The Top 5 FIA Articles from 2016

The Top 5 FIA Articles from 2016

The Top 5 FIA Articles from 2016

2016 was another great year for Fixed Indexed Annuities (FIAs). In fact, several quarters saw record-breaking sales as consumers recognize the benefits and balance FIAs can provide to a retirement portfolio. During 2016, LifeHealthPro, MarketWatch and Huffington Post all identified how FIAs are attractive retirement products for retirees.

Check out the top articles on FIAs from 2016:

LifeHealthPro: Offer FIAs to take advantage of retirement income opportunities

“Jim Poolman, executive director of the Indexed Annuity Leadership Council (IALC), said that Gen X and Gen Y in particular aren’t sure what kind of guaranteed income they’ll get at retirement.

“We’re working to educate those folks that putting money into a FIA product as part of the safer portion of the retirement plan can guarantee their income during retirement,” Poolman said.”

TIME: 11 Money Lies to Stop Telling Yourself

“While a 401k is a great start to a retirement portfolio, it likely won’t be enough for retirement and will need to be supplemented with another product.

“There’s been a shift from pension funds to retirement accounts, with employees now in the driver’s seat,” said Jim Poolman, executive director of the Indexed Annuity Leadership Council. “The responsibility to choose strategies and mitigate risks while saving for retirement is now mostly falling to the employee.”

Investing in a 401k is simple, and the employer contribution is a huge bonus, but in order to meet your retirement goals and keep that money safe, you need to diversify your savings strategy.

“Savers should protect themselves from market risk and protect the value of their nest eggs while maintaining a varied portfolio,” said Poolman. “Diversity is important when it comes to retirement savings because it can actually help to reduce risk and improve return.”

According to Poolman, an easy way to balance out your retirement portfolio is to take advantage of a conservative product, like a fixed annuity, which guarantees a certain income during retirement, even if the market fluctuates.”

GoBankingRates: 20 Things You Can Learn From Your Parents’ Retirement

 “Many retirees were planning on relying on just one retirement income stream, which turned out to be a bust when once-considered low-risk pension plans started to dry up a few decades ago.

Today’s workers, even though few have access to a pension plan, can still learn from that lesson by casting a wide net and creating a strategy that includes more than just a 401k payout. Retirement savings diversity can help reduce risk and improve return, according to information available on the U.S. Department of Labor website.

One suggestion, said Poolman, is “combining traditional savings vehicles like a 401k with low-risk options such as fixed-indexed annuities, which will help keep you financially healthy and on track to a happy retirement.”

MarketWatch: Why fixed indexed annuities are strong sellers

“This caveat notwithstanding, many prospective annuity buyers should take a hard look at FIAs. It’s no coincidence that their sales were up 22% in the third quarter of 2015, while annuity sales overall rose only 3%. FIAs are the right product at the right time for many pre-retirees and retirees because at least they provide some equity exposure with no downside risk. In addition, they offer income protection through riders with relatively generous lifetime income payments.”

Huffington Post: Why Retirees Should Consider Indexed Annuities

“Simply put: slow and steady wins the race when it comes to retirement. Also, can retirees really bear another market plunge like 2008, when assets faced almost a 50 percent decrease in value?

Retirees have long regarded indexed annuities (also known as equity index, fixed index or fixed indexed annuities) as a risk management financial strategy. They are lifetime streams of guaranteed, fixed income with added insulation against volatile market conditions.”