As a result, it's difficult to provide a specific answer to what any single person should expect from this financial product. However, a 60-year-old who purchases a $1 million annuity in December 2024 that begins paying out five years later could expect to receive monthly payments of $4,450 for 25 years.
At the current Treasury rate of 4.3%, a $1 million portfolio would generate about $43,000 per year, or roughly $3,500 per month. With your Social Security payments that would generate about $6,000, again enough to live comfortably in most places.
The “annuity age 75 rule” is a misconception that often arises due to the relationship between age and annuity payouts. Generally, annuity payouts increase with age because older people have a shorter life expectancy.
The five-year rule requires that the entire balance of the annuity be distributed within five years of the date of the owner's death.
Annuities have longer durations, but bonds can be reinvested as they mature, so both financial products can be used for the long-term. In general, bonds pay a higher yield than annuities—but not always.
There are a variety of options that are better than an annuity for retirement, depending on your financial situation and goals. These include deferred compensation plans, such as a 401(k), IRAs, dividend-paying stocks, variable life insurance, and retirement income funds.
The taxable part of your pension or annuity payments is generally subject to federal income tax withholding. You may be able to choose not to have income tax withheld from your pension or annuity payments or may want to specify how much tax is withheld.
Currently, three-year fixed annuities pay up to 5.65 percent, according to Annuity.org, while 10-year fixed annuities pay up to 5.45 percent. Fixed annuities feature a minimum rate — typically 1 percent to 3 percent — that they will pay each year, even if interest rates fall below that level.
Historically, the stock market has an average annual rate of return between 10–12%. So if your $1 million is invested in good growth stock mutual funds, that means you could potentially live off of $100,000 to $120,000 each year without ever touching your $1 million goose. But let's be even more conservative.
As a comparison, the cost of a single premium immediate annuity that would pay you $1,000 per month for as long as you live is approximately $185,000. Not only that, but if you live longer than your life expectancy, your annuity continues at no additional cost to you. It lasts your entire lifetime.
Let's say you consider yourself the typical retiree. Between you and your spouse, you currently have an annual income of $120,000. Based on the 80% principle, you can expect to need about $96,000 in annual income after you retire, which is $8,000 per month.
As of January 2025, with a $1,000,000 annuity, you'll get an immediate payment of $6,000 monthly starting at age 60, $6,608 monthly at age 65, or $7,125 monthly at age 70.
Annuities offer numerous features that make them attractive options for high-net-worth individuals. This includes their safety, tax advantages, lack of contribution limits and ability to help diversify a portfolio. An annuity can also help you leave a legacy for your beneficiary.
Many retirees who follow the 4% rule. With a $1 million nest egg, They withdraw 4% the first year, or $40,000, and they live on this amount. In the second year, they take out the same 4%, plus the rate of inflation for that year. If inflation were 2%, the second year's withdrawal would be 102% of $40,000, or $40,800.
Social Security does not count pension payments, annuities, or the interest or dividends from your savings and investments as earnings. They do not lower your Social Security retirement benefits.
To avoid paying taxes on your annuity, you may want to consider a Roth 401(k) or a Roth IRA as a funding source. Then, you do not pay taxes upon withdrawal since Roth accounts are funded with after-tax dollars.
The primary reason for buying an annuity is for the guaranteed payments in retirement. This guaranteed retirement income, can help mitigate the risk of outliving your savings and ensure you have a steady income stream in retirement.
Most of these variable annuities have high fees. If you're less than 50 years old, you have time for markets to be volatile, and then you can make up for any type of losses or volatility, etc. If you're less than 50 years old, you should never buy an annuity of any type.
If taxes are a concern, a fixed deferred annuity may be a better option. Earnings on CDs are taxable in the year the interest is earned. With fixed deferred annuities, earnings accumulate tax deferred and are not treated as taxable income until they are withdrawn. This could help come tax-return time.
In some cases, an annuity may pay a set amount of money that can be passed on to a designated heir if money remains in the account when the accountholder dies. The person who inherits can accept the money as a lump sum or in a series of payments.
Don't have sufficient savings to cover premiums: Buying an annuity could mean laying out $50,000 or more to cover the premium. If purchasing an annuity would drain your liquid savings and put you at risk of having to borrow to pay for unexpected expenses, it may not be worth it.
People use their 401(k) to accumulate and hopefully grow their money for retirement (i.e., long-term savings), while an annuity is used more frequently to turn savings into a guaranteed income stream once you've retired (i.e., long-term income).