You will get a Social Security check when you retire. If you doubt me, look around and count the votes. How many among us would vote to abolish Social Security’s safety net? What would be the future of any politician…

Many a married couple is going to be in for a surprise. When one of you dies, the annuity may not behave the way you think. These contracts are complicated, with lots of moving parts. Unless you buy right—and title…

Yes, if you’re in a fixed-rate annuity and the insurer is stiffing you with a truly rotten rate—say, 3 percent in a 4.5 percent world. Switch to a CD-type annuity instead. Yes, if you’re in a high-cost variable annuity and…

If you inherit a tax-deferred annuity from your spouse, you have all the same withdrawal options that your spouse would have had. You can keep the annuity, switch to another one (in a tax-free exchange), or take the money out…

If you think you are a candidate for an annuity, go low-load. Their costs are small, compared with the rest of the products on the market, and you can take out your money whenever you want, without paying a penalty.…

On the surface, variable annuities (VAs) seem heaven-sent to anyone who buys mutual funds. You generally start the annuity with $10,000 or $15,000, depending on the company. That money is invested in mutual funds—subaccounts, in an annuity, speak—and accumulate tax-deferred.…

It is recommended that you buy only CD-like, multiyear annuities that pay a fixed rate over a specified period of time. This is because you know exactly what you’re getting. At the end of the term, the insurance company has…