How to use this guide
Every annuity choice comes down to a few questions: when you need the income, how long you can leave the money alone, and how much certainty you want compared with growth. Answer those first, and the right category usually becomes obvious.
Match your goal to a type
Want one locked-in rate and nothing else to think about? Start with a MYGA. Want a shot at more growth while your principal stays protected? Look at a fixed index annuity. Need income now or on a set future date? An income annuity is built for that. See our guide to annuity types for the full picture.
Talk to a licensed strategist
A licensed strategist can take your age, state and numbers and show you real quotes from several carriers. Get a free quote, or read are annuities a good investment first if you're still deciding whether one belongs in your plan.
Written and reviewed by
James Forren Warren
Licensed Retirement Income Strategist · License #20551202
James Forren Warren is a licensed Retirement Income Strategist with Tax Free Wealth Plan. For the past five years he has helped individuals and families turn their savings into retirement income they can count on. He writes and reviews the annuity research on this site and keeps it plain: what a product does, what it costs you, and who it actually fits.
Educational only, not investment, tax or legal advice. Tax Free Wealth Plan LLC is a licensed insurance agency, not a registered investment adviser or broker-dealer. Annuities are not bank deposits, are not FDIC insured and are not guaranteed by any government agency. Guarantees are backed solely by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Features, rates and availability vary by state and change over time; the contract and disclosure documents govern.