for life A predictable monthly income stream. Option to choose an income that s guaranteed to last a lifetime.

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Lilian McLaughlin
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1 for life A predictable monthly income stream. Option to choose an income that s guaranteed to last a lifetime. Financial peace of mind during retirement.

2 To enjoy a secure retirement, you need more than just an IRA or 401(k) plan. Sooner or later you ll need a strategy for converting your savings into an income stream that will support you for the rest of your life. But it s not easy to create such a strategy on your own. If you don t allow for market downturns or financial emergencies or if you re one of the many Americans who live until their late 80s or 90s you could run out of money during your lifetime. An income annuity can help you solve that problem. By purchasing an annuity with part of your retirement savings, you can establish either a fixed or variable income that s guaranteed to last as long as you do.* In short, annuities are the closest you can get to ensuring a lifelong retirement income for yourself. *The guarantee applies to the claims-paying ability of the insurance company that issues the annuity, not to the return on the underlying investments.

If you don t allow for market downturns or financial emergencies or if you re one of the many Americans who live until their late 80s or 90s you could run out of money during your lifetime.

3 How an Income Annuity Works An annuity resembles a life insurance policy, only in reverse. With life insurance, you pay premiums in return for a guaranteed lump sum payment to your beneficiary. With an annuity, you pay a lump sum up front in return for a stream of guaranteed payments. That s why buying an annuity as opposed to making withdrawals from your retirement accounts offers more peace of mind. Fixed versus variable payments You can receive annuity payments on a fixed or variable basis. If you choose fixed payments, you ll receive identical payment amounts based on your initial lump-sum purchase, your life expectancy or a specified number of years, and a rate of return calculated by the annuity issuer. Once payments begin, they re immune to stock market volatility or changes in interest rates. If you choose variable payments, you select from a list of investment options. And you can change your investment mix periodically. Your first payment is usually based on an assumed 3% to 5% annual return; subsequent payments will vary in size, depending on how your investments perform. Variable payments give you the potential for growth which can help you keep up with inflation but it also carries the potential for loss.

That s why buying an annuity as opposed to making withdrawals from your retirement accounts offers more peace of mind.

4 Life versus period certain options Under the life annuity option, your payments last as long as you live and end with your death. If you re married, you can arrange to have the payments last for as long as either you or your spouse is living. If you choose a life annuity with period certain, payments are guaranteed for any length of time between 10 and 30 years. If you die before the period ends, your beneficiary will receive your remaining payments. Important factors to consider Turn part of your savings into an annuity. After you start receiving annuity payments, you may not have access to the money you used to purchase the annuity. For that reason, many people use only a third or a fourth of their retirement savings to buy an annuity enough to generate a stream of payments that will cover their basic living expenses and keep the rest in investments that are more liquid or offer more potential for long-term growth.

If you choose a life annuity with period certain, payments are guaranteed for any length of time between 10 and 30 years.

5 Choose a highly rated insurance company. How safe are annuities? If you receive fixed payments, they are guaranteed by the insurance company that issues the annuity, subject to the company s claims paying ability. (That s why you should choose an issuer that gets high marks for strength and stability from credit rating agencies like A.M. Best Company.*) With variable payments, you will always receive a payment, but its exact value will vary with the performance of the underlying investments. How to learn more about annuities For more information about annuities, call the Vanguard Annuity and Insurance Center at , or visit Vanguard s website at and go to the Personal Investors section. Click on the Services tab, and then choose Annuity & Insurance Services from the menu on the left. *Ratings of the insurance company do not apply to the underlying portfolios and do not provide protection against investment risk.

(That s why you should choose an issuer that gets high marks for strength and stability from credit rating agencies like A.M. Best Company.

6 Vanguard Annuity and Insurance Services Post Office Box 1105 Valley Forge, PA World Wide Web Toll-Free Investor Information For more complete information, including risks, charges, and expenses, on any annuity product available through Vanguard, call for a free prospectus. Read it carefully before investing. Printed on recycled paper The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor. VANS

any annuity product available through Vanguard, call 1-800-522-5555 for a free prospectus. Read it carefully before investing.

Your guide to annuitization

Your guide to annuitization The Vanguard Variable Annuity is issued by Transamerica Premier Life Insurance Company and, in New York State only, by Transamerica Financial Life Insurance Company. 5070 (07/14)