Buhrmann, Gen Z's digital fluency demands frictionless, transparent and values-aligned experiences. Advisors must adapt by leveraging AI for personalized service, ensuring robust cybersecurity and adopting clear pricing models to capture this generation's attention and loyalty.

Advisors who integrate estate planning into their services can enhance client relationships, writes Vanilla CEO Gene Farrell. He notes that 80% of heirs leave their parents' advisors within a year of inheriting wealth, but advisors who build relationships with the next generation before wealth transfers are more likely to retain these clients. Farrell discusses how advisors can use technology to scale estate planning offerings.

The Insured Retirement Institute's 2025 Retirement Security Blueprint includes 33 proposals to enhance and strengthen retirement security for more of America's workers and retirees. Access it here.

The Insured Retirement Institute's State of the Industry report is a members-only publication that includes annuity market data, operations and technology, and regulatory and legislative trends in 2024, as well as notable themes emerging in 2025. Access it here.