Fixed annuities can often cause people a fair amount of stress when they try and determine the tax treatment. And even though this process can seem a bit too much to handle, the underlying concepts are actually quite simplistic. A fixed annuity is a contract with the insurance company in which you make premium payments and they agree to provide you a fixed income for specified number of years.
A feature of the fixed annuity that many retirees find to be most beneficial is the ability to turn the contract into a life annuity. A life annuity is designed to provide a set income for the duration of the annuitant's life, regardless of the number of years they have left.
Most annuity contract are allowed tax-deferred growth inside of the annuity account, and are taxable upon the payments made to the beneficiaries. On the surface, this tax treatment is straightforward. However, as with most tax problems, the details can get a little complicated.
The tax-deferred growth means that any values that increase in the account during the accumulation phase are not taxable until they are pulled out of the account. This sort of deferred taxation can have very positive effects on the size of the account.
Every annuity payment is separated into two categories, nontaxable and taxable. To determine the taxable portion of the annuity distribution, you must first calculate the exclusion ratio. The exclusion ratio is calculated by dividing the investment amount in the annuity by the total amount expected to be received through payments. Each prospective distribution is then multiplied by the ratio to determine the taxable portions.
In a broad sense, the non-taxable portion of the account is the dollars that were paid for by premiums paid into the annuity. The taxable portion deals with the growth of the account and any distributions that exceed the total paid in.
A life annuity contract is generally more difficult to calculate than fixed period annuities. The difficulty with a lifetime annuity is determining the expected payout. Life expectancy tables prepared by the U.S. Treasury Department are used to determine life expectancy of the annuitant.
Though there are certainly disadvantages to fixed income annuities, the fixed annuity can be a very valuable resource for retirement planning and preservation of your hard-earned capital. The lifetime income guarantee that many annuities provide can give the investor a level of security, confidence, and low-risk growth that other vehicles cannot provide. Couple this safety with the tax-deferred treatment of fixed annuities and this insurance product can become a very effective financial planning tool. - 31821
A feature of the fixed annuity that many retirees find to be most beneficial is the ability to turn the contract into a life annuity. A life annuity is designed to provide a set income for the duration of the annuitant's life, regardless of the number of years they have left.
Most annuity contract are allowed tax-deferred growth inside of the annuity account, and are taxable upon the payments made to the beneficiaries. On the surface, this tax treatment is straightforward. However, as with most tax problems, the details can get a little complicated.
The tax-deferred growth means that any values that increase in the account during the accumulation phase are not taxable until they are pulled out of the account. This sort of deferred taxation can have very positive effects on the size of the account.
Every annuity payment is separated into two categories, nontaxable and taxable. To determine the taxable portion of the annuity distribution, you must first calculate the exclusion ratio. The exclusion ratio is calculated by dividing the investment amount in the annuity by the total amount expected to be received through payments. Each prospective distribution is then multiplied by the ratio to determine the taxable portions.
In a broad sense, the non-taxable portion of the account is the dollars that were paid for by premiums paid into the annuity. The taxable portion deals with the growth of the account and any distributions that exceed the total paid in.
A life annuity contract is generally more difficult to calculate than fixed period annuities. The difficulty with a lifetime annuity is determining the expected payout. Life expectancy tables prepared by the U.S. Treasury Department are used to determine life expectancy of the annuitant.
Though there are certainly disadvantages to fixed income annuities, the fixed annuity can be a very valuable resource for retirement planning and preservation of your hard-earned capital. The lifetime income guarantee that many annuities provide can give the investor a level of security, confidence, and low-risk growth that other vehicles cannot provide. Couple this safety with the tax-deferred treatment of fixed annuities and this insurance product can become a very effective financial planning tool. - 31821
About the Author:
Be sure to check out Brian Atkinson at The Fixed Annuity Guide to learn more financial planning topics. The fixed income annuity can be used in creative and powerful ways.
