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Face
your
future
with
confidence
Even when you're not sure what the future holds.
Retirement Cornerstone
is an innovative variable annuity that helps grow and protect your income stream — and what you’ll leave behind — with flexibility designed to fit your life.
We are Equitable.
Introduction
®
• Introduction
• Flexibility to support
• What's an annuity
• Grow & Protect
• Investment options
• Income opportunities
• Different ways to grow
• Protect your income
• Accounts
• GMIB
• Flexibility for you... and a spouse
• Legacy & RMD planning
• Death Benefit Options
• GMDB
• Important additional information
Learn more about Retirement Cornerstone®
A fulfilling future means something different to everyone. In the world of retirement planning, Retirement Cornerstone® is a “multistage variable annuity.” It’s built so that, as your path to retirement unfolds, you can decide how to optimize your income stream.1
Grow your savings
Flexibility to support retirement on your terms
Protect your retirement income
Plan beyond your own needs
Your savings will have the opportunity to continue to build, even after you stop working.
Retirement can last quite a long time — upwards of 30 years. That’s great if you’ve prepared ahead of time and know your income can keep up with your expenses.
When you’re thinking about the people or causes you hold dear, you can rest easy knowing you’ve prepared for their future, as well as your own.
1 This only applies during the GMIB Roll-Up period.
Retirement can last quite a long time —upwards of 30 years. That’s great if you’ve prepared ahead of time and know your income can keep up with your expenses.
What’s an annuity? An annuity is a long-term financial product designed to help you save for retirement. It’s a contract between you and an insurance company: you make an investment, and the company commits to future benefits for you, such as a source of income in retirement or a death benefit to your loved ones. Some annuities, including Retirement Cornerstone®, can let you protect your retirement income while investing for potential growth. All annuities contain certain limitations, so be sure to learn about the rules and potential risk before you invest.
Investment growth
Grow your wealth
As you’re building your savings, Retirement Cornerstone®’s investment options offer flexibility to match your portfolio to your own goals, needs and tolerance for risk, now and in the future.
With the Investment Account, you can access over 100 investment options to build a customized portfolio without being locked into any decisions you make today about what you might need in the future.
With the Protected Benefit Account, you’ll choose from a focused range of investment options built to adapt to your changing needs, particularly as your tolerance for risk may change as you get closer to retirement.
Both accounts offer a well-diversified set of investments that may help smooth the effect of market ups and downs and keep you focused on the long term. Most importantly, you can pursue tax-deferred growth, which allows your original investment, plus your earnings, to compound and grow, without having to pay taxes on your growth until later.4
Compounding creates a snowball effect that happens when your earnings produce even more earnings! This helps your money grow faster as time goes on because it puts your money to work for you.
What does compounding do for you?
With options offered through well-known investment managers such as:
4 Earnings are taxable as ordinary income when distributed, and may be subject to a 10% additional federal tax if withdrawn before age 59½.
Investment Account info will flow in...
Protected Benefit Account info will flow in...
2 Earnings are taxable as ordinary income when distributed, and may be subject to a 10% additional federal tax if withdrawn before age 59½.
Both accounts offer a well-diversified set of investments that may help smooth the effect of market ups and downs and keep you focused on the long term. Most importantly, you can pursue tax-deferred growth, which allows your original investment, plus your earnings, to compound and grow, without having to pay taxes on your growth until later.2
Investment Account
You can access over 100 investment options to build a customized portfolio without being locked into any decisions you make today about what you might need in the future.
Protected Benefit Account
You’ll choose from a focused range of investment options built to adapt to your changing needs, particularly as your tolerance for risk may change as you get closer to retirement.
Additional account information
A fulfilling future means something different to everyone. In the world of retirement planning, Retirement Cornerstone® is a “multistage variable annuity.” It’s built so that, as your path to retirement unfolds, you can decide how to optimize your income stream.3
Both accounts offer a well-diversified set of investments that may help smooth the effect of market ups and downs and keep you focused on the long term. Most importantly, you can pursue tax-deferred growth, which allows your original investment, plus your earnings, to compound and potentially grow, without having to pay taxes on your growth until later.2
Creates a snowball effect that happens when your earnings produce even more earnings! This helps your money grow faster as time goes on because it puts your money to work for you.
