Tuesday, March 24, 2009

What Are Indexed Annuities?

According to The National Association of Insurance Commissioners Buyer's Guide, "An indexed annuity is a fixed annuity, either immediate or deferred, that earns interest or provides benefits that are linked to an external equity reference or an equity index.

When you buy an indexed annuity you own an insurance contract. You are not buying shares of any stock or index.

An indexed annuity is different from other fixed annuities because of the way it credits interest to your annuity's value. Indexed annuities credit interest using a formula based on changes in the index to which the annuity is linked. The formula decides how the additional interest, if any, is calculated and credited. How much additional interest you get and when you get it depends on the features of your particular annuity.

Questions you should ask your Agent or the Company

You should ask the following questions about indexed annuities in addition to the questions in the Buyer's Guide to Fixed Deferred Annuities.
  • What is the guaranteed minimum interest rate?
  • How long is the term?
  • What is the participation rate? For how long is the participation rate guaranteed?
  • Is there a minimum participation rate?
  • Does my contract have an interest rate cap? What is it?
  • Does my contract have an interest rate floor? What is it?
  • Is interest rate averaging used? How does it work?
  • Is interest compounded during a term?
  • Is there a margin, spread, or administrative fee? Is that in addition to or instead of a participation rate?
  • What indexing method is used in my contract?
  • What are the surrender charges or penalties if I want to end my contract early and take out all of my money?
  • Can I get a partial withdrawal without paying charges or losing interest? Does my contract have vesting? If so, what is the rate of vesting?

Final Points to Consider

Remember to read your annuity contract carefully when you receive it. Ask your agent or insurance company to explain anything you don’t understand. If you have a specific complaint or can’t get answers you need from the agent or company, contact your state insurance department.

By Jeff McLeod

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Thursday, March 19, 2009

Understanding Annuities - Information on Annuity Sales

The advantages that you receive by selling annuities

Making sales are an important source to make a profit by selling and making opportunities in the case of sales for financial advisors. You could opt for annuity sales in the case of lump-sum charge when the clients want to make large purchase in the case of properties and big investment. In this way, you will be able to diversify the assets and also, to receive profits.

The reasons you might have for availing the annuities

The first one would be to install continual funda. This means that the selling of annuities is one popular reason, under which the clients are guaranteed to receive one stream of funds in their lifetime and thus, the clients could purchase annuity plans or then, probably sell to derive profits.

The inheritors can benefit from purchasing annuity plans. This will secure their future financially in the name of beneficiaries. Also, when the person who is purchasing the annuity dies, then the people beneficiaries will be able to get hold of the profit from the plan. That way, the inheritors become secure financially.

Also, making purchases with annuity can form tax angles. The interest that you can receive from the annuities will not be taxed and therefore, the money will not be withdrawn until the taxes are paid. The taxes that were deferred will be paid for throughout the time that the payout period will be lasting.

The different cases of annuities

The annuities are deducted on the type of deposits paid by the clients inside the annuity.

The annuities can be divided into flexible premiums, by allowing the policyholders in order to deposit some contributions during the duration of one annuity contract.

Also, there is the single annuity that is premium, by allowing one deposit during the period that the contract will last.

Judging by the payout, you will receive deferred annuity, which means that you do not have to pay immediately for it, because the payment will begin after one year calculating from the date stipulated in the contract.

Moreover, there is the immediate annuity, which means that immediate payment is required, and it is generally considered to be until one year.

Judging on the type of money that will be placed in annuity contract, you will have non qualified annuity, which means that the money will be placed into the contract and then it will be taxed. And then, there is the qualified annuity, which means that the money put into the contract will not be taxed.

Also, you might divide the annuity into the interest you will receive. There exists indexed annuity, which means that the interest will be offered on outside index. Another type of annuity is the one with fixed rate, which is that the interest rate will be fixed and that you will receive a guarantee for a small amount and over the period of the contract. Also, there is the type of annuity called variable deferred, which means that the purchaser will be offered the option to participate in the fund investments.

