Manulife Financial (MFC) 6-K Current report (foreign)

Exhibit 99.1

Manulife Financial Corporation

Consolidated Financial Statements

For the year ended December 31, 2020

Responsibility for Financial Reporting

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of Manulife Financial Corporation are the responsibility of management and have been approved by the Board of Directors. It is also the responsibility of management to ensure that all information in the annual report to shareholders is consistent with these consolidated financial statements.

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared by management in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and the accounting requirements of the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, Canada. When alternative accounting methods exist, or when estimates and judgment are required, management has selected those amounts that present the Company’s financial position and results of operations in a manner most appropriate to the circumstances.

Appropriate systems of internal control, policies and procedures have been maintained to ensure that financial information is both relevant and reliable. The systems of internal control are assessed on an ongoing basis by management and the Company’s internal audit department.

The actuary appointed by the Board of Directors (the “Appointed Actuary”) is responsible for ensuring that assumptions and methods used in the determination of policy liabilities are appropriate to the circumstances and that reserves will be adequate to meet the Company’s future obligations under insurance and annuity contracts.

The Board of Directors is responsible for ensuring that management fulfills its responsibility for financial reporting and is ultimately responsible for reviewing and approving the consolidated financial statements. These responsibilities are carried out primarily through an Audit Committee of unrelated and independent directors appointed by the Board of Directors.

The Audit Committee meets periodically with management, the internal auditors, the peer reviewers, the external auditors and the Appointed Actuary to discuss internal control over the financial reporting process, auditing matters and financial reporting issues. The Audit Committee reviews the consolidated financial statements prepared by management and then recommends them to the Board of Directors for approval. The Audit Committee also recommends to the Board of Directors and shareholders the appointment of external auditors and approval of their fees.

The consolidated financial statements have been audited by the Company’s external auditors, Ernst & Young LLP, in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards and the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Ernst & Young LLP has full and free access to management and the Audit Committee.

Roy Gori President and Chief Executive Officer	Philip Witherington Chief Financial Officer

Toronto, Canada

February 10, 2021

Appointed Actuary’s Report to the Shareholders

I have valued the policy liabilities and reinsurance recoverables of Manulife Financial Corporation for its Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as at December 31, 2020 and 2019 and their change in the Consolidated Statements of Income for the years then ended in accordance with actuarial practice generally accepted in Canada, including selection of appropriate assumptions and methods.

In my opinion, the amount of policy liabilities net of reinsurance recoverables makes appropriate provision for all policyholder obligations and the consolidated financial statements fairly present the results of the valuation.

Steven Finch

Appointed Actuary

Toronto, Canada

February 10, 2021

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of Manulife Financial Corporation

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

We have audited the consolidated financial statements of Manulife Financial Corporation (the “Company”), which comprise the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the Consolidated Statements of Income, Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years then ended, and notes to the consolidated financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies.

In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and its consolidated financial performance and its consolidated cash flows for the years then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.

Basis for Opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the Company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the consolidated financial statements in Canada, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Key Audit Matters

Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of the audit of the consolidated financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters. For each matter below, our description of how our audit addressed the matter is provided in that context.

We have fulfilled the responsibilities described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements section of our report, including in relation to these matters. Accordingly, our audit included the performance of procedures designed to respond to our assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements. The results of our audit procedures, including the procedures performed to address the matters below, provide the basis for our audit opinion on the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Valuation of Insurance Contract Liabilities

Key Audit Matter

The Company recorded insurance contract liabilities of $385.6 billion at December 31, 2020 on its consolidated statement of financial position. Insurance contract liabilities are reported gross of reinsurance ceded and represent management’s estimate of the amount which, together with estimated future premiums and net investment income, will be sufficient to pay estimated future benefits, policyholder dividends and refunds, taxes (other than income taxes) and expenses on insurance policies in-force. Insurance contract liabilities are determined using the Canadian Asset Liability Method (CALM), as required by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA). The valuation of insurance contract liabilities is based on an explicit projection of cash flows using current assumptions for each material cash flow item. Cash flows related to insurance contract liabilities have two major components: a best estimate assumption and a provision for adverse deviation. Best estimates are made with respect to key assumptions including mortality, morbidity, investment returns, policy termination rates, premium persistency, expenses, and taxes. A provision for adverse deviation is recorded to reflect the inherent uncertainty related to the timing and amount of the best estimate assumptions and is determined by including a margin of conservatism for each assumption. Disclosures on this matter are found in Note 1 ‘Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies’ and Note 6 ‘Insurance Contract Liabilities and Reinsurance Assets’ of the consolidated financial statements. Auditing the valuation of insurance contract liabilities was complex and required the application of significant auditor judgement due to the complexity of the cash flow models, the selection and use of assumptions, and the interrelationship of these variables in measuring insurance contract liabilities. The audit effort involved professionals with specialized skill and knowledge to assist in evaluating the audit evidence obtained.

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	Valuation of Insurance Contract Liabilities
How Our Audit Addressed the Key Audit Matter	We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design, and tested the operating effectiveness of management’s controls over the valuation of insurance contract liabilities. The controls we tested related to, among other areas, actuarial methodology, integrity of data used, controls over relevant information technology, and the assumption setting and implementation processes used by management. To test the valuation of insurance contract liabilities, our audit procedures included, among other procedures, involving our actuarial specialists to assess the methodology and assumptions with respect to compliance with the Company’s policies. We performed audit procedures over key assumptions, including the implementation of those assumptions into the models. These procedures included testing underlying support and documentation, including reviewing a sample of experience studies supporting specific assumptions, challenging the nature, timing, and completeness of changes recorded, assessing whether individual changes were errors or refinements of estimates, and comparing the level of margins for adverse deviation to suggested ranges established by the CIA. We also performed independent recalculation procedures on a sample of insurance policies to evaluate management’s recorded reserves. In addition, we assessed the adequacy of the disclosures provided in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.
	Valuation of Invested Assets with Significant Non-Observable Market Inputs
Key Audit Matter	The Company recorded invested assets of $17.5 billion at December 31, 2020 on its consolidated statement of financial position which are both (a) measured at fair value and (b) subject to a valuation estimate that includes significant non-observable market inputs. These invested assets are classified as level 3 within the Company’s hierarchy of fair value measurements and include real estate, timber and agriculture, high estimation uncertainty bonds, and private equities which are valued using internal models. There is increased measurement uncertainty associated with these invested assets due to market disruption associated with COVID-19. These assets are valued based on internal models or third-party pricing sources that incorporate assumptions with a high-level of subjectivity. Examples of such assumptions include interest rates, yield curves, credit ratings and related spreads, expected future cash flows and transaction prices of comparable assets. Disclosures on this matter are found in Note 1 ‘Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies’ and Note 3 ‘Invested Assets and Investment Income’ of the consolidated financial statements. Auditing the valuation of these invested assets was complex and required the application of significant auditor judgment in assessing the valuation methodologies and non-observable inputs used. The valuation of these assets is sensitive to the significant non-observable market inputs described above, which are inherently forward-looking and could be affected by future economic and market conditions. The audit effort involved professionals with specialized skill and knowledge to assist in evaluating the audit evidence obtained.
How Our Audit Addressed the Key Audit Matter	We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design, and tested the operating effectiveness of management’s controls over the investment valuation process. The controls we tested related to, among other areas, management’s determination and approval of assumptions and methodologies used in model-based valuations and management’s review of valuations provided by third-party pricing sources. To test the valuation of these invested assets, our audit procedures included, among other procedures, involving our valuation specialists to assess the methodologies and significant assumptions used by management. These procedures included assessing the valuation methodologies used with respect to the Company’s policies, valuation guidelines, and industry practice and comparing a sample of valuation assumptions used against benchmarks, including comparable transactions and independent pricing sources where available. We also performed independent investment valuations on a sample of investments with high estimation uncertainty to evaluate management’s recorded values. In addition, we assessed the adequacy of the disclosures provided in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Other Information

Management is responsible for the other information. The other information comprises:

• Management’s Discussion and Analysis; and

• The information, other than the consolidated financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon, in the 2020 Annual Report.

Our opinion on the consolidated financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the consolidated financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information, and in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the consolidated financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated.

We obtained Management’s Discussion and Analysis prior to the date of this auditor’s report. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact in this auditor’s report. We have nothing to report in this regard.

The 2020 Annual Report is expected to be made available to us after the date of the auditor’s report. If based on the work we will perform on this other information, we conclude there is a material misstatement of other information, we are required to report that fact to those charged with governance.

         105

Responsibilities of Management and Those Charged with Governance for the Consolidated Financial Statements

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Company or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.

Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Company’s financial reporting process.

Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these consolidated financial statements.

As part of an audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also:

• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control.

• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by management.

• Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the consolidated financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Company to cease to continue as a going concern.

• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the consolidated financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the consolidated financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.

• Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities or business activities within the Company to express an opinion on the consolidated financial statements. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the group audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit opinion.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.

From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our report of independent registered public accounting firm unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.

The engagement partner on the audit resulting in this report of independent registered public accounting firm is Sean Musselman.

Chartered Professional Accountants

Licensed Public Accountants

Toronto, Canada

February 10, 2021

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of Manulife Financial Corporation

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Financial Position of Manulife Financial Corporation (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related Consolidated Statements of Income, Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”).

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.

Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) and our report dated February 10, 2021, expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.    

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.

Valuation of Insurance Contract Liabilities

Description of the Matter

The Company recorded insurance contract liabilities of $385.6 billion at December 31, 2020 on its consolidated statement of financial position. Insurance contract liabilities are reported gross of reinsurance ceded and represent management’s estimate of the amount which, together with estimated future premiums and net investment income, will be sufficient to pay estimated future benefits, policyholder dividends and refunds, taxes (other than income taxes) and expenses on insurance policies in-force. Insurance contract liabilities are determined using the Canadian Asset Liability Method (CALM), as required by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA). The valuation of insurance contract liabilities is based on an explicit projection of cash flows using current assumptions for each material cash flow item. Cash flows related to insurance contract liabilities have two major components: a best estimate assumption and a provision for adverse deviation. Best estimates are made with respect to key assumptions including mortality, morbidity, investment returns, policy termination rates, premium persistency, expenses, and taxes. A provision for adverse deviation is recorded to reflect the inherent uncertainty related to the timing and amount of the best estimate assumptions and is determined by including a margin of conservatism for each assumption. Disclosures on this matter are found in Note 1 ‘Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies’ and Note 6 ‘Insurance Contract Liabilities and Reinsurance Assets’ of the consolidated financial statements. Auditing the valuation of insurance contract liabilities was complex and required the application of significant auditor judgement due to the complexity of the cash flow models, the selection and use of assumptions, and the interrelationship of these variables in measuring insurance contract liabilities. The audit effort involved professionals with specialized skill and knowledge to assist in evaluating the audit evidence obtained.

         107

	Valuation of Insurance Contract Liabilities
How We Addressed the Matter in Our Audit	We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design, and tested the operating effectiveness of management’s controls over the valuation of insurance contract liabilities. The controls we tested related to, among other areas, actuarial methodology, integrity of data used, controls over relevant information technology, and the assumption setting and implementation processes used by management. To test the valuation of insurance contract liabilities, our audit procedures included, among other procedures, involving our actuarial specialists to assess the methodology and assumptions with respect to compliance with the Company’s policies. We performed audit procedures over key assumptions, including the implementation of those assumptions into the models. These procedures included testing underlying support and documentation, including reviewing a sample of experience studies supporting specific assumptions, challenging the nature, timing, and completeness of changes recorded, assessing whether individual changes were errors or refinements of estimates, and comparing the level of margins for adverse deviation to suggested ranges established by the CIA. We also performed independent recalculation procedures on a sample of insurance policies to evaluate management’s recorded reserves. In addition, we assessed the adequacy of the disclosures provided in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.
	Valuation of Invested Assets with Significant Non-Observable Market Inputs
Description of the Matter	The Company recorded invested assets of $17.5 billion at December 31, 2020 on its consolidated statement of financial position which are both (a) measured at fair value and (b) subject to a valuation estimate that includes significant non-observable market inputs. These invested assets are classified as level 3 within the Company’s hierarchy of fair value measurements and include real estate, timber and agriculture, high estimation uncertainty bonds, and private equities which are valued using internal models. There is increased measurement uncertainty associated with these invested assets due to market disruption associated with COVID-19. These assets are valued based on internal models or third-party pricing sources that incorporate assumptions with a high-level of subjectivity. Examples of such assumptions include interest rates, yield curves, credit ratings and related spreads, expected future cash flows and transaction prices of comparable assets. Disclosures on this matter are found in Note 1 ‘Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies’ and Note 3 ‘Invested Assets and Investment Income’ of the consolidated financial statements. Auditing the valuation of these invested assets was complex and required the application of significant auditor judgment in assessing the valuation methodologies and non-observable inputs used. The valuation of these assets is sensitive to the significant non-observable market inputs described above, which are inherently forward-looking and could be affected by future economic and market conditions. The audit effort involved professionals with specialized skill and knowledge to assist in evaluating the audit evidence obtained.
How We Addressed the Matter in Our Audit	We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design, and tested the operating effectiveness of management’s controls over the investment valuation process. The controls we tested related to, among other areas, management’s determination and approval of assumptions and methodologies used in model-based valuations and management’s review of valuations provided by third-party pricing sources. To test the valuation of these invested assets, our audit procedures included, among other procedures, involving our valuation specialists to assess the methodologies and significant assumptions used by management. These procedures included assessing the valuation methodologies used with respect to the Company’s policies, valuation guidelines, and industry practice and comparing a sample of valuation assumptions used against benchmarks, including comparable transactions and independent pricing sources where available. We also performed independent investment valuations on a sample of investments with high estimation uncertainty to evaluate management’s recorded values. In addition, we assessed the adequacy of the disclosures provided in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Chartered Professional Accountants

Licensed Public Accountants

We have served as Manulife Financial Corporation’s auditors since 1905.

Toronto, Canada

February 10, 2021

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of Manulife Financial Corporation

Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited Manulife Financial Corporation’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the “COSO criteria”). In our opinion, Manulife Financial Corporation (the “Company”) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on the COSO criteria.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”), the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position of the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the related Consolidated Statements of Income, Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years then ended, and the related notes and our report dated February 10, 2021, expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

Basis for Opinion

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting contained in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Chartered Professional Accountants

Licensed Public Accountants

Toronto, Canada

February 10, 2021

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Consolidated Statements of Financial Position

As at December 31, (Canadian $ in millions)	2020			2019
Assets
Cash and short-term securities	$	26,167		$	20,300
Debt securities		218,724			198,122
Public equities		23,722			22,851
Mortgages		50,207			49,376
Private placements		40,756			37,979
Policy loans		6,398			6,471
Loans to bank clients		1,976			1,740
Real estate		12,832			12,928
Other invested assets		30,195			28,760
Total invested assets (note 3)		410,977			378,527
Other assets
Accrued investment income		2,523			2,416
Outstanding premiums		1,444			1,385
Derivatives (note 4)		27,793			19,449
Reinsurance assets (notes 6 and 7)		45,836			41,446
Deferred tax assets (note 16)		4,842			4,574
Goodwill and intangible assets (note 5)		9,929			9,975
Miscellaneous		9,569			8,250
Total other assets		101,936			87,495
Segregated funds net assets (note 22)		367,436			343,108
Total assets	$	880,349		$	809,130
Liabilities and Equity
Liabilities
Insurance contract liabilities (note 6)	$	385,554		$	351,161
Investment contract liabilities (note 7)		3,288			3,104
Deposits from bank clients		20,889			21,488
Derivatives (note 4)		14,962			10,284
Deferred tax liabilities (note 16)		2,614			1,972
Other liabilities		18,607			16,244
		445,914			404,253
Long-term debt (note 9)		6,164			4,543
Capital instruments (note 10)		7,829			7,120
Segregated funds net liabilities (note 22)		367,436			343,108
Total liabilities		827,343			759,024
Equity
Preferred shares (note 11)		3,822			3,822
Common shares (note 11)		23,042			23,127
Contributed surplus		261			254
Shareholders’ retained earnings		18,887			15,488
Shareholders’ accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Pension and other post-employment plans		(313	)		(350	)
Available-for-sale securities		1,838			1,511
Cash flow hedges		(229	)		(143	)
Real estate revaluation reserve		34			31
Translation of foreign operations		4,993			5,398
Total shareholders’ equity		52,335			49,138
Participating policyholders’ equity		(784	)		(243	)
Non-controlling interests		1,455			1,211
Total equity		53,006			50,106
Total liabilities and equity	$	880,349		$	809,130

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

Roy Gori President and Chief Executive Officer	John Cassaday Chairman of the Board of Directors

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Consolidated Statements of Income

For the years ended December 31, (Canadian $ in millions except per share amounts)	2020			2019
Revenue
Premium income
Gross premiums	$	41,408		$	41,059
Premiums ceded to reinsurers		(8,491	)		(5,481	)
Net premiums		32,917			35,578
Investment income (note 3)
Investment income		16,433			15,393
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on assets supporting insurance and investment contract liabilities and on the macro hedge program		18,967			18,200
Net investment income		35,400			33,593
Other revenue (note 13)		10,591			10,399
Total revenue		78,908			79,570
Contract benefits and expenses
To contract holders and beneficiaries
Gross claims and benefits (note 6)		30,133			28,660
Increase (decrease) in insurance contract liabilities (note 6)		36,982			33,727
Increase (decrease) in investment contract liabilities (note 7)		178			170
Benefits and expenses ceded to reinsurers		(6,795	)		(5,373	)
(Increase) decrease in reinsurance assets (note 6)		(5,263	)		(1,269	)
Net benefits and claims		55,235			55,915
General expenses		7,510			7,686
Investment expenses (note 3)		1,787			1,748
Commissions		6,043			6,293
Interest expense		1,181			1,319
Net premium taxes		381			389
Total contract benefits and expenses		72,137			73,350
Income before income taxes		6,771			6,220
Income tax expense (note 16)		(1,195	)		(718	)
Net income	$	5,576		$	5,502
Net income (loss) attributed to:
Non-controlling interests	$	250		$	233
Participating policyholders		(545	)		(333	)
Shareholders		5,871			5,602
	$	5,576		$	5,502
Net income attributed to shareholders		5,871			5,602
Preferred share dividends		(171	)		(172	)
Common shareholders’ net income	$	5,700		$	5,430
Earnings per sharea
Basic earnings per common share (note 11)	$	2.94		$	2.77
Diluted earnings per common share (note 11)		2.93			2.77
Dividends per common share		1.12			1.00

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

For the years ended December 31, (Canadian $ in millions)	2020			2019
Net income	$	5,576		$	5,502
Other comprehensive income (loss) (“OCI”), net of tax:
Items that may be subsequently reclassified to net income:
Foreign exchange gains (losses) on:
Translation of foreign operations		(505	)		(1,933	)
Net investment hedges		100			320
Available-for-sale financial securities:
Unrealized gains (losses) arising during the year		2,506			2,212
Reclassification of net realized (gains) losses and impairments to net income		(2,175	)		(433	)
Cash flow hedges:
Unrealized gains (losses) arising during the year		(81	)		(28	)
Reclassification of realized losses to net income		(5	)		12
Share of other comprehensive income (losses) of associates		2			1
Total items that may be subsequently reclassified to net income		(158	)		151
Items that will not be reclassified to net income:
Change in pension and other post-employment plans		37			76
Real estate revaluation reserve		5			11
Total items that will not be reclassified to net income		42			87
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		(116	)		238
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	$	5,460		$	5,740
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributed to:
Non-controlling interests	$	254		$	237
Participating policyholders		(541	)		(334	)
Shareholders		5,747			5,837

Income Taxes included in Other Comprehensive Income

For the years ended December 31, (Canadian $ in millions)	2020			2019
Income tax expense (recovery) on:
Unrealized gains/losses on available-for-sale financial securities	$	574		$	558
Reclassification of realized gains/losses and recoveries/impairments to net income on available-for-sale financial securities		(576	)		(140	)
Unrealized gains/losses on cash flow hedges		(19	)		(20	)
Reclassification of realized gains/losses to net income on cash flow hedges		(2	)		4
Unrealized foreign exchange gains/losses on translation of foreign operations		–			(1	)
Unrealized foreign exchange gains/losses on net investment hedges		8			39
Change in pension and other post-employment plans		9			18
Real estate revaluation reserve		2			–
Share of other comprehensive income (loss) of associates		(1	)		–
Total income tax expense (recovery)	$	(5	)	$	458

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

112   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Consolidated Financial Statements

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity

For the years ended December 31, (Canadian $ in millions)	2020			2019
Preferred shares
Balance, beginning of year	$	3,822		$	3,822
Balance, end of year		3,822			3,822
Common shares
Balance, beginning of year		23,127			22,961
Repurchased (note 11)		(121	)		(677	)
Issued on exercise of stock options and deferred share units		36			104
Issued under dividend reinvestment and share purchase plans		–			739
Balance, end of year		23,042			23,127
Contributed surplus
Balance, beginning of year		254			265
Exercise of stock options and deferred share units		(7	)		(20	)
Stock option expense		14			11
Impact of deferred tax asset rate change		–			(2	)
Balance, end of year		261			254
Shareholders’ retained earnings
Balance, beginning of year		15,488			12,704
Opening adjustment at adoption of IFRS 16		–			(19	)
Net income attributed to shareholders		5,871			5,602
Common shares repurchased (note 11)		(132	)		(662	)
Preferred share dividends		(171	)		(172	)
Common share dividends		(2,169	)		(1,965	)
Balance, end of year		18,887			15,488
Shareholders’ accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”)
Balance, beginning of year		6,447			6,212
Change in unrealized foreign exchange gains (losses) of net foreign operations		(405	)		(1,612	)
Change in actuarial gains (losses) on pension and other post-employment plans		37			76
Change in unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale financial securities		325			1,775
Change in unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges		(86	)		(16	)
Change in real estate revaluation reserve		3			11
Share of other comprehensive income (losses) of associates		2			1
Balance, end of year		6,323			6,447
Total shareholders’ equity, end of year		52,335			49,138
Participating policyholders’ equity
Balance, beginning of year		(243	)		94
Opening adjustment at adoption of IFRS 16		–			(3	)
Net income (loss) attributed to participating policyholders		(545	)		(333	)
Other comprehensive income attributed to policyholders		4			(1	)
Balance, end of year		(784	)		(243	)
Non-controlling interests
Balance, beginning of year		1,211			1,093
Net income attributed to non-controlling interests		250			233
Other comprehensive income (loss) attributed to non-controlling interests		4			4
Contributions (distributions/disposal), net		(10	)		(119	)
Balance, end of year		1,455			1,211
Total equity, end of year	$	53,006		$	50,106

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

For the years ended December 31, (Canadian $ in millions)	2020			2019
Operating activities
Net income	$	5,576		$	5,502
Adjustments:
Increase in insurance contract liabilities		36,982			33,727
Increase in investment contract liabilities		178			170
(Increase) decrease in reinsurance assets excluding coinsurance transactions (note 6)		(2,374	)		(557	)
Amortization of (premium) discount on invested assets		154			117
Other amortization		656			626
Net realized and unrealized (gains) losses and impairment on assets		(22,521	)		(20,265	)
Deferred income tax expense (recovery)		280			(454	)
Stock option expense		14			11
Cash provided by operating activities before undernoted items		18,945			18,877
Changes in policy related and operating receivables and payables		1,103			1,665
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities		20,048			20,542
Investing activities
Purchases and mortgage advances		(111,981	)		(80,610	)
Disposals and repayments		98,850			65,333
Change in investment broker net receivables and payables		(1,017	)		1,159
Net cash flows from acquisition and disposal of subsidiaries and businesses		–			288
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(14,148	)		(13,830	)
Financing activities
Issue of long-term debt, net (note 9)		2,455			–
Redemption of long-term debt (note 9)		(652	)		–
Issue of capital instruments, net (note 10)		1,990			–
Redemption of capital instruments (note 10)		(1,250	)		(1,500	)
Secured borrowings (note 3 (f))		1,376			107
Change in repurchase agreements and securities sold but not yet purchased		24			266
Changes in deposits from Bank clients, net		(579	)		1,819
Lease payments		(134	)		(117	)
Shareholders’ dividends paid in cash		(2,340	)		(1,398	)
Common shares repurchased (note 11)		(253	)		(1,339	)
Common shares issued, net (note 11)		36			104
Contributions from (distributions to) non-controlling interests, net		(10	)		(22	)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities		663			(2,080	)
Cash and short-term securities
Increase (decrease) during the year		6,563			4,632
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and short-term securities		(528	)		(466	)
Balance, beginning of year		19,548			15,382
Balance, December 31		25,583			19,548
Cash and short-term securities
Beginning of year
Gross cash and short-term securities		20,300			16,215
Net payments in transit, included in other liabilities		(752	)		(833	)
Net cash and short-term securities, January 1		19,548			15,382
End of year
Gross cash and short-term securities		26,167			20,300
Net payments in transit, included in other liabilities		(584	)		(752	)
Net cash and short-term securities, December 31	$	25,583		$	19,548
Supplemental disclosures on cash flow information
Interest received	$	11,736		$	11,549
Interest paid		1,188			1,299
Income taxes paid		1,358			104

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

114   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Consolidated Financial Statements

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Page Number	Note
116	Note 1	Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies
124	Note 2	Accounting and Reporting Changes
125	Note 3	Invested Assets and Investment Income
133	Note 4	Derivative and Hedging Instruments
139	Note 5	Goodwill and Intangible Assets
141	Note 6	Insurance Contract Liabilities and Reinsurance Assets
150	Note 7	Investment Contract Liabilities
151	Note 8	Risk Management
158	Note 9	Long-Term Debt
159	Note 10	Capital Instruments
160	Note 11	Share Capital and Earnings Per Share
162	Note 12	Capital Management
162	Note 13	Revenue from Service Contracts
163	Note 14	Stock-Based Compensation
165	Note 15	Employee Future Benefits
169	Note 16	Income Taxes
171	Note 17	Interests in Structured Entities
173	Note 18	Commitments and Contingencies
175	Note 19	Segmented Information
177	Note 20	Related Parties
177	Note 21	Subsidiaries
179	Note 22	Segregated Funds
180	Note 23	Information Provided in Connection with Investments in Deferred Annuity Contracts and SignatureNotes Issued or Assumed by John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.)
186	Note 24	Comparatives

         115

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(Canadian $ in millions except per share amounts or unless otherwise stated)

Note 1    Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies

(a)    Reporting entity

Manulife Financial Corporation (“MFC”) is a publicly traded company and the holding company of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (“MLI”), a Canadian life insurance company. MFC and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Manulife” or the “Company”) is a leading financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Manulife’s international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to personal and business clients as well as asset management services to institutional customers. The Company operates as Manulife in Canada and Asia and as John Hancock in the United States.

MFC is domiciled in Canada and incorporated under the Insurance Companies Act (Canada) (“ICA”). These Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”).

These Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with “Risk Management” in the 2020 Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) dealing with IFRS 7 “Financial Instruments: Disclosures” as the discussion on market risk and liquidity risk includes certain disclosures that are considered an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

These Consolidated Financial Statements as at and for the year ended December 31, 2020 were authorized for issue by MFC’s Board of Directors on February 10, 2021.

(b)    Basis of preparation

The preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with IFRS requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of accounting policies and the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as at the date of the Consolidated Financial Statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results may differ from these estimates. The most significant estimation processes relate to evaluating assumptions used in measuring insurance and investment contract liabilities, assessing assets for impairment, determining pension and other post-employment benefit obligation and expense assumptions, determining income taxes and uncertain tax positions, and estimating fair values of certain invested assets. Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognized in the year in which the estimates are revised and in any future years affected. Although some variability is inherent in these estimates, management believes that the amounts recorded are appropriate. The significant accounting policies used and the most significant judgments made by management in applying these accounting policies in the preparation of these Consolidated Financial Statements are summarized below.

The Company’s results and operations have been and may continue to be adversely impacted by the COVID -19 pandemic and the recent economic downturn. The adverse effects include but are not limited to significant volatility in equity markets, decline in interest rates, increase in credit risk, strain on commodity markets and alternative long duration asset prices, foreign currency exchange rate volatility, increases in insurance claims, persistency and redemptions, and disruption of business operations. The breadth and depth of these events and their duration contribute additional uncertainty around estimates used in determining the carrying value of certain assets and liabilities included in these Consolidated Financial Statements.

The uncertainty regarding key inputs used in establishing the carrying amounts of certain invested assets are outlined in the notes to these Consolidated Financial Statements. The Company has applied appropriate measurement techniques using reasonable judgment and estimates from the perspective of a market participant to reflect current economic conditions. The impact of these techniques has been reflected in these Financial Statements. Changes in the inputs used could materially impact the respective carrying values.

(c)    Fair value measurement

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction (not a forced liquidation or distress sale) between market participants at the measurement date; fair value is an exit value.

When available, quoted market prices are used to determine fair value. If quoted market prices are not available, fair value is typically based upon alternative valuation techniques such as discounted cash flows, matrix pricing, consensus pricing services and other techniques. Broker quotes are generally used when external public vendor prices are not available.

The Company has a valuation process in place that includes a review of price movements relative to the market, a comparison of prices between vendors, and a comparison to internal matrix pricing which uses predominately external observable data. Judgment is applied in adjusting external observable data for items including liquidity and credit factors.

116   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The Company categorizes its fair value measurement results according to a three-level hierarchy. The hierarchy prioritizes the inputs used by the Company’s valuation techniques based on their reliability. A level is assigned to each fair value measurement based on the lowest level input significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are defined as follows:

Level 1 – Fair value measurements that reflect unadjusted, quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities that the Company can access at the measurement date, reflecting market transactions.

Level 2 – Fair value measurements using inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in inactive markets, inputs that are observable that are not prices (such as interest rates, credit risks, etc.) and inputs that are derived from or corroborated by observable market data. Most debt securities are classified within Level 2. Also, included in the Level 2 category are derivative instruments that are priced using models with observable market inputs, including interest rate swaps, equity swaps, credit default swaps and foreign currency forward contracts.

Level 3 – Fair value measurements using significant non-market observable inputs. These include valuations for assets and liabilities that are derived using data, some or all of which is not market observable, including assumptions about risk. Level 3 security valuations include less liquid securities such as real estate investment property, other invested assets, timber investments held within segregated funds, certain long-duration bonds and other securities that have little or no price transparency. Certain derivative financial instrument valuations are also included in Level 3.

(d)    Basis of consolidation

MFC consolidates the financial statements of all entities it controls, including certain structured entities. Subsidiaries are entities controlled by the Company. The Company has control over an entity when the Company has the power to govern the financial and operating policies of the entity, and is exposed to variable returns from its activities which are significant in relation to the total variable returns of the entity and the Company is able to use its power over the entity to affect its share of variable returns. In assessing control, significant judgment is applied while considering all relevant facts and circumstances. When assessing decision-making power, the Company considers the extent of its rights relative to the management of an entity, the level of voting rights held in an entity which are potentially or presently exercisable, the existence of any contractual management agreements which may provide the Company with power over an entity’s financial and operating policies, and to the extent of other parties’ ownership in an entity, if any, the possibility for de facto control being present. When assessing variable returns, the Company considers the significance of direct and indirect financial and non-financial variable returns to the Company from an entity’s activities in addition to the proportionate significance of such returns. The Company also considers the degree to which its interests are aligned with those of other parties investing in an entity and the degree to which it may act in its own interest.

The financial statements of subsidiaries are included in MFC’s consolidated results from the date control is established and are excluded from consolidation from the date control ceases. The initial control assessment is performed at inception of the Company’s involvement with the entity and is reconsidered if the Company acquires or loses power over key operating and financial policies of the entity; acquires additional interests or disposes of interests in the entity; the contractual arrangements of the entity are amended such that the Company’s proportionate exposure to variable returns changes; or if the Company’s ability to use its power to affect its variable returns from the entity changes.

The Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared using uniform accounting policies for like transactions and events in similar circumstances. Intercompany balances, and income and expenses arising from intercompany transactions, have been eliminated in preparing the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Non-controlling interests are interests of other parties in the equity of MFC’s subsidiaries and are presented within total equity, separate from the equity of MFC’s participating policyholders and shareholders. Non-controlling interests in the net income and other comprehensive income (“OCI”) of MFC’s subsidiaries are included in total net income and total OCI, respectively. An exception to this occurs where the subsidiary’s shares are either puttable by the shareholder or required to be redeemed for cash on a fixed or determinable date, in which case other parties’ interests in the subsidiary’s capital are presented as liabilities of the Company and other parties’ interests in the subsidiary’s net income and OCI are recorded as expenses of the Company.

The equity method of accounting is used to account for entities over which the Company has significant influence or joint control (“associates” or “joint ventures”), whereby the Company records its share of the associate’s or joint venture’s net assets and financial results using uniform accounting policies for similar transactions and events. Significant judgment is used to determine whether voting rights, contractual management rights and other relationships with the entity, if any, provide the Company with significant influence or joint control over the entity. Gains and losses on the sale of associates or joint ventures are included in income when realized, while impairment losses are recognized immediately when there is objective evidence of impairment. Gains and losses on commercial transactions with associates or joint ventures are eliminated to the extent of the Company’s interest in the associate or joint venture. Investments in associates or joint ventures are included in other invested assets on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

         117

(e)    Invested assets

Invested assets that are considered financial instruments are classified as fair value through profit or loss (“FVTPL”), loans and receivables, or as available-for-sale (“AFS”) financial assets. The Company determines the classification of its financial assets at initial recognition. Invested assets are recognized initially at fair value plus, in the case of investments not at FVTPL, directly attributable transaction costs. Invested assets are classified as financial instruments at FVTPL if they are held for trading, if they are designated by management under the fair value option, or if they are designated by management when they include one or more embedded derivatives. Invested assets classified as AFS are non-derivative financial assets that do not fall into any of the other categories described above.

Valuation methods for the Company’s invested assets are described above. All fair value valuations are performed in accordance with IFRS 13 “Fair Value Measurement”. Disclosure of financial instruments carried at fair value within the three levels of the fair value hierarchy and disclosure of the fair value for financial instruments not carried at fair value on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position are presented in note 3. Fair value valuations are performed by the Company and by third-party service providers. When third-party service providers are engaged, the Company performs a variety of procedures to corroborate pricing information. These procedures may include, but are not limited to, inquiry and review of valuation techniques, inputs to the valuation and vendor controls reports.