Compounding
Income opportunities
Create an income stream
As you get closer to retirement, you want more confidence that the money you need for expenses, travel and the goals you’ve set will be there. Protect your retirement with guaranteed income for life through Retirement Cornerstone®’s Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (GMIB), an optional rider that is available for an additonal fee.
As you get closer to retirement, you want more confidence that the money you need for expenses, travel and the goals you’ve set will be there. Protect your retirement with guaranteed income for life through Retirement Cornerstone®’s Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (GMIB).
"Keep the change"
Interest rate-based increase
Market-based increase
If you take less than your maximum annual withdrawal amount to start, then you get to keep the change! All of this “change” compounds on top of the amount that helps us figure out your possible future income.3
Take advantage of potential interest rate increases that can help grow your income, compound each year and have the potential to get you a higher rate if Treasury rates rise, with a guaranteed floor if they don’t.
Lock in possible market gains with annual resets to the income base when your investments do well.
Make sure your income stream has different ways to grow
With the Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit, you can take advantage of three ways to potentially increase income in retirement.
3 Footnote lorem ipsum
3 This only applies during the GMIB Roll-Up period.
If you take less than your maximum annual withdrawal amount to start, then you get to keep the change! All of this “change” compounds on top of the amount that helps us figure out your possible future income.2
2 Footnote lorem ipsum
Protect your income
Income growth in action: a hypothetical example
10-Year Treasury plus 2% Deferral Roll-Up (T+2%)
Annual Withdrawal
10-Year Treasury plus 2% Annual Roll-Up (T+2%)
Resets
T+2%
Years
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Contribution
GMIB Benefit Base
GMIB Roll-Up
Hypothetical Account Value
GMIB
4 Rates are effective November 13, 2023. New business rates are declared periodically and may change as frequently as monthly. The deferral and annual Roll-Up Rates compound annually and are guaranteed to be locked in for the first 7 contract years. After the lock-in period, the rate becomes a flexible rate, tied to the recent average 10-year Treasury rates plus 2%, and is recalculated each contract year. Both the deferral and annual Roll-Up Rates can be as high as 10% and will never be less than 7% during the GMIB Roll-Up period. If the account value falls to zero, income withdrawal rates will be reduced based on a lifetime annuitization rate. When lifetime income begins (annuitization), there is a mortality based rate table that applies where the rate is lower than 7%. Refer to the Annuitization Factors for more information. 5 GMIB Roll-Up Rates are applied to the benefit base during the GMIB Roll-Up Period, which is until the earlier of the 20th contract anniversary from when the Protected Benefit Account was initially funded and the contract anniversary following the owner’s 95th birthday. The Annual Withdrawal Amount is determined by the Annual Roll-Up Rate formula and is available until the contract anniversary following the owner’s 95th birthday. Excess withdrawals will adversely affect the benefit base.
Afterward, your Roll-Up Rates are Treasury-tied, with guaranteed annual benefit base growth as high as 10% and never below 7% during the GMIB Roll-Up Period and with annual withdrawals until age 95.
The GMIB Multiyear Lock includes a fixed Roll-Up Rate for the first 7 contract years.
Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (GMIB) Roll-Up Rates while deferring or taking withdrawals4
7%
Years 1–7: Compounded
(if deferring or taking income)
Years 8+: 10-year Treasury + 2% between
(Roll-Up Rates apply to the benefit base until the earlier of 20 years and age 95. Withdrawals continue to age 95.)5
and
10%
For more information about the GMIB Roll-Up Period and lifetime income payments, download the GMIB Roadmap here.
3 Rates are effective November 13, 2023. New business rates are declared periodically and may change as frequently as monthly. The deferral and annual Roll-Up Rates compound annually and are guaranteed to be locked in for the first 7 contract years. After the lock-in period, the rate becomes a flexible rate, tied to the recent average 10-year Treasury rates plus 2%, and is recalculated each contract year. Both the deferral and annual Roll-Up Rates can be as high as 10% and will never be less than 7% during the GMIB Roll-Up period. If the account value falls to zero, income withdrawal rates will be reduced based on a lifetime annuitization rate. When lifetime income begins (annuitization), there is a mortality based rate table that applies where the rate is lower than 7%. Refer to the Annuitization Factors for more information.
Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (GMIB) Roll-Up Rates while deferring or taking withdrawals3
(Roll-Up Rates apply to the benefit base until the earlier of 20 years and age 95. Withdrawals continue to age 95.)4
The Investment Account features an extensive selection of over 100 investment portfolios from well-known investment managers. The Protected Benefit Account funds the Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (GMIB), an optional rider available for an additional fee. The GMIB ensures you will be able to generate lifetime income, no matter how your investment portfolios perform, as long as you stay within certain withdrawal guidelines. As your needs change over the years, you can simply transfer assets from the Investment Account to the Protected Benefit Account. Transfers from the Protected Benefit Account to the Investment Account are not allowed. Retirement Cornerstone® offers a variety of different death benefit options, some of which are subject to an additional cost. Please note, we have the discretion to change the contract rider fees after the first 2 contract years. A benefit base is used to generate a minimum lifetime income or withdrawal amount and is not a cash value. It is equal to the initial contribution and increases annually at a specified rate, which is called the Roll-Up Rate, during the GMIB Roll-Up Period. After the 7-year lock-in period, Roll-Up Rates are tied to the U.S. 10-year Treasury rates, which provide the opportunity to increase your income if interest rates rise.
It contains two distinct accounts, offering investment portfolio performance and retirement lifetime income protection within a single tax-deferred product, providing an innovative approach to managing retirement needs.
Retirement Cornerstone®
can be a smart retirement strategy that helps you grow and protect your lifetime income stream — and what you’ll leave behind — with flexibility designed to fit your life.
Click here for more information about the accounts.
Flexibility
It contains two distinct accounts, offering investment portfolio performance and retirement lifetime income protection within a single tax-deferred product, providing an innovative approach to managing retirement needs. The Investment Account features an extensive selection of over 100 investment portfolios from well-known investment managers. The Protected Benefit Account funds the Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (GMIB), an optional rider available for an additional fee. The GMIB ensures you will be able to generate lifetime income, no matter how your investment portfolios perform, as long as you stay within certain withdrawal guidelines. As your needs change over the years, you can simply transfer assets from the Investment Account to the Protected Benefit Account. Transfers from the Protected Benefit Account to the Investment Account are not allowed. Retirement Cornerstone® offers a variety of different death benefit options, some of which are subject to an additional cost. Please note, we have the discretion to change the contract rider fees after the first 2 contract years. A benefit base is used to generate a minimum lifetime income or withdrawal amount and is not a cash value. It is equal to the initial contribution and increases annually at a specified rate, which is called the Roll-Up Rate, during the GMIB Roll-Up Period. After the 7-year lock-in period, Roll-Up Rates are tied to the U.S. 10-year Treasury rates, which provide the opportunity to increase your income if interest rates rise.
Cornerstone®
Retirement Cornerstone® offers built-in spousal protection that’s easy to elect or change as your needs change
Flexibility for you... and a spouse
Legacy planning for a better future
GMDB
Benefits of feature
Cost-effective Principal protection Market-based resets
Return of principal
Highest anniversary value (HAV)
RMD Wealth Guard
6 Restrictions apply.
Retirement Cornerstone® offers built-in spousal protection that’s easy to elect or change as your needs change Options include the two-for-one Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (for spouses who are joint owners of the contract) and spousal continuation benefits (to continue the contract for a surviving spouse at no additional cost when an individual owner passes away). It’s a well-rounded retirement plan that allows you to select the level of coverage that best fits your needs as an individual or a couple.5
Options include the two-for-one Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (for spouses who are joint owners of the contract) and spousal continuation benefits (to continue the contract for a surviving spouse at no additional cost when an individual owner passes away). It’s a well-rounded retirement plan that allows you to select the level of coverage that best fits your needs as an individual or a couple.6
Legacy & RMD planning
5 Restrictions apply.
Options include the two-for-one Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (for spouses who are joint owners of the contract) and spousal continuation benefits (to continue the contract for a surviving spouse at no additional cost when an individual owner passes away). It’s a well-rounded retirement plan that allows you to select the level of coverage that best fits your needs as an individual or a couple.5
Plan for a future beyond your own
When loved ones are involved, there’s always more to consider than your individual priorities. By setting aside funds through a death benefit, you can rest assured that your legacy will live on for your loved ones in the ways most important to you.
