Form 485BPOS Brighthouse Variable
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 10, 2026
File Nos. 333-209059
811-08306
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-4
| REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 |
|
| Pre-Effective Amendment No. |
☐ |
| Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 |
☒ |
| and/or |
|
| REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 |
|
| Amendment No. 467 |
☒ |
(Check Appropriate Box or Boxes)
Brighthouse Variable Annuity Account B
(Exact Name of Registered Separate Account)
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY
(Name of Insurance
Company)
285 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10017
(Address of Insurance Company's Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(Address of Insurance Company's Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(980) 365-7100
(Insurance Company's Telephone Number, including Area Code)
(Insurance Company's Telephone Number, including Area Code)
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY
c/o CT Corporation System
28 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10005
(800) 448-5350
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
c/o CT Corporation System
28 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10005
(800) 448-5350
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
W. Thomas Conner
Carlton Fields
1625 Eye Street, NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006
Carlton Fields
1625 Eye Street, NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
☐
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
☒
on April
27,
2026 pursuant to paragraph (b)
☐
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
☐
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of rule 485 under the 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 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 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
The Variable
Annuity Contract
issued
by
Brighthouse Life Insurance
Company of NY
and
Brighthouse Variable Annuity
Account B
Class S
(offered on and after May 2, 2016)
Class S – L Share Option
(offered on and after May 2, 2016)
Class S – L Share Option
(offered on and after May 2, 2016)
April 27,
2026
This prospectus describes the flexible premium deferred variable annuity contract (the “Contract” or “contract”) offered by Brighthouse
Life Insurance Company of NY (“Brighthouse”, the “Company”, or “we” or “us”). The contract is offered for individuals and some tax qualified and non-tax qualified retirement plans.
Currently the contract is not available for new sales. The investment options offered under the Contract are variable options, which are the 62 Investment Portfolios. Additional information about each investment option under the Contract can be found in Appendix A to this prospectus.
The availability of the investment options, Contract benefits, or other Contract features described in this prospectus may vary
depending on the selling firm through which your Contract is sold. Also, you should note that your Contract features and charges may vary depending on the date on which
you purchased your Contract. For more information about the particular features, charges,
and options applicable to you, please contact your financial representative or refer to
Appendix F to this prospectus or your Contract for Contract variation information.
The Contract is a complex investment and involves risks, including potential loss of principal. The Contract is not a short-term investment and
is not appropriate for an investor who needs ready access to cash. Withdrawals (partial or
full) could result in withdrawal charges, taxes, and tax penalties.
The contracts:
•are not bank deposits
•are not FDIC insured
•are not insured by any federal government agency
•are not guaranteed by any bank or credit union
•may be subject to loss of principal
The Company’s obligations under the Contract are subject to our financial strength and
claims-paying ability. Additional information about certain investment products, including
variable annuities, has been prepared by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s staff and is available at Investor.gov.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these
securities or determined if this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
1
TABLE OF CONTENTSPage
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2
Because of the complex nature of the contract, we have used certain words or terms in this prospectus which may need an explanation. We have identified the
following as some of these words or terms. The page that is indicated here is where you
will find the best explanation for the word or term. These words and terms are in italics on the indicated page.
Page
Account Value23
Accumulation Phase16
Accumulation Unit22
Annual Benefit Payment46and 55
Annuitant 90
Annuity Date33
Annuity Options34
Annuity Payments33
Annuity Service Center87
Annuity Units34
Beneficiary90
Benefit Base55
Business Day18
Contract Year18
Free Look22
GLWB Withdrawal Rate55
Good Order89
Guaranteed Principal Adjustment49and 59
GWB Withdrawal Rate46
Income Phase16
Investment Portfolios23
Joint Owners90
Owner 89
Purchase Payment17
Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount45
Separate Account85
Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount45
Page
Account Value23
Accumulation Phase16
Accumulation Unit22
Annual Benefit Payment46and 55
Annuitant 90
Annuity Date33
Annuity Options34
Annuity Payments33
Annuity Service Center87
Annuity Units34
Beneficiary90
Benefit Base55
Business Day18
Contract Year18
Free Look22
GLWB Withdrawal Rate55
Good Order89
Guaranteed Principal Adjustment49and 59
GWB Withdrawal Rate46
Income Phase16
Investment Portfolios23
Joint Owners90
Owner 89
Purchase Payment17
Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount45
Separate Account85
Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount45
3
OVERVIEW OF THE
CONTRACT
Purpose. The Contract is a variable annuity contract. It provides a means for investing on a tax-deferred basis
in the Investment Portfolios. The Contract is designed generally for an investor who intends to hold the contract for a long period of time and then use the Account Value (in the form of either withdrawals or Annuity Payments) for retirement savings or other long-term investment purposes. The Contract has various optional
features and benefits that may be appropriate for you based on your financial situation and
objectives. The Contract also offers certain death benefit features, which can be used to transfer assets to your
beneficiaries. Because of the withdrawal charge (which is in effect for many years) and the possibility of income tax and tax penalties on early
withdrawals, the Contract should not be viewed as an investment vehicle offering low cost
liquidity. Your financial goal in acquiring the Contract should focus on a long-term
insurance product, offering the prospect of investment growth.
Phases of the Contract. The Contract has two phases: The Accumulation Phase and the
Income Phase. During the Accumulation Phase, earnings accumulate on a tax-deferred basis and are taxed as income when you make a withdrawal. To help you accumulate assets during the
Accumulation Phase, you can invest your Purchase Payments and
Account Value in the Investment Portfolios available under the Contract, each of which has an underlying mutual fund and its own investment strategies and risks; investment adviser(s); expense ratio; and performance history. Additional information about each investment option in which you can invest is provided in Appendix A to this Prospectus.
The
Income Phase occurs when you or a designated payee begin receiving regular Annuity Payments from your Contract. All optional benefits, including living and death
benefits, terminate without value at the start of the Income Phase. In addition, once the Income Phase begins, you
generally may no longer take withdrawals from the Contract. Depending on the Annuity Option
you elect, any remaining guarantee may be paid to your Beneficiary (or Beneficiaries),
Contract Features. The following is a brief description of the contract’s primary features.
Accessing your Money. Before you Annuitize, you can withdraw money from your Contract at any time. If you take a withdrawal, you may have to pay a Withdrawal
Charge and/or income taxes, including a tax
penalty if you are younger than age 59 1∕2. Withdrawals could significantly reduce the value of your Contract, the death benefit, and other Contract benefits. The reduction may be more than the amount withdrawn.
Tax Treatment. You can transfer money among Investment Portfolios without tax implications, and earnings (if any) on your investments are generally tax-deferred. You are only subject to tax upon: (1)
making a withdrawal; (2) receiving a payment from us; or (3) payment of a death
benefit.
Death Benefit. The Contract includes, at no additional cost, a standard death benefit that will pay a death benefit to your Beneficiary (ies) if you die during the Accumulation
Phase.
Contract Classes. The Contract allows you to select one of two classes based on your specific situation. Each class has different withdrawal charges and base
contract expenses. Depending on your expectations and preferences, you can choose the class
that best meets your needs.
Optional Benefits. We offer optional living benefit riders that, for additional charges, offer protection against market risk (the risk that your
investments may decline in value or underperform your expectations) and may guarantee a
minimum lifetime income.
Additional Services.
•Dollar Cost Averaging Program. This program allows you to systematically transfer a set amount each month between certain Investment Portfolios.
•Automatic Rebalancing Program. This program directs us to automatically rebalance your Contract to return to your original percentage investment allocations on a periodic basis.
•Systematic Withdrawal Program. This program allows you to receive regular automatic withdrawals from your Contract either monthly or quarterly, and after the first Contract Year, annually or semi-annually, provided that each payment must amount to at least $100 (unless we consent otherwise).
•Electronic Delivery. As an Owner you may elect to receive electronic delivery of current prospectuses related to this Contract, as well as other Contract related documents.
4
IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU
SHOULD CONSIDER ABOUT THE CONTRACT
| |
Fees, Expenses, and Adjustments |
Location in
Prospectus | |||
| Are There
Charges or
Adjustments for
Early
Withdrawals? |
Yes. If you elect the “Class S” Contract class and you withdraw money
during the first 7 full Contract Years following a Purchase Payment, you may
be assessed a withdrawal charge of up to 7% of the Purchase Payment
withdrawn, declining to 0% over that time period.
If you elect the “Class S – L Share Option” Contract
class and you withdraw money during the first 4 full Contract Years following a Purchase Payment,
you may be assessed a withdrawal charge of up to 7% of the Purchase Payment withdrawn, declining to 0% over that time
period. For example, if you elect either Contract class
and make an early withdrawal, you could pay a withdrawal
charge of up to $7,000 on a $100,000
investment. This loss will be greater if there are taxes or tax
penalties. |
Fee Table and
Examples
Expenses – Withdrawal Charge | |||
| Are There
Transaction
Charges? |
Yes. In addition to withdrawal charges, you also may be charged for the
following transactions: transfers of cash value between investment
options. Transfer Fee. Currently, we allow unlimited transfers among the investment options without charge. However, we reserve the right to charge for transfers
after the first 12 transfers per year. |
Fee Table and Examples Expenses –
Transfer Fee | |||
5
| |
Fees, Expenses, and Adjustments |
Location in
Prospectus | |||
| Are There
Ongoing Fees and
Expenses? |
Yes. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay each year, depending on the investment options and
optional benefits you choose. Please refer to your
Contract specifications page for information about the
specific fees you will pay each year based on the options you have
elected. |
Fee Table and
Examples
Expenses – Product Charges Appendix A: Investment Portfolios
Available
Under the
Contract | |||
| Annual Fee |
Minimum |
Maximum | |||
| Base Contract
(varies by Contract class)1 |
1.16% |
1.86% | |||
| Investment Portfolio fees and expenses2 |
0.53% |
2.50% | |||
| Optional benefits available for
an additional charge (for a
single optional benefit, if
elected) |
0.90%3 |
1.35%4 | |||
| 1 As a percentage of average Account Value in the Separate Account. The charge shown also includes the Account Fee. 2 As a percentage of fund assets before
temporary expense reimbursements and/or fee waivers. 3 As a percentage of the guaranteed
withdrawal amount, which is a value used to calculate your
benefit. This charge is the current charge for the least expensive
optional benefit. 4 As a percentage of the Benefit Base, which is a value used to calculate your benefit. This charge
is the current charge for the most expensive optional
benefit. | |||||
| 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, which could add withdrawal charges that substantially increase costs. | |||||
| Lowest Annual Cost
$1,564 |
Highest Annual Cost
$4,054 | ||||
| Assumes: |
Assumes: | ||||
| ●Investment of $100,000 ●5% annual appreciation ●Least expensive combination of Contract classes and Investment
Portfolio fees and expenses ●No optional benefits ●No sales charges ●No additional Purchase Payments, transfers, or withdrawals |
●Investment of $100,000 ●5% annual appreciation ●Most expensive combination of Contract classes, optional benefits, and Investment
Portfolio fees and expenses ●No sales charges ●No additional Purchase
Payments, transfers, or withdrawals | ||||
| |
Risks |
| |||
| Is There a Risk of
Loss from Poor
Performance? |
Yes. You can lose money by investing in this Contract including loss of
principal. |
Principal Risks of Investing in the Contract | |||
6
| |
Risks |
Location in
Prospectus | |||
| Is This a Short-
Term Investment? |
No. This Contract is not a short-term investment and is not appropriate for
an investor who needs ready access to cash.
Amounts withdrawn from the Contract may result in withdrawal charges,
taxes, and tax penalties. Withdrawal charges may apply
for the first 7 full Contract Years following a Purchase Payment if Class S has been elected or the first 4 full Contract Years following a Purchase Payment if the Class S – L Share Option has been elected. Withdrawal charges will reduce the value of
your Contract if you withdraw money during the applicable time period.
Withdrawals could significantly reduce the value of your
Contract, the death benefit, and other Contract benefits.
The reduction may be more than the amount
withdrawn. The benefits of tax deferral and living benefit
protection also mean the Contract is more beneficial to
investors with a long time horizon. |
Principal Risks
of Investing in
the Contract | |||
| What Are the
Risks Associated
with the
Investment
Options? |
●An investment in this Contract is subject to the risk of poor investment
performance and can vary depending on the performance of the investment
options available under the Contract (e.g., Investment Portfolios). ●Each investment option has its own unique risks. ●You should review the prospectuses for the available funds before making
an investment decision. |
Principal Risks
of Investing in
the Contract | |||
| What Are the
Risks Related to
the Insurance
Company? |
An investment in the Contract is subject to the risks related to us.
Any obligations and guarantees and benefits of the
Contract that exceed the assets of the Separate Account are subject to our claims-paying ability. If we
experience financial distress, we may not be able to meet
our obligations to you. More information about
Brighthouse, including our financial strength ratings, is
available by contacting us at (888) 243-1968. |
Principal Risks
of Investing in
the Contract | |||
| |
Restrictions |
| |||
| Are There
Restrictions on the
Investment
Options? |
Yes. ●Currently, we allow unlimited transfers without charge among investment
options during the Accumulation Phase. However, we reserve the right to
limit transfers or impose a charge for transfers in excess of 12 per
year. ●We reserve the right to limit transfers in circumstances of frequent or large
transfers. ●We reserve the right to remove or substitute the Investment
Portfolios available as investment options under the Contract. ●The availability of the Investment Portfolios may vary depending on the selling firm through which your Contract is sold. |
Purchase Investment Options Appendix F: Financial Intermediary Variations | |||
7
| |
Restrictions |
Location in
Prospectus | |||
| Are There Any
Restrictions on
Contract Benefits? |
Yes. ●Certain optional benefits limit or restrict the investment options that you
may select under the Contract. We may change these restrictions in the
future. ●Certain optional benefits may vary by selling firm. ●Certain optional benefits could limit subsequent Purchase
Payments. ●Withdrawals will reduce the value of the death benefit, perhaps
significantly. ●Withdrawals may reduce the value of an optional benefit by an amount
greater than the value withdrawn, which could significantly reduce the
value or even terminate the benefit. ●We may stop offering an optional benefit at any time for new sales. ●The availability of Contract benefits may vary depending on the selling
firm through which your Contract is sold. ●Except as otherwise provided, Contract benefits may not be modified or
terminated by us. |
Purchase –
Investment
Allocation
Restrictions for
Certain Riders
Living Benefits
Death Benefit
Appendix B:
Investment
Portfolios Available Under the Benefits Offered Under the Contract Appendix F: Financial Intermediary Variations | |||
| |
Taxes |
| |||
| What Are the
Contract’s Tax
Implications? |
●Consult with a tax professional to determine the tax implications of an
investment in and payments received under this Contract.
●If you purchase the Contract through a tax-qualified plan or individual
retirement account, you do not get any additional tax
benefit. ●You will generally not be taxed on increases in the value of
the Contract until they are withdrawn. Withdrawals will
be subject to ordinary income tax, and may be subject to
tax penalties if you take a withdrawal before age
59 1∕2. |
Federal
Income Tax
Status | |||
| |
Conflicts of Interest |
| |||
| How Are
Investment
Professionals
Compensated? |
Your investment professional may receive compensation for selling this
Contract to you, in the form of commissions, additional
cash benefits (e.g., bonuses), and non-cash compensation.
This conflict of interest may influence your investment
professional to recommend this Contract over another
investment for which the investment professional is not compensated or
compensated less. |
Other
Information –
Distributor | |||
| Should I
Exchange My
Contract? |
If you already own an insurance contract, some investment professionals
may have a financial incentive to offer you a new
contract in place of the one you own. You should only
exchange a contract you already own if you determine,
after comparing the features, fees, and risks of both contracts, and any fees or penalties to terminate the existing contract, that it is better for
you to purchase the new Contract rather than continue to own your
existing contract. |
Replacement of Contracts and Other Exchanges | |||
8
FEE TABLE AND
EXAMPLES
The following tables describe the fees and
expenses that you will pay when buying, owning, and surrendering, or making withdrawals from an investment option or from the Contract. Please refer to your Contract specifications page for information about the specific fees you will pay each year based on the options you have selected.
The first table describes the fees and expenses that you will pay at the
time that you buy the Contract, surrender or make withdrawals from an investment option or from the Contract, or transfer Account Value between investment options. State premium taxes may also be deducted. New York does
not currently assess premium taxes on Purchase Payments.
Transaction Expenses
| Withdrawal Charge (Note 1)
(as a percentage of Purchase Payments withdrawn) |
7% |
| Transfer Fee (Note 2) |
$25
$0 (First 12 per year) |
Note 1. If an amount withdrawn is determined to include the
withdrawal of prior Purchase Payments, a withdrawal charge may be assessed. Withdrawal
charges are calculated in accordance with the following. (See
“Expenses — Withdrawal Charge.”)
| |
Class S – L Share Option
| |
| |
Number of Complete Years from Receipt of Purchase Payment |
Withdrawal Charge (% of Purchase Payment) |
| |
0 |
7 |
| |
1 |
6 |
| |
2 |
6 |
| |
3 |
5 |
| |
4 and thereafter |
0 |
| |
Class S
| |
| |
Number of Complete Years from Receipt of Purchase Payment |
Withdrawal Charge (% of Purchase Payment) |
| |
0 |
7 |
| |
1 |
6 |
| |
2 |
6 |
| |
3 |
5 |
| |
4 |
4 |
| |
5 |
3 |
| |
6 |
2 |
| |
7 and thereafter |
0 |
Note 2. There is no charge for the first 12 transfers in a Contract Year; thereafter the fee is $25 per transfer. We currently are waiving the transfer fee, but reserve the right to charge the fee in the future.
9
The next tables describe the fees and expenses that you will pay each
year during the time that you own the Contract, not including Investment
Portfolio fees and expenses. If you chose to purchase an optional benefit, you will pay additional charges, as shown below.
| Annual Contract Expenses |
|
|
| Administrative Expenses (Note 1) |
$30 |
|
| Base Contract Expenses (Note 2) |
|
|
| (as a percentage of Account Value in the Separate Account) |
|
|
| Class S – L Share Option |
1.85% |
|
| Class S |
1.15% |
|
| Optional Benefit Expenses (Note 3, Note 4)
|
|
|
| Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit (GWB) Rider Charges |
|
|
| (as a percentage of the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount (Note 5)) |
|
|
| GWB v1 — maximum charge |
1.80% |
|
| GWB v1 — current charge |
0.90% |
|
| Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB) Rider Charges |
|
|
| (as a percentage of the Benefit Base (Note 6)) |
|
|
| |
Maximum Charge |
Current Charge |
| FlexChoice Access (Note 7) |
2.00% |
1.35% |
| FlexChoice (Note 7) |
2.00% |
1.20% |
Note 1. We call this the “Account Fee” in your Contract, as well as in other places in the prospectus. It is charged every Contract Year
on your Contract Anniversary if the Account Value is less than $50,000. Different policies apply during the Income Phase of the contract. For instance, if your Account
Value on the Annuity Date is at least $50,000, then we will not deduct the account fee. After the Annuity Date, the charge will be collected monthly out of the Annuity Payment, regardless of the size of your contract. See “Expenses” section of the prospectus, under the sub-heading “Account Fee”.
In the section entitled “Important Information You Should Consider About Your Contract” earlier in this prospectus, we are required to present this fee as part of the Base Contract.
Note 2. We call these the “Separate Account Charges” in
your Contract, as well as in other places in the prospectus. This charge is deducted solely from Account Value in the Separate Account. See “Expenses” section
of the prospectus, under the sub-heading “Base Contract Charges” for more information.
Note 3. These charges are deducted solely from Account Value in the
Separate Account. See “Expenses” section of the prospectus, under the sub-heading “Optional Benefits” for more information.
Note 4: These charges are deducted solely from Account Value in the Separate Account. You may not elect certain other optional benefits together. Specifically, the Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit: You may not select this rider together with the GWB v1 rider.
Note 5. The Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is initially set at an amount equal to your initial Purchase Payment. The Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount may be adjusted for subsequent Purchase Payments and withdrawals. See “Living Benefits — Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit” for a definition of the term Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. The GWB rider charge may increase upon an Automatic Annual Step-Up, but it will not exceed the maximum charge listed in this table. See “Expenses” section of the prospectus, under the sub-heading “Optional Benefits” for more information.
Note 6. On the issue date, the Benefit Base is set at an amount
equal to your initial Purchase Payment. The Benefit Base is adjusted for subsequent Purchase Payments and may be adjusted for withdrawals. See “Living
Benefits — Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit” for a definition
of the term Benefit Base. The GLWB rider charge may increase upon an Automatic Step-Up, but it will not exceed the maximum charge listed in this table. See “Expenses” section of the prospectus, under the sub-heading “Optional Benefits” for more information.
Note 7. The version of the GLWB elected with contracts issued on and after February 12, 2018, is referred to as FlexChoice Access. Contracts issued with the GLWB prior to February 12, 2018 were issued with the FlexChoice version of GLWB. FlexChoice Access Level is currently available for purchase. FlexChoice and FlexChoice Access Expedite are no longer available for purchase. Please speak with your financial representative if you have questions about the version of GLWB you elected. See “Living Benefits — Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit” for more information about FlexChoice Access and
FlexChoice.
10
The next table shows the minimum and maximum total operating expenses charged by the
Investment Portfolios that you may pay periodically during the time that you
own the Contract. Expenses shown may change over time and may be higher or lower in the future. A complete list of Investment Portfolios available under the Contract, including their annual expenses, may be found in Appendix
A.
Annual Investment Portfolio
Expenses
| |
Minimum |
Maximum |
| Total Annual Investment Portfolio Expenses |
|
|
| (expenses that are deducted from Investment Portfolio assets, including management fees, distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees, and other expenses) |
0.53% |
2.50% |
11
Examples
These Examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Investment
Portfolios of the Contract with the cost of investing in other annuity contracts that offer variable options. These costs include Transaction Expenses, Annual Contract Expenses, and Annual Investment Portfolio Expenses.
We have provided two sets of Examples. Both Examples assume that you invest
$100,000 in the Investment Portfolios of the Contract for the time periods
indicated. The Examples also assume that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Contract is owned during the Accumulation Phase.
The first Example assumes the most expensive Annual Investment Portfolio Expenses and the most expensive optional benefits available for an additional charge
(“maximum”). This Example also shows costs assuming the least expensive Annual Investment Portfolio Expenses and the most expensive optional benefits available for an additional charge (“minimum”).
The second Example assumes the most expensive Annual Investment Portfolio Expenses and that you select no optional benefits for an additional charge (“maximum”). This Example also shows costs assuming the least expensive Annual Investment Portfolio Expenses and that you select no optional benefits for an additional charge
(“minimum”).
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be the following:
Class S – L Share Option
(1) If you surrender your Contract at the end of the applicable time
period:
| Time Periods | ||||
| |
1 year |
3 years |
5 years |
10 years |
| maximum |
$12,650 |
$22,280 |
$31,612 |
$55,397 |
| minimum |
$10,030 |
$14,671 |
$19,360 |
$33,134 |
If you do not surrender your Contract or if you annuitize at the end of the
applicable time period:
| Time Periods | ||||
| |
1 year |
3 years |
5 years |
10 years |
| maximum |
$5,650 |
$16,880 |
$28,012 |
$55,397 |
| minimum |
$3,030 |
$9,271 |
$15,760 |
$33,134 |
(2) If you surrender your Contract at the end of the applicable time
period:
| Time Periods | ||||
| |
1 year |
3 years |
5 years |
10 years |
| maximum |
$10,650 |
$16,500 |
$22,352 |
$38,803 |
| minimum |
$8,680 |
$10,610 |
$12,578 |
$19,548 |
If you do not surrender your Contract or if you annuitize at the end of the
applicable time period:
12
| Time Periods | ||||
| |
1 year |
3 years |
5 years |
10 years |
| maximum |
$3,650 |
$11,100 |
$18,752 |
$38,803 |
| minimum |
$1,680 |
$5,210 |
$8,978 |
$19,548 |
Class S
(1) If you surrender your Contract at the end of the applicable time
period:
| Time Periods | ||||
| |
1 year |
3 years |
5 years |
10 years |
| maximum |
$13,351 |
$24,275 |
$31,161 |
$60,815 |
| minimum |
$10,730 |
$16,734 |
$19,131 |
$39,508 |
If you do not surrender your Contract or if you annuitize at the end of the
applicable time period:
| Time Periods | ||||
| |
1 year |
3 years |
5 years |
10 years |
| maximum |
$6,351 |
$18,875 |
$31,161 |
$60,815 |
| minimum |
$3,730 |
$11,334 |
$19,131 |
$39,508 |
(2) If you surrender your Contract at the end of the applicable time
period:
| Time Periods | ||||
| |
1 year |
3 years |
5 years |
10 years |
| maximum |
$11,351 |
$18,537 |
$22,037 |
$44,799 |
| minimum |
$9,380 |
$12,730 |
$12,542 |
$26,815 |
If you do not surrender your Contract or if you annuitize at the end of the
applicable time period:
| Time Periods | ||||
| |
1 year |
3 years |
5 years |
10 years |
| maximum |
$4,351 |
$13,137 |
$22,037 |
$44,799 |
| minimum |
$2,380 |
$7,330 |
$12,542 |
$26,815 |
The Examples should not be considered a representation of past or future expenses or annual rates of return of any Investment Portfolio. Actual expenses and annual rates of return may be more or less than those assumed
for the purpose of the Examples.
13
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN
THE CONTRACT
Unsuitable as Short-Term Savings Vehicle. The contract is intended for retirement savings or other long-term investment purposes. The benefits of tax deferral and living benefit protection also mean the contract
is more beneficial to investors with a long time horizon. It is not suitable as a
short-term savings vehicle. This means if you plan to withdraw money or surrender the contract for short-term needs, it may not be the right contract for you. A charge may be assessed on withdrawals and
surrenders, and it could be substantial. In addition, withdrawals and surrenders will be subject to ordinary income tax, and may be subject to tax penalties if you take a
withdrawal or surrender before age 59 1∕2.
Please discuss your insurance needs and financial objectives with your financial representative.
Investment Risk. You bear the risk of any decline in the Account Value of your contract resulting from the performance of the Investment Portfolios you have chosen. The Account Value could decline very
significantly, and there is a risk of loss of the entire amount invested. This risk varies
with each Investment Portfolio. This risk could have a significant negative impact on certain benefits and guarantees under the contract. The investment risks are described in the prospectuses for the Investment
Portfolios.
Investment Portfolios That Have A Managed Volatility Strategy. Certain Investment Portfolios are managed in a way that is intended to minimize volatility of returns (referred to as a “managed volatility strategy”). Stock prices fluctuate, sometimes
rapidly and dramatically, due to factors affecting individual companies, particular
industries or sectors or general market conditions. Bond prices may fluctuate because they
move in the opposite direction of interest rates. Foreign investing carries additional
risks such as currency and market volatility. A managed volatility strategy is designed to reduce volatility of returns to these Investment Portfolios from investing in stocks and bonds. This strategy seeks to
reduce such volatility by “smoothing” returns, which may result in an
Investment Portfolio outperforming the general securities market during periods of flat or
negative market performance, and underperforming the general securities market during
periods of positive market performance. This means that in periods of high market volatility, this managed volatility strategy could limit your participation in market gains; this may conflict with your
investment objectives by limiting your ability to maximize potential
growth of your Account Value and, in turn, the value of any guaranteed benefit that is tied to
investment performance. Other Investment Portfolios may offer the potential for higher
returns. If you elect certain optional riders, you will be subject to investment allocation
restrictions that include these Investment Portfolios. This is intended in part to reduce
the risk of investment losses that could require us to use our own assets to make payments in
connection with the guarantees under those riders. You pay an additional fee for a
guaranteed benefit which, in part, pays for protecting the rider benefit base from investment
losses. Since the rider benefit base does not decrease as a result of investment losses, a
managed volatility strategy might not provide meaningful additional benefit to you. Please
see the Investment Portfolio prospectuses for more information in general, as well as more information about the managed volatility strategy.
Investment Restrictions – Opportunity Risks. Generally, the living benefit riders impose restrictions and limitations on your choices of Investment
Portfolios. These restrictions and requirements are intended to protect Brighthouse, and
reduce the likelihood that we will have to pay guaranteed benefits under the riders out of our own assets. The restrictions and requirements could result in your missing out on some or all positive
investment performance by certain of the portfolio companies
– this means your opportunity for investment gains may be limited.
Optional Benefits – Withdrawal Risks. Withdrawals could significantly reduce the value of your
Contract, the death benefit, and Contract benefits. The reduction may be more than the
amount withdrawn. In addition, early withdrawals (withdrawals taken prior to the
commencement of withdrawals under a rider) and Excess Withdrawals (a withdrawal that
results in cumulative withdrawals for the current Contract Year that exceed your annual
benefit amount under the rider) under an optional living benefit may also reduce the value of the benefit in the same proportion that the withdrawal (including any applicable withdrawal charges) reduces the Account
Value. Depending on the relative value of the remaining benefit and the Account Value, such
a proportional reduction may significantly reduce the remaining benefit value or even
terminate the benefit. All withdrawals under an optional living benefit, including both
Excess and Non-Excess Withdrawals, may also be subject to withdrawal charges, taxes, and
tax penalties.
14
Restrictions on Subsequent
Purchase Payments. We may restrict your ability to make subsequent
Purchase Payments. Additionally, certain riders have current and potential restrictions on
subsequent Purchase Payments. We will notify affected Contract Owners in advance if we
impose such restrictions on subsequent Purchase Payments. Such restrictions have the
potential to limit your ability to increase your Account Value or the value of Contract
benefits through additional Purchase Payments.
Availability of Investment Options. We reserve the right to add, remove or substitute the Investment Portfolios available as investment options under the Contract. In the future, we may change the investment options
that are available to you under certain optional riders. We also reserve the right to limit
transfers or impose a charge for transfers in excess of 12 per year.
Insurance Company Risk. An investment in the Contract is subject to the risks related to us. Any obligations and guarantees and benefits of the Contract that exceed the assets of the Separate Account
are subject to our claims-paying ability. It is possible that we could experience financial difficulty in the future and even become insolvent, and therefore unable to provide
all of the guarantees and benefits that exceed the assets in the Separate Account that we
promise.
Tax Consequences. Withdrawals are generally taxable (to the extent of any earnings in the contract), and prior to age 59 1∕2 a tax penalty may apply. In addition, even if the Contract is held for years before any withdrawal is made, the withdrawals are taxable as ordinary income
rather than capital gains.
Cybersecurity and Certain Business Continuity Risks. Our variable
product contract business is largely conducted through complex information technology and communications systems operated by us and our
service providers and business partners (e.g., the Investment Portfolios and the firms
involved in the distribution and sale of our variable contracts). Our operations rely on
the secure processing, storage and transmission of data and confidential and other
information in our systems and the systems of third party service providers. We have
established administrative and technical controls and business continuity and resilience
plans to protect our operations against attempts by unauthorized third parties to
improperly access, modify, disrupt the operation of, or prevent access to critical networks or systems or data within them (a “cyber-attack”). Despite these protocols, the
techniques used to attack systems and networks change frequently, are becoming more sophisticated, and
can originate from a wide variety of sources including internal actors (through malicious
or accidental acts), terrorists, nation states, financially or politically motivated actors, or other third parties, such as external service providers. Furthermore, the rapid evolution and increased
adoption of artificial intelligence technologies (“AI”) may intensify our cybersecurity risks, including the deployment of artificial intelligence technologies by malicious third parties and threat actors that may increase in
sophistication and effectiveness in the future. There may be an increased risk of
cyber-attacks that may adversely disrupt or degrade our operations and compromise our data during periods of geo-political or military conflict. There is also a chance that certain risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected which
limits our ability, as well as that of our service providers and business partners, to plan
for or respond to, an attack.
A
failure of our computer systems could cause significant interruptions in our operations, compromise the
security, confidentiality or privacy of sensitive data, and otherwise
adversely affect our business and ability to administer the Contracts. Unanticipated
problems with, or failures of, our disaster recovery systems and business continuity plans
could also
have a material, negative impact on our ability to conduct business and on our financial
condition and operations, as well on individual Owners and their Contracts. Our operations
also could be negatively impacted by a cyber-attack or system failure affecting a third party, such as a service provider, business partner, another participant in the financial markets, or a governmental or regulatory authority. Disruptions or failures to our operations, systems, and networks can originate from a wide variety of sources including, but not limited to, a disaster such as a natural
catastrophe, epidemic or pandemic crisis, military or terrorist actions, cyber-attack, and
unanticipated problems with our or our service providers’ disaster recovery systems (and the disaster recovery systems of such vendors’ suppliers, vendors, or subcontractors). Such disasters
and events may adversely affect our ability to conduct business or administer the
contract.
Cyber-attacks and disruptions or failures to our systems and business
operations could result in regulatory fines or sanctions, litigation, penalties or financial losses, reputational harm, loss of customers, and/or otherwise adversely affect our business. Such events could
also
15
interfere with our processing of
contract transactions, including the processing of transfer orders from our website or with
the Investment Portfolios; impact our ability to calculate Accumulation Unit values; cause the release and/or possible loss, misappropriation or corruption of data or confidential Owner or business
information; or impede order processing or cause other operational issues. Cyber-attacks,
disruptions or failures may also impact the issuers of securities in which the Investment Portfolios invest, and it is possible the funds underlying your contract could lose value.
We cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems implemented by third parties, including service
providers or issuers of securities in which the Investment Portfolios invest. Although we
continually make efforts to identify and reduce our exposure to cybersecurity risks and
operations failures, there can be no assurance that we or our third party service providers
or the Investment Portfolios will be able to detect, manage, prevent, or avoid
cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures affecting your contract in the future.
THE ANNUITY CONTRACT
This prospectus describes the variable annuity contract offered by us.
The contract is intended for retirement savings or other long-term investment purposes. The contract has
features and benefits that may be appropriate for you based on your financial situation and
objectives, but we are not a fiduciary and do not give advice or make recommendations
regarding insurance or investment products, or any securities transactions or investment
strategies involving securities (including account recommendations). You should ask your
financial representative for guidance regarding whether the contract may be appropriate for you. Please bear in mind that your financial representative, or any financial firm or financial professional
you consult to provide advice, is acting on your behalf. We are not a party to any
agreement between you and your financial professional.
The variable annuity contract is a contract between you as the Owner, and us, the insurance company, where we promise to pay an income to you, in the form of
Annuity Payments, beginning on a designated date that you select. Until you decide to begin
receiving Annuity Payments, your annuity is in the Accumulation
Phase. If you die during the Accumulation Phase, your Beneficiary (or Beneficiaries)
will receive the death benefit under your contract (see
“Death Benefit” for more information). Once you begin receiving Annuity Payments, your
contract switches to the Income Phase. There is no death benefit during
the Income Phase and all living benefits terminate, however, depending on the Annuity Option you elect, any remaining guarantee may be paid to your Beneficiary(ies) (see “Annuity Payments (The Income Phase)” for more
information).
The contract benefits from tax deferral. Tax deferral means that you are not taxed on earnings or
appreciation on the assets in your contract until you take money out of your contract. For
any tax qualified account (e.g., an IRA), the tax deferred accrual feature is provided by the tax qualified retirement plan. Therefore, there should be reasons other than tax deferral for acquiring the contract
within a qualified plan. (See “Federal Income Tax Status.”)
The contract is called a variable annuity because you can
choose among the Investment Portfolios and, depending upon market conditions, you can make
or lose money in any of these portfolios. The amount of money you are able to accumulate in
your contract during the Accumulation Phase depends upon the investment performance of the
Investment Portfolio(s) you select. The amount of the Annuity Payments you receive during
the Income Phase from the variable annuity portion of the contract also depends, in part,
upon the investment performance of the Investment Portfolio(s) you select for the Income Phase. We do not guarantee the investment performance of the variable annuity portion. You bear the full
investment risk for all amounts allocated to the variable annuity portion. However, there
are certain optional features that provide guarantees that can reduce your investment risk (see “Living Benefits”).
If you select a fixed Annuity Payment option during the Income Phase, payments are made from our general account assets. Our general account consists of all
assets owned by us other than those in the Separate Account and our other separate
accounts. We have sole discretion over the investment of assets in the general account. All fixed Annuity Payments are subject to our financial strength and claims-paying ability.
The amount of the Annuity Payments you receive during the Income Phase from a fixed Annuity Payment
option of the contract will remain level for the entire Income Phase. (Please see
“Annuity Payments (The Income Phase)” for more information.)
As Owner of the contract, you exercise all interests and
rights under the contract. You can change the Owner at
16
any time, subject to our underwriting
rules (a change of ownership may terminate certain optional riders). The contract may be
owned generally by Joint Owners (limited to two natural persons). We provide more information on this under “Other Information — Ownership.”
All contract provisions will be interpreted and administered in accordance with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”). Any Code
references to “spouses” include those persons who enter into lawful marriages
under state law, regardless of sex.
PURCHASE
The contract may not be available for purchase through your broker dealer (“selling firm”)
during certain periods. There are a number of reasons why the contract periodically may not
be available, including that the insurance company wants to limit the volume of sales of
the contract. You may wish to speak to your financial representative about how this may
affect your purchase. For example, you may be required to submit your purchase application
in Good Order prior to or on a stipulated date in order to purchase a contract, and a delay in such process could result in your not being able to purchase a contract. In addition, certain optional riders
described in this prospectus may not be available through your selling firm, which you may
also wish to discuss with your financial representative. Your selling firm may offer the contract with a lower maximum issue age for the contract and certain riders than other selling firms. Not every
contract we issue is offered through every selling firm. See Appendix F: Financial Intermediary Variations.
We reserve the right to reject any application.
Purchase Payments
A Purchase Payment is the money you give us to invest in the contract. The initial Purchase Payment is due on the date the contract is issued. You may also be permitted to make subsequent Purchase Payments. Initial and
subsequent Purchase Payments are subject to certain requirements. These requirements are
explained below. We may restrict your ability to make subsequent Purchase Payments. The
manner in which subsequent Purchase Payments may be restricted is discussed below.
General Requirements for Purchase Payments. The following requirements apply to initial and subsequent Purchase Payments:
•The minimum initial Purchase Payment we will accept is: $5,000 for Class S when the
contract is purchased as a Non-Qualified Contract; or $10,000 for Class S – L Share
Option when the contract is purchased as a Non-Qualified Contract.
•If you are purchasing the contract as part of an IRA (Individual Retirement Annuity) or
other qualified plan, the minimum initial Purchase Payment we will accept is $2,000 for
Class S and $10,000 for Class S – L Share Option.
•The maximum total Purchase Payments for the contract is $1,000,000, without prior
approval from us.
•The minimum subsequent Purchase Payment is $500 unless you have elected an electronic funds transfer program approved by us, in which case the minimum
subsequent Purchase Payment is $100 per month.
•We will accept a different amount if required by federal tax law.
•We reserve the right to refuse Purchase Payments made via a personal check in excess of $100,000. Purchase Payments over $100,000 may be accepted in other
forms, including, but not limited to, EFT/wire transfers, certified checks, corporate
checks, and checks written on financial institutions. The form in which we receive a
Purchase Payment may determine how soon subsequent disbursement requests may be fulfilled. (See “Access to Your Money.”)
•We will not accept Purchase Payments made with cash, money orders, or travelers
checks.
Restrictions on Subsequent Purchase Payments. We may restrict your ability to make subsequent Purchase Payments. We will notify you in advance if we
impose restrictions on subsequent Purchase Payments. You and your financial representative
should carefully consider whether our ability to restrict subsequent Purchase Payments is
consistent with your investment objectives.
•We reserve the right to reject any Purchase Payment and to limit future Purchase Payments. This means that we may restrict your ability to make subsequent
Purchase Payments for any reason, subject to applicable requirements in your state. We may
make certain exceptions to restrictions on subsequent Purchase Payments in accordance with
our established administrative procedures.
•The GWB v1 rider has current restrictions on
17
subsequent Purchase
Payments that are described in more detail below. For more information, see
“Investment Allocation Restrictions for Certain Riders — Investment Allocation and Other Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GWB v1 Rider.”
•The GLWB rider has potential restrictions on subsequent Purchase Payments (for Contracts issued with the GLWB rider prior to January 1, 2024) that
are described in more detail below. For more information, see “Investment Allocation
Restrictions for Certain Riders — Investment Allocation and Other Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GLWB.”
Termination for Low Account Value
We may terminate your contract by paying you the Account Value in one sum if, prior to the Annuity Date,
you do not make Purchase Payments for three consecutive Contract Years, the total amount of
Purchase Payments made, less any partial withdrawals, is less than $2,000 or any lower
amount required by federal tax laws, and the Account Value on or after the end of such three year period is less than $2,000. (A Contract Year is defined as a one-year period starting on the date the contract is issued and on each contract anniversary thereafter.) Accordingly, no contract will be terminated due solely to
negative investment performance. Federal tax law may impose additional restrictions on our
right to cancel your Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP, SIMPLE IRA or other Qualified
Contract. We will not terminate any contract that includes a Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit or Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit, if at the time the termination would otherwise occur the Remaining
Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit or any guaranteed amount
remaining under the Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit is greater than the Account
Value. We also will not terminate any contract if at the time the termination would
otherwise occur the guaranteed amount under the Principal Protection death benefit is
greater than the Account Value. For all other contracts, we reserve the right to exercise
this termination provision, subject to obtaining any required regulatory approvals.
Allocation of Purchase Payments
When you purchase a contract, we will allocate your Purchase Payment to the Investment Portfolios you have selected. You may not choose more than 18
Investment Portfolios at the time your initial Purchase Payment is allocated. Each
allocation must be at least $500 and must be in whole numbers.
Once we receive your Purchase Payment and the necessary information (or a designee receives a payment
and the necessary information in accordance with the designee’s administrative
procedures), we will issue your contract and allocate your first Purchase Payment within 2 Business Days. A Business Day is each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open for business. A Business Day closes at the close of normal trading on the New York Stock Exchange, usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. If you do not
give us all of the information we need, we will contact you to get it before we make any
allocation. If for some reason we are unable to complete this process within 5 Business Days, we will either send back your money or get your permission to keep it until we get all of the necessary
information. (See “Other Information — Requests and Elections.”)
We may restrict the investment options available to you if you select certain optional riders. These restrictions are intended to reduce the risk of investment
losses that could require us to use our own assets to pay amounts due under the selected
optional rider.
In the future, we may change the investment
options that are available to you if you select certain optional riders. If you elect an
optional rider and we later remove an investment option from the group of investment options
available under that rider, you will not be required to reallocate Purchase Payments or
Account Value that you had previously allocated to that investment option. However, you may
not be able to allocate new Purchase Payments or transfer Account Value to that investment
option.
If you choose the GWB v1 rider, we require you to allocate your Purchase Payments and Account Value as described below under “Investment Allocation and Other
Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GWB v1” until the rider terminates.
If you choose the Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB) rider, we require you to allocate your Purchase Payments and Account Value as described below under “Investment Allocation and Other Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GLWB” until the rider terminates.
If you choose the Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB) rider, we require you to allocate your Purchase Payments and Account Value as described below under “Investment Allocation and Other Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GLWB” until the rider terminates.
If you make additional Purchase Payments, we will allocate them in
the same way as your first Purchase Payment unless you tell us otherwise. However, if you make an additional Purchase Payment while a Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) program is in effect, we will not
allocate the additional Purchase Payment to the DCA program, unless you tell us to do so.
Instead, unless you give us other
18
instructions, we will allocate the
additional Purchase Payment directly to the same destination Investment Portfolios you
selected under the DCA program. (See “Investment Options — Dollar Cost Averaging Program.”) You may change your allocation instructions at any time by
notifying us in writing, by calling us or by Internet. You may not choose more than 18
Investment Portfolios at the time you submit a subsequent Purchase Payment. If you wish to
allocate the payment to more than 18 Investment Portfolios, we must have your request to allocate future Purchase Payments to more than 18 Investment Portfolios on record before we can apply your subsequent
Purchase Payment to your chosen allocation. If there are Joint Owners, unless we are
instructed to the contrary, we will accept allocation instructions from either Joint Owner.
We reserve the right to make certain changes to the Investment Portfolios. (See “Investment
Options — Substitution of Investment Options.”)
Investment Allocation Restrictions for Certain Riders
Investment Allocation and Other Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GWB v1 Rider
If you elect the GWB v1 rider, you may allocate your Purchase Payments and Account Value among certain Investment Portfolios. Please see Appendix B – Investment Portfolios Available Under the Benefits Offered Under the Contract.
Certain Investment Portfolios have investment strategies intended in part to reduce the risk of investment losses that could require us to use our own assets to
make payments in connection with the guarantees under the GWB v1 rider. For example,
certain of the Investment Portfolios are managed in a way that is intended to minimize volatility of returns and hedge against the effects of interest rate changes. Other investment options that are
available if the GWB v1 rider is not selected may offer the potential for higher returns.
Before you select the GWB v1 rider, you and your financial representative should carefully consider whether the investment options available with the GWB v1 rider meet your investment objectives and risk
tolerance. See Appendix A for a list of Investment Portfolios that employ a managed
volatility strategy. Also see “Principal Risks of Investing in the Contract” for further information about these Investment Portfolios.
If you elect the GWB v1 rider, you may not participate in the DCA program.
