Annuities Services
Turn your savings into reliable retirement income
Annuities can provide guaranteed income you can’t outlive, tax-deferred growth, and protection from market volatility. We help you choose the right annuity strategy for your retirement goals, risk tolerance, and timeline.
Or call us to review your current annuities in 15 minutes.
Fiduciary guidance • Product-agnostic recommendations • Transparent fees
Quick snapshot
- Guaranteed income options for life or a set period
- Principal protection with many fixed and indexed annuities
- Tax-deferred growth while your money stays invested
- Custom payout strategies for couples and survivors
Clarity first
What is an annuity and when does it make sense?
An annuity is a contract with an insurance company that can convert your savings into a predictable income stream. Unlike market-based accounts, certain annuities can protect your principal and provide guaranteed payments, even if you live longer than expected.
Used correctly, annuities can complement your Social Security, pensions, and investment accounts—reducing the pressure to “guess” how much you can safely withdraw each year.
The main types we use
- Fixed annuities – predictable interest rates and principal protection.
- Fixed indexed annuities – growth linked to an index with downside protection.
- Immediate income annuities – turn a lump sum into income starting right away.
- Deferred income annuities – lock in future income for later in retirement.
Typical use cases
Replacing a paycheck, covering essential expenses, or creating a guaranteed income floor.
When it may not fit
Very short time horizons, need for full liquidity, or when you already have ample guaranteed income.
Why clients choose annuities with us
More certainty in retirement, less worry about the market
We integrate annuities into a full retirement plan—not as standalone products. That means every recommendation is stress-tested against your goals, taxes, and legacy wishes.
Guaranteed income planning
We map out how much income you need each year, then design annuity solutions to cover essentials like housing, healthcare, and core lifestyle expenses.
The result: less pressure on your investment portfolio to perform in every market cycle.
Independent product selection
We have access to a wide range of carriers and contract types. Our job is to explain the tradeoffs—rates, riders, fees, and guarantees—in plain language.
You’ll see side‑by‑side comparisons, not a single pre-packaged solution.
Tax & legacy aware strategies
We coordinate annuity income with Social Security, RMDs, and other assets to help manage your tax brackets throughout retirement.
We also look at how annuities pass to beneficiaries so your plan supports the legacy you want to leave.
How it works
Our annuity planning process
1. Discovery session
We clarify your retirement income needs, existing accounts, risk tolerance, and concerns about outliving your money.
2. Income modeling
We model different scenarios: with and without annuities, varying start dates, and payout options to see how each impacts your plan.
3. Product selection
You’ll receive a short list of carriers and contract options with clear explanations of guarantees, liquidity, and fees.
4. Implementation & review
We handle paperwork, coordinate transfers, and review your annuity strategy annually as rates, markets, and life events change.
Why work with Retirement Planning Co
Fiduciary advice, not product pushing
Annuities are often oversold or misunderstood. We take the opposite approach: if an annuity doesn’t clearly improve your retirement plan, we’ll tell you exactly why and suggest alternatives.
- Fiduciary standard: we’re obligated to put your interests first.
- Transparent compensation: you’ll know how we’re paid on every recommendation.
- Integrated planning: annuities are evaluated alongside your full balance sheet.
- Ongoing support: annual reviews to adjust as life and markets change.
Annuities vs. market-only strategy
With annuities
- Portion of income guaranteed for life.
- Less sequence-of-returns risk on withdrawals.
- Potential tax deferral on growth.
- Psychological benefit of a “paycheck” in retirement.
Without annuities
- Income fully dependent on market returns.
- Higher risk of cutting lifestyle in downturns.
- More complex withdrawal rules to manage longevity risk.
- Greater emotional pressure around investing decisions.
Our role is not to replace your investments with annuities—it’s to identify whether adding guaranteed income improves your chances of living the retirement you want.
Questions, answered
Annuities FAQ
These are some of the most common questions we hear when clients are exploring annuities for the first time. We’ll walk you through them in detail during your consultation.
Are annuities safe?
Annuities are issued by insurance companies, not banks. Guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurer. We only work with financially strong, highly rated carriers and help you diversify across companies when appropriate. You should still view annuities as part of a broader retirement plan, not a substitute for emergency savings.
What fees should I expect?
Some annuities have explicit fees (for example, income riders or certain variable annuities), while others are “spread-based” without a line-item fee. During our analysis, we show you exactly how each product is compensated, including any surrender charges, rider costs, or embedded expenses, so you can clearly compare them to other options.
Will my money be locked up?
Most annuity contracts have a surrender period during which withdrawals above a certain amount may incur charges. We build your plan so you keep sufficient liquid assets outside of annuities, and when possible, we prioritize contracts with flexible free-withdrawal provisions aligned with your expected cash-flow needs.
How are annuities taxed?
Generally, annuity growth is tax-deferred. When you take income, a portion may be taxable as ordinary income, depending on how the contract is funded (qualified vs. non-qualified) and the payout structure. As part of your plan, we coordinate with your tax professional and structure withdrawals to help manage your overall tax bracket in retirement.
Can I change my plan later?
Annuities are long-term contracts, but your overall retirement plan is flexible. We review your annuity strategy annually and after major life events. In some cases, we may adjust how and when you take income or complement existing annuities with new tools to better match your evolving goals.
Ready to explore how annuities could support your retirement?
Book a no-pressure consultation and we’ll show you—using your actual numbers—whether adding guaranteed income improves your retirement plan.
Average first call: 30 minutes. No sales pitch—just education and clear next steps.
What we’ll cover on the call
- Your current retirement picture and goals.
- Whether you already own annuities—and how they fit.
- How much guaranteed income you may need.
- Clear, unbiased recommendations for next steps.