Cash and short-term securities comprise of cash, current operating accounts, overnight bank and term deposits, and fixed income securities held for meeting short-term cash commitments. Short-term securities are carried at fair value. Short-term securities are comprised of investments due to mature within one year of the date of purchase. Commercial paper and discount notes are classified as Level 2 because these securities are typically not actively traded. Net payments in transit and overdraft bank balances are included in other liabilities.

Debt securities are carried at fair value. Debt securities are generally valued by independent pricing vendors using proprietary pricing models incorporating current market inputs for similar instruments with comparable terms and credit quality (matrix pricing). The significant inputs include, but are not limited to, yield curves, credit risks and spreads, prepayment rates and volatility of these inputs. These debt securities are classified as Level 2 but can be Level 3 if significant inputs are market unobservable. Realized gains and losses on sale of debt securities and unrealized gains and losses on debt securities designated as FVTPL are recognized in investment income immediately. Unrealized gains and losses on AFS debt securities are recorded in OCI, except for unrealized gains and losses on foreign currency translation which are included in income. Impairment losses on AFS debt securities are recognized in income on an individual security basis when there is objective evidence of impairment. Impairment is considered to have occurred, based on management’s judgment, when it is deemed probable that the Company will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the debt security’s contractual terms.

Public equities are comprised of common and preferred equities and are carried at fair value. Public equities are generally classified as Level 1, as fair values are normally based on quoted market prices. Realized gains and losses on sale of equities and unrealized gains and losses on equities designated as FVTPL are recognized in investment income immediately. Unrealized gains and losses on AFS equities are recorded in OCI. Impairment losses on AFS equities are recognized in income on an individual security basis when there is objective evidence of impairment. Impairment is considered to have occurred when fair value has declined below cost by a significant amount or for a prolonged period. Significant judgment is applied in determining whether the decline is significant or prolonged.

Mortgages are carried at amortized cost and are classified as Level 3 for fair value purposes due to the lack of market observability of certain significant valuation inputs. Realized gains and losses are recorded in investment income immediately. Impairment losses are recorded on mortgages when there is no longer reasonable assurance as to the timely collection of the full amount of principal and interest and are measured based on the discounted value of expected future cash flows at the original effective interest rates inherent in the mortgage. Expected future cash flows of impaired mortgages are typically determined with reference to the fair value of collateral security underlying the mortgage, net of expected costs of realization and including any applicable insurance recoveries. Significant judgment is applied in the determination of impairment including the timing and amount of future collections.

The Company accounts for insured and uninsured mortgage securitizations as secured financing transactions since the criteria for sale accounting are not met. For these transactions, the Company continues to recognize the mortgages and records a liability in other liabilities for the amounts owed at maturity. Interest income from these mortgages and interest expense on the borrowings are recorded using the effective interest rate method.

Private placements, which include corporate loans for which there is no active market, are carried at amortized cost and are generally classified as Level 2 for fair value disclosure purposes or as Level 3 if significant inputs are market unobservable. Realized gains and losses are recorded in income immediately. Impairment losses are recorded on private placements when there is no longer assurance as to the timely collection of the full amount of principal and interest. Impairment is measured based on the discounted value of expected future cash flows at the original effective interest rate inherent in the loan. Significant judgment is applied in the determination of impairment including the timing and amount of future collections.

Policy loans are carried at an amount equal to their unpaid balances and are classified as Level 2 for fair value disclosure purposes. Policy loans are fully collateralized by the cash surrender value of the underlying policies.

Loans to Manulife Bank of Canada (“Manulife Bank” or “Bank”) clients are carried at amortized cost and are classified as Level 2 for fair value disclosure purposes. A loan to a Bank client is considered impaired when there is objective evidence of impairment because of one or more loss events that have occurred after initial recognition, with a negative impact on the estimated future cash flows of the loan.

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Once established, allowances for impairment of mortgages, private placements and loans to Bank clients are reversed only if the conditions that caused the impairment no longer exist. Reversals of impairment charges on AFS debt securities are only recognized in income to the extent that increases in fair value can be attributed to events after the impairment loss being recorded. Impairment losses for AFS equity instruments are not reversed through income. On disposition of an impaired asset, any allowance for impairment is released.

In addition to impairments and provisions for loan losses (recoveries) reported in investment income, the measurement of insurance contract liabilities, via investment return assumptions, includes expected future credit losses on fixed income investments. Refer to note 6(d).

Interest income is recognized on debt securities, mortgages, private placements, policy loans and loans to Bank clients as it accrues and is calculated using the effective interest rate method. Premiums, discounts and transaction costs are amortized over the life of the underlying investment using the effective yield method for all debt securities as well as mortgages and private placements.

The Company records purchases and sales of invested assets on a trade date basis. Loans originated by the Company are recognized on a settlement date basis.

Real estate consists of both own use and investment property. Own use property is carried at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. Depreciation is calculated based on the cost of an asset less its residual value and is recognized in income on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life ranging from 30 to 60 years. Impairment losses are recorded in income to the extent the recoverable amount is less than the carrying amount. Where own use property is included in assets backing insurance contract liabilities, the fair value of the property is used in the valuation of insurance contract liabilities. Own use property is classified as Level 3 for fair value disclosure purposes.

An investment property is a property held to earn rental income, for capital appreciation, or both. Investment properties are measured at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in income. Fair value is determined using external appraisals that are based on the highest and best use of the property. The valuation techniques include discounted cash flows, the direct capitalization method as well as comparable sales analysis and include both observable and unobservable inputs. Inputs include existing and assumed tenancies, market data from recent comparable transactions, future economic outlook and market risk assumptions, capitalization rates and internal rates of return. Investment properties are classified as Level 3 for fair value disclosure purposes.

When a property changes from own use to investment property, any gain or loss arising on the remeasurement of the property to fair value at the date of transfer is recognized in OCI, to the extent that it is not reversing a previous impairment loss. Reversals of impairment losses are recognized in income.

Other invested assets include private equity and property investments held in infrastructure and timber, as well as in agriculture and oil and gas sectors. Private equity investments are accounted for as associates or joint ventures using the equity method (as described in note 1(d) above) or are classified as FVTPL or AFS and carried at fair value. Investments in oil and gas exploration and evaluation activities are measured on the cost basis using the “successful efforts” method. Timber and agriculture properties are measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in income, except for buildings, equipment and bearer plants which are measured at amortized cost. The fair value of other invested assets is determined using a variety of valuation techniques as described in note 3. Other invested assets that are measured or disclosed at fair value are classified as Level 3.

Other invested assets also include investments in leveraged leases, which are accounted for using the equity method. The carrying value under the equity method reflects the amortized cost of the lease receivable and related non-recourse debt using the effective yield method.

(f)    Goodwill and intangible assets

Goodwill represents the difference between the fair value of purchase consideration of an acquired business and the Company’s proportionate share of the net identifiable assets acquired. It is initially recorded at cost and subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated impairment.

Goodwill is tested for impairment at least annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts may not be recoverable at the cash generating unit (“CGU”) or group of CGUs level. The Company allocates goodwill to CGUs or groups of CGUs for impairment testing at the lowest level within the entity where the goodwill is monitored for internal management purposes. The allocation is made to those CGUs or groups of CGUs that are expected to benefit from the business combination in which the goodwill arose. Any potential impairment of goodwill is identified by comparing the recoverable amount with the carrying value of a CGU or group of CGUs. Goodwill is reduced by the amount of deficiency, if any. If the deficiency exceeds the carrying amount of goodwill, the carrying values of the remaining assets in the CGU or group of CGUs are subject to being reduced by the excess on a pro-rata basis.

The recoverable amount of a CGU is the higher of the estimated fair value less costs to sell or the value-in-use of the CGU. In assessing value-in-use, estimated future cash flows are discounted using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the CGU. In some cases, the most recent detailed calculation made in a prior period of the recoverable amount of a CGU is used in the testing of impairment of goodwill in the current period. This is the case only if there are no significant changes to the CGU, the likelihood of impairment is remote based on the analysis of current events and circumstances, and the most recently calculated recoverable amount substantially exceeds the current carrying amount of the CGU.

         119

Intangible assets with indefinite useful lives include the John Hancock brand name, certain investment management contracts and agricultural water rights. The indefinite useful life assessment for the John Hancock brand name is based on the brand name being protected by indefinitely renewable trademarks in markets where branded products are sold, and for certain investment management contracts based on the ability to renew these contracts indefinitely. In addition, there are no legal, regulatory or contractual provisions that limit the useful lives of these intangible assets. An intangible asset with an indefinite useful life is not amortized but is subject to an annual impairment test which is performed more frequently if an indication that it is not recoverable arises.

Intangible assets with finite useful lives include acquired distribution networks, customer relationships, capitalized software, and certain investment management contracts and other contractual rights. Distribution networks, customer relationships, and other finite life intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives, six to 68 years, either based on straight-line or in relation to other asset consumption metrics. Software intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives of three to 10 years. Finite life intangible assets are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting period. If any indication of impairment arises, these assets are tested for impairment.

(g)    Miscellaneous assets

Miscellaneous assets include assets held in a rabbi trust with respect to unfunded defined benefit obligations, defined benefit assets, if any, deferred acquisition costs and capital assets. Rabbi trust assets are carried at fair value. Defined benefit assets carrying value is explained in note 1(o). Deferred acquisition costs are carried at cost less accumulated amortization and are amortized over the period redemption fees may be charged or over the period revenue is earned. Capital assets are carried at cost less accumulated amortization computed on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, which vary from two to 10 years.

(h)    Segregated funds

The Company manages segregated funds on behalf of policyholders. The investment returns on these funds are passed directly to policyholders. In some cases, the Company has provided guarantees associated with these funds.

Segregated funds net assets are measured at fair value and include investments in mutual funds, debt securities, equities, cash, short-term investments and other investments. With respect to the consolidation requirement of IFRS, in assessing the Company’s degree of control over the underlying investments, the Company considers the scope of its decision-making rights, the rights held by other parties, its remuneration as an investment manager and its exposure to variability of returns from the investments. The Company has determined that it does not have control over the underlying investments as it acts as an agent on behalf of segregated fund policyholders.

The methodology applied to determine the fair value of investments held in segregated funds is consistent with that applied to invested assets held by the general fund, as described above in note 1(e). Segregated funds liabilities are measured based on the value of the segregated funds net assets. Investment returns on segregated funds assets belong to policyholders and the Company does not bear the risk associated with these assets outside of guarantees offered on certain variable life and annuity products, for which the underlying investments are held within segregated funds. Accordingly, investment income earned by segregated funds and expenses incurred by segregated funds are offset and are not separately presented in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Fee income earned by the Company for managing the segregated funds is included in other revenue.

Liabilities related to guarantees associated with certain segregated funds, as a result of certain variable life and annuity contracts, are recorded within the Company’s insurance contract liabilities. The Company holds assets supporting these guarantees in the general fund, which are included in invested assets according to their investment type.

(i)    Insurance and investment contract liabilities

Most contracts issued by the Company are considered insurance, investment or service contracts. Contracts under which the Company accepts significant insurance risk from a policyholder are classified as insurance contracts in the Consolidated Financial Statements. A contract is considered to have significant insurance risk if, and only if, an insured event could cause an insurer to make significant additional payments in any scenario, excluding scenarios that lack commercial substance at the inception of the contract. Contracts under which the Company does not accept significant insurance risk are either classified as investment contracts or considered service contracts and are accounted for in accordance with IAS 39 “Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement” or IFRS 15 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, respectively.

Once a contract has been classified as an insurance contract it remains an insurance contract even if the insurance risk reduces significantly. Investment contracts can be reclassified as insurance contracts if insurance risk subsequently becomes significant.

Insurance contract liabilities, net of reinsurance assets, represent the amount which, together with estimated future premiums and net investment income, will be sufficient to pay estimated future benefits, policyholder dividends and refunds, taxes (other than income taxes) and expenses on policies in-force. Insurance contract liabilities are presented gross of reinsurance assets on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. The Company’s Appointed Actuary is responsible for determining the amount of insurance contract liabilities in accordance with standards established by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. Insurance contract liabilities, net of reinsurance assets, have been determined using the Canadian Asset Liability Method (“CALM”) as permitted by IFRS 4 “Insurance Contracts”. Refer to note 6.

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Investment contract liabilities include contracts issued to retail and institutional investors that do not contain significant insurance risk. Investment contract liabilities and deposits are measured at amortized cost or at FVTPL by election. The election reduces accounting mismatches between FVTPL assets supporting these contracts and the related contract liabilities. Investment contract liabilities are derecognized when the contract expires, is discharged or is cancelled.

Derivatives embedded within insurance contracts are separately accounted for as derivatives if they are not considered to be closely related to the host insurance contract and do not meet the definition of an insurance contract. These embedded derivatives are presented separately in other assets or other liabilities and are measured at FVTPL.

(j)    Reinsurance assets

The Company uses reinsurance in the normal course of business to manage its risk exposure. Insurance ceded to a reinsurer does not relieve the Company from its obligations to policyholders. The Company remains liable to its policyholders for the portion reinsured to the extent that any reinsurer does not meet its obligations for reinsurance ceded to it under a reinsurance agreement.

Reinsurance assets represent the benefit derived from reinsurance agreements in-force at the reporting date, considering the financial condition of the reinsurer. Amounts recoverable from reinsurers are estimated in accordance with the terms of the relevant reinsurance contract.

Gains or losses on reinsurance transactions are recognized in income immediately on the transaction date and are not amortized. Premiums ceded and claims reimbursed are presented on a gross basis on the Consolidated Statements of Income. Reinsurance assets are not offset against the related insurance contract liabilities and are presented separately on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. Refer to note 6(a).

(k)    Other financial instruments accounted for as liabilities

The Company issues a variety of other financial instruments classified as liabilities, including notes payable, term notes, senior notes, senior debentures, subordinated notes, surplus notes and preferred shares. These financial liabilities are measured at amortized cost, with issuance costs deferred and amortized using the effective interest rate method.

(l)    Income taxes

The provision for income taxes is calculated based on income tax laws and income tax rates substantively enacted as at the date of the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. The income tax provision is comprised of current income taxes and deferred income taxes. Current and deferred income taxes relating to items recognized in OCI and directly in equity are similarly recognized in OCI and directly in equity, respectively.

Current income taxes are amounts expected to be payable or recoverable for the current year and any adjustments to taxes payable in respect of previous years.

Deferred income taxes are provided for using the liability method and result from temporary differences between the carrying values of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred income taxes are measured at the substantively enacted tax rates that are expected to be applied to temporary differences when they reverse.

A deferred tax asset is recognized to the extent that future realization of the tax benefit is probable. Deferred tax assets are reviewed at each reporting date and are reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that the tax benefit will be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset if there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities and they relate to income taxes levied by the same tax authority on the same taxable entity.

Deferred tax liabilities are recognized for all taxable temporary differences, except in respect of taxable temporary differences associated with investments in subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures, where the timing of the reversal of the temporary differences can be controlled and it is probable that the temporary differences will not reverse in the foreseeable future.

The Company records liabilities for uncertain tax positions if it is probable that the Company will make a payment on tax positions due to examinations by tax authorities. These provisions are measured at the Company’s best estimate of the amount expected to be paid. Provisions are reversed to income in the period in which management assesses they are no longer required or determined by statute.

The Company is subject to income tax laws in various jurisdictions. Tax laws are complex and potentially subject to different interpretations by the taxpayer and the relevant tax authority. The provision for current income taxes and deferred income taxes represents management’s interpretation of the relevant tax laws and its estimate of current and future income tax implications of the transactions and events during the year. The Company may be required to change its provision for income taxes or deferred income tax balances when the ultimate deductibility of certain items is successfully challenged by taxing authorities, or if estimates used in determining the amount of deferred tax balances to recognize change significantly, or when receipt of new information indicates the need for adjustment in the amount of deferred income taxes to be recognized. Additionally, future events, such as changes in tax laws, tax regulations, or interpretations of such laws or regulations, could have an impact on the provision for income taxes, deferred tax balances and the effective tax rate. Any such changes could materially affect the amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements in the period these changes occur.

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(m)    Foreign currency translation

Items included in the financial statements of each of the Company’s subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates are measured by each entity using the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates (the “functional currency”). If their functional currency is other than Canadian dollar, these entities are foreign operations of the Company.

Transactions in a foreign currency are translated to the functional currency at the exchange rate prevailing at the date of the transaction. Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated to the functional currency at the exchange rate in effect at the reporting date. Revenue and expenses denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the average exchange rate prevailing during the quarter reported. Exchange gains and losses are recognized in income except for translation of net investments in foreign operations and the results of hedging these positions, and for non-monetary items designated as AFS. These foreign exchange gains and losses are recognized in OCI until such time that the foreign operation or non-monetary item is disposed of or control or significant influence over it is lost.

The Consolidated Financial Statements are presented in Canadian dollars. The financial statements of the Company’s foreign operations are translated from their functional currencies to Canadian dollars; assets and liabilities are translated at the exchange rate at the reporting date, and revenue and expenses are translated using the average exchange rates for the period. Foreign exchange gains and losses on these translations are recognized in OCI, subject to reclassification to income upon disposal of a foreign operation.

(n)    Stock-based compensation

The Company provides stock-based compensation to certain employees and directors as described in note 14. Compensation expense of equity instruments granted is accrued based on the best estimate of the number of instruments expected to vest, with revisions made to that estimate if subsequent information indicates that actual forfeitures are likely to differ from initial forfeiture estimates, unless forfeitures are due to market-based conditions.

Stock options are expensed with a corresponding increase in contributed surplus. Restricted share units and deferred share units are expensed with a corresponding liability accrued based on the market value of MFC’s common shares at the end of each quarter. Performance share units are expensed with a corresponding liability accrued based on specific performance conditions and the market value of MFC’s common shares at the end of each quarter. The change in the value of the awards resulting from changes in the market value of MFC’s common shares or changes in the specific performance conditions and credited dividends is recognized in income, offset by the impact of total return swaps used to manage the variability of the related liabilities.

Stock-based compensation cost is recognized over the applicable vesting period, unless the employee is eligible to retire at the time of grant or will be eligible to retire during the vesting period. Compensation costs attributable to stock options, restricted share units, and performance share units granted to employees who are eligible to retire on the grant date or who will become eligible to retire during the vesting period, are recognized at the grant date or over the period from the grant date to the date of retirement eligibility, respectively.

The Company’s contributions to the Global Share Ownership Plan (“GSOP”) (refer to note 14(d)), are expensed as incurred. Under the GSOP, subject to certain conditions, the Company will match a percentage of an employee’s eligible contributions to certain maximums. All contributions are used by the plan’s trustee to purchase MFC common shares in the open market.

(o)    Employee future benefits

The Company maintains defined contribution and defined benefit pension plans and other post-employment plans for employees and agents including registered (tax qualified) pension plans that are typically funded as well as supplemental non-registered (non-qualified) pension plans for executives, retiree and disability welfare plans that are typically not funded.

The Company’s obligation in respect of defined benefit pension and other post-employment benefits is calculated for each plan as the estimated present value of future benefits that eligible employees have earned in return for their service up to the reporting date using the projected benefit method. The discount rate used is based on the yield, as at the reporting date, of high-quality corporate debt securities that have approximately the same term as the benefit obligations and that are denominated in the same currency in which the benefits are expected to be paid.

To determine the Company’s net defined benefit asset or liability, the fair value of plan assets is deducted from the defined benefit obligations. When this calculation results in a surplus, the asset that can be recognized is limited to the present value of future economic benefit available in the form of future refunds from the plan or reductions in future contributions to the plan (the asset limit). Defined benefit assets are included in other assets and defined benefit liabilities are included in other liabilities.

Changes in the net defined benefit asset or liability due to re-measurement of pension and retiree welfare plans are recorded in OCI in the period in which they occur and are not reclassified to income in subsequent periods. They consist of actuarial gains and losses, the impact of the asset limit, if any, and the return on plan assets, excluding amounts included in net interest income or expense. Changes in the net defined benefit asset or liability due to re-measurement of disability welfare plans are recorded in income in the period in which they occur.

The cost of defined benefit pension plans is recognized over the employee’s years of service to retirement while the cost of retiree welfare plans is recognized over the employee’s years of service to their date of full eligibility. The net benefit cost for the year is recorded in income and is calculated as the sum of the service cost in respect of the fiscal year, the net interest income or expense and any applicable

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administration expenses, plus past service costs or credits resulting from plan amendments or curtailments. The net interest income or expense is determined by applying the discount rate to the net defined benefit asset or liability. The current year cost of disability welfare plans is the year-over-year change in the defined benefit obligation, including any actuarial gains or losses.

The cost of defined contribution plans is the contribution provided by the Company and is recorded in income in the periods during which services are rendered by employees.

(p)    Derivative and hedging instruments

The Company uses derivative financial instruments (“derivatives”) including swaps, forward and futures agreements, and options to manage current and anticipated exposures to changes in interest rates, foreign exchange rates, commodity prices and equity market prices, and to replicate permissible investments. Derivatives embedded in other financial instruments are separately recorded as derivatives when their economic characteristics and risks are not closely related to those of the host instrument, the terms of the embedded derivative are the same as those of a standalone derivative and the host instrument itself is not recorded at FVTPL. Derivatives which are separate financial instruments are recorded at fair value, and those with unrealized gains reported as derivative assets and those with unrealized losses reported as derivative liabilities.

A determination is made for each derivative as to whether to apply hedge accounting. Where hedge accounting is not applied, changes in the fair value of derivatives are recorded in investment income. Refer to note 3(c).

Where the Company has elected to apply hedge accounting, a hedging relationship is designated and documented at inception. Hedge effectiveness is evaluated at inception and throughout the term of the hedge. Hedge accounting is only applied when the Company expects that the hedging relationship will be highly effective in achieving offsetting changes in fair value or changes in cash flows attributable to the risk being hedged. The assessment of hedge effectiveness is performed at the end of each reporting period both prospectively and retrospectively. When it is determined that a hedging relationship is no longer effective, or the hedging instrument or the hedged item has been sold or terminated, the Company discontinues hedge accounting prospectively. In such cases, if the derivatives are not sold or terminated, any subsequent changes in fair value of the derivatives are recognized in investment income.

For derivatives that are designated as hedging instruments, changes in fair value are recorded according to the nature of the risks being hedged, as discussed below.

In a fair value hedging relationship, changes in fair value of the hedging instruments are recorded in investment income, offsetting changes in fair value of the hedged items, which would otherwise not be carried at fair value. Hedge ineffectiveness is recognized in investment income and arises from differences between changes in the fair values of hedging instruments and hedged items. When hedge accounting is discontinued, the carrying value of the hedged item is no longer adjusted and the cumulative fair value adjustments are amortized to investment income over the remaining term of the hedged item unless the hedged item is sold, at which time the balance is recognized immediately in investment income.

In a cash flow hedging relationship, the effective portion of the change in the fair value of the hedging instrument is recorded in OCI while the ineffective portion is recognized in investment income. Gains and losses in accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) are recognized in income during the same periods that the variability in the hedged cash flows or the hedged forecasted transactions are recognized in income. The reclassifications from AOCI are made to investment income, except for total return swaps that hedge stock-based compensation awards, which are reclassified to general expenses.

Gains and losses on cash flow hedges in AOCI are reclassified immediately to investment income when the hedged item is sold, or the forecasted transaction is no longer expected to occur. When a hedge is discontinued, but the hedged forecasted transaction is expected to occur, the amounts in AOCI are reclassified to investment income in the periods during which variability in the cash flows hedged or the hedged forecasted transaction is recognized in income.

In a net investment in foreign operations hedging relationship, gains and losses relating to the effective portion of the hedge are recorded in OCI. Gains and losses in AOCI are recognized in income during the periods when gains or losses on the underlying hedged net investment in foreign operations are recognized in income upon disposal of the foreign operation.

(q)    Premium income and related expenses

Gross premiums for all types of insurance contracts, and contracts with limited mortality or morbidity risk, are generally recognized as revenue when due. Premiums are reported gross of reinsurance ceded (refer to note 6).

(r)    Revenue from service contracts

The Company recognizes revenue from service contracts in accordance with IFRS 15. The Company’s service contracts generally impose single performance obligations, each consisting of a series of similar related services for each customer. Revenue is recorded as performance obligations are satisfied over time because the customers simultaneously receive and consume the benefits of the services rendered, measured using an output method. Revenue for variable consideration is recognized to the extent that it is highly probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty is subsequently resolved. Refer to note 13.

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Note 2     Accounting and Reporting Changes

(a) Changes in accounting and reporting policy

(i) Amendments to IFRS 3 “Business Combinations”

Amendments to IFRS 3 “Business Combinations” were issued in October 2018 and are effective for business combinations occurring on or after January 1, 2020, with earlier application permitted. The amendments revise the definition of a business and permit a simplified assessment of whether an acquired set of activities and assets qualifies as a business. Application of the amendments are expected to result in fewer acquisitions qualifying as business combinations. Adoption of these amendments did not have a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

(ii) Amendments to IAS 1 “Presentation of Financial Statements” and IAS 8 “Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors”

Amendments to IAS 1 “Presentation of Financial Statements” and IAS 8 “Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors” were issued in October 2018. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2020 and are to be applied prospectively. The amendments update the definition of material. Adoption of these amendments did not have a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

(iii) Interest Rate Benchmark Reform Amendments to IFRS 9, IAS 39 and IFRS 7

Amendments to IFRS 9, IAS 39 and IFRS 7 were issued in September 2019 related to interest rate benchmark reform and are effective retrospectively for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2020. The amendments provide temporary relief for hedge accounting to continue during the period of uncertainty before replacement of an existing interest rate benchmark with an alternative risk-free rate. The amendments apply to all hedge accounting relationships that are affected by the interest rate benchmark reform. The IASB has issued further guidance addressing various accounting issues that will arise when the existing interest rate benchmark has been replaced (refer to note 2(b)). Adoption of these amendments did not have a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

(b) Future accounting and reporting changes

(i) IFRS 17 “Insurance Contracts” and IFRS 9 “Financial Instruments”

Amendments to IFRS 17 “Insurance Contracts” were issued in June 2020 and include a two-year deferral of the effective date along with other changes targeted to address implementation concerns and challenges raised by stakeholders. Amendments include changes to loss recovery components for reinsurance contracts held, services related to investment activities and the allocation of acquisition cash flows. IFRS 17 as amended, is effective for years beginning on January 1, 2023, to be applied retrospectively. If full retrospective application to a group of contracts is impractical, the modified retrospective or fair value methods may be used.

In conjunction with the amendments to IFRS 17, the IASB also amended IFRS 4 “Insurance Contracts” to permit eligible insurers to apply IFRS 9 effective January 1, 2023, alongside IFRS 17.

The Company continues its assessment of the implications of this standard and expects that it will have a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. The establishment of a Contractual Service Margin on the Company’s in-force business is expected to lead to an increase in insurance contract liabilities and corresponding decrease in equity upon transition. The Contractual Service Margin represents unearned profits that are expected to amortize into income as services are provided. The Company continues to evaluate the potential impacts of all other changes including available accounting policy choices under IFRS 17 on the measurement of its insurance contract liabilities.

(ii) Annual Improvements 2018–2020 Cycle

Annual Improvements 2018–2020 Cycle was issued in May 2020 and is effective on or after January 1, 2022. The IASB issued four minor amendments to different standards as part of the Annual Improvements process, to be applied prospectively. Adoption of these amendments is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

(iii) Amendments to IFRS 3 “Business Combinations”

Amendments to IFRS 3 “Business Combinations” were issued in May 2020, and are effective on or after January 1, 2022, with earlier application permitted. The amendments update references within IFRS 3 to the 2018 Conceptual Framework and require that the principles in IAS 37 “Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets” be used to identify liabilities and contingent assets arising from a business combination. Adoption of these amendments is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

(iv) Amendments to IAS 37 “Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets”

Amendments to IAS 37 “Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets” were issued in May 2020, and are effective on or after January 1, 2022, with earlier application permitted. The amendments address identifying onerous contracts and specify the cost of fulfilling a contract which includes all costs directly relate to the contract. These include incremental direct costs and allocations of other costs that relate directly to fulfilling the contract. Adoption of these amendments is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

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(v) Interest Rate Benchmark Reform Amendments to IFRS 9, IAS 39, IFRS 7, IFRS 4 and IFRS 16

Amendments to IFRS 9, IAS 39, IFRS 7, IFRS 4 and IFRS 16 were issued in August 2020 related to interest rate benchmark reform and are effective retrospectively for annual periods beginning January 1, 2021. The amendments provide relief from modification of financial assets and liabilities, and discontinuation of hedge relationships, when changing interest rate benchmarks from LIBOR to a replacement benchmark. The amendments include a practical expedient to treat changes in risk free rates as a change to a floating interest rate with an update to the effective rate of interest, rather than as a change in future cash flows which might require adjustments to carrying values through recording a modification gain or loss. Adoption of these amendments is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

Note 3    Invested Assets and Investment Income

(a) Carrying values and fair values of invested assets

As at December 31, 2020	FVTPL(1)		AFS(2)		Other(3)		Total carrying value(4)		Total fair value(5)
Cash and short-term securities(6)	$	2,079	$	18,314	$	5,774	$	26,167	$	26,167
Debt securities(7)
Canadian government and agency		20,667		4,548		–		25,215		25,215
U.S. government and agency		11,449		19,787		–		31,236		31,236
Other government and agency		19,732		4,613		–		24,345		24,345
Corporate		128,297		6,566		–		134,863		134,863
Mortgage/asset-backed securities		2,916		149		–		3,065		3,065
Public equities(8)		22,071		1,651		–		23,722		23,722
Mortgages		–		–		50,207		50,207		54,230
Private placements		–		–		40,756		40,756		47,890
Policy loans		–		–		6,398		6,398		6,398
Loans to Bank clients		–		–		1,976		1,976		1,982
Real estate
Own use property(9)		–		–		1,850		1,850		3,017
Investment property		–		–		10,982		10,982		10,982
Other invested assets
Alternative long-duration assets(10),(11)		16,183		88		9,901		26,172		27,029
Various other (12)		145		–		3,878		4,023		4,023
Total invested assets	$	223,539	$	55,716	$	131,722	$	410,977	$	424,164
As at December 31, 2019	FVTPL(1)		AFS(2)		Other(3)		Total carrying value(4)		Total fair value(5)
Cash and short-term securities(6)	$	1,859	$	13,084	$	5,357	$	20,300	$	20,300
Debt securities(7)
Canadian government and agency		18,582		4,779		–		23,361		23,361
U.S. government and agency		11,031		17,221		–		28,252		28,252
Other government and agency		17,383		4,360		–		21,743		21,743
Corporate		116,044		5,285		–		121,329		121,329
Mortgage/asset-backed securities		3,267		170		–		3,437		3,437
Public equities(8)		20,060		2,791		–		22,851		22,851
Mortgages		–		–		49,376		49,376		51,450
Private placements		–		–		37,979		37,979		41,743
Policy loans		–		–		6,471		6,471		6,471
Loans to Bank clients		–		–		1,740		1,740		1,742
Real estate
Own use property(9)		–		–		1,926		1,926		3,275
Investment property		–		–		11,002		11,002		11,002
Other invested assets
Alternative long-duration assets(10),(11)		15,252		99		9,492		24,843		25,622
Various other (12)		149		–		3,768		3,917		3,918
Total invested assets	$	203,627	$	47,789	$	127,111	$	378,527	$	386,496

⁽¹⁾ FVTPL classification was elected for securities backing insurance contract liabilities to substantially reduce any accounting mismatch arising from changes in the fair value of these assets and changes in the value of the related insurance contract liabilities. If this election had not been made and instead the AFS classification was selected, there would be an accounting mismatch because changes in insurance contract liabilities are recognized in net income rather than in OCI.

⁽²⁾ Securities that are designated as AFS are not actively traded by the Company, but sales do occur as circumstances warrant. Such sales result in a reclassification of any accumulated unrealized gain (loss) in AOCI to net income as a realized gain (loss).

⁽³⁾ Primarily includes assets classified as loans and carried at amortized cost, own use properties, investment properties, equity method accounted investments, oil and gas investments, and leveraged leases. Refer to note 1(e) for further details regarding accounting policy.

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⁽⁴⁾ Fixed income invested assets above include debt securities, mortgages, private placements and approximately $246 (2019 – $179) of other invested assets, which primarily have contractual cash flows that qualify as Solely Payment of Principal and Interest (“SPPI”). Fixed income invested assets which do not have SPPI qualifying cash flows as at December 31, 2020 include debt securities, private placements and other invested assets with fair values of $94, $211 and $380, respectively (2019 – $98, $257 and $373). The change in the fair value of these invested assets during the year was $44 (2019 – $71).

⁽⁵⁾ The methodologies used in determining fair values of invested assets are described in note 1(c) and note 3(g).

⁽⁶⁾ Includes short-term securities with maturities of less than one year at acquisition amounting to $7,062 (2019 – $3,806), cash equivalents with maturities of less than 90 days at acquisition amounting to $13,331 (2019 – $11,136) and cash of $5,774 (2019 – $5,358).

⁽⁷⁾ Debt securities include securities which were acquired with maturities of less than one year and less than 90 days of $1,971 and $129, respectively (2019 – $537 and $69).

⁽⁸⁾ Includes $229 (2019 – $12) of public equities that are managed in conjunction with the Company’s alternative long duration asset (“ALDA”) strategy.

⁽⁹⁾ Includes accumulated depreciation of $376 (2019 – $414).

⁽¹⁰⁾ Includes investments in private equity of $7,954, infrastructure of $9,127, oil and gas of $2,296, timber and agriculture of $4,819 and various other invested assets of $1,976 (2019 – $6,396, $8,854, $3,245, $4,669 and $1,679, respectively). In 2019, a group of investments in hydro-electric power of $418 was sold.

⁽¹¹⁾ In 2019, the Company sold $1,112 of North American Private Equity investments to Manulife Private Equity Partners, L.P, a closed-end pooled fund of funds. The Company provides management services to the fund.

⁽¹²⁾ Includes $3,371 (2019 – $3,371) of leveraged leases. Refer to note 1(e) regarding accounting policy.

