Annuities for Seniors

Annuities: Ensure Your Money Lasts Throughout Retirement

Annuities: Today, people are living longer, more active lives with many spending 20 to 30 years in retirement. To help ensure you enjoy a comfortable retirement, it’s important to plan your finances now for the years ahead. In addition to IRA savings, a 401(k) plan, a pension and other forms of retirement savings, you might also consider the benefits of an annuity.

An annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company that offers protection for someone who is concerned about outliving their savings. You pay the insurance company an agreed amount (either a lump sum or a series of payments) and the insurance company guarantees you a stream of income that usually starts at your retirement and lasts for a set period of time or your lifetime.

Annuity payments have two main advantages:

• First, “fixed annuities” are designed so that you can never outlive your benefit.
  Payments continue for your lifetime and may continue for the lifetime of your spouse or beneficiary if you choose. Therefore, annuities can help manage longevity risk, the risk of outliving your savings, which can be a major concern as life expectancies continue to increase.
• Second, with a fixed annuity, you don’t have the responsibility of investing the money.
  The annuity provider promises to deliver your calculated benefit amount, no matter how the investment markets perform.

Another choice is a “variable annuity”, which provides payments that change over time based on the actual performance of the investments held within the income annuity.

There are many different types of annuities, with different benefits. Certain annuities may be better for your financial situation than others. You should consult with your financial advisor to determine if an annuity is appropriate for you. Annuities may have administrative, investment, surrender, and other charges associated with them. If you purchase an annuity from a provider, you should request a clear statement of fees and charges associated with the annuity product.

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BLOG Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2014

writer: Ryan Allen