Annuities: A Strategy, Not a Game: Shootin' It Straight With Stan
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
Release Date: 03/26/2025
“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Annuity companies are more regulated than banks Features that protect the annuity industry There is no run on annuities How the banking crisis will affect the annuity industry Key Takeaways: Annuity companies are more regulated than banks, with features like surrender charges and market value adjustments that prevent runs on the company. Annuity companies are required to invest in investment-grade bonds, providing stability, unlike banks that had to sell bonds during the recent crisis. ...
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In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Why would you want to stop taking in income? Three types of irrevocable lifetime income teams Light-switch Annuity Products Key Takeaways: There a myriad reasons why you would want to stop taking income, and there are annuity reasons that allow for this. One reason could be if tax laws change in the future and you want to shut down the income stream to not getting taxed, or when you want the income to accumulate for your death benefit. The three types of irrevocable income lifetime income streams are Single...
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In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: The fear of running out of money Solving the fear of running out Is FORO more important the FOMO? Using math to address FORO Key Takeaways: Most of us didn’t grow rich. We saw what it was like to live in scarcity, and today, many of us still carry those scars. Despite having millions or a portion of that, some people might still feel poor and fear running out of money. If you’re worried about running out of money or won’t have enough in your retirement, consider looking into strategies...
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In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: The value of annuities for lifetime income planning Laddering strategy with annuities Placing an annuity inside a trust Key Takeaways: When it comes to planning for lifetime income, annuities can be a valuable tool. However, it's essential to approach annuities with strategies that allow for flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. By purchasing multiple annuities with different start dates, you can create a steady stream of income that aligns with your needs over time. This...
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In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Focusing on contractual guarantees What annuities solve for Common annuity pitch traps Key Takeaways: Avoid non-guaranteed hypotheticals and focus on contractual guarantees when considering annuities. Buy annuities for specific needs like principal protection, income, long-term care, or legacy, not for market returns. Be wary of urgency sales pitches, steak dinner seminars, advisors behaving like friends, backdated performance illustrations, promised market participation with no downside, upfront bonuses,...
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In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: An overview of Deferred Income Annuities Finding the best fit Income Riders attached to Indexed Annuities Key Takeaways: DIAs are essentially single-premium immediate annuities deferred past one year. It has no moving parts, no annual fees, and no market attachment, making it a straight transfer of risk for lifetime income. DIAs can be used in Roth and traditional IRAs, and are taxed based on the account type. DIAs are efficient, no-cost, no-fee transfer-risk pension products that can be deferred for up to 40...
info_outline“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: The value of annuities for lifetime income planning Laddering strategy with annuities Placing an annuity inside a trust Key Takeaways: When it comes to planning for lifetime income, annuities can be a valuable tool. However, it's essential to approach annuities with strategies that allow for flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. By purchasing multiple annuities with different start dates, you can create a steady stream of income that aligns with your needs over time. This...
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In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Should you purchase I Bonds? Treasuries are as safe as it gets Five places to put your money Inflation is personal Key Takeaways: Purchasing I Bonds is a no-brainer. Go to treasurydirect.gov to buy direct from the treasury I Bonds. Treasuries are as safe as it gets because they can tax us and confiscate our money to pay them off, and that would happen if we needed to do that. The downside to I Bonds is that they don’t allow you to put as much money in them. There are only five...
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In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Traditional laddering with MYGAs What is “reversing”? Traditional laddering and reversing Key Takeaways: You do a traditional 3-year, 4-year. 5-year ladder if you are hoping that rates will go higher. It’s a strategy you use when you want to have money as the rates are rising so that you can attach yourself and lock yourself in with those higher rates. Reversing is the opposite of laddering; you lock in the MYGA for 10, 9, 7, or 10, 7, or 5 years because the rates are falling. This is also a great...
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In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Protecting your beneficiary from dumb choices How Stan lovingly handcuffs his beneficiaries Handcuffing your loved ones is good for them Key Takeaways: Lovingly handcuffing your beneficiaries with annuity guarantees protects them from making dumb decisions with lump sums. Stan has written in the trust that when he dies, there will be a lifetime income annuity purchase for each of his daughters, guaranteed to pay them for the rest of their life as long as they are breathing. Your beneficiaries might not...
info_outlineIn this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:
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Retirement planning is not a game
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Asking hard questions
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Diversification and limits
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Two key questions to ask
Key Takeaways:
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Stan emphasizes that choosing an annuity is not about sales tactics or commissions, but about protecting your life's hard-earned savings and creating a secure retirement strategy.
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Always ask detailed questions about the annuity product, understand its contractual guarantees, and don't buy something you can't fully comprehend. If an advisor can't explain it clearly, walk away.
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Don't put more than 50-60% of your investable assets into annuities. Shop across multiple carriers for the best contractual guarantees and focus on your specific needs using the PILL framework (Principal protection, Income for life, Legacy, Long-term care).
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When considering annuities, focus solely on the contractual guarantees. Ask two key questions: "What do you want the money to contractually do?" and "When do you want those contractual guarantees to start?" This approach helps create a predictable, surprise-free retirement income strategy.
"Every single time when someone's pitching you something, I want you to think to yourself, ‘this is not a game. Let me ask hard questions. Let me understand everything before I make a final decision on this hard earned money.’” — Stan The Annuity Man.
Connect with The Annuity Man:
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Email: [email protected]
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