(b) Equity method accounted invested assets

Other invested assets include investments in associates and joint ventures which are accounted for using the equity method of accounting as presented in the following table.

	2020				2019
As at December 31,	Carrying value		% of total		Carrying value		% of total
Leveraged leases	$	3,371		40	$	3,371		43
Timber and agriculture		694		8		668		9
Real estate		1,187		14		1,031		13
Other		3,222		38		2,716		35
Total	$	8,474		100	$	7,786		100

The Company’s share of profit and dividends from these investments for the year ended December 31, 2020 were $315 and $2, respectively (2019 – $369 and $2).

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(c) Investment income

For the year ended December 31, 2020	FVTPL			AFS			Other(1)			Total
Cash and short-term securities
Interest income	$	24		$	145		$	–		$	169
Gains (losses)(2)		(24	)		(112	)		–			(136	)
Debt securities
Interest income		5,805			692			–			6,497
Gains (losses)(2)		10,739			2,785			–			13,524
Impairment loss, net		(113	)		(6	)		–			(119	)
Public equities
Dividend income		517			38			–			555
Gains (losses)(2)		2,020			21			–			2,041
Impairment loss, net		–			(54	)		–			(54	)
Mortgages
Interest income		–			–			1,837			1,837
Gains (losses)(2)		–			–			86			86
Provision, net		–			–			(18	)		(18	)
Private placements
Interest income		–			–			1,883			1,883
Gains (losses)(2)		–			–			(18	)		(18	)
Impairment loss, net		–			–			(88	)		(88	)
Policy loans		–			–			390			390
Loans to Bank clients
Interest income		–			–			72			72
Provision, net		–			–			(2	)		(2	)
Real estate
Rental income, net of depreciation(3)		–			–			468			468
Gains (losses)(2)		–			–			(18	)		(18	)
Derivatives
Interest income, net		924			–			(31	)		893
Gains (losses)(2)		6,501			–			28			6,529
Other invested assets
Interest income		–			–			72			72
Oil and gas, timber, agriculture and other income		–			–			1,435			1,435
Gains (losses)(2)		(210	)		1			32			(177	)
Impairment loss, net		(9	)		(16	)		(396	)		(421	)
Total investment income	$	26,174		$	3,494		$	5,732		$	35,400
Investment income
Interest income	$	6,753		$	837		$	4,223		$	11,813
Dividend, rental and other income		517			38			1,903			2,458
Impairments, provisions and recoveries, net		(123	)		(76	)		(504	)		(703	)
Other		241			2,685			(61	)		2,865
		7,388			3,484			5,561			16,433
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on assets supporting insurance and investment contract liabilities and on macro equity hedges
Debt securities		10,747			1			–			10,748
Public equities		1,908			9			–			1,917
Mortgages		–			–			86			86
Private placements		–			–			(47	)		(47	)
Real estate		–			–			1			1
Other invested assets		(318	)		–			103			(215	)
Derivatives, including macro equity hedging program		6,449			–			28			6,477
		18,786			10			171			18,967
Total investment income	$	26,174		$	3,494		$	5,732		$	35,400

         127

For the year ended December 31, 2019	FVTPL			AFS			Other(1)			Total
Cash and short-term securities
Interest income	$	32		$	281		$	–		$	313
Gains (losses)(2)		11			(29	)		–			(18	)
Debt securities
Interest income		5,557			783			–			6,340
Gains (losses)(2)		11,525			472			–			11,997
Recovery (impairment loss), net		(9	)		1			–			(8	)
Public equities
Dividend income		551			69			–			620
Gains (losses)(2)		3,079			109			–			3,188
Impairment loss, net		–			(24	)		–			(24	)
Mortgages
Interest income		–			–			1,951			1,951
Gains (losses)(2)		–			–			26			26
Provision, net		–			–			31			31
Private placements
Interest income		–			–			1,782			1,782
Gains (losses)(2)		–			–			(62	)		(62	)
Impairment loss, net		–			–			(35	)		(35	)
Policy loans		–			–			391			391
Loans to Bank clients
Interest income		–			–			87			87
Provision, net		–			–			(1	)		(1	)
Real estate
Rental income, net of depreciation(3)		–			–			505			505
Gains (losses)(2)		–			–			508			508
Derivatives
Interest income, net		579			–			(24	)		555
Gains (losses)(2)		2,653			–			(6	)		2,647
Other invested assets
Interest income		–			–			69			69
Oil and gas, timber, agriculture and other income		–			–			1,862			1,862
Gains (losses)(2)		742			(1	)		35			776
Recovery, net		–			–			93			93
Total investment income	$	24,720		$	1,661		$	7,212		$	33,593
Investment income
Interest income	$	6,168		$	1,064		$	4,256		$	11,488
Dividend, rental and other income		552			69			2,367			2,988
Impairments, provisions and recoveries, net		(9	)		(23	)		88			56
Other		265			539			57			861
		6,976			1,649			6,768			15,393
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on assets supporting insurance and investment contract liabilities and on macro equity hedges
Debt securities		11,521			7			–			11,528
Public equities		2,865			5			–			2,870
Mortgages		–			–			26			26
Private placements		–			–			(62	)		(62	)
Real estate		–			–			514			514
Other invested assets		776			–			(28	)		748
Derivatives, including macro equity hedging program		2,582			–			(6	)		2,576
		17,744			12			444			18,200
Total investment income	$	24,720		$	1,661		$	7,212		$	33,593

⁽¹⁾ Primarily includes investment income on loans carried at amortized cost, own use properties, investment properties, derivative and hedging instruments in cash flow hedging relationships, equity method accounted investments, oil and gas investments, and leveraged leases.

⁽²⁾ Includes net realized and unrealized gains (losses) for financial instruments at FVTPL, real estate investment properties, and other invested assets measured at fair value. Also includes net realized gains (losses) for financial instruments at AFS and other invested assets carried at amortized cost.

⁽³⁾ Rental income from investment properties is net of direct operating expenses.

128   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(d) Investment expenses

The following table presents total investment expenses.

For the years ended December 31,	2020		2019
Related to invested assets	$	649	$	617
Related to segregated, mutual and other funds		1,138		1,131
Total investment expenses	$	1,787	$	1,748

(e) Investment properties

The following table presents the rental income and direct operating expenses of investment properties.

For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019
Rental income from investment properties	$	874		$	864
Direct operating expenses of rental investment properties		(491	)		(464	)
Total	$	383		$	400

(f) Mortgage securitization

The Company securitizes certain insured and uninsured fixed and variable rate residential mortgages and Home Equity Lines of Credit (“HELOC”) through creation of mortgage-backed securities under the Canadian Mortgage Bond Program (“CMB”), and the HELOC securitization program.

Benefits received from the securitization include interest spread between the asset and associated liability. There are no expected credit losses on securitized mortgages under the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (“CMHC”) sponsored CMB and the Platinum Canadian Mortgage Trust (“PCMT”) HELOC securitization programs as they are insured by CMHC and other third-party insurance programs against borrowers’ default. Mortgages securitized in the Platinum Canadian Mortgage Trust II (“PCMT II”) program are uninsured.

Cash flows received from the underlying securitized assets/mortgages are used to settle the related secured borrowing liability. For CMB transactions, receipts of principal are deposited into a trust account for settlement of the liability at time of maturity. These transferred assets and related cash flows cannot be transferred or used for other purposes. For the HELOC transactions, investors are entitled to periodic interest payments, and the remaining cash receipts of principal are allocated to the Company (the “Seller”) during the revolving period of the deal and are accumulated for settlement during an accumulation period or repaid to the investor monthly during a reduction period, based on the terms of the note.

Securitized assets and secured borrowing liabilities

As at December 31, 2020	Securitized assets
Securitization program	Securitized mortgages		Restricted cash and short-term securities		Total		Secured borrowing liabilities(2)
HELOC securitization(1)	$	2,356	$	–	$	2,356	$	2,250
CMB securitization		2,273		–		2,273		2,332
Total	$	4,629	$	–	$	4,629	$	4,582
As at December 31, 2019	Securitized assets
Securitization program	Securitized mortgages		Restricted cash and short-term securities		Total		Secured borrowing liabilities(2)
HELOC securitization(1)	$	2,285	$	8	$	2,293	$	2,250
CMB securitization		1,620		–		1,620		1,632
Total	$	3,905	$	8	$	3,913	$	3,882

⁽¹⁾ Manulife Bank, a subsidiary, securitizes a portion of its HELOC receivables through Platinum Canadian Mortgage Trust (“PCMT”), and Platinum Canadian Mortgage Trust II (“PCMT II”). PCMT funds the purchase of the co-ownership interests from Manulife Bank by issuing term notes collateralized by an underlying pool of CMHC insured HELOCs to institutional investors. PCMT II funds the purchase of the co-ownership interests from Manulife Bank by issuing term notes collateralized by an underlying pool of uninsured HELOCs to institutional investors. The restricted cash balance for the HELOC securitization reflects a cash reserve fund established in relation to the transactions. The reserve will be drawn upon only in the event of insufficient cash flows from the underlying HELOCs to satisfy the secured borrowing liability.

⁽²⁾ Secured borrowing liabilities primarily comprise of Series 2011-1 notes with a floating rate which are expected to mature on December 15, 2021, and the Series 2016-1 notes with a floating rate which are expected to mature on May 15, 2022. Manulife Bank also securitizes insured amortizing mortgages under the National Housing Act Mortgage-Backed Securities (“NHA MBS”) program sponsored by CMHC. Manulife Bank participates in CMB programs by selling NHA MBS securities to Canada Housing Trust (“CHT”), as a source of fixed rate funding.

As at December 31, 2020, the fair value of securitized assets and associated liabilities were $4,679 and $4,661, respectively (2019 – $3,950 and $3,879).

         129

(g) Fair value measurement

The following table presents the fair values of invested assets and segregated funds net assets measured at fair value categorized by the fair value hierarchy.

As at December 31, 2020	Total fair value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Cash and short-term securities
FVTPL	$	2,079	$	–	$	2,079	$	–
AFS		18,314		–		18,314		–
Other		5,774		5,774		–		–
Debt securities
FVTPL
Canadian government and agency		20,667		–		20,667		–
U.S. government and agency		11,449		–		11,449		–
Other government and agency		19,732		–		19,732		–
Corporate		128,297		–		127,787		510
Residential mortgage-backed securities		9		–		9		–
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		1,172		–		1,172		–
Other asset-backed securities		1,735		–		1,690		45
AFS
Canadian government and agency		4,548		–		4,548		–
U.S. government and agency		19,787		–		19,787		–
Other government and agency		4,613		–		4,613		–
Corporate		6,566		–		6,563		3
Residential mortgage-backed securities		1		–		1		–
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		93		–		93		–
Other asset-backed securities		55		–		55		–
Public equities
FVTPL		22,071		22,071		–		–
AFS		1,651		1,651		–		–
Real estate – investment property(1)		10,982		–		–		10,982
Other invested assets(2)		19,149		100		–		19,049
Segregated funds net assets(3)		367,436		327,437		35,797		4,202
Total	$	666,180	$	357,033	$	274,356	$	34,791
As at December 31, 2019	Total fair value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Cash and short-term securities
FVTPL	$	1,859	$	–	$	1,859	$	–
AFS		13,084		–		13,084		–
Other		5,357		5,357		–		–
Debt securities
FVTPL
Canadian government and agency		18,582		–		18,582		–
U.S. government and agency		11,031		–		11,031		–
Other government and agency		17,383		–		17,383		–
Corporate		116,044		–		115,411		633
Residential mortgage-backed securities		13		–		13		–
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		1,271		–		1,271		–
Other asset-backed securities		1,983		–		1,983		–
AFS
Canadian government and agency		4,779		–		4,779		–
U.S. government and agency		17,221		–		17,221		–
Other government and agency		4,360		–		4,360		–
Corporate		5,285		–		5,270		15
Residential mortgage-backed securities		1		–		1		–
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		102		–		102		–
Other asset-backed securities		67		–		67		–
Public equities
FVTPL		20,060		20,060		–		–
AFS		2,791		2,788		3		–
Real estate – investment property(1)		11,002		–		–		11,002
Other invested assets(2)		18,194		91		–		18,103
Segregated funds net assets(3)		343,108		303,567		35,029		4,512
Total	$	613,577	$	331,863	$	247,449	$	34,265

⁽¹⁾ For investment properties, the significant unobservable inputs are capitalization rates (ranging from 2.75% to 8.50% during the year and ranging from 2.75% to 8.75% during 2019) and terminal capitalization rates (ranging from 3.25% to 9.25% during the year and ranging from 3.80% to 9.25% during 2019). Holding other factors constant, a lower capitalization or terminal capitalization rate will tend to increase the fair value of an investment property. Changes in fair value based on variations in unobservable inputs generally cannot be extrapolated because the relationship between the directional changes of each input is not usually linear.

130   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

⁽²⁾ Other invested assets measured at fair value are held primarily in infrastructure and timber sectors. The significant inputs used in the valuation of the Company’s infrastructure investments are primarily future distributable cash flows, terminal values and discount rates. Holding other factors constant, an increase to future distributable cash flows or terminal values would tend to increase the fair value of an infrastructure investment, while an increase in the discount rate would have the opposite effect. Discount rates during the year ranged from 7.00% to 15.6% (2019 – ranged from 7.00% to 16.5%). Disclosure of distributable cash flow and terminal value ranges are not meaningful given the disparity in estimates by project. The significant inputs used in the valuation of the Company’s investments in timberland are timber prices and discount rates. Holding other factors constant, an increase to timber prices would tend to increase the fair value of a timberland investment, while an increase in the discount rates would have the opposite effect. Discount rates during the year ranged from 5.0% to 7.0% (2019 – ranged from 5.0% to 7.0%). A range of prices for timber is not meaningful as the market price depends on factors such as property location and proximity to markets and export yards.

⁽³⁾ Segregated funds net assets are measured at fair value. The Company’s Level 3 segregated funds assets are predominantly in investment properties and timberland properties valued as described above.

The following table presents fair value of invested assets not measured at fair value by the fair value hierarchy.

As at December 31, 2020	Carrying value		Fair value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Mortgages(1)	$	50,207	$	54,230	$	–	$	–	$	54,230
Private placements(2)		40,756		47,890		–		41,398		6,492
Policy loans(3)		6,398		6,398		–		6,398		–
Loans to Bank clients(4)		1,976		1,982		–		1,982		–
Real estate–own use property(5)		1,850		3,017		–		–		3,017
Other invested assets(6)		11,046		11,903		128		–		11,775
Total invested assets disclosed at fair value	$	112,233	$	125,420	$	128	$	49,778	$	75,514
As at December 31, 2019	Carrying value		Fair value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Mortgages(1)	$	49,376	$	51,450	$	–	$	–	$	51,450
Private placements(2)		37,979		41,743		–		36,234		5,509
Policy loans(3)		6,471		6,471		–		6,471		–
Loans to Bank clients(4)		1,740		1,742		–		1,742		–
Real estate–own use property(5)		1,926		3,275		–		–		3,275
Other invested assets(6)		10,566		11,346		165		–		11,181
Total invested assets disclosed at fair value	$	108,058	$	116,027	$	165	$	44,447	$	71,415

⁽¹⁾ Fair value of commercial mortgages is determined through an internal valuation methodology using both observable and unobservable inputs. Unobservable inputs include credit assumptions and liquidity spread adjustments. Fair value of fixed-rate residential mortgages is determined using the discounted cash flow method. Inputs used for valuation are primarily comprised of prevailing interest rates and prepayment rates, if applicable. Fair value of variable-rate residential mortgages is assumed to be their carrying value.

⁽²⁾ Fair value of private placements is determined through an internal valuation methodology using both observable and unobservable inputs. Unobservable inputs include credit assumptions and liquidity spread adjustments. Private placements are classified within Level 2 unless the liquidity adjustment constitutes a significant price impact, in which case the securities are classified as Level 3.

⁽³⁾ Fair value of policy loans is equal to their unpaid principal balances.

⁽⁴⁾ Fair value of fixed-rate loans to Bank clients is determined using the discounted cash flow method. Inputs used for valuation are primarily comprised of current interest rates. Fair value of variable-rate loans is assumed to be their carrying value.

⁽⁵⁾ Fair value of own use real estate and the fair value hierarchy are determined in accordance with the methodologies described for real estate – investment property in note 1.

⁽⁶⁾ Primarily include leveraged leases, oil and gas properties and equity method accounted other invested assets. Fair value of leveraged leases is disclosed at their carrying values as fair value is not routinely calculated on these investments. Fair value for oil and gas properties is determined using external appraisals based on discounted cash flow methodology. Inputs used in valuation are primarily comprised of forecasted price curves, planned production, as well as capital expenditures, and operating costs. Fair value of equity method accounted other invested assets is determined using a variety of valuation techniques including discounted cash flows and market comparable approaches. Inputs vary based on the specific investment.

As a result of COVID-19 and the recent economic downturn, significant measurement uncertainty exists in determining the fair value of real estate and other invested assets. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company has recognized a reduction in the carrying value of oil and gas investments of $837 based on reasonable estimates and assumptions reflecting both the nature of the assets and currently available information which was subject to significant judgment. For the methodologies used in determining carrying values of the invested assets, refer to note 1.

Transfers between Level 1 and Level 2

The Company records transfers of assets and liabilities between Level 1 and Level 2 at their fair values as at the end of each reporting period. Assets are transferred out of Level 1 when they are no longer transacted with sufficient frequency and volume in an active market. Conversely, assets are transferred from Level 2 to Level 1 when transaction volume and frequency are indicative of an active market. The Company had $nil of assets transferred between Level 1 and Level 2 during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

For segregated funds net assets, the Company had $nil transfers from Level 1 to Level 2 for the year ended December 31, 2020 (2019 – $nil). The Company had $15 transfers from Level 2 to Level 1 for the year ended December 31, 2020 (2019 – $nil).

Invested assets and segregated funds net assets measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)

The Company classifies fair values of invested assets and segregated funds net assets as Level 3 if there are no observable markets for these assets or, in the absence of active markets, most of the inputs used to determine fair value are based on the Company’s own assumptions about market participant assumptions. The Company prioritizes the use of market-based inputs over entity-based assumptions in determining Level 3 fair values. The gains and losses in the table below includes the changes in fair value due to both observable and unobservable factors.

         131

The following table presents a roll forward for invested assets, derivatives and segregated funds net assets measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

For the year ended December 31, 2020	Balance, January 1, 2020		Total gains (losses) included in net income(1)			Total gains (losses) included in AOCI(2)			Purchases			Sales			Settlements			Transfer in(3),(4)		Transfer out(3),(4)			Currency movement			Balance, December 31, 2020		Change in unrealized gains (losses) on assets still held
Debt securities
FVTPL
Corporate	$	633	$	4		$	–		$	54		$	(272	)	$	(1	)	$	151	$	(50	)	$	(9	)	$	510	$	105
Other securitized assets		–		(8	)		–			–			–			(1	)		55		–			(1	)		45		–
AFS
Corporate		15		(6	)		2			–			–			–			5		(13	)		–			3		–
Real estate – investment property		11,002		(255	)		–			572			(318	)		–			47		–			(66	)		10,982		(300	)
Other invested assets		18,103		(401	)		(49	)		3,162			(1,076	)		(638	)		92		(3	)		(141	)		19,049		(902	)
Total invested assets		29,753		(666	)		(47	)		3,788			(1,666	)		(640	)		350		(66	)		(217	)		30,589		(1,097	)
Derivatives		1,456		2,953			(18	)		12			–			(1,165	)		–		342			(137	)		3,443		2,033
Segregated funds net assets		4,512		(6	)		–			(84	)		(149	)		(26	)		2		(3	)		(44	)		4,202		45
Total	$	35,721	$	2,281		$	(65	)	$	3,716		$	(1,815	)	$	(1,831	)	$	352	$	273		$	(398	)	$	38,234	$	981

For the year ended December 31, 2019	Balance, January 1, 2019		Total gains (losses) included in net income(1)			Total gains (losses) included in AOCI(2)		Purchases		Sales			Settlements			Transfer in(3),(4)		Transfer out(3),(4)			Currency movement			Balance, December 31, 2019		Change in unrealized gains (losses) on assets still held
Debt securities
FVTPL
Other government & agency	$	180	$	1		$	–	$	16	$	(18	)	$	–		$	–	$	(178	)	$	(1	)	$	–	$	–
Corporate		784		35			–		43		(88	)		(18	)		514		(604	)		(33	)		633		47
Residential mortgage-backed securities		7		–			–		–		(1	)		–			–		(6	)		–			–		–
AFS
Other government & agency		37		1			–		5		(12	)		–			–		(31	)		–			–		–
Corporate		122		1			–		13		(21	)		(4	)		–		(94	)		(2	)		15		–
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		–		–			–		37		–			–			–		(37	)		–			–		–
Public equities
FVTPL		3		1,739			–		–		(1,679	)		–			–		–			(63	)		–		1,510
Real estate – investment property		10,761		506			–		440		(457	)		–			15		–			(263	)		11,002		468
Other invested assets		17,562		(1,028	)		2		3,401		(144	)		(1,031	)		2		–			(661	)		18,103		(923	)
Total invested assets		29,456		1,255			2		3,955		(2,420	)		(1,053	)		531		(950	)		(1,023	)		29,753		1,102
Derivatives		106		1,884			44		42		–			(685	)		135		(34	)		(36	)		1,456		1,423
Segregated funds net assets		4,447		148			–		193		(140	)		(30	)		–		–			(106	)		4,512		111
Total	$	34,009	$	3,287		$	46	$	4,190	$	(2,560	)	$	(1,768	)	$	666	$	(984	)	$	(1,165	)	$	35,721	$	2,636

132   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

⁽¹⁾ These amounts are included in net investment income on the Consolidated Statements of Income except for the amount related to segregated funds net assets, where the amount is recorded in changes in segregated funds net assets, refer to note 22.

⁽²⁾ These amounts are included in AOCI on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

⁽³⁾ The Company uses fair values of the assets at the beginning of the year for assets transferred into and out of Level 3 except for derivatives, refer to footnote 4 below.

⁽⁴⁾ For derivatives transfer into or out of Level 3, the Company uses fair value at the end of the year and at the beginning of the year, respectively.

Transfers into Level 3 primarily result from securities that were impaired during the year or securities where a lack of observable market data (versus the previous period) resulted in reclassifying assets into Level 3. Transfers from Level 3 primarily result from observable market data now being available for the entire term structure of the debt security.

Note 4    Derivative and Hedging Instruments

Derivatives are financial contracts, the value of which is derived from underlying interest rates, foreign exchange rates, other financial instruments, commodity prices or indices. The Company uses derivatives including swaps, forward and futures agreements, and options to manage current and anticipated exposures to changes in interest rates, foreign exchange rates, commodity prices and equity market prices, and to replicate permissible investments.

Swaps are over-the-counter (“OTC”) contractual agreements between the Company and a third party to exchange a series of cash flows based upon rates applied to a notional amount. For interest rate swaps, counterparties generally exchange fixed or floating interest rate payments based on a notional value in a single currency. Cross currency swaps involve the exchange of principal amounts between parties as well as the exchange of interest payments in one currency for the receipt of interest payments in another currency. Total return swaps are contracts that involve the exchange of payments based on changes in the values of a reference asset, including any returns such as interest earned on these assets, in return for amounts based on reference rates specified in the contract.

Forward and futures agreements are contractual obligations to buy or sell a financial instrument, foreign currency or other underlying commodity on a predetermined future date at a specified price. Forward contracts are OTC contracts negotiated between counterparties, whereas futures agreements are contracts with standard amounts and settlement dates that are traded on regulated exchanges.

Options are contractual agreements whereby the holder has the right, but not the obligation, to buy (call option) or sell (put option) a security, exchange rate, interest rate, or other financial instrument at a predetermined price/rate within a specified time.

See variable annuity dynamic hedging strategy in the “Risk Management” section of the Company’s 2020 MD&A for an explanation of the Company’s dynamic hedging strategy for its variable annuity product guarantees.

(a) Fair value of derivatives

The pricing models used to value OTC derivatives are based on market standard valuation methodologies and the inputs to these models are consistent with what a market participant would use when pricing the instruments. Derivative valuations can be affected by changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates, financial indices, credit spreads, default risk (including the counterparties to the contract), and market volatility. The significant inputs to the pricing models for most OTC derivatives are inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data and are classified as Level 2. Inputs that are observable generally include interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and interest rate curves. However, certain OTC derivatives may rely on inputs that are significant to the fair value that are not observable in the market or cannot be derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data and these derivatives are classified as Level 3. Inputs that are unobservable generally include broker quoted prices, volatilities and inputs that are outside of the observable portion of the interest rate curve or other relevant market measures. These unobservable inputs may involve significant management judgment or estimation. Even though unobservable, these inputs are based on assumptions deemed appropriate given the circumstances and consistent with what market participants would use when pricing such instruments. The Company’s use of unobservable inputs is limited and the impact on derivative fair values does not represent a material amount as evidenced by the limited amount of Level 3 derivatives. The credit risk of both the counterparty and the Company are considered in determining the fair value for all OTC derivatives after considering the effects of netting agreements and collateral arrangements.

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The following table presents gross notional amount and fair value of derivative instruments by the underlying risk exposure.

As at December 31,		2020						2019
		Notional amount		Fair value				Notional amount		Fair value
Type of hedge	Instrument type			Assets		Liabilities				Assets		Liabilities
Qualifying hedge accounting relationships
Fair value hedges	Interest rate swaps	$	82	$	1	$	–	$	350	$	–	$	5
	Foreign currency swaps		57		–		4		86		3		1
Cash flow hedges	Foreign currency swaps		1,756		24		468		1,790		39		407
	Equity contracts		127		6		–		132		16		–
Net investment hedges	Forward contracts		628		1		10		2,822		7		22
Total derivatives in qualifying hedge accounting relationships			2,650		32		482		5,180		65		435
Derivatives not designated in qualifying hedge accounting relationships
	Interest rate swaps		287,182		21,332		12,190		283,172		15,159		8,140
	Interest rate futures		16,750		–		–		13,069		–		–
	Interest rate options		11,622		663		–		12,248		423		–
	Foreign currency swaps		31,491		838		1,659		26,329		606		1,399
	Currency rate futures		3,467		–		–		3,387		–		–
	Forward contracts		38,853		3,833		565		33,432		2,337		273
	Equity contracts		15,738		1,092		66		14,582		853		37
	Credit default swaps		241		3		–		502		6		–
	Equity futures		10,984		–		–		10,576		–		–
Total derivatives not designated in qualifying hedge accounting relationships			416,328		27,761		14,480		397,297		19,384		9,849
Total derivatives		$	418,978	$	27,793	$	14,962	$	402,477	$	19,449	$	10,284

The following table presents fair values of derivative instruments by the remaining term to maturity. The fair values disclosed below do not incorporate the impact of master netting agreements. Refer to note 8.

	Remaining term to maturity
As at December 31, 2020	Less than 1 year		1 to 3 years		3 to 5 years		Over 5 years		Total
Derivative assets	$	1,656	$	3,524	$	1,228	$	21,385	$	27,793
Derivative liabilities		386		250		555		13,771		14,962
	Remaining term to maturity
As at December 31, 2019	Less than 1 year		1 to 3 years		3 to 5 years		Over 5 years		Total
Derivative assets	$	1,248	$	1,659	$	1,309	$	15,233	$	19,449
Derivative liabilities		332		145		218		9,589		10,284

134   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The following table presents gross notional amount by the remaining term to maturity, total fair value (including accrued interest), credit risk equivalent and risk-weighted amount by contract type.

	Remaining term to maturity (notional amounts)									Fair value										Risk- weighted amount(2)
As at December 31, 2020	Under 1 year		1 to 5 years		Over 5 years			Total		Positive		Negative			Net			Credit risk equivalent(1)
Interest rate contracts
OTC swap contracts	$	7,567	$	20,852	$	110,166		$	138,585	$	21,803	$	(12,816	)	$	8,987		$	8,773	$	1,181
Cleared swap contracts		2,314		18,784		127,581			148,679		432		(424	)		8			–		–
Forward contracts		11,092		18,355		1,259			30,706		3,739		(462	)		3,277			603		80
Futures		16,750		–		–			16,750		–		–			–			–		–
Options purchased		1,572		3,922		6,128			11,622		664		–			664			665		93
Subtotal		39,295		61,913		245,134			346,342		26,638		(13,702	)		12,936			10,041		1,354
Foreign exchange
Swap contracts		1,670		8,490		23,144			33,304		855		(2,195	)		(1,340	)		2,979		327
Forward contracts		8,741		34		–			8,775		95		(113	)		(18	)		160		18
Futures		3,467		–		–	��		3,467		–		–			–			–		–
Credit derivatives		192		49		–			241		3		–			3			–		–
Equity contracts
Swap contracts		1,227		289		–			1,516		43		(51	)		(8	)		384		46
Futures		10,984		–		–			10,984		–		–			–			–		–
Options purchased		8,168		6,181		–			14,349		1,051		(15	)		1,036			5,116		664
Subtotal including accrued interest		73,744		76,956		268,278			418,978		28,685		(16,076	)		12,609			18,680		2,409
Less accrued interest		–		–		–			–		892		(1,114	)		(222	)		–		–
Total	$	73,744	$	76,956	$	268,278		$	418,978	$	27,793	$	(14,962	)	$	12,831		$	18,680	$	2,409
	Remaining term to maturity (notional amounts)									Fair value										Risk- weighted amount(2)
As at December 31, 2019	Under 1 year		1 to 5 years		Over 5 years			Total		Positive		Negative			Net			Credit risk equivalent(1)
Interest rate contracts
OTC swap contracts	$	5,105	$	22,288	$	112,863		$	140,256	$	15,627	$	(8,910	)	$	6,717		$	6,891	$	957
Cleared swap contracts		3,932		11,499		127,835			143,266		238		(240	)		(2	)		–		–
Forward contracts		11,709		15,089		1,283			28,081		2,312		(253	)		2,059			398		53
Futures		13,069		–		–			13,069		–		–			–			–		–
Options purchased		1,266		4,454		6,528			12,248		423		–			423			560		77
Subtotal		35,081		53,330		248,509			336,920		18,600		(9,403	)		9,197			7,849		1,087
Foreign exchange
Swap contracts		998		7,519		19,688			28,205		642		(1,864	)		(1,222	)		2,515		279
Forward contracts		8,173		–		–			8,173		32		(42	)		(10	)		138		16
Futures		3,387		–		–			3,387		–		–			–			–		–
Credit derivatives		275		227		–			502		6		–			6			–		–
Equity contracts
Swap contracts		1,233		164		–			1,397		43		(16	)		27			236		29
Futures		10,576		–		–			10,576		–		–			–			–		–
Options purchased		6,604		6,633		80			13,317		821		(20	)		801			3,418		448
Subtotal including accrued interest		66,327		67,873		268,277			402,477		20,144		(11,345	)		8,799			14,156		1,859
Less accrued interest		–		–		–			–		695		(1,061	)		(366	)		–		–
Total	$	66,327	$	67,873	$	268,277		$	402,477	$	19,449	$	(10,284	)	$	9,165		$	14,156	$	1,859

⁽¹⁾ Credit risk equivalent is the sum of replacement cost and the potential future credit exposure. Replacement cost represents the current cost of replacing all contracts with a positive fair value. The amounts take into consideration legal contracts that permit offsetting of positions. The potential future credit exposure is calculated based on a formula prescribed by OSFI.

⁽²⁾ Risk-weighted amount represents the credit risk equivalent, weighted according to the creditworthiness of the counterparty, as prescribed by OSFI.

The total notional amount of $419 billion (2019 – $402 billion) includes $183 billion (2019 – $128 billion) related to derivatives utilized in the Company’s variable annuity guarantee dynamic hedging and macro equity risk hedging programs. Due to the Company’s variable annuity hedging practices, a large number of trades are in offsetting positions, resulting in materially lower net fair value exposure to the Company than what the gross notional amount would suggest.

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Fair value and the fair value hierarchy of derivative instruments

As at December 31, 2020	Fair value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Derivative assets
Interest rate contracts	$	25,735	$	–	$	21,902	$	3,833
Foreign exchange contracts		957		–		957		–
Equity contracts		1,098		–		1,051		47
Credit default swaps		3		–		3		–
Total derivative assets	$	27,793	$	–	$	23,913	$	3,880
Derivative liabilities
Interest rate contracts	$	12,652	$	–	$	12,271	$	381
Foreign exchange contracts		2,244		–		2,239		5
Equity contracts		66		–		15		51
Total derivative liabilities	$	14,962	$	–	$	14,525	$	437
As at December 31, 2019	Fair value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Derivative assets
Interest rate contracts	$	17,894	$	–	$	15,801	$	2,093
Foreign exchange contracts		680		–		680		–
Equity contracts		869		–		821		48
Credit default swaps		6		–		6		–
Total derivative assets	$	19,449	$	–	$	17,308	$	2,141
Derivative liabilities
Interest rate contracts	$	8,397	$	–	$	7,730	$	667
Foreign exchange contracts		1,850		–		1,849		1
Equity contracts		37		–		20		17
Total derivative liabilities	$	10,284	$	–	$	9,599	$	685

Level 3 roll forward information for net derivative contracts measured using significant unobservable inputs is disclosed in note 3(g).

(b) Hedging relationships

The Company uses derivatives for economic hedging purposes. In certain circumstances, these hedges also meet the requirements of hedge accounting. Risk management strategies eligible for hedge accounting are designated as fair value hedges, cash flow hedges or net investment hedges, as described below.

Fair value hedges

The Company uses interest rate swaps to manage its exposure to changes in the fair value of fixed rate financial instruments due to changes in interest rates. The Company also uses cross currency swaps to manage its exposure to foreign exchange rate fluctuations, interest rate fluctuations, or both.

The Company recognizes gains and losses on derivatives and the related hedged items in fair value hedges in investment income. These investment gains (losses) are shown in the following table.

