The Wave Strength by Pacific Life: Recent Episodes
Pacific Life Insurance Company
Pacific Life presents The Wave Strength, a podcast discussing innovative pension solutions for a secure retirement.
In this insightful episode of The Wave Strength, renowned Social Security expert Mary Beth Franklin joins Pacific Life's Ruth Shaw and Carolyn Elrod to uncover vital strategies for optimizing Social Security benefits. With a focus on empowering women and diverse groups with knowledge to maximize retirement income, this episode reveals the unique considerations for different demographics, including the impact of marriage, divorce, and ethnicity on Social Security benefits. Whether you're planning for retirement or advising clients, this discussion is an essential guide to navigating Social Security's complicated rules and offers invaluable insights into making the most of Social Security to help you ensure a secure and prosperous future. Join “The Google of Social Security” to gain expert knowledge on crafting a retirement strategy that maximizes benefits and fosters financial wellness. Catch it now, on The Wave Strength. Want to learn more? Read this episode’s companion blog article here.
About Mary Beth Franklin
Mary Beth Franklin is a Contributing Editor at Investment News specializing in Social Security, Medicare, and Retirement Income. She has been a financial journalist for more than 40 years, covering everything from the federal budget and tax policies as a Capitol Hill reporter for United Press International to consumer finances as a writer and editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Mary Beth became a Certified Financial Planner in 2015 and is an in-demand speaker at conferences for financial professionals as well as a frequent guest on numerous radio and television programs. She is the author of “Maximizing Your Social Security Retirement Benefits” and host of the Retirement Repair Shop podcast. In her free time, Mary Beth likes to read, garden, ski, and play the piano. She received a BA in Communications from American University in 1975 where she continues to mentor journalism students.
About Caroline Elrod
Caroline Elrod, J.D., CLU is a retirement strategies group manager for Consumer Markets at Pacific Life. Caroline helps financial professionals address complex tax, estate, and retirement planning issues for their clients, and their tax and legal professionals. Caroline is a graduate of the Northeastern University School of Law; she joined Pacific Life in 2015.
About Ruth Schau
Ruth is Senior Director of Pension Solutions, Institutional Division at Pacific Life. She works with companies and their advisors to customize solutions to solve financial risks inherent in pension plans. Ruth’s focus is on organizations that sponsor defined contribution (DC) plans, such as 401(k) or 403 (b) plans to provide guaranteed lifetime income options for plan participants. Ruth joined Pacific Life in 2021.
In this insightful episode of The Wave Strength, Host Jim Breen welcomes Maya T. Pillai, assistant vice president, and head of the Stable Value Program at Pacific Life, for a thought-provoking discussion on the significance of stable value in retirement plans. With over 15 years in the industry, Maya brings a deep understanding of how stable value works. Maya gives us a look inside Pacific Life's longstanding commitment to stable value, its dedicated team, and how they're innovating within this space to adapt to market dynamics and expand into new areas like 529 educational savings plans. Catch it now, on The Wave Strength.
About Maya Pillai
As the AVP, Head of Stable Value Wrap at Pacific Life, Maya manages a $34 billion business that provides innovative and customized solutions for investment managers and institutional clients. Maya has fifteen years of experience in the Stable Value industry; and she holds an MBA from Hamline University, Women in Leadership certificate from the University of Notre Dame, and the CFA Investment Foundations certification, demonstrating her commitment to ethical and professional standards in the financial services industry.
In this eye-opening episode of The Wave Strength, “The Google of Social Security” Mary Beth Franklin, joins Pacific Life’s retirement experts Ruth Schau and Carolyn Elrod to explore the essentials of preparing for retirement. Go beyond the basics of Social Security and discover the significance of emotional well-being, the role of guaranteed income sources like annuities, and the impact that the pandemic has had on retirement planning. Whether you're looking to optimize your retirement income, understand the complexities of annuities, or simply seeking a fulfilling retirement, this episode offers valuable insights into making the most of your golden years. Tune in to explore how you can lay a solid foundation for a secure, balanced, and fulfilling retirement. Catch it now, on The Wave Strength. Want to learn more? Read this episode’s companion blog article here.
About Mary Beth Franklin
Mary Beth Franklin is a Contributing Editor at Investment News specializing in Social Security, Medicare, and Retirement Income. She has been a financial journalist for more than 40 years, covering everything from the federal budget and tax policies as a Capitol Hill reporter for United Press International to consumer finances as a writer and editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Mary Beth became a Certified Financial Planner in 2015 and is an in-demand speaker at conferences for financial professionals as well as a frequent guest on numerous radio and television programs. She is the author of “Maximizing Your Social Security Retirement Benefits” and host of the Retirement Repair Shop podcast. In her free time, Mary Beth likes to read, garden, ski, and play the piano. She received a BA in Communications from American University in 1975 where she continues to mentor journalism students.
