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There are multiple types of annuities that produce income.  The three main types are a Single Premium Immediate Annuity (SPIA), Fixed indexed annuity with income rider and  a deferred income annuity (sometimes called a longevity annuity).  They key is to know the strength of each product and the best time/situation to use it. Read more

Security Benefit has had the annuity with the highest income payout for the last two years.  Anyone looking for future income from a deferred annuity would be able to get the highest payout using the SIA product.

One of the drawbacks to this product has been that it is not available some states, Connecticut being one of them. This means that a person living in Connecticut could not have access to the product unless they signed all the documents while in a state that the product was approved in.  Security Benefit has now obtained approval for the SIA to be sold to residents of Connecticut. Read more

Security Benefit has had the annuity with the highest income payout for the last two years.  Anyone looking for future income from a deferred annuity would be able to get the highest payout using the SIA product.

One of the drawbacks to this product has been that it is not available some states, Connecticut being one of them. This means that a person living in Connecticut could not have access to the product unless they signed all the documents while in a state that the product was approved in.  Security Benefit has now obtained approval for the SIA to be sold to residents of Connecticut.

The products bonus is smaller in CT at 2% but the bonus of a product really does not mean much when it comes to the bottom line.  The SIA product with a 2% bonus will stay pay a larger future income than any other income product and this includes all the big names such as NY life, Allianz, Met Life, Aviva, NorthWestern Mutual, etc…..

Compare the attached income quote to the same quote from any other company to see what I mean.   This is an illustration for a 60 year old male who puts $200000 in the SIA product and takes income in 15 years at age 75.  Security Benefit will payout $36,585.00 a year at age 75. The payout number is guaranteed.  Compare this payout to any other companies guaranteed payout and you will see the difference.

Security Benefit SIA 60 year male 200K example

What is the best annuity?  The answer is that there is not a best annuity for every situation.  The trick is to find out the best one for whatever you are trying to accomplish.

Companies compete bitterly with each other in the annuity market.   They are always trying to come up with an annuity product that will be the next big seller.  While they want market share, they are never willing to offer a product that is the best in every category.  Instead, they will pick one area within a product and try to be the best in that space. Read more

Annuity For Life

When someone is shopping for an annuity for life, it can mean multiple things based on their understanding of annuities.  Usually they are looking for either an immediate annuity or a deferred annuity.

If someone is looking to put money into a product and start to draw income immediately:

They would be looking for an immediate annuity.  With an immediate annuity, people give the insurance company money in return for a guaranteed income stream for life.  In the past this could be a bad deal for a consumer if they died prior to their life expectancy but now most annuities come with a guaranteed return of premium feature to avoid this problem.   The most competitive immediate annuities change on a monthly basis but these companies usually are among the most competitive….. Genworth, The Standard, Lincoln, Equitrust, American Equity and Great American.  They commonly have some of the higher immediate annuity payouts Read more

Life Income annuities have been around for a long time.  The concept is straight forward.   You hand over a lump sum of money to the insurance company and they show you how much they will pay as income for the rest of your life.  There are a number of payout options such as a “Straight life payout” (They pay the money until you die), “Life pay with return of premium” (They pay for life and will pay any unused portion to a beneficiary if you die too soon) and a number of other options as well.

Life pay annuities are valuable when used in the right situation.  They can provide guaranteed income and are not subject to market fluctuation.  In other words, you can rely on the payout no matter what. Wikipedia has a very good article on life pay annuities that is worth reading (click her for Wikipedia article)  The only real drawback to the life income annuity is that you are giving up control of the lump sum asset.  Other lump sums should be maintained in the event it is needed.

In many cases, clients can obtain a better payout by using an indexed annuity with an income rider.  This approach always works better when someone is willing to wait a few years before starting income.  Using an income rider will allow you to know exactly how much income you can have at a future date such as 2, 5, 10 even 20 years down the road.   We always use the company that has the highest payout at the time and currently Security Benefit is the one paying the most.  They win in almost all payout scenarios.  Click Here for Security Benefit Info   This option also allows the client to maintain access to the lump sum investment which can have advantages over the traditional life annuity.

If a client is looking for immediate income, the traditional life annuity will often have the highest payout.  Given that insurance companies are constantly competing with each other to have the highest payout, it is prudent to check the market to make sure you are getting the highest payout possible.

Call (203-796-5403) or email Edward@Croweandassociates.com if you have additional questions or would like to obtain  information or quotes.