Let’s face it, sometimes annuities get a bad rap in the investment world and perhaps some of that is deserved. In fairness, those who are talking down these accounts are usually trying to sell some other financial product. However, the bottom line is investors are usually and understandably concerned about access to their deposited funds. Safe …
There are three types of deferred annuities for investors to choose from in order of least to most risk: fixed, fixed-indexed, and variable. Variable accounts are most risky as they are directly tied to the ups and downs of the overall stock market which is why you you see variable annuity complaints. In an attempt …
Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of misinformation that has spread about annuity investment contracts. What is not clear is whether these untruths are intentional or a general lack of knowledge, but it is beyond time to set the record straight. One of the biggest concerns potential annuity investors have is what happens to their money …
Category: Annuities, Articles, Retirement Planning
As an annuity agent, I am often asked which insurance company offers an indexed annuity with the best returns. And that is not an easy question to answer. There are dozens of companies offering several fixed indexed accounts each. However, I did come across an annual statement recently that even amazed me – and I have …
Indexed annuity accounts credit interest based on the performance of chosen stock and bond market indexes, however they are not variable in nature and have no direct market exposure. This simply means that when the market goes down, there is no risk of losing your invested principal or interest gains from previous years. During the past twelve months, …
It’s April 15th and while many have already filed their tax returns, some are still scrambling to get their documents in on time. Thus, it is an appropriate time of the year to talk about different ways to reduce your income taxes. If you wish to reduce the amount of taxable income on your 1040 or are …
Category: Annuities, Articles, Life Insurance, Wealth Transfer
If you are considering investing in a fixed indexed annuity, you should become familiar with a few terms. Almost all indexed annuities have internal moving parts referred to as spreads, caps, and participation rates. The fluctuations of these moving parts can significantly affect your annuity’s rate of return now and in the future. Insurance companies will adjust their …
Category: Annuities
Category: Annuities, Articles, Retirement Planning
As the overall markets have swooned and once plush retirement accounts have lost value, you might be interested in a guaranteed lifetime stream of income. Commercials are more prevalent and many financial firms are now advertising the merits of this simple concept. But what are the financial products behind these guarantees and how can you benefit from lifetime …
Category: Annuities, Articles, Ohio Annuity, Retirement Planning
A 403(b) account is also known as a Tax Sheltered Annuity or TSA. These accounts can take many forms, but most typically are setup as a fixed or variable annuity. Teachers, employees of non-profits, and certain ministers can contribute during their working years should their employer offer this retirement option. Other investment options might include mutual funds …
Category: Annuities, Articles, Retirement Planning
There are certain economic cycles that occur every few years which drive up the interest rates in fixed annuity accounts. We are in one of those cycles now. Savvy investors can lock in very high annuity rates (yields/returns) that did not exist only a year ago. View Current Fixed Annuity Interest Rates Economic Turmoil Benefits Fixed Annuity Accounts …
Federal Reserve recently lowered key interest rates in order to battle the current credit crisis. This is not good news for bank investors who have relied on certificates of deposit and money market savings accounts to save and/or generate income. When inflation is factored in, most bank instrument’s returns are at historical lows. Additionally, the volatility in …
Category: Annuities, Articles, Ohio Annuity
The most recent market turmoil has many conservative investors second guessing their investment decisions. Those near or in retirement have witnessed significant losses to their IRA, 401(k) and 403(b) retirement accounts. When the market crash of 2000 is factored in, many retirees have experienced an overall loss in their net worth for over ten years. …
Consumers who need a guaranteed, stable and systematic income can establish an immediate annuity account. Also know as an annuitization or an income annuity, these accounts provide regular monthly payments for a specified period of time to the account holder. The payments will consist of principal and interest and continue for the term selected. Several …