Considering equity-indexed annuities? Perhaps think again. Downsides include heavy front-end fees (5%-8%) for the salesperson, an upside cap that is adjustable at the insurance company’s discretion and you generally can’t acess your money for 10 years.

Downside Protection Has Downsides - WSJ.com

Downside Protection Has Downsides http://online.wsj.comFixed-indexed insurance products, commonly called “equity-indexed annuities,” offer the promise of protection on the downside combined with a guaranteed minimum upside. They racked up a record $8.2 billion in new sales in the second quarter and hit an all-time high of $168 billion in total assets…