Properly allocating assets for retirement is crucial as pensions and Social Security may not suffice. Annuities offer guaranteed lifetime income and are popular for retirement savings, whether through employer-sponsored plans, individual plans, or personal savings. The insurance industry has developed indexed annuities (fixed indexed annuities) for this purpose. This course covers indexed annuities, their design, use, and comparison to traditional fixed and variable annuities. It details crediting methods for interest earnings and provides insights for insurance producers and financial advisors on using these products for tax-deferred retirement savings.

• describe indexed annuities and how they work
• explain their unique design features
• compare and contrast indexed annuities to traditional fixed and variable annuities
• describe the tax treatment of indexed annuities
• demonstrate understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of indexed annuities and the associated suitability issues 

Life and health insurance producers and finance professionals

General understanding of annuities