What AnnuityFYI does

AnnuityFYI is a fixed-annuity-only comparison and brokerage platform operated by Somerset Wealth Strategies, LLC, an independent Oregon firm founded in 1997 by Thomas B. Hamlin. The site launched in November 2000 and functions as an education-first portal that curates and ranks fixed annuity products from more than 100 insurance carriers, with the firm claiming fewer than 2% (~300) of the 15,000+ products in the broader market meet its internal criteria. It organizes offerings into two primary suites — Annuities for Income (immediate annuities, deferred income annuities/longevity annuities, lifestyle-stability products) and Annuities for Growth (MYGAs, fixed index annuities, index-linked growth products) — supplemented by curated Top Picks and a real-time rate comparison tool covering 3-, 5-, 7-, and 10-year terms.

The underlying technology is a real-time rate database and quoting engine paired with a quote-request workflow that routes consumers to licensed Somerset professionals via phone (1-866-223-2121) or web forms; all inquiries are handled in-house with no referral to outside agents. The platform produces a sustained content-marketing program (blog, YouTube, podcast, email newsletter, organic social) and maintains a BBB A+ rating.

Revenue is generated through insurance carrier commissions embedded in the annuity products sold, with no direct customer fees for fixed annuity placement; advisory fees may apply for registered products through affiliated RIA and broker-dealer entities. The distribution motion is inside sales supported by content-driven inbound, targeting two primary segments — individual retirees and pre-retirees seeking guaranteed lifetime income and conservative investors seeking CD alternatives — plus a secondary channel serving financial advisors and brokers seeking independent marketplace access. The team is small (1-10 employees, headquarters at 4600 S Kelly Avenue, Portland, OR), and the company is privately held with no external funding rounds.

Name

AnnuityFYI

Legal name

Somerset Wealth Strategies, LLC

Website

https://annuityfyi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AnnuityFYI is an independent fixed-annuity brokerage and comparison platform, operated by Somerset Wealth Strategies, LLC, that connects retail retirees and conservative investors with licensed professionals for placement of fixed, fixed index, immediate, and deferred income annuities from 100+ carriers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Annuity Brokerage

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421), Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Annuity & Insurance-Based Retirement Solutions Advisory (FSAEABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fixed Annuities (FSAIACAA), Qualified Annuities (Retirement Plan/IRA) (FSAIACAG), Non-Qualified Annuities (After-Tax) (FSAIACAH), Annuity Riders & Guarantees (GLWB/GMWB/GMIB/Death Benefits) (FSAIACAL), Annuities & Investment-Linked Insurance Solutions (Retail) (FSAAAAAM)

Keywords

• Fixed annuity brokerage
• Annuity rate comparison
• Multi-year guaranteed annuities
• Fixed index annuities
• Retirement income planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Insurance Carrier Commissions: When customers purchase a fixed annuity through AnnuityFYI, the company (Somerset Wealth Strategies, LLC) receives commissions from the issuing insurance company. Compensation is typically embedded in the insurer's overall acquisition costs rather than billed as a separate line item to customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AnnuityFYI is a fixed-annuity-only platform that educates consumers, compares rates, and delivers personalized quotes for products from more than 100 insurance carriers, with licensed Somerset professionals guiding purchase and providing ongoing service. It offers four core product types — Fixed Annuities/MYGAs, Fixed Index Annuities, Immediate Annuities, and Deferred Income Annuities — organized into income and growth use-case suites, supported by a real-time rate comparison tool and curated top-pick product reviews.