Restrictions on Investment Allocations After Rider
Terminates. If you elected the GWB v1 rider and it terminates, the investment allocation restrictions will no longer apply and you will be permitted to
allocate subsequent Purchase Payments or transfer Account Value to any of the available
Investment Portfolios. (For information on the termination of the GWB v1 rider, see the
description of the rider in the “Living Benefits” section.)
Restriction on Subsequent Purchase Payments. While the GWB v1 rider is in effect, you are limited to making Purchase Payments within the GWB Purchase Payment Period (see “Living Benefits — GWB Rate Table”). However, we will permit you to make a subsequent Purchase Payment after the GWB Purchase
Payment Period when either of the following conditions apply to your contract: (a) your
Account Value is below the minimum described in “Purchase — Termination for Low Account Value”; or (b) the GWB v1 rider charge is greater than your Account Value. If the GWB v1 rider is cancelled (see “Living Benefits — Operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit — Cancellation and Guaranteed Principal Adjustment”) or terminated (see “Living Benefits — Operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit — Termination of the GWB Rider”), the restriction on subsequent Purchase Payments no longer applies.
Investment Allocation and Other Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GLWB
If you elect the GLWB rider, you must comply with certain investment allocation restrictions. The investment allocation restrictions are different for the two versions of the GLWB, FlexChoice Access and FlexChoice. Please speak with your financial representative or call our
Annuity Service Center if you have any questions about the investment allocation
restrictions applicable to your contract.
Investment Allocation Restrictions for FlexChoice Access
Allocation. For contracts issued with FlexChoice Access, you must allocate your Purchase Payments and Account Value according to either Option A or Option B described in Appendix B – Investment Portfolios Available Under the Benefits Offered Under the Contract.
You may not allocate Purchase Payments to the Dollar Cost Averaging program.
19
Certain Investment Options listed in
Option A and Platform 1 of Option B have investment strategies intended in part to reduce
the risk of investment losses that could require us to use our own assets to make payments in
connection with the guarantees under the GLWB rider. For example, certain of the investment
portfolios are managed in a way that is intended to minimize volatility of returns and
hedge against the effects of interest rate changes. See Appendix A for a list of Investment Portfolios that employ a managed volatility strategy. Also see “Principal Risks of Investing in the Contract” for
further information about these Investment Portfolios. When selecting the Investment
Portfolios offered in Platform 1 or Platform 2, you and your financial representative should consider that certain Investment Portfolios with similar investment objectives may have different fees and charges. For a general discussion of how we select the Investment Portfolios offered in this Contract, see “Certain Payments We Receive With Regard to the Investment Portfolios” below.
Restrictions on Investment Allocations After the GLWB Rider Terminates. If you elected the GLWB rider and it terminates, the investment allocation restrictions described in Appendix B will no longer apply and you
will be permitted to allocate subsequent Purchase Payments or transfer Account
Value to any of the available Investment Portfolios. For information on the termination of
the GLWB rider, see the description of the GLWB in the “Living Benefits — Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit” section.
Subsequent Purchase Payments. Subsequent Purchase
Payments must be allocated in accordance with the above limitations.
Your Purchase Payments and transfer requests must be allocated in accordance with the limitations described in Appendix B. We will
reject any Purchase Payments or transfer requests that do not comply with
these limitations.
Rebalancing. If you choose to allocate according to Option B, we will rebalance your Account Value on a quarterly basis based on your most recent allocation of Purchase Payments that complies with the allocation limitations described above. We will also rebalance your Account Value when we receive a subsequent Purchase Payment that is
accompanied by new allocation instructions (in addition to the quarterly rebalancing). We will first rebalance your Account Value on the date that is three months from the
rider issue date; provided however, if a quarterly rebalancing date occurs on the 29th, 30th or 31st of
a month, we will instead rebalance on the 1st day of the following month. We will
subsequently rebalance your Account Value on each quarter thereafter on the same day.
In addition, if a quarterly rebalancing date is not a Business Day, the reallocation will occur on the next Business Day. Withdrawals
from the contract will not result in rebalancing on the date of
withdrawal.
The rebalancing requirement described above does not apply if you choose to allocate according to Option
A. If you choose to allocate according to Option A, rebalancing is optional and you may
choose any available frequency.
Changing Allocation Instructions. You may change your Purchase Payment allocation instructions at any time by providing notice to us at our Annuity Service Center, or any other method acceptable to us, provided
that such instructions comply with the investment allocation restrictions described above.
Future Purchase Payment allocations, and rebalancing will be made in accordance with your revised allocation
instructions.
Transfers. Please note that any transfer request must result in an Account Value that
meets the allocation limits described in Appendix B. Any transfer request will not cause
your allocation instructions to change unless you provide us with a separate instruction at the time of transfer.
GLWB Additional Information. We determine whether an investment option is available in Option A or Option B and is classified as Platform 1 or Platform 2. We may determine or change the classification of an
investment option in the event that an investment option is added, deleted, substituted,
merged or otherwise reorganized. You will not be required to reallocate Purchase
Payments or Account Value that you allocated to an investment option before we changed its classification, unless you make a new Purchase Payment or request a transfer among investment options (other than pursuant to rebalancing programs in existence at the time the classification of the
investment option changed). If you make a new Purchase Payment or request a transfer among investment options, you will be required to take the new classification into account in the allocation of your entire Account Value. We will provide you with prior written notice of any changes in classification of investment options. See Appendix A for a list
of Investment Portfolios that employ a managed volatility strategy. Also
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see “Principal Risks of Investing
in the Contract” for further information about these Investment Portfolios.
Investment Allocation Restrictions for FlexChoice
Allocation. For contracts issued with FlexChoice, you must allocate according to Platform 1 and Platform 2 described in Appendix B –
Investment Portfolios Available Under the Benefits Offered Under the
Contract. If you elect the GLWB, you may not participate in the DCA program.
The investment choices listed in Platform 1 (other than the MetLife Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio and
the Western Asset Management Government Income Portfolio) have investment strategies
intended in part to reduce the risk of investment losses that could require us to use our own
assets to make payments in connection with the guarantees under the GLWB rider. For
example, certain of the investment portfolios are managed in a way that is intended to
minimize volatility of returns and hedge against the effects of interest rate changes. Other investment options that are available if the GLWB rider is not selected may offer the potential for higher returns.
Before you select a GLWB rider, you and your financial representative should carefully
consider whether the investment choices available with the GLWB rider meet your investment objectives and risk tolerance. See Appendix A for a list of Investment Portfolios that employ a managed volatility
strategy. Also see “Principal Risks of Investing in the Contract” for further
information about these Investment Portfolios.
Restrictions on Investment Allocations After the GLWB Rider Terminates. If you elected the GLWB rider and it terminates, the investment allocation restrictions described in Appendix B will no longer apply and you
will be permitted to allocate subsequent Purchase Payments or transfer Account
Value to any of the available Investment Portfolios. For information on the termination of
the GLWB rider, see the description of the GLWB in the “Living Benefits — Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit” section.
Subsequent Purchase Payments. Subsequent Purchase
Payments must be allocated in accordance with the investment allocation restrictions described in Appendix B.
Your Purchase Payments and transfer requests must be allocated in accordance with the investment allocation restrictions described in
Appendix B. We will reject any Purchase Payments or transfer requests that do
not
comply with these investment allocation restrictions.
Rebalancing. We will rebalance your Account Value on a
quarterly basis based on your most recent allocation of Purchase Payments that complies with the investment allocation restrictions described in Appendix B. We will also rebalance your Account Value when we receive a subsequent Purchase Payment that is accompanied by new allocation instructions (in addition to the quarterly rebalancing). We will first rebalance your Account Value on the date
that is three months from the rider issue date; provided however, if a quarterly rebalancing date occurs on the 29th, 30th or 31st of a month, we will instead rebalance on the first day of the following month. We
will subsequently rebalance your Account Value on each quarter thereafter on the same day. In addition, if a quarterly rebalancing date is not a business day, the reallocation will occur on the next business day.
Withdrawals from the contract will not result in rebalancing on the date of
withdrawal.
Changing Allocation Instructions. You may change your Purchase Payment allocation instructions at any time by providing notice to us at our Annuity Service Center, or any other method acceptable to us, provided
that such instructions comply with the investment allocation restrictions described in
Appendix B. If you provide new allocation instructions for Purchase Payments and if these instructions conform to these allocation limits, then we will rebalance in accordance with the revised allocation instructions. Any future Purchase Payment and
quarterly rebalancing allocations will be automatically updated in accordance with these
new instructions.
Transfers. Please note that any transfer request must result in an Account Value that
meets the investment allocation restrictions described in Appendix B. Any transfer request
will not cause your allocation instructions to change unless you provide us with separate
instructions at the time of transfer.
GLWB Additional Information. We will determine whether an investment option is classified as a Platform 1 or Platform 2 Investment Portfolio. We may determine or change the classification of an investment option in the event an investment option is added, deleted, substituted, merged or otherwise reorganized. In that
case, any change in classification will only take effect as to your contract in the event
you make a new Purchase Payment or request a transfer among investment options. We will provide you
21
with prior written notice of any changes
in classification of investment options.
Other Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GLWB (FlexChoice and FlexChoice Access)
Potential Restrictions on Subsequent Purchase Payments (for Contracts issued with the GLWB rider prior to January 1, 2024). In the future, we may choose to not permit owners of existing contracts with any version of the GLWB rider to make subsequent Purchase Payments if: (a) that GLWB rider is no longer available to new customers, or (b) we make certain changes to the terms of that GLWB rider offered to new customers (for example, if we change the rider charge;
see your contract schedule for a list of the other changes). We will notify owners of
contracts with the GLWB rider in advance if we impose restrictions on subsequent Purchase
Payments. If we impose restrictions on subsequent Purchase Payments,
contract Owners will still be permitted to transfer Account Value among the investment choices listed in Appendix B. Restrictions on subsequent Purchase Payments will remain in effect until the GLWB rider is terminated unless we provide advance written notice to you otherwise.
If we have imposed restrictions on subsequent Purchase Payments on your contract, we will permit you to make a subsequent Purchase Payment when either of the
following conditions apply to your contract: (a) your Account Value is below the minimum
described in “Purchase — Termination for Low Account Value”; or (b) the rider charge is greater than your Account
Value.
Free Look
If you change your mind about owning this contract, you can cancel it within 10 days after receiving it.
We ask that you submit your request to cancel in writing, signed by you, to our Annuity
Service Center. When you cancel the contract within this Free Look period, we will not assess a withdrawal charge. You will receive back whatever your contract is worth on the day we receive your request. This may be more or less than your Purchase
Payment depending upon the performance of the Investment Portfolios you allocated your
Purchase Payment to during the Free Look period. This means that you bear the risk of any
decline in the value of your contract during the Free Look period. We do not refund any charges or deductions assessed during the Free Look period.
Accumulation Units
The portion of your Account Value allocated to the Separate Account will go up or down depending upon the investment performance of the Investment
Portfolio(s) you choose. In order to keep track of this portion of your Account Value, we
use a unit of measure we call an Accumulation Unit. (An Accumulation Unit
works like a share of a mutual fund.) In addition to the investment performance of the
Investment Portfolio, the deduction of Separate Account charges also affects an Investment
Portfolio’s Accumulation Unit value, as explained below.
Every Business Day as of the close of the New York Stock
Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time), we determine the value of an Accumulation Unit
for each of the Investment Portfolios by multiplying the Accumulation Unit value for the
immediately preceding Business Day by a factor for the current Business Day. The factor is
determined by:
1) dividing the net asset value per share of the Investment Portfolio at the end of the current Business Day, plus any dividend or capital gains per share declared on behalf of the Investment Portfolio as of that day,
by the net asset value per share of the Investment Portfolio for the previous Business Day,
and
2) multiplying it by one minus the Separate Account product charges for each day since the last Business
Day and any charges for taxes.
The value of an Accumulation Unit may go up or down from day to day.
When you make a Purchase Payment, we credit your contract with Accumulation Units. The number of Accumulation Units credited is determined by dividing
the amount of the Purchase Payment allocated to an Investment Portfolio by the value of the
Accumulation Unit for that Investment Portfolio.
Purchase Payments and transfer requests are credited to a contract on the basis of the Accumulation Unit value next determined after receipt of a Purchase Payment
or transfer request. Purchase Payments or transfer requests received before the close of the New York Stock Exchange will be credited to your contract that day, after the New York Stock Exchange closes. Purchase Payments or
transfer requests received after the close of the New York Stock Exchange, or on a day when the New York Stock Exchange is not open, will be treated as received on the next day the New York Stock Exchange is open (the next
Business Day).
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Example:
On Monday we receive an additional Purchase Payment of $5,000 from you before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. You have told us you want this to go to the Brighthouse Asset Allocation 60 Portfolio. When the New York
Stock Exchange closes on that Monday, we determine that the value of an Accumulation Unit
for the Brighthouse Asset Allocation 60 Portfolio is $12.50. We then divide $5,000 by
$12.50 and credit your contract on Monday night with 400 Accumulation Units for the Brighthouse Asset Allocation 60 Portfolio.
Account Value
Account Value is equal to the sum of your interests in the Investment Portfolios. Your interest in each Investment
Portfolio is determined by multiplying the number of Accumulation Units for that portfolio
by the value of the Accumulation Unit.
Replacement of Contracts
Exchange Programs. From time to time we may offer programs under which certain fixed or variable annuity contracts previously issued by us or one of our
affiliates may be exchanged for the contracts offered by this prospectus. You should
carefully consider whether an exchange is appropriate for you by comparing the death
benefits, living benefits, and other guarantees provided by the contract you currently own
to the benefits and guarantees that would be provided by the new contract offered by this
prospectus. Then, you should compare the fees and charges (for example, the death benefit charges, the living benefit charges, and the mortality and expense charge) of your current contract, and
any fees or penalties to terminate your current contract, to the fees and charges of the new contract, which may be higher than your current contract. The programs we offer will be made
available on terms and conditions determined by us, and any such programs will comply with
applicable law. We believe the exchanges will be tax-free for federal income tax purposes;
however, you should consult your tax adviser before making any such
exchange.
Other Exchanges. Generally you can exchange one variable annuity contract for another in a tax-free exchange under Section 1035 of the Internal Revenue
Code. Before making an exchange, you should compare both annuities carefully. If you
exchange another annuity for the one described in this prospectus, unless the exchange occurs
under one of our exchange programs as described above, you might have to pay a withdrawal
charge on your old
annuity, and there will be a new withdrawal charge period for this contract. Other charges may be higher
(or lower) and the benefits may be different. Also, because we will not issue the contract
until we have received the initial premium from your existing insurance company, the
issuance of the contract may be delayed. Generally, it is not advisable to purchase a
contract as a replacement for an existing variable annuity contract. Before you exchange
another annuity for our contract, ask your financial representative whether the exchange
would be advantageous, given the contract features, benefits and charges.
Owning Multiple Contracts
You may be considering purchasing this contract when you already own a variable annuity contract. You should carefully consider whether purchasing an additional
contract in this situation is appropriate for you by comparing the features of the contract
you currently own, including the death benefits, living benefits, and other guarantees
provided by the contract, to the features of this contract. You should also compare the fees and charges of your current contract to the fees and charges of this contract, which may be higher than your current
contract. You may also wish to discuss purchasing a contract in these circumstances with
your financial representative.
INVESTMENT
OPTIONS
The Contract currently offers 62 Investment Portfolios. Additional or fewer Investment Portfolios may be available in the future.
Account Value allocated to the Investment Portfolios will vary based on the investment experience of the corresponding mutual fund in which the Investment Portfolio invests. There is a risk of loss of the entire amount invested.
Information regarding each Investment Portfolio, including its name, its type (e.g. money
market fund, bond fund, balanced fund, etc.) or a brief statement concerning
its investment objective, its investment adviser and any subadviser, current
expenses and performance is available in Appendix A to this prospectus. Each
Investment Portfolio has issued a prospectus that contains more detailed
information about the Investment Portfolio.
You should read the prospectuses for these funds carefully before investing. The prospectus and
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other information can be
found online at https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF54. You can also request copies of this information at no cost by calling (888) 243-1932 or sending an
email request to [email protected].
The investment objectives and policies of certain of the Investment Portfolios may be similar to the investment objectives and policies of other mutual funds
that certain of the Investment Portfolios' investment advisers manage. Although the
objectives and policies may be similar, the investment results of the Investment Portfolios may be higher or lower than the results of such other mutual funds. The investment advisers cannot guarantee,
and make no representation, that the investment results of similar funds will be comparable
even though the funds may have the same investment advisers. Also, in selecting your
Investment Portfolios, you should be aware that certain Investment Portfolios may have
similar investment objectives but differ with respect to fees and charges.
Shares of the Investment Portfolios may be offered to insurance company separate accounts of both variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts and
to qualified plans. Due to differences in tax treatment and other considerations, the
interests of various Owners participating in, and the interests of qualified plans
investing in the Investment Portfolios may conflict. The Investment Portfolios will monitor
events in order to identify the existence of any material irreconcilable conflicts and
determine what action, if any, should be taken in response to any such conflict.
Certain Payments We Receive with Regard to the
Investment Portfolios. An investment adviser (other than our affiliate Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC) or subadviser of an Investment Portfolio, or
its affiliates, may make payments to us and/or certain of our affiliates. These payments
may be used for a variety of purposes, including payment of expenses for certain administrative, marketing, and support services with respect to the contracts and, in our role as an intermediary, with respect to
the Investment Portfolios. We and our affiliates may profit from these payments. These
payments may be derived, in whole or in part, from the advisory fee deducted from Investment
Portfolio assets. Contract Owners, through their indirect investment in the Investment
Portfolios, bear the costs of these advisory fees (see the prospectuses for the Investment
Portfolios for more information). The amount of the payments we receive is based on a
percentage of assets of the Investment Portfolios attributable to the contracts and
certain other variable insurance products that we and our affiliates issue. These percentages differ and
some advisers or subadvisers (or their affiliates) may pay us more than others. These
percentages currently range up to 0.50%.
Additionally, an investment adviser (other than our affiliate Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC) or
subadviser of an Investment Portfolio or its affiliates may provide us with wholesaling
services that assist in the distribution of the contracts and may pay us and/or certain of our affiliates amounts to participate in sales meetings. These amounts may be significant and may provide the adviser
or subadviser (or its affiliate) with increased access to persons involved in the
distribution of the contracts.
We and/or certain of our affiliated insurance companies have joint ownership interests in our affiliated
investment adviser, Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC, which is formed as a
“limited liability company.” Our ownership interests in Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC entitle us to profit distributions if the adviser makes a profit with respect to the advisory fees it receives from
the Investment Portfolios. We will benefit accordingly from assets allocated to the
Investment Portfolios to the extent they result in profits to the adviser.
Certain Investment Portfolios have adopted a Distribution
Plan under Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. An Investment Portfolio's
12b-1 Plan, if any, is described in more detail in the Investment Portfolio's prospectus.
Any payments we receive pursuant to those 12b-1 Plans are paid to us or our distributor. (See “Other Information — Distributor” for more information.) Payments under an Investment Portfolio's 12b-1 Plan decrease the Investment Portfolio's investment return.
We select the Investment Portfolios offered through this contract based on a number of criteria, including asset class coverage, the strength of the adviser's or
subadviser's reputation and tenure, brand recognition, performance, and the capability and
qualification of each investment firm. Another factor we consider during the selection
process is whether the Investment Portfolio's adviser or subadviser is one of our
affiliates or whether the Investment Portfolio, its adviser, its subadviser(s), or an
affiliate will make payments to us or our affiliates. In this regard, the profit
distributions we receive from our affiliated investment adviser are a component of the total
revenue that we consider in configuring the features and investment choices available in
the variable insurance products that we and our affiliated insurance companies
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issue. Since we and our affiliated
insurance companies may benefit more from the allocation of assets to portfolios advised by
our affiliates than to those that are not, we may be more inclined to offer portfolios advised by our affiliates in the variable insurance products we issue. We review the Investment Portfolios periodically and may
remove an Investment Portfolio or limit its availability to new Purchase Payments and/or
transfers of Account Value if we determine that the Investment Portfolio no longer meets
one or more of the selection criteria, and/or if the Investment Portfolio has not attracted
significant allocations from contract Owners. In some cases, we have included Investment
Portfolios based on recommendations made by selling firms. These selling firms may receive
payments from the Investment Portfolios they recommend and may benefit accordingly from the
allocation of Account Value to such Investment Portfolios.
We do not provide any investment advice and do not recommend or endorse any particular Investment Portfolio. You bear the risk of any
decline in the Account Value of your contract resulting from the performance
of the Investment Portfolios you have chosen.
We restrict the investment choices available to you if you elect the GWB v1 rider or the GLWB rider. Please see “Purchase — Investment Allocation Restrictions for Certain Riders” and “Appendix B - Investment
Portfolios Available Under the Benefits Offered Under the Contract” for more
information about investment allocation and other Purchase Payment restrictions applicable to optional riders.
Transfers
General. You can transfer a portion of your Account Value among the Investment Portfolios. The contract provides that you can make a maximum of 12 transfers every year and that each transfer is made without
charge. We measure a year from the anniversary of the day we issued your contract. We
currently allow unlimited transfers but reserve the right to limit this in the future. We
may also limit transfers in circumstances of frequent or large transfers, or other
transfers we determine are or would be to the disadvantage of other contract Owners. (See
“Restrictions on Frequent Transfers” and “Restrictions on Large Transfers” below.) We also may be required to suspend the right to transfers in certain circumstances (see “Access to Your Money
– Suspension
of Payments or Transfers”). We are not currently charging a transfer fee, but we reserve the right
to charge such a fee in the future. If such a charge were to be imposed, it would be $25
for each transfer over 12 in a year. The transfer fee will be deducted from the Investment Portfolio from which the transfer is made. However, if the entire interest in an account is being transferred, the transfer
fee will be deducted from the amount which is transferred.
You can make a transfer to or from any Investment Portfolio, subject to the limitations below. All transfers made on the same Business Day will be treated
as one transfer. Transfers received before the close of trading on the New York Stock
Exchange will take effect as of the end of the Business Day. The following apply to any
transfer:
•Your request for transfer must clearly state which Investment Portfolio(s) are involved in the transfer.
•Your request for transfer must clearly state how much the transfer is for.
•The minimum amount you can transfer is $500 from an Investment Portfolio, or your entire interest in the Investment Portfolio, if less (this does not
apply to pre-scheduled transfer programs).
•You may not make a transfer to more than 18 Investment Portfolios at any time if the
request is made by telephone to our voice response system or by Internet. A request to
transfer to more than 18 Investment Portfolios may be made by calling or writing our
Annuity Service Center.
•If you have elected to add
the GWB rider or the GLWB rider to your contract, you may only make transfers between
certain Investment Portfolios. Please refer to “Appendix B - Investment Portfolios Available Under the Benefits Offered Under the Contract” for more information.
During the Accumulation Phase, to the extent permitted by applicable law, during times of drastic
economic or market conditions, we may suspend the transfer privilege temporarily without
notice and treat transfer requests based on their separate components (a redemption order
with simultaneous request for purchase of another Investment Portfolio). In such a case,
the redemption order would be processed at the source Investment Portfolio's next
determined Accumulation Unit value. However, the purchase of the new Investment Portfolio would be effective at the next determined Accumulation Unit value for the new Investment Portfolio only after we
receive the
25
proceeds from the source Investment
Portfolio, or we otherwise receive cash on behalf of the source Investment
Portfolio.
During the Income Phase, you cannot make transfers from a fixed Annuity Payment option to the Investment Portfolios. You can, however, make transfers during the
Income Phase from the Investment Portfolios to a fixed Annuity Payment option and among the
Investment Portfolios.
Transfers by Telephone or Other Means. You may elect to make transfers by telephone, Internet or other means acceptable to us. To elect this option, you must first provide us with a notice or agreement in
Good Order. If you own the contract with a Joint Owner, unless we are instructed otherwise,
we will accept instructions from either you or the other Owner. (See “Other
Information — Requests and Elections.”)
All transfers made on the same day will be treated as one transfer. A transfer will be made as of the end of the Business Day when we receive a notice containing
all the required information necessary to process the request. We will consider telephone
and Internet requests received after the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally
4:00 p.m. Eastern Time), or on a day when the New York Stock Exchange is not open, to be
received on the next day the New York Stock Exchange is open (the next Business
Day).
Pre-Scheduled Transfer Program. There are certain programs that involve transfers that are pre-scheduled. When a transfer is made as a result of such a program, we do not count the transfer in determining the
applicability of any transfer fee and certain minimums do not apply. The current
pre-scheduled transfers are made in conjunction with the following: Dollar Cost Averaging Programs and Automatic Rebalancing Programs.
Restrictions on Frequent Transfers. Frequent requests from contract Owners to transfer Account Value may dilute the value of an Investment Portfolio’s shares if the frequent trading involves an
attempt to take advantage of pricing inefficiencies created by a lag between a change in
the value of the securities held by the portfolio and the reflection of that change in the portfolio's share price (“arbitrage trading”). Frequent transfers involving arbitrage trading may adversely affect
the long-term performance of the Investment Portfolios, which may in turn adversely affect
contract Owners and other persons
who may have an interest in the contracts (e.g., Annuitants and Beneficiaries).
We have policies and procedures that attempt to detect and deter frequent transfers in situations where
we determine there is a potential for arbitrage trading. Currently, we believe that such
situations may be presented in the international, small-cap, and high-yield Investment
Portfolios. In addition, as described below, we monitor transfer activity in all American
Funds Insurance Series® portfolios. We monitor transfer activity in the following portfolios (the “Monitored
Portfolios”):
AB International Bond Portfolio
Baillie
Gifford International Stock Portfolio
BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund
BlackRock High Yield Portfolio
Brighthouse
Small Cap Value Portfolio
Brighthouse/Dimensional International Small Company Portfolio
Brighthouse/Eaton Vance Floating Rate Portfolio
CBRE Global
Real Estate Portfolio
Harris Oakmark International Portfolio
Invesco Global Equity Portfolio
Invesco Small
Cap Growth Portfolio
Loomis Sayles Global Allocation Portfolio
MetLife MSCI EAFE® Index Portfolio
MetLife
Russell 2000® Index Portfolio
MFS® Research International Portfolio
Neuberger
Berman Genesis Portfolio
State Street Emerging Markets Enhanced Index Portfolio
Western Asset Management Strategic Bond Opportunities Portfolio
We employ various means to monitor transfer activity, such as examining the frequency and size of
transfers into and out of the Monitored Portfolios within given periods of time. For
example, we currently monitor transfer activity to determine if, for each category of international, small-cap, and high-yield portfolios, in a 12-month period there were: (1) six or more transfers involving the
given category; (2) cumulative gross transfers involving the given category that exceed the
current Account Value; and (3) two or more “round-trips” involving the given category. A round-trip generally is defined as a transfer in followed by a transfer out within seven calendar days or a
transfer out followed by a transfer in within seven calendar days, in either case subject
to certain other criteria. We do not believe that other Investment Portfolios
present a significant opportunity to engage in arbitrage trading and
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therefore do not monitor transfer
activity in those portfolios. We may change the Monitored Portfolios at any time without notice in our sole discretion.
Our policies and procedures may result in transfer restrictions being applied to deter frequent transfers. Currently, when we detect transfer activity in
the Monitored Portfolios that exceeds our current transfer limits, we will impose transfer
restrictions on the entire contract and will require future transfer requests to or from any Investment Portfolio under that contract to be submitted in writing with an original signature. A first occurrence will result in a warning letter; a
second occurrence will result in the imposition of this restriction for a six-month period;
a third occurrence will result in the permanent imposition of the restriction. Transfers made
under a Dollar Cost Averaging Program, a rebalancing program or, if applicable, any asset
allocation program described in this prospectus are not treated as transfers when we
monitor the frequency of transfers.
The detection and deterrence of harmful transfer activity involves judgments that are inherently
subjective, such as the decision to monitor only those Investment Portfolios that we
believe are susceptible to arbitrage trading or the determination of the transfer limits. Our ability to detect and/or restrict such transfer activity may be limited by operational and technological systems, as well
as our ability to predict strategies employed by Owners to avoid such detection. Our
ability to restrict such transfer activity also may be limited by provisions of the contract.
Accordingly, there is no assurance that we will prevent all transfer activity that may
adversely affect Owners and other persons with interests in the contracts. We do not
accommodate frequent transfers in any Investment Portfolio and there are no arrangements in
place to permit any contract Owner to engage in frequent transfers; we apply our policies
and procedures without exception, waiver, or special arrangement.
The Investment Portfolios may have adopted their own policies and procedures with respect to frequent transfers in their respective shares, and we reserve
the right to enforce these policies and procedures. For example, Investment Portfolios may
assess a redemption fee (which we reserve the right to collect) on shares held for a relatively short period. The prospectuses for the Investment Portfolios describe any such policies and procedures, which
may be more or less restrictive than the policies and procedures we have adopted. Although
we may not have the contractual authority or the operational capacity to apply the frequent
transfer policies and procedures of the Investment Portfolios, we have entered into a written agreement,
as required by SEC regulation, with each Investment Portfolio or its principal underwriter
that obligates us to provide to the Investment Portfolio promptly upon request certain
information about the trading activity of individual contract Owners, and to execute
instructions from the Investment Portfolio to restrict or prohibit further purchases or
transfers by specific contract Owners who violate the frequent transfer policies established by the Investment Portfolio.
In addition, contract Owners and other persons with interests in the contracts should be aware that the purchase and redemption orders received by the
Investment Portfolios generally are “omnibus” orders from intermediaries, such
as retirement plans or separate accounts funding variable insurance contracts. The omnibus
orders reflect the aggregation and netting of multiple orders from individual Owners of variable insurance contracts and/or individual retirement plan participants. The omnibus nature of these orders
may limit the Investment Portfolios in their ability to apply their frequent transfer
policies and procedures. In addition, the other insurance companies and/or retirement plans may have different policies and procedures or may not have any such policies and procedures because of
contractual limitations. For these reasons, we cannot guarantee that the Investment
Portfolios (and thus contract Owners) will not be harmed by transfer activity relating to other insurance companies and/or retirement plans that may invest in the Investment Portfolios. If an Investment
Portfolio believes that an omnibus order reflects one or more transfer requests from
contract Owners engaged in frequent trading, the Investment Portfolio may reject the entire
omnibus order.
In accordance with applicable law, we reserve the right to modify or terminate the transfer privilege at any time. We also reserve the right to defer or restrict
the transfer privilege at any time that we are unable to purchase or redeem shares of any
of the Investment Portfolios, including any refusal or restriction on purchases or
redemptions of their shares as a result of their own policies and procedures on frequent
transfers (even if an entire omnibus order is rejected due to the frequent transfers of a
single contract Owner). You should read the Investment Portfolio prospectuses for more
details.
Restrictions on Large Transfers. Large transfers may increase brokerage and administrative costs of the
27
Investment Portfolios and may disrupt
portfolio management strategy, requiring an Investment Portfolio to maintain a high cash
position and possibly resulting in lost investment opportunities and forced liquidations. We do not monitor for large transfers to or from Investment Portfolios except where the portfolio manager of a
particular Investment Portfolio has brought large transfer activity to our attention for
investigation on a case-by-case basis. For example, some portfolio managers have asked us
to monitor for “block transfers” where transfer requests have been submitted on
behalf of multiple contract Owners by a third party such as an investment adviser. When we
detect such large trades, we may impose restrictions similar to those described above where
future transfer requests from that third party must be submitted in writing with an
original signature. A first occurrence will result in a warning letter; a second occurrence
will result in the imposition of this restriction for a six-month period; a third
occurrence will result in the permanent imposition of the restriction.
Dollar Cost Averaging Program (DCA)
We offer a Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) program as described below. By allocating amounts on a regular
schedule as opposed to allocating the total amount at one particular time, you may be less
susceptible to the impact of market fluctuations. The dollar cost averaging program is
available only during the Accumulation Phase.
We reserve the right to modify, terminate or suspend the dollar cost
averaging program. There is no additional charge for participating in the dollar cost averaging program. If you participate in the dollar cost averaging program, the transfers made under the program
are not taken into account in determining any transfer fee. We may, from time to time,
offer other dollar cost averaging programs which have terms different from those described
in this prospectus. We will terminate your participation in a dollar cost averaging program
when we receive notification of your death.
This program allows you to systematically transfer a set amount each month from the BlackRock Ultra-Short Term Bond Portfolio to any of the other available
Investment Portfolio(s) you select. These transfers are made on a date you select or, if you do not select a date, on the date that a Purchase Payment or Account Value is
allocated to the dollar cost averaging program. However, transfers will be made on the 1st
day of the following month for Purchase
Payments or Account Value allocated to the dollar cost averaging program on the 29th, 30th, or 31st day
of a month.
For example, you can instruct us to transfer $1,000 on the first of each month from the BlackRock Ultra-Short Term Bond Portfolio to another Investment Portfolio
that you have selected, such as the MetLife Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio. Hypothetically,
the $1,000 allocation may have bought 50 Accumulation Units of the MetLife Aggregate Bond
Index Portfolio in January, 65 Accumulation Units in February, and 45 Accumulation Units in March. In these three months, you allocated $3,000 to the MetLife Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio which has resulted in
160 Accumulation Units. The value of each Accumulation Unit is an average of the three
values used at the time of allocation. If you had allocated the entire $3,000 at one time,
the total value might be higher or lower.
If you allocate an additional Purchase Payment to your existing DCA
program, the DCA transfer amount will not be increased; however, the number of months over which transfers are made is increased, unless otherwise elected in writing. You can terminate the program at
any time, at which point transfers under the program will stop. This program is not
available if you have selected the GWB rider or the GLWB rider.
Automatic Rebalancing Program
Once your money has been allocated to the Investment Portfolios, the performance of each portfolio may
cause your allocation to shift. You can direct us to automatically rebalance your contract
to return to your original percentage allocations by selecting our Automatic Rebalancing
Program. You can tell us whether to rebalance monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.
An automatic rebalancing program is intended to transfer Account Value from those portfolios that have
increased in value to those that have declined or not increased as much in value. Over
time, this method of investing may help you “buy low and sell high,” although there can be no assurance that this objective will be achieved. Automatic rebalancing does not guarantee profits, nor
does it assure that you will not have losses.
We will measure the rebalancing periods from the anniversary of the date we issued your contract. If the DCA is in effect, rebalancing allocations will
be based on your current DCA allocations. If you are not participating in the DCA program,
we will make allocations based upon your
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current Purchase Payment allocations,
unless you tell us otherwise.
The Automatic Rebalancing Program is available only during the Accumulation Phase. There is no additional charge for participating in the Automatic
Rebalancing Program. If you participate in the Automatic Rebalancing Program, the transfers
made under the program are not taken into account in determining any transfer fee. We will
terminate your participation in the Automatic Rebalancing Program when we receive
notification of your death.
For example, assume that you want your initial Purchase Payment split between two Investment Portfolios.
You want 50% to be in the Brighthouse Asset Allocation 40 Portfolio and 50% to be in the
Brighthouse Asset Allocation 60 Portfolio. Hypothetically, over the next 2 1∕2 months
the Brighthouse Asset Allocation 60 Portfolio outperforms the Brighthouse Asset Allocation 40 Portfolio. At the end of the first quarter, the Brighthouse Asset Allocation 60 Portfolio now represents 60% of
your holdings because of its increase in value. If you have chosen to have your holdings
rebalanced quarterly, on the first day of the next quarter, we will sell some of your units in the Brighthouse Asset Allocation 60 Portfolio to bring its value back to 50% and use the money to buy more
units in the Brighthouse Asset Allocation 40 Portfolio to increase those holdings to
50%.
Voting Rights
We are the legal owner of the Investment Portfolio shares. However, we believe that when an Investment
Portfolio solicits proxies in conjunction with a vote of shareholders, we are required to
obtain from you and other affected Owners instructions as to how to vote those shares. When
we receive those instructions, we will vote all of the shares we own in proportion to those
instructions. This will also include any shares that we own on our own behalf. The effect
of this proportional voting is that a small number of contract Owners may control the outcome of a vote. Should we determine that we are no longer required to comply with the above, we will vote the shares in
our own right.
Substitution of Investment Options
If investment in the Investment Portfolios or a particular Investment Portfolio is no longer possible,
in our judgment becomes inappropriate for purposes of the contract, or for any other reason
in our sole discretion, we may substitute another Investment Portfolio or Investment Portfolios without your consent. The substituted Investment Portfolio
may have different fees and expenses. Substitution may be made with respect to existing investments or
the investment of future Purchase Payments, or both. However, we will not make such
substitution without any necessary approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission and applicable state insurance departments. Furthermore, we may close Investment Portfolios to allocation of Purchase
Payments or Account Value, or both, at any time in our sole discretion.
EXPENSES
There are charges and other expenses associated with the contract that reduce the return on your
investment in the contract.These charges and expenses are:
Product Charges
Base Contract Charges
Separate Account Product Charges. Each day, we make a deduction for our Separate Account product charges (which consist of the mortality and expense
charge and the administration charge). We do this as part of our calculation of the value
of the Accumulation Units and the Annuity Units (i.e., during the Accumulation Phase and the Income Phase).
Mortality and Expense Charge. For Class S, we assess a daily mortality and expense charge that is equal, on an annual basis, to 0.90% of the average
daily net asset value of each Investment Portfolio. For Class S - L Share Option, we assess
a daily mortality and expense charge that is equal, on an annual basis, to 1.60% of the average daily net asset value of each Investment Portfolio for the first four Contract Years. For the fifth Contract
Year and thereafter, this charge declines to 0.90%. During the Income Phase this charge is
0.90% for both Class S and Class S - L Share Option.
This charge compensates us generally for mortality risks we assume, including making Annuity Payments that will not change based on our actual mortality experience
and providing a guaranteed minimum death benefit under the contract. The charge also
compensates us generally for expense risks we assume to cover contract maintenance
expenses. These expenses may include issuing contracts, maintaining records, making and
maintaining subaccounts available under the contract and performing accounting, regulatory
compliance, and reporting functions. This charge also compensates us generally for costs associated with the establishment and administration of the contract, including programs like transfers and dollar
cost averaging.
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If the mortality and expense charge is
inadequate to cover the actual expenses of mortality, maintenance, and administration, we
will bear the loss. If the charge exceeds the actual expenses, we will add the excess to our profit and it may be used to finance distribution expenses or for any other purpose.
Administration Charge. This charge is equal, on an annual basis, to 0.25% of the average daily net asset value of each Investment Portfolio. This
charge, together with the account fee (see below), is generally for the expenses associated
with the administration of the contract. Some of these expenses are: issuing contracts, maintaining records, providing accounting, valuation, regulatory and reporting services, as well as expenses
associated with marketing, sale and distribution of the contracts.
Administrative Expenses
Account Fee
During the Accumulation Phase, every Contract Year on your contract anniversary (the anniversary of the date when your contract was issued), we will deduct
$30 from your contract as an account fee for the prior Contract Year if your Account Value
is less than $50,000. If you make a complete withdrawal from your contract, the full account
fee will be deducted from the Account Value regardless of the amount of your Account Value.
During the Accumulation Phase, the account fee is deducted pro rata from the Investment
Portfolios. This charge is generally for the administration charge (see above). This charge cannot be increased.
A pro rata portion of the charge will be deducted from the Account Value on the Annuity Date or upon a full withdrawal, if this date is other than a contract
anniversary. If your Account Value on the Annuity Date is at least $50,000, then we will
not deduct the account fee. After the Annuity Date, the charge will be collected monthly
out of the Annuity Payment, regardless of the size of your contract.
Optional Benefits
Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit — Rider Charge
If you elect the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit (GWB) rider, we will deduct a charge that compensates us
generally for the costs and risks we assume in providing the benefit. This charge is
deducted from your Account Value during the Accumulation Phase on each contract anniversary. The charge is a percentage of the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal
Amount (see “Living Benefits — Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit — Operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit”) on the contract anniversary, prior to taking into account any Automatic Annual Step-Up
occurring on such contract anniversary.
The Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit rider charge is 0.90% of the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount.
If you make a full withdrawal (surrender) of your Account Value; you apply all of your Account Value to an Annuity Option; there is a change in Owners, Joint
Owners or Annuitants (if the Owner is a non-natural person); or the contract terminates
(except for a termination due to death), a pro rata portion of the rider charge will be assessed based on the number of full months from the last contract anniversary to the date of the change.
If the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit rider is terminated because of the death of the Owner, Joint Owner
or Annuitant (if the Owner is a non-natural person), or if the rider is cancelled pursuant
to the cancellation provisions of the rider, no rider charge will be assessed based on the
period from the most recent contract anniversary to the date the termination or
cancellation takes effect.
The Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit rider charge is not assessed while your Remaining Guaranteed
Withdrawal Amount (see “Living Benefits — Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit — Operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit”) equals zero.
The Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit rider charge is deducted from your Account Value pro rata from each Investment Portfolio in the ratio each portfolio
bears to your total Account Value. We take amounts from the investment options that are
part of the Separate Account by canceling Accumulation Units from the Separate Account.
We reserve the right to increase the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit rider charge upon an Automatic
Annual Step-Up. The increased rider charge will apply after the contract anniversary on
which the Automatic Annual Step-Up occurs. If an Automatic Annual Step-Up occurs under the
Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit rider, we may reset the rider charge applicable beginning after the contract anniversary on which the Automatic Annual Step-Up occurs to a rate that does not exceed the
lower of: (a) the GWB Maximum Fee Rate or (b) the current rate that we would charge for the
same rider available for new contract purchases at the time of the Automatic Annual
Step-Up. The GWB Maximum Fee Rate is 1.80%.
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Guaranteed
Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit — Rider Charge
For the FlexChoice Access Level variation of the GLWB rider, the Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB) rider is available for an additional charge of
1.35% of the Benefit Base (see “Living Benefits — Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit — Operation of the GLWB”), deducted for the prior Contract Year on the contract anniversary prior to taking into account any Automatic
Step-Up by withdrawing amounts on a pro rata basis from your Account Value in the Separate
Account. For the FlexChoice Access Expedite variation of the GLWB rider, the rider charge
is 1.35%. For FlexChoice, the rider charge is 1.20%. With respect to the FlexChoice Access GLWB rider charge and the FlexChoice GLWB rider charge, each charge compensates us generally for the costs and
risks we assume in providing the benefit.
We take amounts from the investment options that are part of the Separate Account by canceling Accumulation Units from your Account Value in the Separate
Account.
Upon an Automatic Step-Up, we may increase the charge applicable beginning after the contract
anniversary on which the Automatic Step-Up occurs to a rate that does not exceed the lower
of: (a) the GLWB rider maximum charge (2.00%) or (b) the current rate that we would charge for the same rider with the same benefits, if available, for new contract purchases at the time of the
Automatic Step-Up.
If you make a total withdrawal of your Account Value prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age or that was an
Excess Withdrawal, elect to receive income payments under your contract, change the Owner
or Joint Owner (or Annuitant, if the Owner is a non-natural person) or assign your
contract, a pro rata portion of the GLWB rider charge will be assessed based on the number
of months from the last contract anniversary to the date of the withdrawal, the beginning
of income payments, the change of Owner/Annuitant, or the assignment.
If a GLWB rider is terminated because of the death of the
Owner or Joint Owner (or the Annuitant, if a non-natural person owns the contract), or it
is cancelled pursuant to the cancellation provisions of the rider, no GLWB rider charge
will be assessed based on the period from the last contract anniversary to the date the
termination or cancellation takes effect.
Withdrawal Charge
We impose a withdrawal charge to reimburse us generally for contract sales expenses, including commissions and other distribution, promotion, and acquisition
expenses. During the Accumulation Phase, you can make a withdrawal from your contract
(either a partial or a complete withdrawal). If the amount you withdraw is determined to
include the withdrawal of any of your prior Purchase Payments, a withdrawal charge is assessed against each Purchase Payment withdrawn. To determine what portion (if any) of a withdrawal is subject to a
withdrawal charge, amounts are withdrawn from your contract in the following order:
1. Earnings in your contract (earnings are equal to your Account Value, less Purchase Payments not previously withdrawn); then
2. The free withdrawal amount described below (deducted from Purchase Payments not previously withdrawn, in the order such Purchase Payments were made, with the oldest Purchase Payment first, as
described below); then
3. Purchase Payments not previously withdrawn, in the order such Purchase Payments were made: the oldest Purchase Payment first, the next Purchase Payment
second, etc. until all Purchase Payments have been withdrawn.
The withdrawal charge is calculated at the time of each withdrawal in accordance with the
following:
Class S – L Share Option
| Number of Complete Years from Receipt of Purchase Payment |
Withdrawal Charge (% of Purchase Payment) |
| 0 |
7 |
| 1 |
6 |
| 2 |
6 |
| 3 |
5 |
| 4 and thereafter |
0 |
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Class S
| Number of Complete Years from Receipt of Purchase Payment |
Withdrawal Charge (% of Purchase Payment) |
| 0 |
7 |
| 1 |
6 |
| 2 |
6 |
| 3 |
5 |
| 4 |
4 |
| 5 |
3 |
| 6 |
2 |
| 7 and thereafter |
0 |
For a partial withdrawal, you may choose to have the withdrawal charge deducted from the remaining
Account Value, if sufficient, or from the amount withdrawn. If you choose to have the
charge deducted from the amount withdrawn, you would receive less than the dollar amount
you requested. If you choose to have the withdrawal charge deducted from the remaining
Account Value, you would receive the full dollar amount you requested, however, this may
result in a higher withdrawal charge because the charge would be based on a larger total dollar amount withdrawn from your Account Value.
