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Index Annuities

What Annuity Is Right For The Client?

Robbin Broome

Robbin Broome | September 22, 2015 | , , , ,

During the last two decades, seniors have experienced a roller coaster financial market. Products are constantly changing, and I am always informing clients about some policy variation. Volatility seems to be the wave of the future. With all this said, what should you look for in an annuity? After all, it is your financial future in question. Individuals need to ask themselves a few questions before purchasing any product in today’s environment. For instance: What are my goals for my money? Am I going to...

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The Truth About Annuities

Rick Graham

Rick Graham | August 28, 2015 | , , ,

The truth about annuities is that there is not so much a good or bad annuity as much as a good or bad fit for your personal situation. There are many different types of annuities and dozens of insurance companies offering them. There are literally hundreds of different annuity product options. It can be very challenging to understand and compare products. To begin with, an annuity is a contract issued by an insurance company to meet specific financial goals, wants, or needs. It’s a contract...

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You Have Been Going About Annuities All Wrong

Morgan Hill

Morgan Hill | August 6, 2015 | , ,

How many times have your clients or prospects told you that they had “researched” indexed annuities? Only later you discover that “research” consisted of typing “indexed annuity” into Google and reading the first couple sentences. As a financial professional who offers indexed annuities in your array of products, you ought to familiarize yourself with Google search engine results related to the product. It doesn’t take long to recognize the negative results. Indeed, much of the easy-to-access Internet literature about annuities is inherently negative. While I...

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Annuities as Bond Alternatives

Morgan Hill

Morgan Hill | August 3, 2015 | ,

For decades, a commonly cited rule of thumb for retirement portfolios has been the “rule of 100.”  It states that individuals should hold a percentage of stocks equal to 100 minus their age. So, for a typical 60-year-old, 40% of the portfolio should be equities and 60% of the portfolio should be held in conservative or otherwise fixed-rate investments; bonds, treasuries, CDs, etc. However, with the large majority of these safe investments pay out roughly 2%-4%, many investors are keeping their exposure to equities disproportionately...

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Why Is An Index Reset Critical To Retirement?

Dave Mortach

Dave Mortach | July 28, 2015 | , ,

People purchase annuities for a number of different reasons. Certainly, ensuring a lifetime stream of retirement income is one of the primary factors for purchasing this type of financial vehicle. But while the annuity is still in its funding—or accumulation—phase, it is also important to make sure that you are able to grow and protect the funds that are inside of the account. Using a fixed indexed annuity, or FIA, can be an ideal way to generate a retirement income. These annuities credit interest based...

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Changing the Perception of Fixed Annuities

Mike Gann

Mike Gann | July 22, 2015 | ,

Why do annuities that can have twice the rate of return or a bank CD or money market receive such negative press? Sadly, there are multiple reasons for this ridiculous reality. For decades, employees retiring with pension plans have had to choose their annuity pension pay-out options available to them. In many cases, the retiring employee chooses the highest monthly income option, which is a life only option. As a result, if the now retired employee passes away earlier than the mortality table average, then...

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The Power of Locking in Your Gains

Dave Mortach

Dave Mortach | July 21, 2015 | , , ,

When obtaining any type of financial vehicle, there is typically some type of risk-return tradeoff. For instance, in today’s low interest rate environment, it’s tough to obtain the growth that you need, yet it’s important to also play it safe in order to protect your principal. The fixed indexed annuity, or FIA, can provide a great solution for offering the potential for market-related growth, yet protection from downside risk. This can in turn help you to generate more retirement income down the road. Ensuring that...

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Longevity and Your Money

Craig Moser

Craig Moser | July 20, 2015 | , ,

Looking back at my father, I see someone who was entitled to two pensions and Social Security. As he put it, he “just got money in the mail.” Fast forwarding to present day, I work with folks who are or will be solely dependent on the money they have saved and their Social Security to drive their retirement income. So the question is, “How do you not outlive your money?” We work on average 40 years. During that time we buy homes, perhaps raise and...

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Fixed Index Annuity Basics

Mark Goldfinger

Mark Goldfinger | March 27, 2015 | , , , ,

When my clients ask me to list the most important ingredients required when looking to create and maintain a stress-free retirement plan, I explain to them that there are three basic financial requirements: a guaranteed income which they cannot outlive; little or no risk of losing their money/savings, and the ability to grow their money through participation in a growing stock market and NOT a receding stock market. I then inform them that there are financial tools that will help meet these three requirements, and...

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Fixed Annuities vs. Variable Annuities

Randy Floyd

Randy Floyd | March 25, 2015 | , , , , ,

For most people, the word “annuity” might as well be a four-letter word. When I talk about them in my practice, I find that there is a very negative connotation associated with them. Yet most people’s understanding of annuities is very limited at best. So, I wanted to take some time to explain what they are and go over some of the different kinds of annuities. I think most people will realize that they are not quite the monster they have been made out to...

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