Goldstein Scorecard: B (dated October 4, 2026). See how it is graded.
Global Atlantic ForeCertain vs Athene Activate SPIA: Monthly Payout Compared (October 2026)
Written & reviewed by Hans Goldstein, EA, Independent Licensed Insurance Producer · CA license 4273294 · NPN 20602398Admitted to practice before the IRS
Facts verified against Global Atlantic's ForeCertain Product Highlights, client brochure, public rates page and financial strength page on October 4, 2026 · Updated
Head to head · Global Atlantic ForeCertain vs Athene Activate · compiled October 18, 2026 from the dated sources below
Short answer: On the public sheets, Athene paid more for a 70-year-old man: $745 a month vs $708.19 per $100,000. The sheets carry different effective dates, so ask both for same-day quotes before you decide.
| Global Atlantic ForeCertain | Athene Activate | |
|---|---|---|
| Male 70, single life, per $100,000 | $708.19 a month, 8.50% a year (public table effective 1/1/2026, checked 10/4/2026) | $745 a month (public sheet effective 9/23/2026) |
| Insurer | Forethought Life Insurance Company | See our Athene SPIA review |
| AM Best | A (Excellent), as of 6/30/2025 per Global Atlantic | Check the current rating on the Athene review |
Sources: Global Atlantic ForeCertain rates page and Athene Activate payment rates. Payouts depend on age, sex, state, option and date.
Global Atlantic's SPIA is ForeCertain, a single-premium income annuity issued by Forethought Life Insurance Company. It takes $25,000 to $1,000,000, issues to age 90 (85 for life-only), and can start income immediately or defer it up to 30 years. Global Atlantic's public rates page, checked October 4, 2026, showed rates effective January 1, 2026: $708 a month for life for a 70-year-old man per $100,000. Payments are backed by the claims-paying ability of Forethought Life.
Correction (October 4, 2026): earlier versions of this page listed Moody's A3 and an S&P A+ for the issuer. Global Atlantic's financial strength page shows Moody's A2 and S&P A (as of June 30, 2025). The page did not name the product; it is ForeCertain. The star rating, COMDEX, Weiss, renewal-tier and customer service grades, and unsourced asset figures have been removed.
CD vs MYGA, after tax
What $100,000 earns in 5 years: CD vs MYGA, after tax
Rates used: CD 5.00%, the top nationally available 5-year CD (Bankrate, October 14, 2026); change it to the rate you are offered. MYGA 5.95%, the best A-rated rate we track as of October 13, 2026: Delaware Life Pinnacle Plus 5-year (AM Best A-, negative outlook, 7/31/2026), $100,000 and up, effective October 6, 2026 (Delaware Life rate sheet).
| CD, interest taxed every year | $121,081 |
|---|---|
| MYGA, tax-deferred, before tax | $133,507 |
| MYGA after paying tax on all the interest at withdrawal | $126,136 |
| Tax deferral alone adds about | $674 |
| MYGA ahead of the CD, after tax | $5,055 |
Assumes 22% federal and 0% state income tax, no withdrawals, rates held for the whole term. MYGA interest is taxed as ordinary income when you withdraw it, not as capital gains. Gains taken before age 59 1/2 can owe a 10% IRS penalty, and cashing out early can cost a surrender charge. In an IRA both grow tax-deferred, so the edge there is the rate alone. Bank and credit union deposits are FDIC or NCUA insured up to the limits; a MYGA is backed by the issuing insurer's claims-paying ability and your state's guaranty association up to its limits, not the FDIC. General education, not tax, legal or financial advice.
