%0 Journal Article %A Nevenka Vrdoljak %A David Laster %A Anil Suri %T The Role of Variable Annuities in Addressing Retirement Risks %D 2014 %R 10.3905/jor.2014.2.2.055 %J The Journal of Retirement %P 55-66 %V 2 %N 2 %X Investors commonly fund their retirement through portfolios of stocks and bonds or mutual funds, which offer scant protection against the risk of a market downturn or of outliving their wealth. This article examines how adding a variable annuity with a guarantee lifetime withdrawal benefit (VA + GLWB) to a balanced portfolio can help reduce the risk of running out of money in retirement. It quantifies, through simulation analysis, the degree to which an allocation to a VA + GLWB can help mitigate two key retirement risks: longevity and sequence of returns risk. This risk reduction comes at the cost of a decrease in the expected future bequest. The article also explores how the timing of withdrawals and the asset allocation within a VA + GLWB impacts retirement outcomes.TOPICS: Retirement, fixed income and structured finance, risk management %U https://jor.pm-research.com/content/iijretire/2/2/55.full.pdf