Form 485BPOS LINCOLN NATIONAL VARIABL
Tweet
Share
E-mailAs filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 21, 2026
1933 Act Registration No. 333-267957
1940 Act Registration No. 811-03214
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-4
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 7
and
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
AMENDMENT NO. 198
(Exact Name of Registered Separate Account)
Lincoln PathBuilder Income® IRA
THE LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
(Name of Insurance Company)
(Name of Insurance Company)
1301 South Harrison Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
(Address of Insurance Company’s Principal Executive Offices)
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
(Address of Insurance Company’s Principal Executive Offices)
Insurance Company’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (260) 455-2000
Craig T. Beazer, Esquire
The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
150 North Radnor Chester Road
Radnor, PA 19087 (Name and Address of Agent for Service)
The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
150 North Radnor Chester Road
Radnor, PA 19087
Copy to:
Nadine Rosin, Esquire
The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
1301 South Harrison Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
1301 South Harrison Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: Continuous
It is proposed that this filing will become effective:
/ / immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
/X/ on May 1, 2026, pursuant to paragraph (b)
/ / 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
/ / on __________, pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485 under the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”).
/X/ on May 1, 2026, pursuant to paragraph (b)
/ / 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
/ / on __________, pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485 under the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”).
If appropriate, check the following box:
/ / This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
Check each box that appropriately characterizes the Registrant:
/ / New Registrant (as applicable, a Registered Separate Account or Insurance Company that has not filed a Securities Act registration statement or amendment thereto within 3 years preceding this filing)
/ / Emerging Growth Company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”))
/ / If an Emerging Growth Company, indicate by check mark if the Registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act
/ / Insurance Company relying on Rule 12h-7 under the Exchange Act
/ / Smaller reporting company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act)
/ / Emerging Growth Company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”))
/ / If an Emerging Growth Company, indicate by check mark if the Registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act
/ / Insurance Company relying on Rule 12h-7 under the Exchange Act
/ / Smaller reporting company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act)
Lincoln PathBuilder Income® IRA
Individual Variable Annuity Contract
Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account C
Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account C
May 1, 2026
Home Office:
The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
1301 South Harrison Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
1-800-234-3500
The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
1301 South Harrison Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
1-800-234-3500
This prospectus describes an individual single premium deferred variable annuity contract issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (Lincoln Life or Company). This Contract is primarily for use with qualified retirement plans under Sections 408 (IRAs) and 408A (Roth IRAs) of the tax code. Generally, you do not pay federal income tax on the Contract's growth until it is paid out. You receive tax deferral for an IRA whether or not the funds are invested in an annuity contract. Further, if your Contract is a Roth IRA, you generally will not pay income tax on distributions, provided certain conditions are met. Therefore, there should be reasons other than tax deferral for purchasing a qualified annuity contract.
This Contract is a complex investment and involves risks, including potential loss of principal.
The types of investment options offered under the Contract may include variable and fixed options. See Appendix A – Investment Options Available Under The Contract. The Contract is designed to accumulate Contract Value and to provide retirement income over a certain period of time, or for life, subject to certain conditions. The benefits offered under this Contract may be a variable or fixed amount, if available, or a combination of both. This Contract also offers a Death Benefit payable upon the death of the Contractowner or Annuitant. This prospectus is used by both new purchasers and current Contractowners.
This prospectus describes two versions of the Contract: (i) Pathbuilder Income IRA, available through registered representatives who are affiliated with us; or (ii) Pathbuilder Income IRA - Advisory (“the Advisory version”), available through a third-party financial intermediary who may charge an advisory fee for their services. That fee is in addition to contract fees and expenses. If you elect to pay third-party advisory fees out of your Contract Value, each deduction may impact your Contract Value, reduce the Death Benefit(s) and other guaranteed benefits, and may be subject to federal and state income taxes and a 10% federal penalty tax. For more details, see Advisory Fee Withdrawals.
If you are a new investor in the Contract, you may cancel your Contract within ten days of receiving it without paying fees or penalties. In some states, or if you are replacing an existing contract, this free look or cancellation period may be longer. Upon cancellation, you will receive either a full refund of the amount you paid with your application or your total Contract Value. You should review this prospectus and consult with your financial professional for additional information about the specific cancellation terms that may apply.
The state in which your Contract is issued will govern whether or not certain features, riders, restrictions, limitations, charges and fees will apply to your Contract. All material state variations are discussed in this prospectus, however, non-material variations may not be discussed. You should refer to your Contract regarding state-specific features. Please check with your financial professional regarding their availability.
The Purchase Payment for the Contract must be an eligible rollover from a qualified plan for which Lincoln Life has agreed to provide a living benefit (defined as Rollover Money). Additional Purchase Payments will not be allowed.
This Contract is not designed for short-term investing and is not appropriate for the investor who needs ready access to cash. Withdrawals could result in taxes and tax penalties. The Purchase Payment will be placed in Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account C (Variable Annuity Account (VAA)). The VAA supports the Contract’s variable investment options (“Subaccounts”). Each Subaccount invests in an underlying fund. See Appendix A – Investment Options Available Under The Contract. If the Subaccounts you select makes money, your Contract Value goes up; if they lose money, it goes down. How much it goes up or down depends on the performance of the Subaccounts you select. We do not guarantee how any of the Subaccounts or their funds will perform.
Investors should consult a financial professional about the Contract's features, benefits risks, and fees, and whether the Contract is appropriate for them based upon their financial situation and objectives. We do not guarantee that all of the Subaccounts will always be available. Our obligations under the Contract are subject to our financial strength and claims-paying ability. This prospectus gives you information about the Contract that you should know before deciding to buy a Contract. You should also review the prospectus for the funds and keep all prospectuses for future reference. All prospectuses and other shareholder reports will be made available on www.lfg.com/VAprospectus.
1
Neither the U.S. Government nor any federal agency insures or guarantees your investment in the Contract. The Contracts are not bank deposits and are not endorsed by any bank or government agency. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Additional information about certain investment products, including variable annuities, has been prepared by the SEC’s staff and is available online at Investor.gov.
2
Table of Contents
|
Item |
Page |
|
4 | |
|
5 | |
|
6 | |
|
9 | |
|
10 | |
|
13 | |
|
15 | |
|
15 | |
|
17 | |
|
19 | |
|
19 | |
|
20 | |
|
22 | |
|
26 | |
|
28 | |
|
28 | |
|
29 | |
|
33 | |
|
33 | |
|
33 | |
|
33 | |
|
34 | |
|
34 | |
|
A-1 | |
|
B-1 |
3
Special Terms
In this prospectus, the following terms have the indicated meanings:
Account or Variable Annuity Account (VAA)—The segregated investment account, Account C, into which we set aside and invest the assets of the Contract offered in this prospectus.
Accumulation Unit—A measure used to calculate Contract Value for the Contract before the Annuity Commencement Date.
Advisory Fee Withdrawal—Withdrawals from your Contract Value to pay the advisory fees associated with your Fee-Based Financial Plan.
Annuitant—The person upon whose life the annuity payments are based. The Annuitant is also the Contractowner.
Annuity Commencement Date—The Valuation Date when funds are withdrawn to provide a fixed dollar payout for payment of annuity benefits under the Annuity Payout option you select.
Annuity Payout— An amount paid at regular intervals after the Annuity Commencement Date under one of several options available to the Annuitant and/or any other payee. This amount is paid on a fixed basis.
Automatic Step-up—A feature that provides an automatic step-up of the Protected Income Base to the Contract Value, subject to certain conditions.
Benefit Year—Under Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit, the 12-month period starting with the effective date of the rider and starting with each anniversary of the rider effective date after that.
Beneficiary—The person you choose to receive any Death Benefit paid if you die before the Annuity Commencement Date.
Contract—The variable annuity contract you have entered into with Lincoln Life.
Contractowner (you, your, owner)—The person who can exercise the rights within the Contract (decides on investment allocations, transfers, payout option, designates the Beneficiary, etc.). The Contractowner must be the Annuitant.
Contract Value—At a given time before the Annuity Commencement Date, the total value of all Accumulation Units for a Contract.
Contract Year—Each 12-month period starting with the effective date of the Contract and starting with each contract anniversary after that.
Death Benefit—Before the Annuity Commencement Date, the amount payable to your designated Beneficiary upon your death.
Excess Withdrawals—Amounts withdrawn from the Contract which may decrease or eliminate guarantees under the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit.
Fee-Based Financial Plan—A wrap account, managed account or other investment program whereby an investment firm/professional offers asset allocation and/or investment advice for a fee. Such programs can be offered by broker-dealers, banks and registered investment advisers, trust companies and other firms. Under this arrangement, the Contractowner pays the investment firm/professional directly for services. Deductions made for advisory fees may impact your Contract Value, and may reduce the benefits under your Contract.
Good Order—The actual receipt at our Home Office of the requested transaction in writing or by other means we accept, along with all information and supporting legal documentation necessary to complete the transaction. The forms we provide will identify the necessary documentation. We may, in our sole discretion, determine whether any particular transaction request is in Good Order, and we reserve the right to change or waive any Good Order requirements at any time.
Guaranteed Annual Income (GAI)—The guaranteed periodic withdrawal amount available from the Contract each Benefit Year for life under Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit.
Income Base—A value used to calculate the Guaranteed Annual Income amount.
Investment Requirements—Restrictions in how you may allocate your Subaccount investments.
Lincoln Life (we, us, our, Company)—The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company.
Purchase Payment—The initial investment made by a single premium payment to purchase this Contract.
Rollover Money—An eligible rollover from your former qualified plan.
Subaccount—Each portion of the VAA that reflects investments in Accumulation and Annuity Units of a class of a particular fund available under the contracts. There is a separate Subaccount which corresponds to each class of a fund.
Valuation Date—Each day the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for trading.
Valuation Period—The period starting at the close of trading (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day that the NYSE is open for trading (Valuation Date) and ending at the close of such trading on the next Valuation Date.
4
Overview of the Contract
Purpose of the Contract
The Lincoln PathBuilder Income® IRA is intended to be used as a rollover product and provides guaranteed periodic withdrawals. It is designed for you to accumulate assets through investments in a variety of investment options during the accumulation phase. Then, during the annuity phase, the Contract is designed to supplement your retirement income by providing a stream of income payments. The Contract also offers a Death Benefit payable to your designated Beneficiaries.
This Contract may be appropriate if you have a long-term investment horizon. It is not intended for people who may need to make early or frequent withdrawals or intend to engage in frequent trading in the Subaccounts that are available under the Contract.
Phases of the Contract
The Contract has two phases: (1) an accumulation phase (for savings) and (2) an annuity phase (for income).
Accumulation (Savings) Phase. To help you accumulate assets during the accumulation phase, you can invest your payments and earnings in the variable options available under the Contract, each of which has an underlying mutual fund with its own investment objective, strategies, and risks; investment adviser(s); expense ratio; and performance history.
Additional information about each investment option is provided in Appendix A – Investment Options Available Under The Contract.
Annuity (Income) Phase. You can elect to annuitize your Contract and turn your Contract Value into a stream of income payments from us (sometimes called Annuity Payouts). These payments may continue for a set period of years, for as long as you live, or for the longer of the two. The payments may be fixed or variable. Variable payments will vary based on the performance of the funds you choose.
If you annuitize, your investments will be converted to income payments. You will no longer be able to make withdrawals from your Contract and there won’t be a death benefit. However, please note that certain annuity payout options make an amount payable upon death.
Primary Features and Options of the Contract
Accessing Your Money. Before you annuitize, you can withdraw money from your Contract at any time. If you surrender or take an early withdrawal, you may have to pay income taxes, including a tax penalty if you are younger than age 59½.
Tax Treatment. You can transfer money between investment options without tax implications, and earnings (if any) on your investments are generally tax-deferred. You are taxed only upon: (1) taking a withdrawal; (2) receiving a payment from us; or (3) payment of a Death Benefit.
Death Benefits. The Contract includes a Death Benefit that will pay your designated Beneficiaries the Contract Value at the time of your death.
Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit. The Contract includes a Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit that provides guaranteed lifetime periodic withdrawals, regardless of investment performance of the Contract. This guarantee is subject to certain conditions, as set forth elsewhere in the prospectus.
Additional Services. The additional services listed below are available under the Contract for no additional charge (unless otherwise indicated).
●
Portfolio rebalancing. Allows you to automatically reallocate your money among investment options on a periodic basis based on your instructions.
●
Automatic Withdrawal Service (AWS). Allows you to automatically take periodic withdrawals from your Contract Value.
●
Fees Associated with Fee-Based Financial Plans. You may provide authorization to have your advisory fees paid to your financial professional's investment firm from your Contract Value. Advisory Fee Withdrawals will not impact benefits and values under a Death Benefit or a guaranteed benefit or be treated as a distribution for federal tax purposes under certain conditions. If those conditions are not met, the Advisory Fee Withdrawals will impact benefits and values under a Death Benefit or a guaranteed benefit. See the Death Benefit and Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit Sections of the prospectus for more information on how withdrawals affect these benefits. Advisory Fee Withdrawals may not be available in all states, and certain firms may not allow withdrawals to pay advisory fees from your Contract Value. Please discuss the impact of Advisory Fee Withdrawals with your financial professional.
Additionally, if you elect to pay a third-party advisory fee out of your Contract Value, this deduction may reduce the Death Benefit(s) and other guaranteed benefits, and may be subject to federal and state income taxes and a 10% federal penalty tax. See Death Benefits, Benefits Available Under the Contract — Advisory Fee Withdrawals for Optional Rider(s), and Federal Tax Matters — Payment of Investment Advisory Fees.
