Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Lump Sum or Annuity
Old 05-01-2014, 07:24 PM   #1
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 156
Lump Sum or Annuity

I plan on ER ing at 53 in the Fal, my dilemma is Ls vs annuity for my pension. My lump would be 364k or 1848 per month with 100% survivor for the wife. We are from a long lived family. I have a large taxable portfolio and do not need the annuity income to survive. My tbinking us to invest the ls for 10 years and then take 4% withdrawals and maintain the principal. Fidelity's RIP shows 4.1 mil remaining with lump vs 5.1 mil left with annuity at end of plan with 90% success rate. No kids, no need to worry about legacy issues. Seems lump sum is the way to go but still agonize over the choice. Thoughts appreciated.
Moneygrubber is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 05-01-2014, 07:54 PM   #2
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,366
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moneygrubber View Post
I plan on ER ing at 53 in the Fal, my dilemma is Ls vs annuity for my pension. My lump would be 364k or 1848 per month with 100% survivor for the wife. We are from a long lived family. I have a large taxable portfolio and do not need the annuity income to survive. My tbinking us to invest the ls for 10 years and then take 4% withdrawals and maintain the principal. Fidelity's RIP shows 4.1 mil remaining with lump vs 5.1 mil left with annuity at end of plan with 90% success rate. No kids, no need to worry about legacy issues. Seems lump sum is the way to go but still agonize over the choice. Thoughts appreciated.
Check how it compares with annuities from Vanguard or other online sources. My quick calc says it's a 6.1% payout, which seems pretty good, if it is starting soon.

Did you mean $4.1M left with annuity and $5.1M with lump sum? Otherwise it seems like the annuity wins with more left over at the end.
Animorph is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2014, 08:00 PM   #3
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 156
4.1 left with lump sum, but was leaning in ls direction since annuity is fixed, taxed as ordinary income and not indexed to inflation.
Moneygrubber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2014, 08:03 PM   #4
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,830
Since the number has a 100 percent survivor pension, you need to consider your spouse's age. Her age could have a significant bearing on the equation.
brett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 05:37 AM   #5
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 156
She is 53, the RIP assumes poor market performance , under average returns the lump sum blows away the annuity, i guess the annuity would be downside protection.
Moneygrubber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 05:48 AM   #6
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
heeyy_joe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Madeira Beach Fl
Posts: 1,403
Annuity.
__________________
_______________________________________________
"A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do" --Bob Dylan.
heeyy_joe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 06:05 AM   #7
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
David1961's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,085
Normally, I'd say go with the LS. But having a large taxable portfolio, you could think about breaking your funds into two buckets. The first bucket is your existing portfolio which you could manage as a lump sum. For the second bucket, you could take the annuity when you ER and that way, you'd have a stream of income so you wouldn't have to withdraw as much from your portfolio. Also, it would give you some protection from a down market.

In the end, though, it has to be a decision that you feel comfortable with. It sounds like you cannot go wrong either way based on the Fidelity RIP.
David1961 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 06:20 AM   #8
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Midpack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,150
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moneygrubber View Post
She is 53, the RIP assumes poor market performance , under average returns the lump sum blows away the annuity, i guess the annuity would be downside protection.
Then I would take the lump sum and roll it into a tax sheltered account. Annuities are very expensive today with historically low yields/payouts. They will improve eventually, and even if they don't soon enough, you will still pay less for the same monthly payout simply because you're annuitizing over fewer years as you age. You can buy an annuity (with then lump sum) next month, next year or 20 years from now if you like. If you buy now, you're locked in (with low yields).

I took a lump sum for much the same reasons...
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57

Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
Midpack is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 07:17 AM   #9
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 156
Mid pack
I was thinking of doing that, what gives me pause is the 6% payout I would have now on the LS but I thought if I invested the LS for 10 years then bought an annuity or withdrew at 3
Or 4% I would be ahead of the game . I think a multi year down market would derail this so my quandary continues..
Moneygrubber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 07:52 AM   #10
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Midpack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,150
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moneygrubber View Post
Mid pack
I was thinking of doing that, what gives me pause is the 6% payout I would have now on the LS but I thought if I invested the LS for 10 years then bought an annuity or withdrew at 3
Or 4% I would be ahead of the game . I think a multi year down market would derail this so my quandary continues..
Then buy an annuity if you prefer, there is no right answer for everyone.