About Caroline Elrod
Caroline Elrod, J.D., CLU is a retirement strategies group manager for Consumer Markets at Pacific Life. Caroline helps financial professionals address complex tax, estate, and retirement planning issues for their clients, and their tax and legal professionals. Caroline is a graduate of the Northeastern University School of Law; she joined Pacific Life in 2015.
About Ruth Schau
Ruth is Senior Director of Pension Solutions, Institutional Division at Pacific Life. She works with companies and their advisors to customize solutions to solve financial risks inherent in pension plans. Ruth’s focus is on organizations that sponsor defined contribution (DC) plans, such as 401(k) or 403 (b) plans to provide guaranteed lifetime income options for plan participants. Ruth joined Pacific Life in 2021.
What is a “license to spend”? And how can we make sure we don’t “leave happiness on the table”? On this episode of The Wave Strength, financial planning expert Dr. Michael Finke joins Host Jim Breen to unpack the No. 1 cause of anxiety for those approaching retirement: Not knowing how much they can spend in retirement.
Michael reveals that while the task of saving for retirement has been successfully automated, the concept of decumulation and retirement spending has been largely ignored. Michael explains that there’s a natural urge to preserve our nest egg, but doing so may not lead to happiness in retirement.
This and much more, catch it now on The Wave Strength. And be sure to follow us on YouTube, Audible, and Spotify.
About Michael Finke
Michael Finke, Ph.D. is a professor of wealth management and Frank M. Engle Distinguished Chair in Economic Security Research at The American College of Financial Services. He received a doctorate in consumer economics from The Ohio State University in 1998 and in finance from the University of Missouri in 2011. He led the Retirement Planning and Living Consortium at Texas Tech University before moving to the American College and is a nationally known researcher in the areas of retirement income planning, retirement spending, life satisfaction, and cognitive aging. He is a frequent speaker at financial planning conferences and was named one of the 25 most influential people in the field of investment advising in 2020 and 2021 by Investment Advisor Magazine.
On this episode of The Wave Strength, Franklin Templeton’s Mary Beth Glotzbach joins Pacific Life’s Destiny Lara and Jim Breen to discuss how focusing on the needs of participants, providing customized solutions, and meeting participants where they are on their retirement journey can lead to better engagement and improve outcomes. Join us as we discuss why it's essential to consider the various stages of the participant journey, from entering the workforce to entering retirement. We explore how digital innovations can play a role in the way firms engage participants and help customize retirement planning. Finally, we address the need for more relatable, easy-to-understand educational resources, and how putting participants first can lead to more secure financial futures. To learn more, please visit https://www.pacificlife.com/home/products/institutions.htmlAbout Destiny Lara Destiny is AVP, Financial Education and Participant Experience for Pacific Life. Destiny is responsible for the pricing and design of Pension Risk Transfer products as well as defined contribution plan initiatives. Destiny is spearheading the strategy to improve equity in financial education for all ages, and overseeing all aspects of the participant experience, including education on the value of lifetime income. Destiny joined Pacific Life in 2011.
Leading Social Security expert, author, advisor, and winner of the Investment News’ Trailblazer Award, Mary Beth Franklin visits The Wave Strength to discuss how we can make sense of Social Security rules and regulations to take advantage of every available benefit.
A self-described “Social Security geek,” Mary Beth served as a journalist for over 40 years, covering financial news with a special focus on Social Security legislation. Her deep knowledge of personal finance also stems from her time as editor of Kiplinger’s Magazine.
Known by many as, the “Google of Social Security,” Mary Beth sits down with Pacific Life’s Ruth Schau and Caroline Elrod to take a deep dive into some of the 2,700 rules governing Social Security benefits and reveals tips and strategies for solo and married retirees to maximize their Social Security benefits.
About Mary Beth Franklin
Mary Beth Franklin is a Contributing Editor at Investment News specializing in Social Security, Medicare, and Retirement Income. She has been a financial journalist for more than 40 years, covering everything from the federal budget and tax policies as a Capitol Hill reporter for United Press International to consumer finances as a writer and editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Mary Beth became a Certified Financial Planner in 2015 and is an in-demand speaker at conferences for financial professionals as well as a frequent guest on numerous radio and television programs. She is the author of “Maximizing Your Social Security Retirement Benefits” and host of the Retirement Repair Shop podcast.
In her free time, Mary Beth likes to read, garden, ski, and play the piano. She received a BA in Communications from American University in 1975 where she continues to mentor journalism students.
