Form 497VPU GUARDIAN SEPARATE ACCOUN

May 1, 2026 2:49 PM EDT
UPDATING SUMMARY PROSPECTUS FOR EXISTING INVESTORS
May 1, 2026
THE GUARDIAN INVESTOR RETIREMENT ASSET MANAGER®
Issued by The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc.
Separate Account E
The prospectus for the The Guardian Investor Retirement Asset Manager® Variable Annuity, an individual flexible premium deferred variable annuity contract offered by The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC, we, us, our), contains more information about the contract, including its features, benefits, and risks. You can find the current prospectus and other information about the contract online at: https://Guardianlife.onlineprospectus.net/Guardianlife/ram/?ctype=product_prospectus. You can also obtain this information at no cost by calling 1-800-830-4147. 
Additional general 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 the Policy or passed upon the adequacy of this Summary Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
SPECIAL TERMS USED IN THIS PROSPECTUS
Accumulation Period: The period between the issue date of the contract and the Annuity Commencement Date.
Accumulation Unit: A measure used to determine the value of a contract owner’s interest in each variable investment option under the contract before Annuity Payments begin. Each variable investment option will have its own Accumulation Units.
Accumulation Value: The value of all the accumulation units in the variable investment options and/or the fixed-rate option credited to a contract.
Annuitant: The person on whose life the annuity payments are based and on whose death, prior to the annuity commencement date, benefits under the contract are paid.
Annuity Commencement Date: The date on which Annuity Payments under the contract begin.
Annuity Payments: Periodic payments, either variable or fixed in nature, made by GIAC to the Contract Owner at monthly or other periodic intervals after the Annuity Commencement Date.
Annuity Unit: A measure used to determine the amount of any variable annuity payment.
Business Day: Each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and GIAC is open for business.
Beneficiary: The person(s) designated to receive any benefits under a contract upon the death of an owner.
Contract Anniversary Date: The annual anniversary measured from the issue date of the contract.
Contract Owner: You (or your); the person(s) or entity designated as the owner in the contract.
Customer Service Office: Contact Center For telephonic communications: Customer Service Office Contact Center 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time 1-800-830-4147.
Funds: The open-end management investment companies, each corresponding to a Variable Investment Option.
Good Order: Notice from any party authorized to initiate a transaction under this contract, received in a format satisfactory to GIAC at its Mailing Address, that contains all information required by GIAC to process that transaction. For telephone transfer instructions, good order also means that the telephone call must be received on a business day and completed no later than the close of the New York Stock Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m. New York City time, on that day in order to receive that day’s unit values.
Mailing Address:
For private express mail with tracking number:
Talcott Resolution - Annuity Service Operations
Administrator for your Guardian Annuity Contract
c/o Cognizant, sub-administrator
6716 Grade Ln., Building 9, Suite 910
Louisville, KY 40213.
For standard mail delivery without tracking number:
Talcott Resolution - Annuity Service Operations
Administrator for your Guardian Annuity Contract
c/o Cognizant, sub-administrator
P.O. Box 14293
Louisville, KY 40512-4293.
1
Valuation Period: The time period from the determination of one Accumulation Unit and Annuity Unit value to the next.
Variable Investment Options: The Funds underlying the contract are the Variable Investment Options – as distinguished from the fixed-rate option – available for allocations of Net Premium payments and allocation values.
UPDATED INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CONTRACT
The information in this Updating Summary Prospectus is a summary of certain Contract features that have changed since April 25, 2025. This may not reflect all of the changes that have occurred since you entered into your Contract.
There have been no material changes since April 25, 2025.
2
IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ABOUT THE CONTRACT
An investment in the contract is subject to fees, risks, and other important considerations, some of which are briefly summarized in the following table. You should review the prospectus for additional information about these topics. 
Fees and
Expenses
 
Location in
Prospectus
Are There
Charges or
Adjustments
for Early
Withdrawals?
Yes.
If you withdraw money during the first 7 years following your last premium
payment, you may be assessed a surrender charge of up to 7% of the premium
withdrawn, declining to 0% over that time period. Surrender charges will
reduce the value of your contract if you withdraw money during that time.
For example, if you make an early withdrawal, you could pay a surrender
charge of up to $7,000 on a $100,000 investment. This loss will be greater if
there are taxes or tax penalties.
Financial
Information –
Contract
Costs and
Expenses
 