The sides that will be present in he contract will be the contract owner, which is represented by the person by persons or legal entity purchasing the annuity. The person can acquire all rights possible for legal contract. The person might need to pay premiums, and then choose some policy features which are present into the contract and then, the person might withdraw the the type of annuity that will surrender or the withdraw when the annuity is going to be bought. Moreover, the person that has the possession of the annuity might have the right to choose whether to sell the annuity or not and he or she could impose the terms of the contract.

The annuitant is the person who will buy the annuity and then will hold annuity contracts. In the unfortunate case that the annuitant will die, then the profits will be given to someone who has been designated as the beneficiary. The annuitant needs to be living , when the rights for contract will not be granted to the person. On the other side, the owner and the annuitant could be the same person.

The beneficiary represents the person or one legal entity who will receive the profits from annuities in the case that the annuitant will die then the beneficiary will have when the annuitant will die. Therefore, the case will be solved in case something happens.

By Jennifer Walter

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Saturday, March 14, 2009

How to Sell My Annuity - The Selling of Annuities

The annuity is represented by the flow of income regularly in the pockets of someone that has invested money. The moment the annuity is being made, then the person will be able to receive payouts. The annuities will be made through a contract and thus, you will be able to make for instance, some kind of insurance company and you will be able to contract them a trust and charity, taking into account the payments.

Why sell annuities?

What are the advantages of of selling annuities and what would you gain from that? One reason would be that the annuities are regarded to be safe investments. Therefore, you can receive low returns over long periods of time and thus, you will be able to ensure that you are making short term investment.

Also, if you manage to sell your annuities then you will also large sum of money. This would represent one way to make use of your assets and thus reduce the financial risks that would be involved. Moreover, you could increase your chances of getting large profits by going after these sales. One more thing is that the enterprise would prove to be useful in that you would not need so large sums of the money to become involved in the business.

How to sell annuities?

You can start selling annuities in several ways, just by opting for flexible or single premium types of annuities, ones that can be deferred or paid at once or even annuities that are non qualified or qualifed. That way, you would be able to gain knowledge from being able to make transactions with the annuities and therefore, you could decide whether it would be worth purchasing them or not. Also, one thing would be that you need to do as much research as you can because the things will serve . Moreover, you might want to select the types of annuities that you are considering to manage and then sell those that you have selected, sure to be obtaining only the best possible results.

Once you have become more accustomed to the annuities and the schemes involved, you will be able to sell them more quickly. To do that, you might want to consider the following guidelines above.

For one thing, it is necessary that you locate a company to be selling annuities for you. That will ensure that you will be making a reputation through customers and clients, while you will not be too much involved in doing the actual business. If you happened to hire something to sell annuities, then you would have maximum gain since the sellers will be doing the work for you. The thing is that you might not receive the profits all at once and that you might want to pay certain fees and taxes for the professionals to be handling your annuities.

Another thing you might be considering would be to sell annuities directly to the clients that you have. Nonetheless, this procedure does not remain that popular because people are bothered bu the huge amount of work that you need to be putting in order to get all the paperwork done at the right time. Also, it come in the best interest to get to know things a little and then get into making personal sales. Therefore, it is advisable that you remain a little cautious.

Moreover, you might want to exchange the annuities for some other annuities. The exchange method is a good idea in that you get to exchange what you already have for smaller amounts of money in the long term. You can get another annuity that will be cheaper for you and thus, replace the annuity that you already had, where you had to pay a lot in the short term. Remember that things to be done in the short term are not advisable and thus, you need to balance things a little and then decide what you are going to do.

Moreover, you might want to think about substituting the annuities with loan collateral. This means that you would work around your annuities in similar ways that you would do by working on the exchange plan, with the added difference that you would have some kind of loan procurement to cover you up. Also, the option might be used in order to get higher returns.

By Jennifer Walter

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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Sell Annuity Payment To Refinance Home Loans

Annuity payments correspond to a big amount of money if summed up. It can be acquired in a number of ways. Oftentimes, it is piled up through one's retirement funds or maybe it is the proceeds of an insurance claim. However an annuity payment is achieved, it all boils down to one thing - the individual who acts as the direct beneficial will receive a good amount of money.