About Caroline Elrod
Caroline Elrod, J.D., CLU is a retirement strategies group manager for Consumer Markets at Pacific Life. Caroline helps financial professionals address complex tax, estate, and retirement planning issues for their clients, and their tax and legal professionals. Caroline is a graduate of the Northeastern University School of Law; she joined Pacific Life in 2015.
About Ruth Schau
Ruth is Senior Director of Pension Solutions, Institutional Division at Pacific Life. She works with companies and their advisors to customize solutions to solve financial risks inherent in pension plans. Ruth’s focus is on organizations that sponsor defined contribution (DC) plans, such as 401(k) or 403 (b) plans to provide guaranteed lifetime income options for plan participants. Ruth joined Pacific Life in 2021.
acific Life’s Executive Vice President, and Head of Institutional Business, Brian Woolfolk, stops by The Wave Strength to reflect upon the business unit’s first four years, and to discuss the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.
Brian and The Wave Strength host Jim Breen, revisit the challenging early days in 2020 when the business unit was just starting up, and everything else was shutting down in the face of a worldwide pandemic. Over the next four years, the ambitious team of 21 blossomed into a national team of more than 140 motivated individuals. Brian describes how the team embraced the challenge, leaned into the opportunity, and adopted the mentality that they expected to succeed. He also notes the major assist that comes from starting a new business unit with exceptional internal partners, inside of a 155-year-old, financially stable, and secure company.
As the team enters the fifth year of its journey, they have achieved and surpassed many of the aspirational goals they set for themselves, but slowing down isn’t in the plans. Listen in as Brian explains why this is the perfect time to, step on the GAS.
To learn more, please visit https://www.pacificlife.com/home/products/institutions.html
On this episode of The Wave Strength, Franklin Templeton’s Lavina Mehta joins Pacific Life’s Michael Oler and Jim Breen to discuss the new partnership that’s bringing simple and flexible lifetime income solutions to workplace retirement planning.
We explore the market shift away from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans and discuss how lifetime income can help fill a critical need with an innovative solution that’s easy for participants to understand, and easy for plan sponsors to implement. We also cover financial wellness and product education for participants and fiduciary concerns for plan sponsors.
Finally, we’ll discuss how embracing new technology while using familiar platforms and systems provides a comfort zone and ease of use for plan sponsors.
Join us for this exciting and insightful conversation as we explore innovative lifetime income solutions for retirement planning, which can help plan sponsors and participants achieve their goals.
Michael is AVP, Head of Defined Contribution Lifetime Income; he is responsible for leading the growth of the Defined Contribution Lifetime Income business. Before joining Pacific Life, Michael was the Retirement Income Product Manager at T. Rowe Price. His career in retirement services has also included strategic roles at BlackRock, MetLife, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Michael joined Pacific Life in 2022.
About Lavina Mehta
Lavina Mehta is vice president of Digital Retirement Investment Solutions at Franklin Templeton. She is Responsible for digital and traditional investment solution development across the retirement marketplace. Lavina is a highly accomplished investment professional with 20+ years of Defined Contribution (DC) knowledge and experience, and a successful track record of managing a highly complex large defined contribution retirement plan. She is passionate about driving innovation to improve financial well-being among colleagues.
To learn more, please visit https://www.pacificlife.com/home/products/institutions.html
On this episode of The Wave Strength, Franklin Templeton’s Katie Campbell joins Pacific Life’s Ahmet Kamil and Jim Breen to discuss the retirement crisis facing America and the lack of education around lifetime income solutions.
Personalization is a crucial aspect of the lifetime income conversation, and we explore the benefits of creating personalized and customized lifetime income solutions. We also examine Franklin Templeton’s Voice of the American Worker Survey, which revealed that 95% of participants want help turning their savings into lifetime income.
Finally, we discuss how the industry needs to move away from a siloed approach to lifetime income and embrace partnerships, thought leadership, education, and innovative solutions to provide individuals with a secure retirement. Join us for an insightful conversation on the importance of personalized lifetime income solutions.
About Ahmet Kamil
Ahmet joined Pacific Life as a Director of Product Development in May of 2020. He brings with him nearly 15 years of financial services experience with a decade of that spent in the insurance industry in various roles ranging from sales and distribution to defined contribution lifetime income product development. As Director of Products and Partnerships, Ahmet’s focus is bringing to life the defined contribution lifetime income strategy for Pacific Life.
About Katie Campbell
Katie Campbell is a vice president and head of the US Product Strategy and Development team. She is responsible for driving the development of innovative product ideas on behalf of Retail, Institutional, Defined Contribution, and Insurance channels. Since joining Franklin Templeton, Ms. Campbell has been specifically engaged in the firm's Retirement Income and Multi-Asset solutions product innovation efforts.
