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Best Annuities for Simple IRA Rollover

Best Annuities for Simple IRA Rollover

Best Annuities for Simple IRA Rollover

Jason Stolz CLTC, CRPC, DIA, CAA

At Diversified Insurance Brokers, we work with small business owners, self-employed individuals, and employees of small firms who are separating from a SIMPLE IRA plan and evaluating where those accumulated assets should go next. The Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees — the SIMPLE IRA — is one of the most widely used retirement savings vehicles for businesses with 100 or fewer employees, combining employee elective deferrals with mandatory employer contributions in a straightforward, low-administration structure. When participants leave the employer, change jobs, or simply want more flexibility and control than a SIMPLE IRA provides, the question of the best annuity destination for the rollover is more nuanced than most people expect — specifically because the SIMPLE IRA carries a two-year participation rule that is unique in the retirement plan universe and that fundamentally changes the rollover timeline and penalty exposure.

This guide covers the best annuity options for a SIMPLE IRA rollover: the structural rules you must understand before initiating any transfer, the three annuity types that serve different planning objectives, and the most common mistakes that cost SIMPLE IRA participants thousands of dollars in avoidable penalties and taxes. Understanding the full pros and cons of annuity structures in the context of a qualified rollover — and how they compare to leaving assets in the SIMPLE IRA or moving them to a self-directed IRA — is the prerequisite evaluation before any product-level annuity comparison. The correct annuity type for a SIMPLE IRA rollover depends entirely on what you need the money to do: grow predictably at a guaranteed rate, protect principal while participating in market gains, or convert the accumulated balance into a guaranteed lifetime income stream. All three objectives are legitimate. The right product answer is different for each.

A SIMPLE IRA rollover to an annuity follows the same two-step path as most qualified plan rollovers: the SIMPLE IRA balance rolls first to a Traditional IRA (a direct, trustee-to-trustee transfer), and the Traditional IRA then funds the annuity contract. Understanding how qualified plan transfers to annuities work mechanically — the direct versus indirect rollover distinction, the receiving institution certification requirements, and the one-rollover-per-12-months limitation — prevents the procedural errors that convert a tax-free transfer into a costly taxable distribution. For participants who have recently done a TSP or federal plan rollover and are comparing the SIMPLE IRA rollover process to that experience, the SIMPLE IRA’s two-year rule is the critical distinguishing factor — one that the TSP, 401(k), and most other qualified plans do not impose.

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The SIMPLE IRA Two-Year Rule — The Most Important Fact in This Guide

Before evaluating any annuity option, you must understand the two-year rule governing SIMPLE IRA rollovers — confirmed directly from IRS.gov — because violating it can cost you 25% of the amount transferred in additional taxes, on top of ordinary income taxes. The rule: during the two-year period beginning on the date your employer first contributed to your SIMPLE IRA, you may only roll over your SIMPLE IRA balance to another SIMPLE IRA. A rollover to a Traditional IRA, SEP IRA, 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), or any other non-SIMPLE plan before the two-year period is complete is treated by the IRS as a taxable distribution — not a tax-free rollover. That distribution is subject to ordinary income taxes in full, plus a 25% early distribution penalty if you are under age 59½. To be clear: the SIMPLE IRA’s early distribution penalty within the first two years is 25%, not the 10% that applies to most other retirement accounts. It replaces the standard 10% penalty — it is not in addition to it. But 25% plus ordinary income taxes on a meaningful SIMPLE IRA balance is a devastating, irreversible cost that no annuity’s benefits can offset.

Several nuances about the two-year rule deserve explicit attention. First, the two-year clock starts on the date your employer makes the first deposit into your SIMPLE IRA — not the date you enrolled in the plan or the date the plan year began. Since employers have until their tax filing deadline (which may be extended to October of the following year) to make contributions, in some cases the effective two-year period may stretch closer to three years from enrollment before the first employer deposit is made. Second, the rule applies even if you have separated from the employer — leaving the company before reaching two years of participation does not accelerate the two-year period. You still must wait for the clock to complete before rolling to a Traditional IRA. Third, rollovers between SIMPLE IRAs — from one SIMPLE IRA custodian to another SIMPLE IRA — are always permitted regardless of where you are in the two-year period, with no penalties. Fourth, under SECURE 2.0 and IRS Notice 2024-02, there is an exception when an employer terminates a SIMPLE IRA and replaces it with a 401(k) or 403(b) plan with specific distribution restrictions — in that narrow circumstance, the two-year waiting period may not apply to the rollover from the terminated SIMPLE IRA to the new plan. Fifth, once you are age 59½, the 25% penalty does not apply regardless of where you are in the two-year period — although the early rollover is still treated as a taxable distribution, the penalty disappears at 59½.

