David Rodeck
Annuities are having a moment. Americans looking for regular and/or guaranteed income in retirement are turning to annuities.
Sales have consecutively topped $100 billion for quarter after quarter for nearly two years. Proponents think sales should be higher and point to a lack of understanding about annuities as a major roadblock to adoption.
An annuity works a lot like Social Security, in which you pay a certain amount (via taxes) during your working years for a guaranteed income in retirement.
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With an annuity, however, an insurance company acts like Uncle Sam. You establish a contract with an insurance company, paying installments over time or in a lump sum. In retirement, you receive a fixed sum of money (from the annuity), either periodically over a specific period or for your lifetime.
You can purchase annuities directly on your own or with your employer's help if the annuities are offered in a tax-advantaged retirement savings account such as a 401(k).
“Annuities have a very specific place in somebody’s portfolio for retirement,” says Jordan Sowhangar, vice president/wealth adviser at Girard, a Univest Wealth division. “There are a bunch of different kinds of annuities that offer some sort of income protection and/or guaranteed rate of return for really conservative-focused clients.”
Who is an annuity right for?
Annuities are popular among retirees, but they aren't for everyone. They tend to make the most sense for people who want a guaranteed income in retirement and are worried they'll run out of money during their golden years.
Annuities are also well-suited to individuals who want to play it safe but want a better return than bank CDs. Fixed annuities tend to outperform bank CDs because they're held longer, giving the insurance company more time to invest and grow the money.
Annuities can also make sense for people who want to supplement their Social Security benefits as part of their retirement, or as a bridge until they can claim Social Security if they retire early. Annuities can also be used to pay for the aging process or long-term care costs.
How annuities work
The insurance company that holds the annuity establishes a steady stream of payments for the buyer over a set period. In most cases, annuities are used as guaranteed regular payments in retirement and are designed to help people avoid outliving their retirement savings.
Annuities aren't recommended for people before they reach their retirement years or for those who need access to their cash. After a short time known as the free-look period, you can't access the money without incurring significant expenses and surrender charges. There are multiyear guaranteed annuities with shorter contract terms, typically three, five and seven years.
“Multiyear annuities function very similarly to a bank CD in its design but are issued by insurance companies,” says Ken Nuss, founder and CEO of AnnuityAdvantage, an online provider of fixed-rate, fixed-indexed and immediate-income annuities based in Medford, Oregon.
Three parties are involved in the annuity contract: the insurance company, which owns the annuity; the annuitant, or the person who takes out the contract; and the beneficiary, or the person who receives the payout. The annuitant pays the premiums and is responsible for any taxes once the contract ends. The annuitant is also typically the person who names the beneficiary.
When it comes to paying for the annuity, the annuitant can either make a one-time payment to fund it in its entirety or make premium payments over a period of time. With the latter payment method, there are flexible premium contracts that let you pay whatever you want whenever you want within predetermined limits and scheduled premium contracts in which the amount and frequency of the payments are clearly defined.
Most annuities offer a free-look period, which is the window in which annuity holders can cancel the contract and receive the initial payment or the value of the annuity contract, depending on the rules of the state the account holder resides in. It’s typically between 10 and 30 days.
Outside of that free-look period, your money is locked up until the contract expires. “The biggest trade-off with annuities is that you surrender control of the asset to the insurance company,” says Nuss.
What are the phases of an annuity?
Annuities go through two basic phases. The first is the accumulation phase, which is the time during which the annuity is funded before the payouts begin. All the money that's invested in the annuity during this accumulation phase grows on a tax-deferred basis.
The second phase is the annuitization phase, which is when the payouts occur. Most annuities also have a surrender period, during which the annuitant can't withdraw any money without paying a fee.
Most insurance companies allow annuitants to withdraw up to 10% of the value of the account without paying a surrender fee. However, withdrawing more than that might trigger a penalty, even after the surrender period is over.
What are the main types of annuities?
Annuities can be either immediate or deferred, depending on when you begin to receive payments. Types of annuities include fixed, variable and indexed.
Immediate annuities. People who receive a large sum of money all at once, such as from a settlement on a lawsuit, might choose to exchange the funds to receive steady, guaranteed income stretching into the future. Payouts might be made monthly, quarterly, semiannually or annually.
Deferred annuities. This type of annuity is designed to grow on a tax-deferred basis, providing guaranteed income to the annuitant starting on a particular date they choose. The savings period for deferred annuities can last from a few years to decades, and the money grows over time.
