Blueprint Income is an online annuities educator and marketplace offering retirement income products from several high-quality insurers. Blueprint Income guarantees retirement income for life by selling only annuities that benefit its clients. Investment representatives adhere to fiduciary principles while helping users compare quotes and designing an annuity that best fits their needs.
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Bottom Line
Blueprint Income specializes in simple fixed and income annuities and delivers one of the best digital experiences in the industry.
Blueprint Income Review
Blueprint Income sells all types of annuities. Consumers can learn about and purchase various annuities, like fixed, immediate, longevity and others online. An annuity is a financial contract with an insurance company, usually with a lump sum payment, to receive guaranteed income over retirement years. Annuities can be complicated, but Blueprint Income simplifies the buying process. The financial advisors at Blueprint Income operate under fiduciary principles and are obligated to help clients make smart financial decisions that are in a client’s best interests.
Blueprint Income’s investment model puts the power in your hands. With more than 30 top-rated insurance partners to choose from, you can make the best decision for you. Compare quotes directly on the website and apply in 10 minutes or less. If you’re not ready to buy, you can lock in your rate for up to 14 days.
The company partners with insurance companies with an A.M. Best rating of A or higher. Blueprint keeps high expectations for each insurance company they work with so you can make confident investments that are protected from longevity and market risk.
We chose Blueprint Income as one of the best annuity companies because of the outstanding secure technology the company provides.
Guaranteed retirement income from fixed and income annuities
Latest technology finds the right annuity
Reach a representative by phone, email or online chat
Cons
No longer offering Personal Pension annuity
Insurer processing could take up to three weeks
Blueprint Income’s Resources, Tools and Partners
Blueprint Income offers fixed and income annuities. The company’s website provides calculators for each type of annuity. The “Can I Retire” calculator lets you determine how much income you can expect based on several factors. You can change the variables in this calculator to see the impact on retirement funds.
The annuities Blueprint Income offers are backed by many of the strongest insurance companies, such as Guardian, MassMutual, and others. Financial strength is a must for the companies because annuities are not insured by the FDIC. Annuities are designed to be part of a retirement portfolio and not your entire savings, much like a Gold IRA. Blueprint Income does not recommend annuities to anyone who has a company pension.
Annuity Type
A Good Option if You:
Income
Are in good health, within 5 years of retirement
Need steady retirement income and have some savings
Fixed
Need access to some of the funds in the account before it matures
Want to build wealth while saving for retirement
Blueprint Income Annuities Choices
Income Annuities from Blueprint Income
Blueprint Income sells three primary types of income annuities, and some offer additional options. Income annuities all provide guaranteed income for the rest of your life. Use Blueprint Income to get free online quotes for these annuities.
Immediate annuities provide income starting within 12 months. These accounts are best for those who are about to retire or who are retired. This investment is also known as a Single Premium Income Annuity (SPIA)
Longevity annuities provide an income stream in the future, beyond one year. Longevity annuities are also called Deferred Income Annuities (DIA)
Qualified Longevity Annuity Contracts (QLACs) are technically longevity annuities. You can buy a QLAC using funds from a traditional IRA after you turn 70-½ and before the age of 85. Some people buy a QLAC to defer required minimum distributions from 401(k) and traditional IRA plans
Fixed annuity products offer a guaranteed growth rate over a set period. Also known as a multiyear guaranteed annuity (MYGA), you can withdraw funds from these annuities as you save over the years. You will get free quotes for fixed rate annuities on Blueprint Income’s website.
Choose a 3 to 10-year investment term
The guaranteed rate over the term depends on the amount you use to fund the annuity
Take the profits after age 59-½ at maturity, or roll it over into a new fixed annuity
Educational Tools
Blueprint Income offers several calculators with personalized quotes for income and fixed annuities as well as retirement and life expectancy calculators. These calculators can help you decide how much money you’ll need to have saved to afford your desired retirement lifestyle. Blueprint Income also offers a regular blog and a free annuity update newsletter that sends you timely alerts when rates go up or down.
The company will send you a 100-page guide to annuities. The guide explains the different types of annuities (immediate, longevity, QLAC, fixed, etc.), provides examples and product specifications, and offers buying tips.
Blueprint Income Annuities Costs
The cost of an annuity from Blueprint Income varies among several factors, like your age, gender, income stream start date and more. There are no ongoing fees. However, the costs for administering your annuity impact the level of payments quoted by the insurers. Blueprint Income’s partners pay them 1% to 5% of the income annuities purchased through the online annuities marketplace.
