Income Annuities Are Gaining Popularity as a Way to Make Your Money Last in Retirement. Here Are all the Pros and Cons About This Controversial Product
May 7, 2019 by Alix Langone
While retirees often worry about making their money last, many don’t take advantage of an insurance product that helps them do just that.
A new study shows how income annuities can help bridge the financial uncertainty gap in retirement by providing consumers with guaranteed income in the form of monthly “paychecks.” Specifically, researchers found that adding an income annuity boosted the chances of a retiree’s portfolio lasting until age 95 by around 20 percentage points, versus a portfolio with investments alone. The study was funded by Principal, a financial management and insurance company, and conducted by Michael Finke and Wade Pfau, two researchers with The American College of Financial Services
To be sure, as a company that sells annuities, Principal has a vested interest in promoting them. Still, some academics agree that the simplest types of annuities are worth a look.
