Expenses should be a top priority for any financial services consumer.  Many people have been conditioned to be aware of expenses when it comes to investment products.  Indexed-bases investment management companies such as Vanguard have contributed greatly to this awareness by consistently demonstrating the detrimental impact that expenses have on investment performance over time, and how actively managed and more expensive mutual funds actually tend to underperform their index-based peers.

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company has been an innovator in the variable annuity industry.

The company was a pioneer in the area of guaranteed living benefits with the launch of the first guaranteed minimum income benefit.

AXA has recently launched a new variable annuity product named "Retirement Cornerstone."

Retirement Cornerstone features a "dual account platform" that provides the potential for long-term asset accumulation and growth as well as downside protection through a guaranteed income benefit option.

Living benefits (also known as guaranteed living benefits) are optional guarantees that can be built into variable annuity products.  These "options" are typically added as "riders" to a variable annuity contract.  Living benefits are very powerful product features and something that should be discussed with a financial advisor whenever the conversation involves variable annuities. 

Annuities can be very effective in providing protection against market volatility.

There is a very good article on that site that discusses how owners of certain types of variable annuities have been insulated from many of the effects of the financial crisis.  That article can be found by clicking here.

Annuities are products that combine insurance and, in the case of variable annuities, asset management.  Costs are absolutely critical, so definitely ask you financial advisor to spell-out the costs for each of the items discussed below.