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Retirement Planning > Retirement Investing > Annuity Investing

What Annuity Administrators Do

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What You Need to Know

  • Annuity sales are growing rapidly.
  • Investors want to pull cash out on their schedule.
  • Simply processing and the recording the payments is a big job.

Annuities have increased in popularity for retirement planning given their reliable income streams and ability to deliver protection and floors that combat market volatility.

Recent data from A.M. Best reveals that individual annuities accounted for $344 billion of life insurers’ $1.5 trillion in direct written premiums in 2023.

Additionally, total annuity sales reaching a record-high of $385.4 billion, marking a 23% year-over-year increase.

BlackRock forecasts a growing significance of annuities in retirement planning, anticipating an increase in clients with retirement accounts featuring annuitization options.

Advisors and agents will play a crucial role in helping clients navigate in-plan annuitization options alongside conventional investments and alternatives.

Making Annuities Work

While annuities offer vital financial tools for retirees, the effective management of these investments relies heavily on annuity administrators who operate behind the scenes.

These professionals oversee the intricacies of annuity contracts, managing tasks such as payment processing, record maintenance, and customer inquiries.

Moreover, they serve as intermediaries between insurance companies and annuitants, ensuring compliance with regulations and contractual terms, thus safeguarding the interests of all parties involved.

Annuities, designed to preserve, grow, and protect retirement assets while guaranteeing a base level of income, offer a strategic approach to wealth accumulation.

Amidst market fluctuations and inherent complexities, the expertise of annuity administrators becomes indispensable, guiding firms to advocate and advise on this investment planning solution effectively.

Annuities have become an integral part of many investors’ financial plans.

However, navigating the complexities of an ever-changing regulatory environment, licensing and contracting challenges and maintaining a firm grasp on new business applications requires knowledge and experience.

Having an annuity administrator who can manage all of these variables is critical to keeping advisors focusing on what matters most: Taking care of your clients.

Flexibility Required

Investor demand for annuities’ flexibility around disbursement durations, payments to fund specific retirement needs and ability to generate lifelong income is expected to increase in the current market environment.

As advisors and agents continue to meet client demand by using annuities in retirement planning, legislative acts like the SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 have also eased barriers to offering annuities, paving the way for their integration into retirement plans.

Leveraging technology, annuity administrators streamline processes and enhance customer service through online portals and automated systems.

Annuity administrators are pivotal in retirement planning, providing expertise, efficiency, and peace of mind to individuals relying on annuities for financial security.

With annuities gaining prominence in investment portfolios, advisors are poised to advocate for annuity purchases, necessitating collaboration to ensure a seamless process for firms, advisors, agents and their clients.


Arleen Romano. Credit: NBC SecuritiesArleen Romano is the annuity administrator at NBC Securities, an independent broker-dealer and registered investment advisor.

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