Product & Service Launches

PensionBee Launches SEP IRA for Gig Workers

Retirement plan provider PensionBee has launched a Simplified Employee Pension IRA, designed for gig workers, as part of its digital retirement platform. PensionBee’s SEP IRA will allow accountholders to contribute up to 25% of their income to the plan.

According to the company, the higher contribution limit will enable self-employed people, small business owners and other workers who make up the gig economy to catch up with their retirement savings.

Vanguard Adds 4 Equity Index Funds to Lineup

Vanguard has added four new equity index funds to its Investor Choice program, expanding the program, launched in 2023, to 12 funds. Vanguard’s Investor Choice has 10 million eligible investors with nearly $1 trillion in assets.

The program provides investors access to proxy voting choice, which Vanguard research found that 83% of investors believe is important for asset managers to consider when casting proxy votes, with 57% indicating they would participate in a program that would allow them to influence how their asset manager votes.

Jackson Adds Nasdaq 100 Index Option

Jackson National Life Insurance launched enhancements to its registered index-linked annuities with its Jackson Market Link Pro III and Jackson Market Link Pro Advisory products, which introduce the Nasdaq 100 Index as an investment option. The additions are designed to give investors growth potential both pre- and post-retirement, while offering varied levels of downside protection.

Carry Launches Investment Alternative to High-Yield Savings Accounts

Financial platform Carry announced an investment alternative to high-yield savings accounts through the launch of its new Smart Yield product. The new offering allows users to obtain after–tax cash returns via automated allocations through money market funds that are often tax-free at all levels of government.

Clients are allocated to funds that invest in U.S. Treasurys and government or municipal securities, and the product works with taxable brokerage accounts, 401(k)s, traditional IRAs and Roth IRA accounts.