Income you can’t outlive — when it’s the right tool.
The biggest question we hear is “will my money last as long as I do?” An annuity can answer it — guaranteed income, protected principal, less stress about markets. We evaluate annuities as fiduciaries, inside your retirement, income, and tax plan, with no carrier to push and no quota to hit.
The checkup is a real conversation with a Houston advisor — not a screening call, not a sales script. You’ll hear which part of your plan needs attention first, and if we’re not the right firm for you, we’ll tell you that on the call.
What the right annuity actually does for a plan.
Annuities aren’t for everyone. But in the right circumstances they carry real weight in the plan — if they’re matched to a specific job. A contract bought without a job to do is just fees.
The key is choosing the annuity that fits your goals, and understanding how it complements the rest of your retirement strategy.
Fiduciary guidance, not an annuity pitch.
Unlike firms that push products, we don’t represent one carrier or contract. Needs first, solutions second — and if the plan doesn’t call for an annuity, we’ll tell you that too.
The Family Wealth CircleTM
One circle. Four strategies. A plan your family can actually follow.
Annuities live primarily in the Income quadrant — a paycheck that shows up whether the market cooperates or not — and they touch Growth and Tax too. That’s exactly why we plan them alongside everything else instead of selling them on their own.
Explore the Family Wealth Circle™ framework →Annuities, explained in plain language.
How annuities actually work — the guarantees, the fees, and where they do and don’t belong in a retirement plan.
Guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Annuities are insurance products that may be subject to fees, surrender charges, and holding periods, which vary by carrier. Annuities are not FDIC insured. Investments in securities involve the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Common questions about annuities
If yours isn’t here, ask it on the 15-minute call — we’d rather answer it early than late.
For some families, yes — guaranteed lifetime income, protected principal, and less stress about markets. For others they’re the wrong tool. The honest answer requires looking at your whole plan — what Social Security, pensions, and the portfolio already cover — which is exactly how we evaluate it.
No. We’re an independent fiduciary advisory firm. There’s no captive carrier and no product quota — an annuity is one tool in the plan, recommended only when the plan calls for it.
Fixed, fixed indexed, immediate, and deferred income annuities — plus reviews of anything you already own. Because we’re independent, we compare options across carriers rather than from one company’s shelf.
Yes, and we do it routinely. Older contracts often carry rider fees that no longer earn their keep, surrender schedules worth waiting out, or guarantees that no longer match the income plan. You’ll get a straight answer: keep it, adjust it, or replace it — and we only suggest replacing when it genuinely serves you.
Inside the Family Wealth Circle™, annuities sit mainly in the Income quadrant and interact with Growth and Tax. So we plan them alongside Social Security timing and withdrawal order and the rest of the portfolio — never in isolation. Many families also weigh them against life insurance in the same conversation.
Take control of your retirement. Make an Impact!
Fifteen minutes with a fiduciary advisor — including an honest look at whether an annuity belongs in your plan at all.