Annuities 101

What is an Annuity?
An annuity is a retirement planning tool designed to protect against the risk of outliving one’s financial

How do Annuities Work?
With their many features and types, annuities may seem confusing at first. However, they can play an important role in

Annuity Payout Options
One of the major benefits of an annuity is the flexibility of distribution choices available to the annuitant, including

Annuity FAQ
Find answers to common annuity questions, including fixed annuities, variable annuities, index
Types of Annuities

Fixed Annuity
A fixed annuity is a contract that pays a fixed, stated rate of return similar to bank issued CDs.

Variable Annuity
Variable annuities provide the annuity owner with the opportunity to participate in market returns

Index Annuity
An equity index annuity is a type of annuity linked to the performance of a market index, like the S&P 500.

Immediate Annuity
A single premium immediate annuity is for someone who is interested in turning a lump sum of money into
Annuity Articles
Tax Treatment of Annuities
One of the more attractive features of an annuity is tax-deferred growth. As long as the money remains inside the annuity, the government won’t tax any of the earnings.
Tax Sheltered Annuity
A Tax-Sheltered Annuity is a type of retirement plan under section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code which permits employees of public educational organizations or tax-exempt organizations to make before tax contributions via a salary reduction agreement to a tax-sheltered retirement plan.
Fixed versus Variable Annuities
What’s the difference between a fixed annuity and a variable annuity? Generally speaking fixed annuities are considered to be more conservative. Variable annuities, having the potential for gain and losses, have a higher risk.


