RATES
SPIA · age 65 · $100k → $690/moMYGA 5-yr 6.45%MYGA 3-yr 6.10%Fixed-index cap 11.00%10-yr Treasury 5.06%
The Annuity Ledger
Grounded math · Plain English · Independent
THE ANNUITY, LINE BY LINE

What it really pays.
What it really costs.

Every annuity is a trade: a lump sum today for income later. We show you the math on both sides of the ledger — the payout, the fees, the surrender charges, and the guarantee you're actually buying — in plain English, without the sales pitch.

Run the payout calculator → Is an annuity worth it?
Rates & analysis current as of August 2026
Immediate Annuity — Sample $100,000
Buy at age 60$530 / mo
Buy at age 65$625 / mo
Buy at age 70$750 / mo
Buy at age 75$920 / mo
↑Buying at 75 instead of 60 raises the monthly income ~74% — but you forgo 15 years of payments. That trade is the whole decision.
01

Rate Tracker

Current SPIA, MYGA and fixed-index rates, updated and sourced. What "guaranteed" pays this week.

View rates →
02

Calculators

Payout, lump-sum-vs-annuity, and the lottery annuity math. Disclosed assumptions, no recommendation.

Run the math →
03

The Types

Immediate, deferred, fixed, fixed-index, variable, QLAC — what each actually is, plainly.

Compare types →
04

Analysis

The fees, the surrender charges, the commission incentives — the catch the sales channel underplays.

Read the ledger →
ON THE RECORD

The three lines the brochure leaves off.

01Surrender charges

Access your money early and a schedule bites — one retiree paid $6,800 to touch $24,000. We publish the schedules.

02"Guaranteed" ≠ your money

The guarantee is often on an income base, not your account value. Different number. We show which is which.

03The commission

Who gets paid what when you sign — and how it steers the recommendation you're handed.

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5-year MYGA rates reached 6.80% in 2026. Before you lock in, here's the real-return math, the break-even calculation for waiting, and five catches your agent won't mention.
Pension Lump Sum vs. Annuity: Why 2026's Higher Rates Don't Mean More Income
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Pension Lump Sum vs. Annuity: Why 2026's Higher Rates Don't Mean More Income

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Selling a Structured Settlement: The Discount Rate the Buyers Hope You Never Calculate

Buyers of your structured settlement apply a 9–18% discount rate they never quote. The present-value math, the 40% tax and court rules, and when selling is worth it.