Fixed annuities. Fixed annuities have guaranteed interest rates that are fixed, and the money grows on a tax-deferred basis over time. Technically, fixed annuities are also deferred annuities because they don't start paying immediately. However, they're also slightly different from a deferred annuity because the annuitant can decide when the payments will begin.
Variable annuities. These also grow on a tax-deferred basis, although they offer additional choices. The amounts of the regular payouts in retirement are based on how your selected investments perform, resulting in variable payouts over time rather than fixed guaranteed payments.
Secondary annuities. Aside from the four main types of annuities, there are three other secondary types.
- Equity-indexed annuities mix the features of variable and fixed annuities, providing a guaranteed minimum payment that could increase if the annuitant's investments outperform.
- A longevity annuity requires the annuitant to wait until around age 80 before payouts begin. At that point, the payouts are guaranteed to last until the end of the person's life. However, if the annuitant dies before the payouts begin, the heirs don't get the remaining money. This is just one strategy for managing longevity risk in retirement.
- A retirement annuity accumulates retirement funds while the annuitant is still working. Upon retirement, two-thirds of the money saved is used to buy an annuity.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of annuities?
Annuities have several advantages over some other forms of retirement savings, as well as disadvantages. Here's a look at both.
Advantages
- Guaranteed income. An annuity can provide income, which can supplement other sources of retirement cash flow.
- Regular payments. Depending on the type of annuity, annuitants can receive a lump-sum income payment or income payments on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.
- Fixed interest rate. Annuitants can lock in an interest rate to easily budget how much income is coming in monthly, quarterly or annually.
- Tax-deferred contributions. Most annuities let buyers make tax-deferred contributions, so the money added isn’t taxed until retirement. Taxes aren’t due until the start of annuity payouts.
- No contribution limits. Unlike an IRA or 401(k), an annuity doesn’t require annual contribution limits.
- You can have more than one. There is no limit on the number of annuities you can have. If you want a mix of annuity benefits, such as one fixed contract for a guaranteed return and a variable annuity for potential investment upside, nothing is stopping you.
- Death benefits. For an additional cost, some annuities can be set up to pay a death benefit to beneficiaries, either as a lump-sum payment or a percentage of regular income payments.
Disadvantages
- Tied-up money. With most annuities, you can withdraw a portion without paying a surrender charge during the surrender period. Any withdrawals before age 59½ are taxed as ordinary income and face a 10% federal income tax penalty.
- Fees and commissions. Some annuities charge fees, such as surrender charges, mortality and expense risk fees, sales and commissions and administration fees.
- Pricey riders. In some cases, coupled with fees and commissions, a rider could further dilute your investment.
- Variable returns. If the owner has a variable annuity, the cash value goes up or down based on the performance of the market. This can lead to an uncertain income stream during retirement.
What to look for in an annuity provider?
When shopping for an annuity, investors must consider the financial strength of the insurance company issuing the annuity. If the insurance company were to fail, you could lose your money.
While the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. doesn’t cover annuities such as bank deposits, they're backed by insurance guaranty associations that protect insurance policyholders and their beneficiaries if the insurance company becomes insolvent and can no longer meet its obligations.
Every state, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, has a state insurance guaranty association.
“When we offer annuities, we are looking at how long the insurance company has been in business, its balance sheet, assets versus liabilities, capital surplus and the rating from the three rating agencies AM Best, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s,” says Nuss.
For a multiyear guaranteed annuity, Nuss says the baseline AM Best rating should be a B++ or higher. He says the rating should be A- or higher for annuities that guarantee lifetime income.
Rules and regulations
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FIRA) regulate annuities.
To sell annuities, brokers must hold a life insurance license issued by their state. To sell variable annuities, they must also hold a securities license. These brokers usually earn a commission based on the contract's notional value.
Think about your goals before buying
Annuities are best suited for anyone who wants a predictable retirement income. However, because you'll be giving up a substantial amount of cash in return for guaranteed income, it is best to consider each type of annuity before making a decision.
It’s also best to look at any fees a provider might charge, which can dilute the value of your investment.
"The first place to start is to figure out what your goals and objectives are for retirement,” says Sowhangar.
“If any of those things involve principal protection with a guaranteed rate of return or guaranteed income, and it's something you feel you can’t achieve with your current investment lineup, then it's time to explore annuities to fill the gap. If you're not working with a financial adviser it's the perfect time to do so to go over your options.”
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