Avoid the retirement annuity minefield...don’t make an expensive, catastrophic mistake! · The truth about using annuities to protect your future· The truth about hidden fees that could cost you a fortune· The truth about the newest types of annuities–good and badSimply the best thinking…the truth and nothing but the truthThis book reveals the 50 CRITICAL FACTS you must know about annuities before you buy“Steve Weisman has accomplished a feat of immense proportion by explaining one of the most complicated investment vehicles in ways that average Americans can easily understand.”Robert Powell, Editor, “Retirement Weekly,” MarketWatchIntroduction vTruth 1 The history of annuities 1Truth 2 Immediate annuities 5Truth 3 Fixed rates 9Truth 4 Deferred annuities 13Truth 5 Annuity fees 17Truth 6 Variable annuities 21Truth 7 Variable annuity investment choices 25Truth 8 Actively managing variable annuity sub-accounts 29Truth 9 Indexed annuities 33Truth 10 More about indexed annuities 37Truth 11 Calculating index changes 41Truth 12 Inflation protected annuities 45Truth 13 Tax-sheltered annuities 49Truth 14 Annuity settlement options 53Truth 15 Tax deferral 57Truth 16 Annuity risk 61Truth 17 Annuity death benefits 66Truth 18 Annuities and income taxes 69Truth 19 Tax-free 1035 exchanges 73Truth 20 Charitable gift annuities 77Truth 21 Split annuities 81Truth 22 Joint and survivor annuities 85Truth 23 Shorter surrender annuities 89Truth 24 Longevity insurance 93Truth 25 Inheriting an annuity 97Truth 26 Variable Annuities versus variable universal life insurance 101Truth 27 Choosing between mutual funds and an annuity 105Truth 28 Annuities and asset allocation 109Truth 29 Asset allocation and laddering annuities 113Truth 30 Minimum required distributions 117Truth 31 59 ½ 121Truth 32