Product overview

AnnuityFYI is a fixed-annuity-focused financial services platform operated by Somerset Wealth Strategies, LLC, an independent firm founded in 1997 and launched in November 2000. The company offers access to more than 100 insurance carriers and thousands of annuity products across four core product categories: Fixed Annuities/Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuities (MYGAs), Fixed Index Annuities (FIAs), Immediate Annuities, and Deferred Income Annuities (DIAs/Longevity Annuities). These are organized into two primary use-case suites — Annuities for Income (Peace of Mind, Income When You Need It, Lifestyle Stability) and Annuities for Growth (Grow Your Nest Egg, Guarantees & Protections, More Upside Potential) — supported by a curated set of Top Fixed Index Growth and Income Annuity picks. The platform also features a limited-time 34% Premium Bonus Fixed Index Annuity campaign and real-time rate comparison tools. AnnuityFYI does not offer variable annuities, securities, or products sold by prospectus, focusing exclusively on fixed annuity solutions with licensed professional guidance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fixed Annuities / Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuities (MYGAs) Fixed-rate annuity products with interest rates guaranteed for a defined term (typically 3–10 years), offering principal protection and tax-deferred growth. AnnuityFYI only recommends Multi-Year Guarantee Annuities (MYGAs) that lock in a fixed rate for the full surrender period, as opposed to banded-rate products with variable renewal rates.
• Fixed Index Annuities (FIAs) Insurance contracts that accumulate value on a tax-deferred basis, offering principal protection alongside market-index-linked growth potential tied to indices such as the S&P 500, NASDAQ 100, and Russell 2000. Growth is calculated using a floor (typically 0%) and a cap rate, participation rate, or spread applied to index performance.
• Immediate Annuities Annuity products where the owner begins receiving payments immediately or within 30 days of purchase, providing guaranteed lifetime income or period-certain payments in exchange for a lump-sum premium. AnnuityFYI offers real-time quoting for both individual and joint-life immediate annuity options.
• Deferred Income Annuities (DIAs / Longevity Annuities) Contracts where the owner pays a lump sum and receives guaranteed lifetime income beginning at a future date (up to 40 years later), offering higher payouts than immediate annuities due to the extended deferral period. Optional riders can provide legacy benefits, inflation hedging, joint-life coverage, or period-certain guarantees.
• Annuities for Income (Income Annuities Suite) Annuity product suite focused on generating guaranteed regular income, including options for immediate income, deferred income, joint-life income, and lifestyle-stability features with cost-of-living adjustments. Covers Peace of Mind (joint-life lifetime income), Income When You Need It (immediate or future-dated income), and Lifestyle Stability (inflation-adjusted income) products.
• Annuities for Growth (Growth Annuities Suite) Annuity product suite designed for wealth accumulation, offering guaranteed returns exceeding bank CDs or index-linked products with downside protection. Growth annuities are tied to market indexes (e.g., S&P 500) providing stock market exposure while limiting or preventing loss of principal.
• Fixed Annuity Rates Comparison Tool Real-time quoting system providing personalized fixed annuity rate comparisons across 100+ carriers, enabling users to compare rates across different term lengths (3, 5, 7, 10 years) with updated rates displayed on the site.
• Income Annuity Quote Request Service Online service enabling users to request personalized immediate and deferred income annuity quotes, with fields for state, investment objective, investment amount, and contact preferences, delivered via email or phone by licensed annuity specialists.
• 34% Premium Bonus Fixed Index Annuity A limited-time fixed index annuity featuring an immediate 34% premium bonus (ending July 31, 2026), principal protection, more than 10 index strategy options including S&P 500-based, NASDAQ-based, balanced, and AI-related indexes, participation rates exceeding 100% on certain strategies, year-one liquidity access (10% of premium and bonus value), minimum premium of $10,000, and capacity up to $2.5 million without prior approval.
• American Equity IncomeShield 10 Income-focused fixed indexed annuity from American Equity Life Insurance Company featuring an upfront premium bonus applied to both account value and income benefit base, income deferral advantage with generous payout rates for clients willing to defer, 10-year contract term, approximately 1.10% annual income rider fee, and $5,000 minimum investment.
• Athene Accumulator 10 Fixed indexed annuity from Athene offering S&P 500 cap rate of 12.25% annually for investments of $100,000+, BNP Paribas Multi Asset Diversified 5 index with 380% participation rate over two years in the 10-year version, no additional fees, and competitive terms across 5-, 7-, and 10-year contract lengths.
• CL Tarrant Trail Six-year fixed annuity from CL Life offering a 6.75% first-year return with the ability to cancel if annual payout falls below 5.2%, available in 8 states (AZ, GA, LA, OH, OK, TX, UT, VA) with a $20,000 minimum investment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 insurance companies offer 15,000+ annuity products; AnnuityFYI identifies fewer than 2% (300) as potentially exceptional investments