For the year ended December 31, 2020	Hedged items in qualifying fair value hedging relationships	Gains (losses) recognized on derivatives			Gains (losses) recognized for hedged items			Ineffectiveness recognized in investment income
Interest rate swaps	Fixed rate liabilities	$	4		$	(2	)	$	2
Foreign currency swaps	Fixed rate assets		(2	)		3			1
Total		$	2		$	1		$	3
For the year ended December 31, 2019	Hedged items in qualifying fair value hedging relationships	Gains (losses) recognized on derivatives			Gains (losses) recognized for hedged items			Ineffectiveness recognized in investment income
Interest rate swaps	Fixed rate liabilities	$	8		$	(6	)	$	2
Foreign currency swaps	Fixed rate assets		(1	)		2			1
Total		$	7		$	(4	)	$	3

Cash flow hedges

The Company uses interest rate swaps to hedge the variability in cash flows from variable rate financial instruments and forecasted transactions. The Company also uses cross currency swaps and foreign currency forward contracts to hedge the variability from foreign currency financial instruments and foreign currency expenses. Total return swaps are used to hedge the variability in cash flows

136   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

associated with certain stock-based compensation awards. Inflation swaps are used to reduce inflation risk generated from inflation-indexed liabilities.

The effects of derivatives in cash flow hedging relationships on the Consolidated Statements of Income and the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income are shown in the following table.

For the year ended December 31, 2020	Hedged items in qualifying cash flow hedging relationships	Gains (losses) deferred in AOCI on derivatives			Gains (losses) reclassified from AOCI into investment income			Ineffectiveness recognized in investment income
Foreign currency swaps	Fixed rate assets	$	1		$	–		$	–
	Floating rate liabilities		(64	)		14			–
	Fixed rate liabilities		(14	)		(2	)		–
Equity contracts	Stock-based compensation		(2	)		16			–
Total		$	(79	)	$	28		$	–
For the year ended December 31, 2019	Hedged items in qualifying cash flow hedging relationships	Gains (losses) deferred in AOCI on derivatives			Gains (losses) reclassified from AOCI into investment income			Ineffectiveness recognized in investment income
Foreign currency swaps	Fixed rate assets	$	(2	)	$	1		$	–
	Floating rate liabilities		(40	)		37			–
	Fixed rate liabilities		(41	)		(35	)		–
Forward contracts	Forecasted expenses		–			(9	)		–
Equity contracts	Stock-based compensation		35			(9	)		–
Total		$	(48	)	$	(15	)	$	–

The Company anticipates that net losses of approximately $11 will be reclassified from AOCI to net income within the next 12 months. The maximum time frame for which variable cash flows are hedged is 16 years.

Hedges of net investments in foreign operations

The Company primarily uses forward currency contracts, cross currency swaps and non-functional currency denominated debt to manage its foreign currency exposures to net investments in foreign operations.

The effects of net investment hedging relationships on the Consolidated Statements of Income and the Consolidated Statements of Other Comprehensive Income are shown in the following table.

For the year ended December 31, 2020	Gains (losses) deferred in AOCI			Gains (losses) reclassified from AOCI into investment income		Ineffectiveness recognized in investment income
Non-functional currency denominated debt	$	161		$	–	$	–
Forward contracts		(53	)		–		–
Total	$	108		$	–	$	–
For the year ended December 31, 2019	Gains (losses) deferred in AOCI			Gains (losses) reclassified from AOCI into investment income		Ineffectiveness recognized in investment income
Non-functional currency denominated debt	$	279		$	–	$	–
Forward contracts		80			–		–
Total	$	359		$	–	$	–

(c) Derivatives not designated in qualifying hedge accounting relationships

Derivatives used in portfolios supporting insurance contract liabilities are generally not designated in qualifying hedge accounting relationships because the change in the value of the insurance contract liabilities economically hedged by these derivatives is recorded through net income. Since changes in fair value of these derivatives and related hedged risks are recognized in investment income as they occur, they generally offset the change in hedged risk to the extent the hedges are economically effective. Interest rate and cross currency swaps are used in the portfolios supporting insurance contract liabilities to manage duration and currency risks.

         137

Investment income on derivatives not designated in qualifying hedge accounting relationships

For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019
Interest rate swaps	$	2,423		$	1,483
Interest rate futures		894			571
Interest rate options		291			96
Foreign currency swaps		(55	)		(242	)
Currency rate futures		(47	)		88
Forward contracts		3,785			2,815
Equity futures		(1,111	)		(2,436	)
Equity contracts		322			277
Credit default swaps		(4	)		(3	)
Total	$	6,498		$	2,649

(d) Embedded derivatives

Certain insurance contracts contain features that are classified as embedded derivatives and are measured separately at FVTPL, including reinsurance contracts related to guaranteed minimum income benefits and contracts containing certain credit and interest rate features.

Certain reinsurance contracts related to guaranteed minimum income benefits contain embedded derivatives requiring separate measurement at FVTPL as the financial component contained in the reinsurance contracts does not contain significant insurance risk. As at December 31, 2020, reinsurance ceded guaranteed minimum income benefits had a fair value of $1,007 (2019 – $981) and reinsurance assumed guaranteed minimum income benefits had a fair value of $112 (2019 – $109). Claims recovered under reinsurance ceded contracts offset claims expenses and claims paid on the reinsurance assumed are reported as contract benefits.

The Company’s credit and interest rate embedded derivatives promise to pay the returns on a portfolio of assets to the contract holder. These embedded derivatives contain a credit and interest rate risk that is a financial risk embedded in the underlying insurance contract. As at December 31, 2020, these embedded derivatives had a fair value of $(229) (2019 – $(137)).

Other financial instruments classified as embedded derivatives but exempt from separate measurement at fair value include variable universal life and variable life products’ minimum guaranteed credited rates, no lapse guarantees, guaranteed annuitization options, CPI indexing of benefits, and segregated fund minimum guarantees other than reinsurance ceded/assumed guaranteed minimum income benefits. These embedded derivatives are measured and reported within insurance contract liabilities and are exempt from separate fair value measurement as they contain insurance risk and/or are closely related to the insurance host contract.

138   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 5     Goodwill and Intangible Assets

(a) Change in the carrying value of goodwill and intangible assets

The following table presents the change in carrying value of goodwill and intangible assets.

As at December 31, 2020	Balance, January 1		Net additions/ (disposals)			Amortization expense		Effect of changes in foreign exchange rates			Balance, December 31
Goodwill	$	5,743	$	(5	)	$	n/a	$	(24	)	$	5,714
Indefinite life intangible assets
Brand		779		–			n/a		(15	)		764
Fund management contracts and other(1)		805		(2	)		n/a		(7	)		796
		1,584		(2	)		n/a		(22	)		1,560
Finite life intangible assets(2)
Distribution networks		801		59			42		(12	)		806
Customer relationships		795		–			54		(3	)		738
Software		991		262			189		(5	)		1,059
Other		61		(9	)		4		4			52
		2,648		312			289		(16	)		2,655
Total intangible assets		4,232		310			289		(38	)		4,215
Total goodwill and intangible assets	$	9,975	$	305		$	289	$	(62	)	$	9,929
As at December 31, 2019	Balance, January 1		Net additions/ (disposals)			Amortization expense		Effect of changes in foreign exchange rates			Balance, December 31
Goodwill	$	5,864	$	(6	)	$	n/a	$	(115	)	$	5,743
Indefinite life intangible assets
Brand		819		–			n/a		(40	)		779
Fund management contracts and other(1)		798		32			n/a		(25	)		805
		1,617		32			n/a		(65	)		1,584
Finite life intangible assets(2)
Distribution networks		868		6			44		(29	)		801
Customer relationships		860		(2	)		54		(9	)		795
Software		821		357			168		(19	)		991
Other		67		–			5		(1	)		61
		2,616		361			271		(58	)		2,648
Total intangible assets		4,233		393			271		(123	)		4,232
Total goodwill and intangible assets	$	10,097	$	387		$	271	$	(238	)	$	9,975

⁽¹⁾ Fund management contracts were mostly allocated to Canada WAM and U.S. WAM CGUs with the carrying values of $273 (2019 – $273) and $373 (2019 – $380), respectively.

⁽²⁾ Gross carrying amount of finite life intangible assets was $1,332 for distribution networks, $1,130 for customer relationships, $2,310 for software and $123 for other (2019 – $1,292, $1,133, $2,239 and $130), respectively.

(b) Goodwill impairment testing

The Company completed its annual goodwill impairment testing in the fourth quarter of 2020 by determining the recoverable amounts of its businesses using valuation techniques discussed below (refer to notes 1(f) and 5(c)). The review indicated that there was no impairment of goodwill in 2020 (2019 – $nil).

         139

The following tables present the carrying value of goodwill by CGU or group of CGUs.

As at December 31, 2020 CGU or group of CGUs	Balance, January 1,		Net additions/ (disposals)			Effect of changes in foreign exchange rates			Balance, December 31,
Asia
Asia Insurance (excluding Japan)	$	159	$	–		$	–		$	159
Japan Insurance		420		–			13			433
Canada Insurance		1,957		–			(2	)		1,955
U.S. Insurance		349		(5	)		(6	)		338
Global Wealth and Asset Management
Asia WAM		187		–			(2	)		185
Canada WAM		1,436		–			–			1,436
U.S. WAM		1,235		–			(27	)		1,208
Total	$	5,743	$	(5	)	$	(24	)	$	5,714
As at December 31, 2019 CGU or group of CGUs	Balance, January 1,		Net additions/ (disposals)			Effect of changes in foreign exchange rates			Balance, December 31,
Asia
Asia Insurance (excluding Japan)	$	165	$	–		$	(6	)	$	159
Japan Insurance		435		–			(15	)		420
Canada Insurance		1,962		–			(5	)		1,957
U.S. Insurance		367		–			(18	)		349
Global Wealth and Asset Management
Asia WAM		196		–			(9	)		187
Canada WAM		1,436		–			–			1,436
U.S. WAM		1,303		(6	)		(62	)		1,235
Total	$	5,864	$	(6	)	$	(115	)	$	5,743

The valuation techniques, significant assumptions and sensitivities, where applicable, applied in the goodwill impairment testing are described below.

(c) Valuation techniques

When determining if a CGU is impaired, the Company compares its recoverable amount to the allocated capital for that unit, which is aligned with the Company’s internal reporting practices. The recoverable amounts were based on fair value less costs to sell (“FVLCS”) for Asia Insurance (excluding Japan) and Asia WAM. For other CGUs, value-in-use (“VIU”) was used.

Under the FVLCS approach, the Company determines the fair value of the CGU or group of CGUs using an earnings-based approach which incorporates forecasted earnings, excluding interest and equity market impacts and normalized new business expenses multiplied by an earnings-multiple derived from the observable price-to-earnings multiples of comparable financial institutions. The price-to-earnings multiple used by the Company for testing was 10.7 (2019 – 10.3). These FVLCS valuations are categorized as Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy (2019 – Level 3).

Under the VIU approach, used for CGUs with insurance business, an embedded appraisal value is determined from a projection of future distributable earnings derived from both the in-force business and new business expected to be sold in the future, and therefore, reflects the economic value for each CGU’s or group of CGUs’ profit potential under a set of assumptions. This approach requires assumptions including sales and revenue growth rates, capital requirements, interest rates, equity returns, mortality, morbidity, policyholder behaviour, tax rates and discount rates. For non-insurance CGUs, the VIU is based on discounted cash flow analysis which incorporates relevant aspects of the embedded appraisal value approach.

(d) Significant assumptions

To calculate embedded appraisal value, the Company discounted projected earnings from in-force contracts and valued 20 years of new business growing at expected plan levels, consistent with the periods used for forecasting long-term businesses such as insurance. In arriving at its projections, the Company considered past experience, economic trends such as interest rates, equity returns and product mix as well as industry and market trends. Where growth rate assumptions for new business cash flows were used in the embedded appraisal value calculations, they ranged from zero per cent to 10 per cent (2019 – zero per cent to 20 per cent).

Interest rate assumptions are based on prevailing market rates at the valuation date.

140   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Tax rates applied to the projections include the impact of internal reinsurance treaties and amounted to 28.0 per cent, 26.5 per cent and 21.0 per cent (2019 – 28.0 per cent, 26.5 per cent and 21.0 per cent) for the Japan, Canada and U.S. jurisdictions, respectively. Tax assumptions are sensitive to changes in tax laws as well as assumptions about the jurisdictions in which profits are earned. It is possible that actual tax rates could differ from those assumed.

Discount rates assumed in determining the value-in-use for applicable CGUs or group of CGUs ranged from 8.0 per cent to 10.0 per cent on an after-tax basis or 10.0 per cent to 12.5 per cent on a pre-tax basis (2019 – 7.5 per cent to 10.0 per cent on an after-tax basis or 9.4 per cent to 12.5 per cent on a pre-tax basis).

Key assumptions may change as economic and market conditions change, which may lead to impairment charges in the future. Adverse changes in discount rates (including from decline in interest rates) and growth rate assumptions for new business cash flow projections used in the determination of embedded appraisal values or reductions in market-based earnings multiples calculations may result in impairment charges in the future which could be material.

Note 6     Insurance Contract Liabilities and Reinsurance Assets

(a) Insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets

Insurance contract liabilities are reported gross of reinsurance ceded and the ceded liabilities are reported separately as reinsurance assets. Insurance contract liabilities include actuarial liabilities, benefits payable, provision for unreported claims and policyholder amounts on deposit. The components of gross and net insurance contract liabilities are shown below.

As at December 31,	2020			2019
Insurance contract liabilities	$	369,230		$	336,156
Benefits payable and provision for unreported claims		4,837			4,229
Policyholder amounts on deposit		11,487			10,776
Gross insurance contract liabilities		385,554			351,161
Reinsurance assets(1)		(45,769	)		(41,353	)
Net insurance contract liabilities	$	339,785		$	309,808

⁽¹⁾ Reinsurance assets of $67 (2019 – $93) are related to investment contract liabilities, refer to note 7(b).

Net insurance contract liabilities represent the amount which, together with estimated future premiums and net investment income, will be sufficient to pay estimated future benefits, policyholder dividends and refunds, taxes (other than income taxes) and expenses on policies in-force net of reinsurance premiums and recoveries.

Net insurance contract liabilities are determined using CALM, as required by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.

The determination of net insurance contract liabilities is based on an explicit projection of cash flows using current assumptions for each material cash flow item. Investment returns are projected using the current asset portfolios and projected reinvestment strategies.

Each assumption is based on the best estimate, adjusted by a margin for adverse deviation. For fixed income returns, this margin is established by scenario testing a range of prescribed and company-developed scenarios consistent with Canadian Actuarial Standards of Practice. For all other assumptions, this margin is established by directly adjusting the best estimate assumption.

Cash flows used in the net insurance contract liabilities valuation adjust the gross policy cash flows to reflect projected cash flows from ceded reinsurance. The cash flow impact of ceded reinsurance varies depending upon the amount of reinsurance, the structure of reinsurance treaties, the expected economic benefit from treaty cash flows and the impact of margins for adverse deviation. Gross insurance contract liabilities are determined by discounting gross policy cash flows using the same discount rate as the net CALM model discount rate.

The reinsurance asset is determined by taking the difference between the gross insurance contract liabilities and the net insurance contract liabilities. The reinsurance asset represents the benefit derived from reinsurance arrangements in force at the date of the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

The period used for the projection of cash flows is the policy lifetime for most individual insurance contracts. For other types of contracts, a shorter projection period may be used, with the contract generally ending at the earlier of the first renewal date on or after the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position date where the Company can exercise discretion in renewing its contractual obligations or terms of those obligations and the renewal or adjustment date that maximizes the insurance contract liabilities. For segregated fund products with guarantees, the projection period is generally set as the period that leads to the largest insurance contract liability. Where the projection period is less than the policy lifetime, insurance contract liabilities may be reduced by an allowance for acquisition expenses expected to be recovered from policy cash flows beyond the projection period used for the liabilities. Such allowances are tested for recoverability using assumptions that are consistent with other components of the actuarial valuation.

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(b) Composition

The composition of insurance contract liabilities and reinsurance assets by the line of business and reporting segment is as follows.

Gross insurance contract liabilities

	Individual insurance					Annuities and pensions		Other insurance contract liabilities(1)		Total, net of reinsurance ceded			Total reinsurance ceded		Total, gross of reinsurance ceded
As at December 31, 2020	Participating		Non- participating
Asia	$	55,262	$	36,930		$	7,114	$	3,652	$	102,958		$	2,127	$	105,085
Canada		12,796		44,468			18,462		14,620		90,346			443		90,789
U.S.		8,422		68,001			16,292		54,224		146,939			42,875		189,814
Corporate and Other		–		(684	)		34		192		(458	)		324		(134	)
Total, net of reinsurance ceded		76,480		148,715			41,902		72,688		339,785		$	45,769	$	385,554
Total reinsurance ceded		8,780		19,944			16,065		980		45,769
Total, gross of reinsurance ceded	$	85,260	$	168,659		$	57,967	$	73,668	$	385,554
	Individual insurance					Annuities and pensions		Other insurance contract liabilities(1)		Total, net of reinsurance ceded			Total reinsurance ceded		Total, gross of reinsurance ceded
As at December 31, 2019	Participating		Non- participating
Asia	$	46,071	$	32,887		$	5,915	$	3,064	$	87,937		$	1,432	$	89,369
Canada		12,012		39,655			17,871		13,759		83,297			286		83,583
U.S.		8,734		66,163			14,763		49,199		138,859			39,411		178,270
Corporate and Other		–		(609	)		36		288		(285	)		224		(61	)
Total, net of reinsurance ceded		66,817		138,096			38,585		66,310		309,808		$	41,353	$	351,161
Total reinsurance ceded		9,869		13,588			16,850		1,046		41,353
Total, gross of reinsurance ceded	$	76,686	$	151,684		$	55,435	$	67,356	$	351,161

⁽¹⁾ Other insurance contract liabilities include group insurance and individual and group health including long-term care insurance.

Separate sub-accounts were established for participating policies in-force at the demutualization of MLI and John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company. These sub-accounts permit this participating business to be operated as separate “closed blocks” of participating policies. As at December 31, 2020, $29,480 (2019 – $29,402) of both reinsurance assets and insurance contract liabilities were related to these closed blocks of participating policies.

(c) Assets backing insurance contract liabilities, other liabilities and capital

Assets are segmented and matched to liabilities with similar underlying characteristics by product line and major currency. The Company has established target investment strategies and asset mixes for each asset segment supporting insurance contract liabilities which consider the risk attributes of the liabilities supported by the assets and expectations of market performance. Liabilities with rate and term guarantees are predominantly backed by fixed-rate instruments on a cash flow matching basis for a targeted duration horizon. Longer duration cash flows on these liabilities as well as on adjustable products such as participating life insurance are backed by a broader range of asset classes, including equity and alternative long-duration investments. The Company’s capital is invested in a range of debt and equity investments, both public and private.

Changes in the fair value of assets backing net insurance contract liabilities, that the Company considers to be other than temporary, would have a limited impact on the Company’s net income wherever there is an effective matching of assets and liabilities, as these changes would be substantially offset by corresponding changes in the value of net insurance contract liabilities. The fair value of assets backing net insurance contract liabilities as at December 31, 2020, excluding reinsurance assets, was estimated at $350,264 (2019 – $315,952).

As at December 31, 2020, the fair value of assets backing capital and other liabilities was estimated at $543,273 (2019 – $501,147).

142   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The following table presents the carrying value of assets backing net insurance contract liabilities, other liabilities and capital.

	Individual insurance				Annuities and pensions		Other insurance contract liabilities(1)		Other liabilities(2)		Capital(3)		Total
As at December 31, 2020	Participating		Non- participating
Assets
Debt securities	$	39,523	$	81,548	$	20,936	$	34,725	$	8,872	$	33,121	$	218,725
Public equities		12,365		6,971		461		310		402		3,213		23,722
Mortgages		3,069		12,536		4,923		8,315		21,338		26		50,207
Private placements		5,549		17,276		7,499		9,439		817		176		40,756
Real estate		3,385		6,466		1,027		1,697		57		200		12,832
Other		12,589		23,918		7,056		18,202		448,014		24,328		534,107
Total	$	76,480	$	148,715	$	41,902	$	72,688	$	479,500	$	61,064	$	880,349
	Individual insurance				Annuities and pensions		Other insurance contract liabilities(1)		Other liabilities(2)		Capital(3)		Total
As at December 31, 2019	Participating		Non- participating
Assets
Debt securities	$	34,169	$	74,113	$	19,865	$	31,620	$	8,828	$	29,527	$	198,122
Public equities		10,907		6,453		204		253		381		4,653		22,851
Mortgages		2,921		12,140		5,203		7,916		21,165		31		49,376
Private placements		4,658		16,020		6,957		9,122		1,090		132		37,979
Real estate		3,336		6,446		1,082		1,731		113		220		12,928
Other		10,826		22,924		5,274		15,668		410,376		22,806		487,874
Total	$	66,817	$	138,096	$	38,585	$	66,310	$	441,953	$	57,369	$	809,130

⁽¹⁾ Other insurance contract liabilities include group insurance and individual and group health including long-term care insurance.

⁽²⁾ Other liabilities are non-insurance contract liabilities which include segregated funds, bank deposits, long-term debt, deferred tax liabilities, derivatives, investment contracts, embedded derivatives and other miscellaneous liabilities.

⁽³⁾ Capital is defined in note 12.

(d) Significant insurance contract liability valuation assumptions

The determination of insurance contract liabilities involves the use of estimates and assumptions. Insurance contract liabilities have two major components: a best estimate amount and a provision for adverse deviation.

Best estimate assumptions

Best estimate assumptions are made with respect to mortality and morbidity, investment returns, rates of policy termination, operating expenses and certain taxes. Actual experience is monitored to ensure that assumptions remain appropriate and assumptions are changed as warranted. Assumptions are discussed in more detail in the following table.

Nature of factor and assumption methodology		Risk management
Mortality and morbidity	Mortality relates to the occurrence of death. Mortality is a key assumption for life insurance and certain forms of annuities. Mortality assumptions are based on the Company’s internal experience as well as past and emerging industry experience. Assumptions are differentiated by sex, underwriting class, policy type and geographic market. Assumptions are made for future mortality improvements. Morbidity relates to the occurrence of accidents and sickness for insured risks. Morbidity is a key assumption for long-term care insurance, disability insurance, critical illness and other forms of individual and group health benefits. Morbidity assumptions are based on the Company’s internal experience as well as past and emerging industry experience and are established for each type of morbidity risk and geographic market. Assumptions are made for future morbidity improvements.	The Company maintains underwriting standards to determine the insurability of applicants. Claim trends are monitored on an ongoing basis. Exposure to large claims is managed by establishing policy retention limits, which vary by market and geographic location. Policies in excess of the limits are reinsured with other companies. Mortality is monitored monthly and the overall 2020 experience was unfavourable (2019 – unfavourable) when compared to the Company’s assumptions. Morbidity is also monitored monthly and the overall 2020 experience was favourable (2019 – unfavourable) when compared to the Company’s assumptions.

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Nature of factor and assumption methodology		Risk management
Investment returns	The Company segments assets to support liabilities by business segment and geographic market and establishes investment strategies for each liability segment. Projected cash flows from these assets are combined with projected cash flows from future asset purchases/sales to determine expected rates of return on these assets for future years. Investment strategies are based on the target investment policies for each segment and the reinvestment returns are derived from current and projected market rates for fixed income investments and a projected outlook for other alternative long-duration assets. Investment return assumptions include expected future asset credit losses on fixed income investments. Credit losses are projected based on past experience of the Company and industry as well as specific reviews of the current investment portfolio. Investment return assumptions for each asset class and geographic market also incorporate expected investment management expenses that are derived from internal cost studies. The costs are attributed to each asset class to develop unitized assumptions per dollar of asset for each asset class and geographic market.	The Company’s policy of closely matching asset cash flows with those of the corresponding liabilities is designed to mitigate the Company’s exposure to future changes in interest rates. The interest rate risk positions in business segments are monitored on an ongoing basis. Under CALM, the reinvestment rate is developed using interest rate scenario testing and reflects the interest rate risk positions. In 2020, the movement in interest rates negatively (2019 – negatively) impacted the Company’s net income. This negative impact was driven by decreases in risk free interest rates and corporate spreads, as well the impact of swap spreads on policy liabilities. The exposure to credit losses is managed against policies that limit concentrations by issuer, corporate connections, ratings, sectors and geographic regions. On participating policies and some non-participating policies, credit loss experience is passed back to policyholders through the investment return crediting formula. For other policies, premiums and benefits reflect the Company’s assumed level of future credit losses at contract inception or most recent contract adjustment date. The Company holds explicit provisions in actuarial liabilities for credit risk including provisions for adverse deviation. In 2020, credit loss experience on debt securities and mortgages was unfavourable (2019 – favourable) when compared to the Company’s assumptions. Equities, real estate and other alternative long-duration assets are used to support liabilities where investment return experience is passed back to policyholders through dividends or credited investment return adjustments. Equities, real estate, oil and gas and other alternative long-duration assets are also used to support long-dated obligations in the Company’s annuity and pension businesses and for long-dated insurance obligations on contracts where the investment return risk is borne by the Company. In 2020, investment experience on alternative long-duration assets backing policyholder liabilities was unfavourable (2019 – favourable) primarily due to losses in real estate properties, and private equities, timber and agriculture properties as well as in oil and gas properties. In 2020, alternative long-duration asset origination did not exceed (2019 – exceeded) valuation requirements. In 2020, for the business that is dynamically hedged, segregated fund guarantee experience on residual, non-dynamically hedged market risks were unfavourable (2019 – favourable). For the business that is not dynamically hedged, experience on segregated fund guarantees due to changes in the market value of assets under management was also unfavourable (2019 – favourable). This excludes the experience on the macro equity hedges. In 2020, investment expense experience was unfavourable (2019 – unfavourable) when compared to the Company’s assumptions.

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Nature of factor and assumption methodology		Risk management
Policy termination and premium persistency	Policies are terminated through lapses and surrenders, where lapses represent the termination of policies due to non-payment of premiums and surrenders represent the voluntary termination of policies by policyholders. Premium persistency represents the level of ongoing deposits on contracts where there is policyholder discretion as to the amount and timing of deposits. Policy termination and premium persistency assumptions are primarily based on the Company’s recent experience adjusted for expected future conditions. Assumptions reflect differences by type of contract within each geographic market.	The Company seeks to design products that minimize financial exposure to lapse, surrender and premium persistency risk. The Company monitors lapse, surrender and persistency experience. In aggregate, 2020 policyholder termination and premium persistency experience was unfavourable (2019 – unfavourable) when compared to the Company’s assumptions used in the computation of actuarial liabilities.
Expenses and taxes	Operating expense assumptions reflect the projected costs of maintaining and servicing in-force policies, including associated overhead expenses. The expenses are derived from internal cost studies projected into the future with an allowance for inflation. For some developing businesses, there is an expectation that unit costs will decline as these businesses grow. Taxes reflect assumptions for future premium taxes and other non-income related taxes. For income taxes, policy liabilities are adjusted only for temporary tax timing and permanent tax rate differences on the cash flows available to satisfy policy obligations.	The Company prices its products to cover the expected costs of servicing and maintaining them. In addition, the Company monitors expenses monthly, including comparisons of actual expenses to expense levels allowed for in pricing and valuation. Maintenance expenses for 2020 were unfavourable (2019 – unfavourable) when compared to the Company’s assumptions used in the computation of actuarial liabilities. The Company prices its products to cover the expected cost of taxes.
Policyholder  dividends, experience rating refunds, and other adjustable policy elements	The best estimate projections for policyholder dividends and experience rating refunds, and other adjustable elements of policy benefits are determined to be consistent with management’s expectation of how these elements will be managed should experience emerge consistently with the best estimate assumptions used for mortality and morbidity, investment returns, rates of policy termination, operating expenses and taxes.	The Company monitors policy experience and adjusts policy benefits and other adjustable elements to reflect this experience. Policyholder dividends are reviewed annually for all businesses under a framework of Board-approved policyholder dividend policies.
Foreign currency	Foreign currency risk results from a mismatch of the currency of liabilities and the currency of the assets designated to support these obligations. Where a currency mismatch exists, the assumed rate of return on the assets supporting the liabilities is reduced to reflect the potential for adverse movements in foreign exchange rates.	The Company generally matches the currency of its assets with the currency of the liabilities they support, with the objective of mitigating the risk of loss arising from movements in currency exchange rates.

The Company reviews actuarial methods and assumptions on an annual basis. If changes are made to assumptions (refer to note 6(h)), the full impact is recognized in income immediately.

(e) Sensitivity of insurance contract liabilities to changes in non-economic assumptions

The sensitivity of net income attributed to shareholders to changes in non-economic assumptions underlying insurance contract liabilities is shown below, assuming a simultaneous change in the assumption across all business units. The sensitivity of net income attributed to shareholders to a deterioration or improvement in non-economic assumptions for Long-Term Care (“LTC”) as at December 31, 2020 is also shown below.

In practice, experience for each assumption will frequently vary by geographic market and business, and assumption updates are made on a business/geographic specific basis. Actual results can differ materially from these estimates for a variety of reasons including the interaction among these factors when more than one changes; changes in actuarial and investment return and future investment activity assumptions; changes in business mix, effective tax rates and other market factors; and the general limitations of internal models.

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Potential impact on net income attributed to shareholders arising from changes to non-economic assumptions⁽¹⁾

As at December 31,	Decrease in net income attributed to shareholders
	2020			2019
Policy related assumptions
2% adverse change in future mortality rates(2),(4)
Products where an increase in rates increases insurance contract liabilities	$	(500	)	$	(500	)
Products where a decrease in rates increases insurance contract liabilities		(600	)		(500	)
5% adverse change in future morbidity rates (incidence and termination)(3),(4),(5)		(5,700	)		(5,100	)
10% adverse change in future policy termination rates(4)		(2,600	)		(2,400	)
5% increase in future expense levels		(600	)		(600	)

⁽¹⁾ The participating policy funds are largely self-supporting and generate no material impact on net income attributed to shareholders as a result of changes in non-economic assumptions. Experience gains or losses would generally result in changes to future dividends, with no direct impact to shareholders.

⁽²⁾ An increase in mortality rates will generally increase policy liabilities for life insurance contracts whereas a decrease in mortality rates will generally increase policy liabilities for policies with longevity risk such as payout annuities.

⁽³⁾ No amounts related to morbidity risk are included for policies where the policy liability provides only for claims costs expected over a short period, generally less than one year, such as Group Life and Health.

⁽⁴⁾ The impacts of the adverse sensitivities on LTC for morbidity, mortality and lapse do not assume any partial offsets from the Company’s ability to contractually raise premium rates in such events, subject to state regulatory approval. In practice, the Company would plan to file for rate increases equal to the amount of deterioration resulting from the sensitivities.

⁽⁵⁾ 5% deterioration in incidence rates and 5% deterioration in claim termination rates.

Potential impact on net income attributed to shareholders arising from changes to non-economic assumptions for Long-Term Care included in the above table^(1),(2)

As at December 31,	Decrease in net income attributed to shareholders
	2020			2019
Policy related assumptions
2% adverse change in future mortality rates	$	(300	)	$	(300	)
5% adverse change in future morbidity incidence rates(3)		(2,100	)		(1,900	)
5% adverse change in future morbidity claims termination rates(3)		(3,100	)		(2,800	)
10% adverse change in future policy termination rates		(400	)		(400	)
5% increase in future expense levels		(100	)		(100	)

⁽¹⁾ The impacts of the adverse sensitivities on LTC for morbidity, mortality and lapse do not assume any partial offsets from the Company’s ability to contractually raise premium rates in such events, subject to state regulatory approval. In practice, the Company would plan to file for rate increases equal to the amount of deterioration resulting from the sensitivities.

⁽²⁾ The impact of favourable changes to all the sensitivities is relatively symmetrical.

⁽³⁾  The comparatives for 2019 have been updated to reflect refinements between incidence and termination impacts implemented in 2020.

(f) Provision for adverse deviation assumptions

The assumptions made in establishing insurance contract liabilities reflect expected best estimates of future experience. To recognize the uncertainty in these best estimate assumptions, to allow for possible misestimation of and deterioration in experience and to provide a greater degree of assurance that the insurance contract liabilities are adequate to pay future benefits, the Appointed Actuary is required to include a margin in each assumption.

Margins are released into future earnings as the policy is released from risk. Margins for interest rate risk are included by testing a number of scenarios of future interest rates. The margin can be established by testing a limited number of scenarios, some of which are prescribed by the Canadian Actuarial Standards of Practice, and determining the liability based on the worst outcome. Alternatively, the margin can be set by testing many scenarios, which are developed according to actuarial guidance. Under this approach the liability would be the average of the outcomes above a percentile in the range prescribed by the Canadian Actuarial Standards of Practice.

Specific guidance is also provided for other risks such as market, credit, mortality and morbidity risks. For other risks which are not specifically addressed by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries, a range is provided of five per cent to 20 per cent of the expected experience assumption. The Company uses assumptions within the permissible ranges, with the determination of the level set considering the risk profile of the business. On occasion, in specific circumstances for additional prudence, a margin may exceed the high end of the range, which is permissible under the Canadian Actuarial Standards of Practice. This additional margin would be released if the specific circumstances which led to it being established were to change.

Each margin is reviewed annually for continued appropriateness.

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(g) Change in insurance contract liabilities

The change in insurance contract liabilities was a result of the following business activities and changes in actuarial estimates.

For the year ended December 31, 2020	Net actuarial liabilities			Other insurance contract liabilities(1)			Net insurance contract liabilities			Reinsurance assets			Gross insurance contract liabilities
Balance, January 1	$	296,589		$	13,219		$	309,808		$	41,353		$	351,161
New policies(2)		3,166			–			3,166			481			3,647
Normal in-force movement(2)		32,340			1,312			33,652			(3,030	)		30,622
Changes in methods and assumptions(2)		563			–			563			4,559			5,122
Reinsurance transactions(3)		(3,360	)		–			(3,360	)		3,360			–
Impact of changes in foreign exchange rates		(3,890	)		(154	)		(4,044	)		(954	)		(4,998	)
Balance, December 31	$	325,408		$	14,377		$	339,785		$	45,769		$	385,554
For the year ended December 31, 2019	Net actuarial liabilities			Other insurance contract liabilities(1)			Net insurance contract liabilities			Reinsurance assets			Gross insurance contract liabilities
Balance, January 1	$	272,761		$	12,968		$	285,729		$	42,925		$	328,654
New policies(4)		3,251			–			3,251			521			3,772
Normal in-force movement(4)		30,171			750			30,921			(972	)		29,949
Changes in methods and assumptions(4)		74			–			74			927			1,001
Impact of changes in foreign exchange rates		(9,668	)		(499	)		(10,167	)		(2,048	)		(12,215	)
Balance, December 31	$	296,589		$	13,219		$	309,808		$	41,353		$	351,161

⁽¹⁾ Other insurance contract liabilities are comprised of benefits payable and provisions for unreported claims and policyholder amounts on deposit.

