ING Investors Trust | | ING Partners, Inc. |
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ING American Funds Bond Portfolio | | ING Columbia Small Cap Value II Portfolio (Service Class) |
ING American Funds Growth Portfolio | | |
ING American Funds Growth-Income Portfolio | | |
ING American Funds International Portfolio | | |
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| | ING Oppenheimer Global Portfolio (Service Class) |
| | ING Oppenheimer Strategic Income Portfolio (Service Class) |
ING FMRSMDiversified Mid Cap Portfolio (Class S) | | ING Templeton Foreign Equity Portfolio (Service Class) |
ING FMRSMLarge Cap Growth Portfolio (Class S) | | ING T. Rowe Price Diversified Mid Cap Growth Portfolio |
ING Focus 5 Portfolio(Class S) | | (Service Class) |
ING Franklin Income Portfolio (Class S) | | ING T. Rowe Price Growth Equity Portfolio (Service Class) |
ING Franklin Mutual Shares Portfolio (Class S) | | ING Van Kampen Comstock Portfolio (Service Class) |
ING Franklin Templeton Founding Strategy Portfolio (Class S) | | ING Van Kampen Equity and Income Portfolio (Service Class) |
ING Global Real Estate Portfolio (Class S) | | |
ING Global Resources Portfolio (Class S) | | ING Variable Portfolios, Inc. |
| | ING VPHigh Yield BondPortfolio (Class |
ING International Growth Opportunities Portfolio (Class S) | | S) |
| | ING VP Index Plus MidCap Portfolio (Class S) |
| | ING VP Index Plus SmallCap Portfolio (Class S) |
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| | ING Variable Products Trust |
| | ING VPSmallCap OpportunitiesPortfolio |
ING LifeStyle Aggressive Growth Portfolio (Class S) | | (Class S) |
ING LifeStyle Growth Portfolio (Class S) | | |
ING LifeStyle Moderate Growth Portfolio (Class S) | | ING VP Intermediate Bond Portfolio (Class S) |
ING LifeStyle Moderate Portfolio (Class S) | | |
ING Liquid Assets Portfolio (Class S) | | Fidelity Variable Insurance Products |
| | Fidelity VIP Contrafund Portfolio (Service Class 2) |
| | Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio (Service Class 2) |
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ING Oppenheimer Main Street Portfolio (Class S) | | |
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ING T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Portfolio (Class S) | | |
ING T. Rowe Price Equity Income Portfolio (Class S) | | |
ING Templeton Global Growth Portfolio (Class S) | | |
ING Van Kampen Capital Growth Portfolio (Class S) | | |
ING Van Kampen Global Franchise Portfolio (Class S) | | |
ING Van Kampen Growth and Income Portfolio (Class S) | | |
ING Van Kampen Real Estate Portfolio (Class S) | | |
ING WisdomTreeSMGlobal High-Yielding Equity Index | | |
Portfolio (Class S) | | |
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| | Page |
INDEX OF SPECIAL TERMS | | 1 |
FEES AND EXPENSES | | 2 |
CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION | | 5 |
ING USA SEPARATE ACCOUNT B | | 6 |
ING USA ANNUITY AND LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY | | 6 |
THE TRUSTS AND FUNDS | | 8 |
CHARGES AND FEES | | 9 |
THE ANNUITY CONTRACT | | 14 |
LIVING BENEFIT RIDERS | | 20 |
WITHDRAWALS | | 38 |
TRANSFERS AMONG YOUR INVESTMENTS (EXCESSIVE TRADING POLICY) | | 41 |
DEATH BENEFIT CHOICES | | 46 |
THE ANNUITY OPTIONS | | 51 |
OTHER CONTRACT PROVISIONS | | 54 |
OTHER INFORMATION | | 58 |
FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS | | 58 |
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | | 68 |
APPENDIX A – The Investment Portfolios | | A1 |
APPENDIX B – Fixed Account II | | B1 |
APPENDIX C – Fixed Interest Division | | C1 |
APPENDIX D – Surrender Charge for Excess Withdrawals Example | | D1 |
APPENDIX E – Withdrawal Adjustment for 5% Roll-Up Death Benefit Example | | E1 |
APPENDIX F – Special Funds and Excluded Funds Examples | | F1 |
APPENDIX G – ING LifePay Plus and ING Joint LifePay Plus Partial Withdrawal Amount Examples | | G1 |
APPENDIX H – Examples of Fixed Allocation Funds Automatic Rebalancing | | H1 |
requests for information from various state and federal governmental agencies and self-regulatory organizations in connection with inquiries and investigations of the products and practices of the financial services industry. In each case, the Company and its affiliates have been and are providing full cooperation.