• What does compounding do for you?
Retirement Cornerstone®’s death benefit options have something for everyone.
Highest anniversary value
A cost-effective, no-fee way to preserve and pass on the principal of your original investment, adjusted for withdrawals you take during your lifetime.
Locks in the highest year-end account value you earn, up to age 85, to ensure your loved ones receive no less than your best end-of-contract-year account value, adjusted for the withdrawals you take.
Options to leave your loved ones a Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit (GMDB) (fees apply).
Helps you take the income required by the IRS without reducing your death benefit, while still giving you the opportunity to build what you pass along by capturing any market growth.
Click tabs below to find out more.
A good retirement strategy protects the income you need to retire.
A great retirement strategy does it on your own terms, in your own time.
Retirement Cornerstone® responds to your changing needs and priorities over time, with options that fit your life.
Cost- effective
Principal protection
Market-based resets
great
Variable annuities and variable universal life insurance are offered by prospectus, which you can obtain from your financial professional or the insurance company. The prospectus contains detailed information about investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. You should read the prospectus and consider this information carefully before purchasing a variable annuity contract or variable universal life insurance policy. Annuities are long-term financial products designed for retirement purposes. Variable investment options within variable annuities are subject to fluctuation in value and market risk, including the possibility of loss of principal. Annuities have fees, exclusions and limitations, and early withdrawals may be subject to surrender charges and, if taken prior to age 591/2, a 10% federal income tax penalty. For costs and complete details, contact your Equitable Advisors Financial Professional. Life insurance and annuities are issued by Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial) (NY, NY) and, depending on the particular contract and its distributor, by Equitable Financial Life Insurance of America (Equitable America), an AZ stock corporation. Co-distributed by affiliates Equitable Distributors, LLC and Equitable Advisors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) (Equitable Financial Advisors in MI & TN). Equitable Financial, Equitable America, Equitable Advisors and Equitable Distributors are affiliated companies and do not provide tax or legal advice. Duly-registered and licensed representatives offer securities through Equitable Advisors, LLC (NY, NY (212) 314-4600), member FINRA, SIPC (Equitable Financial Advisors in MI & TN), offer investment advisory products and services through Equitable Advisors, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor, and offer annuity and insurance products through Equitable Network, LLC (Equitable Network Insurance Agency of California, LLC; Equitable Network Insurance Agency of Utah, LLC; Equitable Network of Puerto Rico, Inc.). Equitable is the brand name of the retirement and protection subsidiaries of Equitable Holdings, Inc., including Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial) (NY, NY); Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company of America (Equitable America), an AZ stock company; and Equitable Distributors, LLC. The obligations of Equitable Financial and Equitable America are backed solely by their claims-paying abilities. Equitable Advisors is the brand name of Equitable Advisors, LLC. © 2023 Equitable Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. GE-5437842.1 (1/23) (Exp. 1/25) | G2076334 | Cat. #161452 (3/23)
Variable annuities and variable universal life insurance are offered by prospectus, which you can obtain from your financial professional or the insurance company. The prospectus contains detailed information about investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. You should read the prospectus and consider this information carefully before purchasing a variable annuity contract or variable universal life insurance policy.
