Annuities: The American Equity Promise
Securing a financially independent future begins today with sound retirement planning and building a dependable source for lifetime income. As a hard-working individual, you take your finances seriously. You have invested your time and energy in order to create and sustain a quality of life that suits you and your family. Just like you insure your home, health and car, an annuity provides insurance for your nest egg. At American Equity, we strive to provide stable annuity products backed by our company’s financial strength, disciplined investment practices and award-winning customer service.
What is an Annuity?
An annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company purchased in a lump sum or through a series of recurring premium payments. Annuities are sold by licensed insurance agents and are regulated by state departments of insurance.
How Do Annuities Work?
The annuity is backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing company. Annuities are one of the only safe-money products that can guarantee practical retirement solutions, such as protecting hard-earned dollars and generating income that cannot be outlived.
There are a variety of annuities available that you can discuss with a financial professional. The two most common categories are fixed annuities and variable annuities. These annuities have different methods of earning interest on the contract value. Variable annuities earn returns based on the performance of the investment portfolio. A return is not guaranteed and the contract value may go up or down. American Equity specializes in fixed and fixed index annuities.
Only fixed annuities guarantee an interest that will never be less than zero, even if the market goes down. There are two common designs for these types of annuities, which are fixed and fixed index annuities.
What is a Fixed Index Annuity?
A fixed index annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company that provides a series of immediate or deferred payments that can be used for retirement income in exchange for a single or recurring payment, also known as a premium.
The benefits of these insurance products include principal protection with the potential of growth based on an external index, such as the S&P 500® Index, which can be used to help reach retirement income goals after the accumulation period has ended and the payout phase begins. Interest earned is also protected from loss due to index fluctuations, leaving your retirement dollars in tact for the future since the interest can never be lost once it is credited to the annuity contract.
What is a Traditional Fixed Annuity?
A traditional fixed annuity protects your nest egg by offering guaranteed growth at a fixed interest rate determined at the beginning of the contract. Since this type of annuity provides interest accumulation based on the fixed interest rate, the rate is guaranteed for a set period of time and cannot decrease during that time period.
Benefits of Fixed and Fixed Index Annuities
Both fixed and fixed index annuities offer a guaranteed minimum interest rate and tax-deferred growth. That means your annual return will never go below zero because of index volatility and your money grows tax deferred up to the day you decide to take an income.
When you are ready to take an income, these annuities offer a variety of income payment options, such as a lump sum or a series of payments over time. And, for additional lifetime income options, you can elect to add a lifetime income benefit rider to your annuity at issue. This benefit helps generate a reliable income source that cannot be outlived with a variety of payout options. This is a feature only available along with your annuity product.
Every retirement is different, each with its own financial goals and unique needs. But, many of today’s retirement objectives are the same—a reliable income source that provides asset protection so you can plan for the future ahead.
What is an Immediate Annuity?
An immediate annuity can provide steady income for a specific period of time or lifetime income that begins within 12 months of a signed contract. The difference between immediate and deferred annuities is the insurance company promises to make a series of payments to you immediately, as opposed to some point in the future, which is the case for a deferred annuity.
At American Equity, we remain focused on providing products with integrity so our policy holders know their money is safe and secure for the future. Try our annuity calculators to see how annuities work and help determine your retirement goals.
To find out more about what annuity may be right for you and what steps to take next, call your nearest financial professional.
The content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute advice. For specific details on how this may apply to your personal situation, contact your personal financial advisor or insurance agent for more details. American Equity contracts are only sold through independent agents. Please contact your state insurance department to see if there is an independent insurance agent in your area appointed to sell American Equity annuity contracts.
Guarantees are based on the financial strength and claims paying ability of American Equity and are not guaranteed by any bank or insured by the FDIC.
American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company® does not offer legal, investment, or tax advice. Please consult a qualified professional.
Annuity features, benefits and limitations vary by product and state. Please review product sales brochure and disclosure for additional details.