To learn more, please visit https://www.pacificlife.com/home/products/institutions.html
Pacific Life’s Ruth Schau and Jim Breen traveled to Glenview, IL, to meet with Wespath Benefits and Investments’ Martin Bauer to discuss innovation, collaboration, and helping plan participants enjoy a secure retirement. Listen in as they discuss how Wespath’s LifeStage Retirement Income program, which features Pacific Life’s optional longevity income protection annuity, helps ensure that retirees will not outlive their savings.
Ruth is Senior Director Pension Solutions, Institutional Division at Pacific Life. She works with companies and their advisors to customize solutions to solve financial risks inherent in pension plans. Ruth’s focus is with organizations who sponsor defined contribution (DC) plans, such as 401(k) or 403 (b) plans to provide guaranteed lifetime income options for plan participants. Ruth joined Pacific Life in 2021.
About Martin Bauer
Martin Bauer is Senior Managing Director, Benefit Plans at Wespath Benefits and Investments. As head of Benefit Plans department, he has strategic oversight over mandatory and optional retirement plans, as well as health and welfare plans for clergy and lay employees of The United Methodist Church and related denominations. He is responsible for benefit plans serving 100,000+ participants with $25+ billion in assets. Martin leads a team of 30 professionals including the Retirement Services Team, Health & Wellbeing Team, Welfare Team, Actuarial Services Department, and Benefit Educators.
To learn more, please visit https://www.pacificlife.com/home/products/institutions.html
Join us on the latest episode of The Wave Strength as we explore the new partnership between Pacific Life and Franklin Templeton, two organizations with a long history of serving individual investors in the defined contribution space. Franklin Templeton’s Drew Carrington joins Pacific Life’s Michael Oler and Jim Breen to discuss the benefits of this collaboration, highlighting their commitment to customer-first principles and technology-driven solutions.
What prompted the partnership between these two organizations, and what are some of the key challenges they are trying to address through this collaboration? Michael and Drew dive into the need for personalization and simplicity in retirement solutions, and the importance of ongoing engagement with participants throughout their retirement journey.
Tune in to learn how this partnership is bringing together the best of both companies to create innovative retirement solutions that go beyond product development and focus on engaging participants in a way that facilitates better decision-making and ultimately, better retirement outcomes.
About Michael Oler
Michael is AVP, Head of Defined Contribution Lifetime Income; he is responsible for leading the growth of the Defined Contribution Lifetime Income business. Before joining Pacific Life, Michael was the Retirement Income Product Manager at T. Rowe Price. His career in retirement services has also included strategic roles at BlackRock, MetLife, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Michael joined Pacific Life in 2022.
About Drew Carrington
Drew is SVP, Head of Institutional DC; he is responsible for all facets of Franklin Templeton's efforts in the large and mega-plan defined contribution space. Drew is an experienced professional in the institutional asset management field, with 15 years on the consulting side and 10+ years on the investment management side. Expert in the defined contribution field, with particular expertise in serving the mega-plan market. He is an industry leader in “next-generation” DC plans, including developing more diversified portfolios, adding retirement income features, and addressing the rapidly changing regulatory environment.
To learn more, please visit https://www.pacificlife.com/home/products/institutions.html
Karen Neeley, Pacific Life’s new vice president of the Institutional Retirement Solutions Group, and Host Jim Breen discuss the challenges and opportunities for lifetime income to improve retirement outcomes. Karen reveals that while the financial services industry has effectively communicated the need to save for retirement (accumulation), many plan participants are unsure how much they can spend once they retire (decumulation). Karen and Jim unpack how this lack of education about decumulation can lead to overspending or underspending in retirement, and how the financial services industry and providers can help participants to improve retirement outcomes.
About Karen Neeley
Karen Neeley is vice president of the Institutional Retirement Solutions Group. She has an extensive financial services background, previously holding leadership positions at three Fortune 500 companies. A proven innovator, Karen was named a 2023 Twin Cities Business Notable Leader in Banking & Finance and was previously recognized as LIMRA's Top 25 Rising Stars of Innovation under 40. At Pacific Life, Karen leads the go-to-market strategy, product development, and customer and partner engagement. Karen joined Pacific Life in 2023.
To learn more, please visit https://www.pacificlife.com/home/products/institutions.html
On this episode of The Wave Strength podcast series, Dr. Luisa Blanco joins Pacific Life’s Dr. Qi Sun and Destiny Lara to discuss the unique challenges facing members of the Hispanic Community when preparing for retirement. The insightful discussion highlights Dr. Blanco’s research, which reveals how a gap in financial knowledge can negatively impact retirement preparedness and what solutions can help bridge that gap.
About Dr. Luisa Blanco
Dr. Blanco is an economist and professor at Pepperdine University, specializing in economic development and international economics, with a focus on the Latin American region. Her research aims to provide useful recommendations for policymakers to improve the well-being of Latin American countries and their people at home and abroad. Dr. Blanco’s research has been published in peer-reviewed academic journals and she has received funding from institutions such as the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Aging and the United States Agency for International Development, among others.
