AAII's Guide to Top Web Sites
| Immediate Annuities |
| An immediate annuity, or income annuity, is an insurance product that provides guaranteed payments to an investor over a specified period of time, funded through a lump-sum payment. Immediate annuities offer a useful fixed-income alternative for retirees. However, they are complex investments with tax structures and fee schedules that must be understood before a purchasing decision can be made. The sites listed below provide the most extensive educational information, as well as policy quotes. |
 BRKdirect.com |
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www.brkdirect.com
FREE
Where to Find:
Click on Single Premium Immediate Annuity.
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The site provides a quote, description, and sample policy for Berkshire Hathaway's immediate annuity insurance. Educational information includes an explanation of the single-premium immediate annuity, with its benefits and tax rules; who should consider this type of policy; issues concerning cash value and termination; definitions of policy ratings; and a glossary of annuity terms.
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| Fidelity.com |
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www.fidelity.com
FREE
Where to Find:
Click on Investment Products, then select Annuities from the list that pops up underneath. To go to the Immediate Annuities page, click on Immediate Fixed Income Annuities underneath the Retirement Income heading.
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Information and guidance on annuities is given, including a short video and small pop-up boxes that explain various aspects of immediate annuities. Annuities page offers an interactive questionnaire to help you narrow down the range of retirement income products to the ones that may suit your needs (free registration is required). Details on the providers of immediate annuities that Fidelity offers access to are given in a comparison box. A guaranteed-income estimator helps you decide which type of annuity offers the payment and features you need.
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| ImmediateAnnuities.com |
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www.immediateannuities.com
FREE |
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The website looks dated, but it does provide annuity quotes when you enter your state, age, gender and either the lump sum you have to invest or the monthly dollar amount you'd like to receive. However, to get the full nine-page report on any policy, you must submit your name and contact information. Site also provides articles on immediate annuities and a list of the 20 insurance companies that participate, along with their asset size and ratings from the major agencies. A free monthly e-newsletter gives a comparative annuity report.
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