For nearly a decade, the month of June has served as Annuity Awareness Month, a time to help financial professionals and pre-retirees appreciate the value of a diversified retirement portfolio. During this month, organizations like IALC encourage those planning for retirement to investigate options such as fixed index annuities (FIAs), to examine how these products could fit into their unique life plan.

These days, Americans are living longer lives, and it’s reasonable to expect retirement will last several years or even decades. At the same time, studies have found access to employer-sponsored retirement support has declined over time, leaving many adults to take a “do-it-yourself” approach to financial health. Given almost 80 percent of workers say their number one goal for retirement is a stable income that will last their lifetime, it’s no surprise “outliving savings” is the top fear among pre-retirees. FIAs could provide a solution to this concern.

To help recognize Annuity Awareness Month, we’ve listed five things pre-retirees should know about annuities.

  1. FIAs can provide stability.

    With an FIA, your principal is safe from market swings that threaten other retirement products. Additionally, FIAs are some of the only options that provide guaranteed lifetime income, meaning you can’t outlive your savings.

  2. FIAs can provide diversity.

    Except in cases of rare luck, no retirement plan can be maximized with just a single strategy. FIAs, when accompanied by other options such as pensions and Social Security, provide healthy diversity to your portfolio, helping you avoid risk and boost security.

  3. FIAs are tax-deferrable options.

    Unlike savings accounts, you won’t pay taxes on accrued interest until you begin making withdrawals. Essentially, this allows for stronger growth, given you’ll be earning interest on your principal, interest on interest and interest on the money you would otherwise have paid in taxes. Win-win-win.

  4. FIAs are predictable.

    Wouldn’t it be great to know exactly how much income you can expect each month during retirement? With an FIA, you can. This helps give you peace of mind when getting ready for your post-working years.

  5. FIAs are accessible.

    With proper planning, just about anyone can benefit from an FIA. They are not exclusive based on income or age.

FIAs can provide many benefits, and Annuity Awareness Month is a great reminder to consider them when creating the retirement strategy that works best for you. If you want to learn more about FIAs, or to examine if they fit into your life plan, this resource may be helpful.