Millennials who have never obtained student loans have twice as much saved for retirement by age 30 as millennials who have taken on debt, according to a study by the Center for Retirement Research. The loan amount seems an insignificant factor, the study says, noting "mere existence of the debt is enough to constrain saving."

Steadily climbing US and European equity futures and rebounding stock markets in Asia have marked a possible end to the global stock sell-off. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures were poised to open today with solid gains, and data on growth of Chinese exports have put investors at ease about where Asia's economy is headed.

Life insurance and annuities are among the products most sensitive to interest rates, making issuers concerned about a sharp rise in rates. Slow, steady increases in rates are generally best for these products.

The income guarantees of different types of annuities with equivalent benefits vary, based on factors including the gender of the purchaser, when the income is taken and whether it is intended to benefit an individual or a couple, according to research by Cannex. "[A]dvisors need to rely on real analytics, not traditional perceptions or best guesses of how guarantees work to best serve their clients," said Cannex's head of annuity research, Tamiko Toland.

More than two-thirds of defined-contribution plans offer retirement income solutions, according to the 2018 Callan Defined Contribution Trends Survey. Nine percent of plans offer in-plan products that guarantee lifetime income, 8% provide annuity placement services and 6% offer annuities as a type of distribution payment.

Long-term-care insurance, including hybrid policies that combine insurance and annuities, may help cover the cost of assisted living. To qualify for assisted living help, policyholders must require assistance with daily activities.

PwC says its 2018 Employee Financial Wellness Survey, which identifies people by financial personality, can guide financial-wellness programs. For example, savers might benefit from periodic meetings with a financial coach to refine retirement habits, while spenders need help managing debt.

Retirees and adult children disagree on what makes a retirement community better than others, according to research by Zion & Zion. Cost, nearby businesses and climate are important to retirees, while children favor security, health care access and wellness programs.

Female investors present an opportunity for financial planners and investment advisers, and industry professionals are trying to learn more about women's financial habits and to add more female clients, write Matthew Sommer, CFA, CFP®; Han Na Lim, Ph.D.; and Maurice MacDonald, Ph.D. Their survey of 1,011 men and women in the US found no evidence of same-gender bias but did find that women are more likely to choose a financial planner than an investment adviser.

Deloitte projects a $2.5 trillion retirement shortfall due to "leakage," or loans from 401(k)s. "This potential retirement shortfall is likely to produce a considerable shift in standards of living during a period where participants are lacking employment income and relying upon their nest eggs," according to Deloitte.