About Destiny Lara
Destiny is AVP, Financial Education and Participant Experience for Pacific Life. Destiny is responsible for the pricing and design of Pension Risk Transfer products as well as defined contribution plan initiatives. Destiny is spearheading the strategy to improve equity in financial education for all ages, and overseeing all aspects of the participant experience, including education on the value of lifetime income. Destiny joined Pacific Life in 2011.
About Dr. Qi Sun
Dr. Qi Sun is the financial economist for Pacific Life’s Institutional Division. She is passionate about helping individuals and families reach their financial goals by providing sound research-based financial education. Her research focuses on longevity insurance, household asset allocation decisions, and financial well-being. Qi holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Donghua University, a master’s degree in personal financial planning from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and a doctorate in personal financial planning from Texas Tech University.
Pacific Life’s Institutional Division recently traveled to San Diego to attend the 2023 NAPA 401(k) Summit. During the conference, we recorded live interviews from the conference floor as part of our award-winning podcast, The Wave Strength.
In this episode, host Jim Breen sits down with Dandarah Wealth Management’s Domenick D’Andrea and Stephan Shatarah to discuss social media best practices, strategies, and winning tips for financial advisors.
About Domenick D’Andrea
Co-founder of Dandarah Wealth Management, Domenick has served in the financial services industry for nearly 30 years. As a financial advisor, he specializes in everything from retirement income strategies to estate planning, and he holds over a dozen licenses and certifications, including designations in seven states.
About Stephan Shatarah
Stephan is a financial advisor with Dandarah Wealth Management. With nearly a decade in the financial services industry, Stephan has established himself with a fresh approach to financial planning and socially conscious investing. Stephan holds over a dozen licenses and certifications, including designations in seven states.
What does student loan debt have to do with retirement? Surprisingly, the age group closest to retirement carries the most student loan debt. According to Forbes, as of July 2023, Americans owed a total of $1.75 trillion in student loan debt, that’s an average of over $28,000 per borrower. However, those aged 62 and older carry the highest average balance of $49,375 per borrower. That’s over three times the average debt carried by those 24 and younger. So how can we overcome student debt and achieve a financially secure retirement? On this episode of The Wave Strength, Pacific Life’s Dr. Qi Sun and Destiny Lara discuss how we can manage student loan debt and plan for a secure future.
Catch it now on The Wave Strength and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Steve Vernon wrote the book on lifetime income. In fact, the consulting research scholar at the Stanford Center on Longevity, and President of Rest-of-Life Communications has written several books on the subject, so we invited him to The Wave Strength to talk about financial security in retirement. Listen in as Steve reveals to Pacific Life’s Ruth Schau and Jim Breen, that a successful transition to retirement starts with simplified information, a clear roadmap, and a mental shift away from retirement savings to retirement income.
On this episode of The Wave Strength, Pacific Life’s Nicci Leibold joins host Jim Breen to discuss Pacific Life’s University Relations program and the importance of attracting the country’s best interns. Listen as Nicci explains how outreach, building networks, and fostering relationships are key tools for recruiting today’s top talent. Nicci reveals that modern interns are contributing much more than in previous years, bringing innovation and fresh ideas into the workplace. The result is a competitive advantage, even before the interns grow into future business leaders.
About Nicci Leibold
Nicci is a University Relations Program Manager at Pacific Life. As part of the Talent Acquisition team, she functions within the Human Resources department, specializing in early career talent. Nicci is responsible for recruiting and acquiring entry-level talent for current and future business needs. Nicci joined Pacific Life in 2015.
Pacific Life’s Institutional Division and members of Pacific Life’s Key Executive Advantage Program (KEAP), traveled to San Diego to attend the 2023 NAPA 401(k) Summit. During the conference, the Institutional team filmed several interviews for upcoming episodes of our innovative podcast, The Wave Strength.
In this first episode of the series, host Jim Breen talks with Pacific Life’s Kim Coggin and Joanne Gagnon about KEAP’s turnkey solutions, and how they help advisors design non-qualified deferred compensation plans to meet the needs of their executives and senior leaders. Catch it now, on The Wave Strength.
About Kim Coggin
Kim Coggin is a Field Vice President and Point of Sale Specialist at Pacific Life. She is a highly qualified insurance executive with extensive experience building relationships with prospects, referral sources, and market influencers. Kim has considerable background in the executive benefits market and excels at building relationships with C-level executives and Boards. Kim joined Pacific Life in 2021.
