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About Secondary Market Annuities And Taxes

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Many customers inquire about Secondary Market Annuities and taxes.  The original underlying Structured Settlement is a tax free award to the original annuitant.  Because of this, annuity carriers do not issue 1099′s to the recipients or to subsequent assignees.

Now before you jump for joy, read on….

Federal law and IRS guidelines per IRS 5891 outline how, in a properly structured transaction, a buyer becomes the assignee of an existing payment stream by means of qualified order.  The Buyer of a Secondary Market Annuity in a properly structured transaction as we do here at Annuity Straight Talk holds the contractual right to the payments.

So while under current IRS regulations buyers will not received a 1099 for the income they receive, this does not mean it’s tax-free.

Secondary Market Annuities Taxation:

Even though the original payee does not receive a 1099, subsequent investors do have a cost basis in the payments and a gain, and therefore are responsible for income taxes.

The taxation of income from Secondary Market Annuities held in non-qualified  accounts is up to the taxpayer and their tax adviser to declare.  Generally annuities are considered ordinary income and the ratio of income to principal is calculated using an exclusion ratio to determine (exclude) from income that amount of each payment that is return of principal.  Refer to the following IRS rules for guidance and consult your tax adviser for specific questions.

How To Calculate The Exclusion Ratio:

Obviously, investors have a basis in an SMA investment, and a gain on that investment.  The typical way to calculate the gain is to utilize an exclusion ratio for determining the principal and interest component of each payment.

Let’s look at an example of an exclusion ratio.  Assume the investor paid $100,000 and will receive $200,000 over 100 payments of $2000 each.  The exclusion ratio is 50%- Exactly 50% of each payment would be income, and 50% is return of principal.  Consult your adviser, but generally, this income is “ordinary income” for IRS purposes.

Alternative Methods:

There are other ways to reflect a payment stream where you use an amortization schedule, and one will be provided with your purchase on any Secondary Market Annuity.

This method however treats the SMA like a loan (and you are the lender) and recognizes interest income predominately in early years, and principal in latter years.   This may not be beneficial for you.

At this time, it’s our understanding you can use either the amortization method, or the  exclusion ratio method, to calculate your taxes. But be sure to consult your own tax adviser.

Secondary Market Annuities and Amortization Schedules:

The software we use in the SMA industry is called T-Val  and is used for calculating present value and discounted notes, as well as amortization tables for loans. With each SMA purchase, you will receive an amortization schedule produced by TVal that shows the principal and interest portion of each payment under the amortization method.

You can also refer our site for a discounted cash flow calculator.

The exclusion ratio is more intuitive than the amortization table.  Feel free to view this article for more information on the exclusion ratio, in plain English and not tax-speak!

Other Tax Considerations:

In the case of factored lottery cases, taxes are withheld by the state lottery commission for state and federal taxes, and you will file for an applicable state and federal refund for the taxes withheld on that portion of your payment which is return of capital (basis).

Secondary Market Annuities & Taxes Summary:

So even though investors do not receive a 1099 for the payments from the carriers based on current tax law, what happens in the future to tax law is anyone’s guess.  Some may use an amortization schedule to calculate gains, and others use the exclusion ratio.

We at Annuity Straight Talk LLC do not offer tax advice, and this page is for general information only, so please be sure to consult your own tax adviser for more info.

Frequently Asked Questions About Secondary Market Annuities

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Frequently Asked Questions About Secondary Market Annuities

Secondary Market Annuities come from structured settlements, which  originate as a result of  a court case whereby an individual wins an award and elects to take their payments over time.  These payment streams typically include guaranteed monthly payments and/or guaranteed lump sums designed to accommodate the payee’s life circumstances in the future.

Why People Sell Structured Settlement Annuities

Quite simply, people’s circumstances change.  When individuals with Structured Settlement Annuities seek to sell their future payment streams for cash today, they approach a financing company who applies a discount to the future payment streams and offers a lump sum to the payee. When individuals sell their right to receive payments under a structured settlement, a Secondary Market Annuity is created. They represent one of the best ways to capture higher yields in a safe money investment.

When a seller and the financing company have an agreement, the company commences its underwriting of a specific case.  They investigate the credit of the seller, any alimony, bankruptcy, or other liens, and a file with the court that originally awarded the payee the settlement to amend the court order.  This is to comply with the provisions of Federal laws contained in the 2001 bill HR2884 and  IRS Code Chapter 55, section 5891, relating to a transfer subject to a Qualified Order.

As a case is researched and proofed, it is marketed to select firms.  We are unique as we work with franchisesfor.sale, a wholesale vendor who buys these payments directly into a business trust when they become available.  Other vendors of SMA’s market on a “Best Efforts” basis and have no control over the process, quality, or even the existence, of the payments.

With the DCF Exchange inventory, a business trust is the named buyer, and this trust name is entered into the various documentation and court order relating to the transfer.  Some of these documents are public record, so using the trust acts as an important confidentiality buffer and represents a key element of why our process is superior to other transfer methods.

Once a case is approved in court, and all the documents relating to the transfer of payment rights are compiled, the documents are sent to counsel for review.  As we market cases in both a pre-order and in stock manner, capital may be extended by the wholesaler to purchase a case if it is not reserved prior to this point.

The legal counsel reviews all documents to ensure everything is in order. Once reviewed, we provide a full and complete  closing book and only after doing so are your purchase funds required within 48 hours.

Prior to closing, the closing book consisting of your payment stream, the transfer and assignment agreements, the court order and an acknowledgment from the annuity issuer all documenting the transfer, is compiled and sent to you.  You’ll have 48 hours to complete the transaction by wiring funds to close the case.

Secondary Market Annuities and Taxes

The taxation of  income from factored Structured Settlements is  up to the taxpayer and their tax advisor, and depends if the Settlement is held in a qualified IRA or not.  Federal law and IRS guidelines outline how,  in a properly structured transaction, a court order shows a buyer as the assignee  of the payments by means of  qualified order.  This is the court process we follow at AST.