Best Annuities for SIMPLE IRA Rollover — Comparison by Planning Goal

Planning Goal MYGA (Fixed Rate Annuity) Fixed Indexed Annuity (FIA) Income Annuity (SPIA / DIA) Self-Directed Traditional IRA
Primary Benefit Declared rate locked for 2–10 years; exact maturity value known at purchase; full principal protection. Closest private-market equivalent to a bank CD but with full tax deferral and no annual 1099. 0% floor on all indexed accounts (no market-caused loss); index-linked growth potential through cap-based or participation-rate strategies in positive years; full tax deferral; 10% annual free withdrawal. Guaranteed monthly income for life regardless of markets, longevity, or interest rates. Converts accumulated SIMPLE IRA balance into a pension-like income stream. Best for eliminating longevity risk directly. Full investment flexibility; no surrender charges; choose any mix of equities, bonds, and funds; no annuity wrapper costs. Maximum growth potential with maximum downside risk and no floor.
Principal Protection Full — principal plus interest guaranteed by A-rated carrier. Market performance irrelevant. Backed by carrier financial strength and state guaranty association protections. No investment risk whatsoever. Full on indexed accounts — 0% floor prevents any year’s negative index performance from reducing account value. Annual reset locks in all prior credited interest permanently regardless of future markets. Not applicable — premium is exchanged for the income stream. No accumulation account to protect. The guarantee is the income payment, not the principal balance. None — full market exposure. A severe bear market in early retirement permanently impairs the portfolio through the sequence-of-returns mechanism. No contractual floor of any kind.
Liquidity 10% annually free (most contracts; some begin year two). Full access at maturity. RMDs accommodatable within free provision for most balances. Surrender charges plus possibly MVA on excess during guarantee period. 10% annually free (most contracts; year one or two depending on product). Health waivers (nursing home, terminal illness) expand access. Optional income riders convert accumulation to guaranteed income when ready. Highly illiquid — premium is typically irrevocable once exchanged. Some SPIAs allow a commutation or cash-out option; most do not. The trade-off is the highest guaranteed income per dollar of premium. Fully liquid at current market value at any time. No surrender charges; no waiting periods. The liquidity advantage comes with the full market volatility disadvantage during distribution years.
Best Suited For SIMPLE IRA participants within 5 years of needing the funds, wanting absolute rate certainty, uncomfortable with any credited interest uncertainty. Ideal for building a MYGA ladder across 3, 5, 7, and 10-year terms with staggered maturities. Participants with 7+ year accumulation horizons who want better long-term growth potential than a MYGA while maintaining principal protection. Self-employed small business owners who have been maxing SIMPLE contributions and want the assets to keep growing efficiently. Participants at or near retirement who want to replace the income stream lost from the employer’s plan, supplement Social Security, or guarantee coverage of essential expenses for life regardless of investment performance or longevity. Participants who want maximum investment flexibility, have long time horizons, are comfortable managing equity exposure through market cycles, and do not need the downside protection or income guarantees that annuity structures provide.

MYGA After SIMPLE IRA Rollover — Declared-Rate Certainty for Conservative Accumulators

A Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity is the most straightforward annuity destination for a SIMPLE IRA rollover when the primary objective is replacing the SIMPLE IRA’s tax-deferred accumulation with a fixed, contractually guaranteed rate for a defined period. The MYGA’s core appeal in this context: after completing the two-year SIMPLE IRA waiting period and executing a direct rollover to a Traditional IRA, the participant can immediately fund a MYGA within that IRA at a competitive declared rate locked for 3, 5, 7, or 10 years — with no market exposure, no crediting formula complexity, and a fully predictable maturity value from day one. For self-employed individuals and small business owners who have been using the SIMPLE IRA primarily as a conservative tax-deferral vehicle rather than as an equity growth vehicle, the MYGA is a natural continuation of that conservative accumulation philosophy in the private marketplace, with the added benefit of longer rate-lock periods than most SIMPLE IRA custodians offer on their default conservative investment options.

