Kim Borwick, Financial Editor for Annuity.org
  • Written By
    Kim Borwick

    Kim Borwick

    Financial Editor

    Kim Borwick is a writer and editor who studies financial literacy and retirement annuities. She has extensive experience with editing educational content and financial topics for Annuity.org.

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  • Edited By
    Emily Miller
    Emily Miller, Managing Editor for Annuity.org

    Emily Miller

    Managing Editor

    Managing editor Emily Miller is an award-winning journalist with more than 10 years of experience as a researcher, writer and editor. Throughout her professional career, Emily has covered education, government, health care, crime and breaking news for media organizations in Florida, Washington, D.C. and Texas. She joined the Annuity.org team in 2016.

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  • Financially Reviewed By
    Janet Berry-Johnson, CPA
    Janet Berry-Johnson, CPA

    Janet Berry-Johnson, CPA

    Certified Public Accountant

    Janet Berry-Johnson is a certified public accountant and freelance writer with a background in accounting and income tax planning and preparation. Janet was named one of the Top 100 Must-Follow Tax Twitter Accounts for 2020 by Forbes.

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  • Updated: January 10, 2023
  • 9 min read time
  • This page features 7 Cited Research Articles
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How to Cite Annuity.org's Article

APA Borwick, K. (2023, January 10). Withdrawing Money from an Annuity. Annuity.org. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.annuity.org/selling-payments/withdrawing/

MLA Borwick, Kim. "Withdrawing Money from an Annuity." Annuity.org, 10 Jan 2023, https://www.annuity.org/selling-payments/withdrawing/.

Chicago Borwick, Kim. "Withdrawing Money from an Annuity." Annuity.org. Last modified January 10, 2023. https://www.annuity.org/selling-payments/withdrawing/.

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Key Takeaways
  • You may face a penalty or a surrender fee, also known as a withdrawal, or surrender charge if you take money out of an annuity.
  • In addition to potential surrender fees, the IRS also charges a 10% early withdrawal penalty tax if the annuity-holder is under the age of 59 ½.
  • The time it takes to receive money from an annuity often depends on the company you are dealing with. The typical timeframe for receiving cash from an annuity is four weeks.

Because annuities are designed for the specific purpose of providing reliable income in retirement, the IRS and insurance companies have implemented financial penalties to deter annuity owners from making withdrawals beyond what the contract allows.

It’s crucial to consider the consequences from the federal government as well as from the issuing insurance company before you withdraw money from your annuity. If the consequences outweigh the benefits, you may want to consider selling a portion of your annuity payments instead.

Considerations for Taking Early Withdrawals

There are two things to keep in mind when considering taking early withdrawals from your annuity.

One is the surrender period stated in your contract and set by the insurance company, and the other is the U.S. tax code. Both entities have stipulations for your withdrawals, and there are exceptions and provisions that affect the standard penalties for each.

Infographic Illustrating Annuity Early Withdrawal Considerations

Withdrawals During the Surrender Period

If you take money out of an annuity, you may face a penalty or a surrender fee, also known as a withdrawal, or surrender charge.

Annuity contracts include surrender charges to make up for the insurance company’s loss if you choose to withdraw before they can earn interest on your principal. The surrender charge typically decreases each year as the annuity contract matures and earns interest for the insurance company. Once the surrender period has expired, the surrender charge is zero.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, penalties are also meant to discourage annuity owners from using deferred annuities as short-term investments for quick cash.

DID YOU KNOW?
Surrender periods often last six to eight years.
Source: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Many insurance companies allow annuity owners to withdraw up to 10% of their account value without paying a surrender charge. However, if you withdraw more than your contract allows, you may still have to pay a penalty — even after the surrender period has ended.

Some annuity contracts have surrender charge waivers for special situations, such as nursing home confinement or terminal illness.

Withdrawing Funds vs. Selling Payments

Withdrawing & SurrenderingSelling Payments
Taxes on money received✓✓
Surrender period (6–8 years)✓
Surrender charge✓
Discount applied✓
Early withdrawal tax penalty (10%)✓

It’s important to note that not every contract allows you to make free withdrawals. Review your contract and speak with someone from your insurance company if you have questions.

If your contract is too restrictive on withdrawals and you need cash immediately, you may be better off selling your payments at a discount to a company that purchases annuity and structured settlement payments.

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IRS Tax Penalties for Early Withdrawals

Insurance companies aren’t the only ones with criteria for annuities.

