Press Release

IRI and Cannex Develop Breakthrough Solution to Simplify Annuity Modeling

Issued by Insured Retirement Institute [IRI]

Jan. 23, 2025

Baseline Values Empower Financial Professionals to Include Annuities in Financial Plans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Financial professionals have a new tool to help them create holistic retirement planning solutions for consumers seeking lifetime income options and protected growth.

The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) and CANNEX have introduced an innovative approach to simplify annuity modeling. IRI’s Baseline Values is a groundbreaking solution that provides off-the-shelf annuity categories to address a key challenge for financial professionals: representing annuities in financial planning tools.

These Baseline Values remove barriers to modeling and empower financial professionals to clearly illustrate the value of annuities within a comprehensive financial plan for consumers.

This can improve clients’ planning outcomes, including income stability, cash flow, and a better understanding of potential benefits and risks of adding an annuity alongside the tool’s probability of success metrics.

IRI has also collaborated with several top financial planning platforms to incorporate the Baseline Values into their tools. Regardless of their familiarity and expertise with annuities, financial professionals will be able to show clients how these products might help them meet their financial goals.

“Our Digital First for Annuities initiative has made incredible progress over the past two years,” said Wayne Chopus, President and CEO at IRI. “We are now deploying solutions that will have significant, positive changes to the annuity experience for financial professionals and consumers.”

“Baseline Values are a game-changer for financial professionals, making it easier than ever to include annuities in the conversation with clients,” said Katherine Dease, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at IRI. “By simplifying the modeling process and integrating directly into leading financial planning tools, these values remove the complexity that often deters advisors from considering annuities. This breakthrough empowers more professionals, regardless of their experience with annuities, to confidently demonstrate how these products can play a crucial role in helping clients achieve their financial goals.”

“For over 40 years, our mission has been to help increase access and understanding of annuity products in the market through the data and research we provide,” said Gary Baker, Chief Operating Officer at CANNEX Financial Exchanges. “We are excited about the opportunity to work with IRI to help make it easier for financial professionals to allocate and model annuities within their clients’ portfolios.”

IRI’s Baseline Values are updated quarterly and provided to help simplify the modeling of deferred annuity products within financial planning tools and processes for an initial, directional result. IRI has also published a reference guide and brief document explaining the Baseline Values.

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