My Advisor Recommended an Annuity. Should I Buy It?
Retirement Answer Man
Roger Whitney, CFP®, CIMA®, RMA, CPWA®
4.6 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 19 November 2025
⏱️ 36 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
💬 Show Notes
In this episode, Roger Whitney dives into the essentials of required minimum distributions, explaining the age thresholds, how the amounts are calculated using IRS life expectancy tables, and how to manage multiple IRAs and 401(k)s. He also answers listener questions, including whether a flexible premium deferred income annuity might make sense and how to determine how much you can safely give to loved ones or charity now. Packed with practical advice and actionable insights, this episode helps listeners navigate the rules and strategies that can impact their retirement planning.
OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN
- (00:00) This show is dedicated to helping you have the confidence to rock retirement.
THE RETIREMENT TOOLBOX
- (01:18) In this Retirement Toolbox segment, we take a timely look at required minimum distributions—what they are and how they work for the accounts you own.
- (03:22) A quick breakdown of the current IRS rules for required minimum distributions, outlining the different start ages based on your birth year.
- (05:22) How RMDs are calculated using your year-end balance and IRS life expectancy tables.
- (08:30) When should you take your money out, and what happens if you don’t?
- (10:48) How to handle RMDs across multiple IRAs and 401(k)s and why long-term planning and account consolidation matter.
- (14:00) What are some strategies to minimize or mitigate your future required minimum distributions?
LISTENER QUESTIONS
- (15:23) Submit your questions through AskRoger.me, and we’ll help you take a baby step toward a rock-solid retirement.
- (15:54) Our title question comes from Rich, who asks if a flexible premium deferred income annuity would be a good idea given his retirement savings, Social Security, pension, and minimal debt.
- (27:14) A listener asks how to determine how much they can safely give to loved ones or charity now, rather than leaving it as an inheritance later.
SMART SPRINT
- (33:22) In the next seven days, estimate your future RMD—even if it’s 10 years away—assuming your IRA or 401(k) grows at a reasonable rate.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
- (34:04) An update on the merger of Tanya Nichols’ and Roger’s advisory firms, with a new unified brand—Retire Agile—coming in 2026 and opportunities for client feedback on branding and design.
REFERENCES
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Safety isn't expensive. It's priceless. Jerry Smith. |
| 0:06.7 | Welcome to the show dedicated to helping you not just survive retirement, but to have the confidence to lean in and rock it. |
| 0:13.4 | Hey there, Roger Whitney here. I am almost done with my last trip of the year. |
| 0:20.3 | Well, that's not really true. I have to go to Duluth in |
| 0:22.7 | early December, but my major trip. I'm excited to be home for a while. Today on the show, |
| 0:28.9 | we are going to have a retirement toolbox segment where we're going to talk about required |
| 0:34.0 | minimum distributions and the basics around those. |
| 0:38.7 | And in addition to that, we're going to answer a question from a listener where their advisor |
| 0:42.4 | recommended annuity and they want to know whether they should buy it or not. |
| 0:46.3 | We're going to examine how some things to think about in that. |
| 0:49.6 | In addition, we'll answer more of your questions. |
| 0:52.8 | If you are enjoying the show, |
| 0:54.6 | you're going to love our weekly email |
| 0:57.2 | that comes out every Saturday called The Noodle, |
| 0:59.4 | where we give you a summary of the show |
| 1:01.1 | and we share links to resources. |
| 1:04.0 | So if you're not already getting that, |
| 1:05.4 | go to the noodle.m.e, |
| 1:07.6 | and you can sign up there. |
| 1:09.3 | All right, with that said, |
| 1:09.9 | let's get this party started with our retirement toolbox. |
| 1:17.9 | Between now and the end of the year, we're going to focus on tools and things that we need |
... |
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