Jackson National Life Insurance Company® (Jackson®) has announced the company will serve as an advocate for National Retirement Planning Week®, a national effort to help consumers focus on their financial needs in retirement. The national campaign, held April 7-11, is led by Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) and the National Retirement Planning Coalition, a group of prominent education, consumer advocacy and financial services organizations.

To support the efforts of the coalition, Scott Romine, executive vice president and national sales manager for Jackson National Life Distributors LLC, the distribution arm of Jackson, will participate in a teleconference panel of industry professionals on Monday, April 7 at 10 a.m. Eastern time. Romine will emphasize the importance of the advisor-client relationship and the vital role that it plays in helping consumers with their retirement goals.

“As more Baby Boomers leave the work force, ensuring financial security for retired Americans has become increasingly important,” said Romine. “We are proud to be a part of such an important awareness campaign to help more consumers prepare for the future amid an often volatile economic climate. Jackson believes that educating advisors and providing them with the tools and resources to meet the evolving needs of their clients is our number one goal.”

Throughout the week, the coalition and its supporters will release financial education materials and encourage retirement planning through nationally distributed radio, television and print advertisements, as well as a coordinated media outreach program. The IRI will also unveil new research findings from its fourth annual report on Boomers’ retirement expectations. Reporters interested in joining the teleconference panel can register by contacting Andrew Simonelli, IRI Director of Communications & Marketing, at asimonelli@irionline.org.

Financial education for Americans of all ages remains a top priority for Jackson, according to Romine. The company’s educational thought leadership website, which offers insights on many aspects of financial planning, from basic terminology and fundamental investment concepts to information on investment vehicles and trends, also features free resources such as a “Retirement Calculator” to help determine how much money is needed to save for retirement. Additionally, the site provides ideas and commentary from some of the top thought leaders in the financial services industry. To learn more about the Center for Financial Insight, visit www.jackson.com/thoughtleadership.

About Jackson

Jackson is a leading provider of retirement solutions for industry professionals and their clients. The company offers a diverse range of products including variable, fixed and fixed index annuities designed for tax-efficient accumulation and distribution of retirement income for retail customers, and fixed income products for institutional investors. Jackson subsidiaries and affiliates provide specialized asset management and retail brokerage services. With $191.5 billion in assets*, Jackson prides itself on product innovation, sound corporate risk management practices and strategic technology initiatives. Focused on thought leadership and education, the company develops proprietary research, industry insights and financial representative training on retirement planning and alternative investment strategies. Jackson is also dedicated to corporate social responsibility and supports charities focused on helping children and seniors in the communities where its employees live and work. For more information, visit www.jackson.com.

Jackson is the marketing name for Jackson National Life Insurance Company (Home Office: Lansing, Michigan), Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York® (Home Office: Purchase, New York) and Jackson National Life Distributors LLC.

*Jackson has $191.5 billion in total IFRS assets and $178.5 billion in IFRS policy liabilities primarily set aside to pay future policyowner benefits (as of 12/31/13). International Financial Reporting (IFRS) is a principles-based set of international accounting standards indicating how transactions and other events should be reported in financial statements. IFRS is issued by the International Accounting Standards Board in an effort to increase global comparability of financial statements and results. IFRS is used by Jackson’s parent company.

Jackson National Life Insurance Company is an indirect subsidiary of Prudential plc, a company incorporated in England and Wales. Prudential plc and its affiliated companies constitute one of the world's leading financial services groups. It provides insurance and financial services through its subsidiaries and affiliates throughout the world. It has been in existence for over 160 years and has $733.6 billion in assets under management (as of December 31, 2013). Prudential plc is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc., a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America.

About the Insured Retirement Institute

The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) is the leading association for the retirement income industry. IRI proudly leads a national consumer coalition of more than 20 organizations, and is the only association that represents the entire supply chain of insured retirement strategies. IRI members are the major insurers, asset managers, broker-dealers/distributors, and 150,000 financial professionals. As a not-for-profit organization, IRI provides an objective forum for communication and education, and advocates for the sustainable retirement solutions Americans need to help achieve a secure and dignified retirement. Learn more at www.irionline.org