While under current IRS regulations you as the new assignee of a factored structured settlement case will not received a 1099 for the income you receive, this does not mean it’s tax-free.  Please refer  to the following IRS rules for guidance and consult your tax advisor for specific questions.

In the case of lottery payments, state and federal taxes are withheld from the payments from the state lottery commission, and you will file annual tax returns that would include a  request for refund for the taxes withheld on the portion of your payment stream that was return of principal.

We’ll outline a few common Q&A questions below.

What Is A Secondary Market Income Annuity?

A Secondary Market Income Annuity (SMIA) is the resale of an existing annuity income stream, either from an Immediate Annuity, a Factored Structured Settlement, or a Lottery Prize Payout contract. The pre-defined income stream and specific terms of the offering is sold for a lump sum payment and thereby transferred from the current recipient of the income to the Buyer.

Is This Investment Right For Me?

If you are looking for an investment that can provide above average returns for the fixed income portion of a balanced portfolio and are in a financial position to hold an illiquid investment with a specific income/return structure, you should consider Secondary Market Annuities.

What Are The Benefits Of Secondary Market Annuities?

SMIAs guarantee you a payment stream over a specific period of time, at a fixed rate of return.  This investment is generally considered to be a good vehicle for “safe money” savings.  Annuity Straight Talk only offers SMIAs from those insurance companies that are highly rated by Standard & Poor’s for claims paying ability, making the Secondary Market Income Annuities we offer one of the safest forms of fixed term purchases available today.

Yields on Secondary Market Annuities are higher simple because the seller of the payment stream is willing to sell at a discount for cash today.  You benefit from that discount and get a higher yield on the cash flow as when compared to comparable annuity products available in the open markets.

 What Is The Yield On A Secondary Market Annuity?

Yields on Secondary Market Annuities vary and are generally related to the length of deferral.  For example, an offer with a 10 year deferral period would have a higher interest rate than an immediate income offer.  A long term lump sum offer will have a higher long term, compounding yield.

Secondary Market Annuities simply costs less to purchase the same income stream.

Can I Transfer Or Sell These Payments Later On?

We can facilitate the re-sale of payments you own due to the  unique procedures we follow, but the transfer rate at the time you sell will be market based.  There is no early surrender option or liquidity option, so it’s best to consider Secondary Market Annuities as generally not liquid or marketable.

Who Makes The Payments to Me?

SMIA payments are made to the payment servicing partner, ASG, who makes the payment to you.  We utilize a payment servicer to facilitate liquidity and to provide you with quick close, in stock inventory.  The Asset Servicing Group is a nationally recognized payment servicer providing millions of dollars of monthly policy service on thousands of policies.  ASG at no time has any ownership or control of your funds, they merely act as a recipient lockbox and forward you payment as you direct, to you, you heirs, or a new owner if you re-sell the payments.  Payment servicing carries a nominal cost that varies with each case and is shown in our SMA Buyers Guide.

Why Work With Annuity Straight Talk?

Each transaction we handle is subject to a rigorous review by an attorney.  The due diligence and unique procedure followed protects each individual buyer to the fullest.  Attention to each case sets us apart from everyone else in the industry in protecting you, the customer. The transaction process has been designed to protect the Buyer.

In addition, all costs of the transaction are built into the price- other than the account servicing costs above, there are NO hidden fees, monitoring costs, account fees, or ancillary charges.  In the case of Life Contingent annuities, the purchase price INCLUDES life insurance coverage for the entire payment cycle, AND Gap insurance covering the first two years of the contract.  This is all factored into the purchase price and handled prior to closing by our team, and designed to protect your interests.

What Is A Typical Term And Purchase Amount?

The present value of a Secondary Market Income Annuity is generally between $50,000 and $500,000 but can be higher or lower. Terms can range from 1 to 35 years but typically are 5 to 20 years.

Why Are SMA Rates Higher?

The rate of return on a SMIA is typically higher than the rate available on annuities newly purchased directly from insurance companies today because an SMIA has been previously owned and has attributes, such as payment term and payment amounts, that cannot be changed.

Additionally, an SMIA is transferred for the present value of future income payments. The present value is determined by what the Annuitant, or the Seller, will accept and what a Buyer will pay.

Can I Purchase Secondary Market Annuities With My IRA?

Yes, most Secondary Market Annuities can be purchase with IRA money.  A self directed IRA is required and we can assist you setting up a self directed IRA with a custodian familiar with the Secondary Market Annuity marketplace.

It’s important to note that Self Directed IRA’s do have nominal fees- we have three preferred IRA custodians, please contact us for more details.

Are All SMA Payments Serviced?

Yes, all payments we deal with are serviced, through ASG, (www.theasg.net) Asg is a market leading payment servicer servicing thousands of policies in the life settlement and SMA space. All our cases are serviced by ASG for 3 good reasons

  • ASG is a top quality servicer- in about 30% of cases from other companies and brokers you will have payment servicing thrust on you at the 11th hour without warning, from lower quality companies, which is far worse.
  • As the IRS requirements of code sec 5891 (which deals with the transfer of structured settlements) are rigid, insurance carriers will only adhere to the assignee named in the court order, and will not accommodate subsequent re-transfer. As the Business Trust is the named buyer and all cases are purchased prior to an end investor being identified- we must use a servicer to facilitate reassignment and liquidity
  • Our ability to sell the payment to you means you have the ability to sell it to someone else- that is the primary benefit of servicing. Assignment to an heir, a third party, or to a trust or a child, is easy with a servicer and impossible with a direct assignment from a carrier.

In short, servicing costs are nominal and largely borne by our company with the account setup, so it’s generally not material on the yield. As to risk, we took all measures possible to align with the best in class.  In sum, the benefits of servicing far outweigh the nominal cost and slight hassle of an extra step in the process.

