Do Annuities Keep Up With Inflation?

At just 3% average inflation, a retiree's dollar loses 45% of its value in 20 years and 59% in 30 years. If you're relying on a fixed income in retirement, that math is working against you every single year.

The good news is that annuities don't have to mean a static income that slowly loses its purchasing power. There are two practical ways to address the problem. The first is a cost-of-living adjustment rider built into the annuity itself, which increases your income by a set percentage each year. The second is a laddering strategy where you purchase more than one annuity and stagger when you start taking income from each.

Laddering gives you something that's hard to find in retirement — optionality. You can start income from one annuity when you need it and let the others continue accumulating a higher benefit for later. If your needs change, you haven't locked yourself into a single path.

There's also a real psychological dimension to guaranteed income. Research consistently shows that retirees with guaranteed income sources spend more freely and report higher satisfaction in retirement than those relying solely on portfolio withdrawals. Knowing the income is there changes how you experience retirement, not just how you fund it.
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If you're in your fifties or early sixties and most of your liquid net worth is in qualified plans, it's worth exploring how guaranteed income fits into your broader plan sooner rather than later. Schedule a call and we'll help you think through it
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