Income Planning – The Simply Retirement Podcast

Which Type of Annuity Fits Your Retirement Plan? (Ep. 116 | Pt. 2)

By The Simply Retirement Podcast | August 5, 2026

When people hear the word annuity, they often picture a stream of retirement income. While that’s certainly part of the story, there are important decisions that come long before those payments ever begin.

How do the different types of annuities work? Which one might fit your retirement goals? And what questions should you answer before comparing products?

In this episode, I continue our annuity series by explaining the different types of annuities and how each one is designed to solve a different retirement planning challenge. I clarify the difference between an annuity as a financial concept and an annuity as a financial product, explain how immediate, deferred, fixed, fixed indexed, and variable annuities work, and return to one guiding question that can bring greater clarity to every retirement decision: What are you trying to accomplish?

Key takeaways

How viewing annuities as financial products changes the decisions involved before purchasing one
Why immediate and deferred income annuities serve different retirement income objectives
How fixed indexed annuities balance market participation with protection from direct market losses
Why variable annuities may appeal to investors seeking tax-deferred growth opportunities
How identifying your retirement goal first helps narrow the annuity choices that may fit your plan
And more!

Resources:

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Annuities are insurance products issued by insurance companies and involve costs, fees, limitations, and contractual terms that vary by product. Guarantees are backed solely by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Before purchasing an annuity, investors should carefully consider their financial objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and contract features, and consult with their financial, tax, and legal professionals.

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REPLAY: Social Security Fairness Act (Ep. 84)

By The Simply Retirement Podcast | December 24, 2025

Many people nearing retirement are unsure how recent rule changes might affect what they can receive.

What happens when long-standing limits disappear, and families finally gain access to benefits they were denied for years?

In this special replay, we revisit one of our most crucial and widely discussed episodes of the year: the one focusing on the Social Security Fairness Act.

I walk through the details of the Social Security Fairness Act and highlight its significant impact, especially on survivor and spousal benefits for women across the country. I explain how removing the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) could open new income opportunities. Additionally, I discuss what these potential changes mean for teachers and public sector workers, and the immediate steps listeners should consider taking now.

Key takeaways:

How eliminating WEP and GPO shifts eligibility for many women previously reduced or blocked from benefits
Why survivor and spousal payments may now be available even if pensions once prevented them
How timing, age, and filing strategies still influence benefit amounts
Action steps for reviewing statements, applying promptly, and preparing for retroactive payments
Why staying informed is essential as Social Security adjusts to this major policy change
And more!

Resources:

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Investing in Retirement – Part 3: The Building Blocks of Your Retirement Portfolio (Ep. 82)

By The Simply Retirement Podcast | December 10, 2025

Investing in retirement requires a completely different mindset, one focused on income, not just preservation.

In this episode, I continue our Seven Strategies for Successful Investing in Retirement series by explaining Strategy #4: Understanding the Role of Stocks in Retirement, and Strategy #5: The Value of Dividend Growth Investing.

Together, these two approaches show how stocks can generate sustainable income and growth throughout your retirement years.

Key Takeaways:

Why stocks shouldn’t be viewed like gambling, and what their long-term record actually shows
How a balanced stock and bond mix can fuel income growth over decades
The real-world power of dividends to combat inflation and support retirement income
Why reacting emotionally during market downturns often hurts long-term outcomes
How dividend growth investing can provide ongoing income, compounding, and stability
And more!

Resources:

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The S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index of 500 large U.S. companies. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Index returns do not include fees or expenses.

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