Reviews

25 products · A.M. Best A+

Expert review · 2026

Athene Annuity review

Leading retirement services company with top-rated fixed and indexed annuities.

Carrier strength

A+

A.M. Best

Products25

Total assets$250+ Billion

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Founded

2009

Headquarters

West Des Moines, IA

Total assets

$250+ Billion

A.M. Best

A+

25 Athene Annuity annuities

Click any product for rates, specs, and the full peer-group review.

Product	Type	Surrender	Rating	Income rider	Bonus
Agility 10	FIA	10yr	A+	—	—	Details →
Agility 7	FIA	7yr	A+	—	—	Details →
Athene AccuMax 7 Buyers who want a 7-year accumulation FIA with strategy charges that enable higher crediting potential from a top-rated carrier	FIA	7yr	A+	—	—	Review →
Athene Agility 10 Buyers who want a 10-year accumulation FIA with built-in income and death benefit features from a top-rated carrier	FIA	10yr	A+	Yes	—	Review →
Athene Agility 7 Buyers who want a shorter-duration accumulation FIA with built-in income and death benefit features from a top-rated carrier	FIA	7yr	A+	Yes	—	Review →
Athene Ascent Pro 10 Bonus Buyers who want the Ascent Pro 10 design with an added premium bonus to boost starting value	FIA	10yr	A+	Yes 1.00% annually fee	10%	Review →
Athene Aviator 10 Buyers who want a 10-year accumulation FIA with a broad crediting menu from a top-rated carrier	FIA	10yr	A+	—	—	Review →
Athene Aviator 5 Buyers who want a 5-year accumulation FIA with a competitive crediting menu from a top-rated carrier	FIA	5yr	A+	—	—	Review →
Athene Max Rate 3	MYGA	3yr	A+	—	—	Details →
Athene Max Rate 3 (state specific)	MYGA	3yr	A+	—	—	Details →
Athene Max Rate 5	MYGA	5yr	A+	—	—	Details →
Athene Max Rate 5 (state specific)	MYGA	5yr	A+	—	—	Details →
Athene Max Rate 7	MYGA	7yr	A+	—	—	Details →
Athene Max Rate 7 (state specific)	MYGA	7yr	A+	—	—	Details →
Athene Performance Elite 10 Buyers with genuine 10-year money who want one of the largest upfront account-value bonuses in the category — up to 20% depending on age and state — from an A+ rated carrier, and who won't need more than 5% annual access along the way	FIA	10yr	A+	—	18% (through age 70) / 20% (through age 64) / 20% (through age 70) / 18% (ages 65–70) / 16% (ages 71–75) / 18% (ages 71–75) / 14% (ages 76–78) / 16% (ages 76–78)	Review →
BCA 2.0 10-Year Long-term savers who want a deep index menu and the flexibility to add a lifetime income rider later — or never	FIA	10yr	A+	—	—	Review →
BCA 2.0 12-Year Patient accumulation buyers who want a deep index menu and the option to add lifetime income or an enhanced death benefit, but are not in a hurry and can tolerate a long lockup	FIA	12yr	A+	—	—	Review →
BCA 2.0 6-Year Accumulation-focused buyers who want a deep bench of index strategies, biennial crediting cycles, and principal protection without paying for an income rider	FIA	6yr	A+	—	—	Review →
BCA 2.0 8-Year Buyers who want a biennial participation-rate structure across a broad index menu, are comfortable with an 8-year commitment, and may want to layer on a lifetime income rider later	FIA	8yr	A+	—	—	Review →
Performance Elite 10 Plus Buyers who want a large upfront premium bonus, broad index access, and accumulation-focused FIA mechanics without an income rider	FIA	10yr	A+	—	21% (through age 70) / 23% (through age 64) / 23% (through age 70) / 21% (ages 65–70) / 19% (ages 71–75) / 21% (ages 71–75) / 17% (ages 76–78) / 19% (ages 76–78)	Review →
Performance Elite 15 Long-horizon buyers who want a large upfront premium bonus, principal protection, and a deep crediting menu and are confident they won't need access to the money for 15 years	FIA	15yr	A+	—	24% (through age 70) / 19% (ages 71–73)	Review →
Performance Elite 15 Plus Buyers who can commit to a full 15-year hold, want a large account-value bonus credited upfront, and have no expectation of needing early access to principal	FIA	15yr	A+	—	27% (through age 70) / 22% (ages 71–73)	Review →
Performance Elite 7 Accumulation-focused buyers who want a wide index menu, no mandatory rider fee, and the option to dial up participation rates by paying an explicit strategy charge	FIA	7yr	A+	—	—	Review →
Performance Elite 7 Plus Buyers who want a 6% account-value premium bonus, multiple index choices, and principal protection in a 7-year FIA without an income rider	FIA	7yr	A+	—	5% / 6%	Review →
Velocity Buyers who want to fund future lifetime income, value a no-cost built-in income rider, and can leave the money alone for several years before turning income on	Income	10yr	A+	Yes 0.85% annually fee	—	Review →

About Athene Annuity

Athene is one of the largest and fastest-growing retirement services companies in the United States. Known for competitive fixed and fixed indexed annuity rates, Athene has built a reputation for financial strength and innovation in the retirement income space. Their products consistently rank among the top choices for guaranteed income and accumulation.

