We may, at any time, exercise our rights to limit or terminate your contributions, allocations and transfers to any of the variable investment options (including the Personal Income Benefit account variable investment options) and to limit the number of variable investment options which you may select. Such rights include, among others, removing or substituting the Portfolios, combining any two or more variable investment options and transferring the account value from any variable investment option to another variable investment option.

 

There are restrictions regarding investment options if Guaranteed benefits are elected, limits on contributions and transfers into and out of the guaranteed interest option, and restrictions or limitations with the DCA program. See “Allocating your contributions” in “Purchasing the Contract” and “Transferring your account value” in “Transferring your money among investment options” in the prospectus for more information.

 

For more information see “About the Separate Account” in “More information” in the prospectus.

 

You must choose one of the two investment methods: 1) Maximum investment option choice, or 2) Maximum transfer flexibility. For more information please see “Selecting your investment method” in the prospectus.

We determine the Performance Cap Rate for each SIO Segment on the Segment Start Date. You will not know the rate in advance. Prior to the Segment Start Date, you may elect a Performance Cap Threshold. The threshold represents the minimum Performance Cap Rate you find acceptable for a particular Segment. If we declare a cap that is lower than the threshold you specify, you will not be invested in that Segment and your account value will remain in that Segment Holding Account until the next available Segment for which your threshold is met or you provide us with alternative instructions.

 

You cannot transfer out of an SIO Segment prior to its maturity to another investment option. You can only make withdrawals out of a Segment or surrender your EQUI-VEST contract. The amount you would receive would be calculated using the formula for the Segment Interim Value.

 

We may not offer new SIO Segments. Therefore, a Segment may not be available for you to transfer your Segment Maturity Value into after the Segment Maturity Date. We have the right to substitute an alternative index prior to Segment Maturity if the publication of the Index is discontinued or at our sole discretion we determine that our use of the Index should be discontinued or if the calculation of the Index is substantially changed. If we substitute an index for an existing Segment, we would not change the Segment Buffer or Performance Cap Rate. We would attempt to choose a substitute index that has a similar investment objective and risk profile to the replaced index.

 

We will not accept allocations to a fixed maturity option if on the date the contribution or transfer is to be applied the rate to maturity is 3%. This means that at points in time there may be no fixed maturity options available. You can allocate your contributions to one or more of these fixed maturity options. However, you may not allocate more than one contribution to any one fixed maturity option.

 

Contributions and transfers into and out of the guaranteed interest option are limited.

 

For additional information about the restrictions on investment options, see “Portfolios of the Trusts,” “Structured Investment Options”, “Guaranteed Interest Option” and “Fixed maturity options” in “Purchasing the Contract” and “Transferring your money among investment options” in the prospectus.

You should consult with a tax professional to determine the tax implications of an investment in, and payments received under, the contract. There is no additional tax benefit to you if the contract is purchased through a tax-qualified plan or individual retirement account (IRA). Withdrawals will be subject to ordinary income tax and may be subject to tax penalties. Generally, you are not taxed until you make a withdrawal from the contract.

 

For additional information about tax implications see “Tax information” in the prospectus.

Some financial professionals may have a financial incentive to offer a new contract in place of the one you already own. You should only exchange your contract if you determine, after comparing the features, fees, and risks of both contracts, as well as any fees or penalties to terminate your existing contract, that it is preferable to purchase the new contract rather than continue to own your existing contract.

 

For additional information about exchanges see “Charge for third-party transfer or exchange” in “Charges, expenses, and adjustments” in the prospectus.

Fee table

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Example

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Example

 

 

 

 

 

Example

 

 

 

 

 

Principal risks of investing in the contract

 

 

 

The risks identified below are the principal risks of investing in the contract. The contract may be subject to additional risks other than those identified and described in this prospectus.

 

Risks associated with variable investment options

 

You take all the investment risk for amounts allocated to one or more of the subaccounts, which invest in Portfolios. If the subaccounts you select increase in value, then your account value goes up; if they decrease in value, your account value goes down. How much your account value goes up or down depends on the performance of the Portfolios in which your subaccounts invest. We do not guarantee the investment results of any Portfolio. An investment in the contract is subject to the risk of poor investment performance, and the value of your investment can vary depending on the performance of the selected Portfolio(s), each of which has its own unique risks. You should review the Portfolios before making an investment decision.

 

Risks associated with the Structured Investment Option (SIO)

 

An investor is not invested in the Index or in the securities tracked by the Index. There are unique risks regarding the SIO.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While it is not possible to invest directly in an Index, if you choose to allocate amounts to a Segment of the SIO, you are indirectly exposed to the investment risks associated with the applicable Index. Because each Index is comprised or defined by a collection of securities, each Index is largely exposed to market risk and issuer risk.

 

Market risk is the risk that market fluctuations may cause the value of a security to fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Issuer risk is the risk that the value of an issuer’s securities may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, as opposed to the market generally.

 

 

 

 

Risks Associated with the Fixed Maturity Options

 

An allocation to a fixed maturity option has various risks associated with it.

 

Please be aware that a market value adjustment could result in a significant loss of principal and previously credited interest. In certain extreme circumstances, it is theoretically possible to lose 100% of your investment. Specifically:

 

 

 

 

If we deduct all or a portion of a fee or charge from a fixed maturity option, a market value adjustment will apply to that deduction from the fixed maturity option. If the market value adjustment is negative, it will reduce your value in the fixed maturity option.

 

No company other than us has any legal responsibility to pay amounts that the Company owes under the contract and fixed maturity option. An owner should look to the financial strength of the Company for its claims-paying ability.

 

Risk associated with taking an early withdrawal

 

The contract is not a short-term investment and is not appropriate for an investor who needs ready access to cash because the contract is designed to provide for the accumulation of retirement savings and income on a long-term basis. As such, you should not use the contract as a short-term investment or savings vehicle and you should consider whether investing in the contract is consistent with the purpose for which the investment is being considered.

 

Withdrawals could significantly reduce the minimum death benefit by an amount greater than the value withdrawn.

 

Withdrawals may be subject to Withdrawal Charges, negative Segment Interim Value adjustments (see ), negative Market Value Adjustments (see ), loss of interest and the possibility of adverse tax consequences.