⁽²⁾ In 2020, the $36,982 increase reported as the change in insurance contract liabilities on the Consolidated Statements of Income primarily consists of changes due to normal in-force movement, new policies, associated embedded derivatives and changes in methods and assumptions. These three items in the gross insurance contract liabilities were netted off by an increase of $39,391, of which $37,876 is included in the Consolidated Statements of Income increase in insurance contract liabilities and $1,515 is included in gross claims and benefits. The Consolidated Statements of Income change in insurance contract liabilities also includes the change in embedded derivatives associated with insurance contracts; however, these embedded derivatives are included in other liabilities on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

⁽³⁾  On September 30, 2020, the Company, through its subsidiary John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), entered into a reinsurance agreement with Global Atlantic Financial Group Ltd to reinsure a block of legacy U.S. bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”). Under the terms of the transaction, the Company will maintain responsibility for servicing the policies with no expected impact to the BOLI policyholders. The transaction was structured such that the Company ceded policyholder contract liabilities and transferred invested assets backing these liabilities.

⁽⁴⁾ In 2019, the $33,727 increase reported as the change in insurance contract liabilities on the Consolidated Statements of Income primarily consists of changes due to normal in-force movement, new policies, associated embedded derivatives and changes in methods and assumptions. These three items in the gross insurance contract liabilities were netted off by an increase of $34,721, of which $34,056 is included in the Consolidated Statements of Income increase in insurance contract liabilities and $665 is included in gross claims and benefits. The Consolidated Statements of Income change in insurance contract liabilities also includes the change in embedded derivatives associated with insurance contracts; however, these embedded derivatives are included in other liabilities on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

(h) Actuarial methods and assumptions

A comprehensive review of valuation assumptions and methods is performed annually. The review reduces the Company’s exposure to uncertainty by ensuring assumptions for both asset and liability risks remain appropriate. This is accomplished by monitoring experience and updating assumptions which represent a best estimate of expected future experience, and margins that are appropriate for the risks assumed. While the assumptions selected represent the Company’s current best estimates and assessment of risk, the ongoing monitoring of experience and the changes in economic environment are likely to result in future changes to the actuarial assumptions, which could materially impact the insurance contract liabilities.

Annual review 2020

The completion of the 2020 annual review of actuarial methods and assumptions resulted in an increase in insurance contract liabilities of $563, net of reinsurance, and a decrease in net income attributed to shareholders of $198 post-tax.

	Change in insurance contract liabilities, net of reinsurance
For the year ended December 31, 2020	Total			Attributed to participating policyholders’ account(1)			Attributed to shareholders’ account			Change in net income attributed to shareholders (post-tax)
Canada variable annuity product review	$	(42	)	$	–		$	(42	)	$	31
Mortality and morbidity updates		(304	)		(1	)		(303	)		232
Lapses and policyholder behaviour		893			–			893			(682	)
Investment related updates		(212	)		(153	)		(59	)		31
Other updates		228			455			(227	)		190
Net impact	$	563		$	301		$	262		$	(198	)

⁽¹⁾ The change in insurance contract liabilities, net of reinsurance, attributable to the participating policyholders’ account was driven by refinements to the Company’s valuation models, primarily due to annual updates to reflect market movements in the first half of 2020.

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Canada variable annuity product review

The review of the Company’s variable annuity product in Canada resulted in a $31 post-tax gain to net income attributed to shareholders.

The gain was driven by refinements to the segregated fund guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit valuation models, partially offset by updates to lapse assumptions to reflect emerging experience.

Updates to mortality and morbidity

Mortality and morbidity updates resulted in a $232 post-tax gain to net income attributed to shareholders.

The gain was primarily driven by a review of the Company’s reinsurance arrangements and mortality margins for preferred risk classes in Canada Individual Insurance business, as well as updates to the morbidity assumptions on certain products in Japan. This was partially offset by a charge from the review of mortality assumptions in the U.S. Insurance business, where emerging experience showed higher mortality at older attained ages.

Other updates to mortality and morbidity assumptions were made across several products, largely in Canada, to reflect recent experience resulting in a net post-tax gain to net income attributable to shareholders.

Updates to lapses and policyholder behaviour

Updates to lapses and policyholder behaviour assumptions resulted in a $682 post-tax charge to net income attributed to shareholders.

The Company completed a detailed review of the lapse assumptions for universal life policies in Canada, including both yearly renewable term, and level cost of insurance products. The Company lowered the ultimate lapse assumptions due to the emergence of more recent data, which resulted in a post-tax charge of $504 to net income attributed to shareholders, primarily driven by adverse experience on large policies.

Other updates to lapse and policyholder behaviour assumptions were made across several products to reflect recent experience resulting in a net post-tax charge to net income attributable to shareholders. The primary driver of the charge was adverse lapse experience from retail policies in Japan.

Investment related updates

Updates to investment return assumptions resulted in a $31 post-tax gain to net income attributed to shareholders.

Other updates

Other updates resulted in a $190 post-tax gain to net income attributed to shareholders. This incorporated several positive items including updates to the Company’s U.S. segregated fund guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit valuation models, as well as updates to the projection of the tax and liability cash flows in the U.S. to align with updated U.S. tax and statutory reporting standard changes, partially offset by refinements to the valuation models, primarily driven by annual updates to reflect market movements in the first half of 2020.

Annual review 2019

The 2019 annual review of actuarial methods and assumptions resulted in an increase in insurance contract liabilities of $74, net of reinsurance, and a decrease in net income attributed to shareholders of $21 post-tax.

	Change in insurance contract liabilities, net of reinsurance
For the year ended December 31, 2019	Total			Attributed to participating policyholders’ account			Attributed to shareholders’ account			Change in net income attributed to shareholders (post-tax)
Long-term care triennial review	$	11		$	–		$	11		$	(8	)
Mortality and morbidity updates		25			47			(22	)		14
Lapses and policyholder behaviour		135			17			118			(75	)
Investment return assumptions		12			81			(69	)		70
Other updates		(109	)		(163	)		54			(22	)
Net impact	$	74		$	(18	)	$	92		$	(21	)

Long-term care triennial review

U.S. Insurance completed a comprehensive long-term care (“LTC”) experience study in 2019. The review included all aspects of claim assumptions, the impact of policyholder benefit reductions as well as the progress on future premium rate increases and a review of margins on the business. The impact of the LTC review was approximately net neutral to net income attributed to shareholders.

The experience study showed lower termination rates than expected during the elimination or “qualifying” period (which is the period between when a claim is filed and when benefit payments begin), and favourable incidence as policyholders are filing claims at a lower rate than expected. In addition, policyholders are electing to reduce their benefits in lieu of paying increased premiums. The overall claims experience review led to a post-tax charge to net income attributed to shareholders of approximately $1.9 billion, which includes a gain of approximately $0.2 billion for the impact of benefit reductions.

148   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The experience study included additional claims data due to the natural aging of the block of business. As a result, the Company reduced certain margins for adverse deviations, which resulted in a post-tax gain to net income attributed to shareholders of approximately $0.7 billion.

While the study continues to support the assumptions of both future morbidity and mortality improvement, the Company reduced its morbidity improvement assumption, which resulted in a post-tax charge to net income attributed to shareholders of approximately $0.7 billion.

The review of premium increases assumed in the policy liabilities resulted in a post-tax gain to net income attributed to shareholders of approximately $2.0 billion related to the expected timing and amount of premium increases that are subject to state approval and reflects a 30% margin. The expected premium increases are informed by past approval rates applied to prior state filings that remain outstanding and estimated new requests based on the Company’s 2019 review of morbidity, mortality and lapse assumptions. The Company’s actual experience in obtaining premium increases could be materially different than what it has assumed, resulting in further increases or decreases in policy liabilities, which could be material.

Updates to mortality and morbidity

Mortality and morbidity updates resulted in a $14 post-tax gain to net income attributed to shareholders. This included a review of the Company’s Canada Individual Insurance mortality and reinsurance arrangements.

Updates to lapses and policyholder behaviour

Updates to lapses and policyholder behaviour assumptions resulted in a $75 post-tax charge to net income attributed to shareholders.

The primary driver of the charge was an update to the Company’s lapse assumptions across several term and whole life product lines within the Company’s Canada Individual Insurance business, partially offset by several updates to lapse and premium persistency assumptions in other geographies.

Updates to investment return assumptions

Updates to investment return assumptions resulted in a $70 post-tax gain to net income attributed to shareholders.

The primary driver of the gain was an update to the Company’s senior secured loan default rates to reflect recent experience, as well as its investment and crediting rate strategy for certain universal life products. This was partially offset by updates to certain private equity investment assumptions in Canada.

Other updates

Other updates resulted in a $22 post-tax charge to net income attributed to shareholders.

(i) Insurance contracts contractual obligations

Insurance contracts give rise to obligations fixed by agreement. As at December 31, 2020, the Company’s contractual obligations and commitments relating to insurance contracts are as follows.

Payments due by period	Less than 1 year		1 to 3 years		3 to 5 years		Over 5 years		Total
Insurance contract liabilities(1)	$	10,672	$	9,859	$	15,416	$	791,780	$	827,727

⁽¹⁾ Insurance contract liability cash flows include estimates related to the timing and payment of death and disability claims, policy surrenders, policy maturities, annuity payments, minimum guarantees on segregated fund products, policyholder dividends, commissions and premium taxes offset by contractual future premiums on in-force contracts. These estimated cash flows are based on the best estimate assumptions used in the determination of insurance contract liabilities. These amounts are undiscounted and reflect recoveries from reinsurance agreements. Due to the use of assumptions, actual cash flows may differ from these estimates. Cash flows include embedded derivatives measured separately at fair value.

(j) Gross claims and benefits

The following table presents a breakdown of gross claims and benefits.

For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019
Death, disability and other claims	$	18,064		$	15,752
Maturity and surrender benefits		8,613			8,433
Annuity payments		3,560			4,030
Policyholder dividends and experience rating refunds		1,411			1,445
Net transfers from segregated funds		(1,515	)		(1,000	)
Total	$	30,133		$	28,660

(k) Reinsurance transactions

On September 30, 2020, the Company, through its subsidiary John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), entered into a reinsurance agreement with Global Atlantic Financial Group Ltd to reinsure a block of legacy U.S. bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”). Under the terms

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of the transaction, the Company will maintain responsibility for servicing the policies with no expected impact to the BOLI policyholders. The transaction was structured such that the Company ceded policyholder contract liabilities and transferred invested assets backing these liabilities.

The transaction closed with an effective date of July 1, 2020. The Company recorded an after-tax gain of $262, which includes an increase in reinsurance assets and ceded premiums of $3.4 billion and $3.3 billion, respectively, on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

On September 26, 2018, the Company entered into coinsurance agreements with Reinsurance Group of America (“RGA”) to reinsure a block of legacy U.S. individual pay-out annuities business from John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) (“JHUSA”) with a 100% quota share and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York (“JHNY”) with a 90% quota share. Under the terms of the agreements, the Company will maintain responsibility for servicing the policies. The transaction was structured such that the Company ceded policyholder contract liabilities and transferred invested assets backing these liabilities. The JHUSA transaction closed in 2018. The JHNY transaction closed with an effective date of January 1, 2019. The Company recorded an after-tax gain of $18, which includes an increase in reinsurance assets of $132 and ceded premiums of $131 in the Consolidated Statements of Income in 2019.

On October 31, 2018, the Company entered into coinsurance agreements with Jackson National Life Insurance Company (“Jackson”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Prudential plc, to reinsure a block of legacy U.S. group pay-out annuities business from JHUSA with a 100% quota share and from JHNY with a 90% quota share. Under the terms of the agreements, the Company will maintain responsibility for servicing the policies. The transaction was structured such that the Company ceded policyholder contract liabilities and transferred related invested assets backing these liabilities. The JHUSA transaction closed in 2018. The JHNY transaction closed with an effective date of January 1, 2019. The Company recorded an after-tax gain of $31 in 2019, which includes an increase in reinsurance assets of $621, a ceding commission paid of $35 and ceded premiums of $581 in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Note 7    Investment Contract Liabilities

Investment contract liabilities are contractual obligations that do not contain significant insurance risk. Those contracts are measured either at fair value or at amortized cost.

(a) Investment contract liabilities measured at fair value

Investment contract liabilities measured at fair value include certain investment savings and pension products sold primarily in Hong Kong and mainland China. The following table presents the movement in investment contract liabilities measured at fair value.

For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019
Balance, January 1	$	789		$	782
New policies		180			66
Changes in market conditions		90			62
Redemptions, surrenders and maturities		(108	)		(86	)
Impact of changes in foreign exchange rates		(19	)		(35	)
Balance, December 31	$	932		$	789

(b) Investment contract liabilities measured at amortized cost

Investment contract liabilities measured at amortized cost include several fixed annuity products sold in the U.S. and Canada that provide guaranteed income payments for a contractually determined period and are not contingent on survivorship.

The following table presents carrying and fair values of investment contract liabilities measured at amortized cost.

	2020				2019
As at December 31,	Amortized cost, gross of reinsurance ceded(1)		Fair value		Amortized cost, gross of reinsurance ceded(1)		Fair value
U.S. fixed annuity products	$	1,361	$	1,680	$	1,248	$	1,482
Canadian fixed annuity products		995		1,086		1,067		1,158
Investment contract liabilities	$	2,356	$	2,766	$	2,315	$	2,640

⁽¹⁾ As at December 31, 2020, investment contract liabilities with carrying value and fair value of $67 and $76, respectively (2019 – $93 and $103, respectively), were reinsured by the Company. The net carrying value and fair value of investment contract liabilities were $2,289 and $2,690 (2019 – $2,222 and $2,537), respectively.

150   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The changes in investment contract liabilities measured at amortized cost was a result of the following business activities.

For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019
Balance, January 1	$	2,315		$	2,483
Policy deposits		202			2
Interest		61			62
Withdrawals		(194	)		(182	)
Fees		(1	)		(3	)
Other		–			17
Impact of changes in foreign exchange rates		(27	)		(64	)
Balance, December 31	$	2,356		$	2,315

Carrying value of fixed annuity products is amortized at a rate that exactly discounts the projected actual cash flows to the net carrying amount of the liability at the date of issue.

Fair value of fixed annuity products is determined by projecting cash flows according to the contract terms and discounting the cash flows at current market rates adjusted for the Company’s own credit standing. As at December 31, 2020 and 2019, fair value of all investment contract liabilities was determined using Level 2 valuation techniques.

(c) Investment contracts contractual obligations

As at December 31, 2020, the Company’s contractual obligations and commitments relating to the investment contracts are as follows.

Payments due by period	Less than 1 year		1 to 3 years		3 to 5 years		Over 5 years		Total
Investment contract liabilities(1)	$	297	$	514	$	520	$	4,220	$	5,551

⁽¹⁾ Due to the nature of the products, the timing of net cash flows may be before contract maturity. Cash flows are undiscounted.

Note 8     Risk Management

The Company’s policies and procedures for managing risks of financial instruments are disclosed in denoted components of the “Risk Management and Risk Factors” section of the MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2020. These disclosures are in accordance with IFRS 7 “Financial Instruments: Disclosures” and an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

(a) Credit risk

Credit risk is the risk of loss due to inability or unwillingness of a borrower, or counterparty, to fulfill its payment obligations. Worsening regional and global economic conditions, segment or industry sector challenges, or company specific factors could result in defaults or downgrades and could lead to increased provisions or impairments related to the Company’s general fund invested assets, derivative financial instruments and reinsurance assets and an increase in provisions for future credit impairments that are included in actuarial liabilities.

The Company’s exposure to credit risk is managed through risk management policies and procedures which include a defined credit evaluation and adjudication process, delegated credit approval authorities and established exposure limits by borrower, corporate connection, credit rating, industry and geographic region. The Company measures derivative counterparty exposure as net potential credit exposure, which takes into consideration mark-to-market values of all transactions with each counterparty, net of any collateral held, and an allowance to reflect future potential exposure. Reinsurance counterparty exposure is measured reflecting the level of ceded liabilities.

The Company also ensures where warranted, that mortgages, private placements and loans to Bank clients are secured by collateral, the nature of which depends on the credit risk of the counterparty.

An allowance for losses on loans is established when a loan becomes impaired. Allowances for loan losses are calculated to reduce the carrying value of the loans to estimated net realizable value. The establishment of such allowances takes into consideration normal historical credit loss levels and future expectations, with an allowance for adverse deviations. In addition, policy liabilities include general provisions for credit losses from future asset impairments. Impairments are identified through regular monitoring of all credit related exposures, considering such information as general market conditions, industry and borrower specific credit events and any other relevant trends or conditions. Allowances for losses on reinsurance contracts are established when a reinsurance counterparty becomes unable or unwilling to fulfill its contractual obligations. The allowance for loss is based on current recoverable amounts and ceded policy liabilities.

Credit risk associated with derivative counterparties is discussed in note 8(d) and credit risk associated with reinsurance counterparties is discussed in note 8(i).

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(i) Credit exposure

The following table presents the gross carrying amount of financial instruments subject to credit exposure, without considering any collateral held or other credit enhancements.

As at December 31,	2020		2019
Debt securities
FVTPL	$	183,061	$	166,307
AFS		35,663		31,815
Mortgages		50,207		49,376
Private placements		40,756		37,979
Policy loans		6,398		6,471
Loans to Bank clients		1,976		1,740
Derivative assets		27,793		19,449
Accrued investment income		2,523		2,416
Reinsurance assets		45,836		41,446
Other financial assets		6,156		5,628
Total	$	400,369	$	362,627

As at December 31, 2020, 97% (2019 – 99%) of debt securities were investment grade-rated with ratings ranging between AAA to BBB.

(ii) Credit quality

Credit quality of commercial mortgages and private placements

Credit quality of commercial mortgages and private placements is assessed at least annually by using an internal rating based on regular monitoring of credit-related exposures, considering both qualitative and quantitative factors.

A provision is recorded when the internal risk ratings indicate that a loss represents the most likely outcome. These assets are designated as non-accrual and an allowance is established based on an analysis of the security and repayment sources.

The following table presents the credit quality of commercial mortgages and private placements.

As at December 31, 2020	AAA		AA		A		BBB		BB		B and lower		Total
Commercial mortgages
Retail	$	110	$	1,339	$	4,761	$	2,242	$	168	$	1	$	8,621
Office		66		1,297		5,948		1,174		164		20		8,669
Multi-family residential		613		1,675		2,896		582		33		–		5,799
Industrial		25		320		2,353		259		3		–		2,960
Other		238		966		914		984		355		7		3,464
Total commercial mortgages		1,052		5,597		16,872		5,241		723		28		29,513
Agricultural mortgages		–		–		127		77		106		–		310
Private placements		1,061		4,829		15,585		15,825		1,206		2,250		40,756
Total	$	2,113	$	10,426	$	32,584	$	21,143	$	2,035	$	2,278	$	70,579
As at December 31, 2019	AAA		AA		A		BBB		BB		B and lower		Total
Commercial mortgages
Retail	$	132	$	1,374	$	5,285	$	2,039	$	10	$	–	$	8,840
Office		77		1,540		5,808		1,402		26		18		8,871
Multi-family residential		640		1,585		2,397		714		35		–		5,371
Industrial		38		364		1,820		237		10		–		2,469
Other		260		739		976		1,290		–		8		3,273
Total commercial mortgages		1,147		5,602		16,286		5,682		81		26		28,824
Agricultural mortgages		–		27		137		312		–		–		476
Private placements		1,098		5,513		14,311		14,139		823		2,095		37,979
Total	$	2,245	$	11,142	$	30,734	$	20,133	$	904	$	2,121	$	67,279

Credit quality of residential mortgages and loans to Bank clients

Credit quality of residential mortgages and loans to Bank clients is assessed at least annually with the loan being performing or non-performing as the key credit quality indicator.

Full or partial write-offs of loans are recorded when management believes that there is no realistic prospect of full recovery. Write-offs, net of recoveries, are deducted from the allowance for credit losses. All impairments are captured in the allowance for credit losses.

152   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The following table presents credit quality of residential mortgages and loans to Bank clients.

	2020						2019
As at December 31,	Insured		Uninsured		Total		Insured		Uninsured		Total
Residential mortgages
Performing	$	6,349	$	13,980	$	20,329	$	6,613	$	13,411	$	20,024
Non-performing(1)		9		46		55		25		27		52
Loans to Bank clients
Performing		n/a		1,976		1,976		n/a		1,740		1,740
Non-performing(1)		n/a		–		–		n/a		–		–
Total	$	6,358	$	16,002	$	22,360	$	6,638	$	15,178	$	21,816

⁽¹⁾ Non-performing refers to assets that are 90 days or more past due.

The carrying value of government-insured mortgages was 13% of the total mortgage portfolio as at December 31, 2020 (2019 – 14%). Most of these insured mortgages are residential loans as classified in the table above.

(iii) Past due or credit impaired financial assets

The Company provides for credit risk by establishing allowances against the carrying value of impaired loans and recognizing impairment losses on AFS debt securities. In addition, the Company reports as impairment losses certain declines in the fair value of debt securities designated as FVTPL which it deems represent an impairment due to non-recoverability of due amount.

The following table presents past due but not impaired and impaired financial assets.

	Past due but not impaired
As at December 31, 2020	Less than 90 days		90 days and greater		Total		Total impaired
Debt securities
FVTPL	$	–	$	–	$	–	$	54
AFS		–		–		–		1
Private placements		30		–		30		170
Mortgages and loans to Bank clients		66		–		66		69
Other financial assets		56		58		114		2
Total	$	152	$	58	$	210	$	296
	Past due but not impaired
As at December 31, 2019	Less than 90 days		90 days and greater		Total		Total impaired
Debt securities
FVTPL	$	11	$	–	$	11	$	167
AFS		4		1		5		–
Private placements		215		–		215		7
Mortgages and loans to Bank clients		61		–		61		59
Other financial assets		60		42		102		1
Total	$	351	$	43	$	394	$	234

The following table presents gross carrying value and allowances for loan losses for impaired loans.

As at December 31, 2020	Gross carrying value		Allowances for loan losses		Net carrying value
Private placements	$	249	$	79	$	170
Mortgages and loans to Bank clients		97		28		69
Total	$	346	$	107	$	239
As at December 31, 2019	Gross carrying value		Allowances for loan losses		Net carrying value
Private placements	$	11	$	4	$	7
Mortgages and loans to Bank clients		75		16		59
Total	$	86	$	20	$	66

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The following table presents movement of allowance for loan losses during the year.

	2020									2019
For the years ended December 31,	Private placements			Mortgages and loans to Bank clients			Total			Private placements			Mortgages and loans to Bank clients			Total
Balance, January 1	$	4		$	16		$	20		$	43		$	52		$	95
Provisions		94			31			125			35			15			50
Recoveries		(6	)		(6	)		(12	)		–			(46	)		(46	)
Write-offs(1)		(13	)		(13	)		(26	)		(74	)		(5	)		(79	)
Balance, December 31	$	79		$	28		$	107		$	4		$	16		$	20

⁽¹⁾ Includes disposals and impact of changes in foreign exchange rates.

(b) Securities lending, repurchase and reverse repurchase transactions

The Company engages in securities lending to generate fee income. Collateral exceeding the market value of the loaned securities is retained by the Company until the underlying security has been returned to the Company. The market value of the loaned securities is monitored daily and additional collateral is obtained or refunded as the market value of the underlying loaned securities fluctuates. As at December 31, 2020, the Company had loaned securities (which are included in invested assets) with a market value of $889 (2019 – $558). The Company holds collateral with a current market value that exceeds the value of securities lent in all cases.

The Company engages in reverse repurchase transactions to generate fee income, to take possession of securities to cover short positions in similar instruments and to meet short-term funding requirements. As at December 31, 2020, the Company had engaged in reverse repurchase transactions of $716 (2019 – $990) which are recorded as short-term receivables. In addition, the Company had engaged in repurchase transactions of $353 as at December 31, 2020 (2019 – $333) which are recorded as payables.

(c) Credit default swaps

The Company replicates exposure to specific issuers by selling credit protection via credit default swaps (“CDS”) to complement its cash debt securities investing. The Company does not write CDS protection more than its government bond holdings. A CDS is a derivative instrument representing an agreement between two parties to exchange the credit risk of a single specified entity or an index based on the credit risk of a group of entities (all commonly referred to as the “reference entity” or a portfolio of “reference entities”), in return for a periodic premium. CDS contracts typically have a five-year term.

The following table presents details of the credit default swap protection sold by type of contract and external agency rating for the underlying reference security.

As at December 31, 2020	Notional amount(1)		Fair value		Weighted average maturity (in years)(2)
Single name CDS(3) – Corporate debt
A	$	136	$	2		1
BBB		105		1		2
Total single name CDS	$	241	$	3		1
Total CDS protection sold	$	241	$	3		1
As at December 31, 2019	Notional amount(1)		Fair value		Weighted average maturity (in years)(2)
Single name CDS(3) – Corporate debt
AA	$	24	$	–		1
A		371		5		1
BBB		107		1		2
Total single name CDS	$	502	$	6		1
Total CDS protection sold	$	502	$	6		1

⁽¹⁾ Notional amounts represent the maximum future payments the Company would have to pay its counterparties assuming a default of the underlying credit and zero recovery on the underlying issuer obligation.

⁽²⁾ The weighted average maturity of the CDS is weighted based on notional amounts.

⁽³⁾ Standard & Poor’s assigned credit ratings are used where available followed by Moody’s, DBRS, and Fitch. If no external rating is available, an internally developed rating is used.

The Company held no purchased credit protection as at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

154   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(d) Derivatives

The Company’s point-in-time exposure to losses related to credit risk of a derivative counterparty is limited to the amount of any net gains that may have accrued with a counterparty. Gross derivative counterparty exposure is measured as the total fair value (including accrued interest) of all outstanding contracts in a gain position excluding any offsetting contracts in a loss position and the impact of collateral on hand. The Company limits the risk of credit losses from derivative counterparties by: using investment grade counterparties; entering into master netting arrangements which permit the offsetting of contracts in a loss position in the case of a counterparty default; and entering into Credit Support Annex agreements, whereby collateral must be provided when the exposure exceeds a certain threshold. All contracts are held with counterparties rated BBB+ or higher. As at December 31, 2020, the percentage of the Company’s derivative exposure with counterparties rated AA- or higher was 20 per cent (2019 – 23 per cent). The Company’s exposure to credit risk was mitigated by $16,696 fair value of collateral held as security as at December 31, 2020 (2019 – $12,038).

As at December 31, 2020, the largest single counterparty exposure, without considering the impact of master netting agreements or the benefit of collateral held, was $4,110 (2019 – $3,047). The net exposure to this counterparty, after considering master netting agreements and the fair value of collateral held, was $nil (2019 – $nil). As at December 31, 2020, the total maximum credit exposure related to derivatives across all counterparties, without considering the impact of master netting agreements and the benefit of collateral held, was $28,685 (2019 – $20,144).

(e) Offsetting financial assets and financial liabilities

Certain derivatives, securities lent and repurchase agreements have conditional offset rights. The Company does not offset these financial instruments in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position, as the rights of offset are conditional.

In the case of derivatives, collateral is collected from and pledged to counterparties and clearing houses to manage credit risk exposure in accordance with Credit Support Annexes to swap agreements and clearing agreements. Under master netting agreements, the Company has a right of offset in the event of default, insolvency, bankruptcy or other early termination.

In the case of reverse repurchase and repurchase transactions, additional collateral may be collected from or pledged to counterparties to manage credit exposure according to bilateral reverse repurchase or repurchase agreements. In the event of default by a counterparty, the Company is entitled to liquidate the collateral held to offset against the same counterparty’s obligation.

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The following table presents the effect of conditional master netting and similar arrangements. Similar arrangements may include global master repurchase agreements, global master securities lending agreements, and any related rights to financial collateral.

				Related amounts not set off in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
As at December 31, 2020	Gross amounts of financial instruments(1)			Amounts subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement or similar agreements			Financial and cash collateral pledged (received)(2)			Net amount including financing entities(3)			Net amounts excluding financing entities
Financial assets
Derivative assets	$	28,685		$	(13,243	)	$	(15,323	)	$	119		$	119
Securities lending		889			–			(889	)		–			–
Reverse repurchase agreements		716			–			(715	)		1			1
Total financial assets	$	30,290		$	(13,243	)	$	(16,927	)	$	120		$	120
Financial liabilities
Derivative liabilities	$	(16,076	)	$	13,243		$	2,482		$	(351	)	$	(71	)
Repurchase agreements		(353	)		–			353			–			–
Total financial liabilities	$	(16,429	)	$	13,243		$	2,835		$	(351	)	$	(71	)
				Related amounts not set off in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
As at December 31, 2019	Gross amounts of financial instruments(1)			Amounts subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement or similar agreements			Financial and cash collateral pledged (received)(2)			Net amount including financing entities(3)			Net amounts excluding financing entities
Financial assets
Derivative assets	$	20,144		$	(9,188	)	$	(10,889	)	$	67		$	67
Securities lending		558			–			(558	)		–			–
Reverse repurchase agreements		990			–			(989	)		1			1
Total financial assets	$	21,692		$	(9,188	)	$	(12,436	)	$	68		$	68
Financial liabilities
Derivative liabilities	$	(11,345	)	$	9,188		$	1,903		$	(254	)	$	(53	)
Repurchase agreements		(333	)		–			330			(3	)		(3	)
Total financial liabilities	$	(11,678	)	$	9,188		$	2,233		$	(257	)	$	(56	)

⁽¹⁾ Financial assets and liabilities include accrued interest of $892 and $1,114, respectively (2019 – $696 and $1,061, respectively).

⁽²⁾ Financial and cash collateral exclude over-collateralization. As at December 31, 2020, the Company was over-collateralized on OTC derivative assets, OTC derivative liabilities, securities lending and reverse purchase agreements and repurchase agreements in the amounts of $1,373, $627, $74 and $nil, respectively (2019 – $1,149, $526, $44 and $nil, respectively). As at December 31, 2020, collateral pledged (received) does not include collateral-in-transit on OTC instruments or initial margin on exchange traded contracts or cleared contracts.

⁽³⁾ Includes derivative contracts entered between the Company and its financing trusts which it does not consolidate. The Company does not exchange collateral on derivative contracts entered with these trusts. Refer to note 17.

The Company has certain credit linked note assets and variable surplus note liabilities which have unconditional offset rights. Under the netting agreements, the Company has rights of offset including in the event of the Company’s default, insolvency, or bankruptcy. These financial instruments are offset in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

A credit linked note is a security that allows the issuer to transfer a specific credit risk to the buyer. A surplus note is a subordinated debt obligation that often qualifies as surplus (the U.S. statutory equivalent of equity) by some U.S. state insurance regulators. Interest payments on surplus notes are made after all other contractual payments are made. The following table presents the effect of unconditional netting.

As at December 31, 2020	Gross amounts of financial instruments			Amounts subject to an enforceable netting arrangement			Net amounts of financial instruments
Credit linked note(1)	$	932		$	(932	)	$	–
Variable surplus note		(932	)		932			–

As at December 31, 2019	Gross amounts of financial instruments			Amounts subject to an enforceable netting arrangement			Net amounts of financial instruments
Credit linked note(1)	$	782		$	(782	)	$	–
Variable surplus note		(782	)		782			–

⁽¹⁾ As at December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had no fixed surplus notes outstanding, refer to note 18(g).

156   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(f) Risk concentrations

The Company defines enterprise-wide investment portfolio level targets and limits to ensure that portfolios are diversified across asset classes and individual investment risks. The Company monitors actual investment positions and risk exposures for concentration risk and reports its findings to the Executive Risk Committee and the Risk Committee of the Board of Directors.

As at December 31,	2020		2019
Debt securities and private placements rated as investment grade BBB or higher(1)		97%		98%
Government debt securities as a per cent of total debt securities		37%		37%
Government private placements as a per cent of total private placements		11%		12%
Highest exposure to a single non-government debt security and private placement issuer	$	1,148	$	1,083
Largest single issuer as a per cent of the total equity portfolio		2%		2%
Income producing commercial office properties (2020 – 53% of real estate, 2019 – 56%)	$	6,745	$	7,279
Largest concentration of mortgages and real estate(2) – Ontario Canada (2020 – 28%, 2019 – 27%)	$	17,367	$	17,038

⁽¹⁾ Investment grade debt securities and private placements include 40% rated A, 16% rated AA and 16% rated AAA (2019 – 41%, 17% and 16%) investments based on external ratings where available.

⁽²⁾ Mortgages and real estate investments are diversified geographically and by property type.

The following table presents debt securities and private placements portfolio by sector and industry.

	2020				2019
As at December 31,	Carrying value		% of total		Carrying value		% of total
Government and agency	$	85,357		33	$	77,883		33
Utilities		47,902		18		44,426		19
Financial		35,656		15		31,929		13
Consumer		29,684		11		25,931		11
Energy		20,963		8		20,196		9
Industrial		22,070		9		19,024		8
Other		17,850		6		16,712		7
Total	$	259,482		100	$	236,101		100

(g) Insurance risk

Insurance risk is the risk of loss due to actual experience for mortality and morbidity claims, policyholder behaviour and expenses emerging differently than assumed when a product was designed and priced. A variety of assumptions are made related to these experience factors, for reinsurance costs, and for sales levels when products are designed and priced, as well as in the determination of policy liabilities. Assumptions for future claims are generally based on both Company and industry experience, and assumptions for future policyholder behaviour and expenses are generally based on Company experience. Such assumptions require significant professional judgment, and actual experience may be materially different than the assumptions made by the Company. Claims may be impacted unexpectedly by changes in the prevalence of diseases or illnesses, medical and technology advances, widespread lifestyle changes, natural disasters, large-scale man-made disasters and acts of terrorism. Policyholder behaviour including premium payment patterns, policy renewals, lapse rates and withdrawal and surrender activity are influenced by many factors including market and general economic conditions, and the availability and relative attractiveness of other products in the marketplace. Some reinsurance rates are not guaranteed and may be changed unexpectedly. Adjustments the Company seeks to make to Non-Guaranteed elements to reflect changing experience factors may be challenged by regulatory or legal action and the Company may be unable to implement them or may face delays in implementation.

