Many many people buy annuities according to their agents recommendations. However, many everybody do not even know what they own. It is a grand idea to take inventory of your investments, and particularly your annuity. It is important to understand what your annuity may and cannot do and what features it has. Here are some of the things you definitely must be sure to know about your annuity:

1. What interest rates are you currently grasping ? 2. Are the interest rates acquiring worse? 3. What is the rating of your insurance company? (Critical) 4. What are your surrender charges? 5. Is your principal ever at risk? 6. What retirement & income options does your annuity have? 7. Is your annuity Medicaid Friendly? 8. Did you properly designate your beneficiary annuitant and even ownership of your annuity?9. How safe is your annuity? 10. Is your annuity subject to double taxation? 11. What is your minimum guarantee? 12. Are you eligible for a 1035 exchange? 13. What happens in the event of your death? Are your beneficiaries entitled to all of the funds or are there penalties?

This is a great start inventory list. These questions are important in assuring you are doing what is right for you. As we said before, the best annuity is the one that is best for YOU. And by taking inventory of what you own, you might now assess it against your own goals and contruct sure there is a match. By the way, this is a nice process to go through periodically. As you know, your needs change over time. And as they change, you must build sure your investments are always in line with your goals. If they are, great. If they arent, well, change your goals---or change your investments! But generate sure there is a match.

Hopefully this helps. And remember, its not what you understand ; its what you do with what you understand . If this makes sense, then pull your annuities out and take inventory. There is no better instant than the present.

Ignorance is not bliss