What is an annuity and why might I need one?
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t spend a ton of time thinking about the financial health of your future self—but it’s important to start. After all, the older we get, the more difficult it can be to make ends meet. And while life insurance is a great way to protect your family if something happens to you, it doesn’t do much for your long-term financial health.
That’s where annuities come in! Annuities are financial instruments that help you put away money for retirement—but unlike other options like 401(k)s and IRAs, they’re really flexible. That means you can use them however works best for your situation, whether that means paying off debt or saving for college tuition for your kids one day. You can start investing as soon as today!
What is an annuity?
An annuity is a financial product that allows you to invest money for the future. It’s a way of saving for retirement, but instead of putting your money in a 401(k) or an IRA, you’re putting it into a life insurance policy.
An annuity is a contract between you and a financial institution that allows you to pay a certain amount of money into an account. The contract guarantees that the company will pay you a certain amount of money at regular intervals throughout your life, usually monthly or quarterly. You can choose to receive payments for as long as you live, or for a shorter time period like 10 or 20 years.
Why do I need an annuity?
Annuities are beneficial because they help you create a steady stream of income to meet your financial needs during retirement. They can also be used in conjunction with life insurance policies, allowing you to secure both your current and future financial security.
How does an annuity work?
When you purchase an annuity, you agree to pay a set amount of money into the policy every month—typically over the course of several decades. When you reach the end of this period, the insurer will give you back what it has earned on your investment plus interest. The amount they return will depend on how much risk they took when investing your money and how well they did investing it.
Can I use an annuity for my retirement?
An annuity is a financial product that can help you build your retirement savings so you don’t have to worry about having enough money when the time comes. This will allow you to retire comfortably! If you don’t need all the money right away, then an annuity can be an excellent way to save up for retirement. You get guaranteed returns on your investments because insurers are regulated by state agencies like insurance departments and must meet certain standards; this means that even if markets fall, your insurer will still be required to pay out what they owe.
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- Guaranteed income for life
- Monthly payments that can increase over time
- An additional death benefit if you pass away before your payments stop (which means your loved ones will get that money instead of having to fight over it)
- No matter what happens in the market, you’ll have money coming into your account every month until you die—we call this “income certainty.”
- The cash grows tax-deferred
HOW IS AN ANNUITY DIFFERENT FROM LIFE INSURANCE?
Life insurance is designed to provide coverage in case an unfortunate event happens—for example, death or disability—and the policy pays out upon occurrence of that event. An annuity provides lifelong income based on the amount invested and how long it takes to reach maturity. The two products work together well when each has its own purpose (life insurance gets paid out when something bad happens; annuities provide guaranteed income).
We offer annuities at Occidental Underwriters of Hawaii. You can contact us today for more information about how this product can help you achieve your retirement goals.