Insurance and Other Regulatory Matters.The New York Attorney General, other federal and state regulators and self-regulatory agencies are also conducting broad inquiries and investigations involving the insurance and retirement industries. These initiatives currently focus on, among other things, compensation, revenue sharing and other sales incentives; potential conflicts of interest; potential anti-competitive activity; reinsurance; marketing practices; specific product types (including group annuities and indexed annuities); and disclosure. It is likely that the scope of these industry investigations will further broaden before they conclude. The Company and certain of its U.S. affiliates have received formal and informal requests in connection with such investigations, and are cooperating fully with each request for information. Some of these matters could result in regulatory action involving the Company. These initiatives also may result in new legislation and regulation that could significantly affect the financial services industry, including businesses in which the Company is engaged. In light of these and other developments, U.S. affiliates of ING, including the Company, periodically review whether modifications to their business practices are appropriate.
Investment Product Regulatory Issues.Since 2002, there has been increased governmental and regulatory activity relating to mutual funds and variable insurance products. This activity has primarily focused on inappropriate trading of fund shares; directed brokerage; compensation; sales practices, suitability, and supervision; arrangements with service providers; pricing; compliance and controls; adequacy of disclosure; and document retention.
In addition to responding to governmental and regulatory requests on fund trading issues, ING management, on its own initiative, conducted, through special counsel and a national accounting firm, an extensive internal review of mutual fund trading in ING insurance, retirement, and mutual fund products. The goal of this review was to identify any instances of inappropriate trading in those products by third parties or by ING investment professionals and other ING personnel.
The internal review identified several isolated arrangements allowing third parties to engage in frequent trading of mutual funds within the variable insurance and mutual fund products of ING, and identified other circumstances where frequent trading occurred despite measures taken by ING intended to combat market timing. Each of the arrangements has been terminated and disclosed to regulators, to the independent trustees of ING Funds (U.S.) and in Company reports previously filed with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Action may be taken by regulators with respect to the Company or certain affiliates before investigations relating to fund trading are completed. The potential outcome of such action is difficult to predict but could subject the Company or certain affiliates to adverse consequences, including, but not limited to, settlement payments, penalties, and other financial liability. It is not currently anticipated, however, that the actual outcome of any such action will have a material adverse effect on ING or ING’s U.S. based operations, including the Company.
ING has agreed to indemnify and hold harmless the ING Funds from all damages resulting from wrongful conduct by ING or its employees or from ING’s internal investigation, any investigations conducted by any governmental or self-regulatory agencies, litigation or other formal proceedings, including any proceedings by the SEC. Management reported to the ING Funds Board that ING management believes that the total amount of any indemnification obligations will not be material to ING or ING’s U.S.-based operations, including the Company.
Product Regulation.Our products are subject to a complex and extensive array of state and federal tax, securities and insurance laws, and regulations, which are administered and enforced by a number of governmental and self-regulatory authorities. Specifically, U.S. federal income tax law imposes requirements relating to nonqualified annuity product design, administration, and investments that are conditions for beneficial tax treatment of such products under the Internal Revenue Code. (See “Federal Tax Considerations” for further discussion of some of these requirements.) Failure to administer certain nonqualified contract features (for example, contractual annuity start dates in nonqualified annuities) could affect such beneficial tax treatment. In addition, state and federal securities and insurance laws impose requirements relating to insurance and annuity product design, offering and distribution, and administration. Failure to meet any of these complex tax, securities, or insurance requirements |
You will find more detailed information about the Trusts and Funds currently available under your Contract in Appendix A — The Investment Portfolios. A prospectus containing more complete information on each Trust or Fund may be obtained by calling our Customer Service Center at 800-366-0066. You should read the prospectus carefully before investing.
Certain funds are designated as “Master-Feeder,” or “LifeStyle Funds.” Funds offered in a Master-Feeder structure (such as the American Funds) or fund of funds structure (such as the LifeStyle Funds) may have higher fees and expenses than a fund that invests directly in debt and equity securities. Consult with your investment professional to determine if the Portfolios may be suited to your financial needs, investment time horizon and risk comfort level. You should periodically review these factors to determine if you need to change your investment strategy.