Pop Up For Great Secondary Market Annuities Deals

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PhilGround Hog day is here once again – this has to be the strangest quasi-holiday of of the year.  I really have no idea how the shadow of a rodent became a meteorological force…

But one thing that is popping up over and over again are our Secondary Market Annuities – Rates on all assets globally continue to contract, and we’re doing our best to keep delivering value to you even though we’re squeezed tight.

This week, take a special look at Deferred Income and Lump Sum cases- we have great quick- close, in stock deals and are offering a special, limited time incentive – call for details!

Check out the inventory here:

 

Here is a sample:

And remember, don’t drive angry Phil!

groundhog-day

Reading The Secondary Market Annuity Inventory Page

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Reading the Secondary Market Annuities inventory page- watch this quick video to make sure you don’t; miss any details about our inventory.

Click Here for the Secondary Market Annuities inventory page
Sometimes people miss a few key details on the SMA inventory page- watch this brief video to make sure you’re getting all the right info.

What Are Secondary Market Annuities?

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This is the quick summary of Secondary Market Annuities

 

In today’s yield starved world, investors have precious few options for when it comes to quality investments that offer a decent yield.  That’s why Secondary Market Annuities are so compelling.

In this brief video, I’ll give you a full introduction to Secondary Market Annuities so you can understand completely, before making a purchase decision.

 

Using IRAs and Other Qualified Funds With Secondary Market Annuities

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It’s easy to use IRAs, 401k, or other qualified accounts to buy Secondary Market Annuities.

Click Here for more info on using IRAs to buy Secondary Market Annuities

There are three self directed IRA custodians we work with. Provident, IRA Services, and Gold Start Trust all have familiarity with the asset class. However, Gold Star Trust is head and shoulders above the other two in terms of speed, service, and low cost. They are doing a great job for us and we recommend all advisors use them. Their paperwork will be shown in the video demo.

Calculating Effective Rate in Secondary Market Annuities

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Investors often have confusion about the rate of return used in annuities in general and in Secondary Market Annuities in particular.  So to clarify a few terms, we’ll walk through Nominal and Effective rate and the concept of Net Present Value and Discounted Cash Flow.

Please note, all our SMA cases are shown with an effective rate.  You should also refer to this page about Secondary Market Annuity Rates

Effective Rate:

Effective rate, Internal Rate of Return, and Annual Percentage Yield are three terms to describe the same thing for these cases. The effective rate is the yield of the series of cash flows, including the investment (negative) and payments (Positive).

You can calculate this using the XIRR function in MS excel or HP handheld calculators, and we use a program called T-Value.

Nominal Rate

Nominal interest rate is also defined as a stated interest rate. This interest works according to simple interest and does not take into account the compounding periods.  So for example, if you have a mortgage with a 4% rate, 4% is the nominal rate, but the actual Effective Rate (Yield) to the mortgage lender will be different, because of the compounding period of the loan.

Nominal Rate Vs Effective Rate

Effective interest rate, or APY, is a more accurate reflection of the yield of an investment as it includes the compounding periods during a payment plan. It more accurately can be used to compare two investments with different compounding periods like week, month, year etc.

Often times, the stated or nominal interest rate is less than the effective rate. However, the effective rate depicts the true picture of financial payments because it includes the compounding period.

Interest Rate and Time

As shown in the example below, interest rate is only meaningful in the context of time and the compounding period. Most often, when people say an interest rate it’s with the assumed context of “per year.”

An annual interest rate is also called the nominal interest rate, or Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

There are other compounding periods available however- common options are month, week, or day.

The yield of an investment with compounding other than annual will be different than the nominal rate. This is the Effective Interest Rate, or Annual Percentage Yield (APY).

Time Value of Money Example

Discounted cash flows involve the concept of Time Value of Money- a dollar tomorrow is worth less than a dollar today. How much less? That requires the ‘Discount Rate’ to calculate, and discount rate and effective rate are synonymous for these investments.

$100 in 1 year at a 10% discount rate will cost $90.91 today. A $90.91 investment today at a 10% Effective rate with annual compounding will yield $100 in 1 year. The annual compounding is critical- the nominal and effective rate are both 10% in this example, with annual compounding.

But if monthly compounding is used, the investment is the same $90.91, the Effective (APY) is the same 10%, but the Nominal rate, or APR, is 9.56%

The Effective Interest rate is also equivalent to the Internal Rate of Return, or IRR. To calculate in MS Excel, use the formula XIRR=((payments),(dates),0). This formula calculates the discount rate, or effective rate, or a given series of payments on definite dates. XNPV may also be used to solve for the purchase price of a series of payments on definite dates at a known discount rate.

Please note, all our SMA cases are shown with an effective rate.  You should also refer to this page about Secondary Market Annuity Rates where you can download example illustrations in Excel an see a video of how these payments are calculated.

What’s With The Secondary Market Annuity Rates?

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I’ve fielded several emails and calls recently from investors confused about the rates shown on our inventory of Secondary Market Annuities.  Secondary Market Annuity rates all too often leave investors and advisors alike confused because unlike most other types of annuities, SMA rates are actually quite simple.  Chances are good you are over-thinking the problem!

What Is The “Best Annuity Rate’?

There is no one ‘best’ rate because that is an opinionated term, but in many other types of annuities you have a wide range of rates to contend with and you should calculate mortgage payment to prevent trouble in the future.  Index annuities have a ‘rollup’ rate and a “crediting rate”, and immediate annuities aoften show a ‘payout rate.

But Secondary Market Annuity rates are simple- an SMA simply has an effective rate.  Effective rate is the true measure of investment performance, and it is equivalent to an Internal Rate of Return or Annual Percentage Yield (APY).  This is a true, mathematical calculation.

Now, on certain immediate income cases we also display a ‘payout rate’ which is designed to simply give a comparison to immediate annuities.  Payout rate is nothing more than the annual income over the investment amount- eg, invest $100,000 and receive $1000/ mo, and you have $12,000 per year or a 12% payout rate.  As I said, this is only shown on immediate income cases as a comparison to immediate annuities, which are quoted in payout rates.

So now lets dispel some of the confusion with a walk-through of effective rate.

