<prompt> Human: Hi, thanks for reading.I have no idea what shes done, and neither does she.How do I decipher what the heck this is? Preference Plus Account from MetLife?It looks like its all in:MetWellington Balanced Portfolio 50MetWellington Large Cap Research Portfolio 20MetLife Stock Index Portfolio 20BlackRock Bond Income Portfolio 10It says theres a Fix Int Acct of 300k with a UNIT VALUE OR INTEREST RATE of 3.0. She thinks this is some sort of checking account and that she can use this money?Im super confused. I dont understand annuities and the paperwork she has doesnt have much more information than that which Ive already mentioned. Help me understand where to go from here?  <response>: Its a deferred variable annuity. Whether or not its bad depends on your mothers age, risk tolerance, income level, other assets, and a bunch of other factors. Here is the prospectus: hereIt says theres a Fix Int Acct of 300k with a UNIT VALUE OR INTEREST RATE of 3.0. She thinks this is some sort of checking account and that she can use this money?It is a cash equivalent account, so thats 300k with an interest rate guaranteed by MetlifeA variable annuity is an insurance product wherein you pay a monthly sum that is then invested in a number of mutual funds that you choose. It grows tax-deferred until you decide to take money out. Theyre usually sold with hefty commissions, so depending on your mothers financial situation it could be a pretty shit product. 