Things To Consider When Choosing the Best Fixed Annuities

By John C. Ryan

A fixed annuity may sound confusing at first but if you understand how a CD works at a bank, you have the basic knowledge for fixed annuities. Annuities have other features besides a rate guarantee that make it an interesting choice over a CD. There's a little more information to look at to see if this type of investment vehicle is right for you.

Fixed annuities are also called immediate or deferred annuities. The difference lies in how you use the product. A person that wants a deferred annuity uses it more like a CD. They don't take payments from it. The immediate annuity converts to payments over a specific number of years, for a specific amount or payments that you'll never outlive. Some people like a guarantee that their heirs get any unused principal. That's available too.

The tax-deferred interest is a real plus for those saving for retirement, but as with any benefit has negatives also. If you put the money into a deferred fixed annuity and suddenly realize that you need funds, you have a ten percent penalty to pay on the growth you remove if you're not yet 59 . The tax laws do allow you to take substantial periodic payments penalty-free. The payments must last until you're 59 or at least for 5 years.

Just like a CD, you have a penalty if you remove the money before a specified time. Like most CD's, fixed annuities allow you to take interest at any time but there's a percentage penalty if you take the initial deposit. The penalty is normally on a sliding scale that reduces as the contract gets older. It varies, but normally averages between four and or five percent. While the length of the surrender period varies, again the average is around seven years. Watch out for contracts that have a lifetime surrender charge unless you annuitize.

There are exceptions to the surrender charge. Many contracts offer the ability to remove funds of as much as ten percent without penalty. This amount may be available each year or once for the life of the contract. Almost every annuity allows you to take the interest penalty free each year and some people use the annuities that way, just as they'd use a CD.

Annuity taxation occurs in two ways. If you remove the money from a fixed annuity in a lump sum as a withdrawal, the government taxes it with LIFO rules. This means, last in, first out. Since the last in is always interest, you pay taxes on the interest you withdraw. Unlike a CD, where even if you reinvest the money, you still pay taxes, you only have taxation of annuity interest once you remove it.

Immediate annuities have different tax rules. If you use the fixed annuity as a deferred annuity and then annuitize it later, it follows these rules also. Part of the payment each year is principal and part of it is interest, according to the IRS regulations.

The exclusion ratio, the amount you exclude from taxation on payments from fixed annuities, comes from multiplying the expected payment by your life expectancy and dividing the original premium by that number. A 62-year-old person's life expectancy is 22.5 years. If they receive an annual amount from a fixed annuity of $9000 and live the 22.5 years, they'll make $202,500 in payments. Simply divide the $100,000 invested by $202,500 to get an exclusion ratio of 49.4 percent. Therefore, you only pay tax on 50.6 percent of the payment.

There are great reasons to select fixed annuities over bank CDs, but most financial planners suggest you use both types of investments and diversify your funds. This is the safest method of investing in the event of unforeseen disasters. Most people find that the annuity is a great method of establishing an income they'll never outlive or a way to achieve tax-deferred growth to pass on to their children. - 23309

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John C. Ryan authors content and advice on how to find the best annuity given your particular situation. Want to learn more?? Visit us, for more information on fixed annuities .

Stock Investing 101

By Ahmad Hassam

What would make a stock rise so much? The whole point of investing in stocks is to choose one that has the greatest chance of a rising share value. Don't we all look for a stock that we could buy for $10 and later on sell for $300 per share? Well, how can we proceed to accomplish such a feat?

Buying a stock is essentially buying a small piece of the company and its future potential for growth and profits. So if the company does well, its stock will go up in price and if the company does poorly its stock will go down in price.

Many people think of markets as something devoid of emotions and feeling. Nothing is far from the truth. Markets are living breathing organisms that react violently to different events. The marketplace is in fact buyers and sellers, individuals and organizations that want to buy stocks or sell them. Now why does the stock goes up and down with the performance of the company. Actually the real force behind the stock rise and fall is the market place.

Any place where buying and selling takes place can be considered This buying and selling of stocks can only take place in exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange and over the counter markets like NASDAQ. If there are more buyers of the stock, its value will go up and if there are more sellers in the market, the stock price goes down.

