How Interest Rates Affect Annuities

Unstable interest rate stack - rate hike causing recession, slow down or investment crisis. — (Image credit: Getty)

Annuities base their returns on market interest rates. Given that rates were recently at their highest level since 2001, conditions over-all are favorable for buying an annuity. But higher rates benefit some products more than others.

Here, we look at how higher interest rates impact different types of annuities.

Fixed index annuities

Fixed annuities are paying higher guaranteed rates to match current market conditions. Fixed index annuities have also become a better deal. Many now offer higher possible caps for your returns as insurers are earning more.

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The interest rate environment doesn’t matter as much for variable annuities, as the returns depend on the performance of the mutual funds they invest in rather than rates.

Initial bonuses

Many annuities also pay initial bonuses as a percentage of your deposit that can be worth 10% or more.

“If someone bought an annuity years ago when rates were low, it could make sense to break a contract to get the better rates. A bonus would help offset the surrender charge,” says Mindy Oglesby, a certified financial planner and CEO of Oglesby Wealth Strategies in Watkinsville, Ga.

How old is the annuity holder?

High interest rates could help you earn more if you’re looking for income, but it depends on your age. “It matters much more the younger you are,” says David Blanchett, head of retirement research for PGIM DC Solutions, the investment management division of Prudential.

If you’re 55, the amount of your payout is based on the insurer investing the money for the long term. High interest rates can help you lock in higher lifetime income. If you’re 85, high interest rates don’t matter as much. “At this point, payouts are mainly based on life expectancy.”

The possibility of rate cuts

Interest rates could fall later this year, although higher-than-expected inflation in early 2024 may delay rate cuts from the Federal Reserve. The possibility of declining rates provides extra incentive to purchase some types of annuities sooner than later.

But before you pull the trigger, make sure an annuity is appropriate for your long-term financial goals. If you cancel an annuity early, surrender charges could wipe out any benefit you gain by purchasing it when interest rates are high.

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.

David is a financial freelance writer based out of Delaware. He specializes in making investing, insurance and retirement planning understandable. He has been published in Kiplinger, Forbes and U.S. News, and also writes for clients like American Express, LendingTree and Prudential. He is currently Treasurer for the Financial Writers Society.

Before becoming a writer, David was an insurance salesman and registered representative for New York Life. During that time, he passed both the Series 6 and CFP exams. David graduated from McGill University with degrees in Economics and Finance where he was also captain of the varsity tennis team.