ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Agents Target Seniors To Buy Annuities
Annuities Aer Expensive And Tie Up Your Money For Years
Substantial Penalties For Withdrawals During Early Contract Years
Evans Law Firm, Inc. recommends seniors avoid deferred annuities because deferred annuity contracts are expensive and complicated and tie up a senior’s money for years. High-pressure or deceptive sales tactics and sales of unsuitable annuities violate the law and constitute financial elder abuse when the targeted consumer is a senior. Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 15610.30 (definition of financial elder abuse); Cal. Ins. §§ 790 et seq. (Unfair Insurance Practices Act) and 10509 (suitability requirement). Senior victims may be entitled to damages and an award of attorneys’ fees and expenses for bringing a case. Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 15657.5. If you are over 60, live in San Francisco or elsewhere in California and own a deferred annuity (such as a fixed indexed annuity), call us today at 415-441-8669 (or toll free at 1-888-50EVANS) for a free review of your policy.
Withdrawal Penalties/Surrender Charges
Deferred annuities have surrender charges if you withdraw your money early. Surrender periods vary from 2 years to 10 or more, and the corresponding charges typically decline with time. For example, a deferred annuity with a 10-year surrender period would charge 10% on money withdrawn the first year, 9% the second year, 8% the third year and so on. Bear in mind that withdrawn before age 59½ may be subject to a 10% federal tax penalty. Any withdrawal will be taxed as ordinary income the year it’s received. Always consult with your tax professional before making decisions on the tax ramifications of annuities or any retirement vehicle
Fees And Commissions
All annuities have commissions and annual fees. These are typically built into the policy so you won’t see the costs taken out each year. Commissions can range from 6% to 10%, depending on the type of annuity. As a rule of thumb, the longer the surrender period and more complex the annuity, the higher the commission. Ask your agent or representative what the commission is before buying. If the agent says it’s built in (so) you’re really not paying any commission, that is not true. The commission is there, even if you don’t see it. Also, if an agent says you will recoup any commission by means of a “premium bonus,” be skeptical. Bonuses are marketing gimmicks; you can never withdraw the bonus amount and if you surrender all or part of your policy, the “bonus” will disappear. Annual fees can also be anywhere from 1-3% depending on the contract’s complexity and any riders to the policy.
Contact Us
If you are over 60 and live in San Francisco or elsewhere in the State of California and have an indexed annuity, we can review your contract for free. You can reach Ingrid M. Evans at Evans Law Firm, Inc. at (415) 441-8669, or toll free at 1-888-50EVANS or by email at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>.
Some significant issuers and distributors of fixed, variable and fixed indexed deferred annuities in California are listed below. We are not in any way suggesting that any of these carriers or distributors has done anything wrong. The list is provided solely as a reference for our readers.
AIG/American General Life Insurance Company
Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America
American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company
American General Life Insurance Company/AIG
American International Group, Inc. (AIG)
American National Life Insurance Company
Athene Annuity & Life Assurance Company
Athene Annuity and Life Company
Athene USA
Aviva Life Insurance Company
AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC
AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company/AXA US
AXA Advisors, LLC
Brighthouse Financial, Inc./MetLife
EquiTrust Life Insurance Company
Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Company
Genworth Financial, Inc.
Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company
Genworth Life Insurance Company
Guggenheim Partners, LLC
Guggenheim Partners/Security Benefit Life Insurance Company
ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Company
Jackson National Life Insurance Company
John Hancock Life Insurance Company
Lincoln Benefit Life Company
Lincoln Financial Group
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
Metlife/Metropolitan Life Insurance Company/Brighthouse Financial, Inc.
Minnesota Life Insurance Company
Nationwide Investor Services Corporation (NISC)
Nationwide Life and Annuity Insurance Company
Nationwide Life Insurance Company
New York Life Insurance Company
Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
Pacific Life & Annuity Company
Pacific Life Insurance Company
PacLife
Security Benefit Corporation
Security Benefit Group, Inc.
Security Benefit Life Insurance Company/Guggenheim Partners
Security Investors, LLC
Security of Denver Life Insurance Company/Voya
Transamerica Life Insurance Company
Voya Financial Advisors
Voya/Reliastar Life Insurance Company
World Financial Group Insurance Agency, Inc.
