Treasury issues final rules regarding longevity annuities

Originally posted July 1, 2014 by Daniel Williams on www.lifehealthpro.com.

Good news on the retirement front.

Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service issued final rules regarding longevity annuities.

According to the ruling, "these regulations make longevity annuities accessible to the 401(k) and IRA markets, expanding the availability of retirement income options as an increasing number of Americans reach retirement age."

In commenting on the ruling, J. Mark Iwry, a Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Retirement and Health Policy, said:  “As boomers approach retirement and life expectancies increase, longevity income annuities can be an important option to help Americans plan for retirement and ensure they have a regular stream of income for as long as they live.”

Cathy Weatherford, president and CEO of IRI weighed in on the ruling: “The availability of longevity annuities in workplace plans and IRAs will facilitate access to a steady stream of guaranteed income throughout a retiree’s later years and help Americans enhance their retirement security at a time when they are most vulnerable to outliving their financial assets or facing reduced standards of living."