Annuity Buzz

We now have four online calculator tools for you to use. These tools offer you 24-hour access where you can input your own numbers. Our Cost of Waiting calculator can help show clients if they wait for interest rates to rise, how many years it will take to catch up.

One of the benefits of many individual annuity contracts is the accessibility to a regularly occurring payment stream. Many of your clients rely on receipt of these funds on specific, recurring dates in order to pay bills and meet general day-to-day living costs. Electronic Funds Transfer, or EFT, is the best way to ensure that they receive the funds due them on time, every time.

Effective March 19, 2018, the Principal Growth Annuity series (PGA 5, PGA 7 and PGA 9) and Focused Growth Annuity 6-year duration only (FGA 6) will no longer be offered by The Standard. All PGA or FGA 6 business must be issued with an effective date no later than March 16, 2018, with no exceptions.

Did you know that we list all of the Plan Types we allow online? It's available to you 24-hours a day for your convenience, so you don't have to wait for a phone call or an email to your question. If you haven't yet, take a look at our Plan Type Availability chart online.

Have you been caught here? You work with a client to complete a distribution form in order to withdraw funds from their annuity contract. You submit the form and request a rush in processing. Soon after, you receive a phone call from The Standard requesting a Substitute IRS Form W-4P and W-9 (Form 5031) prior to disbursement. The result is frustration for both you and your client.

Your clients will receive their 1099R no later than the second week in February. Please note, if a distribution was not a taxable event, such as a qualified transfer between financial institutions, or your client did not take a distribution in 2017, a 1099R will not be generated.