A fixed annuity provides a guaranteed income stream. Payouts can be immediate or deferred. Drawbacks include limited upside. Annuities can help ensure your retirement savings last your entire life.

A non-qualified annuity is a type of investment product that lets your money grow tax-deferred until you start taking ...

Fixed indexed annuities tie their performance to a stock market index. They offer principal protection and steady income in retirement. Fixed indexed annuities typically limit the returns you can earn ...

Laurie Sepulveda is a MarketWatch Guides team senior writer who specializes in writing about personal loans, home equity loans, mortgages and banking. She lives in North Carolina and has taught and ...

David Rodeck is a financial journalist based in New York City specializing in banking, investing and financial planning. Before writing full-time, David was a financial adviser and passed the Series 6 ...

A fixed index annuity (FIA) balances between security and growth potential by linking returns to a stock market index while protecting against market downturns. It’s a popular choice for retirement ...

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Vikki Velasquez is a researcher and writer who has managed, coordinated, and directed ...

Are you employed by an educational institution, church, or nonprofit? If so, there’s a retirement savings program authorized by section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code that allows eligible ...

Annuities are often marketed as a secure way to earn a retirement income. But do they live up to their hype? One major concern for investors is the frequently hidden costs associated with these ...

We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. Annuities can play a key role in retirement planning by offering ...

A deferred annuity is a long-term contract with an insurance company that provides future income–often for life–in exchange for premium payments, with options like fixed, variable, and indexed types ...