About Effective Rate In The Secondary Market Annuity:

Effective rate, Internal Rate of Return, and Annual Percentage Yield (APY) are three terms to describe the same thing for these cases. The effective rate is the yield of the series of cash flows, including the investment (negative) and payments (Positive).

You can calculate this using the XIRR function in MS excel or HP handheld calculators, and we use a program called T-Value.  You can read on or, pause a few minutes and watch a video of me using Tval to calculate price.

(To go full screen, click the square in the bottom right corner of the video)

Effective Rate in Secondary Market Annuities

Effective rate also takes into consideration the return of principal with each payment. For example, with Secondary Market Annuities, if you have 100 equal monthly payments, a portion of each payment is principal and a portion is interest. When you receive principal back with payment #1, the next compounding period has less of a base of principal to work with, therefore payment #2 has slightly less interest and slightly more principal. This is how an amortizing mortgage works also.

Nominal Rate:

Nominal interest rate is also defined as a stated interest rate, Annual Percentage Rate, and APR. This rate does not reflect the true yield on the investment or loan because it does not take into account the compounding periods.

For example, your mortgage might have a 4% nominal Annual Percentage Rate. However as you pay down the principal, more money is returned to the lender, thus their Annual Percentage Yield or Effective Rate, is higher than the 4% Nominal Rate.

Nominal Rate Vs Effective Rate

Most likely you have seen APR and APY disclosures on mortgage loans and credit card offers. Often times, the APR, or nominal interest rate is less than the effective rate. However, the Effective Rate depicts the true picture of financial payments because it includes the compounding period and any return of principal.

Effective Rate is the true measure of the yield of an investment.

Here’s a further explanation of Calculating Effective Rate in Secondary Market Annuities

Interest Rate and Time

As shown in the example below, interest rate is only meaningful in the context of time and the compounding period. Most often, when people say an interest rate it’s with the assumed context of “per year.”

But there are other compounding periods available – common options are month, week, or day.

It’s important to note that the Effective Yield to you as an investor in Secondary Market Annuities in a case with compounding other than annual will be different than the nominal rate.

Time Value of Money Example

Discounted cash flows involve the concept of Time Value of Money- a dollar tomorrow is worth less than a dollar today. How much less? That requires the ‘Discount Rate’ to calculate, and discount rate and effective rate are synonymous for these investments.

Here’s a simple example:

$100 in 1 year at a 10% discount rate will cost $90.91 today.

A $90.91 investment today at a 10% Effective rate with annual compounding will yield $100 in 1 year. The annual compounding is critical- the nominal and effective rate are both 10% in this example.

But if monthly compounding is used, the same investment of $90.91 results in $100 in 1 year, and the same Effective Rate (APY) of 10%, but a Nominal Rate (APR) of 9.56%. The payments are the same, but the rates are different because of the compounding period.

Now lets look at a slightly different example:

You borrow $98,770.17 with a 10 year amortizing mortgage with a 4% nominal interest rate and monthly compounding. You make 120 monthly payments of exactly $1000/ month. Your total payments are $120,000.

The nominal rate on the mortgage is 4%, but the lender’s Effective Rate or APY 4.074%.

This type of payment stream is just like an SMA, but you are the one receiving the payments. Your Effective Rate is 4.074%, your investment is $98,770.17, and you have 120 monthly payments of $1000.

Calculating Effective Rate For Yourself

The Effective Interest rate is also equivalent to the Internal Rate of Return, or IRR. To calculate in MS Excel, use the formula XIRR=((payments),(dates),0). This formula calculates the discount rate, or effective rate, for a given series of payments on definite dates. XNPV may also be used to solve for the purchase price of a series of payments on definite dates at a known discount rate.

Click Here for an Excel sheet of the example above. Now, because of slight variations in the timing of amortization credits, TVal and Excel end up with slightly different values and XIRR may vary by a few thousandth’s of a point. The SMA industry and the lending industry all use TVal in their calculations.

Finally, we have (at great expense) a web based discounted cash flow calculator on this site you can use to verify any payment shown on the inventory page.  Just Click Here to use the web based Discounted Cash Flow calculator.

Are Secondary Market Annuities Safe?

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Many prospective investors ask, “Are Secondary Market Annuities Safe”

In fact, the annuities that back the payment streams an investor purchases when buying Secondary Market Annuities are among the safest assets available anywhere.

It’s useful to remember where Secondary Market Annuities come from. Secondary Market Annuities originally come from Structured Settlements. These are payment streams issued to injured parties in compensation for injuries or other claims.  These awards are negotiated by the parties, usually in a court case or out of court settlement.  The winners of these settlements have legal counsel who have a duty to look out for their client’s interests, and consequently, when they opt for a Structured Settlement they are opting for the safety and well- being of the clients over a long period of time.

The annuity companies that offer Structured Settlement Annuities  are the strongest in the industry- Met Life, New York Life, John Hancock, Genworth, Allstate, Symetra, Berkshire Hathaway… these are generally AAA rated carriers and in the business of conservatively managing risk and paying claims safely and on time.

Almost by definition, with Structured Settlement Annuities you are dealing with the best of the best right from the start.

But in addition, it’s helpful to know that it’s mostly big institutions in the space, and not as much an individual investor’s game. You’re in luck and have an opportunity to get at an asset class few know about!

Institutional buyers of Structured Settlement Annuities:

For decades, payment streams backed by Structured Settlement Annuities have been aggregated and securitized and sold to institutional investors. JG Wentworth, the largest player in the industry, sells nearly $600,000,000 ($600M) worth of asset backed notes each year. The assets are, of course, diverse pools of Structured Settlement Annuity backed payment streams.

These asset backed securities routinely trade at yields just over the 30 year Treasury – they are A rated payments and are snapped up by long term institutional investors.