If, due to differences in tax treatment or other considerations, the interests of contract owners of various contracts participating in the Trusts or Funds conflict, we, the Boards of Trustees or Directors of the Trusts or Funds, and any other insurance companies participating in the Trusts or Funds will monitor events to identify and resolve any material conflicts that may arise.
Restricted Funds We may, with 30 days notice to you, designate any investment option as a Restricted Fund and limit the amount you may allocate or transfer to a Restricted Fund. We may also change the limitations on existing contracts with respect to new premiums added to investment portfolios and with respect to new transfers to investment portfolios. We may establish any limitations, at our discretion, as a percentage of premium or contract value, or as a specified dollar amount and change the limitation at any time.Currently, we have not designated any investment option as a Restricted Fund.If we designate an investment option as a Restricted Fund or set applicable limitations, such change will apply only to transactions made after the designation.
We limit your investment in the Restricted Funds on an aggregate basis for all Restricted Funds and for each individual Restricted Fund. Currently, we limit an investment in Restricted Funds to the following limitations: no more than $999,999,999, and no more than 30 percent of contract value. We may change these limits, in our discretion, for new contracts, premiums, transfers or withdrawals.
We monitor the aggregate and individual limits on investments in Restricted Funds for each transaction (e.g. premium payments, reallocations, withdrawals, dollar cost averaging). If the contract value in the Restricted Funds has increased beyond the applicable limit due to market growth, we will not require the reallocation or withdrawal of contract value from the Restricted Funds. However, if the contract value in the Restricted Funds exceeds the aggregate limit, if you take a withdrawal it must come from either the Restricted Funds or pro-rata from all investment options in which contract value is allocated, so that the percentage of contract value in the Restricted Funds following the withdrawal is less than or equal to the percentage of contract value in the Restricted Funds prior to the withdrawal.
We will allocate pro-rata the portion of any premium payment that exceeds the limits with a Restricted Fund to your other investment option choices not designated as Restricted Funds, or to a specially designated subaccount if there are none (currently, the ING Liquid Assets Portfolio), unless you instruct us otherwise.
We will not permit a transfer to the Restricted Funds if it would increase the contract value in the Restricted Fund or in all Restricted Funds to more than the applicable limits set forth above. If the total amount of your requested transfer exceeds the applicable limits, we will inform your financial representative or you that we will not process any part of the transfer and that new instructions will be required. We will not limit transfers from Restricted Funds. If the multiple reallocations lower the percentage of total contract value in Restricted Funds, we will permit the reallocation even if the percentage of contract value in a Restricted Fund is greater than its limit. |
will assume any death benefit proceeds are to be paid in equal shares to the surviving beneficiaries, unless you indicate otherwise in writing.
You have the right to change beneficiaries during the annuitant’s lifetime unless you have designated an irrevocable beneficiary. When an irrevocable beneficiary has been designated, you and the irrevocable beneficiary may have to act together to exercise some of the rights and options under the Contract. You may also restrict a beneficiary’s right to elect an annuity option or receive a lump-sum payment. If so, such rights or options will not be available to the beneficiary.
Change of Contract Owner or Beneficiary.During the annuitant’s lifetime, you may transfer ownership of a non- qualified Contract. A change in ownership may affect the amount of the death benefit, the guaranteed minimum death benefit and/or the death benefit option applied to the contract, and continuation of any optional rider that you have elected. The new owner’s age, as of the date of the change, will be used as the basis for determining the applicable benefits and charges. The new owner’s death will determine when a death benefit is payable.
If you have elected Option Package I, the death benefit will continue if the new owner is age 85 or under on the date of the ownership change. For Option Package II or III, if the new owner is age 80 or under on the date that ownership changes, the death benefit will continue. If the new owner is age 81 to 85, or new, under Option Package II or III, the death benefit will end, and the death benefit will become the Option Package I death benefit. For all death benefit options, 1) if the new owner’s attained age is 86 or over on the date of the ownership change, or 2) if the new owner is not an individual (other than a trust for the benefit of the owner or annuitant), the death benefit will be the cash surrender value. Attained age is the age of the owner at the time the contract is issued plus the number of full years elapsed since the contract date. The mortality and expense risk charge going forward will reflect the change in death benefit. Please note that once a death benefit has been changed due to a change in owner, it will not be restored by a subsequent change to a younger owner.
