Researching Investments

Cash values on life insurance policies are one way for an insurance policy to provide a return on investment that can be utilized during the life of the insured. The purpose of an annuity is to...

Finding the best rates for your fixed annuity is not as hard as you might think. There are lots of places you can look to for competitive rates of interest. Don't just take the first offer from...

The vast array of annuities available to consumers today can leave investors bewildered. How can you tell which one is best for you? Several characteristics should be examined when shopping for...

Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America was founded in 1896 and is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (See Reference 1) The company is a provider of fixed and variable annuities, life...

An annuity is an agreement between a person and an insurance company in which the person receives a lump sum payment now or in the future, or a series of payments over time, in exchange for the...

One of the primary factors that make annuities a sound investment is their flexibility. An annuity is an agreement you enter into with an insurance company where you pay a single or scheduled...

An indexed annuity is an investment product that provides a flow of payments to a buyer in return for a lump sum or series of lump sum payments. The flow of payments for an indexed annuity has a...

A fixed annuity is similar to a certificate of deposit (CD) in that it is based on prevailing interest rates. Fixed annuities are primarily used for retirement savings. For instance, $5,000 can be...

Equity-indexed annuities function in the same way as other annuities, with some special considerations regarding the type of sub-account in which the money is invested. It is a hybrid between a...

After years or even decades of service, FERS employees look forward to receiving their retirement pensions. In addition to their voluntary retirement plans that contain risk to principal, FERS...

Annuities and CDs (certificates of deposit) are financial investment vehicles used for differing purposes. Both options have long-term advantages and disadvantages. Carefully consider your...

Unlike a regular annuity, variable annuities are an investment product that involves risks and the possibility of loss. Problems with variable annuities have given rise to the Guaranteed Minimum...

Corporate annuities are financial products that have been a cornerstone investment product for a long time. Although they take a variety of forms depending on the law of the land, generally...

Today many of the old concepts of what a variable annuity should be, have fallen to the wayside. The original annuity needed to be annuitized in order to guarantee an income. Annuitizing a product...

A variable annuity was never a simple product. There are rules and fees that are printed in very small letters in an incredibly boring booklet called a prospectus. Today new riders muck up the...

A variable annuity is much like having a CD and mutual funds under a tax-sheltered umbrella. Variable annuities were first introduced in 1952 and were heavily laden with fees that left the...

These are complex financial instruments that require careful consideration and attention before, during and after the sale.