Mia should stop funding her Potsdam fixed annuity. While there is no penalty for stopping contributions to the account, the amount available for distribution in retirement will be reduced. Contributions to this account are not tax deductible and distributions will be taxed as ordinary income although earnings grow tax-deferred.
These funds should be used to fund a Roth IRA as diversified below. While a Roth IRA is funded with after-tax dollars, distributions from a Roth IRA will not incur any tax consequences. In addition, the Roth IRA will allow you to achieve a greater rate of return over the Potsdam fixed annuity. To achieve a return that meets your needs of a moderately conservative portfolio,