043: Why Renewal Rates are the Secret to Fixed Index Annuities
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
Release Date: 02/09/2021
It’s Time to Consider a Respirator Annuity: Shootin’ It Straight With Stan
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Understanding what lifetime income really guarantees Separating guarantees from projections Understanding the structure before judging the product Thinking strategically about longevity timing Key Takeaways: A lifetime income annuity pays as long as you are alive, even in extreme medical situations. It transfers longevity risk from you to the insurance company. The guarantee is contractual, not conditional on health or account value. Many products are sold with optimistic growth illustrations, but projections are not...
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RMDs Are in Essence a Forced Annuity: Fun With Annuities
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man discusses: RMDs as a built-in income stream Building a reliable income floor for Chapter Two Stacking income sources intentionally Choosing truth over product-driven advice Key Takeaways: Required Minimum Distributions are not just tax events but forced withdrawals that create predictable income. Like Social Security, they function as an annuity whether you planned for one or not. Seeing RMDs as income rather than irritation changes how retirement planning is approached. Retirement is reframed as Chapter Two, a season focused on...
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How Will AI Affect Annuities?: Fun With Annuities
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Anticipating AI-driven longevity shifts Understanding how annuities are truly priced Locking in today’s assumptions before they change Choosing guarantees and carriers with intention Key Takeaways: Advances in artificial intelligence are expected to significantly extend life expectancy, especially through medical breakthroughs. Longer projected lifespans will materially affect how lifetime income products are priced in the future. Lifetime income annuities are driven primarily by life expectancy tables, not just...
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Kick the Tax Can Forever With MYGAs: Shootin’ It Straight With Stan
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Understanding MYGAs as CD alternatives Using tax deferral to improve long-term growth Extending deferral through strategic rollovers Evaluating liquidity and fit Key Takeaways: A Multi-Year Guarantee Annuity functions like a CD with a fixed rate and a defined term. It offers principal protection, no market exposure, and predictable growth. Terms typically range from one to ten years, depending on the carrier. Unlike CDs in non-qualified accounts, MYGA interest is not taxed annually. Taxes are deferred until...
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Tom Hegna: Don't Worry, Retire Happy! (From the Vault)
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Tom Hegna discuss: Saying no to DIY retirement What is the right age for retirement is How annuity addresses inflation Securing guaranteed lifetime income with annuities Key Takeaways: Retirement is not a DIY project; do it with a professional. The age for retirement would not be the same for many. If you want to get the optimal age, you have to spend some time calculating all the factors that go into it. Be creative in doing something that can help your retirement. It’s okay if you have to...
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Consider Giving Your Money Away Now: Shootin’ It Straight With Stan
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Giving while you’re alive to create a meaningful impact Letting background inform legacy decisions Balancing support with personal responsibility Building a living legacy through intentional planning Key Takeaways: Providing financial support earlier in life can influence long-term stability and opportunity. Assistance during early adulthood often carries greater practical value than delayed inheritance. Financial philosophies are shaped by upbringing and lived experience. Recognizing these influences can help...
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The New Financial “F” Word: Shootin’ It Straight With Stan
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Questioning the fiduciary label Recognizing bad advice despite credentials Performing personal due diligence Choosing advisors carefully and staying informed Key Takeaways: “Fiduciary” is often misused by advisors as a marketing badge rather than a guarantee of acting in the client’s best interest. Consumers should not assume a plaque or certification automatically equals sound advice. Even certified fiduciaries can make improper or risky recommendations, as illustrated by a reverse mortgage case leading to...
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Terry Savage: Chicken Money Is Still Tasty (From the Vault)
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Terry Savage discuss: What is “chicken money”? Considering future crises in your financial plan Seeking trusted advisors Building an income floor Key Takeaways: Your “chicken money” is money that you can’t afford to lose. CDs, treasury bills, money markets, AAA municipal bonds, and MYGAs are suitable options. MYGAs and CDs are great for principal protection and tax deferral benefits. Focus on having an income floor and principal protection in retirement plans. It’s important to consider...
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Life Insurance Loans Are Not Income: Shootin’ It Straight With Stan
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Understanding why life insurance loans are not income Questioning glossy tax-free income pitches Keeping life insurance simple and purpose-driven Testing illustrations and setting clear expectations Key Takeaways: Loans from a life insurance policy are not income, just as bank loans are not income. They are tax-free only because they must be repaid, not because they create earnings. Calling them “tax-free income” is a misleading sales framing. Many life insurance illustrations rely on optimistic assumptions...
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Roth IRA Annuity Industry Insanity: Shootin’ It Straight With Stan
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Seeing through product-driven Roth pitches Recognizing political risk in long-term tax planning Keeping conversions separate from annuity products Avoiding shiny-object sales tactics Key Takeaways: Treat Roth conversions as tax decisions rather than annuity strategies. Rely on math and tax guidance instead of sales-driven framing. Understand that tax-free structures like Roths can face future policy shifts. Plan with awareness that political changes may affect long-term assumptions. Run conversion numbers...
info_outlineIn this episode, The Annuity Man discusses:
- What an index annuity is.
- Buying the contractual reality, not the dream.
- Why renewal rates are the key to index annuities.
- The importance of understanding what the renewal rates are and why they matter.
Key Takeaways:
- If you’re looking for an index annuity for accumulation, then you need to know about renewal rates.
- There is no renewal rate history on an index that has just been created.
- There is no reason not to send a specimen policy - annuities are contracts, so you might want to read it before you sign.
- Never, ever, ever base your decision on a backtested number.
"Renewal rates with indexed annuities are the secret and hidden sauce that no one ever talks about, but that you and me need to talk about. " — Stan The Annuity Man
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