Related Financial Services - The Debt Consolidation Loan Directory list of companies and services offer a wide variety of consolidation programs for consolidating debts and other similar services, such as a getting a low rate credit card, car insurance quote online.

• Personal Loan Rates - Looking for small unsecured loan rates? Start at the personal loans directory, where you can shop and apply with different lenders and related services online.
• Consumer Debt Management - Too many credit bills for you to handle with your budget? Compare different programs and find the one that is the right match for your individual finances.
• Credit Debt Settlement - Finding yourself in the common situation of being unable to meet your credit card payments month after month? The negotiation of your bills may be a good solution for getting you back on track with your monthly obligations. Compare various companies and see if this option is right for you.

A Special Guide for Seniors and Families

Annuities for Retirees: What to Consider Before You Invest

Deal only with a competent, reputable sales representative. Most annuity sales representatives are trained professionals. However, there have been reports of sales representatives who have been poorly informed or have used false or misleading tactics to sell annuities. How can you improve your chances of getting good advice?

Work with a sales representative licensed by your state government's insurance regulator (listed in your local phone book or on the Web site of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners at www.naic.org/state_web_map.htm). If the sales representative offers variable annuities, he or she also must be licensed to sell securities. For information on whether a sales representative is properly licensed or has a history of disciplinary problems, contact your state securities regulator (in your phone book or from the North American Securities Administrators Association at www.nasaa.org/QuickLinks/ContactYourRegulator.cfm) and the National Association of Securities Dealers, a self-regulatory group for the securities industry (1-800-289-9999 or www.nasd.com).

"Annuities are generally sold on a commission basis, so it's important to find a sales representative who puts your interests ahead of his or her own," added Ritchie.

Proceed carefully before replacing an existing annuity with a new one. A sales representative may suggest investing in a new annuity paying a higher return or replacing a deferred annuity with an immediate life annuity to provide monthly income now instead of later. These actions may make sense for some people. However, it can be expensive to change annuities. Make sure you consider the contract terms as well as early withdrawal penalties and other charges prior to making a change.

What if, soon after purchasing an annuity, you have "buyer's remorse" or find another annuity with better terms? Your annuity may have a "free look" period during which you can cancel without penalty. If yours doesn't and you still want to cancel, determine all the surrender charges and penalties and proceed with caution.

For more information about annuities in general, start with your state's insurance regulator. For more information about variable annuities, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Web site at www.sec.gov/investor.shtml or call toll-free 1-800-732-0330.

FDIC Consumer News is published by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

FDIC Consumer News is produced quarterly by the FDIC Office of Public Affairs in cooperation with other Divisions and Offices. It is intended to present information in a nontechnical way and is not intended to be a legal interpretation of FDIC or other government regulations and policies. Mention of a product, service or company does not constitute an endorsement.

Find current and past issues of FDIC Consumer News at http://www.fdic.gov/consumernews. Refer to this same index to locate the issues that are specially formatted for being reprinted in any quantity.

To receive an e-mail notice about each new issue of FDIC Consumer News posted on the FDIC Web site, with links to stories, follow instructions posted at www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Last updated on 11/14/2005

Make the correct decisions when shopping for banking, debt consolidation and related financial services. Educate yourself!

The Debt Consolidation Loan Directory has a growing library of free informative / educational financial resources for consumers shopping for many types of services related to the management of your money, such as consolidating credit card debts, fraud alerts and car insurance. There is no better way to make decisions regarding the management of your personal finances than to read and understand how they work. Please feel free to visit our consumer resource library for more information.

• Cell Phone Banking - New cell phones are constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated. This includes adding the capability of handling online banking through your phone. This FDIC article discusses some of the possibilities and precautions you should take when using your phone for banking purposes.
• How to Protect Yourself with FDIC Insurance - Read up on what qualifications are necessary and how to determine if your deposits are covered by FDIC insurance.
• Direct Deposit Safer than Checks? - The US Treasury Department reports that a majority of surveyed consumers mistakenly believe that paper checks are safer than direct deposit.
• Consider the Fees! - Learn what to look for and examine the details of each banking account offer for possible fees, such as: inactivity, minimum balance and ATM withdrawal fees.

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