The Company manages insurance risk through global policies, standards and best practices with respect to product design, pricing, underwriting and claim adjudication, and a global underwriting manual. Each business unit establishes underwriting policies and procedures, including criteria for approval of risks and claims adjudication policies and procedures. The current global life retention limit is US$30 for individual policies (US$35 for survivorship life policies) and is shared across businesses. Lower limits are applied in some markets and jurisdictions. The Company aims to further reduce exposure to claims concentrations by applying geographical aggregate retention limits for certain covers. Enterprise-wide, the Company aims to reduce the likelihood of high aggregate claims by operating globally, insuring a wide range of unrelated risk events, and reinsuring some risk.

         157

(h) Concentration risk

The geographic concentration of the Company’s insurance and investment contract liabilities, including embedded derivatives, is shown below. The disclosure is based on the countries in which the business is written.

As at December 31, 2020	Gross liabilities		Reinsurance assets			Net liabilities
U.S. and Canada	$	273,848	$	(44,645	)	$	229,203
Asia and Other		114,878		(1,191	)		113,687
Total	$	388,726	$	(45,836	)	$	342,890
As at December 31, 2019	Gross liabilities		Reinsurance assets			Net liabilities
U.S. and Canada	$	255,999	$	(40,944	)	$	215,055
Asia and Other		98,237		(502	)		97,735
Total	$	354,236	$	(41,446	)	$	312,790

(i) Reinsurance risk

In the normal course of business, the Company limits the amount of loss on any one policy by reinsuring certain levels of risk with other insurers. In addition, the Company accepts reinsurance from other reinsurers. Reinsurance ceded does not discharge the Company’s liability as the primary insurer. Failure of reinsurers to honour their obligations could result in losses to the Company; consequently, allowances are established for amounts deemed uncollectible. To minimize losses from reinsurer insolvency, the Company monitors the concentration of credit risk both geographically and with any one reinsurer. In addition, the Company selects reinsurers with high credit ratings.

As at December 31, 2020, the Company had $45,836 (2019 – $41,446) of reinsurance assets. Of this, 94 per cent (2019 – 94 per cent) were ceded to reinsurers with Standard and Poor’s ratings of A- or above. The Company’s exposure to credit risk was mitigated by $27,360 fair value of collateral held as security as at December 31, 2020 (2019 – $26,638). Net exposure after considering offsetting agreements and the benefit of the fair value of collateral held was $18,476 as at December 31, 2020 (2019 – $14,808).

Note 9     Long-Term Debt

(a) Carrying value of long-term debt instruments

As at December 31,	Issue date	Maturity date	Par value	2020		2019
3.050% Senior notes(1),(2)	August 27, 2020	August 27, 2060	US$  1,155	$	1,460	$	–
4.70% Senior notes(1)	June 23, 2016	June 23, 2046	US$  1,000		1,265		1,290
5.375% Senior notes(1)	March 4, 2016	March 4, 2046	US$     750		943		962
2.396% Senior notes(3)	June 1, 2020	June 1, 2027	US$     200		254		–
2.484% Senior notes(1),(3)	May 19, 2020	May 19, 2027	US$     500		632		–
3.527% Senior notes(1)	December 2, 2016	December 2, 2026	US$     270		343		350
4.150% Senior notes(1)	March 4, 2016	March 4, 2026	US$  1,000		1,267		1,292
4.90% Senior notes(4)	September 17, 2010	September 17, 2020	US$     500		–		649
Total				$	6,164	$	4,543

⁽¹⁾ These U.S. dollar senior notes have been designated as hedges of the Company’s net investment in its U.S. operations which reduces the earnings volatility that would otherwise arise from the re-measurement of these senior notes into Canadian dollars.

⁽²⁾ Issued by MFC during the year, interest is payable semi-annually. The senior notes may be redeemed at the option of MFC in whole, but not in part, on August 27, 2025, and thereafter on every August 27 at a redemption price equal to par, together with accrued and unpaid interest.

⁽³⁾ Issued by MFC during the year, interest is payable semi-annually. The senior notes may be redeemed in whole or in part at the option of MFC at any time, at a redemption price equal to the greater of par and a price based on the yield of a corresponding U.S. Treasury bond plus 30 basis points.

⁽⁴⁾ The 4.90% senior notes matured on September 17, 2020.

The cash amount of interest paid on long-term debt during the year ended December 31, 2020 was $229 (2019 – $216). Issue costs are amortized over the term of the debt.

(b) Fair value measurement

Fair value of long-term debt instruments is determined using the following hierarchy:

Level 1 – Fair value is determined using quoted market prices where available.

Level 2 – When quoted market prices are not available, fair value is determined with reference to quoted prices of similar debt instruments or estimated using discounted cash flows based on observable market rates.

The Company measures long-term debt at amortized cost in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. As at December 31, 2020, the fair value of long-term debt was $7,042 (2019 – $5,078). Fair value of long-term debt was determined using Level 2 valuation techniques (2019 – Level 2).

158   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(c) Aggregate maturities of long-term debt

As at December 31	Less than 1 year		1 to 3 years		3 to 5 years		Over 5 years		Total
2020	$	–	$	–	$	–	$	6,164	$	6,164
2019		649		–		–		3,894		4,543

Note 10     Capital Instruments

(a) Carrying value of capital instruments

As at December 31,	Issuance date		Earliest par redemption date		Maturity date		Par value		2020		2019
JHFC Subordinated notes(1)		December 14, 2006		n/a		December 15, 2036	$	650	$	647	$	647
2.818% MFC Subordinated debentures(2)		May 12, 2020		May 13, 2030		May 13, 2035	$	1,000		995		–
4.061% MFC Subordinated notes(3),(4)		February 24, 2017		February 24, 2027		February 24, 2032	US$	750		951		969
2.237% MFC Subordinated debentures(5)		May 12, 2020		May 12, 2025		May 12, 2030	$	1,000		996		–
3.00% MFC Subordinated notes(6)		November 21, 2017		November 21, 2024		November 21, 2029	S$	500		480		481
3.049% MFC Subordinated debentures(7)		August 18, 2017		August 20, 2024		August 20, 2029	$	750		748		747
3.317% MFC Subordinated debentures(7)		May 9, 2018		May 9, 2023		May 9, 2028	$	600		598		598
3.181% MLI Subordinated debentures(8)		November 20, 2015		November 22, 2022		November 22, 2027	$	1,000		999		998
3.85% MFC Subordinated notes(6)		May 25, 2016		May 25, 2021		May 25, 2026	S$	500		481		482
2.389% MLI Subordinated debentures(8),(9)		June 1, 2015		January 5, 2021		January 5, 2026	$	350		350		350
2.10% MLI Subordinated debentures(10)		March 10, 2015		June 1, 2020		June 1, 2025	$	750		–		750
2.64% MLI Subordinated debentures(11)		December 1, 2014		January 15, 2020		January 15, 2025	$	500		–		500
7.375% JHUSA Surplus notes(12)		February 25, 1994		n/a		February 15, 2024	US$	450		584		598
Total									$	7,829	$	7,120

⁽¹⁾ Issued by Manulife Holdings (Delaware) LLC (“MHDLL”), now John Hancock Financial Corporation (“JHFC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of MFC, to Manulife Finance (Delaware) LLC (“MFLLC”), a subsidiary of Manulife Finance (Delaware) L.P. (“MFLP”). MFLP and its subsidiaries are wholly owned unconsolidated related parties to the Company. The note bears interest at a floating rate equal to the 90-day Bankers’ Acceptance rate plus 0.72%. With regulatory approval, JHFC may redeem the note, in whole or in part, at any time, at par, together with accrued and unpaid interest. Refer to note 17.

⁽²⁾ Issued by MFC during the year, interest is payable semi-annually. After May 13, 2030, the interest rate will reset to equal the 90-day Bankers’ Acceptance rate plus 1.82%. With regulatory approval, MFC may redeem the debentures, in whole, or in part, on or after May 13, 2025, at a redemption price together with accrued and unpaid interest. If the redemption date is on or after May 13, 2025, but prior to May 13, 2030, the redemption price shall be the greater of: (i) the Canada yield price as defined in the prospectus; and (ii) par. If the redemption date is on or after May 13, 2030, the redemption price shall be equal to par.

⁽³⁾ On the earliest par redemption date, the interest rate will reset to equal the 5-Year US Dollar Mid-Swap Rate plus 1.647%. With regulatory approval, MFC may redeem the debentures, in whole, but not in part, on the earliest par redemption date, at a redemption price equal to par, together with accrued and unpaid interest.

⁽⁴⁾  Designated as a hedge of the Company’s net investment in its U.S. operations which reduces the earnings volatility that would otherwise arise from the re-measurement of the subordinated notes into Canadian dollars.

⁽⁵⁾ Issued by MFC during the year, interest is payable semi-annually. After May 12, 2025, the interest rate will reset to equal the 90-day Bankers’ Acceptance rate plus 1.49%. With regulatory approval, MFC may redeem the debentures, in whole, or in part, on or after May 12, 2025, at a redemption price equal to par, together with accrued and unpaid interest.

⁽⁶⁾ On the earliest par redemption date, the interest rate will reset to equal the 5-Year Singapore Dollar Swap Rate plus a specified number of basis points. The specified number of basis points is as follows: 3.00% – 83.2 bps, 3.85% – 197 bps. With regulatory approval, MFC may redeem the debentures, in whole, but not in part, on the earliest par redemption date and thereafter on each interest payment date, at a redemption price equal to par, together with accrued and unpaid interest.

⁽⁷⁾ Interest is fixed for the period up to the earliest par redemption date, thereafter, the interest rate will reset to a floating rate equal to the 90-day Bankers’ Acceptance rate plus a specified number of basis points. The specified number of basis points is as follows: 3.049% – 105 bps, 3.317% – 78 bps. With regulatory approval, MFC may redeem the debentures, in whole or in part, on or after the earliest par redemption date, at a redemption price equal to par, together with accrued and unpaid interest.

⁽⁸⁾ Interest is fixed for the period up to the earliest par redemption date, thereafter the interest rate will reset to a floating rate equal to the 90-day Bankers’ Acceptance rate plus a specified number of basis points. The specified number of basis points is as follows: 3.181% – 157 bps, 2.389% – 83 bps. With regulatory approval, MLI may redeem the debentures, in whole or in part, on or after the earliest par redemption date, at a redemption price equal to par, together with accrued and unpaid interest.

⁽⁹⁾  MLI redeemed in full the 2.389% subordinated debentures at par, on January 5, 2021, the earliest par redemption date.

⁽¹⁰⁾ MLI redeemed in full the 2.10% subordinated debentures at par, on June 1, 2020, the earliest par redemption date.

⁽¹¹⁾ MLI redeemed in full the 2.64% subordinated debentures at par, on January 15, 2020, the earliest par redemption date.

⁽¹²⁾ Issued by John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, now John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.). Any payment of interest or principal on the surplus notes requires prior approval from the Department of Insurance and Financial Services of the State of Michigan. The carrying value of the surplus notes reflects an unamortized fair value increment of US$13 (2019 – US$17), which arose as a result of the acquisition of John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. The amortization of the fair value adjustment is recorded in interest expense.

(b) Fair value measurement

Fair value of capital instruments is determined using the following hierarchy:

Level 1 – Fair value is determined using quoted market prices where available.

Level 2 – When quoted market prices are not available, fair value is determined with reference to quoted prices of similar debt instruments or estimated using discounted cash flows based on observable market rates.

         159

The Company measures capital instruments at amortized cost in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. As at December 31, 2020, the fair value of capital instruments was $8,295 (2019 – $7,333). Fair value of capital instruments was determined using Level 2 valuation techniques (2019 – Level 2).

Note 11     Share Capital and Earnings Per Share

The authorized capital of MFC consists of:

• an unlimited number of common shares without nominal or par value; and

• an unlimited number of Class A, Class B and Class 1 preferred shares without nominal or par value, issuable in series.

(a) Preferred shares

The following table presents information about the outstanding preferred shares as at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

As at December 31, 2020	Issue date	Annual dividend rate(1)			Earliest redemption date(2)	Number of shares (in millions)		Face amount		Net amount(3)
										2020		2019
Class A preferred shares
Series 2	February 18, 2005		4.65	%	n/a		14	$	350	$	344	$	344
Series 3	January 3, 2006		4.50	%	n/a		12		300		294		294
Class 1 preferred shares
Series 3(4),(5)	March 11, 2011		2.178	%	June 19, 2021		6		158		155		155
Series 4(6)	June 20, 2016		floating		June 19, 2021		2		42		41		41
Series 5(4),(5)	December 6, 2011		3.891	%	December 19, 2021		8		200		195		195
Series 7(4),(5)	February 22, 2012		4.312	%	March 19, 2022		10		250		244		244
Series 9(4),(5)	May 24, 2012		4.351	%	September 19, 2022		10		250		244		244
Series 11(4),(5)	December 4, 2012		4.731	%	March 19, 2023		8		200		196		196
Series 13(4),(5)	June 21, 2013		4.414	%	September 19, 2023		8		200		196		196
Series 15(4),(5)	February 25, 2014		3.786	%	June 19, 2024		8		200		195		195
Series 17(4),(5)	August 15, 2014		3.80	%	December 19, 2024		14		350		343		343
Series 19(4),(5),(7)	December 3, 2014		3.675	%	March 19, 2025		10		250		246		246
Series 21(4),(5)	February 25, 2016		5.60	%	June 19, 2021		17		425		417		417
Series 23(4),(5)	November 22, 2016		4.85	%	March 19, 2022		19		475		467		467
Series 25(4),(5)	February 20, 2018		4.70	%	June 19, 2023		10		250		245		245
Total							156	$	3,900	$	3,822	$	3,822

⁽¹⁾ Holders of Class A and Class 1 preferred shares are entitled to receive non-cumulative preferential cash dividends on a quarterly basis, as and when declared by the Board of Directors.

⁽²⁾ Redemption of all preferred shares is subject to regulatory approval. MFC may redeem each series, in whole or in part, at par, on the earliest redemption date or every five years thereafter, except for Class A Series 2, Class A Series 3 and Class 1 Series 4 preferred shares. Class A Series 2 and Series 3 preferred shares are past their respective earliest redemption date and MFC may redeem these shares, in whole or in part, at par at any time, subject to regulatory approval, as noted. MFC may redeem the Class 1 Series 4, in whole or in part, at any time, at $25.00 per share if redeemed on June 19, 2021 and on June 19 every five years thereafter, or at $25.50 per share if redeemed on any other date after June 19, 2016, subject to regulatory approval, as noted.

⁽³⁾ Net of after-tax issuance costs.

⁽⁴⁾ On the earliest redemption date and every five years thereafter, the annual dividend rate will be reset to the five-year Government of Canada bond yield plus a yield specified for each series. The specified yield for Class 1 shares is: Series 3 – 1.41%, Series 5 – 2.90%, Series 7 – 3.13%, Series 9 – 2.86%, Series 11 – 2.61%, Series 13 – 2.22%, Series 15 – 2.16%, Series 17 – 2.36%, Series 19 – 2.30%, Series 21 – 4.97%, Series 23 – 3.83% and Series 25 – 2.55%.

⁽⁵⁾ On the earliest redemption date and every five years thereafter, Class 1 preferred shares are convertible at the option of the holder into a new series that is one number higher than their existing series, and the holders are entitled to non-cumulative preferential cash dividends, payable quarterly if and when declared by the Board of Directors, at a rate equal to the three month Government of Canada Treasury bill yield plus the rate specified in footnote 4 above.

⁽⁶⁾ The floating dividend rate for the Class 1 Shares Series 4 equals the three-month Government of Canada Treasury bill yield plus 1.41%.

⁽⁷⁾ MFC did not exercise its right to redeem all or any of the outstanding Class 1 Shares Series 19 on March 19, 2020, the earliest redemption date. The dividend rate was reset as specified in footnote 4 above to an annual fixed rate of 3.675%, for a five-year period commencing on March 20, 2020.

(b) Common shares

The following table presents changes in common shares issued and outstanding.

	2020						2019
For the years ended December 31,	Number of shares (in millions)			Amount			Number of shares (in millions)			Amount
Balance, January 1		1,949		$	23,127			1,971		$	22,961
Repurchased for cancellation		(10	)		(121	)		(58	)		(677	)
Issued under dividend reinvestment plan		–			–			31			739
Issued on exercise of stock options and deferred share units		1			36			5			104
Total		1,940		$	23,042			1,949		$	23,127

160   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Normal Course Issuer Bid

On March 13, 2020, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (“OSFI”) announced measures to support the resilience of financial institutions. Consistent with these measures, OSFI set the expectation for all federally regulated financial institutions that dividend increases and share buybacks should be halted for the time being. Accordingly, the Company has not repurchased its common shares since March 13, 2020.

MFC’s NCIB expired on November 13, 2020. During 2020, MFC purchased and subsequently cancelled 10.2 million (2019 – 57.6 million) of its common shares at an average price of $24.86 (2019 – $23.22) per common share for a total cost of $253 (2019 – $1.3 billion). Of this, the book value of shares purchased was $121 (2019 - $677) which was recorded in common shares, and the excess market value over book value of these shares was $132 (2019 – $662) which was recorded in retained earnings in the Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity.

Since the commencement of this NCIB on November 14, 2019, MFC purchased for cancellation 16.5 million of its common shares at an average price of $25.26 per share for a total cost of $416.

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

The Company offers a Dividend Reinvestment Program (“DRIP”) whereby shareholders may elect to automatically reinvest dividends in the form of MFC common shares instead of receiving cash. The offering of the program and its terms of execution are subject to the Board of Directors’ discretion.

During 2020, the Company purchased common shares for this program in the open market.

(c) Earnings per share

The following table presents basic and diluted earnings per common share of the Company.     

For the years ended December 31,	2020		2019
Basic earnings per common share	$	2.94	$	2.77
Diluted earnings per common share		2.93		2.77

The following is a reconciliation of the numbers of shares in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share.

For the years ended December 31,	2020		2019
Weighted average number of common shares (in millions)		1,941		1,958
Dilutive stock-based awards(1) (in millions)		2		4
Weighted average number of diluted common shares (in millions)		1,943		1,962

⁽¹⁾ The dilutive effect of stock-based awards was calculated using the treasury stock method. This method calculates the number of incremental shares by assuming the outstanding stock-based awards are (i) exercised and (ii) then reduced by the number of shares assumed to be repurchased from the issuance proceeds, using the average market price of MFC common shares for the year. Excluded from the calculation was a weighted average of 18 million (2019 – 9 million) anti-dilutive stock-based awards.

(d) Quarterly dividend declaration subsequent to year end

On February 10, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.28 per share on the common shares of MFC, payable on or after March 19, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 23, 2021.

The Board also declared dividends on the following non-cumulative preferred shares, payable on or after March 19, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 23, 2021.

Class A Shares Series 2 – $0.29063 per share	Class 1 Shares Series 13 – $0.275875 per share
Class A Shares Series 3 – $0.28125 per share	Class 1 Shares Series 15 – $0.236625 per share
Class 1 Shares Series 3 – $0.136125 per share	Class 1 Shares Series 17 – $0.2375 per share
Class 1 Shares Series 4 – $0.092465 per share	Class 1 Shares Series 19 – $0.229688 per share
Class 1 Shares Series 5 – $0.243188 per share	Class 1 Shares Series 21 – $0.35 per share
Class 1 Shares Series 7 – $0.2695 per share	Class 1 Shares Series 23 – $0.303125 per share
Class 1 Shares Series 9 – $0.271938 per share	Class 1 Shares Series 25 – $0.29375 per share
Class 1 Shares Series 11 – $0.295688 per share

         161

Note 12     Capital Management

(a) Capital management

The Company monitors and manages its consolidated capital in compliance with the Life Insurance Capital Adequacy Test (“LICAT”) guideline, the capital framework issued by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (“OSFI”). Under the capital framework, the Company’s consolidated capital resources, including available capital, surplus allowance, and eligible deposits, are measured against the base solvency buffer, which is the risk-based capital requirement determined in accordance with the guideline.

The Company’s operating activities are primarily conducted within MLI and its subsidiaries. MLI is also regulated by OSFI and is therefore subject to consolidated risk-based capital requirements using the OSFI LICAT framework.

The Company seeks to manage its capital with the objectives of:

• Operating with sufficient capital to be able to honour all commitments to its policyholders and creditors with a high degree of confidence;

• Retaining the ongoing confidence of regulators, policyholders, rating agencies, investors and other creditors in order to ensure access to capital markets; and

• Optimizing return on capital to meet shareholders’ expectations subject to constraints and considerations of adequate levels of capital established to meet the first two objectives.

Capital is managed and monitored in accordance with the Capital Management Policy. The policy is reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors annually and is integrated with the Company’s risk and financial management frameworks. It establishes guidelines regarding the quantity and quality of capital, internal capital mobility, and proactive management of ongoing and future capital requirements.

The capital management framework considers the requirements of the Company as a whole as well as the needs of each of the Company’s subsidiaries. Internal capital targets are set above the regulatory requirements, and consider a number of factors, including expectations of regulators and rating agencies, results of sensitivity and stress testing and the Company’s own risk assessments. The Company monitors against these internal targets and initiates actions appropriate to achieving its business objectives.

Consolidated capital, based on accounting standards, is presented in the table below for MFC. For regulatory reporting purposes, LICAT available capital is based on consolidated capital with adjustments for certain deductions, limits and restrictions, as mandated by the LICAT guideline.

Consolidated capital

As at December 31,	2020			2019
Total equity	$	53,006		$	50,106
Adjusted for AOCI loss on cash flow hedges		(229	)		(143	)
Total equity excluding AOCI on cash flow hedges		53,235			50,249
Qualifying capital instruments		7,829			7,120
Consolidated capital	$	61,064		$	57,369

(b) Restrictions on dividends and capital distributions

Dividends and capital distributions are restricted under the Insurance Companies Act (“ICA”). These restrictions apply to both MFC and its primary operating subsidiary MLI. The ICA prohibits the declaration or payment of any dividend on shares of an insurance company if there are reasonable grounds for believing a company does not have adequate capital and adequate and appropriate forms of liquidity or the declaration or the payment of the dividend would cause the company to be in contravention of any regulation made under the ICA respecting the maintenance of adequate capital and adequate and appropriate forms of liquidity, or of any direction made to the company by OSFI. The ICA also requires an insurance company to notify OSFI of the declaration of a dividend at least 15 days prior to the date fixed for its payment. Similarly, the ICA prohibits the purchase for cancellation of any shares issued by an insurance company or the redemption of any redeemable shares or other similar capital transactions, if there are reasonable grounds for believing that the company does not have adequate capital and adequate and appropriate forms of liquidity or the payment would cause the company to be in contravention of any regulation made under the ICA respecting the maintenance of adequate capital and adequate and appropriate forms of liquidity, or any direction made to the company by OSFI. These latter transactions would require the prior approval of OSFI.

The ICA requires Canadian insurance companies to maintain adequate levels of capital at all times.

Since MFC is a holding company that conducts all of its operations through regulated insurance subsidiaries (or companies owned directly or indirectly by these subsidiaries), its ability to pay future dividends will depend on the receipt of sufficient funds from its regulated insurance subsidiaries. These subsidiaries are also subject to certain regulatory restrictions under laws in Canada, the United States and certain other countries that may limit their ability to pay dividends or make other upstream distributions.

On March 13, 2020, OSFI set the expectation for all federally regulated financial institutions that dividend increases and share buybacks should be halted for the time being. Refer to note 11(b).

Note 13     Revenue from Service Contracts

The Company provides investment management services, administrative services, distribution and related services to proprietary and third-party investment funds, retirement plans, group benefit plans and other arrangements. The Company also provides real estate management services to tenants of the Company’s investment properties.

162   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The Company’s service contracts generally impose single performance obligations, each consisting of a series of similar related services for each customer.

The Company’s performance obligations within service arrangements are generally satisfied over time as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits of the services rendered, measured using an output method. Fees typically include variable consideration and the related revenue is recognized to the extent that it is highly probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty is subsequently resolved.

Asset-based fees vary with asset values of accounts under management, subject to market conditions and investor behaviors beyond the Company’s control. Transaction processing and administrative fees vary with activity volume, also beyond the Company’s control. Some fees, including distribution fees, are based on account balances and transaction volumes. Fees related to account balances and transaction volumes are measured daily. Real estate management service fees include fixed portions plus recovery of variable costs of services rendered to tenants. Fees related to services provided are generally recognized as services are rendered, which is when it becomes highly probable that no significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will occur. The Company has determined that its service contracts have no significant financing components as fees are collected monthly. The Company has no significant contract assets or contract liabilities.

The following tables present revenue from service contracts by service lines and reporting segments as disclosed in note 19.

For the year ended December 31, 2020	Asia		Canada			U.S.		Global WAM		Corporate and Other			Total
Investment management and other related fees	$	171	$	202		$	514	$	2,770	$	(201	)	$	3,456
Transaction processing, administration, and service fees		239		814			15		2,215		2			3,285
Distribution fees and other		227		16			67		718		(52	)		976
Total included in other revenue		637		1,032			596		5,703		(251	)		7,717
Revenue from non-service lines		709		(19	)		2,115		7		62			2,874
Total other revenue	$	1,346	$	1,013		$	2,711	$	5,710	$	(189	)	$	10,591
Real estate management services included in net investment income	$	37	$	144		$	143	$	–	$	8		$	332
For the year ended December 31, 2019	Asia		Canada			U.S.		Global WAM		Corporate and Other			Total
Investment management and other related fees	$	164	$	161		$	542	$	2,773	$	(198)		$	3,442
Transaction processing, administration, and service fees		223		827			17		2,048		–			3,115
Distribution fees and other		199		52			72		741		(44	)		1,020
Total included in other revenue		586		1,040			631		5,562		(242	)		7,577
Revenue from non-service lines		629		48			2,023		–		122			2,822
Total other revenue	$	1,215	$	1,088		$	2,654	$	5,562	$	(120	)	$	10,399
Real estate management services included in net investment income	$	36	$	160		$	137	$	–	$	9		$	342

Note 14     Stock-Based Compensation

(a) Stock options

The Company grants stock options under its Executive Stock Option Plan (“ESOP”) to selected individuals. The options provide the holder the right to purchase MFC common shares at an exercise price equal to the higher of the prior day, prior five-day or prior ten-day average closing market price of the shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange on the date the options are granted. The options vest over a period not exceeding four years and expire not more than 10 years from the grant date. Effective with the 2015 grant, options may only be exercised after the fifth-year anniversary. A total of 73,600,000 common shares have been reserved for issuance under the ESOP.

Options outstanding

	2020					2019
For the years ended December 31,	Number of options (in millions)			Weighted average exercise price		Number of options (in millions)			Weighted average exercise price
Outstanding, January 1		21		$	20.91		23		$	20.29
Granted		5			24.38		3			22.62
Exercised		(2	)		18.17		(4	)		18.79
Expired		–			24.27		–			18.88
Forfeited		–			23.73		(1	)		23.41
Outstanding, December 31		24		$	21.74		21		$	20.91
Exercisable, December 31		6		$	19.52		5		$	17.56

         163

	Options outstanding						Options exercisable
For the year ended December 31, 2020	Number of options (in millions)		Weighted average exercise price		Weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)		Number of options (in millions)		Weighted average exercise price		Weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)
$12.64—$20.99		6	$	16.77		3.75		2	$	15.32		1.27
$21.00—$24.83		18	$	23.53		6.90		4	$	21.85		3.72
Total		24	$	21.74		6.06		6	$	19.52		2.84

The weighted average fair value of each option granted in 2020 has been estimated at $3.66 (2019 – $4.57) using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The pricing model uses the following assumptions for these options: risk-free interest rate of 1.50% (2019 – 2.50%), dividend yield of 3.50% (2019 – 3.50%), expected volatility of 23% (2019 – 28.0%) and expected life of 8 (2019 – 6.3) years. Expected volatility is estimated by evaluating a number of factors including historical volatility of the share price over multi-year periods.

Compensation expense related to stock options was $14 for the year ended December 31, 2020 (2019 – $11).

(b) Deferred share units

In 2000, the Company granted deferred share units (“DSUs”) to certain employees under the ESOP. These DSUs vest over a three-year period and each DSU entitles the holder to receive one common share on retirement or termination of employment. When dividends are paid on common shares, holders of DSUs are deemed to receive dividends at the same rate, payable in the form of additional DSUs. In 2020, nil DSUs were granted to employees under the ESOP (2019 – nil). The number of DSUs outstanding was 285,000 as at December 31, 2020 (2019 – 298,000).

In addition, for certain employees and pursuant to the Company’s deferred compensation program, the Company grants DSUs under the Restricted Share Units (“RSUs”) Plan which entitle the holder to receive payment in cash equal to the value of the same number of common shares plus credited dividends on retirement or termination of employment. In 2020, the Company granted 28,000 DSUs to certain employees which vest after 36 months (2019 – 46,000). In 2020, 38,000 DSUs (2019 – 49,000) were granted to certain employees who elected to defer receipt of all or part of their annual bonus. These DSUs vested immediately. Also, in 2020, 2,600 DSUs (2019 – 24,000) were granted to certain employees to defer payment of all or part of their RSUs and/or Performance Share Units (“PSUs”). These DSUs also vested immediately.

Under the Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors, each eligible director may elect to receive his or her annual director’s retainer and fees in DSUs or common shares in lieu of cash. Upon termination of the Board service, an eligible director who has elected to receive DSUs will be entitled to receive cash equal to the value of the DSUs accumulated in his or her account, or at his or her direction, an equivalent number of common shares. The Company is allowed to issue up to one million common shares under this plan after which awards may be settled using shares purchased in the open market.

The fair value of 214,000 DSUs issued during the year was $22.65 per unit as at December 31, 2020 (2019 – 229,000 at $26.36 per unit).

For the years ended December 31, Number of DSUs (in thousands)	2020			2019
Outstanding, January 1		2,395			2,538
Issued		214			229
Reinvested		145			102
Redeemed		(576	)		(416	)
Forfeitures and cancellations		(9	)		(58	)
Outstanding, December 31		2,169			2,395

Of the DSUs outstanding as at December 31, 2020, 285,000 (2019 – 298,000) entitle the holder to receive common shares, 811,000 (2019 – 1,055,000) entitle the holder to receive payment in cash and 1,073,000 (2019 – 1,042,000) entitle the holder to receive payment in cash or common shares, at the option of the holder.

Compensation expense related to DSUs was $5 for the year ended December 31, 2020 (2019 – $10).

The carrying and fair value of the DSUs liability as at December 31, 2020 was $43 (2019 – $55) and was included in other liabilities.

(c) Restricted share units and performance share units

For the year ended December 31, 2020, 6.7 million RSUs (2019 – 6.5 million) and 1.1 million PSUs (2019 – 1.1 million) were granted to certain eligible employees under MFC’s Restricted Share Unit Plan. The fair value of the RSUs and PSUs granted during the year was $22.65 per unit as at December 31, 2020 (2019 – $26.36 per unit). Each RSU and PSU entitles the holder to receive payment equal to the market value of one common share, plus credited dividends, at the time of vesting, subject to any performance conditions.

RSUs and PSUs granted in February 2020 will vest after 36 months from their grant date and the related compensation expense is recognized over these periods, except where the employee is eligible to retire prior to a vesting date, in which case the cost is recognized over the period between the grant date and the date on which the employee is eligible to retire. Compensation expense related to RSUs and PSUs was $140 and $15, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2020 (2019 – $128 and $17, respectively).

164   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The carrying and fair value of the RSUs and PSUs liability as at December 31, 2020 was $194 (2019 – $205) and was included in other liabilities.

(d) Global share ownership plan

The Company’s Global Share Ownership Plan allows qualifying employees to apply up to five per cent of their annual base earnings toward the purchase of common shares. The Company matches a percentage of the employee’s eligible contributions up to a maximum amount. The Company’s contributions vest immediately. All contributions are used to purchase common shares in the open market.

Note 15     Employee Future Benefits

The Company maintains defined contribution and defined benefit pension plans and other post-employment plans for employees and agents including registered (tax-qualified) pension plans that are typically funded, as well as supplemental non-registered (non-qualified) pension plans for executives, retiree welfare plans and disability welfare plans that are typically not funded.

(a) Plan characteristics

The Company’s final average pay defined benefit pension plans and retiree welfare plans are closed to new members. All employees may participate in capital accumulation plans including defined benefit cash balance plans, 401(k) plans and/or defined contribution plans, depending on the country of employment.

All pension arrangements are governed by local pension committees or management, but significant plan changes require approval from the Company’s Board of Directors.

The Company’s funding policy for defined benefit pension plans is to make the minimum annual contributions required by regulations in the countries in which the plans are offered. Assumptions and methods prescribed for regulatory funding purposes typically differ from those used for accounting purposes.

The Company’s remaining defined benefit pension and/or retiree welfare plans are in the U.S., Canada, Japan and Taiwan (China). There are also disability welfare plans in the U.S. and Canada.

The largest defined benefit pension and retiree welfare plans are the primary plans for employees in the U.S. and Canada. These are the material plans that are discussed in the balance of this note. The Company measures its defined benefit obligations and fair value of plan assets for accounting purposes as at December 31 each year.

U.S. defined benefit pension and retiree welfare plans

The Company operates a qualified cash balance plan that is open to new members, a closed non-qualified cash balance plan, and a closed retiree welfare plan.

Actuarial valuations to determine the Company’s minimum funding contributions for the qualified cash balance plan are required annually. Deficits revealed in the funding valuations must generally be funded over a period of up to seven years. It is expected that there will be no required funding for this plan in 2020. There are no plan assets set aside for the non-qualified cash balance plan.