5
Important Information You Should Consider About the Lincoln PathBuilder Income® IRA Variable Annuity Contract
|
|
FEES, EXPENSES, AND ADJUSTMENTS |
Location in
Prospectus | ||
|
Are There
Charges or
Adjustments for
Early
Withdrawals? |
No:
There are no surrender charges associated with this Contract. |
●N/A | ||
|
Are There
Transaction
Charges? |
No:
There are no transaction charges associated with this Contract. |
●N/A | ||
|
Are There
Ongoing Fees and
Expenses? |
Yes:
Minimum and Maximum Annual Fee Table. The table below describes the fees and
expenses that you may pay each year, depending on the investment options you choose.
Please refer to your contract specifications page in your Contract for information about
the specific fees and expenses you will pay each year based on the options you have
elected. These charges do not reflect any advisory fees paid to a financial intermediary
from Contract Value or other assets of the Contractowner. If such charges were
reflected, the ongoing fees and expenses would be higher. |
●Fee Tables ●Fee Tables –
Examples ●Charges, Other
Deductions,
and
Adjustments ●Appendix A –
Investment
Options
Available
Under the
Contract | ||
|
|
Annual Fee |
Minimum |
Maximum |
|
|
|
Base Contract |
|
|
|
|
|
Base Contract – Guaranteed Withdrawal
Benefit |
|
|
|
|
|
Fund fees and expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
|
|
2 |
| ||
|
|
|
| ||
|
|
Lowest and Highest Annual Cost Table. Because your Contract is customizable, the
choices you make affect how much you will pay. To help you understand the cost of
owning your Contract, the following table shows the lowest and highest cost you could
pay each year, based on current charges. This estimate assumes that you do not take
withdrawals from the Contract. |
| ||
|
|
Lowest Annual Cost: $ |
Highest Annual Cost: $ |
| |
|
|
Assumes: |
Assumes: |
| |
|
|
●Investment of $100,000 ●5% annual appreciation ●Least expensive fund fees and
expenses ●No additional Purchase Payments,
transfers, or withdrawals ●No sales charges or advisory fees |
●Investment of $100,000 ●5% annual appreciation ●Most expensive fund fees and expenses ●No additional Purchase Payments,
transfers, or withdrawals ●No sales charges or advisory fees |
| |
6
|
|
RISKS |
Location in
Prospectus | ||
|
Is There a Risk of
Loss From Poor
Performance? |
|
●Principal Risks ●Investments of
the Variable
Annuity
Account | ||
|
Is This a Short-
Term Investment? |
|
●Fee Tables ●Principal Risks ●Surrenders and
Withdrawals | ||
|
What are the
Risks Associated
With the
Investment
Options? |
|
●Principal Risks ●Investments of
the Variable
Annuity
Account | ||
|
What are the
Risks Related to
the Insurance
Company? |
|
●Principal Risks | ||
|
|
RESTRICTIONS |
Location in
Prospectus | ||
|
Are There
Restrictions on
the Investment
Options? |
|
●Principal Risks ●Investments of
the Variable
Annuity
Account ●Appendix A –
Investment
Options
Available
Under the
Contract | ||
|
|
TAXES |
Location in
Prospectus | ||
|
What are the
Contract’s Tax
Implications? |
|
●Federal Tax
Matters | ||
7
|
|
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST |
Location in
Prospectus | ||
|
How are
Investment
Professionals
Compensated? |
|
●Distribution of
the Contracts | ||
|
Should I
Exchange My
Contract? |
|
●N/A | ||
8
|
There are |
|
|
Base Contract Expense (as a percentage of average Contract Value) |
|
|
|
Base Contract Expense |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit:1
|
|
|
|
Guaranteed Maximum Annual Charge |
|
|
|
Current Annual Charge |
|
|
|
Annual Fund Expenses |
Minimum |
Maximum |
|
|
% |
% |
|
Expenses that are deducted from the fund assets, including
management fees, distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees, and other
expenses after any fee waivers or expense reimbursements.1 |
0.48
% |
1.46
% |
9
EXAMPLES
The following Examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the variable options with the cost of investing in other annuity contracts that offer variable options. These costs include transaction expenses, contract fees, annual contract expenses, and annual fund fees and expenses. These examples do not reflect any advisory fees paid to a financial intermediary from the Contract Value or other assets of the Contractowner. If such charges were reflected, the ongoing fees and expenses would be higher. For more details. See Advisory Fee Withdrawals.
The Example assumes that you invest $100,000 in the variable options for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, the maximum fees and expenses of any of the funds and that Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit at the guaranteed maximum charge are in effect. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
1) If you surrender your Contract at the end of the applicable time period:
|
1 year |
3 years |
5 years |
10 years |
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
1 year |
3 years |
5 years |
10 years |
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
For more information, see Charges, Other Deductions, and Adjustments in this prospectus and the prospectuses for the funds. Premium taxes may also apply, although they do not appear in the examples. Different fees and expenses not reflected in the examples may be imposed during a period in which Annuity Payouts are made. See Annuity Payouts. These examples should not be considered a representation of past or future expenses. Actual expenses may be more or less than those shown.
10
Financial Statements
The December 31, 2025 financial statements of the VAA and the December 31, 2025 consolidated financial statements of Lincoln Life are located in the Statement of Additional Information (SAI). Instructions on how to obtain a free copy of the SAI are provided on the last page of this prospectus.
11
Investments of the Variable Annuity Account
You decide the Subaccount(s) to which you allocate the Purchase Payment. There is a separate Subaccount which corresponds to each class of each fund. You may change your allocation without penalty or charges. Shares of the funds will be sold at net asset value with no initial sales charge to the VAA in order to fund the contracts. The funds are required to redeem fund shares at net asset value upon our request.
Descriptions of the Funds
Information regarding each fund, including (1) its name, (2) its type or investment objective, (3) its investment adviser and any sub-investment adviser, (4) current expenses, and (5) performance is available in Appendix A – Investment Options Available Under the Contract. Each fund has issued a prospectus that contains more detailed information about the fund. Paper or electronic copies of the fund prospectuses may be obtained by contacting our Home Office or visiting www.lfg.com/VAprospectus.
Certain Payments We Receive with Regard to the Funds
We (and/or our affiliates) incur expenses in promoting, marketing, and administering the contracts and the underlying funds. With respect to a fund, including affiliated funds, the adviser and/or distributor, or an affiliate thereof, may make payments to us (or an affiliate) for certain services we provide on behalf of the funds. Such services include, but are not limited to, recordkeeping; aggregating and processing purchase and redemption orders; providing Contractowners with statements showing their positions within the funds; processing dividend payments; providing subaccounting services for shares held by Contractowners; and forwarding shareholder communications, such as proxies, shareholder reports, dividend and tax notices, and printing and delivering prospectuses and updates to Contractowners. It is anticipated that such payments will be based on a percentage of assets of the particular fund attributable to the contracts along with certain other variable contracts issued or administered by us (or an affiliate). These percentages are negotiated and vary with each fund. Some advisers and/or distributors may pay us significantly more than other advisers and/or distributors and the amount we receive may be substantial. These percentages currently range up to 0.30%, and as of the date of this prospectus, we were receiving payments from most fund families. We (or our affiliates) may profit from these payments. These payments may be derived, in whole or in part, from the investment advisory fee deducted from fund assets. Contractowners, through their indirect investment in the funds, bear the costs of these investment advisory fees (see the funds' prospectuses for more information). Additionally, a fund's adviser and/or distributor or its affiliates may provide us with certain services that assist us in the distribution of the contracts and may pay us and/or certain affiliates amounts for marketing programs and sales support, as well as amounts to participate in training and sales meetings.
In addition to the payments described above, the funds offered as part of this Contract make payments to us under their distribution plans (12b-1 plans) for the marketing and distribution of fund shares. The payment rates range up to 0.55% based on the amount of assets invested in those funds. Payments made out of the assets of the fund will reduce the amount of assets that otherwise would be available for investment, and will reduce the fund's investment return. The dollar amount of future asset-based fees is not predictable because these fees are a percentage of the fund's average net assets, which can fluctuate over time. If, however, the value of the fund goes up, then so would the payment to us (or our affiliates). Conversely, if the value of the funds goes down, payments to us or our affiliates would decrease.
Selection of the Funds
The Subaccounts of the VAA are invested solely in shares of one of the funds available under the Contract.
The funds offered as part of this Contract may have similar investment objectives and policies to other portfolios managed by the adviser. The investment results of the fund, however, may be higher or lower than the other portfolios that are managed by the adviser or sub-adviser. There can be no assurance, and no representation is made, that the investment results of the funds will be comparable to the investment results of any other portfolio managed by the adviser or sub-adviser, if applicable.
Certain funds invest their assets in other funds. As a result, you will pay fees and expenses at both funds levels. This will reduce your investment return. This arrangement is referred to as funds of funds. Funds of funds structures may have higher expenses than funds that invest directly in debt or equity securities.
Certain funds may employ risk management strategies to provide for downside protection during sharp downward movements in equity markets. These funds usually, but not always, have “Managed Risk” or “Managed Volatility” in the name of the fund. These strategies could limit the upside participation of the fund in rising equity markets relative to other funds. Risk management strategies, in periods of high market volatility, could limit your participating in market gains; this may conflict with your investment objectives by limiting your ability to maximize potential growth of your Contract Value.
The funds offered as part of this Contract are included as investment options in part, to reduce the risk of investment losses that may require us to use our own assets to make guaranteed payments under the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit. Our financial interest in reducing loss and the volatility of overall Contract Values, in light of our obligations to provide benefits under the rider, may be deemed to present a potential conflict of interest with respect to the interests of the Contractowner and/or Annuitants. In addition, any
12
negative impact to the underlying fund as a result of the risk management strategies may limit your Contract Value, which in turn may limit your ability to achieve step-ups of the benefit base under the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit.
For more information about the funds and the investment strategies it employs, please refer to the fund's current prospectuses. Fund prospectuses are available by contacting us.
Fund Shares
We will purchase shares of the funds at net asset value and direct them to the Subaccounts of the VAA. We will redeem sufficient shares of the funds to pay Annuity Payouts, Death Benefits, surrender/withdrawal proceeds or for other purposes described in the Contract. Redeemed shares are retired, but they may be reissued later.
Shares of the funds are not sold directly to the general public. They are sold to us, and may be sold to other insurance companies, for investment of the assets of the Subaccounts established by those insurance companies to fund variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts.
Reinvestment of Dividends and Capital Gain Distributions
All dividends and capital gain distributions of the funds are automatically reinvested in shares of the distributing funds at their net asset value on the date of distribution. Dividends are not paid out to Contractowners as additional units, but are reflected as changes in unit values.
Addition, Deletion or Substitution of Investments
We reserve the right, within the law, to make certain changes to the structure and operation of the VAA at our discretion and without your consent. We may add, delete, or substitute funds for all Contractowners or only for certain classes of Contractowners. New or substitute funds may have different fees and expenses, and may only be offered to certain classes of Contractowners.
Substitutions may be made with respect to existing investments. In the event of a substitution, the Contract Value allocated to the existing fund will be allocated to the substitute fund. Any future allocations to the substitute fund will automatically be allocated according to the instructions we have on file for you unless otherwise instructed by you. If we don’t have instructions from you on file, those allocations will be allocated to the substitute fund.
We may close Subaccounts to allocations of Purchase Payments or Contract Value, or both, at any time in our sole discretion. The funds, which sell their shares to the Subaccounts pursuant to participation agreements, also may terminate these agreements and discontinue offering their shares to the Subaccounts. In the event of a fund closure, any Contract Value you have invested in the closed fund will remain in that fund until you transfer it elsewhere. Any future allocation to the closed fund will be allocated in accordance with the instructions we have on file for you unless you instruct us otherwise.
In addition, a Subaccount may become unavailable due to the liquidation of its underlying fund portfolio. To the extent permitted by applicable law, upon notice to you and unless you otherwise instruct us, we will re-allocate any Contract Value in the liquidated fund to the money market subaccount. Any future allocations to the liquidated fund will automatically be allocated according to the instructions we have on file for you unless you instruct us otherwise.
From time to time, certain underlying funds may merge with other funds. If a merger of an underlying fund occurs, the Contract Value allocated to the existing fund will be merged into the surviving underlying fund. Any future allocations to the merged fund will automatically be allocated to the surviving underlying fund unless you instruct us otherwise.
We may also:
●
remove, combine, or add Subaccounts and make the new Subaccounts available to you at our discretion;
●
transfer assets supporting the contracts from one Subaccount to another or from the VAA to another separate account;
●
combine the VAA with other separate accounts and/or create new separate accounts;
●
deregister the VAA under the 1940 Act; and
●
operate the VAA as a management investment company under the 1940 Act or as any other form permitted by law.
We may modify the provisions of the contracts to reflect changes to the Subaccounts and the VAA and to comply with applicable law. We will not make any changes without any necessary approval by the SEC. We will also provide you written notice.
Charges, Other Deductions, and Adjustments
We will deduct the charges described below to cover our costs and expenses, services provided and risks assumed under the contracts. We incur certain costs and expenses for the distribution and administration of the contracts and for providing the benefits thereunder.
Our administrative services include:
13
●
processing applications for and issuing the contracts;
●
processing purchases and redemptions of fund shares as required;
●
maintaining records;
●
administering Annuity Payouts;
●
furnishing accounting and valuation services (including the calculation and monitoring of daily Subaccount values);
●
reconciling and depositing cash receipts;
●
providing contract confirmations; and
●
providing toll-free and website inquiry services.