But then again, that amount of money is not readily available to the payee. It would be over a certain period of time in cases of retirement annuity and in a yearly basis like in insurance annuity payments. The amount is paid for in equal yearly installments as per the agreement or until the full amount of money is paid off.

Annuity payments can be used to refinance a house. You can use the money you'll receive yearly to pay the yearly amortization of your house financing. People who are receiving annuities could specifically schedule their house refinance payment to achieve a more balanced cash flow.

For example, you are set to receive an annuity payment for the amount of $10,000 yearly. If your home mortgage amounts to $15,000 yearly, then it is best that you refinance your home loan and make the yearly payable to match the amount due with the amount payable.

This is how annuity payments and refinance mortgage would work for you. You can refinance your home to perfectly match your yearly cash in and cash out. It would work perfectly for you once you have balanced cash flow, things would look up better for you.

Read more Sell Annuity Payment To Refinance Home Loans

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Thursday, February 19, 2009

Annuities Q&A: Understanding Types Of Annuities

What types of annuities are available?

There are basically two types of annuities - fixed and variable.

A fixed annuity earns an assured interest rate in a definite period of time. If the period of times expires, there will be a new interest rate for the next period.

Variable annuities have more funding options than fixed annuities since their performance depends on the option of investment of the principal and return vary.

What is a tax-deferred annuity?

Tax-deferred annuity allows you to not pay taxes until after you make a withdrawal or until you start receiving an annuity. Having a tax-deferred annuity permits you to collect a bigger amount of money over an extended period of time.

What is the difference between a fixed and variable annuity?

Fixed annuities are investments from government securities and corporate bonds. They are offered a fixed or guaranteed rate usually over a period of one to ten years. So, when you receive payments, the monthly release of funds is set to a fixed amount and already guaranteed. This type of investment is preferred by investors who value safety and stability of their money and for those retirees who want their money to be protected against the possible instabilities of the stock market.

Variable annuities allow you to put your investment into a variety of securities like money market securities and interest accounts offering fixed rates. Stock market performance will decide the annuity’s value and the return of your money that you have invested. Though there is a great risk because of unprecedented movement of stocks in the market, some still consider investing in a variable annuity because they are comfortable of fluctuations in the market and get rid of their investment in static position.

What are deferred and immediate annuities?

A deferred annuity is a pay-out plan offered to investors who are willing to receive payments at some later date, commonly at the retirement of the investor. This type of pay-out is advantageous for long-term retirement plans for the following reasons:

  • Deferred income taxes payment until withdrawal of the money
  • No limits on yearly annuity contributions
  • Death benefits are readily available. If the investor dies before he collects his annuity, the beneficiaries get the amount you have put in plus investments earnings.
In an immediate annuity, the investor automatically begins to receive lump sum pay-outs immediately upon investing your money. Payments start usually a month after you have invested into the annuity. This offers financial security in a sense that you will receive income payments for the rest of your life. Also, this annuity permits you to:

  • Add your pay-outs received in your current income
  • Pay taxes on the portion of the annuity payments that are considered to be earning

Immediate annuities can be fixed or variable. Fixed immediate annuity payments are attached to the amount that you have contributed, your age, and the existing interest rate at the time you have purchased the annuity. These said payments are already fixed. Variable immediate annuities vary according to the type of investments you purchased.

What is a tax-sheltered annuity?

Tax-sheltered annuity is a retirement savings program limited to public educational institution employees and members of non-profit organizations. Contributions to a tax-sheltered annuity are made by the employers of the participating employee. These are deducted from the participant’s income payments and sent to the insurance agency or mutual fund guardian elected by the participant.

What is a lifetime annuity?

A lifetime annuity is a type of immediate annuity wherein upon investing you automatically receive guaranteed income payments for the rest of your life. The income you will receive from the lifetime annuity plan will depend on the amount of money you will invest and the existing rates at the time you made the investment.

By Ammon Yorke

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Sunday, February 8, 2009

Structured Settlements And The Power Of Annuities

A structured settlement is a type of financial settlement usually awarded to the victim of a personal injury accident. For example, assume a jury awards the victim damages in the sum of $4 million. Depending on the circumstances, the damages may be awarded as a structured settlement rather than as a lump sum.

