Tag Archives: Fixed Annuity

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Several consumers are now looking toward annuities to help them sustain their current lifestyle during their retirement years. Annuities, in their varied types, seem to work very well for most consumer and retirees. However, many consumers who have invested in annuities, or are planning to do so, can only budget for the future once they know what their Annuity Income will amount to on a regular basis. There are a number of calculators online that can help consumers to calculate their annuity income. There is also a series of 5 easy tips that every consumer can perform to determine the amount of their annuity income:

1. Determine the type of annuity. Annuities can come either variable or fixed. A fixed annuity will have a guaranteed payout. However, the income determined by a variable annuity will depend very substantially upon the performance of the applicable investment.  The annuity could also be deferred or immediate. A deferred annuity means that payments have been postponed until a designated point in time. An immediate annuity doles out payments as soon as the consumer has made their very first contribution.

2. Choose the payout option. For most consumers, the standard payout option is the full amount of annuity over a designated period of time, with any leftover balance being paid out to a beneficiary. However, there are several other payout options available with most annuities. They can be paid out to the annuity owner or the owner and their spouse. There are also payout options that can combine two or more versions of different payout options.

3. Determine other details. There are other details of the annuity that may impact payout. These include such things as interest rate and principal balance. Knowing these details can help determine the annuity income received.

4. Calculate payment amounts. The manual formula for determining the payment amounts is as follows:

Annuity Value = Payment Amount x Present Value of an Annuity Factor (PVOA)

5. Make Adjustments.  If the annuity is not scheduled to be paid out right away, adjustments will have to be made in calculating the annuity income.  The interest rate will accrue on the annuity between now and the first payment and the number of years until the consumer begins receiving payments.

Using these five simple steps can help determine exactly what annuity income can be expected. There are a variety of annuity calculators also online but manually, these steps seem to produce the easiest and most efficient way of determining expected annuity income.

Evaluation of the Risks Associated with Annuities

Annuities have become a popular investment choice for those consumers who are close to reaching their retirement age. There are several reasons why annuities work for many consumers, as they allow for guaranteed income and have several safeguards in place to ensure that the consumer at least maintains a certain level of income once they have stopped working. However, there are also some annuity risks associated with purchasing an annuity, especially certain annuities, as there are a variety of different kinds of annuities currently available to consumers. In order for those consumers approaching retirement to make the best decision available to them, they must know both the advantages and disadvantages to purchasing an annuity in an effort to help them fund their retirement years.

While annuities do guarantee a level of income for a designated period of time that does not mean that the amount of money in question will remain constant over time. That is to say that annuities do not factor in inflation unless the consumer chooses to invest in an inflation-linked annuity. That means that with a standard or conventional annuity, the consumer may end up with less money over time, given the impact of inflation on their pension savings.  That being said, annuities are not all made equal. While the consumer can customize their annuity to some extent, these add-ons and enhancements typically cost more money. So, in order to alleviate some of these annuity risks, the consumer must invest more.

Another annuity risk is that the consumer simply does not have an opportunity to make much money on their investment. Therefore, they cannot continue to build their savings. For example, with a fixed annuity, the consumer is not able to make any money off of their investment. So while the consumer is guaranteed their income, they run the annuity risk of not ever being able to make more money off of their investment. Lastly, annuities are notoriously inflexible. This means that the consumer is unable to make any changes to their annuity, including payouts and enhancements, once the annuity has been purchased. Therefore, an annuity risk exists if the consumer finds themselves in a position where they need to change their retirement options.

Regardless of what the consumer needs and wants, they should always consult with an independent financial adviser. A specialist or expert can ensure that the consumer has all of the information needed to make the best and most unique decision for their particular situation.