An ownership change may cause a living benefit rider to terminate. Such depends on the rider and whether spousal continuation is allowed. For more information about an ownership change with the ING LifePay Plus rider, please see “Living Benefit Riders – ING LifePay Plus Minimum Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit (“ING LifePay Plus”) Rider.” For more information with the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider, please see “Living Benefit Riders – ING Joint LifePay Plus Minimum Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit (“ING Joint LifePay Plus”) Rider.” A change of owner likely has tax consequences. See “Federal Tax Considerations” in this prospectus.
You have the right to change beneficiaries during the annuitant’s lifetime unless you have designated an irrevocable beneficiary. If you have designated an irrevocable beneficiary, you and the irrevocable beneficiary may have to act together to exercise some of the rights and options under the Contract. In the event of joint owners all must agree to change a beneficiary.
In the event of a death claim, we will honor the form of payment of the death benefit specified by the beneficiary to the extent permitted under Section 72(s) of the Tax Code. You may also restrict a beneficiary’s right to elect an income phase payment option or receive a lump-sum payment. If so, such rights or options will not be available to the beneficiary.
All requests for changes must be in writing and submitted to our Customer Service Center. Please date your requests. The change will be effective as of the day we receive the request. The change will not affect any payment made or action taken by us before recording the change.
Purchase and Availability of the Contract There are three option packages available under the Contract. You select an option package at the time of application. Each option package is unique. The minimum initial payment to purchase the Contract and the maximum age at which you may purchase the Contract depend on the option package that you elect. |
You may make additional premium payments up to the contract anniversary after your 86th birthday. The minimum additional premium payment we will accept is $50 regardless of the option package you select. Under certain circumstances, we may waive the minimum premium payment requirement. We may also change the minimum initial or additional premium requirements for certain group or sponsored arrangements. Any initial or additional premium payment that would cause the contract value of all annuities that you maintain with us to exceed $1,000,000 requires our prior approval. We reserve the right to refuse to accept premiums after the 10th contract year.
The Contract is designed for people seeking long-term tax-deferred accumulation of assets, generally for retirement or other long-term purposes. The tax-deferred feature is more attractive to people in high federal and state tax brackets. You should not buy this Contract: (i) if you are looking for a short-term investment; (ii) if you cannot risk getting back less money than you put in; or (iii) if your assets are in a plan which provides for tax-deferral and you see no other reason to purchase this Contract.When considering an investment in the Contract, you should consult with your investment professional about your financial goals, investment time horizon and risk tolerance.
Replacing an existing insurance contract with this Contract may not be beneficial to you. Before purchasing the Contract, determine whether your existing contract will be subject to any fees or penalties upon surrender. Also, compare the fees, charges, coverage provisions and limitations, if any, of your existing contract with those of the Contract described in this prospectus.
IRAs and other qualified plans already have the tax-deferral feature found in this Contract. For an additional cost, the Contract provides other features and benefits including death benefits and the ability to receive a lifetime income. You should not purchase a qualified Contract unless you want these other features and benefits, taking into account their cost. See “Charges and Fees” in this prospectus. If you are considering OptionPackage II or III for your death benefitand your contract will be an IRA, see “Taxation of Qualified Contracts – Individual Retirement Annuities” and “Tax Consequences of Enhanced Death Benefit” in this prospectus. If this Contract is issued as an IRA, no contributions may be made after the taxable year in which you attain age 70 ½.
This Contract isnot available as: a SIMPLE IRA under Section 408(p) of the Tax Code; a Tax Code Section 403(b) annuity; or a funding vehicle for a Section 457 or 412(i) plan under the Tax Code.
Crediting of Premium Payments We will process your initial premium within 2 business days after receipt and allocate the payment according to the instructions you specify at the accumulation unit value next determined, if the application and all information necessary for processing the Contract are complete. We will process subsequent premium payments within 1 business day if we receive all information necessary. In certain states we also accept initial and additional premium payments by wire order. Wire transmittals must be accompanied by sufficient electronically transmitted data. We may retain your initial premium payment for up to 5 business days while attempting to complete an incomplete application. If the application cannot be completed within this period, we will inform you of the reasons for the delay. We will also return the premium payment immediately unless you direct us to hold the premium payment until the application is completed. If you choose to have us hold the premium payment, it will be held in a non- interest bearing account.