 

Insurance company risk

 

No company other than us has any legal responsibility to pay amounts that we owe under the contract including amounts allocated to the SIO and fixed maturity options. The general obligations and any Guaranteed benefits under the contract are supported by our general account and are subject to our claims paying ability. You should look solely to our financial strength for our claims-paying ability.

 

Possible fees on access to account value

 

We may apply fees if you access your account value during the accumulation period or surrender your contract. For example, in addition to possible tax consequences, you may incur fees for accessing your account value such as a withdrawal charge, transfer fee, third party transfer or exchange fee, annual administrative expense, base contract expense, and/or a charge for any optional benefits.

 

Possible adverse tax consequences

 

The tax considerations associated with the contract vary and can be complicated. The applicable tax rules can differ, depending on the type of contract, whether a 403(b) TSA annuity contract, a 403(b)(7) custodial account or an EDC plan. We cannot provide detailed information on all tax aspects of the contracts. Moreover, the tax aspects that apply to a particular person’s contract may vary depending

 

on the facts applicable to that person. Tax rules may change without notice. We cannot predict whether, when, or how these rules could change. Any change could affect contracts purchased before the change. Congress may also consider further proposals to comprehensively reform or overhaul the United States tax and retirement systems, which if enacted, could affect the tax benefits of a contract. We cannot predict what, if any, legislation will actually be proposed or enacted. Before making contributions to your contract or taking other action related to your contract, you should consult with a tax professional to determine the tax implications of an investment in, and payments received under, the contract.

 

Contract Changes Risk

 

We may, at any time, exercise our rights to limit or terminate your contributions, allocations and transfers to any of the variable investment options. We reserve the right, subject to compliance with laws that apply, to remove variable investment options from the Separate Account, to combine any two or more variable investment options, to restrict or eliminate any voting rights as to the Separate Account, to limit or terminate contributions or transfers into any of the variable investment options, and to limit the number of variable investment options you may select.

 

 

You should evaluate whether our ability to make the changes described above, and your ability to react to such changes, are appropriate based on your investment goals. When such changes occur, you should also evaluate whether those changes are appropriate based on your investment goals and, if not, you should evaluate your options under the Contract, which may be limited and may have negative consequences associated with them, as described in this section.

 

Risk of loss

 

All investments have risks to some degree and it is possible that you could lose money by investing in the contract. An investment in the contract is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

Availability by financial intermediary

 

 

Risk associated with taking a loan

 

Loans will decrease your account value and death benefit, and loaned amounts will not participate in the investment experience of your investment options. There may be adverse tax consequences associated with taking a loan from your contract.

 

Business disruption, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (“AI”) technologies risks

 

We rely heavily on technology, including interconnected computer systems and data storage networks and digital communications, to conduct our variable product business. Because our variable product business is highly dependent upon the effective operation of our computer systems and those of our service providers and other business partners, our business is vulnerable to disruptions from utility outages, and susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from information systems failure (e.g., hardware and software malfunctions), and cyberattacks. Cyber-attacks may be systemic (e.g., affecting the internet, cloud services, or other infrastructure) or targeted (e.g., failures in or breach of our systems or those of third parties on whom we rely, including ransomware and malware attacks). Cybersecurity risks include, among other things, the loss, theft, misuse, corruption and destruction of data maintained online or digitally, interference with or denial of service, attacks on our websites (or the websites of third parties on whom we rely), other operational disruption and unauthorized release, use or abuse of confidential customer information. The risk of cyber-attacks may be higher during periods of geopolitical turmoil. Due to the increasing sophistication of cyber-attacks, a cybersecurity breach could occur and persist for an extended period of time without detection. Systems failures and cyberattacks, as well as, any other catastrophic event, including natural and manmade disasters, public health emergencies, pandemic diseases, terrorist attacks, floods or severe storms affecting us, any third-party administrator, the underlying funds, intermediaries and other affiliated or third-party service providers may adversely affect us, our business operations and your account value and interfere with our ability to process contract transactions and calculate account values. Systems failures and cyberattacks may also interfere with our processing of contract transactions, including the processing of orders from our website or with the underlying funds, impact our ability to calculate account values and unit values and/or the underlying funds to be unable to calculate share values, cause the release or possible destruction of confidential customer and/or business information, impede order processing or cause other operational issues, subject us and/or our service providers

 

and intermediaries to regulatory fines, litigation and financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. Cybersecurity risks may also impact the issuers of securities in which the underlying funds invest, which may cause the underlying funds to lose value. The preventative actions we take to reduce the frequency and severity of cybersecurity incidents and protect our computer systems may be insufficient to prevent a cybersecurity breach from impacting our operations or your contract value. There can be no assurance that we or the underlying funds or our service providers and intermediaries will be able to avoid cybersecurity breaches affecting your contract.

 

The development and deployment of AI tools and technologies, including generative AI, and its use and anticipated use by us or by third parties on whom we rely, may increase our existing operational risks or create new operational risks that we are not currently anticipating. AI and generative AI may be misused by us or by third parties upon which we rely, and that risk is increased by the relative newness of the technology, the speed at which it is being adopted, and the uncertain and evolving policy and regulatory landscape governing its use. Such misuse could expose us to legal or regulatory risk. Because the generative AI technology is so new, many of the potential risks of generative AI are currently unknowable.

 

In addition, we are also exposed to risks related to natural and man-made disasters, including, but not limited to, storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, public health crises, malicious acts, and terrorist acts, or any other event, which could adversely affect our ability to conduct business. A natural or man-made disaster, including a pandemic such as COVID-19, could result in our workforce, and/or employees of service providers and/or third-party administrators, being compromised and unable or unwilling to fully perform their responsibilities, which could likewise result in interruptions in our service. This could interfere with our processing of contract transactions, including processing orders from owners and orders with the underlying funds, impact our ability to calculate contract value, or have other adverse impacts on our operations. These events may also negatively affect the our service providers and intermediaries, the underlying funds and issuers of securities in which the underlying funds invest, which may cause the funds underlying your contract to lose value. There can be no assurance that we or the underlying funds or our service providers and intermediaries will be able to avoid negative impacts associated with natural and man-made disasters.

Benefits available under the contract

 

 

 

Summary of Benefits

 

The following tables summarize important information about the benefits available under the contract.