Are There
Transaction
Charges?
Yes.
In addition to surrender charges, you also may be charged for the following
transactions: transfers of cash value between investment.
Financial
Information –
Contract Costs
and Expenses
Expense tables
– Transaction
expenses
 
Are there
Ongoing Fees
and Expenses
(annual
charges)?
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay each year,
depending on the options you choose. Please refer to your contract
specifications page for information about the specific fees you will pay each
year other options you have elected.
Financial
Information –
Contract Costs
and Expenses
Annual Fee
Minimum
Maximum
Base Contract (Varies by Contract Class)1
1.25%
1.25%
Investment Fund options
(portfolio company fees and expenses)2
0.50%
1.41%
Optional benefits available for an additional
benefits charge (for a single optional benefit if
elected)3
0.20%
0.25%
1 As a percentage of value in the Separate Account.
2 As a percentage of Fund net assets.
3 The fee shown is calculated as a percentage of the value in the Separate
Account.
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 surrender charges
that substantially increase costs.
 
3
 
Lowest Annual Cost
$2,154
Highest Annual Cost
$3,847
 
Assumes:
●Investment of $100,000
●5% annual appreciation
●Least expensive combination
of contract class, and fund
fees and expenses
●No optional benefits
●No sales charges
●No additional purchase
payments, transfers, or
withdrawals
Assumes:
●Investment of $100,000
●5% annual appreciation
●Most expensive combination of
contract class, optional benefits and
fund fees and expenses
●No sales charges
●No additional purchase payments,
transfers, or withdrawals
 
Risks
Location in
Prospectus
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
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 surrender charges, taxes
and tax penalties. Surrender charges may apply for the first 7 years
following your last premium payment. Surrender charges will reduce the
value of your contract if you withdraw money during that time.
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
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 based on the investment options available
under the contract.
●Each investment option, including the fixed-rate option, has its own
unique risks.
●You should review the prospectuses for the available funds before
making an investment decision.
Principal
Risks
Appendix A:
Investment
Options
Available
Under the
Contract
What Are
the Risks
Related to
the
Insurance
Company?
An investment in the contract is subject to the risks related to us, as the
Insurance Company. Any obligations (including under the fixed-rate option),
guarantees, and benefits of the contract 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 GIAC, including our financial
strength ratings, is available by contacting us at 1-800-830-4147.
Principal
Risks
 
Restrictions
Location in
Prospectus
Are There
Restrictions
on the
Yes.
●We reserve the right to impose a charge for transfers among investment
options in excess of 12 per contract year.
The
Accumulation
Period
4
Restrictions
Location in
Prospectus
Investment
Options?
●We reserve the right to limit the frequency of transfers to not more than
once every 30 days.
●We may limit transfers based on frequent trading activity.
●We reserve the right to remove or substitute the Variable Investment
Options that are available as investment options under the contract.
●We reserve the right to discontinue the fixed-rate option at any time.
●The fixed-rate option may not be available in your state.
●There are limitations on the number and amount of transfers into and
out of the fixed-rate option.
●We reserve the right to suspend, discontinue or otherwise restrict the
availability of the fixed-rate option for additional premium payments
and/or transfers.
●You may choose to invest in a maximum of 20 of the 32 Variable
Investment Options or 19 of the Variable Investment Options and the
fixed-rate option, if available, at any time.
●During the annuity period, if you have a variable annuity payout option
your transfers among the Variable Investment Options are limited to
once each month.
●The availability of investment options, contract benefits, or other
contract features described in this prospectus may vary depending on
the broker-dealer through which the contract is sold.
- Transfers
- Variable
investment
options
- Fixed-rate
option
Other
Information -
Distribution
of Contract
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 generally limit subsequent purchase payments.
●Withdrawals may reduce the value of a benefit by an amount greater than
the value withdrawn, which could significantly reduce the value or even
terminate the benefit.
●Optional benefits are no longer available for new sales.
●The availability of investment options, contract benefits, or other contract
features described in this prospectus may vary depending on the
broker-dealer through which the contract is sold.
Other Contract
Features
- Benefits
Under the
Contract
- Distributions
on death
- Enhanced
death benefit
riders
- Earnings
benefit rider
Other
Information -
Distribution
of Contract
 
Taxes
Location in
Prospectus
What Are the
Contract's
Tax
Implications?
●You should 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
Financial
Information –
Federal tax
matters
5
Taxes
Location in
Prospectus
 
retirement account, you do not get any additional tax deferral.
●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.
 