The retiree welfare plan subsidizes the cost of life insurance and medical benefits. The majority of those who retired after 1991 receive a fixed-dollar subsidy from the Company based on service. The plan was closed to all employees hired after 2004. While assets have been set aside in a qualified trust to pay future retiree welfare benefits, this funding is optional. Retiree welfare benefits offered under the plan coordinate with the U.S. Medicare program to make optimal use of available federal financial support.

The qualified pension and retiree welfare plans are governed by the U.S. Benefits Committee, while the non-qualified pension plan is governed by the U.S. Non-Qualified Plans Subcommittee.

Canadian defined benefit pension and retiree welfare plans

The Company’s defined benefit plans in Canada include two registered final average pay pension plans, a non-registered supplemental final average pay pension plan and a retiree welfare plan, all of which have been closed to new members.

Actuarial valuations to determine the Company’s minimum funding contributions for the registered pension plans are required at least once every three years. Deficits revealed in the funding valuation must generally be funded over a period of ten years. For 2021, the required funding for these plans is expected to be $2. The non-registered supplemental pension plan is not funded.

The retiree welfare plan subsidizes the cost of life insurance, medical and dental benefits. These subsidies are a fixed-dollar amount for those who retired after April 30, 2013 and have been eliminated for those who retire after 2019. There are no assets set aside for this plan.

The registered pension plans are governed by Pension Committees, while the supplemental non-registered plan is governed by the Board of Directors. The retiree welfare plan is governed by management.

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(b) Risks

In final average pay pension plans and retiree welfare plans, the Company generally bears the material risks which include interest rate, investment, longevity and health care cost inflation risks. In defined contribution plans, these risks are typically borne by the employee. In cash balance plans, the interest rate, investment and longevity risks are partially transferred to the employee.

Material sources of risk to the Company for all plans include:

• A decline in discount rates that increases the defined benefit obligations by more than the change in value of plan assets;

• Lower than expected rates of mortality; and

• For retiree welfare plans, higher than expected health care costs.

The Company has managed these risks through plan design and eligibility changes that have limited the size and growth of the defined benefit obligations. Investment risks for funded plans are managed by investing significantly in asset classes which are highly correlated with the plans’ liabilities.

In the U.S., delegated committee representatives and management review the financial status of the qualified defined benefit pension plan at least monthly, and steps are taken in accordance with an established dynamic investment policy to increase the plan’s allocation to asset classes which are highly correlated with the plan’s liabilities and reduce investment risk as the funded status improves. As at December 31, 2020, the target asset allocation for the plan was 27% return-seeking assets and 73% liability-hedging assets.

In Canada, internal committees and management review the financial status of the registered defined benefit pension plans on at least a quarterly basis. As at December 31, 2020, the target asset allocation for the plans was 20% return-seeking assets and 80% liability-hedging assets.

(c) Pension and retiree welfare plans

	Pension plans						Retiree welfare plans
For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019			2020			2019
Changes in defined benefit obligation:
Opening balance	$	4,817		$	4,675		$	645		$	640
Current service cost		41			40			–			–
Interest cost		150			182			20			25
Plan participants’ contributions		–			1			3			3
Actuarial losses (gains) due to:
Experience		2			8			(14	)		(10	)
Demographic assumption changes		(67	)		–			(12	)		–
Economic assumption changes		333			413			49			56
Benefits paid		(318	)		(358	)		(45	)		(46	)
Impact of changes in foreign exchange rates		(57	)		(144	)		(8	)		(23	)
Defined benefit obligation, December 31	$	4,901		$	4,817		$	638		$	645
	Pension plans						Retiree welfare plans
For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019			2020			2019
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets, opening balance	$	4,453		$	4,187		$	598		$	610
Interest income		140			164			19			25
Return on plan assets (excluding interest income)		310			529			33			25
Employer contributions		71			75			11			12
Plan participants’ contributions		–			1			3			3
Benefits paid		(318	)		(358	)		(45	)		(46	)
Administration costs		(7	)		(9	)		(2	)		(2	)
Impact of changes in foreign exchange rates		(54	)		(136	)		(11	)		(29	)
Fair value of plan assets, December 31	$	4,595		$	4,453		$	606		$	598

166   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(d) Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position

	Pension plans						Retiree welfare plans
As at December 31,	2020			2019			2020			2019
Development of net defined benefit liability
Defined benefit obligation	$	4,901		$	4,817		$	638		$	645
Fair value of plan assets		4,595			4,453			606			598
Deficit		306			364			32			47
Effect of asset limit(1)		–			4			–			–
Deficit (surplus) and net defined benefit liability (asset)		306			368			32			47
Deficit is comprised of:
Funded or partially funded plans		(446	)		(391	)		(134	)		(120	)
Unfunded plans		752			759			166			167
Deficit (surplus) and net defined benefit liability (asset)	$	306		$	368		$	32		$	47

⁽¹⁾  In 2019, the Company recognized an impairment of $4 on the net defined benefit asset for one of its registered pension plans in Canada.

(e) Disaggregation of defined benefit obligation

	U.S. plans								Canadian plans
	Pension plans				Retiree welfare plans				Pension plans				Retiree welfare plans
As at December 31,	2020		2019		2020		2019		2020		2019		2020		2019
Active members	$	551	$	550	$	27	$	31	$	211	$	301	$	–	$	25
Inactive and retired members		2,528		2,529		445		447		1,611		1,437		166		142
Total	$	3,079	$	3,079	$	472	$	478	$	1,822	$	1,738	$	166	$	167

(f) Fair value measurements

The major categories of plan assets and the allocation to each category are as follows.

	U.S. plans(1)								Canadian plans(2)
	Pension plans				Retiree welfare plans				Pension plans				Retiree welfare plans
As at December 31, 2020	Fair value		% of total		Fair value		% of total		Fair value		% of total		Fair value		% of total
Cash and cash equivalents	$	17		1%	$	30		5%	$	10		1%	$	–		–
Equity securities(3)		612		20%		49		8%		339		22%		–		–
Debt securities		2,175		71%		520		86%		1,186		77%		–		–
Other investments(4)		254		8%		7		1%		2		0%		–		–
Total	$	3,058		100%	$	606		100%	$	1,537		100%	$	–		–
	U.S. plans(1)								Canadian plans(2)
	Pension plans				Retiree welfare plans				Pension plans				Retiree welfare plans
As at December 31, 2019	Fair value		% of total		Fair value		% of total		Fair value		% of total		Fair value		% of total
Cash and cash equivalents	$	32		1%	$	35		6%	$	12		1%	$	–		–
Equity securities(3)		563		19%		45		8%		311		21%		–		–
Debt securities		2,155		72%		511		85%		1,123		78%		–		–
Other investments(4)		255		8%		7		1%		2		0%		–		–
Total	$	3,005		100%	$	598		100%	$	1,448		100%	$	–		–

⁽¹⁾ All the U.S. pension and retiree welfare plan assets have daily quoted prices in active markets, except for the private equity, timber and agriculture assets. In the aggregate, the latter assets represent approximately 7% of all U.S. pension and retiree welfare plan assets as at December 31, 2020 (2019 – 7%).

⁽²⁾ All the Canadian pension plan assets have daily quoted prices in active markets, except for the group annuity contract assets that represent approximately 0.1% of all Canadian pension plan assets as at December 31, 2020 (2019 – 0.1%).

⁽³⁾ Equity securities include direct investments in MFC common shares of $1.1 (2019 – $1.3) in the U.S. retiree welfare plan and $nil (2019 – $nil) in Canada.

⁽⁴⁾ Other U.S. plan assets include investment in private equity, timberland and agriculture, and managed futures. Other Canadian pension plan assets include investment in the group annuity contract.

         167

(g) Net benefit cost recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Income

Components of the net benefit cost for the pension plans and retiree welfare plans were as follows.

	Pension plans				Retiree welfare plans
For the years ended December 31,	2020		2019		2020		2019
Defined benefit current service cost	$	41	$	40	$	–	$	–
Defined benefit administrative expenses		7		9		2		2
Service cost		48		49		2		2
Interest on net defined benefit (asset) liability		10		18		1		–
Defined benefit cost		58		67		3		2
Defined contribution cost		84		80		–		–
Net benefit cost	$	142	$	147	$	3	$	2

(h) Re-measurement effects recognized in Other Comprehensive Income

	Pension plans						Retiree welfare plans
For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019			2020			2019
Actuarial gains (losses) on defined benefit obligations due to:
Experience	$	(2	)	$	(8	)	$	14		$	10
Demographic assumption changes		67			–			12			–
Economic assumption changes		(333	)		(413	)		(49	)		(56	)
Return on plan assets (excluding interest income)		310			529			33			25
Change in effect of asset limit		5			5			–			–
Total re-measurement effects	$	47		$	113		$	10		$	(21	)

(i) Assumptions

The key assumptions used by the Company to determine the defined benefit obligation and net benefit cost for the defined benefit pension plans and retiree welfare plans were as follows.

	U.S. Plans								Canadian Plans
	Pension plans				Retiree welfare plans				Pension plans				Retiree welfare plans
For the years ended December 31,	2020		2019		2020		2019		2020		2019		2020		2019
To determine the defined benefit obligation at end of year(1):
Discount rate		2.4%		3.2%		2.4%		3.2%		2.5%		3.1%		2.6%		3.1%
Initial health care cost trend rate(2)		n/a		n/a		7.3%		7.5%		n/a		n/a		5.5%		5.6%
To determine the defined benefit cost for the year(1):
Discount rate		3.2%		4.3%		3.2%		4.3%		3.1%		3.8%		3.1%		3.8%
Initial health care cost trend rate(2)		n/a		n/a		7.5%		7.8%		n/a		n/a		5.6%		5.7%

⁽¹⁾ Inflation and salary increase assumptions are not shown as they do not materially affect obligations and cost.

⁽²⁾ The health care cost trend rate used to measure the U.S. based retiree welfare obligation was 7.3% grading to 4.5% for 2032 and years thereafter (2019 – 7.5% grading to 4.5% for 2032) and to measure the net benefit cost was 7.5% grading to 4.5% for 2032 and years thereafter (2019 – 7.8% grading to 5.0% for 2030). In Canada, the rate used to measure the retiree welfare obligation was 5.5% grading to 4.8% for 2026 and years thereafter (2019 – 5.6% grading to 4.8% for 2026) and to measure the net benefit cost was 5.6% grading to 4.8% for 2026 and years thereafter (2019 – 5.7% grading to 4.8% for 2026).

Assumptions regarding future mortality are based on published statistics and mortality tables. The current life expectancies underlying the values of the obligations in the defined benefit pension and retiree welfare plans are as follows.

As at December 31, 2020	U.S.		Canada
Life expectancy (in years) for those currently age 65
Males		21.9		23.8
Females		23.4		25.6
Life expectancy (in years) at age 65 for those currently age 45
Males		23.3		24.7
Females		24.8		26.5

168   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(j) Sensitivity of assumptions on obligations

Assumptions used can have a significant effect on the obligations reported for defined benefit pension and retiree welfare plans. The potential impact on the obligations arising from changes in the key assumptions is set out in the following table. The sensitivities assume all other assumptions are held constant. In actuality, inter-relationships with other assumptions may exist.

As at December 31, 2020	Pension plans			Retiree welfare plans
Discount rate:
Impact of a 1% increase	$	(467	)	$	(67	)
Impact of a 1% decrease		554			82
Health care cost trend rate:
Impact of a 1% increase		n/a			20
Impact of a 1% decrease		n/a			(17	)
Mortality rates(1)
Impact of a 10% decrease		143			16

⁽¹⁾ If the actuarial estimates of mortality are adjusted in the future to reflect unexpected decreases in mortality, the effect of a 10% decrease in mortality rates at each future age would be an increase in life expectancy at age 65 of 0.8 years for U.S. males and females and 0.7 years and 0.8 years for Canadian males and females, respectively.

(k) Maturity profile

The weighted average duration (in years) of the defined benefit obligations is as follows.

	Pension plans				Retiree welfare plans
As at December 31,	2020		2019		2020		2019
U.S. plans		9.9		9.3		9.8		9.7
Canadian plans		12.5		12.3		14.7		14.3

(l) Cash flows – contributions

Total cash payments for all employee future benefits, comprised of cash contributed by the Company to funded defined benefit pension and retiree welfare plans, cash payments directly to beneficiaries in respect of unfunded pension and retiree welfare plans, and cash contributed to defined contribution pension plans, are as follows.

	Pension plans				Retiree welfare plans
For the years ended December 31,	2020		2019		2020		2019
Defined benefit plans	$	71	$	75	$	11	$	12
Defined contribution plans		84		80		–		–
Total	$	155	$	155	$	11	$	12

The Company’s best estimate of expected cash payments for employee future benefits for the year ending December 31, 2021 is $65 for defined benefit pension plans, $85 for defined contribution pension plans and $13 for retiree welfare plans.

Note 16     Income Taxes

(a) Income tax expense

The following table presents income tax expense (recovery) recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019
Current tax
Current year	$	998		$	1,246
Adjustments related to prior years		(83	)		(74	)
Total current tax		915			1,172
Deferred tax
Change related to temporary differences		253			(454	)
Effects of changes in tax rates		27			–
Total deferred tax		280			(454	)
Income tax expense	$	1,195		$	718

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The following table discloses income tax expense (recovery) recognized directly in equity.

For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019
Recognized in other comprehensive income
Current income tax expense (recovery)	$	(92	)	$	92
Deferred income tax expense (recovery)		87			366
Total recognized in other comprehensive income	$	(5	)	$	458
Recognized in equity, other than other comprehensive income
Current income tax expense (recovery)	$	25		$	5
Deferred income tax expense (recovery)		(25	)		(6	)
Total income tax recognized directly in equity	$	–		$	(1	)

(b) Current tax receivable and payable

As at December 31, 2020, the Company had approximately $993 and $87 of current tax receivable and current tax payable, respectively (2019 – $600 and $121).

(c) Tax reconciliation

The effective income tax rate reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Income varies from the Canadian tax rate of 26.50 per cent for the year ended December 31, 2020 (2019 – 26.75 per cent) for the items outlined in the following table.

For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019
Income before income taxes	$	6,770		$	6,220
Income tax expense at Canadian statutory tax rate	$	1,794		$	1,664
Increase (decrease) in income taxes due to:
Tax-exempt investment income		(171	)		(260	)
Differences in tax rate on income not subject to tax in Canada		(528	)		(754	)
Adjustments to taxes related to prior years		(96	)		(106	)
Tax rate change		27			–
Other differences		169			174
Income tax expense	$	1,195		$	718

(d) Deferred tax assets and liabilities

The following table presents the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities reflected on the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position.

As at December, 31	2020			2019
Deferred tax assets	$	4,842		$	4,574
Deferred tax liabilities		(2,614	)		(1,972	)
Net deferred tax assets (liabilities)	$	2,228		$	2,602

The following table presents movement of deferred tax assets and liabilities.

As at December 31, 2020	Balance, January 1, 2020			Disposals		Recognized in Income Statement			Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income			Recognized in Equity		Translation and Other			Balance, December 31, 2020
Loss carryforwards	$	705		$	–	$	(210	)	$	–		$	–	$	2		$	497
Actuarial liabilities		8,443			–		1,063			–			–		(134	)		9,372
Pensions and post-employment benefits		226			–		–			(10	)		–		(1	)		215
Tax credits		–			–		–			–			–		–			–
Accrued interest		1			–		–			–			–		–			1
Real estate		(1,046	)		–		5			(2	)		1		9			(1,033	)
Securities and other investments		(4,704	)		–		(1,254	)		(59	)		2		72			(5,943	)
Sale of investments		(69	)		–		13			–			–		–			(56	)
Goodwill and intangible assets		(876	)		–		24			–			–		3			(849	)
Other		(78	)		–		79			(16	)		22		17			24
Total	$	2,602		$	–	$	(280	)	$	(87	)	$	25	$	(32	)	$	2,228

170   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

As at December 31, 2019	Balance, January 1, 2019			Disposals			Recognized in Income Statement			Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income			Recognized in Equity			Translation and Other			Balance, December 31, 2019
Loss carryforwards	$	1,019		$	(18	)	$	(278	)	$	–		$	(1	)	$	(17	)	$	705
Actuarial liabilities		5,466			–			3,093			–			(1	)		(115	)		8,443
Pensions and post-employment benefits		242			–			4			(20	)		–			–			226
Tax credits		261			–			(253	)		–			–			(8	)		–
Accrued interest		1			–			–			–			–			–			1
Real estate		(959	)		–			(110	)		–			–			23			(1,046	)
Securities and other investments		(2,689	)		–			(1,863	)		(347	)		39			156			(4,704	)
Sale of investments		(87	)		–			17			–			–			1			(69	)
Goodwill and intangible assets		(847	)		–			(49	)		–			–			20			(876	)
Other		97			(37	)		(107	)		1			(31	)		(1	)		(78	)
Total	$	2,504		$	(55	)	$	454			$  (366	)	$	6		$	59		$	2,602

The total deferred tax assets as at December 31, 2020 of $4,842 (2019 – $4,574) includes $1,005 (2019 – $98) where the Company has suffered losses in either the current or preceding year and where the recognition is dependent on future taxable profits in the relevant jurisdictions and feasible management actions.

As at December 31, 2020, tax loss carryforwards available were approximately $2,479 (2019 – $3,440) of which $2,321 expire between the years 2022 and 2040 while $137 have no expiry date, and capital loss carryforwards available were approximately $21 (2019 – $31) and have no expiry date. A $497 (2019 – $705) tax benefit related to these tax loss carryforwards has been recognized as a deferred tax asset as at December 31, 2020, and a benefit of $99 (2019 – $93) has not been recognized. In addition, the Company has approximately $154 (2019 – $157) of tax credit carryforwards which will expire between the years 2027 and 2029 of which a benefit of $154 (2019 – $157) has not been recognized.

The total deferred tax liability as at December 31, 2020 was $2,614 (2019 – $1,972). This amount includes the deferred tax liability of consolidated entities. The aggregate amount of taxable temporary differences associated with the Company’s own investments in subsidiaries is not included in the Consolidated Financial Statements and was $22,782 (2019 – $19,623).

Note 17     Interests in Structured Entities

The Company is involved with both consolidated and unconsolidated structured entities (“SEs”) which are established to generate investment and fee income. The Company is also involved with SEs that are used to facilitate financing for the Company. These entities may have some or all the following features: control is not readily identified based on voting rights; restricted activities designed to achieve a narrow objective; high amount of leverage; and/or highly structured capital.

The Company only discloses its involvement in significant consolidated and unconsolidated SEs. In assessing the significance, the Company considers the nature of its involvement with the SE, including whether it is sponsored by the Company (i.e. initially organized and managed by the Company). Other factors considered include the Company’s investment in the SE as compared to total investments, its returns from the SE as compared to total net investment income, the SE’s size as compared to total funds under management, and its exposure to any other risks from its involvement with the SE.

The Company does not provide financial or other support to its SEs, when it does not have a contractual obligation to do so.

(a) Consolidated SEs

Investment SEs

The Company acts as an investment manager of timberlands and timber companies. The Company’s general fund and segregated funds invest in many of these companies. The Company has control over one timberland company which it manages, Hancock Victoria Plantations Holdings PTY Limited (“HVPH”). HVPH is a SE primarily because the Company’s employees exercise voting rights over it on behalf of other investors. As at December 31, 2020, the Company’s consolidated timber assets relating to HVPH were $949 (2019 – $936). The Company does not provide guarantees to other parties against the risk of loss from HVPH.

Financing SEs

The Company securitizes certain insured and variable rate commercial and residential mortgages and HELOC. This activity is facilitated by consolidated entities that are SEs because their operations are limited to issuing and servicing the Company’s funding. Further information regarding the Company’s mortgage securitization program is included in note 3.

(b) Unconsolidated SEs

Investment SEs

The following table presents the Company’s investments and maximum exposure to loss from significant unconsolidated investment SEs, some of which are sponsored by the Company. The Company does not provide guarantees to other parties against the risk of loss from these SEs.

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	Company’s investment(1)				Company’s maximum exposure to loss(2)
As at December 31,	2020		2019		2020		2019
Leveraged leases(3)	$	3,371	$	3,371	$	3,371	$	3,371
Timberland companies(4)		776		752		776		765
Real estate companies(5)		497		541		497		541
Total	$	4,644	$	4,664	$	4,644	$	4,677

⁽¹⁾ The Company’s investments in these unconsolidated SEs are included in invested assets and the Company’s returns from them are included in net investment income and AOCI.

⁽²⁾ The Company’s maximum exposure to loss from each SE is limited to amounts invested in each, plus unfunded capital commitments, if any. The Company’s investment commitments are disclosed in note 18. The maximum loss is expected to occur only upon the entity’s bankruptcy/liquidation, or in case a natural disaster in the case of the timber companies.

⁽³⁾ These entities are statutory business trusts which use capital provided by the Company and senior debt provided by other parties to finance the acquisition of assets. These assets are leased to third-party lessees under long-term leases. The Company owns equity capital in these business trusts. The Company does not consolidate any of the trusts that are party to the lease arrangements because the Company does not have decision-making power over them.

⁽⁴⁾ These entities own and operate timberlands. The Company invests in their equity and debt. The Company’s returns include investment income, investment advisory fees, forestry management fees and performance advisory fees. The Company does not control these entities because it either does not have the power to govern their financial and operating policies or does not have significant variable returns from them, or both.

⁽⁵⁾ These entities, which include the Manulife U.S. REIT, own and manage commercial real estate. The Company invests in their equity. The Company’s returns include investment income, investment management fees, property management fees, acquisition/disposition fees and leasing fees. The Company does not control these entities because it either does not have the power to govern their financial and operating policies or does not have significant variable returns from them, or both.

Financing SEs

The Company’s interests and maximum exposure to loss from significant unconsolidated financing SEs are as follows.

	Company’s interests(1)
As at December 31,	2020		2019
Manulife Finance (Delaware), L.P.(2)	$	931	$	852
Manulife Financial Capital Trust II(3)		–		1
Total	$	931	$	853

⁽¹⁾ The Company’s interests include amounts borrowed from the SEs and the Company’s investment in their subordinated capital, and foreign currency and interest swaps with them, if any.

⁽²⁾ This entity is a wholly owned partnership used to facilitate the Company’s financing. Refer to notes 10 and 18.

⁽³⁾ This entity is an open-ended trust that was used to facilitate the Company’s financing. The Company redeemed all outstanding $1billion principal amount of MFCT II Senior debenture notes, at par, on December 30, 2019. Using these proceeds, the trust redeemed MFCT II Series 1 held by third parties, at par, on December 31, 2019.

(i) Other invested assets

The Company has investment relationships with a variety of other entities, which result from its direct investment in their debt and/or equity and which have been assessed for control. These other entities’ investments include but are not limited to investments in power and infrastructure, oil and gas, private equity, real estate and agriculture, organized as limited partnerships and limited liability companies. Most of these other entities are not sponsored by the Company. The Company’s involvement with these other entities is not individually significant. As such, the Company neither provides summary financial data for these entities nor individually assesses whether they are SEs. The Company’s maximum exposure to losses because of its involvement with these other entities is limited to its investment in them and amounts committed to be invested but not yet funded. The Company records its income from these entities in net investment income and AOCI. The Company does not provide guarantees to other parties against the risk of loss from these other entities.

(ii) Interest in securitized assets

The Company invests in mortgage/asset-backed securities issued by securitization vehicles sponsored by other parties, including private issuers and government sponsored issuers, to generate investment income. The Company does not own a controlling financial interest in any of the issuers. These securitization vehicles are SEs based on their narrow scope of activities and highly leveraged capital structures. Investments in mortgage/asset-backed securities are reported on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as debt securities and private placements, and their fair value and carrying value are disclosed in note 3. The Company’s maximum loss from these investments is limited to amounts invested.

Commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) are secured by commercial mortgages and residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”) are secured by residential mortgages. Asset-backed securities (“ABS”) may be secured by various underlying assets including credit card receivables, automobile loans and aviation leases. The mortgage/asset-backed securities that the Company invests in primarily originate in North America.

172   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The following table presents investments in securitized holdings by the type and asset quality.

	2020								2019
As at December 31,	CMBS		RMBS		ABS		Total		Total
AAA	$	1,438	$	7	$	1,020	$	2,465	$	2,805
AA		–		–		32		32		648
A		53		3		605		661		372
BBB		–		–		208		208		63
BB and below		–		–		76		76		–
Total company exposure	$	1,491	$	10	$	1,941	$	3,442	$	3,888

(iii) Mutual funds

The Company sponsors and may invest in a range of public mutual funds with a broad range of investment styles. As sponsor, the Company organizes mutual funds that implement investment strategies on behalf of current and future investors. The Company earns fees which are at market rates for providing advisory and administrative services to these mutual funds. Generally, the Company does not control its sponsored mutual funds because either the Company does not have power to govern their financial and operating policies, or its returns in the form of fees and ownership interests are not significant, or both. Certain mutual funds are SEs because their decision-making rights are not vested in voting equity interests and their investors are provided with redemption rights.

The Company’s relationships with these mutual funds are not individually significant. As such, the Company neither provides summary financial data for these mutual funds nor individually assesses whether they are SEs. The Company’s interest in mutual funds is limited to its investment and fees earned, if any. The Company’s investments in mutual funds are recorded as part of its investment in public equities within the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. For information regarding the Company’s invested assets, refer to note 3. The Company does not provide guarantees to other parties against the risk of loss from these mutual funds.

As sponsor, the Company’s investment in (“seed”) startup capital of mutual funds as at December 31, 2020 was $1,428 (2019 – $1,576). The Company’s retail mutual fund assets under management as at December  31, 2020 were $238,068 (2019 – $217,015).

Note 18     Commitments and Contingencies

(a) Legal proceedings

The Company is regularly involved in legal actions, both as a defendant and as a plaintiff. The legal actions where the Company is a party ordinarily relate to its activities as a provider of insurance protection or wealth management products, reinsurance, or in its capacity as an investment adviser, employer, or taxpayer. Other life insurers and asset managers, operating in the jurisdictions in which the Company does business, have been subject to a wide variety of other types of actions, some of which resulted in substantial judgments or settlements against the defendants; it is possible that the Company may become involved in similar actions in the future. In addition, government and regulatory bodies in Canada, the United States, Asia and other jurisdictions where the Company conducts business regularly make inquiries and, from time to time, require the production of information or conduct examinations concerning the Company’s compliance with, among other things, insurance laws, securities laws, and laws governing the activities of broker-dealers.

In June 2018, a class action was initiated against John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) (“JHUSA”) and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York (“JHNY”) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of owners of approximately 1,500 Performance Universal Life (“UL”) policies issued between 2003 and 2009 whose policies were subject to a Cost of Insurance (“COI”) increase announced in 2018. In October 2018, a second and almost identical class action was initiated against JHUSA and JHNY in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The two cases were determined to be related, and they were consolidated and assigned to the same judge. Discovery has commenced in these cases. No hearings on substantive matters have been scheduled. It is too early to assess the range of potential outcomes for these two related lawsuits. In addition to the consolidated class action, there are seven non-class lawsuits opposing the Performance UL COI increases that also have been filed. Each of the lawsuits, except one, is brought by plaintiffs owning multiple policies and by entities managing them for investment purposes. Two of the non-class lawsuits are pending in New York state court; two of the lawsuits are pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York; and three lawsuits are pending in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Whether individually or on a combined basis, it remains premature, given the procedural status of these cases, as well as the relatively early development of parties’ respective legal theories, to suggest a reliable estimate of potential outcomes.

(b) Investment commitments

In the normal course of business, various investment commitments are outstanding which are not reflected in the Consolidated Financial Statements. There were $9,937 (2019 – $8,682) of outstanding investment commitments as at December 31, 2020, of which $638 (2019 – $411) mature in 30 days, $2,634 (2019 – $2,507) mature in 31 to 365 days and $6,665 (2019 – $5,764) mature after one year.

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(c) Letters of credit

In the normal course of business, third-party relationship banks issue letters of credit on the Company’s behalf. The Company’s businesses utilize letters of credit for which third parties are the beneficiaries, as well as for affiliate reinsurance transactions between its subsidiaries. As at December 31, 2020, letters of credit for which third parties are beneficiary, in the amount of $103 (2019 – $57), were outstanding.

(d) Guarantees

(i) Guarantees regarding Manulife Finance (Delaware), L.P. (“MFLP”)

MFC has guaranteed the payment of amounts on the $650 subordinated debentures due on December 15, 2041 issued by MFLP, a wholly owned unconsolidated partnership.

(ii) Guarantees regarding The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company

MFC has provided a subordinated guarantee on the day of issuance for the following subordinated debentures issued by MLI: $350 issued on June 1, 2015; and $1,000 issued on November 20, 2015.

The following table presents certain condensed consolidated financial information for MFC and MFLP.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income Information

For the year ended December 31, 2020	MFC (Guarantor)		MLI consolidated		Other subsidiaries of MFC on a combined basis			Consolidation adjustments			Total consolidated amounts		MFLP
Total revenue	$	547	$	78,929	$	520		$	(1,088	)	$	78,908	$	32
Net income (loss) attributed to shareholders		5,871		6,179		(500	)		(5,679	)		5,871		(1	)
For the year ended December 31, 2019	MFC (Guarantor)		MLI consolidated		Other subsidiaries of MFC on a combined basis			Consolidation adjustments			Total consolidated amounts		MFLP
Total revenue	$	371	$	79,711	$	417		$	(929	)	$	79,570	$	32
Net income (loss) attributed to shareholders		5,602		5,963		(401	)		(5,562	)		5,602		(1	)

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position

As at December 31, 2020	MFC (Guarantor)		MLI consolidated		Other subsidiaries of MFC on a combined basis		Consolidation adjustments			Total consolidated amounts		MFLP
Invested assets	$	47	$	410,919	$	11	$	–		$	410,977	$	5
Total other assets		64,419		102,439		3		(64,925	)		101,936		1,166
Segregated funds net assets		–		367,436		–		–			367,436		–
Insurance contract liabilities		–		385,554		–		–			385,554		–
Investment contract liabilities		–		3,288		–		–			3,288		–
Segregated funds net liabilities		–		367,436		–		–			367,436		–
Total other liabilities		12,131		59,683		–		(749	)		71,065		936
As at December 31, 2019	MFC (Guarantor)		MLI consolidated		Other subsidiaries of MFC on a combined basis		Consolidation adjustments			Total consolidated amounts		MFLP
Invested assets	$	21	$	378,496	$	10	$	–		$	378,527	$	6
Total other assets		57,474		87,774		3		(57,756	)		87,495		1,088
Segregated funds net assets		–		343,108		–		–			343,108		–
Insurance contract liabilities		–		351,161		–		–			351,161		–
Investment contract liabilities		–		3,104		–		–			3,104		–
Segregated funds net liabilities		–		343,108		–		–			343,108		–
Total other liabilities		8,357		53,998		–		(704	)		61,651		858

(iii) Guarantees regarding John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) (“JHUSA”)

Details of guarantees regarding certain securities issued or to be issued by JHUSA are outlined in note 23.

174   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(e) Pledged assets

In the normal course of business, the Company pledges its assets in respect of liabilities incurred, strictly for providing collateral to the counterparty. In the event of the Company’s default, the counterparty is entitled to apply the collateral to settle the liability. The pledged assets are returned to the Company if the underlying transaction is terminated or, in the case of derivatives, if there is a decrease in the net exposure due to market value changes.

The amounts pledged are as follows.

	2020				2019
As at December 31,	Debt securities		Other		Debt securities		Other
In respect of:
Derivatives	$	5,924	$	35	$	4,257	$	17
Secured borrowings(1)		–		2,790		–		–
Regulatory requirements		452		80		433		67
Repurchase agreements		353		–		330		–
Non-registered retirement plans in trust		–		424		–		407
Other		2		302		3		331
Total	$	6,731	$	3,631	$	5,023	$	822

⁽¹⁾  During the year, the Company pledged its mortgage loans with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (“FHLBI”). Of this amount, $937 is required collateral for the US$500 outstanding borrowing to JHUSA under the FHLBI facility; and $1,853 is excess collateral that can be called back by JHUSA at any time.

(f) Participating business

In some territories where the Company maintains participating accounts, there are regulatory restrictions on the amounts of profit that can be transferred to shareholders. Where applicable, these restrictions generally take the form of a fixed percentage of policyholder dividends. For participating businesses operating as separate “closed blocks”, transfers are governed by the terms of MLI’s and John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company’s plans of demutualization.

(g) Fixed surplus notes

A third party contractually provides standby financing arrangements for the Company’s U.S. operations under which, in certain circumstances, funds may be provided in exchange for the issuance of fixed surplus notes. As at December 31, 2020, the Company had no fixed surplus notes outstanding.

Note 19     Segmented Information

The Company’s reporting segments are Asia, Canada, U.S., Global WAM and Corporate and Other. Each reporting segment is responsible for managing its operating results, developing products, defining strategies for services and distribution based on the profile and needs of its business and market. The Company’s significant product and service offerings by the reporting segments are mentioned below.

Wealth and asset management businesses (Global WAM) – include mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, group retirement and savings products, and institutional asset management services across all major asset classes. These products and services are distributed through multiple distribution channels, including agents and brokers affiliated with the Company, independent securities brokerage firms and financial advisors pension plan consultants and banks.

Insurance and annuity products (Asia, Canada and U.S.) – includes a variety of individual life insurance, individual and group long-term care insurance and guaranteed and partially guaranteed annuity products. Products are distributed through multiple distribution channels, including insurance agents, brokers, banks, financial planners and direct marketing. Manulife Bank of Canada offers a variety of deposit and credit products to Canadian customers.

Corporate and Other Segment – comprised of investment performance on assets backing capital, net of amounts allocated to operating segments; costs incurred by the corporate office related to shareholder activities (not allocated to operating segments); financing costs; Property and Casualty (“P&C”) Reinsurance Business; and run-off reinsurance operations including variable annuities and accident and health.

