Five Answers You Need Before Buying Annuities
Annuities aren't always the universal retirement safety device they should be.
Ecology of Money
As financial products with income guarantees, annuities are to retirement portfolios what air bags are to cars. You can certainly drive without them, but they're awfully nice to have in a pinch--if they function properly.
Yet annuities aren't always the universal retirement safety device they should be. They are often overpriced, oversold, and difficult to understand.