Tag Archives: Social Security

The United States- Stick a Fork in it!

Ida May Fuller, the first recipient

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Yes I said it.  The United States had its day.  You may not agree with my opinion but maybe it is time for all of US citizens to realize that maybe the day has arrived that the US is not the center of the universe anymore.  I have listed a few reasons to prove my point.

Debt:

There is no way that we can continue to spend the money we are spending without something coming to a head.  That something would be the interest payments we have to pay on the national debt.  The stimulus, QE1, and QE2 has failed.  Interest rates will rise and when they do, hold on to your pennies.

Politics:

Our political system has failed us.  We have politicians who get pensions after serving a few years in office.  They have different health insurance and retirement benefits than the rest of the citizens they represent.  They will never agree on everything and everyday it becomes clear that both parties are the same.

Generational Warfare:

The baby boomer generation was once a driving force in the US economy but now this same generation is requiring more and more social services and will continue to drain the country economically.   As the biggest voting bloc within the US, I seriously doubt any real changes will occur to Medicare and Social Security until after future generations require the same services.

Money:

At some point the world currency will not be traded in dollars.  What this means to every single citizen within the US, prepare to pay more at the pump.  Oil is traded in dollars.  I am a huge fan of the Swiss Franc.  This currency is required by law to hold 40% of its assets in gold.  The Euro has its issues, China is a communist country, and the Swiss have the best and safest currency in the world.

 

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What Is An Annuity? Types of Annuities Explained

In the US, a large number of people are still not aware of what annuity is and how it works and these are the people who are missing out a lot on the best annuity rates. The result is therefore a loss of essential potential retirement income. Reports have revealed that around 150,000 people miss out on higher annuity incomes every year. But, what is an annuity and how can it help people financially post retirement? Let us find out.

An annuity is a contract that is made between an insurance company and an individual. Under this contract the individual will be provided a regular income in exchange of investments made over a period of time or payment of a lump-sum amount. Annuity is the best option for a person who is looking to invest their money to make their retirement secure and safe. There are many different types of annuity products available on the market today. Let us check out some of the major types of annuities and how they can help safeguard your future.

What is an annuity?

Most of the insurance companies which provide annuity define it as an investment that guarantees payments of specific amount made over specific time intervals. The amount that the insurance company receives from an individual can either be a lump-sum amount or a periodic interest.

Generally, there are two main types of annuities. These are fixed and variable annuities.

Fixed annuities – insurance product that is designed to provide tax deferred and long term savings. There may be few investment options, but fixed annuities provide a guaranteed minimum rate of return. No tax deduction is done on the money that is deposited. However, when you start making withdrawals, you will be required to pay taxes. There are no income limits or annual contribution limits. This is a good option for those looking to increase their tax deferred savings.

There are different rules, expenses and restrictions that apply to fixed annuity contracts. These usually vary based on the product you have chosen and the insurance company you have signed up with.

Variable annuities – an insurance product in which the insurance company guarantees to pay a minimum payment after the end of the accumulation stage. The premium may be split into separate sub-accounts and used to invest into market segments such as the money market, bonds, international equities and mutual funds. There are risks associated with investing funds because you can either earn more than you have invested or lose more.

There is also another type of annuity that is known as indexed annuity. This type falls in between fixed and variable annuity.

Indexed Annuity – is a fixed annuity which earns interest that is linked to an external equity reference. The interest rate that is paid is according to the performance of a well known index such as the SP500. The annuity growth depends on the participation rate of the index it is tied to. Under this annuity, you do not lose your principal. You are guaranteed a fixed annuity and at the same time, there is potential for earning a profit such as in a variable annuity.

Call:  1.800.643.7544

www.annuitycampus.com

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Enhanced Annuity

Venetia Stanley, Lady Digby

Image by lisby1 via Flickr

If you are a smoker or take regular medication for a health problem, you may be entitled to enhanced annuity. When you consider enhanced annuity options, you may be able to make a huge difference to your retirement income.

The amount of money that you can receive from your annuity every month will depend on two things. These include:

– the amount you invested
– how long the annuity company will be paying out

Annuities are guaranteed income which a person may be able to receive for the rest of his life. But, it also depends on how long your provider will be paying out. One of the most important things that your provider will look at when considering how much money to pay to you is your life expectancy. This is when enhanced annuities come in.

Enhanced annuities usually pay out a higher rate than other annuity options. This is due to the fact that your life expectancy may be lower than the others who are in a good state of health. Some of the things that can make a difference to your situation include:

– whether you are a smoker
– whether you are obese
– whether you are taking regular medication for a health problem
– whether you have been admitted in hospital for any health issues before

If you have a medical condition or you are a smoker, you may have a shorter lifespan than people who are non-smokers or do not have a pre existing condition. In such a case, it is assumed that annuity providers will be paying you over a shorter period of time and for this reason, you will be receiving more money every month.

In the UK, about 40 percent of retirees may be entitled to enhanced annuity. However, the major problem is that a large number of people lack awareness and do not apply.

Annuity advice is at hand and even if you don’t know how it works, you can consult with a professional advisor. Since there are a large number of insurance providers available and a large number of situations which could make you eligible for enhanced annuity, it is important that you shop around and get the best enhanced annuity rate.

When you consult with a professional advisor regarding your enhanced annuity, they will explain to you what options are available and how you can invest your tax free pension cash. You will get all the support from these professionals right from form filling to helping secure your retirement.

Remember, being in a poor state of health can be good news because you may be entitled to a higher regular income. For example, if you are a regular smoker, you will be eligible for enhanced annuity. But, if you are also very old, you may be eligible to receive a higher annuity rate. These can go even up to 30 percent more than what a standard annuity offers. This means that if a person who is non smoker receives ?1,000, someone who is a smoker and is also quite old will receive up to ?1,300. Moreover, if the same person has a pre existing medical condition, he may be eligible for even more.

Call:  1.800.643.7544

www.annuitycampus.com

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What are Annuities? (How do they Work?)

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