If the Account Value is smaller than the total of all Purchase Payments, the withdrawal charge only applies up to the Account Value.
We do not assess the withdrawal charge on any payments paid out as Annuity Payments or as death
benefits. In addition, we will not assess the withdrawal charge on required minimum
distributions from Qualified Contracts in order to satisfy federal income tax rules or to avoid required federal income tax penalties. This exception only applies to amounts required to be distributed
from this contract. We do not assess the withdrawal charge on earnings in your
contract.
NOTE: For tax purposes, earnings from Non-Qualified Contracts are generally considered to come out first.
Free Withdrawal Amount. The free withdrawal amount for each Contract Year after the first (there is no free withdrawal amount in the first Contract Year) is equal to 10% of your total Purchase Payments, less
the total free withdrawal amount previously withdrawn in the same Contract Year. Also, we
currently will not assess a withdrawal charge on amounts withdrawn during the first
Contract Year under the Systematic Withdrawal Program if monthly or quarterly payments are
chosen. Any unused free withdrawal amount in one Contract Year does not carry over to the
next Contract Year.
Reduction or Elimination of the Withdrawal Charge
General. We may elect to reduce or eliminate the amount of the withdrawal charge when the contract is sold under circumstances which reduce our sales expenses.
Some examples are: if there is a large group of individuals that will be purchasing the
contract, or if a prospective purchaser already had a relationship with
us.
Nursing Home or Hospital Confinement Rider. We will not impose a withdrawal charge if, after you have owned the contract for one year, you or your
Joint Owner becomes confined to a nursing home and/or hospital for at least 90 consecutive
days or confined for a total of at least 90 days if there is no more than a 6-month break in
confinement and the confinements are for related causes. The confinement must begin after
the first contract anniversary and you must have been the Owner continuously since the
contract was issued (or have become the Owner as the spousal Beneficiary who continues the
contract). The confinement must be prescribed by a physician and be medically necessary.
You must exercise this right no later than 90 days after you or your Joint Owner exits the
nursing home or hospital. This waiver terminates on the Annuity Date. You may make additional
Purchase Payments after the waiver is used. There is no charge for this rider.
Hypothetically, assume you purchased the Contract and shortly after one year of owning the Contract, you
become confined to a nursing home and then request to take a withdrawal that would have
normally been subject to a 7% Withdrawal Charge. In that instance, if you satisfy the
conditions of the rider, we would not impose that Withdrawal Charge that would have
otherwise applied to that withdrawal.
Terminal Illness Rider. After the first contract anniversary, we will waive the withdrawal charge if you or your Joint Owner are terminally ill and not expected to live more than 12 months; a physician certifies
to your illness and life expectancy; you were not diagnosed with the terminal illness as of
the date we issued your contract; and you have been the Owner continuously since the contract
was issued (or have become the Owner as the spousal Beneficiary who continues the
contract). This waiver terminates on the Annuity Date. You may make additional Purchase
Payments after the waiver is used. There is no charge for this rider.
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Hypothetically, assume you purchased the
Contract and shortly after one year of owning the Contract, you become terminally ill and
then request to take a withdrawal that would have normally been subject to a 7% Withdrawal
Charge. In that instance, if you satisfy the conditions of the rider, we would not impose
that Withdrawal Charge that would have otherwise applied to that
withdrawal.
The Nursing Home or Hospital Confinement rider and the Terminal Illness rider are only available for
Owners who are age 80 or younger (on the contract issue date). Additional conditions and
requirements apply to the Nursing Home or Hospital Confinement rider and the Terminal
Illness rider. They are specified in the rider(s) that are part of your contract.
Premium and Other Taxes
We reserve the right to deduct from Purchase Payments, account balances, withdrawals, death benefits or income payments any taxes relating to the contracts
(including, but not limited to, premium taxes) paid by us to any government entity.
Examples of these taxes include, but are not limited to, premium tax, generation-skipping transfer tax or a similar excise tax under federal or state tax law which is imposed on payments we make to
certain persons and income tax withholdings on withdrawals and income payments to the
extent required by law. New York does not currently assess premium taxes on Purchase Payments you make. We will, at our sole discretion, determine when taxes relate to the contracts. We may, at our sole
discretion, pay taxes when due and deduct that amount from the account balance at a later
date. Payment at an earlier date does not waive any right we may have to deduct amounts at a later date. It is our current practice not to charge premium taxes until Annuity Payments begin.
Transfer Fee
We currently allow unlimited transfers without charge during the Accumulation Phase. However, we have reserved the right to limit the number of transfers to a
maximum of 12 per year without charge and to charge a transfer fee of $25 for each transfer
greater than 12 in any year. We are currently waiving the transfer fee, but reserve the right to charge it in the future. The transfer fee compensates us generally for the costs of processing
transfers. The transfer fee is deducted from the Investment Portfolio from which the
transfer is made. However, if the entire interest in an account is being transferred, the transfer fee will be deducted from the amount which is transferred.
If the transfer is part of a pre-scheduled transfer program, it will not count in determining the
transfer fee.
Income Taxes
We reserve the right to deduct from the contract for any income taxes which we incur because of the contract. In general, we believe under current federal income
tax law, we are entitled to hold reserves with respect to the contract that offset Separate
Account income. If this should change, it is possible we could incur income tax with respect to the contract, and in that event we may deduct such tax from the contract. At the present time, however, we
are not incurring any such income tax or making any such deductions.
Investment Portfolio Expenses
There are deductions from and expenses paid out of the assets of each Investment Portfolio, which are described in the fee table in this prospectus and the
Investment Portfolio prospectuses. These deductions and expenses are not charges under the
terms of the contract, but are represented in the share values of each Investment Portfolio.
ANNUITY PAYMENTS
(THE INCOME PHASE)
(THE INCOME PHASE)
Annuity Date
Under the contract you can receive regular income payments (referred to as Annuity Payments). You can choose the month and year in which those payments begin. We call that date the Annuity Date. Your Annuity Date must be at least 30 days after we issue the contract and will be the first day of the calendar month
unless, subject to our current established administrative procedures, we allow you to
select another day of the month as your Annuity Date.
When you purchase the contract, the Annuity Date will be the later of the first day of the calendar month after the Annuitant’s 90th birthday or 10 years
from the date your contract was issued. You can change or extend the Annuity Date at any
time before the Annuity Date with 30 days prior notice to us (subject to restrictions that may apply in New York State, restrictions imposed by your selling firm and our current established administrative
procedures).
Please be aware that once your contract is annuitized, your Beneficiary (or Beneficiaries)
is ineligible to receive the death benefit you have selected. Additionally, if you have
selected a living benefit rider such as a Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit or Guaranteed
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Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit, annuitizing
your contract terminates the rider, including any death benefit or Guaranteed Principal
Adjustment that may be provided by the rider.
Annuity Payments
You (unless another payee is named) will receive the Annuity Payments during the Income Phase. The
Annuitant is the natural person(s) whose life we look to in the determination of Annuity
Payments.
During the Income Phase, you have the same investment choices you had just before the start of the
Income Phase.At the Annuity Date, you can choose whether payments will be:
•fixed Annuity Payments, or
•variable Annuity Payments, or
•a combination of both.
If you don’t tell us otherwise, your Annuity Payments will be based on the investment allocations that were in place just before the start of the Income
Phase.
If you choose to have any portion of your Annuity Payments based on the Investment Portfolio(s), the
dollar amount of your initial payment will vary and will depend upon three things:
1) the value of your contract in the Investment Portfolio(s) just before the start of the Income
Phase,
2) the assumed investment return (AIR) (you select) used in the annuity table for the contract, and
3) the
Annuity Option elected.
Subsequent variable Annuity Payments will vary with the performance of the Investment Portfolios you
selected. (For more information, see “Variable Annuity Payments” below.)
At the time you choose an Annuity Option, you select the AIR, which must be acceptable to us. Currently,
you can select an AIR of 3% or 4%. You can change the AIR with 30 days’ notice to us
prior to the Annuity Date. If you do not select an AIR, we will use 3%. If the actual
performance exceeds the AIR, your variable Annuity Payments will increase. Similarly, if
the actual investment performance is less than the AIR, your variable Annuity Payments will
decrease.
Your variable Annuity Payment is based on Annuity Units. An Annuity Unit is an accounting device used to calculate
the dollar amount of Annuity Payments. (For more information, see “Variable Annuity
Payments” below.)
When selecting an AIR, you should keep in mind that a lower AIR will result in a lower initial variable
Annuity Payment, but subsequent variable Annuity Payments will increase more rapidly or
decline more slowly as changes occur in the investment experience of the Investment
Portfolios. On the other hand, a higher AIR will result in a higher initial variable
Annuity Payment than a lower AIR, but later variable Annuity Payments will rise more slowly
or fall more rapidly.
A transfer during the Income Phase from a variable Annuity Payment option to a fixed Annuity Payment option may result in a reduction in the amount of
Annuity Payments.
If you choose to have any portion of your Annuity Payments be a fixed Annuity Payment, the dollar amount of each fixed Annuity Payment will not change,
unless you make a transfer from a variable Annuity Payment option to the fixed Annuity
Payment that causes the fixed Annuity Payment to increase. Please refer to the “Annuity
Provisions” section of the Statement of Additional Information for more
information.
Annuity Payments are made monthly (or at any frequency permitted under the contract) unless you have
less than $5,000 to apply toward an Annuity Option. In that case, we may provide your
Annuity Payment in a single lump sum instead of Annuity Payments. Likewise, if your Annuity
Payments would be or become less than $100 a month, we have the right to change the frequency of payments so that your Annuity Payments are at least $100.
Annuity Options
You can choose among income plans. We call those Annuity Options. You can change your Annuity Option at any time before the Annuity Date with 30 days’ notice to
us.
If you do not choose an Annuity Option, Option 2, which provides a life annuity with 10 years of guaranteed Annuity Payments, will automatically be
applied.
You can choose one of the following Annuity Options or any other Annuity Option acceptable to us,
subject to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. After Annuity Payments begin, you
cannot change the Annuity Option.
If more than one frequency is permitted under your contract, choosing less frequent payments will result
in
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each Annuity Payment being larger.
Annuity Options that guarantee that payments will be made for a certain number of years
regardless of whether the Annuitant or joint Annuitant are alive (such as Options 2 and 4 below) result in Annuity Payments that are smaller than Annuity Options without such a guarantee (such as Options 1
and 3 below). For Annuity Options with a designated period, choosing a shorter designated
period will result in each Annuity Payment being larger.
Option 1. Life Annuity. Under this option, we will make Annuity Payments so long as the Annuitant is alive. We stop making Annuity Payments after the Annuitant’s death. It is possible under this option to
receive only one Annuity Payment if the Annuitant dies before the due date of the second
payment or to receive only two Annuity Payments if the Annuitant dies before the due date of the third payment, and so on.
Option 2. Life Annuity With 10 Years of Annuity Payments Guaranteed. Under this option, we will make Annuity Payments so long as the Annuitant is alive. If, when the Annuitant dies, we have made
Annuity Payments for less than ten years, we will then continue to make Annuity Payments to
the Beneficiary for the rest of the 10 year period.
Option 3. Joint and Last Survivor Annuity. Under this option, we will make Annuity Payments so long as the Annuitant and a second person (joint Annuitant) are both alive. When either Annuitant dies, we will
continue to make Annuity Payments, so long as the survivor continues to live. We will stop
making Annuity Payments after the last survivor’s death.
Option 4. Joint and Last Survivor Annuity with 10 Years of Annuity Payments Guaranteed. Under this option, we will make Annuity Payments so long as the Annuitant and a second person (joint
Annuitant) are both alive. When either Annuitant dies, we will continue to make Annuity
Payments, so long as the survivor continues to live. If, at the last death of the Annuitant and the joint Annuitant, we have made Annuity Payments for less than ten years, we will then continue to make Annuity
Payments to the Beneficiary for the rest of the 10 year period.
Option 5. Payments for a Designated Period. We currently offer an Annuity Option under which fixed or variable monthly Annuity Payments are made for a selected number of years as approved by us, currently
not less than 10 years. This Annuity Option may be limited or
withdrawn by us in our discretion or due to the requirements of the Code.
The amount of any annuity payments will depend on the amount applied to purchase the annuity and the
applicable annuity rates. The amount of each annuity payment will be less with a greater
frequency of payments (if frequency choices other than monthly are available) and/or with
longer “certain” payment periods and/or with payments with life
contingencies.
We may require proof of age or sex of an Annuitant before making any Annuity Payments under the contract
that are measured by the Annuitant's life. If the age or sex of the Annuitant has been
misstated, the amount payable will be the amount that the Account Value would have provided at the correct age or sex. Once Annuity Payments have begun, any underpayments will be made up in one sum
with the next Annuity Payment. Any overpayments will be deducted from future Annuity
Payments until the total is repaid.
A commutation feature (a feature that allows the Owner to receive a lump sum of the present value of
future Annuity Payments) is available under the variable Payments for a Designated Period
Annuity Option (Option 5). You may not commute the fixed Payments for a Designated Period
Annuity Option or any option involving a life contingency, whether fixed or variable, prior
to the death of the last surviving Annuitant. Upon the death of the last surviving
Annuitant, the Beneficiary may choose to continue receiving income payments (if permitted
by the Code) or to receive the commuted value of the remaining guaranteed payments. For
variable Annuity Options, the calculation of the commuted value will be done using the AIR applicable to the contract. (See “Annuity Payments” above.) For fixed Annuity Options, the calculation
of the commuted value will be done using the then current Annuity Option rates.
There may be tax consequences resulting from the election of an Annuity Payment option containing a
commutation feature (i.e., an Annuity Payment option that permits the withdrawal of a commuted value). (See “Federal Income
Tax Status.”)
Due to underwriting, administrative or Internal Revenue Code considerations, there may be limitations on payments to the survivor under Options 3 and 4 and/or
the duration of the guarantee period under Options 2, 4, and 5.
Tax rules with respect to decedent contracts may prohibit
the election of Joint and Last Survivor Annuity Options (or income types) and may also
prohibit payments for as long as the Owner's life in certain
circumstances.
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In addition to the Annuity Options
described above, we may offer an additional payment option that would allow your
Beneficiary to take distribution of the Account Value over a period not extending beyond his or her life expectancy. Under this option, annual distributions would not be made in the form of an annuity, but
would be calculated in a manner similar to the calculation of required minimum
distributions from IRAs. (See “Federal Income Tax Status.”) We generally intend to make this payment option available to both Qualified Contracts and Non-Qualified Contracts, to the extent allowed
under the Code; however, such payment option may be limited to certain categories of
beneficiaries.
In the event that you purchased the contract as a Qualified Contract, you must take distribution of the
Account Value in accordance with the minimum required distribution rules set forth in
applicable tax law. (See “Federal Income Tax Status.”) Under certain circumstances, you may satisfy those requirements by electing an Annuity Option. You may choose any death benefit available under a
Qualified Contract, but the death benefit must be paid within the timeframe required by
applicable tax law and certain other contract provisions and programs will not be available.
Upon your death, if Annuity Payments have already begun under a Qualified Contract,
applicable tax law may require that any remaining payments be made over a shorter period
than originally elected or otherwise adjusted to comply with the tax law. If you purchased
the contract as a Non-Qualified Contract, the tax rules that apply upon your death are
similar to the tax rules for Qualified Contracts, but differ in some material respects. For example, if you die after Annuity Payments have already begun under a Non-Qualified Contract, any remaining Annuity Payments
can continue to be paid, provided that they are paid at least as rapidly as under the
method of distribution in effect at the time of your death.
Variable Annuity Payments
The Adjusted Contract Value (the Account Value, less any applicable premium taxes, account fee, and any
prorated rider charge) is determined on the annuity calculation date, which is a Business
Day no more than five (5) Business Days before the Annuity Date. The first variable Annuity
Payment will be based upon the Adjusted Contract Value, the Annuity Option elected, the
Annuitant’s age, the Annuitant's sex (where permitted by law), and the appropriate
variable Annuity Option table. Your annuity rates will not be less than those guaranteed in your contract at the time of purchase for the assumed investment return
and Annuity Option elected. If, as of the annuity calculation date, the then current variable Annuity
Option rates applicable to this class of contracts provide a first Annuity Payment greater
than that which is guaranteed under the same Annuity Option under this contract, the
greater payment will be made.
The dollar amount of variable Annuity Payments after the first payment is determined as follows:
•The dollar amount of the first variable Annuity Payment is divided by the value of an
Annuity Unit for each applicable Investment Portfolio as of the annuity
calculation date. This establishes the number of Annuity Units for each payment. The number
of Annuity Units for each applicable Investment Portfolio remains fixed during the annuity
period, provided that transfers among the Investment Portfolios will be made by converting
the number of Annuity Units being transferred to the number of Annuity Units of the
Investment Portfolio to which the transfer is made, and the number of Annuity Units will be
adjusted for transfers to a fixed Annuity Option. Please see the Statement of Additional
Information for details about making transfers during the Annuity Phase.
•The fixed number of Annuity Units per payment in each Investment Portfolio is
multiplied by the Annuity Unit value for that Investment Portfolio for the Business Day for
which the Annuity Payment is being calculated. This result is the dollar amount of the
payment for each applicable Investment Portfolio, less any account fee. The account fee
will be deducted pro rata out of each Annuity Payment.
•The total dollar amount of each variable Annuity Payment is the sum of all Investment
Portfolio variable Annuity Payments.
Annuity Unit. The initial Annuity Unit value for each Investment Portfolio of the Separate Account was set by us.
The subsequent Annuity Unit value for each Investment Portfolio is determined by
multiplying the Annuity Unit value for the immediately preceding Business Day by the net
investment factor (see the Statement of Additional Information for a definition) for the Investment Portfolio for the current Business Day and multiplying the result by a factor for each day since the last Business
Day which represents the daily equivalent of the AIR you elected.
36
Fixed Annuity Payments
The Adjusted Contract Value (defined above under “Variable Annuity Payments”) is determined
on the annuity calculation date, which is a Business Day no more than five (5) Business
Days before the Annuity Date. This value will be used to determine a fixed Annuity Payment. The Annuity Payment will be based upon the Annuity Option elected, the Annuitant's age, the Annuitant's sex
(where permitted by law), and the appropriate Annuity Option table. Your annuity rates will
not be less than those guaranteed in your contract at the time of purchase. If, as of the
annuity calculation date, the then current Annuity Option rates applicable to this class of contracts provide an Annuity Payment greater than that which is guaranteed under the same Annuity Option under this contract,
the greater payment will be made. You may not make a transfer from the fixed Annuity Option
to the variable Annuity Option.
ACCESS TO YOUR MONEY
You (or in the case of a death benefit, or certain Annuity Options upon the death of the last surviving Annuitant, your Beneficiary) can have access to the money
in your contract:
(1) by making a withdrawal (either a partial or a complete withdrawal);
(2) by electing to receive Annuity Payments;
(3) when
a death benefit is paid to your Beneficiary; or
(4) under certain Annuity Options described under “Annuity Payments (The Income Phase) — Annuity Options” that provide for continuing Annuity Payments or a cash refund to your Beneficiary upon the death of the last surviving Annuitant.
Under most circumstances, withdrawals can only be made during the Accumulation Phase. Full and partial withdrawals are subject to federal income taxes on the taxable portion and may be subject to withdrawal charges. In addition, a 10% federal penalty tax may be
assessed on withdrawals if the Contract Owner is under age 59 1∕2. Withdrawals could
significantly reduce the value of your Contract, the death benefit, and other Contract benefits. The reduction may be more than the amount withdrawn.
You may establish a withdrawal plan under which you can receive substantially equal periodic payments in order to comply with the requirements of Sections 72(q)
or (t) of the Code. Premature modification or termination of such
payments may result in substantial penalty taxes. (See “Federal Income Tax Status.”)
When you make a complete withdrawal, you will receive the withdrawal value of the contract. The
withdrawal value of the contract is the Account Value of the contract at the end of the
Business Day when we receive a written request for a withdrawal:
•less any applicable withdrawal charge;
•less any premium or other tax;
•less any account fee; and
•less any applicable pro rata GWB or GLWB rider charge.
Unless you instruct us otherwise, any partial withdrawal will be made pro rata from the Investment
Portfolio(s) you selected. Under most circumstances the amount of any partial withdrawal
must be for at least $500, or your entire interest in the Investment Portfolio(s). We require that after a partial withdrawal is made you keep at least $2,000 in the contract. If the withdrawal would result in
the Account Value being less than $2,000 after a partial withdrawal, we will treat the
withdrawal request as a request for a full withdrawal. (See
“Purchase — Termination for Low Account Value” for more information.)
We will pay the amount of any withdrawal from the Separate Account within seven days of when we receive the request in Good Order unless the suspension of
payments or transfers provision is in effect.
We may withhold payment of withdrawal proceeds if any portion of those proceeds would be derived from a contract Owner's check that has not yet cleared
(i.e., that could still be dishonored by the contract Owner's banking institution). We may use telephone, fax, Internet or other
means of communication to verify that payment from the contract Owner's check has been or
will be collected. We will not delay payment longer than necessary for us to verify that
payment has been or will be collected. Contract Owners may avoid the possibility of delay in the disbursement of proceeds coming from a check that has not yet cleared by providing us with a certified
check.
How to withdraw all or part of your Account Value:
•You must submit a request to our Annuity Service Center. (See “Other
Information — Requests and Elections.”)
37
•If you would like to have the withdrawal charge waived under the Nursing Home or
Hospital Confinement Rider or the Terminal Illness Rider, you must provide satisfactory
evidence of confinement to a nursing home or hospital or terminal illness. (See
“Expenses — Reduction or Elimination of the Withdrawal Charge.”)
•You must state in your request whether you would like to apply the proceeds to a payment option (otherwise you will receive the proceeds in a lump sum and may
be taxed on them).
•We have to receive your withdrawal request in our Annuity Service Center prior to the
Annuity Date or Owner's death; provided, however, that you may submit a written withdrawal
request any time prior to the Annuity Date that indicates that the withdrawal should be
processed as of the Annuity Date. Solely for the purpose of calculating and processing such a
withdrawal request, the request will be deemed to have been received on, and the withdrawal
amount will be priced according to the Accumulation Unit value calculated as of, the
Annuity Date. Your request must be received at our Annuity Service Center on or before the
Annuity Date.
There are limits to the amount you can withdraw from certain qualified plans including Qualified and TSA
plans. (See “Federal Income Tax Status.”)
Income taxes, tax penalties and certain restrictions may apply to any withdrawal you make.
Divorce. A withdrawal made pursuant to a divorce or separation instrument is subject to the same withdrawal charge provisions as described in
“Expenses — Withdrawal Charge,” if permissible under tax law. In addition, the withdrawal will reduce the Account Value,
the death benefit, and the amount of any optional living or death benefit (including the
benefit base we use to determine the guaranteed amount of the benefit). The amount withdrawn
could exceed the maximum amount that can be withdrawn without causing a proportionate
reduction in the benefit base used to calculate the guaranteed amount provided by an
optional rider, as described in the “Living Benefits” section. The withdrawal could have a significant negative impact on the death benefit and on any optional rider benefit. Withdrawals pursuant to divorce may have tax consequences, so it is important that you consult a
qualified tax adviser.
Systematic Withdrawal Program
You may elect the Systematic Withdrawal Program at any time. We do not assess a charge for this program.
This program provides an automatic payment to you of up to 10% of your total Purchase
Payments each year. You can receive payments monthly or quarterly, provided that each
payment must amount to at least $100 (unless we consent otherwise). For example, you may
elect to have $500 withdrawn from your Account Value automatically every month and we will
send it to you either by mail or directly into a bank account on file. After the first Contract Year, you can receive payments annually or semi-annually. We reserve the right to change the required minimum
systematic withdrawal amount. If the New York Stock Exchange is closed on a day when the
withdrawal is to be made, we will process the withdrawal on the next Business Day. While
the Systematic Withdrawal Program is in effect you can make additional withdrawals. However, such withdrawals plus the systematic withdrawals will be considered when determining the applicability of any
withdrawal charge. (For a discussion of the withdrawal charge, see “Expenses”
above.)
We will terminate your participation in the Systematic Withdrawal Program when we receive notification
of your death.
Income taxes, tax penalties and certain restrictions may apply to systematic withdrawals.
Suspension of Payments or Transfers
We may be required to suspend or postpone payments for withdrawals or transfers for any period
when:
•the New York Stock Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings);
•trading on the New York Stock Exchange is restricted;
•an emergency exists, as determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission, as a
result of which disposal of shares of the Investment Portfolios is not reasonably
practicable or we cannot reasonably value the shares of the Investment Portfolios; or
•during any other period when the Securities and Exchange Commission, by order, so permits for the protection of Owners.
Federal laws designed to counter terrorism and prevent money laundering might, in certain circumstances,
require us to block an Owner's ability to make certain transactions
38
and thereby refuse to accept any
requests for transfers, withdrawals, surrenders, or death benefits until instructions are
received from the appropriate regulator. We may also be required to provide additional information about you and your contract to government regulators.
39
BENEFITS AVAILABLE UNDER THE
CONTRACT
The following table summarizes information about the benefits under the Contract. The
availability of Contract benefits may vary depending on the selling firm through which your Contract is sold. See Appendix F: Financial Intermediary Variations.
| Name of
Benefit |
Purpose |
Standard
or
Optional |
Maximum
Annual Fee |
Current
Charges |
Brief Description of
Restrictions / Limitations |
| Dollar Cost
Averaging
Program |
Allows you to systematically
transfer a set amount each
month from Investment
Portfolios to other available
Investment Portfolios |
Standard |
No Charge |
N/A |
●Available only during the Accumulation phase ●Transfers only available from the BlackRock Ultra- Short Term Bond Portfolio ●Not available with the
GWB rider or GLWB rider |
| Automatic
Rebalancing
Program |
Allows us to automatically
rebalance your Account
Value to return to your
original percentage
allocations |
Standard |
No Charge |
N/A |
●Available only during the Accumulation phase |
| Systematic
Withdrawal
Program |
Allows you to set up an
automatic payment of up to
10% of your total Purchase
Payments each year |
Standard |
No Charge |
N/A |
●Each payment must be at least $100 (unless we consent otherwise) ●In the first Contract Year, only monthly or quarterly payments are allowed |
| Nursing
Home or
Hospital
Confinement
Rider |
Allows you to withdraw
Account Value without a
withdrawal charge |
Standard |
No Charge |
N/A |
●Must own contract for at
least one year ●You or your joint owner must be confined for at least 90 days ●Confinement must be prescribed by a physician and be medically necessary ●Terminates on Annuity
Date ●Not available for owners 81 or older on the contract issue date |
40
| Name of
Benefit |
Purpose |
Standard
or
Optional |
Maximum
Annual Fee |
Current
Charges |
Brief Description of
Restrictions /
Limitations |
| Terminal
Illness Rider |
Allows you to withdraw
Account Value without a
withdrawal charge |
Standard |
No Charge |
N/A |
●Must own contract for at least one year to incur no withdrawal charge ●Must be terminally ill and not expected to live more than 12 months; a physician certifies to your illness and life expectancy; you were not diagnosed with the terminal illness as of the date we issued your contract; and you have been the Owner continuously since the contract was issued (or have become the Owner as the spousal Beneficiary who continues the contract) ●Terminates on Annuity
Date ●Not available for owners 81 or older on the contract issue date |
| Standard
Death
Benefit –
Principal
Protection |
Pays a minimum death
benefit at least equal to the
greater of the Account Value
or total Purchase Payments
adjusted for any
withdrawals |
Standard |
No Charge |
N/A |
●Withdrawals may
proportionately reduce the
benefit, and such
reductions could be
significant |
41
| Name of
Benefit |
Purpose |
Standard
or
Optional |
Maximum
Annual Fee |
Current
Charges |
Brief Description of
Restrictions /
Limitations |
| Guaranteed
Withdrawal
Benefit (GWB
v1) |
Guarantees that at least the
entire amount of Purchase
Payments you make will be
returned to you through a
series of withdrawals
regardless of investment
performance |
Optional |
1.80% of the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount |
0.90% of the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount |
●Available to owners 80 or younger ●You may not have this
benefit and another living
benefit rider (the
Guaranteed Lifetime
Withdrawal Benefit) in
effect at the same time ●You may elect to cancel the GWB rider on the contract anniversary every five Contract Years for the first 15 Contract Years and annually thereafter ●Benefit subject to Investment Portfolio allocation restrictions ●While the GWB rider is in effect, you are limited to making Purchase Payments within the GWB Purchase Payment Period ●Certain withdrawals could significantly reduce or even terminate the benefit ●Payment Enhancement Feature is only available if the oldest Owner is age 75 or younger at the contract issue date |
| Guaranteed
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Benefit –
FlexChoice
Access Level |
Provides lifetime minimum
income regardless of
investment performance |
Optional |
2.00% of the Benefit Base |
1.35% of the Benefit Base |
●Available to owners at
least age 50 and not older
than 85 ●Offers a fixed GLWB Withdrawal Rate and GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate throughout your lifetime ●You may elect to cancel
the GLWB rider on the
Contract anniversary
every five Contract Years
for the first 10 Contract
Years and annually
thereafter ●Benefit subject to Investment Portfolio allocation restrictions ●Certain withdrawals could significantly reduce or even terminate the benefit |
42
| Name of
Benefit |
Purpose |
Standard
or
Optional |
Maximum
Annual Fee |
Current
Charges |
Brief Description of
Restrictions /
Limitations |
| Guaranteed
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Benefit –
FlexChoice
Access
Expedite |
Provides lifetime minimum
income regardless of
investment performance |
Optional |
2.00% of the Benefit Base |
1.35% of the Benefit Base |
●No longer available ●Offers a higher GLWB Withdrawal Rate while your Account Value is greater than zero and a reduced GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate if your Account Value is reduced to zero ●You may elect to cancel
the GLWB rider on the
Contract anniversary
every five Contract Years
for the first 10 Contract
Years and annually
thereafter ●Benefit subject to Investment Portfolio allocation restrictions ●Certain withdrawals could significantly reduce or even terminate the benefit |
| Guaranteed
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Benefit –
FlexChoice
Level |
Provides lifetime minimum
income regardless of
investment performance |
Optional |
2.00% of the Benefit Base |
1.20% of the Benefit Base |
●No longer available ●Offers a fixed GLWB Withdrawal Rate and GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate throughout your lifetime ●Benefit subject to
Investment Portfolio
allocation restrictions ●Certain withdrawals could significantly reduce or even terminate the benefit |
| Guaranteed
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Benefit –
FlexChoice
Expedite |
Provides lifetime minimum
income regardless of
investment performance |
Optional |
2.00% of the Benefit Base |
1.20% of the Benefit Base |
●No longer available ●Offers a higher GLWB Withdrawal Rate while your Account Value is greater than zero and a reduced GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate if your Account Value is reduced to zero ●Benefit subject to
Investment Portfolio
allocation restrictions ●Certain withdrawals could significantly reduce or even terminate the benefit |
Certain optional benefits that are available may vary by selling firm. Contact your financial representative for more information.
43
LIVING BENEFITS
Overview of Living Benefit Riders
We offer optional living benefit riders that, for certain additional charges, offer protection against
market risk (the risk that your investments may decline in value or underperform your
expectations). Only one of these riders may be elected, and the rider must be elected at contract issue. These optional riders are described briefly below. Please see the more detailed description that
follows for important information on the costs, restrictions, and availability of each
optional rider. We currently offer two types of living benefit riders
— a guaranteed withdrawal benefit and a guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefit:
Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit
•Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit (GWB v1)
The Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit rider is designed to allow you to invest your Account Value in the
Investment Portfolios, while guaranteeing that at least the entire amount of Purchase
Payments you make will be returned to you through a series of withdrawals, provided withdrawals in any Contract Year do not exceed the maximum amount allowed under the rider.
Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit
•Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB) – Flex Choice Access
•Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB) – Flex Choice
The GLWB rider is designed to allow you to invest your Account Value in the Investment Portfolios, while guaranteeing that you will receive lifetime income
regardless of investment performance. The guarantee is subject to the conditions described
in “Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit — Operation of the GLWB,” including the condition that withdrawals before a defined age or withdrawals that exceed the maximum amount allowed under the rider in a Contract Year will reduce or
eliminate the guarantee. We currently offer one variation of the GLWB rider – FlexChoice Access Level (as described in “Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit — Operation of the GLWB – GLWB Variations”). The version of the GLWB elected with contracts issued on and after February 12, 2018, is referred to as FlexChoice Access,
and the variations are FlexChoice Access Level and FlexChoice Access Expedite. Contracts
issued with the GLWB prior to February 12, 2018 are issued with the FlexChoice version
of GLWB, and the variations are FlexChoice Level and FlexChoice Expedite. FlexChoice and FlexChoice
Access Expedite are no longer available for purchase.
Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit
If you want to invest your Account Value in the Investment Portfolio(s) during the Accumulation Phase, but also want to assure that your entire Purchase Payment
will be guaranteed to be returned to you, we offer an optional rider for an additional
charge, called the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit (GWB). The purpose of the GWB rider is to
provide protection against market risk (the risk that the Account Value allocated to the Investment Portfolio(s) may decline in value or underperform your expectations).
The GWB rider is designed to allow you to invest your Account Value in the Investment Portfolios, while guaranteeing that at least the entire amount of
Purchase Payments you make will be returned to you through a series of withdrawals,
provided withdrawals in any Contract Year do not exceed the maximum amount allowed under
the rider. You may begin taking withdrawals under the GWB rider immediately or at a later time. This means that, regardless of negative investment performance, you can take specified annual withdrawals
until the entire amount of the Purchase Payments you made during the time period specified
in your rider has been returned to you.
You may purchase the GWB rider if you are age 80 or younger on the effective date of your contract. You may not have this benefit and another living benefit
rider (Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit) in effect at the same time. Once elected,
the GWB rider may not be terminated except as stated below.
Summary of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit Rider
The following section provides a summary of how the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit (GWB) rider works. A more detailed
explanation of the operation of the GWB is provided in the section below called “Operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit.”
The GWB guarantees that the entire amount of Purchase Payments you make will be returned to you through a series of withdrawals over time. The GWB does not guarantee withdrawals for your lifetime.
Under the GWB, we calculate a “Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount” (TGWA) that determines,
in part, the maximum amount you may receive as withdrawals
44
each year (“Annual Benefit
Payment”) without reducing your guarantee. The TGWA is multiplied by the applicable
withdrawal rate to determine your Annual Benefit Payment. The rider guarantee may be
reduced if your annual withdrawals are greater than the Annual Benefit Payment.
It is important to recognize that the TGWA is not available to be taken as a lump sum and
does not establish or guarantee your Account Value or a minimum return for
any Investment Portfolio. However, if you cancel the Guaranteed Withdrawal
Benefit rider after a waiting period of at least 15 years, the Guaranteed Principal
Adjustment will increase your Account Value to the Purchase Payments credited within the
first 120 days of the date that we issue the contract, reduced proportionately for any withdrawals. (See “Operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit — Cancellation and Guaranteed Principal Adjustment” below.)
While the GWB rider is in effect, you may only make subsequent Purchase Payments during the GWB Purchase Payment Period. (See “Restrictions on
Subsequent Purchase Payments” below.)
Operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit
The following section describes how the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit (GWB) operates. When reading the
following descriptions of the operation of the GWB (for example, the “Total
Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount,” “Annual Benefit Payment,” and “Payment Enhancement Feature” sections), refer to the GWB Rate Table at the end of this section of the prospectus for
the specific rates and other terms applicable to your GWB rider.
(See Appendix C for examples illustrating the operation of
the GWB.)
Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. While the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit rider is in effect, we guarantee that you will receive a minimum amount over time. We refer to this minimum amount as the
Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. The initial Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is equal to your initial Purchase Payment. We increase the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount (up to a maximum of $5,000,000,
without our approval) by each additional Purchase Payment received during the GWB Purchase
Payment Period (see “Restriction on Subsequent Purchase Payments” below). If
you take a withdrawal that does not exceed the Annual Benefit Payment (see “Annual Benefit
Payment” below), then we will not reduce the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. We refer to this
type of withdrawal as a Non-Excess Withdrawal. If, however, you take a withdrawal that
results in cumulative withdrawals for the current Contract Year that exceed the Annual
Benefit Payment, then we will reduce the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount in the same
proportion that the entire withdrawal (including any applicable withdrawal charges) reduced
the Account Value. We refer to this type of withdrawal as an Excess Withdrawal.
Depending on the relative amounts of the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and the Account Value, such a proportional reduction may result in a
significant reduction in the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount (particularly
when the Account Value is lower than the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount),
and could have the effect of reducing or eliminating the total amount you are
guaranteed to receive over time under the GWB rider (see “Managing Your
Withdrawals” below). Limiting your cumulative withdrawals during a Contract Year to not more than the Annual Benefit Payment will result in
dollar-for-dollar treatment of the withdrawals.
Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. The Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount (RGWA) is
the remaining amount you are guaranteed to receive over time. The initial Remaining
Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is equal to the initial Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. We
increase the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount (up to a maximum of $5,000,000, without
our approval) by additional Purchase Payments received during the GWB Purchase Payment
Period (see “Restrictions on Subsequent Purchase Payments” below), and we
decrease the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount by withdrawals. If you take a
Non-Excess Withdrawal, we will decrease the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount, dollar-for-dollar, by the amount of the Non-Excess Withdrawal (including any applicable withdrawal charges). If, however,
you take an Excess Withdrawal, then we will reduce the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal
Amount in the same proportion that the withdrawal (including any applicable withdrawal
charges) reduces the Account Value. Depending on the relative amounts of the
Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and the Account Value, such a
proportional reduction may result in a significant reduction in the Remaining
Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount
45
(particularly when the Account
Value is lower than the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount), and could
have the effect of reducing or eliminating the remaining amount you are
guaranteed to receive over time under the GWB rider (see “Managing Your
Withdrawals” below). Limiting your cumulative withdrawals during a Contract Year to not more than the Annual Benefit Payment will result in dollar-for-dollar treatment of
the withdrawals. The Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is also used to calculate an
alternate death benefit available under the GWB rider (see “Additional
Information” below).
Annual Benefit Payment. The initial Annual Benefit Payment is equal to the initial Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount multiplied by the GWB Withdrawal Rate. If the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is later recalculated (for example, because of the Automatic Annual Step-Up or Excess Withdrawals), the Annual
Benefit Payment is reset equal to the new Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount multiplied by
the GWB Withdrawal Rate. (See “Payment Enhancement Feature” below for a feature
which may allow you to increase your Annual Benefit Payment during a Contract Year if you are confined to a nursing home.)
You may choose to receive your Annual Benefit Payment through the optional Systematic Withdrawal Program (see “Access To Your Money — Systematic Withdrawal Program”). While the GWB rider is in effect, your withdrawals through the Systematic Withdrawal
Program may not exceed your Annual Benefit Payment. There is no charge for the Systematic
Withdrawal Program and you may terminate your participation at any time.
It is important to note:
•We will continue to pay the Annual Benefit Payment each year until the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is depleted, even if your Account Value
declines to zero. This means if your Account Value is depleted due to a Non-Excess Withdrawal or the deduction of the rider charge, and your Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is greater than zero, we will pay you the remaining Annual Benefit Payment,
if any, not yet withdrawn during the Contract Year that the Account Value was depleted, and
beginning in the following Contract Year, we will continue paying the Annual Benefit
Payment to you each year until your Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is
depleted. This guarantees that you will receive your Purchase Payments even if your Account Value declines to zero due to market performance, so long as you
do not take Excess Withdrawals.
•If you have elected the GWB, you should carefully consider when to begin
taking withdrawals. If you begin taking withdrawals too soon, you may limit
the value of the GWB, because the GWB Withdrawal Rate is determined by when
you take your first withdrawal (see the GWB Rate Table). As shown in the GWB
Rate Table, waiting to take your first withdrawal will result in a higher GWB
Withdrawal Rate. The GWB Withdrawal Rate is used to determine the amount of your Annual Benefit Payment, as described above. Once your GWB Withdrawal Rate has been
determined, it will never increase or decrease.
Managing Your Withdrawals. It is important that you carefully manage your annual withdrawals. To retain the full guarantees of this rider, your annual withdrawals (including any withdrawal charge) cannot
exceed the Annual Benefit Payment each Contract Year. In other words, you should not take
Excess Withdrawals. If you do take an Excess Withdrawal, we will recalculate the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and reduce the Annual Benefit Payment
to the new Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount multiplied by the GWB
Withdrawal Rate.
In addition, as noted above, if you take an Excess Withdrawal, we will reduce the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount in the same proportion that the withdrawal reduces the Account Value. These reductions in
the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount, Annual Benefit Payment, and Remaining
Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount may be significant. You are still eligible to receive the remainder of the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount so long
as the withdrawal that exceeded the Annual Benefit Payment did not cause your Account Value
to decline to zero. An Excess Withdrawal that reduces the Account Value to zero will terminate the contract.
If you take an Excess Withdrawal in a Contract Year, you may be able to reduce the impact of the Excess Withdrawal on your Total
Guaranteed
46
Withdrawal Amount, Annual Benefit
Payment, and Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount by making two separate
withdrawals (on different days) instead of a single withdrawal.
The first withdrawal should be equal to your Annual Benefit Payment (or remaining Annual
Benefit Payment if withdrawals have already occurred in the Contract Year); this withdrawal
will not reduce your Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount or Annual Benefit Payment, but will
reduce the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. The second withdrawal (on a subsequent
day) should be for the amount in excess of the Annual Benefit Payment (or remaining Annual
Benefit Payment); this withdrawal will reduce your Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount,
Annual Benefit Payment, and Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. For an example of
taking multiple withdrawals in this situation, see Appendix C, “GWB — Excess Withdrawals — Single Withdrawal vs. Multiple Withdrawals.”
You can always take Non-Excess Withdrawals. However, if you choose to receive only a part of your Annual Benefit Payment in any given Contract Year, your Annual
Benefit Payment is not cumulative and your Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and
Annual Benefit Payment will not increase. For example, if your Annual Benefit Payment is 4%
of your Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount, you cannot withdraw 2% of the Total Guaranteed
Withdrawal Amount in one year and then withdraw 6% of the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal
Amount the next year without making an Excess Withdrawal in the second year.
Income taxes and penalties may apply to your withdrawals, and withdrawal charges may apply to
withdrawals during the first Contract Year unless you take the necessary steps to elect to
take such withdrawals under a Systematic Withdrawal Program. Withdrawal charges will also apply to withdrawals of Purchase Payments that exceed the free withdrawal amount. (See “Expenses — Withdrawal Charge.”)
Required Minimum Distributions. For IRAs and other contracts subject to Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code, when you reach the age at which you must begin taking required minimum distributions, if
the required distributions are larger than the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount
multiplied by the GWB Withdrawal Rate, we will increase your Annual Benefit Payment to the
required minimum distribution amount for the previous calendar year or for this calendar year (whichever
is greater).
If:
(1) you are enrolled in the Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program, or in both the Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program and the Systematic Withdrawal Program;
(2) you do not take additional withdrawals outside of these two programs; and
(3) your remaining Annual Benefit Payment for the Contract Year is equal to zero (note: this is only a
condition under the following limited circumstances: (i) if you reach the end of the
calendar year and (ii) your Annual Benefit Payment or RGWA was not already increased to
equal the required minimum distribution amount;
we will increase your Annual Benefit Payment by the amount of the withdrawals that remain to be taken in that Contract Year under the program or programs in
which you are enrolled. This will prevent the withdrawal from exceeding the Annual Benefit
Payment.
See “Use of Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program and Systematic Withdrawal Program With
GWB” below for more information on the Automated Required Minimum Distribution
Program and the Systematic Withdrawal Program.
Automatic Annual Step-Up. On each contract anniversary prior to the Owner’s 86th birthday, an Automatic Annual Step-Up will occur, provided that the Account Value exceeds the Total Guaranteed
Withdrawal Amount immediately before the step-up (and provided that you have not chosen to
decline the step-up as described below).
The Automatic Annual Step-Up:
•resets the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount to the Account Value on the date of the step-up, up to a maximum of $5,000,000, regardless of whether or not
you have taken any withdrawals;
•resets the Annual Benefit Payment equal to the GWB Withdrawal Rate multiplied by the
Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount after the step-up; and
47
•may reset the GWB rider charge to a rate that does not exceed the lower of: (a) the GWB
Maximum Fee Rate (1.80%) or (b) the current rate that we would charge for the same rider
available for new contract purchases at the time of the Automatic Annual Step-Up.
In the event that the charge applicable to contract purchases at the time of the step-up is higher than
your current GWB rider charge, we will notify you in writing a minimum of 30 days in
advance of the applicable contract anniversary and inform you that you may choose to decline
the Automatic Annual Step-Up. If you choose to decline the Automatic Annual Step-Up, you
must notify us in accordance with our Administrative Procedures (currently we require you
to submit your request in writing to our Annuity Service Center no less than seven calendar days prior to the applicable contract anniversary). Once you notify us of your decision to decline the
Automatic Annual Step-Up, you will no longer be eligible for future Automatic Annual
Step-Ups until you notify us in writing to our Annuity Service Center that you wish to reinstate the step-ups. This reinstatement will take effect at the next contract anniversary after we receive your request for
reinstatement. Please note that the Automatic Annual Step-Up may be of limited benefit if
you intend to make Purchase Payments that would cause your Account Value to approach
$5,000,000, because the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and Remaining Guaranteed
Withdrawal Amount cannot exceed $5,000,000.
