As it’s the New Year, and more people will be researching websites such as this, a reminder of what this online annuity service is all about. First, rightannuity.co.uk and it’s strategic partner, Origen, are  dedicated to providing you with the very best retirement options service.

The advisers at Origen have a wealth of experience together with access to the very best pension annuity rates from all providers,  and they have available a team of dedicated administrators. They  operate as Independent Financial Advisers (IFA) and have no outside influences that may affect their judgement. Together, we work for you to obtain the best possible pension annuity terms.

As IFA’s you are offered a top class service that encompasses all of the annuity providers, including the more specialist companies, for example, those specialising in enhanced annuities. This means that we have access to the widest possible range of choices for your pension annuity and can take maximum advantage of your Open Market Option (OMO).

What might you expect:

An initial discussion which provides an overview of the service available and what you can expect, with a more detailed discussion to familiarise ourselves with your circumstances.

A full explanation of your retirement choices and options.

Detailed market research of the best retirement option for you.

Assistance with the paperwork and set up process.

Dedicated points of contact in the adviser and administrative functions.

Recommendations confirmed in writing.

And a whole lot more. So. please contact us to discuss how our service can help you find the best retirement option for your circumstances, which may or may not result in a pension annuity.

It is a fact that many of us will quite happily spend time looking round for cheaper car insurance or ways to reduce our gas and electricity bills. But can the same be said for maximising the retirement income from our pension plan?

It is easy to increase your pension annuity income. Built into a pension policy is the Open Market Option (OMO). In the past, if you held a Norwich Union pension then you were expected to have a Norwich Union pension annuity, regardless of whether they provided the best annuity rates for your circumstances. The formal introduction of the OMO has changed all of this.

The OMO allows you to move the money you have accumulated in your pension fund over to the annuity company who provides you with the best pension annuity benefits. Sadly, this is a little used option with not enough people taking advantage of it.

To get the very best out of the OMO you need to be sure you are reviewing all of the pension annuities and annuity options available to you. The pension annuity advice service available through this website provides expert independent annuity advice.

Most people will benefit from shopping around to find the best annuity rates. Find out how much you can instantly improve your pension annuity income.

That’s the rhyming version, as it is still the festive period. This article is all about getting the right annuity at the best annuity rate. We all know that stockmarkets are off around 30% since the beginning of 2008 and that interest rates plummeting. I have read more news on this today!

Annuity rates did rise to their highest level for six years during the summer and, though they are now sliding slowly, they are still good, and now could be a good time to convert your pension fund money into a pension annuity. We have seen that gilt prices have risen to reflect lower interest rates, but  annuity rates have declined only slightly.

Bond and gilt yields, which do underpin annuity rates, have started to come down and some annuity providers, including the likes of Canada Life, Legal & General and Norwich Union, have recently lowered their annuity rates to reflect these changes.

Are annuity rates now on a downward trend? They dropped sharply in the late 90’s because of the findings of the Continuous Mortality Review into longevity, which showed that we are all living longer. But since that time annuity rates have been remarkably stable. Annuity rates are only around 2.5%  lower than in the summer in spite of interest rates coming radically down. However, interest rates are going to come down more which will have a continuing downward effect on annuity rates.

Some experts believe we could be facing a slump like the 1930’s. If so, could an annuity provider default and if so, would investors lose their annuity income? Everybody would have the protection of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if there was such a situation, and for up to 90% of their annuity income without limit.

What if you are looking to purchase a pension annuity in the near future? First, it will pay to shop around and consult an adviser who specialises in annuities. The difference between the best and worse annuity rates in the open market can be as much as 20% and an annuity cannot be switched. For those with health problems the additional annuity income can be much higher.

Proper, good advice is essential. If you are not in good health and suffer from a chronic illness like heart, liver, or kidney disease or if you are a smoker, you can obtain better annuity rates. Perhaps up to 15 per cent higher for smokers, and much more for those who are seriously ill. 

Postcodes have recently become an issue for annuity rates too which, actuaries claim, affect mortality. Several major annuity providers, including Prudential, Norwich Union and Legal & General, calculate annuity rates on the basis of where you live. In poor areas where life expectancy is expected to be shortest you will get a higher payout and vice versa.

The title of this piece: ‘Don’t delay. Buy that annuity today.’ reflects all the above and does stand up if you are looking to buy an annuity soon. Do it before annuity rates drop.

What a year it’s been. Certainly one to forget. We’ve had stockmarket turmoil around the world, the end of Woolworth’s, job losses, falling interest rates, falling annuity rates. Then we get freezing fog today to round it all off.

You’ve probably seen a drop in the value of your pension fund this year. You might have even delayed your retirement and put off buying that pension annuity. The value of your building society savings won’t be what they were.

Then we had the problems of the Northern Rock and the Bradford and Bingley. Who’d have thought it?

No, it’s not been the best of years. Hopefully, you’ve still got your health. That’s really what matters as we move towards 2009.

Putting it another way; are you planning to retire during 2009 and considering a pension annuity as a vehicle to provide your valuable retirement income? If the answer to this is ‘yes’, start looking at your options now and ask yourself some questions:

Do you want to spend your reduced pension fund on a pension annuity?

Might you be better off by not committing to an annuity just yet, perhaps by opting for an income drawdown plan instead?

If you are going to go for an annuity, are you sure you can find the best annuity rates for your circumstances?

Are you sure you know enough about what is available to you? Have you sought advice?

There are more questions, I am sure, but the main thing is that you give yourself time and get a specialist working alongside you. The right choice of retirement income could be worth a lot to you in your years in retirement.