Table the variable annuity jihad?

[brewer12345]

I know I am tired of hearing about the many virtues of variable annuities, penis enlargers, oxycontin, etc. How about we drop the first subject, at least?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I know I am tired of hearing about the many virtues of variable annuities, penis enlargers, oxycontin, etc. How about we drop the first subject, at least?

would that then be variable penis enlarger or the annuity penis under discussion ?

 

[73ss454]

I don't care if people discuss them, just put it on ignore and that's that.

What bothers me is sales people on the forum trying to justify the fees and commissions associated with them.

I think UncleMick has the answer and we all know what that is. (heh)

 

[jIMOh]

Create an annuities forum then make sure the posts are all there.

Then add that forum to your ignore list.

 

[brewer12345]

Create an annuities forum then make sure the posts are all there.

Then add that forum to your ignore list.

Heh, then we would need other forums: HEIR, "the world is ending and you deserve it," etc. But a good idea...

 

[HFWR]

would that then be variable penis enlarger or the annuity penis under discussion ?

I think the annuity penis is apropo; you get a little once a month, but the fees will kill you...

 

[kumquat]

Let'em talk. Not interested. If no-one responds, thread dead. Easy

 

[Nords]

I think the annuity penis is apropo; you get a little once a month, but the fees will kill you...

In the immortal words of Loni Anderson from "WKRP Cincinnati":
"I don't like little annuities..."

 

[harley]

Let'em talk. Not interested. If no-one responds, thread dead. Easy

Agreed. Just say no(thing).

 

[nun]

I know I am tired of hearing about the many virtues of variable annuities, penis enlargers, oxycontin, etc. How about we drop the first subject, at least?

There are VAs and then there are VAs. If you are one of the many people with retirement funds in TIAA-CREF your money is often in a CREF VA. The expenses are in the 0.5% range, so pretty cheap, and there are lots of payout options. So if I were to ask a question about CREF Equity Index VA
I hope someone would answer

 

[chinaco]

I know I am tired of hearing about the many virtues of variable annuities, penis enlargers, oxycontin, etc. How about we drop the first subject, at least?

Tell em' Brew!

IMHO - The only advantage was tax deferral (which is no longer an advantage because of other choices for tax deferral and lower cap gains taxes). VA products are a poor choice for investors and savers.

I am not a fan of annuities on the accumulation side of the equation. [insert emoticon that looks like a pile of poop with waves of stink hovering over it]

Annuities on the distribution side (usually some form of fixed product) might be appropriate for some folks (i.e., buy a pension... income stream).

 

[2B]

Variable annuities are sold. I doubt anyone gets up in the morning and says "I'm going to look into buying a VA today." The people that come here asking are trying to counter a salesman after a commission. This place is one of the few places they will get unbiased information on the topic.

I am sick of the trolls.

 

[freebird5825]

i second the "create an annuity forum" idea.
visits or avoidance thereof will be the choice of the reader, like the soapbox.
posters need to comply with the separation of the topic.

 

[Martha]

Some have expressed concern that the poll displayed how you vote. It has been changed to make the votes private.

 

[kyounge1956]

i second the "create an annuity forum" idea.
visits or avoidance thereof will be the choice of the reader, like the soapbox.
posters need to comply with the separation of the topic.

Maybe send the variable annuity threads to the Soapbox?

 

[brewer12345]

Some have expressed concern that the poll displayed how you vote. It has been changed to make the votes private.

A suggestion: turn off the option to make votes public for all polls, not just this one. Otherwise it suggests a certain, um, position on the part of the mods.

 

[FinanceDude]

There are VAs and then there are VAs. If you are one of the many people with retirement funds in TIAA-CREF your money is often in a CREF VA. The expenses are in the 0.5% range, so pretty cheap, and there are lots of payout options. So if I were to ask a question about CREF Equity Index VA
I hope someone would answer

I've answered many, many questions about VAs. I also believe that as long as the threads are civil, our First Amendment rights should be allowed, even if most of the folks on here don't like the subject matter. The tool is called "ignore"........

Maybe I missed something, it doesn't seem to me that Art G is soliciting clients on here. I would hate to think that this forum would become so moderated that only "certain discussions" can be had. The bickering and personal attacks are getting tiring, though. I am glad I am no longer a moderator on here........

 

[Martha]

A suggestion: turn off the option to make votes public for all polls, not just this one. Otherwise it suggests a certain, um, position on the part of the mods.

We are discussing the issue. As a general practice, polls have been private and that is what people are used to.

 

[nun]

I've answered many, many questions about VAs. I also believe that as long as the threads are civil, our First Amendment rights should be allowed, even if most of the folks on here don't like the subject matter. The tool is called "ignore"........

I agree. It would be a pity if someone about to buy a VA couldn't ask a question on this forum and get some answers. They might be prevented from making an expensive mistake.

So in that vein can anyone tell me their opinion of TIAA-CREF variable annuities that are offered in retirement plans. As far as I can see they don't seem to suffer from many of the issues with other VAs. They have reasonable fees (0.5%), I can move investments around and change allocations and in the payout phase I can choose options from buying a lifetime annuity to taking systematic payments and keeping my accumulation

 

[FinanceDude]

I am the custodian of two of them because my sister left my minor kids as beneficiaries of her 403B account.

The investment performance of TIAA is fine, they have low expenses, and are conservative. However, the fact I had to EDUCATE them on MY rights as a custodian for my sons was quite troubling. There are some real boneheads working in beneficiary services there.......

 

[brewer12345]

We are discussing the issue. As a general practice, polls have been private and that is what people are used to.

Frankly, I never noticed the option before. But I figured why not see if this thing really works...

 

[Nords]

Frankly, I never noticed the option before. But I figured why not see if this thing really works...

Public polls might be a vBulletin default "feature". When the board's software was converted over, every single one of the polls was public for a few days until someone saw fit to point it out...

 

[Art G]

So I guess it's safe to conclude that no matter what some may think, there are at least 23 people who have intelligent questions on the topic.

 

[Martha]

No Art, that is not what you can conclude. Those 23 people may very well have the opinion that they want to be able to warn others who come on the forum of problems with using variable annuities as a mechanism to save for retirement.

 

[Art G]

Thanks Martha, I knew I could count on you to find the silver lining.......or....perhaps there were 23 people who actually DO want questions answered.