Immediate annuities can provide dependable financial security: a stream of income payments guaranteed to continue for the rest of your life or for a period you select. If you are about to retire, an immediate annuity may be a good place to put a large lump sum of money accumulated through a retirement plan or other savings vehicle. You also can convert your deferred annuity into an immediate annuity to start receiving income.

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To purchase an immediate annuity, you make a one-time payment, and distributions must begin within a year, but typically begin within a month. Immediate annuities can be fixed or variable, just like deferred annuities. The income payments you receive from fixed immediate annuities are based on the amount you contribute, your age and the interest rate environment at the time of purchase. The payments to you will not change. The payments from variable immediate annuities fluctuate based on the performance of the investment options you choose. Although payments may go up or down, variable annuities are designed to provide income that can rise over time to help you keep pace with inflation.

The principal in an immediate annuity is not generally or readily accessible. If you need more money than the income provided by the immediate annuity, you can minimize this drawback by keeping some of your retirement funds in a liquid account, such as a savings account or money market fund. There also is a chance you may lose some of your principal. If you choose an income for life option with no refund guarantee, and you should die before your principal is all paid out, the balance of your principal and any earnings will not go to your heirs. Fortunately, annuities generally offer several guaranteed payout options. For more information see the Options with Guarantees section below.

When selecting the investment options for your immediate annuity, keep inflation in mind. You want investments that will keep pace with inflation. Variable annuities can let you participate in stock market growth, historically shown to be one of the best ways to combat inflation over the long term. However, the downside is that payments can drop if the market drops. Not only is this unnerving, but obviously it will make it harder for you to budget. If you still want the potential for higher payments, consider dividing your retirement savings between fixed and variable options to provide fixed payments, as well as growth potential.

Why Buy an Immediate Annuity?

Among the reasons to consider an immediate annuity are the following:

• An immediate annuity is a financial vehicle that can provide guaranteed income for life.
• The income payments you receive can supplement your other income sources, such as Social Security and pension payments, which may not provide enough income by themselves.
• You choose how often to receive your income payments. Whether monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually, there’s a payout plan to fit your particular needs.
• You pay income taxes only as you receive your payments. When you receive income payments, you will be taxed on the portion of the payments that is earnings. The portion that is principal, which represents your initial deposit made with money that had already been taxed, is not taxable. 
• You may lessen your financial worries. Financial management can be a burden in your retirement years. Because you don’t know how long you’ll live, it’s hard to be sure your resources will last as long as you need them. If you withdraw too much of your nest egg, your future income can suffer or you may run out of money entirely. If you are too thrifty when it comes to spending your nest egg, your level of living may suffer. Immediate annuities can remove some of these burdens, so you can concentrate better on enjoying your hard-earned retirement.