In the video below, Motley Fool senior editor Dayana Yochim sits down with Robert Brokamp, senior advisor for The Motley Fool's Rule Your Retirement service, to take a question from a Fool reader, who writes, "I was 'sold' a variable annuity by a 'friend.' He basically explained NOTHING to me about this 'investment.' He handed me the prospectus and signed me up. I am single, I have no heirs, and I am 65. Obviously, this was NOT a 'good investment' for me! Is there any way out, without paying a huge penalty?"

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.