Annuities are a popular way both to invest and to save for retirement. The idea behind an annuity is that by combining a life insurance policy with investment advantages and tax deferred status, you arrive at a singularly effective savings vehicle. However, annuities are not always the risk free, guaranteed financial products they are perceived to be. There are different types of annuities and they carry with them different potential advantages, and disadvantages.
The two basic types of annuities are fixed and variable annuities. Let’s take a look at each of them in brief: