Found 35 Articles.
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A key issue everyone faces is when to begin Social Security benefits. One aspect of this decision that is easy to overlook is how the choice could affect a spouse’s lifetime income. We’ve discussed when to begin Social Security benefits in past visits, most recently in the May 2002 issue (available in the Archive of […]
A big tax issue for many investors is whether or not losses in a Variable Annuity are deductible. It is possible to deduct a variable annuity loss. There is some disagreement, however, over where on the tax return to deduct the loss. To deduct the loss, the annuity has to be sold (liquidated). Shifting investments […]
There’s a new top-seller among annuities. Buyers are flocking to the relatively new equity-indexed annuities. The last time these annuities were hot was in 1996-1997. At the time many investors had a lot of doubts about the stock market and were looking for a way to capture possible future stock gains without much risk. Insurers […]
Insurers always are coming out with gimmicks that aren’t all they initially appear to be. A good example is the new “no-fee” variable annuities. I’ve been among those who for years have said that the high expenses of variable annuities make them unattractive to those who won’t let the investment returns accumulate for at least […]
There’s at least one good effect of the 18-month bear market we’ve endured. Investors are taking a new look at some classic investment vehicles. For example, sales of fixed annuities are rising while sales of variable annuities are declining. I’ve long argued that most variable annuities are sold to the wrong people, and I’ve pointed […]
Most people want a steady, reliable income source in Retirement that they cannot outlive. But they also need for their income to grow, to maintain its purchasing power in the face of inflation. That’s a tough combination to get. In last month’s visit we looked at immediate annuities and fixed, deferred annuities as a way […]
Investors continue to pour money into variable annuities, many for the wrong reasons. It’s easy to understand why. Variable annuities are complicated. They also pay high commissions, encouraging strong sales efforts. Perhaps that is why about 14% of IRA-owners have all or part of their IRAs in variable annuities. Or why 11% of variable annuities […]
There’s a big down-side to the boom in stocks and other financial assets. When the value of the assets you own goes up, so do potential estate and gift taxes. If you don’t take action, the IRS could end up with more of your estate than your loved ones. One easy way to handle the […]
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