A deferred annuity is a long-term contract with an insurance company that provides future income–often for life–in exchange for premium payments, with options like fixed, variable, and indexed types ...

A “fixed annuity” is an annuity contract in which the value is reckoned in fixed units (in the U.S., U.S. dollars). By contrast, the value of a “variable” annuity is determined by the dollar value of ...

An annuity offers guaranteed income for a set period of time. There are several types of annuities to choose from-with fixed annuities and index annuities being two of the most popular options. While ...

Fixed annuities and certificates of deposit (CDs) are both low-risk savings vehicles that provide guaranteed returns, but they work in different ways. A CD locks in funds for a set period at a fixed ...

A fixed annuity provides a guaranteed income stream. Payouts can be immediate or deferred. Drawbacks include limited upside. Annuities can help ensure your retirement savings last your entire life.

If you’ve been wondering what is a deferred annuity, it’s essentially a retirement savings product that lets your money grow ...

Immediate fixed annuities and deferred fixed annuities are finding a growing market in the wake of the financial market meltdown. It’s no wonder. Their guaranteed payout rates are more than 8 percent ...

Adam B. Frankel is a personal finance writer and financial adviser with over 30 years of experience. When he’s not managing money in the stock market, he teaches financial topics and other core ...

A deferred annuity is a long-term investment that grows tax-deferred and provides income in retirement. Interest earnings accumulate without immediate taxes, allowing savings to grow. Taxes are paid ...

Laurie Sepulveda is a MarketWatch Guides team senior writer who specializes in writing about insurance, investing, personal loans, home equity loans, mortgages and banking. She lives in North Carolina ...