Retirement planning isn’t only about finding higher returns. It’s also about deciding how different pieces of a portfolio work together over time.

What should advisors look for when evaluating indexed annuities? How can product design, diversification, and long-term thinking influence retirement outcomes?

In this episode, Jeremy Houser welcomes Tom Haines, Executive Vice President of Capital Markets and Index Solutions at Annexus, to discuss how fixed indexed annuity strategies have evolved. Tom explains the importance of portfolio construction inside FIAs, how research influences index development, why diversification continues to matter, and how product design can improve consistency for clients throughout retirement planning.

Key takeaways:

Building FIA portfolios around diversified index strategies instead of relying on a single allocation approach
Evaluating product design beyond illustrations, including renewal consistency and long-term implementation
Using global diversification alongside domestic exposure to improve return consistency over time
Looking beyond accumulation by considering income, legacy planning, and changing family needs
Focusing product innovation on practical retirement challenges instead of following industry trends
And more!

Connect with Tom Haines:

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@jeremyhouser_amp
@jeremyhouserAMP

About Our Guest:

Tom leads the index diligence and selection process for Annexus and coordinates the firm’s relationships with asset managers, academic experts, and investment banks in conjunction with Annexus’ carrier partners. Tom is also one of the lead architects of the Lifetime Income Builder TDFs at Annexus Retirement Solutions (ARS). In his role within ARS, Tom works closely with the insurers and asset managers that partner with ARS on implementing the Lifetime Income Builder within portfolios and funds. Prior to joining Annexus, Tom led Equities Solutions Structuring at UBS Investment Bank. He began his career in index and statistical arbitrage trading within BNP Paribas’ Cooper Neff Division (Paris office) before serving as vice president in the Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) Group at NYSE Group and head of ETPs and Derivative Product Solutions at RBS. Tom’s research on index products has been published in top financial journals. He formerly served as a member of FINRA’s Investment Management Committee. Tom holds a bachelor’s degree in Quantitative Finance from James Madison University in Virginia.

Disclosure #: 5635414 – 0726