The risks we assume include:
●
the risk that lifetime payments from the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit will exceed the Contract Value;
●
the risk that Annuitants upon which Annuity Payouts are based live longer than we assumed when we calculated our guaranteed rates (these rates are incorporated in the Contract and cannot be changed); and
●
the risk that our costs in providing the services will exceed our revenues from contract charges (which we cannot change).
The amount of a charge may not necessarily correspond to the costs associated with providing the services or benefits indicated by the description of the charge. Any remaining expenses will be paid from our general account which may consist, among other things, of proceeds derived from base contract expenses deducted from the VAA. We may profit from one or more of the fees and charges deducted under the Contract. We may use these profits for any corporate purpose, including financing the distribution of the contracts.
Obligations under the Contracts that are funded by our general account include 1) the obligation to make lifetime benefit payments under Living Benefit Riders that exceed the Contract Value; 2) the obligation to pay Death Benefits that exceed the Contract Value; and 3) the obligation to pay Annuity Payouts that exceed the Contract Value. Payment of these benefits and obligations is subject to our claims-paying ability and financial strength. We are also responsible for providing for all administrative services necessary in connection with the contracts (and bearing all of the associated expenses).
Deductions from the VAA
A charge is applied to the daily net asset value of the Subaccount, equal to an annual rate of 0.25% This base contract expense includes the mortality and expense risk and administrative charge.
Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit charge: The annual charge for this feature is currently 1.00% (0.083% monthly). This charge is based on the Income Base (which is established at contract issue), as increased for Automatic Step-ups, and decreased for Excess Withdrawals. We will deduct the cost of this rider from the Contract Value on a quarterly basis, with the first deduction occurring on the Valuation Date on or next following the three-month anniversary of the rider’s effective date. The amount we deduct will increase or decrease as the Income Base increases or decreases, because the charge is based on the Income Base. See Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit – Income Base for a discussion and example of the impact of the changes to the Income Base.
The percentage charge may increase no more frequently than once in a 12-month period and we will notify you in advance of the effective date of the change. The charge will not exceed the guaranteed maximum annual percentage charge of 2.00%.
The rider charge will be discontinued upon termination of the rider. A portion of the rider charge, based on the number of days the rider was in effect that quarter, will be deducted upon termination of the rider (except for death) or surrender of the Contract, or the election of an Annuity Payout option. If the Contract Value is reduced to zero, no further rider charge will be deducted.
Other Charges and Deductions
Base contract expenses of 0.25% of the value in the VAA will be assessed on all variable Annuity Payouts, including options that may be offered that do not have a life contingency and therefore no mortality risk. This charge includes the expense risk and administrative charge. The expense risk is the risk that our costs in providing the services will exceed our revenues from contract charges.
There are additional deductions from and expenses paid out of the assets of the underlying funds that are more fully described in the prospectuses for the funds. Among these deductions and expenses are 12b-1 fees which reimburse us or an affiliate for certain expenses incurred in connection with certain administrative and distribution support services provided to the funds.
Additional Information
The charges described previously may be reduced or eliminated for any particular contract. However, these reductions may be available only to the extent that we anticipate lower distribution and/or administrative expenses, or that we perform fewer sales or administrative services than those originally contemplated in establishing the level of those charges, or when required by law. Lower distribution and administrative expenses may be the result of economies associated with:
●
the use of mass enrollment procedures,
14
●
the performance of administrative or sales functions by the employer,
●
the use by an employer of automated techniques in submitting deposits or information related to deposits on behalf of its employees, or
●
any other circumstances which reduce distribution or administrative expenses.
The exact amount of charges and fees applicable to a particular contract will be stated in that Contract.
The Contract
Lincoln Life and the Variable Annuity Account (VAA)
The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (Lincoln Life or Company), organized in 1905, is an Indiana-domiciled insurance company, engaged primarily in the direct issuance of life insurance contracts and annuities. The address of Lincoln Life’s Home Office is 1301 South Harrison Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802. Lincoln Life is wholly owned by Lincoln National Corporation (LNC), a publicly held insurance and financial services holding company incorporated in Indiana. Lincoln Life is obligated to pay all amounts promised to Contractowners under the contracts, subject to its financial strength and claims-paying ability.
On June 3, 1981, the VAA was established as an insurance company separate account under Indiana law. It is registered with the SEC as a unit investment trust under the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (1940 Act). The VAA is a segregated investment account. Income, gains and losses credited to, or charged against, the VAA reflect the VAA’s own investment experience and not the investment experience of Lincoln Life’s other assets. The assets of the VAA may not be used to pay any liabilities of Lincoln Life other than those arising from the contracts supported by the VAA.
Purchase of Contract
If you wish to purchase a Contract, you may submit an application to our Home Office or apply through a financial professional authorized by us. The completed application is sent to us and we decide whether to accept or reject it. If the application is accepted, a Contract is prepared and executed by our legally authorized officers. The Contract is then sent to you either directly or through your financial professional. See Distribution of the Contracts. The purchase of multiple contracts with identical Contractowners, Annuitants and Beneficiaries will be allowed only upon Home Office approval.
The Advisory option of the Contract may be issued as part of a Fee-Based Financial Plan. A Fee-Based Financial Plan generally refers to a wrap account, managed account or other investment program whereby an investment firm/professional offers asset allocation and/or investment advice for a fee. Such programs can be offered by broker-dealers, banks and registered investment advisors, trust companies and other firms. Under this arrangement, you pay the investment firm/professional directly for services. You may be able to pay this fee by taking Advisory Fee Withdrawals from your Contract Value.
When a completed application and all other information necessary for processing a purchase order is received in Good Order at our Home Office, your Purchase Payment will be priced no later than two business days after we receive the order. If you submit your application and/or Purchase Payment to your financial professional, we will not begin processing your purchase order until we receive the application and Purchase Payment from your financial professional’s broker-dealer. While attempting to finish an incomplete application, we may hold your Purchase Payment for no more than five business days unless we receive your consent to retain the payment until the application is completed. If the incomplete application cannot be completed within those five days and we have not received your consent, you will be informed of the reasons, and the Purchase Payment will be returned immediately. Once the application is complete, we will allocate your Purchase Payment within two business days.
Who Can Invest
To apply for a Contract, you must be of legal age in a state where the contracts may be lawfully sold and also be eligible to participate in any of the qualified plans for which the contracts are designed. At the time of issue, the Contractowner, joint owner and Annuitant must be under age 99. Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account in an effort to help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities. When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver's license, photo i.d., or other identifying documents.
In accordance with anti-money laundering laws and federal economic sanction policy, the Company may be required in a given instance to reject a Purchase Payment and/or freeze a Contractowner’s account. This means we could refuse to honor requests for transfers, withdrawals, surrenders or Death Benefits. Once frozen, monies would be moved from the VAA to an interest-bearing account maintained solely for the Contractowner, and held in that account until instructions are received from the appropriate regulator.
Do not purchase this Contract if you plan to use it, or any of its riders, for speculation, arbitrage, viatical arrangement, or other similar investment scheme. The Contract may not be resold, traded on any stock exchange, or sold on any secondary market.
15
If you are purchasing the Contract through a tax-favored arrangement, including traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs, you should consider carefully the costs and benefits of the Contract (including annuity income benefits) before purchasing the Contract, since the tax-favored arrangement itself provides tax-deferred growth.
Purchase Payments
The Purchase Payment for the Contract must be made using Rollover Money from a qualified plan. Additional Purchase Payments are not permitted.
Purchase Payments totaling $5 million or more are subject to Home Office approval. This amount takes into consideration the total Purchase Payments for all variable annuity contracts issued by the Company (or its affiliates) in which you are the Contractowner, joint owner, or Annuitant.
Valuation Date
Accumulation Units will be valued once daily at the close of regular trading (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open (Valuation Date). On any date other than a Valuation Date, the Accumulation Unit value will not change.
Allocation of Purchase Payments
Your Purchase Payment will be allocated to the variable side of the contract and placed into the VAA’s Subaccounts, according to your instructions. In the absence of instructions accompanying a Purchase Payment or otherwise not being in Good Order, we will contact you or your financial professional for additional information.
Purchase Payments received from you or your broker-dealer in Good Order at our Home Office prior to the close of the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time), will be processed using the Accumulation Unit value computed on that Valuation Date. Purchase Payments received in Good Order after market close will be processed using the Accumulation Unit value computed on the next Valuation Date. Purchase Payments submitted to your financial professional will generally not be processed by us until they are received from your financial professional’s broker-dealer. If your broker-dealer submits your Purchase Payment to us through the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) or, pursuant to terms agreeable to us, uses a proprietary order placement system to submit your Purchase Payment to us, and your Purchase Payment was placed with your broker-dealer prior to market close, then we will use the Accumulation Unit value computed on that Valuation Date when processing your Purchase Payment. Purchase Payments placed with your broker-dealer after market close will be processed using the Accumulation Unit value computed on the next Valuation Date. There may be circumstances under which the New York Stock Exchange may close early (prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time). In such instances, Purchase Payments received after such early market close will be processed using the Accumulation Unit value computed on the next Valuation Date.
The number of Accumulation Units determined in this way is not impacted by any subsequent change in the value of an Accumulation Unit. However, the dollar value of an Accumulation Unit will vary depending not only upon how well the underlying fund’s investments perform, but also upon the expenses of the VAA and the underlying funds.
If an underlying fund imposes restrictions with respect to the acceptance of Purchase Payments, allocations or transfers, we reserve the right to reject an allocation or transfer request at any time the underlying fund notifies us of such a restriction. We will notify you if your allocation request is or becomes subject to such restrictions.
Valuation of Accumulation Units
Purchase Payments allocated to the VAA are converted into Accumulation Units. This is done by dividing the amount allocated by the value of an Accumulation Unit for the Valuation Period during which the Purchase Payments are allocated to the VAA. The Accumulation Unit value for each Subaccount was or will be established at the inception of the Subaccount. It may increase or decrease from Valuation Period to Valuation Period. Accumulation Unit values are affected by investment performance of the funds, fund expenses, and the contract charges. The Accumulation Unit value for a Subaccount for a later Valuation Period is determined as follows:
1.
The total value of the fund shares held in the Subaccount is calculated by multiplying the number of fund shares owned by the Subaccount at the beginning of the Valuation Period by the net asset value per share of the fund at the end of the Valuation Period, and adding any dividend or other distribution of the fund if an ex-dividend date occurs during the Valuation Period; minus
2.
The liabilities of the Subaccount at the end of the Valuation Period; these liabilities include daily charges imposed on the Subaccount, and may include a charge or credit with respect to any taxes paid or reserved for by us that we determine result from the operations of the VAA; and
3.
The result is divided by the number of Subaccount units outstanding at the beginning of the Valuation Period.
The daily charges imposed on a Subaccount for any Valuation Period are equal to the daily base contract expense multiplied by the number of calendar days in the Valuation Period. Contracts with different features have different daily charges, and therefore, will have different corresponding Accumulation Unit values on any given day. In certain circumstances (for example, when separate account
16
assets are less than $1,000), and when permitted by law, it may be prudent for us to use a different standard industry method for this calculation, called the Net Investment Factor method. We will achieve substantially the same result using either method.
Transfers On or Before the Annuity Commencement Date
After the first 30 days from the effective date of your Contract, you may transfer all or a portion of your investment from one Subaccount to another. A transfer among Subaccounts involves the surrender of Accumulation Units in one Subaccount and the purchase of Accumulation Units in the other Subaccount. A transfer will be done using the respective Accumulation Unit values determined at the end of the Valuation Date on which the transfer request is received.
Transfers (among the variable Subaccounts and as permitted between the variable and fixed accounts) are limited to 12 per Contract Year unless otherwise authorized by us. Currently, there is no charge for a transfer. This limit does not apply to transfers made under portfolio rebalancing. See Additional Services and the SAI for more information on these programs.
The minimum amount which may be transferred between Subaccounts is $300 (or the entire amount in the Subaccount, if less than $300). If the transfer from a Subaccount would leave you with less than $300 in the Subaccount, we may transfer the total balance of the Subaccount.
A transfer request may be made to our Home Office in writing or by fax. A transfer request may also be made by telephone or other electronic means, provided the appropriate authorization is on file with us. Our address, telephone number, and Internet address are on the first page of this prospectus. Requests for transfers will be processed on the Valuation Date that they are received when they are received in Good Order at our Home Office before the close of the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time). If we receive a transfer request in Good Order after market close, we will process the request using the Accumulation Unit value computed on the next Valuation Date.
There may be circumstances under which the New York Stock Exchange may close early (prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time). In such instances transfers received after such early market close will be processed using the Accumulation Unit value computed on the next Valuation Date.
We may defer or reject a transfer request that is subject to a restriction imposed by an underlying fund.
Transfers may be delayed as permitted by the 1940 Act. See Delay of Payments.
Market Timing
Frequent, large, or short-term transfers among Subaccounts and the fixed account, such as those associated with “market timing” transactions, can affect the funds and their investment returns. Such transfers may dilute the value of the fund shares, interfere with the efficient management of the fund's portfolio, and increase brokerage and administrative costs of the funds. As an effort to protect our Contractowners and the funds from potentially harmful trading activity, we utilize certain market timing policies and procedures (the “Market Timing Procedures”). Our Market Timing Procedures are designed to detect and prevent such transfer activity among the Subaccounts and the fixed account that may affect other Contractowners or fund shareholders.
