An annuity is a financial product that pays someone a fixed amount of money each year, often for the rest of their life. People commonly use annuities as part of retirement planning.
From Medieval Latin 'annuitas' meaning 'annual payment', from 'annus' meaning 'year'. It entered English through legal and financial language.
Annuities are essentially time machines that turn a pile of money now into a stream of money later. The 'ann-' root reminds you the key idea is yearly rhythm, even if the actual payments are monthly or quarterly.
Financial products like annuities have often been marketed and designed around male breadwinner models, sometimes neglecting women’s longer life expectancy and different work patterns. Historically, women had less access to such instruments due to legal and social barriers.
When discussing annuities, avoid assuming a particular gendered role in earning, managing, or benefiting from them.
["income stream","regular payout plan"]
Women economists and financial planners have been key in highlighting how annuity design and retirement products can better serve women’s financial security.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.