Let’s Compare Qualified and Non-Qualified Annuities
April 20, 2022
| Qualified | Non-Qualified |
|---|---|
| Funded with pre-tax money. | Funded with post-tax money. |
| Taxes are paid after retirement when distributions are made. | No income taxes paid on principal upon withdrawal. Taxes are only due on interest earned. |
| Less expensive to fund now. Tax savings occurs immediately. | More expensive to fund now. Tax savings occurs in the future. |
| Traditional retirement accounts such as 401k and IRAs are qualified retirement savings vehicles. | Withdrawals are taken from accrued interest first and are taxed until all interest is paid, then principal is paid out tax free. |
September marks National Life Insurance Awareness month and GBU Life is partnering with Optimity to bring our members a financial wellness check-in.
District 684 Brentwood, Pennsylvania and District 699 Frankenmuth, Michigan
A Life Dedicated to Heritage, Fellowship, and Service
The GBU Life Scholarship Awards support students in college, trade programs, non-college programs, and graduate school, helping them achieve their dreams, setting them on a career path and realizing life goals. Since its founding, the GBU Foundation has awarded 4,500 scholarships and educational grants totaling more than $3.2 million. In 2025, 215 members received $226,000 to support their two‑year, four‑year and graduate studies. Here’s a look at where the rubber meets the road — as we check in on past grantees to see how their scholarship awards have helped them stay on course, where they are now, and where they hope to be in the future.
There are people who give, people who serve, and people whose lives are changed because of both. All were represented at the GBU Foundation Community Grant Awards event on April 9, 2026.
The GBU Foundation, established by GBU Life in 1963 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, empowers donors to turn generosity into meaningful community impact.
To celebrate our 134th anniversary, GBU Life launched the Birthday Bash initiative, calling upon the GBU Life community to honor our fraternal legacy through service. GBU Life invited members, producers, and community leaders to assemble and deliver shelf-stable cake kits for individuals and families who may otherwise go without a birthday celebration. What can seem like a simple act of service could be the spark of hope someone needed.
GBU Life is expanding the power of your member benefits with an enhancement to LawAssure, the easy‑to‑use online service that helps you prepare essential legal documents from home.
A guide for navigating miscarriage, stillbirth, and the grief that follows.
There’s something about summer that makes even the simplest meal feel like a celebration.