About Joanne Gagnon
Joanne Gagnon is a Field Vice President and Point of Sale Specialist at Pacific Life. Joanne brings more than 30+ years in the life insurance and financial services industries. She specializes in helping financial professionals deploy solutions for business employers to attract and retain executives in the non-qualified deferred compensation market. Joanne has been with Pacific Life for over 18 years.
Jamie Finkral is part of Pacific Life’s Institutional Division’s exceptional customer service team; she joins The Wave Strength’s Jim Breen to share her passion for providing the best customer service in the industry. Listen in as Jamie shares how an innovative, proactive, people-focused philosophy is ensuring a world-class customer experience. Catch it now, on The Wave Strength.
About Jamie Finkral, Operations Service Analyst
Jamie joined Pacific Life in 2017; she supports the Operations area for Pension Risk Transfer and Defined Contribution Lifetime Income annuities for the Institutional Division. She is a member of the team that provides industry-leading customer experience through the consistent and accurate handling of transaction requests across the lifecycle of our contracts.
For some of us, what we think our retirement is supposed to be like could lead to a big letdown. On the latest episode of The Wave Strength, Dr. Qi Sun and host Shea Frates highlight the new issue of Qi’s newsletter: I Didn’t Sign Up for This: Don’t Let High Expectations Ruin a Perfectly Good Retirement. Listen in as they discuss the generational shift in retirement, financial education, and retirement planning. Catch it now, on The Wave Strength.
About Dr. Chi Sun
Dr. Qi Sun is the Financial Economist for Pacific Life’s Institutional Division. Her research focuses on longevity insurance, household asset allocation decisions, and financial well-being. Qi holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Donghua University, a master’s degree in Personal Financial Planning from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and a doctorate in Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University.
With the Secure Act 2.0 officially signed into law, Seaver Sowers, Pacific Life’s vice president and head of global government & policy affairs, returns to The Wave Strength to discuss the provisions and explain how the Act can help Americans achieve a more secure retirement. Listen in as Seaver explains:
- How new provisions help Americans save for retirement
- What new features will benefit student loan borrowers
- Changes to Requirement Minimum Distributions
- How qualified longevity annuity contracts (QLAC) are more accessible
Catch it now, on The Wave Strength.
For the 6% of Americans who work in financial services, defined contribution lifetime income (DCLI) may seem like an obvious solution to fund retirement. But for the remaining 94% who are outside of the financial services bubble, DCLI might need a little explaining. On the latest episode of The Wave Strength, Paul Hance, Pacific Life’s chief financial officer for the Institutional Division, highlights the need for education to help plan participants understand DCLI benefits.
The Wave Strength recently hosted Nicole Brooks, Pacific Life’s new Stable Value Client Relationship Manager, and Products Director, Maya Pillai for an insightful discussion marking the 30th anniversary of the product line. Stable Value offers investors a safe alternative to volatile markets and the strength and stability of Pacific Life’s 150-year history of keeping our promises to our clients. Listen in as the team reflects on Stable Value’s remarkable growth and looks toward a promising future.
What are empathy interviews and how do they help plan sponsors and employers understand participants’ retirement-planning needs? Pacific Life’s Kristin Brooks stops by The Wave Strength and unpacks how empathy interviews can help reveal how plan participants feel about retirement, and what they need to make informed decisions to become retirement ready. Catch it now, on The Wave Strength.
In this episode of The Wave Strength, Pacific Life’s Dr. Qi Sun sits down with Digital Media Strategist Shea Frates to discuss Qi’s latest newsletter article which tackles the question: What’s up with inflation? Listen in as Qi and Shea discuss interesting data from the consumer price index, explore inflation’s impact on a household’s wealth and retirement plans, and reveal the winners and losers in a high-inflation economy.
About Dr. Qi Sun, Financial Economist
Dr. Qi Sun is the Financial Economist for Pacific Life’s Institutional Division. Her research focuses on longevity insurance, household asset allocation decisions, and financial well-being. Qi holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Donghua University, a master’s degree in Personal Financial Planning from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and a doctorate in Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University.
Seaver Sowers, Pacific Life’s vice president and head of global government & policy affairs joins Host Jim Breen, Institutional director of marketing, for a conversation about the Secure Act 2.0. Seaver reveals that the Act contains approximately 70 provisions that address a myriad of financial issues, many specifically designed to benefit retirees. Listen in as Seaver explains that his role is to help educate government officials so that Pacific Life policyholders can live their best lives in retirement.
About Seaver Sowers
Vice President & Head of Global Government & Policy Affairs
Seaver is responsible for representing Pacific Life’s policyholder interests to government and regulatory officials. Prior to joining Pacific Life in 2017, Seaver held positions with the American Council of Life Insurers, the American Bankers Association, the Agricultural Retailers Association, as well as serving as deputy chief of staff and legislative director in the U.S. House of Representatives. Seaver is a graduate of Duke University.
