How a SPIA Is Taxed: The Exclusion Ratio Explained With a Real Example

Hand-drawn whiteboard infographic explaining the SPIA exclusion ratio, displaying the IRS General Rule formula and a case study of a 72-year-old retiree tracking tax-free principal returns over time versus a taxable CD.

A Single Premium Immediate Annuity turns a lump sum into guaranteed income — but not all of that income is taxed the same way. Part of every payment is a tax-free return of your own money; part is taxable earnings. The percentage that’s tax-free is called the exclusion ratio, and it’s set once, at the […]

What Actually Determines a SPIA’s Payout Rate? (It’s Not Just an Interest Rate)

Infographic explaining what determines a SPIA payout rate, showing a comparison between Carrier A and Carrier B alongside pricing factors like age, gender, premium, payout options, mortality credits, and carrier pricing appetite.

What Actually Determines a SPIA’s Payout Rate? What Actually Determines a SPIA’s Payout Rate? (It’s Not Just an Interest Rate) Two quotes. Same age. Same premium. Same payout option. Different checks. If you’ve started shopping for a single premium immediate annuity (SPIA), you’ve probably already run into this. You give two carriers the exact same […]