 

 

These death benefits are available during the accumulation phase:

 

 

 

 

This living benefit is available the accumulation phase:

 

 

 

 

These other benefits are available during the accumulation phase:

 

 

 

 

Death benefits

 

 

Your certificate provides a death benefit. If you do not elect the enhanced death benefit described below, the death benefit is equal to the greater of (i) your account value (less any outstanding loan balance and accrued interest) as of the date we receive satisfactory proof of death, any required instructions for the method of payment, information and forms necessary to effect payment, and (ii) the standard death benefit. Your account value will include any positive market value adjustment but will not include any negative market value adjustment that would apply to a withdrawal. Amounts withdrawn from any Segment before the Segment Maturity Date to pay the death benefit will reflect the Segment Interim Value calculation. For more information, see “Adjustments with respect to early distributions from Segments” in “Charges, Expenses, and Adjustments” in this prospectus. The standard death benefit is equal to your total contributions, adjusted for withdrawals and any withdrawal charges, any taxes that apply and less any outstanding loan balance and accrued interest. There is no additional charge for this benefit.

 

If your surviving spouse rolls the death benefit proceeds over into a contract issued by us, the death proceeds will remain invested in this contract until your spouse’s contract is issued and the amount of the death benefit will be calculated as of the date we receive all requirements necessary to issue your spouse’s new contract. The amount of the death benefit will be calculated to equal the greater of (i) your account value (less any outstanding loan balance and accrued interest) as of the date that your spouse’s contract is issued, and (ii) the “minimum death benefit” as of the date of your death. This means that the death benefit proceeds could vary up or down, based on investment performance, until your spouse’s new contract is issued.

 

The death benefit is the same whether or not you have allocated amounts to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options. If you activated the Personal Income

Benefit feature, your total account value is your Personal Income Benefit account value plus your Non-Personal Income Benefit account value.

 

For an additional annual fee you may elect the enhanced death benefit. The current charge for this benefit is 0.15% of account value.

 

You may elect the enhanced death benefit only at the time you apply to participate under the EQUI-VEST Strategies contract. Additionally, to elect this benefit, you must be younger than age 76 when participation under the contract begins. Once you elect this benefit, you may not cancel it as long as you continue participation in the contract.

 

If you elect the enhanced death benefit, the death benefit is equal to the greater of:

 

 

 

On the participation date, your enhanced death benefit equals your initial contribution. Then, on each third participation date anniversary until you are age 85, we will determine your enhanced death benefit by comparing your current enhanced death benefit to your account value. If your account value is higher than your enhanced death benefit, we will increase your enhanced death benefit to equal your account value. On the other hand, if your account value on any third participation date anniversary is less than your enhanced death benefit, we will not adjust your enhanced death benefit either up or down.

 

If you make additional contributions, we will increase your current enhanced death benefit by the dollar amount of the contribution on the date the contribution is allocated to your investment options. If you take a withdrawal from

 

your account value, we will decrease on a proportional basis your enhanced death benefit on the date you take the withdrawal. Appendix: “Death benefit example” in this prospectus provides an example of how the enhanced death benefit is calculated.

 

 

Once we have received notice of your death and until the death benefit is processed, we will not make any transfers from the Segment Holding Account to a Segment. Amounts in the Segment Holding Account will be defaulted into the EQ/Money Market variable investment option on the next scheduled Segment Maturity Date. If Segments mature, the Segment Maturity Value will be transferred to the EQ/Money Market variable investment option.

 

 

Each withdrawal you make will reduce the amount of your current standard death benefit or enhanced death benefit on a pro rata basis. Reduction on a pro rata basis means that we calculate the percentage of your current account value that is being withdrawn (including the amount of any withdrawal charge deducted from the contract) and we reduce your current standard death benefit or enhanced death benefit by that same percentage. For example, if your account value is $30,000 and you withdraw $12,000, you have withdrawn 40% of your account value. If your enhanced death benefit was $40,000 before the withdrawal, it would be reduced by $16,000 ($40,000 x .40) and your new enhanced death benefit after the withdrawal would be $24,000 ($40,000 – $16,000). As this example shows,

 

Before purchasing certain optional benefits such as the enhanced death benefit for your certificate, you and your tax adviser should carefully consider the following. If you intend to satisfy your lifetime required minimum distribution requirements which begin after the applicable RMD age (as described under “Tax Information” later in this prospectus) for this certificate by taking account-based withdrawals (as opposed to receiving annuity payments), you should know that under the terms of the annuity contract such withdrawals will reduce your enhanced death benefit and may have the effect of eliminating your ability to utilize the entire benefit. Also, purchasing the enhanced death benefit may increase the amount of RMDs you are required to withdraw under the tax rules if you elect withdrawals and not annuity payments. For more information, see “Tax information” in this prospectus.

 

Payment of death benefit

 

Beneficiary designations are subject to the terms of your plan. You designate your beneficiary when you apply for your certificate. You may change your beneficiary at any time while the annuitant is alive and the contract is in force.

The change will be effective as of the date the written request is executed, whether or not the participant is living on the date the change is received at our processing office. We are not responsible for any beneficiary change request that we do not receive. We will send you a written confirmation when we receive your request.

 

 

If you die before the annuity payments begin, we will pay the death benefit to your beneficiary.

 

How death benefit payment is made

 

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (“SECURE Act”) has changed key aspects of post-death distributions from tax qualified and tax favored contracts such as TSAs and 457(b) plans. We may be required in certain cases to pay benefits faster under existing contracts.

 

We will pay the death benefit to the beneficiary in the form of the annuity payout option you have chosen, if the option is permitted under federal tax rules in effect after your death.

 

If you have not chosen an annuity payout option as of the time of your death, the beneficiary will receive the death benefit in a single sum. However, subject to any exceptions in the contract, our rules and applicable federal income tax rules, the beneficiary may elect to apply the death benefit to one or more annuity payout options we offer at the time. See “Your annuity payout options” under “Accessing your money” in this prospectus. In some cases a beneficiary may be able to do a non-spousal direct rollover to a new inherited IRA in the case of a death benefit from a qualified plan, 403(b) plan, or governmental employer 457(b) plan.

