A CFP^®’s review of the
Allianz Life of North America Allianz Benefit Control Annuity

10 Tips You Should Know If You Are
Considering The Allianz Benefit Control

1. This product has a 10 Years term. Make sure you are comfortable with committing your money for this period. Do not invest money you might need to live on.
2. You can lose money in two ways. You will be charged surrender charges if you take excess withdrawals before the term ends. The product’s surrender schedule is below. You also might be charged a market value adjustment on early withdrawals. Look for products with a short surrender period and no MVA if you might need access to the money.
3. Allianz Life of North America has the right to change the terms of their index annuity at any time. Participation rates, spreads, and crediting rates can be changed without your permission. Please choose your company wisely because they control the formula which determines the growth. Want our recommendation? Request a index annuity quote.
4. The Allianz Benefit Control competes with bank CDs, bonds, and other fixed-income products. It does NOT compete with the stock market. You earn a fixed-income type of return, not market-like returns. Do not trust anyone that tells you otherwise.
5. You might be better off in a MYGA with a pre-determined rate of return vs. an index annuity where you might earn 1-3% more per year. Studies have shown that MYGA’s and index annuities' returns are similar. Looking for the highest guaranteed returns? Check out the highest fixed annuity (MYGA) rates.
6. Do not buy an annuity solely for the bonus. If a company pays a bonus, they typically take away some of the upside potential by lowering the cap. They also extend the term or lower the renewal rates.  You don’t get something for nothing!
7. Has a company sent you a proposal that seems “too good to be true?” Hypothetical illustrations are often the best-case scenario. You should also request a proposal for the worst-case scenario. Know the worst and best-case scenarios because you will likely earn something in the middle.
8. Some index annuities have caps that limit their gains. Uncapped annuities have spreads or participation rates that limit their upside potential. Know how the return is calculated. Book a 15-minute phone call with one of our specialists, and they can help.
9. Income riders cost real money and lower your principal balance. The fees are taken out of your account value. If you don’t need income later, DO NOT pay for an income rider. If you are looking for the most retirement income, request an income later quote. We can rank 150+ income riders and show you which products guarantee the most retirement income.
10. Be extremely careful with custom or proprietary indexes because you don't know the underlying holdings. These fancy new indexes have not been tested in the real world. Established indexes are safer and more likely to generate better returns. Diversify your index annuity into a variety of indexes. It’s also a good idea to lock in the indexes at different times. The indexes available for the product are listed below.
11. Bonus Tip - Watch our video titled "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Consumers Make When Buying An Annuity & How To Avoid Them"

WHAT IS A REALISTIC RETURN FOR AN INDEX ANNUITY?

1. In our opinion, you could earn slightly less than what fixed annuities pay to slightly more.
2. Expect to earn 1-2% more than the average rate of a 1-year fixed annuity.
3. This would be 2-6% in today’s market. I would not expect anything more than this over a more extended period. This assumes you find one of the better products on the market.
4. Uncapped index annuities might earn 3-7% (1-2% more) than capped annuities. Uncapped annuities outperform when stock markets are strong. Capped annuities will likely outperform uncapped products when the stock market is weaker.
5. Request a index annuity quote, and we will send you what we feel are the best capped and uncapped index annuities on the market today.
6. If someone promises you significantly higher returns than we disclosed, it's a red flag. You’ve worked hard for your savings and need it to work hard for you.
7. If you want the highest guaranteed returns, consider a multiple-year guarantee annuity (MYGA) because the rates are guaranteed for the entire term. Here's where you can find the fixed annuities (MYGAs) with the highest rates.

what we like

• Allianz is one of the largest insurance companies in the world
• High Ratings
• Percentage of Balance Withdrawals
• RMD Friendly
• Flexible Contributions

what we don’t like

• Possible market value adjustment on withdrawals 10 Year Term (make sure you don’t need access)

WHO SHOULD PURCHASE AN INDEX ANNUITY?

• Do you like bank CDs, bonds, and other types of fixed income?
• Are you a conservative investor who wants to protect your principal?
• Is the pain of losing money greater than the pleasure of winning?
• Are you looking for a conservative alternative to bonds?

Index annuities are an excellent fit for conservative investors looking for an alternative to bank CDs and bonds.

Other reasons to consider an indexed annuity:

1. Tax-Deferred Growth - Your money grows faster due to the triple compounding of interest. This is because you earn interest on the money generally lost to taxes.
2. Guaranteed Retirement Income - (via annuitization or an income rider).
3. Reasonable Returns - Index annuities are an alternative to CD’s, MYGA’s, and bonds. They offer the potential for higher returns.
4. Flexible Contributions - You can add money over time to most index annuities.
5. Avoid Probate - Index annuities pass by beneficiary designation, not probate. In some states, probate can be costly and time-consuming.
6. Creditor Protection - Many states offer creditor protection to assets inside an annuity.
7. No fees unless you choose an income rider.
8. Favorable tax treatments for retirement income if you annuitize.

Company description

Allianz Life Insurance Of North America is a member of the Allianz SE. Allianz SE is one of the largest insurance companies in the world. Allianz's mission is to secure your future. 99% of their portfolio is investment grade as of March 2020. More than 1.2 million Americans rely on them to help them achieve their retirement goals. Their parent company (Allianz SE) serves over 85 million customers globally. Allianz makes promises you can depend on the rest of your life.

market-value adjustment (MVA)

• A market value adjustment is basically an additional charge or credit for taking money out early from an annuity.
• They allow companies to pay a higher rate and make longer-term investments.
• MVA’s only affect you if you withdraw funds early. If you own the contract to maturity, they do not apply.

product information

Product information	Index annuities are for conservative investors who like safety. They were introduced in 1995 to compete with bank CDs. Index annuities are fixed annuities that deliver fixed income type of returns. They don’t have the upside or downside of the market. They compete with bonds, CDs, and other safer investments. They allow you to capture some of the growth of a market index while having 100% downside protection. Returns are linked to a positive performance in an external index. You are not directly participating in the market. You are watching the market, and a formula decides how much gain of the index you receive.
Product name	Allianz Benefit Control
Product type	Fixed Indexed
premium type	Flexible Premium
Product brochure
account types	Personal, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP-IRA, SIMPLE-IRA, 403(b).
not available in	ID, NY, OR, PR, VA, VI