The settlement is called "structured" because the initial award ($4,000,000 in this example) is divided up into equal payments that are paid to the victim at precisely defined time intervals.
If the settlement is structured to pay the victim $100,000 a year, the period of the settlement is 40 years. Therefore, the victim would receive a payment of $100,000 each year for the next 40 years. The total amount of cash received by the victim would be 40 years x $100,000 per year, which equals the original award amount of $4,000,000.

Many people think the paying party has to put $4 million into a bank account set up for the victim. They also think that $100,000 will be withdrawn from that bank account each year and paid to the victim. At the end of 40 years, the victim's special account would be empty and the victim would have received the full amount of the award.

That's one way of setting up a structured settlement. From the point of view of the paying party, there is a less costly financial tool for setting up a structured settlement. That tool is called an annuity.

An annuity is a large sum of money set up to pay the recipient a fixed amount of money at regularly-defined time intervals. But wait, you might say. That's the same as putting $4 million in the bank account and paying it out over the 40-year period!

That's almost true. The power of an annuity comes from the fact that it can be set up by depositing a much lesser amount into an interest-bearing or an interest-earning account.
Before continuing, you need to remember these important points. The court ordered the paying party to pay the victim $100,000 a year for 40 years. The paying party is not required to submit a lump sum of $4 million to be paid over the 40-year period. As long as the paying party pays the victim the specified amount at the specified time intervals, they are in full compliance with the law.

U.S. law specifies that annuities can only be set up by independent, neutral third-party insurance companies.

To set up the structured settlement, the paying party does have to have to submit a lump sum to the insurance company to be put into an interest earning account. But the power of annuities allows the paying party submit a lump sum that is much smaller than the total reward.

For example, if the structured settlement account consistently earns 5% interest per year, the paying party only needs to invest a one-time sum of $2,000,000. Each year, the $2 million would earn 5% interest. At the end of each year, the account total would be $2,100,000. The extra $100,000 would be paid to the victim, leaving the original $2 million in the account.

If the paying party can find an account that pays 10% interest, it would only have to invest a one-time sum of $1,000,000. At 10% annual interest, a sum of $1 million makes $100,000 per year, which would be paid to the victim.

At 15% interest, the paying party would have a one-time investment of $666,667 in order to pay the victim the required $100,000 per year.

As you can see, the more interest a structured settlement account earns, the smaller the sum the paying party has to invest in order to create the annual payments to the victim. The above examples use simple interest to avoid the complexities of real-world finance. However, the principle of the annuity works the same.

If it seems that the paying party is getting off easy, consider these points. First, the paying party is being deprived of a large chunk of money for 40 years. Second, they are complying with the terms of the structured settlement. And third, if your company was required to make these payments, wouldn't you do it in the most economical way possible?

By Doug Smith http://StructuredSettlements.LoansForAnyCredit.com
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Sunday, February 1, 2009

Should You Sell Annuity Payments?

Receiving annuity is a comforting idea. For the years that the annuity will be paid, you and your family will be ensured of a steady cash flow. It's cash that you can use for anything you desire. But more often than not, annuity is normally used as retirement money.

Before, people don't have much choice but to wait for their annuity payments. However, things have changed for the better these days. Now, you can sell your annuity payments in exchange to cold cash. That's how flexible today's financial institutions are.

There are a lot of financial agents that handles annuity sales. The whole process is getting faster and easier as days go by. You don't have to wait years anymore to get the full amount. Just submit your annuity papers to the agents. They'll draw up the necessary documents and you should receive your money very soon. And it's the full amount - not the partial payment you get every year.

However, there are a lot of things to consider when selling annuities. The biggest question is whether or not to sell it at all. That decision is going to be major one, especially if you are taking about your retirement money. Retirement money is supposed to help you during your senior years, where a steady income is not ensured and your need for health care product rises.

There are many reasons why you should sell your annuity though. For starters, you can use it as an investment in a more profitable endeavor. There are some sound business portfolios that you may come across. If you need money for that business, then you are free to sell your annuity to get the necessary funds. Just make sure that your business is really a profitable one and that it would last you throughout retirement.

Read more Should You Sell Annuity Payments?

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