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Independent Review of the Puritan Market Index Single Premium Fixed Index Annuity

What will you learn about in this annuity review?

In this annuity review, we will be going over the following information about the Puritan Market Index Single Premium Fixed Index Annuity:
  • Product type
  • FeesPuritan
  • Current rates
  • Realistic long-term return expectations
  • How this annuity is best used
  • How it is most poorly used

Annuities can be complex. That’s where having an Annuity Investigator who loves math comes in. We make the complex, simple.

If you’re in the process of mapping out your retirement income plan, the Puritan Market Index Single Premium Fixed Index annuity could be a good option for you. That’s because this annuity provides the opportunity for market-linked growth, while at the same time keeps your principal safe in any type of market. This annuity can also provide you with a lifetime stream of income during retirement – regardless of how long you live. But it is also important to be cautious before you hand your money over to any insurance or financial company before you know how a product works. Over the past few years, the fixed indexed annuity, in particular, has become extremely popular. This is because a fixed indexed annuity, or FIA for short, can essentially offer the best of both worlds…or at least it can appear that way. However, due in large part to the increased number of new-fangled products that are being pushed out into the marketplace by insurance companies – each trying to outdo the other – these particular annuities can also be extremely confusing. So, it makes it even more essential that you read over all of the fine print before you commit what could be a large percentage of your savings to this annuity.

Annuity and Retirement Income Planning Information You Can Trust

If this is your first time visiting our website, we would like to welcome you to Annuity Gator. We are a team of annuity and retirement income specialists who have a focus on offering comprehensive – yet non-biased – annuity reviews online. We have been doing this for quite some time now, and because of that, many people have come to trust our annuity reviews because they don’t just focus on the “good” points about annuities, but also provide you with items to consider that could make a particular annuity a poor fit for your specific needs. When researching annuities online, it is possible that you have come across some highly conflicting information about these products. This, however, isn’t really all that uncommon, as there are many different annuities, and there many different thoughts about them. There are also a number of websites out there that provide some information about annuities and how they work but are much more interested in obtaining your contact information so that they can barrage your inbox with a multitude of emails about their products. In fact, oftentimes, these websites will attempt to “lure” you in by making some outrageous claims about the annuities that they offer, such as:
  • High Income Payouts
  • Guaranteed Income for Life
  • Top-Rated Insurance Carriers
  • Low Annuity Fees
  • Does any of this look familiar?
As nice as these claims may be, though, it means that it is even more necessary for you to make sure that they are actually true before you move forward and commit a large chunk of your money to such products. In any case, if you have been looking for more in-depth details about the Puritan Market Index Single Premium Fixed Index Annuity, you are definitely in the right place. In fact, we dare say that our website is the only place where you can obtain ALL of the important information you need for making a well-informed decision about this (or any!) annuity. Before we get too far into this review, we do want to be perfectly clear in stating that we believe that annuities can be a very viable financial option for some people – provided that they fit in with your other short- and long-term financial goals. So, if you’re ready to begin this review, let’s go ahead and dive in! [desktoponly]

The Puritan Market Index Single Premium Fixed Index Annuity at a Glance

Product NameMarket Index Annuity
IssuerPuritan Life Insurance Company of America
Type of ProductSingle Premium Fixed Index Annuity
A.M. Best RatingB++ (Good)
Phone Number(888) 474-9519
Websitehttps://puritanlifeinsurance.com
[/desktoponly]

Opening Thoughts on the Puritan Market Index Single Premium Fixed Index Annuity

Puritan Life Insurance Company of America is a leading provider of financial solutions for clients who are beginning their peak earning years and continuing through retirement. This insurer was established in 1958. The company offers whole and final expense life insurance, as well as fixed (single premium and MYGA) annuities and Medicare Supplement Insurance. Based in Tempe, Arizona, Puritan Life operates in 34 states throughout the country. Over the past several years, in large part due to the highly volatile stock market, more people have been taking a closer look at fixed indexed annuities. This is because, in addition to keeping principal safe (in any market condition), these financial vehicles can also provide you with the opportunity for ample growth, as well as a set amount of income that could last you for the remainder of your lifetime. Yet, even though this might sound like a win-win-win situation, the reality is that if something sounds like it may be too good to be true, then it typically is – so you should ideally get as much in-depth detail as possible if you are considering committing to it for the long term.

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. Puritan Life Insurance Company 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. Before purchasing any type of insurance and/or investment product, it is important that you do your own due diligence, and that you consult a properly licensed professional if you should have any specific questions that relate to your individual situation. All of the names, marks, and materials that were used for this annuity review are the property of their respective owners. For more information on how to compare annuities in order to determine which one may be the best for you and your financial circumstances, click here to obtain our free annuity report.