 

If the beneficiary is a natural person (i.e., not an entity such as a corporation or a trust) and so elects, death benefit proceeds can be paid through the “Equitable Access Account,” which is a draft account that works in certain respects like an interest-bearing checking account. In that case, we will send the beneficiary a draftbook, and the beneficiary will have immediate access to the proceeds by writing a draft for all or part of the amount of the death benefit proceeds. The Company will retain the funds until a draft is presented for payment. Interest on the Equitable Access Account is earned from the date we establish the account until the account is closed by your beneficiary or by us if the account balance falls below the minimum balance requirement, which is currently $1,000. The Equitable Access Account is part of the Company’s general account and is subject to the claims of our creditors. We will receive any investment earnings during the period such amounts remain in the general account. The Equitable Access Account is not a bank account or a checking account and it is not insured by the FDIC. Funds held by insurance companies in the general account are guaranteed by the respective state guaranty association.

 

Beneficiary continuation option

 

Depending on the beneficiary, this option may be restricted or may no longer be available for deaths after December 31, 2019, due to the changes made by the SECURE Act. Upon your death, your beneficiary may generally elect to keep the certificate in your name and receive distributions under the certificate instead of receiving the death benefit in a single sum. If the election is made, then as of the date we receive satisfactory proof of death, any required instructions, information and forms necessary to effect the beneficiary continuation option feature, we will increase the account value to equal the applicable death benefit if such death benefit is greater than such account value. The increase in account value will be allocated to the investment options according to the allocation percentages we have on file for your certificate.

 

If eligible, your beneficiary can elect to receive payments over your beneficiary’s life expectancy (determined in the calendar year after your death and determined on a term certain basis). This feature must be elected by September 30th of the year following the calendar year of your death and before any other inconsistent election is made. Beneficiaries who do not make a timely election will not be eligible for this option. These payments must begin no later than December 31st of the calendar year after the year of your death. For sole spousal beneficiaries, payments may begin by December 31st of the calendar year in which you would have reached the applicable RMD age (as described under “Tax Information” later in this prospectus), if such time is later. The determination of spousal status is made under applicable state law; however, in the event of a conflict between federal and state law, we follow federal rules. For deaths after December 31, 2019, only specified individuals who are “eligible designated beneficiaries” or “EDBs” may generally stretch post-death payments over the beneficiary’s life expectancy. See “What are the required minimum distribution payments after you die?” in this prospectus under “Tax Information.” Individual beneficiaries who do not have EDB status (including beneficiaries named by the original beneficiary to receive any remaining interest after the death of the original beneficiary) must take out any remaining interest in the IRA or plan within 10 years of the applicable death in accordance with federal tax rules. In the case of deceased participants under government employer sponsored plans, these new rules apply to deaths after December 31, 2021.

 

Under the beneficiary continuation option:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The option elected will be processed when we receive satisfactory proof of death, any required instructions for the method of payment and any required information and forms necessary to effect payment.

 

 

Under the Beneficiary continuation option, if you have any account value in a Segment or Segment Holding Account:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If your beneficiary elects any death benefit option other than the Personal Income Benefit Beneficiary continuation option, the Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments will terminate.

 

Your spousal beneficiary may (1) choose the “10-year rule” (the Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments will terminate when all amounts under the certificate have been distributed) or (2) continue the certificate and take withdrawals under the Personal Income Benefit Beneficiary continuation option. If you die before the applicable RMD age (as described under “Tax Information” in this prospectus), your spousal beneficiary may defer Personal Income Benefit Beneficiary continuation option payments until you would have reached the applicable RMD age. However, any Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments skipped cannot be recovered.

 

Under the Personal Income Benefit Beneficiary continuation option:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Living benefits

 

Personal Income Benefit

 

 

This section describes the Personal Income Benefit. The current charge for this benefit is 1.00%. The Personal Income Benefit may not be available in all contracts or in all states. See Appendix: “State contract availability and/or variations of certain features and benefits” in this prospectus for more information on state availability and/or variations of certain features and benefits. For an additional charge, the Personal Income Benefit guarantees that you can take withdrawals from your Personal Income Benefit account value up to a maximum amount per contract year (your “Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount”) during your lifetime (or your spouse’s lifetime if Joint life payments are elected) even if your Personal Income Benefit account value falls to zero unless it is caused by a withdrawal that exceeds your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount. This benefit provides a minimum guarantee that may never come into effect. In order to activate the Personal Income Benefit, you must meet the following two requirements:

 

 

-AND-

 

 

As discussed in more detail below, the maximum Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount is calculated based on

contributions and transfers to your Personal Income Benefit account value, each multiplied by an applicable rate, plus any additional amount that may result from a Ratchet increase, described in more detail below.

 

The charge for the Personal Income Benefit will be deducted from your Personal Income Benefit account value on each participant date anniversary. For a description of how the charge is deducted, see “Personal Income Benefit charge” later in “Charges, expenses, and adjustments.”

 

For amounts allocated in connection with the Personal Income Benefit, your investment options will be limited to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options. Amounts allocated to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options make up your Personal Income Benefit account value. See “Personal Income Benefit variable investment options” in the Appendix: “Investment options available under the contract”.

 

Please note that you are not required to activate the Personal Income Benefit and should consider the cost and benefits before doing so. You should not activate this benefit if you plan to take withdrawals from your Personal Income Benefit account value in excess of your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount because those withdrawals may significantly reduce or eliminate the value of the benefit (see “Effect of Personal Income Benefit Early and Excess withdrawals” below in this section).

 

Prior to allocating amounts to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options, you should check with your employer on the rules and limitations that may apply for taking withdrawals from your Personal Income Benefit account value.

 

 

Your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount is calculated based on the following:

 

 

 

 

These amounts will continue to be added together to arrive at your total Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount. Your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount, as of the end of the quarter, will be shown on your Statement of Account. Once you begin to take Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments:

 

 

 

 

 

With the Personal Income Benefit, there are two rates applicable at all times. We apply the Guaranteed Withdrawal Rate (“GWR”) to amounts you contribute to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options, including salary deferral contributions and employer contributions. We apply the Guaranteed Transfer Withdrawal Rate (“GTWR”) to amounts you transfer to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options from the other investment options in your EQUI-VEST Strategies certificate, lump sum transfers from other providers and rollovers.

 

The GWR is tied to the Ten-Year Treasuries Formula Rate described below. The GWR is set at the beginning of each calendar quarter, however, we reserve the right to set the GWR at the beginning of each calendar month.

 

The GWR is calculated using the Ten-Year Treasuries in effect for that quarter, plus a percentage that ranges from 0.25% to 1.00% based on your age at the beginning of the calendar quarter. The percentage is 1.00% if you are between ages 45 and 50, and declines by 0.05% each year until it reaches 0.25% at age 65.

