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Annuities have rarely been the investment option of choice for most, but a couple of new products could let 401(k) participants reap some of the benefits of an investment that guarantees payouts for life

By Beth Karlin | Updated on March 01, 2008

With the gradual disappearance of the guaranteed-for-life payouts from defined benefit pensions, plan sponsors have been searching for investments that would help their participants make sure their 401(k) savings don’t expire before they do. Until recently, the hunt yielded few solutions aside from variations of traditional annuities. But don’t give up hope. A new breed of guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit (GMWB) plans is emerging that ties the guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefits of an annuity to the popular target fund approach and produces an investment option for older workers.

The latest GMWB, set to launch in the second quarter, is a product jointly developed by UBS Global Asset Management and insurer Genworth Financial Inc. The yet-to-be-named option promises an employee a life-long disbursement of a minimum 5% of his portfolio, even if the total distribution exceeds the portfolio’s value. But unlike the fixed annuity approach, the payout would increase as the portfolio increases in value. “It offers the advantages of annuities, but with the flexibility, simplicity and institutional pricing of a collective fund,” says Cindy Vogl, senior product manager for UBS global asset management. “Participants retain control over the assets, which can continue to grow after retirement.”

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