Build an annuity ladder
Locking everything in a single 10-year contract maximizes yield but kills flexibility. A ladder gives up a little rate in exchange for principal back on a predictable cadence — and a built-in hedge if rates rise. Spread your deposit across four terms and see how the trade-off lands.
Why ladders beat single contracts
You don’t know where rates will be in three years — neither does anyone else. A ladder diversifies your reinvestment risk across the curve. Each rung that matures gives you the option to re-up at whatever the new environment offers.
Liquidity without surrender charges
MYGAs typically allow 10% free withdrawals annually, but a real liquidity event — pulling tens of thousands at once — triggers surrender fees outside that window. A ladder times those events in advance, so principal is available exactly when contractually permitted.
The “barbell” alternative
A common variant is the barbell: heavy weight on the shortest and longest rungs, less in the middle. Useful when you expect rates to fall (lock the long end) but want frequent re-up optionality (the short end). The presets above let you approximate it.
Illustrative only. Actual MYGA contracts have surrender schedules, market value adjustments, free-withdrawal provisions, and carrier-specific features that materially affect outcomes. Rates shown are user-entered assumptions. Future renewal rates are unknowable; the roll-forward toggle assumes today’s curve continues, which is a simplification, not a forecast. Not tax or investment advice — consult your fiduciary.
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