 

If, at the beginning of a calendar quarter, the GWR calculation results in a rate lower than 2.5%, we will set the rate to a minimum of 2.5%. On the other hand, if the GWR calculation results in a rate greater than 7%, we are under no obligation to set that higher rate. In our sole discretion, we may declare a GWR that is greater, but not less than the rate generated by the GWR calculation.

 

 

The GTWR is set at the beginning of each month and will never be less than 2.5%.

 

Please note that while the GWR and GTWR are subject to the same stated minimum of 2.5%, we reserve the right to declare a GTWR that is higher or lower than the GWR. During certain periods, the declared rates for the GWR and GTWR may be the same.

The following examples are designed to show the basics as to how your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount is calculated. The Personal Income Benefit account value used in these examples is after the deduction of all applicable fees and charges.

 

EXAMPLE 1: Activating the Personal Income Benefit feature

 

Assume you are eligible to activate the Personal Income Benefit feature and have $50,000 in your EQUI-VEST Strategies certificate. You then make a one-time transfer of $1,000 from your Non-Personal Income Benefit account value to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options. The GTWR at the time is 3%. Your amounts under the Personal Income Benefit are calculated as follows:

 

 

 

 

EXAMPLE 2: Building your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount with Contributions

 

Assume you activated the feature as described in EXAMPLE 1 on December 1st and decide to make on-going contributions that amount to $200 to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options on the 15th of each month for a six-month period starting in January of the following year. Also, for the purposes of this example, assume a 0% hypothetical rate of return for the Personal Income Benefit account value. The table below shows the application of the GWR to six monthly contributions and the resulting values.

 

 

EXAMPLE 3: Building Your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount with Contributions and Transfers

 

Assume you activated the benefit as described in EXAMPLE 1 on December 1st and continue to make on-going contributions of $200 to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options as described in EXAMPLE 2. For the purposes of this example, now assume that you make monthly transfers of $100 from your Non-Personal Income

 

Benefit investment options to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options on the 1st of each month beginning on January 1st. Also, for the purposes of this example, assume a 0% hypothetical rate of return for the Personal Income Benefit account value. The table below shows the application of both the GWR and the GTWR at the same time, building your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount and Personal Income Benefit account value through both contributions and transfers.

 

 

 

The Personal Income Benefit feature includes a Ratchet component that may increase your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount based on the performance of your Personal Income Benefit variable investment options. Your Ratchet Base initially equals contributions and transfers to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options and is recalculated on each participation date anniversary to equal the greater of your Personal Income Benefit account value and the most recent Ratchet Base. If your Personal Income Benefit account value is greater, we will “ratchet,” or increase, your Ratchet Base to equal your Personal Income Benefit account value. You are eligible for annual ratchets on each participation date anniversary both before and after you begin receiving your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments. If the Ratchet Base is increased, the difference between the prior Ratchet Base and the increased Ratchet Base will be multiplied by a weighted average of the previous Guaranteed Withdrawal Rates and Guaranteed Transfer Withdrawal Rates to determine the additional amount that will be added to your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount (the “Ratchet increase”). This weighted average is determined

by dividing the Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount by the Ratchet Base.

 

If an annual ratchet is not applicable on your participation date anniversary, the Ratchet Base will not be eligible for a ratchet until the next participation date anniversary. The Ratchet Base is decreased on a pro rata basis due to Early and Excess withdrawals. The Ratchet Base is not reduced by Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments once you begin receiving such payments. Please note that it is less likely you will receive a Ratchet increase after you begin receiving your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments. See “Accessing your money” in this prospectus.

 

The following examples are designed to show how the Ratchet Base works. In these examples, assume the Personal Income Benefit was activated on your participation date anniversary — December 1st. Next, assume that you make monthly contributions to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options for 11 consecutive months with no transfers to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options from your Non-Personal Income Benefit investment options. In order to demonstrate the operation of the annual ratchet of the Ratchet Base, and the Ratchet increase, further assume that your Personal Income Benefit account value at the end of the contract year is $3,000.

 

 

In this example, on Dec. 1 (the participation date anniversary), the most recent Ratchet Base ($2,600) is compared to the Personal Income Benefit account value ($3,000) on the participation date anniversary. Because the Personal Income Benefit account value is greater, the Ratchet Base is increased to $3,000. The Total Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount is also increased due to the $400 increase in the Ratchet Base. The increase to the Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount is calculated by multiplying the increase to the Ratchet Base ($400) by the weighted average of the prior GWRs and GTWRs applied to contributions and transfers, any prior Ratchet increases and any Personal Income Benefit Early or Excess withdrawals. The weighted average is determined by dividing the Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount by the Ratchet Base. Here, the increase to the Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount is calculated as follows:

 

$82.50 ÷ $2600 = 3.17%

 

3.17% x $400 = $12.69

 

$82.50 + $12.69 = $95.19

 

 

You may elect to take your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments through one of our automatic payment plans or you may take unscheduled withdrawals. All withdrawals reduce your Personal Income Benefit account value on a dollar-for-dollar basis, but do not reduce your Ratchet Base. Withdrawals will reduce your minimum death benefit on a pro rata basis. See “Withdrawing your account value” under “Accessing your money” in this prospectus for more information.

 

In order to start taking Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments, you must be at least 59⁄ and, in most cases, separated from employment with the employer that sponsored the plan. Certain employers’ plans may allow you to elect Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments while still employed by the employer sponsoring the plan. You must also notify your plan in a form acceptable to the plan and the Company. The Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount election date will be the business day we receive all information required to process your election at our processing office. After we receive your election, you will no longer be able to make contributions or transfers to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options.

 

Your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount is calculated on a single life basis. However, when you elect to start receiving Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments, you may elect payments on a joint life basis. Under a joint life basis, Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments are guaranteed for the life of both you and your spouse. You may drop the joint life, but you will not be able to name a new joint life and payments will continue to be made in the same amount. The Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments on a joint life basis will be less than those available under the single life basis. If you elect a joint life basis, your certificate will continue to be eligible for a Ratchet increase after your death.

Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments are designed to begin at age 65. You may decide to elect to take your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments after age 59⁄ and before age 65, but this will result in a decrease of all future Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments, as indicated below.

