Monthly Archives: October 2013

Free Annuity Specialists Who Will Help Compare Annuity Rates

Annuity specialists and Independent Financial Advisors (IFA) can offer impartial and unbiased advice about the different annuities available on the open market. They can help you compare Annuity rates, compare different products, and understand the different types of annuities and choose a product that can best suit your individual circumstances and needs.

Professional independent financial advisors offer their services based on two types of payment – either an upfront fee, or a fee in the form of a commission. Upfront fee rates can range from £75 to £250 per hour depending on the location, type of advice etc. While an upfront fee is paid as a single upfront payment for the consultation and advice, a commission fee is paid only when you actually decide to buy an annuity through the advisor.

This means that you can receive free independent and impartial advice not just to compare annuity rates, but potentially until you need it, and until you have made a decision. The IFA is paid only when you buy a product through them. Irrespective of whether you agree to an upfront fee or a commission fee with your advisor, an independent financial advisor is qualified to offer completely unbiased and impartial advice and help you choose the most suitable product.

While an independent financial adviser can certainly help you compare annuity rates and find the best deal, there is yet another good reason to consult a financial adviser while choosing an annuity. Professional financial advisers often have access to exclusive deals and offers directly from the providers. These deals may not be available on the open market to customers, unless you buy the product through an adviser.

It is always a good idea to compare different advisers and choose one with the most experience and professional credibility in the field. Personal recommendations and references always help. But do not be afraid to shop around online, or locally too. Always make sure the independent financial adviser you choose is truly independent and not tied down to a particular company or companies.

If you are not sure if annuities are the right option for you and need independent advice about the best solutions for your circumstances, look for advisers with a broad field of expertise, rather than just an annuities expert. Unlike a specialist within a narrow area, a financial adviser with knowledge of the entire sector could help you explore more options and make the best decision.

Whether you need to compare annuity rates or simply need some friendly yet professional advice about your finances – an independent financial advisor could help you.

How Best to Compare Annuity Rates?

Once you reach the age of 55 you will begin to think about how best to make your retirement savings last for as long as you will need them. This is a difficult proposition, and there are many options that are available to you. About six months before you retire you will be sent an information package by your current insurance company. In this package will be information about the annuities that they have to offer. However, it is in your best interests to compare annuity rates.

If you are even considering taking out an annuity then the worst thing you can do is take the first annuity offer that you get; you absolutely have to compare annuity rates. The first reason is that once you have bought an annuity you cannot get your money back, and the second reason is that if you are going to try to take care of yourself financially for as long as possible you will have to find the best annuity rate to get you through the rest of your life. This is why you have to compare annuity rates.

But what is the best way to compare annuity rates? A good place to start is with annuity calculators. Most annuity providers have these on their websites and with a bit of personal information they can give you an idea of the kind of annuity rate that you can expect from them. These quotes are not guarantees, only a guide. So the next step to compare the best annuity rates is to get an actual quote from the annuity provider. There is also another way to compare annuity rates and that is to go to independent annuity observers like the FSA and have a look at their rates.

By deciding to compare annuity rates in this way you will have an idea of all the annuity rates that are available and what the various annuity providers have on offer. Each annuity provider will have something slightly different to offer and slightly different annuity rates and of course you will want and need the best annuity rate, and annuity package that you can find. Shopping around and making the effort to compare annuity rates is not a waste of time, it is preparing for your future. So take the time and go through the various steps until you find an annuity rate that works best for you.

Are you a Baby Boomer looking for Annuity Solutions?

For baby boomers, retirement is quickly approaching. With retirement, come several questions as to how retirement can be funded, how the lifestyle to which consumers have grown accustomed can be maintained even after the working years have ended. However, there are options available to consumers, including baby boomers that are looking for ways to retire comfortably and quickly. Two of the most prevalently used options available to baby boomers are annuities and equity release schemes, both of which could potentially help consumers retire comfortably and on their terms. Between both of these retirement options, each consumer should be able to find a way to retire that fits their individual and unique needs.

Annuities

There are several different types of annuities available to consumers, each with their own set of advantages and disadvantages.  However, most of them operate similarly in that the consumer trades in their pension savings in return for income that is guaranteed for the rest of their life.  The income is guaranteed and relies most substantially on the pension savings that has been accrued by the consumer. Once the consumer has chosen their annuity, no alterations may be made. That is to say that the consumer needs to ensure that they are making the right decision when they choose their annuity. With so many options available, the choice can be challenging but it can also be worthwhile in that it guarantees a certain level of income for a predetermined period of time, most often the lifetime of the insured.

Equity release

Equity release schemes are another options available to baby boomers, and any other consumers who are nearing their retirement years. Equity release schemes are available to those UK homeowners who are aged 55 or older. The purpose of the scheme is to allow the consumer to receive tax-free cash from the value of their home. This cash can be spent however the consumer sees fit. It works best for those consumers or baby boomers who are looking for a tax-free lump sum to help fund retirement, the ability to release cash whenever most needed, or the freedom to spend cash independently.

Regardless of how baby boomers choose to fund their retirement, whether it be through equity release mortgages, annuities, or other investment strategies, they should always consult with a financial adviser before investing in any particular strategy in order to ensure that the decision is the best one possible for each baby boomer’s individual and unique retirement needs.

What is an Annuity Calculator?

For those consumers who plan on purchasing an annuity with their pension savings, an annuity calculator can be a very beneficial and useful tool. An annuity calculator is a guide used by consumers to help gauge exactly what type of income they can expect to be paid to them once they have retired. There are several factors used to determine income amount and the annuity calculator takes these factors and computes a reasonable estimate of income. While the number is truly just an estimate, it can be used by the consumer to better plan for the future. This means more accurate budgeting and planning for after the working years.

Consumers should always consult with an annuity calculator, most of which are free and easily accessible on the internet, before making any kind of retirement or investment decisions. This is because the annuity calculator can help the consumer to better understand what they can expect from their retirement. This proves incredibly beneficial to the consumer, especially the consumer who does not truly understand how their annuity works or what amount of income they should expect from their built-up pension savings.

Most annuity calculators ask for the same information in order to compute income amount. Fields include such factors as age, health status, and estimated current pension value. Having an annuity calculator determine estimated income amount is crucial for any consumer who is looking to use their pension savings to fund an annuity. Most consumers need to at least have some kind of understanding of what their income will be once they have ceased working. This allows for more sensible planning and investing. For those consumers who are diligent in their planning, consulting with more than one annuity calculator can help to better estimate retirement living. It can determine the accuracy of the estimate and allow consumers to rest assured that they have a grasp of what their financial future may be once they have retired.

For consumers who use an annuity calculator to help estimate their income after retirement, they must keep one crucial fact in mind. Annuity calculators should truly only be used as a guidance tool. They are not perfect and they do not always compute the exact income amount that can be expected, especially given that there are so many different annuities, all of which have different advantages and disadvantages and some that will even pay out more over an expected shorter period of time, such as an enhanced annuity. Despite the idea that annuity calculators can only give income estimates, they are truly worthwhile and beneficial for those consumers looking to better manage their retirement years.