If you’re looking to protect a portion of your assets from market losses and generate predictable income you cannot outlive, a fixed annuity may be a smart choice for you.
What is an annuity?
An annuity is a contract between you and a licensed and regulated insurance company in which you make a lump-sum payment or series of payments and, in return, receive disbursements, either immediately or at some point in the future. Fixed, fixed index, registered index-linked and variable annuities each come with their own level of risk and payout potential.
What is a fixed annuity?
A fixed annuity is a tax-deferred retirement savings vehicle that provides fixed asset accumulation, much like a CD. With a fixed annuity, you may benefit from:
Protection from loss
Your fixed annuity won’t lose value, regardless of market conditions, unless you withdraw money or surrender your contract during the early withdrawal period.
Predictable growth
Your fixed annuity is guaranteed to grow in value at a defined interest rate for the duration of the contract, as specified in your policy at the time of purchase.
Tax deferral
You don’t pay taxes on the interest your fixed annuity earns until you start receiving payments or take a withdrawal, so your fixed annuity may grow at a faster rate.
What is a fixed index annuity?
A fixed index annuity FIA is a type of fixed annuity that provides an opportunity to earn interest credits based on the movement of one or more underlying indices. If the index declines, the asset cannot lose money. If the index rises, a portion of the gains are locked in subject to a cap rate or participation rate.
A fixed index annuity may help you diversify your retirement portfolio by allocating funds to a fixed account, one or more indices, or a combination of the two.