 

 

For example, if your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount based on receiving payments at age 65 is $5,000 and you elect to begin payments at age 63, your adjusted Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount will be $4,500. ($5,000 reduced by 10%, or $500).

 

You may also elect to defer beginning your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments until after age 65, which will result in an increase of your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount, as indicated below.

 

 

Using the same example as above, if your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount based on receiving payments at age 65 is $5,000 and you elect to begin payments at age 68, your adjusted Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount will be $5,300 ($5,000 increased by 6%, or $300).

 

Your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amounts are not cumulative from year to year. If you withdraw less than the Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount in any participation year, you may not add the remainder to your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount in any subsequent year.

 

The withdrawal charge, if applicable under the EQUI-VEST Strategies contract, is waived for withdrawals up to the Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount. However, all withdrawals, including withdrawals from your Non-Personal Income Benefit account value, are counted toward your 10% free withdrawal amount. See “Withdrawal charge” in “Charges, expenses, and adjustments” in this prospectus.

 

You may take your lifetime required minimum distributions without losing the value of the Personal Income Benefit, provided you comply with the conditions described under “Lifetime minimum distribution withdrawals” in “Accessing your money” in this prospectus, including utilizing our RMD automatic withdrawal option. If you do not expect to comply

 

with these conditions, this benefit may have limited usefulness for you and you should consider whether it is appropriate. Please consult your tax adviser.

 

If you experience a financial hardship or unforeseeable emergency that causes you to take a withdrawal from your Personal Income Benefit account value, this withdrawal does not start your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments, but will result in a reduction of your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount. For more information about how a hardship or unforeseeable emergency withdrawal will impact the Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount, see “Hardship and unforeseeable emergency withdrawals” in “Accessing your money” in this prospectus.

 

 

Amounts allocated to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options can always be transferred to other Personal Income Benefit variable investment options, but cannot be transferred to the Non-Personal Income Benefit investment options. However, once you have had amounts allocated to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options for at least one year from the date of the initial allocation, we will permit a one-time exception to this requirement. You may wish to transfer amounts out of the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options if you no longer want to pay the Personal Income Benefit charge, or if you determine that Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments are not part of your overall retirement strategy, or if you want to allocate those amounts to Non-Personal Income Benefit variable investment options. Please note that if you utilize this exception, you will forfeit your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount and we will not refund the Personal Income Benefit charges you paid.

 

If you utilize this exception, you must transfer all amounts out of the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options into Non-Personal Income Benefit investment options. This will terminate the Personal Income Benefit feature and you will not be able to make transfers back into the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options. We will deduct a pro rata portion of the charge for the Personal Income Benefit feature from the Personal Income Benefit account value. You will have to make this request in a form acceptable to us, and provide allocation instructions for the amounts to be transferred. If your allocation instructions on file included allocations to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options, you will also need to provide new allocation instructions.

 

For example, assume the following:

 

 

 

 

If you decide to discontinue the Personal Income Benefit feature by transferring amounts out of the Personal Income Benefit account value, your Non-Personal Income Benefit

account value will be $7,960 (minus a pro rata portion of the Personal Income Benefit charge applied to your Personal Income Benefit account value), your Personal Income Benefit account value will be $0 and your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount will be $0.

 

 

A Personal Income Benefit Early withdrawal is caused when you take a withdrawal from your Personal Income Benefit account value before you have elected to begin receiving your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments.

 

If you take a Personal Income Benefit Early withdrawal, you are still permitted to make contributions and transfers to, or take loans from, the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options.

 

A Personal Income Benefit Excess withdrawal is caused when you withdraw more than your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount in any participation year from your Personal Income Benefit account value. Once a withdrawal (including a hardship or an unforeseeable emergency withdrawal) causes cumulative withdrawals from your Personal Income Benefit account value in a participation year to exceed your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount, only the dollar amount of the withdrawal that causes the cumulative withdrawals to exceed the Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount is considered a Personal Income Benefit Excess withdrawal. In addition, each subsequent withdrawal in that participation year is considered a Personal Income Benefit Excess withdrawal. Withdrawals from your Non-Personal Income Benefit account value are not considered when calculating Personal Income Benefit Excess withdrawals. In other words, you may make withdrawals from your Non-Personal Income Benefit account value without triggering a Personal Income Benefit Excess withdrawal.

 

A Personal Income Benefit Early or Excess withdrawal can cause a significant reduction in both your Ratchet Base and your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount. If you make a Personal Income Benefit Early or Excess withdrawal, we will recalculate your Ratchet Base and your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount. The withdrawal will reduce your Ratchet Base and your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount on a pro rata basis. Reduction on a pro rata basis means we take the percentage of your Personal Income Benefit account value withdrawn and reduce your Ratchet Base and your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount by that same percentage. If, at the time you take a Personal Income Benefit Early or Excess withdrawal, your Personal Income Benefit account value is less than your Ratchet Base, the pro rata reduction in your Ratchet Base will be greater than the dollar amount of the withdrawal.

 

Please note that a Personal Income Benefit Early or Excess withdrawal may be subject to withdrawal charges if it exceeds the 10% free withdrawal amount. A Personal Income Benefit Early or Excess withdrawal that reduces your Personal Income Benefit account value to zero will terminate the Personal Income Benefit without value.

 

Any withdrawal, whether from the Personal Income Benefit account value or the Non-Personal Income Benefit account value, reduces your death benefit under the contract. See “Payment of death benefit” in this prospectus.

 

The following examples are designed to show how Early and Excess withdrawals impact the values in your contract and the Personal Income Benefit feature. Please note that all withdrawals will reduce your death benefit on a pro rata basis.