Payment Enhancement Feature. The Payment Enhancement Feature may allow you to increase your Annual Benefit Payment for a Contract Year if you are confined to a nursing home. Beginning in the
fourth Contract Year, you may request that your GWB Withdrawal Rate be multiplied by the
Payment Enhancement Rate once each Contract Year, if:
(1) you are confined to a nursing home for at least 90 consecutive days;
(2) your request is received by the contract anniversary immediately prior to the oldest Owner's 81st birthday (however, if we received a request from you by
this contract anniversary and we approved it, you are permitted to submit additional requests after this contract anniversary);
(3) you have not taken withdrawals in that Contract Year in excess of the Annual Benefit Payment at the time the request is approved;
(4) the request and proof satisfactory to us of confinement are received by us at our Annuity Service Office while you are confined;
(5) your Account Value is greater than zero at the time the request is approved; and
(6) the
GWB rider has not been terminated.
In the case of Joint Owners, the Payment Enhancement Feature applies to either Joint Owner. If the Owner
is not a natural person, the Payment Enhancement Feature applies to the Annuitant.
If you meet the requirements, your Annual Benefit Payment for that Contract Year is recalculated to the
greater of:
(a) the GWB Withdrawal Rate multiplied by the Payment Enhancement Rate, and then multiplied by the Total
Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount; or;
(b) your Annual Benefit Payment before the acceptance of your request.
Your remaining Annual Benefit Payment in that year is the new Annual Benefit Payment less any withdrawals already taken in that Contract Year.
The Payment Enhancement Feature may allow you to receive a larger Annual Benefit Payment for a Contract
Year without taking an Excess Withdrawal (see “Managing Your Withdrawals”
above). The Payment Enhancement Feature does not increase the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount (the minimum total amount you are guaranteed to receive over time under the GWB rider) or the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount (the remaining
amount you are guaranteed to receive over time under the GWB rider).
At the end of the Contract Year, your GWB Withdrawal Rate will be reset to what it was prior to the
acceptance of your request. In subsequent Contract Years, you may request that your GWB
Withdrawal Rate be increased by the Payment Enhancement Rate if you meet the conditions
above.
The Payment Enhancement Feature is only available if the oldest Owner is age 75 or younger at the contract issue date.
Cancellation and Guaranteed Principal Adjustment. You may elect to cancel the GWB rider on the contract anniversary every five Contract Years for the
first 15 Contract Years and annually thereafter. We must receive your cancellation request
within 30 days following
48
the applicable contract anniversary in
accordance with our Administrative Procedures (currently we require you to submit your
request in writing to our Annuity Service Center). The cancellation will take effect upon our receipt of your request. If cancelled, the GWB rider will terminate, we will no longer deduct the GWB rider
charge, and the investment allocation restrictions and subsequent Purchase Payment
restrictions will no longer apply. The variable annuity contract, however, will continue.
If you cancel the GWB rider on the 15th contract anniversary or any contract anniversary thereafter, we
will add a Guaranteed Principal Adjustment to your Account Value. The Guaranteed Principal Adjustment is intended to restore your initial investment in the contract in the case of poor investment performance. The
Guaranteed Principal Adjustment is equal to (a) - (b) where:
(a) is Purchase Payments credited within 120 days of the date that we issued the contract, reduced proportionately by the percentage reduction in Account Value attributable to any partial withdrawals taken (including any applicable withdrawal
charges) and
(b) is the Account Value on the date of cancellation.
The Guaranteed Principal Adjustment will be added to each applicable Investment Portfolio in the ratio
the portion of the Account Value in such Investment Portfolio bears to the total Account
Value in all Investment Portfolios. The Guaranteed Principal Adjustment will never be less
than zero.
It is important to note that only Purchase Payments made during the first 120 days that
you hold the contract are taken into consideration in determining the
Guaranteed Principal Adjustment. Contract Owners who anticipate making
Purchase Payments after 120 days (if permitted under the GWB rider; see
“Restrictions on Subsequent Purchase Payments” below) should
understand that such payments will not increase the Guaranteed Principal
Adjustment. However, because Purchase Payments made after 120 days will
increase your Account Value, such Purchase Payments may have a significant
impact on whether or not a Guaranteed Principal Adjustment is due. Therefore,
the GWB may not be appropriate for you if you intend to make additional Purchase Payments after the 120-day period and are
purchasing the GWB for its Guaranteed Principal Adjustment feature.
Investment Allocation Restrictions. For a detailed description of the GWB investment allocation restrictions, see “Purchase — Investment Allocation and Other Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GWB v1” and see “Appendix B - Investment Portfolios Available Under the Benefits Offered Under the
Contract.”
Restrictions on Subsequent Purchase Payments. While the GWB rider is in effect, you are limited to making Purchase Payments within the GWB Purchase
Payment Period (see the GWB Rate Table). If the GWB rider is cancelled (see
“Cancellation and Guaranteed Principal Adjustment” above) or terminated (see “Termination of the GWB Rider” below), this restriction on subsequent Purchase Payments no longer applies.
Withdrawal Charge. We will apply a withdrawal charge to withdrawals from Purchase Payments as described in “Expenses — Withdrawal Charge” (also see “Expenses — Withdrawal Charge — Free Withdrawal Amount” and “Access to Your Money — Systematic Withdrawal Program”).
Taxes. Withdrawals of taxable amounts will be subject to ordinary income tax and, if made prior to age
59 1∕2, a 10% federal tax
penalty may apply.
Tax Treatment. The tax treatment of withdrawals under the GWB rider is uncertain. It is
conceivable that the amount of potential gain could be determined based on
the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount under the GWB rider at the time of
the withdrawal, if the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is greater than
the Account Value (prior to withdrawal charges, if applicable). This could
result in a greater amount of taxable income reported under a withdrawal and
conceivably a limited ability to recover any remaining basis if there is a
loss on surrender of the contract. Consult your tax adviser prior to purchase.
GWB and Decedent Contracts. If you are purchasing this contract with a nontaxable transfer of the death benefit proceeds of any annuity contract or IRA
(or any other tax-qualified arrangement) of which you were the Beneficiary and you are
extending the payment of the distributions out over your life expectancy or some other
(shorter) period (i.e., “stretching”) under
the IRS required distribution rules, you may purchase the GWB rider. Upon your death,
49
however, any remaining benefits may need
to be accelerated to comply with IRS rules.
If you are purchasing this contract with a nontaxable transfer of the death benefit proceeds of any Non-Qualified annuity contract of which you were the
Beneficiary and you are “stretching” the distributions under the IRS required
distribution rules, you may not purchase the GWB rider.
Termination of the GWB Rider. The GWB rider will terminate upon the earliest of:
(1) the date of a full withdrawal of the Account Value (you are still eligible to receive the
Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount, provided the withdrawal did not exceed the Annual Benefit Payment and the provisions and conditions of the rider have been met) (a pro rata portion of the rider charge will be assessed);
(2) the date all of the Account Value is applied to an Annuity Option (a pro rata portion of the rider
charge will be assessed);
(3) the date there are insufficient funds to deduct the GWB rider charge from the Account Value and your contract is thereby terminated (whatever Account
Value is available will be applied to pay the rider charge and you are still eligible to
receive the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount, provided the provisions and conditions
of the rider have been met; however, you will have no other benefits under the
contract);
(4) the death of the Owner or Joint Owner (or the Annuitant if the Owner is a non-natural person), except where the primary Beneficiary is the spouse, the spouse is age 80 or younger, and the spouse
elects to continue the contract under the spousal continuation provisions of the
contract;
(5) a change of the Owner or Joint Owner for any reason, subject to our administrative procedures (a pro
rata portion of the rider charge will be assessed);
(6) the effective date of the cancellation of the rider; or
(7) the termination of the contract to which the rider is attached, other than due to death (a pro rata portion of the rider charge will be assessed).
Once the rider is terminated, the GWB rider charge will no longer be deducted, the GWB investment
allocation
restrictions will no longer apply, and the GWB restrictions on subsequent Purchase Payments will no
longer apply.
Additional Information. The GWB rider may affect the death benefit available under your contract. If the Owner or Joint Owner should die while the GWB rider
is in effect, the Beneficiary may elect to receive the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal
Amount as a death benefit, in which case we will pay the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal
Amount on a monthly basis (or any mutually agreed upon frequency, but no less frequently than
annually) until the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is exhausted. The Beneficiary's
withdrawal rights then come to an end. Currently, there is no minimum dollar amount for the
payments; however, we reserve the right to accelerate any payment, in a lump sum, that is less than $500 or if required by applicable tax law (see below). This death benefit will be paid instead of the
applicable contractual death benefit. Otherwise, the provisions of that contractual death
benefit will determine the amount of the death benefit. Except as may be required by the Internal Revenue Code, an annual payment will not exceed the Annual Benefit Payment. If your Beneficiary dies
while such payments are made, we will continue making the payments to the
Beneficiary’s estate unless we have agreed to another payee in writing. If the contract is a Non-Qualified Contract, any death benefit must be paid out over a time period and in a manner that satisfies Section
72(s) of the Internal Revenue Code. If the Owner (or the Annuitant, if the Owner is not a
natural person) of a Non-Qualified Contract dies prior to the “annuity starting date” (as defined under the Internal Revenue Code and regulations thereunder), the period over which the Remaining
Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is paid as a death benefit cannot exceed the remaining life
expectancy of the payee under the appropriate IRS tables. For purposes of the preceding
sentence, if the payee is a non-natural person, the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount must be paid out within 5 years from the date of death. Payments under this death benefit must begin within 12 months
following the date of death.
If the Contract is a Qualified Contract, the tax rules that apply upon your death are similar, but differ in some material respects, from the tax rules for
Non-Qualified Contracts. (See “Federal Income Tax Status.”)
We reserve the right to accelerate any payment, in a lump
sum, that is less than $500 or to comply with requirements under the Internal Revenue Code
(including minimum distribution requirements for IRAs and other Qualified
50
Contracts subject to Section 401(a)(9)
of the Internal Revenue Code and Non-Qualified Contracts subject to Section 72(s)). If you
terminate the GWB rider because (1) you make a total withdrawal of your Account Value; (2)
your Account Value is insufficient to pay the GWB rider charge; or (3) the contract Owner dies, except where the Beneficiary or Joint Owner is the spouse of the Owner and the spouse elects to continue the contract,
you may not make additional Purchase Payments under the contract.
Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit and Annuitization. Since the Annuity Date at the time you purchase the contract is the later of age 90 of the Annuitant or 10 years from contract issue, you must
make an election if you would like to extend your Annuity Date to the latest date permitted
(subject to restrictions in New York State, restrictions imposed by your selling firm, and our current established administrative procedures). If you elect to extend your Annuity Date to the latest date
permitted, and that date is reached, your contract must be annuitized (see “Annuity
Payments (The Income Phase)”), or you must make a complete withdrawal of your Account Value.
If you annuitize at the latest date permitted, you must elect one of the following options:
1) Annuitize the Account Value under the contract’s annuity provisions.
2) Elect to receive the Annual Benefit Payment under the GWB rider paid each year until the RGWA is
depleted. These payments will be equal in amount, except for the last payment that will be
in an amount necessary to reduce the RGWA to zero.
If you do not select an Annuity Option or elect to receive payments under the GWB rider, we will annuitize your contract under the Life Annuity with 10 Years of
Annuity Payments Guaranteed Annuity Option. However, if we do, we will adjust your Annuity
Payment or the Annuity Option, if necessary, so your aggregate Annuity Payments will not be
less than what you would have received under the GWB rider.
Use of Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program and Systematic Withdrawal Program With GWB
For IRAs and other contracts subject to Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code, when you reach
the age at which you must begin taking required minimum distributions, our Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program, used with the GWB rider, can help
you fulfill minimum distribution requirements with respect to your contract without reducing the Total
Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount (TGWA) and Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount (RGWA) on a
proportionate basis. (Reducing the TGWA and RGWA on a proportionate basis could have the
effect of reducing or eliminating the guarantees of the GWB rider.) The Automated Required
Minimum Distribution Program calculates minimum distribution requirements with respect to
your contract and makes payments to you on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual
basis.
Alternatively, you may choose to enroll in both the Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program and
the Systematic Withdrawal Program (see “Access to Your Money – Systematic Withdrawal Program”). In order to avoid taking withdrawals that could reduce the TGWA and RGWA on a proportionate basis, withdrawals under
the Systematic Withdrawal Program should not exceed the GWB Withdrawal Rate multiplied by
the TGWA each Contract Year. Any amounts above the GWB Withdrawal Rate multiplied by the
TGWA that need to be withdrawn to fulfill minimum distribution requirements can be paid out
at the end of the calendar year by the Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program. For example, if you elect the GWB, enroll in the Systematic Withdrawal Program, and elect to receive monthly payments
equal to the GWB Withdrawal Rate multiplied by the TGWA, you should also enroll in the
Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program and elect to receive your Automated
Required Minimum Distribution Program payment on an annual basis, after the Systematic
Withdrawal Program monthly payment in December. If additional amounts are paid out at the
end of the calendar year to fulfill minimum distribution requirements, this will reduce the RGWA for the Contract Year. You should contact the Annuity Service Center to determine if your Systematic
Withdrawal Payment amount needs to be adjusted to avoid an Excess Withdrawal that could
reduce your TGWA and Annual Benefit Payment. The total withdrawals under the Systematic
Withdrawal Program in the Contract Year cannot exceed an amount equal to the Annual Benefit
Payment.
If you enroll in either the Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program or both the Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program and the Systematic
Withdrawal Program, you should not make additional withdrawals outside the programs.
Additional withdrawals
51
may result in the TGWA, RGWA, and Annual
Benefit Payment being reduced.
To enroll in the Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program and/or the Systematic Withdrawal Program, please contact our Annuity Service
Center.
GWB Rate Table
The GWB Rate Table lists the following for the GWB:
•the GWB Withdrawal Rate: if you take withdrawals that do not exceed the GWB Withdrawal Rate multiplied by the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount, those withdrawals will not reduce the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and Annual Benefit
Payment. (Taking withdrawals that do exceed the GWB Withdrawal Rate multiplied by the Total
Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount will reduce the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and Annual
Benefit Payment, and may have a significant negative impact on the value of the benefits
available under the GWB — see “Operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit — Managing Your Withdrawals.”) For IRAs and other Qualified Contracts, also see “Operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit — Required Minimum Distributions.”;
•the GWB Purchase Payment Period, which is the period of time following the contract issue date during which you may make subsequent Purchase Payments (see “Operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit — Restrictions
on Subsequent Purchase Payments”);
•the Payment Enhancement Rate, which is the percentage by which the GWB Withdrawal Rate will be increased if you request and meet the requirements of the Payment Enhancement Feature under the GWB
rider (see “Operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit — Payment Enhancement Feature”); and
•the maximum and current rider charges.
Different Versions of the GWB. From time to time, we may introduce new versions of the GWB. If we introduce a new version of the rider, we generally will
do so by updating the GWB Rate Table to show the new version, together with any prior
versions, the dates each rider version was offered, and the specific rates and other terms
applicable to each version. Changes to the GWB Rate Table after the date of this
prospectus, reflecting a new version of
the rider, will be made in a supplement to the prospectus.
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GWB RATE TABLE
| GWB
Rider |
Date
First Available |
Date
Last Available |
GWB
Withdrawal
Rate |
GWB
Purchase
Payment
Period |
Payment
Enhancement
Rate |
Rider
Charge | |
| GWB v1 |
May 2, 2016 |
— |
if first
withdrawal
taken before
5th contract
anniversary |
5.0% |
120 days from
contract issue
date |
150% |
Maximum
Charge:
1.80% of the
Total
Guaranteed
Withdrawal
Amount
Current
Charge:
0.90% of the
Total
Guaranteed
Withdrawal
Amount |
| if first
withdrawal
taken on or
after 5th
contract
anniversary
but before
10th contract
anniversary |
6.0% | ||||||
| if first
withdrawal
taken on or
after 10th
contract
anniversary |
7.0% | ||||||
53
Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal
Benefit
If you want to invest your Account Value in the Investment Portfolio(s) during the Accumulation Phase,
but also want to guarantee that you will receive lifetime income regardless of investment
performance (subject to the conditions described in “Operation of the GLWB” below, including the condition that withdrawals before the Lifetime Withdrawal Age or withdrawals that are
Excess Withdrawals will reduce the payments under the guarantee or, if such withdrawals
reduce the Account Value to zero, eliminate the guarantee), we offer a rider for an additional charge, called the Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB). Currently we offer one variation of
the GLWB rider - FlexChoice Access Level (see “GLWB Variations” below.)
The GLWB rider is designed to allow you to invest your Account Value in the Investment Portfolios, while
guaranteeing that you will receive lifetime income regardless of investment performance,
subject to the conditions described in “Operation of the GLWB” below. You may
begin taking withdrawals under the GLWB rider immediately or at a later time; however, any withdrawals taken prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age will reduce the Benefit Base (see “Managing Your
Withdrawals” below).
You may purchase FlexChoice Access if you are at least age 50 and not older than age 85 on the effective
date of your contract. Please refer to the GLWB Rate Table below for more information. The
version of the GLWB elected with contracts issued on and after February 12, 2018, is
referred to as FlexChoice Access. Contracts issued with the GLWB prior to February 12, 2018
are issued with the FlexChoice version of GLWB. FlexChoice and FlexChoice Access Expedite
are no longer available for purchase. You may not select this rider together with the GWB v1 rider. Once selected, the GLWB rider may not be terminated except as stated below.
Summary of the GLWB
The following section provides a summary of how the GLWB rider works. A more detailed explanation of the operation of
the GLWB rider is provided in the section below called “Operation of the GLWB.”
The GLWB rider guarantees that you will receive lifetime income regardless of investment performance,
subject to the conditions described in “Operation of the GLWB” below (including
the condition that withdrawals before the Lifetime Withdrawal Age or withdrawals that are Excess
Withdrawals will reduce the payments under the guarantee or, if such withdrawals reduce the Account
Value to zero, eliminate the guarantee). The GLWB rider does not guarantee lifetime income if your Account Value is reduced to zero due to a withdrawal
prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age or a withdrawal that is an Excess
Withdrawal (see “Managing Your Withdrawals” below).
Under the GLWB rider, we calculate a Benefit Base (the “Benefit Base”) that determines the maximum amount you may receive as withdrawals each
Contract Year after the Lifetime Withdrawal Age (the “Annual Benefit Payment”)
without reducing your Benefit Base, and determines the amount of any lifetime payments if
the Account Value is reduced to zero. The Benefit Base is multiplied by the applicable GLWB
Withdrawal Rate while the Account Value is greater than zero to determine your Annual Benefit
Payment. The Benefit Base is multiplied by the applicable GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate to
determine your Annual Benefit Payment if your Account Value is reduced to zero and lifetime
payments are to begin. The Benefit Base will be reduced for any withdrawal prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age or any Excess Withdrawal (and any subsequent withdrawals in the Contract Year that an
Excess Withdrawal occurs). In any event, withdrawals under the GLWB rider will reduce your
Account Value and death benefits.
It is important to recognize that the Benefit Base is not available to be taken as a lump sum or paid as a death benefit and does not
establish or guarantee your Account Value or a minimum return for any
Investment Portfolio. However, if you cancel the GLWB rider after a waiting period of at
least ten (10) years (the “Guaranteed Principal Adjustment Eligibility Date”)
the Guaranteed Principal Adjustment will increase your Account Value to the Purchase Payments
credited within the first 120 days of the date that we issue the contract reduced
proportionately for any withdrawals, if greater than the Account Value at the time of the
cancellation. (See “Cancellation and Guaranteed Principal Adjustment”
below.)
For Contracts issued with the GLWB rider prior to January 1, 2024 and while the GLWB rider is in effect,
we may reject subsequent Purchase Payments by sending advance written notice if any of the
changes listed in the section “Investment Allocation Restrictions for Certain
Riders — Investment Allocation and Other Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GLWB — Potential
54
Restrictions on Subsequent Purchase
Payments” occur. Restrictions on subsequent Purchase Payments will remain in effect
until the GLWB rider is terminated unless we provide advance written notice to you otherwise.
Operation of the GLWB
The following section describes how the GLWB operates. When reading the following description of the operation of the GLWB rider (for example, the
“Benefit Base” and “Annual Benefit Payment” sections), refer to the GLWB Rate Table at the end of this section for the specific rates and other terms applicable to your GLWB
rider.
(See Appendix D for examples illustrating the operation of the GLWB.)
Benefit Base. While the GLWB rider is in effect, we guarantee that you will receive lifetime income regardless of investment performance, subject to the
conditions described below. To determine the maximum amount that may be withdrawn in the
current Contract Year (the “Annual Benefit Payment”), we multiply the Benefit Base by the GLWB Withdrawal Rate (see “GLWB Rate Table”) while the Account Value is greater than
zero. The initial Benefit Base is equal to your initial Purchase Payment.
We increase the Benefit Base by each additional Purchase Payment. Any withdrawals taken
prior to the date you reach the Lifetime Withdrawal Age (see “GLWB Rate Table”
below) will reduce the Benefit Base in the same proportion that such withdrawal (including Withdrawal Charges, if any) reduces the Account Value (a “Proportional Adjustment”). For example, if
the Benefit Base is $120,000, the Account Value is $100,000 and you withdraw $10,000
(including any Withdrawal Charge), then your Benefit Base is decreased by $12,000 to
$108,000 [$120,000 x ($10,000/$100,000) = $12,000]. Any withdrawals taken after the
Lifetime Withdrawal Age that do not exceed, or cause the cumulative withdrawals in the
Contract Year to exceed, the Annual Benefit Payment, will not reduce the Benefit Base. We refer to this type of withdrawal as a “Non-Excess Withdrawal.” If, however, you take a withdrawal that exceeds the
Annual Benefit Payment (or results in cumulative withdrawals for the current Contract Year
that exceed the Annual Benefit Payment), then such withdrawal, and any subsequent
withdrawals that occur in that Contract Year, will trigger a Proportional Adjustment to the
Benefit Base. We refer to this type of withdrawal as an “Excess Withdrawal.” Depending on the relative amounts of the Benefit Base and the Account Value, such
Proportional
Adjustment may result in a significant reduction to the Benefit Base (particularly when
the Account Value is lower than the Benefit Base), and could have the effect
of reducing or eliminating the total amount you are guaranteed to receive
under the GLWB rider (see “Managing Your Withdrawals” below).
On each contract anniversary on or before the Rollup Rate Period End Date (see “GLWB Rate
Table”), if no withdrawals occurred in the previous Contract Year, the Benefit Base
will be increased by an amount equal to the Rollup Rate (see “GLWB Rate Table”) multiplied by the Benefit Base before such increase. The Benefit Base will not be increased by the Rollup Rate if: (1) a
withdrawal has occurred in the Contract Year ending immediately prior to that contract
anniversary, or (2) after the Rollup Rate Period End Date. The Rollup Rate, if applicable, is applied before deducting any rider charge and before taking into account any Automatic Step-Up occurring on such
contract anniversary (see “Automatic Step-Up” below).
Annual Benefit Payment. After the Lifetime Withdrawal Age, the Annual Benefit Payment is the maximum amount that may be withdrawn in the current Contract Year without triggering a Proportional
Adjustment to the Benefit Base (prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age, there is no Annual
Benefit Payment). After the Lifetime Withdrawal Age, the initial Annual Benefit Payment is
equal to the initial Benefit Base multiplied by the applicable GLWB
Withdrawal Rate. Your GLWB Withdrawal Rate is determined by when you take your first withdrawal after the Lifetime Withdrawal Age (see “GLWB Rate Table”). As shown in
the GLWB Rate Table, waiting to take your first withdrawal will result in a higher GLWB
Withdrawal Rate. The GLWB Withdrawal Rate will not change once determined. If the Benefit Base is later recalculated (for example, because of additional Purchase Payments, the Automatic Step-Up, or
Excess Withdrawals), the Annual Benefit Payment is reset equal to the new Benefit Base
multiplied by the GLWB Withdrawal Rate.
Each time a withdrawal is made in a Contract Year, we decrease the Annual Benefit Payment for that Contract Year by such withdrawal and the remaining amount
is the “Remaining Annual Benefit Payment.” If the Benefit Base is increased due
to a subsequent Purchase Payment, causing the Annual Benefit Payment to increase, the Remaining Annual Benefit Payment will increase by the same amount the Annual Benefit Payment increased.
55
As long as your Account Value has not
been reduced to zero, your Annual Benefit Payment equals the applicable GLWB Withdrawal
Rate multiplied by the Benefit Base.
If your contract is subject to Required Minimum Distributions (see “Required Minimum
Distributions” below), your Annual Benefit Payment will be set equal to your Required
Minimum Distribution Amount, if greater than the Annual Benefit Payment calculated as described above.
You may choose to receive your Annual Benefit Payment through the optional Systematic Withdrawal Program (see “Access To Your Money — Systematic Withdrawal Program”). While the GLWB rider is in effect, your withdrawals through the Systematic Withdrawal
Program may not exceed your Annual Benefit Payment. There is no charge for the Systematic
Withdrawal Program and you may terminate your participation at any time.
It is important to note:
•If your Account Value is reduced to zero on or after the
Lifetime Withdrawal Age because you make a Non-Excess Withdrawal, we will first pay you any
Remaining Annual Benefit Payment in effect at the time the Account Value is reduced to
zero. Effective as of your next contract anniversary, we will then begin making monthly
payments, using the applicable GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate (see “GLWB Rate Table”) multiplied by the Benefit Base, to you for the rest of your life. If, however, your Account Value is
reduced to zero on or after the Lifetime Withdrawal Age because there are insufficient
funds to deduct any GLWB rider charge from your Account Value, we will begin making monthly
payments, using the applicable GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate, to you for the rest of your
life.
•If your Account Value is reduced to zero prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age because
there are insufficient funds to deduct any GLWB rider charge from your Account Value, we
will begin making monthly payments, using the GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate that corresponds
to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age to you for the rest of your life.
•If your Account Value is reduced to zero due to a withdrawal prior to the
Lifetime Withdrawal Age or because you make an Excess Withdrawal, lifetime
payments are not available, no further benefits will be
payable under the GLWB rider, and the GLWB rider will terminate.
•Joint Lifetime Guarantee Rate option: If your contract
has not been continued under Spousal Continuation described below, you may elect to have
your Annual Benefit Payments paid for the life of you and your spouse, provided your spouse
is no younger than the Minimum Spousal Age, using the applicable Joint Lifetime Guarantee
Rate (see “GLWB Rate Table”.)
•While we are making Annual
Benefit Payments after the Account Value is reduced to zero, no death benefit will be
available.
•If you have selected the GLWB rider, you should carefully consider when to begin taking withdrawals. If you begin taking withdrawals too soon, you may limit the value of the GLWB rider, because the Benefit
Base may not be increased by the Rollup Rate and the GLWB Withdrawal Rate is
determined by when you take your first withdrawal after the Lifetime
Withdrawal Age (see “GLWB Rate Table”). As shown in the GLWB Rate
Table, waiting to take your first withdrawal may result in a higher GLWB
Withdrawal Rate. If you delay taking withdrawals for too long, you may limit the number of years available for you to take withdrawals in the future (due
to life expectancy) and you may be paying for a benefit you are not using.
•At any time during the Accumulation Phase, you can elect to annuitize under current annuity rates in lieu of continuing the GLWB rider. Annuitization may
provide higher income amounts if the current annuity option rates applied to the Account
Value on the date payments begin exceed the payments under the GLWB rider. Also, income
provided by annuitizing under current annuity rates may be higher due to different tax
treatment of this income compared to the tax treatment of the payments received under the
GLWB rider.
•For FlexChoice only: You may elect to receive the commuted value of lifetime payments under the GLWB rider in a lump sum instead of lifetime payments. We
will determine the amount of the lump sum as of the date the Account Value is reduced to
zero, based on the Annual Benefit Payments due to you, not including any Remaining Annual
Benefit Payment payable in the current Contract Year. When we determine the amount
56
of the lump sum, we
will calculate the present value by discounting the value of the stream of Annual Benefit
Payments that would have been payable to you over your expected lifetime. In calculating
the present value, we will determine the amount and number of Annual Benefit Payments (that
is, the number of payments you would have received over your expected lifetime), and the
discount rate for calculating the present value of those payments, based on life expectancy assumptions and interest rate conditions at the time of the calculation. The lump sum we offer you will be at least
90% of the present value that was calculated and will be determined in a nondiscriminatory
manner (as required in New York State). We will send you a Notice that specifies the amount
of the Annual Benefit Payments, on the one hand, and the amount of the lump sum offered, on
the other, so that you can make your decision as to which option to elect. You will have at
least 45 days from the date of the Notice of this option to make this election. The lump sum will be payable on the Business Day the Notice is received. Payment of the lump sum will terminate the contract
and all obligations of the Company.
GLWB Variations. There are two variations of the GLWB rider. The two variations are Level and Expedite. For FlexChoice Access, these variations are referred to as “FlexChoice Access Level” and
“FlexChoice Access Expedite.” For FlexChoice, the variations are referred to as
“FlexChoice Level” and “FlexChoice Expedite.” We currently offer
one variation of the GLWB rider - FlexChoice Access Level, and it must be selected prior to
issuance. The GLWB Withdrawal Rate and GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate will vary depending on
the variation.
•Level: offers a steady GLWB
Withdrawal Rate and GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate throughout your lifetime; or
•Expedite: offers a higher GLWB Withdrawal Rate while your Account Value is greater than
zero and a reduced GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate if your Account Value is reduced to
zero.
For both variations, you may elect to have your Annual
Benefit Payments paid for the life of you and your spouse, provided your spouse is no
younger than the Minimum Spousal Age, using the applicable Joint Lifetime Guarantee Rate
(see “GLWB Rate Table”).
Managing Your Withdrawals. It is important that you carefully manage your annual withdrawals. To retain
the full guarantees of this rider, your annual withdrawals (including any withdrawal charge) cannot exceed the Annual Benefit Payment each Contract Year. In other
words, you should not take Excess Withdrawals. If you do take an Excess Withdrawal, we will recalculate the Benefit Base in the same proportion that the withdrawal (including any withdrawal charge) reduces the Account Value
and reduce the Annual Benefit Payment to the new Benefit Base multiplied by
the applicable GLWB Withdrawal Rate. In addition, you should not take withdrawals of any amount prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age. If you take a withdrawal prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age, we will recalculate the Benefit Base in the same proportion that the withdrawal (including any withdrawal
charge) reduces the Account Value. These reductions in the Benefit Base
caused by withdrawals prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age, and in the Benefit
Base and the Annual Benefit Payment caused by Excess Withdrawals, may be
significant. You are still eligible to receive lifetime payments so long as the Excess Withdrawal or withdrawal prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age did not cause your Account Value to
decline to zero. An Excess Withdrawal (or any withdrawal prior to Lifetime Withdrawal Age) that reduces the Account Value to zero will
terminate the contract and cause lifetime payments to not be
available.
If you take an Excess Withdrawal in a Contract Year, you may be able to reduce the impact
of the Excess Withdrawal on your Benefit Base and Annual Benefit Payment by
making two separate withdrawals (on different days) instead of a single
withdrawal. The first withdrawal should be equal to your Annual Benefit Payment (or
Remaining Annual Benefit Payment if withdrawals have already occurred in the Contract
Year); this withdrawal will not reduce your Benefit Base (and Annual Benefit Payment). The
second withdrawal (on a subsequent day) should be for the amount in excess of the Annual Benefit Payment (or Remaining Annual Benefit Payment); this withdrawal will reduce your Benefit Base and Annual Benefit
Payment. For an example of taking multiple withdrawals in this situation, see Appendix D,
“Withdrawals – Withdrawals After the Lifetime Withdrawal Age – Excess Withdrawals.”
57
You can always make Non-Excess
Withdrawals. However, if you choose to receive only a part of your Annual Benefit Payment
in any given Contract Year, your Remaining Annual Benefit Payment does not carry over into
subsequent Contract Years. For example, if your Annual Benefit Payment is 4% of your
Benefit Base, you cannot withdraw 2% in one year and then withdraw 6% the next year without
making an Excess Withdrawal in the second year.
Income taxes and penalties may apply to your withdrawals. Withdrawal charges may apply to withdrawals during the first Contract Year unless you take the necessary
steps to elect to take such withdrawals under a Systematic Withdrawal Program. Withdrawal
charges will also apply to withdrawals of Purchase Payments that exceed the free withdrawal
amount in any Contract Year. (See “Expenses — Withdrawal Charges.”)
Required Minimum Distributions. For IRAs and other contracts subject to Section 401(a)(9) of the Code, when you reach the age at which you must begin taking required minimum distributions, if those distributions
are larger than the Annual Benefit Payment, we will increase your Annual Benefit Payment to
the required minimum distribution amount for the previous calendar year or for this
calendar year (whichever is greater).
If:
(1) you are enrolled in the automated required minimum distribution service or in both the automated required minimum distribution service and the Systematic
Withdrawal Program;
(2) you do not take additional withdrawals outside of these two programs; and
(3) your Remaining Annual Benefit Payment for the Contract Year is equal to zero (note: this is only a condition under the following limited
circumstances: (i) if you reach the end of the calendar year and (ii) your Annual Benefit
Payment or Remaining Annual Benefit Payment was not already increased to equal the required
minimum distribution amount);
we will increase your Annual Benefit Payment by the amount of the withdrawals that remain to be taken in
that Contract Year under the program or programs in which you are enrolled. This will
prevent the withdrawal from exceeding the Annual Benefit Payment.
See “Use of Automated Required Minimum Distribution
Service and Systematic Withdrawal Program With GLWB”
below for more information on the automated required minimum distribution service and the Systematic
Withdrawal Program.
Automatic Step-Up. On each contract anniversary prior to the contract Owner’s 91st birthday, an Automatic
Step-Up will occur, provided that the Account Value on that date exceeds the Benefit Base
immediately before the Automatic Step-Up (and provided that you have not chosen to decline
the Automatic Step-Up as described below).
The Automatic Step-Up:
•will increase the Benefit Base to the Account Value on the date of the Automatic Step-Up regardless of whether or not you have taken any withdrawals;
•will increase the Annual Benefit Payment to equal to the applicable GLWB Withdrawal Rate multiplied by the Benefit Base after the Automatic Step-Up;
and
•may increase the GLWB rider charge to a rate that does not exceed the lower of: (a) the GLWB rider maximum charge (2.00%) or (b) the current rate that we would
charge for the same rider with the same benefits, if available for new contract purchases
at the time of the Automatic Step-Up.
In the event that your GLWB rider charge would increase with the Automatic Step-Up, we will notify you in writing a minimum of 30 days in advance of the
applicable contract anniversary and inform you that you may choose to decline the Automatic
Step-Up and related increased GLWB rider charge. If you elect to decline the Automatic Step-Up, you must notify us in writing at your Administrative Office no less than seven calendar days prior to the
applicable contract anniversary. Once you notify us of your decision to decline the
Automatic Step-Up, you will no longer be eligible for future Automatic Step-Ups until you notify us in writing at your Administrative Office that you wish to reinstate the Automatic Step-Ups. This
reinstatement will take effect at the next contract anniversary after we receive your
request for reinstatement.
Cancellation and Guaranteed Principal Adjustment. You may elect to cancel the GLWB rider on the contract anniversary every five Contract Years for the
first 10 Contract Years and annually thereafter. We must receive your cancellation request
within 30 days following the applicable contract anniversary in accordance with our
administrative procedures (currently we require you to submit your request in writing to
your Administrative Office). The cancellation will take effect upon our receipt
58
of your request. If cancelled, the GLWB
rider will terminate, we will no longer deduct the GLWB rider charge, and the investment
allocation restrictions described in Appendix B will no longer apply. The contract, however,
will continue.
If you cancel the GLWB rider on the 10th contract anniversary or any contract anniversary thereafter, we will add a Guaranteed Principal Adjustment to your Account Value if (a) exceeds (b), as defined below. The Guaranteed Principal Adjustment is intended to restore
your initial investment in the contract in the case of poor investment performance. The
Guaranteed Principal Adjustment is equal to (a) – (b) where:
(a) is Purchase Payments credited within 120 days of the date that we issued the contract, reduced by the Proportional Adjustment attributable to any partial
withdrawals taken (including any applicable Withdrawal Charges); and
(b) is
the Account Value on the date of cancellation.
The Guaranteed Principal Adjustment will be added to each applicable
Investment Portfolio in the ratio the portion of the Account Value in such Investment Portfolio bears to the total Account Value in all Investment Portfolios. The Guaranteed Principal Adjustment will
never be less than zero.
It is important to note that only Purchase Payments made during the first 120 days that you hold the contract are taken into consideration in determining the Guaranteed Principal Adjustment. Contract Owners who
anticipate making Purchase Payments after 120 days should understand that
such payments will not increase the Guaranteed Principal Adjustment. However,
because Purchase Payments made after 120 days will increase your Account
Value such Purchase Payments may have a significant impact on whether or not
a Guaranteed Principal Adjustment is due. Therefore, the GLWB rider may not
be appropriate for you if you intend to make additional Purchase Payments
after the 120-day period and are purchasing the GLWB rider for its Guaranteed
Principal Adjustment feature.
Investment Allocation Restrictions. For a detailed description of the GLWB investment allocation restrictions see “Purchase — Investment Allocation Restrictions for Certain Riders — Investment Allocation and Other
Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GLWB” and “Appendix B – Investment Portfolios Available Under the Benefits Offered Under the
Contract.”
Restrictions on Subsequent Purchase Payments. For a detailed description of the restrictions or potential restrictions on subsequent Purchase Payments
that may apply for your version of the GLWB, see the applicable subsection of
“Purchase — Investment Allocation Restrictions for Certain Riders — Investment Allocation and Other Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GLWB.”
Withdrawal Charge. We will apply a withdrawal charge to withdrawals from Purchase Payments as described in “Expenses — Withdrawal Charge” (also see “Expenses — Withdrawal Charge — Free Withdrawal Amount” and “Access to Your Money — Systematic Withdrawal Program”).
Taxes. Withdrawals of taxable amounts will be subject to ordinary income tax and, if made prior to age
59 1∕2, a 10% Federal income
tax penalty may apply.
Tax Treatment. The tax treatment of withdrawals under the GLWB rider is uncertain. It is conceivable that the amount of potential gain could be determined based on the Benefit
Base under the GLWB rider at the time of the withdrawal, if the Benefit Base
is greater than the Account Value (prior to withdrawal charges, if
applicable). This could result in a greater amount of taxable income reported under a withdrawal and conceivably a limited ability to recover any remaining basis if there is a
loss on surrender of the contract. Consult your tax adviser prior to
purchase.
Ownership. If you, the Owner, are a natural person, you must also be the Annuitant. If a non-natural person owns the contract, then the Annuitant will be
considered the Owner in determining the issue age and Annual Benefit Payment. If Joint
Owners are named, the age of the older Joint Owner will be used to determine the issue age and the Annual Benefit Payment. For the purposes of the Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit section of the
Prospectus, “you” always means the Owner, older Joint Owner, or the Annuitant,
if the Owner is a non-natural person.
GLWB and Decedent Contracts. If you are purchasing this contract with a nontaxable transfer of the death benefit proceeds of any annuity contract or IRA (or any other tax-qualified arrangement) of which you were the
Beneficiary
59
and you are “stretching” the
distributions under the Internal Revenue Service required distribution rules, you may not
purchase a GLWB rider. Upon your death, however, any remaining benefits may need to be accelerated to comply with IRS rules.
Termination of the GLWB Rider. The GLWB rider will terminate upon the earliest of:
(1) the date of a full withdrawal of the Account Value that is an Excess Withdrawal or a withdrawal prior to
the Lifetime Withdrawal Age (a pro rata portion of the rider charge will be
assessed);
(2) the date you apply any portion of the Account Value to an Annuity Option (a pro rata portion of the
rider charge will be assessed);
(3) the death of the contract Owner or Joint Owner (or the Annuitant if the Owner is a non-natural person), except where the primary Beneficiary is the spouse
and the spouse elects to continue the contract under the spousal continuation provisions of
the contract (see “Spousal Continuation” below);
(4) the death of the Owner after the first Spousal Continuation;
(5) a change of the Owner or Joint Owner for any reason, subject to our administrative procedures (a pro rata portion of the rider charge will be
assessed);
(6) the
effective date of the cancellation of the rider; or
(7) the termination of the contract to which the rider is attached, other than due to death (a pro rata portion of the rider charge will be assessed).
(See “Operation of the GLWB” for scenarios when the Account Value is reduced to zero because
of a rider charge or Non-Excess Withdrawal.)
Under our current administrative procedures, we will waive the termination of the GLWB rider if you assign a portion of the contract under the following limited
circumstances: if the new Owner or assignee assumes full ownership of the contract and is
essentially the same person or if the assignment is solely for your benefit on account of your direct transfer of Account Value under Section 1035 of the Code to fund premiums for a long term care
insurance policy or Purchase Payments for an annuity contract issued by an insurance
company which is not our affiliate and which is licensed to conduct business in any state. All such direct transfers are subject to any applicable withdrawal charges.
Once the rider is terminated, the GLWB rider charge will no longer be deducted and the GLWB investment allocation restrictions and any Purchase Payment
restrictions will no longer apply.
Spousal Continuation. Subject to the Minimum Spousal Age (see “GLWB Rate Table”), if your spouse continues the contract under the Spousal Continuation provisions of the contract, and the GLWB is in
effect at the time of the continuation, then the same terms and conditions that applied to
the contract Owner under the GLWB will continue to apply to the surviving spouse, and the
surviving spouse is guaranteed to receive lifetime income regardless of investment performance, subject to the conditions described in “Operation of the GLWB” and provided the GLWB is not terminated
or cancelled (see “Termination of the GLWB Rider” above). If your spouse is
younger than the Minimum Spousal Age, your spouse may continue the contract; however, the
GLWB will terminate.
If no withdrawal has been made after the Lifetime Withdrawal Age and the contract has been continued
under Spousal Continuation, then the first withdrawal by the new Owner after the new Owner
reaches the Lifetime Withdrawal Age will determine the GLWB Withdrawal Rate. However, if a
withdrawal has been made after the Lifetime Withdrawal Age by the contract Owner prior to
the contract Owner’s death, the GLWB Withdrawal Rate that applies after Spousal
Continuation will be the same as the GLWB Withdrawal Rate in effect prior to Spousal
Continuation.
If the GLWB is continued under Spousal Continuation and the Account Value is subsequently reduced to zero because of a Non-Excess Withdrawal, or because there
are insufficient funds to deduct any GLWB rider charge from the Account Value, lifetime
payments will be made using the applicable Single Lifetime Guarantee Rate (see “GLWB
Rate Table”) to your spouse (the new contract Owner) for the rest of his or her life.
The Joint Lifetime Guarantee Rate is not available after Spousal Continuation (see
“GLWB Rate Table”).
The GLWB will not terminate upon the first Spousal Continuation of the contract; however, it will terminate upon any subsequent Spousal
Continuations.
Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit and Annuitization. Since the Annuity Date at the time you purchase the contract is the later of age 90 of the Annuitant
or 10 years from contract issue, you must make an election if you would like to extend your
Annuity Date to the latest
60
date permitted (subject to restrictions
imposed by your selling firm, our current established administrative procedures and
applicable state law). If you elect to extend your Annuity Date to the latest date permitted, and that date is reached, your contract must be annuitized (see “Annuity Payments (The Income
Phase)”), or you must make a complete withdrawal of your Account Value. Annuitization
may provide higher income amounts than the payments under the GLWB, depending on the
applicable annuity rates and your Account Value on the Annuity Date. Also, income provided
by annuitizing under the applicable annuity rates may be higher due to different tax
treatment of this income compared to the tax treatment of the payments received under the GLWB optional benefit.
If you annuitize at the latest date permitted, you must elect one of the following options:
(1) Annuitize the Account Value under the contract’s annuity provisions.
(2) If you are eligible for lifetime withdrawals under the GLWB, elect to receive the Annual Benefit Payment
paid each year until your death (or the later of your or your spousal Beneficiary’s
death).
If you do not select an Annuity Option or elect to receive payments under the GLWB rider, we will
annuitize your contract under the Life Annuity With 10 Years of Annuity Payments Guaranteed
Annuity Option. However, if we do, we will adjust your Annuity Payment or Annuity Option, if
necessary, so your aggregate Annuity Payments will not be less than what you would have
received under the GLWB rider.
Use of Automated Required Minimum Distribution Service and Systematic Withdrawal Program With GLWB
For IRAs and other contracts subject to Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code, when you reach
the age at which you must begin taking required minimum distributions, our Automated
Required Minimum Distribution Program, used with the GLWB rider, can help you fulfill
minimum distribution requirements with respect to your contract without reducing the Benefit Base on a proportionate basis. (Reducing the Benefit Base on a proportionate basis could have the effect of
reducing or eliminating the guarantees of the GLWB rider.) The Automated Required Minimum
Distribution Program calculates minimum distribution requirements with respect to your
contract and makes payments to you on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis.