ForeCertain payout rates (public rates page, effective January 1, 2026)
| Income option | Gender and age | Monthly payment per $100,000 | Annual payment % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Life Annuity | Male 70 | $708.19 | 8.50% |
| Male 75 | $827.63 | 9.93% | |
| Male 80 | $1,007.12 | 12.09% | |
| Female 70 | $668.52 | 8.02% | |
| Female 75 | $771.33 | 9.26% | |
| Female 80 | $924.05 | 11.09% | |
| Single Life with 10-Year Guaranteed Payment Period | Male 70 | $682.49 | 8.19% |
| Male 75 | $775.62 | 9.31% | |
| Female 70 | $648.89 | 7.79% | |
| Female 75 | $737.81 | 8.85% | |
| Single Life with Cash Refund | Male 70 | $659.54 | 7.91% |
| Male 75 | $742.87 | 8.91% | |
| Female 70 | $632.21 | 7.59% | |
| Female 75 | $708.37 | 8.50% | |
| Joint Life with Cash Refund | Male/Female 70 | $586.76 | 7.04% |
| Male/Female 75 | $663.01 | 7.96% | |
| Male/Female 80 | $762.54 | 9.15% | |
| Guaranteed Payment Period only | 5 years | $1,812.23 | 21.75% |
| 10 years | $1,015.53 | 12.19% |
For a dated cross-check: Athene's public Activate sheet (effective September 23, 2026) showed $745 a month single life for a 70-year-old man per $100,000 (Athene Activate payment rates). The two tables carry different effective dates, so ask for same-day quotes before comparing.
Contract basics (verified)
| Feature | ForeCertain |
|---|---|
| Issuer | Forethought Life Insurance Company, Indianapolis, Indiana (contract FLFPA-13). Available in most states; not in New York |
| Plans | Non-qualified, IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, inherited/beneficiary IRA and Roth IRA |
| Premium | Single premium. $25,000 minimum; $1,000,000 maximum without approval |
| Maximum issue / income start age | 90 (85 for single or joint life only) |
| Income start | Immediately (up to a year from purchase) or deferred up to 30 years, within age limits |
| Income options | Guaranteed payment period (5 to 30 years); single or joint life; life with guaranteed period (5 to 30 years); life with cash refund; life with installment refund |
| Advanced Payment Option | Non-qualified only: take three to six months of payments early as a lump sum, up to two times |
| Commutation | Lump sum of all or part of the present value of remaining guaranteed payments (partial minimum $5,000); reduces remaining guaranteed payments |
| Annuity Commencement Date change | Deferred contracts, once, after year 1 and before income starts: move the start earlier or up to five years later |
| Annual Increase Option | 2%, 3% or 4% a year, elected at issue, if income does not start before 59½; initial payments are lower |
| Temporary Return of Premium Death Benefit | Optional on contracts deferred at least 15 months, if death occurs before income starts; lowers payments |
| QLAC | Traditional IRA, income starting more than 15 months after issue; delays required distributions up to age 85; contribution limit listed as $210,000 (IRS-indexed) |
Get an independent read on Global Atlantic SPIA before you sign.
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Goldstein Scorecard (dated October 4, 2026)
| Dimension | Grade | Basis (sourced fact) |
|---|---|---|
| Financial strength | A- | AM Best A (Excellent), S&P A, Fitch A, Moody's A2, all stable, as of June 30, 2025, per Global Atlantic's financial strength page. Global Atlantic has been wholly owned by KKR since January 2, 2024 (Global Atlantic press release). |
| Payout competitiveness | C+ | Male 70 single life $708.19 per $100,000 on Global Atlantic's public table (effective 1/1/2026) vs $745 on Athene's public sheet (effective 9/23/2026). Different dates; firm sheets may differ. |
| Guaranteed floor | A | The payment amount is fixed in the contract at purchase, backed by the claims-paying ability of Forethought Life; no index or renewal rate is involved. |
| Liquidity | C- | Premium is converted to income, but commutation of guaranteed payments and (non-qualified) advanced payments are available. |
| Costs | B | No separate annual fee is listed; costs and commission are built into the payout. Optional benefits lower payments. |
| Transparency | B | A public dated rate table exists, but it showed a January 1, 2026 effective date in October and covers ages 70 to 80 only. |
| Overall | B | Flexible income annuity (immediate, deferred or QLAC) from an A-rated issuer; check a same-day quote, since the public table is dated January 2026. |
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| One contract for immediate income, deferred income up to 30 years, or a QLAC. | $25,000 minimum premium. |
| Commutation lets you take the present value of remaining guaranteed payments. | Life-only payments stop at death with nothing to heirs. |
| 2%, 3% or 4% annual increase option. | Increase option and return of premium rider lower the payment. |
| Issue to age 90 (85 for life-only). | The public rate table showed a January 1, 2026 effective date when checked in October. |
| A-rated issuer with stable outlooks (June 30, 2025). | Not available in New York. |
Who it's for, and when to look elsewhere
Fits: a retiree with at least $25,000 who wants a fixed check for life or a set period, possibly deferred or held as a QLAC inside an IRA, and values being able to commute guaranteed payments later.