In addition, the funds may have adopted their own policies and procedures with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of their respective shares. The prospectuses for the funds describe any such policies and procedures, which may be more or less restrictive than the frequent trading policies and procedures of other funds and the Market Timing Procedures we have adopted to discourage frequent transfers among Subaccounts. While we reserve the right to enforce these policies and procedures, Contractowners and other persons with interests under the Contract should be aware that we may not have the contractual authority or the operational capacity to apply the frequent trading policies and procedures of the funds. However, under SEC rules, we are required to: (1) enter into a written agreement with each fund or its principal underwriter that obligates us to provide to the fund promptly upon request certain information about the trading activity of individual Contractowners, and (2) execute instructions from the fund to restrict or prohibit further purchases or transfers by specific Contractowners who violate the excessive trading policies established by the fund.
You should be aware that the purchase and redemption orders received by the funds generally are “omnibus” orders from intermediaries such as retirement plans or separate accounts funding variable insurance contracts. Omnibus orders reflect the aggregation and netting of multiple orders from individual retirement plan participants and/or individual owners of variable insurance contracts. The omnibus nature of these orders may limit the funds’ ability to apply their respective disruptive trading policies and procedures. We cannot guarantee that the funds (and thus our Contractowners) will not be harmed by transfer activity relating to the retirement plans and/or other insurance companies that may invest in the funds. In addition, if a fund believes that an omnibus order we submit may reflect one or more transfer requests from Contractowners engaged in disruptive trading activity, the fund may reject the entire omnibus order.
Our Market Timing Procedures detect potential “market timers” by examining the number of transfers made by Contractowners within given periods of time. In addition, managers of the funds might contact us if they believe or suspect that there is market timing. If requested by a fund company, we may vary our Market Timing Procedures from Subaccount to Subaccount to comply with specific fund policies and procedures.
17
We may increase our monitoring of Contractowners who we have previously identified as market timers. When applying the parameters used to detect market timers, we will consider multiple contracts owned by the same Contractowner if that Contractowner has been identified as a market timer. For each Contractowner, we will investigate the transfer patterns that meet the parameters being used to detect potential market timers. We will also investigate any patterns of trading behavior identified by the funds that may not have been captured by our Market Timing Procedures.
Once a Contractowner has been identified as a market timer under our Market Timing Procedures, we will notify the Contractowner in writing that future transfers (among the Subaccounts and/or the fixed account) will be temporarily permitted to be made only by original signature sent to us by U.S. mail, first-class delivery for the remainder of the Contract Year (or calendar year if the Contract is an individual contract that was sold in connection with an employer sponsored plan). Overnight delivery or electronic instructions (which may include telephone, facsimile, or Internet instructions) submitted during this period will not be accepted. If overnight delivery or electronic instructions are inadvertently accepted from a Contractowner that has been identified as a market timer, upon discovery, we will reverse the transaction within 1 or 2 business days. We will impose this “original signature” restriction on that Contractowner even if we cannot identify, in the particular circumstances, any harmful effect from that Contractowner's particular transfers.
Contractowners seeking to engage in frequent, large, or short-term transfer activity may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection. Our ability to detect such transfer activity may be limited by operational systems and technological limitations. The identification of Contractowners determined to be engaged in such transfer activity that may adversely affect other Contractowners or fund shareholders involves judgments that are inherently subjective. We cannot guarantee that our Market Timing Procedures will detect every potential market timer. If we are unable to detect market timers, you may experience dilution in the value of your fund shares and increased brokerage and administrative costs in the funds. This may result in lower long-term returns for your investments.
Our Market Timing Procedures are applied consistently to all Contractowners. An exception for any Contractowner will be made only in the event we are required to do so by a court of law. In addition, certain funds available as investment options in your Contract may also be available as investment options for owners of other, older life insurance policies issued by us. Some of these older life insurance policies do not provide a contractual basis for us to restrict or refuse transfers which are suspected to be market timing activity. In addition, because other insurance companies and/or retirement plans may invest in the funds, we cannot guarantee that the funds will not suffer harm from frequent, large, or short-term transfer activity among Subaccounts and the fixed accounts of variable contracts issued by other insurance companies or among investment options available to retirement plan participants.
In our sole discretion, we may revise our Market Timing Procedures at any time without prior notice as necessary to better detect and deter frequent, large, or short-term transfer activity to comply with state or federal regulatory requirements, and/or to impose additional or alternate restrictions on market timers (such as dollar or percentage limits on transfers). If we modify our Market Timing Procedures, they will be applied uniformly to all Contractowners or as applicable to all Contractowners investing in underlying funds.
Some of the funds have reserved the right to temporarily or permanently refuse payments or transfer requests from us if, in the judgment of the fund’s investment adviser, the fund would be unable to invest effectively in accordance with its investment objective or policies, or would otherwise potentially be adversely affected. To the extent permitted by applicable law, we reserve the right to defer or reject a transfer request at any time that we are unable to purchase or redeem shares of any of the funds available through the VAA, including any refusal or restriction on purchases or redemptions of the fund shares as a result of the funds' own policies and procedures on market timing activities. If a fund refuses to accept a transfer request we have already processed, we will reverse the transaction within 1 or 2 business days. We will notify you in writing if we have reversed, restricted or refused any of your transfer requests. Some funds also may impose redemption fees on short-term trading (i.e., redemptions of mutual fund shares within a certain number of business days after purchase). We reserve the right to administer and collect any such redemption fees on behalf of the funds. You should read the funds’ prospectuses for more details on their redemption fees and their ability to refuse or restrict purchases or redemptions of their shares.
Transfers After the Annuity Commencement Date
You may transfer all or a portion of your investment in one Subaccount to another Subaccount or to the fixed side of the contract, as permitted under your Contract. Those transfers will be limited to three times per Contract Year. You may also switch from a variable Annuity Payout to a fixed Annuity Payout. You may not switch from a fixed Annuity Payout to a variable Annuity Payout. Once elected, the fixed Annuity Payout is irrevocable.
Ownership
The Contractowner on the date of issue will be the person or entity designated in the contract specifications. The Contractowner may name a joint owner.
As Contractowner, you have all rights under the Contract. According to Indiana law, the assets of the VAA are held for the exclusive benefit of all Contractowners and their designated Beneficiaries; and the assets of the VAA are not chargeable with liabilities arising from any other business that we may conduct. We reserve the right to approve all ownership and Annuitant changes. Qualified contracts are not transferable unless allowed under applicable law. Assignments may have an adverse impact on the benefits offered in
18
this product and may be prohibited under the terms of a particular rider. We assume no responsibility for the validity or effect of any assignment. Consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of an assignment.
Joint Ownership
If a Contract has joint owners, the joint owners shall be treated as having equal undivided interests in the Contract. Either owner, independently of the other, may exercise any ownership rights in this Contract. Not more than two owners (an owner and joint owner) may be named and contingent owners are not permitted.
Surrenders and Withdrawals
Before the Annuity Commencement Date, we will allow the surrender of the Contract or a withdrawal of the Contract Value upon your written request on an approved Lincoln distribution request form (available from the Home Office), subject to the rules discussed below. Surrender or withdrawal rights after the Annuity Commencement Date depend on the Annuity Payout option selected.
The amount available upon surrender/withdrawal is the Contract Value less any applicable charges, fees, and taxes at the end of the Valuation Period during which the written request for surrender/withdrawal is received in Good Order at the Home Office. If we receive a surrender or withdrawal request in Good Order at our Home Office before the close of the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time), we will process the request using the Accumulation Unit value computed on that Valuation Date. If we receive a surrender or withdrawal request in Good Order at our Home Office after market close, we will process the request using the Accumulation Unit value computed on the next Valuation Date. There may be circumstances under which the NYSE may close early (prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time). In such instances, surrender or withdrawal requests received after such early market close will be processed using the Accumulation Unit value computed on the next Valuation Date. The minimum amount which can be withdrawn is $300. Unless a request for withdrawal specifies otherwise, withdrawals will be made from all Subaccounts within the VAA and from the fixed account in the same proportion that the amount of withdrawal bears to the total Contract Value. Unless prohibited, surrender/withdrawal payments will be mailed within seven days after we receive a valid written request at the Home Office. The payment may be postponed as permitted by the 1940 Act.
Surrenders and withdrawals may be taxable and, prior to age 59½, subject to a tax penalty. The tax consequences of a surrender/withdrawal are discussed later in this prospectus. See Federal Tax Matters – Taxation of Withdrawals and Surrenders.
|
Standard Benefits | |||
|
Name of Benefit |
Purpose |
Maximum Fee |
Brief Description of Restrictions /
Limitations |
|
|
|
● (as a percentage of
average Contract
Value) |
●
|
|
|
|
● |
●
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
|
|
|
|
● |
19
|
Standard Benefits | |||
|
Name of Benefit |
Purpose |
Maximum Fee |
Brief Description of Restrictions /
Limitations |
|
|
|
|
|
20
Abandoned Property. Every state has unclaimed property laws which generally declare annuity contracts to be abandoned after a period of inactivity of three to five years from the date a benefit is due and payable. For example, if the payment of a Death Benefit has been triggered, but, if after a thorough search, we are still unable to locate the Beneficiary of the Death Benefit, or the Beneficiary does not come forward to claim the Death Benefit in a timely manner, the Death Benefit will be “escheated”. This means that the Death Benefit will be paid to the abandoned property division or unclaimed property office of the state in which the Beneficiary or the Contractowner last resided, as shown on our books and records, or to our state of domicile. This escheatment is revocable and the state is obligated to pay the Death Benefit (without interest) if your Beneficiary steps forward to claim it with the proper documentation.
To prevent such escheatment, it is important that you update your Beneficiary designations, including addresses, if and as they change. You may update your Beneficiary designations by submitting a Beneficiary change form to our Home Office.
Additional Services
These additional services are available to you under your Contract: automatic withdrawal service (AWS) and portfolio rebalancing. In order to take advantage of one of these services, you will need to complete the appropriate election form that is available from our Home Office or call 1-800-234-3500. These services will stop once we become aware of a pending death claim. For further detailed information on these services, please see Additional Services in the SAI.
21
22
|
|
Contract Value |
Income Base |
|
Initial Rollover Money $50,000 |
$50,000 |
$50,000 |
|
Valuation Date immediately prior to 1st Benefit Year anniversary |
$54,000 |
$54,000 |
|
Valuation Date immediately prior to 2nd Benefit Year anniversary |
$53,900 |
$54,000 |
|
Valuation Date immediately prior to 3rd Benefit Year anniversary |
$57,000 |
$57,000 |
|
Valuation Date immediately prior to 4th Benefit Year anniversary |
$64,000 |
$64,000 |
23
|
Single Life Option |
Joint Life Option | ||
|
Age |
Guaranteed Annual Income
percentage |
Age of spouse |
Guaranteed Annual Income
percentage |
|
60 – 64 |
4.00% |
60 – 64 |
3.50% |
|
65 – 70 |
5.00% |
65 – 70 |
4.50% |
|
71+ |
6.00% |
71+ |
5.50% |
|
Single Life Option |
Joint Life Option | ||
|
Age |
Guaranteed Annual Income
percentage |
Age of spouse |
Guaranteed Annual Income
percentage |
|
55 – 59 |
0.00% |
55 – 59 |
3.50% |
|
60 – 64 |
0.00% |
60 – 64 |
4.00% |
|
65+ |
5.00% |
65+ |
4.50% |
|
Contract Value on the Guaranteed Annual Income effective date |
$200,000 |
|
Income Base on the Guaranteed Annual Income effective date |
$200,000 |
|
Initial Guaranteed Annual Income amount on the Guaranteed
Annual Income effective date ($200,000 x 4%) |
$8,000 |
|
Contract Value six months after Guaranteed Annual Income
effective date |
$210,000 |
|
Income Base six months after Guaranteed Annual Income effective
date |
$200,000 |
|
Withdrawal six months after Guaranteed Annual Income effective
date when Annuitant is still age 62 |
$8,000 |
|
Contract Value after withdrawal ($210,000 - $8,000) |
$202,000 |
|
Income Base after withdrawal ($200,000 - $0) |
$200,000 |
24
After a $12,000 Withdrawal, $3,400 is within the Guaranteed Annual Income amount, $8,600 is the Excess Withdrawal.
The Contract Value is reduced by the amount of the Guaranteed Annual Income amount of $3,400 and the Income Base is not reduced: Contract Value = $56,600 ($60,000 - $3,400) Income Base = $85,000
25
Annuity Payouts
When you apply for a Contract, you may select any Annuity Commencement Date permitted by law, which is usually on or before the Annuitant's 99th birthday. However, you must elect to receive Annuity Payouts by the Annuitant's 99th birthday. Your broker-dealer may recommend that you choose this at an earlier age.
The Contract provides optional forms of payouts of annuities (annuity options), each of which is payable on a variable basis, a fixed basis or a combination of both as you specify. The Contract provides that all or part of the Contract Value may be used to purchase an Annuity Payout option. The minimum rates used to purchase any of the annuity options discussed below are shown in the Contract.
You may elect Annuity Payouts in monthly, quarterly, semiannual or annual installments. If the payouts from any Subaccount would be or become less than $50, we have the right to reduce their frequency until the payouts are at least $50 each. Following are explanations of the annuity options available. Advisory Fee Withdrawals are not allowed after your Contract is annuitized.
Annuity Options
Life Annuity. This option offers a periodic payout during the lifetime of the Annuitant and ends with the last payout before the death of the Annuitant. This option offers the highest periodic payout since there is no guarantee of a minimum number of payouts or provision for a Death Benefit for Beneficiaries. However, there is the risk under this option that the recipient would receive no payouts if the Annuitant dies before the date set for the first payout; only one payout if death occurs before the second scheduled payout, and so on. The Annuitant must be under age 81 to elect this option.