Michael Oler, Pacific Life’s new AVP, head of defined contribution lifetime income, joins Host Jim Breen, Institutional director of marketing, to share his excitement for the future of lifetime income. Michael unpacks the exceptional career path that led him to Pacific Life and describes how his life’s work has prepared him to help Americans retire with peace of mind. Listen in as Michael explains how education, engagement, and communication are the pillars of sound retirement planning and financial wellness.
About Michael Oler
Michael is responsible for leading the growth of the Defined Contribution Lifetime Income business. Before joining Pacific Life, Michael was the Retirement Income Product Manager at T. Rowe Price. His career in retirement services has also included strategic roles at BlackRock, MetLife, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Michael joined Pacific Life in 2022.
Paul Hance, Pacific Life’s senior vice president for Institutional Customer Solutions Group, joins Jim Breen, Institutional director of marketing, for a conversation about the challenges facing American retirees, and how the team is meeting those challenges. Paul shares that through a hearts and minds approach, the culture of the Group is to run towards these challenges and solve problems with dedicated teams who are empowered to innovate. Listen in, as Paul reveals how the Customer Solutions Group is helping Americans retire securely.
About Paul Hance
Senior Vice President of Institutional Customer Solutions Group.
Paul is responsible for leading the Pension Risk Transfer, Defined Contribution Lifetime Income, and Stable Value product lines. Previously, he led the PRT (Pension Risk Transfer) and DCLI (Defined Contribution Lifetime Income) product lines. Prior to joining Pacific Life, he was the Chief Actuary at Equitable. Before that, he held a variety of roles at Prudential, including the Head of Pension Risk Transfer Pricing. Paul joined Pacific Life in 2020.
Paul Hance, Pacific Life’s senior vice president for Institutional Customer Solutions Group, joins The Wave Strength’s Jim Breen to discuss customer-centric innovation. By actively engaging with customers to learn about their issues and challenges, the Customer Solutions Group is creating innovative solutions that truly solve customers’ problems. Paul shares the importance of being comfortable with being uncomfortable, building a culture of trust, empowering teams to take risks, and learning from mistakes. Listen in as Paul explains how leaning in, letting go, and affording independence enables agile teams to do their best customer-centric work.
About Paul Hance
Senior Vice President of Institutional Customer Solutions Group.
Paul is responsible for leading the Pension Risk Transfer, Defined Contribution Lifetime Income, and Stable Value product lines. Previously, he led the PRT and DCLI product lines. Prior to joining Pacific Life, he was the Chief Actuary at Equitable. Before that, he held a variety of roles at Prudential, including the Head of Pension Risk Transfer Pricing. Paul joined Pacific Life in 2020.
Remember pensions? Newer generations might not, but their parents and grandparents certainly do. Once a pillar of retirement financial security, pensions are now rarely a part of retirement portfolios. In this episode of The Wave Strength, Pacific Life’s SVP and Head of Customer Solution Group Paul Hance, and Institutional Marketing Director Jim Breen, discuss how Pacific Life is helping Americans retire with lifetime income, peace of mind, and the financial security that previous generations enjoyed.
About Paul Hance
Paul is responsible for leading the Pension Risk Transfer, Defined Contribution Lifetime Income, and Stable Value product lines. Previously, he led the PRT and DCLI product lines. Prior to joining Pacific Life, he was the Chief Actuary at Equitable. Before that, he held a variety of roles at Prudential, including the Head of Pension Risk Transfer Pricing. Paul joined Pacific Life in 2020.
In advance of her debut blog feature, Financial iQ with Dr. Qi, Qi Sun sits down with The Wave Strength and Shea Frates to preview the article and discuss the factors that can influence happiness in retirement. Qi highlights the role that expectations play, and stresses that managing those expectations is key to positive perceptions about retirement. In addition, Qi and Shea discuss how lifetime income favorably impacts financial wellbeing and retirement happiness. Catch the conversation now, on The Wave Strength.
About Qi Sun
Dr. Qi Sun is the Financial Economist for Pacific Life’s Institutional Division. Her research focuses on longevity insurance, household asset allocation decisions, and financial well-being. Qi holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Donghua University, a master’s degree in Personal Financial Planning from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and a doctorate in Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University.
In this episode of The Wave Strength, Jim Breen sits down with former United States Air Force Fighter Pilot and Thunderbird, Michelle “Mace” Curran to discuss how flight plans can translate into life plans. Listen in as Michelle shares some exciting stories and explains that the planning and goal setting employed by fighter pilots, can also be applied to making a safe landing in retirement.
