The correct answer is:
- contract owner
The contract owner is the individual who pays the annuity premium and retains rights in the contract. The other terms refer to different roles in relation to the annuity. The annuitant is the person who receives the annuity payments, the beneficiary is someone designated to receive benefits upon the death of the annuitant or contract owner, and the remainderman generally refers to someone who will receive the remaining assets after the annuitant passes away.