Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Does My Fixed Index Annuity Charge Margin/Spread/Administrative Fees?

In some annuities, the index-linked interest rate is computed by subtracting a specific percentage from any calculated change in the index. This percentage, sometimes referred to as the "margin", "spread", or "administrative fee," might be instead of, or in addition to, a participation rate. For example, if the calculated change in the index is 10%, your annuity might specify that 2.25% will be subtracted from the rate to determine the interest rate credited. In this example, the rate would be 7.75% (10% -2.25% = 7.75%). In this example, the company subtracts the percentage only if the change in the index produces a positive interest rate.

Annuity