It’s time to start talking about a new asset class: financial protection. “If you’re not considering types of investment products that fall into the financial protection asset class, you may be missing the opportunity to help improve your retirement plan for future success,” says Michael R. Harris, a senior educational advisor with the Alliance for Lifetime Income who holds CFP, CLU and CHFC designations. That means that in addition to investing in stocks and bonds, you should consider annuities and insurance as part of your asset allocation. What do they offer that most traditional stock and bond portfolios don’t? They offer a measure of financial protection against the effects of declining investment values.¹ By working with a financial professional, you can design a plan that includes the right mix of assets for your needs now and in retirement. Making financial protection assets, including annuities, part of that plan may help give you more security. These types of assets are all built to help provide a measure of protection against some sort of dire financial event such as living too long or dying too early.