When reading the securities offering documentation and credit reports of JG Wentworth’s notes (contact us if you want a copy), the analysts identify risk in two main areas:

  • Transfer Risk
  • Carrier Risk

For #2, first, Carrier risk is largely mitigated by the sheer size and quality of the carriers that operate in the Structured Settlement annuity space. We’re dealing with the best of the best- Met Life, NY Life, Prudential… we’re generally not dealing with smaller insurance companies.

And as to #1, Transfer risk refers to the legal procedure transferring a payment stream from seller to you as buyer. Luckily for you, we follow a rigid and state mandated procedure that ensure transfers are complete, legally reviewed, and court approved, each time.

Here are a few more key points.

Structured Settlement Transfer Process:

The transfer process making you a new payee under an existing payment stream is also very safe.  There is a relatively uniform process adopted in 49 states that requires notifications, disclosures, and procedures to be followed.  While the majority of the documentation is contractual, there is one step in the process where a court with jurisdiction over the original settlement also needs to rule that the transfer is in the seller’s interest.

While the court order is one key piece among several that properly document a transfer of payment rights, it actually does nothing to verify the payments.  An investor’s name in the court order simply exposes the investor in a public manner.  The process we use  through our firm DCF Exchange protects investor confidentiality.

There are a variety of additional reasons that Structured Settlement Annuities are extremely safe. These are summarized below

Safety Factor #1

An insurance company paying a structured settlement is a party to the court ordered transfer process. The payment remains in force throughout the transfer process regardless of who receives the checks.  Just because the payee changes as a result of a court- ordered transfer does not change the underlying payment stream or give the carrier any right to stop making payments.

Safety Factor #2:

There are five key items that document a case transfer and ensure legal safety of payments to you:

  1. Benefits letter from the issuer to the payee, which establishes that the Payee has the payments to sell,
  2. Court order changing the payee name to you or an entity that benefits you, such as our Business Trust
  3. Acknowledgement letter or stipulation agreement after the court hearing from the Issuer naming you or an entity that benefits you  as the new payee of the specific payment stream you purchased.
  4. Legal Review reviewing all documents, notices, filings, UCC statements and procedures in each case and every jurisdiction the case is subject to.
  5. Absolute Assignment of the cash flows assigning the payments to you forevermore.

Safety Factor #3:

Because a typical client of ours purchases multiple Secondary Market Annuities, purchasing contracts in the secondary market virtually assures that you will place assets in several companies with no sacrifice to average yield or overall performance. You will spread your risk among many carriers, all generally highly rated, and achieve high yield diversification.

Secondary Market Annuities are extremely safe investments.  Sign up to the right to view our live inventory and get started today!

Generating Returns With Secondary Market Annuities – Video 6

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In a recent appearance with nationally syndicated online columnist Steve Savant, AST’s Bryan Anderson talked about why Secondary Market Annuities yields are so good.  What a refreshing alternative to CD’s and other options!

 

With interest rates low, consumers are seeking safe returns that beat certificate of deposits and traditional annuity rates. Some are finding increased returns in the secondary annuity market. This alternative insurance product could be an additional supplement to retirement income. Annuity Market expert Bryan Anderson is interviewed by Steve Savant, syndicated financial columnist and talk show host of Steve Savant’s Money, the Name of the Game.

 

Other videos in the series:

Video 1- Steve Savant and Bryan Anderson On Secondary Market Annuities

Video 2- Why Secondary Market Annuities Are A Great Income Alternative

Video 3- Using Deferred Income Secondary Market Annuities

Video 4- Lump Sums and Secondary Market Annuities

Video 5- Using Secondary Market Annuities In Planning Scenarios

Video 6- Steve Savant’s ‘The Name Of The Game” On Secondary Market Annuities

 

Using Secondary Market Annuities in Client Planning Scenarios- Video 5

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In this final installment of the Steve Savant show “Lets Get Down To Business” our own Bryan Anderson discusses how we use Secondary Market Annuities in various planning scenarios.

Enjoy!

 

Secondary market annuities are generally issued by highly rated life insurance companies. Factoring companies make a market for structured settlements with wholesale brokers and purchase these annuities for consumers seeking better returns. Annuity Straight Talk is a leading distributor for secondary market annuities. Product expert Bryan Anderson of AnnuityStraightTalk.com is interviewed by Steve Savant, syndicated financial columnist and talk show host featuring Secondary Market Annuities on Let’s Get Down to Business.

 

Other videos in the series:

Video 1- Steve Savant and Bryan Anderson On Secondary Market Annuities

Video 2- Why Secondary Market Annuities Are A Great Income Alternative

Video 3- Using Deferred Income Secondary Market Annuities

Video 4- Lump Sums and Secondary Market Annuities

Video 5- Using Secondary Market Annuities In Planning Scenarios

Video 6- Steve Savant’s ‘The Name Of The Game” On Secondary Market Annuities

 

Lump Sums and Secondary Market Annuities- Video 4

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In this fourth installment, Bryan Anderson and Steve Savant discuss mortality credits and the higher yield that Secondary Market Annuities offer to investors.  Feel free to give us a call if this video generates any questions,

 

Mortality credits applied to annuities can increase returns beyond a carrier’s portfolio yield. These credits are based on the annuitant’s age and the length of the policy. The practical application of structured settlements is based on matching an investor’s need to the available inventory of structured settlements. Product expert Bryan Anderson of AnnuityStraightTalk.com is interviewed by Steve Savant, syndicated financial columnist and talk show host featuring Secondary Market Annuities on Let’s Get Down to Business.

 

Other videos in the series:

Video 1- Steve Savant and Bryan Anderson On Secondary Market Annuities

Video 2- Why Secondary Market Annuities Are A Great Income Alternative

Video 3- Using Deferred Income Secondary Market Annuities

Video 4- Lump sums and Secondary Market Annuities

Video 5- Using Secondary Market Annuities In Planning Scenarios

Video 6- Steve Savant’s ‘The Name Of The Game” On Secondary Market Annuities

 

Why Deferred Secondary Market Annuities Are The Most Efficient Use Of Funds- Video 3

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In this third installment of the Steve Savant special week on Secondary Market Annuities, Bryan gets on a roll discussing how deferred income Secondary Market Annuities can offer the most powerful guaranteed income out there.  For customers who don’t need the bells and whistles of other types of annuities with riders and benefits, Secondary Market Annuities are the way to go.

