Article: Separation anxiety hits separates: Research finds they fail to meet promises.

How separate ate separate accounts? Not very, according to Cerulli Associates Inc. in Boston.

Only about 15% of all separate accounts are customized through individual securities restrictions, Cerulli says. And only about 30% of taxable separate accounts receive specialized tax treatment.

The findings, part of a larger study of the profitability of that fast-growing segment of the asset management industry, challenge a pillar of separate-account marketing strategy.

John Payne, the Cerulli analyst who headed the research project, says portfolio customization has long been considered one of the most attractive selling points of separate accounts. ...

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