Now it doesn't mean that if the company does well and is showing good profits and earnings, its stock price will go up. Sometimes you will find that the company does well and is posting good quarterly earnings but still its stock price goes down. What's the reason behind this?

In reality the price of stock depends on the investor's expectations. The price of a stock goes down because there are more sellers than buyers. So why is it so? The stock price does not go up or down just based on the company's present performance. Stock price goes up and down because of what the buyers and sellers expect will happen with the company in the near future.

However, the performance of the stock and the performance of the company over the long term have a logical relationship. In the short term, the behavior of the stock price is irrational and it can behave in crazy and illogical ways.

Focus on finding companies that are strong, well positioned in the right industries and have solid fundamentals like a good management, good product, good service, growing industry, rising sales, increasing profits and so on. The bottom line is don't worry about the short term gyrations of the stock price. Sometimes the industry and the economy matters more than the company. Picking a stock doesn't happen in a vacuum. Understanding the company's industry and the overall economic environment is critical to stock picking process. - 23309

About the Author:

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International Standard Of Morocco Hotels With Moroccan Tradition

By Clark Ericson

In the Kingdom of Morocco are erected towering morocco hotels which are rated from three-star to five-star. All of these hotels are strategically located to be proximate to the airport, commercial centers, restaurants and recreational areas for the convenience of the guests. The rates are fairly affordable and facilities are at their best. These structures are well-engineered with architectural designs which are of international standard with mixture of the Moroccan tradition.

The rooms are equipped with air-conditioning units, elegantly crafted bathrooms with hot and cold showers, cable television sets, telephone lines, internet access and other amenities that make your stay comfortable. The rooms are furnished with sophisticated pieces of furniture and furnishings fit for royals. Staying in any of these morocco hotels gives you the feeling of relaxation and a warm atmosphere.

The influx of tourists into this Kingdom has paved way to the rise of its tourism industry into some tremendous heights. The booming tourism has led to the rise of the real estate business, the construction of hotels, lodging houses, villas, apartments, and condos. These morocco hotels are frequently visited by tourists coming usually from neighboring European countries like France, Spain and Italy not to mention the Canadians and Americans who love the warmth of sun.

All these guesthouses accord their guests with five-star accommodation and extra services that they may request. The terraces are architecturally designed to face the beautiful and breathtaking views of the country. Everything you need is just at your fingertips. All you need to do is call for room service and well-trained room attendants will immediately attend to your needs. The construction of morocco hotels in different key cities of Morocco has greatly contributed to the popularity of the Kingdom.

You can have your reservation booked if you are planning for a grand vacation to the Kingdom of Morocco. There are websites on the internet with qualified representatives that can readily address your concerns. Travel guides shall be offered to you and your arrival at the Morocco airport is being facilitated by attendants or representatives from any of the morocco hotels. - 23309

About the Author:

You yearn for a nice, peace and quiet spot where you can relax and soothe yourself right at the heart of Morocco; places like Morocco Beach Hotel is the answer. The Morocco Hotels that surrounds the area perfectly suits your way of spending a relaxing vacation. You will certainly have no regrets visiting this place.

Affinity Fraud in the Forex Market, Beware

By Tom K Kearns

We were taught at our very young ages to look left and right before crossing the street; pay attention to the brightly colored cross walker that guided us, and the bus lights accompanied by the electrically pulled-out stop sign with the intent of restraining us from crossing the street. Now, in our older years concerns about money and internet scams, prompt us to keep an eye on the predators that prey upon us, like the bully at school after our lunch money.

Affinity frauds are like lions in the grass watching us like dinner. In the money markets, affinity frauds pounce on the identifiable and very specific groups, factions of religion, ethnicity, and demographics. It is a new type of fraud that is being watched closely in the Forex market. Playing in the field of predators, some brokers offer alleged investment opportunities to specific areas claiming affinity (likeness, similarity) towards them. Only to lure in a feeling of comfort to better the ability to reel them like fish to the hooked worm.

