Independent Review of the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder Fixed Annuity

What’s Covered In This Review

In this review, we’ll cover the following information on the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder Fixed Annuity:

• Product Type
• Fees
• Current Rates
• Realistic long term return expectations
• How it is used
• How it is most poorly used

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If you’re considering the purchase of an annuity to help you with increasing your nest egg, while at the same time keeping your money safe from market volatility, then the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder fixed annuity could be a good option for you. That’s because this annuity can offer you numerous guarantees that are built directly into the contract.

But, before you purchase this – or for that matter, any – annuity, it can be helpful if you first get a deeper knowledge of exactly how the product will work, as well as how it may (or may not) work for you.

Over the past decade or so, annuities have become much more popular. One reason for this is because these financial vehicles can offer you a guaranteed income for life – regardless of how long you live.

Because annuities have grown so much in popularity, there has also been an increase in the number of insurance and financial advisors who are offering them. Unfortunately, these agents may not always be giving you the very best answers to the questions that you may have, but that you need to know in order to make a well-informed decision.

In addition, due in large part to the increased desire for annuities, the selection of annuity products has also grown significantly. Yet, while this can help you to “customize” the products to better fit your specific needs, it can also make annuities even more confusing, even for well-informed consumers.

With that in mind, there are some steps that are recommended you take in order to truly understand what it is that you’re considering purchasing – especially because an annuity may make up a significant portion of your overall retirement income in the future. Also, because annuities can be quite difficult to get out of once you are in, it is extremely important that you know what you are purchasing.

Annuity and Retirement Income Planning Information That You Can Trust

If this is the very first time that you’ve visited our website, we’d personally like to welcome you to AnnuityGator.com. We are a team of experienced financial pros who are dedicated to providing you with comprehensive and nonbiased annuity reviews. We have been offering these in-depth reviews for quite a few years now – much longer than our competitors have been – and because of this, we have come to be a highly trusted source of annuity information.

If you have been looking for any information regarding annuities – especially on the Internet – it is likely that you have come across many conflicting details. One reason for this is because there are many annuities that you can choose from. There are also a number of different opinions about these products with regard to why an annuity should or should not be purchased.

Although there are a number of very good websites that are focused on marketing their annuities online, the reality is that some of these sites will work hard at luring you in by touting some pretty impressive claims, such as:

• Highest income payouts
• Top rated annuity companies
• Guaranteed income for life
• Lowest annuity fees

Does this sound familiar?

But, as nice as these claims may seem to be, you should really treat them just like you would when considering any other high ticket purchase. In other words, you should be sure that these claims are backed up before you move forward. And sometimes doing so may require that you delve into annuity “fine print” – which could sometimes make the details even more cloudy.

If you truly want to know more of the in-depth details regarding the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder annuity, then you are definitely in the right place. In fact, dare we say that the website that you are on right now is the only place where you can find all of the pertinent details – which include not just the good, but also the bad, and the ugly. This, however, can help you in determining whether or not the Assured Edge Income Builder fixed annuity will be best for you.

Oftentimes, when an insurance or financial salesperson is trying to sell fixed annuities, they will provide a nice and rosy picture of how these products can provide protection of principal, as well as a set rate of return. However, in doing so, they can also tend to leave out some of the other important facts, which could be considered as drawbacks. So, before you move a potentially sizeable chunk of your hard earned retirement savings into this (or any) fixed annuity, you need to ensure that you first have the whole story.

In order to be clear here, we will say that fixed annuities do offer some great benefits – provided that they coincide with your specific financial goals. So, it is essential that you know what you may be getting into, as well as why you are choosing one particular annuity over a myriad of other alternatives that may also be available to you.

This annuity review is here to help you with better understanding all of the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder Fixed Annuity’s “fine print”. So, if you’re ready to begin, let’s go ahead and dive in!

AIG Assured Edge Income Builder Fixed Annuity

Opening Thoughts on the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder Fixed Annuity

AIG has been in the insurance and financial field since 1919. During its time in business, the company has grown to be a worldwide provider of wealth accumulation and protection products, with more than 90 million customers in more than 100 countries.

Due to the strong financial footing that AIG has – as well as the positive reputation that the company has for paying out its policyholder claims – AIG has been given very high ratings from the insurer rating agencies.

AIG is a major provider of annuities, which can be used for both accumulating wealth on a tax-deferred basis, as well as for providing individuals and couples with an ongoing retirement income that cannot be outlived.

With so much volatility in the stock market over the past several years, the demand for fixed annuities has grown quite a bit, particularly as a way for retirees (and those who are preparing for retirement in the near future) to keep assets safe, and to ensure that they have a stable and reliable income going forward.

However, due to the historically low-interest rate environment since the economic recession of 2008, the return that has been offered by fixed annuities has been very low. In many instances, the returns that are obtained on fixed annuities have not even been enough to outpace the inflation rate over time. Because of these low rates, your future purchasing power could be affected – especially if you plan to use the income from a fixed annuity as a primary source of your retirement income down the road.

