"Employers have shied away from including annuities in retirement plans over liability issues -- participants might sue if an insurance company in the plan goes belly up or fails to pay claims. The [SECURE Act] gives employers a 'safe harbor'' that limits their liability.... The advantage of annuities is that they offer investors guaranteed retirement income not exposed to market fluctuations or vulnerable to poor investment choices.... The rap on annuities is that, yes, while some are low cost, others come with high commissions and high fees that eat into the benefits."  MORE >>