In last blogpost, we showed you a case study how DIA could be combined with 401k to create secure retirement income. Now we will explain how DIA works.
How Does DIA Work?
Income annuities are different from other investment options because they offer longevity risk pooling (referred to as mortality credits). Effectively, assets from annuitants with shorter life spans remain in “the mortality pool” to support the payouts collected by those annuitants with longer life spans. Put simply, the longer you live, the more money you will receive. This is why it is so challenging for an individual investor to replicate this income stream.
DIAs are able to leverage the mortality credits and turn a portion of your savings into a stream of income beginning anywhere between 2 and 40 years that will last over your lifetime. By investing in a DIA you are starting the planning process ahead of your retirement age. In return for investing early, you are potentially securing a higher income amount than if you waited and invested in an immediate income annuity.
Why Guarantee Your Income?
Guaranteed income products serve a very particular purpose. They can shift some key retirement risks--longevity and market risk—off your shoulders and onto the issuing insurance company.
When you buy a DIA, you shift the risk of outliving your income to the insurer, who promises to pay you a certain amount of income for either a predetermined period of time or the rest of your life. The insurer also assumes the interest and market risk associated with your DIA investment; even if the market and interest rates are down significantly during your deferral period, you still get the same guaranteed rate of income.
However, DIAs, like any investment product, aren't right for everyone. There is an element of trading growth potential for a guaranteed future lifetime income stream. Part of that trade-off is giving up some flexibility (access), which is why it’s better to allocate a portion, rather than all, of your savings to a DIA. The amount you commit to a DIA is irrevocable, but the tradeoff is being confident that your income will be there when you need it.
In our next blogpost, we will discuss how to determine if DIA is right for you.
How Does DIA Work?
Income annuities are different from other investment options because they offer longevity risk pooling (referred to as mortality credits). Effectively, assets from annuitants with shorter life spans remain in “the mortality pool” to support the payouts collected by those annuitants with longer life spans. Put simply, the longer you live, the more money you will receive. This is why it is so challenging for an individual investor to replicate this income stream.
DIAs are able to leverage the mortality credits and turn a portion of your savings into a stream of income beginning anywhere between 2 and 40 years that will last over your lifetime. By investing in a DIA you are starting the planning process ahead of your retirement age. In return for investing early, you are potentially securing a higher income amount than if you waited and invested in an immediate income annuity.
Why Guarantee Your Income?
Guaranteed income products serve a very particular purpose. They can shift some key retirement risks--longevity and market risk—off your shoulders and onto the issuing insurance company.
When you buy a DIA, you shift the risk of outliving your income to the insurer, who promises to pay you a certain amount of income for either a predetermined period of time or the rest of your life. The insurer also assumes the interest and market risk associated with your DIA investment; even if the market and interest rates are down significantly during your deferral period, you still get the same guaranteed rate of income.
However, DIAs, like any investment product, aren't right for everyone. There is an element of trading growth potential for a guaranteed future lifetime income stream. Part of that trade-off is giving up some flexibility (access), which is why it’s better to allocate a portion, rather than all, of your savings to a DIA. The amount you commit to a DIA is irrevocable, but the tradeoff is being confident that your income will be there when you need it.
In our next blogpost, we will discuss how to determine if DIA is right for you.
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