About Michelle Curran:
Michelle Curran has led an impressive career as a Fighter Pilot during her 13-years in the United States Air Force. From 2019 to 2021, she flew as the only female pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds and performed for millions across the country and internationally. Michelle was also named the Distinguished Alumna of the Year by the University of St. Thomas in 2021 and has been featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show and CBS Evening News.
Before joining the Thunderbirds, Michelle was a combat-proven fighter pilot completing missions around the world. Her passion for pushing limits, inspiring others, and changing lives led to the creation of her company, Upside Down Dreams. Through this platform, she is committed to empowering men and women of all ages to overcome obstacles, face the fear of failure, and excel at whatever they are passionate about.
In this episode of The Wave Strength, Jim sits down with Pacific Life’s Kristin Brooks to discuss the research and innovation committed to building a defined contribution lifetime income retirement solution. Kristin explains the Institutional Division’s hearts and minds approach, which meets participants where they are, solves for a variety of their needs, and helps them become retirement ready.
About Kristin Brooks
Kristin works on the Solutions Team and is responsible for pension risk transfer transactions which include bid/quote review, new sales development, and post-sale communication and oversight. She is also responsible for defined contribution lifetime income solutions and plays a key role in product research, innovation, and development. Kristin joined Pacific Life in 2008.
Please be sure to like, subscribe and check out The Wave Strength blog, it’s packed with helpful tools, useful resources, and valuable information for successful retirement planning.
In this episode of The Wave Strength, Brian Woolfolk, head of the Institutional Division, joins host Jim Breen to discuss the Division’s first two years, noteworthy accomplishments, and his vision for the future. Listen as Brian shares the challenges of launching a division during a global pandemic, and the remarkable team that established its solid foundation.
About Brian Woolfolk:
Brian joined Pacific Life in 2010, where he served as senior vice president of sales and chief marketing officer of the Retirement Solutions Division before his promotion to lead the Institutional Division. While Brian is a proud graduate of the University of Minnesota, he and his family live in Omaha, NE where they are loyal Nebraska Cornhuskers fans.
Please be sure to like, subscribe and visit our website at https://www.in.pacificlife.com, it’s packed with helpful tools, useful resources, and valuable information for successful retirement planning.
In this episode of The Wave Strength, documentary filmmaker Craig Leeson joins host Jim Breen from Glasgow where he’s putting the finishing touches on his latest film. Listen as Craig explains how corporate partnerships and finance make his current project to reduce climate change possible. Craig shares some amazing stories as he discusses the critical connection between film and finance.
About Craig Leeson:
With the noble goal to “make our world a better place to exist,” Craig Lesson is a journalist, activist, advocate, and adventurer who has dedicated his entire life and career to environmental concerns.
For more information, visit www.in.pacificlife.com. Please like and subscribe today!
Looking to learn more about retirement payment options that might align better with employee and organizational goals?
Listen as Pacific Life’s Russ Proctor discusses the need for guaranteed lifetime income with Michael Finke, PhD, CFP, Professor of Wealth Management and Frank M. Engle Chair of Economic Security in this exciting new episode of the Wave Strength podcast.
The session will cover:
• Do employees currently manage their retirement savings well throughout retirement?
• Do employees want access to guaranteed lifetime income options?
This episode will present information on options and the desire for guaranteed lifetime income. Professor Finke presents some survey results that may surprise you.
In this episode of The Wave Strength, Alan Parisse and Lisa Casden discuss a 4-part webinar series that guides leaders in the financial industry through effective communication in a hybrid work environment. Search The Wave Strength on YouTube to watch the webinars, and don't forget to hit that like button! For more information, visit www.in.pacificlife.com.
Join us as we discuss customer experience and lifetime income with Pacific Life's Director of Pension Solutions, Jennifer Wing.
Listen as Pacific Life's Marty Menin discusses Non-Qualified Plans versus Qualified Plans with actuary and author, Peter Neuwirth.
In this episode of The Wave Strength, we speak with Jim Legeman, Pacific Life's Assistant Vice-President of Innovation Management, about new and exciting digital trends within the financial industry.
Join us as we interview Hervé Duteil, Chief Sustainability Officer for BNPP Americas. In this conversation, we discuss the importance of Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) initiatives and the future of sustainable bonds.
In this episode of The Wave Strength, Joe Krum discusses Pacific Life's new Sustainable Bond Framework and how this new bond issuance is offering innovative opportunities for investors.
In this episode of The Wave Strength, we speak with Pacific Life's Marty Menin, Senior Director of Pensions Sales, about a situation where a CFO was able to reduce his pension risk and focus more on core business needs.
Listen as Russ Proctor, Field VP of Pension Solutions with Pacific Life discusses stabilizing pensions during mergers and acquisitions.
Ahmet Kamil joins Jim Breen for a discussion on The SECURE Act, and the provisions within this important piece of legislation.