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Topic Archives: annuities

  • What’s “Washington’s Private Pension Plan” being teased by Palm Beach?

    What's the "Backdoor" into "Immediate Retirement Fund Payouts" being teased by Teeka Tiwari?

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  • What’s “The Secret Vatican Account”

    The basic premise of this ad is pretty familiar — you can get good returns without risk. Isn’t that what everyone wants? Presumably the nitty gritty detail is a little different, but, well, who can think about details when they’re under the hypnotic spell of an expert copywriter who’s weaving a tale about secret accounts […]

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  • “The Secret ‘Mutual Fund’ that NEVER GOES DOWN”

    Steve Sjuggerud is teasing us with something genuinely compelling as he urges us to subscribe to his True Wealth newsletter: investments that NEVER go down. Really? Yep, his pitch is that he has three kinds of investments that, if taken together, can be considered to be a “mutual fund” that never goes down. They’re not […]

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  • Comments

  • True, life Insurance is a whole different beast. Life and annuities are more of an investment business than a risk-ass...

  • Indexed annuities tend to underperform the index dramatically except in years when there’s a dramatic crash… the cap...

  • I have learned of fixed index annuities lately. My opinion is that they are suitable for those without the stomach for t...

  • Vanguard allows me $1,000 minimum choosing closed Funds or Funds that otherwise require $3,000 & $50,000 Minimum if ...

  • Yes, it was the run up to 2008 that caused the issues. Falling rates did not help as these Annuities were ironclad. Yo...

  • Errata:The Hartford is misspelled. Selling Life products, like annuities, almost sunk us. Also, we sold off the annu...

  • Thanks for the very clear article on annuities and also options spelling in a very easy to understand way. I'm not sure ...

  • Hi Travis, I retired as an insurance agent and as an agent one of the products we sold were annuities. For them to wor...

  • Re why the mega companies no longer do stock splits, I might have part of the answer. A few years ago, I read a missive ...

  • Just doing a quick calculation in my head and it looks like you are saying that some annuities are paying 6% minimum. I...

  • Travis, thank you for your article, "WHAT’S “WASHINGTON’S PRIVATE PENSION PLAN” BEING TEASED BY PALM BEACH?"! I...

  • Dear Travis, Thanks again for your dissection. Your comment how words in quotes are lies. Because you mentioned Blueprin...

  • Annuities are just about the most illiquid way you can lock up your money. These are profitable to the sellers, not the ...

  • ...and stay away from things you don't understand. For me, it's annuities!...

  • I checked into Fidelity's annuity products last year - one that they cancelled was a deal with Metlife - I think their d...

  • Can't say I know anything about Fidelity Variable Annuities, sorry. Fidelity is not generally a particularly expensive ...

  • Be careful when discussing annuities. Over generalizing is misleading. Your comments may be accurate when discussing var...

  • This is similar to the annuity offered by Security Benefit Life that is based on the Annuity Linked TVI. But there are ...

  • Copied from biothread: This is off topic.. I received my annuity statement from work.. We had Comerica till Wells Fargo...

  • dan62, having said that, it is a reporting issue not a balance issue (no $ missing). Similar to what happened at valic ...

  • The only real "guarantee" comes from something like annuities, and there are probably annuities now that guarantee 4-5% ...

  • I purchased into the "Navallier Family Trust" about 2 years ago. I started with 100K and an initial cost of 3K for a 2 y...

  • VZ is the poster child for immorality among Fortune 100 companies. They reneged on "lifetime" benefits promised early re...

  • 770 Plans are not for everyone. In fact, if you are 70 and above or in poor health, other investments like annuities, C...

  • In general, middle-class Americans are best off with level term policies rather than universal life or whole life polici...

  • Thank you for the time and effort you invested to explain annuities so clearly....

  • It's really sad that they try to sell a newsletter pushing annuities with an anti-Catholic screed....

  • The only thing good about these annuities are the FREE meals given by the companies that sponsor them. Once I had gone...

  • I have an engineering background (EE) and have been an investment advisor for about 12 years. Index Annuities have thei...

  • Sorry for not clarifying that -- Ben Franklin is often cited as an early user of annuities, particularly by folks who ar...

  • A good article and the comments attest to the conclusion that there is no 'one size fits all' solution and annuity types...

  • Just curious if any of you have most of your investment dollars in Vanguard ETFs or even fixed annuities....

  • This is one of the best articles I have ever read on this site and the best discussion of index annuities I have seen on...

