GICs versus annuities - Which held up better as interest rates plunged? Bookmark Please log in to listen to this story. Also available in French and Mandarin. Log In Create Free Account Getting audio file ... This translation has been automatically generated and has not been verified for accuracy. Full Disclaimer The best time to buy an annuity is always last year. Annuity payouts are tied to interest rates, which have mostly fallen in recent decades. It’s an omnipresent hazard for people considering annuities to provide some of their retirement income – they can almost always look back and say they would have been better off buying a year ago.