Annuities

Before you go out and buy a variable annuity, be sure you understand the disadvantages of this retirement savings vehicle. The most significant downside of a variable annuity is its cost. Fees on variable annuities can be rather costly. Administrative costs, fees for unique features, and fund charges for mutual funds you invest in are […]

If a Mega Millions jackpot winner passes away before receiving the full amount of the award, the remaining money will be distributed to the deceased winner’s designated beneficiary or the winner’s estate. According to the Mega Millions website’s frequently asked questions page, the lottery will continue to make payments to the beneficiary or estate according

MYGAs, or multi-year guaranteed annuities, are a type of fixed annuity that guarantees a stable interest rate for a set length of time, often three to ten years. MYGAs, like standard fixed annuities, are subject to surrender costs, which are penalties that an annuity holder must pay if he or she withdraws money from an

If you have no investment in the contract (also known as “cost” or “basis”) because of any of the following circumstances, the pension or annuity payments you get are completely taxed. For your pension or annuity, you did not contribute anything or are not recognized to have contributed anything. In previous years, you got all

When you purchase an annuity, you are pooling your risk with the other people who are also purchasing annuities. The insurance company from which you purchase the annuity manages that risk, and you pay a charge to reduce your risk. You may never make more money from an annuity than you put into it, or

After the complete cost of the plan has been recovered, annuity payments you or your survivors receive are normally fully taxable. How do I report a survivor annuity payment? To enter the CSF-1099-R, Statement of Survivor Annuity Paid, go to the Federal Taxes tab, then Wages & Income, then Retirement Plans and Social Security, and

While the bulk (but not all) of your Social Security income will almost certainly be taxed, your FERS Supplement will be taxed in full. Is FERS annuity taxable? The taxation of federal retirement benefits is one of the most prevalent misunderstandings I encounter. It’s easy for federal employees to forget that their federal retirement pension

An IRA is a retirement investment account, but an annuity is a type of insurance. Annuity contracts are more expensive than IRAs in terms of fees and expenses, but they don’t have yearly contribution limits. Your annuity payments will be taxed differently depending on whether you purchased it with pre-tax or after-tax monies. The taxation

An annuity gives you the most control over your money in general. If you receive a lump-sum pension payment, you can spend the money as you like. For some people, purchasing an annuity with a portion of their lump sum and investing the balance in an IRA or other tax-deferred retirement account may be the

A qualifying annuity is one that is funded with money that has never been taxed before. 401(k)s and other tax-deferred retirement accounts, such as IRAs, are commonly used to fund these annuities. Payments from a qualifying annuity are fully taxable as income when you receive them. This is due to the fact that no taxes