Before we get into the gritty details, here are some necessary legal disclosures…

This is an independent annuity product review. It is not a recommendation to purchase or to sell an annuity. AIG has not endorsed this review in any way, nor do we receive any type of compensation for providing this review. This annuity review is meant solely to be an independent review at the request of our readers so that they may see our perspective when breaking down the positives and the negatives of this particular annuity. Prior to committing to the purchase of any type of insurance and/or investment vehicle, it is critical that you do your own due diligence, and that you also talk with a properly licensed professional if you have any questions that relate to your specific situation. All of the names, materials, and marks that have been used in compiling this annuity review are the property of their respective owners.

For additional information on how to compare fixed annuities so that you can decide which may be the best one for you,  in order to obtain our free annuity report.

How AIG Describes the Assured Edge Income Builder Fixed Annuity

As a fixed annuity, the Assured Edge Income Builder from AIG offers a guaranteed income for life, plus a rising income opportunity. According to the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder fixed annuity literature, this annuity provides a guaranteed lifetime income withdrawal benefit (GLWEB) – and the ability to earn a 7.5% income growth credit on your guaranteed lifetime income amount each year that withdrawals are not taken until you elect to begin lifetime income withdrawals.

The minimum contribution on this annuity is $25,000 and there is a maximum total premium amount of $1 million (unless company approval is obtained). This annuity also offers both an extended care waiver, and a terminal illness waiver.

How a Financial Advisor May “Pitch” this Annuity

As the Assured Edge Income Builder is a fixed annuity, it is likely that financial and insurance sales agents will key in on the guaranteed return that this annuity can provide, as well as the annuity’s guaranteed lifetime income feature.

While there are several nice features that are offered on this particular annuity, the truth is that these benefits may come at a cost. So, it is important that you first read the fine print before moving forward with the purchase of the Assured Edge Income Builder so that you know exactly what to expect.

For example, the initial interest rate that is credited to the annuity is guaranteed only for seven years. After that interest rate expires, a new rate will be declared each year. Also, once you have made your initial premium payment, subsequent premiums may only be permitted in the first 60 days after the contract has been issued.

There is also a market value adjustment (MVA) that could occur, which could penalize surrenders from this annuity when interest rates have gone up. And, while the guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefit is a nice feature of this contract, there is a fee for choosing this rider. This, in turn, can have an impact on the amount of money that you accumulate in the annuity – which in turn, can also have an effect on the number of income payments that you receive.

What About Fees on the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder Fixed Annuity?

On top of knowing how your money will perform in a fixed annuity contract, it is also essential that you are aware of where – and how much – in fees you may be assessed. In the case of the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder annuity, there can be contract and administration charges, as well as surrender charges that are incurred if you decide to withdraw more than 10 percent of your funds through the 7th full year. These surrender charges are as follows:

The Annuity Gator’s End Take on the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder Fixed Annuity

Where it works best:

This particular annuity will usually work the best for those who are looking for:

• Guaranteed lifetime income
• Safety of principal
• Interest rate guarantee – at least for a certain period of time

Where it works the worst:

The AIG Assured Edge Income Builder fixed annuity may not be an ideal fit if you:

• Want access to most or all of your funds within the first several years
• Are seeking a high rate of return on your money
• Do not anticipate using the funds for a long-term care need

In order to know how to really compare the best annuity options for you, so that you can download our free annuity report.

In Summary

There are a multitude of factors that should be considered when you are trying to determine which annuity is right for you – or even if any annuity will fit into your overall financial picture. In any case, though, annuities should always be considered as long-term financial endeavors, and because of that, you should feel comfortable that the one you ultimately go with can help you to reach your goals.

If you are leaning towards a fixed annuity, know that these products can offer your safety of principal, along with other guarantees. And in the case of the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder Fixed Annuity, there are certainly some positive attributes. But, this annuity may still tend to fall somewhat short, and quite honestly, there may be better options out there for you – especially if you are more focused on guaranteed lifetime income in retirement, along with the ability to attain a higher rate of growth.

If you still have any questions with regard to whether or not this annuity is right for you – or, even if you just simply need some additional guidance about annuities in general, then please feel free to reach out to us directly via our secure contact form here.

Do You Have Any Additional Questions on the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder Fixed Annuity? Did You Notice Any Mistakes in this Review?

Although this review of the AIG Assured Edge Income Builder Fixed Annuity was a bit lengthy, we would much rather provide you with too any details as versus not nearly enough. Therefore, if you did find this review helpful to you, then please feel free to share it with others that you think might benefit, too.

We also understand that annuity product information can change frequently. Therefore, if you happened to notice that any of the information regarding the Assured Edge Income Builder annuity review was incorrect, please let us know and we will do our best to get that updated as soon as possible.

Also, if this annuity review made this product even more confusing – and/or if it happened to spark any additional questions or concerns – please let us know that, too and we will work to make the information more clear.

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The Annuity Gator