Alternatively, you may choose to enroll in the both the Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program and the Systematic Withdrawal Program (see “Access
to Your Money — Systematic Withdrawal Program”). In order to avoid taking withdrawals that could reduce the
Benefit Base on a proportionate basis, withdrawals under the Systematic Withdrawal Program
should not exceed the Annual Benefit Payment each Contract Year. Any amounts above the
Annual Benefit Payment that need to be withdrawn to fulfill minimum distribution requirements
can be paid out at the end of the calendar year by the Automated Required Minimum
Distribution Program. For example, if you elect the GLWB rider, enroll in the Systematic
Withdrawal Program and elect to receive monthly payments equal to the Annual Benefit Payment,
you should also enroll in the Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program and elect to
receive your Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program on an annual basis, after the
Systematic Withdrawal Program monthly payment in December. If additional amounts are paid
out at the end of the calendar year to fulfill minimum distribution requirements, this will reduce the Remaining Annual Benefit Payment for the Contract Year. You should contact the Annuity Service Center to determine
if your Systematic Withdrawal Payment amount needs to be adjusted to avoid an Excess
Withdrawal that could reduce your GLWB Base and Net Purchase Payment Amount. The total
withdrawals under the Systematic Withdrawal Program in the Contract Year cannot exceed an amount equal to the Annual Benefit Payment.
If you enroll in either the automated required minimum distribution service or both the automated required minimum distribution service and the Systematic
Withdrawal Program, you should not make additional withdrawals outside the programs.
Additional withdrawals may result in the Benefit Base and Annual Benefit Payment being
reduced.
To enroll the Automated Required Minimum Distribution Program and/or the Systematic Withdrawal Program,
please contact our Annuity Service Center.
GLWB Rate Table
The GLWB Rate Table lists the following for the GLWB rider.
•Rollup Rate: Prior to the Rollup Rate Period End Date,
the minimum rate at which the Benefit Base is increased at each contract anniversary if a
withdrawal has not occurred in the previous Contract Year.
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•Rollup Rate Period End Date: The period of time following the contract issue date during which the Benefit Base will be increased by an amount equal to
the Rollup Rate multiplied by the Benefit Base.
•GLWB Withdrawal Rate: After the Lifetime Withdrawal Age, if you take withdrawals that do not exceed the GLWB Withdrawal Rate multiplied by the
Benefit Base (the “Annual Benefit Payment”) such withdrawals will not reduce
the Benefit Base and Annual Benefit Payment. (Taking withdrawals that exceed the Annual
Benefit Payment will reduce the Benefit Base and Annual Benefit Payment and may have a
significant negative impact on the value of the benefits available under the
GLWB — see “Operation of the GLWB — Managing Your Withdrawals.”) For IRAs and other Qualified Contracts, also see “Operation of the GLWB — Required Minimum Distributions.”
•GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate: If your Account Value is reduced to zero after the Lifetime Withdrawal Age because you make a Non-Excess Withdrawal, we will first pay you any Remaining Annual Benefit Payment in
effect at the time the Account Value is reduced to zero (see “Annual Benefit
Payment” above). Effective as of your next contract anniversary, we will then begin
making monthly payments, using the applicable GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate multiplied by
the Benefit Base, to you for the rest of your life. If your Account Value is reduced to
zero after the Lifetime Withdrawal Age because there are insufficient funds to deduct any rider charge from your Account Value, we will begin making monthly payments, using the applicable GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate, to you for the rest of your life
• Joint Lifetime Guarantee Rate option: At the time your Account Value is reduced to zero, we will first pay you any Remaining Annual Benefit Payment in effect at the time the Account Value is reduced to zero (see “Annual Benefit Payment” above); we will then begin making monthly payments using the applicable Single Lifetime Guarantee Rate unless you elect to have your Annual Benefit Payments paid for the life of you and your spouse using the applicable Joint Lifetime Guarantee Rate. You may elect a Joint Lifetime Guarantee rate only if 1) your spouse is no younger than the Minimum Spousal Age and 2) your contract has not been continued under the Spousal Continuation provision described above.
•Single Lifetime Guarantee Rate option: The Single Lifetime Guarantee Rate will always be equal to the Withdrawal Rate.
•The maximum and current rider charges.
Different Versions of the GLWB. From time to time, we may introduce new versions of the GLWB rider. If we introduce a new version of the rider, we
generally will do so by updating the GLWB Rate Table to show the new version, together with
any prior versions, the dates each rider version was offered, and the specific rates and other terms applicable to each version. Changes to the GLWB Rate Table after the date of this prospectus,
reflecting a new version of the rider, will be made in a supplement to the
prospectus.
62
GLWB RATE TABLE
FlexChoice Access Level
Offers a steady GLWB Withdrawal Rate and GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate throughout
your lifetime.
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account Value
is greater than $0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime
Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | ||
| 09/23/24 |
— |
5.00% |
5th
Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be at least
age 50 years
old at
contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth may
not be more
than
10 years
after your
Date of
Birth. |
Age at 1st
Withdrawal
After Age
59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the Benefit
Base
Current
Charge:
1.35% of
the Benefit
Base |
| 59 1∕2 to less
than 60 |
4.75% |
4.75% |
4.05% | |||||||
| 60 to less
than 65 |
4.75% |
4.75% |
4.05% | |||||||
| 65 to less
than 70 |
5.75% |
5.75% |
4.90% | |||||||
| 70 to less
than 75 |
6.20% |
6.20% |
5.25% | |||||||
| 75 to less
than 80 |
6.70% |
6.70% |
5.70% | |||||||
| 80 to less
than 85 |
7.35% |
7.35% |
6.25% | |||||||
| 85 to less
than 90 |
8.10% |
8.10% |
6.90% | |||||||
| 90 to less
than 95 |
9.10% |
9.10% |
7.75% | |||||||
| 95+ |
10.40% |
10.40% |
8.85% | |||||||
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account Value
is greater than $0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime
Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | ||
| 01/01/24 |
09/22/24 |
5.00% |
10th
Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be at least
age 50 years
old at
contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth may
not be more
than
10 years
after your
Date of
Birth. |
Age at 1st
Withdrawal
After Age
59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the Benefit
Base
Current
Charge:
1.35% of
the Benefit
Base |
| 59 1∕2 to less
than 60 |
4.25% |
4.25% |
3. 60% | |||||||
| 60-to less
than 65 |
4.25% |
4.25% |
3.60% | |||||||
| 65 to less
than 70 |
5.25% |
5.25% |
4.45% | |||||||
| 70 to less
than 75 |
5.65% |
5.65% |
4.80% | |||||||
| 75 to less
than 80 |
6.15% |
6.15% |
5.20% | |||||||
| 80 to less
than 85 |
6.75% |
6.75% |
5.70% | |||||||
| 85 to less
than 90 |
7.45% |
7.45% |
6.30% | |||||||
| 90 to less
than 95 |
8.35% |
8.35% |
7.10% | |||||||
| 95+ |
9.55% |
9.55% |
8.10% | |||||||
63
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account Value is greater than
$0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime
Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | ||
| 10/03/22 |
12/31/23 |
5.00% |
10th Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be at least age
50 years old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than
10 years after
your Date of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.35% of the
Benefit Base |
| 59 1∕2 to less
than 65 |
4.25% |
4.25% |
3.25% | |||||||
| 65+ |
5.25% |
5.25% |
4.25% | |||||||
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account Value is greater than
$0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime
Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | ||
| 07/20/20 |
10/02/22 |
5.00% |
10th Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be at least age
50 years old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than
10 years after
your Date of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.35% of the
Benefit Base |
| 59 1∕2 to less
than 65 |
3.75% |
3.75% |
2.75% | |||||||
| 65+ |
4.75% |
4.75% |
3.75% | |||||||
64
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account Value is greater than
$0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime
Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | ||
| 11/12/18 |
07/19/20 |
5.00% |
10th Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be at least age
50 years old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than
10 years after
your Date of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.35% of the
Benefit Base |
| 59 1∕2 to less
than 65 |
4.35% |
4.35% |
3.35% | |||||||
| 65 to less than 75 |
5.35% |
5.35% |
4.35% | |||||||
| 75 to less
than 80 |
5.60% |
5.60% |
4.60% | |||||||
| 80+ |
6.10% |
6.10% |
5.10% | |||||||
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account Value is greater than
$0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime
Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | ||
| 07/23/18 |
11/11/18 |
5.00% |
10th Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be at least age
50 years old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than
10 years after
your Date of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.35% of the
Benefit Base |
| 59 1∕2 to less
than 65 |
4.25% |
4.25% |
3.25% | |||||||
| 65 to less than 75 |
5.25% |
5.25% |
4.25% | |||||||
| 75 to less
than 80 |
5.50% |
5.50% |
4.50% | |||||||
| 80+ |
6.00% |
6.00% |
5.00% | |||||||
65
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account Value is greater than
$0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime
Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | ||
| 02/12/18 |
07/22/18 |
5.00% |
10th Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be at least age
50 years old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than
10 years after
your Date of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.35% of the
Benefit Base |
| 59 1∕2 to less
than 65 |
4.00% |
4.00% |
3.00% | |||||||
| 65 to less than 75 |
5.00% |
5.00% |
4.00% | |||||||
| 75 to less
than 80 |
5.25% |
5.25% |
4.25% | |||||||
| 80+ |
5.75% |
5.75% |
4.75% | |||||||
FlexChoice Access Expedite
Offers a higher GLWB Withdrawal Rate while your Account Value is greater than zero and a reduced GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate if your Account Value is reduced to zero.
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period
End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account
Value
is greater than $0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | |||
| 06/12/23 |
10/26/23 |
5.00% |
10th Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be
at least age
50 years
old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal
Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than
10 years after
your Date
of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Age When
Account
Value is
Reduced to
Zero |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the
Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.35% of the
Benefit
Base |
| 59 1∕2 to
less than 65 |
6.00% |
79 or
younger |
2.50% |
2.00% | |||||||
| 80+ |
3.00% |
2.25% | |||||||||
| 65+ |
8.00% |
79 or
younger |
3.00% |
2.25% | |||||||
| 80+ |
3.00% |
2.25% | |||||||||
66
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period
End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account
Value
is greater than $0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | |||
| 10/03/22 |
06/11/23 |
5.00% |
10th Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be
at least age
50 years
old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal
Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than
10 years after
your Date
of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Age When
Account
Value is
Reduced to
Zero |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the
Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.35% of the
Benefit
Base |
| 59 1∕2 to
less than 65 |
5.25% |
79 or
younger |
2.50% |
2.00% | |||||||
| 80+ |
3.00% |
2.25% | |||||||||
| 65+ |
7.25% |
79 or
younger |
3.00% |
2.25% | |||||||
| 80+ |
3.00% |
2.25% | |||||||||
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period
End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account
Value
is greater than $0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | |||
| 07/20/20 |
10/02/22 |
5.00% |
10th Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be
at least age
50 years
old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal
Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than
10 years after
your Date
of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Age When
Account
Value is
Reduced to
Zero |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the
Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.35% of the
Benefit
Base |
| 59 1∕2 to
less than 65 |
5.00% |
79 or
younger |
2.50% |
2.00% | |||||||
| 80+ |
3.00% |
2.25% | |||||||||
| 65+ |
6.00% |
79 or
younger |
3.50% |
2.75% | |||||||
| 80+ |
4.00% |
3.25% | |||||||||
67
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period
End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account
Value
is greater than $0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | |||
| 11/12/18 |
7/19/20 |
5.00% |
10th Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be
at least age
50 years
old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal
Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than
10 years after
your Date
of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Age When
Account
Value is
Reduced to
Zero |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the
Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.35% of the
Benefit
Base |
| 59 1∕2 to
less than 65 |
5.00% |
79 or
younger |
3.75% |
2.75% | |||||||
| 80+ |
4.00% |
3.00% | |||||||||
| 65 to less than 75 |
6.00% |
79 or
younger |
4.75% |
3.75% | |||||||
| 80+ |
5.00% |
4.00% | |||||||||
| 75 to less than 80 |
6.00% |
79 or
younger |
4.75% |
3.75% | |||||||
| 80+ |
5.00% |
4.00% | |||||||||
| 80+ |
6.75% |
79 or
younger |
N/A |
N/A | |||||||
| 80+ |
5.75% |
4.75% | |||||||||
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period
End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account
Value
is greater than $0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | |||
| 07/23/18 |
11/11/18 |
5.00% |
10th Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be
at least age
50 years
old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal
Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than
10 years after
your Date
of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Age When
Account
Value is
Reduced to
Zero |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the
Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.35% of the
Benefit
Base |
| 59 1∕2 to
less than 65 |
5.00% |
79 or
younger |
3.50% |
2.50% | |||||||
| 80+ |
3.75% |
2.75% | |||||||||
| 65 to less than 75 |
6.00% |
79 or
younger |
4.50% |
3.50% | |||||||
| 80+ |
4.75% |
3.75% | |||||||||
| 75 to less than 80 |
6.00% |
79 or
younger |
4.50% |
3.50% | |||||||
| 80+ |
4.75% |
3.75% | |||||||||
| 80+ |
6.75% |
79 or
younger |
N/A |
N/A | |||||||
| 80+ |
5.50% |
4.50% | |||||||||
68
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period
End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account
Value
is greater than $0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | |||
| 02/12/18 |
07/22/18 |
5.00% |
10th Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be
at least age
50 years
old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal
Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than
10 years after
your Date
of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Age When
Account
Value is
Reduced to
Zero |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the
Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.35% of the
Benefit
Base |
| 59 1∕2 to
less than 65 |
5.00% |
79 or
younger |
3.00% |
2.00% | |||||||
| 80+ |
3.25% |
2.25% | |||||||||
| 65 to less than 75 |
6.00% |
79 or
younger |
4.00% |
3.00% | |||||||
| 80+ |
4.25% |
3.25% | |||||||||
| 75 to less than 80 |
6.00% |
79 or
younger |
4.00% |
3.00% | |||||||
| 80+ |
4.25% |
3.25% | |||||||||
| 80+ |
6.75% |
79 or
younger |
N/A |
N/A | |||||||
| 80+ |
5.00% |
4.00% | |||||||||
FlexChoice Level
Offers a steady GLWB Withdrawal Rate and GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate throughout your lifetime.
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account Value is greater than
$0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime
Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | ||
| 05/02/16 |
02/11/18 |
5.00% |
10th
Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be at least age
60 years old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than 4 years after
your Date of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.20% of the
Benefit Base |
| 59 1∕2 to less
than 65 |
4.00% |
4.00% |
3.00% | |||||||
| 65 to less than 75 |
5.00% |
5.00% |
3.60% | |||||||
| 75 to less
than 80 |
5.25% |
5.25% |
4.25% | |||||||
| 80+ |
5.75% |
5.75% |
4.75% | |||||||
69
FlexChoice Expedite
Offers a higher GLWB Withdrawal Rate while your Account Value is greater than zero and a reduced GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate if your Account Value is reduced to zero.
| Date
First
Available |
Date
Last
Available |
Rollup
Rate |
Rollup
Rate
Period
End
Date |
Lifetime
Withdrawal
Age |
Minimum
Issue Age
/
Minimum
Spousal
Age |
GLWB Withdrawal
Rate
(When Account
Value
is greater than $0)1 |
GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate
(When Account Value
is reduced to $0) |
Rider
Charge | |||
| 05/02/16 |
02/11/18 |
5.00% |
10th
Contract
Anniversary |
59 1∕2 |
Minimum
Issue Age: You must
be
at least age
60 years
old
at contract
issue.
Minimum
Spousal
Age: Your
Spouse's
Date of
Birth
may not be
more than 4 years after
your Date
of
Birth. |
Age at 1st Withdrawal After Age 59 1∕2 |
Withdrawal
Rate |
Age When
Account
Value is
Reduced to
Zero |
Single
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Joint
Lifetime
Guarantee
Rate |
Maximum
Charge:
2.00% of
the
Benefit
Base
Current
Charge: 1.20% of the
Benefit
Base |
| 59 1∕2 to
less than 65 |
5.00% |
79 or
younger |
3.00% |
2.00% | |||||||
| 80+ |
3.25% |
2.25% | |||||||||
| 65 to less than 75 |
6.00% |
79 or
younger |
4.00% |
3.00% | |||||||
| 80+ |
4.25% |
3.25% | |||||||||
| 75 to less than 80 |
6.00% |
79 or
younger |
4.00% |
3.00% | |||||||
| 80+ |
4.25% |
3.25% | |||||||||
| 80+ |
6.75% |
79 or
younger |
N/A |
N/A | |||||||
| 80+ |
5.00% |
4.00% | |||||||||
1. When the Account Value is greater than zero, only one GLWB
Withdrawal Rate will apply. Your GLWB Withdrawal Rate is determined by when you take your first withdrawal after the Lifetime Withdrawal Age and is independent of your
election of payments using the applicable Single or Joint Lifetime Guarantee Rate when your Account Value is reduced to zero.
70
DEATH BENEFIT
Upon Your Death
If you die during the Accumulation Phase, we will pay a death benefit to your Beneficiary (or Beneficiaries). There is no death benefit during the Income Phase,
however, depending on the Annuity Option you elect, any remaining guarantee maybe paid to
your Beneficiary(ies) (see “Annuity Payments (The Income Phase)” for more
information). This death benefit is described below.
The death benefit is determined as of the end of the Business Day on which we receive both due proof of death and an election for the payment method. Until
the Beneficiary (or the first Beneficiary if there are multiple Beneficiaries) submits the
necessary documentation in Good Order, the Account Value attributable to his/her portion of
the death benefit remains in the Investment Portfolios and is subject to investment risk.
Where there are multiple Beneficiaries, any guaranteed death benefit will only be determined as of the
time the first Beneficiary submits the necessary documentation in Good Order. If the
guaranteed death benefit payable is an amount that exceeds the Account Value on the day it is determined, we will apply to the contract’s Account Value an amount equal to the difference between the death
benefit payable and the Account Value, in accordance with the current allocation of the
Account Value. The remaining death benefit amounts are held in the Investment Portfolios until each of the other Beneficiaries submits the necessary documentation in Good Order to claim his/her death
benefit and are subject to investment risk until we receive his/her necessary
documentation.
If you have a Joint Owner, the death benefit will be paid when the first Owner dies. Upon the death of
either Owner, the surviving Joint Owner will be the primary Beneficiary. Any other
Beneficiary designation will be treated as a contingent Beneficiary, unless instructed otherwise.
If a non-natural person owns the contract, the Annuitant will be deemed to be the Owner in determining
the death benefit. If there are Joint Owners, the age of the oldest Owner will be used to
determine the death benefit amount.
If we are presented with notification of your death before any requested transaction is completed
(including transactions under a dollar cost averaging program, the Automatic Rebalancing
Program, the Systematic Withdrawal Program, or the Automated Required Minimum Distribution
Program), we will cancel the
request. As described above, the death benefit will be determined when we receive both due proof of
death and an election for the payment method.
Standard Death Benefit (Principal Protection)
The death benefit will be the greater of:
(1) the Account Value; or
(2) total Purchase Payments, reduced proportionately by the percentage reduction in Account Value attributable to each partial withdrawal (including any applicable withdrawal charge).
If the Owner is a natural person and the Owner is changed to someone other than a spouse, the death
benefit amount will be determined as defined above; however, subsection (2) will be changed
to provide as follows: “the Account Value as of the effective date of the change of Owner, increased by Purchase Payments received after the date of the change of Owner, reduced proportionately
by the percentage reduction in Account Value attributable to each partial withdrawal
(including any applicable withdrawal charge) made after such date.”
In the event that a Beneficiary who is the spouse of the
Owner elects to continue the contract in his or her name after the Owner dies, the death
benefit amount will be determined in accordance with (1) or (2) above.
(See Appendix E for examples of the standard death benefit.)
General Death Benefit Provisions
As described above, the death benefit is determined as of the end of the Business Day on which we
receive both due proof of death and an election for the payment method. Until a Beneficiary
submits the necessary documentation in Good Order, the Account Value attributable to his/her
portion of the death benefit remains in the Investment Portfolios and is subject to
investment risk. This risk is borne by the Beneficiary.
A Beneficiary must elect the death benefit to be paid under one of the payment options (unless the Owner has previously made the election). All options must comply
with applicable federal income tax rules. The tax rules are complex and differ for
Non-Qualified Contracts and Qualified Contracts. As a general matter, the entire death
benefit must be paid within five years (or in some cases 10 years for Qualified Contracts)
of the date of death unless the Beneficiary elects to have the death benefit payable under
an Annuity Option. The death benefit
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payable under an Annuity Option must be
paid over the Beneficiary's lifetime or for a period not extending beyond the Beneficiary's
life expectancy. For Non-Qualified Contracts, payment must begin within one year of the date
of death. For Qualified Contracts, payment must begin no later than the end of the calendar
year immediately following the year of death. However, if the Beneficiary under a Qualified
Contract is the Annuitant's spouse, the tax law generally allows distributions to begin by the later of the year following the Annuitant’s death or the year in which the Annuitant would have been
required to begin taking distributions under federal tax law. (See “Federal Income
Tax Status” for a discussion of the tax law requirements applicable to distributions from Qualified Contracts).
We may also offer a payment option, for both Non-Qualified Contracts and certain Qualified Contracts, under which your Beneficiary may receive payments, over a
period not extending beyond his or her life expectancy, under a method of distribution
similar to the distribution of required minimum distributions that are taken as withdrawals
from Individual Retirement Accounts. Such payment option may be limited to certain categories of beneficiaries. If this option is elected, we will issue a new contract to your Beneficiary in order to
facilitate the distribution of payments. Your Beneficiary may choose any optional death
benefit available under the new contract. Upon the death of your Beneficiary, the death benefit would be required to be distributed in accordance with applicable tax law requirements. In some cases,
this will required that the proceeds be distributed more rapidly than the method of
distribution in effect at the time of your Beneficiary's death. (See “Federal Income Tax Status.”) To the extent permitted under the tax law, and in accordance with our procedures, your designated
Beneficiary is permitted under our procedures to make additional Purchase Payments
consisting of monies which are direct transfers (as permitted under tax law) from other Qualified Contracts or Non-Qualified Contracts, depending on which type of contract you own, held in the name of
the decedent. Any such additional Purchase Payments would be subject to applicable
withdrawal charges. Your Beneficiary is also permitted to choose some of the optional benefits available under the contract, but certain contract provisions or programs may not be available.
If a lump sum payment is elected and all the necessary requirements are met, the payment will be made
within seven days. Payment to the Beneficiary under an Annuity
Option may only be elected during the 60-day period beginning with the date we receive due proof of
death.
If the Owner or a Joint Owner, who is not the Annuitant, dies during the Income Phase, any remaining
payments under the Annuity Option elected will continue at least as rapidly as under the
method of distribution in effect at the time of the Owner's death. Upon the death of the Owner or a Joint Owner during the Income Phase, the Beneficiary becomes the Owner.
Spousal Continuation
If the primary Beneficiary is the spouse of the Owner, upon the Owner's death, the Beneficiary may elect to continue the contract in his or her own name to the
extent permitted by tax law. Upon such election, the Account Value will be adjusted upward
(but not downward) to an amount equal to the death benefit amount determined upon such election and receipt of due proof of death of the Owner. Any excess of the death benefit amount over the Account
Value will be allocated to each applicable Investment Portfolio in the ratio that the
Account Value in the Investment Portfolio bears to the total Account Value. The terms and conditions of the contract that applied prior to the Owner’s death will continue to apply, with certain
exceptions described in the contract.
For purposes of the death benefit on the continued contract, the death benefit is calculated in the same manner as it was prior to continuation except that
all values used to calculate the death benefit are reset on the date the spouse continues
the contract.
Spousal continuation will not be allowed to the extent it would fail to satisfy minimum required
distribution rules for qualified Contracts (see “Federal Income Tax Status”).
Death of the Annuitant
If the Annuitant, not an Owner or Joint Owner, dies during the Accumulation Phase, you automatically become the Annuitant. You can select a new Annuitant if you do
not want to be the Annuitant (subject to our then current underwriting standards). However,
if the Owner is a non- natural person (for example, a trust), then the death of the primary
Annuitant will be treated as the death of the Owner, and a new Annuitant may not be named.
Upon the death of the Annuitant after Annuity Payments begin, the death benefit, if any, will be as
provided for in the Annuity Option selected. Death benefits will be paid at least as
rapidly as under the method of distribution in effect
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at the Annuitant's death, but in all
events in accordance with applicable tax law requirements.
Controlled Payout
You may elect to have the death benefit proceeds paid to your Beneficiary in the form of Annuity
Payments for life or over a period of time that does not exceed your Beneficiary's life
expectancy. This election must be in writing in a form acceptable to us. You may revoke the
election only in writing and only in a form acceptable to us. Upon your death, the
Beneficiary cannot revoke or modify your election. The Controlled Payout is only available to
Non-Qualified Contracts.
FEDERAL INCOME TAX STATUS
Introduction
The following information on taxes is a general discussion of the subject. It is not intended as tax
advice. The Code and the provisions of the Code that govern the contract are complex and
subject to change. The applicability of 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. Nor does this discussion address other federal tax consequences (such as
estate and gift taxes, sales to foreign individuals or entities), or state or local tax consequences, which may affect your investment in the contract. As a result, you should always consult a tax adviser
for complete information and advice applicable to your individual situation.
We are not responsible for determining if your employer’s plan or arrangement satisfies the
requirements of the Code and/or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
(ERISA).
We do not expect to incur federal, state or local income taxes on the earnings or realized capital gains
attributable to the Separate Account. However, if we do incur such taxes in the future, we
reserve the right to charge amounts allocated to the Separate Account for these taxes.
To the extent permitted under federal tax law, we may claim the benefit of the corporate dividends
received deduction and of certain foreign tax credits attributable to taxes paid by certain
of the Investment Portfolios to foreign jurisdictions.
For federal tax purposes, the term “spouse” refers to the
person to whom you are lawfully married, regardless of sex. The term “spouse”
generally will not include
individuals who are in a registered domestic partnership or civil union not denominated as marriage
under state or other applicable law.
Non-Qualified Contracts
Introduction
This discussion assumes the contract is a “non-qualified” annuity contract for federal income tax purposes, that is, a Contract not held in a tax qualified
plan. Tax qualified plans include arrangements described in Code Sections 401(a), 401(k), 403(a), 403(b) or tax sheltered annuities (TSA), 408 or “IRAs” (including
SEP and SIMPLE IRAs), 408A or “Roth IRAs” and 457(b) plans. Contracts owned
through such plans are referred to below as “Qualified Contracts.”
Accumulation
Generally, an Owner of a Non-Qualified Contract is not taxed on increases in the value of the contract until there is a distribution from the contract, i.e.
surrender, partial withdrawal, income payment, or commutation. This deferral of taxation on
accumulated value in the contract is limited to contracts owned by or held for the benefit of
“natural persons.” A contract will be treated as held by a natural person if
the nominal Owner is a trust or other entity which holds the contract as an agent for the
exclusive benefit of a natural person.
In contrast, a contract owned by other than a “natural person,” such as a corporation, partnership, trust, or other entity (other than a trust holding
the Contract as an agent for a natural person), will be taxed currently on the increase in
accumulated value in the contract in the year earned. Note that in this regard, an employer which is the Owner of an annuity contract under a non-qualified deferred compensation arrangement for its employees,
or others, is considered a non-natural Owner and any annual increase in the Account Value
will be subject to current income taxation.
Surrenders or Withdrawals – Early Distribution
If you take a withdrawal from your contract, or surrender your contract prior to the date you commence
taking annuity or “income” payments (the “Annuity Starting Date”),
the amount you receive will generally be treated first as coming from earnings, if any, (and thus subject to income tax) and then from your Purchase Payments (which are not subject to income tax). If the
accumulated value is less than your Purchase Payments upon surrender of your
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contract, your ability to claim
any unrecovered Purchase Payments on your federal income tax return as a miscellaneous
itemized deduction may not be allowed, so consult your tax
adviser.
The portion of any withdrawal from an annuity contract that is subject to income tax will also be
subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty for “early” distribution if such
withdrawal is taken prior to you reaching age 59 1∕2, unless an exception
applies. Exceptions include distributions made:
(a) on account of your death or disability,
(b) as part of a series of substantially equal periodic payments made at least annually payable for your
life (or life expectancy) or joint lives (or joint life expectancies) of you and your
designated Beneficiary, or
(c) under certain immediate income annuities.
If you receive systematic payments that you intend to qualify for the “substantially equal
periodic payments” exception noted above, any modifications (except due to death or
disability) to your payment before age
59 1∕2 or within five years
after beginning these payments, whichever is later, will result in the retroactive imposition of the 10% federal income tax penalty with interest. Such modifications may include but are not limited to
additional Purchase Payments to the contract (including tax-free transfers or rollovers)
and additional withdrawals from the contract.
Amounts received as a partial withdrawal may be fully includible in taxable income to the extent of gain in the contract.
If your contract has been purchased with an Optional Two Year Withdrawal Feature or is for a guaranteed
period only (term certain) annuity, and is terminated as a result of the exercise of the
withdrawal feature, the taxable portion of the payment will generally be the excess of the proceeds received over your remaining after-tax Purchase Payment.
Treatment of Separate Account Charges
It is possible that at some future date the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may consider that contract
charges attributable to certain guaranteed death benefits and certain living benefits are
to be treated as distributions from the contract to pay for such non-annuity benefits.
Currently, these charges are considered to be an intrinsic part of the contract and we do
not report these as taxable
income. However, if this treatment changes in the future, the charge could also be subject to a 10%
federal income tax penalty as an early distribution, as described above.
Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefits and Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefits
If you have purchased the GWB v1 or GLWB, where otherwise made available, note the
following:
The tax treatment of withdrawals under such a
benefit is uncertain. It is conceivable that the amount of potential gain could be
determined based on the remaining amount guaranteed to be available for withdrawal at the time of the withdrawal if greater than the Account Value (prior to withdrawal charges). This could result in a
greater amount of taxable income in certain cases. In general, at the present time, we
intend to report such withdrawals using the Account Value rather than the remaining benefit to determine gain. However, in cases where the maximum permitted withdrawal in any year under any version
of the GWB or the GLWB exceeds the Account Value, the portion of the withdrawal treated as
taxable gain (not to exceed the amount of the withdrawal) should be measured as the
difference between the maximum permitted withdrawal amount under the benefit and the
remaining after-tax basis immediately preceding the withdrawal. Consult your tax
adviser.
In the event that the Account Value goes to zero, and either the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount
is paid out in fixed installments (under the GWB v1), or the Annual Benefit Payment is paid
for life (under the GLWB), we will treat such payments as income Annuity Payments under the
tax law and allow recovery of any remaining basis ratably over the expected number of
payments.
We reserve the right to change our tax reporting
practices where we determine that they are not in accordance with IRS guidance (whether
formal or informal).
Aggregation
If you purchase two or more deferred annuity contracts after October 21, 1988, from us (or our predecessors or affiliates) during the same calendar year, the
law requires that all such contracts must be treated as a single contract for purposes of
determining whether any payments not received as an annuity (e.g., withdrawals) will be includible in income. Aggregation could affect the amount of a withdrawal that is taxable and subject to the 10%
federal income tax penalty described above. Since the IRS may require aggregation in other
circumstances as well, you
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should consult a tax adviser if you are
purchasing more than one annuity contract from the same insurance company in a single
calendar year. Aggregation does not affect distributions paid in the form of an annuity (see
“Taxation of Payments in Annuity Form” below).
Exchanges/Transfers
The annuity contract may be exchanged in whole or in part for another annuity contract or a long-term
care insurance policy. An exchange in whole of an annuity contract for another annuity
contract or for a qualified long-term care insurance policy will generally be a tax-free transaction under Section 1035 of the Code. The partial exchange of an annuity contract may be a tax-free
transaction provided that, among other prescribed IRS conditions, no amounts are
distributed from either contract involved in the exchange for 180 days following the date of the exchange – other than Annuity Payments made for life, joint lives, or for a term of 10 years or
more. If a distribution is made from either contract within the 180-day period after the
exchange or the exchange otherwise fails to satisfy other IRS prescriptions, the IRS reserves the right to characterize the exchange in a manner consistent with its substance, based on general tax
principles and all the facts and circumstances. For instance, such distribution from either
contract may be taxable to the extent of the combined gain attributable to both contracts, or only to the extent of your gain in the contract from which the distribution is paid. Some of the ramifications of a
partial exchange remain unclear. You should consult your tax adviser concerning potential
tax consequences prior to any partial exchange or split of annuity
contracts.
A transfer of ownership of the contract, or the designation of an Annuitant or other Beneficiary who is
not also the contract Owner, may result in income or gift tax consequences to the contract
Owner. You should consult your tax adviser if you are considering such a transfer or
assignment.
Death Benefits
For Non-Qualified Contracts, the death benefit is taxable to the recipient in the same manner as if paid
to the contract Owner (under the rules for withdrawals or income payments, whichever is
applicable).
After your death, any death benefit determined under the contract must be distributed according to
certain rules. The method of distribution that is required depends on whether you die
before or after the Annuity Starting Date.
If you die on or after the Annuity Starting Date, the remaining portion of the interest in the contract
must be distributed at least as rapidly as under the method of distribution being used as
of the date of death.
If you die before the Annuity Starting Date, the entire interest in the contract must be distributed
within five (5) years after the date of death, or as periodic payments over a period not
extending beyond the life or life expectancy of the designated Beneficiary (provided such
payments begin within one year of your death) and the Beneficiary must be a natural
person.
Additionally, if the annuity is payable to (or for the benefit of) your surviving spouse, that portion
of the contract may be continued with your spouse as the Owner.
For contracts owned by a non-natural person, the required
distribution rules apply upon the death of the Annuitant. If there is more than one
Annuitant of a contract held by a non-natural person, then such required distributions will be triggered by the death of the first co-Annuitant.
Investor Control
In certain circumstances, Owners of Non-Qualified variable annuity contracts have been considered to be
the owners of the assets of the underlying Separate Account for federal income tax purposes
due to their ability to exercise investment control over those assets. When this is the case,
the contract Owners have been currently taxed on income and gains attributable to the
variable account assets. There is little guidance in this area, and some features of the
contract, such as the number of Investment Portfolios available and the flexibility of the
contract Owner to allocate Purchase Payments and transfer amounts among the Investment
Portfolios have not been addressed in public rulings. While we believe that the contract does not give the contract Owner investment control over Separate Account assets, we reserve the right to modify the
contract as necessary to prevent a contract Owner from being treated as the owner of the
Separate Account assets supporting the contract.
Taxation of Payments in Annuity Form
Payments received from the contract in the form of an annuity are taxable as ordinary income to the
extent they exceed the portion of the payment determined by applying the exclusion ratio to
the entire payment. The exclusion ratio is determined at the time the contract is annuitized
(i.e., the accumulated value is converted to an annuity form of distribution). Generally,
the applicable exclusion ratio is
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your investment in the contract divided
by the total payments expected to be received based on IRS factors, such as the form of
annuity and mortality. The excludable portion of each Annuity Payment is the return of
investment in the contract and it is excludable from your taxable income until your
investment in the contract is fully recovered. We will make this calculation for you. However, it is possible that the IRS could conclude that the taxable portion of income payments under a
Non-Qualified Contract is an amount greater – or less — than the taxable amount determined by us and reported by us to you and the IRS.
Once you have recovered the investment in the contract, further Annuity Payments are fully taxable.
If you die before your investment in the contract is fully recovered, the balance of your investment may be deducted on your last tax return, or if Annuity
Payments continue after your death, the balance may be recovered by your
Beneficiary.
The IRS has not furnished explicit guidance as to how the excludable amount is to be determined each year under variable income annuities that permit transfers
between a fixed annuity option and variable investment options, as well as transfers
between investment options after the Annuity Starting Date.
Once Annuity Payments have commenced, you may not be able to transfer to another Non-Qualified Contract or a long-term care contract as part of a tax-free
exchange.
If the contract allows, you may elect to convert less than the full value of your contract to an annuity
form of pay-out (i.e., “partial annuitization”). In this case, your investment
in the contract will be pro-rated between the annuitized portion of the contract and the deferred portion. An exclusion ratio will apply to the Annuity Payments as described above, provided the annuity form you
elect is payable for at least 10 years or for the life of one or more individuals.
3.8% Tax on Net Investment Income
Federal tax law imposes a 3.8% Net Investment Income tax on the lesser of:
(1) the taxpayer’s “net investment income,” (from
non-qualified annuities, interest, dividends, and other investments, offset by specified
allowable deductions), or
(2) the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income in excess of a specified income threshold ($250,000 for married couples filing jointly and qualifying
surviving spouses, $125,000 for married couples filing separately, and $200,000 for single
filers).
“Net investment income” in Item 1 above does not include distributions from tax qualified
plans (i.e., arrangements described in Code Sections 401(a), 403(a), 403(b), 408, 408A, or
457(b)), but such income will increase modified adjusted gross income in Item 2 above.
You should consult your tax adviser regarding the applicability of this tax to income under your annuity
contract.
Puerto Rico Tax Considerations
The Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code of 2011 (the “2011 PR Code”) taxes distributions from
Non-Qualified Contracts differently than in the U.S.
Distributions that are not in the form of an annuity (including partial surrenders and period certain payments) are treated under the 2011 PR Code first as a
return of investment. Therefore, a substantial portion of the amounts distributed generally
will be excluded from gross income for Puerto Rico tax purposes until the cumulative amount
paid exceeds your tax basis.
The amount of income on annuity distributions in annuity form (payable over your lifetime) is also calculated differently under the 2011 PR Code. Since the U.S.
source income generated by a Puerto Rico bona fide resident is subject to U.S. income tax
and the IRS issued guidance in 2004 which indicated that the income from an annuity
contract issued by a U.S. life insurer would be considered U.S. source income, the timing
of recognition of income from an annuity contract could vary between the two jurisdictions.
Although the 2011 PR Code provides a credit against the Puerto Rico income tax for U.S. income taxes paid, an individual may not get full credit because of the timing differences.
You should consult with a personal tax adviser regarding the tax consequences of purchasing an annuity
contract and/or any proposed distribution, particularly a partial distribution or election
to annuitize if you are a resident of Puerto Rico.
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Qualified Contracts
Introduction
The contract may be purchased through certain types of retirement plans that receive favorable treatment under the Code (“tax qualified plans” or
“qualified plans”). Tax-qualified plans include arrangements described in Code
Sections 401(a), 401(k), 403(a), 403(b) or tax sheltered annuities (TSA), 408 or
“IRAs” (including SEP and SIMPLE IRAs), 408A or “Roth IRAs” and 457(b) plans. Extensive special tax rules apply to qualified plans and to the annuity contracts used in connection
with these plans. Therefore, the following discussion provides only general information
about the use of the contract with the various types of qualified plans. Adverse tax consequences may result if you do not ensure that contributions, distributions and other transactions with respect to the
contract comply with the law.
The rights to any benefit under the plan will be subject to the terms and conditions of the plan itself as well as the terms and conditions of the contract.
We exercise no control over whether a particular retirement plan or a particular contribution to the
plan satisfies the applicable requirements of the Code, or whether a particular individual
is entitled to participate or benefit under a plan.
All qualified plans and arrangements receive tax deferral under the Code. Since there are no additional tax benefits in funding such retirement arrangements with
an annuity, there should be reasons other than tax deferral for acquiring the annuity
within the plan. Such non-tax benefits may include additional insurance benefits, such as
the availability of a guaranteed income for life.
A contract may also be available in connection with an employer’s non-qualified deferred compensation plan or qualified governmental excess benefit
arrangement to provide benefits to certain employees in the plan. The tax rules regarding
these plans are complex. Please consult your tax adviser about your particular situation.
Accumulation
The tax rules applicable to qualified plans vary according to the type of plan and the terms and conditions of the plan itself. Both the amount of the contribution
that may be made and the tax deduction or exclusion that you may claim for that
contribution under qualified plans are limited under the Code. See the SAI for a description of
qualified plan types and annual current contribution limitations, which are subject to change from
year-to-year.
Purchase payments or contributions to IRAs or tax qualified retirement plans of an employer may be taken
from current income on a before tax basis or after tax basis. Purchase payments made on a
“before tax” basis entitle you to a tax deduction or are not subject to current
income tax. Purchase payments made on an “after tax” basis do not reduce your
taxable income or give you a tax deduction. Contributions may also consist of transfers or
rollovers as described below and are not subject to the annual limitations on
contributions.
An IRA Contract will accept as a single Purchase Payment a transfer or rollover from another IRA
(including a SEP or SIMPLE IRA) or rollover from an eligible retirement plan of an employer
(i.e., 401(a), 401(k), 403(a), 403(b), or governmental 457(b) plan). A rollover or transfer from a SIMPLE IRA is allowed provided that the taxpayer has participated in such arrangement for at least two
years. As part of the single Purchase Payment, the IRA contract will also accept an IRA
contribution subject to the Code limits for the year of purchase.
For income annuities established as “pay-outs” of
SIMPLE IRAs, the contract will only accept a single Purchase Payment consisting of a
transfer or rollover from another SIMPLE IRA. For income annuities established in
accordance with a distribution option under a retirement plan of an employer (e.g., 401(a),
401(k), 403(a), 403(b), or 457(b) plan), the contract will only accept as its single
Purchase Payment a transfer from such employer retirement plan.
Taxation of Annuity Distributions
If contributions are made on a “before tax” basis, you generally pay income taxes on the full amount of money you receive under the contract. Withdrawals
attributable to any after-tax contributions are basis in the contract and not subject to
income tax (except for the portion of the withdrawal allocable to earnings, if any).
Under current federal income tax rules, the taxable portion of distributions under annuity contracts and
qualified plans (including IRAs) is not eligible for the reduced tax rate applicable to
long-term capital gains and qualifying dividends.
If you meet certain requirements, your Roth IRA, Roth 403(b) and Roth 401(k) earnings can be received free of federal income taxes.
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With respect to IRA contracts, we will
withhold a portion of the taxable amount of your withdrawal for income taxes, unless you
elect otherwise. The amount we will withhold is determined by the Code.
Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefits and Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefits
If you have purchased the GWB v1 or the GLWB, where otherwise made available, note the
following:
The tax treatment of withdrawals under such a
benefit is uncertain. It is conceivable that the amount of potential gain could be
determined based on the remaining amount guaranteed to be available for withdrawal at the time of the withdrawal if greater than the Account Value (prior to withdrawal charges). This could result in a
greater amount of taxable income in certain cases. In general, at the present time, we
intend to report such withdrawals using the Account Value rather than the remaining benefit to determine gain. However, in cases where the maximum permitted withdrawal in any year under any version
of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit or the Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit exceeds
the Account Value, the portion of the withdrawal treated as taxable gain (not to exceed the
amount of the withdrawal) should be measured as the difference between the maximum
permitted withdrawal amount under the benefit and the remaining after-tax basis immediately
preceding the withdrawal. Consult your tax adviser.
In the event that the Account Value goes to zero, and either the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount
is paid out in fixed installments (under the GWB v1), or the Annual Benefit Payment is paid
for life (under the GLWB), we will treat such payments as income Annuity Payments under the
tax law and allow recovery of any remaining basis ratably over the expected number of
payments.
We reserve the right to change our tax reporting
practices where we determine that they are not in accordance with IRS guidance (whether
formal or informal).
Withdrawals Prior to Age 59 1∕2
A taxable withdrawal from a Qualified Contract which is subject to income tax may also be subject to a
10% federal income tax penalty for “early” distribution if taken prior to age
59 1∕2, unless an exception described below applies. The penalty rate is 25% for SIMPLE IRA plan contracts if the withdrawal occurs within the first 2 years of
your participation in the plan.
Exceptions to the early distribution penalty for qualified plans include withdrawals or distributions
made:
(a) on
account of your death or disability,
(b) as part of a series of substantially equal periodic payments payable for your life (or life expectancy)
or joint lives (or joint life expectancies) of you and your designated Beneficiary and (in
the case of certain employer-sponsored qualified plans) you are separated from
employment,
(c) on separation from service after age 55. This rule does not apply to IRAs (including SEPs and SIMPLE
IRAs).
(d) pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order (“QDRO”). This rule does not apply to IRAs
(including SEPs and SIMPLE IRAs).
(e) to pay IRS levies (and made after December 31, 1999),
(f) to
pay deductible medical expenses, or
(g) in the case of IRAs only, to pay for medical insurance (if you are unemployed), qualified higher
education expenses, or for a qualified first-time home purchase up to $10,000.
Other exceptions may be applicable under certain circumstances and special rules apply or may become
applicable in connection with the exceptions enumerated above. Other exceptions include
certain provisions under the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 which may provide the ability to
recontribute an “early” distribution to an IRA or employer-sponsored qualified plan (subject to the provisions of the Code, the qualified plan/IRA, the Contract and our administrative rules). You should
consult your tax adviser to confirm whether an exception applies.
If you receive systematic payments or any other payments
that you intend to qualify for the “substantially equal periodic payments”
exception noted above, any modifications (except due to death or disability) to your
payment before age 59 1∕2 or within five
years after beginning these payments, whichever is later, will result in the retroactive
imposition of the 10% federal income tax penalty with interest. Such modifications may include but are not limited to additional Purchase Payments to the contract (including tax-free transfers or
rollovers) and additional withdrawals from the contract.
