Annuitäten

Annuitäten, also known as annuities, are a series of equal payments made at regular intervals. These payments can occur annually, semi-annually, quarterly, or monthly. The term annuität is commonly used in finance, particularly in the context of loans and investments.

In the realm of loans, an annuity typically refers to the regular payments made by a borrower to a lender to repay a debt over time. Each annuity payment usually consists of a portion of the principal amount and the accrued interest. Over the life of the loan, the proportion of interest paid generally decreases with each subsequent payment, while the proportion of principal repayment increases. This is known as an amortizing loan.

Annuities can also be a financial product, particularly in the insurance and investment sectors. In this context, an annuity is a contract between an individual and an insurance company where the individual makes a lump-sum payment or a series of payments in exchange for a stream of income, usually beginning at a future date. These income payments can be for a fixed period or for the lifetime of the annuitant. Annuities are often used for retirement planning, providing a guaranteed income stream. The value of an annuity can be fixed, meaning the payments remain constant, or variable, where the payments fluctuate based on the performance of underlying investments.