Market volatility, shrinking retirement savings, increasing longevity, and high late-life health care costs have changed retirement planning. It now focuses on accumulating sufficient assets and efficiently distributing them during retirement. Fixed annuities, both traditional and indexed, provide a stable, guaranteed value for a diversified retirement plan. This course offers an in-depth study of fixed annuities, highlighting their role in retirement savings and distribution.

• explain the purpose and function of annuities, both immediate and deferred
• describe the differences between traditional fixed annuities and indexed annuities
• explain how fixed and indexed annuity values grow
• outline how annuities can be used for tax-deferred accumulation and lifetime income
• demonstrate an understanding of the tax treatment of annuities at all phases: during accumulation, during payout, and at death
• describe the benefits and drawbacks of fixed annuities, and when they may-and may not-be suitable for consumers