The 10% federal income tax penalty on early distribution does not apply to governmental 457(b) plan contracts. However, it does apply to distributions from
457(b) plans of employers which are state or local governments to the
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extent that the distribution is
attributable to rollovers accepted from other types of eligible retirement plans.
Commutation Features Under Income Payment Types
Please be advised that the tax consequences resulting from the election of income payment types
containing a commutation feature (a feature that allows the Owner to receive a lump sum of
the present value of future Annuity Payments) are uncertain and the IRS may determine that
the taxable amount of income payments and withdrawals received for any year could be
greater than or less than the taxable amount reported by us. The exercise of the
commutation feature also may result in adverse tax consequences including:
•The imposition of a 10% federal income tax penalty on the taxable amount of the commuted value, if the taxpayer has not attained age 59 1∕2 at the time the
withdrawal is made. This 10% federal income tax penalty is in addition to the ordinary
income tax on the taxable amount of the commuted value.
•The retroactive imposition of the 10% federal income tax penalty on income payments
received prior to the taxpayer attaining age 59 1∕2.
•The possibility that the exercise of the commutation feature could adversely affect the amount excluded from federal income tax under any income payments
made after such commutation.
A payee should consult with his or her own tax adviser prior to electing to annuitize the contract and prior to exercising any commutation feature under an
income payment type.
Rollovers and Transfers
Your contract is non-forfeitable (i.e., not subject to the claims of your creditors) and
non-transferable (i.e., you may not transfer it to someone else).
Nevertheless, contracts held in certain employer plans subject to ERISA may be transferred in part pursuant to a QDRO.
Under certain circumstances, you may be able to transfer amounts distributed from your contract to
another eligible retirement plan or IRA. For 457(b) plans maintained by non-governmental
employers, if certain conditions are met, amounts may be transferred into another 457(b) plan
maintained by a non-governmental employer.
You may make rollovers and direct transfers into your SIMPLE IRA annuity contract from another SIMPLE
IRA annuity contract or account. Rollovers from another qualified plan can generally be
made to your SIMPLE IRA after you have participated in the SIMPLE IRA for at least two
years.
Rollovers and direct transfers from a SIMPLE IRA can only be made to another SIMPLE IRA or account
during the first two years that you participate in the SIMPLE IRA plan. After this two-year
period, rollovers and transfers may be made from your SIMPLE IRA into a Traditional IRA or
account, as well as into another SIMPLE IRA.
Federal income tax law allows you to make only one rollover from an
IRA to another (or the same) IRA in any 12-month period, regardless of the number of IRAs you
own. Generally, this limit does not apply to trustee-to-trustee transfers between IRAs.
Because the rollover rules are complex, please consult with your tax advisor before making
an IRA rollover.
Generally, a distribution may be eligible for rollover but certain types of distributions cannot be
rolled over, such as distributions received on account of:
(a) minimum distribution requirements,
(b) financial
hardship; or
(c) for
a period of ten or more years or for life.
20% Withholding on Eligible Rollover
Distributions
For certain qualified employer plans, we are required to withhold 20% of the taxable portion of your withdrawal that constitutes an “eligible rollover
distribution” for federal income taxes. The amount we withhold is determined by the
Code. You may avoid withholding if you directly transfer a withdrawal from this contract to another IRA or other qualified plan. Similarly, you may be able to avoid withholding on a transfer into this
contract from an existing qualified plan you may have with another provider by arranging to
have the transfer made directly to us. For taxable withdrawals that are not “eligible rollover distributions,” the Code imposes different withholding rules to determine the withholding
percentage.
Death Benefits
The death benefit in a Qualified Contract is taxable to the recipient in the same manner as if paid to the contract Owner or plan participant (under the rules for
withdrawals or income payments, whichever is applicable).
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Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)
amounts are required to be distributed from a Qualified annuity Contract (including a
contract issued as a Roth IRA) following your death. Congress recently changed the RMD
rules for individuals who die after 2019. The after-death RMD rules are complex, and you
should consult your tax adviser about how they may apply to your
situation.
Effective January 1, 2020, when an IRA owner or participant in a defined contribution plan dies, any
remaining interest generally must be distributed within 10 years (or in some cases five
years) after his or her death, unless an exception applies. An exception permits an
“eligible designated beneficiary” to take distributions over life or a period
not exceeding life expectancy, subject to special rules and limitations. An “eligible designated beneficiary” includes: the IRA owner/participant’s spouse or minor child (until the child
reaches age of majority), certain disabled or chronically ill individuals, and an
individual who is not more than 10 years younger than the IRA owner/participant. We may
limit any payment option over life, or a period not exceeding life expectancy, to certain
categories of eligible designed beneficiary.
Generally, distributions under this exception must start by the end
of the year following your death. However, if your surviving spouse is the sole designated beneficiary, distributions may generally be delayed until December 31 of the year you would have attained the
Applicable Age (as defined in the chart below), if your contract permits.
If you die after Annuity Payments have already begun under a Qualified Contract, any remaining payments under the contract also must be made in accordance
with the RMD rules. In some cases, those rules may require that the remaining payments be
made over a shorter period than originally elected or otherwise adjusted to comply with the
tax law.
Regardless of whether you die before or after your Required Beginning Date, the following will be applicable:
If your surviving spouse is the sole designated beneficiary of your Traditional or Roth IRA, then your surviving spouse may elect to treat the Traditional or Roth
IRA as his or her own.
Your designated Beneficiary is the person to whom benefit rights under the contract pass by reason of death. The Beneficiary generally must be a natural person in
order to elect a periodic payment option based on life expectancy or
a period exceeding five years. Different tax rules may apply if your Beneficiary is not a natural
person, such as your estate.
Your spouse may be able to rollover the death proceeds into another eligible retirement plan in which he or she participates, if permitted under the receiving
plan, or he or she may elect to rollover the death proceeds into his or her own IRA, or he
or she may elect to transfer the death proceeds into an inherited IRA.
If your Beneficiary is not your spouse and your plan and
contract permit, your Beneficiary may be able to rollover the death proceeds via a direct
trustee-to-trustee transfer into an inherited IRA. However, a non-spouse Beneficiary may
not treat the inherited IRA as his or her own IRA.
Additionally, for contracts issued in connection with qualified plans
subject to ERISA, the spouse or ex-spouse of the participant may have rights in the contract. In such a case, the participant may need the consent of the spouse or ex-spouse to change annuity options or make
a withdrawal from the contract.
Applicable Age for Required Minimum Distributions (RMD)
As used in the prospectus, “Applicable Age” means the following:
| If you… |
Your “Applicable
Age” is.. |
| When born on or before June 30,
1949 |
70 1∕2 |
| When born on or after July 1,
1949 (and attain age 72 prior to
January 1, 2023) |
72 |
| Attain age 72 on or after
January 1, 2023 (and attain
age 73 on or before December 31,
2032) |
73 |
| Attain age 73 on or after
January 1, 2033 |
75 |
Required Minimum Distributions
Generally, you must begin receiving RMD amounts from your Qualified Contract by the Required Beginning Date. Generally, for retirement plans, the
“Required Minimum Date” is April 1 following the later of:
(a) the calendar year in which you reach the Applicable Age, or
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(b) the calendar year you retire, provided you do not own more than 5% of the outstanding stock, capital, or profits of your employer.
For IRAs (including SEPs and SIMPLEs), the Required Beginning Date by which you must begin receiving
withdrawals is the year in which you attain the Applicable Age, even if you have not
retired, taking your first distribution no later than April 1 of the year after you reach
the Applicable Age.
For all subsequent years, including the first year in which you took your RMD by April 1, you must take
the required minimum distribution for the year by December
31st. This will require you to take two distributions in the same calendar year if you wait to take your first
distribution until April 1 of the year after attaining the Applicable Age.
A tax penalty (an excise tax) of up to 25% applies to the
shortfall of any required minimum distribution you fail to receive.
You may not satisfy minimum distributions for one employer’s qualified plan (e.g., 401(a), 403(a),
457(b)) with distributions from another qualified plan of the same or a different employer.
However, an aggregation rule does apply in the case of IRAs (including SEP and SIMPLE IRAs)
or 403(b) plans. The minimum required distribution is calculated with respect to each IRA, but the aggregate distribution may be taken from any one or more of your IRAs/SEPs. Similarly, the amount of required
minimum distribution is calculated separately with respect to each 403(b) arrangement, but
the aggregate amount of the required distribution may be taken from any one or more of your
403(b) plan contracts. For SIMPLE IRAs, the aggregate amount of the required distribution may be taken from any one or more of your SIMPLE IRAs.
The regulations also require that the value of benefits under a deferred annuity including certain death benefits in excess of contract value must be added to the
amount credited to your account in computing the amount required to be distributed over the
applicable period. We will provide you with additional information regarding the amount that is subject to minimum distribution under this rule. You should consult your own tax adviser as to how these
rules affect your own distribution under this rule.
If you intend to receive your minimum distributions in the form of Annuity Payments that are payable over the joint lives of you and a Beneficiary or over a
guaranteed duration of more than 10 years, be advised that federal tax law may require
that, after your death, any remaining
payments be made over a shorter period or be reduced after your death to satisfy the RMD rules and avoid
the up to 25% excise tax. Other complex rules also apply to RMDs taken in the form of
Annuity Payments. You should consult your own tax adviser as to how these rules affect your own contract.
Required minimum distribution rules that apply to other types of IRAs while you are alive do not apply to Roth IRAs. However, in general, the IRA post-death
rules with respect to minimum distributions apply to beneficiaries of Roth IRAs. Effective
in 2024, similar rules apply to Roth account balances maintained in employer-sponsored
qualified plans. As a result, required minimum distribution rules that generally apply
under an employer-sponsored qualified plan once you attain your Applicable Age, will not
apply to any Roth account balance while you are alive. However, in general, post-death rules with respect to minimum distributions do apply to beneficiaries upon your death.
Additional Information Regarding TSA (ERISA and Non-ERISA) 403(b)
Special Rules Regarding Exchanges. In order to satisfy tax regulations, contract exchanges within a 403(b) plan after September 24, 2007, must, at a minimum, meet the following requirements: (1) the plan
must allow the exchange; (2) the exchange must not result in a reduction in a
participant’s or a Beneficiary’s accumulated benefit: (3) the receiving contract includes distribution restrictions that are no less stringent than those imposed on the contract being exchanged;
and (4) if the issuer receiving the exchanges is not part of the plan, the employer enters
into an agreement with the issuer to provide information to enable the contract provider to
comply with Code requirements. Such information would include details concerning severance
from employment, hardship withdrawals, loans and tax basis. You should consult your tax or
legal counsel for any advice relating to contract exchanges or any other matter relating to these regulations.
Withdrawals. If you are under age 59 1∕2, you generally cannot
withdraw money from your TSA contract unless the withdrawal:
(a)
related to Purchase Payments made prior to 1989 and pre-1989 earnings on those Purchase Payments;
(b)
is exchanged to another permissible investment under your 403(b) plan;
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(c)
relates to contributions to an annuity contract that are not salary reduction elective deferrals, if your plan allows it;
(d)
occurs after you die, leave your job or become disabled (as defined by the Code);
(e)
is for financial hardship (but only to the extent of elective deferrals), if your plan allows it;
(f)
relates to distributions attributable to certain TSA plan terminations, if the conditions of the Code are met;
(g)
relates to rollover or after-tax contributions; or
(h)
is for the purchase of permissive service credit under a governmental defined benefit plan.
In addition, a Section 403(b) contract is permitted to distribute retirement benefits attributable to pre-tax contributions other than elective deferrals to
the participant no earlier than upon the earlier of the participant’s severance from
employment or upon the prior occurrence of some event, such as after a fixed number of years, the attainment of a stated age or disability. Additional details and other special rules or exceptions may
apply under the Code and your TSA. You should consult with your tax adviser before making a
withdrawal from your Contract.
Additional Information Regarding IRAs
Purchase Payments. Traditional IRA Purchase Payments (except for permissible rollovers and direct transfers) are limited in the aggregate to the lesser of 100% of compensation or the deductible amount
established each year under the Code.A Purchase Payment up to the deductible amount can also be made for a non-working spouse provided the couple’s compensation is
at least equal to their aggregate contributions. Individuals age 50 and older are permitted
to make additional “catch-up” contributions if they have sufficient compensation. If you or your spouse are an active participant in a retirement plan of an employer, your deductible
contributions may be limited. If you exceed Purchase Payment limits you may be subject to a
tax penalty.
Roth IRA Purchase Payments for individuals are non-deductible (made on an “after tax” basis)
and are limited to the lesser of 100% of compensation or the annual deductible IRA amount.
Individuals age 50 and older can make an additional “catch-up” Purchase Payment each year (assuming the individual has sufficient compensation). You may contribute up to the annual Purchase
Payment
limit if your modified adjusted gross income does not exceed certain limits. If you exceed Purchase
Payment limits, you may be subject to a tax penalty.
Inherited IRA. Subject to the provisions of the Code, the Contract and our administrative rules, we may make available an inherited IRA to (1) an individual non-spouse beneficiary, or (2) a surviving spouse
beneficiary. Such beneficiaries are required to take required minimum distribution (RMD) in
accordance with federal tax law. For example, if the inherited IRA is established as a ten-year inherited IRA, federal tax law generally requires a beneficiary to take annual RMD withdrawals from the
inherited IRA if the deceased IRA owner/qualified plan participant died on or after their
Required Beginning Date (RBD). All inherited IRA contracts established as a ten-year
inherited IRA also must be completely distributed by the end of the calendar year
containing the tenth anniversary of the original IRA owner’s/qualified plan participant’s date of death. Because federal tax law and its RMD rules are complex, beneficiaries should consult a qualified
tax adviser.
Withdrawals. If and to the extent that Traditional IRA Purchase Payments are made on an “after tax”
basis, withdrawals would be included in income except for the portion that represents a
return of non-deductible Purchase Payments. This portion is generally determined based upon
the ratio of all non-deductible Purchase Payments to the total value of all your
Traditional IRAs (including SEP IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs). We withhold a portion of the amount
of your withdrawal for income taxes, unless you elect otherwise. The amount we withhold is determined by the Code.
Generally, withdrawal of earnings from Roth IRAs are free from federal income tax if: (1) they are made at least five taxable years after the tax year for which
you made your first Purchase Payment to a Roth IRA; and (2) they are made on or after the
date you reach age 59 1∕2 or upon your death,
disability or for a qualified first-home purchase (up to $10,000). Withdrawals from a Roth IRA are made first from Purchase Payments and then from earnings. We may be required to withhold a portion of your
withdrawal for income taxes, unless you elect otherwise. The amount will be determined by
the Code.
Conversion. Traditional IRAs may be converted to Roth IRAs. Except to the extent you have non-deductible contributions, the amount converted from an existing
Traditional IRA into a Roth IRA is taxable. Generally, the
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10% federal income tax penalty does not
apply. However, the taxable amount to be converted must be based on the fair market value
of the entire annuity contract being converted into a Roth IRA. Such fair market value, in
general, is to be determined by taking into account the value of all benefits (both living
benefits and death benefits) in addition to the Account Value; as well as adding back
certain loads and charges incurred during the prior twelve month period. Your contract may
include such benefits and applicable charges. Accordingly, if you are considering such
conversion of your annuity contract, please consult your tax adviser. The taxable amount
may exceed the Account Value at the date of conversion.
Prior to 2018, contributions made to a Traditional IRA that were converted to a Roth IRA could be recharacterized as made back to the Traditional IRA, if
certain conditions were met. Under a provision of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,
recharacterization cannot be used to unwind a conversion from a Traditional IRA to a Roth
IRA for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. For conversions made to a Roth IRA
in 2017, the IRS has issued guidance allowing recharacterizations to be made in 2018.
Distinction for Puerto Rico Code
An annuity contract may be purchased by an employer for an employee under a qualified pension, profit sharing, stock bonus, annuity, or a “cash or
deferred” arrangement plan established pursuant to Section 1081.01 of the 2011 PR
Code. To be tax qualified under the 2011 PR Code, a plan must comply with the requirements
of Section 1081.01(a) of the 2011 PR Code which includes certain participation
requirements, among other requirements. A trust created to hold assets for a qualified plan
is exempt from tax on its investment income.
Contributions. The employer is entitled to a current income tax deduction for contributions made to a qualified plan, subject to statutory limitations on the
amount that may be contributed each year. The plan contributions by the employer are not
required to be included in the current income of the employee.
Distributions. Any amount received or made available to the employee under the qualified plan is includible in the
gross income of the employee in the taxable year in which received or made available. In
such case, the amount paid or contributed by the employer shall not constitute
consideration paid by the employee for the contract for purposes of determining the amount
of Annuity Payments required to be included in the employee’s gross income.
Thus, amounts actually distributed or made available to any employee under the qualified plan will be
included in their entirety in the employee’s gross income. The value of accrued
benefits in a qualified retirement plan with respect to which the special 8% tax under Puerto Rico Act No. 77-2014 was prepaid will be considered as part of the participant’s tax basis in his retirement
plan account. Thus, any distributions attributable to the benefits for which such taxes
were prepaid will not be subject to income taxes when the same are subsequently received by the participant. However, the investment income and the appreciation in value, if any, accrued on the
benefits with respect to which the special tax was prepaid, will be taxed as provided by
the tax rules in effect at the time of distribution. Lump-sum proceeds from a Puerto Rico
qualified retirement plan due to separation of employment or termination of a retirement
plan will generally be treated as ordinary income but will be subject to a withholding tax
rate of 20%.A special withholding tax rate of 10% may apply instead, if the plan satisfies the following requirements:
(1) the plan’s trust is organized under the laws of Puerto Rico, or has a Puerto Rico resident trustee
and uses such trustee as paying agent; and
(2) 10% of all plan’s trust assets (calculated based on the average balance of the investments of the trust) attributable to participants who are Puerto Rico
residents must be invested in “property located in Puerto Rico” for a
three-year period.
If these two requirements are not satisfied, the distribution will generally be subject to the 20% tax
rate. The three-year period includes the year of the distribution and the two immediately
preceding years. In the case of a defined contribution plan that maintains separate accounts for each participant, the described 10% investment requirement may be satisfied in the accounts of a participant
that chooses to invest in such fashion rather than at the trust level. Property located in
Puerto Rico includes shares of stock of a Puerto Rico registered investment company, fixed
or variable annuities issued by a domestic insurance company or by a foreign insurance corporation that derives more than 80% of its gross income from sources within Puerto Rico, and bank deposits. The 2011 PR Code
does not impose a penalty tax in cases of early (premature) distributions from a qualified
plan.
In the case of distributions from a qualified plan in the form of annuity or installments as a result of
termination of
83
employment, amounts received are taxable
in an amount equal to 3% of the after-tax contributions not previously distributed, which
would be considered the tax cost. The remaining portion is not taxable until you have recovered the total after-tax contributions made to the qualified plan. You may be able to exclude from gross
income up to $11,000, if you are less than 60 years of age, or up to $15,000, if you are at
least 60 years of age, of the taxable portion of the installment payments received every year. The above-described distributions that exceed the amount of $35,000 during a taxable year (amount which
includes the annual exclusion of $15,000) for retirees that are 60 years old or older, and
$31,000 (amount which includes the annual exclusion of $11,000) for other retirees plus the
recovery of the consideration paid for the annuity following the 3% recognition of income
rule described above, will generally constitute ordinary income subject to a 10%
withholding tax.
Upon the occurrence of a “Declared Disaster”, like a hurricane, Retirement Plans are allowed
to make Eligible Distributions to a participant resident of Puerto Rico who requests the
same. The Eligible Distribution may not exceed $100,000, be made during a period of time to be identified by the Puerto Rico Treasury through administrative guidance and be used to cover damages or
losses suffered, and extraordinary expenses incurred by the individual as a result of the
Declared Disaster. The first $10,000 will be exempted from income taxation, including the
alternate basic tax, and amounts exceeding $10,000 will be subject to a 10% income tax to be withheld at the source, in lieu of any other income tax, including the alternate basic tax.
You should consult with a personal tax adviser regarding the tax consequences of
purchasing an annuity contract and/or any proposed distribution if you are a resident of
Puerto Rico.
In contrast, if qualified retirement income, as defined in 4 U.S.C. Section 114(a), is
distributed by a dual qualified plan (i.e., a plan qualified under Code Section 401 and
under Section 1081.01 of the 2011 PR Code that is funded through a U.S. trust) to a
non-Puerto Rico resident, such distribution is not subject to Puerto Rico income tax. The
individual must not be a Puerto Rico resident at the time of the distribution and certain
requirements must be satisfied by him/her for the distribution to receive this tax treatment.
Rollover. Deferral of the recognition of income continues upon the receipt of a distribution by a participant from a
qualified plan, if the distribution is contributed to another qualified retirement plan or traditional
individual retirement account for the employee’s benefit no later than sixty (60)
days after the distribution.
ERISA Considerations. In the context of a Puerto Rico qualified retirement plan trust, the IRS has held that the transfer of assets and liabilities from a
qualified retirement plan trust under the Code to that type of plan would generally be
treated as a distribution includible in gross income for U.S. income tax purposes even if the Puerto Rico retirement plan is a plan described in ERISA Section 1022(i)(1). By contrast, a transfer from a
qualified retirement plan trust under the Code to a Puerto Rico qualified retirement plan
trust that has made an election under ERISA Section 1022(i)(2) is not treated as a
distribution from the transferor plan for U.S. income tax purposes because a Puerto Rico
retirement plan that has made an election under ERISA Section 1022(i)(2) is treated as a
qualified retirement plan for purposes Code Section 401(a). The IRS has determined that the above described rules prescribing the inclusion in income of transfers of assets and liabilities to a Puerto
Rico retirement plan trust described in ERISA Section 1022(i)(1) would be applicable to
transfers taking effect after December 31, 2012. Notwithstanding the above, the IRS has held that a Puerto Rico retirement plan described in ERISA Section 1022(i)(1) may participate in a 81-100 group
trust because it permits said plan to diversify its investments without adverse tax
consequences to the group trust or its investors.
OTHER INFORMATION
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY (the “Company” or “Brighthouse”) is a stock life insurance company organized under
the laws of the State of New York in 1992. The Company is licensed to do business only in
the State of New York. The Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of, and controlled by, Brighthouse Life Insurance Company (“BLIC”). BLIC is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of, and ultimately
controlled by, Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (“BHF”), a publicly-traded company.
BHF, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the largest providers of annuities and life insurance in the U.S. The Company’s executive offices are located at 285 Madison Avenue, New York, NY
10017.
On November 6, 2025, BHF and Aquarian Capital LLC (“Aquarian”) announced that they had
entered into a
84
definitive agreement under which
an affiliate of Aquarian will acquire BHF. This transaction is subject to the satisfaction
or waiver of customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals. Subject to such approvals and the satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions, the transaction is
expected to be consummated in 2026.
Upon the consummation of the transaction, Aquarian will become the ultimate parent of BHF, BLIC will remain an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of BHF, and the
Company will remain a wholly-owned subsidiary of BLIC. Although Aquarian will replace BHF
as the Company’s ultimate parent, the Company will continue in its present role as
the issuer of your Contract. All of your rights and benefits under your Contract and the Company’s obligations under the Contract will remain unchanged.
Founded in 2017, Aquarian Capital is a diversified global holding company with a strategic portfolio of insurance and asset management solutions. Aquarian is
headquartered in New York, NY.
The Separate Account
We have established a Separate Account, Brighthouse Variable Annuity Account B (Separate Account), to hold the assets that underlie the contracts. Our Board
of Directors adopted a resolution to establish the Separate Account under New York
insurance law on December 31, 1992. We have registered the Separate Account with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as a unit investment trust under the Investment Company
Act of 1940. The Separate Account is divided into subaccounts.
The Separate Account’s assets are solely for the benefit
of those who invest in the Separate Account and no one else, including our creditors. The
assets of the Separate Account are held in our name on behalf of the Separate Account and
legally belong to us. All the income, gains and losses (realized or unrealized) resulting
from these assets are credited to or charged against the contracts issued from this
Separate Account without regard to our other business.
We reserve the right to transfer assets of the Separate Account to another account, and to modify the structure or operation of the Separate Account, subject to
necessary regulatory approvals. If we do so, we will notify you of any such changes and we
guarantee that the modification will not affect your Account Value.
We are obligated to pay all money we owe under the contracts — such as death benefits and income
payments — even if that amount exceeds the assets in the Separate Account. Any such amount that exceeds the assets
in the Separate Account is paid from our general account. Any amount under any optional
death benefit, optional Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit, or optional Guaranteed Lifetime
Withdrawal Benefit that exceeds the assets in the Separate Account is also paid from our general account. Benefit amounts paid from the general account are subject to our financial strength and claims paying
ability and our long term ability to make such payments. We issue other annuity contracts
and life insurance policies where we pay all money we owe under those contracts and policies from our general account. Brighthouse is regulated as an insurance company under state law, which generally
includes limits on the amount and type of investments in our general account. However,
there is no guarantee that we will be able to meet our claims paying obligations; there are
risks to purchasing any insurance product.
The investment advisers to certain of the Investment Portfolios offered with the contracts or with other
variable annuity contracts issued through the Separate Account may be regulated as
Commodity Pool Operators. While it does not concede that the Separate Account is a commodity
pool, Brighthouse has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity
pool operator” under the Commodities Exchange Act (CEA), and is not subject to
registration or regulation as a pool operator under the CEA.
Distributor
We have entered into a distribution agreement with our affiliate, Brighthouse Securities, LLC (Distributor), 11225 North Community House Road, Charlotte, NC
28277, for the distribution of the contracts. Both the Company and Distributor are
indirect, wholly owned subsidiaries of BHF. Distributor is a member of the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (FINRA). FINRA provides background information about broker-dealers
and their registered representatives through FINRA BrokerCheck. You may contact the FINRA
BrokerCheck Hotline at 1-800-289-9999, or log on to www.finra.org. An investor brochure
that includes information describing FINRA BrokerCheck is available through the Hotline or on-line.
Distributor, and in certain cases, we, have entered into selling agreements with unaffiliated selling
firms for the sale of the contracts. No selling firms are affiliated with us or
Distributor. We pay compensation to Distributor for sales of the contracts by selling firms. We also pay amounts
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to Distributor that may be used for its
operating and other expenses, including the following sales expenses: compensation and
bonuses for Distributor’s management team and other expenses of distributing the contracts. Distributor’s management team and registered representatives also may be eligible for non-cash
compensation items that we may provide jointly with Distributor. Non-cash items include
conferences, seminars and trips (including travel, lodging and meals in connection
therewith), entertainment, merchandise and other similar items.
All of the Investment Portfolios make payments to Distributor under their distribution plans in
consideration of services provided and expenses incurred by Distributor in distributing
shares of the Investment Portfolios. (See the Investment Portfolio prospectuses for more information.) These payments range up to 0.55% of Separate Account assets invested in the particular Investment
Portfolio.
Selling Firms
As noted above, Distributor, and in certain cases, we, have entered into selling agreements with unaffiliated selling firms for the sale of the contracts. All
selling firms receive commissions, and they may also receive some form of non-cash
compensation. Certain selected selling firms receive additional compensation (described below under “Additional Compensation for Selected Selling Firms”). These commissions and other
incentives or payments are not charged directly to contract Owners or the Separate Account.
We intend to recoup commissions and other sales expenses through fees and charges deducted under the contract or from our general account. A portion of the payments made to selling firms may be passed on
to their sales representatives in accordance with the selling firms' internal compensation
programs. Those programs may also include other types of cash and non-cash compensation and
other benefits. Financial representatives of the selling firms may also receive non-cash
compensation, pursuant to their firm’s guidelines, directly from us or Distributor.
Compensation Paid to Selling Firms. Distributor pays compensation to all selling firms in the form of commissions and may also provide certain types of
non-cash compensation. The maximum commission payable for contract sales and additional
Purchase Payments by selling firms is 7% of Purchase Payments. Some selling firms may elect
to receive a lower commission when a Purchase Payment is made, along with annual trail commissions up to 1% of Account Value (less Purchase Payments received
within the previous 12 months) for so long as the contract remains in effect or as agreed in the selling agreement. Distributor also pays commissions when a
contract Owner elects to begin receiving regular income payments (referred to as
“Annuity Payments”). (See “Annuity Payments (The Income Phase).”) Distributor may also provide non-cash compensation items that we may provide jointly with Distributor. Non-cash items may include expenses for
conference or seminar trips, certain gifts, prizes, and awards.
Ask your financial representative for further information about what payments your financial
representative and the selling firm for which he or she works may receive in connection
with your purchase of a contract.
Additional Compensation for Selected Selling Firms. Distributor has entered into distribution arrangements with certain selected unaffiliated selling
firms. Under these arrangements, Distributor may pay additional compensation to selected
selling firms, including marketing allowances, introduction fees, persistency payments,
preferred status fees and industry conference fees. Marketing allowances are periodic payments to certain selling firms, the amount of which may be an annual flat fee or, in many cases, depends on
cumulative periodic (usually quarterly) sales of our insurance contracts (including the
contracts offered by this prospectus) and may also depend on meeting thresholds in the sale of certain of our insurance contracts (other than the contracts offered by this prospectus). They may also
include payments we make to cover the cost of marketing or other support services provided
for or by registered representatives who may sell our products. Introduction fees are
payments to selling firms in connection with the addition of our products to the selling firm’s line of investment products, including expenses relating to establishing the data communications systems
necessary for the selling firm to offer, sell and administer our products. Persistency
payments are periodic payments based on Account Values of our variable insurance contracts
(including Account Values of the contracts) or other persistency standards. Preferred
status fees are paid to obtain preferred treatment in selling firms’ marketing
programs, which may include marketing services, participation in marketing meetings,
listings in data resources and increased access to their sales representatives. Industry
conference fees are amounts paid to cover in part the costs associated with sales conferences and educational seminars for selling firms’ financial representatives.
86
Distributor has entered into such
distribution agreements with the selling firms identified in the Statement of Additional
Information.
The additional types of compensation discussed above 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 as described above may provide selling firms and/or their sales representatives with an incentive to favor
sales of the contracts over other variable annuity contracts (or other investments) with
respect to which 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. For more
information about any such additional compensation arrangements, ask your financial
representative. (See the Statement of Additional Information — “Distribution” for a list of selling firms that received additional compensation during 2025, as well as the range of additional compensation paid.)
Requests and Elections
We will treat your request for a contract transaction, or your submission of a Purchase Payment, as received by us if
we receive a request conforming to our administrative procedures or a payment at our Annuity Service
Center before the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on that day
(generally 4 p.m. Eastern Time). We will treat your submission of a Purchase Payment as
received by us if we receive a payment at our Annuity Service Center (or a designee receives a payment in accordance with the designee's administrative procedures) before the close of regular trading on the New
York Stock Exchange on that day. If we receive the request, or if we (or our designee)
receive the payment, after the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on that day, or if the New York Stock Exchange is not open that day, then the request or payment will be treated as received on
the next day when the New York Stock Exchange is open. If you send your Purchase Payments
or transaction requests to an address other than the one we have designated for receipt of
such Purchase Payments or requests, as indicated in the chart below, we may return the Purchase Payment to you, or there may be a delay in applying the Purchase Payment or transaction to your contract.
Direct your requests and elections under your Contract, and inquiries about your Contract, to us as directed below, or by
Internet at www.brighthousefinancial.com.
| Applications when purchasing the Contract, including
initial Purchase Payments |
P.O. Box 4365
Clinton, IA 52733-4365
Fax: (877) 245-2964
Or through your financial representative |
| Death Claims |
P.O. Box 4330
Clinton, IA 52733-4330
Fax: (877) 245-8163 |
| Annuity Payments/Income |
|
| • Requests to receive regular income payments (referred to as Annuity Payments) |
P.O. Box 4365 Clinton, IA 52733-4365 Telephone: (800) 882-1292 Fax: (877) 246-8424 |
| • Death Claims for Contracts receiving Annuity Payments |
P.O. Box 4364 Clinton, IA 52733-4364 Telephone: (800) 882-1292 Fax: (877) 245-8163 |
87
| • General requests and elections for Contracts receiving Annuity Payments |
P.O. Box 4363
Clinton, IA 52733-4363
Telephone: (800) 882-1292
Fax: (877) 246-8424 |
| All other requests and elections, including subsequent
Purchase Payments, and general inquiries |
P.O. Box 4301 Clinton, IA 52733-4301 Telephone: (888) 243-1932 Fax: (877) 246-8424 |
88
Some of the requests for service that
may be made by telephone or Internet include transfers of Account Value (see
“Investment Options – Transfers – Transfers By Telephone or Other Means”) and changes to the allocation of future Purchase Payments (see
“Purchase – Allocation of Purchase Payments”). We may from time to time permit requests for other types of transactions
to be made by telephone or Internet. All transaction requests must be in Good Order.
Contact us for further information. Some selling firms may restrict the ability of their financial representatives to convey transaction requests by telephone or Internet on your behalf.
We will use reasonable procedures such as requiring certain identifying information, tape recording the
telephone instructions, and providing written confirmation of the transaction, in order to
confirm that instructions communicated by telephone, fax, Internet or other means are
genuine. Any telephone, fax or Internet instructions reasonably believed by us to be genuine will be your responsibility, including losses arising from any errors in the communication of instructions. As a
result of this policy, you will bear the risk of loss. If we do not employ reasonable
procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone, fax or Internet are genuine, we may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent transactions. All other requests and
elections under your contract must be in writing signed by the proper party, must include
any necessary documentation and must be received at our Annuity Service Center to be
effective. If acceptable to us, requests or elections relating to Beneficiaries and
Ownership will take effect as of the date signed unless we have already acted in reliance on the prior status. We are not responsible for the validity of any written request or action.
We are not a fiduciary and do not give advice or make recommendations regarding insurance or investment
products. Ask your financial representative for guidance regarding any requests or
elections and for information about your particular investment needs. Please bear in mind
that your financial representative, or any financial firm or financial professional you consult to provide advice, is acting on your behalf. We are not a party to any agreement between you and your financial
professional. We do not recommend and are not responsible for any securities transactions
or investment strategies involving securities (including account recommendations).
Good Order. A request or transaction generally is considered in Good Order if it complies with our
administrative procedures and the required information is complete and accurate. A request or transaction may be rejected or delayed if not in Good Order. Good
Order generally means the actual receipt by us of the instructions relating to the
requested transaction in writing (or, when permitted, by telephone or Internet as described above) along with all forms, information and supporting legal documentation necessary to effect the
transaction. This information and documentation generally includes to the extent applicable
to the transaction: your completed application; your contract number; the transaction amount
(in dollars or percentage terms); the names and allocations to and/or from the Investment
Portfolios affected by the requested transaction; the signatures of all contract Owners
(exactly as indicated on the contract), if necessary; Social Security Number or Tax I.D.;
and any other information or supporting documentation that we may require, including any
spousal or Joint Owner’s consents. With respect to Purchase Payments, Good Order also generally includes receipt by us of sufficient funds to effect the purchase. 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 requirement at any time. If you have any questions, you
should contact us or your financial representative before submitting the form or
request.
Telephone and Computer Systems. Telephone and computer systems may not always be available. Any telephone or computer system, whether it is yours,
your service provider's, your agent's, or ours, can experience outages or slowdowns for a
variety of reasons. These outages or slowdowns may delay or prevent our processing of your
request. Although we have taken precautions to help our systems handle heavy use, we cannot promise complete reliability under all circumstances. If you experience technical difficulties or problems, you
should make your transaction request in writing to our Annuity Service Center.
Confirming Transactions. We will send out written statements confirming that a transaction was recently completed. Unless you inform us of any errors
within 60 days of receipt, we will consider these communications to be accurate and
complete.
Ownership
Owner. You, as the Owner of the contract, have all the interest and rights under the contract.
89
These rights include the right
to:
•change the Beneficiary.
•change the Annuitant before the Annuity Date (subject to our underwriting and administrative rules).
•assign the contract (subject to limitation).
•change the payment option.
•exercise all other rights, benefits, options and privileges allowed by the contract or
us.
The Owner is as designated at the time the contract is issued, unless changed. Any change of Owner is
subject to our underwriting rules in effect at the time of the request.
Joint Owner. The contract can be owned by Joint Owners, limited to two natural persons. Upon the death of either Owner, the surviving Owner will be the primary Beneficiary. Any other Beneficiary designation
will be treated as a contingent Beneficiary unless otherwise indicated.
Beneficiary. The Beneficiary is the person(s) or entity you name to receive any death benefit. The Beneficiary is named at the time the contract is issued unless
changed at a later date. Unless an irrevocable Beneficiary has been named, you can change
the Beneficiary at any time before you die. If Joint Owners are named, unless you tell us
otherwise, the surviving Joint Owner will be the primary Beneficiary. Any other Beneficiary
designation will be treated as a contingent Beneficiary (unless you tell us
otherwise).
Abandoned Property Requirements. Every state has unclaimed property laws which generally declare non-ERISA annuity contracts to be abandoned after a period of inactivity of three to five years from the
contract’s maturity date (the latest day on which annuity payments may begin under
the contract), the date the death benefit is due and payable, or such other date as required by state law. Contracts purchased through certain qualified plans, including IRAs and Roth IRAs, may be subject to
special or additional abandoned property rules under state law. 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 paid to the abandoned
property division or unclaimed property office of the state in which the Beneficiary or the Owner last resided, as shown on our books and records, or to our
state of domicile. (Escheatment is the formal, legal name for this process.) However, 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 your contract's proceeds from being paid to the state's abandoned or unclaimed property office, it is important that you update your Beneficiary
designations, including addresses, if and as they change. Please call (888) 243-1932 to
make such changes.
Annuitant. The Annuitant is the natural person(s) on whose life we base Annuity Payments. You can change the Annuitant at any time prior to the Annuity Date,
unless an Owner is not a natural person. Any reference to Annuitant includes any joint
Annuitant under an Annuity Option. The Owner and the Annuitant do not have to be the same
person except as required under certain sections of the Internal Revenue Code.
Assignment. You can assign a Non-Qualified Contract at any time during your lifetime. We will not be bound by the assignment until the written notice of the
assignment is recorded by us. We will not be liable for any payment or other action we take
in accordance with the contract before we record the assignment. An assignment may
be a taxable event.
If the contract is issued pursuant to a qualified plan, there may be limitations on your ability to assign the contract.
Legal Proceedings
In the ordinary course of business, Brighthouse, similar to other life insurance companies, is involved
in lawsuits (including class action lawsuits), arbitrations and other legal proceedings.
Also, from time to time, state and federal regulators or other officials conduct formal and informal examinations or undertake other actions dealing with various aspects of the financial services and
insurance industries. In some legal proceedings involving insurers, substantial damages
have been sought and/or material settlement payments have been made.
It is not possible to predict with certainty the ultimate
outcome of any pending legal proceeding or regulatory action. However, Brighthouse does not
believe any such action or proceeding will have a material adverse effect upon the Separate
Account or upon the ability of Brighthouse Securities, LLC to perform its contract with the
Separate Account or of Brighthouse to meet its obligations under the contracts.
90
Financial Statements
Our financial statements and the financial statements of the Separate Account have been included in the
SAI.
91
APPENDIX A
Investment
Portfolios Available Under the Contract
The following is a list of Investment Portfolios under the Contract. More information about the Investment Portfolios is
available in the prospectuses for the Investment Portfolios, which may be amended from time to time and can be found online at https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF54. You can also request this information at no cost by calling (888)
243-1932 or sending an email request to [email protected]. Depending on the optional benefits you choose, you may not be able to invest in certain Investment Portfolios. See Appendix B: Investment Portfolios Available Under the Benefits Offered Under the Contract.
The availability of the Investment Portfolios may vary depending on the selling firm through which your Contract is sold. See Appendix F: Financial Intermediary Variations.
The current expenses and performance information below reflects fees and expenses
of the Investment Portfolio, but do not reflect the other fees and expenses that your Contract may charge. Expenses would be higher and performance would be lower if these other charges were included. Each Investment Portfolio’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of future performance.
| Investment Objectives |
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025) | ||
| 1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year | |||
| Seeks high total investment return. |
BlackRock Global Allocation V.I.
Fund — Class III# BlackRock Advisors, LLC Subadviser: BlackRock
(Singapore) Limited |
1.01% |
19.42% |
5.51% |
7.33% |
| Seeks capital appreciation and
current income. |
AB Global Dynamic Allocation
Portfolio — Class B* Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: AllianceBernstein
L.P. |
0.92% |
11.56% |
3.05% |
4.77% |
| Seeks to maximize total return. |
AB International Bond
Portfolio — Class B
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: AllianceBernstein L.P. |
0.87% |
7.77% |
0.45% |
— |
| Seeks long-term capital appreciation. |
Allspring Mid Cap Value
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Allspring Global
Investments, LLC |
1.00% |
5.77% |
9.59% |
9.11% |
| Seeks growth of capital. |
American Funds® Aggressive
Allocation Portfolio — Class C‡ Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC |
0.99% |
19.90% |
9.30% |
10.88% |
| Seeks a balance between a high level
of current income and growth of
capital, with a greater emphasis on
growth of capital. |
American Funds® Balanced
Allocation Portfolio — Class C‡ Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC |
0.96% |
17.02% |
7.26% |
8.99% |
| Seeks to achieve growth of capital. |
American Funds® Growth
Portfolio — Class C
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC; Capital Research and
Management CompanySM |
0.90% |
19.88% |
13.02% |
17.60% |
A-1
| Investment Objectives |
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025) | ||
| 1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year | |||
| Seeks a high total return in the form
of income and growth of capital,
with a greater emphasis on income. |
American Funds® Moderate
Allocation Portfolio — Class C‡ Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC |
0.95% |
14.46% |
5.71% |
7.30% |
| Seeks capital appreciation and
current income. |
BlackRock Global Tactical Strategies
Portfolio — Class B#* Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: BlackRock Financial
Management, Inc. |
0.94% |
11.44% |
3.54% |
5.10% |
| Seeks to maximize total return,
consistent with income generation
and prudent investment
management. |
BlackRock High Yield
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: BlackRock Financial
Management, Inc. |
0.88% |
8.93% |
4.68% |
6.35% |
| Seeks growth of capital. |
Brighthouse Asset Allocation 100
Portfolio — Class B‡ Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC |
0.96% |
17.06% |
8.63% |
10.70% |
| Seeks a balance between a high level
of current income and growth of
capital, with a greater emphasis on
growth of capital. |
Brighthouse Balanced Plus
Portfolio — Class B* Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Overlay Portion:
Pacific Investment Management Company
LLC |
1.17% |
11.95% |
1.31% |
5.83% |
| Seeks long-term capital appreciation. |
Brighthouse Small Cap Value
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Allspring Global
Investments, LLC |
1.03% |
-3.21% |
6.43% |
8.07% |
| Seeks a high level of current income. |
Brighthouse/Eaton Vance Floating
Rate Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Eaton Vance
Management |
0.95% |
3.81% |
4.75% |
4.59% |
| Seeks a high level of current income,
while seeking preservation of
shareholders’ capital. |
Brighthouse/Franklin Low Duration
Total Return Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Franklin Advisers,
Inc. |
0.75% |
5.25% |
2.14% |
2.23% |
| Seeks total return through
investment in real estate securities,
emphasizing both capital
appreciation and current income. |
CBRE Global Real Estate
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: CBRE Investment
Management Listed Real Assets
LLC |
0.91% |
6.75% |
4.03% |
3.95% |
A-2
| Investment Objectives |
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025) | ||
| 1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year | |||
| Seeks long-term capital appreciation. |
Harris Oakmark International
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Harris Associates
L.P. |
0.97% |
32.78% |
6.46% |
6.74% |
| Seeks total return. |
Invesco Balanced-Risk Allocation
Portfolio — Class B#* Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Invesco Advisers,
Inc. |
0.97% |
13.14% |
3.77% |
5.80% |
| Seeks capital growth and income. |
Invesco Comstock
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Invesco Advisers,
Inc. |
0.81% |
17.31% |
15.15% |
11.83% |
| Seeks capital appreciation. |
Invesco Global Equity
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Invesco Advisers,
Inc. |
0.83% |
15.60% |
7.30% |
11.00% |
| Seeks long-term growth of capital. |
Invesco Small Cap Growth
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Invesco Advisers,
Inc. |
0.99% |
5.83% |
-0.91% |
9.00% |
| Seeks to maximize total return. |
JPMorgan Core Bond
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: J.P. Morgan
Investment Management Inc.
|
0.70% |
6.95% |
-0.19% |
2.02% |
| Seeks capital appreciation and
current income. |
JPMorgan Global Active Allocation
Portfolio — Class B#* Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: J.P. Morgan
Investment Management Inc.
|
0.98% |
13.92% |
3.68% |
5.77% |
| Seeks high total investment return
through a combination of capital
appreciation and income. |
Loomis Sayles Global Allocation
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Loomis, Sayles &
Company, L.P. |
1.04% |
12.59% |
6.25% |
9.22% |
| Seeks long-term growth of capital. |
Loomis Sayles Growth
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Loomis, Sayles &
Company, L.P. |
0.80% |
14.90% |
14.77% |
13.91% |
A-3
| Investment Objectives |
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025) | ||
| 1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year | |||
| Seeks a balance between growth of
capital and current income, with a
greater emphasis on growth of
capital. |
MetLife Multi-Index Targeted Risk
Portfolio — Class B* Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Overlay Portion:
MetLife Investment Management,
LLC |
0.62% |
9.08% |
2.93% |
5.31% |
| Seeks capital appreciation. |
MFS® Research International
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Massachusetts
Financial Services Company
|
0.81% |
22.41% |
5.54% |
7.57% |
| Seeks total return. |
PanAgora Global Diversified Risk
Portfolio — Class B#* Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: PanAgora Asset
Management, Inc. |
1.01% |
19.84% |
0.66% |
5.01% |
| Seeks maximum real return,
consistent with preservation of
capital and prudent investment
management. |
PIMCO Inflation Protected Bond
Portfolio — Class B
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Pacific Investment Management Company LLC |
1.38% |
7.74% |
1.15% |
3.09% |
| Seeks maximum total return,
consistent with the preservation of
capital and prudent investment
management. |
PIMCO Total Return
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Pacific Investment
Management Company LLC
|
0.83% |
8.90% |
-0.07% |
2.30% |
| Seeks capital appreciation and
current income. |
Schroders Global Multi-Asset
Portfolio — Class B#* Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Schroder Investment
Management North America
Inc. |
0.96% |
9.85% |
4.28% |
5.28% |
| Seeks to provide total return,
primarily through capital
appreciation. |
State Street Emerging Markets
Enhanced Index
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: SSGA Funds
Management, Inc |
0.80% |
34.14% |
6.04% |
— |
| Seeks growth of capital and income. |
State Street Moderate ETF
Portfolio — Class B‡ Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: SSGA Funds
Management, Inc. |
0.75% |
16.78% |
7.19% |
7.85% |
A-4
| Investment Objectives |
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025) | ||
| 1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year | |||
| Seeks growth of capital. |
State Street Moderately Aggressive
ETF Portfolio — Class B‡ Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: SSGA Funds
Management, Inc. |
0.78% |
19.23% |
9.01% |
9.31% |
| Seeks long-term capital appreciation
by investing in common stocks
believed to be undervalued. Income
is a secondary objective. |
T. Rowe Price Large Cap Value
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: T. Rowe Price
Associates, Inc. |
0.78% |
12.05% |
10.28% |
10.09% |
| Seeks long-term growth of capital. |
T. Rowe Price Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: T. Rowe Price
Associates, Inc.