The comparison between a MYGA and a fixed indexed annuity for a SIMPLE IRA rollover comes down to one question: how important is rate certainty versus growth potential? If you need to know exactly what the rollover balance will be at a specific future date — because you are managing to a retirement income target or a specific expense that must be funded — the MYGA provides that certainty and the FIA does not. If you have a longer accumulation horizon and can accept a range of outcomes in exchange for the possibility of meaningfully higher credited interest in positive market years, the FIA provides that potential while maintaining the 0% floor. Both structures offer full tax deferral, both eliminate the market downside risk that a self-directed IRA retains, and both provide 10% annual free withdrawals that accommodate most RMD requirements. The decision between them is a planning preference, not a product quality difference. For participants considering a bonus annuity as the SIMPLE IRA rollover destination, the same evaluation framework applies: understand whether the bonus’s economic advantage over the full surrender period outweighs the typically lower ongoing cap rates that bonus products carry, and confirm the vesting and recapture terms in detail before committing.

Fixed Indexed Annuity After SIMPLE IRA Rollover — Protected Growth for Long-Horizon Accumulators

A Fixed Indexed Annuity is the appropriate annuity destination for SIMPLE IRA participants with 7 or more years before they need to access the full contract value, who want principal protection alongside the potential for meaningfully higher credited interest than a MYGA can provide in positive market environments. For the self-employed business owner who has been building a SIMPLE IRA balance over years of contributions and employer matching, an FIA preserves that accumulated capital — making it impossible for a market decline to erase the compounding that took years to build — while allowing the balance to continue growing at index-linked rates that can significantly exceed MYGA declared rates in sustained bull market environments. The FIA’s 0% floor is the specific protection that addresses the sequence-of-returns risk that self-directed IRA portfolios in equities face in the years just before and just after retirement. When you are building a SIMPLE IRA for retirement and approaching the point where you can no longer afford to absorb a major drawdown without permanently impairing your retirement income plan, the FIA’s floor provides the protection that a target-date fund within a self-directed IRA cannot contractually guarantee.

The index selection within the FIA matters significantly for long-horizon SIMPLE IRA rollover accumulators. Our guide to choosing the correct indexes in an annuity covers the full framework — but the core principle for a SIMPLE IRA rollover with a 7–10 year horizon is that one-year annual point-to-point crediting provides more opportunities to capture positive index years than two-year or longer crediting periods. In a 10-year surrender period with one-year crediting, you get ten independent at-bats: ten separate opportunities for the index to post a positive year and credit interest, with the 0% floor protecting you in the years when the index is negative. With two-year crediting, you get five at-bats — and a year-one positive followed by a year-two negative may produce zero credit for both years combined, even though the first year was genuinely positive. The one-year structure’s ability to independently capture each positive year is a structural advantage for SIMPLE IRA rollover participants who are committing to a 7- or 10-year FIA. Carriers like Gainbridge Life and other FIA-focused carriers that have built multi-index flexibility into their IRA-eligible products give SIMPLE IRA rollover participants the ability to diversify across crediting strategies within a single contract rather than concentrating in one index or one parameter type.

Income Annuity After SIMPLE IRA Rollover — Converting Accumulated Assets into a Private Pension

For SIMPLE IRA participants who are at or near retirement and whose primary objective is guaranteed lifetime income rather than additional accumulation, a Single Premium Immediate Annuity (SPIA) or Deferred Income Annuity (DIA) funded by the SIMPLE IRA rollover creates a private pension stream that no investment-based alternative can replicate. The SPIA is the simplest structure: the SIMPLE IRA balance rolls to a Traditional IRA, the Traditional IRA funds the SPIA, and monthly guaranteed income payments begin within 30 days — for life, regardless of markets, interest rates, or how long you live. A DIA defers the income start date by months or years, allowing the monthly payment amount to be significantly higher at activation than a SPIA purchased at the same time, because the longer deferral period allows more premium to accumulate toward each payment. A guaranteed growth annuity structure can serve as a bridge vehicle — accumulating during a 2–5 year deferral period before converting to income — allowing the participant to time their income activation precisely with their Social Security start date or other income coordination milestone.