Look elsewhere if:
- You may need the principal back. A SPIA converts it to income.
- You are buying on payout alone. Compare same-day quotes; see Athene Activate, Securian and SPIA rates.
- You want growth for a set term rather than income. A MYGA locks a declared rate for the term, backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurer. For comparison, A-rated-or-better insurers were paying about 5.50% to 6.05% on 5-year MYGAs and the best nationally available 5-year CDs about 4.70% to 5.00% APY (MYGAs: public carrier rate sheets, October 14, 2026; CDs: Bankrate and Popular Direct, October 18, 2026). Current rates: MYGA rates.
Run the numbers: immediate annuity calculator and annuity payout calculator. Related: Forethought and Global Atlantic company review, ForeIncome rider and how SPIA income is taxed.
A multi-year guaranteed annuity (MYGA) is the insurance version of a CD: one fixed rate for a set term. As of October 14, 2026, A-rated-or-better insurers were paying about 5.50% to 6.05% on 5-year MYGAs. The best nationally available 5-year CDs paid about 4.70% to 5.00% APY, and big-institution 5-year CDs less (as of September 24, 2026: Capital One 360 60-month 3.60%, Navy Federal 5-year 3.85 to 3.90%). A MYGA also defers the tax, where a CD or money market fund is taxed every year on interest you have not spent.
The trade is liquidity: breaking a MYGA early costs a surrender charge, not a few months of interest, and it is backed by the insurer and your state guaranty association rather than the FDIC. See the side-by-side · Current MYGA rates
Sources: public carrier rate sheets (MYGAs, as of October 14, 2026; rates vary by state, premium and carrier); Bankrate 5-year CD table (as of October 14, 2026); capitalone.com; navyfederal.org (as of September 24, 2026). Rates change often; confirm before you buy.
Questions to ask your agent
- What is the monthly payment for my exact age, state, premium and option today, and what is the effective date of that rate? (Global Atlantic's public table showed January 1, 2026.)
- There is no index cap or minimum rate on a SPIA: is the payment amount fixed in the contract for life?
- Which options keep money for my heirs (guaranteed period, cash refund, installment refund), and how much lower is each payment than life only?
- There is no surrender schedule on a SPIA: can I commute or accelerate payments on my plan type and state, and what would a commutation pay in dollars?
- How are you paid on this product? Commission comes from Forethought and is built into the payout rate, not deducted from my premium. What percentage is it? (Background: how annuity commissions work.)
From my desk
On a ForeCertain quote I check the effective date first, because the public table I could read on October 4, 2026 still carried a January 1, 2026 date. Then I check the start date and plan type, since the same contract can be an immediate annuity, a deferred income annuity or a QLAC.
The number buyers misread most is the annual payment percentage. 8.50% for a 70-year-old man is not an interest rate; each payment is partly premium coming back.
Against a MYGA, I compare what the buyer needs: income for life is something only an income annuity does. A known rate with the principal intact is what a MYGA does.
Hans Goldstein, independent licensed insurance producer, CA license 4273294, NPN 20602398. No carrier paid for this review.
Frequently asked questions
Does Global Atlantic sell a SPIA?
Yes. Its income annuity is ForeCertain, a single-premium income annuity issued by Forethought Life Insurance Company. Income can start immediately (up to a year from purchase) or be deferred up to 30 years, per Global Atlantic's ForeCertain brochure (11-25).
What does ForeCertain pay?
