We show your options. You keep more income.
Compare fixed-indexed, MYGA, immediate, and deferred annuities from 20 A.M. Best‑rated carriers — independently scored, no pay-for-ranking.
Market upside, protection from index losses
Fixed-indexed annuities credit a share of an index’s gains. Once credited, interest is protected from later index declines — but withdrawals, fees, and surrender charges can still reduce contract value, and crediting periods vary by contract.
Illustrative examples, not quotes or offers. Your actual income or rate depends on your age, the carrier, and the product.
Lock in a guaranteed rate
A MYGA is the annuity world’s answer to a CD — a fixed, guaranteed rate for 2 to 10 years, with taxes deferred until you withdraw. We list representative published rates by term, next to each carrier’s A.M. Best rating, so you can compare like for like.
Illustrative examples, not quotes or offers. Your actual income or rate depends on your age, the carrier, and the product.
Turn a lump sum into regular retirement income
Hand an insurer a lump sum and payments start right away. Choose a lifetime payout option and they continue for life, subject to the contract terms and the insurer’s claims-paying ability — in exchange you give up access to the premium, and what beneficiaries receive depends on the option you pick.
Illustrative examples, not quotes or offers. Your actual income or rate depends on your age, the carrier, and the product.
Buy now, a bigger paycheck later
A DIA lets you lock today’s rates but turn the income on years from now — at 70, 75, or 80. The wait stacks mortality credits in your favor, so every dollar buys dramatically more lifetime income.
Illustrative examples, not quotes or offers. Your actual income or rate depends on your age, the carrier, and the product.
Invest — with optional guarantees
Variable annuities invest in market sub-accounts and grow tax-deferred, with optional living-benefit riders that guarantee an income floor. They carry the highest fees, so we show you when the guarantee is worth it — and when it isn’t.
Illustrative examples, not quotes or offers. Your actual income or rate depends on your age, the carrier, and the product.
Talk to a licensed annuity specialist
When you want a human, our short quiz sets up a free call with an independent, state-licensed insurance agent. Agents are paid a commission by the issuing insurer, so ask any agent how they are compensated before you sign anything. Comparing is free, with no obligation.
Illustrative examples, not quotes or offers. Your actual income or rate depends on your age, the carrier, and the product.
Why retirees trust Track Retirement
- 1Independent
No carrier can pay for a better ranking — ever. Every pick is the output of a written scoring rubric, not a commission.
- 2Strength shown up front
Every carrier we list shows its current A.M. Best financial-strength rating, and we flag any carrier rated below A‑ or placed under review. Annuity guarantees are backed solely by the issuing insurer’s claims-paying ability — they are not FDIC-insured and not bank guaranteed.
- 3Built from primary sources
Our guides and rankings are built from primary sources — A.M. Best, NAIC, the IRS, and SSA — and updated as rates and rules change.
*Illustrative, not a quote or offer: a $1,000,000 single-premium immediate annuity, male aged 70, life-only (the highest-paying option; payments stop at death), from our representative payout table checked October 2026. Before taxes; backed by the issuing insurer’s claims-paying ability. Actual income varies by age, sex, carrier, state and payout choice.
Illustrative MYGA rate examples
Highest effective annual yield by term among the A- and better carriers we list, last checked October 13, 2026 · illustrative, not a quote. See the full rate table →
Published rates for one named product per carrier (last checked October 13, 2026) — not quotes or offers; effective yield before taxes. The top rate at a term can come from a lower-rated carrier — check the A.M. Best grade.
Best annuity companies of 2026
Top carriers scored on rate competitiveness, financial strength, product breadth, and customer experience.
- 1 Read review
- 2 Read review
- 3 Read review
- 4 Read review
- 5 Read review
Annuity guides
Plain-English explainers, updated for 2026 rates and rules.
MYGAs often out-yield same-term CDs and defer the tax, but the gap moves with rates — here is how to compare a specific MYGA's effective yield against a CD's APY. Here's exactly when that gap is worth the trade-offs.