  • Any investment where the seller can collect a fee of 8% or better up front is going to be sold hard. People selling annu...

  • Please remember the "Guarantees" are only as good as the company promising them. There is no recovery if the company go...

  • Exactly Glenn...I've said that for years. I remember when Agora was first starting. They hyped buying property in Costa ...

  • Ordered by value: Annuities, Whole Life, Universal Life, Cash, Real Estate, AEP, SO, CNP, AB, WR, PSEC. TVIX, Biote...

  • What have you heard or know about index universal life or fixed indexed annuities?...

  • AMEN! Whole life premiums get insanely expensive after age 65. I just took out the cash before it was all eaten up by pr...

  • Note, you know about half as much as you think you do. There are many mistakes in your essay. Just a quickie - SEC and...

  • Ann, is your policy with Bank on Yourself or with Lafeyette Life directly? Is it The Marquis Centennial Indexed Annuitie...

  • These policies should be held 20 years or longer to really take advantage of the savings aspect. I also offer annuities...

  • Annuities are sold as "income that you cannot outlive" That is BS when you factor inflation into the equation. The cen...

  • All the buzz words in this POS. Would you like some fries with that recycled plastic box the Burgers USED to come in? ...

  • Stamps, Annuities, Everbank CD. He has pitched the CD a few times over the past few years. I don't see there being muc...

  • Some annuities have fees, others don't. The confusion begins with the term,"annuity", which has four different types,(va...

  • AVIVA is a big one - have done business and they seem solid. Growth (never a decline) annuities are their bread and but...

  • These kinds of annuities are relatively common, with some exposure to upside and a guaranteed base return -- but be care...

  • I have heard about some annuities that they only go up. If S&P goes down during a particular tear the value of annui...

  • I also subscribed with the promise of Leeb's "Game Over" book and never received it. Customer service just said it was ...

  • Would you please answer the guy's question: "Do the gold backed annuities pay out any regular distribution besides the d...

  • I stumbled on your website today and halleleujah! It was just what I was looking for. Thank you.Do the gold backed...

  • Re. Dan Ferris "gold annuities" This guY seems to be a habitual retread news letter writer for Stansberry.His last newsl...

  • I really think you're the best! I've been wondering about those "annuities" and you took care of it. I also love your ...

  • Alan, if this is what I think it is you're looking for those "Guaranteed Retirement Contracts" teased by Sjuggerud, righ...

  • I'm not talking about CE. 24 hours of CE per year is nothing. I'm talking about the constant stream of information tha...

  • Mario, the "guaranteed retirement contracts" are annuities -- I've written about them before (just search "annuities" in...

  • Please remind Marvin that some of the return will be principal and not to spend that part. Otherwise, I see no need for...

  • READING ALL THE INFO CONFUSES ME EVEN MORE. I AM A 70 YEAR OLD MAN WHO IS TALKING TO TWO AGENTS RE FIXED INCOME ANNUITIE...

  • I have no idea what that tax implications are, good or bad. I bet they're complicated, though!And yes, as with all ...

  • Hi, Joe! I like smart people - keep it up. My first point on this thread is that our friend, Brad M, was thinking abou...

  • Farley 5,Not trying to be smart, but what is your point. Is it that Annuities are complicated or insurance agents d...

  • An excellent unbiased book which explains equity-indexed annuities is authored by Jay D. Adkisson, JD and is called Equi...

  • Ah, the "big bucks" argument. Funny how people don't mind paying realtors 7%, car dealers even more but the begrudge us...

  • Good luck figuring out Index Annuities on your own. I have a spreadsheet showing the different providers and it is over...

  • Anthony,Like the others I would also like to know about the other annuities you mention at the bottom of your postin...

  • All of your points have some validity... Annuities are very often sold because insurance products as a whole; Whatever ...

  • Any info on the "non-retail" annuities would be appreciated. Thanks much....

  • Would appreciate any info you may have received on annuities. Havn't been able to contact "Anthony Schuman," the author....

  • Big Mo - You are dead on. I have NEVER seen anyone that buys annuities. They are all SOLD to them. Why trade LTCG for...

  • Me too. Can you give more info or sources of info on these specialty annuities you mention at the end of your very gener...

  • There are more lies, misstatements, half truths and material omissions written and spoken about annuties than any other ...

  • Good points as always -- I don't think annuities are necessarily terrible, but thanks for mentioning the sales load, tha...

  • Hopefully, both Steve & the Barron's 2007 article point out the differences in NO-LOAD annuities, or NOT front loade...

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