<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><B>Avoid the retirement annuity minefield...don't make an expensive, catastrophic mistake! </B></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">·     The truth about using annuities to protect your future</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">·     The truth about hidden fees that could cost you a fortune</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">·     The truth about the newest types of annuities–good and bad</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Simply the best thinking…the truth and nothing but the truth </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">This book reveals the 50 CRITICAL FACTS you must know about annuities <I>before you buy</I></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">“Steve Weisman has accomplished a feat of immense proportion by explaining one of the most complicated investment vehicles in ways that average Americans can easily understand.”</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Robert Powell, Editor, “Retirement Weekly,” MarketWatch</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px"> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Introduction v</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 1          The history of annuities 1</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 2          Immediate annuities 5</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 3          Fixed rates 9</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 4          Deferred annuities 13</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 5          Annuity fees 17</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 6          Variable annuities 21</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 7          Variable annuity investment choices 25</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 8          Actively managing variable annuity sub-accounts 29</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 9          Indexed annuities 33</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 10        More about indexed annuities 37</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 11        Calculating index changes 41</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 12        Inflation protected annuities 45</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 13        Tax-sheltered annuities 49</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 14        Annuity settlement options 53</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 15        Tax deferral 57</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 16        Annuity risk 61</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 17        Annuity death benefits 66</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 18        Annuities and income taxes 69</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 19        Tax-free 1035 exchanges 73</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 20        Charitable gift annuities 77</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 21        Split annuities 81</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 22        Joint and survivor annuities 85</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 23        Shorter surrender annuities 89</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 24        Longevity insurance 93</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 25        Inheriting an annuity 97</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 26        Variable Annuities versus variable universal life insurance 101</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 27        Choosing between mutual funds and an annuity 105</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 28        Annuities and asset allocation 109</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 29        Asset allocation and laddering annuities 113</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 30        Minimum required distributions 117</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 31        59 ½ 121</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 32        Annuities in IRAs 125</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 33        Annuities and 401(k)s 129</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 34        More about annuities, IRAs, and 401(k)s 133</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 35        Annuities for children 137</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 36        Bonus credits 141</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 37        The Pension Protection Act, annuities, and long-term care 145</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 38        Annuities and Medicaid 149</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 39        Annuities and reverse mortgages 153</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0px">Truth 40        State Guaranty la