A new opportunity for advisors: Younger indexed annuity buyers
May 7, 2026 by Anna Baluch
Wink’s Moore on the Market: A new opportunity for advisors: Younger indexed annuity buyers?
“Nationwide‘s latest Advisor Authority study found that 63% of millennials and 54% of Gen Xers are more likely to put part of their portfolio in an annuity or other guaranteed income solution.”
Well, it must be the “guaranteed income solution” that they are flocking to because annuity issue ages have steadily-remained at 65-67 for as long as Wink, Inc. has been collecting the data.
Please do not mistake this article as a suggestion that younger people are buying indexed annuities.
They are not.
Great idea (which I was hoping to champion early in my career).
The problem?
Having an employer-sponsored 401(k) is by far the norm.
I am certain that younger people are more concerned about accumulation than income. However, if that is the case, why wouldn’t you steer these candidates to structured/RILA products?
As for this-
“It’s also important to discuss the value of money using income riders, which can help sustain income during retirement.”
Why would you EVER lock a young person into an annuity where the surrender charges will expire, before they have the opportunity to activate their income rider/Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit?
I bought my first annuity before I was 30. Believe me when I say that I thought we could change the entire demographic of annuity buyers.
I underestimated the institutional acceptance of 401(k)s and their matched contributions.
Agree? Disagree? Let’s talk (because I would LOVE to change this!) Join in the LinkedIn discussion here. -sjm
