Optimizing the benefits of an annuity means getting a guaranteed stream of income you can’t outlive. Deciding when to buy is ...

So, while I believe that annuities should be considered for certain situations, you want to make sure you know what you’re getting into and avoid being sold a program that you don’t understand.

Other types of annuities, like variable annuities and indexed annuities, share certain features with a fixed annuity but may offer greater payouts—and greater risks. Many financial professionals ...

A "life with period-certain annuity" pays you income for life, but if you die during a specified time frame (the period-certain years), the annuity will pay your beneficiary the remainder of your ...

Period certain income annuities have set income terms, making them useful for helping to fund early retirement or prefund a loan or large life insurance policy. Immediate income annuities with a ...

Variable immediate annuities generally work like investment accounts, like your 401(k) or IRA: You deposit a certain amount and what you earn is based on market performance. Fixed immediate ...

While annuities can be useful retirement planning tools, they can also be a lousy investment choice for certain people because of their notoriously high expenses. Financial planners and insurance ...

You do have the option of naming a beneficiary on your annuity, and with certain types of payout options that beneficially could receive the money in your annuity when you die. Other options just ...

I get it. The idea of retiring feels distant when you’re in your 20s or 30s. There are probably more pressing priorities on your mind. These probably include paying off student loans, buying a home, ...

With U.S. lifespans reaching into the 80s and 90s thanks to modern medicine, expanding health care technology tools and healthier lifestyles, more Americans are waiting to take Social Security ...

A 403(b) tax-sheltered annuity plan (TSA) is a retirement savings plan for employees of public schools, government agencies, and certain other tax-exempt non-profit organizations. Employees who ...