The MarketSeven Fixed Index Annuity from EquiTrust Life Insurance Company gives you the benefits when markets are rising and protection when they’re fluctuating.
Two multi-asset, risk-controlled index options provide an extra level of diversification.
Plus, there are tax advantages to owning a fixed annuity.
When the Market is Up…You’re Up! When it’s Down …You’re Not!
MARKETSEVEN INDEX annuity never exposes your principal to market risk.
You share only in index gains…not the losses.
And you benefit from tax-deferred earnings, withdrawal privileges, and built-in guarantees – all without investing directly in the stock market.
You may choose among several accounts.
The 1-Year Interest Account earns a traditional interest rate and a variety of Index Accounts that earn credits based on changes in either the S&P 500 or the Goldman Sachs Dynamo Strategy Index.
On appropriate contract anniversaries, “index credits” are determined on Index Accounts and applied to your contract’s current Accumulation Value.
If your selected index continues steady growth, your Accumulation Value grows.
If the index declines, your Accumulation Value is simply unchanged from the preceding period’s Accumulation Value.
At the end of the surrender charge period, you have access to your contract’s full Accumulation Value with no surrender charges; as an added benefit, you are guaranteed an Accumulation Value no less than 107% of your premiums less withdrawals.
However, by leaving your money in MARKETSEVEN INDEX beyond the surrender charge period, you continue to earn interest and index credits on a tax-deferred basis.
You Control Your Money… Going In and Coming Out
FLEXIBLE PREMIUMS
After making your initial premium payment, you may add subsequent premiums at any time.
Your entire premium amount is credited to the Accumulation Value.
Additional premium payments are directed to the 1-Year Interest Account until the next contract anniversary, at which time they can be reallocated.
If you would like all initial premiums to be allocated to the index accounts, you may authorize the Company to wait to issue the contract until all specified premiums are received.
You may allocate your premiums among the following crediting accounts.
ACCOUNT TRANSFERS
On each contract anniversary, you may transfer money among the various accounts offered in your contract.
Transfers out of a two-year account are allowed only at the end of each two-year period.
ALLOCATION OF ADDITIONAL PREMIUMS
You may request a change to your current premium allocations at any time; any reallocation request will take effect on the following contract anniversary and will apply only to any additional contributions during the current contract year.
FREE WITHDRAWALS
You may withdraw up to 10% of the accumulation value each year, after the first contract year, without paying any charges.
LUMP-SUM PAYMENT OPTION
Your contract’s cash surrender value is available to you as a lump sum at any time.
Surrender charges are in effect during the first 7 contract years, are a percentage of the Accumulation Value, and decline annually: 9, 8, 7, 6.5, 5.5, 4.5, and 3.5%.
In addition, early surrenders or withdrawals over 10% may be subject to a Market Value Adjustment (MVA).
At the end of the surrender charge period, your cash surrender value will equal the full Accumulation Value.
Ask your agent/producer for more details on the MVA, or refer to your contract.
THE VALUE OF TAX DEFERRAL
Currently, all interest income earned on an annuity accumulates on a tax-deferred basis.
No income taxes are payable until you receive a payment from your contract.
If you are under age 59 ½ at the time of withdrawal, an additional 10% IRS penalty may be imposed.
GUARANTEED ACCUMULATION VALUE BENEFIT
At the end of year seven, your Accumulation Value is guaranteed to be no less than 107% of your premiums, less any partial withdrawals and applicable income rider fees.
MINIMUM GUARANTEED CONTRACT VALUE
You are guaranteed to receive no less than 87.5% of your premiums – less any partial withdrawals – accumulated at the minimum guaranteed contract rate.
NURSING HOME WAIVER
For additional peace of mind, your contract includes a Nursing Home Waiver.
If you are confined to a nursing home or hospital for 90 days or more, your contract Accumulation Value will be available without surrender charges or MVA beginning in the second contract year and during your confinement.
There is no charge for this waiver.
Available at issue through age 80.
TERMINAL ILLNESS RIDER
If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness, charges will be waived for a withdrawal of up to 75% of the Accumulation Value.
There is no charge for this rider.
BENEFITS UPON DEATH OF OWNER
If you die, the full accumulation value is paid to the beneficiary, without surrender charges or MVA. Equitrust Life Insurance is also an inexpensive way to leave a death benefit to beneficiaries.
FREE-LOOK PERIOD
After your contract is issued, you have a specified number of days to review it; see your contract for complete details.
