Annuities
A pension you build yourself. Income you cannot outlive.
An annuity is a contract with an insurance company: you hand over a sum, and the carrier guarantees a rate, an income, or both. We compare several A-rated carriers and show you the surrender schedule before you sign anything.
A-rated
Carriers only
0%
Floor in a down market
20 min
No-cost strategy call
NJ + multi-state
Licensed coverage
The three you will be offered
Which one actually fits
MYGA
Multi-year guaranteed annuity
A fixed rate locked for a set term, growing tax-deferred. The closest thing to a CD, usually at a better rate, with no market exposure at all.
- Rate guaranteed for the full term
- Tax-deferred growth
- Typically 3–7 year terms
FIA
Fixed indexed annuity
Interest credited from an index using the same cap-and-floor mechanics as an IUL. A losing index year credits zero rather than a loss.
- 0% floor in down years
- Cap or participation rate on gains
- Optional lifetime income rider
SPIA
Immediate income annuity
Exchange a lump sum for a guaranteed cheque starting now — for a set number of years or for the rest of your life.
- Income begins immediately
- Life or period-certain options
- Covers fixed retirement expenses
The honest part
What you give up
Annuities are long-term money. Anyone who sells you one without walking through this list is not doing the job properly.
- Surrender charges if you withdraw early, on a declining schedule — most contracts allow 10% free each year
- Liquidity: if you may need the money next year, it does not belong here
- On an FIA the carrier can adjust caps after year one, within the contract's guaranteed minimum
- Income riders carry an annual fee charged against the account value
- Gains are taxed as ordinary income, with a 10% penalty before age 59½
Five questions to ask before signing
- 1What is the surrender schedule, year by year, in dollars?
- 2What is the guaranteed minimum rate — not the illustrated one?
- 3On an FIA: what is today's cap, and the lowest the carrier may set?
- 4What does the income rider cost annually, and what does it guarantee?
- 5What happens to the money if I die before the term ends?
If the person selling it cannot answer all five without checking, get a second opinion.
Independent comparison
We quote several carriers, then show you all of them
Rates move constantly and no single carrier leads on every term. Tell us the amount and the time horizon and we will send a side-by-side comparison with the surrender terms attached.
- Ameritas
- Athene
- Mutual of Omaha
- Nationwide
- F&G Annuities & Life
- North American
- Lincoln Financial
Annuities are insurance contracts, not bank deposits: they are not FDIC insured and guarantees depend on the claims-paying ability of the issuing carrier. Rates quoted are subject to change until the application is received. Withdrawals may be subject to surrender charges and ordinary income tax, plus a 10% federal penalty before age 59½.
Client stories
Families who stopped guessing
“We had no idea our 401(k) was our only plan. Anil walked us through the cap and floor on paper until it actually made sense. Two years in, our policy has never had a negative year.”
R. & S. Patel
Edison, NJ · IUL + college funding
“We closed on our first home and got mortgage protection in the same month. The payout would clear the loan if anything happened to me — that's the only reason my wife sleeps at night.”
Michael D.
Woodbridge, NJ · Mortgage protection
Client names abbreviated for privacy. Individual results vary; testimonials are not a guarantee of future outcomes.
Questions
Straight answers, including the downsides
What exactly is an Indexed Universal Life (IUL) policy?
It is permanent life insurance with a cash value account. The cash value is credited based on the movement of a market index such as the S&P 500, but your money is never invested in the market itself. That structure is what allows the insurer to guarantee a floor.
What are the cap and the floor?
The floor is the minimum the policy will credit in a year — usually 0%, meaning a market crash credits you nothing rather than losing your money. The cap is the maximum credited in a year, often 9–12%. You trade the top of the market for protection at the bottom.
Is an IUL better than a 401(k)?
Neither is universally better; they solve different problems. A 401(k) with an employer match is hard to beat for matched dollars. An IUL adds tax-free access before 59½, no contribution limits, a death benefit, and no losing years. Most of our clients use both.
How is the retirement income tax-free?
Distributions are taken as policy loans against the cash value. Under current tax law, loans from a properly structured, non-MEC life insurance contract are not treated as taxable income. Tax law can change, and this is not tax advice — we work alongside your CPA.
What does mortgage protection actually pay?
It is a life insurance policy sized to your mortgage balance and term. If you pass away, the benefit is paid tax-free to your family, who can use it to clear the loan and stay in the home. Many of our policies also include living benefits for critical or chronic illness.
Want the rates before you decide anything?
Book a no-cost 20-minute call. You will leave with a written illustration and a clear yes or no — never a hard sell.