An annuity is like a mortgage payment in reverse. Instead of borrowing money, you are investing money with a financial institution. With a simple, one-time deposit, the financial institution will make regular income payments to you that contain both interest and principal. But, unlike a mortgage that ends after a specific period, annuity payments can continue for the rest of your life, no matter how long you live.
People with various needs and financial goals choose annuities. Some examples of people who typically purchase annuities include those who:
require a dependable stream of income for life,
require a dependable income for a specific time period,
are not interested in making on-going investment decisions and want a simple investment,
don't want to worry about outliving their income, or
want to diversify their investment portfolio.
liquid and income-producing assets already available
the amount of continuing income required by your survivors