The income annuity strategy for a SIMPLE IRA rollover is particularly relevant for small business owners who do not have a defined benefit pension and whose retirement income security depends primarily on Social Security plus whatever they accumulated in the SIMPLE IRA over their working years. Converting a meaningful portion of the SIMPLE IRA rollover into a guaranteed lifetime income stream — sized to cover the gap between Social Security income and essential monthly expenses — creates a guaranteed income floor that removes the sequence-of-returns risk from the essential expense coverage entirely, leaving any remaining SIMPLE IRA or other assets to grow without distribution pressure. The lifetime income annuity framework covering SPIAs, DIAs, and income FIA riders provides the complete comparison of these structures — including how the SIMPLE IRA’s tax treatment as ordinary income affects the after-tax income amount and how to coordinate the income start date with other retirement income sources. The beneficiary and death benefit provisions of the income annuity chosen — whether joint-life with spouse, period-certain, or cash refund features — are particularly important for SIMPLE IRA rollover participants whose business succession plans involve spousal participation or whose estate planning has specific legacy objectives.

How to Execute the SIMPLE IRA to Annuity Rollover Correctly

The SIMPLE IRA rollover process, after the two-year waiting period is confirmed complete, follows a specific sequence that must be executed correctly to avoid triggering a taxable event. Step one: open a Traditional IRA at the annuity carrier or at a separate IRA custodian that will accept the SIMPLE IRA rollover. Step two: initiate a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer from the SIMPLE IRA custodian to the Traditional IRA — direct means the funds go from institution to institution without passing through your hands, which prevents the mandatory 20% federal income tax withholding that applies to indirect rollovers. Step three: once the Traditional IRA has received the funds, fund the annuity contract from within the IRA. Understanding how annuity surrender charges work before signing the application — specifically the full declining charge schedule, what health events waive charges, and how the annuity’s 10% free provision interacts with any anticipated distributions — is a required due diligence step before committing any SIMPLE IRA rollover balance to a specific annuity product and carrier. The one-per-year IRA rollover limitation applies to SIMPLE IRA rollovers just as it applies to Traditional IRA-to-IRA rollovers: you can generally only complete one IRA rollover within any 12-month period (direct trustee-to-trustee transfers are not subject to this limitation, which is another reason the direct transfer method is preferable).

For small business owners who have used the SIMPLE IRA alongside other retirement vehicles — a SEP IRA, a Solo 401(k), or a previous employer’s 401(k) — the SIMPLE IRA rollover decision should be evaluated in the context of the full retirement asset picture. For individuals who have also saved in a 401(k) at a prior employer, our companion guide on what to do with a 401(k) after retirement covers the parallel framework for that account type, which shares many characteristics with the post-two-year SIMPLE IRA rollover but without the waiting period complication. The SIMPLE IRA rollover to a MYGA or FIA within a Traditional IRA means that Required Minimum Distributions under SECURE 2.0 apply beginning at the required beginning date — meaning the annuity’s free withdrawal provision must accommodate the RMD from that specific account, or the RMD must be satisfied from other IRA accounts through the aggregation rule. Confirming RMD coverage within the annuity’s free provision is part of the pre-commitment suitability analysis, not an afterthought. Carriers like Empower Retirement have built small business retirement plan administration into their core competency — understanding how they and other institutional providers handle SIMPLE IRA rollover mechanics provides useful benchmarks when evaluating which receiving institution best supports the SIMPLE IRA transition.   We are an Independent Annuity Broker, which means we do not favor any specific annuity, we research the best options for you.

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Best Annuities for Simple IRA Rollover

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What exactly triggers the 25% SIMPLE IRA penalty — and how do I know if my two-year clock is complete?

