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• Premium: The amount of money the annuitant pays to the insurance company to purchase the annuity. This can be a lump sum or a series of payments.

 

• Annuity Contract: The legal agreement between the annuitant and the insurance company outlining the terms and conditions of the annuity, including the payment schedule, interest rates, and any additional features.

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• Annuitant: The person who owns the annuity and receives the annuity payments. This is often the individual who purchased the annuity, but it could also be someone else, such as a spouse.

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• Payout Phase: The period during which the annuity makes regular payments to the annuitant. This can be an immediate annuity, where payments start shortly after the purchase, or a deferred annuity, where payments are deferred to a future date.

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• Types of Annuities:

  • Immediate Annuities: Payments begin shortly after the annuity is purchased.

  • Deferred Annuities: Payments are delayed until a future date chosen by the annuitant.

  • Fixed Annuities: Provide a guaranteed fixed interest rate for a specified period.

  • Variable Annuities: (securities license required) Allow the annuitant to invest in a range of sub-accounts, with payments linked to the performance of these investments.

  • Fixed-Indexed Annuities: Combine elements of fixed and variable annuities by offering a guaranteed minimum interest rate along with the potential for additional interest based on the performance of an underlying index.​

 

• ​​Tax Treatment: Annuities often offer tax-deferred growth on earnings, meaning that taxes on interest and investment gains are deferred until withdrawals are made. Different tax rules may apply depending on whether the annuity is qualified or non-qualified.

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• Death Benefit (optional): Some annuities include a death benefit, which guarantees that the annuitant's beneficiaries will receive a minimum amount or the remaining value of the annuity in the event of the annuitant's death.