We are fiduciary investment advisors with Avantax.  A Tax-Intelligent Investment Company, and our brokerage services are through Fidelity.   https://www.avantax.com/.  Tax-smart planning for your investment needs. 

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We specialize in the small investor. We don't care if you have $1000 or $500,000,000,000...we will be happy to assist you. Where some outfits may find you to be "small potatoes", and may not be so willing to work with you; we will be happy to work with you.  

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We can help you establish an IRA or do an IRA Rollover...but first...or course we will want review your financial and tax situation so we can provide advice suitable to your needs. 

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....and one of our favorite places for conservative retirement saving are annuities. 

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​​​​What kinds of annuities are there?

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There are three basic types of annuities, fixed, variable and indexed. Here is how they work:

• Fixed annuity.  Like a bank CD,  the insurance company promises you a minimum rate of interest on a fixed amount of time. Fixed annuities are regulated by state insurance commissioners. Please check with your state insurance commission about the risks and benefits of fixed annuities and to confirm that your insurance broker is registered to sell insurance in your state. WE like these when you can get a decent interest rate.

• Variable annuity. The insurance company allows you to direct your annuity payments to different investment options, usually mutual funds. Your payout will vary depending on how much you put in, the rate of return on your investments, and expenses. The SEC regulates variable annuities.  Due to the higher costs associated with these, we don't like these and WE DO NOT offer these. 

• Indexed annuity. This annuity combines features of securities and insurance products. The insurance company credits you with a return that is based on a stock market index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Indexed annuities are regulated by state insurance commissioners. In this choppy environment we tend to favor this type of annuity. 

 

Fixed Annuities vs. CDS

 

Fixed annuities work very much like a certificate of deposit (CD) but typically pay higher rates than CDs. Below are some of the similarities between the two:

• Both pay a guaranteed rate for a set number of years

• Both provide principal protection

• Both typically allow free withdrawals of interest

• Both provide full account value lump-sum death benefit

• Fixed Annuities grow tax-deferred

• Fixed Annuities can provide guaranteed lifetime income

• CDs are FDIC Insured

• Fixed Annuities are guaranteed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing life insurance company and State Guaranty Associations

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Annuities are for longer term (2 to 10 years) offer far more benefits than traditional Bank CDs.  Usually low to NO annual costs to you.  Downside are longer surrender terms/penalties. So they are NOT suitable for short term investments, and are not very liquid. Like retirement accounts they do have withdrawal penalties if you are under 59 1/2...so annuities don't work well with younger investors unless the annuity is inside of a retirement account.  In an uncertain environment you NEED something that you can be certain of.  Fixed annuities provide that certainty!

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LIFE INSURANCE

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We offer Life Insurance also.  We like simple term insurance for our clients.  We do have whole life, and Indexed Univeral life, Final Expense and other types of Life Insurance.  However we do like to follow the old saying "Buy Term and Invest the Rest".  Of course we could make much higher commisions if we put you in something longer term or an Univeral Life product, but that is NOT our style.  We want to do right by you, and we want you to do what we would do.   So we agree...and recommend Term Life Insurance for our clients. 

 

Avantax affiliated advisors may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.

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Securities offered through Avantax Investment ServicesSM, Member FINRA, SIPC.    "FINRA" www.finra.org, and SIPC www.sipc.org 

 

BrokerCheck is a free tool from FINRA that is intended to help customers research the professional backgrounds of brokers and brokerage firms, as well as investment adviser firms and advisers.

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