How Puritan Life Describes the Market Index Single Premium Fixed Index Annuity

Puritan Life describes its Market Index annuity as a single premium fixed index-linked financial vehicle that can help you to grow your retirement assets in a way that is secure, and that takes advantage of tax-deferred growth. Without being taxed on the gains each year, your funds inside of this annuity can grow and compound exponentially over time. With the Market Index annuity from Puritan Life, you make just one single lump-sum premium payment. This can come from personal (non-qualified) funds, or you can use qualified dollars that are rolled over from an IRA or employer-sponsored retirement plan. This annuity tracks the S&P 500 index. When the underlying index performs well, a positive return will be credited to your account – up to a certain maximum, or “cap.” However, when the underlying index performs poorly in a given time period, no loss is credited. Rather, your account will simply receive a 0% for that time period. This protection of principal can be enticing – particularly for those who do not want to face any losses in or near retirement. (The Market Index annuity also offers a fixed interest account, which earns a guaranteed rate of interest). There are actually three different interest crediting options on the Market Index annuity. In addition to the fixed interest account and the index-linked account with a cap, there is also an index-linked account with a participation rate. This option will credit your account with interest, based on how well the S&P index performs, up to a certain percentage. In this case, if the participation rate is 80% and the underlying index returns 10% for a given period of time, your account will be credited with 8%. (80% of 10% is 8%). There are a couple of other “bells and whistles” on this annuity. These include a death benefit that will be paid to a named beneficiary if you pass away and still have any accumulation value in the annuity. Passing these funds on to a beneficiary can help to bypass the expensive and time-consuming process of probate. You can also access 100% of the funds in the annuity penalty-free if you need to reside in a nursing home for a certain period of time. There will be no penalty in this case, even if you are still within your surrender period. For more of the in-depth details on the Puritan Life Market Index annuity, you can check out the information HERE. For those who are seeking a guaranteed income for life, there is an optional Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit Rider that may be added to the Market Index annuity. With this rider, you will be able to count on a steady and predictable stream of income for as long as you live – regardless of how long that may be. This rider may go through three distinct phases, including the:
  • Accumulation Phase – This phase is the initial rider date through the date that you elect to start receiving your guaranteed income payments.
  • Income Phase – This phase goes from your first payment until the accumulation value of the annuity reaches zero.
  • Lifetime Benefit Payout Phase – This phase starts on the day that the accumulation value reaches zero, and it goes through the end of your life.
For more of the details regarding the Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB), go HERE.

How an Advisor Might “Pitch” this Annuity

If you’ve talked with an insurance or financial advisor about the Puritan Life Market Index annuity, it is possible that he or she keyed in the opportunity for growth coupled with safety from market downturns. Today, people are living much longer than ever before – and, while that can be positive in many respects, it can also bring about the worry of outliving your income in retirement. With many people who are preparing for retirement being concerned about growing their savings, while at the same time keeping their principal safe, it is possible that an insurance or financial advisor would present this annuity as a vehicle for accomplishing both of those goals. Plus, there is also the option to choose income for life with this annuity. What the agent may or may not heavily focus on, however, is the “fine print” – which can more clearly explain some of the “tradeoffs” that you’ll need to make in order to garner some of the benefits. For instance, the index-linked growth is “capped” at a set percentage. So, even if the underlying market index you’re tracking has a stellar performance, your return will really only reflect a portion of it. As an example, if the cap is 5%, but the index returns 10% for a given year, you will only get 5%. In addition, while the insurance company promotes “liquidity” with this annuity, the truth is that you can only withdraw up to 10% of the contract’s value during the surrender penalty – otherwise, you’ll be charged a fee.

What Fees are Charged with the Puritan Life Market Index Annuity?

Although there are no up-front agent sales commissions taken from your account when you purchase the Puritan Life Market Index annuity, you can be hit with a fee if you take early withdrawals that exceed 10% of the account value…and, even though the fee is reduced over time, these surrender charges are in place for ten full years! [desktoponly]

Puritan Life Market Index Annuity Surrender Charge Schedule

Contract YearSurrender Charge Percentage
19
28.1
37.2
46.3
55.4
64.5
73.6
82.7
91.8
100.9
11+0
[/desktoponly] Plus, if you take withdrawals before you are age 59 ½, you could also incur an additional 10% “early withdrawal” penalty from the IRS. With that in mind, the Market Index annuity from Puritan Life should be considered a long-term financial commitment.

The Annuity Gator’s End Take on the Puritan Life Market Index Annuity:

Where it works best: This particular annuity will usually work the best for those who are looking for:
  • The opportunity to obtain a higher rate of growth than that of a regular fixed annuity
  • Safety of principal
  • Lifetime income
Where it works worst: Conversely, this particular annuity may not fare so well for those who:
  • Want or need to access their funds penalty-free within the first eleven years
  • Do not intend to use the guaranteed lifetime income feature

In Summary

There are a number of factors that should be considered before you commit to a long-term financial product like an annuity. If you are still leaning towards purchasing a fixed index annuity like the Market Index annuity from Puritan Life Insurance Company, you can be assured that your principal will be safe from the ups and downs of the stock market, as well as in that you will have a future retirement income that you can count on. But in reality, the only way to really know if this particular annuity (or for that matter, any annuity) is right for you is to have it tested. We can do this for you providing you with an in-depth and personalized spreadsheet showing how the annuity may perform given your specific parameters. In going this route, you could find that it fits the bill for you – or, you may also find out that there may be some other products out there that work better for you and your particular situation. If you would like to move forward with “testing” this annuity for your specific needs – at no cost and no obligation – then just simply let us know here via our secure online contact form.

Still Have More Questions About the Puritan Life Market Index Annuity? Did You Happen to Notice Any Mistakes in this Annuity Review?

We understand that this annuity review was a bit on the long side. So, we certainly want to thank you for sticking with us here to the end. However, when we are creating our reviews here at AnnuityGator.com, we would much rather “err” on providing “too much” information for our readers rather than not enough. That way, you will be in a better position to make a truly informed decision as to whether or not a particular annuity product is right for you. In addition, we also know that annuity information can – and often does – change on a regular basis. So, if you happened to notice any details in this review that may need to be updated or revised, then please let us know that as well, and we will be happy to make any of the needed changes here. Likewise, if reading over this review caused even more confusion about this product, then please click here in order to let us know that too. Are there any other annuities that you would like to see reviewed on our website? If so, just let us know the name of the product (or products), and we will get right on it. Best, The Annuity Gator Independent Review of the Puritan Market Index Single Premium Fixed Index Annuity    
1 Comment
  • Andy Ching
    3:08 PM, 25 November 2020

    Great job, explain what i want to know, thanks,
    God Bless!
    Andy

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