As time has passed, financial products have changed and gotten better. Many banking and investment firms are always looking at new ways to create wealth for their customers so that they may have a competitive advantage over their rivals. And these days, the investment market has been deluged with an overabundance of gimmicks that do not have the history to back their claims. Fixed annuities are not new and flashy, and consequently are often underrated or not considered. They’re worth another look.

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How money works is governed by basic economical and physical laws. A lot of companies, like insurance companies that sell investment products, will put together really good looking prospectus' that promise great returns and they show you a lot of pages that will make you believe them. Contracts that are too good to be true usually have fine print that accounts for any excess risk exposure.

The Warren Buffett quote, "Beware geeks bearing formulas," says it all.

You can see better returns for your investment if you stay with tried and true investment strategies that are easy to understand and implement. In the long run, fixed annuities help to build a solid retirement plan just as well as any of the jazzy indexed and variable products. With a fixed annuity, you know what to expect and that’s exactly what you get. Simple products do that.

As far as annuity products go, fixed annuities and immediate annuities have been around for a very long time. This is simply because they work effectively. Now, the new products may work but we don’t know that yet. I don't know anyone who would want to head into retirement not knowing for sure the product they are using will work Doing this is would be like letting someone else pack your parachute.

Why are Fixed Annuities better for you and your retirement goals? We will discuss a few reasons why a Fixed Annuity might be the best choice for you.

Competitive Interest Rates- Fixed annuities offer rates that exceed bank CD rates and treasury yields. Plus, fixed annuities have a guaranteed minimum interest rate, allowing you to know that no matter what happens, your account will always grow.

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Income Options - Fixed annuities come with free withdrawal provisions, allowing the owner to withdraw part of the money within the account and not have to pay a penalty. In addition, most products can be converted into guaranteed income for a specified period of years or for life, your choice. According to a study by New York Life and Wharton Business School, immediate annuities were proven to guarantee the larges amount of retirement income.

3) A Safe Bet. This past year has proven to be one of the worst for the financial markets, both in the United States and around the world. But most insurance giants were able to weather the financial storm because they follow very strict and conservative investment strategies. Insurance companies are expected, because of the nature of their business, to hold more cash in reserve than most regular financial institutions. Because of this, many insurance companies are still very stable and profitable. Also, each state has an insurance guaranty fund that insures any losses up to $100,000, just like the FDIC.

Is there a downside to fixed annuities? Sure there is. However, it should not be debated whether they are good or bad, rather who they will work the best for and who should avoid using them. Depending on your age and retirement goals, timing is the key. Most people have the ability to benefit from using a fixed or immediate annuity during their retirement. However, if their timing is off, they may wish they never invested in it.

Most of the problems seen in the annuity market originate from salesmen who are not qualified enough. Plus, there are a lot of products that benefit the insurance company, but do not so as much for the investor. You need to be your own champion and read the fine print so you don't get into a contract that does not benefit you in the long run.

You will want to find an adviser who is experienced and qualified, if you want to get the most out of a fixed annuity. The people at AnnuityStraightTalk.com completely understand fixed annuities and can explain how to use them in a way that you will benefit the most. That might take a little extra work, but your nest egg deserves no less.

Make an informed decision about annuities. Get the Free Annuity Report at www.AnnuityStraightTalk.com. - fixed annuities