The questions listed below may help you decide which type of annuity, if any, meets your retirement planning and financial needs. You should consider what your goals are for the money you may put into the annuity. You need to think about how much risk you're willing to take with the money. Ask yourself:

1. How long can I leave my money in the annuity?
2. What do I expect to use the money for in the future?
3. Am I interested in a variable annuity with the potential for higher earnings that are not guaranteed and willing to risk losing the principal?
4. Is a guaranteed interest rate more important to me, with little or no risk of losing the principal?
5. Or, am I somewhere in between these two extremes and willing to take some risks?