American Equity GuaranteeShield
American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company
3.75%
5-yr guarantee
10%
Free W/D
50
Jurisdictions
Live product data
Rates as of May 29, 2026, based on the latest AdvisorWorld scan of CANNEX data.
Lead-term guaranteed rate
3.75% guaranteed for 5 years
A multi-year guaranteed annuity from American Equity at an A.M. Best A rating, offering flat declared rates at 3 and 5-year terms with an annual free-withdrawal allowance, nursing-home and terminal-illness waivers, and a 5-year surrender ladder.
Best fit
Buyers who want a flat, contractually guaranteed rate locked in for a short or medium 3-to-5-year term from an A-rated carrier, with a known free-withdrawal allowance, a fully visible surrender schedule, and the option of single or joint annuitization.
AM Best
A Excellent
Surrender period
5 years
Free withdrawal
10%/yr
Availability
50 jurisdictions (excl. New York)
Product analyst notes
How to think about this contract
Why it can stand out
- Published guaranteed rates at two distinct terms (3 and 5 years), so a buyer can match the lock-in window to a shorter or medium planning horizon rather than being forced into a single carrier-preferred term.
- Backed by American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company at an A.M. Best A rating, with a concurrent Strong rating from Standard & Poor's — carrier financial-strength view is corroborated across two agencies rather than a single source.
- Surrender schedule is a 5-year declining ladder that ends in the same year the longest guarantee period ends, so the lock-up window matches the contract's longest fixed-rate promise rather than extending beyond it.
- Annual free-withdrawal allowance runs alongside the surrender schedule, plus nursing-home and terminal-illness charge waivers, and the contract supports both single-life and joint annuitization — penalty-free liquidity rules and conversion options are visible on this page, not gated behind a brochure.
What to confirm
- Term menu tops out at 5 years — buyers looking for a 7- or 10-year fixed-rate lock-in cannot get that horizon from this filing and will need a different MYGA. This is a short-to-medium-term contract, not a long-horizon one.
- Surrender charges run a full 5 years with a meaningful first-year charge, so an unplanned early exit beyond the annual free-withdrawal allowance carries a real cost — this is a multi-year commitment, not a short-term cash equivalent.
- Posted rates on this page assume a specific premium band and issue age scenario; deposits in lower or higher bands may earn a different guaranteed rate, so the headline does not apply universally — verify the rate for the actual deposit size before signing.
- The death benefit is the beneficiary value defined by contract terms with no roll-up or step-up enhancement — this contract is built for rate certainty over a chosen term, not for legacy enhancement or guaranteed lifetime income (there is no GLWB rider on this filing).
Not ideal for
Buyers who need a 7- or 10-year fixed-rate horizon, short-window liquidity, market-linked upside through index crediting, a guaranteed-lifetime-withdrawal rider, or a death benefit with roll-up or step-up — a short-term MYGA is a fixed-rate deferred contract built around a 3-to-5-year window, not any of those things.
Guaranteed Rates by Term
| Term | Guaranteed Rate |
|---|---|
| 3-Year | 3.75% |
| 5-Year | 3.75% |
Key Features
Free withdrawal
10%/yrAnnual amount that may be available without surrender charges, subject to contract terms.
Surrender waivers
2Nursing home waiver, Terminal illness waiver
Death benefit
Death BenefitBeneficiary value depends on contract terms, withdrawals, and rider elections.
Annuitization options
Single and jointContract conversion options should be confirmed before purchase.
Fund types
Non-qualified, QualifiedAvailability can vary by state and product terms.
Surrender Schedule
Yr 1
9%
Yr 2
8%
Yr 3
7%
Yr 4
6%
Yr 5
5%
After
0%
Nursing home waiver, Terminal illness waiver, Surrender waivers
Carrier Ratings
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