45 articles from Gregory Stevenson, author of Indexed Annuity Secrets. No jargon, no pitch — the same things he walks clients through every week.
If you've ever tried to Google "what is an annuity," you probably ended up more confused than when you started. So let me make it simple.
2 min read"Annuity" is where most of the confusion lives, because the word covers several very different products. There are really four categories that matter.
2 min readMost people don't grow up saying, "I want to help people with annuities." I sure didn't.
2 min readIf you've been doing your homework on annuities, you've probably run into some claims that made you think twice. Good. Skepticism is healthy.
2 min readOne of the most common questions I hear is: "So what does the insurance company actually do with my money?"
2 min readIf there's one thing that gives people pause about annuities, it's the surrender period. And I get it — "you can't touch your money for X years" sounds…
2 min readBefore I look at a single number, before I pull up any product, before we talk about rates or returns or any of that — I ask one question:
2 min readHere's something you won't hear from most people in my industry:
2 min readThe two annuity types that come up most often in conversations with people near retirement are fixed annuities and fixed indexed annuities (FIAs).
2 min readHere's a question most people don't think to ask: "How do I know the insurance company behind my annuity is actually solid?"
2 min readThis isn't about pointing fingers at your advisor. If you have someone you trust, that's great — hold onto them.
2 min readThis is a real scenario — anonymized and simplified — based on situations I see regularly. Let me introduce you to "Tom."
2 min readHere's a number that surprises most people I work with: the gap between what they need each month in retirement and what they have coming in from…
2 min readThe "income gap" is the difference between what you need in retirement and what you have coming in from reliable sources. This is how you find yours.
2 min readHere's something I hear almost every week: "I'll be fine — I have Social Security."
2 min readLet me paint a picture.
2 min readLet me tell you about a couple I'll call Dan and Susan. They retired at 62 — both healthy, both excited, both convinced they had enough.
2 min readHere's something that surprises most people when I bring it up: a pension and an annuity do roughly the same thing.
2 min readNobody wakes up one morning and says, "Inflation just cost me $30,000." It doesn't work that way. It works slowly — a little more at the grocery store,…
2 min readMost people spend their working years focused on one tax strategy: put as much as possible into a 401(k) or IRA to reduce this year's tax bill.
2 min readIf there's one question I hear more than any other, it's this: "What happens if I put money into an annuity and then I need it back?"
2 min readLet me walk you through a comparison that I think makes an important point clearer than any chart or graph could.
2 min readI know what you're thinking: "Why would someone who helps people with annuities tell me when NOT to get one?"
2 min readI hear this one all the time: "I've heard bad things about annuities." You know what I usually say? "Good. They're probably right about the bad ones."…
2 min readI had someone tell me recently: "My financial advisor says annuities are terrible and I should never buy one." I didn't argue. Instead I asked one…
2 min readOne of the biggest fears I hear from people considering annuities is: "I don't want my money locked up where I can't touch it." That's a completely…
2 min read"Annuities have high fees" is one of the most common things I hear. In some cases it's absolutely true. But in many cases it's a misunderstanding of…
2 min readSomeone said to me recently: "Why would I put money in an annuity when I can do better in the stock market?" Fair question. And they might be right —…
2 min readOne of the most common things I hear is: "I'm not ready yet." My honest response? That's totally fine. I'm not in the business of convincing anyone to…
2 min readI've been doing this long enough that I get to hear from people after they've lived with their decision for a while. The feedback I hear most often…
2 min readMost people ask me: "Are annuities good?" The question I wish more people asked is: "What makes an annuity BAD?" Because the honest answer is that a…
2 min readI hear this one a lot: "Just send me something I can look at." Totally fair request. So here's the honest answer: I can send you brochures, rate…
2 min readIf you've ever looked at an annuity contract, you may have come across the term "Market Value Adjustment" (MVA). And if you're like most people, you…
2 min readI can't tell you how many times I've heard this: "I'm interested, but my spouse isn't on board." My first reaction is always the same: good. That means…
2 min readWhen it comes to annuities, particularly income annuities, your age at the time of purchase directly affects your payout. This isn't a sales tactic.…
2 min readHere's a straightforward look at something that affects anyone thinking about retirement income: interest rates. Not a prediction. Not a sales pitch.…
2 min readI've talked with hundreds of people about their retirement, and I've noticed something about the ones who actually take action. It's almost never…
2 min readNo rate talk, no product comparisons today. Just a question: who do you want to provide for — and have you written it down?
2 min readPeople sometimes ask me, "Greg, how do you decide what to recommend?" Fair question. So let me show you exactly what I look at — every single time.
2 min readA few tax-related topics come up regularly in conversations with people planning for retirement. Important disclaimer up front: I'm not a tax…
2 min readThe rate environment comes up in almost every conversation I have. I can't predict where rates are going — and neither can anyone else. But here's some…
2 min readI hear a lot of things during conversations with people about retirement. But one phrase comes up more than any other: "I wish I'd done this sooner."…
2 min readOne of the most common questions I get is: "Does it matter when I start?" Short answer: yes. Here's why.
2 min readIf you ever sit down with an advisor — me, someone else, anyone — here's a list of questions that will tell you a lot about whether they're the right…
2 min readThe retirement planning landscape doesn't sit still. Carriers release new products. Rates shift. Tax rules get updated. And your own situation — your…
Indexed Annuity Secrets walks through all of this in plain English — the 0% floor, surrender periods, the questions to ask before you sign anything.
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