Your Birmingham Annuity Broker
You made good decisions with your money and saved where you could. You worked hard to save for retirement and now it’s time to protect what you’ve built. When it comes time to start thinking about retirement, having some of your income guaranteed for life in the form of an annuity can be invaluable.
Let us help you take the stress out of retirement. Less stress. More efficient. Less guesswork. Retire comfortably.
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Call Now: (205) 578-2097
Problems Facing Today’s Retirees
OUTLIVING YOUR SAVINGS
The number one fear of seniors in retirement is running out of money. Americans are living longer than ever. Consider that you need to have enough income to cover up to 30 years and more of retirement. According to the Society of Actuaries, one spouse of a 65-year couple has a 50% chance of living to age 90 and beyond. You need a plan that guarantees a portion of your income. Annuities recreate the benefits of a pension plan and ensure you and your spouse have income for as long as you live.
MARKET RISK
If you’re within five years of retirement, you can not take a large loss to your retirement savings. For those in retirement that are taking income — your income can be drastically effected by losing a large portion of your nest egg. How can you avoid the ups and downs in the stock market while in retirement? By having a portion of your retirement savings in an annuity. Annuities provide guarantees to both your principal and your income so that you can avoid losing money at a critical time in retirement.
INFLATION
If you’re reading this in 2022 or 2023, there’s a good chance that you’re here in part due to concern over inflation. Inflation can be devastating to retirees as it erodes the value of savings; making it difficult to live on a fixed income. One benefit to a properly structure annuity is the protection against inflation. Annuities with lifetime income riders give options for benefits that increase over time at a rate tied to an index, such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
TAXES
Annuities are popular retirement vehicles because of the tax deferred treatment of annuity assets. Tax-deferral means that your money compounds over time rather than paying taxes each year like interest from a CD. The key is you only pay taxes when you take income. Since most people are in a lower tax bracket during retirement, this gives you the benefit of earning interest on the money you would have otherwise paid in taxes as well as paying less taxes overall on the same amount of money.
Why Choose Us?
Since 2012, we’ve protected hundreds of local families with insurance and annuities. As an independent agency, we’re not employees of any bank or insurance company nor do we push a particular annuity or strategy—we work for you! Our goal is to shop from among over 40 of the most trusted annuity providers in the country to provide you with the best rates and the best guarantees. If an annuity is not right for you, we will tell you so.
Our service is individualized to suit your needs. So whether you’re just getting started and need to learn more about annuities or if you’re ready to shop rates, we’re here to serve.
“Our mission is to help you achieve financial security whether or not an annuity is right for you. If we can’t help you, we’re glad to refer you to an advisor who can.” Independent Broker/Owner, Sam Price
Types of Annuities
Indexed Annuity
An indexed annuity is a type of annuity that pays an interest rate based on the performance of an index, such as the S&P 500. It differs from fixed annuities which pay a fixed rate of interest based on treasuries. Technically, your money is not in the market like a variable annuity which gives an interest rate based on a portfolio of securities within the policy. Indexed annuities are sometimes referred to as equity-indexed or fixed-indexed annuities, (FIAs).
Deferred Annuity
A deferred annuity is a policy or contract with an insurance company that promises to pay the policy owner a regular income, or a lump sum, at some future date. Annuity owners often use deferred annuities to supplement their other retirement income, such as Social Security or other savings. Deferred annuities differ from immediate annuities which begin making payments right away. Deferred annuities come in several different types—fixed, indexed, and variable—which determine how their rates of return are computed.
Fixed Annuity
A fixed annuity is a type of insurance policy or contract that promises to pay the buyer a specific, guaranteed interest rate for a fixed period of time. The rates on fixed annuities are based on the return the insurer receives from its investments in typically high-quality corporate bonds, government bonds, and treasuries.
Fixed annuities function like and are routinely purchased instead of bank CDs which do not have tax-deferred tax treatment. Fixed annuities are referred to as “Multi Year Rate Guaranteed” annuities or (MYGAs).
Immediate Annuity
If you’re entering retirement and are ready to start living off of your savings, an immediate annuity might be a good fit. The income starts right away and is one of the few ways to take your savings and turn it into guaranteed income for life. To start an immediate annuity, you typically make a lump-sum contribution from savings or retirement plan. The savings are then converted into an ongoing, guaranteed stream of income for a specified period of time. (Think as few as five years or as long as a lifetime) Immediate annuities are commonly referred to as single premium immediate annuities or (SPIAs).
Ready To Protect Your Retirement?
Call: (205) 578-2097 to speak with an advisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an annuity and how does it work?
An annuity is a contract with an insurance company where you pay in a lump sum or series of payments, and in exchange the company provides you with income — either immediately or starting at a future date. It’s designed to help protect against outliving your retirement savings.
Are annuities a good investment for retirement?
Annuities aren’t right for everyone, but they can be a strong fit if you’re looking for guaranteed income you can’t outlive, protection from market downturns, or a way to supplement Social Security and other retirement savings. The right choice depends on your full financial picture.
What happens to my annuity if I die before receiving all the payments?
It depends on the annuity and the payout option you choose. Many annuities include a death benefit or allow remaining payments to pass to a named beneficiary, so it’s worth reviewing this feature specifically when comparing options.
How are annuity withdrawals taxed?
Growth inside an annuity is tax-deferred, meaning you don’t pay taxes until you withdraw funds. Withdrawals of earnings are typically taxed as ordinary income, and withdrawing before age 59½ may trigger an additional penalty, similar to retirement accounts.
What’s the difference between a fixed and indexed annuity?
A fixed annuity pays a guaranteed, set interest rate, offering predictable growth. An indexed annuity’s return is tied to the performance of a market index like the S&P 500, offering higher growth potential with some downside protection, though typically with a cap on how much you can earn.
How does an independent agency compare annuity providers in Birmingham?
An independent agent isn’t restricted to one carrier’s product shelf. We request quotes across multiple A-rated companies for your specific numbers, deposit amount, time horizon, and income needs, and lay the results out side by side so you can compare guarantees, not just marketing copy.
Can an annuity provide guaranteed income I can’t outlive?
Certain annuity structures, immediate income annuities and deferred income annuities, as well as some annuities with income riders, can be structured to pay a stream of income for as long as you live, subject to the terms of the contract and the claims-paying ability of the issuing carrier. Whether that fits your plan depends on your other income sources and liquidity needs, which is something we walk through before recommending any product.
Do you compare annuities from carriers like Protective Life, TIAA, Allianz, and MassMutual?
As an independent agency, we shop across the carriers we’re appointed with to find competitive rates and terms for your situation. Carrier availability varies by state and by product, so the exact lineup of companies we compare for you will depend on your specific request, ask us directly which carriers are currently available for your goals.
Is there a cost to get an annuity comparison?
No. A quote and comparison from AFS is free and has no obligation to purchase.
Can an annuity help cover long-term care costs in retirement?
Some annuity contracts include chronic-illness or long-term-care riders, and annuity-based coverage is generally easier to qualify for medically than a standalone policy. If protecting retirement assets from care costs is the goal, it’s worth comparing both routes — see long-term care insurance providers in Birmingham for how that side works.
Business owner planning your exit? Retirement income and business succession coverage are usually the same conversation.