Market volatility, shrinking retirement savings, increasing longevity, the high cost of late-life health care, the fear of outliving one's income: all of these factors have contributed to a fundamental shift in the way consumers must now prepare for retirement. Retirement planning today must address two objectives: sufficient asset accumulation for retirement and efficient asset and income distribution during retirement. To this end, one financial product stands out: the fixed annuity.

This course offers an in-depth study of fixed annuities, both traditional and indexed. Fixed annuities can provide a solid foundation for a retirement savings and distribution plan, offering a stable, guaranteed value element to a diversified investment and savings portfolio.

Upon completing this course, students will be able to:

• 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

Life and health insurance producers; financial planners and advisors