Important additional information
Please consider the charges, risks, expenses and investment objectives carefully before purchasing a variable annuity. For a prospectus containing this and other information, please contact a financial professional. Read it carefully before you invest or send money. Important information We’ve designed this material as an informational and educational resource. We do not provide tax, accounting or legal advice. Any tax statements contained herein were not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding U.S. federal, state or local tax penalties. Please consult your own independent advisors as to any tax, accounting or legal statements made herein. In addition to carefully reading our product prospectus, please be sure to read all of the important introductory and explanatory information about Retirement Cornerstone®, including important terms and definitions, contained in this kit. All contract and rider guarantees, including optional benefits and any fixed subaccount crediting rates or annuity payout rates, are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing life insurance company. They are not backed by the broker/dealer from which this annuity is purchased, by the insurance agency from which this annuity is purchased or any affiliates of those entities, and none makes any representations or guarantees regarding the claims-paying ability of the issuing life insurance company. Annuities contain certain restrictions and limitations. For costs and complete details, contact a financial professional. Generally, income refers to withdrawals from the GMIB and lifetime income refers to annuitization, meaning converting a certain sum into a series of lifetime payments. A variable annuity, like Retirement Cornerstone®, is a long-term financial product designed for retirement purposes. In essence, it is a contractual agreement between you and an insurance company in which the insurer agrees to pay out lifetime income or a lump-sum amount at a later date. Variable annuities contain limitations, fees and charges that include (but are not limited to) operations fees, sales and withdrawal charges, administrative fees and charges for optional benefits. Withdrawals may reduce death and living benefits and the cash surrender value, and may be subject to a contractual withdrawal charge. The Series B product includes a contractual withdrawal charge that declines from 7% over a 7-year period. For tax purposes, distributions and withdrawals taken prior to annuitization are considered to come from the gain in the contract first. If withdrawals are from a qualified contract, they are treated as distributions of gain. Gains are taxed as ordinary income and, if taken prior to age 59½, may be subject to an additional 10% federal tax penalty. Amounts in the variable investment portfolios may fluctuate in value to the point of principal loss. See the prospectus for more details. You must be a certain age to be eligible for GMIB. You should be aware your lifetime income is not protected until you begin paying for the rider. You can fund the GMIB starting at age 50 by making a contribution or transfer to the Protected Benefit Account. Once the first contribution or transfer is made, you are subject to a waiting period (10 years) before you can exercise the benefit to avoid reducing the benefit. Each time the benefit base is reset, a new waiting period applies. We reserve the right to increase or decrease the charge for the GMIB in the third year. We may also discontinue or make changes to the requirements and limitations for contributions and transfers among investment options or the Protected Benefit Account. If we discontinue contributions and transfers to the Protected Benefit Account, you will no longer be able to fund your guaranteed benefits. Taking a withdrawal from the Protected Benefit Account greater than the Annual Withdrawal Amount (an excess withdrawal) in any given year will have an adverse effect on the benefit bases. The GMIB may be elected at only contract issue. You will be enrolled in an automatic annual reset program at the time of application unless a different reset option is selected. All contract and rider guarantees, optional benefits, fixed subaccount crediting rates and annuity payout rates are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing life insurance company. They are not backed by the broker/dealer, insurance agency or other entity from which this annuity is purchased. No one else makes any representations or guarantees regarding the claims-paying ability of the issuing life insurance company. Certain features and benefits described herein may not be available in all jurisdictions. In addition, some distributors may eliminate and/or limit the availability of certain features or options, based on annuitant issue age or other criteria. When distributed outside of New York state by Equitable Advisors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) (Equitable Financial Advisors in MI & TN) through Equitable Advisors Financial Professionals who do not have an office in New York state, Retirement Cornerstone® 19 is issued by Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company of America (Equitable America), an AZ stock company with an administrative office located in Charlotte, NC. When offered by Equitable Advisors Financial Professionals who do have an office in New York state or when distributed by Equitable Distributors, LLC through financial professionals of unaffiliated broker/dealers, Retirement Cornerstone® 19 is issued by Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial) (NY, NY). The obligations of Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company and Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company of America are backed solely by their own claims-paying abilities. Equitable is the brand name of the retirement and protection subsidiaries of Equitable Holdings, Inc., including Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial) (NY, NY); Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company of America (Equitable America), an AZ stock company with an administrative office located in Charlotte, NC ; and Equitable Distributors, LLC. The obligations of Equitable Financial and Equitable America are backed solely by their claims-paying abilities. Equitable Advisors is the brand name of Equitable Advisors, LLC. Contract form #s: ICC12BASE4, ICC12BASE3 and any state variations. Retirement Cornerstone® is patent-approved. Patent no. 8,645,261. © 2024 Equitable Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. GE-7418196.1 (12/24) (Exp. 12/28) | G2638216 (12/24)
