Life insurance vs annuities
Staying informed about how annuities and life insurance work makes it easier to come up with a financial roadmap that's tailored to your needs.
Understanding your financial objectives well before you reach retirement age makes it easier to meet your goals once you are closer to retirement. One key point: understanding the difference between life insurance and an annuity. Here's what you should know.
How does life insurance work?
Life insurance provides valuable financial protection for those that mean the most to you. A life insurance policy provides your beneficiaries with a cash payout when you pass away. Your loved ones can use the money as they see fit to provide for their needs, including maintaining their standard of living, paying off the mortgage or funding education. In general, you pay a monthly premium for life insurance (the amount you pay varies on several factors, including the type of life insurance you own).
How do annuities work?
An annuity is a contract between you and the life insurance company. In return for the premium paid by you, the insurance company will provide an income for a specific number of years, or for your entire lifetime, the choice is yours. One way to think about an annuity is that it provides the opposite type of protection as life insurance. Life insurance provides protection for loved ones when you die; annuities provide a guaranteed lifetime income for yourself, which means you won't outlive your assets or money.
Life insurance details to know
Life insurance policies provide different options to choose from when it comes to policy design and coverage length. Each policy type meets different needs. For example, term policies provide valuable protection for a fixed number of years (such as during child-raising years). Permanent policies (whole life and universal) provide lifelong coverage and cash value benefits. Permanent life insurance may also offer the ability to make withdrawals or borrow against the cash value. Knowing the difference between life insurance choices can help you make a decision. Determining how much life insurance you need can be difficult, but we have a life insurance needs analysis calculator that can help.
Annuities details to know
As with life insurance policies, there are different types of annuities. Some are designed to begin providing a payout immediately. If you don't need the income right away, a deferred annuity can be purchased with a lump sum or periodic payments, and you can choose a time in the future to start receiving payments (for example, when you retire). In addition, it's important to understand your payout options. For example, how will you choose to receive the income stream from your annuity?
The life insurance vs annuities bottom line
Many people choose to meet a variety of goals by purchasing both a life insurance policy and an annuity. Review the details of your financial plan; identify your goals, understand the difference between life insurance and an annuity, and consider how each might work to benefit you and your loved ones.
Get a quote for term life insurance — if you are interested in additional life products or an annuity, please contact a State Farm® agent.
