A tax-deferred annuity is an investment with an insurance company. A variable annuity (VA) is an annuity with a number of mutual fund investment choices, typically called sub-accounts. You can control the risk through your asset allocation policy: that is, how much you commit to stocks/bonds, for example. Diversification, of course, does not guarantee a profit. Statistically, time invested will do that.
VA Advantages
1. earnings accumulate tax-deferred
2. guaranteed death benefit and/or guaranteed income stream you cannot outlive
VA Disadvantages
1. earnings accumulate tax-deferred. Yes, I put this bullet in both spots. Earnings, when withdrawn, are taxed as ordinary income, so you don't get to enjoy tax-favored treatment afforded to long term capital gains and qualified dividends paid by mutual funds outside a VA or retirement plan.
2. Expensive to own. Annual expenses tend to be, roughly, 1.5%-2.0% higher than investing in the same mutual fund outside a VA. But for many, for a portion of assets, the guarantees are worth the extra cost.
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