Getting things done and getting people connected in a world where enormity of true connection is easily portrayed is effortless, via emailing, instant messaging, and so on. Individuals need to be aware of this when they are making investments with Forex brokers or other types. The companies, regulators, and capital of the newfound brokers, traders or investors need to be researched.

Being legitimate with a few real customers is a typical move for these swindlers, forming the bond, working with them hand in hand, getting the testimonials, and then using that as collateral to fetch others. Being the lucky ones to be embarked on a fraud that can lead to damages they cannot live with is unfortunate for the "others". The lack of notifying the authority is all too common in this situation. Trying to fix issues within the group, and leaving them quickly shorthanded and alone is usually what happens instead.

Ways to avoid Affinity Frauds

1) The first thing to do, which I feel is the most important, before investing ANYTHING, is to call and ask your state or provincial security agencies about the sales person, firm or company. This is a simple maneuver, and can save a heap of you a good chunk of money. First, ask if the investor or company is registered, and then see if the investment is allowed to be sold. If not completely back away, those investors have a way with words, and do not care in anyway for you. DO your research!

2) From the investor, get written information on the procedures of the investment, the risks, and what you will have to go through to get your money out.

3) Get professional advice from an attorney, financial planner, or accountant. You are much better off whether you get it free from a friend or you pay them.

4) Earlier people the investor had that were legitimate could be incredibly enthusiastic, however later arrivals may not be so pleased. So pay attention to dates of testimonials. Look closely for odd names and repetitive names. Be AWARE! - 23309

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Introduction to Using ETF Trading Strategies to Increase Your ROI

By Patrick Deaton

There are many ETF trading strategies that offer a person just entering ETF the opportunity to reap great rewards when they are successfully used. However, in order to make the strategy perform at the level one desire, it is important that the correct strategy be paired with the style of trading that will be done.

Establishing safety nets, such as buy and sell limits, will give the beginner the flexibility needed to try strategies and methods as they find the one that is best for their needs. Creating a plan that includes a time-frame for testing methods and strategies will allow a person to use a strategy without making a long term commitment to that strategy.

The type of ETF trading that a person is going to do will impact the type of strategy that will work best. If an individual is adding ETF to their established portfolio, the trading strategy will be different than for the person who is going to be trading regularly.

People who trade ETFs for long term investment, may look at, and trade ETFs on a yearly basis when they review their mutual funds and the rest of their portfolio. These individuals do not need the type of ETF strategy that a person who is getting in and getting out on a regular basis needs.

Knowing about ETF trading, the structure of ETF, and the methods for trading can make a significant impact on the returns that one sees from their ETF trades. Taking the time to research strategies before implementing them is critical to creating an effective strategy for an individual. There are many strategies that are advertised on the Internet. However, it is important to see how that strategy has performed from a historical perspective.

When a strategy is advertised that has been effective for only a few people, it does not have the history necessary to make it an effective trading strategy. The riskier the ETF trading that is being done, the more important it is to have a thorough knowledge of the strategy and confidence in its ability to provide consistent results.

Buy and Hold is one of the most popular ETF trading strategies used by people who are making long-term trades. The trades are spread among many sections and there is limited risk to a portfolio. This is the strategy that many financial advisers recommend and by individuals who want a fixed income or steady growth for their portfolio from any financial product. This is more of a hands-off strategy and an individual does not need to follow the index, make trades, or have in-depth knowledge about the sectors they are in. However, this lack of knowledge and tracking also means that a person is missing opportunities to make gains that occur in the market on a regular basis.

A more active role in trading occurs with the Active Long-Term Trading Strategy. This is a variation of the Buy and Hold Strategy and provides more opportunity of an individual to make trades. However, it is also designed for long-term, steady growth. An individual may choose the level of involvement they want to have in the trading activities that take place and can be more proactive with their portfolio.

When deciding on a strategy it is very helpful to discuss one's goals and objectives with an individual who is knowledgeable in ETF trading strategies and the structure of ETF trading. By effectively pairing the correct strategy with the trading style that one has, there is a greater possibility for success in the trading arena. - 23309

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