Life Annuity with Payouts Guaranteed for Designated Period. This option guarantees periodic payouts during a designated period, usually 10 or 20 years, and then continues throughout the lifetime of the Annuitant. The designated period is selected by the Contractowner.
Joint Life Annuity. This option offers a periodic payout during the joint lifetime of the Annuitant and a designated joint Annuitant. The payouts continue during the lifetime of the survivor. However, under a joint life annuity, if both Annuitants die before the date set for the first payout, no payouts will be made. Only one payment would be made if both deaths occur before the second scheduled payout, and so on.
Joint Life Annuity with Guaranteed Period. This option guarantees periodic payouts during a designated period, usually 10 or 20 years, and continues during the joint lifetime of the Annuitant and a designated joint Annuitant. The payouts continue during the lifetime of the survivor. The designated period is selected by the Contractowner.
Joint Life and Two Thirds to Survivor Annuity. This option provides a periodic payout during the joint lifetime of the Annuitant and a designated joint Annuitant. When one of the joint Annuitants dies, the survivor receives two thirds of the periodic payout made when both were alive.
Joint Life and Two-Thirds Survivor Annuity with Guaranteed Period. This option provides a periodic payout during the joint lifetime of the Annuitant and a joint Annuitant. When one of the joint Annuitants dies, the survivor receives two-thirds of the periodic payout made when both were alive. This option further provides that should one or both of the Annuitants die during the elected guaranteed period, usually 10 or 20 years, full benefit payment will continue for the rest of the guaranteed period.
Life Annuity with Unit Refund. This option offers a periodic payout during the lifetime of the Annuitant with the guarantee that upon death a payout will be made of the value of the number of Annuity Units (see Variable Annuity Payouts) equal to the excess, if any, of:
●
the total amount applied under this option divided by the Annuity Unit value for the date payouts begin, minus
26
●
the Annuity Units represented by each payout to the Annuitant multiplied by the number of payouts paid before death.
The value of the number of Annuity Units is computed on the date the death claim is approved for payment by the Home Office.
Life Annuity with Cash Refund. Fixed annuity benefit payments that will be made for the lifetime of the Annuitant with the guarantee that upon death, should (a) the total dollar amount applied to purchase this option be greater than (b) the fixed annuity benefit payment multiplied by the number of annuity benefit payments paid prior to death, then a refund payment equal to the dollar amount of (a) minus (b) will be made.
Under the annuity options listed above, you may not make withdrawals. Other options, with or without withdrawal features, may be made available by us. You may pre-select an Annuity Payout option as a method of paying the Death Benefit to a Beneficiary. If you do, the Beneficiary cannot change this payout option. You may change or revoke in writing to our Home Office, any such selection, unless such selection was made irrevocable. If you have not already chosen an Annuity Payout option, the Beneficiary may choose any Annuity Payout option. At death, options are only available to the extent they are consistent with the requirements of the Contract as well as Sections 72(s) and 401(a)(9) of the tax code, if applicable.
Small Contract Surrenders
We may surrender your Contract, in accordance with the laws of your state if:
●
your Contract Value drops below certain state specified minimum amounts ($1,000 or less) for any reason, including if your Contract Value decreases due to the performance of the Subaccounts you selected;
●
no Purchase Payments have been received for two (2) full, consecutive Contract Years; and
●
the annuity benefit at the Annuity Commencement Date would be less than $20.00 per month (these requirements may differ in some states).
At least 60 days before we surrender your Contract, we will send you a letter at your last address we have on file, to inform you that your Contract will be surrendered. We will not surrender your Contract if you are receiving guaranteed payments from us under the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit.
Delay of Payments
Contract proceeds from the VAA will be paid within seven days, except:
●
when the NYSE is closed (other than weekends and holidays);
●
times when market trading is restricted or the SEC declares an emergency, and we cannot value units or the funds cannot redeem shares; or
●
when the SEC so orders to protect Contractowners.
Due to federal laws designed to counter terrorism and prevent money laundering by criminals, we may be required to reject a Purchase Payment and/or deny payment of a request for transfers, withdrawals, surrenders, or Death Benefits, until instructions are received from the appropriate regulator. We also may be required to provide additional information about a Contractowner's account to government regulators.
Reinvestment Privilege
You may elect to make a reinvestment purchase with any part of the proceeds of a surrender/withdrawal (including Advisory Fee Withdrawals), and we will recredit that portion of the surrender/withdrawal charges attributable to the amount returned.
This election must be made by your written authorization to us on an approved Lincoln reinvestment form and received in our Home Office within 30 days of the date of the surrender/withdrawal, and the repurchase must be of a Contract covered by this prospectus. Lincoln reserves the right to not reinstate certain riders that were in effect prior to the surrender/withdrawal. In the case of a qualified retirement plan, a representation must be made that the proceeds being used to make the purchase have retained their tax-favored status under an arrangement for which the contracts offered by this prospectus are designed. The number of Accumulation Units which will be credited when the proceeds are reinvested will be based on the value of the Accumulation Unit(s) on the next Valuation Date. This computation will occur following receipt of the proceeds and request for reinvestment at the Home Office. You may utilize the reinvestment privilege only once. For tax reporting purposes, we will treat a surrender/withdrawal and a subsequent reinvestment purchase as separate transactions (and a Form 1099 may be issued, if applicable). Any taxable distribution that is reinvested may still be reported as taxable. You should consult a tax advisor before you request a surrender/withdrawal or subsequent reinvestment purchase.
Amendment of Contract
We reserve the right to amend the Contract to meet the requirements of the 1940 Act or other applicable federal or state laws or regulations. You will be notified in writing of any changes, modifications or waivers. Any changes are subject to prior approval of your state’s insurance department (if required).
27
Distribution of the Contracts
Lincoln Financial Distributors (LFD) serves as Principal Underwriter of this Contract. LFD is affiliated with Lincoln Life and is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member of FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority). The Principal Underwriter has entered into selling agreements with broker-dealers that are unaffiliated with us. While the Principal Underwriter has the legal authority to make payments to broker-dealers which have entered into selling agreements, we will make such payments on behalf of the Principal Underwriter in compliance with appropriate regulations. We also pay on behalf of LFD certain of its operating expenses related to the distribution of this and other of our contracts. The following paragraphs describe how payments are made by us and the Principal Underwriter to various parties.
The investment firm/professional providing services for the Advisory contract product is compensated directly by advisory fees paid by the Contractowner. Lincoln is not a party to this arrangement. You should ask your financial professional how the broker-dealer will be compensated for the sale of the Contract to you, or for any alternative proposal that may have been presented to you. You should take such compensation into account when considering and evaluating any recommendation made to you in connection with the purchase of a Contract. The following paragraphs describe how payments are made by us and the Principal Underwriter to various parties.
Compensation Paid to Unaffiliated Selling Firms. The maximum compensation the Principal Underwriters pays to Selling Firms is 1.00% based on assets in this Contract. Alternatively, some Selling Firms may elect to receive a lower rate of compensation. LFD also acts as wholesaler of the contracts and performs certain marketing and other functions in support of the distribution and servicing of the contracts.
LFD may pay certain Selling Firms or their affiliates additional amounts for: (1) “preferred product” treatment of the contracts in their marketing programs, which may include marketing services and increased access to sales representatives; (2) sales incentives relating to the contracts; (3) costs associated with sales conferences and educational seminars for their sales representatives; (4) other sales expenses incurred by them; and (5) inclusion in the financial products the Selling Firm offers.
Lincoln Life may provide loans to broker-dealers or their affiliates to help finance marketing and distribution of the contracts, and those loans may be forgiven if aggregate sales goals are met. In addition, we may provide staffing or other administrative support and services to broker-dealers who distribute the contracts. LFD, as wholesaler, may make bonus payments to certain Selling Firms based on aggregate sales of our variable insurance contracts (including the contracts) or persistency standards. These additional payments are not offered to all Selling Firms, and the terms of any particular agreement governing the payments may vary among Selling Firms.
These additional types of compensation are not offered to all Selling Firms. The terms of any particular agreement governing compensation may vary among Selling Firms and the amounts may be significant. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation may provide Selling Firms and/or their registered representatives with an incentive to favor sales of the contracts over other variable annuity contracts (or other investments) with respect to which a Selling Firm does not receive additional compensation, or lower levels of additional compensation. You may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendation relating to the contracts. Additional information relating to compensation paid in 2025 is contained in the SAI.
Compensation Paid to Other Parties. Depending on the particular selling arrangements, there may be others whom LFD compensates for the distribution activities. For example, LFD may compensate certain “wholesalers”, who control access to certain selling offices, for access to those offices or for referrals, and that compensation may be separate from the compensation paid for sales of the contracts. LFD may compensate marketing organizations, associations, brokers or consultants which provide marketing assistance and other services to broker-dealers who distribute the contracts, and which may be affiliated with those broker-dealers.
Additional Information
Contractowner Questions
The obligations to purchasers under the contracts are those of Lincoln Life. This prospectus provides a general description of the material features of the Contract. Contracts, endorsements and riders may vary as required by state law. Questions about your Contract should be directed to us at 1-800-234-3500.
General Information
None of the options listed above currently provides withdrawal features, permitting you to withdraw commuted values as a lump sum payment. Other options, with or without withdrawal features, may be made available by us. Options are only available to the extent they are consistent with the requirements of the Contract as well as Sections 72(s) and 401 (a)(9) of the tax code, if applicable.
You must give us at least 30 days notice before the date on which you want payouts to begin. If proceeds become available to a Beneficiary in a lump sum, the Beneficiary may choose any Annuity Payout option. We may require proof of age, sex, or survival of any payee upon whose age, sex, or survival payments depend.
28
Unless you select another option, the Contract automatically provides for a life annuity with Annuity Payouts guaranteed for 10 years except when a joint life payout is required by law. Under any option providing for guaranteed period payouts, the number of payouts which remain unpaid at the date of the Annuitant’s death (or surviving Annuitant’s death in case of joint life annuity) will be paid to the Beneficiary as payouts become due after we are in receipt of:
●
proof of death, satisfactory to us;
●
written authorization for payment; and
●
all claim forms, fully completed.
Once you begin to receive Annuity Payouts, you cannot change the payout option, payout amount, or payout period.
Federal Tax Matters
Introduction
The Federal income tax treatment of the contract is complex and sometimes uncertain. The Federal income tax rules may vary with your particular circumstances. This discussion does not include all the Federal income tax rules that may affect you and your contract. This discussion also does not address other Federal tax consequences (including consequences of sales to foreign individuals or entities), or state or local tax consequences, associated with the contract. As a result, you should always consult a tax adviser about the application of tax rules found in the Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), Treasury Regulations and applicable IRS guidance to your individual situation.
Qualified Retirement Plans
We have designed the contracts for use in connection with certain types of retirement plans that receive favorable treatment under the tax code. Contracts issued to or in connection with a qualified retirement plan are called “qualified contracts.” We issue contracts for use with various types of qualified retirement plans. The Federal income tax rules applicable to those plans are complex and varied. As a result, this prospectus does not attempt to provide more than general information about the use of the contract with the various types of qualified retirement plans. Persons planning to use the contract in connection with a qualified retirement plan should obtain advice from a competent tax adviser.
Types of Qualified Contracts and Terms of Contracts
Qualified retirement plans may include the following:
●
Individual Retirement Accounts and Annuities (“Traditional IRAs”)
●
Roth IRAs
●
Traditional IRA that is part of a Simplified Employee Pension Plan (“SEP”)
●
SIMPLE 401(k) plans (Savings Incentive Matched Plan for Employees)
●
401(a) / (k) plans (qualified corporate employee pension and profit-sharing plans)
●
403(a) plans (qualified annuity plans)
●
403(b) plans (public school system and tax-exempt organization annuity plans)
●
457(b) plans (deferred compensation plans for state and local governments and tax-exempt organizations)
We will amend the contract to be used with a qualified retirement plan as generally necessary to conform to the tax law requirements for the type of Plan. However, the rights of a person to any qualified retirement plan benefits may be subject to the Plan's terms and conditions. In addition, we are not bound by the terms and conditions of qualified retirement plans to the extent such terms and conditions contradict the contract, unless we consent.
If your contract was issued pursuant to a 403(b) plan, we now are generally required to confirm, with your 403(b) plan sponsor or otherwise, that contributions (Purchase Payments), as well as surrenders, loans or transfers you request, comply with applicable tax requirements and to decline Purchase Payments or requests that are not in compliance. We will defer crediting Purchase Payments we receive or processing payments you request until all information required under the tax law has been received. By directing Purchase Payments to the contract or requesting a surrender, loan or transfer, you consent to the sharing of confidential information about you, the contract, and transactions under the contract and any other 403(b) contracts or accounts you have under the 403(b) plan among us, your employer or Plan sponsor, any Plan administrator or recordkeeper, and other product providers.
Also, for 403(b) contracts issued on or after January 1, 2009, amounts attributable to employer contributions are subject to restrictions on withdrawals specified in your employer's 403(b) plan, in order to comply with new tax regulations (previously, only amounts attributable to your salary-reduction contributions were subject to withdrawal restrictions). Amounts transferred to a 403(b) contract from other 403(b) contracts or accounts must generally be subject to the same restrictions on withdrawals applicable under the prior contract or account.
