susceptible to actions of foreign governments, such as nationalization, currency blockage or the imposition of price controls, sanctions, or punitive taxes, each of which could adversely impact the value of these securities. Securities markets in certain countries may be more volatile and/or less liquid than those in the United States. Investments outside the United States may also be subject to different regulatory, legal, accounting, auditing, financial reporting and recordkeeping requirements, and may be more difficult to value, than those in the United States. In addition, the value of investments outside the United States may be reduced by foreign taxes, including foreign withholding taxes on interest and dividends. Further, there may be increased risks of delayed settlement of securities purchased or sold by the fund, which could impact the liquidity of the fund’s portfolio. The risks of investing outside the United States may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging markets.
Management — The investment adviser to the fund actively manages the fund’s investments. Consequently, the fund is subject to the risk that the methods and analyses, including models, tools and data, employed by the investment adviser in this process may be flawed or incorrect and may not produce the desired results. This could cause the fund to lose value or its investment results to lag relevant benchmarks or other funds with similar objectives.
Additional information about The Growth Fund of America is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and copies of that information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following email address: publicinfo@sec.gov. The SEC file number for The Growth Fund of America is 002-14728, Class Id. C000180003. Please note that such information is not prepared by Nationwide and is generally intended for shareholders of the fund, not Contract Owners. You may also request additional information from Nationwide or your financial professional.
Default Annuity Payout Option for New Contracts
For Contracts issued on or after [ ], 2025, the prospectus is hereby revised to change the default annuity payout option. For such Contracts, if no annuity payment option is selected prior to the latest possible Annuitization Date, we will automatically set it as either 1) a fixed Single Life Annuity With 240 Monthly Payments Guaranteed or 2) a fixed Single Life Annuity With Term Certain with a guaranteed period of payments equal to the greater of five years or the annuitant's life expectancy, calculated using the prevailing annuity valuation mortality table at the time of annuitization, whichever is available on the Annuitization Date.
Right of Cancellation for New Contracts
For Contracts issued on or after [ ], 2025, upon cancellation, in most jurisdictions, the Purchase Payment will be refunded in full. Otherwise, where required by law, Nationwide will return the Contract Value, less any withdrawals from the Contract (including any CDSC, MVA and Daily ISE Percentage applied to those withdrawals), and applicable federal and state income tax withholding. In connection with this change, for Contracts issued on or after [___], 2025, the prospectus is revised as follows:
On the Cover Page, the paragraph describing the right of cancellation, or "free look" right, is deleted and replaced with the following:
Under state insurance laws, Contract Owners have the right, during a limited period of time, to examine their Contract and decide if they want to keep it or cancel it. This right is referred to as a "free look" right and no CDSC or MVA will apply to this cancellation. If the Contract Owner elects to cancel the Contract pursuant to the free look provision, Nationwide will cancel the Contract and, in most jurisdictions, the Purchase Payment will be refunded in full. Otherwise, where required by law, Nationwide will return the Contract Value, less any withdrawals from the Contract (including any CDSC, MVA and Daily ISE Percentage applied to those withdrawals), and applicable federal and state income tax withholding. If the Contract Value is returned, it may be more or less than the Purchase Payment and if a negative Daily ISE Percentage is applied, a loss may result (see "Right to Examine and Cancel").
Under "Risk Factors – Investment Risk During the Right to Examine Period," as well as "Purchasing the Contract – Right to Examine and Cancel," the second paragraph is deleted and replaced with the following:
If the Contract Owner elects to cancel the Contract pursuant to the free look provision, Nationwide will cancel the Contract and, in most jurisdictions, the Purchase Payment will be refunded in full. Otherwise, where required by law, Nationwide will return the Contract Value as of the date of the cancellation, less any withdrawals from the Contract (including any CDSC, MVA and Daily ISE Percentage applied to those withdrawals), and any applicable federal and state income tax withholding. If the Contract Value is returned, there is a risk that the performance of the Index Strategies will decrease the Contract Value during the free look period and the Contract Value will be less than the Purchase Payment.