One of the toughest hurdles for retirees is working out how to pay themselves and then spending the money.
For decades, the pressure has been to save. When the time comes to start drawing on those funds, it can be paralyzing.
Personal finance expert Jean Chatzky has a solution: Use an annuity to provide a paycheck.
To annuitize essentially means to convert a lump sum portion of a retirement account into a contract that pays you a fixed monthly amount for a specified period or for the rest of your life.
The trouble is that annuities sold by insurance companies have a bad undertone for many people. They can be difficult to understand and typically come with a variety of fees. It's hard to know what the real cost is and what the penalties are if you need to tap the money for an emergency.
#spending
For decades, the pressure has been to save. When the time comes to start drawing on those funds, it can be paralyzing.
Personal finance expert Jean Chatzky has a solution: Use an annuity to provide a paycheck.
To annuitize essentially means to convert a lump sum portion of a retirement account into a contract that pays you a fixed monthly amount for a specified period or for the rest of your life.
The trouble is that annuities sold by insurance companies have a bad undertone for many people. They can be difficult to understand and typically come with a variety of fees. It's hard to know what the real cost is and what the penalties are if you need to tap the money for an emergency.
#spending
7 days ago
