Example scenario result

$500,000 joint-life annuity income comparison for California

California joint-life scenario: age 62, income starting at age 67, premium $500,000. This example shows the income, liquidity, guarantee, cost, and principal-control tradeoffs without requiring a form submission.

Advisor confirmation required.

These figures are estimates for comparison only. A licensed financial advisor or insurance professional must confirm actual carrier quotes, state availability, rider terms, and whether a contract fits your situation before you act.

Where the engine needs a flat account-crediting path, AdvisorWorld currently uses a 5% assumed annual credited rate. Contractual rider roll-up rates are income-base mechanics, not guaranteed market returns.

Highest monthly income

$5,764

FIA income rider

Best balance

FIA income rider

Strongest guarantee

FIA income rider

Income tradeoff view

Put the income number next to what you keep.

Monthly income only tells one part of the story. This view places each income path next to principal access, beneficiary value, and the tradeoff created by the contract structure.

Scenario read: FIA income rider is also the highest monthly income path in this scenario, so the control tradeoff is not costing monthly income here.

FIA income rider

Best balance

Keeps more contract control and beneficiary value when the rider and contract terms support it.

$5,764

monthly income

Vs best balance

$0/mo

Principal access

High principal access

Beneficiary value

$598,033

DIA benchmark

Can raise deferred guaranteed income, but usually requires committing premium before payments begin.

$3,815

monthly income

Vs best balance

-$1,949/mo

Principal access

No principal access

Beneficiary value

Not returned

Annuitization

Converts contract value into a payment stream; principal access is generally gone after conversion.

$2,813

monthly income

Vs best balance

-$2,951/mo

Principal access

No principal access

Beneficiary value

Not returned

SPIA benchmark

Can maximize immediate guaranteed income, but usually trades away principal access.

$2,750

monthly income

Vs best balance

-$3,014/mo

Principal access

No principal access

Beneficiary value

Not returned

Path	Monthly income	Vs best balance	Principal access	Beneficiary value
FIA income rider	$5,764	$0/mo	High principal access	$598,033
DIA benchmark	$3,815	-$1,949/mo	No principal access	Not returned
Annuitization	$2,813	-$2,951/mo	No principal access	Not returned
SPIA benchmark	$2,750	-$3,014/mo	No principal access	Not returned

Decision balance

Income is only one part of the score.

These bars combine monthly income, principal control, and beneficiary value into an illustrative balance score.

The score is a visual aid, not financial advice or a product recommendation. Confirm the quote and contract terms with a financial advisor.

FIA income rider

Income with more contract control

Income100/100

Control92/100

Beneficiary100/100

DIA benchmark

Deferred guaranteed income

Income66/100

Control8/100

Beneficiary4/100

Annuitization

Contract conversion benchmark

Income49/100

Control8/100

Beneficiary4/100

SPIA benchmark

Immediate guaranteed income

Income48/100

Control8/100

Beneficiary4/100

Cumulative income

The first payment is not the whole story.

This view estimates cumulative income paid over 5, 10, 15, and 20 years after each path begins. It helps separate headline monthly income from long-term payment timing.

Path	Starts	Year 5	Year 10	Year 15	Year 20
FIA income rider	Age 67	$345,857	$691,714	$1,037,571	$1,383,428
Annuitization	Age 67	$168,780	$337,560	$506,340	$675,120
DIA benchmark	Age 67	$228,900	$457,800	$686,700	$915,600
SPIA benchmark	Age 62	$165,000	$330,000	$495,000	$660,000

Best balance

FIA income rider

Best balance when flexibility matters

Monthly income

$5,764

/month

Global Atlantic - Forethought Life Insurance Company · ForeIncome II

Liquidity: high flexibility
Guarantee: Lifetime guaranteed
Fee or cost: ~1.20%/yr rider fee
Death benefit and control: Often preserves contract value access, beneficiary value, and room to change course.
What you give up: Monthly income can be lower than a pure income-only contract, and rider fees can apply.

Benchmark

Annuitization

Contract conversion benchmark

Monthly income

$2,813

/month

Liquidity: No principal access
Guarantee: Lifetime guaranteed
Fee or cost: No ongoing fees after conversion
Death benefit and control: Converts contract value into a lifetime payment stream from the insurer.
What you give up: Principal access is generally gone once the contract is annuitized.

Benchmark

DIA benchmark

Deferred guaranteed income

Monthly income

$3,815

/month

Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company · Guardian Deferred Income Annuity

Liquidity: No principal access
Guarantee: Lifetime guaranteed
Fee or cost: No ongoing fees — income is fixed at purchase
Death benefit and control: Useful when a future income start date is known and principal access is less important.
What you give up: You usually give up access to principal during the waiting period and after payments begin.

Benchmark

SPIA benchmark

Immediate guaranteed income

Monthly income

$2,750

/month

Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company · Guardian Single Premium Immediate Annuity

Liquidity: No principal access
Guarantee: Lifetime guaranteed
Fee or cost: No ongoing fees — income locked at purchase
Death benefit and control: Useful as an immediate-income benchmark even when the plan is to defer income.
What you give up: You usually give up principal access in exchange for the immediate lifetime payment.

Income ranking

1. FIA income riderbest balance

$5,764

2. DIA benchmark

$3,815

3. Annuitization

$2,813

4. SPIA benchmark

$2,750

The highest income path is shown plainly, but it does not automatically win the whole decision. Liquidity, death-benefit value, cost, and reversibility are part of the score.

Whole-income decision table

Path	Monthly	Liquidity	Guarantee	Cost	What you give up
FIA income rider	$5,764	high flexibility	Lifetime guaranteed	~1.20%/yr rider fee	Monthly income can be lower than a pure income-only contract, and rider fees can apply.
Annuitization	$2,813	No principal access	Lifetime guaranteed	No ongoing fees after conversion	Principal access is generally gone once the contract is annuitized.
DIA benchmark	$3,815	No principal access	Lifetime guaranteed	No ongoing fees — income is fixed at purchase	You usually give up access to principal during the waiting period and after payments begin.
SPIA benchmark	$2,750	No principal access	Lifetime guaranteed	No ongoing fees — income locked at purchase	You usually give up principal access in exchange for the immediate lifetime payment.

Run your own version of this scenario

This example is a starting point. The calculator lets you change age, state, premium, and life type.

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Data freshness: May 22, 2026. Estimates are based on available product and quote data and are for education only. They are not financial advice, a recommendation, or a carrier-approved illustration. A licensed financial advisor or insurance professional must confirm the actual quote, contract terms, state availability, and fit before you make a decision. Guarantees are backed by the issuing insurance company, not AnnuityRatesHQ or AdvisorWorld.