Annuities are the series of payments made by an institution like an insurance company to the annuitant (annuity holder) over a fixed time period. The payments are fixed by the company. Annuity rates are the rates of return that the annuitant will. Rates will depend on the nature of the annuity.

In the case of fixed deferred annuities, the rate of return is guaranteed over the life of the insurance contract. On the other hand, variable deferred annuities will not give any guaranteed return on the annuity. This is because; the amount obtained by the insurance companies from fixed annuities is invested in low risk government securities and bonds that guarantee some income. But the amount from the variable annuities will be invested in high-risk securities. However, the main advantage of variable annuities is that the excess income above the premiums from these annuities is exempted from tax. The two important factors that affect the annuity rates are gilt yields and life expectancy. In most of the countries, annuity rates have been on the decline. Sometimes the annuity rates depend on the

market conditions and the monetary policy of the Government.

Every annuity holder wishes to have higher rate of return on the annuity. In order to achieve higher annuity rates of return, one needs to shop around for a good insurance company. Moreover, the potential holders need to have an idea of what types of securities the company invests in. If the investments perform well, then the likelihood of enjoying higher returns is possible. Potential holders may seek professional advice from annuity brokers or agents.

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