Guide What is a fixed annuity? A plain-English guideFixed annuities pay an insurer-guaranteed rate for a set term and defer tax until you withdraw — not FDIC-insured, with surrender charges for early exits. Here's how they work in 2026.
Guide Pros and cons of annuities in 2026Annuities solve real retirement income problems — but the wrong product can lock you in for decades. Here's the honest tradeoff list.
Guide Annuity vs. 401(k): how they actually compareThese two retirement products aren't substitutes — they solve different problems. Here's when each is the better choice.
Guide How to buy an annuity: a step-by-step buyer's guideFrom defining the goal to comparing carriers to signing the contract — exactly what to do (and not do) when buying an annuity.
Guide Annuities vs. bonds: which is right for retirement?Both provide fixed income, but they're not interchangeable. Here's how MYGAs and SPIAs compare to bonds and bond funds.
Guide Fixed vs. fixed-indexed annuities: what's the difference?Fixed annuities guarantee a rate; indexed annuities credit 0% instead of a market loss but cap your gains. Both guarantees depend on the issuing insurer. Here's how to choose.
Guide What is a SPIA (Single Premium Immediate Annuity)?A SPIA converts a lump sum into guaranteed lifetime income, starting within 12 months. Here's how they work and when to use one.
News that moves your money
Rate moves, regulatory changes, and market developments — and what they mean for your retirement income.
Regulation
NAIC annuity buyer's guide: proposed changes for 2026
Market analysis
Record $123.9 billion quarter: what the Q2 2026 annuity sales numbers say — and don't say — for shoppers
Market analysis
Why RILAs Are Among the Fastest-Growing Annuities, and Who Should Care
Regulation
Annuity "Best Interest" vs. Fiduciary: What the Standard Your Agent Owes You Really Means
Market analysis
How High-Net-Worth Retirees Ladder MYGAs Across Multiple Carriers
Annuity FAQs
What is an annuity?
An annuity is a contract with an insurance company: you give them a lump sum (or a series of payments) and they guarantee something in return — a fixed interest rate for a set period (MYGA), guaranteed income for life (SPIA), or market-linked growth with downside protection (FIA).
Which type of annuity should I buy?
It depends on the goal. For a CD alternative with higher tax-deferred yield, choose a MYGA. For guaranteed lifetime income now, choose a SPIA. For market upside with downside protection, choose a FIA.
Are annuities safe?
It depends what you mean by safe. Fixed annuities and SPIAs are not bank products, are not FDIC-insured, and are not guaranteed by any bank or government agency — unlike a CD or a Treasury. Every guarantee depends entirely on the claims-paying ability of the insurance company that issues the contract, which is why the A.M. Best financial-strength rating matters and why we show it beside every carrier. Variable annuities carry market risk in their sub-accounts and can lose value.
How much do annuities cost?
Fixed annuities and MYGAs usually carry no separate annual fee, but that is not the same as free. Withdrawing more than the contract’s free-withdrawal allowance before the term ends triggers a surrender charge and, on many contracts, a market value adjustment, which can cost a meaningful percentage of your principal; the schedule is in the contract, so read it before you sign. Taxable withdrawals before age 59½ may also incur an additional 10% federal tax penalty, and a few states levy a premium tax. Some products credit interest on a simple-interest or first-year-bonus basis, so the effective annual yield is lower than the headline rate. Fixed-indexed annuities may carry rider fees of roughly 0.5%–1.5%, and their caps, participation rates, and spreads limit how much index gain is credited. Variable annuities carry total annual costs of roughly 2%–3.5%. Ask for the surrender schedule and the guaranteed effective annual yield in writing, and confirm every figure against the issued contract.
Where can I get a free annuity quote?
Use the “Get matched” button and we’ll pass your request to an independent, state-licensed insurance agent who can compare carriers for your situation — free and no obligation. Track Retirement is not an insurance agency or licensed agent and does not issue quotes; the agent is paid a commission by the issuing insurer if you buy, and we are paid a referral fee by the agent or agency that receives your request.
How Track Retirement ranks annuity carriers
We score every carrier on rate competitiveness, A.M. Best financial strength, product breadth, surrender flexibility, and state availability. See our full methodology and advertiser disclosure.