Inflation Impacts Retirement Savings & Purchasing Power of Retirement Income
Nov 3, 2023
Inflation Impacts Retirement Savings & Purchasing Power of Retirement Income
Inflation can be a significant threat to your retirement savings, diminishing their purchasing power over time. Inflation can create a gap between the income your savings generate and the amount you need to maintain your lifestyle. This discrepancy can pose a serious risk of depleting your retirement savings prematurely. However, with the right strategies, you can inflation proof your retirement savings and safeguard your future financial health.
Heard about annuities but felt overwhelmed by the term? Let’s simplify it. Annuities are powerful yet straightforward instruments designed to ensure a consistent income during your retirement. Think of it like this: You’re entering into a pact with a financial institution. In exchange for a sum of money, they pledge to provide you with regular payments, ensuring you always have financial security.
With the unpredictable nature of traditional retirement sources such as pensions and social security, annuities emerge as a stronghold in retirement planning.
Diving into the annuity universe, you’ll find a variety of options. Primarily, these are:
Fixed Annuities: Pay a fixed interest rate. Ideal for those who prefer predictability.
Variable Annuities: A more aggressive option, where returns are based on your chosen investment’s performance. High risk, high reward. No downside protection from market losses.
Index Annuities: A blend of the previous two, these are tied to market indices, such as the S&P 500. They offer market-related earnings with a safety net ensuring your principal remains intact if the markets go down.
Index annuities deserve special attention due to their unique benefits. As the name implies, index annuities allow you to allocate your funds into different indices such as the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, etc. Index annuities offer:
Balanced Approach: They beautifully bridge the gap between fixed and variable annuities. While you get to tap into potential market gains, you’re also shielded from any market downturns.
Principal Protection: One of the standout features is that both your initial investment and all subsequent interest earned are protected from market downturns. Even if the market takes a major downturn, your account value remains untouched.
Participation in Market Gains: Index annuities allow you to benefit from upward market trends. If the market thrives, your annuity value could see a considerable uptick.
Tax-Deferral: Like all types of annuities, gains in an index annuity are tax-deferred. Tax-deferral allows investments to grow without immediate tax implications, compounding returns over time without being diminished by annual taxes.
If complete peace of mind is what you seek in your retirement savings, then fixed annuities should be your cornerstone. They guarantee returns, insulate you from market volatility, and offer the advantage of tax-deferred growth.
Insurance companies invest your annuity premium in secure interest-bearing funds. Given the current high-interest environment, you can expect to receive higher interest rates. If you’re considering a fixed annuity, now is a great time to invest in one.
Inflation can slowly reduce your retirement saving’s value. Many fixed annuities include “inflation riders” as part of their Annuity Rider options to help protect your money. This feature adjusts your payments to keep up with inflation, ensuring your retirement income stay stable. But remember, using this may mean a smaller initial payment.
Index annuities help protect against inflation’s impact. They let investors earn interest based on rises in stock market indices. Since stock markets often beat inflation over time, index annuities are a great choice for those wanting to both capitalize on market gains and safeguard their investments from rising prices.
Why settle for just one or two options when you can choose from dozens of the best? At Annuity Emporium, we aren’t restricted to a single insurance company. We offer you a carefully-chosen range of highly-rated fixed, index, and hybrid annuities from industry-leading providers—each tailored to meet your unique retirement goals.
Curious about which type of annuity—fixed, index, or hybrid—is ideal for you? Take the guesswork out of retirement planning with our complimentary, personalized annuity illustrations. Learn how you can secure a lifetime retirement income that is both guaranteed and has the potential to grow, but will never decrease.
Connect with our experienced annuity specialists today at 866-321-2347, or complete the form to schedule your no-obligation consultation.
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