Guaranteed income for life
You hand one deposit to one insurer, and a guaranteed check arrives every month for as long as you live — with your money protected for your heirs by a cash-refund guarantee. Here’s exactly how it works, what you give up, and who it fits.
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What it really is
You put in
One lump sum, once. You pick the amount — $50,000, $250,000, a million.
You get back
A fixed check, every month. The amount is set the day you start and never falls.
For how long
As long as you live. The check cannot run out, however long that is.
It’s a private pension: insurance against living a long time — not a bet on how long you’ll live.
How it works
Deposit
From an IRA or regular savings — you choose the amount and the day the checks start.
Pooled
The money left by those who die earlier stays in the pool and lifts the checks of those who live longer — income a CD can never pay.
Paid
The same amount, on the same day, for the rest of your life — and, with a cash refund, whatever’s left goes to your heirs.
The full mechanism, in plain English: Read how guaranteed income works →
If you die early
The oldest worry about lifetime income: “What if I hand over the money and don’t live long enough to get it back?” A cash-refund guarantee answers it.
If you pass away before the checks add back up to what you put in, the remaining balance goes to your heirs — not to the insurance company.
Every quote we show you defaults to single-life with a cash refund, so the number you see already has this protection built in.
Run your own number
One honest figure — the highest guaranteed monthly income your money can buy today. No email, no phone number.
What to watch for
Guaranteed income is a fair deal only if you know exactly what you’re giving up for it. Six things worth understanding first.
You give up the lump sum for good. In exchange, the income is guaranteed for life — but you can’t change your mind later, so annuitize only part of your savings.
Cover just you, you and a spouse, a set number of years, or money back to heirs. Each choice trades a smaller check for more protection.
With regular savings, much of each check is your own money coming back tax-free. IRA money is taxed in full — the two follow different rules.
It never falls — but it never rises either. You can add a rider that grows the check over time, at the cost of a lower first payment.
The guarantee is backed by the insurer and a state safety net, not bank deposit insurance. That’s why the carrier’s financial strength matters.
A CD or bond ladder keeps your principal and control — but it can’t pay a check that never stops. See the honest comparison.
The safety layers
Not FDIC-insured. The insurer’s own strength and a state safety net carry the guarantee — which is why we quote only A-rated carriers.
A life insurer paying your check for 30 years must be built to last. The AM Best rating is the standard shorthand for that staying power — we quote only A-rated carriers.
If a carrier ever fails, your state’s guaranty association stands behind your income up to the state limit (typically $250K–$300K of present value).
See the highest guaranteed monthly income your savings can buy today — then decide, with no rush and no pressure.
See what your savings would pay youFree · No email or phone · A-rated carriers only
