IncomeConductor is updating its platform to reform how advisors incorporate annuities into retirement plans.
“Annuities are a powerful income tool, but too often they’ve been modeled simplistically as static guarantees, not dynamic income streams,” said Sheryl O’Connor, CEO and founder of IncomeConductor, in a statement. “With this release, advisors can plan with precision, confidence, and complete integration, all within the IncomeConductor platform.”
According to the firm, on the IncomeConductor platform, advisors can now:
- Integrate existing annuity assets and income streams into holistic retirement plans
- Simulate future annuity purchases and compare multiple product options within client income strategies
- Model lifetime income streams, period certain guarantees, and rider-based income options
- Assign cost-of-living-adjustments (COLAs) to annuity income streams
- Project growth rates specific to each annuity contract, separate from other portfolio segments
- Model taxation of non-qualified annuities that compare exclusion ratios to “as needed” withdrawals
- Incorporate qualified annuity balances into required minimum distribution (RMD) calculations
- Illustrate how qualified annuity income streams may or may not meet the RMDs required on all accounts
IncomeConductor, a retirement income planning tool for advisors, prides itself on connecting annuity modeling directly to tax planning, RMD tracking, and client reporting.
The announcement comes at a time of increased momentum in the annuity space, as more firms embrace retirement income options. In November, Bank of America launched its “401k Pay” feature, designed to convert 401(k) account assets into retirement income streams. In September, Nestimate, an analytics platform, announced it had closed $3 million in funding from backers including TIAA Ventures, to increase access to lifetime income solutions.
Despite the push and interest from plan participants, annuity adoption remains low. A study from the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) reports that competing priorities, legal and fiduciary risks, complexity, and concerns over liquidity and portability have stalled employers from adopting retirement income solutions.
Yet, this can all change in 2026, predicted the Institutional Retirement Income Council (IRIC) in a December forecast report. It observed that recent adoption of in-plan retirement income features, coupled with possible future fiduciary evaluation frameworks, could lead to widespread adoption in the new year.
“Over the past several years, plan sponsors and recordkeepers have been assessing a rapidly expanding inventory of in-plan income solutions,” said Kevin Crain, the executive director of the IRIC, at the time. “In 2026, that interest will translate into scalable adoption, with employers, consultants, and providers aligning around the shared goal of helping employees turn savings into lifetime income.”