 
Conflicts of Interest
Location in
Prospectus
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.
Your rights and
responsibilities
– Distribution
of the contract
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 your existing contract, that it is better for you to purchase
the new contract rather than continue to own your existing contract.
Buying a
contract – Tax
Free
“Section 1035”
Exchanges
6
APPENDIX A: INVESTMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT
Variable Investment Options
The following is a list of Funds available under the contract. More information about the Funds is available in the prospectuses for the Funds, which may be amended from time to time and can be found online at https://Guardianlife.onlineprospectus.net/Guardianlife/ram/?ctype=product_prospectus. You can also request this information at no cost by calling the Customer Service Office Contact Center at 1-800-830-4147.
The availability of investment options may vary depending on the broker-dealer through which the contract is sold. See Distribution of the Contract - Broker-Dealer Contract Variations.
The current expenses and performance information below reflects fee and expenses of the Funds, 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 Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of future performance. 
 
 
 
As of December 31, 2025
Type/Investment
Objective
Portfolio Company And
Adviser/SubAdviser
Current
Expenses
1 Year
Average
Annual
Total
Return
5 Year
Average
Annual
Total
Return
10 Year
Average
Annual
Total
Return
Long-term growth of capital.
AB VPS Sustainable Global Thematic Portfolio
(Class B)
AllianceBernstein, L.P.
1.20%
6.03%
3.02%
9.80%
Long-term growth of capital.
Davis Financial Portfolio
Davis Selected Advisers, LP
Davis Selected Advisers- NY, Inc.
0.75%
29.12%
18.15%
12.94%
Total return through a combination of
growth and income.
Davis Real Estate Portfolio
Davis Selected Advisers, LP
Davis Selected Advisers- NY, Inc.
1.00%
-5.71%
2.61%
4.04%
Seeks reasonable income. The fund
will also consider the potential for
capital appreciation. The fund's goal is
to achieve a yield which exceeds the
composite yield on the securities
comprising the S&P 500.
Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio (Service
Class)
Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC
FMR Investment Management (UK) Limited,
Fidelity Management & Research (Hong Kong)
Limited, Fidelity Management & Research (Japan)
Limited
0.56%
18.92%
12.41%
11.49%
Seeks as high a level of current
income as is consistent with
preservation of capital and liquidity.
Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio
(Service Class 2)1
Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC
FMR Investment Management (UK) Limited,
Fidelity Management & Research (Hong Kong)
Limited, Fidelity Management & Research (Japan)
Limited
0.50%
3.86%
2.90%
1.83%
Seeks to provide capital growth.
Fidelity VIP Growth Opportunities Portfolio
(Service Class)
Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC
FMR Investment Management (UK) Limited,
Fidelity Management & Research (Hong Kong)
Limited, Fidelity Management & Research (Japan)
Limited
0.66%
21.89%
11.20%
19.82%
Seeks long-term growth of capital.
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Portfolio (Service Class)
Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC
FMR Investment Management (UK) Limited,
Fidelity Management & Research (Hong Kong)
Limited, Fidelity Management & Research (Japan)
Limited
0.55%
11.75%
10.10%
10.59%
The fund seeks capital appreciation.
Guardian All Cap Core VIP Fund
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
Massachusetts Financial Services Company
0.83%
12.25%
 N/A
 N/A
A-1
 
 
 