Tax Deferral on Earnings
29
The Federal income tax law generally does not tax any increase in your Contract Value until you receive a contract distribution. However, for this general rule to apply, certain requirements must be satisfied:
●
An individual must own the contract (or the tax law must treat the contract as owned by an individual).
●
The investments of the VAA must be “adequately diversified” in accordance with IRS regulations.
●
Your right to choose particular investments for a contract must be limited.
●
The Annuity Commencement Date must not occur near the end of the Annuitant’s life expectancy.
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act (the “SECURE Act”) was enacted on December 20, 2019. The SECURE Act made a number of significant changes to the rules that apply to qualified retirement plans and IRA’s, including the following:
●
Eliminated the age 70½ limit for making contributions to an IRA. Beginning in 2020, an IRA owner can make contributions to his or her IRA at any age.
●
Changed the required minimum distribution rules that apply after the death of a participant or IRA owner.
●
Created the “Qualified Birth or Adoption” exception to the 10% additional tax on early distributions.
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement 2.0 (SECURE 2.0)
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE 2.0) Act (the “SECURE 2.0 Act”) was enacted on December 29, 2022. The SECURE 2.0 Act made specific changes to retirement plans and IRA’s, including:
●
Increased the required beginning date measuring age from 72 to 73 for any participant or IRA owner who did not attain age 72 prior to January 1, 2023. As a result, required minimum distributions are generally required to begin by April 1 of the year following the year in which the participant or IRA owner reached age 73.
●
Further increased the required beginning date measuring age to 75 by 2033.
●
Created exception to the 10% additional tax for distributions for domestic violence and emergencies.
●
Added provisions that permit rollover of 529 plan amounts to a Roth IRA for the beneficiary, within certain limits.
Investments in the VAA Must Be Diversified
For a contract to be treated as an annuity for Federal income tax purposes, the investments of the VAA must be “adequately diversified.” Treasury regulations define standards for determining whether the investments of the VAA are adequately diversified. If the VAA fails to comply with these diversification standards, you could be required to pay tax currently on the excess of the Contract Value over the contract Purchase Payments. Although we do not control the investments of the underlying investment options, we expect that the underlying investment options will comply with the Treasury regulations so that the VAA will be considered “adequately diversified.”
Restrictions
Federal income tax law limits your right to choose particular investments for the contract. Because the IRS has issued little guidance specifying those limits, the limits are uncertain and your right to allocate Contract Values among the Subaccounts may exceed those limits. If so, you would be treated as the owner of the assets of the VAA and thus subject to current taxation on the income and gains, if applicable, from those assets. We do not know what limits may be set by the IRS in any guidance that it may issue and whether any such limits will apply to existing contracts. We reserve the right to modify the contract without your consent to try to prevent the tax law from considering you as the owner of the assets of the VAA.
Tax Treatment of Qualified Contracts
The Federal income tax rules applicable to qualified retirement plans and qualified contracts vary with the type of Plan and contract. For example,
●
Federal tax rules limit the amount of Purchase Payments or contributions that can be made, and the tax deduction or exclusion that may be allowed for the contributions. These limits vary depending on the type of qualified retirement plan and the participant’s specific circumstances (e.g., the participant’s compensation).
●
Minimum annual distributions are required under some qualified retirement plans once you reach age 73 or retire, if later as described below.
●
Under most qualified plans, such as a traditional IRA, the owner must begin receiving payments from the contract in certain minimum amounts by a certain age, typically age 70½. Other qualified plans may allow the participant to take required distributions upon the later of reaching age 70½ or retirement.
Please note that qualified retirement plans such as 403(b) plans, 401(k) plans and IRAs generally defer taxation of contributions and earnings until distribution. As such, an annuity does not provide any additional tax deferral benefit beyond the qualified retirement plan itself.
Tax Treatment of Payments
30
The Federal income tax rules generally include distributions from a qualified contract in the participant's income as ordinary income. These taxable distributions will include contributions that were deductible or excludible from income. Thus, under many qualified contracts, the total amount received is included in income since a deduction or exclusion from income was taken for contributions to the contract. There are exceptions. For example, you do not include amounts received from a Roth IRA in income if certain conditions are satisfied.
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)
Under most qualified plans, you must begin receiving payments from the contract in certain minimum amounts by your “required beginning date.” Prior to the enactment of the SECURE 2.0 Act, the required beginning date was April 1 of the year following the year in which you would have attained age 72 or retired. If you did not attain age 72 prior to January 1, 2023, then your required beginning date will be April 1 of the year following the year in which you attain age 73 or retire. If you own a traditional IRA, your required beginning date under prior law was April 1 of the year following the year in which you attained age 72. If you did not attain age 72 prior to January 1, 2023, then your required beginning date will be April 1 of the year following the year in which you attain age 73. If you own a Roth IRA, you are not required to receive minimum distributions from your Roth IRA during your life.
Failure to comply with the minimum distribution rules applicable to certain qualified plans, such as Traditional IRAs, will result in the imposition of an excise tax. This excise tax is applied to the amount by which a minimum required distribution exceeds the actual distribution from the qualified plan.
Treasury regulations applicable to required minimum distributions include a rule that may impact the distribution method you have chosen and the amount of your distributions. Under these regulations, the presence of an enhanced Death Benefit, or other benefit, if any, may require you to take additional distributions. An enhanced Death Benefit is any Death Benefit that has the potential to pay more than the Contract Value or a return of investment in the contract. Please contact your tax adviser regarding any tax ramifications.
Additional Tax on Early Distributions from Qualified Retirement Plans
The tax code may impose a 10% additional tax on an early distribution from a qualified contract that must be included in income. The tax code does not impose the additional tax if one of several exceptions applies. The exceptions vary depending on the type of qualified contract you purchase. For example, in the case of an IRA, the 10% additional tax will not apply to any of the following withdrawals, surrenders, or Annuity Payouts:
●
Distribution received on or after the Annuitant reaches 59½
●
Distribution received on or after the Annuitant’s death or because of the Annuitant’s disability (as defined in the tax law)
●
Distribution received as a series of substantially equal periodic payments based on the Annuitant’s life (or life expectancy),
●
Distribution received as reimbursement for certain amounts paid for medical care, or
●
Distribution received for a “qualified birth or adoption” event.
These exceptions, as well as certain others not described here, generally apply to taxable distributions from other qualified retirement plans. However, the specific requirements of the exception may vary.
Unearned Income Medicare Contribution
Congress enacted the “Unearned Income Medicare Contribution” as a part of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. This tax affects individuals whose modified adjusted gross income exceeds certain thresholds, is a 3.8% tax on the lesser of (i) the individual’s “unearned income,” or (ii) the dollar amount by which the individual’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds the applicable threshold. Distributions that you take from your contract are not included in the calculation of unearned income because your contract is a qualified plan contract. However, the amount of any such distribution is included in determining whether you exceed the modified adjusted gross income threshold. Please consult your tax advisor to determine whether your annuity distributions are subject to this tax.
Payment of Investment Advisory Fees
On August 6, 2019, the IRS issued a private letter ruling (the “PLR”) to Lincoln that addressed the treatment of investment advisory fees (“Advisory Fee Withdrawals”) paid out of the cash value of a non-qualified annuity contract. The PLR concluded that if a Contractowner authorizes payment of investment advisory fees out of the cash value of the non-qualified annuity contract, the payment of those fees will not be treated as a distribution to the Contractowner. In order for this treatment to apply, the investment advisory fees must be determined based on an arms-length transaction between the Contractowner and the financial professional, and cannot exceed an amount equal to an annual rate of 1.50% of the non-qualified annuity contract’s cash value. The fees can only compensate the financial professional for investment advice provided to the Contractowner with respect to the non-qualified annuity contract, and cannot compensate the financial professional for any other services. Effective for tax year 2019 and beyond, if you have authorized Lincoln to pay fees from the cash value of your non-qualified annuity Contract directly to your financial professional, Lincoln will not treat the payment of such fees as a distribution from your Contract if all the conditions mentioned above are satisfied.
Taxation of Death Benefits
31
We may distribute amounts from your contract because of your death. Federal tax rules may limit the payment options available to your Beneficiaries. If your spouse is your Beneficiary, your surviving spouse will generally receive special treatment and will have more available payment options. Non-spouse beneficiaries do not receive the same special treatment. Payment options may be further limited depending upon whether you reached the date upon which you were required to begin minimum distributions. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (“PPA”) permits non-spouse Beneficiary rollovers to an “inherited IRA” (effective January 1, 2007).
Transfers and Direct Rollovers
As a result of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (“EGTRRA”), you may be able to move funds between different types of qualified plans, such as 403(b) and 457(b) governmental plans, by means of a rollover or transfer. You may be able to rollover or transfer amounts between qualified plans and traditional IRAs. These rules do not apply to Roth IRAs and 457(b) non-governmental tax-exempt plans. There are special rules that apply to rollovers, direct rollovers and transfers (including rollovers or transfers or after-tax amounts). If the applicable rules are not followed, you may incur adverse Federal income tax consequences, including paying taxes which you might not otherwise have had to pay. Before we send a rollover distribution, we will provide a notice explaining tax withholding requirements (see Federal Income Tax Withholding). We are not required to send you such notice for your IRA. You should always consult your tax adviser before you move or attempt to move any funds.
The IRS issued Announcement 2014-32 confirming its intent to apply the one-rollover-per-year limitation of 408(d)(3)(B) on an aggregate basis to all IRAs that an individual owns. This means that an individual cannot make a tax-free IRA-to-IRA rollover if he or she has made such a rollover involving any of the individuals IRAs in the current tax year. If an intended rollover does not qualify for tax-free rollover treatment, contributions to your IRA may constitute excess contributions that may exceed contribution limits. This one-rollover-per-year limitation does not apply to direct trustee-to-trustee transfers.
Direct Conversions and Recharacterizations
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) permits direct conversions from certain qualified, retirement, 403(b) or 457(b) plans to Roth IRAs (effective for distributions after 2007). You are also permitted to recharacterize your traditional IRA contribution as a Roth IRA contribution, and to recharacterize your Roth IRA contribution as a traditional IRA contribution. The deadline for the recharacterization is the due date (including extensions) for your individual income tax return for the year in which the contribution was made. Upon recharacterization, you are treated as having made the contribution originally to the second IRA account. The recharacterization does not count toward the one-rollover-per-year limitation described above.
Effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, pursuant to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Pub. L. No. 115-97), recharacterizations are no longer allowed in the case of a conversion from a non-Roth account or annuity to a Roth IRA. This limitation applies to conversions made from pre-tax accounts under an IRA, qualified retirement plan, 403(b) plan, or 457(b) plan. Roth IRA conversions made in 2017 may be recharacterized as a contribution to a traditional IRA if the recharacterization is completed by October 15, 2018.
There are special rules that apply to conversions and recharacterizations, and if they are not followed, you may incur adverse Federal income tax consequences. You should consult your tax advisor before completing a conversion or recharacterization.
Federal Income Tax Withholding
We will withhold and remit to the IRS a part of the taxable portion of each distribution made under a contract unless you notify us in writing prior to the distribution that tax is not to be withheld. In certain circumstances, Federal income tax rules may require us to withhold tax. At the time a withdrawal, surrender, or Annuity Payout is requested, we will give you an explanation of the withholding requirements.
Certain payments from your contract may be considered eligible rollover distributions (even if such payments are not being rolled over). Such distributions may be subject to special tax withholding requirements. The Federal income tax withholding rules require that we withhold 20% of the eligible rollover distribution from the payment amount, unless you elect to have the amount directly transferred to certain qualified plans or contracts. The IRS requires that tax be withheld, even if you have requested otherwise. Such tax withholding requirements are generally applicable to 401(a), 403(a) or (b), HR 10, and 457(b) governmental plans and contracts used in connection with these types of plans.
Nonqualified Annuity Contracts
A nonqualified annuity is a contract not issued in connection with an IRA or a qualified retirement plan receiving special tax treatment under the tax code. These contracts are not intended for use with nonqualified annuity contracts. Different federal tax rules apply to nonqualified annuity contracts. Persons planning to use the contract in connection with a nonqualified annuity should obtain advice from a tax advisor.
Our Tax Status
Under existing Federal income tax laws, we do not pay tax on investment income and realized capital gains of the VAA. We do not expect that we will incur any Federal income tax liability on the income and gains earned by the VAA. However, the Company does
32
expect, to the extent permitted under Federal tax law, to claim the benefit of the foreign tax credit as the owner of the assets of the VAA. Therefore, we do not impose a charge for Federal income taxes. If Federal income tax law changes and we must pay tax on some or all of the income and gains earned by the VAA, we may impose a charge against the VAA to pay the taxes.
Changes in the Law
The above discussion is based on the tax code, related regulations, and interpretations existing on the date of this prospectus. However, Congress, the IRS, and the courts may modify these authorities, sometimes retroactively.
Voting Rights
As required by law, we will vote the fund shares held in the VAA at meetings of the shareholders of the funds. The voting will be done according to the instructions of Contractowners who have interests in any Subaccounts which invest in classes of the funds. If the 1940 Act or any regulation under it should be amended or if present interpretations should change, and if as a result we determine that we are permitted to vote the fund shares in our own right, we may elect to do so.
The number of votes which you have the right to cast will be determined by applying your percentage interest in a Subaccount to the total number of votes attributable to the Subaccount. In determining the number of votes, fractional shares will be recognized.
