BadAnnuities.com
Free annuity comparison tool to identify bad annuities with high fees, surrender charges, and variable annuity risks. Powered by SafeMoney.com — 14+ years of independent annuity research since 2011.
What Is a Bad Annuity?
A bad annuity is any insurance product that charges excessive fees, locks your money for too long, offers poor returns relative to its costs, or is sold using high-pressure tactics. The most common problem products are variable annuities with total annual costs of 2.5%–4%, annuities with surrender periods longer than 7–10 years, and fixed index annuities with cap rates below 5%.
Bad Annuity Warning Signs
- Mortality & expense fees over 1.25%/year
- Surrender periods of 10–15 years
- Total annual costs exceeding 3%
- FIA cap rates below 5%
- High-pressure sales at free dinners
- Commissions of 6%–8% paid to salesperson
Better Annuity Alternatives
- MYGA rates: 5.25%–6.80% (2026)
- FIA cap rates: 6%–9% from top carriers
- Surrender periods of 5–7 years max
- No annual fees on basic products
- Fee-only financial advisor guidance
- Independent comparison before buying
Free Annuity Comparison Tools
BadAnnuities.com provides free side-by-side annuity comparison tools covering Fixed Index Annuities (FIAs) and Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuities (MYGAs) from 58+ major carriers. Compare cap rates, guaranteed rates, surrender schedules, and carrier ratings to find the best product for your retirement income needs.
About BadAnnuities.com
Founded by Brent Meyer of SafeMoney.com, BadAnnuities.com is an independent educational platform dedicated to helping consumers identify problematic annuity products and find better retirement solutions. Our mission: transparency, education, and consumer protection in the annuity market. Contact: brent@safemoney.com