I didn't say not taxed, I said most of it isn't taxed, but I can see how you can read it your way, I was about as ambiguous as Ace and Gary. Part of the payment is considered return of capital, that isn't taxed.
Annuity income is subject to tax. Learn more about annuity taxation rules on registered and non-registered products such as prescribed, non-prescribed (accrual) annuities.
lifeannuities.com
"For annuities that are purchased with Non-Registered funds, only the interest portion of the payment is taxable. In other words, only a portion of the payment is taxable in the year that it is received. Non-Registered annuities can either have prescribed or non-prescribed (accrual) taxation."
From numbers I've seen from one annuity provider or another a while ago, it's pretty low.
Here is an example from RBC, not sure how recent it is.
For example, a 65-year-old male who
buys a $1 million annuity at today’s
rates generates about $63,000, the
majority of which is return on capital
(based on an actuarial calculation of
the typical lifetime of the annuitant).
Of that, $14,000 is taxable each year.
That compares to someone who buys
a $1 million GIC at three per cent
and pays tax on the entire $30,000 in
interest income.
I figure I might have half that outside of a TFSA, so 7K for me, thus I lose 3500 from the GIS and all the GAINS [which is I have no chance of collecting. I would get some sort of inflation protection, so the numbers might be a bit different but still. If I had that in bank stocks I ain't getting shit from the GIS. Fuck that noise hommie, I am entitled to my entitlements.
Having OAS and GIS, plus stocks in the TFSA and an annuity outside would feel a bit more diversified which at 65 I think I would value.
I am in my mid 50's now. All in on dividends currently, but when I hit 65 I want as much of that GIS action as I can get. Also with the government payouts I can afford not to work my investments so hard. Now I can't.