Did you know that an annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company, under which you make a lump-sum payment or series of payments? In return, the insurer agrees to make periodic payments to you beginning immediately or at some future date. Annuities typically offer tax-deferred earning and may include a death benefit that will pay your beneficiary a guaranteed* minimum amount, such as your total purchase payments.
您知道年金是您与保险公司之间的合同吗？根据该合同，您可以一次性支付一笔款项或分期付款，作为交换，保险公司同意向您支付定期款项，这些款项可以立即开始支付或在未来某个日期开始支付。年金通常提供税延收益，并可能包括死亡利益，确保您的受益人获得最低保证金额，例如您总的购买支付额
Unlike retirement plans, there is no limit to how much money you can put into an annuity! The number of annuity products on the market today can make selecting the most suitable annuity a confusing process
与退休计划不同，年金没有限制您可以投入多少钱！市场上有许多年金产品，这使得选择最合适的年金成为一个复杂的过程
Some facts to consider:
一些需要考虑的事实：
- Timing of payout – immediate or deferred: In an immediate annuity, the annuitant (you) begins receiving payments immediately after purchase. This is for individuals who need immediate income from their annuity. In a deferred annuity, payments begin at some future date, usually at retirement.
- 支付时间 – 立即支付或延迟支付：在立即年金中，年金受益人（您）在购买后立即开始接收付款。这适用于需要立即收入的个人。在延迟年金中，付款在未来某个日期开始，通常是在退休时。
- Investments by Insurers – fixed or variable: Insurance companies invest annuity assets in government securities and high-grade corporate bonds. They offer a guaranteed* rate, typically over a period of one to ten years. Variable annuities provide you more control over where your premium goes, such as securities portfolios, fixed interest accounts, and money market securities.
- 保险公司的投资 – 固定或可变：保险公司将年金资产投资于政府证券和高评级公司债券。它们通常在一到十年的期间内提供保证的利率。可变年金则提供更多控制权，您可以选择将保费投资于证券投资组合、固定利息账户和货币市场证券
- Liquidity options – An annuity may allow you to withdraw either your interest earnings or up to 15% per year without a penalty (although any withdrawal from an annuity may be subject to taxes and a 10% federal penalty if taken before age 59 1/2).
- 流动性选择 – 年金可能允许您每年提取利息收益或高达15%而不受罚（尽管从年金中提取的任何款项可能需缴税，并且如果在59岁半之前提取，可能会面临10%的联邦罚款）
Types of annuities
年金的类型
- Fixed annuity: The insurance company guarantees that you will earn a minimum rate of interest during the accumulation phase of the annuity. Plus, it guarantees that the periodic payments will be a set amount. These periodic payments may last for a definite period, such as 20 years, or an indefinite period, such as your lifetime or the lifetime of you and your spouse. Fixed annuities are not securities and are not regulated by the SEC.
- 固定年金：保险公司保证您在年金的积累阶段会获得最低利率。此外，它保证定期付款的固定金额。这些定期付款可以持续一定时间（例如20年），或持续不定时间（例如您的整个生命或您和配偶的生命）。固定年金不是证券，且不受SEC监管
- Variable annuity: Provides purchaser more choice as to where their premium goes through a selection of sub-accounts, similar to mutual funds. The rate of return on your purchase payments, and the amount of the periodic payments you will eventually receive, vary depending on the performance of the sub-accounts you selected. Variable annuities are securities regulated by the SEC.
- 可变年金：为购买者提供更多选择，可以通过一系列子账户选择其保费去向，类似于共同基金。您购买支付的回报率以及最终收到的定期付款的金额会根据您选择的子账户的表现而变化。可变年金是证券，受SEC监管
- Equity-indexed annuity is a "hybrid" type of annuity. During the accumulation period – when you make either a lump sum payment or a series of payments – the insurance company credits you with a return that is based on changes in an equity index, such as the S&P 500 Composite Stock Price Index. (An annuity’s index account does not credit the same return or a percentage of the return of any index. Dow Jones indices do not include the dividend income of the company stocks that comprise it.) The insurance company typically guarantees a minimum return. After the accumulation period, the insurance company will make periodic payments to you under the terms of your contract, unless you choose to receive a lump sum. Depending on the mix of features, an equity-indexed annuity may or may not be a security. The typical equity-indexed annuity is not registered with the SEC.
- 股权指数年金：一种“混合”类型的年金。在积累阶段（您进行一次性支付或分期支付时），保险公司根据股权指数（例如标普500综合股票价格指数）的变化为您提供回报。（年金的指数账户并不按照任何指数的相同回报或回报的百分比进行计息。道琼斯指数不包括组成该指数的公司股票的股息收入。）保险公司通常保证最低回报。在积累期结束后，保险公司将根据合同条款向您支付定期款项，除非您选择一次性领取。根据特征组合，股权指数年金可能是证券，也可能不是。典型的股权指数年金不在SEC注册
Before You Decide:
在您决定之前：
If you are considering purchasing an annuity call us to discuss the following:
如果您考虑购买年金，请致电我们讨论以下内容:
- The rating of the insurance company (indicating their financial strength) issuing the annuity, particularly in the case of a fixed annuity.
- 发行年金的保险公司的评级（指示其财务实力），尤其是在固定年金的情况下
- Understand the fees you will pay.
- 了解您将支付的费用
- Understand that if you are considering a withdrawal from an annuity it may be subject to taxes and a 10% federal penalty if taken prior to 59 1/2 years of age
- 了解如果您考虑从年金中提取款项，可能会面临税务和在59岁半之前提取时的10%联邦罚款
For additional information about annuities you can visit www.sec.gov/answers/annuity.htm (If you cannot access this information online, contact us to request a copy.)
有关年金的更多信息，您可以访问 www.sec.gov/answers/annuity.htm（如果您无法在线访问该信息，请联系我们以请求副本）。
* Annuity guarantees rely on the financial stability and claims paying ability of the issuing insurance company.
年金保障依赖于发行保险公司的财务稳定性和理赔能力