Fixed Income Annuity Provides Tax-Deferred Growth
Posted on February 8, 2010
Filed Under Taxes | Leave a Comment
One of the more common difficulties that people have with their fixed annuities relates to the tax treatment. Although it may seem overwhelming the concept is usually pretty simple to grasp. A fixed annuity is a contract in which the insurance company agrees to make a fixed payment over a specific period of time. The payment is contractual and is based on the premium paid to the insurance company.
A feature of the fixed annuity that many retirees find to be most beneficial is the ability to turn the contract into a life annuity. A life annuity is designed to provide a set income for the duration of the annuitant’s life, regardless of the number of years they have left.
On the surface, the tax treatment of fixed annuities is rather simple. In is when you dig into the details that the more complicated parts can emerge. Plainly stated, most annuities have tax-deferred growth, and are taxable upon payment distributions.
This means that any growth inside of the account during the accumulation and distribution are not taxable until the money is taken out. Needless to say, tax deferred growth can be a significant boost to the overall value of the account.
To determine the tax treatment of an annuity, you must separate it into two sections, taxable and nontaxable. The taxable portion is determined by the exclusion ratio established by the IRS. Take the total amount expected to be received by the annuity and divide it by the amount invested in the annuity. This ratio is then applied to each distribution to decide the applicable taxable and nontaxable amounts.
The portion of the contract that is non-taxable is generally the premiums paid, minus the previous non-taxable distributions and minus the value of any period certain or guaranteed features of the particular annuity contract.
Fixed period annuities are normally much easier to calculate the taxes on than are life annuities. The life annuity contracts must use a special table by the U.S. Treasury to determine the life expectancy of the annuitant.
Despite the various disadvantages that fixed annuity contracts have, this type of insurance product can be a very effective retirement planning tool. The lifetime income and ability to preserve capital for the duration of your retirement is a very appealing feature of the product. Add in the various tax advantages, and the fixed annuity can be a quite useful financial planning tool.
Be sure to check out Brian Atkinson at The Fixed Annuity Guide to learn more financial planning topics. The fixed income annuity can be used in creative and powerful ways.
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