When your surrender period ends, you're in the driver's seat — possibly for the first time in years. Here's exactly what your four options are, how to think about each one, and why the 90 days before maturity matter most.
For years, your money has been earning whatever your contract guaranteed — and moving it would have cost you a surrender charge. When the surrender period ends, that changes completely: every dollar becomes free to move, penalty-free.
Here's what most annuity owners don't realize: if you do nothing, many contracts automatically renew — often at a much lower rate than the one you originally locked in, and sometimes with a brand-new surrender period attached. The insurance company is counting on inertia. A little attention at the right moment is often worth real money.
Sometimes your existing contract's renewal terms are genuinely competitive, and the right move is to stay exactly where you are. That's a real outcome of the reviews Devin runs — and when it's the answer, that's what he'll tell you. The point isn't to move your money. It's to make sure you're choosing, not defaulting.
Let the contract roll into its renewal terms. Zero paperwork — but check the renewal rate first. It's often meaningfully lower than your original rate, and a new surrender period may apply.
Move your full value — growth and all — into a new contract at today's best available rate, without triggering taxes, using a direct carrier-to-carrier 1035 exchange. This is the option the maturity window exists for.
Convert some or all of the value into a guaranteed income stream — a paycheck for a set period or for life. For money whose job has changed from "grow" to "pay me," this is the natural next chapter.
Take some or all of it out, penalty-free. Just know the tax picture first: deferred growth becomes taxable when withdrawn (and possibly a 10% federal penalty applies before age 59½). A partial withdrawal plus an exchange of the rest is also possible.
These aren't mutually exclusive — plenty of maturity plans combine them, like withdrawing a portion for flexibility and exchanging the rest at a better rate.
The maturity window rewards preparation. Here's the rhythm that works:
Check your contract or latest statement, or call your carrier and ask two questions: "When does my surrender period end?" and "What will my renewal rate be?" That renewal number is your benchmark.
This is where a written comparison earns its keep: today's best rates for your state and situation, side by side with what staying put pays. Devin prepares this for free — including the honest "stay put" recommendation when that's the winner.
If you're exchanging, the 1035 paperwork gets prepared now so the transfer executes right as your surrender period ends — no gap, no surrender charge, no taxes triggered, and not a day of interest missed.
Either your new contract funds via direct transfer, your income starts, your withdrawal processes — or you renew deliberately, knowing you checked. Every outcome beats defaulting.
You're not stuck. Most contracts that auto-renewed still have options — many renew into shorter windows or include a post-renewal exit period, and some carriers honor a 30-day window after each anniversary. It's worth finding out what your contract actually says. A quick review will tell you exactly where you stand.
The tax code's Section 1035 lets you exchange one annuity for another without paying taxes on your accumulated growth — but only if it's done as a direct transfer between insurance companies. If you take possession of the money first, even briefly, the IRS can treat it as a taxable withdrawal instead.
Done right, a 1035 exchange at maturity is clean: no surrender charge (the period ended), no taxes (direct transfer), and your full value starts compounding at the new rate on day one. Devin coordinates the paperwork between both carriers so the transfer is seamless — you never touch the funds, and nothing falls through the cracks.
Send over your annuity's basics — carrier, approximate maturity date, and a recent statement if handy — and Devin will prepare a written comparison: your renewal terms versus today's best options for your state. If staying put wins, he'll tell you that too.
No cost, no obligation, and your information is never sold. You'll hear from Devin personally.