Sub-Subadviser: T. Rowe Price
Investment Management, Inc. |
0.95% |
3.42% |
3.83% |
9.77% |
| Seeks high total return by investing
in equity securities of mid-sized
companies. |
Victory Sycamore Mid Cap Value
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Victory Capital
Management Inc. |
0.85% |
2.29% |
9.62% |
9.58% |
| Seeks a high level of current income,
consistent with preservation of
principal. |
Western Asset Management
Government Income
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Western Asset
Management Company LLC
|
0.74% |
7.21% |
-1.27% |
1.21% |
| Seeks long-term growth of capital. |
Baillie Gifford International Stock
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Baillie Gifford
Overseas Limited |
0.99% |
18.96% |
0.70% |
7.34% |
| Seeks a competitive total return
primarily from investing in fixed-
income securities. |
BlackRock Bond Income
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: BlackRock Advisors,
LLC |
0.63% |
7.68% |
-0.42% |
2.12% |
| Seeks long-term growth of capital. |
BlackRock Capital Appreciation
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: BlackRock Advisors,
LLC |
0.81% |
12.91% |
10.79% |
15.51% |
A-5
| Investment Objectives |
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025) | ||
| 1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year | |||
| Seeks a high level of current income
consistent with prudent investment
risk and preservation of capital. |
BlackRock Ultra-Short Term Bond
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: BlackRock Advisors,
LLC |
0.62% |
3.89% |
2.83% |
1.85% |
| Seeks a high level of current income,
with growth of capital as a
secondary objective. |
Brighthouse Asset Allocation 20
Portfolio — Class B#‡ Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC |
0.93% |
9.25% |
2.06% |
3.97% |
| Seeks high total return in the form of
income and growth of capital, with a
greater emphasis on income. |
Brighthouse Asset Allocation 40
Portfolio — Class B‡ Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC |
0.91% |
11.50% |
3.84% |
5.69% |
| Seeks a balance between a high level
of current income and growth of
capital, with a greater emphasis on
growth of capital. |
Brighthouse Asset Allocation 60
Portfolio — Class B‡ Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC |
0.91% |
13.77% |
5.55% |
7.47% |
| Seeks growth of capital. |
Brighthouse Asset Allocation 80
Portfolio — Class B‡ Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC |
0.93% |
15.63% |
7.18% |
9.22% |
| Seeks long-term capital growth. |
Brighthouse/Artisan Mid Cap Value
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Artisan Partners
Limited Partnership |
1.03% |
1.57% |
6.77% |
8.05% |
| Seeks long-term capital appreciation. |
Brighthouse/Dimensional
International Small Company
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Dimensional Fund
Advisors LP |
1.03% |
35.85% |
8.30% |
8.14% |
| Seeks to provide a growing stream of
income over time and, secondarily,
long-term capital appreciation and
current income. |
Brighthouse/Wellington Core Equity
Opportunities Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Wellington
Management Company LLP
|
0.87% |
7.54% |
8.02% |
10.45% |
| Seeks maximum capital
appreciation. |
Frontier Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Frontier Capital
Management Company, LLC
|
0.94% |
4.90% |
3.52% |
9.88% |
| Seeks long-term growth of capital. |
Jennison Growth
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Jennison Associates
LLC |
0.79% |
13.72% |
10.01% |
16.41% |
A-6
| Investment Objectives |
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025) | ||
| 1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year | |||
| Seeks to track the performance of
the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond
Index. |
MetLife Aggregate Bond Index
Portfolio — Class G# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: MetLife Investment
Management, LLC |
0.56% |
6.79% |
-0.92% |
1.46% |
| Seeks to track the performance of
the Standard & Poor’s MidCap
400® Composite Stock Price
Index. |
MetLife Mid Cap Stock Index
Portfolio — Class G
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: MetLife Investment Management, LLC |
0.60% |
6.82% |
8.48% |
10.10% |
| Seeks to track the performance of
the MSCI EAFE® Index. |
MetLife MSCI EAFE® Index
Portfolio — Class G
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: MetLife Investment Management, LLC |
0.67% |
30.71% |
8.30% |
7.71% |
| Seeks to track the performance of
the Russell 2000® Index. |
MetLife Russell 2000® Index
Portfolio — Class G
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: MetLife Investment Management, LLC |
0.60% |
12.37% |
5.68% |
9.22% |
| Seeks to track the performance of
the Standard & Poor’s 500®
Composite Stock Price Index. |
MetLife Stock Index
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: MetLife Investment
Management, LLC |
0.52% |
17.28% |
13.84% |
14.24% |
| Seeks capital appreciation. |
MFS® Value Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Massachusetts
Financial Services Company
|
0.83% |
13.00% |
9.84% |
9.99% |
| Seeks high total return, consisting
principally of capital appreciation. |
Neuberger Berman Genesis
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Neuberger Berman
Investment Advisers LLC
|
1.06% |
-4.74% |
2.62% |
8.86% |
| Seeks long-term growth of capital. |
T. Rowe Price Large Cap Growth
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: T. Rowe Price
Associates, Inc. |
0.81% |
15.45% |
9.37% |
14.10% |
| Seeks to maximize total return
consistent with preservation of
capital. |
Western Asset Management Strategic
Bond Opportunities
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Western Asset
Management Company LLC
|
0.82% |
8.88% |
1.17% |
3.77% |
A-7
| Investment Objectives |
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser |
Current
Expenses |
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025) | ||
| 1
Year |
5
Year |
10
Year | |||
| Seeks to maximize total return
consistent with preservation of
capital and maintenance of liquidity. |
Western Asset Management
U.S. Government
Portfolio — Class B# Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC Subadviser: Western Asset
Management Company LLC
|
0.75% |
6.81% |
0.35% |
1.57% |
| Seeks long-term growth of capital. |
Janus Henderson Global Sustainable
Equity Portfolio — Service Shares# Janus Henderson Investors US LLC |
0.99% |
17.26% |
— |
— |
#
Certain Investment Portfolios and
their investment advisers have entered into temporary expense reimbursements and/or fee waivers, which are reflected in the Current Expenses. Please see the Investment Portfolios' prospectuses for additional information regarding these arrangements.
*
This Investment Portfolio is managed
in a way that is intended to minimize volatility of returns (referred to as a “managed volatility strategy”). See “Principal Risks of Investing in the
Contract.”
‡
This
Investment Portfolio is a fund of funds and invests substantially all of its assets in other
underlying funds. Because the Investment Portfolio invests in other funds, it will bear its pro rata portion of the operating expenses of those underlying funds, including the management fee.
A-8
APPENDIX B
Investment
Portfolios Available Under the Benefits Offered Under the Contract
If you have elected an optional benefit under the contract, your contract may be subject to investment allocation restrictions, as reflected in the following table. See “Investment Allocation Restrictions for Certain Riders” for more details. If your optional benefit is not included in the table below, your contract is not currently subject to any investment allocation restrictions.
| Optional Benefit |
| GWB v1 |
| FlexChoice Access GLWB |
| FlexChoice GLWB |
You may not allocate Purchase Payments to the Standard Dollar Cost Averaging Program if you elect any of these optional benefits.
Investment Allocation and Other Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GWB v1 Rider
GWB v1 Rider. If you elect the GWB v1 rider, you may allocate your Purchase Payments and
Account Value only among the following Investment Portfolios:
| AB Global Dynamic Allocation Portfolio |
| BlackRock Global Tactical Strategies Portfolio |
| Brighthouse Balanced Plus Portfolio |
| Invesco Balanced-Risk Allocation Portfolio |
| JPMorgan Global Active Allocation Portfolio |
| MetLife Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio |
| MetLife Multi-Index Targeted Risk Portfolio |
| PanAgora Global Diversified Risk Portfolio |
| Schroders Global Multi-Asset Portfolio |
| Western Asset Management Government Income Portfolio |
Investment Allocation and Other
Purchase Payment Restrictions for the GLWB
FlexChoice Access GLWB (available for purchase on and after February 12, 2018). If you elect the
FlexChoice Access GLWB, you must allocate your investments according to either Option A or Option B below.
Option A. You must allocate 100% of your Purchase Payments or Account Value
among:
| AB Global Dynamic Allocation Portfolio |
| American Funds® Balanced Allocation Portfolio |
| American Funds® Moderate Allocation Portfolio |
| BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund |
| BlackRock Global Tactical Strategies Portfolio |
| Brighthouse Asset Allocation 20 Portfolio |
| Brighthouse Asset Allocation 40 Portfolio |
| Brighthouse Asset Allocation 60 Portfolio |
| Brighthouse Balanced Plus Portfolio |
| Invesco Balanced-Risk Allocation Portfolio |
| JPMorgan Global Active Allocation Portfolio |
| Loomis Sayles Global Allocation Portfolio |
| MetLife Multi-Index Targeted Risk Portfolio |
| PanAgora Global Diversified Risk Portfolio |
| Schroders Global Multi-Asset Portfolio |
| State Street Moderate ETF Portfolio |
OR
Option B. You must allocate up to 70% of Purchase Payments or
Account Value to Platform 1 portfolios; and at least 30% of Purchase Payments or
Account Value to Platform 2 portfolios. We will automatically rebalance your allocations
quarterly. The investment options in each Platform are:
| Platform 1 |
Platform 2 |
| A maximum of 70% of Purchase Payments or
Account Value |
A minimum of 30% of Purchase Payments or
Account Value |
| AB Global Dynamic Allocation Portfolio |
AB International Bond Portfolio |
B-1
| Platform 1 |
Platform 2 |
| A maximum of 70% of Purchase Payments or
Account Value |
A minimum of 30% of Purchase Payments or
Account Value |
| Allspring Mid Cap Value Portfolio |
BlackRock Bond Income Portfolio |
| American Funds® Aggressive Allocation
Portfolio |
BlackRock High Yield Portfolio |
| American Funds® Balanced Allocation
Portfolio |
BlackRock Ultra-Short Term Bond Portfolio |
| American Funds® Growth Portfolio
|
Brighthouse/Eaton Vance Floating Rate Portfolio |
| American Funds® Moderate Allocation
Portfolio |
Brighthouse/Franklin Low Duration Total Return Portfolio
|
| Baillie Gifford International Stock Portfolio |
JPMorgan Core Bond Portfolio |
| BlackRock Capital Appreciation Portfolio |
MetLife Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio |
| BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund |
PIMCO Inflation Protected Bond Portfolio |
| BlackRock Global Tactical Strategies Portfolio |
PIMCO Total Return Portfolio |
| Brighthouse Asset Allocation 100 Portfolio |
Western Asset Management Government Income Portfolio |
| Brighthouse Asset Allocation 20 Portfolio |
Western Asset Management Strategic Bond Opportunities
Portfolio |
| Brighthouse Asset Allocation 40 Portfolio |
Western Asset Management U.S. Government Portfolio |
| Brighthouse Asset Allocation 60 Portfolio |
|
| Brighthouse Asset Allocation 80 Portfolio |
|
| Brighthouse Balanced Plus Portfolio |
|
| Brighthouse Small Cap Value Portfolio |
|
| Brighthouse/Artisan Mid Cap Value Portfolio |
|
| Brighthouse/Dimensional International Small Company
Portfolio |
|
| Brighthouse/Wellington Core Equity Opportunities
Portfolio |
|
| CBRE Global Real Estate Portfolio |
|
| Frontier Mid Cap Growth Portfolio |
|
| Harris Oakmark International Portfolio |
|
| Invesco Balanced-Risk Allocation Portfolio |
|
| Invesco Comstock Portfolio |
|
| Invesco Global Equity Portfolio |
|
| Invesco Small Cap Growth Portfolio |
|
| Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity Portfolio |
|
| Jennison Growth Portfolio |
|
| JPMorgan Global Active Allocation Portfolio |
|
| Loomis Sayles Global Allocation Portfolio |
|
| Loomis Sayles Growth Portfolio |
|
| MetLife Mid Cap Stock Index Portfolio |
|
| MetLife MSCI EAFE® Index Portfolio
|
|
| MetLife Multi-Index Targeted Risk Portfolio |
|
| MetLife Russell 2000® Index Portfolio
|
|
| MetLife Stock Index Portfolio |
|
| MFS® Research International
Portfolio |
|
| MFS® Value Portfolio
|
|
| Neuberger Berman Genesis Portfolio |
|
| PanAgora Global Diversified Risk Portfolio |
|
| Schroders Global Multi-Asset Portfolio |
|
B-2
| Platform 1 |
Platform 2 |
| A maximum of 70% of Purchase Payments or
Account Value |
A minimum of 30% of Purchase Payments or
Account Value |
| State Street Emerging Markets Enhanced Index Portfolio |
|
| State Street Moderate ETF Portfolio |
|
| State Street Moderately Aggressive ETF Portfolio |
|
| T. Rowe Price Large Cap Growth Portfolio |
|
| T. Rowe Price Large Cap Value Portfolio |
|
| T. Rowe Price Mid Cap Growth Portfolio |
|
| Victory Sycamore Mid Cap Value Portfolio |
|
FlexChoice GLWB (available for purchase prior to February 12, 2018). For contracts issued with FlexChoice GLWB, you must allocate a minimum of 80% of your investments to
Platform 1 and you may allocate a maximum of 20% of your investment to Platform 2 below. You select the amount to invest (by percentage) in the funds under the contract,
but the amount of Purchase Payments or Account Value that
you allocate to the groups identified below must comply with the specified minimums or maximums percentages for those groups. We will automatically rebalance your
allocations quarterly.
| Platform 1 |
Platform 2 |
| A minimum of 80% of your Purchase Payments
or Account Value |
A maximum of 20% of Purchase Payments or
Account Value |
| AB Global Dynamic Allocation Portfolio |
American Funds® Balanced Allocation
Portfolio |
| BlackRock Global Tactical Strategies Portfolio |
American Funds® Moderate Allocation
Portfolio |
| Brighthouse Balanced Plus Portfolio |
Brighthouse Asset Allocation 20 Portfolio |
| Invesco Balanced-Risk Allocation Portfolio |
Brighthouse Asset Allocation 40 Portfolio |
| JPMorgan Global Active Allocation Portfolio |
Brighthouse Asset Allocation 60 Portfolio |
| MetLife Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio |
State Street Moderate ETF Portfolio |
| MetLife Multi-Index Targeted Risk Portfolio |
|
| PanAgora Global Diversified Risk Portfolio |
|
| Schroders Global Multi-Asset Portfolio |
|
| Western Asset Management Government Income Portfolio |
|
B-3
APPENDIX C
Guaranteed
Withdrawal Benefit Examples
The purpose of these examples is to illustrate the operation of the Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit (GWB) rider. The investment results shown are hypothetical and are not representative of past or future performance. Actual investment results may be more or less than those shown and will depend upon a number of factors, including investment allocations and the investment experience of the Investment Portfolios chosen. The examples do not reflect the
deduction of fees and expenses, withdrawal charges or income taxes and tax
penalties. The GWB rider does not establish or guarantee an Account Value or minimum return
for any Investment Portfolio. The Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount cannot be taken as a lump sum. If you become confined
to a nursing home, you may request a higher GWB Withdrawal Rate if you satisfy the conditions of the Payment Enhancement Feature. For a description of the conditions, see “Living Benefits – Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit – Payment Enhancement Feature.”
A.
GWB – Annual
Benefit Payment Continuing When Account Value Reaches Zero
When you purchase a contract and elect the optional GWB rider:
•your initial Account Value is equal to your initial Purchase Payment;
•your initial Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount (the minimum
amount you are guaranteed to receive over time) is equal to your initial Purchase Payment;
•your initial Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount (the
remaining minimum amount you are guaranteed to receive over time) is equal to the initial Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount; and
•your initial Annual Benefit Payment (the amount you may
withdraw each Contract Year without taking an Excess Withdrawal) is equal to the initial Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount multiplied by the applicable GWB Withdrawal
Rate (see “Living Benefits – Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit (GWB) – GWB Rate Table”).
The graphic example below shows how withdrawing the Annual
Benefit Payment each Contract Year reduces the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and Account Value. Assume that over time the Account Value is reduced to zero by the
effects of withdrawing the Annual Benefit Payment and poor market performance. If the Account Value reaches zero while a Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount still remains, we will begin making payments to you (equal, on an annual basis, to the Annual Benefit Payment) until the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is exhausted. The total amount withdrawn over the life of the contract will be equal to the initial Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount.
C-1
B.
GWB – Effect of an Excess Withdrawal
A
withdrawal that causes your total withdrawals in a Contract Year to exceed the Annual Benefit Payment is called an “Excess Withdrawal.”
As described in Example A above, if you do not take Excess Withdrawals, the GWB rider guarantees that the entire amount of Purchase Payments you make
will be returned to you through a series of withdrawals over time, even if your Account Value is reduced to zero. Non-Excess Withdrawals do not decrease the Total
Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount or Annual Benefit Payment, and decrease the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount by the dollar amount of the withdrawal.
If you do take an Excess Withdrawal, you will reduce the amount guaranteed be returned to you under the GWB rider. If you take an Excess Withdrawal, we will:
•reduce the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount in the same proportion that the Excess Withdrawal reduced the Account Value;
•reduce the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount in the same proportion that the Excess Withdrawal reduces the Account Value; and
•reduce the Annual Benefit Payment to the new Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount multiplied by the GWB Withdrawal Rate.
For example, if an Excess Withdrawal is equal to 10% of the Account Value, that
Excess Withdrawal will reduce both the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount by 10%, and the new Annual Benefit Payment will be calculated based on the reduced Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount.
C-2
These reductions in the Total Guaranteed
Withdrawal Amount, Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount, and Annual Benefit Payment may be significant, particularly when the Account Value at the time of the Excess
Withdrawal is lower than the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. An Excess Withdrawal that reduces the Account Value to zero will terminate the contract.
C.
GWB — Excess Withdrawals — Single Withdrawal vs. Multiple
Withdrawals
Assume you make an initial Purchase Payment of $100,000. Your initial Account Value
would be $100,000, your initial Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount would be $100,000, and your initial Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is $100,000. Also assume the GWB Withdrawal Rate is 5%, making your Annual Benefit Payment $5,000 ($100,000 x 5%).
Assume due to poor market performance your Account Value is reduced to $80,000 and you decide to make a $10,000 withdrawal, which reduces your Account Value to $70,000 ($80,000 – $10,000). Since your $10,000 withdrawal exceeds your Annual Benefit Payment of
$5,000, your Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount will be reduced in the same proportion that the withdrawal reduced the Account
Value. The reduction is equal to the withdrawal amount ($10,000) divided by the Account Value before such withdrawal ($80,000), which equals 12.5%. The Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount would be reduced to $87,500 ($100,000 reduced by 12.5%). In addition, after such withdrawal, the Annual Benefit Payment would be reset equal to $4,375 (5% x $87,500).
Assume instead that you withdrew $10,000 in two separate withdrawals (on different
days) of $5,000 and $5,000. Your first withdrawal of $5,000 reduces your Account Value to $75,000 ($80,000 – $5,000). Since your first withdrawal of $5,000 does not exceed your Annual Benefit Payment of $5,000, your Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is not reduced, and the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount is reduced by such withdrawal to $95,000. Your second withdrawal (on a subsequent day) of $5,000 reduces your Account Value to $70,000 ($75,000
– $5,000). Since your second withdrawal causes your cumulative withdrawals ($5,000 + $5,000 = $10,000) for the current Contract Year to exceed the Annual Benefit Payment of $5,000, your Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount will be reduced in the same proportion that the second withdrawal reduced the Account Value. The reduction is equal to the entire amount of the second withdrawal ($5,000) divided by the Account Value before such withdrawal ($75,000), which equals 6.7%. The Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount would be reduced to $93,300 ($100,000 reduced by 6.7%), and the Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount would be reduced to $88,635 ($95,000 reduced by 6.7%). In addition, after the second withdrawal, the Annual Benefit Payment would be reset equal to $4,665 (5% x $93,300).
D.
GWB – How the
Automatic Annual Step-Up Works
As described in Example A above, when you purchase a contract and elect the
optional GWB rider, the initial Account Value and Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount are equal to the initial Purchase Payment. The initial Annual Benefit Payment is
equal to the initial Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount multiplied by your GWB Withdrawal Rate.
Assume that on the first contract anniversary the Account Value is greater than the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. As shown in the graphic example below, the Automatic Annual Step-Up will increase the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount to equal the Account Value. The Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount will also be increased to equal the Account Value. The Annual Benefit Payment will be set equal to the newly recalculated Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount multiplied by the GWB Withdrawal Rate.
Assume that on the second contract anniversary the Account Value is once again
greater than the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. As shown in the graphic example below, the Automatic Annual Step-Up will again increase the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount to equal the Account Value. The Remaining Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount will also be increased to equal the Account Value. The Annual Benefit Payment will be set equal to the newly recalculated Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount multiplied by the GWB Withdrawal Rate.
Even if the Account Value decreases after the second contract anniversary,
the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount and Annual Benefit Payment will not decrease as long as you do not take Excess Withdrawals.
C-3
The graphic example below shows how the
Automatic Annual Step-Ups on the first and second contract anniversaries increase the Total Guaranteed Withdrawal Amount. It also shows the contract Owner choosing to
begin withdrawals of the Annual Benefit Payment on the fifth contract anniversary.
Automatic Annual Step-Ups may only occur on contract anniversaries prior to the Owner’s 86th birthday. If an Automatic Annual Step-Up occurs, we may reset the GWB rider charge to a rate that does not exceed the lower of: (a) the GWB Maximum Fee Rate (1.80%) or (b) the current rate that we would charge for the same rider available for new contract purchases at the time of the Automatic Annual Step-Up. If an Automatic Annual Step-Up would result in an increase in your GWB rider charge, we will notify you in writing a minimum of 30 days in advance of the applicable contract anniversary and inform you that you may choose to decline the Automatic Annual Step-Up.
C-4
APPENDIX D
Guaranteed
Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit Examples
The purpose of these examples is to illustrate the operation of the GLWB rider. The investment results shown are hypothetical and are not representative of past or future performance. Actual investment results may be more or less than those shown and will depend upon a number of factors, including investment allocations and the investment experience of the Investment Portfolios chosen. The examples do not reflect the deduction of fees and expenses,
withdrawal charges or income taxes and tax penalties. The GLWB rider does not
establish or guarantee an Account Value or minimum return for any Investment Portfolio. The Benefit Base cannot be taken as a lump sum. Values are rounded for display purposes only.
Benefit Base
The initial Benefit Base is equal to your initial Purchase Payment. The Benefit Base is increased by any additional Purchase Payments. The Benefit Base may also increase by the Rollup Rate, if applicable, and any Automatic Step-Ups, as described below. The Benefit Base may be reduced for certain types of withdrawals, as described below.
A. Withdrawals
Withdrawals Prior to the Lifetime
Withdrawal Age
There is no Annual Benefit Payment prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age, so any withdrawal that occurs prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age will decrease the Benefit Base in the same proportion that the withdrawal reduces the Account Value. This adjustment is calculated using the amount of the withdrawal (including withdrawal charges, if any) divided by the Account Value prior to the withdrawal (a “Proportional Adjustment”).
Example:
Assume you make an initial Purchase Payment of $100,000. Your initial Account Value would be $100,000 and your initial Benefit Base would be $100,000. Assume due to poor market performance your Account Value is reduced to $80,000 and you decide to make a $10,000 withdrawal. Since this withdrawal is made prior to the Lifetime Withdrawal Age, there will be a Proportional Adjustment to the Benefit Base. The Proportional Adjustment is equal to your withdrawal amount ($10,000) divided by your Account Value before such withdrawal ($80,000), which equals 12.5%. Your Benefit Base would be reduced to $87,500 ($100,000 reduced by 12.5%).
Withdrawals After
the Lifetime Withdrawal Age
Any withdrawal that occurs after the Lifetime Withdrawal Age is either a Non-Excess Withdrawal or an Excess Withdrawal.
A “Non-Excess Withdrawal” is a withdrawal that does not exceed, or cause the cumulative withdrawals for the current Contract Year to exceed, the Annual Benefit Payment. Non-Excess Withdrawals do not reduce the Benefit Base, but reduce your Account Value by the amount of each withdrawal.
An “Excess Withdrawal” is a withdrawal that exceeds, or causes the
cumulative withdrawals for the current Contract Year to exceed, the Annual Benefit Payment. Any Excess Withdrawal(s), and any subsequent withdrawals that occur in that
Contract Year, will result in a Proportional Adjustment to the Benefit
Base.
D-1
The Benefit Base is multiplied by the
applicable GLWB Withdrawal Rate while the Account Value is greater than zero to determine your Annual Benefit Payment. The Benefit Base is multiplied by the applicable
GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate to determine your Annual Benefit Payment if your Account Value is reduced to zero and lifetime payments are to begin.
Examples:
Assume you make an initial Purchase Payment of $100,000. Your initial Account Value would be $100,000 and your initial Benefit Base would be $100,000. Also assume the GLWB Withdrawal Rate is 5%, making your Annual Benefit Payment $5,000 ($100,000 x 5%).
Non-Excess Withdrawals
You decide to make a $5,000 withdrawal. Since this withdrawal is made after the Lifetime Withdrawal Age and does not exceed the Annual Benefit Payment of $5,000, your Benefit Base of $100,000 is not reduced by such withdrawal.
Excess Withdrawals
Assume due to poor market performance your Account Value is
reduced to $80,000 and you decide to make a $10,000 withdrawal, which reduces your Account Value to $70,000 ($80,000 – $10,000). Since your $10,000 withdrawal exceeds your Annual Benefit Payment of $5,000, there will be a Proportional Adjustment to your Benefit Base. The Proportional Adjustment is equal to the withdrawal amount ($10,000) divided by the Account Value before such withdrawal ($80,000), which equals 12.5%. The Benefit Base would be reduced to $87,500 ($100,000 reduced by 12.5%). In addition, after such withdrawal, the Annual Benefit Payment would be reset equal to $4,375 (5% x $87,500).
Assume instead that you withdrew $10,000 in
two separate withdrawals (on different days) of $5,000 and $5,000. Your first withdrawal of $5,000 reduces your Account Value to $75,000 ($80,000 – $5,000). Since your first withdrawal of $5,000 does not exceed your Annual Benefit Payment of $5,000, there is no Proportional Adjustment to your Benefit Base. Your second withdrawal (on a subsequent day) of $5,000 reduces your Account Value to $70,000 ($75,000 – $5,000). Since such withdrawal causes your cumulative withdrawals ($5,000 + $5,000 = $10,000) for the current Contract Year to exceed the Annual Benefit Payment of $5,000, there will be a Proportional Adjustment to the Benefit Base. The Proportional Adjustment is equal to the entire amount of the second withdrawal ($5,000) divided by the Account Value before such withdrawal ($75,000), which equals 6.7%. The Benefit Base would be reduced to $93,300 ($100,000 reduced by 6.7%).
B. Rollup Rate
On each contract anniversary on or before the Rollup Rate Period End Date, if no withdrawals occurred in the previous Contract Year, the Benefit Base will be increased by an amount equal to the Rollup Rate multiplied by the Benefit Base before such increase.
The Benefit Base will not be increased by the Rollup Rate if: (1) a withdrawal has
occurred in the Contract Year ending immediately prior to that contract anniversary, or (2) after the Rollup Rate Period End Date. The Rollup Rate is applied before deducting any rider charge and before taking into account any Automatic Step-Up occurring on such contract anniversary.
Example:
Assume you make an initial Purchase Payment of $100,000. Your initial Account Value would be $100,000 and your initial Benefit Base would be $100,000. Also assume the GLWB Withdrawal Rate is 5%, making your Annual Benefit Payment $5,000 ($100,000 x 5%).
If your Rollup Rate is 5%, your Benefit Base will increase by 5%
on each contract anniversary until the Rollup Rate Period End Date, provided that no withdrawals occur in the previous Contract Year. If a withdrawal is not taken in the
first Contract Year, your Benefit Base would increase to $105,000 ($100,000 x 105%). Also, if the Benefit Base is increased by the Rollup Rate, the Annual Benefit Payment will be recalculated to $5,250 ($105,000 × 5%).
If a withdrawal is taken in any Contract Year prior to the Rollup Rate Period End Date, the Benefit Base would not be increased by the Rollup Rate on the following contract anniversary.
D-2
After the Rollup Rate Period End Date,
the Benefit Base is not increased by the Rollup Rate.
C. Automatic Step-Up
On each contract anniversary prior to your 91st birthday, an Automatic
Step-Up will occur if the Account Value on that date exceeds the Benefit Base immediately before the Automatic Step-Up. An Automatic Step-Up: (1) increases the Benefit
Base to the Account Value; (2) increases the Annual Benefit Payment to equal the GLWB Withdrawal Rate multiplied by the Benefit Base after the Automatic Step-Up; and (3) may increase the rider charge.
Example:
Assume you make an initial Purchase Payment of $100,000. Your initial Account Value would be $100,000 and your initial Benefit Base would be $100,000. Also assume your Annual Benefit Payment $5,000 ($100,000 x 5%) but no withdrawals have been made so the GLWB Withdrawal Rate is not determined for the life of the rider by the first withdrawal. At the first contract anniversary, assume your Account Value has increased to $110,000 due to good market performance. The Automatic Step-Up will increase the Benefit Base from $100,000 to $110,000 and reset the Annual Benefit Payment to $5,500 ($110,000 x 5%).
At the second contract anniversary, assume your Account Value has
increased to $120,000 due to good market performance. The Automatic Step-Up will increase the Benefit Base from $110,000 to $120,000 and reset the Annual Benefit Payment to $6,000 ($120,000 x 5%).
On the third through the eighth contract anniversaries, assume
your Account Value does not exceed the Benefit Base due to poor market performance and no withdrawals are made. No Automatic Step-Up will take place on any of the third
through eighth contract anniversaries; however, the Benefit Base would increase by the Rollup Rate, as described above.
At the ninth contract anniversary, assume your Account Value has increased to $150,000 due to good market
performance, which is greater than the Benefit Base immediately before the contract anniversary. The Automatic Step-Up will increase the Benefit Base from $120,000 to $150,000. Also assume that you are now at an age that the GLWB Withdrawal Rate has increased from 5% to 6%. Your Annual Benefit Payment will be reset to $9,000 ($150,000 x 6%).
Illustrative GLWB Example
The graph below is an illustration that incorporates several concepts of the GLWB
rider.
Please note:
•The graph assumes no withdrawals occur until after the Lifetime Withdrawal Age.
•The graph assumes no withdrawals occur until the Rollup Rate Period End Date is
reached.
•The graph assumes Account Value fluctuation in order to
illustrate Automatic Step-Ups, followed by Account Value decline, reducing to zero in order to illustrate lifetime income payments.
•The graph assumes that the no change in the Annual Benefit
Payment when the Account Value is reduced to zero (the GLWB Withdrawal Rate and GLWB Lifetime Guarantee Rate are assumed to be the same).
•The graph shows the “Benefit Base had Automatic Step-Ups
not occurred” for the purpose of illustrating the impact of Automatic Step-Ups only (i.e., Benefit Base only increased by the Rollup Rate).
D-3
APPENDIX E
Principal
Protection Death Benefit Example
The investment results shown in the example below are hypothetical and are not representative of past or future performance. Actual investment results may be more or less than those shown and will depend upon a number of factors, including the investment allocation made by a contract Owner and the investment experience of the Investment Portfolios chosen. The example below does not reflect the deduction of fees and expenses, withdrawal charges
or income taxes and tax penalties. All amounts are rounded to the nearest
dollar.
This is the standard death benefit that is part of your Contract at no additional charge.The purpose of this example is to show how partial withdrawals reduce the standard death benefit proportionately by the percentage reduction in Account Value attributable to each partial withdrawal.
| |
|
Date |
Amount |
| A |
Initial Purchase Payment |
10/1/2026 |
$100,000 |
| B |
Account Value |
10/1/2027
(First Contract Anniversary) |
$104,000 |
| C |
Death Benefit |
As of 10/1/2027 |
$104,000
(= greater of A and B) |
| D |
Account Value |
10/1/2028
(Second Contract Anniversary) |
$90,000 |
| E |
Death Benefit |
10/1/2028 |
$100,000
(= greater of A and D) |
| F |
Withdrawal |
10/2/2028 |
$9,000 |
| G |
Percentage Reduction in Account
Value |
10/2/2028 |
10%
(= F/D) |
| H |
Account Value after Withdrawal |
10/2/2028 |
$81,000
(= D-F) |
| I |
Purchase Payments reduced for
Withdrawal |
As of 10/2/2028 |
$90,000
(= A-(A × G)) |
| J |
Death Benefit |
10/2/2028 |
$90,000 (=
greater of H and I) |
Notes to Example
Purchaser is age 60 at issue.
The Account Values on 10/1/2028 and 10/2/2028 are
assumed to be equal prior to the withdrawal.
E-1
APPENDIX F
Financial
Intermediary Variations
There may be variations in the availability of investment options, Contract benefits, and other Contract features described in this prospectus — including restrictions, limitations, and other variations — that we are not aware of but which may apply depending on the selling firm through which your Contract
was purchased or continues to be serviced. For example, your financial representative may not recommend a particular investment option or Contract benefit to you. Any
such variations are unknown to us. We cannot identify any such variations in this appendix without unreasonable effort or incurring unreasonable expense.
You should discuss with your financial representative any limitations,
restrictions, or other variations related to the investment options, Contract benefits, or other Contract features available to you through your financial representative.
F-1
The statement of additional
information (“SAI”) dated April 27, 2026 includes additional information about the Separate Account. The SAI is incorporated by reference. The SAI is available, without charge, upon request. For a free copy of the SAI, or to request other information about the Contract, and to make investor inquiries, call us at (888) 243-1932.
Reports and other information about the Separate Account are available on the SEC’s website at
https://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].
EDGAR Contract Identifier No. is C000168035 (Class S) and C000168036 (Class S-L Share
Option)
Statement of Additional Information
Individual Variable Deferred Annuity Contract
issued by
Brighthouse Variable Annuity Account B
and
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY
Class S
(offered on and after May 2, 2016)
Class S – L Share Option
(offered on and after May 2, 2016)
(offered on and after May 2, 2016)
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a
prospectus but relates to, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus dated April 27,
2026. A copy of the Individual Variable Deferred Annuity Contract Prospectus may be obtained by writing to Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY, P.O. Box 4301, Clinton, IA 52733-4301 or by calling (888) 243-1932, by visiting https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF54 or by accessing the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at http://www.sec.gov.
The SAI contains information in addition to the information described in the Prospectus for the Individual Variable Deferred Annuity Contract (the “Contract”) offered by Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY (“we”, “our”, or the “Company”). The Prospectus concisely sets forth information that a prospective investor ought to know before investing.
This Statement of Additional Information is dated April
27, 2026.
Book 756
SAI
1
COMPANY
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY (“BLNY” or the “Company”) is a stock
life insurance company organized under the laws of the State of New York in 1992. Prior to
March 6, 2017, BLNY was known as First MetLife Investors Insurance Company. (Prior to February 12, 2001, the Company was known as First Cova Life Insurance Company, and prior to June 1, 1995, it was known as
First Xerox Life Insurance Company.) BLNY is licensed to conduct business only in the State
of New York.
BLNY is a wholly-owned subsidiary of, and controlled by, Brighthouse Life Insurance Company
(“BLIC”). BLIC is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of, and ultimately
controlled by, Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (“BHF”), a publicly-traded company.
The Company was an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. until August 4, 2017,
when BHF became an independent, publicly-traded company following the completion of a separation transaction. BHF, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the largest providers of annuities
and life insurance in the U.S. BLNY’s executive offices are located at 285 Madison
Avenue, New York, NY 10017.
On November 6, 2025, BHF and Aquarian Capital LLC (“Aquarian”) announced that they had
entered into a definitive agreement under which an affiliate of Aquarian will acquire BHF.
This transaction is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions,
including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals. Subject to such approvals and the
satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions, the transaction is expected to be consummated
in 2026.
Upon the consummation of the transaction, Aquarian will become the ultimate parent of BHF, Brighthouse Life Insurance Company (“BLIC”) will remain
an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of BHF, and BLNY will remain a wholly-owned subsidiary
of BLIC. Although Aquarian will replace BHF as BLNY’s ultimate parent, BLNY will
continue in its present role as the issuer of your Contract. All of your rights and
benefits under your Contract and BLNY’s obligations under the Contract will remain
unchanged.
Termination of Net Worth Maintenance Agreement with
MetLife, Inc. On or about August 4, 2017, MetLife, Inc. (“MetLife”) terminated a net worth maintenance agreement with the Company. The net worth
maintenance agreement
was originally entered into between
MetLife and the Company on December 31, 2002. Under the agreement, MetLife had agreed,
without limitation as to the amount, to cause the Company to have certain minimum capital and
surplus levels and liquidity necessary to enable it to meet its current obligations on a
timely basis.
THE SEPARATE ACCOUNT
We have established a Separate Account, Brighthouse Variable Annuity Account B (the “Separate Account”), to hold the assets that underlie the contracts. The Board of Directors of our predecessor, First Xerox Life
Insurance Company, adopted a resolution to establish the Separate Account under New York
insurance law on December 31, 1992. We have registered the Separate Account with the SEC as
a unit investment trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Separate Account is divided into subaccounts.
SERVICES
BLNY maintains certain books and records of the Separate Account and provides certain issuance and other administrative services for the Contracts. Pursuant to a
services agreement, Computer Sciences Corporation, through its affiliate Alliance-One
Services, Inc. provides certain other administrative and recordkeeping services for the
Contracts as well as other contracts and policies issued by BLNY. The amount paid to Computer Sciences Corporation for the period January 1, 2023 through December 31,
2023 was
$929,634, for the period January 31, 2024 through December 31,
2024 was
$896,224,
and for the period January 1, 2025 through December 31,
2025 was
$1,110,553.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The financial statements comprising each of the Sub-Accounts of Brighthouse Variable Annuity Account B, incorporated by reference in this Statement of
Additional Information, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent
registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report. Such financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as experts in accounting and
auditing.
3
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR
The statutory-basis financial statements of Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY as of December 31,
2025 and 2024 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2025, incorporated by reference in this Statement of Additional Information, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent
auditor, as stated in their report which expresses an unqualified opinion on the
statutory-basis financial statements and an adverse opinion on accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America. Such financial statements are
incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as
experts in accounting and auditing.
The principal business address of Deloitte & Touche LLP is 650 South Tryon Street, Suite 1800, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202-3512.
CUSTODIAN
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY, 285 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017, is the custodian of
the assets of the Separate Account. The custodian has custody of all cash of the Separate
Account and handles the collection of proceeds of shares of the underlying funds bought and
sold by the Separate Account.
DISTRIBUTION
Information about the distribution of the contracts is contained in the prospectus. (See
“Distribution of the Contracts.”) Additional information is provided below.
Currently the contract is not available for new sales.
Brighthouse Securities, LLC (Distributor) serves as principal underwriter for the contracts. The Distributor and the Company are affiliates because they are both
under common control of Brighthouse Financial, Inc. The Distributor’s principal
business address is located at 11225 North Community House Road, Charlotte, NC 28277.
Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member of the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Distributor has entered into selling agreements with other broker-dealers (“selling firms”) and compensates them for their services.
The following table shows the amount of commissions paid
to and the amount of
commissions retained by the Distributor:
| Fiscal year
|
Aggregate Amount
of Commissions Paid to Distributor |
Aggregate Amount
of Commissions Retained by Distributor After Payments to
Selling Firms |
| 2025 |
$94.595,394 |
$0 |
| 2024 |
$80,082,297 |
$0 |
| 2023 |
$71,755,585 |
$0 |
Distributor passes through commissions to selling firms for their sales. In addition we pay compensation
to Distributor to offset its expenses, including compensation costs, marketing and
distribution expenses, advertising, wholesaling, printing, and other expenses of distributing
the contracts.
As noted in the prospectus, we and Distributor pay compensation to all selling firms in the form of commissions and certain types of non-cash compensation.
We and Distributor may pay additional compensation to selected firms, including marketing
allowances, introduction fees, persistency payments, preferred status fees and industry
conference fees. The terms of any particular agreement governing compensation may vary
among selling firms and the amounts may be significant. The amount of additional
compensation (non-commission amounts) paid to selected selling firms during 2025 ranged from $186 to $1,461,914.* The
amount of commissions paid to selected selling firms during 2025 ranged from $83 to
$20,061,227. The amount of total compensation (includes non-commission as well as commission amounts) paid to selected selling firms during 2025 ranged from
$83 to $21,523,141.*
* For purposes of calculating this range, the additional compensation (non-commission) amounts received
by a selling firm includes additional compensation received by the firm for the sale of
insurance products issued by our affiliate Brighthouse Life Insurance Company.
The following list sets forth the names of selling firms that received additional compensation in
2025 in connection with the sale of our variable annuity contracts, variable life policies and other insurance products
(including the contracts offered by the prospectus). The selling firms are listed in
alphabetical order.
4
American Portfolios Financial
Services, Inc.
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Ameritas Investment Corp.
Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc.
BNY Mellon Securities Corporation
Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.
Capital Investments Group, Inc.
Centaurus Financial, Inc.
Cetera Advisors LLC
Cetera Advisor Networks LLC
Cetera Financial Specialists LLC
Cetera Investment Services LLC
CFD Investments, Inc.
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
Citizens Securities, Inc.
Commonwealth Financial Network
Equitable Advisors, LLC
Equity Services, Inc.
FSC Securities Corporation
Geneos Wealth Management, Inc.
Gradient Securities, LLC
GWN Securities Inc.
Hornor, Townsend & Kent, LLC
Independent Financial Group, LLC
Infinex Investments, Inc.
Integrity Alliance, LLC
Investacorp Advisory Services, Inc.
Janney Montgomery Scott LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
J.W. Cole Financial, Inc.
Kestra Investment Services, LLC
Key Investment Services LLC
Lifemark Securities Corp.
Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation
Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc.
Lion Street Financial, LLC
LPL Financial Corp. Affiliates
LPL Financial LLC
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc
MML Investors Services, LLC
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.
OSAIC Wealth, Inc.
Park Avenue Securities LLC
PFS Investments Inc.
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Ameritas Investment Corp.
Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc.
BNY Mellon Securities Corporation
Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.
Capital Investments Group, Inc.
Centaurus Financial, Inc.
Cetera Advisors LLC
Cetera Advisor Networks LLC
Cetera Financial Specialists LLC
Cetera Investment Services LLC
CFD Investments, Inc.
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
Citizens Securities, Inc.
Commonwealth Financial Network
Equitable Advisors, LLC
Equity Services, Inc.
FSC Securities Corporation
Geneos Wealth Management, Inc.
Gradient Securities, LLC
GWN Securities Inc.
Hornor, Townsend & Kent, LLC
Independent Financial Group, LLC
Infinex Investments, Inc.
Integrity Alliance, LLC
Investacorp Advisory Services, Inc.
Janney Montgomery Scott LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
J.W. Cole Financial, Inc.
Kestra Investment Services, LLC
Key Investment Services LLC
Lifemark Securities Corp.
Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation
Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc.
