Annuity Vs. IRA: Which is Better for Retirement?

When it comes to saving for retirement, there are a lot of options to choose from. Two of the most popular choices are annuities and IRAs. But which is the best option for you? This guide will compare annuities and IRAs and help you decide the best way to save for retirement!

Is an Annuity a Better Investment for Your Assets Than an IRA?

The annuity vs. IRA, which is better to save for retirement? An IRA is a qualified retirement savings plan available to individuals, designed to help save and grow money (tax-deferred) to finance a future retirement. An annuity is an insurance-based retirement savings plan designed to help individuals save and grow money (tax-deferred) to finance their future retirement. In this guide, I’ll go over the difference between annuity vs. IRA and explain how both can be the same.

What’s the difference between an annuity and IRA?

Often debated among “financial experts” is whether an annuity should ever be used in a tax-qualified IRA. Both annuities and IRAs provide income tax deferral. Therefore, placing an annuity inside a qualified retirement plan may initially seem redundant.

That might be true if an annuity’s only benefit is tax deferral. But, the fact is, annuities offer many advantages, whether held inside or outside an IRA.

Annuities are flexible investment products that can help you achieve your long-term financial goals and provide a source of retirement income. Tax deferral alone is not a sufficient reason to use an annuity in an IRA. But income options, death benefit protection, investment selections and services, and flexibility are benefits an annuity can bring to an IRA.

What is an IRA?

An IRA (Individual Retirement Account) is a personal retirement account designed to accumulate retirement savings, tax-deferred, to finance the person’s future income during retirement. Contributions to an IRA are funded with pre-taxed dollars and are limited annually by the IRS.

Future withdrawals will be taxed as ordinary income and start as early as age 59.5 and no later than age 73 without a penalty.

What is a Roth IRA?

A Roth IRA is a personal retirement account designed to accumulate an individual’s retirement savings, tax-free, with the intent to finance the person’s future income during retirement.

Contributions to a Roth IRA are funded with dollars that have already been taxed and are limited annually by the IRS.

Future withdrawals will be tax-free if the Roth IRA is:

• Maintained for at least five years,
• Attainment of age 59.5,
• Death has occurred,
• An individual has become disabled
• Purchase of a first home (Up to $10,000)

In addition, Roth IRAs have no age requirement for withdrawals like a traditional IRA.

What are annuities?

Deferred annuities are insurance for retirement, similar to how life insurance is death insurance. An individual retirement annuity is a personal retirement account designed to accumulate an individual’s retirement savings, either tax-deferred or tax-free, to finance their future income during retirement.

Future withdrawals will be taxed as ordinary income and start as early as age 59.5 without a penalty.

Potential annuity buyers can choose from:

• Fixed Annuity: Premiums accumulate on a fixed interest similar to a Certificate of Deposit (CD).
• Fixed Index Annuity: Premiums accumulate on an index’s upward movement with protection from stock market loss.
• Variable Annuity: Premiums are accumulated by investment options (sub-accounts) such as mutual funds, stocks, and bonds. Like IRAs, money can be lost due to market volatility.

Annuity Vs. IRA: What’s The Difference?

IRAs, by themselves, are investment products funded by mutual funds, stocks, and bonds. Annuities can either be investment-based or insurance-based retirement savings plans.

IRAs can offer more upside growth potential than most annuities but typically can not offer protection from a stock market loss like most annuities can.

All annuities’ benefits that IRAs do not have is converting the retirement savings into a guaranteed income stream that can’t be outlived.

IRAs and Roth IRAs contributions are limited by the IRS each year. For example, in 2020, an individual younger than 50 can contribute up to $6,000 a year, and a person age 50 or older, can contribute up to $7,000 a year. With a nonqualified deferred annuity, there are no limitations on how much can be contributed each year.

With IRAs, withdrawals must be taken by age 73 to fulfill the required minimum distributions by the IRS. With a nonqualified deferred annuity, there are no age limitations to withdrawal from the account.

Withdrawals from annuities and most IRAs are taxed as ordinary income and are subject to early withdrawal penalties if taken before age 59.5. The exception is the Roth IRA or Roth IRA Annuity.

Below is a table that compares some differences when comparing annuity vs. IRA.

Annuity vs. IRA: A Comparison

The Biggest Con With IRAs

The biggest problem with IRAs is the unknown of where an investor will end up financially at retirement. IRA owners can lose money from market volatility or save too little, too late. This is a significant flaw.

An investor can now solve this problem with annuities and create a path to their desired future retirement income today. Because income riders are typically guaranteed, one could plan today and save to a guaranteed stream of income for life up to 30 years in the future. All of the guesswork is taken out of the equation.

The IRA Annuity

If it’s challenging to decide to invest between annuity vs. IRA, why not combine the two? It’s pretty simple. An annuity buyer can either set up an annuity as an IRA or transfer funds from a previous IRA to an IRA annuity.

IRA Rollover To Annuity

Rolling over an IRA to an IRA annuity is very easy. When applying for the annuity, select the IRA type (Traditional, Roth, or SEP IRA) under the Tax Qualification section of an annuity application. This will inform the insurance company of the type of contract you’d like to set up.

Transfer IRA to an annuity

Suppose an IRA is transferred to an annuity. In that case, the applicant will select the Tax Qualification on the annuity application (see above) and then select where the source of funds is transferred from on the Transfer Form.

IRA One-Rollover-Per-Year Rule

The IRS allows an individual to transfer from one IRA to an IRA annuity once in any 12 months, regardless of the number of IRAs you own. This direct transfer will not trigger a taxable event even if the applicant is before age 59.5.

What Do My Beneficiaries Receive When I Die?

Both an IRA and deferred annuities will provide a straightforward death benefit that is the retirement plan’s account value in a lump sum.

Helpful tip: Life insurance might be a better option if you want to leave money to your beneficiaries. In some cases, you don’t need to take a medical exam. Instead, use our free quoting tool to compare life insurance rates. Coverage starts at $9.37 per month.

Conclusion

The primary similarity between IRAs and annuities is both offer tax-advantaged benefits to grow your retirement savings. Thus, they serve a common purpose.

An IRA is an investment-based retirement savings plan that limits a person’s contribution to any given year. The annuity can be an insurance-based or investment-based retirement savings plan without limiting contributions in any given year.

The IRA annuity offers the best of both worlds by allowing an annuity to grow the IRA.

Which retirement savings plan is best for you?

IRA Examples

• Vanguard
• Fidelity
• Charles Schwab
• TD Ameritrade
• Empower
• Chase
• Betterment
• Wells Fargo
• Ally Bank
• M1 Finance
• Etrade
• USAA
• Wealthfront
• Robinhood
• Bank of America
• SOFI
• UPS
• Merril Lynch
• PNC
• Prudential

Next Steps

If you are looking for a retirement investment that has no contribution limits, provides a guarantee on investment, principal protection, and a guaranteed income for life, an annuity may be the right fit for you. Contact us today to determine if annuities are a good fit for your retirement planning needs.

Questions About An Annuity vs. IRA

Frequently Asked Questions