About SAFE

What is SAFE?

The Society for Annuity Facts and Education (SAFE) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, founded in 2012, expressly to educate and inform the general investing public about the value and strength annuity products can bring to your retirement and financial planning. We intend to actively work with the media to extend our awareness-building efforts.

The founders of SAFE believe that the use of annuities should be placed in a better and more objective light as an essential building block to your plan in order to protect and extend your retirement income, potentially for a lifetime.  In addition to Social Security (which is essentially an annuity), annuities are the only financial product that can ensure monthly income streams until the day you die.

SAFE is here to simplify and demystify annuities and ultimately dispel misconceptions about their appropriate consideration and place in retirement planning, alongside your savings, pension, Social Security and other income alternatives. Many of the misconceptions can be tied to inappropriate sales and marketing practices of some insurance companies, product distributors and financial advisors.

SAFE is a non-partisan organization and will serve as a strong voice and guide to point out potential pitfalls in your consideration of annuity products. SAFE will assist you in formulating a solid and proper decision-making process for their potential use in your retirement income mix.

 

Why SAFE Rather than Others?

The Society for Annuity Facts and Education (SAFE) exists purely for education and information sought by its users. Our focus is to provide a safe home for all who wish to get straightforward information on annuities. As you survey the Internet, you will find a significant number of web sites which provide information on annuities with the ultimate outcome of selling you an annuity product.

SAFE does not sell annuity products or will not refer you directly to financial advisors or insurance agents who do. We will share our insights about companies and individuals who are affiliated with annuity products, and best equipped and educated to help you with a buying decision. We will also provide links to reputable organizations which help you directly with specific product and advisor information.

SAFE is a place where you can ask general questions about all things annuities. We will provide straightforward and objective answers. We will be positive about the proper use of annuities but we will not mince the truth on bad practices which you should avoid. Count SAFE on your side as an advisor, partner, and watchdog to support you in making well-considered decisions for your future financial and retirement needs.

 

Who Represents SAFE?

In 2011, leaders from a variety of organizations and associations affiliated with the insurance and annuities industries met for the purpose for creating an online consumer information portal to attract and educate potentially interested users about how annuities could be effectively and appropriately used in retirement and financial planning. The leaders agreed that the design of this new portal needed to be purely educational by highlighting information and providing an objective discussion of annuity products with no sales attached.

With initial funding from these leaders, the Society for Annuity Facts and Education (SAFE) was founded in 2012, as a non-profit association. Today, it is overseen and governed by a board of directors representing various interests sharing the mission and vision of the organization, including educators, association executives, independent marketing data experts, and representatives from well-known insurance and annuity companies. SAFE is independent in its voice and leadership and strives to maintain a balance in its board of directors representation between industry and allied professionals who are well versed in today’s annuity product landscape and the key centers of influence which have an impact on it, including government, media, employers and the financial services community.