Annuities
Annuities – what they are, how they work and how to choose the best type of Annuity
Found 148 Articles.
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Interest Rate Trends Changed the Annuity Market and Created an Opportunity
Interest rates changed dramatically in little more than six months, and that’s changed the landscape for annuity shoppers. Payouts on immediate annuities, deferred income annuities (also known as longevity annuities) and fixed deferred annuities usually change with the interest rate on the 10-year treasury bond. Late in 2018, those annuities were offering their most attractive […]
How to Generate Guaranteed Lifetime Income (Second Social Security Check)
Lifetime income security is what everyone wants in retirement, but it is increasingly a challenge to achieve. Low interest rates and investment returns, longer life spans, inflation, long-term care expense, medical expenses, higher taxes and more are major obstacles to achieving financial security in retirement. Everyone wants what I call the “Second Social Security Check.” […]
Why Annuity Investments Are on the Rise (With Help from the Federal Reserve)
People are buying annuities again, and for good reasons. Not long ago, there was a steady decline in the amount of money flowing into annuities and there seemed to be no bottom. Annuity purchases, however, have rebounded — and indications are that the demand for annuities is likely to keep rising. In the second quarter […]
Should Annuities Be Part of my Retirement Income Strategy (And How Much)?
More and more retirees are asking about annuities. Funny thing is… For many of you, part of your retirement income is already delivered as an annuity payment. Social Security is technically an annuity, providing guaranteed income for life. It also has the bonus of being indexed for inflation. Most economists recommend people purchase immediate annuities […]
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Payouts Increase for Charitable Gift Annuities
The payouts from new charitable gift annuities increased as of July 1, 2018. In a charitable gift annuity, you transfer money to a charity. In return, it promises to pay you an annuity. The payout might be for your life, the joint life of you and your spouse or a term of years, whichever you […]
When to Replace Bonds with Annuities
One of the questions I receive most frequently from Retirement Watch subscribers is how to make estate planning gifts. Let’s take a look at the issues that recur among many readers. Gifts to family members are one of the staples of estate planning. But the tax law has changed, and that’s altered the role of […]
Another Reason to be Wary of Variable Annuities
Investors have received many warnings about variable annuities over the years, including in Retirement Watch. There’s another recent example of why to approach these contracts with caution. The Hartford is exercising its right to change the investment offerings in its variable annuities. Instead of offering 60 funds, holders will have to choose from 11 funds. […]
An Argument Against Annuities
There are two broad categories of annuities. There are the simple annuities. These are immediate annuities, longevity annuities, and fixed deferred annuities. These classic, old-fashioned annuities are straightforward, easy to understand, and pay low commissions to agents and brokers. These usually are the ones I recommend in certain situations, especially to generate guaranteed income for […]