Global Atlantic's public ForeCertain rates page, checked October 4, 2026, showed rates effective January 1, 2026, based on a $100,000 premium: single life $708 a month for a 70-year-old man and $669 for a 70-year-old woman; 10-year guaranteed payment period $1,016. Global Atlantic says firm rate sheets may differ.
What is the ForeCertain minimum premium?
$25,000 single premium, with a $1,000,000 maximum without approval, per the ForeCertain Product Highlights (IA5001-3, 11-25).
Can I get money out of ForeCertain?
Partly. Commutation lets you take the present value of all or part of the remaining guaranteed payments (minimum $5,000 for a partial). Non-qualified contracts can also accelerate three to six months of payments as a lump sum, up to two times. Not every option or state allows these.
Is ForeCertain available as a QLAC?
Yes, for Traditional IRA money with income starting more than 15 months after issue. The Product Highlights (11-25) list the contribution limit as $210,000, adjusted by the IRS for inflation.
What is Forethought Life's financial strength rating?
Global Atlantic's financial strength page lists A (Excellent) from AM Best, A from S&P and Fitch, and A2 from Moody's, all with stable outlooks, as of June 30, 2025, for Forethought Life and its other insurers. Payments depend on the claims-paying ability of Forethought Life Insurance Company.
Sources (checked October 4, 2026)
- Global Atlantic, Global Atlantic's ForeCertain page, checked October 4, 2026.
- Global Atlantic, ForeCertain Product Highlights, IA5001-3 (11-25), and ForeCertain client brochure, IA5000-2 (11-25).
- Global Atlantic, Global Atlantic's ForeCertain rates page: ForeCertain rate table effective 01/01/2026, as published October 4, 2026.
- Global Atlantic, Global Atlantic's financial strength page: AM Best A, S&P A, Fitch A, Moody's A2, stable, as of June 30, 2025.
- Global Atlantic newsroom, KKR completes acquisition of Global Atlantic (January 2, 2024).
- Athene, Athene Activate payment rates, effective September 23, 2026 (cross-check only).
- MYGA and CD benchmark: public carrier rate sheets (MYGAs, October 14, 2026) and DepositAccounts (CDs, September 24, 2026).
Get a second opinion before you sign
Talk to Hans Goldstein, a licensed independent insurance producer.
SPIAs are irrevocable. Once you sign, your principal is gone. Before you commit, how does this insurer's payout compare with other quotes for your age? Are you choosing the right payout option (life only vs. cash refund vs. joint)? Payouts for the same deposit can differ between insurers, so compare quotes before you sign.
Send your details. Within one business day you get a written review of your quote, a side-by-side with two alternatives, and a free 15-minute call if you want one.
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- Hans Goldstein, Enrolled Agent, admitted to practice before the IRS
- California insurance license #4273294 (look it up at the California Department of Insurance) · NPN 20602398
- Independent, not a captive agent: appointed with multiple A-rated carriers
- 5.0 on Google from 7 reviews (Goldstein & Co. LLC listing, checked October 18, 2026)
Hans Goldstein · 213-414-2808 · NPN 20602398, independent licensed insurance producer appointed with multiple A-rated carriers
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Disclosure
This review is based on the carrier's public product materials and rates as of the date shown above. Annuity rates, caps, participation rates, payout factors, crediting methods, and long-term care benefit structures change often, sometimes monthly. Confirm current figures in the latest carrier disclosure and the contract before you buy. This is general education, not a personal recommendation or an offer of any product. Hans Goldstein is an independent licensed insurance producer (CA license 4273294, NPN 20602398) appointed with several A-rated carriers. His appointment with the carrier reviewed here may vary, and this review is not an endorsement. No carrier paid for this review. Always read the actual contract and consult a licensed advisor before purchasing any annuity or long-term care insurance product. Past index performance does not predict future credited interest. Annuities and hybrid life+LTC policies are long-term contracts with surrender charges; they are not suitable for funds you may need before the end of the surrender period. AM Best ratings and tax treatment are subject to change. Tax discussion of IRC §7702B, §1035, and the Pension Protection Act of 2006 reflects law as of 2026 and is subject to change.