Ken Nuss

Many older Americans are too heavily invested in stocks, new analysis reveals. Annuities offer a way to trim while earning good rates and getting tax advantages.

Always a powerful planning tool, income annuities are an even better deal today.

Use tax-advantaged annuities to boost savings and/or create your own private pension.

The price of a “free lunch” is often ultimately too high.

Everything you need to know about annuities

Different types of annuities reduce risk by building tax-advantaged savings or guaranteeing retirement income.

These simple products don’t need costly “management,” but some advisors are pushing the idea.

How to take advantage of new rules on required minimum distributions and qualified longevity annuities.

It lets you insure for long-term care while still protecting and growing your assets Insurers continue to innovate.

Look to build savings, reduce risk, minimize taxes and ensure a successful retirement by reviewing your budget, contributions, allocations and beneficiaries.

Older investors in particular should limit risk. Fixed annuities guarantee principal and/or produce high levels of income.

Period certain annuities can work very well in some situations.

These add-ons are well worth considering but look carefully at costs and benefits.

One annuity may pay more than twice as much as a similar one—comparison websites make shopping easy.

How to boost yields without paying surrender penalties.

Looking to maximize retirement income? Fixed-rate, income and indexed annuities offer different ways to get there, either standalone or in sequence.

Annuity myths are harmful because they lead people to dismiss annuities out of hand when they could be a perfect fit.

Fixed-annuity guarantees more income for penalty-free early withdrawals from retirement plans.

Occasionally it makes sense to cancel a new policy and get a better one.

Consider these alternatives instead.

How to make your final contributions and ensure your independent retirement account assets are optimally invested.

How this offers a combination of good rates and flexibility for the future.

Each has distinct pros and cons — be sure to compare before investing.

Annuity produces more guaranteed lifetime income; Schwab plan is more flexible.

An income annuity can convert your savings or a pension-plan lump sum into a lifetime stream of income.

To determine your needs for cash now and in the future, here are some questions to ask yourself.

How can you decide if an annuity is right for you?

Converting a deferred annuity to a lifetime income annuity can be a great move, but it pays to shop the market instead of routinely annuitizing with the same company.

Retired physicians have some options to explore.

Keeping too much in cash puts you behind, and you may not catch up.