With the current turmoil in stockmarkets there seems to be an annuities debate, with some saying that we are seeing a ’shift in attitude’. Living Time offers alternative products to annuities.
The retirement specialist has said that it is seeing a sharp rise in the number of retirees requesting pension annuity quotes for it’s contracts.
Annuities have received bad press over time because their rates measured unfavourably against seemingly booming stock market returns. However, rushing out of income drawdown and into an annuity is no guarantee to a better deal.
There is an argument that the worst thing to do would be to crystallise a loss in the value of a drawdown plan and buy an annuity with a smaller fund than perhaps existed 12 months ago.
So, should you opt for an alternative to a pension annuity, or should you perhaps stay in your drawdown plan. One thing you should do is to take advice.