Annuities for Dummies

Kerry Pechter July 20, 2023

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Immediateannuities.com (www.immediateannuities.com) is the grandaddy of annuity websites. It was founded in 1996 by veteran insurance man Hersh Stern, now retired. On the home page, you'll find an easy-to-use income annuity calculator that tells you how much monthly income you can get from an immediate or deferred income annuity.

You can test endless "what if" retirement planning scenarios with this tool. It will instantly answer questions like, "What if I delay income for five years?" or "What if I apply $25,000 more or less savings?" Users of "bucketing" to build retirement income should find the tool empowering.

The site is a virtual insurance agent, and you'll be prompted to call a toll-free number that rings through to an agent. But the site's generosity with information and educational material makes it more than a mere lead collector. It even includes a virtual annuity museum.

Despite its name, Immediateannuities.com also deals in fixed-rate annuities, fixed indexed annuities (FIAs), and even secondary market annuities. Because Immediateannuities.com isn't a securities-licensed shop, you won't see traditional or structured variable annuities (VAs) there.