AIG Annuities
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AIG is a leading global insurance organization that provides various property-casualty insurance, life insurance, retirement solutions, and other financial services.
AIG's Retirement Services goes by the acronym VALIC. The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company or VALIC has received strong financial strength ratings from independent rating agencies, reflecting its financial stability and its ability to meet its policyholders' obligations.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Types of Annuities
- Work with a Trusted Financial Advisor
- Weekly Market Commentary
Types of Annuities
AIG offers three types of annuities: Variable, Fixed, and Index.
Which annuity you decide to go with is entirely up to you, your current financial situation, and your retirement strategy.
However, if you're simply browsing through the website and want to learn more about each type of annuity, AIG provides several brochures of information. There is plenty of information about Fixed Index Annuities, Variable Annuities, and more.
While the brochures are a great way to be introduced to the idea of an annuity, we recommend contacting and working with a financial advisor who can provide you with more detailed information, pros and cons, and any drawbacks.
Work with a Trusted Financial Advisor
As we mentioned earlier, you'll want to work with a financial advisor. When working with AIG, you can expect your advisor to be knowledgeable, experienced, and competent with any/all financial tools.
AIG states that when working with a VFA financial professional, you can expect the following:
- Review your financial situation and objectives to develop a picture of your financial status, then list your goals.
- Discuss planning concepts (diversification, asset allocation, investment strategies, tax planning, and estate preservation).
- Develop a personal plan — a blueprint to help you reach your goals.
- Develop financial strategies to meet current needs and future goals.
- A periodic review of your priorities, goals, and investments to keep your plan on track.
AIG also understands that not everybody wants to manage their finances the same way, so you have several options. The first option is to handle the retirement account by yourself and the second is to receive some assistance from AIG now and then.
Weekly Market Commentary
Every week AIG writes up and publishes a Market Commentary. We appreciate AIG providing consumers with this information, as it allows you to stay up-to-date on the events that are driving the market.
The Bad
- Vague Plan Information
Vague Plan Information
Unfortunately, AIG's website does not disclose detailed information about its annuity plans (at least not upfront). This makes it hard for consumers who are looking for an annuity but haven't decided on a company to make a quick comparison.
Other companies will disclose specific information for annuities, such as the minimum investment amount or possible fees.
To get any of this information from AIG, you'll have to contact the company and speak with a financial professional. And while it's always best to talk with a financial advisor for more details, it would be nice if AIG posted the most basic information upfront.
The Bottom Line
AIG seems to offer something for everyone, with nearly 2.5 million people trusting AIG companies to help them prepare for retirement. That being said, we would like to see AIG provide consumers with more detailed information upfront, even if the information given was simply the minimum investment amount.
