Your Allianz Annuity Promised More — Here’s Why It Didn’t Deliver

I talk to people about Allianz annuities at least three times a week. That’s not an exaggeration. And most of the time, the story is the same. Someone bought it, the numbers looked great on paper, and now reality doesn’t match what they were told.

Today I’ve got another one for you.

The Client

I’ve got a client. Good guy. He’s 68 and wants to retire at 70. A couple years ago he put $100,000 into an Allianz Benefit Control annuity. The ABC, as they call it.

He got his statement recently and called me. He wasn’t panicking. He’s a realistic guy. But he wanted to know where he stood and what his options were.

Here’s where he stood. After two full years, his $100,000 had grown by $398.

That’s it. $398.

Why Does This Keep Happening?

Here’s the thing. Agents love to sell Allianz products because the pitch is easy. They pull up an illustration showing 10, 12, even 14% average returns and people get excited. Who wouldn’t?

But those numbers aren’t realistic. These contracts aren’t built to do that. You might have a good year here and there. But to average those kinds of returns consistently? It’s never going to happen.

So people buy in with big expectations. Then they get their statement and the reality hits them. That gap between what they were told and what actually happened is exactly why I keep getting these calls.

I don’t dislike Allianz products. I dislike how they are sold.

Some Good News

Even though his money barely moved, my client wasn’t in bad shape.

Right now interest rates are lower than when he bought the contract. That triggers something called a market value adjustment. In this case it works in his favor. It offsets most of the surrender charge.

If he walked away today he’d get back close to his full $100,000. Maybe a little more.

He lost two years. But he didn’t lose his shirt. That matters.

The Income Comparison

He decided he wanted income. So I pulled up the calculator on our website and ran the numbers.

If he stays with Allianz until age 70 he’d get about $5,700 per year for life. And look, if the contract grows a little over the next two years maybe that creeps up to $6,200 or so. But given what we’ve seen so far, I wouldn’t count on it.

Then I ran a guaranteed option. Same $100,000. Same two year wait. Same age 70 start.

Nationwide Peak 10 came back at $9,932 per year. Guaranteed. For life.

That’s over $4,000 more every single year. For the rest of his life.

That’s Not a Small Difference

A 50% increase in guaranteed income is not something you ignore. And this is exactly why I always say to set a benchmark first. Find the highest guarantee available. Then ask yourself if your current contract has any realistic chance of beating it.

In this case? It doesn’t. Not even close.

The Allianz ABC has no product fee which sounds great. But that also means the guaranteed payout is low. You need strong performance to make up for it. And as we’ve seen, that performance isn’t showing up.

What Should You Do?

That’s up to you. It’s your money.

But if you’ve got an Allianz annuity and something feels off, get a second opinion. Run the numbers. See what the highest guarantee on the market looks like compared to what you’ve got.

You can do it yourself right on our website. Go to the calculators tab and try the FIA income quote tool. Put in your age, your balance, and when you want income to start. Two minutes and you’ll know where you stand.

Or just schedule a call. Nate and I are here and we’ll walk through it with you.

You worked hard for that money. Make sure it’s actually working.

Bryan

Watch Episode 222: Your Allianz Annuity Promised More — Here’s Why It Didn’t Deliver

Download Episode 222: Your Allianz Annuity Promised More — Here’s Why It Didn’t Deliver on Apple Podcast

Last Updated on April 10, 2026 by Bryan Anderson