What is an annuity? The short answer is a contract that provides a periodic payment to an annuitant beginning at a specific date, for a fixed period or for the duration of one’s life. Yet, annuity contracts can be complex from both design and income tax perspectives. There are many types of annuity contracts, as well as many applications for an annuity in the client’s personal financial plan. As the personal financial planner, you must be educated in the numerous applications and products available, and the tax consequences of annuities, to offer a reasoned opinion to clients regarding annuities in their overall financial plan.

This CPE course covers annuity contracts, which have numerous applications in personal financial planning. Several types of annuities are available, including traditional, private placement variable, private, and charitable. Additionally, annuities can be immediate or deferred and can have fixed, variable, or equity-indexed returns, as well as no load or low load fees. This course looks at how an annuity contract may be structured in a variety of ways based on the following factors:

Commencement of benefit payments—immediate or deferred
Method of premium payment—single or periodic payment
Number of lives insured by the contract—single or joint
Payment type—fixed or variable payment
Plan of payment—settlement options or distributions

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