Article originally published by CNBC.com

Written by Sarah O’Brien

“Lawmakers are considering a proposal to let 401(k) plans include annuities as a “default” investment option.

Under a bill in the House, as much as 50% of a participant’s contribution could be put in an annuity, under certain circumstances. The idea, said supporters of the provision, is to help workers reach retirement with a source of guaranteed income derived from their savings.

“What we’re advocating is introducing the idea of lifetime income to be at least part of a [default investment option] — not the entire amount, but a portion,” said Dan Zielinski, spokesperson for the Insured Retirement Institute, which, in part, represents the annuity industry.

“People have anxiety about running out of money in retirement, so this would be an option to alleviate that anxiety and give them a stream of income … while still retaining the other portion of their investment savings,” Zielinski said.

The bipartisan bill, called the Lifetime Income for Employees Act, also is included in a draft version of another retirement-related bill that is expected to be formally introduced later this month. It is among the handful of measures pending in Congress that seek to build on the Secure Act, legislation enacted in 2019 that aimed to increase both the ranks of savers and retirement security.

It’s uncertain whether the proposal to let annuities be a default option will make it into any broader retirement bill that supporters hope will be considered this year.

Annuities can vary widely, both in terms of cost and particular guarantees. However, they all generally involve entering into a contract with a provider (typically an insurance company), whereby you hand over your money in exchange for the promise that you’ll receive regular payments across many years (or decades).”

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