If you are not completely satisfied with the terms, you may return the contract and receive 100% of your premiums paid, minus any prior withdrawals.
Income Rider
This optional benefit offers:
- Lifetime income based on 7% accumulation for up to 7 years.
- A 7% bonus is added to your Benefit Base for all premiums paid in the first year.
- A guaranteed1 income stream for life – without annuitizing – and increased income payments in the event of a chronic illness.
- The ability to double your income for up to five years in the event of a chronic illness.
- Flexibility and control to start and stop income payments when you choose.
- All of this while maintaining your annuity benefits!
INCOME WITHDRAWAL RULES
Income Withdrawals may begin anytime after the first contract year and age 50 (both owners).
Unlike annuitization, the Income Rider gives you the flexibility to stop and restart Income Withdrawals when you choose.
Payments will continue for life, even if the contract’s Accumulation Value is depleted.
Income Withdrawals may be taken monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually.
After Income Withdrawals start, the annual penalty-free withdrawal amount is the greater of 10% of the Accumulation Value, or your Income Withdrawal Amount.
CREDITED RATE NOTICE
The election of the Income Rider may result in lower cap rates, participation rates, or interest rates.
Combined with the annual rider fee, these lower rates may result in a lower Accumulation Value.
This applies for the life of your contract, even if the Income Rider is subsequently terminated.
ADDITIONAL PREMIUMS
The Benefit Base will be increased by any additional premiums and will receive a 7% bonus to the Benefit Base for all first-year premiums.
Additional premiums are not allowed after the start of Income Withdrawals.
ENHANCED INCOME WITHDRAWALS
The cost of nursing care later in life can have a severe impact on retirement resources.
To help plan for this financial unknown, the Income Rider features Enhanced Income Withdrawals – included at no additional cost.
If you become chronically ill, the income withdrawal amounts may be doubled for up to five years; for joint owners, the increase is 50%.
A chronic illness is defined as the permanent inability to perform at least two of six activities of daily living, which include:
- eating
- toileting
- transferring
- bathing
- dressing
- continence
- or permanent severe cognitive impairment.
If utilized, the original income payment amount resumes when Enhanced Income Withdrawals end.
Enhanced Income Withdrawals may be utilized after the annuity contract has been in effect for 3 years if the contract has an Accumulation Value greater than zero, no additional premiums have been added in the last two years, and the owner is a U.S. resident between the ages of 60 and 90.
During the Enhanced Income Withdrawal period, the chronic illness must be certified by a physician annually.
Check out a Long Term Care Annuity to supplement your long term care insurance needs.
INCOME RIDER ISSUE REQUIREMENTS
The owner must be 40 or older to elect the Income Rider.
The rider may be elected during the annuity application process only and cannot be added after the annuity contract has been issued.
In order to qualify for the rider, the owner and annuitant must be the same person, and joint owners must be spouses; the spouse may include a domestic partner (in some cases, but does not include spousal continuation).
EXCESS WITHDRAWALS
You may withdraw more than your Income Withdrawal amount at any time, but it will reduce your future Income Withdrawals permanently.
Any amount withdrawn in addition to your Income Withdrawal is considered an Excess Withdrawal, with the exception of a Required Minimum Distribution.
- If the Excess Withdrawal amount exceeds the penalty-free provisions of the contract, it may be subject to a surrender charge or Market Value Adjustment.
- Excess Withdrawals reduce future Income Withdrawals and the Benefit Base proportionately to the reduction in Accumulation Value.
PAYMENT FLEXIBILITY
You have the option to stop Income Withdrawals at any time.
While the payments are stopped, partial withdrawals in excess of the Income Withdrawal amount will be considered Excess Withdrawals and reduce your future Income Withdrawal Amount.
If you later choose to restart Income Withdrawals, the Income Withdrawal amount will be the greater of the prior Income Withdrawal amount (adjusted for any Excess Withdrawals) or the original Income Withdrawal Percentage multiplied by the current Benefit Base.
RIDER TERMINATION
The rider may be terminated upon your request.
Once the rider is terminated, it cannot be restarted.
The rider will be terminated automatically upon:
- Death of first contract owner, unless spousal continuation is elected.
- Full surrender
- Annuitization
- Contract ownership change – other than a spousal continuation or the addition of a spousal joint owner
- Excess Withdrawals that reduce the Accumulation Value to zero