Each underlying fund is subject to the laws of the state in which it is organized concerning, among other things, the matters which are subject to a shareholder vote, the number of shares which must be present in person or by proxy at a meeting of shareholders (a “quorum”), and the percentage of such shares present in person or by proxy which must vote in favor of matters presented. Because shares of the underlying fund held in the VAA are owned by us, and because under the 1940 Act we will vote all such shares in the same proportion as the voting instructions which we receive, it is important that each Contractowner provide their voting instructions to us. For funds un-affiliated with Lincoln, even though Contractowners may choose not to provide voting instruction, the shares of a fund to which such Contractowners would have been entitled to provide voting instruction will be voted by us in the same proportion as the voting instruction which we actually receive. For funds affiliated with Lincoln, shares of a fund to which such Contractowners would have been entitled to provide voting instruction will, once we receive a sufficient number of instructions we deem appropriate to ensure a fair representation of Contractowners eligible to vote, be voted by us in the same proportion as the voting instruction which we actually receive. As a result, the instruction of a small number of Contractowners could determine the outcome of matters subject to shareholder vote. All shares voted by us will be counted when the underlying fund determines whether any requirement for a minimum number of shares be present at such a meeting to satisfy a quorum requirement has been met. Voting instructions to abstain on any item to be voted on will be applied proportionately to reduce the number of votes eligible to be cast.
Whenever a shareholders meeting is called, we will provide or make available to each person having a voting interest in a Subaccount proxy voting material, reports and other materials relating to the funds. Since the funds engage in shared funding, other persons or entities besides Lincoln Life may vote fund shares. See Investments of the Variable Annuity Account.
Return Privilege
Within the free-look period after you receive the Contract, you may cancel it for any reason by sending us a letter of instruction, indicating your intent to exercise the free-look provision. A Contract canceled under this provision will be void. Except as explained in the following paragraph, we will return the Contract Value as of the Valuation Date on which we receive the cancellation request. A purchaser who participates in the VAA is subject to the risk of a market loss on the Contract Value during the free-look period.
For contracts written in those states whose laws require that we assume this market risk during the free-look period, a Contract may be canceled, subject to the conditions explained before, except that we will return the greater of the Purchase Payment(s) or Contract Value as of the Valuation Date we receive the cancellation request. Any advisory fees paid to your advisor during the free-look period will not be returned.
If you cancel this Contract within the free-look period, we reserve the right to accept another application for this Contract for a period of six months.
State Regulation
As a life insurance company organized and operated under Indiana law, we are subject to provisions governing life insurers and to regulation by the Indiana Commissioner of Insurance. Our books and accounts are subject to review and examination by the Indiana Department of Insurance at all times. A full examination of our operations is conducted by that Department at least every five years.
Records and Reports
As presently required by the 1940 Act and applicable regulations, we are responsible for maintaining all records and accounts relating to the VAA. We have entered into an agreement with State Street Bank and Trust Company, 2323 Grand Boulevard, 5th Floor, Kansas City, MO 64108, to provide accounting services to the VAA. We will mail to you, at your last known address of record at the Home Office, at least semi-annually after the first Contract Year, reports containing information required by that Act or any other applicable law or regulation.
33
Other Information
You may elect to receive your prospectus, prospectus supplements, quarterly statements, and annual and semiannual reports electronically over the Internet, if you have an e-mail account and access to an Internet browser. Once you select eDelivery, via the Internet Service Center, all documents available in electronic format will no longer be sent to you in hard copy. You will receive an e-mail notification when the documents become available online. It is your responsibility to provide us with your current e-mail address. You can resume paper mailings at any time without cost, by updating your profile at the Internet Service Center, or contacting us. To learn more about this service, please log on to www.LincolnFinancial.com, select service centers and continue on through the Internet Service Center.
Legal Proceedings
In the ordinary course of its business and otherwise, the Company and its subsidiaries or its separate accounts and Principal Underwriter may become or are involved in various pending or threatened regulatory or legal proceedings, including purported class actions, arising from the conduct of its business. In some instances, the proceedings include claims for unspecified or substantial punitive damages and similar types of relief in addition to amounts for alleged contractual liability or requests for equitable relief.
After consultation with legal counsel and a review of available facts, it is management’s opinion that the proceedings, after consideration of any reserves and rights to indemnification, ultimately will be resolved without any material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries, or the financial position of its separate accounts or Principal Underwriter. However, given the large and indeterminate amounts sought in certain of these proceedings and the inherent difficulty in predicting the outcome of such proceedings, it is reasonably possible that an adverse outcome in certain matters could be material to the Company’s operating results for any particular reporting period.
Please refer to the Statement of Additional Information for possible additional information regarding legal proceedings.
34
|
Investment Objective |
Fund and
Adviser/Sub-adviser1
|
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual Total
Returns (as of 12/31/2025) | ||
|
|
|
|
1 year |
5 year |
10 year |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
N/A |
|
|
advised by
This fund will be reorganized to merge into
the LVIP American Century Value Fund on
or about June 5, 2026, subject to
shareholders approval. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
This fund will be available on or about May
11, 2026. Please consult your financial
professional. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
A-1
|
Investment Objective |
Fund and
Adviser/Sub-adviser1 |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual Total
Returns (as of 12/31/2025) | ||
|
|
|
|
1 year |
5 year |
10 year |
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
- |
- |
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
N/A |
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
A-2
|
Investment Objective |
Fund and
Adviser/Sub-adviser1 |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual Total
Returns (as of 12/31/2025) | ||
|
|
|
|
1 year |
5 year |
10 year |
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
A-3
|
Investment Objective |
Fund and
Adviser/Sub-adviser1 |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual Total
Returns (as of 12/31/2025) | ||
|
|
|
|
1 year |
5 year |
10 year |
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
(formerly LVIP SSGA Bond Index Fund) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
advised by
(formerly LVIP SSGA International Index
Fund) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
(formerly LVIP SSGA Moderate Index
Allocation Fund) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
(formerly LVIP SSGA S&P 500 Index Fund) |
|
|
|
|
A-4
|
Investment Objective |
Fund and
Adviser/Sub-adviser1 |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual Total
Returns (as of 12/31/2025) | ||
|
|
|
|
1 year |
5 year |
10 year |
|
|
advised by
(formerly LVIP SSGA Small-Cap Index
Fund) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advised by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A-5
B-1
|
Group 1
Investments must be at least 40% of Contract Value or Account Value. |
|
Group 2
Investments cannot exceed 60% of Contract Value or Account Value. |
B-2
The SAI includes additional information about the Contract, Lincoln Life, and the VAA, and is incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The SAI is dated the same date as this prospectus. We will provide the SAI without charge upon request. You may obtain a free copy of the SAI and submit inquiries by:
●
Mailing: The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, PO Box 2340, Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2340
●
Visiting: www.lfg.com/VAprospectus
●
Emailing: [email protected]
●
Calling: 1-800-234-3500
You may also obtain reports and other information about the VAA on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following email address: [email protected]. The SEC file numbers and the Contract’s contract identifier number are listed below.
333-267957; 811-03214
EDGAR Contract Identifier:
C000240383
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (SAI)
Dated May 1, 2026
Relating to Prospectus Dated May 1, 2026 for
Relating to Prospectus Dated May 1, 2026 for
Lincoln PathBuilder Income® IRA
Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account C, Registrant
The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, Depositor
The SAI provides you with additional information about Lincoln Life, the VAA, and
your Contract. It is not a prospectus.
A copy of the product prospectus dated May 1, 2026, may be obtained without a charge by writing to the Home Office: Lincoln Life Customer Service, The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, PO Box 2340, Fort Wayne,
IN 46801-2340, by calling: 1-800-234-3500, or by emailing: [email protected] and requesting a copy of the Lincoln
PathBuilder Income® IRA product prospectus.
TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE SAI
|
Contents
|
Page
|
|
B-2
|
|
|
B-2
|
|
|
B-2
|
|
|
B-2
|
|
|
B-2
|
|
|
B-3
|
|
|
B-3
|
|
Contents
|
Page
|
|
B-3
|
|
|
B-3
|
|
|
B-4
|
|
|
B-4
|
|
|
B-4
|
|
|
B-4
|
Special Terms
The special terms used in this SAI are the ones defined in the prospectus.
General Information and History
The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
Our Financial Condition. Any guarantees under the Contract that exceed your AAV, such as those associated with
Death Benefit options and living benefit riders, are paid from our general account (not the VAA). Therefore, any amounts that we may
pay under the Contract in excess of AAV are subject to our financial strength and claims-paying
ability and our long-term ability to make such payments. We issue other types of insurance policies and financial products in addition to
the Contract. We also pay our obligations under these products from our assets in the general account. Moreover, unlike assets
held in the VAA, the assets of the general account are subject to the general liabilities of the Company and, therefore, to the Company’s general creditors. In the event of an insolvency or receivership, payments we make from our general account to satisfy claims
under the Contract would generally receive the same priority as our other Contractowner obligations.
The general account is subject to regulation and supervision by the Indiana Insurance
Department as well as the insurance laws and regulations of the jurisdictions in which the contracts are distributed. The laws
and regulations applicable to us regulate the investments we can make with assets held in our general account. In general, those laws and regulations
determine the amount and type of investments which we can make with general account assets.
In addition, state insurance regulations require that insurance companies calculate
and establish on their financial statements, a specified amount of reserves in order to meet the contractual obligations to pay the claims
of our Contractowners. In order to meet our claims-paying obligations, we regularly monitor our reserves to ensure we hold sufficient
amounts to cover actual or expected contract and claims payments. However, it is important to note that there is no guarantee
that we will always be able to meet our claims paying obligations, and that there are risks to purchasing any insurance product.
State insurance regulators also require insurance companies to maintain a minimum
amount of capital in excess of liabilities, which acts as a cushion in the event that the insurer suffers a financial impairment, based on the inherent risks in the insurer’s operations. These risks include those associated with losses that we may incur as the result of
defaults on the payment of interest or principal on assets held in our general account, which include bonds, mortgages, general real estate
investments, and stocks, as well as the loss in value of these investments resulting from a loss in their market value.
How to Obtain More Information. We encourage both existing and prospective Contractowners to read and understand our
financial statements. We prepare our financial statements on both a statutory basis and according
to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Our audited GAAP financial statements, as well as the financial statements
of the VAA, are incorporated by reference into this SAI. See Financial Statements below. You may obtain our audited statutory financial statements and any unaudited statutory
financial statements that may be available by visiting our website at www.LincolnFinancial.com.
You also will find on our website information on ratings assigned to us by one or
more independent rating organizations. These ratings are opinions of an operating insurance company’s financial capacity to meet the obligations of its insurance and annuity contracts based on its financial strength and/or claims-paying ability.
Variable Annuity Account (VAA)
For general information and history about the VAA, see The Contracts in the prospectus. The VAA is used to support other annuity contracts offered by us in addition to the Contracts described in this prospectus. The other annuity contracts supported by the VAA generally invest in the same funds as the Contracts described in this prospectus. These other annuity contracts may have different charges that could affect the performance of their Subaccounts, and they offer different
benefits.
Investment Results
The VAA advertises the annual performance of the Subaccounts for the fund on both
a standardized and non-standardized basis.
The standardized calculation measures average annual total return. This is based on
a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of a one-year, a five-year and a 10-year period. This calculation reflects
all fees and charges that are or could be imposed on all Contractowner accounts.
The non-standardized calculation compares changes in Accumulation Unit values from
the beginning of the most recently completed calendar year to the end of that year. It may also compare changes in Accumulation
Unit values over shorter or longer time periods. This calculation reflects mortality and expense risk charges. It also reflects management
fees and other expenses of the fund.
B-2
Non-Principal Risks of Investing In The Contract
Opportunity Cost. Principal amounts committed to an annuity contract are only available to choose from
investment options available in the Contract, potentially causing you an opportunity cost.
Dying early. If you die earlier than expected, your designated beneficiary may not receive the
full benefit of the future payments.
Divorce. If you get divorced, you could forfeit some or all of the value of your annuity to
your former spouse.
Affiliated Funds. We may have incentive to select affiliated funds because we receive more revenue from
an affiliated fund than a non-affiliated fund.
Fund of Funds. In some fund of funds (or master-feeder) arrangements, you may pay fees and expenses
at both fund levels, which can reduce your investment return.
Services
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, One Commerce Square,
2005 Market Street, Suite 700, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, has audited a) the financial statements of each of the subaccounts
listed in the appendix to the opinion that comprise Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account C, as of December 31, 2025, the related statements of operations and the statements of changes in net assets for each of the periods indicated in the appendix
to the opinion; and b) the consolidated financial statements of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company as of December 31, 2025 and 2024 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2025 as set forth in their reports, which are included in this SAI and Registration Statement.
The aforementioned financial statements are included herein in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP's reports,
given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
Keeper of Records
All accounts, books, records and other documents which are required to be maintained
for the VAA are maintained by us or by third parties responsible to Lincoln Life. We have entered into an agreement with State
Street Bank and Trust Company, 2323 Grand Boulevard, 5th Floor, Kansas City, MO 64108, to provide accounting services to the VAA. No separate
charge against the assets of the VAA is made by us for this service.
Purchase of Securities Being Offered
The variable annuity contracts are offered to the public through licensed insurance
agents who specialize in selling our products; through independent insurance brokers; and through certain securities brokers/dealers
selected by us whose personnel are legally authorized to sell annuity products. There are no special purchase plans for any class
of prospective buyers. However, under certain limited circumstances described in the prospectus under the section Charges and Other
Deductions, any applicable account fee and/or surrender charge may be reduced or waived.
Both before and after the Annuity Commencement Date, there are exchange privileges
between Subaccounts, and from the VAA to the general account (if available) subject to restrictions set out in the prospectus.
