Anton Hendler |
May 1, 2014 |
Index Annuities, Inflation
It wasn’t that long ago, that inflation was the topic of choice but, after a protracted period of next-to-no inflation, and perhaps a touch of deflation, not much has been heard about this inevitable fact of our lives for quite some time now. The latest annual inflation rate for the United States is 1.1% through the 12 months ended February 2014* and the average annual inflation for the past 100 years or so has been about 3.2%. Effectively this means that if you are not...
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Mike Lester |
April 25, 2014 |
Fixed Annuities, Index Annuities
In the past couple of decades, annuities have become more popular with financial advisors and retirees for retirement planning. In many cases, annuities can be a valued part of a well-diversified portfolio. However, there are also many characteristics of annuities that can make them undesirable or even hurtful in retirement planning. Annuities have evolved from simple pension replacement plans and CD alternative types of investments to include complicated investment vehicles that many advisors claim to deliver gains regardless of market performance. Often, it’s the claim...
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Anton Hendler |
April 14, 2014 |
Index Annuities
Not that long ago, many corporate and government employees had the safety of a defined benefit pension plan which was funded by the employer and would provide a steady stream of “guaranteed” retirement income for the rest of their life. Sadly, this type of pension plan is a disappearing commodity and, with them, goes the security of an income stream to support one throughout retirement. So, given the inevitability of the current trend to alternative vehicles, what can a retiree or future retiree do to...
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Richard Ericson |
April 9, 2014 |
Fixed Annuities, Index Annuities
A little boy runs into his grandpa and says, “Can you make a sound like a frog?” Grandpa replies, “of course I can make a sound like a frog. Why do you ask?” The boy says, “Grandma says when Grandpa croaks we can all go to Hawaii.” Grandma and Grandpa knew their money was protected and safe in Grandpa’s indexed annuity. There are many common questions that I am asked by investors as they learn about indexed annuities. “What happens to my fixed annuity when...
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Anton Hendler |
March 31, 2014 |
Annuity Caps, Index Annuities
One thing that is for certain in the Insurance Industry (or any service industry) is that the market will always react to demand for a product. It’s no different with Fixed Index Annuities (FIAs), and recently we have seen more and more ‘Uncapped Products’ offered in reaction to the markets demand for a greater share of upside gains. As with any FIA where you always only share in the market upside (but never in the downside) there are costs and limitations involved so provided you...
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Anton Hendler |
March 21, 2014 |
Fixed Annuities, Index Annuities
Given the current market uncertainty we thought it a good time to revisit the question of Fixed Index Annuities (FIAs) and whether one can, in fact, gain without losing. The short answer is, of course, yes. But there are a few points that need to be made to properly explain what is meant by gaining and losing. Certainly with a FIA you will never share in any market losses. Your gains, if there is a gain, are ‘locked in’ on a set basis (usually every...
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Keith L. Collins |
March 11, 2014 |
Annuity Fees, Fixed Annuities, Income Riders, Index Annuities
A Fixed Indexed Annuity (FIA) is a retirement savings tool that complements other pension plans like 401(k)s, social security benefits, and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Many insurance and indexed annuity companies that offer FIAs have come up with an annuity product feature that offers guaranteed lifetime payments to your account. This feature is called a Guaranteed Lifetime Income Rider (GLIR). Once you procure this annuity, you can receive guaranteed regular monthly income for the rest of your life. What is a Guaranteed Lifetime Income Rider?...
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Carl Ostenson |
February 25, 2014 |
Carl Ostenson, Income Riders, Index Annuities
Do you want to put aside a portion of your retirement savings so it will guarantee you income when you retire? Here’s my Top 5 reasons why using an indexed annuity with an income rider could be a good solution: 1) LOCK IN THE LAST 5 YEARS OF GAINS: Since the market bottom in March of 2009 the SP 500 Index is up 165% without any real major correction. (As of 2/24/14) You are also 5 years older now and have less time to recover...
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Anton Hendler |
February 22, 2014 |
Annuity Basics, Fixed Annuities, Index Annuities
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, so the saying goes. So it is that with an article of this nature, it depends on who is writing it and that persons perspective as no two people will share the same opinion. So let us nail our colors firmly to the mast, so to speak, and share with you that we promote Fixed Index Annuities (FIAs) to our clients and are firm believers in their place in any Retirement strategy. Now that we have our...
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Laura Johnson |
February 21, 2014 |
Fixed Annuities, Index Annuities
According to The Index Compendium, Jan 2014, “Although a few annuities ended the year crediting 5% to 6 % interest – and a couple product methods credited over 20% – the reality is most Index Annuities purchased December 2012 credited 2% to 3% in December 2013.” So why the huge discrepancy in credits? Jack Marrion, editor of Index Compendium, believes it is simply that the low bond yields a year ago did not allow carriers to buy much upside with their index link. But the...
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