Richard Hinton - Annuity Agents Alliance

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Fixed Indexed Annuities (FIAs) do not involve investments in an index. The index performance used to calculate credited interest typically does not include dividends. Some FIAs involve the use of multiple indexes. Methodologies for crediting interest differ among FIA products (e.g., point to point, high water mark, annual resets, single year, multi-year, etc.). Interest crediting methodologies may include caps, participation rates, spreads, margins, or fees that may change from time to time depending on the product.

Interest and other guarantees in an annuity are subject to the claims-paying ability and financial strength of the insurance carrier that issues the product. Annuities are long-term vehicles. Many have surrender charges over many years, and withdrawals from an annuity prior to age 59 ½ may be subject to a 10% tax penalty.

Reducing or skipping premium payments will impact the amount of interest paid and may impact how long the policy lasts. Accessing the cash value of a policy will reduce the available cash surrender value and the death benefit. A policy owner does not have the ability to make unlimited payments into the policy. If too much is paid into the policy, it will become a Modified Endowment Contract (MEC) and withdrawals and loans will be taxable. Policy guarantees are based upon the claims-paying ability of the issuing life insurance company.

There are multiple ways to insure for long-term care needs. Options vary and some are less expensive than others, but may offer fewer guarantees. A financial professional can work with you to determine what coverage is right for you and how much coverage you should purchase. Health insurance doesn’t cover long-term care expenses. Medicare will cover some long-term care costs, but only up to 100 days (after a 3-consecutive-day stay in a hospital under treatment). Medicaid will cover long-term care expenses for individuals with assets of $2,000 or less (varies by state) and covered care may be limited to a nursing home. Paying for long-term care costs out of pocket may not be practical or cost-efficient for many people.