See The Contracts, in the prospectus. No exchanges are permitted between the VAA and other separate accounts.
The offering of the contracts is continuous.
Principal Underwriter
Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation and an affiliate of
Lincoln Life as a result of common control. LFD serves as the principal underwriter (the “Principal Underwriter”) for the contracts, as described in the prospectus. The Principal Underwriter currently offers, and expects to continue
offering, the contracts to the public on a continuous basis, but reserves the right to discontinue offering the contracts at any time.
Prior to May 6, 2024, the Principal Underwriter offered the contracts through sales representatives who were registered with either Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation (“LFA”) or Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation (“LFN”) (collectively “LFN”), each an affiliate of LFD. The Principal Underwriter has also entered into selling agreements with other broker-dealers (“Selling Firms”) for the sale of the contracts. Sales representatives who are registered with Selling Firms are appointed as our insurance agents. LFD, in its capacity
as Principal Underwriter, paid to LFN and Selling Firms, sales compensation totaling $24,387,933 in 2023, $24,707,383 in 2024 and $23,930,897 in 2025, in connection with all of the contracts offered under the VAA. The Principal Underwriter retained no
underwriting commissions for the sale of the contracts. LFD maintains its principal place of business at 130 North Radnor Chester Road, Radnor,
Pennsylvania 19087.
B-3
Contract Information
Compound Interest Illustrations—These will emphasize several advantages of the variable annuity contract. For example,
but not by way of illustration, the literature may emphasize the potential tax savings through
tax deferral; the potential advantage of the variable annuity account over the fixed account; and the compounding effect when a client makes
regular deposits to his or her contract.
Internet—An electronic communications network which may be used to provide information regarding
Lincoln Life, performance of the subaccounts and advertisement literature.
Other Information
Due to differences in redemption rates, tax treatment or other considerations, the
interests of policyholders under the variable life accounts could conflict with those of Contractowners under the VAA. In those cases,
where assets from variable life and variable annuity separate accounts are invested in the same fund(s) (i.e., where mixed funding
occurs), the Boards of Directors of the fund involved will monitor for any material conflicts and determine what action, if any,
should be taken. If it becomes necessary for any separate account to replace shares of any fund with another investment, that fund
may have to liquidate securities on a disadvantageous basis. Refer to the prospectus for each fund for more information about mixed funding.
Determination of Accumulation and Annuity Unit Value
A description of the days on which Accumulation and Annuity Units will be valued is
given in the prospectus. The New York Stock Exchange's (NYSE) most recent announcement (which is subject to change) states that
it will be closed on weekends and on these holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Good Friday, Memorial
Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. If any of these holidays occurs on a weekend
day, the Exchange may also be closed on the business day occurring just before or just after the holiday. It may also be closed
on other days.
Since the portfolios of some of the funds and series will consist of securities primarily
listed on foreign exchanges or otherwise traded outside the United States, those securities may be traded (and the net asset
value of those funds and series and of the variable account could therefore be significantly affected) on days when the investor has no
access to those funds and series.
Annuity Payout Illustrations. These will provide an initial benefit payment based in part on the Annuitant, the
Contract Value and the fixed and/or variable Annuity Payout option elected. In addition, variable Annuity
Payout illustrations may show the historical results of a variable payout in a Subaccount of the VAA.
Financial Statements
The December 31, 2025 financial statements of the VAA and the December 31, 2025 consolidated financial statements of Lincoln Life are incorporated into this SAI by reference to the VAA’s most recent N-VPFS (“N-VPFS”) filed with the SEC by Lincoln Life on April 15, 2026.
B-4
Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account C
PART C - OTHER INFORMATION
Item 27. Exhibits
(b) Not applicable
(c)(1) Form of Broker-Dealer Selling Agreement among The Lincoln National Life Insurance
Company, Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York and Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. incorporated herein by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 on Form N-4 (File No. 333-181617) filed on December 13, 2024.
(g)(1) Third Amended and Restated Automatic Indemnity Reinsurance Agreement dated January
1, 2023, between The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and Lincoln National Reinsurance Company (Barbados)
Limited incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 (File No. 333-212680) filed on April 14, 2023.
(i) Amendment No. 1 to Third Amended and Restated Automatic Indemnity Reinsurance Agreement
dated January 1, 2023, between The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and Lincoln National Reinsurance
Company (Barbados) Limited incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 (File
No. 333-212682) filed on February 2, 2024.
(ii) Amendment No. 2 to the Third Amended and Restated Automatic Indemnity Reinsurance
Agreement dated January 1, 2023, between The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and Lincoln National Reinsurance
Company (Barbados) Limited incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 (File
No. 333-212682) filed on April 10, 2025.
(iii) Amendment No. 3 to the Third Amendment and Restated Automatic Indemnity Reinsurance
Agreement dated January 1, 2023, between The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and Lincoln National
Reinsurance Company (Barbados) Limited incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 (File
No. 333-212682) filed on April 10, 2025.
(iv) Amendment No. 4 to the Third Amended and Restated Automatic Indemnity Reinsurance
Agreement dated January 1, 2023, between The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and Lincoln National Reinsurance
Company (Barbados) Limited incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 30 (File
No. 333-212680) filed on April 9, 2026.
(v) Amendment No. 5 to the Third Amended and Restated Automatic Indemnity Reinsurance
Agreement dated January 1, 2023, between The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and Lincoln National Reinsurance
Company (Barbados) Limited incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 30 (File
No. 333-212680) filed on April 9, 2026.
(h) Fund Participation Agreement between The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
and:
(i) Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement dated January 1, 2019 among
State Street Bank and Trust Company, The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of
New York is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 on Form N-6 (File No. 333-125790) filed on April 12,
2019.
(j) Rule 22c-2 Agreement between The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and:
(m) Not applicable
(n) Not applicable
(o) Not applicable
(q) Not applicable
(r) Not applicable
EX-101.SCH XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
Item 28. Directors and Officers of the Depositor
The following list contains the officers and directors of The Lincoln National Life
Insurance Company who are engaged directly or indirectly in activities relating to Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account C as
well as the contracts. The list also shows The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company's executive officers.
B-2
|
Name
|
Positions and Offices with Depositor
|
|
Craig T. Beazer*
|
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Director
|
|
Adam M. Cohen*
|
Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer
|
|
Ellen G. Cooper*
|
President and Director
|
|
Stephen B. Harris*
|
Senior Vice President and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer
|
|
John G. Morriss*
|
Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer and Director
|
|
Christopher M. Neczypor*
|
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director
|
|
Nancy A. Smith*
|
Senior Vice President and Secretary
|
|
Joseph D. Spada**
|
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer for Separate Accounts
|
|
Eric B. Wilmer***
|
Assistant Vice President and Director
|
*Principal business address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087
**Principal business address is 350 Church Street, Hartford, CT 06103
***Principal business address is 1301 South Harrison Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Depositor or Registrant
Item 30. Indemnification
a) Brief description of indemnification provisions.
In general, Article VII of the By-Laws of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
provides that Lincoln Life will indemnify certain persons against expenses, judgments and certain other specified
costs incurred by any such person if he/she is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to a suit or proceeding
because he/she was a director, officer, or employee of Lincoln Life, as long as he/she acted in good faith and in a manner
he/she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of, or act opposed to the best interests of, Lincoln Life. Certain
additional conditions apply to indemnification in criminal proceedings.
In particular, separate conditions govern indemnification of directors, officers,
and employees of Lincoln Life in connection with suits by, or in the right of, Lincoln Life.
Please refer to Article VII of the By-Laws of Lincoln Life (Exhibit no. f(b) hereto)
for the full text of the indemnification provisions. Indemnification is permitted by, and is subject to the requirements of,
Indiana law.
b) Undertaking pursuant to Rule 484 of Regulation C under the Securities Act of 1933:
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions described in
Item 28(a) above or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In
the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred
or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any such action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered,
the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit
to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 31. Principal Underwriter
(a) Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (“LFD”) currently serves as Principal Underwriter for: Lincoln National Variable Annuity
Account C; Lincoln National Flexible Premium Variable Life Account D; Lincoln National
Variable Annuity Account E; Lincoln National Flexible Premium Variable Life Account F; Lincoln National Flexible Premium
Variable Life Account G; Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account H; Lincoln Life & Annuity Variable Annuity Account H; Lincoln
Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account J; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account K; Lincoln National
Variable Annuity Account L; Lincoln Life & Annuity Variable Annuity Account L; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account
M; Lincoln Life & Annuity Flexible Premium Variable Life Account M; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account N; Lincoln
New York Account N for Variable Annuities; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account Q; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life
Account R; LLANY Separate Account R for Flexible Premium Variable Life Insurance; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life
Account S; LLANY Separate Account S for Flexible Premium Variable Life Insurance; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account T;
Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account W; and
B-3
Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account Y and Lincoln Life & Annuity Flexible
Premium Variable Life Account Y; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account JF-H; Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account
JF-I; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account JF-A; Lincoln Life Flexible Premium Variable Life Account JF-C; Lincoln
Life Variable Annuity Account JL-A; Lincoln Life & Annuity Flexible Premium Variable Life Account JA-B; Lincoln Variable Insurance
Products Trust; Lincoln Advisors Trust.
(b) Officers and Directors of Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc.:
|
Name
|
Positions and Offices with Underwriter
|
|
Adam M. Cohen*
|
Senior Vice President and Treasurer
|
|
Jason M. Gibson**
|
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer
|
|
Claire H. Hanna*
|
Secretary
|
|
John C. Kennedy*
|
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
|
|
Jared M. Nepa*
|
Senior Vice President and Director
|
|
Timothy J. Seifert Sr*
|
Senior Vice President and Director
|
*Principal business address is 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087
**Principal business address is 1301 South Harrison Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
(c) N/A
Item 31A. Information about Contracts with Indexed-Linked Options and Fixed Options
Subject to a Contract Adjustment
Not Applicable.
Item 32. Location of Accounts and Records
This information is provided in the Registrant’s most recent report on Form N-CEN.
Item 33. Management Services
Not Applicable.
Item 34. Fee Representation
Lincoln Life represents that the fees and charges deducted under the contracts, in
the aggregate, are reasonable in relation to the services rendered, the expenses expected to be incurred, and the risks assumed by
Lincoln Life.
B-4
SIGNATURES
| (a) | As required by the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, each Registrant certifies that it meets the requirements of Securities Act Rule 485(b) for effectiveness of these registration statements and has caused these Post-Effective Amendments to the registration statements to be signed on its behalf, in the City of Fort Wayne, and the State of Indiana on this 24th day of March, 2026 at 2:27 pm. |
| Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account C | ||
| Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account L | ||
| Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account Q | ||
| (Registered Separate Accounts) | ||
| By: | /s/John D. Weber | |
| John D. Weber | ||
| Vice President, The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company | ||
Signed on its behalf, in the City of Hartford, and the State of Connecticut on this 24th day of March, 2026 at 1:58 pm.
| The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company | ||
| (Insurance Company) | ||
| By: | /s/Matthew L. Condos | |
| Matthew L. Condos | ||
| (Signature-Officer of Depositor) | ||
| Senior Vice President, The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company | ||
Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account C (File No. 811-03214; CIK: 0000353894)
| 033-25990 (Amendment No. 72) | 333-179107 (Amendment No. 20) | ||
| 333-112927 (Amendment No. 36) | 333-267957 (Amendment No. 7) |
Lincoln National Variable Annuity Account L (File No. 811-07645; CIK: 0001015434)
| 333-04999 (Amendment No. 41) | 333-187069 (Amendment No. 17) | 333-187070 (Amendment No. 17) |
| 333-187071 (Amendment No. 17) | 333-187072 (Amendment No. 17) | 333-198911 (Amendment No. 14) |
| 333-198912 (Amendment No. 14) | 333-198913 (Amendment No. 14) | 333-198914 (Amendment No. 14) |
Lincoln Life Variable Annuity Account Q (File No. 811-08569; CIK: 0001048604)
333-43373 (Amendment No. 38)
| (b) | As required by the Securities Act of 1933, these Amendments to the registration statements have been signed by the following persons in their capacities indicated on March 24, 2026 at 2:27 pm. |
| Signature | Title | ||
| */s/ Ellen G. Cooper | President and Director | ||
| Ellen G. Cooper | (Principal Executive Officer) | ||
| */s/ Christopher M. Neczypor | Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Director | ||
| Christopher M. Neczypor | |||
| * /s/ Craig T. Beazer | Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Director | ||
| Craig T. Beazer | |||
| * /s/ John G. Morriss | Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer, and Director | ||
| John G. Morriss | |||
| * /s/ Adam M. Cohen | Senior Vice President, Treasurer, and Chief Accounting Officer | ||
| Adam M. Cohen | (Principal Accounting Officer) | ||
| */s/ Eric B. Wilmer | Assistant Vice President and Director |
| Eric B. Wilmer |
| /s/John D. Weber | |||
| * By | , Pursuant to a Power of Attorney | ||
| John D. Weber | |||
ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS
XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION SCHEMA
Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!
You May Also Be Interested In
- Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Web Design Company for Website Development Services
- Advanced Manufacturing Chain Section at CISCE Highlights Low-Altitude Economy, Aviation Value Chain and New Materials Innovations
- CORRECTED: The Illuminating Company Marks Reliability Milestone with Two New Transformers in Lakewood
Create E-mail Alert Related Categories
SEC FilingsSign up for StreetInsider Free!
Receive full access to all new and archived articles, unlimited portfolio tracking, e-mail alerts, custom newswires and RSS feeds - and more!