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• AthenecoreOthersAthene Annuity and Life Company - Des Moines-based annuity specialist and the No. 1 seller of fixed indexed annuities for three consecutive years. AnnuityFYI features their products including Athene Aviator, Accumulator 10, and Accumulator Plus with competitive cap rates and participation rates.
• NationwidesupportingOthersNationwide Insurance - Major insurance carrier offering fixed and fixed index annuity products featured on AnnuityFYI's carrier comparison platform.
• Protective LifesupportingOthersProtective Life Corporation - Insurance carrier providing annuity products available through AnnuityFYI's marketplace.
• New York LifesupportingOthersNew York Life Insurance Company - Major insurance carrier featured on AnnuityFYI's carrier comparison platform.
• Lincoln Financial GroupsupportingOthersLincoln Financial Group - Insurance carrier offering annuity products available through AnnuityFYI.
• MetLifesupportingOthersMetLife - Major insurance carrier featured on AnnuityFYI's carrier comparison platform.
• Voya FinancialsupportingOthersVoya Financial - Insurance carrier providing annuity products available through AnnuityFYI.
• Jackson National LifesupportingOthersJackson National Life Insurance Company - Major annuity provider featured on AnnuityFYI's marketplace.
• Allianz LifesupportingOthersAllianz Life Insurance Company of North America - Insurance carrier offering annuity products available through AnnuityFYI.
• Pacific LifesupportingOthersPacific Life Insurance Company - Major insurance carrier featured on AnnuityFYI's carrier comparison platform.
• Prudential FinancialsupportingOthersPrudential Financial - Major insurance carrier providing annuity products available through AnnuityFYI.
• F&G (Fidelity & Guaranty Life)supportingOthersF&G (Fidelity & Guaranty Life) - Insurance carrier featured with Accumulator Plus product on AnnuityFYI with A-rated carrier status.
• Oceanview Life and AnnuitysupportingOthersOceanview Life and Annuity Company - Provider of CapLock and Harbourview fixed index annuities with cap rates up to 8.75% featured on AnnuityFYI.
• Midland National / LivewellsupportingOthersMidland National Life Insurance Company - A+ rated company founded in 1906, providing Livewell fixed index income annuity featured as top pick.
• North American Company for Life and Health InsurancesupportingOthersNorth American Company - A+ rated company founded in 1886, providing Income Pay Pro fixed index annuity featured on AnnuityFYI.
• EquiTrust Life Insurance CompanysupportingOthersEquiTrust Life Insurance Company - B++ rated company providing MarketFuture fixed index annuity with competitive lifetime income at 6-10 year deferral.
• Global Atlantic Financial GroupsupportingOthersGlobal Atlantic Financial Group - Provider of 150+ SE fixed index annuity for immediate income needs with highest-in-class immediate income features.
• Ceres LifesupportingOthersCeres Life Insurance Company - Provider of Graybar Income Plus fixed index annuity with competitive income at 1, 9, and 10-year deferrals and home healthcare doubler rider.
• American Equity Investment Life Insurance CompanysupportingOthersAmerican Equity - Des Moines-based insurance company with A- (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best, founded in 1995, providing IncomeShield 10 fixed index annuity with upfront premium bonus.
• Guardian Life Insurance Company of AmericasupportingOthersGuardian Life Insurance Company of America - Major provider offering fixed indexed annuities including Guardian Secure Index Annuity with guaranteed lifetime income.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blueprint Income: Online annuity comparison and purchasing platform that enables consumers to compare and buy immediate, deferred, and fixed indexed annuities from multiple carriers — a direct digital competitor to AnnuityFYI's comparison-and-purchase model.
• Stan The Annuity Man: Independent annuity education and brokerage brand founded by Stan Haithcock, offering multi-carrier access with strong content/podcast presence. Direct competitor in the independent annuity advisor space.
• Annuity.org: Educational annuity resource and lead-generation platform covering fixed, immediate, deferred, and variable annuities. Comparable to AnnuityFYI in the education-first content marketing approach for annuity shoppers.
• ImmediateAnnuities.com: Specialized online marketplace for immediate and deferred income annuities offering real-time quotes from multiple carriers. Closely comparable to AnnuityFYI's income-annuity quoting and comparison functionality.
• Annuity Gator: Online annuity comparison and lead-generation site offering access to multiple carriers' fixed and indexed annuities, with educational content. Comparable in the multi-carrier comparison-shopping category.

Broad incumbents

• Athene Holding: Leading fixed and fixed indexed annuity carrier, ranked No. 1 seller of FIAs for three consecutive years. AnnuityFYI's flagship featured partner (Aviator, Accumulator 10, Accumulator Plus); comparable as a dominant distribution-side incumbent.
• New York Life: Major mutual insurance carrier offering fixed and fixed index annuities directly to consumers and through advisors. Comparable as one of AnnuityFYI's featured carrier partners and as a broad incumbent in the annuity distribution landscape.
• MassMutual: Major life insurance and annuity carrier (which acquired Blueprint Income) offering a broad range of fixed and variable annuities through advisor channels. Comparable as both a featured carrier and as an aggregator-adjacent incumbent.

Others

• NerdWallet: Large consumer finance content and comparison platform covering annuities (among many financial products). Comparable as a top-of-funnel content/SEO competitor for annuity education keywords, though not a direct distribution competitor.

Emerging players

• Canopy (formerly Income Discovery): Digital platform for shopping and purchasing immediate and deferred income annuities from multiple carriers with educational content. Overlaps with AnnuityFYI's income-annuity focus and is an emerging fintech-style competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AnnuityFYI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrGbx1X5MelLTEbYdscWT7g
• Facebookfacebook.com/AnnuityFYI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/annuity-fyi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AnnuityFYI