Truth About Buying Annuities, The (PDF)

Avoid the retirement annuity minefield...don't make an expensive, catastrophic mistake!

· The truth about using annuities to protect your future

· The truth about hidden fees that could cost you a fortune

· The truth about the newest types of annuities-good and bad

Simply the best thinking...the truth and nothing but the truth

This book reveals the 50 CRITICAL FACTS you must know about annuities before you buy

"Steve Weisman has accomplished a feat of immense proportion by explaining one of the most complicated investment vehicles in ways that average Americans can easily understand."

Robert Powell, Editor, "Retirement Weekly," MarketWatch

Introduction v

Truth 1 The history of annuities 1

Truth 2 Immediate annuities 5

Truth 3 Fixed rates 9

Truth 4 Deferred annuities 13

Truth 5 Annuity fees 17

Truth 6 Variable annuities 21

Truth 7 Variable annuity investment choices 25

Truth 8 Actively managing variable annuity sub-accounts 29

Truth 9 Indexed annuities 33

Truth 10 More about indexed annuities 37

Truth 11 Calculating index changes 41

Truth 12 Inflation protected annuities 45

Truth 13 Tax-sheltered annuities 49

Truth 14 Annuity settlement options 53

Truth 15 Tax deferral 57

Truth 16 Annuity risk 61

Truth 17 Annuity death benefits 66

Truth 18 Annuities and income taxes 69

Truth 19 Tax-free 1035 exchanges 73

Truth 20 Charitable gift annuities 77

Truth 21 Split annuities 81

Truth 22 Joint and survivor annuities 85

Truth 23 Shorter surrender annuities 89

Truth 24 Longevity insurance 93

Truth 25 Inheriting an annuity 97

Truth 26 Variable Annuities versus variable universal life insurance 101

Truth 27 Choosing between mutual funds and an annuity 105

Truth 28 Annuities and asset allocation 109

Truth 29 Asset allocation and laddering annuities 113

Truth 30 Minimum required distributions 117

Truth 31 59 ¿ 121

Truth 32 Annuities in IRAs 125

Truth 33 Annuities and 401(k)s 129

Truth 34 More about annuities, IRAs, and 401(k)s 133

Truth 35 Annuities for children 137

Truth 36 Bonus credits 141

Truth 37 The Pension Protection Act, annuities, and long-term care 145

Truth 38 Annuities and Medicaid 149

Truth 39 Annuities and reverse mortgages 153

Truth 40 State Guaranty laws 157

Truth 41 Annuities and creditor protection 161

Truth 42 Getting out of an annuity 165

Truth 43 Annuity scams and senior citizens 169

Truth 44 Annuities and class actions 173

Truth 45 Prospectuses and annuities 177

Truth 46 Free looks 181

Truth 47 For whom annuities are best 185

Truth 48 Steve's annuity rules part one 189

Truth 49 Steve's annuity rules part two 193

Truth 50 Where to go for Information 197

About the Author 201