In what could be a boon to the annuity industry, a report released Friday by the Government Accountability Office said that delaying Social Security and purchasing an annuity may be the only way to ensure solvency in retirement.

"Financial experts GAO interviewed typically recommended that retirees … convert a portion of their savings into an income annuity to cover necessary expenses, or opt for the annuity provided by an employer-sponsored DB pension instead of a lump sum withdrawal," the report states.

Entitled Retirement Income: Ensuring Income throughout Retirement Requires Difficult Choices, it notes that experts also recommend that individuals delay receipt of Social Security benefits until reaching at least full retirement age and, in some cases, continue to work and save.

Complete your profile to continue reading and get FREE access to BenefitsPRO, part of your ALM digital membership.

  • Critical BenefitsPRO information including cutting edge post-reform success strategies, access to educational webcasts and videos, resources from industry leaders, and informative Newsletters.
  • Exclusive discounts on ALM, BenefitsPRO magazine and BenefitsPRO.com events
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.