The Internal Revenue Service has its own set of rules that guide the use and tax treatment of these products, and they have nothing to do with the criteria set forth by the insurance company.

You may be free to withdraw money at your discretion as far as the insurer is concerned, but if you are under the age of 59 ½, the IRS will charge you a 10% penalty.

According to IRS Publication 575, “Most distributions (both periodic and nonperiodic) from qualified retirement plans and nonqualified annuity contracts made to you before you reach age 59 ½ are subject to an additional tax of 10%.”

The 10% additional tax applies only to the taxable portion of the withdrawal, which you can determine using either the General Rule, if your annuity is nonqualified, or the Simplified Method, if your annuity is qualified.

Tax obligations for a non-qualified annuity
Expand

Systematic Withdrawal Schedule

The IRS also imposes what are known as required minimum distributions after you reach a certain age and enforces a penalty for what it calls “excess accumulation.”

As an annuity owner, you may want to get ahead of the IRS and the insurance company by setting up a systematic withdrawal schedule.

A systematic withdrawal schedule allows you, the annuity owner, to customize your payment amounts and frequency. The drawback to a systematic withdrawal schedule is that you give up the guarantee of the lifetime payments that annuitization ensures.

The benefit you will gain from this withdrawal strategy is control over your finances as you take a more active part in your wealth management. On the flip side, though, you are forfeiting the financial security that annuities are meant to provide.

FAQs

To guide you as you contemplate withdrawing funds from your annuity, we have included answers to some frequently asked questions.

Can you take all of your money out of an annuity?
You can take your money out of an annuity at any time, but understand that when you do, you will be taking only a portion of the full annuity contract value. You must account for taxes, surrender charges or discount rates depending on whether you choose to withdraw your funds or sell your annuity in its entirety for a lump sum of cash.
How can I withdraw money from an annuity without penalty?
The most clear-cut way to withdraw money from an annuity without penalty is to wait until the surrender period expires. If your contract includes a free withdrawal provision, take only what’s allowed each year, usually 10%. To avoid owing penalties to the IRS, wait to withdraw until you are 59 ½ and set up a systematic withdrawal schedule.
What is the free annuity withdrawal provision?
Many, but not all, insurance companies allow you to withdraw up to 10% of your funds prior to the end of the surrender period. Review your contract to determine whether your annuity includes a free withdrawal provision.
How are withdrawals from qualified annuities taxed?
Qualified annuity payments are taxed as ordinary income — not as capital gains — when the funds are distributed or withdrawn. If you take your money out of your annuity before you reach age 59 ½, you will owe an additional 10% early withdrawal penalty to the IRS.
Please seek the advice of a qualified professional before making financial decisions.
Last Modified: January 10, 2023
Written By
Kim Borwick, Financial Editor for Annuity.org
Kim Borwick Financial Editor
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Edited By
Emily Miller, Managing Editor for Annuity.org
Emily Miller Managing Editor
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Financially Reviewed By
Janet Berry-Johnson, CPA
Janet Berry-Johnson, CPA Certified Public Accountant
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7 Cited Research Articles

Annuity.org writers adhere to strict sourcing guidelines and use only credible sources of information, including authoritative financial publications, academic organizations, peer-reviewed journals, highly regarded nonprofit organizations, government reports, court records and interviews with qualified experts. You can read more about our commitment to accuracy, fairness and transparency in our editorial guidelines.

  1. Internal Revenue Service. (2022, February 28). Pension and Annuity Income. Retrieved from https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p575.pdf
  2. Internal Revenue Service. (2020, January). Tax-Sheltered Annuity Plans (403(b) Plans). Retrieved from https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p571.pdf
  3. Internal Revenue Service. (2018, December). Publication 939 General Rule for Pensions and Annuities. Retrieved from https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p939.pdf
  4. Internal Revenue Service. (2019). Publication 575 Pension and Annuity Income. Retrieved from https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p575.pdf
  5. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (2001, July 28). Fast Answers: Variable Annuity Surrender Charges. Retrieved from https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/investing-basics/glossary/variable-annuity-surrender-charges
  6. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (2015, February 19). Registration Statement. Retrieved from https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/836687/000083668715000004/prefadvannpreeff1.pdf
  7. Insurance Information Institute. (n.d.). What are surrender fees? Retrieved from https://www.iii.org/article/what-are-surrender-fees