How to Buy Annuities from Blueprint Income
You can research and purchase annuities on the Blueprint Income website via any browser on your computer, mobile device or tablet. It takes about 10 minutes to enter your information, get a quote and apply for an annuity. You can save your quotes on Blueprint Income for a week or two if you can’t decide immediately. Finish your application before the quote expires to get that price.
Blueprint Income Complaints
Blueprint Income received accreditation from the Better Business Bureau and scores an A+ rating. ConsumersAdvocate awards the company 4.8 out of 5 stars and likes the low fees, financial strength and annuity features. Financial Solutions Lab gives Blueprint Income kudos for bringing modern technology to the world of insurance.
Consumers on ProductHunt give the company 5 out of 5 stars for responsive representatives and a simple, low-cost application process. Feefo consumer reviews rate the company a 4.8 out of 5. Complaints overall are mild, stating a slower response to email compared to calling Blueprint Income with questions.
I’ll be retiring soon. Is an annuity from Blueprint Income an ideal option for me?
Those nearing retirement should probably consider an immediate or longevity annuity. Blueprint Income explains and sells both types of annuities on the website, and you can chat, email or call with any questions. Annuities aren’t for everyone, and Blueprint Income representatives will help you decide if they’re right for you.
What insurance companies does Blueprint Income work with?
Blueprint Income offers annuities from more than 30 insurance companies, including Guardian, MassMutual, Pacific Life, Lincoln Financial Group, Mutual of Omaha, Protective, and more. Blueprint Income partners with reputable, established insurers, which helps ensure your investments are safe and less risky.
When should I consider an annuity?
Annuities are a great way to grow and diversify your retirement nest egg. You should consider an annuity alongside your other assets like a 401(k) and IRA. If you have money to set aside for retirement, an annuity’s tax-free growth may be a wise investment. Remember that the longer you wait to annuitize your capital, the larger your monthly payment will be. Consider your age, health, and income needs when determining how to maximize your payout.
Are annuities taxed?
One advantage of annuities is they allow investments to grow tax-free until the funds are withdrawn. Any money you contribute toward your annuity is tax-deferred. That means you can put money into your annuity account before paying taxes on it, and you will not have to pay any taxes on it until you begin receiving payments in retirement. Once you start receiving income payments from your annuity, you’ll pay taxes, which vary by annuity type. We suggest discussing the tax implications with your financial advisor or tax pro before making any investments.
How does Blueprint Income get paid?
Blueprint Income’s insurance partners pay them 1% to 5% of the income annuities purchased through the online annuities marketplace.
Conclusion
A Blueprint Income annuity can be part of a well-rounded retirement portfolio, particularly if you’ve exhausted all tax-advantaged savings opportunities. Annuities are a sensible choice for those who want retirement savings to include a guaranteed income stream unaffected by market fluctuations. Blueprint Income representatives adhere to fiduciary principles and are not swayed by commissions.
They bailed out of the Personal Pension product with no warning and refer all calls to the insurance company. I am not happy with them to say the least. They struggle to handle any changes like increasing your contribution etc... Not sure why they got into the business in the first place...
John Q.
Livonia, MI
October 01 2020 2:34PM
Last month I purchased seven annuities from three different organizations: AnnuityAdvantage.com, Fidelity Investments, and Blueprint. Blueprint has been slow to respond, done a terrible job with the paperwork and been very frustrating to deal with.
Every single application had errors that I had to catch. Heaven help someone who trusts in the agent to get it right, because Blueprint certainly didn't! Blueprint also botched the transfer of assets to fund all three annuities I purchased from them.
It took a long phone call with the bank to try to rectify the situation. I have better things to do with my time than babysit a well-commissioned agent that can't or won't do their job properly, so I will never deal with Blueprint again.
I plan to buy more annuities, and when I do I'll call AnnuityAdvantage.com and Fidelity Investments instead.
Cynthia J.
Reno, NV
February 19 2020 4:58PM
First the good. Rates and customer service are excellent. Best rates I could find. Kristin especially was very responsive following up quickly and keeping me updated every step of the way.
The bad: After locking in a quote, the insurance company (Penn Mutual) changed the quote downwards $4 a month because the transfer of funds took a week to receive from my investment account as it was sent by mail (as big brokerages apparently do). This made it fall a few days outside the quotes locked-in guaranteed rates.
This should have been made more transparent upfront as it felt like a bait and switch tactic. Other firms like immediateannuity.com had lower rates but give you up to 60 days locked in rates when funds are being transferred (according to their site). Unwelcome surprise.