The 25% early distribution penalty is triggered by any distribution or rollover from a SIMPLE IRA to a non-SIMPLE IRA account before the two-year period from your first employer contribution is complete, when you are under age 59½. It replaces — not supplements — the standard 10% early distribution penalty that applies to Traditional IRAs and most other qualified plans. The 25% penalty plus ordinary income taxes on a meaningful SIMPLE IRA balance represents a devastating combined tax burden: a participant in the 22% federal bracket who triggers the 25% penalty early faces 47% combined federal taxation on the distributed amount before state taxes. The trigger is specifically the rollover to a non-SIMPLE account — keeping the funds in the SIMPLE IRA or rolling to another SIMPLE IRA at a different institution are both safe moves at any point in the two-year period. Knowing when your two-year clock started requires checking the date of your employer’s first deposit into your account — which is documented on your SIMPLE IRA statements. It is not the date you enrolled, not the start of the plan year, and not the date you signed the enrollment form. The employer’s first actual contribution deposit date is the clock-start date. Because employers have until their tax filing deadline (including extensions) to make contributions, this date may be later than you expect — potentially by several months from the plan year start. Confirming the exact clock-start date from your account statements and adding 730 days is the only way to know with certainty whether the two-year restriction has elapsed. The IRS provides no grace period; a rollover executed even one day early triggers the full 25% penalty retroactively. Understanding how annuity rollovers are taxed across different qualified account types — and specifically how the SIMPLE IRA’s two-year restriction interacts with the IRA rollover rules — provides the full tax context needed before initiating any SIMPLE IRA transfer.

Can I use SEPPs from a SIMPLE IRA or from the annuity it funds — and how do the rules differ?

Understanding how Substantially Equal Periodic Payments (SEPPs) work in the SIMPLE IRA context involves two separate analytical questions — one for SEPPs taken from the SIMPLE IRA directly, and one for SEPPs taken from the Traditional IRA or annuity after a completed rollover. From the SIMPLE IRA directly: the IRS confirms that early withdrawals are exempt from penalties (both the 10% and 25% versions) when taken as a series of substantially equal periodic payments based on life expectancy under an approved calculation method. This SEPP exception applies within the first two years of SIMPLE IRA participation — meaning you can take SEPPs from a SIMPLE IRA before the two-year clock expires without triggering the 25% penalty. However, the SEPP must continue for the longer of 5 years or until age 59½, and modifying the payment before the continuation period ends retroactively reinstates all penalties. From the Traditional IRA or annuity after rollover: after completing the two-year period and rolling to a Traditional IRA, the standard 72(t) SEPP rules apply — same calculation methods, same continuation requirements, same modification penalties. The critical annuity-specific overlay: if you are taking SEPPs from an annuity contract, the SEPP payment amount must fit within the annuity’s annual free withdrawal provision. Understanding 72(q) distributions from non-qualified annuities provides the parallel framework for any non-qualified annuity assets you may hold alongside your SIMPLE IRA rollover, since 72(q) is the non-qualified equivalent of 72(t) and applies different rules when non-qualified money is involved. For SIMPLE IRA participants under 59½ who need income from their retirement assets before the standard age threshold, the SEPP pathway is the primary available tool — and confirming that the annuity’s free provision accommodates the SEPP calculation is a required step before both the SEPP election and the annuity product commitment are finalized.

How do RMDs work for a SIMPLE IRA that has been rolled into an annuity?

Once a SIMPLE IRA balance has been rolled to a Traditional IRA after the two-year period and used to fund an annuity, that annuity becomes subject to the standard IRA RMD rules. Understanding RMDs under SECURE 2.0 — specifically the extended RMD ages, the reduced excise tax on missed RMDs, and how the Traditional IRA aggregation rule applies — is part of the suitability evaluation before any SIMPLE IRA rollover commitment is finalized. The aggregation rule’s practical value: if you have the SIMPLE IRA rollover annuity plus at least one other Traditional IRA outside the annuity, the combined RMD across all Traditional IRAs can be satisfied entirely from the non-annuity IRA — leaving the annuity’s free withdrawal provision intact and preventing unintended surrender charge triggers on amounts that exceed the 10% annual free provision within the annuity. If the annuity is your only Traditional IRA, the full RMD calculated from that contract must be taken from it, and any amount above the 10% free provision triggers surrender charges. Modeling the expected RMD percentage against the 10% annual free provision across the full surrender period before committing to the specific annuity product is a mandatory pre-commitment step — particularly for SIMPLE IRA participants who have been accumulating for many years and whose balance may produce a meaningful RMD that the annuity’s free provision cannot accommodate without excess charges. How annuity free withdrawal rules interact with RMD obligations — including whether unused free withdrawal amounts carry forward and how health event waivers expand access in qualifying circumstances — provides the complete planning context for SIMPLE IRA rollover participants approaching RMD age.

