What Happens to My Annuity After I Die?

What happens to an annuity after the death of the owner depends on the type of annuity and its payout plan. There are several types of annuity payout plans. With some annuities, payments end with the death of the annuity’s owner, called the “annuitant,” while others provide for the payments to be made to a spouse or other annuity beneficiary for years afterward.

The purchaser of the annuity makes the decisions on these options at the time the contract is drawn up. The options the annuitant chooses affect the amount of the payout.

Types of Annuities and Payout Plans

Whether an annuity is a fixed-period annuity, a life annuity, or some variation will determine what happens when its owner dies. These are the two main options, along with a hybrid type that combines some of the features of both.

Fixed-Period Annuity

A fixed-period, or period-certain, annuity guarantees payments to the annuitant for a set length of time. Some common options are 10, 15, or 20 years. (In a fixed-amount annuity, by contrast, the annuitant elects an amount to be paid each month for life or until the benefits are exhausted.)

If the annuitant dies before payments begin, some plans provide for the remaining benefits to be paid to a beneficiary designated by the annuitant. This feature applies if the full period has not yet elapsed or a balance remains on the account at the time of death, depending on the plan.

However, if the annuitant outlives the fixed period or exhausts the account before death, no further payments are guaranteed unless the plan provides for the continuation of benefits. In that case payments will continue to be paid to the beneficiary until the predetermined period elapses or the account’s balance reaches zero.

Life Annuity

Another common type of annuity is the life annuity, which guarantees payments for as long as the annuitant lives. Payments are based on a number of factors including the annuitant’s age, prevailing interest rates, and the account balance. The longer the annuitant is expected to live, the smaller the monthly payments. Nevertheless, the payments are guaranteed no matter how long the annuitant lives.

However, if the annuity is still in the accumulation phase at the time of the annuitant’s death, meaning that the payments have not begun, many plans provide an annuity death benefit to the beneficiary. Typically, this lump-sum payment is the greater of the account balance or the total of all premiums paid, although some plans provide additional options.

If the annuity is structured as a joint life annuity, it guarantees payments for both the lifetime of the annuitant and that person’s spouse. Upon one spouse’s death, the survivor will continue to receive payments for life. Those payments, or joint life payouts, can be the same amount the annuitant received during their lifetime or a reduced amount, depending on the choices the annuitant made at the contract’s inception.

If both spouses die early, some annuities provide for a third beneficiary to receive payments.

Life With Period-Certain Annuity

Still another variation, the life with period-certain annuity, or period-certain plus life annuity, combines the features of fixed-period and life annuities. With this type of plan, the annuitant is guaranteed payment for life but can also choose a fixed period of guaranteed payment.

For example, a life plus period-certain annuity with an elected period of 10 years pays the annuitant for life. However, if that person dies within the first 10 years of collecting benefits, the contract guarantees payments to the person’s beneficiary for the remainder of the period.

This type of plan provides annuitants with the assurance of income for life plus a guarantee that their heirs won’t lose out entirely if they die too soon.