Variable Annuities - Raymond James Financial · 2020-01-13 · contributions to principal were made with after-tax dollars. As with a qualified retirement plan, if you withdraw from

Nicholson Financial Services, Inc.David S. NicholsonFinancial Advisor89 Access RoadSte. CNorwood, MA 02062781-255-1101866-668-1101david@nicholsonfs.comwww.nicholsonfs.com

Variable Annuities

June 12, 2020

Some basicsA variable annuity is a contract between you (thepurchaser) and an insurance company (the issuer). Inreturn for your premium payments, the issuer agreesto make periodic payments to you (if you elect thisoption), beginning either immediately or at somefuture date.

Annuity premium payments may be made withafter-tax dollars and are not tax deductible. Annuitiesalso may be purchased within tax-advantaged plans,such as 401(k) plans, Section 403(b) retirement plans(TSAs), or IRAs. Premiums for annuities intax-advantaged plans are generally paid with pretaxdollars, and may be subject to annual contributionlimits.

You can pay your premiums in one lump sum, or youcan make a series of payments over time. Annuitiesfunded with after-tax premiums are not subject toannual contribution limits.

If your annuity is funded with after-tax dollars, you'llpay taxes (at your regular income tax rate) only onthe earnings portion of withdrawals, since yourcontributions to principal were made with after-taxdollars. As with a qualified retirement plan, if youwithdraw from an annuity before age 59½, a 10% taxpenalty may be imposed on the taxable portion of thewithdrawal, unless an exception applies.

Annuities are designed to be very long-terminvestment vehicles. In most cases, if you take awithdrawal, including a lump-sum distribution of yourannuity funds within the first few years afterpurchasing your annuity, you may be subject tosurrender charges imposed by the issuer. As long asyou're sure you won't need the money until at leastage 59½, an annuity is worth considering.

Your investment choices are variedAs the purchaser, you can designate how yourpremium dollars will be allocated among theinvestment choices (often called subaccounts) offeredwithin the variable annuity. A variable annuity's

subaccount choices will be described in detail in thefund prospectus provided by the issuer.

Typical subaccount investmentofferings• Government securities• Corporate and high-yield bonds• A balanced subaccount (made up of both stocks

and bonds)• A growth and income account• A guaranteed subaccount (in which the issuer

guarantees* a minimum rate of interest)

With the exception of a guaranteed subaccount,variable annuities don't offer any guarantees on theperformance of their subaccounts. You assume all therisk related to those investments. In return forassuming a greater amount of risk, you mayexperience a greater potential for growth in yourearnings. However, it's also possible that thesubaccounts will perform poorly, and you may losemoney, including principal.

*Guarantees are subject to the claims-paying abilityand financial strength of the issuer.

A note about variable annuitiesVariable annuities are sold by prospectus. Variableannuities contain fees and charges including, butnot limited to mortality and expense risk charges,sales and surrender (early withdrawal) charges,administrative fees and charges for optionalbenefits and riders. You should consider theinvestment objectives, risk, charges, and expensescarefully before investing. The prospectus, whichcontains this and other information about thevariable annuity and the underlying investmentchoices, can be obtained from the insurancecompany issuing the variable annuity or from yourfinancial professional. You should read theprospectus carefully before you invest.

Why buy an annuity?

• To create a lifetimeincome stream tosupplement what youreceive from SocialSecurity, pension plans,and otheremployer-sponsoredretirement plans.

• To maintain financialindependence. Forexample, you can useannuity funds to pay forlong-term careexpenses and stay inyour own home, ratherthan rely on yourchildren for care.

• To invest for anyspecific purpose orlong-term goal, such asproviding a legacy foryour heirs or making acharitable gift.

• To receive tax-deferredearnings.

• If purchasing a variableannuity to fund aqualified retirement planor an IRA, you shoulddo so for the variableannuity features andbenefits rather than fortax deferral. In suchcases, tax deferral is notan additional benefit ofthe variable annuity.

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Prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2020

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Nicholson Financial Services, Inc. is not a registeredbroker/dealer, and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Investment Advisory Services are offered through Raymond JamesFinancial Services Advisors, Inc.

This information, developed by an independent third party, has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond JamesFinancial Services, Inc. does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. This information is not a complete summary orstatement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. The informationcontained in this report does not purport to be a complete description of the securities, markets, or developments referred to in this material. Thisinformation is not intended as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security referred to herein. Investments mentioned may not be suitablefor all investors. The material is general in nature. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Raymond James Financial Services,Inc. does not provide advice on tax, legal or mortgage issues. These matters should be discussed with the appropriate professional.

How a Variable Annuity Works

1. In the accumulation phase, you (the annuityowner) send your premium payment(s) (all atonce or over time) to the annuity issuer.

2. You may choose how to allocate your premiumpayment(s) among the various investmentsoffered by the issuer. These investment choices,often called subaccounts, typically invest directlyin mutual funds. Generally, you can also transferfunds among investments without paying tax oninvestment income and gains.

3. The issuer may collect fees to manage yourannuity account. These may include an annualadministration fee, underlying fund fees andexpenses which include an investment advisoryfee, and a mortality and expense risk charge. Ifyou withdraw money in the early years of yourannuity, you may also have to pay the issuer asurrender fee.

4. The earnings in your subaccounts grow taxdeferred; you won't be taxed on any earnings untilyou begin withdrawing funds or begin takingannuitization payments.

5. With the exception of a fixed account optionwhere a guaranteed* minimum rate of interestapplies, the issuer of a variable annuity generallydoesn't guarantee any return on the investmentsyou choose. While you might experiencesubstantial growth in your investments, yourchoices could also perform poorly, and you couldlose money.

6. Your annuity contract may contain provisions fora guaranteed* death benefit or other payout uponthe death of the annuitant. (The annuitantprovides the measuring life used to determine theamount of the payments if the annuity isannuitized. As the annuity owner, you're mostoften also the annuitant, although you don't have

to be.)7. Just as you may choose how to allocate your

premiums among the subaccount optionsavailable, you may also select the subaccountsfrom which you'll take the funds if you decide towithdraw money from your annuity.

8. If you make a withdrawal from your annuity beforeyou reach age 59½,you may have to pay a 10%premature distribution tax on the taxable portionof the withdrawal, unless an exception applies.

9. After age 59½, you may make withdrawals fromyour annuity proceeds without incurring anypremature distribution tax. Since annuities fundedwith after-tax dollars have no minimumdistribution requirements, you don't have to makeany withdrawals. You can let the accountcontinue to grow tax deferred for an indefiniteperiod, subject to limits specified in the annuitycontract.

10. To obtain a guaranteed* income stream for life orfor a certain number of years, you can annuitize,which means exchanging the annuity's cash valuefor a series of periodic income payments. Theamount of these payments will depend on anumber of factors including the cash value of youraccount at the time of annuitization, the age(s)and gender(s) of the annuitant(s), and the payoutoption chosen. Usually, you can't change thepayments once you've begun receiving them.

11. The tax you pay on withdrawals (at your ordinaryincome tax rate) depends, in part, on whether theannuity is funded with pre-tax or after-tax dollars.

* All guarantees are subject to the claims-payingability and financial strength of the issuing company.

Many variable annuitieshave riders that can beadded for a fee.Examples include ridersthat allow for withdrawalsfor life while retainingaccess to principal,riders that provide for aminimum accumulation,and riders that providefor a minimum income.

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