ELCO Mutual Guardian Eagle — 3-year fixed annuity at 5.25%
- Locks in 5.25% for 3 years
- Open with $5,000 to $500,000
- Free withdrawals allowed for:
- 15% of your balance each year
- Your full investment for nursing home confinement or terminal illness
Rates as of May 8, 2026
Projected balance
over 3 years
Compounded at 5.25% guaranteed. No market exposure, no fees deducted from your balance.
| Year | Earnings | Balance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $525 | $10,525 |
| 2 | $553 | $11,078 |
| 3 | $582 | $11,659 |
| Total earnings | $1,659 | $11,659 |
Free-withdrawal allowance: 15% / yr (interest only year 1). Withdrawals beyond the allowance trigger the surrender charge below.
- Rank vs. peers
- #40 of 148 (top is 6.00% — Sentinel Security Personal Choice ages 60+)
- Top 3-year CD
- 4.20% APY · $11,314 at maturity (taxed annually)
Same product, other terms
Other Guardian Eagle terms from ELCO Mutual
Projections shown for a $10,000 premium.
| Term | Rate | Projection | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 3.50% | $10,350 | View → |
| 2-year | 3.50% | $10,712 | View → |
| 3-year | 5.25% | $11,659 | You're here |
| 5-year | 5.50% | $13,070 | View → |
| 7-year | 5.00% | $14,071 | View → |
| 10-year | 5.00% | $16,289 | View → |
If you withdraw early
Surrender charge schedule
Surrender charges apply to withdrawals beyond the free-withdrawal allowance during the contract term. The charge is a percentage of the amount withdrawn, decreasing each year. They exist because the carrier matches your premium against long-duration assets — early redemption forces them to unwind those positions.
| Contract year | Charge |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5.0% |
| Year 2 | 4.0% |
| Year 3 | 3.0% |
Contract terms
What else to know
Term
3 years guaranteed at 5.25% APY
Investment range
$5,000 – $500,000
Funding sources accepted
Roth Conversion (Partial), Roth Conversion (Full), Traditional IRA, Non-Qualified, Inherited IRA, IRA Rollover, IRA Transfer, NQ Stretch, IRA-Roth
Owner age
0 to 90 years old
Death benefit
Full accumulated value passes to your beneficiary, no surrender charge.
Riders & waivers
- Terminal Illness Waiver
- Nursing Home Waiver
Maturity
30-day window at the end of the term to withdraw, reinvest, or convert to guaranteed income via annuitization.
Tax treatment
Interest accumulates tax-deferred. Personal post-tax funds: only the interest is taxable on withdrawal. Withdrawals before age 59½ may be subject to a 10% IRS penalty.
Source: ELCO Mutual contract brochure (download PDF). Anything you act on should be confirmed against the carrier's most recent filing.
First time looking at fixed annuities? How they compare to a CD →