We specialize in the small investor. We don't care if you have $1000 or $500,000,000...we will be happy to assist you. Where some outfits may find you to be "small potatoes", and may not be so willing to work with you; we will be happy to work with you.  

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We can help you establish an IRA or do an IRA Rollover...but first...or course we will want review your situation, tax benefits, etc. 

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We are NOT gonna fib, we DO like annuities as savings vehicle for retirement.  We just like the safety and guarantees they present in an uncertain environment.  We want you to be able to sleep at night, and WE WANT to be able to know your protected.  Also, we usually have some of the HIGHEST interest rates in the country!

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What kinds of annuities are there?

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There are three basic types of annuities, fixed, variable and indexed. Here is how they work:

• Fixed annuity.  Like a bank CD,  the insurance company promises you a minimum rate of interest on a fixed amount of time. Fixed annuities are regulated by state insurance commissioners. Please check with your state insurance commission about the risks and benefits of fixed annuities and to confirm that your insurance broker is registered to sell insurance in your state. WE like these when you can get a decent interest rate.

• Variable annuity. The insurance company allows you to direct your annuity payments to different investment options, usually mutual funds. Your payout will vary depending on how much you put in, the rate of return on your investments, and expenses. The SEC regulates variable annuities.  Due to the higher costs associated with these, we don't like these and WE DO NOT offer these. 

• Indexed annuity. This annuity combines features of securities and insurance products. The insurance company credits you with a return that is based on a stock market index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Indexed annuities are regulated by state insurance commissioners. In this choppy environment we tend to favor this type of annuity. 

 

Fixed Annuities vs. CDS

 

Fixed annuities work very much like a certificate of deposit (CD) but typically pay higher rates than CDs. Below are some of the similarities between the two:

• Both pay a guaranteed rate for a set number of years

• Both provide principal protection

• Both typically allow free withdrawals of interest

• Both provide full account value lump-sum death benefit

• Fixed Annuities grow tax-deferred

• Fixed Annuities can provide guaranteed lifetime income

• CDs are FDIC Insured

• Fixed Annuities are guaranteed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing life insurance company and State Guaranty Associations

 

CD VS FIXED ANNUITY COMPARISON CHART

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 FIXED ANNUITY                                                                                           CDs

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Issued By  Insurance Companies                                                                Banks

Investment Amount  $2,000 - $1,000,000                                          Essentially Any Amount

Investment Term2 years - 10 years                                                    3 months - 5 years

Interest Rates (APY)Varies by product,usually higher                       Varies by bank, term and amount.

Interest  Tax deferred, more compounded interest.                          Taxable annually

LiquidityUsually, 10% annually or interest earned.                            Almost always accumulated interest.

Guarantees Backed by Insurer & State Guaranty Associations.       Backed by the FDIC.

Death Benefit May avoid probate.                                                     Probate process required.

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Annuities are for longer term (2 to 10 years) offer far more benefits than traditional Bank CDs.  Usually low to NO annual costs to you.  Downside are longer surrender terms/penalties. In an uncertain environment you NEED something that you can be certain of.  Fixed annuities provide that certainty!

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THE FEDERAL RESERVE AND ANNUITY RATES

 

Current annuity rates often mirror the interest rates available in bonds. When bond rates increase, annuity rates usually go up as well.

That’s because insurance companies invest most of their general account in fixed-income securities, such as high-grade bonds.

The Federal Reserve signaled it would begin steadily raising interest rates in mid-March, its latest step toward removing stimulus to bring down inflation.

The Federal Reserve is expected to start raising interest rates next month and not slow down until well into 2023, though the slope of the increases might be a bit gentler.

Annuity rates tend to move in the same direction as 10 Year Treasuries because insurance companies invest a large portion of their general account in high-quality bonds.

Data last week showed U.S. consumer prices rose at their fastest pace since the early 1980s, fueling market speculation for a hefty 50-basis-point hike from the Fed’s March 15-16 meeting.¹

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the central bank was ready to raise rates at its March 15-16 meeting and could continue to lift them faster than it did during the past decade.

“This is going to be a year in which we move steadily away from the very highly accommodative monetary policy that we put in place to deal with the economic effects of the pandemic,” he said at a news conference following a Fed policy meeting.²

If that holds true annuity rates will likely continue to go up throughout 2022.

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LIFE INSURANCE

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We offer Life Insurance also.  We like simple term insurance for our clients.  We do have whole life, and Indexed Univeral life, Final Expense and other types of Life Insurance.  However we do like to follow the old saying "Buy Term and Invest the Rest".  Of course we could make much higher commisions if we put you in something longer term or an Univeral Life product, but that is NOT our style.  We want to do right by you, and we want you to do what we would do.   So we agree...and recommend Term Life Insurance for our clients.  We do like Final Expense for ease and simplicity also.   Click the button above for a quick 2-minute quote from one of our partners..ETHOS Life. 

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