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Reporting segments

As at and for the year ended December 31, 2020	Asia			Canada			U.S.			Global WAM			Corporate and Other			Total
Revenue
Life and health insurance	$	17,983		$	8,833		$	3,011		$	–		$	140		$	29,967
Annuities and pensions		2,496			334			120			–			–			2,950
Net premium income		20,479			9,167			3,131			–			140			32,917
Net investment income (loss)		6,630			8,458			17,519			39			2,754			35,400
Other revenue		1,346			1,013			2,711			5,710			(189	)		10,591
Total revenue		28,455			18,638			23,361			5,749			2,705			78,908
Contract benefits and expenses
Life and health insurance		17,997			10,385			16,099			–			(131	)		44,350
Annuities and pensions		3,430			4,380			2,929			146			–			10,885
Net benefits and claims		21,427			14,765			19,028			146			(131	)		55,235
Interest expense		269			342			54			2			514			1,181
Other expenses		5,123			3,141			2,714			4,329			414			15,721
Total contract benefits and expenses		26,819			18,248			21,796			4,477			797			72,137
Income (loss) before income taxes		1,636			390			1,565			1,272			1,908			6,771
Income tax recovery (expense)		(233	)		(131	)		(296	)		(172	)		(363	)		(1,195	)
Net income (loss)		1,403			259			1,269			1,100			1,545			5,576
Less net income (loss) attributed to:
Non-controlling interests		250			–			–			–			–			250
Participating policyholders		(609	)		64			–			–			–			(545	)
Net income (loss) attributed to shareholders	$	1,762		$	195		$	1,269		$	1,100		$	1,545		$	5,871
Total assets	$	145,801		$	167,236		$	288,814		$	236,593		$	41,905		$	880,349
The following table presents results by reporting segments.
As at and for the year ended December 31, 2019	Asia			Canada			U.S.			Global WAM			Corporate and Other			Total
Revenue
Life and health insurance	$	17,107		$	8,714		$	6,522		$	–		$	112		$	32,455
Annuities and pensions		2,900			361			(138	)		–			–			3,123
Net premium income		20,007			9,075			6,384			–			112			35,578
Net investment income (loss)		7,451			9,446			15,556			33			1,107			33,593
Other revenue		1,215			1,088			2,654			5,562			(120	)		10,399
Total revenue		28,673			19,609			24,594			5,595			1,099			79,570
Contract benefits and expenses
Life and health insurance		17,975			10,572			19,320			–			(36	)		47,831
Annuities and pensions		3,090			4,312			599			83			–			8,084
Net benefits and claims		21,065			14,884			19,919			83			(36	)		55,915
Interest expense		236			508			43			6			526			1,319
Other expenses		5,148			3,237			2,944			4,362			425			16,116
Total contract benefits and expenses		26,449			18,629			22,906			4,451			915			73,350
Income (loss) before income taxes		2,224			980			1,688			1,144			184			6,220
Income tax recovery (expense)		(277	)		25			(260	)		(122	)		(84	)		(718	)
Net income (loss)		1,947			1,005			1,428			1,022			100			5,502
Less net income (loss) attributed to:
Non-controlling interests		228			–			–			–			5			233
Participating policyholders		(216	)		(117	)		–			–			–			(333	)
Net income (loss) attributed to shareholders	$	1,935		$	1,122		$	1,428		$	1,022		$	95		$	5,602
Total assets	$	127,367		$	159,042		$	274,993		$	216,348		$	31,380		$	809,130

Geographical location

The results of the Company’s reporting segments differ from its geographical location primarily due to the allocation of Global WAM and Corporate and Other segments into the geographical location to which its businesses relate.

176   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The following table presents results by geographical location.

For the year ended December 31, 2020	Asia		Canada		U.S.			Other		Total
Revenue
Life and health insurance	$	18,072	$	8,474	$	3,012		$	409	$	29,967
Annuities and pensions		2,496		334		120			–		2,950
Net premium income		20,568		8,808		3,132			409		32,917
Net investment income (loss)		7,085		8,531		19,735			49		35,400
Other revenue		2,300		2,671		5,600			20		10,591
Total revenue	$	29,953	$	20,010	$	28,467		$	478	$	78,908
For the year ended December 31, 2019	Asia		Canada		U.S.			Other		Total
Revenue
Life and health insurance	$	17,178	$	8,388	$	6,523		$	366	$	32,455
Annuities and pensions		2,900		361		(138	)		–		3,123
Net premium income		20,078		8,749		6,385			366		35,578
Net investment income (loss)		7,750		9,801		15,816			226		33,593
Other revenue		2,100		2,651		5,641			7		10,399
Total revenue	$	29,928	$	21,201	$	27,842		$	599	$	79,570

Note 20    Related Parties

The Company enters into transactions with related parties in the normal course of business and at the terms that would exist in arm’s-length transactions.

(a) Transactions with certain related parties

Transactions with MFLP, a wholly owned unconsolidated partnership, and MFCT, a wholly owned unconsolidated trust, are described in notes 10, 17 and 18. Refer to note 3(a) for additional transactions with related parties.

(b) Compensation of key management personnel

The Company’s key management personnel are those personnel who have the authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the Company. Directors (both executive and non-executive) and senior management are considered key personnel. A summary of compensation of key management personnel is as follows.

For the years ended December 31,	2020		2019
Short-term employee benefits	$	69	$	67
Post-employment benefits		5		5
Share-based payments		57		55
Termination benefits		–		8
Other long-term benefits		3		2
Total	$	134	$	137

Note 21    Subsidiaries

The following is a list of Manulife’s directly and indirectly held major operating subsidiaries.

As at December 31, 2020 (100% owned unless otherwise noted in brackets beside company name)	Equity Interest	Address	Description
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company	$  63,379	Toronto, Canada	Leading Canadian-based financial services company that offers a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services
Manulife Holdings (Alberta) Limited	$  23,967	Calgary, Canada	Holding company
John Hancock Financial Corporation		Boston, U.S.A.	Holding company
The Manufacturers Investment Corporation		Boston, U.S.A.	Holding company
John Hancock Reassurance Company Ltd.		Boston, U.S.A.	Captive insurance subsidiary that provides life, annuity and long-term care reinsurance to affiliates

         177

As at December 31, 2020 (100% owned unless otherwise noted in brackets beside company name)	Equity Interest	Address	Description
John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.)		Boston, U.S.A.	U.S. life insurance company licensed in all states, except New York
John Hancock Subsidiaries LLC		Boston, U.S.A.	Holding company
John Hancock Financial Network, Inc.		Boston, U.S.A.	Financial services distribution organization
John Hancock Investment Management LLC		Boston, U.S.A.	Investment advisor
John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC		Boston, U.S.A.	Broker-dealer
Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC		Boston, U.S.A.	Investment advisor
Hancock Natural Resource Group, Inc.		Boston, U.S.A.	Manager of globally diversified timberland and agricultural portfolios
John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York		New York, U.S.A.	U.S. life insurance company licensed in New York
John Hancock Variable Trust Advisers LLC		Boston, U.S.A.	Investment advisor for open-end mutual funds
John Hancock Life & Health Insurance Company		Boston, U.S.A.	U.S. life insurance company licensed in all states
John Hancock Distributors LLC		Boston, U.S.A.	Broker-dealer
John Hancock Insurance Agency, Inc.		Boston, U.S.A.	Insurance agency
Manulife Reinsurance Limited		Hamilton, Bermuda	Provides life and financial reinsurance to affiliates
Manulife Reinsurance (Bermuda) Limited		Hamilton, Bermuda	Provides life and annuity reinsurance to affiliates
Manulife Bank of Canada	$  1,686	Waterloo, Canada	Provides integrated banking products and service options not available from an insurance company
Manulife Investment Management Holdings (Canada) Inc.	$  945	Toronto, Canada	Holding company
Manulife Investment Management Limited		Toronto, Canada	Provides investment counseling, portfolio and mutual fund management in Canada
First North American Insurance Company	$  8	Toronto, Canada	Property and casualty insurance company
NAL Resources Management Limited		Calgary, Canada	Management company for oil and gas properties
Manulife Resources Limited	$  20	Calgary, Canada	Holds oil and gas properties
Manulife Property Limited Partnership		Toronto, Canada	Holds oil and gas royalties
Manulife Property Limited Partnership II	$  479	Toronto, Canada	Holds oil and gas royalties and foreign bonds and equities
Manulife Western Holdings Limited Partnership		Calgary, Canada	Holds oil and gas properties
Manulife Securities Investment Services Inc.	$  76	Oakville, Canada	Mutual fund dealer for Canadian operations
Manulife Holdings (Bermuda) Limited	$  21,794	Hamilton, Bermuda	Holding company
Manufacturers P&C Limited		St. Michael, Barbados	Provides property and casualty reinsurance
Manulife Financial Asia Limited		Hong Kong, China	Holding company
Manulife (Cambodia) PLC		Phnom Penh, Cambodia	Life insurance company
Manulife Myanmar Life Insurance Company Limited		Yangon, Myanmar	Life insurance company
Manufacturers Life Reinsurance Limited		St. Michael, Barbados	Provides life and annuity reinsurance to affiliates
Manulife (Vietnam) Limited		Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam	Life insurance company
Manulife Investment Fund Management (Vietnam) Company Limited		Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam	Fund management company
Manulife International Holdings Limited		Hong Kong, China	Holding company
Manulife (International) Limited		Hong Kong, China	Life insurance company
Manulife-Sinochem Life Insurance Co. Ltd. (51%)		Shanghai, China	Life insurance company
Manulife Investment Management International Holdings Limited		Hong Kong, China	Holding company

178   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

As at December 31, 2020 (100% owned unless otherwise noted in brackets beside company name)	Equity Interest	Address	Description
Manulife Investment Management (Hong Kong) Limited		Hong Kong, China	Investment management and advisory company marketing mutual funds
Manulife Investment Management (Taiwan) Co., Ltd.		Taipei, Taiwan (China)	Asset management company
Manulife Life Insurance Company (Japan)		Tokyo, Japan	Life insurance company
Manulife Investment Management (Japan) Limited		Tokyo, Japan	Investment management and advisory company and mutual fund business
Manulife Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited (85.6%)(1)		Bangkok, Thailand	Life insurance company
Manulife Asset Management (Thailand) Company Limited (93.5%)(1)		Bangkok, Thailand	Investment management company
Manulife Holdings Berhad (60.2%)		Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Holding company
Manulife Insurance Berhad (60.2%)		Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Life insurance company
Manulife Investment Management (Malaysia) Bhd (60.2%)		Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Asset management company
Manulife (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.		Singapore	Life insurance company
Manulife Investment Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.		Singapore	Asset management company
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.), Inc.		Makati City, Philippines	Life insurance company
Manulife Chinabank Life Assurance Corporation (60%)		Makati City, Philippines	Life insurance company
PT Asuransi Jiwa Manulife Indonesia		Jakarta, Indonesia	Life insurance company
PT Manulife Aset Manajemen Indonesia		Jakarta, Indonesia	Investment management and investment advisor
Manulife Investment Management (Europe) Limited	$  37	London, England	Investment management company for Manulife Financial’s international funds
Manulife Assurance Company of Canada	$  71	Toronto, Canada	Life insurance company
EIS Services (Bermuda) Limited	$  1,064	Hamilton, Bermuda	Investment holding company
Berkshire Insurance Services Inc.	$  1,726	Toronto, Canada	Investment holding company
JH Investments (Delaware), LLC		Boston, U.S.A.	Investment holding company
Manulife Securities Incorporated	$  133	Oakville, Canada	Investment dealer
Manulife Investment Management (North America) Limited	$  5	Toronto, Canada	Investment advisor

⁽¹⁾ MFC voting rights percentages are the same as the ownership percentages except for Manulife Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited and Manulife Asset Management (Thailand) Company Limited where MFC’s voting rights are 97.0% and 98.7%, respectively.

Note 22    Segregated Funds

The Company manages segregated funds on behalf of policyholders. Policyholders are provided with the opportunity to invest in different categories of segregated funds that respectively hold a range of underlying investments. The Company retains legal title to the underlying investments; however, returns from these investments belong to the policyholders. Accordingly, the Company does not bear the risk associated with these assets outside of guarantees offered on certain variable life and annuity products. The “Risk Management” section of the Company’s 2020 MD&A provides information regarding the variable annuity and segregated fund guarantees.

The composition of net assets by categories of segregated funds was within the following ranges for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

	Ranges in per cent
Type of fund	2020		2019
Money market funds		2% to 3%		2% to 3%
Fixed income funds		14% to 16%		14% to 15%
Balanced funds		23% to 24%		24% to 25%
Equity funds		58% to 60%		58% to 60%

         179

Money market funds consist of investments that have a term to maturity of less than one year. Fixed income funds primarily consist of investments in fixed grade income securities and may contain smaller investments in diversified equities or high-yield bonds. Relative to fixed income funds, balanced funds consist of fixed income securities and a larger equity investment component. The types of equity funds available to policyholders range from low volatility equity funds to aggressive equity funds. Equity funds invest in a varying mix of Canadian, U.S. and global equities.

The underlying investments of the segregated funds consist of both individual securities and mutual funds (collectively “net assets”), some of which may be structured entities. The carrying value and change in segregated funds net assets are as follows. Fair value related information of segregated funds is disclosed in note 3(g).

Segregated funds net assets

As at December 31,	2020			2019
Investments at market value
Cash and short-term securities	$	4,054		$	3,364
Debt securities		17,913			16,883
Equities		14,227			12,989
Mutual funds		326,889			304,753
Other investments		4,599			4,785
Accrued investment income		1,670			1,678
Other assets and liabilities, net		(1,543	)		(975	)
Total segregated funds net assets	$	367,809		$	343,477
Composition of segregated funds net assets
Held by policyholders	$	367,436		$	343,108
Held by the Company		373			369
Total segregated funds net assets	$	367,809		$	343,477

Changes in segregated funds net assets

For the years ended December 31,	2020			2019
Net policyholder cash flow
Deposits from policyholders	$	38,898		$	38,561
Net transfers to general fund		(1,515	)		(1,000	)
Payments to policyholders		(44,818	)		(49,372	)
		(7,435	)		(11,811	)
Investment related
Interest and dividends		16,775			18,872
Net realized and unrealized investment gains (losses)		24,514			37,643
		41,289			56,515
Other
Management and administration fees		(3,942	)		(3,926	)
Impact of changes in foreign exchange rates		(5,580	)		(10,897	)
		(9,522	)		(14,823	)
Net additions		24,332			29,881
Segregated funds net assets, beginning of year		343,477			313,596
Segregated funds net assets, end of year	$	367,809		$	343,477

Segregated funds assets may be exposed to a variety of financial and other risks. These risks are primarily mitigated by investment guidelines that are actively monitored by professional and experienced portfolio advisors. The Company is not exposed to these risks beyond the liabilities related to guarantees associated with certain variable life and annuity products. Accordingly, the Company’s exposure to loss from segregated fund products is limited to the value of these guarantees.

These guarantees are recorded within the Company’s insurance contract liabilities. Assets supporting these guarantees are recognized in invested assets according to their investment type.

Note 23    Information Provided in Connection with Investments in Deferred Annuity Contracts and SignatureNotes Issued or Assumed by John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.)

The following condensed consolidated financial information, presented in accordance with IFRS, and the related disclosure have been included in these Consolidated Financial Statements with respect to JHUSA in compliance with Regulation S-X and Rule 12h-5 of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”). These financial statements are incorporated by reference in the MFC and its subsidiaries registration statements that are described below and which relate to MFC’s guarantee of certain securities to be issued by its subsidiaries.

180   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

JHUSA maintains a book of deferred annuity contracts that feature a market value adjustment, some of which are registered with the Commission. The deferred annuity contracts may contain variable investment options along with fixed investment period options, or may offer only fixed investment period options. The fixed investment period options enable the participant to invest fixed amounts of money for fixed terms at fixed interest rates, subject to a market value adjustment if the participant desires to terminate a fixed investment period before its maturity date. The annuity contract provides for the market value adjustment to keep the parties whole with respect to the fixed interest bargain for the entire fixed investment period. These fixed investment period options that contain a market value adjustment feature are referred to as “MVAs”.

JHUSA may also sell medium-term notes to retail investors under its SignatureNotes program.

Effective December 31, 2009, John Hancock Variable Life Insurance Company (the “Variable Company”) and John Hancock Life Insurance Company (the “Life Company”) merged with and into JHUSA. In connection with the mergers, JHUSA assumed the Variable Company’s rights and obligations with respect to the MVAs issued by the Variable Company and the Life Company’s rights and obligations with respect to the SignatureNotes issued by the Life Company.

MFC fully and unconditionally guaranteed the payment of JHUSA’s obligations under the MVAs and under the SignatureNotes (including the MVAs and SignatureNotes assumed by JHUSA in the merger), and such MVAs and the SignatureNotes were registered with the Commission. The SignatureNotes and MVAs assumed or issued by JHUSA are collectively referred to in this note as the “Guaranteed Securities”. JHUSA is, and each of the Variable Company and the Life Company was, a wholly owned subsidiary of MFC.

MFC’s guarantees of the Guaranteed Securities are unsecured obligations of MFC and are subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all other obligations of MFC, except for other guarantees or obligations of MFC which by their terms are designated as ranking equally in right of payment with or subordinate to MFC’s guarantees of the Guaranteed Securities.

The laws of the State of New York govern MFC’s guarantees of the SignatureNotes issued or assumed by JHUSA and the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts govern MFC’s guarantees of the MVAs issued or assumed by JHUSA. MFC has consented to the jurisdiction of the courts of New York and Massachusetts. However, because a substantial portion of MFC’s assets are located outside the United States, the assets of MFC located in the United States may not be sufficient to satisfy a judgment given by a federal or state court in the United States to enforce the subordinate guarantees. In general, the federal laws of Canada and the laws of the Province of Ontario, where MFC’s principal executive offices are located, permit an action to be brought in Ontario to enforce such a judgment provided that such judgment is subsisting and unsatisfied for a fixed sum of money and not void or voidable in the United States and a Canadian court will render a judgment against MFC in a certain dollar amount, expressed in Canadian dollars, subject to customary qualifications regarding fraud, violations of public policy, laws limiting the enforcement of creditor’s rights and applicable statutes of limitations on judgments. There is currently no public policy in effect in the Province of Ontario that would support avoiding the recognition and enforcement in Ontario of a judgment of a New York or Massachusetts court on MFC’s guarantees of the SignatureNotes issued or assumed by JHUSA or a Massachusetts court on guarantees of the MVAs issued or assumed by JHUSA.

MFC is a holding company. MFC’s assets primarily consist of investments in its subsidiaries. MFC’s cash flows primarily consist of dividends and interest payments from its operating subsidiaries, offset by expenses and shareholder dividends and MFC stock repurchases. As a holding company, MFC’s ability to meet its cash requirements, including, but not limited to, paying any amounts due under its guarantees, substantially depends upon dividends from its operating subsidiaries.

These subsidiaries are subject to certain regulatory restrictions under laws in Canada, the United States and certain other countries, which may limit their ability to pay dividends or make contributions or loans to MFC. For example, some of MFC’s subsidiaries are subject to restrictions prescribed by the ICA on their ability to declare and pay dividends. The restrictions related to dividends imposed by the ICA are described in note 12.

In the United States, insurance laws in Michigan, New York, and Massachusetts, the jurisdictions in which certain of MFC’s U.S. insurance company subsidiaries are domiciled, impose general limitations on the payment of dividends and other upstream distributions or loans by these insurance subsidiaries. These limitations are described in note 12.

In Asia, the insurance laws of the jurisdictions in which MFC operates either provide for specific restrictions on the payment of dividends or other distributions or loans by subsidiaries or impose solvency or other financial tests, which could affect the ability of subsidiaries to pay dividends in certain circumstances.

There can be no assurance that any current or future regulatory restrictions in Canada, the United States or Asia will not impair MFC’s ability to meet its cash requirements, including, but not limited to, paying any amounts due under its guarantees.

The following condensed consolidated financial information, presented in accordance with IFRS, reflects the effects of the mergers and is provided in compliance with Regulation S-X and in accordance with Rule 12h-5 of the Commission.

         181

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

As at December 31, 2020	MFC (Guarantor)		JHUSA (Issuer)		Other subsidiaries			Consolidation adjustments			Consolidated MFC
Assets
Invested assets	$	47	$	112,735	$	298,524		$	(329	)	$	410,977
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries		64,209		8,078		17,194			(89,481	)		–
Reinsurance assets		–		65,731		11,172			(31,067	)		45,836
Other assets		210		25,489		52,648			(22,247	)		56,100
Segregated funds net assets		–		191,955		178,224			(2,743	)		367,436
Total assets	$	64,466	$	403,988	$	557,762		$	(145,867	)	$	880,349
Liabilities and equity
Insurance contract liabilities	$	–	$	167,453	$	249,909		$	(31,808	)	$	385,554
Investment contract liabilities		–		1,208		2,081			(1	)		3,288
Other liabilities		718		25,594		52,761			(22,001	)		57,072
Long-term debt		6,164		–		–			–			6,164
Capital instruments		5,249		584		1,996			–			7,829
Segregated funds net liabilities		–		191,955		178,224			(2,743	)		367,436
Shareholders’ equity		52,335		17,194		72,120			(89,314	)		52,335
Participating policyholders’ equity		–		–		(784	)		–			(784	)
Non-controlling interests		–		–		1,455			–			1,455
Total liabilities and equity	$	64,466	$	403,988	$	557,762		$	(145,867	)	$	880,349

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

As at December 31, 2019	MFC (Guarantor)		JHUSA (Issuer)		Other subsidiaries			Consolidation adjustments			Consolidated MFC
Assets
Invested assets	$	21	$	107,746	$	271,100		$	(340	)	$	378,527
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries		57,068		7,467		16,983			(81,518	)		–
Reinsurance assets		–		61,310		10,080			(29,944	)		41,446
Other assets		406		20,859		45,111			(20,327	)		46,049
Segregated funds net assets		–		181,982		162,845			(1,719	)		343,108
Total assets	$	57,495	$	379,364	$	506,119		$	(133,848	)	$	809,130
Liabilities and equity
Insurance contract liabilities	$	–	$	157,398	$	224,378		$	(30,615	)	$	351,161
Investment contract liabilities		–		1,091		2,014			(1	)		3,104
Other liabilities		537		21,311		48,226			(20,086	)		49,988
Long-term debt		4,543		–		–			–			4,543
Capital instruments		3,277		599		3,244			–			7,120
Segregated funds net liabilities		–		181,982		162,845			(1,719	)		343,108
Shareholders’ equity		49,138		16,983		64,444			(81,427	)		49,138
Participating policyholders’ equity		–		–		(243	)		–			(243	)
Non-controlling interests		–		–		1,211			–			1,211
Total liabilities and equity	$	57,495	$	379,364	$	506,119		$	(133,848	)	$	809,130

182   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income

For the year ended December 31, 2020	MFC (Guarantor)			JHUSA (Issuer)			Other subsidiaries			Consolidation adjustments			Consolidated MFC
Revenue
Gross premiums	$	–		$	8,057		$	34,459		$	(1,108	)	$	41,408
Premiums ceded to reinsurers		–			(6,585	)		(3,014	)		1,108			(8,491	)
Net premium income		–			1,472			31,445			–			32,917
Net investment income (loss)		542			14,204			21,727			(1,073	)		35,400
Net other revenue		5			2,869			12,884			(5,167	)		10,591
Total revenue		547			18,545			66,056			(6,240	)		78,908
Contract benefits and expenses
Net benefits and claims		–			14,804			44,293			(3,862	)		55,235
Commissions, investment and general expenses		17			3,146			13,573			(1,396	)		15,340
Other expenses		434			230			1,880			(982	)		1,562
Total contract benefits and expenses		451			18,180			59,746			(6,240	)		72,137
Income (loss) before income taxes		96			365			6,310			–			6,771
Income tax (expense) recovery		(26	)		54			(1,223	)		–			(1,195	)
Income (loss) after income taxes		70			419			5,087			–			5,576
Equity in net income (loss) of unconsolidated subsidiaries		5,801			1,344			1,763			(8,908	)		–
Net income (loss)	$	5,871		$	1,763		$	6,850		$	(8,908	)	$	5,576
Net income (loss) attributed to:
Non-controlling interests	$	–		$	–		$	250		$	–		$	250
Participating policyholders		–			–			(545	)		–			(545	)
Shareholders		5,871			1,763			7,145			(8,908	)		5,871
	$	5,871		$	1,763		$	6,850		$	(8,908	)	$	5,576

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income

For the year ended December 31, 2019	MFC (Guarantor)			JHUSA (Issuer)			Other subsidiaries			Consolidation adjustments			Consolidated MFC
Revenue
Gross premiums	$	–		$	8,599		$	33,620		$	(1,160	)	$	41,059
Premiums ceded to reinsurers		–			(3,575	)		(3,066	)		1,160			(5,481	)
Net premium income		–			5,024			30,554			–			35,578
Net investment income (loss)		355			12,128			22,108			(998	)		33,593
Net other revenue		16			2,866			11,447			(3,930	)		10,399
Total revenue		371			20,018			64,109			(4,928	)		79,570
Contract benefits and expenses
Net benefits and claims		–			17,133			41,220			(2,438	)		55,915
Commissions, investment and general expenses		20			3,299			13,938			(1,530	)		15,727
Other expenses		421			206			2,041			(960	)		1,708
Total contract benefits and expenses		441			20,638			57,199			(4,928	)		73,350
Income (loss) before income taxes		(70	)		(620	)		6,910			–			6,220
Income tax (expense) recovery		18			347			(1,083	)		–			(718	)
Income (loss) after income taxes		(52	)		(273	)		5,827			–			5,502
Equity in net income (loss) of unconsolidated subsidiaries		5,654			772			499			(6,925	)		–
Net income (loss)	$	5,602		$	499		$	6,326		$	(6,925	)	$	5,502
Net income (loss) attributed to:
Non-controlling interests	$	–		$	–		$	233		$	–		$	233
Participating policyholders		–			2			(333	)		(2	)		(333	)
Shareholders		5,602			497			6,426			(6,923	)		5,602
	$	5,602		$	499		$	6,326		$	(6,925	)	$	5,502

         183

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

For the year ended December 31, 2020	MFC (Guarantor)			JHUSA (Issuer)			Other subsidiaries			Consolidation adjustments			Consolidated MFC
Operating activities
Net income (loss)	$	5,871		$	1,763		$	6,850		$	(8,908	)	$	5,576
Adjustments:
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries		(5,801	)		(1,344	)		(1,763	)		8,908			–
Increase (decrease) in insurance contract liabilities		–			11,937			25,045			–			36,982
Increase (decrease) in investment contract liabilities		–			48			130			–			178
(Increase) decrease in reinsurance assets excluding coinsurance transactions		–			(3,133	)		759			–			(2,374	)
Amortization of (premium) discount on invested assets		–			54			100			–			154
Other amortization		7			145			504			–			656
Net realized and unrealized (gains) losses and impairment on assets		1			(9,420	)		(13,102	)		–			(22,521	)
Deferred income tax expense (recovery)		25			(784	)		1,039			–			280
Stock option expense		–			3			11			–			14
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities before undernoted items		103			(731	)		19,573			–			18,945
Dividends from unconsolidated subsidiary		3,000			411			1,270			(4,681	)		–
Changes in policy related and operating receivables and payables		91			8,459			(7,447	)		–			1,103
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities		3,194			8,139			13,396			(4,681	)		20,048
Investing activities
Purchases and mortgage advances		–			(34,392	)		(77,589	)		–			(111,981	)
Disposals and repayments		–			29,635			69,215			–			98,850
Changes in investment broker net receivables and payables		–			(431	)		(586	)		–			(1,017	)
Investment in common shares of subsidiaries		(4,483	)		–			–			4,483			–
Capital contribution to unconsolidated subsidiaries		–			(1	)		–			1			–
Return of capital from unconsolidated subsidiaries		–			22			–			(22	)		–
Notes receivable from parent		–			–			1,501			(1,501	)		–
Notes receivable from subsidiaries		1,494			–			–			(1,494	)		–
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(2,989	)		(5,167	)		(7,459	)		1,467			(14,148	)
Financing activities
Issue of long-term debt, net		2,455			–			–			–			2,455
Redemption of long-term debt		(652	)		–			–			–			(652	)
Issue of capital instruments, net		1,990			–			–			–			1,990
Redemption of capital instruments		–			–			(1,250	)		–			(1,250	)
Secured borrowings		–			709			667			–			1,376
Change in repurchase agreements and securities sold but not yet purchased		–			–			24			–			24
Changes in deposits from Bank clients, net		–			–			(579	)		–			(579	)
Lease payments		–			(9	)		(125	)		–			(134	)
Shareholders’ dividends paid in cash		(2,340	)		–			–			–			(2,340	)
Dividends paid to parent		–			(1,270	)		(3,411	)		4,681			–
Common shares repurchased		(253	)		–			–			–			(253	)
Common shares issued, net		36			–			4,483			(4,483	)		36
Contributions from (distributions to) non-controlling interests, net		–			–			(10	)		–			(10	)
Capital contributions by parent		–			–			1			(1	)		–
Return of capital to parent		–			–			(22	)		22			–
Notes payable to parent		–			–			(1,494	)		1,494			–
Notes payable to subsidiaries		(1,501	)		–			–			1,501			–
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(265	)		(570	)		(1,716	)		3,214			663
Cash and short-term securities
Increase (decrease) during the year		(60	)		2,402			4,221			–			6,563
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and short-term securities		85			(59	)		(554	)		–			(528	)
Balance, beginning of year		22			2,564			16,962			–			19,548
Balance, end of year		47			4,907			20,629			–			25,583
Cash and short-term securities
Beginning of year
Gross cash and short-term securities		22			3,058			17,220			–			20,300
Net payments in transit, included in other liabilities		–			(494	)		(258	)		–			(752	)
Net cash and short-term securities, beginning of year		22			2,564			16,962			–			19,548
End of year
Gross cash and short-term securities		47			5,213			20,907			–			26,167
Net payments in transit, included in other liabilities		–			(306	)		(278	)		–			(584	)
Net cash and short-term securities, end of year	$	47		$	4,907		$	20,629		$	–		$	25,583
Supplemental disclosures on cash flow information:
Interest received	$	522		$	4,334		$	7,992		$	(1,112	)	$	11,736
Interest paid		426			109			1,765			(1,112	)		1,188
Income taxes paid (refund)		(2	)		721			639			–			1,358

184   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

For the year ended December 31, 2019	MFC (Guarantor)			JHUSA (Issuer)			Other subsidiaries			Consolidation adjustments			Consolidated MFC
Operating activities
Net income (loss)	$	5,602		$	499		$	6,326		$	(6,925	)	$	5,502
Adjustments:
Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries		(5,654	)		(772	)		(499	)		6,925			–
Increase (decrease) in insurance contract liabilities		–			11,381			22,346			–			33,727
Increase (decrease) in investment contract liabilities		–			51			119			–			170
(Increase) decrease in reinsurance assets excluding coinsurance transactions		–			(1,236	)		679			–			(557	)
Amortization of (premium) discount on invested assets		–			40			77			–			117
Other amortization		5			118			503			–			626
Net realized and unrealized (gains) losses and impairment on assets		(12	)		(7,105	)		(13,148	)		–			(20,265	)
Deferred income tax expense (recovery)		(18	)		(192	)		(244	)		–			(454	)
Stock option expense		–			(1	)		12			–			11
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities before undernoted items		(77	)		2,783			16,171			–			18,877
Dividends from unconsolidated subsidiary		3,000			623			1,123			(4,746	)		–
Changes in policy related and operating receivables and payables		(39	)		(146	)		1,850			–			1,665
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities		2,884			3,260			19,144			(4,746	)		20,542
Investing activities
Purchases and mortgage advances		–			(24,898	)		(55,712	)		–			(80,610	)
Disposals and repayments		–			22,324			43,009			–			65,333
Changes in investment broker net receivables and payables		–			631			528			–			1,159
Investment in common shares of subsidiaries		(404	)		–			–			404			–
Net cash flows from acquisition and disposal of subsidiaries and businesses		–			–			288			–			288
Capital contribution to unconsolidated subsidiaries		–			(1	)		–			1			–
Return of capital from unconsolidated subsidiaries		–			177			–			(177	)		–
Notes receivable from parent		–			–			(157	)		157			–
Notes receivable from subsidiaries		(1	)		13			–			(12	)		–
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(405	)		(1,754	)		(12,044	)		373			(13,830	)
Financing activities
Change in repurchase agreements and securities sold but not yet purchased		–			–			266			–			266
Redemption of capital instruments		–			–			(1,500	)		–			(1,500	)
Secured borrowings		–			–			107			–			107
Changes in deposits from Bank clients, net		–			–			1,819			–			1,819
Lease payments		–			(8	)		(109	)		–			(117	)
Shareholders’ dividends paid in cash		(1,398	)		–			–			–			(1,398	)
Contributions from (distributions to) non-controlling interests, net		–			–			(22	)		–			(22	)
Common shares repurchased		(1,339	)		–			–			–			(1,339	)
Common shares issued, net		104			–			404			(404	)		104
Dividends paid to parent		–			(1,123	)		(3,623	)		4,746			–
Capital contributions by parent		–			–			1			(1	)		–
Return of capital to parent		–			–			(177	)		177			–
Notes payable to parent		–			–			(12	)		12			–
Notes payable to subsidiaries		157			–			–			(157	)		–
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(2,476	)		(1,131	)		(2,846	)		4,373			(2,080	)
Cash and short-term securities
Increase (decrease) during the year		3			375			4,254			–			4,632
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and short-term securities		(2	)		(128	)		(336	)		–			(466	)
Balance, beginning of year		21			2,317			13,044			–			15,382
Balance, end of year		22			2,564			16,962			–			19,548
Cash and short-term securities
Beginning of year
Gross cash and short-term securities		21			2,783			13,411			–			16,215
Net payments in transit, included in other liabilities		–			(466	)		(367	)		–			(833	)
Net cash and short-term securities, beginning of year		21			2,317			13,044			–			15,382
End of year
Gross cash and short-term securities		22			3,058			17,220			–			20,300
Net payments in transit, included in other liabilities		–			(494	)		(258	)		–			(752	)
Net cash and short-term securities, end of year	$	22		$	2,564		$	16,962		$	–		$	19,548
Supplemental disclosures on cash flow information:
Interest received	$	422		$	4,252		$	7,823		$	(948	)	$	11,549
Interest paid		423			83			1,741			(948	)		1,299
Income taxes paid (refund)		–			(788	)		892			–			104

         185

Note 24     Comparatives

Certain comparative amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation.

186   |  2020 Annual Report  |  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements