Can I Get Out of an Annuity I Was Sold?

“I purchased an annuity from a financial planner and found out, after the fact, that what he sold me and I agreed to is not the same product that I purchased through him. He pre-filled the application and showed me where to sign. I feel foolish for not understanding how this annuity works.

I am disappointed that he presented himself as a fiduciary and told me this product would provide me guaranteed income, liquidity, and stock market returns. I now realize that the income guarantee, liquidity, and returns are not as straightforward as he described and appear to be costly versions of benefits I could have achieved with less complexity and lower fees. Do I have any recourse? Would hiring a new financial advisor help me figure out what to do?”

— Email from a prospective client

You've Built Wealth. Now It's Time to Build a Plan.

“I’m 62 years old, and my wife is 57. We both work full time. We have 401(k)s, three investment properties, our residential home, and enough cash to pay off our mortgage. We want to retire in five years. We’ve never worked with a financial advisor but are feeling a bit overwhelmed. We’re hoping to understand how you would approach the matter with us.”

Q1 2025 Quarterly Market Review: An Analysis of Market Dynamics

For Q1 2025, US stocks experienced a notable decline, with the Russell 3000 Index down 4.72%. This contrasted sharply with international developed markets, which rose by 6.20%, and emerging markets, which gained 2.93%. Global real estate exhibited moderate growth, up 1.37%. Bonds were similarly mixed, as US bonds increased 2.78%, while global bonds outside the US showed slight weakness, declining by 0.17%.

Trade policy gained prominence as the Trump administration's proposed tariffs sparked global market uncertainty. Interestingly, primary tariff-targeted markets such as Canada, Mexico, and China posted positive stock market returns, echoing patterns from Trump's previous term where contentious trade discussions did not consistently depress target-country stock markets.