As the Baby boomers continue moving towards retirement and the global economic volatility, investors are increasingly looking to annuities to secure retirement savings. Accountant, advisors, bankers, brokers, money managers, or planners could all benefit from taking annuity courses to better serve their clients. It is estimated that one-third of all annuities are incorrectly titled; an issue that can easily be solved by financial advisors attending an annuity school. Advisors who obtain an expert knowledge in annuities have the ability to benefit from both the advisor and the client. Annuity investors regularly outperform their mutual fund counterparts, not to mention the enhanced credibility provided by attending annuity courses.

Annuities provide many advantages over other investments geared towards retirement. One of the most unique advantages of an annuity is the indefinite tax deferral. Income taxes are only paid on a withdrawal of growth or interest. Additionally, investors are not required to make a withdrawal during the lifetime of the contract owner, and the beneficiary of the annuity does not need to make a withdrawal for an additional five years after the contract owner’s death. Other advantages include an alternative retirement savings vehicle once 401(K) contribution limits are reached, the ability to generate guaranteed lifetime flow of income, and the decrease of a retirement portfolio’s volatility. For the aging American population, the demand for annuities will continue to rise as people look to make sure their money will last through retirement.

Annuity school is available for financial advisors to learn more about this growing field. The courses core the three main types of annuities: traditional fixed-rate, equity indexed, and variable. Courses also cover more in-depth topics such as annuity contracts, tilting options, living benefits, compound interest issues, unnecessary taxes, litigation and modern portfolio theory. All of these topics are applicable and necessary for advisors to properly counsel their clients. Attending an annuity school or taking annuity courses counts towards continued education. It is a way for accountants, advisors, bankers, brokers and money managers to stay up-to-date with changes in annuities as well as enhancing credibility. Annuity school provides planners with the opportunity to develop and create successful financial estate plans and take on new clients.

Advisors looking to take annuity courses should be certain that along with the technical details, the courses cover compliance concerns, conflicts of interest and the “ticking time-bomb,” or, the broker’s liability for incorrectly titling a contract. A well-designed annuity-training program understands the concerns of compliance departments and imparts those concerns upon their students. The conflict of interest refers to annuity education providers who are often torn between obtaining students and not offending a brokerage firm or insurance company that sells the product. It is important to find courses that will teach both the pros and cons of annuities and not just a course sponsored by a trade group. Annuity courses that show individuals how to address these concerns without sacrificing sales or commission can be invaluable. For professionals looking to gain credibility in a growing field, expanding one’s knowledge in annuities can open up a whole new client base and improve financial performance.

Cory Bowman is Director of Ops at the Institute of Business Finance. IBF has helped thousands of members of the financial services industry attain designations. For more information about IBF, annuity courses, annuity school, visit http://www.icfs.com

Cory Bowman is Director of Ops at the Institute of Business Finance. IBF has helped thousands of members of the financial services industry attain designations. For more information about IBF, annuity courses, annuity school, visit http://www.icfs.com

Author Bio: Cory Bowman is Director of Ops at the Institute of Business Finance. IBF has helped thousands of members of the financial services industry attain designations. For more information about IBF, annuity courses, annuity school, visit http://www.icfs.com

Category: Education
Keywords: annuity courses,annuity school