Here are some excerpts from a recent Kiplinger’s Retirement Report story titled, “RMD Tips: When Your IRA Holds an Annuity,” by Rachel L. Sheedy. AnnuityAdvantage CEO and Founder, Ken Nuss, is quoted in the article. “Annuities have a reputation for being complex products, and dealing with IRA required minimum distributions isn’t always a walk in the… Read more
Fixed indexed annuities are complex financial products offering a way to protect principal while still getting growth. With the stock market seeming to reach new highs almost daily, investors face a quandary. They want to profit if the market stays strong. But many, especially older Americans, also fear the market is due for a major… Read more
A Tax Sheltered Annuity, also called a TSA or 403(b), is a retirement plan offered by public schools and certain 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code allows employees to save for their retirement by making pre-tax contributions, up to a pre-defined annual limit, to individual accounts. Employee contributions are usually… Read more
What are CD annuities? That is a very interesting question with an even more interesting answer. The fact of the matter is that there really is no such thing as a CD annuity. A certificate of deposit (CD) is issued by a bank, whereas an annuity is issued by an insurance company. Why then do… Read more
If you are retired or nearing retirement, a life annuity should be a retirement income strategy that you give serious consideration. Life annuities are essentially a Single Premium Immediate Annuity (SPIA) with a lifetime payment option. They provide a dependable and secure stream of income payments that are guaranteed to continue for the rest of… Read more
Deferred annuities are contracts issued by insurance companies for people who want to save on a tax-deferred basis, usually for an extended period of time, and then optionally convert their accumulation value into a guaranteed monthly payout once they retire. Unlike an immediate annuity, where income payments must begin within one year of purchase, deferred… Read more
There are many different terms used to describe an insurance professional that specializes in selling annuity products. Some of the most common are: Insurance Producer, Agent, and Annuity Broker. AnnuityAdvantage acts as an independent annuity broker for dozens of top rated insurance companies representing hundreds of different annuity products. Our job is to seek out… Read more
Are you interested in upgrading your annuity to one with better features and/or a higher interest rate? In most cases, the IRS allows what is known as a 1035 exchange of non-qualified annuity contracts between insurance companies. A 1035 exchange lets you switch companies while continuing to defer taxes, ensuring that your annuity stays up-to-date… Read more
In the recent past, variable annuities have received both positive and negative attention in the media. Many articles have been published that detail variable annuities’ high potential market gains, but many more have been published describing excessive variable annuity fees, unethical sales practices, and the risk of losing principal. You may wonder if you are… Read more
Annuities are great retirement savings and guaranteed income products. While there are many benefits to owning an annuity, sometimes life’s circumstances change and there may now be a compelling reason to sell your annuity or structured settlement payments for cash. However, in most cases you can’t cash in a structured settlement or an annuity that… Read more
When someone uses the term, Retirement Annuity, they are usually referring to a particular type of annuity product called a Single Premium Immediate Annuity (SPIA). For that reason, and for the purposes of this article, we will be using both terms interchangeably. First of all, you should understand what a retirement annuity is. Retirement annuities… Read more
An immediate annuity is one of the only products available to retirees that provide a guaranteed lifetime income. In other words, once you establish a life payout immediate annuity, the income payments last as long as you do and cannot be outlived. When initially learning about immediate annuities, many individuals first impression is that it… Read more
Fixed annuities, also referred to as tax-deferred fixed annuities, are available in many different product designs and configurations, but are at their core, a contract between an owner and an insurance company for an interest bearing policy that includes optional guaranteed income choices. With a fixed annuity, the insurance company typically credits interest annually, but… Read more
A fixed indexed annuity is a type of deferred annuity that credits interest based on the performance of a stock market index, such as the S&P 500. The policyholder’s funds are not actually invested in the stock market, but rather, the performance of the market index the annuity is tied to functions as one of… Read more
An indexed annuity, also called a fixed indexed annuity, is an insurance contract that provides you with the opportunity to enjoy interest rates that are tied to the performance of a stock market index, such as the S&P 500, without the worry of losing any of your money in a downturn. Your original principal and… Read more
Equity Indexed Annuities were first introduced in 1995 as an innovative new product design that allowed individuals to earn interest based on the performance of a stock market index, most commonly the S&P 500, without any of the downside risk. Starting in 2006, the industry began renaming the product, removing the word equity, to help… Read more
There are many reasons why fixed rate annuity products have become such a popular retirement savings vehicle for retirees and pre-retirees seeking to secure a reliable and guaranteed supplemental income for their entire lifetime; here are just four of those reasons: 1) Competitive Interest Rates – Fixed rate annuities offer competitive interest rates, as well… Read more
If you’re exploring annuity options or considering the purchase of a fixed annuity, you’ll certainly want to do your homework. Annuity rates can vary dramatically from one annuity to the next. And, in addition to the stated annuity rate, the interest guarantee term and other product features should be thoroughly reviewed and understood before making… Read more
Doing research is integral when making any type of big purchase. You wouldn’t blindly purchase the first mortgage offered to you, or buy the first car that you see. Researching a product before buying helps to provide you with confidence that you are getting the best price and the best features that most appropriately meet… Read more
Annuity calculators can be found all over the internet. Most insurance companies and online annuity marketers offer some version of an annuity calculator on their website. These online tools make it easier to approximate how much your annuity will be worth at a future date, or how much your guaranteed monthly income payments will be,… Read more
Annuities offer many options for retirees and pre-retirees to increase their retirement savings and guarantee retirement income that cannot be outlived. But all of those options can become confusing, and many people have difficulty understanding their annuity choices. The main reason for all the confusion: Annuities can be single premium or flexible premium; fixed or… Read more
MEDFORD, Ore., May 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — For investors nearing retirement age, fixed annuities can provide a stable income source for many years. However, AnnuityAdvantage.com, a leading provider of online information in the annuities market, recommends taking the time to comparison shop before going all-in on a particular fixed annuity product. The company suggests that… Read more
MEDFORD, Ore., March 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Annuities are a complicated topic, and it is no surprise that annuity consumers face an investment marketplace swirling with misconceptions. Unfortunately, rumors and myths about annuity options result in consumers not making the most of their funds, so AnnunityAdvantage.com is tackling three of the most common misconceptions. “Misinformation… Read more
In this recent article from TheStreet titled, “Variable Annuity Questions Answered” by Melissa Gannon, AnnuityAdvantage.com CEO and Founder, Ken Nuss, is quoted regarding the confusion surrounding variable annuity guaranteed withdrawal benefit values. Here are a few excerpts from the article. Variable annuity holders that are best positioned during this extreme market downturn are those with:… Read more
Money magazine special annuity section contains information, quotes from popular consumer Web site AnnuityAdvantage.com. Medford, OR (PRWEB) December 22, 2008 — AnnuityAdvantage.com announced today that the November 2008 issue of Money magazine features information and quotes provided by company Founder and CEO Ken Nuss in its “Is Your Retirement Plan on Target?” section. The National… Read more
Beginner’s guide and new book “Annuities For Dummies”contains numerous references to popular consumer Web site AnnuityAdvantage.com. Medford, OR (PRWEB) March 11, 2008 — AnnuityAdvantage.com announced today that the book Annuities For Dummies, written by Kerry Pechter and recently published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., features extensive annuity information and makes multiple positive mentions of AnnuityAdvantage.com’s Web… Read more