mardi 15 juillet 2014

Identifying With The Best Equity Indexed Annuities

By Rosella Campbell


Unlike other products available at the market, investors prefer those attracting maximum returns relative to the risk exposure. For that reason, best equity indexed annuities allow one to earn potential gains in appreciating stock market while providing a shield eliminating penalties when it declines. They offer a platform to gain higher returns while simultaneously eliminating exposure of principal to potential market risk.

The cushion against loss that investors derive from the guaranteed minimum rate, induce the investors to cede a portion of the market gain during years of upside returns. The target audience attracted to these products comprises the retired and individuals attaining their retirement ages. The explanation for this emerges from the full shielding from losses experienced in stock market during volatility. Additionally, though investors never realize the entire gains, the minimum rate securing their earnings during years characterized by loss, convince them that this product constitute a prudent investment trade-off.

While these annuities carry a desirable trade-off, investors should perform comprehensive assessment of the individual product to determine its contractual terms. Consequently, the investors should consider factors such as participation rate, administration fees attracted to the principal, cap rate, calculation criterion. This analysis provides a holistic view of the potential net gains from the annuity.

Primarily, the participation rate provides the turning point where an investor will derive the yield upon the maturity of the product. This rate exists as a growth percentage received upon the positive years. This suggests higher rates translate to more gain from the growth. Given that small variations have potential to influence returns, one should prioritize deriving the biggest piece through the rate.

Investors should embrace a product featuring a higher minimum rate receivable during the poor-performance period. This rate serves as a protection for the investors against incurring catastrophic losses while generating moderate growth. One should seek the contract stipulating the highest rate amongst the products on offer to secure the maximum earnings during crash.

Capping allows the insurance companies limit the earnings that one may realize during the extraordinary years. While avoiding such caps leaves the investor at a positive platform of realizing the entire gains, one should desire products least eroding their baselines. Subsequently, attempt to extract more earnings constitute offsetting the caps through higher participation rates.

Various index annuities utilize different crediting methods in the calculation of the annual returns. Although the high water mark and point-to-point methods have inherent advantages, the annual reset criterion shields the account balance from declining below the previous returns. This will ensure the previous earnings remain secured and the balance would never drop to lower levels.

The provisions of these annuities place them as less liquid compared to those carrying fixed or varying terms. For an investor planning to make premature withdrawals, they should prioritize those characterized lenient vesting schedules. Equally, channeling in annuities featuring low administration fees would minimize the annual deductions from the principal. Investors should welcome finding those that are without administrative fees as such are counterproductive to the annual yield.




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