Lion Street Financial, LLC
LPL Financial Corp. Affiliates
LPL Financial LLC
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc
MML Investors Services, LLC
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.
OSAIC Wealth, Inc.
Park Avenue Securities LLC
PFS Investments Inc.
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Robert W. Baird &
Co
Rockerfeller Capital Management.
Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.
SagePoint Financial, Inc.
Santander Securities LLC
Securities America, Inc.
Securities Service Network, LLC
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
The Leaders Group, Inc.
Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc.
Triad Advisors LLC
Truist Investment Services, Inc.
UBS Financial Services Inc.
United Planners Financial Services of America A Limited Partner
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
ValMark Securities, Inc.
Vanderbilt Securities, LLC
Voya Financial Advisors, Inc.
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Woodbury Financial Services, Inc.
Rockerfeller Capital Management.
Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.
SagePoint Financial, Inc.
Santander Securities LLC
Securities America, Inc.
Securities Service Network, LLC
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
The Leaders Group, Inc.
Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc.
Triad Advisors LLC
Truist Investment Services, Inc.
UBS Financial Services Inc.
United Planners Financial Services of America A Limited Partner
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
ValMark Securities, Inc.
Vanderbilt Securities, LLC
Voya Financial Advisors, Inc.
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Woodbury Financial Services, Inc.
There are other broker dealers who receive compensation for servicing our contracts, and the Account Value of the contracts or the amount of added Purchase
Payments received may be included in determining their additional compensation, if
any.
Reduction or Elimination of the Withdrawal Charge
The amount of the withdrawal charge on the contracts may be reduced or eliminated when sales of the contracts are made to individuals or to a group of
individuals in a manner that results in savings of sales expenses. The entitlement to
reduction of the withdrawal charge will be determined by the Company after examination of all the relevant factors such as:
1.
The size and type of group to which sales are to be made will be considered. Generally, the sales expenses for a larger group are less than for a smaller
group because of the ability to implement large numbers of contracts with fewer sales
contacts.
2.
The total amount of Purchase Payments to be received will be considered. Per contract sales expenses are likely to be less on larger Purchase Payments than
on smaller ones.
5
3.
Any
prior or existing relationship with the Company will be considered. Per contract sales expenses are likely to be less when there is a prior existing relationship because of the likelihood of implementing the
contract with fewer sales contacts.
4.
There may be other circumstances, of which the Company is not presently aware, which could result in reduced sales expenses.
If, after consideration of the foregoing factors, the Company
determines that there will be a reduction in sales expenses, the Company may provide for a reduction or elimination of the withdrawal charge.
The withdrawal charge may be eliminated when the contracts are issued to an officer, director or employee of the Company or any of its affiliates. In no
event will any reduction or elimination of the withdrawal charge be permitted where the
reduction or elimination will be unfairly discriminatory to any person. In lieu of a
withdrawal charge waiver, we may provide an Account Value credit.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Historical Unit Values
The Company may show historical Accumulation Unit values in certain advertisements containing illustrations. These illustrations will be based on actual
Accumulation Unit values.
In addition, the Company may distribute sales literature which compares the percentage change in Accumulation Unit values for any of the against established
market indices such as the Standard & Poor’s 500 Composite Stock Price Index, the
Dow Jones Industrial Average or other management investment companies which have investment
objectives similar to the Investment Portfolio being compared. The Standard &
Poor’s 500 Composite Stock Price Index is an unmanaged, unweighted average of 500
stocks, the majority of which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The Dow Jones
Industrial Average is an unmanaged, weighted average of thirty blue chip industrial
corporations listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Both the Standard & Poor’s
500 Composite Stock Price Index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average assume quarterly
reinvestment of dividends.
Reporting Agencies
The Company may also distribute sales literature which compares the performance of the Accumulation Unit
values of the contracts with the unit values of variable annuities issued by other
insurance companies. Such information may be derived from an entity such as Morningstar which may provide statistical data that tracks the performance of thousands of investment companies. Information
compiled from such a service may or may not reflect the deduction of asset-based insurance
charges. The Company’s sales literature utilizing these rankings will indicate whether or not such charges have been deducted. Where the charges have not been deducted, the sales literature will
indicate that if the charges had been deducted, and any information concerning rankings
means the ranking might have been lower.
ANNUITY PROVISIONS
Variable Annuity
A variable annuity is an annuity with payments which: (1) are not predetermined as to dollar amount; and
(2) will vary in amount in proportion to the amount that the net investment factor exceeds
the assumed investment return selected.
The Adjusted Contract Value (the Account Value, less any applicable premium taxes, account fee, and any prorated rider charge) will be applied to the applicable
Annuity Table to determine the first Annuity Payment. The Adjusted Contract Value is
determined on the annuity calculation date, which is a Business Day no more than five (5)
Business Days before the Annuity Date. The dollar amount of the first variable Annuity
Payment is determined as follows: The first variable Annuity Payment will be based upon the
Annuity Option elected, the Annuitant’s age, the Annuitant's sex (where permitted by law), and the appropriate variable Annuity Option table. Your annuity rates will not be less than those guaranteed in
your contract at the time of purchase for the assumed investment return and Annuity Option
elected. If, as of the annuity calculation date, the then current variable Annuity Option
rates applicable to this class of contracts provide a first Annuity Payment greater than
that which is guaranteed under the same Annuity Option under this contract, the greater
payment will be made.
6
The dollar amount of variable Annuity
Payments after the first payment is determined as follows:
1.
the dollar amount of the first variable Annuity Payment is divided by the value of an Annuity Unit for each applicable Investment Portfolio as of the annuity
calculation date. This establishes the number of Annuity Units for each monthly payment.
The number of Annuity Units for each applicable Investment Portfolio remains fixed during
the annuity period, unless you transfer values from the Investment Portfolio to another
Investment Portfolio;
2.
the fixed number of Annuity Units per payment in each Investment Portfolio is multiplied by the Annuity Unit value for that Investment Portfolio for the
Business Day for which the Annuity Payment is being calculated. This result is the dollar
amount of the payment for each applicable Investment Portfolio, less any account fee. The
account fee will be deducted pro rata out of each Annuity Payment.
The
total dollar amount of each variable Annuity Payment is the sum of all Investment Portfolio variable Annuity Payments.
Annuity Unit — The initial Annuity Unit value for each Investment Portfolio of the Separate Account was set by us.
The subsequent Annuity Unit value for each Investment Portfolio is determined by multiplying the Annuity Unit value for the immediately preceding Business Day
by the net investment factor for the Investment Portfolio for the current Business Day and
multiplying the result by a factor for each day since the last Business Day which represents
the daily equivalent of the AIR you elected.
(1) the dollar amount of the first Annuity Payment is divided by the value of an Annuity Unit as of the Annuity Date. This establishes the number of Annuity
Units for each monthly payment. The number of Annuity Units remains fixed during the
Annuity Payment period.
(2) the fixed number of Annuity Units is multiplied by the Annuity Unit value for the last valuation
period of the month preceding the month for which the payment is due. This result is the
dollar amount of the payment.
Net Investment Factor — The net investment factor for each Investment Portfolio is determined by dividing A by B and multiplying by (1-C) where:
A is (i)
the net asset value per share of the portfolio at the end of the current Business Day; plus
(ii)
any dividend or capital gains per share declared on behalf of such portfolio that has an ex-dividend date as of the current Business Day.
B is
the net asset value per share of the portfolio for the immediately preceding Business Day.
C is (i)
the Separate Account product charges and for each day since the last Business Day. The daily charge is equal to the annual Separate Account product
charges divided by 365; plus
(ii)
a
charge factor, if any, for any taxes or any tax reserve we have established as a result of the operation of the Separate Account.
Transfers During the
Annuity Phase:
•You may not make a transfer from the fixed Annuity Option to the variable Annuity Option;
•Transfers among the subaccounts will be made by converting the number of Annuity Units
being transferred to the number of Annuity Units of the subaccount to which the transfer is
made, so that the next Annuity Payment if it were made at that time would be the same
amount that it would have been without the transfer. Thereafter, Annuity Payments will
reflect changes in the value of the new Annuity Units; and
•You may make a transfer from the variable Annuity Option to the fixed Annuity Option. The amount transferred from a subaccount of the Separate Account
will be equal to the product of “(a)” multiplied by “(b)”
multiplied by “(c)”, where (a) is the number of Annuity Units representing your interest in the subaccount per Annuity Payment; (b) is the Annuity Unit value for the subaccount; and (c) is the present
value of $1.00 per payment period for the remaining annuity benefit period based on the
attained age of the Annuitant at the time of transfer, calculated using the same actuarial
basis as the variable annuity rates applied on the Annuity Date for the Annuity Option
elected. Amounts transferred to the fixed Annuity Option will be applied under the Annuity
Option elected at the attained age of the Annuitant at the time of the transfer using the
fixed Annuity Option table. If at the time of transfer, the then current fixed Annuity
7
Option rates applicable
to this class of contracts provide a greater payment, the greater payment will be made. All
amounts and Annuity Unit values will be determined as of the end of the Business Day on which
the Company receives a notice.
Fixed Annuity
A fixed annuity is a series of payments made during the Annuity Phase which are guaranteed as to dollar
amount by the Company and do not vary with the investment experience of the Separate
Account. The Adjusted Contract Value is determined on the annuity calculation date, which
is a Business Day no more than five (5) Business Days before the Annuity Date. This value
will be used to determine a fixed Annuity Payment. The monthly Annuity Payment will be
based upon the Annuity Option elected, the Annuitant's age, the Annuitant's sex (where permitted by law), and the appropriate Annuity Option table. Your annuity rates will not be less than those
guaranteed in your contract at the time of purchase. If, as of the annuity calculation
date, the then current Annuity Option rates applicable to this class of contracts provide an Annuity Payment greater than that which is guaranteed under the same Annuity Option under this contract, the
greater payment will be made.
Mortality and Expense Guarantee
The Company guarantees that the dollar amount of each Annuity Payment after the first Annuity Payment
will not be affected by variations in mortality or expense experience.
LEGAL OR REGULATORY RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSACTIONS
If mandated under applicable law, the Company may be required to reject a Purchase Payment. The Company may also be required to block a contract
Owner’s account and thereby refuse to pay any request for transfers, withdrawals,
surrenders, death benefits or continue making Annuity Payments until instructions are
received from the appropriate regulator.
ADDITIONAL FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS
Non-Qualified Contracts
Diversification. In order for your Non-Qualified Contract to be considered an annuity contract for federal income tax purposes, we must comply with
certain
diversification standards with
respect to the investments underlying the contract. We believe that we satisfy and will
continue to satisfy these diversification standards. Failure to meet these standards would
result in immediate taxation to contract Owners of gains under their contracts. Inadvertent
failure to meet these standards may be correctable.
Changes to Tax Rules and Interpretations
Changes to applicable tax rules and interpretations can adversely affect the tax treatment of your
contract. These changes may take effect retroactively.
We reserve the right to amend your contract where necessary to maintain its status as a variable annuity contract under federal tax law and to protect you
and other contract Owners in the Investment Portfolios from adverse tax
consequences.
Qualified Contracts
Annuity contracts purchased through tax qualified plans are subject to limitations imposed by the Code and regulations as a condition of tax qualification.
There are various types of tax qualified plans which have certain beneficial tax
consequences for contract Owners and plan participants.
Types of Qualified Plans
The following list includes individual account-type plans which may hold an annuity contract as
described in the Prospectus. Except for Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs, they are
established by an employer for participation of its employees.
IRA
A traditional IRA is
established by an individual under Section 408(a) or 408(b) of the Code. See also Roth IRAs
below.
SIMPLE IRA
Established by a
for-profit employer with 100 or fewer employees that does not maintain another retirement plan. A SIMPLE IRA, established under section 408(p) of the Code, is based on IRA accounts for each
participant.
SEP
Established by a for-profit employer under Section 408(k) of the Code, based on IRA accounts for each participant. Generally, only employers make contributions.
If the SEP IRA permits non-SEP contributions, an employee can make regular IRA
contributions (including IRA catch up
8
contributions) to the SEP IRA, up to the
maximum annual limit.
401(k), 401(a)
Established by
for-profit employers, Section 501(c)(3) tax exempt and non-tax exempt entities, Indian Tribes.
403(b) or Tax Sheltered Annuity (“TSA”)
Established by Section 501(c)(3) tax exempt entities, public schools (K-12), public colleges, universities, churches, synagogues and mosques.
457(b) - Governmental Sponsor
Established by state and local governments, public schools (K-12), public colleges and universities.
457(b) - Non-Governmental Sponsor
Established by a
tax-exempt entity. Under a non-governmental plan, which must be a tax-exempt entity under
Section 501(c) of the Code, all investments of the plan are owned by and are subject to the claims of the general creditors of the sponsoring employer. In general, all amounts received under a non-governmental
Section 457(b) plan are taxable and are subject to federal income tax withholding as
wages.
Additional Information Regarding 457(b) Plans
A 457(b) plan may provide a one-time election to make special one-time “catch-up” contributions in one or more of the participant’s last
three taxable years ending before the participant’s normal retirement age under the plan. Participants in governmental 457(b) plans may make two types of catch up contributions, the age 50 or
older catch-up and the special one-time catch-up contribution. However, both catch up
contribution types cannot be made in the same taxable year. In general, contribution limits with respect to elective deferral and to age 50 plus catch-up contributions are not aggregated with
contributions under the other types of qualified plans for the purposes of determining the
limitations applicable to participants.
403(a) Annuity Plans
Similar in structure to 401(a) plans except that, instead of trusts, annuity contracts are the funding vehicle.
Roth Accounts
Individual or employee
plan contributions made to certain plans on an after-tax basis. An IRA may be established as a Roth IRA under Section 408A, and 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans may provide for Roth accounts.
Contributions to a Roth IRA are limited based on the level of your
modified adjusted gross
income.
Comparison of Plan Limits for Individual Contributions:
| Plan Type |
Elective
Contribution |
Maximum
Catch-up
Contribution
(ages 50-59
and 64+) |
Maximum
Catch-up
Contribution (ages 60-63) |
| IRA |
$7,500 |
$1,100 |
$1,100 |
| SIMPLE
IRA |
$17,000
($18,100
for certain
small
employer
plans) |
$4,000
($3,850 for
certain
small
employer
plans) |
$5,250 |
| 401(k) |
$24,500 |
$8,000 |
$11,250 |
| SEP/401(a) |
(Employer
contributions
only) |
|
|
| 403(b)
[TSA] |
$24,500 |
$8,000 |
$11,250 |
| 457(b) |
$24,500 |
$8,000 |
$11,250 |
Dollar limits are for
2026 and are subject to cost-of-living adjustments in future years. Employer-sponsored individual account plans (other than 457(b) plans) may
provide for additional employer contributions not to exceed the lesser of $72,000 and 100% of an employee’s compensation for 2026 (reduced by an employee elective contributions). If allowed by the plan, catch-up contributions and special catch-up
contributions for participants age 60-63 may be made by
participants in 401(k), 403(b), SIMPLE and government 457(b) plans. Certain grandfathered
SARSEP plans may also allow for employee contributions, catch-up contributions and enhanced catch-up contributions for employees aged 60-63. If allowed under the plan, the elective contribution and the catch-up contribution for ages 50-59 (and ages 64 and older) may be increased for certain small employer SIMPLE plans (generally
employers with 25 or fewer employees) if certain conditions are met. Starting in 2026, if a qualified employer plan permits catch-up contributions, those catch-up contributions may
be required to be made into the plan’s Roth account if the employee has compensation
above a certain threshold in the prior year. This generally applies to certain higher
income participants. Consult a tax adviser and consult your plan administrator if you participate in one of these employer-sponsored retirement plans.
ERISA
9
If your plan is subject to ERISA and you
are married, the income payments, withdrawal provisions, and methods of payment of the
death benefit under your contract may be subject to your spouse’s rights as described below.
Generally, the spouse must give qualified consent whenever you:
(a)
choose income payments other than on a qualified joint and survivor annuity basis (“QJSA”) (one under which we make payments to you during your
lifetime and then make payments reduced by no more than 50% to your spouse for his or her
remaining life, if any): or choose to waive the qualified pre-retirement survivor annuity
benefit (“QPSA”) (the benefit payable to the surviving spouse of a participant who dies with a vested interest in an accrued retirement benefit under the plan before payment of the benefit has
begun);
(b)
make certain withdrawals under plans for which a qualified consent is required;
(c)
name someone other than the spouse as your Beneficiary; or
(d)
use your accrued benefit as security for a loan, if available, exceeding $5,000.
Generally, there is no
limit to the number of your elections as long as a qualified consent is given each time. The
consent to waive the QJSA must meet certain requirements, including that it be in writing,
that it acknowledge the identity of the designated Beneficiary and the form of benefit be
selected, dated, signed by your spouse, witnessed by a notary public or plan representative, and that it be in a form satisfactory to us. The waiver of the QJSA generally must be executed during the 180 day period (90
days for certain loans) ending on the date on which income payments are to commence, or the
withdrawal or the loan is to be made, as the case may be. If you die before benefits
commence, your surviving spouse will be your Beneficiary unless he or she has given a
qualified consent otherwise.
The qualified consent to waive the QPSA benefit and the Beneficiary designation must be made in writing
that acknowledges the designated Beneficiary, dated, signed by your spouse, witnessed by a
notary public or plan representative and in a form satisfactory to us. Generally, there is
no limit to the number of Beneficiary designations as long as a qualified consent accompanies each designation. The waiver of, and the qualified consent for,
the QPSA benefit generally may not be
given until the plan year in which you attain age 35. The waiver period for the QPSA ends
on the date of your death.
If the present value of your benefit is worth $5,000 or less, your plan generally may provide for
distribution of your entire interest in a lump sum without spousal
consent.
Federal Estate Taxes
While no attempt is being made to discuss the federal estate tax implications of the contract, you should bear in mind that the value of an annuity contract owned by
a decedent and payable to a Beneficiary by virtue of surviving the decedent is included in
the decedent’s gross estate. Depending on the terms of the annuity contract, the value
of the annuity included in the gross estate may be the value of the lump sum payment
payable to the designated Beneficiary or the actuarial value of the payments to be received
by the Beneficiary. Consult an estate planning adviser for more
information.
Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax
Under certain circumstances, the Code may impose a “generation-skipping transfer tax” when all or part of an annuity contract is transferred
to, or a death benefit is paid to, an individual two or more generations younger than the
contract Owner. Regulations issued under the Code may require us to deduct the tax from
your contract, or from any applicable payment, and pay it directly to the IRS.
10
SECURE 2.0 Act
Considerations
As
part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (the “Act”) which was signed into law on December 29, 2022. The Act includes many provisions updating the Code
affecting employer sponsored qualified plans and IRAs, including provisions that become
effective immediately and provisions which become effective in later years through 2033. For
example, the Act includes provisions affecting required minimum distribution (RMD), certain
contribution and other limits affecting IRAs and qualified plans, as well as provisions
providing new exceptions to the 10% federal income tax penalty for “early” distributions which may also provide for the ability to recontribute such early distributions to an IRA or qualified plan (subject to
the provisions of the Code, the qualified plan/IRA, the Contract and our administrative
rules). This prospectus does not attempt to provide a complete discussion of the Act and its
provisions. Individuals should consult with a qualified tax adviser.
Annuity Purchase Payments By Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Entities
The discussion above provides general information regarding U.S. federal income tax consequences to
annuity purchasers that are U.S. citizens or residents. Purchasers that are not U.S.
citizens or residents will generally be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax on taxable
distributions from annuity contracts at a 30% rate, unless a lower treaty rate applies. In
addition, purchasers may be subject to state and/or municipal taxes and taxes that may be
imposed by the purchaser’s country of citizenship or residence. Prospective purchasers are advised to consult with a qualified tax adviser regarding U.S., state and foreign taxation with respect to an annuity
contract purchase.
11
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The statutory-basis financial statements of the Company should be considered only as bearing upon the ability of the Company to meet its obligations under the contract.
12
PART C - OTHER
INFORMATION
Item 27.
Exhibits.
(a)
(i)
Resolution of Board of Directors of the
Company authorizing the establishment of the Variable Account. Incorporated herein by reference
to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 033-74174 and 811-08306)
as electronically filed on December 30, 1999.
(ii)
Certificate of Assistant Secretary of the
Resolutions of Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the name change of the Separate Account
(effective August 24, 2016). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective
Amendment No. 7 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209058 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on December
14, 2017.
(b)
Not Applicable.
(c)
(i)
Principal Underwriter's and Selling Agreement (effective
January 1, 2001). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to Form
N-4 (File Nos. 333-96773 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on November 2, 2004.
(ii)
Amendment to Principal Underwriter's and Selling
Agreement (effective January 1, 2002). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 4 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-96773 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on November 2,
2004.
(iii)
Agreement and Plan of Merger (12-01-04)(MLIDC into
GAD). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to Form N-4 (File
Nos. 333-96777 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 18, 2007.
(iv)
Form of Retail Sales Agreement (2-10) and Schedule
of Differences. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 to Form
N-4 (File Nos. 333-96777 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 15, 2010.
(v)
Form of Enterprise Selling Agreement 9-12 (MetLife
Investors Distribution Company Sales Agreement). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's
Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176680 and 811-08306) as electronically
filed on April 17, 2013.
(vi)
Principal Underwriting and Distribution Agreement
between Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY and Brighthouse Securities, LLC (effective March
6, 2017). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Form
N-4 (File Nos. 333-209057 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 19,
2017.
(vii)
Form of Brighthouse Securities, LLC Sales
Agreement. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No.
7 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209058 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on December 14, 2017.
(viii)
Form of Brighthouse Securities, LLC Sales
Agreement (7-19 NY). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment
No. 13 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209059 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 13, 2023.
(d)
(i)
Form of Variable Annuity Contract 6010(02/02) and Form of Contract Cover 6010 (03/07). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-152450 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on July 22, 2008.
(ii)
Fixed Account Rider. Incorporated herein by reference
to Registrant's Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-96777 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on July 19, 2002.
(iii)
Death Benefit Rider - (Annual Step-Up). Incorporated
herein by reference to Registrant's Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-96777 and 811-08306) as electronically filed
on July 19, 2002.
(iv)
Waiver of Withdrawal Charge for Nursing Home or
Hospital Confinement Rider. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-96777
and 811-08306) as electronically filed on July 19, 2002.
(v)
Waiver of Withdrawal Charge for Terminal Illness
Rider. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-96777 and 811-08306)
as electronically filed on July 19, 2002.
(vi)
(vii)
Endorsement (Name Change effective February 5, 2001.
First MetLife Investors Insurance Company; formerly First COVA Life Insurance Company) (2) Incorporated
herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 033-74174 and
811-08306) as electronically filed on May 1, 2001.
(viii)
Individual Retirement Annuity Endorsement. 6023.1
(9/02). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to Form N-4 (File
Nos. 333-96773 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on November 2, 2004.
(ix)
Tax Sheltered Annuity Endorsement 6026.1 (9/02).
Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to Form N-4 (File Nos.
333-96773 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on November 2, 2004.
(x)
Roth Individual Retirement Annuity Endorsement 6024.1
(9/02). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to Form N-4 (File
Nos. 333-96773 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on November 2, 2004.
(xi)
401 (a)/403 (a) Plan Endorsement 6025.1 (9/02)
(5) Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to Form N-4 (File
Nos. 333-96773 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on November 2, 2004.
(xii)
Simple Individual Retirement Annuity Endorsement
6276 (9/02). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to Form
N-4 (File Nos. 333-96773 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on November 2, 2004.
(xiii)
Designated Beneficiary Non-Qualified Annuity Endorsement
FMLI-NQ-1 (11/05)-I. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No.7 to
Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-96773 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on September 9,
2005.
(xiv)
Death Benefit Rider - (Principal Protection) 6015
(02/02). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to Form N-4
(File Nos. 333-96777 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 18, 2007.
(xv)
Form of Qualified Distribution Program Endorsement
FMLI-RMD-NY (7/10)-E (GMIB). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment
No. 23 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-96773 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on June 15, 2010.
(xvi)
Form of Tax-Sheltered Annuity Endorsement FMLI-398-3-I
(12/08). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Form N-4 (File
Nos. 333-156646 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on March 22, 2011.
(xvii)
Form of Contract Schedule for the Variable Annuity
Contract FMLI 6028-5 (9/10)-SL (Class S-L Share Option). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's
Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-137370 and 811-08306) as electronically filed
on April 15, 2011.
(xviii)
Form of Contract Schedule for the Variable Annuity
Contract FMLI 6028-5 (9/10)-SVA (Class S). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 8 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-137370 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 15, 2011.
(xix)
Form of 401 (a)/403 (a) Plan Endorsement
401-3 (5/11). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 4
to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176680 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 18, 2012.
(xx)
Form of Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit Rider
FMLI 690-5 (GWBv1) (4-13). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment
No. 12 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176680 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 17, 2013.
(xxi)
Form of Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit
Rider - Withdrawal Rate Enhancement FMLI-NHR (GWBv1) (4-13). Incorporated herein by reference
to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176680 and 811-08306)
as electronically filed on April 17, 2013.
(xxii)
Form of Contract Schedule for Guaranteed
Withdrawal Benefit Rider FMLI-GWB (GWBv1) (4-13) (20) Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's
Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176680 and 811-08306) as electronically
filed on April 17, 2013.
(xxiii)
(xxiv)
Form of Contract Schedule for Guaranteed
Withdrawal Benefit Rider FMLI-GWB (4-13)-SL. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's
Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176679 and 811-08306) as electronically
filed on April 17, 2013.
(xxv)
Form of Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal
Benefit Rider 7-4-GLWB-1 (02/15). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 15 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176680 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on
June 3, 2015.
(xxvi)
Form of Contract Schedule for Guaranteed
Withdrawal Benefit Rider 1-4-CGLWB-1-NY (02/15). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's
Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176680 and 811-08306) as electronically
filed on June 3, 2015.
(xxvii)
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY
Name Change Endorsement (effective March 6, 2017) 5-E133-16-NY. Incorporated herein by reference
to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209057 and 811-08306)
as electronically filed on April 19, 2017.
(xxv)
Form of Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit
Rider 7-GLWB-1 (06/17). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment
No. 7 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209058 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on December 14, 2017.
(xxvi)
Form of Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit Rider
Schedule (FlexChoice Access Level) 7-CGLWB-1 (06/17). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s
Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209058 and 811-08306) as electronically
filed on December 14, 2017.
xxvii)
Form of Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit Rider
Schedule (FlexChoice Access Expedite) 7-CGLWB-1 (06/17). Incorporated herein by reference to
Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209058 and 811-08306)
as electronically filed on December 14, 2017.
(e)
(i)
Form of Variable Annuity Application 6406 (6/11) APPSNY Sep 2011. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176679 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on September 2, 2011.
(ii)
Form of Variable Annuity Application 6406
(6/11) APPSNY Jan 2012. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment
No. 2 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176679 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on December 12, 2011.
(iii)
Form of Variable Annuity Application 6406 (4/12)
APPSNY Aug 2012. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 4
to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176679 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on June 1,
2012
(iv)
Form of Variable Annuity Application 6406
(9/12) APPSNY Nov 2012. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment
No. 6 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176679 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on October 4, 2012.
(v)
Form of Variable Annuity Application 6406
(3/13) APPSNY Apr 2013. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment
No. 12 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176679 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 17, 2013.
(vi)
Form of Variable Annuity Application 6406
(05/15) APPSNY May 2016. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Pre-Effective Amendment
No. 1 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209059 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 25, 2016.
(vii)
Form of Variable Annuity Application VA-APP-NY
(11/17) S-NY-B (02/18) Fs. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Pre-Effective Amendment
No. 7 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209059 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on December 14, 2017.
(viii)
Form of Variable Annuity Application VA-APP-NY
(06/20) VA-NY (09/20). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment
No. 12 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209058 and 811-08306) as filed electronically on April 20, 2022.
(f)
(i)
Copy of Articles of Incorporation of the Company. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 033-74174 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on December 30, 1999.
(ii)
(iii)
Copy of Amended Charter of the
Company. Incorporated herein by reference to Company's Amendment No. 1 to Form 10 (File
Nos. 000-55705) as electronically filed on December 23, 2016.
(iv)
Copy of Amended and Restated By-Laws
of the Company. Incorporated herein by reference to Company's Amendment No. 1 to Form
10 (File Nos. 000-55705) as electronically filed on December 23, 2016.
(v)
Certificate of Amendment of Charter of Brighthouse
Life Insurance Company of NY (formerly First MetLife Investors Insurance Company) (Incorporated by
reference to Form 8-K (File No. 000-55705), as electronically filed on March 6,
2017).
(g)
(i)
Reinsurance Agreement between First MetLife Investors Insurance Company and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (dated November 1, 2014). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-176680 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 22, 2015.
(ii)
Assignment and Novation Agreement for Reinsurance
Agreement between First MetLife Investors Insurance Company, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
and MetLife Insurance Company USA (Treaty ID Number NYC1003153.T01.27259). Incorporated herein by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 to Registrant’s Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209058
and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 18, 2018.
(h)
(i) (a)
Participation Agreement among Met Investors Series Trust, Met Investors Advisory Corp., MetLife Investors Distribution Company and First MetLife Investors Insurance Company. Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-96777 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on October 15, 2002.
(b)
Amendment to Participation Agreement among
Met Investors Series Trust, Met Investors Advisory Corp., MetLife Investors Distribution Company
and First MetLife Investors Insurance Company (dated May 1, 2009). Incorporated herein by reference
to Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement to Form N-4 (File Nos.333-179240 and 811-08306)
filed electronically on January 30, 2012.
(c)
Amendment to Participation Agreement among
Met Investors Series Trust, Met Investors Advisory Corp., MetLife Investors Distribution Company
and First MetLife Investors Insurance Company (effective April 30, 2010). Incorporated herein by
reference to Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement to Form N-4 (File Nos.333-179240 and
811-08306) filed electronically on January 30, 2012.
(d)
Participation Agreement among Brighthouse
Funds Trust I, Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC, Brighthouse Securities, LLC and Brighthouse
Life Insurance Company of NY (effective March 6, 2017). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209057 and 811-08306) as electronically
filed on April 19, 2017.
(e)
Amendment to Participation Agreement among
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY, Brighthouse Funds Trust I, Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC and Brighthouse Securities, LLC (effective 01-01-21). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s
Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209058 and 811-08306) as filed electronically
on April 20, 2022.
(ii) (a)
Participation Agreement among Metropolitan Series
Fund, Inc., MetLife Advisers, LLC, MetLife Investors Distribution Company and First MetLife Investors
Insurance Company (effective August 31, 2007). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 15 to Form N-4 (file Nos. 333-96773 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on October 31,
2007.
(b)
Amendment to Participation Agreement among
Metropolitan Series Fund, Inc., MetLife Advisers, LLC, MetLife Investors Distribution Company and
First MetLife Investors Insurance Company (effective April 30, 2010). Incorporated herein by reference
to Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement to Form N-4 (File Nos.333-179240 and 811-08306)
as electronically filed on January 30, 2012.
(c)
Participation Agreement among Brighthouse
Funds Trust II, Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC, Brighthouse Securities, LLC and Brighthouse
Life Insurance Company of NY (effective March 6, 2017). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209057 and 811-08306) as electronically
filed on April 19, 2017.
(d)
Amendment to Participation Agreement among
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY, Brighthouse Funds Trust II, Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC and Brighthouse Securities, LLC (effective 01-01-21). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s
Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209058 and 811-08306) as filed electronically
on April 20, 2022.
(iii)(a)
Fund Participation Agreement between BlackRock
Variable Series Funds, Inc., BlackRock Investments, LLC and First MetLife Investors Insurance Company
(effective 7-20-15). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment
No. 1 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-205137 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on September 17, 2015.
(b)
Amendment No. 2 to Fund Participation Agreement
for Rule 30e-3 and 498A among BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc., BlackRock Variable Series
Funds II, Inc., BlackRock Investments LLC, and Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY (effective
12-1-22). Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No.
13 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209059 and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 13, 2023.
(iv)(a)
Participation Agreement among The Travelers
Insurance Company, The Travelers Life and Annuity Company and Janus Aspen Series effective May
1, 2000 and Amendments to the Participation Agreement (respectively effective July 1, 2000,
October 15, 2000, May 1, 2001, May 24, 2001, January 31, 2002, May 1, 2003, August 1, 2004 and
April 28, 2008.) Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(j) to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 19 to MetLife of CT Separate Account Eleven for Variable Annuities’ Registration Statement
to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-101778 and 811-21262) as electronically filed on April 7, 2009.
(b)
Amendment No. 8 to Participation Agreement
between MetLife Insurance Company of Connecticut and Janus Aspen Series, effective as of May
1, 2011. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(e)(i) to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 4 to MetLife of CT Separate Account Eleven for Variable Annuities’ Registration
Statement to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-152189 and 811-21262) as electronically filed on April
4, 2012.
(c)
Amendment No. 9 to Fund Participation Agreement
among Janus Aspen Series and MetLife Insurance Company USA. Incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 8(e) (ii) to Post-Effective Amendment 7 to MetLife of CT Separate Account Eleven for Variable
Annuities’ Registration Statement to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-152189 and 811-21262) as electronically
filed on April 8, 2015.
(d)
Amendment No. 10 to Fund Participation Agreement
among Janus Aspen Series and Brighthouse Life Insurance Company (effective 03-01-21). Incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit (h)7(d) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 to Brighthouse Fund UL
for Variable Life Insurance’s Registration Statement to Form N-6, File Nos. 333-96519 and 811-03927)
as electronically filed on April 7, 2022.
(e)
Amendment No.11 (effective 03-25-22) to Fund
Participation Agreement for Rules 30e-3 and 498A among Janus Aspen Series, Brighthouse Life Insurance
Company and Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY (effective 03-25-22). Incorporated herein
by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to Form N-4 (File Nos. 333-209059
and 811-08306) as electronically filed on April 13, 2023.
(i)
Not
Applicable.
(j)
Not Applicable.
(k)
(l)
(i)
(ii)
(m)
Not
Applicable.
(n)
Not Applicable.
(p)
(q)
Not
Applicable.
(r)
Not Applicable.
Item 28.
Directors and Officers of the Insurance Company.
| Name and Principal Business Address |
Positions and Offices with Insurance Company |
| David A. Rosenbaum
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Chairman of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director |
| Kendall K. Alley
285 Madison Avenue, Suite 1400 New York, NY 10017 |
Director |
| Edward C. Kosnik
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Director and Vice President |
| Mayer Naiman
285 Madison Avenue, Suite 1400 New York, NY 10017 |
Director |
| Douglas A. Rayvid
285 Madison Avenue, Suite 1400 New York, NY 10017 |
Director |
| Robert A. Semke
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Director |
| Kevin White
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Director |
| Michele H. Abate
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Richard A. Cook
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Chief Acounting Officer |
| Patrisha Cox
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Rachel M. D’Anna 11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Leda DeBarba
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Appointed Actuary |
| Devon DiBenedetto
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer |
| Micah Dowling
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Tara Figard
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Gianna H. Figaro-Sterling 11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Controller |
| Kevin Finneran
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Illustration Officer |
| James Grady
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Chief Investment Officer |
| Christopher Hartsfield 11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary |
| Jeffrey Hughes
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Chief Technology Officer |
| Allie Lin 11225
North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Secretary |
| Brian McGurn
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Chief Derivatives Officer |
| Philip Melville
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Janet Morgan
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Treasurer |
| Rosemary Morgan
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer |
| Alan Otis 11225
North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| James Painter, Jr.
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Melissa B. Pavlovich 11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
| Phillip Pfotenhauer 11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Kristi Slavin
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Gregor Speakman
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Michael Villella
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Illustration Actuary |
| Julienne Warr
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
Item 29.
Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Insurance Company or the Registered Separate Account.
Brighthouse Variable Annuity Account B (the “Separate Account”) is a registered
separate account of Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY (“BLNY”, the “Insurance
Company” or the “Company”) under New York state insurance law. BLNY is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Brighthouse Financial, Inc., a publicly-traded company. The following outline indicates those entities that are controlled by Brighthouse Financial, Inc. or are under the common
control of Brighthouse Financial, Inc.
No person is controlled by the Separate Account, and none of the entities listed below
files financial statements that are consolidated with the Separate Account’s financial statements. The Separate Account does not have any subsidiaries.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF BRIGHTHOUSE FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2025
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2025
The following is a list of subsidiaries of Brighthouse Financial, Inc. as of December 31,
2025.
The entity which is listed at the left margin (labeled with a capital letter) is a
direct subsidiary of Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (DE).
Each entity which is indented under another entity is a subsidiary of such other entity and, therefore, an indirect
subsidiary of Brighthouse Financial, Inc.
The voting securities of the subsidiaries listed are 100% owned by their respective parent
companies. The jurisdiction of domicile of each subsidiary listed is set forth in the parenthetical following the name of such subsidiary. All of the entities listed below are included in the consolidated financial statements of Brighthouse Financial, Inc. Each of the
entities listed under Section 2 is included in the
consolidated financial statements of Brighthouse Life Insurance Company. Both Brighthouse Financial, Inc. and Brighthouse Life Insurance Company file consolidated financial statements with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
| A. |
Brighthouse Holdings, LLC (DE) | |||
| |
1. |
New England Life Insurance Company (MA) | ||
| |
2. |
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company (DE) | ||
| |
|
a. |
|
Brighthouse Reinsurance Company of Delaware (DE) |
| |
|
b. |
|
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY (NY) |
| |
|
|
(i.) |
BLICNY Property Ventures, LLC
(DE) |
| |
|
c. |
|
Brighthouse Renewables Holdings, LLC (DE) |
| |
|
|
(i.) |
Greater Sandhill I, LLC (DE)
|
| |
|
d. |
|
Brighthouse Assignment Company (CT) |
| |
|
e. |
|
Euro TL Investments LLC (DE) |
| |
|
f |
|
Euro TI Investments LLC (DE) |
| |
|
g. |
|
TLA Holdings LLC (DE) |
| |
|
h |
|
TLA Holdings II LLC (DE) |
| |
|
i. |
|
BLIC Property Ventures, LLC (DE) |
| |
3. |
Brighthouse Securities, LLC (DE) | ||
| |
4. |
Brighthouse Services, LLC (DE) | ||
| |
5. |
Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC (DE) | ||
Item 30.
Indemnification.
Pursuant to applicable provisions of Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of
NY’s by-laws or internal corporate policies adopted by Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY or Brighthouse Financial, Inc., its ultimate parent, the directors, officers and other controlling persons of Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY and of Brighthouse Life
Insurance Company of NY’s affiliate and the underwriter, Brighthouse Securities, LLC, who are made or threatened to be made a party to an action or proceeding, may be eligible to obtain indemnification against judgments, fines, amounts paid
in settlement and reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred as a result of such action or proceeding. Under the principal underwriting agreement between
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY and Brighthouse Securities, LLC, the parties have agreed to indemnify each other against certain liabilities and expenses from legal proceedings arising out of Brighthouse Securities, LLC’s distribution of the Contracts.
Brighthouse Financial, Inc. also maintains directors and
officers and professional liability insurance policies under which the Separate Account, the Insurance Company and the Underwriter, as well as
certain other Brighthouse subsidiaries, are covered. Brighthouse Financial, Inc. also has secured a financial institutions bond.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers
and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company 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 Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Company in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Company 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 Underwriters.
(a)
Brighthouse Securities, LLC is the principal underwriter for the following investment companies(including the Registered Separate Account):
Brighthouse Fund UL for Variable Life Insurance
Brighthouse Fund UL III for Variable Life Insurance
Brighthouse Funds Trust I
Brighthouse Funds Trust II
Brighthouse Separate Account A
Brighthouse Separate Account Eleven for Variable Annuities
Brighthouse Separate Account QPN for Variable Annuities
Brighthouse Variable Annuity Account B
Brighthouse Variable Annuity Account C
Brighthouse Variable Life Account A
Brighthouse Variable Life Account One
New England Variable Annuity Separate Account
New England Variable Life Separate Account
Brighthouse Fund UL III for Variable Life Insurance
Brighthouse Funds Trust I
Brighthouse Funds Trust II
Brighthouse Separate Account A
Brighthouse Separate Account Eleven for Variable Annuities
Brighthouse Separate Account QPN for Variable Annuities
Brighthouse Variable Annuity Account B
Brighthouse Variable Annuity Account C
Brighthouse Variable Life Account A
Brighthouse Variable Life Account One
New England Variable Annuity Separate Account
New England Variable Life Separate Account
(b)
Brighthouse Securities, LLC is the principal underwriter for the Contracts. The following
persons are the officers and managers of Brighthouse Securities, LLC:
| Name and Principal Business Address |
Positions and Offices with Underwriter |
| Myles Lambert
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Manager, President and Chief Executive Officer |
| Philip Beaulieu
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Manager and Vice President |
| Amy Cusson 11225
North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Manager |
| Michael Davis
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Manager and Vice President |
| Kevin Macilvane, Jr. 11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Manager |
| Gerard Nigro
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Manager and Vice President |
| Richard Cook
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Christopher Hartsfield 11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary |
| Allie Lin 11225
North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Secretary |
| John Martinez
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Principal Financial Officer |
| Brian McGurn
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Chief Derivatives Officer |
| Janet Morgan
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Treasurer |
| James Painter, Jr.
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President |
| Melissa Pavlovich
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Tax Director |
| Kristin Prohonic
11225 North Community House Road Charlotte, NC 28277 |
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer |
(c)
Compensation to the
Distributor. The following aggregate amount of commissions and other compensation were received by the Distributor, directly or indirectly, from the Registered Separate Account and certain single premium index-linked annuity contracts of the Insurance Company, during their last fiscal
year:
| (1) Name of Principal Underwriter |
(2) Net Underwriting Discounts
And Commissions |
(3) Compensation On
Redemption |
(4) Brokerage Commissions
|
(5) Other Compensation
|
| Brighthouse Securities, LLC |
$94,595,394 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
Item 31A.
Information About Contracts with Index-Linked Options and Fixed Options subject
to a Contract Adjustment.
(a)
Not
Applicable.
(b)
Not Applicable.
Item 32.
Location of Accounts and Records.
Omitted.
Item 33.
Management Services.
Not Applicable.
Item 34.
Fee Representations
The Company hereby represents that the fees and charges deducted under the Contracts, in the aggregate, are reasonable in relation to
the services rendered, the expenses to be incurred and the risks assumed by the Company.
The Company hereby represents that it is relying upon a No-Action Letter issued to the
American Council of Life Insurance dated November 28, 1988 (Commission ref. IP-6-88) and that the following provisions have been complied with:
1.
Include appropriate
disclosure regarding the redemption restrictions imposed by Section 403(b)(11) in each registration statement, including the prospectus, used in connection with the offer of the
contract;
2.
Include appropriate disclosure regarding the redemption restrictions imposed by Section
403(b)(11) in any sales literature used in connection with the offer of the contract;
3.
Instruct sales
representatives who solicit participants to purchase the contract specifically to bring the redemption restrictions imposed by Section 403(b)(11) to the attention of the potential
participants;
4.
Obtain from each plan participant who purchases a Section 403(b) annuity contract, prior to or
at the time of such purchase, a signed statement acknowledging the participant's understanding of (1) the restrictions on redemption imposed by Section 403(b)(11), and (2) other investment alternatives available under the employer's Section
403(b) arrangement to which the participant may elect to transfer his contract value.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this registration statement under rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Charlotte, and State of North Carolina, on this 3rd day of April,
2026.
| |
BRIGHTHOUSE VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT B
(Registered Separate Account) | |
| |
By: |
BRIGHTHOUSE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NY |
| |
By: |
/s/
David A. Rosenbaum |
| |
|
David A. Rosenbaum President |
| |
BRIGHTHOUSE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NY
(Insurance Company) | |
| |
By: |
/s/
David A. Rosenbaum |
| |
|
David A. Rosenbaum President |
Pursuant to the requirements of
the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on April 3, 2026.
| /s/
David A. Rosenbaum* |
Chairman of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer
and a Director |
| David A. Rosenbaum | |
| |
|
| /s/
Kendall K. Alley* |
Director |
| Kendall K. Alley | |
| |
|
| /s/ Edward C. Kosnik* |
Director and Vice President |
| Edward C. Kosnik | |
| |
|
| /s/
Mayer Naiman* |
Director |
| Mayer Naiman | |
| |
|
| /s/
Douglas A. Rayvid* |
Director |
| Douglas A. Rayvid | |
| |
|
| /s/ Robert A. Semke* |
Director |
| Robert A. Semke | |
| |
|
| /s/ Kevin White* |
Director |
| Kevin White | |
| |
|
| /s/
Melissa B. Pavlovich* |
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
|
| Melissa B. Pavlovich | |
| |
|
| /s/
Gianna H. Figaro-Sterling* |
Vice President and Controller |
| Gianna H. Figaro Sterling |
| |
*By: |
/s/
Michele H. Abate |
| |
|
Michele H. Abate, Attorney-In-Fact April 3, 2026 |
*
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY. Executed by Michele H. Abate, Esquire on behalf of those indicated pursuant to powers of attorney filed herewith.
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
(l)(i)
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Deloitte & Touche
LLP)
(l)(ii)
Consent of Independent Auditor (Deloitte & Touche LLP)
(p)
Powers of Attorney
ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM & INDEPENDENT AUDITOR
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