Annuity

A product offered by an insurance company or an employer to which one makes contribution(s) and immediately or later begins receiving payments, which usually last the remainder of the annuitant's life. An annuity usually refers to a retirement account into which the annuitant makes payments over his/her working life. The payments are then invested and the annuitant begins to receive the principal plus earnings after retirement. A qualifying retirement account is an annuity that allows for either contributions or withdrawals to be tax-exempt up to a certain amount. However, a wide variety of annuities exist. An annuitant may make a one-time contribution or monthly contributions over a period of time. Likewise, one may begin to receive payments immediately or defer them to a later date such as retirement. One may elect to make fixed or variable contributions as well as to receive fixed or variable payments. See also: 401(k), IRA.