Illustration of a bank against a light blue background

What is a TontineIRA®?


The TontineIRA® is a soon to be released new type of individual retirement account that combines the benefits of a tontine with a traditional IRA.

TontineIRA® account holders receive a steady income each month for as long as they are alive and they can expect that income to rise over time thanks to the tontine effect.

Illustration of a piggy bank and few cash piles on a flat surface against a light blue background

How can it pay an income for life?

Each TontineIRA® is part of a class of members with similar life expectancies that agree to share their risk of living longer.

In practice, this means that members receive a steady monthly income from their TontineIRA® while alive with any leftover monies when they pass being shared among the surviving members of their Tontine Class to support their continuing spending in later years.

Illustration representing two grandparents and a grandchild in the middle against a grey background

How long does the TontineIRA® income last for?

Since 2017 we have been developing, testing and patenting a technology platform which ensures that the income always continues for as long as the members are alive, even if hundreds of members of a Tontine Class outlive their life expectancy.

Illustration of a clipboard with the Tontine Trust logo in the middle with a grey background

Why would I choose a TontineIRA® over a basic IRA?

With a traditional IRA, if you want to avoid running out of money, you need to keep adjusting your spending based upon the performance of your portfolio and your life expectancy to prevent your savings running out.

The TontineIRA® platform handles all of that automatically so that you only have to focus on staying alive and spending the income.

Illustration of two hands in a handshake, exchanging a stack of banknotes, against a gradient blue background

Why not just invest my IRA in assets generating passive income?

The safe level of spending from a TontineIRA® will always be higher than an equivalent passive income IRA.

This is because in addition to the passive income from the investments, you will also be inheriting a share of the assets leftover by members of your tontine class that have already passed away.

A 2D illustration of a sailboat with grey sky

What can a TontineIRA® invest in?

A TontineIRA® can invest in the same assets as a traditional IRA as long as those assets are generally suitable for retirement plans.

For now, each TontineIRA® will invest in FDIC insured bank certificates of deposit (‘CDs’). Additional investment options will be made available soon subject to standard suitability tests for retirement savers.

Illustration of eleven stylized male figures in casual attire, standing side by side against a plain background

Who will be in my TontineIRA® Class?

Soon after joining, we will assign you to a class of members all of which will have similar average life expectancies as you.

We don't mix sexes because women generally live longer than men.

We don't mix age groups because nobody wants to be in a tontine with members much younger than themselves.

Illustration of a scale against a light blue background

What are the contribution limits for a TontineIRA®?

The TontineIRA® can accept full balance transfers from old IRAs as well as rollovers from 401K and other qualified plans.

New contributions are subject to the same annual contribution limits as a traditional IRA which for 2025 are:

  • For savers under the age of 50: Up to $7,000
  • For savers aged 50 or older: Up to $8,000.
Illustration of a person standing on white surface looking at clouds

Will the income from the TontineIRA® be fixed for life?

Generally ‘living on a fixed income’ is not a good thing in a world such as ours where inflation exists.

This is why our patented system is designed to start you on a predictable income that is expected to grow over the years to resist the effects of inflation.

The MyTontine app shows your expected monthly income for life based upon expected investment returns and life expectancies but is regularly updated in response to changes in investment returns or the longevity of your Tontine Class.