I don't know what terms you're using to evaluate the annuity offered, but I'm sure you realize the 6% payout is not return, it's return AND return of principal.

As for a "multi-year down market" - you could invest the lump sum in CDs or something safe. And of course your portfolio is exposed to downside risk as well, not restricted to the lump sum by any means...

Best of luck whatever you decide.
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57

Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
Midpack is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 08:13 AM   #11
Recycles dryer sheets
Tandemlovers's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 151
Moneygrubber, my husband and I were faced with a similar decision, and had assumed
for years that we would take the lump sum.

This post on the bogleheads forum changed our minds:

http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/view...p?f=1&t=129811

The title of the post is "10 reasons to take your pension annuity over a lump sum"
by g$$, in case the post doesn't load properly.

Good luck in your decision!
Tandemlovers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 12:36 PM   #12
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 393
My wife had a similar question from retirement package severance pay 10 years ago. We took the lump sum and I have wished for years we had taken the annuity.
My vote is annuity.
Dave J is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 12:41 PM   #13
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 156
I am sure I will be going back and forth right until the end.
Moneygrubber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 12:47 PM   #14
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 2,745
If the money was a critical part of my RE, I'd take a lump sum to make it work harder for me. If not (Mr. Moneygrubber's case), I'd take annuity option and live more aggressively (take more investment risks, splurge, etc).

Seems like you have good problem to have, and either option will work anyway.
robnplunder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 12:50 PM   #15
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 156
Thats what the financial planner said, either works so i have to find where my comfort zone lies.
Moneygrubber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 12:55 PM   #16
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Free To Canoe's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Cooksburg,PA
Posts: 1,873
An on line annuity quote purchased with your lump sum shows you could only get $1510 per month vs your $1848.
Immediate Annuities - Income Annuity Quote Calculator - ImmediateAnnuities.com

How is the lump sum taxed at the federal level? Is there a provision that allows you to spread it out over years? Otherwise, that could be a killer.

I vote annuity.
__________________
Free to canoe
Free To Canoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 01:06 PM   #17
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Midpack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,150
I assumed the lump sum was from a 401k in which case it could be rolled into an IRA to defer and control taxes, but I notice the OP didn't state where the lump sum originates.
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57

Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
Midpack is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 01:07 PM   #18
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 156
The lump sum would have to stay in rollover land until 59.5 I am 53. Unlikely I would touch it then as I have a taxable portfolio of 1mil that can easily take me to 66 or. 67 plus large inheritances that I never included plus 2 mil in iras and 401ks
Moneygrubber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 01:09 PM   #19
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 156
The LS originated fr my employee pension funded by a large electric utility I can take the annuity or LS when I go
Moneygrubber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2014, 01:54 PM   #20
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 9,358
We took annuities for our pensions. They give us diversified, PBGC corp insured income streams independent from our portfolio, stock market returns, interest rates and our own money management skills. We looked at other factors beyond just the terminal values.

Unless your annual expenses are really high, I wouldn't agonize over the decision. You've got a very high net worth compared to most people either way you go.
daylatedollarshort is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Lump sum to invest, DCA in or go lump? Olav23 FIRE and Money 4 03-03-2007 03:22 PM
Lump Sum vs. Annuity Pension zaqxsw Other topics 3 10-20-2006 05:24 AM
lump sum or annuity payout on rule of 85 scubamonkey Young Dreamers 8 02-24-2006 04:07 PM
Lump sum or annuity runnerr FIRE and Money 17 07-01-2005 02:39 PM
Annuity vs Lump Sum Pension moguls FIRE and Money 5 05-26-2003 02:09 PM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:21 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.