 

Some structured settlements offer payments similar to deferred income annuities, where payments are delayed for a period of time before installments begin. But some structured settlements can defer for a period of time and distribute lump sums instead of a stream of income. Product expert Bryan Anderson of AnnuityStraightTalk.com is interviewed by Steve Savant, syndicated financial columnist and talk show host featuring Secondary Market Annuities on Let’s Get Down to Business.

 

Other videos in the series:

Video 1- Steve Savant and Bryan Anderson On Secondary Market Annuities

Video 2- Why Secondary Market Annuities Are A Great Income Alternative

Video 3- Using Deferred Income Secondary Market Annuities

Video 4- Lump Sums and Secondary Market Annuities

Video 5- Using Secondary Market Annuities In Planning Scenarios

Video 6- Steve Savant’s ‘The Name Of The Game” On Secondary Market Annuities

 

Why Secondary Market Annuities Are A Great Income Alternative- Video 2

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Here is video 2 of Annuity Straight Talk’s Bryan Anderson on Steve Savant’s nationally syndicated ‘Lets Get Down To Business” discussing Secondary Market Annuities.

This show is designed for advisors, so there are certain acronyms and industry shorthand is discussed.  If you have any  questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call to discover if Secondary Market Annuities might be right for your situation.

 

Structured settlements have two important characteristics that make them appealing to an investor: above market yields and/or discounted present value lump sum purchase. At the same time there are two possible drawbacks to structured settlements as well: il-liquidity and no lifetime payouts.

Product expert Bryan Anderson of AnnuityStraightTalk.com is interviewed by Steve Savant, syndicated financial columnist and talk show host featuring Secondary Market Annuities on Let’s Get Down to Business.

Other videos in the series:

Video 1- Steve Savant and Bryan Anderson On Secondary Market Annuities

Video 2- Why Secondary Market Annuities Are A Great Income Alternative

Video 3- Using Deferred Income Secondary Market Annuities

Video 4- Lump Sums and Secondary Market Annuities

Video 5- Using Secondary Market Annuities In Planning Scenarios

Video 6- Steve Savant’s ‘The Name Of The Game” On Secondary Market Annuities

 

Secondary Market Annuities- AST on the Steve Savant show with Secondary Market Annuities

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We hope you enjoy this first of several videos from the nationally syndicated online financial  commentator, Steve Savant, who recently hosted Bryan Anderson of Annuity Straight Talk on his show for a week of episodes featuring Secondary Market Annuities.  The show is geared to advisors and financial professionals but everyone will learn something.

Here’s the first video:

 

Product expert Bryan Anderson of AnnuityStraightTalk.com is interviewed by Steve Savant, syndicated financial columnist and talk show host featuring Secondary Market Annuities on Let’s Get Down to Business.

 

Other videos in the series:

Video 1- Steve Savant and Bryan Anderson On Secondary Market Annuities

Video 2- Why Secondary Market Annuities Are A Great Income Alternative

Video 3- Using Deferred Income Secondary Market Annuities

Video 4- Lump Sums and Secondary Market Annuities

Video 5- Using Secondary Market Annuities In Planning Scenarios

Video 6- Steve Savant’s ‘The Name Of The Game” On Secondary Market Annuities

 

Case Study- Quick Close Secondary Market Annuities

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We had a lovely experience over the weekend.  A client called Friday afternoon, late, wanting an in-stock SMA for his mother.  He’d been watching our list for a few weeks and made the mistake of reserving several cases from another vendor.

After 3 of his 6 cases from ‘the other guy’ fell apart, he called us back and reserved a 2 year short lump sum as a perfect CD replacement for her matured CD.

He was able to review the closing book over the weekend, and arranged her wire on Monday.  The case closed today, and the only delay was due to the slowness of the banks in processing the wire transfer.

If you are ready for the “In Stock” SMA experience, give us a call!

To check out our inventory available now- CLICK HERE

Secondary Market Annuity Case Study 2- Immediate Income

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We’ve had a lot of comments from readers of the SMA case study #1, so decided to write up another recent transaction to further illustrate how a secondary market annuity can be used to beat the low rates and generate retirement income.

“Mike”, who has been a member of the site for over a year, had plans to retire at the end of April, 2011 and was looking for the best income options for retirement.

While wanting to continue meaningful growth for future planning opportunities, he was also concerned about too much risk with his hard-earned nest egg.  We needed to find a way to enhance his level of retirement income so additional assets could be placed in reserve for a later date.

I knew how much money he had to invest so I kept an eye on the market and was able to grab the perfect investment for him.

What did Mike get?

We found a Secondary Market Income Annuity issued by New York Life with a purchase price of $309,000 that carried excellent benefits.  Here’s how it breaks down…

$309,000 initial investment.
6.25% guaranteed effective yield over 20 years.  Income starts immediately at…

  • $1600 monthly continuing for nine years, then…
  • $2150 monthly for eleven months with a lump sum of $100,000 in month twelve, then…
  • $2150 for seven years and nine months, then…
  • $2450 for two years and two months.

Aggregate income over the 20 year period will be more than $558,000!

Compare This Secondary Market Annuity Income Stream To An Immediate Annuity:

What is astounding is that investing his initial $309,000 in a period certain, 20 year immediate annuity today would have paid him only $1400 monthly based on his and his wife’s age.   This is an aggregate total of $336,000.

Buying the secondary market income annuity gave him more than $220,000 in additional income over the immediate annuity.  This is an unbeatable investment in today’s market!

Mike was able to purchase a significant income stream from a superior rated insurance company, and also receive a big lump sum payment in the middle of the term.  With this lump sum payment he has plenty of options for covering the income gap at the end of the term.

Again, this may not represent your situation but the enhanced rates in the secondary market lend a great deal of power to the idea of conservative asset management in retirement.

