An immediate annuity is basically a wealth management tool designed to provide a person or couple with a regular income. Despite what people think these plans are not insurance policies even though they are issued by insurance companies and come with some insurance benefits.
The way this kind of vehicle works is quite simple: a person pays a large sum of money for a contract with an insurance company. In exchange for the funds, the insurer agrees to make regular payments to the beneficiary of the policy for a set period of time or for the rest of his or her life. This product is a wealth management tool because it helps a person determine where the money will go.
A big reason why people purchase such plans is to make sure their money reaches them or a loved one. Large amounts of funds can be easily distributed without the use of attorneys, financial advisors and other costly professionals. The chance of funds being embezzled or diverted by an unscrupulous advisor is reduced and a person will get taken care of.
Indeed many rich people have used these plans to make sure that their families are taken care. They can be an excellent means to protect wealth even when it is in the hands of a person who is not that financially sophisticated.
A Very Expensive Money Management Tool
The biggest drawback to immediate annuities for the average person is their cost. A person will have to come up with all the funds necessary to purchase one. Unlike deferred annuities, an individual can’t purchase one on the installment plan.
Generally, the only time average individuals purchase such policies is when they receive some sort of windfall of income. A common example of this might be a retired person who makes a large amount of money from the sale of a house, a business, real estate or stocks. Winnings in the big state and national lotteries are often paid out by annuity as well.
The advantage to this is that it ensures a regular payment and that the funds are insured. This means they will be there for a person’s retirement or to take care of a disabled person.
There are also some tax advantages because money in an annuity is not taxed until you take it out. A person may have to pay taxes on funds before they put in the plan. They may also have to pay sales and state income taxes as well. Funds paid out from the plan will be taxed at an individual’s normal rate.
Immediate Annuities vs. Deferred Annuities
The big difference between the immediate and deferred plans is that a deferred policy is a wealth accumulation tool. It is designed to help an average person with an average income save additional funds for retirement.
Many people do seem to have the mistaken notice that immediate plans are only available with a fixed rate option. This means that they pay out a specific level of interest similar to that from a savings account. That is simply not true: a person can purchase an indexed immediate annuity which is partially backed by investments in stocks. Such a policy can grow faster than a regular plan and allow a person to accumulate more wealth.
This can allow an individual with a limited amount of money to invest to get a plan that could expand over time. It can also enable a person to invest retirement income in a relatively hassle free manner.
Myths about Immediate Plans
There are two big myths about immediate annuities and the best annuities that never seem to go away. The first is that the funds in the plan can not be left to heirs. This is simply not true: most policies enable a person to name a beneficiary who will get the funds or the benefit if the annuitant dies.
The second myth is that it will cost a fortune to get your money out. There are no-withdrawal fee and no surrender fee plans that charge little or nothing for taking funds out early available.