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There are three types of deferred annuities for investors to choose from in order of least to most risk: fixed, fixed-indexed, and variable.  Variable accounts are most risky as they are directly tied to the ups and downs of the overall stock market which is why you you see variable annuity complaints. In an attempt …

August 9, 2010

Category: Annuities, Articles

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Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of misinformation that has spread about annuity investment contracts. What is not clear is whether these untruths are intentional or a general lack of knowledge, but it is beyond time to set the record straight. One of the biggest concerns potential annuity investors have is what happens to their money …

July 1, 2010

Category: Annuities, Articles, Retirement Planning

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As an annuity agent, I am often asked which insurance company offers an indexed annuity with the best returns. And that is not an easy question to answer. There are dozens of companies offering several fixed indexed accounts each. However, I did come across an annual statement recently that even amazed me – and I have …

May 20, 2010

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Indexed annuity accounts credit interest based on the performance of chosen stock and bond market indexes, however they are not variable in nature and have no direct market exposure. This simply means that when the market goes down, there is no risk of losing your invested principal or interest gains from previous years. During the past twelve months, …

May 6, 2010

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It’s April 15th and while many have already filed their tax returns, some are still scrambling to get their documents in on time.  Thus, it is an appropriate time of the year to talk about different ways to reduce your income taxes. If you wish to reduce the amount of taxable income on your 1040 or are …

April 15, 2010

Category: Annuities, Articles, Life Insurance, Wealth Transfer

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If you are considering investing in a fixed indexed annuity, you should become familiar with a few terms.  Almost all indexed annuities have internal moving parts referred to as spreads, caps, and participation rates. The fluctuations of these moving parts can significantly affect your annuity’s rate of return now and in the future. Insurance companies will adjust their …

March 12, 2010

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You may wish to exchange your old annuity or life insurance policy for a new one for any number of reasons. Section 1035 of the I.R.S tax code allows you to do so while deferring any taxable gains in your old policy. The accumulated gains in your old policy can be transferred to a new insurance [...]
March 2, 2010

Category: Annuities

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Regardless of the type of annuity account you own (fixed, indexed, immediate, or variable) it will fall into one of two categories; qualified or non-qualified. Your options will depend which type you have and/or inherit. An annuity cannot be both qualified and non-qualified. It's one or the other. There are significant differences between the two [...]
September 30, 2009

Category: Annuities, Articles, Retirement Planning

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As the overall markets have swooned and once plush retirement accounts have lost value, you might be interested in a guaranteed lifetime stream of income. Commercials are more prevalent and many financial firms are now advertising the merits of this simple concept. But what are the financial products behind these guarantees and how can you benefit from lifetime …

July 15, 2009

Category: Annuities, Articles, Ohio Annuity, Retirement Planning

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A 403(b) account is also known as a Tax Sheltered Annuity or TSA.  These accounts can take many forms, but most typically are setup as a fixed or variable annuity.  Teachers, employees of non-profits, and certain ministers can contribute during their working years should their employer offer this retirement option. Other investment options might include mutual funds …

April 2, 2009

Category: Annuities, Articles, Retirement Planning

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There are certain economic cycles that occur every few years which drive up the interest rates in fixed annuity accounts.  We are in one of those cycles now. Savvy investors can lock in very high annuity rates (yields/returns) that did not exist only a year ago. View Current Fixed Annuity Interest Rates Economic Turmoil Benefits Fixed Annuity Accounts …

November 17, 2008

Category: Annuities, Articles

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Federal Reserve recently lowered key interest rates in order to battle the current credit crisis. This is not good news for bank investors who have relied on certificates of deposit and money market savings accounts to save and/or generate income. When inflation is factored in, most bank instrument’s returns are at historical lows. Additionally, the volatility in …

October 31, 2008

Category: Annuities, Articles, Ohio Annuity

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The most recent market turmoil has many conservative investors second guessing their investment decisions. Those near or in retirement have witnessed significant losses to their IRA, 401(k) and 403(b) retirement accounts.  When the market crash of 2000 is factored in, many retirees have experienced an overall loss in their net worth for over ten years. …

October 17, 2008

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Consumers who need a guaranteed, stable and systematic income can establish an immediate annuity account. Also know as an annuitization or an income annuity, these accounts provide regular monthly payments for a specified period of time to the account holder. The payments will consist of principal and interest and continue for the term selected. Several …

June 16, 2008

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Recent significant stock market declines and portfolio volatility have many investors inquiring, once again, about the safety of annuity accounts. Consumers ask, “Are annuities safe from a recession? Do they maintain value when the market goes down? Will they lock in my interest gains each year?” The answer is, yes. Investing in a fixed, an …

January 29, 2008

Category: Annuities, Articles

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