U.S. annuity sales hit a record $464.1 billion in 2025, up 7% from the prior year, according to LIMRA’s U.S. Individual Annuity Sales Survey. That growth is tied to what the industry calls Peak 65: roughly 4.1 million Americans turn 65 each year through the late 2020s, and many are entering retirement without a pension. […]
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A $500,000 retirement portfolio can be split several ways once annuities enter the picture. Rates on fixed annuities are sitting near 15-year highs in mid-2026, immediate annuities are paying more per dollar than they did two years ago, and the right mix depends heavily on age, tax status, and how much guaranteed income a retiree
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Financial advisors often dislike annuities for a mix of practical and ethical reasons. First, fees: annuities can carry high commissions, surrender charges, and ongoing administrative costs that eat into returns, and advisors may not want to recommend products that cost clients more than simpler investments like index funds. Second, complexity: annuities are often hard to
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Yes, you can borrow against gold bullion. Many banks, credit unions, and specialty lenders offer secured loans using physical gold (bars or coins) as collateral, often called gold-backed loans. The lender typically holds your bullion in secure storage for the loan term and lends you a percentage of its market value, commonly 50 to 80
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The biggest disadvantage of an annuity is illiquidity. Once you put money in, it’s typically locked up for years, and pulling it out early triggers steep surrender charges from the insurer plus a possible 10% IRS penalty if you’re under 59½. On top of that, annuities often carry high fees: mortality and expense charges, administrative
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Many banks and financial institutions offer loans against gold, since it is a common form of secured lending. In India, for example, major providers include SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank, and non-banking finance companies like Muthoot Finance and Manappuram Finance. In the US, gold loans are less common
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Stock market swings can rattle a retirement account overnight, especially for anyone within a few years of drawing down their savings. A handful of investment types move independently of equities, giving retirees a way to protect principal or generate income without watching a ticker every morning. This covers the main options, what they currently pay,
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Universal life insurance builds cash value over time, and when the policy no longer fits your life, that cash value becomes a decision point. Maybe premiums got too expensive. Maybe the death benefit is no longer needed. Maybe you found a better use for the money. Whatever the reason, cashing out isn’t as simple as
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Yes, Brandon Turner is a real estate investor. He is best known as a longtime co-host of the BiggerPockets Podcast, one of the most popular shows in the real estate investing space, and as a former executive at BiggerPockets, a company that provides education, tools, and community resources for investors. Turner built his own portfolio
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Reported figures vary widely depending on the source and time period. Recent mentions from Brandon Turner himself cite around 13,000 rental units, though he clarifies most of these come through his role as a syndicator with Open Door Capital, meaning investors receive most of the cash flow rather than Turner personally. Older bios describe smaller
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