Retirement financial goals can be as wide-ranging and unique as the diverse clients who turn to professional help meeting them. While one retiree may seek opportunities to participate in the markets, another may simply want an option for a guaranteed source of income they can depend on for life.
With more than 85 years of experience helping hardworking, everyday people achieve a more secure financial future, TruStage understands this diversity of needs. That’s why we offer a wide range of annuity solutions tailored to today’s — and tomorrow’s — American retirement landscape. And it’s also why our unique insights and annuity solutions were called out no fewer than 14 times in Barron’s annual “100 Best Annuities” feature for 2023.1
That’s more mentions than any other annuity provider, and a testament to our unwavering commitment to the financial success of our customers — as well as our support for the financial professionals who help clients choose our annuity offerings.
Notable findings from the Barron’s report
The road to retirement isn’t as straight or as sure as it was for many in the past. Americans are living longer than they did decades ago, and often with less financial certainty as fewer workers have access to traditional pensions. As the proportion of Americans 65 and older grew five times faster than the rest of the population between 2010 and 2020, that represents a lot of U.S. retirees — with a lot of potential financial uncertainty as they face retirement.2
Annuities are playing a growing role in diversified retirement strategies to smooth out the bumps in the road and add a measure of financial security in retirement plans for people across a wide range of income, life stages and levels of retirement preparedness.
Barron’s annual report points to these key insights:
- Annuity payouts and guaranteed income are the highest they have been in more than 12 years.1
- 17% of Americans are already 65 or older, and at a rate of more than 10,000 per day.1
- While many financial professionals have avoided annuities due to their complexity and costs, more are discovering that careful selection and wise use of annuities can improve retirement incomes for their clients.
- Current annuity cap rates are higher than in recent years because of rising interest rates, but financial professionals and clients are smart to look under the hood of any account to make sure they understand the details.
Diverse features, benefits and options help financial professionals meet unique client needs
TruStage takes great care to design annuities that provide an array of benefits, features and options so financial professionals can help clients select and tailor annuity solutions to meet their uniquely individual needs, such as:
- Options for guaranteed lifetime income — TruStage Zone Income can enable clients to generate protected “paychecks” they can’t outlive, to help address longevity risk.
- Growth with downside protection — For risk-averse investors, TruStage ZoneChoice registered indexed-linked annuity (RILA) offers market upside potential while limiting downside risk through customizable floors and buffers.
- Tax deferral and wealth transfer — TruStage Horizon II and MaxProtect annuities allow tax-deferred growth to help clients build legacy assets and create a personal retirement income to compare with the pensions of years past.
- Planning for the long run — Our diverse array of annuities makes it easier for financial professionals to help clients construct portfolios tailored to their unique financial situation, risk tolerance, time horizon, personal core values and individual vision of what makes a “good” retirement.
Bridge the gap between client needs and annuity features
With our wide range of annuity solutions, TruStage provides benefits to address clients’ unique circumstances and specific retirement goals. While every client’s interest in an annuity comes from an individual combination of personal values and life circumstances, certain situations and characteristics can help professionals identify clients whose retirement strategies may benefit from the addition of an annuity.
Consider these client situations:
- Risk aversion – Annuities like fixed or indexed annuities offer guaranteed returns unaffected by market volatility.
- No access to a pension benefit – Annuities can generate lifetime income that’s comparable to a
steady stream of income.
- Clients with a family history of longevity – Guaranteed lifetime income options offer a way for long-living clients to hedge against outliving their assets.
- Clients seeking tax deferral – Annuities can provide a means for tax-deferred growth beyond retirement contribution limits.
- Legacy goals – Some annuities can be structured using special features or options for specific estate planning or legacy planning objectives.
More than mentions
Accolades are always nice, but this kind of recognition isn’t new territory for us. Our RILA features have been highlighted in the Barron’s report year after year, and our diverse portfolio includes annuities that are helping Americans improve their retirement outlook. And helping people retire with a greater sense of financial security is our reason for being; callouts and awards are just icing on the cake.
With more than eight decades dedicated to guiding clients toward financial security and a more confident retirement, TruStage is here to help you match clients with annuities that can help them achieve their retirement income, tax planning and legacy goals. Contact the TruStage Annuity Solutions Desk at 877.345.GROW (4769), option 1 with any questions or to request additional resources.
