The history of annuities in the United States is especially fascinating when it comes to the military annuity. Not only were soldiers granted annuities, but their widows were often entitled to receive annuities as well. Records of the claims of widows exist in the form of letters sent and received between their representation and the government office responsible for issuing the annuity.

Annuities existed on both state and national levels. In some cases, annuities were even awarded to women that served an important personal role in military campaigns; for example, the Annuity Museum possesses a document, a newspaper article, discussing the granting of an annuity to Molly Macauley, who herself participated on the field of battle beside her husband during the Revolutionary War. Military annuities awarded bravery and service and protected the survivors of fallen American soldiers.