A recent JPMorganChase Institute analysis found that savvy consumers are thinking beyond the traditional savings account.

That’s right. Under the “Gifts to Reduce the Public Debt” section on Pay.gov, the U.S. Treasury now accepts payments via Venmo and PayPal — in addition to debit cards, credit cards and bank transfers.

Fixed annuities are one of the most common types of annuities. They have both a current interest rate (that usually resets ...