Single Premium Immediate Annuities (SPIAs) are purchased by a single deposit. They usually start making regular monthly payments to you immediately after the date you make that deposit. The key ingredient for an immediate annuity is the exchange which takes place between the insurance company and the buyer. The company promises to pay a monthly income for the life of the annuitant and the buyer gives up his rights to ever receiving his deposit back in a lump sum. Once an immediate annuity makes its first payment, it generally cannot be cashed in.

An immediate annuity can be purchased with funds from a variety of possible sources, such as: a maturing Certificate of Deposit (CD); monies which have accumulated in a Deferred Annuity account (see below); or funds from a tax-qualified defined benefit or profit-sharing plan, or from an IRA account.

Why should I consider buying an Immediate Annuity? What are its advantages to me?

Immediate annuities provide many advantages to the buyer, such as: (1) Security - the annuity provides stable lifetime income which can never be outlived or which may be guaranteed for a specified period; (2) Simplicity - the annuitant does not have to manage his investments, watch markets, report interest or dividends; (3) High Returns - the interest rates used by insurance companies to calculate immediate annuity income are generally higher than CD or Treasury rates, and since part of the principal is returned with each payment, greater amounts are received than would be provided by interest alone; (4) Preferred Tax Treatment - it lets you postpone paying taxes on some of the earnings you’ve accrued in a "tax-deferred" annuity when rolled into an immediate annuity (only the portion attributable to interest is taxable income, the bulk of the payments are nontaxable return of principal); (5) Safety of Principal - funds are guaranteed by assets of insurer and not subject to the fluctuations of financial markets; and (6) No sales or administrative charges.

SPIAs are particularly suitable for providing income in the following situations: (1) Retirement from Employment; (2) Terminal Funding or Pension Terminations (including deferred commencements); (3) Retired Life Buyouts; (4) Professional Sports Contracts; and (6) Credit Enhancement and Loan Guarantee Transactions.

Single Life Annuities

Single Life Only, Without Refund: Level payments are received for the annuitant’s lifetime and cease upon the annuitant’s death.

Single Life with 5-Years Certain (aka 5-Years Certain & Continuous): Level payments are received for the annuitant’s lifetime. However, if the annuitant should die before the end of 5 years, payments will be paid to the designated beneficiary until the end of the 5 year period.

Single Life with 10-Years Certain (aka 10-Years Certain & Continuous): Level payments are received for the annuitant’s lifetime. However, if the annuitant should die before the end of 10 years, payments will be paid to the designated beneficiary until the end of the 10 year period.

Single Life with 15-Years Certain (aka 15-Years Certain & Continuous): Level payments are received for the annuitant’s lifetime. However, if the annuitant should die before the end of 15 years, payments will be paid to the designated beneficiary until the end of the 15 year period.

Single Life with 20-Years Certain (aka 20-Years Certain & Continuous): Level payments are received for the annuitant’s lifetime. However, if the annuitant should die before the end of 20 years, payments will be paid to the designated beneficiary until the end of the 20 year period.

Single Life with 25-Years Certain (aka 25-Years Certain & Continuous): Level payments are received for the annuitant’s lifetime. However, if the annuitant should die before the end of 25 years, payments will be paid to the designated beneficiary until the end of the 25 year period.

Single Life with Installment Refund: Level payments are received for the annuitant’s lifetime. However, if the annuitant should die before receiving an amount equal to the original premium, the periodic payments will continue to be paid to the designated beneficiary until the total payments made (annuitant and beneficiary) equal the original premium (without interest).

Single Life with Cash Refund: Level payments are received for the annuitant’s lifetime. However, if the annuitant should die before receiving an amount equal to the original premium, the difference between the premium and the total payments received will be paid in one lump sum to the designated beneficiary.

Joint & Survivor Annuities

Joint & Survivor (50%..75%) reducing on FIRST or EITHER death: Full level payments are made as long as both the annuitant and joint annuitant are alive. Upon the death of either the annuitant or joint annuitant, reduced (50%...75%) level payments will continue to the survivor for as long he/she is alive.

Adding a Period Certain provision to a Joint & Survivor (50%...75%) annuity accomplishes the following: Even if the annuitant or joint annuitant dies before the end of the certain period, payments to the survivor will not reduce until after the end of the certain period (5-25 years). If both the annuitant and joint annuitant die before the end of the certain period, full level payments will be paid to the designated beneficiary until the end of the certain period.

Joint & Survivor (50%..75%) reducing ONLY ON DEATH OF PRIMARY ANNUITANT: Full level payments will be made for as long as both the annuitant and contingent annuitant lives. Payments are never reduced to the Primary Annuitant. Payments are reduced to the Contingent annuitant should the Primary Annuitant predecease the Contingent Annuitant. (Note: This form is sometimes called Joint and Contingent annuity. However, be careful, many companies interchange their definitions for Joint and Survivor and Joint and Contingent forms. Verify that your company’s interpretation of a survivor annuity is what you have in mind to purchase.)

Adding an Installment Refund provision to a Joint & Survivor (50%...75%) annuity does the following: Full level payments will be made for as long as both the annuitant and contingent annuitant lives. Depending on whether the annuity is of the Joint & Survivor or Joint and Contingent type (see above), payments may reduce upon the death of either annuitant or only if the primary annuitant predecease the contingent Annuitant. However, if both the primary annuitant and joint annuitant should die before receiving in periodic payments an amount equal to the original premium, then the periodic payments continue to be paid to the estate or designated beneficiary until the total payments made (to both annuitants while living and to the beneficiary after the annuitants' deaths) equals the original premium (usually, without interest).