 

EXAMPLE 1: A Personal Income Benefit Early withdrawal

 

Assume the following:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your withdrawal will be a Personal Income Benefit Early withdrawal. We will deduct $1,000 from your Non-Personal Income Benefit account value and $500 from your Personal Income Benefit account value. Your Ratchet Base and Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount will be reduced by 10% (your Personal Income Benefit account value ($5,000) divided by the amount of the withdrawal taken from your Personal Income Benefit account value ($500)). After the withdrawal:

 

 

 

 

 

EXAMPLE 2: A Personal Income Benefit Excess withdrawal with a withdrawal charge

 

For this example, assume you make an initial $20,000 rollover contribution and there has been no investment performance. Also assume the contract has a 5% withdrawal charge in your second participation year which does not apply to withdrawals up to 10% of your total account value each year (the “10% free withdrawal amount”). Two participation years later, you are no longer employed by the plan sponsor and are eligible to start taking GAWA withdrawals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The withdrawal charge will not apply to the first 10% of account value withdrawn, here $2,000. In this case, the withdrawal charge will be $275 ($5,500 multiplied by 5%). Therefore, the total amount subtracted from the total account value will be $7,775 (the $7,500 withdrawal plus the $275 withdrawal charge). We will deduct $5,000 from your Non-Personal Income Benefit account value and $2,775 from your Personal Income Benefit account value. This will be a Personal Income Benefit Excess withdrawal of $2,325 because the amount withdrawn from your Personal Income Benefit account value exceeds your Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount of $450. Your Ratchet Base and Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount will be reduced by 15.5% (your Personal Income Benefit account value ($15,000) divided by the amount of the withdrawal taken from your Personal Income Benefit account value ($2,325)). After the withdrawal:

 

 

 

 

 

 

If your Personal Income Benefit account value falls to zero due to a Personal Income Benefit Early or Excess withdrawal, your Personal Income Benefit (including Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments) will terminate. Once terminated, the Personal Income Benefit cannot be restored. If your Personal Income Benefit account value falls to zero, either due to a withdrawal that is not a Personal Income Benefit Early or Excess withdrawal or due to a deduction of a charge and you have Non-Personal Income Benefit account value remaining, the Personal Income Benefit feature under your certificate will continue as long as you have Non-Personal Income Benefit account value. In other words, you will continue to receive Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments. These payments will never reduce your Non-Personal Income Benefit account value.

 

If your Personal Income Benefit account value is zero and your Non-Personal Income Benefit account value is zero, or later falls to zero, your certificate will terminate and you will receive a supplementary life annuity contract setting forth your continuing benefits. You will be the owner and annuitant. If the supplementary life annuity contract is issued in connection with a Joint life contract, you will be the annuitant and your spouse will be the joint annuitant, provided you are still married. The following will then occur:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Benefits

 

 

Our investment simplifier program allows you to choose from two automatic options for transferring amounts from the guaranteed interest option to the variable investment options. In order to choose investment simplifier with Personal Income Benefit variable investment options as destination investment options, you must have already activated the Personal Income Benefit feature. Please note that transfers to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options are allowed only until you elect to begin receiving Guaranteed Annual Withdrawal Amount payments. The transfer options are the “fixed-dollar option” and the “interest sweep.” You may select one or the other, but not both. If you elect to use rebalancing option II (discussed below), you may not choose either of the investment simplifier options.

 

 

In order to elect the fixed-dollar option, you must have a minimum of $5,000 in the guaranteed interest option on the date we receive your election form at our processing office. You also must elect to transfer at least $50 per month. The fixed-dollar option is subject to the guaranteed interest option transfer limitation described above under “Transferring your account value.”

 

 

The fixed-dollar and interest sweep options are forms of dollar-cost averaging. Dollar-cost averaging allows you to gradually allocate amounts to the variable investment options by periodically transferring approximately the same dollar amount to the variable investment options you select. This will cause you to purchase more units if the unit’s value is low and fewer units if the unit’s value is high. Therefore, you may get a lower average cost per unit over the long term. This plan of investing, however, does not guarantee that you will earn a profit or be protected against losses.

 

 

 

 

 

Rebalancing your account value

 

Our rebalancing program offers two options that you can use to automatically reallocate your Non-Personal Income Benefit account value. Rebalancing is not available for amounts allocated to the Personal Income Benefit variable investment options.

 

Option I permits reallocation among the variable investment options only and option II permits reallocation among the variable investment options and the guaranteed interest option. To enroll in the asset rebalancing program, you must notify us in writing by completing our asset rebalancing form, instructing us:

 

 

 

While your rebalancing program is in effect, we will transfer amounts among each variable investment option (and the guaranteed interest option, if applicable), so that the percentage of your account value that you specify is invested in each option at the end of each rebalancing date. Your entire Non-Personal Income Benefit account value in the variable investment options (and guaranteed interest option, if applicable) must be included in the rebalancing program. Currently, we permit rebalancing of up to 20 investment options. Transfer restrictions out of the guaranteed interest option may apply in accordance with the last two bullets under “Transferring your account value” above in this section. The initial transfer under the rebalancing program (based on your Non-Personal Income Benefit account value as of the day before the program is established) is not permitted to cause the transfer restrictions to be violated, and any rebalancing election that would be a violation of the transfer restrictions will not be put into effect. However, if the program can be established, once it is in effect, the transfer restrictions will be waived for the rebalancing transfers.

 

 

 

 

If you elect to use option II, you may not choose either of the investment simplifier automatic options.

 

You may elect or terminate the rebalancing program at any time. You may also change your allocations under the program at any time. Once enrolled in the rebalancing program, it will remain in effect until you instruct us in writing to terminate the program. Requesting an investment option transfer while enrolled in our rebalancing program will not automatically change your allocation instructions for rebalancing your account value. This means that upon the next scheduled rebalancing, we will transfer amounts among your investment options pursuant to the allocation instructions previously on file for your program. Changes to your allocation instructions for the rebalancing program (or termination of your enrollment in the program) must be in writing and sent to our processing office.

 

on any rebalancing date where the amount to be transferred from the guaranteed interest option would cause a transfer from the loan reserve account (which is part of the guaranteed interest option), the rebalancing program will be automatically cancelled. (See “Loans” in “Accessing your money” in this prospectus.)

 

Optional Semester Strategies program

 

The Company offers access to account services through SWBC Investment Advisory Services LLC (“SWBC”), an unaffiliated third party. SWBC is an independent registered investment advisory firm that assists retirement plan participants with investment advisory services, including model portfolio services. If available under your employer’s plan, you may generally enroll in SWBC’s model portfolio and investment advisory services program (the “Program”) to manage your account value. The investment advisor will have an advisory relationship with contract owners who participate in the Program. The Program will allocate your account value among the variable investment options, guaranteed interest option and Segments in the Structured Investment Option based on your set time horizon, risk tolerance and investment return objectives derived by SWBC from information you provide to SWBC. For more information about the Structured Investment Option, please see “Structured Investment Option” in “Purchasing the Contract”. To see if the Program is available in your state and your Employer’s Plan, please contact your financial professional and/or see Appendix: “State contract availability and/or variations of certain features and benefits” in this prospectus. SWBC’s Form ADV is provided at enrollment and is also available upon request and on SWBC’s website.