The tradeoffs

What works

Industry-leading fixed annuity rates
Strong financial ratings from all major agencies
Wide range of indexed crediting strategies
Competitive income rider payouts
No annual fees on base contracts

What to watch

Limited variable annuity options
Surrender periods can be lengthy (7-10 years)
Not available in all states
Newer company compared to legacy insurers

What you could receive

Live projection for Ascent Pro 10 Bonus (State Variations) with Ascent Pro 10 Bonus Income Rider Level Income — single life, issue age 62, income beginning at age 75. Illustrative, not a quote; figures refresh from Annuity Rate Watch.

Premium	Monthly	Annual
$250,000	$4,542	$54,506
$500,000	$9,084	$109,013
$1,000,000	$18,169	$218,025

Income rider fees

Disclosed charges for optional riders on Athene products, live from Annuity Rate Watch. Product-level detail is on each review.

Rider	Product	Fee
Velocity Family Endowment Rider	Velocity	0.85% annually
Velocity Family Endowment Rider MAX	Velocity	0.85% annually
BCA 10 2.0 BALIR - Flex Growth with Earnings Indexed Income	BCA 2.0 10-Year	1.00% annually
BCA 10 2.0 BALIR - Flex Growth with Inflation Adjusted Income	BCA 2.0 10-Year	1.00% annually
BCA 10 2.0 BALIR - Flex Growth with Level Income	BCA 2.0 10-Year	1.00% annually
BCA 10 2.0 BALIR - SGO Max with Earnings Indexed Income	BCA 2.0 10-Year	1.00% annually
BCA 10 2.0 BALIR - SGO Max with Inflation Adjusted Income	BCA 2.0 10-Year	1.00% annually
BCA 10 2.0 BALIR - SGO Max with Level Income	BCA 2.0 10-Year	1.00% annually

+31 more riders listed on individual product pages.

Best fit for these buyers

Investors seeking high guaranteed income

Those wanting competitive fixed rates

Retirees looking for principal protection with growth potential

Ages 55-75 planning for retirement income

Frequently asked questions

Is Athene Annuity a good annuity company?

We have reviewed 17 Athene Annuity products, and A.M. Best rates the carrier A+ for financial strength. We describe its financial position as "Excellent" with $250+ Billion in total assets.

How much income can I get from a Athene Annuity annuity?

Income depends on your premium, age, and start date. At our benchmark scenario — single life, issue age 62, income beginning at age 75 — Athene Annuity's highest-paying income product (Ascent Pro 10 Bonus (State Variations)) currently projects about $109,013 per year on a $500,000 premium, or $54,506 on $250,000. Figures are illustrative, based on live Annuity Rate Watch data, and are not a quote.

What are the fees for Athene Annuity annuities?

Fee structures vary by product. Optional income riders on Athene Annuity products carry disclosed charges — for example Velocity Family Endowment Rider (Velocity): 0.85% annually ; Velocity Family Endowment Rider MAX (Velocity): 0.85% annually ; BCA 10 2.0 BALIR - Flex Growth with Earnings Indexed Income (BCA 2.0 10-Year): 1.00% annually . See each product review for the full fee detail.

What is the surrender period for Athene Annuity annuities?

Surrender periods on Athene Annuity's current lineup run 3–15 years, depending on the product. Most products allow an annual free-withdrawal amount before charges apply — the product table above shows each product's surrender length, and each review covers the exact schedule.

Sources & standards

How we know what's on this page

Rates, terms & availability: Annuity Rate Watch, which aggregates carriers' filed rate sheets. Refreshed every night.
Financial strength: A.M. Best. We publish the carrier's letter rating rather than a score of our own.
Contract detail: The carrier's own brochure — minimum guaranteed surrender value, death benefit, RMD treatment, annuitization options, waiver riders and free-withdrawal terms. Where the brochure and the rate feed disagree, the brochure wins: it is the filed document. Where neither carries a fact, the page omits it. We do not fill gaps with estimates.

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