I hope you are all taking the opportunity this summer to relax and recharge. The third quarter slowdown is a very real thing in this industry, and, judging by Q2 sales results – which are just coming out – our colleagues at annuity companies have reason to feel pleased, and ready to kick back.

I’ve said this often enough: there’s much creativity in this business, which is evident in the products and features that get introduced, reverse engineered, improved and tweaked each year. There’s very little that is truly new. But at times I do get surprised at what emerges from the pipeline.

Is this time of year when industry professionals clear their minds and engage in some forward thinking? I suspect so. Do I need to trot out the old Wayne Gretzky adage? I think not.

Here I’ll throw out a few timely questions:

• Will the steadily emerging in-plan annuity options get wide adoption – and actual usage – by participants?
• Will heady growth in the RILA space start to taper off?
• What impact may greater regulatory scrutiny of offshore reinsurance deals and private credit have on annuity issuers?
• To what degree will the pending Equitable-Corebridge merger shake up the industry?
• And what should asset managers in the VA space do to adapt as mandates get ever scarcer?

I bring these up not to garner rapid-fire answers but rather for you all to let them simmer in the background as you enjoy your time away. Sometimes brainstorms and insights can arise when our minds are otherwise occupied…with hiking, barbecues, golf, listening to music, pursuing hobbies, or otherwise swinging from a hammock!