Today, we talk all about annuities. Yet another powerful tool in your toolbox for taking control of your retirement, you can think of an annuity as a way to “buy” your own pension.

 

But it’s just that: a tool. Like any other financial vehicle, there are pros, cons, and tradeoffs to think about.

 

An annuity is a contract issued mostly from insurance companies that provides a guaranteed income stream. Mainly, annuities are used for retirement.

 

Some people look at annuities as the best thing since sliced bread. For others, annuities are a total time and money-sink to even consider. But for most folks, we’d wager the reality is somewhere in between.

 

Listen in as Stephanie and Kevin lay out the must-knows of the complicated topic of annuities, and suggest some questions to ask oneself when it comes to making use of a specific annuity for your retirement plan.

 

Key Topics:

“What the heck is an annuity?” (3:30) Why you need to wait until you’re 59½ before taking money out of an annuity (4:38) How annuities are taxed (5:42) Taking advantage of the lifetime income option (8:32) Other income options to consider (11:46) The cons of annuities and how best to work around them (15:24) The Four Ls of our needs in retirement (16:40) Deciphering important annuity jargon (17:48) Fitting an annuity into your retirement plan (20:17) Questions to ask yourself (23:00)

 

Resources:

Take Back Retirement Episode 12: What Women Need to Know About IRA’s, with Sarah Brenner Take Back Retirement Episode 20: Women + Roth IRA’s – What Should You Be Aware Of? Take Back Retirement Episode 3: Turning Your Retirement Savings to Retirement Income Take Back Retirement Episode 15: What Women Need to Know About Social Security

 

 

 

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You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.

 

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