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Deferred Annuity: Definition, Types, How They Work

Part of the Series
Annuity Definition and Guide

What Is a Deferred Annuity?

A deferred annuity is a contract with an insurance company that promises to pay the owner a regular income, or a lump sum, at some future date. Deferred annuities differ from 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:immediate annuities, which begin making payments right away.

Key Takeaways

  • A deferred annuity is an insurance contract that promises to pay the buyer a regular income or a lump sum of money at some date in the future. Immediate annuities, by contrast, start paying right away.
  • Deferred annuities come in several different types—fixed, indexed, and variable—which determine how their rates of return are computed.
  • Withdrawals from a deferred annuity may be subject to surrender charges as well as a 10% tax penalty if the owner is under age 59½.

How Deferred Annuities Work

There are three basic types of deferred annuities: fixed, indexed, and variable. As their name implies, 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:fixed annuities promise a specific, 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:guaranteed rate of return on the money in the account. 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Indexed annuities provide a return that is based on the performance of a particular market index, such as the S&P 500. The return on 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:variable annuities is based🀅 on the performance of a portfolio of mutual funds, or sub-accounts, chosen by t🥂he annuity owner.

All three types of deferred annuities grow on a tax-deferred basis.

The period when the investor is paying into the annuity is known as the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:accumulation phase (or savings phase). Once the investor elects to start receiving income, the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:payout phase (or income phase) begins. M🌜any deferred annuities are structured to provide income for the rest of the owner's life꧙ and sometimes for their spouse's life as well.

Warning

Before purchasing an annuity, buyers should make sure they have enough money in a liquid 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:emergency fund.

What Are the Disadvantages of a Deferred Annuity?

Prospective buyers should also be aware that annuities often have high fees compared to other types of retirement investm♐ents, including surrender charges. They are also complex and sometimes difficult to understand.

Most annuity contracts put strict limits on withdrawals, such as allowing just one per year. Withdrawals may also be subject to surrender fees charged by the insurer. In addition, if the account holder is under age 59½, they will generally face a 10% tax penalty on the amount of the withdrawal. That's on top of the income tax they have to pay on the withdrawal.

Is an Annuity Considered a Liquid Asset?

Deferred annuities should be considꦗered long-term investments.

Annuities' 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:liquidity varies based on the surrender charges laid out in the insurance contract. The surrender period is when you would need to pay a hefty fee to exit the contract—certainly something you'd want to avoid. The surrender c꧙harge—for example, 10%—declines over time until ওit arrives at zero. These surrender periods can last several years, even 15 years. 🍸Durin🌸g this time, most people would consider their investment to be illiquid.

However, once the surrender period has passed, the annuity becomes more liquid, relatively speaking. They may be considered to be more liquid than an asset that you must find a buyer for, such as a car or a home. But they are still less liquid than, for example, 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:mutual funds purchased outside of an annuity.

What Happens to an Annuity After Death?

Deferred annuities often include a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:death benefit component. If the owner dies while the annuity is still in its accumulation (savings) phase, their heirs may receive some or all of the account's value. If the annuity has entered the payout (income) phase, however, the insurer may simply keep the remaining money unless the contract includes a provision to keep paying benefits to the owner's heirs for a certain number of years.

Do You Pay Taxes on a Deferred Annuity?

Owners of these insurance contracts pay taxes only when they make withdrawals, take a lump sum, or begin receiving income from the account. At that point, the money they receive is taxed at their ordinary income tax rate.

The Bottom Line

Investors often use deferred annuities to supplement their other retirement income, such as 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Social Security. They are part of a mix of assets tha✤t can sustain you in retirement. However, due to their high fees and relative illiquidity, they aren't the right choice in every scenario.

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