Wouldn’t you like to know what this market can do for you?

Contact us now to talk about a secondary market annuity strategy for your unique situation!

To Get Access to Secondary Market Annuities, Call 800.438.5121

Or, Please Click Here To View Current Secondary Market Annuity Availability

Secondary Market Annuities- Case Study

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Be sure to read our SMA Case Study #2 also.

Case Study- 47 year old single male. When Dave came to me he clearly indicated he was extremely risk-averse.  Having been on the losing side of the S&L crisis in his early saving years and two major market corrections more recently, he was pretty fed up with the investment business.

Even so, he was able to accumulate a solid level of assets in cash and an IRA.  After taking time to understand his needs and current position, we began talking about annuities, as safety is what most appealed to him. Together we looked objectively at various annuity contracts he had been shown by other agents, including GLWB and deferred index annuities.

For one reason or another nothing was completely appropriate for him given his relatively young age and the fact that he really didn’t need to make any sudden moves.  We decided to wait for the right deal to come along.  Many investors and members of this site I speak with daily have the same cautious approach in this volatile market.

Along came secondary market annuities, and the potential for substantially higher interest rates on a guaranteed basis.  We began talking about the possibility before I had access to the products so he was well informed and able to act quickly.

Being prepared beforehand was extremely important to this process and enabled him to take action when the right deal came up.  I can’t stress enough, that pre-education a critical foundation for every individual considering these products.

Here’s what we were able to accomplish with several Secondary Market Annuities…

Over the course of two weeks, Dave purchased four separate secondary market annuities for a total investment of $294,910.  Rates on these contracts range from 6.25% to 7.25% over a time period of ten to 25 years.  To keep it simple I’ll use the aggregate figure and show distributions as a whole.

The individual payments listed represent the guaranteed payments as part or all of each specific deal.  As it all came together we were able to write it down on a timeline to see how it works in his unique situation. Here’s how it comes out based on his future ages at the time of each distribution.

INITIAL INVESTMENT OF $294.910 AT AGE 47
Income:
1.) $60,000 at age 58
2.) $60,000 at age 60
3.) $30,000 at age 62
4.) $100,000 at age 63
5.) $265,000 at age 64
6.) $83,250 at age 67
7.) $100,000 at age 68
8.) $300,000 at age 73

Total Investment: $294,910.

Total Aggregate Cash Flow: $998,250

Blended Effective Yield: 6.874%.

This plan creates a staggered set of payments that will allow him to ladder various retirement income investments to counter longevity risk and inflation.
The best part is that he can do all this with no market volatility in any part of the equation.  These contractually guaranteed figures give Dave tremendous income potential in the future with the flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions throughout retirement.

With continued savings over the next ten years and conservative management I see no reason why he can’t start planning for an early retirement now.  Do you?

Now that’s my kind of plan!

It really shows what kind of output is possible with solid, consistent growth over time.  Now, to be honest, this clients name isn’t really Dave but he is so happy with the process and end result that he has made himself available to anyone of you that would like to talk to someone who has been on your side of the secondary market annuities process and chosen to take the leap.  Call or email me and I’ll share his real name and set up a time when you two can chat.

Click On for case study #2 to produce retirement income with a secondary market annuity.

Click Here To View Current Secondary Market Annuity Availability

Why SMA’s Are Hard To Beat

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While we work with a variety of annuities, we frequently gravitate to Secondary Market Annuities.  For investors specifically seeking a lifetime income stream that can not be outlived, SMA’s are not appropriate.  But for many, a fixed period of time or a fixed lump sum is appropriate, and the yield on the SMA’s makes it very attractive to use these fixed term cases.

For period certain returns, SMAs are beating everything handily with nothing else coming close for the following reasons:

  • The returns are well above any other fixed income asset class of similar safety and credit quality (A to AAA)
  • The income on the SMAs is consistent, known and a blend of principal and interest, facilitating a known and orderly drawdown of assets without risk to principal from price fluctuations
  • By using SMAs you’ll be able to count on this portion of your portfolio to provide steady, consistent cash flows to supplement your monthly living expenses and thus allowing you to leave other investments alone, allowing them to return to the “Average Returns” and eliminate a “Sequence of Returns” risk.  See this excellent summary of the sequence of returns risk, a study by Moshe Milevsky
  • Diversification will be achieved by purchasing several different SMAs that add up to desired investment and will provide the desired income

To put a solid floor of income in place, determine your needs and goals.  Contact us and let us know what you are looking for.  Understand the process so that when we find the right deals for you, you can make an informed decision

It takes some patience but in the end it’s well worth it.

Why Take 1.15% When You Can Get 4.5%?

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NYLLogoNew York Life  announced earlier this year it’s short and mid term, guaranteed fixed annuity rate of 1.15%.  Citing a continued flat-line market, NYLife is offering rates little better than a CD as a guaranteed floor rate.

There is a market value adjustment, so the actual yield to maturity may be higher, however the floor may also be all that is earned

When considering fixed annuities or options similar to the NY Life above, take a moment first to call us and discuss Secondary Market Annuities.

Short and mid term lump sums routinely pay 4.5 to 5% effective rate of return.  Deferred…. compounding… and often, from NY Life itself!

To put it in perspective, a $100,000 investment today will pay back $102,311.89 in three years at 1.15%

The EXACT SAME INVESTMENT of $100,000 today will pay $109,197.02 at 4.5%

That’s nearly a 4X increase in real dollars – $2311 in Interest income vs $9197!!

Secondary Market Annuities are pure and simple, more income at a lower cost.  Give us a call to find out more.

 

 

 

Hartford Follow Up- Don’t Leap at Annuity Buyback Offers….Yet….

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As a follow up to last week’s article about Hartford offering buybacks on some of its annuity contracts as part of its portfolio cleansing, I thought I’d point you to a WSJournal piece in today’s paper.  It may yet be premature to take annuity buyback offers!