How does a SIMPLE IRA rollover annuity compare to annuities from 401(a) or 403(b) rollovers for planning purposes?

The SIMPLE IRA rollover annuity comparison to government and nonprofit sector plan rollovers reveals several meaningful structural differences that affect how the annuity functions within the broader retirement plan. The most significant practical distinction between a SIMPLE IRA rollover and a 401(a) plan rollover is the two-year waiting period — 401(a) plans, like 401(k) plans, do not impose a waiting period before rolling to a Traditional IRA and funding an annuity. SIMPLE IRA participants must complete the two-year clock before accessing the full range of annuity options; 401(a) participants can initiate the rollover immediately upon separation. The 25% early withdrawal penalty is unique to SIMPLE IRAs — no other common qualified plan imposes a penalty this severe for early distributions. After the two-year SIMPLE IRA period is complete, however, the rollover mechanics and annuity evaluation framework are essentially identical to a 401(k), 401(a), or 403(b) rollover: direct transfer to Traditional IRA, fund the annuity from the IRA, and apply standard IRA tax rules to all future distributions. The SIMPLE IRA’s contribution limits — lower than a 401(k)’s — mean that participants who have primarily funded retirement through a SIMPLE IRA over their careers may have smaller total rollover balances than 401(k) or defined benefit plan participants, which has product selection implications: a smaller rollover balance may change the relative attractiveness of different annuity types (a SPIA’s income amount, for example, scales directly with the premium, so smaller balances produce smaller guaranteed monthly incomes). For participants who are simultaneously managing a SIMPLE IRA rollover alongside assets in other plans, our companion resources on whether annuities are a good investment in specific retirement contexts provides the category-level evaluation framework that applies across all qualified rollover types.

What are the most common SIMPLE IRA rollover mistakes that cost participants money?

The five most common SIMPLE IRA rollover mistakes follow predictable patterns that experienced planning identifies in advance. Mistake one — triggering the rollover before the two-year period is confirmed complete — is the most expensive. Participants who assume the two-year clock started on their enrollment date rather than their first employer contribution date, or who do not account for the employer’s delayed contribution timing, initiate premature rollovers that trigger the 25% penalty plus ordinary income taxes on the full transferred amount. Confirming the exact first contribution date from account statements — not from enrollment documents — and adding 730 days is the only reliable method. Mistake two — using an indirect rollover — involves requesting a distribution check from the SIMPLE IRA custodian and intending to deposit it into the Traditional IRA within 60 days. The SIMPLE IRA custodian withholds 20% of the taxable distribution for federal taxes in an indirect rollover, and the participant must replace that 20% from other funds to avoid a partial taxable event. Direct trustee-to-trustee transfer eliminates this risk entirely. Mistake three — rolling a SIMPLE IRA balance into a Traditional IRA annuity without modeling the RMD exposure — results in unintended surrender charges when RMDs exceed the annuity’s annual free provision. Mistake four — selecting an annuity with a surrender period that is mismatched to the participant’s income timeline — locks money into a 10-year FIA when the participant needs the full value in 5 years. Understanding how surrender charges work across different annuity term lengths — and confirming that the selected term aligns with the realistic holding period — prevents the mismatch that forces a surrender in the middle of the charge period at significant cost. Mistake five — forgetting the one-per-year IRA rollover limitation — occurs when participants attempt multiple SIMPLE IRA rollovers within a 12-month period after the two-year restriction clears. Direct trustee-to-trustee transfers are not subject to this limitation; it applies only to indirect rollovers. For participants who have handled multiple qualified account rollovers — comparing the SIMPLE IRA process to the 401(k) experience covered in our resource on what to do with a 401(k) after retirement — the SIMPLE IRA’s unique two-year restriction is the one variable that requires specific attention rather than relying on prior rollover experience from other account types.

