Learn what annuities are, how fixed, variable, indexed, immediate, and deferred annuities work, and how they can help provide steady retirement income.

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Dr. Melody Bell is a personal finance expert, entrepreneur, educator, and researcher. Melody ...

An annuity is an insurance contract you purchase to receive payments for a specific period, such as 30 years, or for the rest of your life. By applying a mathematical formula consisting of variables ...

An immediate annuity is a financial product sold by insurance companies that allows you to convert a lump sum of money into a stream of guaranteed income payments. Most people who purchase immediate ...

Recurring or ongoing payments are technically annuities. Whether making a series of fixed payments over a period, such as rent or car loan, or receiving periodic income from a bond or certificate of ...

David Rodeck is a financial journalist based in New York City specializing in banking, investing and financial planning. Before writing full-time, David was a financial adviser and passed the Series 6 ...

An immediate annuity is an insurance product that provides guaranteed income: You give an insurer a chunk of money, and the company gives you a stream of payments that can last for life. The payments ...

We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. Not all annuities — or annuity rates — are created equal, though. In ...

An immediate annuity is an insurance product that provides guaranteed income: You give an insurer a chunk of money, and the company gives you a stream of payments that can last for life. The payments ...

An immediate annuity is an insurance product that provides guaranteed income: You give an insurer a chunk of money, and the company gives you a stream of payments that can last for life. The payments ...