An  annuity owners in the article is in a position that speaks directly to the problem ( And to the very reason people own annuities in the first place)

Pam put $200,000 into a Transamerica annuity in 2000.  Poor fund choices on her part led to losses, and over-generous guarantees by Transamerica led the company to be in a spot guaranteeing her generous payouts.

Her ,account value is just $82,000 after investment losses and her  own withdrawals, but the lifetime income base is 390,000, entitling her to an annuitized payout of $23,490 per year.

Transamerica would love to get that lifetime payout liability off its books, especially as there’s only $82,000 of real cash balance to offset the payouts.

To close the account, they offered Pam a lump sum of $313,200. But the question is, is it a good deal?

Most likely, Pam can’t replace the $23,500 per year with $313,200.  An immediate annuity for a woman in Washington pays just $19,250/ year, less than her annuity guarantee.

Until Transamerica- and Hartford and the other carriers trying to get out of their commitments- at least match the benefits they owe with open market choices available today, investors like Pam should hang tight and wait it out.

The Journal sometimes makes it hard to view old articles by link, so I’ll just quote it below:

Thousands of consumers who paid for lifetime-income guarantees when they purchased the retirement products known as variable annuities are finding themselves in an odd spot: Life insurers are trying to buy back the guarantees.

In early November, Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. HIG -0.28% became the second major insurer to announce a plan to ask some customers to trade in their guarantees, on the heels of a similar offer, just completed, by the Transamerica unit of Aegon AGN.AE +0.23% NV. Some other companies are expected to follow. Meanwhile, the U.S. unit of AXA SA CS.FR +0.24% is wrapping up an offer to buy back certain death-benefit features sold with its variable annuities.

Variable annuities offer a tax-advantaged way to invest in stock and bond funds. The guarantees, sold for an extra fee, promise steady income for the buyer’s lifetime, even if the fund accounts become depleted.

Costly Competition
For years, variable annuities and their guarantees were maligned by many financial advisers because of the fees; the charges can top 3.5% a year of the invested amount. And why pay for a guarantee to protect against a stock-market decline, the naysayers said, when stocks over time inexorably march upward?

But some financial advisers were fans, and their enthusiasm helped make 2007 a banner year for variable annuities, with $184 billion in sales—just before financial markets began sliding with the bursting of the real-estate bubble. Industry executives say the vast majority of those purchases included lifetime-income guarantees, which insurers were then aggressively marketing in what had become a product-feature arms race.

The 2008-09 global meltdown of financial markets demonstrated the value of the guarantees to their owners—and the financial danger to the insurance companies. While most insurers run hedging programs to mitigate those risks, as markets slid, many insurers had to set up bigger reserves for the guarantees, which hurt earnings. They also raised capital totaling billions of dollars, which diluted shareholders’ stakes, to show regulators they could make good on their commitments to consumers.

Hartford’s need for additional capital prompted it to take government aid, since repaid.

Insurers’ stocks continue to be depressed by the exposure they face from the guarantees.

Dodging a Bullet
In announcing their plan, Hartford executives said consumers would be offered a boost to the amount of money in their fund accounts in exchange for canceling the income guarantee.

Hartford’s costs would rise in the short term, but the goal is eliminating long-term exposure that hinges on uncertainties such as stock-market performance and customers’ longevity.
The offers might appeal to some people with pressing cash needs. But many owners are like Pam Tufts, 64 years old, a college administrator in Seattle, who says she bought her variable annuity and its income guarantee from Transamerica in 2000.

She was newly widowed, and the guarantee appealed to her because she didn’t have an old-fashioned pension plan to augment Social Security and other savings. She was concerned about future market drops that could wipe out investment gains and even her principal, she says.

As it turned out, the big tech-stock swoon happened soon after she put about $200,000 into large-cap U.S. stock funds within the annuity. She could take comfort that Transamerica was on the hook to provide for her financial future, even if her stock funds never rebounded.

As of Oct. 1 of this year, Ms. Tufts’ fund balance was still well below her initial investment, at approximately $82,000, depressed both by poor market returns and withdrawals totaling about $30,000 she has made since 2008. She says she aims in a few years to begin collecting an annual amount equal to approximately 6% of a guaranteed “base” amount that recently stood at about $390,000—or $23,490 a year at that level.

Doing the Math
The guarantees are complicated and varied. Under the one bought by Ms. Tufts, in broad terms, her minimum lifetime annual income is tied to a base amount that started out as her original investment. The base was guaranteed to grow at least 6% a year (more if her funds gained more than that) until she began withdrawing money.

Transamerica offered to buy out the contract for 80% of the guaranteed-base value at the time of the offer, or $313,203, according to Ms. Tufts. While the amount was certainly large, she says it took only a few minutes of conversation with her financial adviser, David Moskovitz of the RBC Wealth Management division of RBC Capital Markets LLC, “to come to the conclusion it didn’t make sense for me to take that cash and run, unless I didn’t expect to live very long.” She is in good health, she adds.

Mr. Moskovitz says: “Bottom line, if we took the buyout, I would have to invest the $313,000 buyout in something that would pay an approximate 7.5% in perpetual income to match the guaranteed annual amount of $23,490. In today’s interest-rate world, that is impossible without taking substantial credit or market risk.”

Some advisers estimate that at most about one in five holders accepted Transamerica’s offers, based on their experience with clients. A Transamerica spokeswoman says: “We’re unable to disclose offer and acceptance information.”

As Ms. Tufts concluded, the Transamerica-type offers can make sense to people with ill health who aren’t worried about outliving their savings, other advisers agree. But many buyers of the guarantees have been people in their 50s and 60s seeking the security of a lifetime income stream, and they are comfortable with a highly rated insurance company bearing the risk.

“There is no question that other companies are watching these offers and considering their own offer,” says Scott Stolz, who heads an insurance unit at brokerage firm Raymond James. He says some people’s circumstances can make the offer worth accepting. But in general, he says, insurers “are likely to make an offer that is favorable to them,” rather than the consumer.

 

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