About the Author:

Jason Stolz, CLTC, CRPC, DIA, CAA and Chief Underwriter at Diversified Insurance Brokers (NPN 20471358), is a senior insurance and retirement professional with more than 25 years of real-world experience helping individuals, families, and business owners protect their income, assets, and long-term financial stability. As a long-time partner of the nationally licensed independent agency Diversified Insurance Brokers, Jason provides trusted guidance across multiple specialties—including fixed and indexed annuities, long-term care planning, personal and business disability insurance, life insurance solutions, Group Health, Travel Medical and Evacuation Insurance, and short-term health coverage. Diversified Insurance Brokers maintains active contracts with over 100 highly rated insurance carriers, ensuring clients have access to a broad and competitive marketplace.

His practical, education-first approach has earned recognition in publications such as VoyageATL, and contributions from his agency featured in Kiplinger and GoBankingRates— highlighting his commitment to financial clarity and client-focused planning. Drawing on deep product knowledge and years of hands-on field experience, Jason helps clients evaluate carriers, compare strategies, and build retirement and protection plans that are both secure and cost-efficient. Visitors who want to explore current annuity rates and compare options across multiple insurers can also use this annuity quote and comparison tool.

Explore More Lifetime Income Options: Browse our complete guide to How to Transfer a Retirement Account to an Annuity — covering IRA, 401k, 403b, TSP, pension, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, 457b & more rollover guides from 100+ carriers.

Last Reviewed: July 6, 2026  |  Reviewed by: Jason Stolz, CLTC, CRPC, DIA, CAA
Chief Underwriter, Diversified Insurance Brokers, Inc.  |  NPN: 20471358  |  Licensed in all 50 states

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How the Main Annuity Types Compare

Annuities are not one-size-fits-all. Each type is engineered for a different financial objective — some prioritize growth, others guarantee income, and others focus on principal protection. Choosing the wrong structure can mean locking into the wrong product for decades or missing out on significantly higher income. Working with an independent annuity broker eliminates that risk. Jason Stolz (CLTC, CRPC, DIA, CAA) has over 25 years of experience placing annuities for retirees nationwide and compares products across dozens of carriers — not just one company's lineup. Use the table below to understand how the main annuity types differ, then connect with Jason to find the right fit for your retirement goals.

Annuity Type Principal Protected Growth Potential Guaranteed Income Liquidity Best For
Fixed (MYGA) ✅ Yes Fixed declared rate for the contract term No income rider; accumulation only Limited during surrender period Safe, predictable accumulation
Fixed Indexed (FIA) ✅ Yes Index-linked credits subject to cap or participation rate; no direct market exposure Income rider commonly available Limited during surrender period Growth potential with downside protection
Variable ⚠️ Not by default Direct sub-account (market) exposure; highest upside and downside Income rider available at added cost Limited during surrender period Market participation inside a tax-deferred wrapper
RILA ⚠️ Partial (buffer/floor) Index-linked with defined buffer or floor; more upside than FIA Income rider available on select products Limited during surrender period Moderate risk tolerance; growth-focused
SPIA ✅ Via income stream No accumulation phase; lump sum converts to income immediately ✅ Immediate, guaranteed for life or term Very limited; income stream only Immediate income from a lump sum at or near retirement
Deferred Income (DIA) ✅ Via income stream No accumulation phase; income begins at a future date you select ✅ Guaranteed; income start deferred 2–40 years Very limited before income start date Longevity planning; guaranteed income starting at a future age
QLAC ✅ Via income stream DIA funded with qualified (IRA/401k) dollars; defers RMDs on the portion used ✅ Guaranteed; income begins at advanced age None before income start date RMD reduction strategy; late-life income protection

Note: Product features, rider availability, and surrender terms vary by carrier and contract. An independent broker can compare specific products across multiple carriers to identify the structure that best fits your situation — without being limited to a single company's lineup.