Annuities are insurance contracts that provide a fixed income stream for a person’s lifetime or a specified period of time. An annuity can be purchased with a lump sum or a series of payments and begin paying out almost immediately or at some point in the future. Annuities are often used as a way to fund retirement.

Annuities can be optimized for income or long-term growth, but they are not short-term investment strategies. These products appeal to people whose objectives include long-term financial security, retirement income, diversification and principal preservation.