As of December 31, 2025
Type/Investment
Objective
Portfolio Company And
Adviser/SubAdviser
Current
Expenses
1 Year
Average
Annual
Total
Return
5 Year
Average
Annual
Total
Return
10 Year
Average
Annual
Total
Return
The Fund seeks to provide capital
appreciation and moderate current
income while seeking to manage
volatility.
Guardian Balanced Allocation VIP Fund
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
Wellington Management Company LLP
0.91%
12.92%
N/A
N/A
The Fund seeks to provide a high level
of current income and capital
appreciation without undue risk to
principal.
Guardian Core Fixed Income VIP Fund
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
FIAM LLC
0.52%
6.61%
N/A
N/A
The Fund seeks a high level of current
income consistent with growth of
capital.
Guardian Equity Income VIP Fund
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
Wellington Management Company LLP
0.55%
14.76%
N/A
N/A
The Fund seeks capital appreciation.
Guardian Integrated Research VIP Fund
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
Wellington Management Company LLP
0.84%
14.65%
12.63%
 N/A
The Fund seeks to maximize long-term
growth.
Guardian Large Cap Disciplined Growth VIP Fund
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
Wellington Management Company LLP
0.87%
16.99%
12.01%
 N/A
The Fund seeks to preserve principal
and meet liquidity needs while
maximizing total return.
Guardian Short Duration Bond VIP Fund
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
Allspring Global Investments, LLC
0.45%
5.35%
N/A
N/A
The fund seeks capital appreciation.
Guardian Strategic Large Cap Core VIP Fund
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
AllianceBernstein L.P.
0.92%
11.76%
N/A
N/A
The Fund seeks total return with an
emphasis on current income as well as
capital appreciation.
Guardian U.S. Government/Credit VIP Fund
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC
0.74%
6.72%
0.21%
 N/A
The Fund’s investment objective is to
seek capital growth.
Invesco V.I. American Franchise Fund (Series I)
Invesco Advisers, Inc.
0.85%
11.67%
10.35%
14.87%
The Fund’s investment objectives are
both capital appreciation and current
income.
Invesco V.I. Equity and Income Fund (Series I)
Invesco Advisers, Inc.
0.57%
12.81%
8.94%
8.92%
The Fund’s investment objective is
total return, comprised of current
income and capital appreciation.
Invesco V.I. Government Securities Fund (Series I)
Invesco Advisers, Inc.
0.70%
7.37%
0.04%
1.60%
Seeks long-term growth of capital.
Janus Henderson Enterprise Portfolio (Institutional
Shares)
Janus Henderson Investors US LLC
0.72%
7.67%
7.62%
12.79%
Seeks long-term growth of capital.
Janus Henderson Forty Portfolio (Institutional
Shares)
Janus Henderson Investors US LLC
0.62%
18.14%
11.65%
16.24%
Seeks long-term growth of capital.
Janus Henderson Global Research Portfolio
(Institutional Shares)
Janus Henderson Investors US LLC
0.82%
20.92%
12.51%
12.93%
Seeks long-term growth of capital.
Janus Henderson Research Portfolio (Institutional
Shares)
Janus Henderson Investors US LLC
0.82%
18.39%
14.11%
15.88%
Seeks capital appreciation.
MFS® Growth Series (Initial Class)
Massachusetts Financial Services Company
0.73%
12.19%
11.10%
15.60%
Seeks capital appreciation.
MFS® New Discovery Series (Initial Class)
Massachusetts Financial Services Company
0.87%
12.96%
-0.28%
10.74%
Seeks total return.
MFS® Total Return Series (Initial Class)
Massachusetts Financial Services Company
0.61%
11.16%
6.42%
7.63%
Seeks long-term capital growth. Under
normal market conditions, the fund
invests primarily in equity securities of
companies located anywhere in the
world, including developing markets.
Templeton Growth VIP (Class 2 Shares)
Templeton Global Advisors Limited
1.12%
23.83%
7.95%
7.04%
A-2
1
There is no assurance that this Fund will be able to maintain a stable net asset value per share. In addition, during extended periods of low interest rates, and partly as a result of asset-based separate account charges, the yield on this investment account may become low and possibly negative.
Fixed Investment Options
The following is a list of fixed options currently available under the contract. We may change the features of the fed options listed below, offer new fixed options, and terminate existing fixed options. We will provide you with written notice before doing so. See The accumulation period, fixed-rate option in the prospectus for more information. 
Name
Term
Minimum Guaranteed Interest Rate
Fixed rate option
1 year
1%
The fixed-rate option is not available while the Earnings Benefit Rider is in effect.
A-3
The Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), each dated May 1, 2026 contain additional important information about the Contract and are incorporated herein by reference. The Prospectus and SAI are available, without charge, upon request. For a free copy of the Prospectus or SAI, call us at 1-800-830-4147 or visit our website at www.GuardianLife.com.
Contract ID: C000023902

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