 

SWBC will assign you to a specific Program model portfolio (“Model Portfolio”) based on two main criteria: time horizon and risk tolerance. First, they will determine the age you plan to retire (the “Planned Retirement Age”), which cannot be later than the maturity date under the contract and the Model Portfolio strategy you select. SWBC’s Programs generally offers Model Portfolios with five different time horizons, which are named accordingly:

 

 

 

 

 

You can generally change your Planned Retirement Age at any time by providing the new retirement age to SWBC.

 

Next, SWBC will consider your “risk tolerance”. Together, you will determine if you want more or less exposure to equities. The Program currently offers the above Model Portfolios using two different strategies. Based on your risk tolerance, you can choose:

 

 

 

You can generally change from Semester Strategies to Semester Strategies Plus at any time. You cannot, however, move from Semester Strategies Plus to Semester Strategies.

 

The Model Portfolios may have limited investment options which may be more conservative than other investment options which may limit the upside potential for your contract. There is a risk of loss in all the Model Portfolios.

 

When you enroll in the Program, your allocation instructions for future contributions will be changed to the Model Portfolio you are assigned to by SWBC as of the date we process your enrollment request. In addition, your entire account value will be rebalanced or reallocated periodically according to the Model Portfolio’s allocations. Amounts in variable investment options, including the Segment Type Holding Accounts, and guaranteed interest options will be rebalanced according to the Model Portfolio’s allocations monthly, generally on the first Friday of every month (each a “Semester Strategies Rebalance Date”) and amounts in a Segment will be reallocated according to the Model Portfolio’s allocations when that Segment matures (each a “Semester Strategies Reallocation Date”). Amounts rebalanced or reallocated into new Segments will be placed in the applicable Segment Type Holding Accounts. Because of the difference in timing between Semester Strategies Rebalance Dates, Semester Strategies Reallocation Dates and amounts directed into Segments first being placed in Segment Type Holding Accounts, your actual allocations may vary from the Model Portfolio’s allocations at certain points in time if you have account value in Segments. If an investment option in a Model Portfolio terminates, liquidates, merges, or closes to new investors, SWBC will determine what course of action to take and will update the Model Portfolio’s allocations as necessary.

 

On an annual basis, the Program will determine if you will transition or “glide” from one Model Portfolio to the next Model Portfolio based on your birthdate and the number of years remaining until your Planned Retirement Age currently on file. If a glide is scheduled to occur, your allocation instructions for future contributions will be changed to the new Model Portfolio allocations. Your account value will be rebalanced and reallocated as applicable into the investment options according that new Model Portfolio’s allocations on the next Semester Strategies Rebalance Date and applicable Semester Strategies Reallocation Dates. You will receive notice of an upcoming glide. The automatic glide feature is part of the Program and cannot be modified. If you do not want to glide from the current Model Portfolio to the next Model Portfolio, you will have to change your Planned Retirement Age prior to your birthdate. Once you reach your Planned Retirement Age, you will glide to the post-retirement Model Portfolio for purposes of the Program and thereafter you will no longer glide to a different Model Portfolio as you continue to age.

 

SWBC will generally review the Model Portfolios on an annual basis and may review them more frequently based on market conditions. You will receive notice of any changes in the Model Portfolio allocations. SWBC may also terminate a Model Portfolio and assign you to a new Model Portfolio. You may decide to opt out of the changes by terminating your participation in the Program and becoming self-directed prior to your account value being rebalanced and reallocated as applicable according to the new Model Portfolio allocations. If you do not opt out, on the date of the proposed change your allocation instructions for future contributions will be changed to the Model Portfolio’s new allocations. Your account value will be rebalanced and reallocated as applicable into the investment options according to that Model Portfolio’s new allocations on the next Semester Strategies Rebalance Date and applicable Semester Strategies Reallocation Dates.

 

To participate in the Program, you are required to use the Maximum investment options choice method. If you elected the Maximum transfer flexibility method before enrolling in the Program, you will be switched to the Maximum investment options choice method when you enroll in the Program. In addition, when you enroll in the Program, any current automated transfer programs, including dollar cost averaging and asset rebalancing, will be unavailable and/or terminate and you will not be able to establish any new program(s) while you participate. In addition, if you invested in the Structured Investment Option and specified a Performance Cap Threshold and/or provided Segment maturity instructions, those elections will be changed when you enroll in the Program. For more information about the Structured Investment Option, please see “Structured Investment Option” in “Purchasing the Contract” in this prospectus.

 

When you enroll in the Program, we will pay SWBC’s advisory services fee on your behalf.

 

You may terminate the Program and become self-directed at any time by completing the necessary termination form or by contacting your financial professional. You can also terminate your participation in the Program by logging into your account at www.equitable.com or contacting one of our customer service representatives at (800) If you request to change your future allocation instructions or make a transfer from one investment option to another, your partic-

ipation in the Program will terminate and you will become self-directed. Once terminated, we reserve the right to not permit you to in the Program. If the Program terminates for any reason, you will be self-directed and, therefore, you will no longer receive model portfolio or investment advisory services from SWBC. If the Program terminates you will remain in your existing investment options until you provide us with new instructions. We can also terminate the Program at any time and for any reason. If we terminate the Program you will become self-directed. We do not provide investment advice. Please note that if you were switched from the Maximum transfer flexibility method to the Maximum investment options choice method when you enrolled in the Program you will not be automatically switched back to the Maximum transfer flexibility method if your participation in the Program terminates. Likewise, if any automated programs, a Performance Cap Threshold or Segment maturity instructions were terminated when you enrolled in the Program, those automated programs, Performance Cap Thresholds or special maturity instructions will not automatically resume; you will need to provide us with new instructions regarding which automated programs that you wish to in, any Performance Cap Threshold you wish to set and any new Segment maturity instructions you want to use.

 

Please note:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For additional information or to enroll in the Program, contact your financial professional or one of our customer service representatives. The Program may not be available to all plans, all contracts, all certificates, in all states or through all financial intermediaries.