Why Annuities are Better than CDs:  Probate 

• Annuities avoid probate if the beneficiaries are set up properly.  
• For example--in an annuitant-driven contract, the wife is the annuitant and the husband is the owner and beneficiary of the contract.  if the wife dies, the contract is distributed to the husband's estate.  if the husband dies before the wife, the annuity is distributed to the husband's estate and must be probated.
• CDs don't offer any sort of protection like this.
  

Liquidity
Tax Advantages
Returns
Safety
Probate
Create Income Stream
Creditor Protection