If a subaccount is not available or requested in error, we will make inquiry about a replacement subaccount. If we are unable to reach you or your representative within 5 days, we will consider the application incomplete. Once the completed application is received, we will allocate the payment to the subaccounts of Separate Account B specified by you within 2 business days.
If your premium payment was transmitted by wire order from your broker-dealer, we will follow one of the following two procedures after we receive and accept the wire order and investment instructions. The procedure we follow depends on state availability and the procedures of your broker-dealer. |
investment portfolios we find suitable for your Contract. We may also withdraw or substitute investment portfolios, subject to the conditions in your Contract, compliance with regulatory requirements and subject to SEC approval.
We may amend the Contract to conform to applicable laws or governmental regulations. If we feel that investment in any of the investment portfolios has become inappropriate to the purposes of the Contract, we may, with approval of the SEC (and any other regulatory agency, if required) combine two or more accounts or substitute another portfolio for existing and future investments. If you elected the dollar cost averaging, systematic withdrawals, or automatic rebalancing programs or if you have other outstanding instructions and we substitute or otherwise eliminate a portfolio which is subject to those instructions, we will execute your instructions using the substituted or proposed replacement portfolio unless you request otherwise. The substitute or proposed replacement portfolio may have higher fees and charges than any portfolio it replaces.
Subject to SEC approval, we reserve the right to: (i) deregister Separate Account B under the 1940 Act; (ii) operate Separate Account B as a management company under the 1940 Act if it is operating as a unit investment trust; (iii) operate Separate Account B as a unit investment trust under the 1940 Act if it is operating as a managed separate account; (iv) restrict or eliminate any voting rights as to Separate Account B; and (v) combine Separate Account B with other accounts.
We will provide you with written notice before we make any of these changes.
The Fixed Account The Fixed Account is a segregated asset account which contains the assets that support a contract owner’s Fixed Interest Allocations. See Appendix B and the Fixed Account II prospectus for more information. To obtain a copy of the Fixed Account II prospectus, write to our Customer Service Center at P.O. Box 9271, Des Moines, Iowa 50306-9271 or call (800) 366-0066, or access the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov).
State Variations Contracts issued in your state may provide different features and benefits from, and impose different costs than those described in this prospectus. This prospectus provides a general description of the Contract, so please see yourContract, any endorsements and ridersfor thedetails.
Other Contracts We and our affiliates offer various other products with different features and terms than the Contracts, and that may offer some or all of the same investment portfolios. These products have different benefits, fees and charges, and may or may not better match your needs. You should be aware that there are alternative options available, and, if you are interested in learning more about these other products, contact our Customer Service Center or your registered representative. Also, broker/dealers selling the Contract may limit its availability or the availability of an optional feature (for example, by imposing restrictions on eligibility), or decline to make an optional feature available. Please talk to your registered representative for further details. |
1) | If your Required Minimum Distribution for a calendar year (determined on a date on or before January 31 of that year), applicable to this Contract, is greater than the Maximum Annual Withdrawal on that date, an Additional Withdrawal Amount will be set equal to that portion of the Required Minimum Distribution that exceeds the Maximum Annual Withdrawal. |
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2) | You may withdraw the Additional Withdrawal Amount from this Contract without it being deemed an excess withdrawal. |
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3) | Any withdrawals taken in a Contract year will count first against the Maximum Annual Withdrawal for that Contract year. |
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4) | Once the Maximum Annual Withdrawal for the then current Contract year has been taken, additional amounts withdrawn in excess of the Maximum Annual Withdrawal will count first against and reduce any unused Additional Withdrawal Amount for the previous calendar year followed by any Additional Withdrawal Amount for the current calendar year. |
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5) | Withdrawals that exceed all available Additional Withdrawal Amounts are excess withdrawals and will reduce the Maximum Annual Withdrawal on a pro-rata basis, as described above. |
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6) | The Additional Withdrawal Amount is reset to zero at the end of the second calendar year from which it was originally calculated. |
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7) | If the Contract is still in the Growth Phase on the date the Additional Withdrawal Amount is determined, but enters the Withdrawal Phase later during that calendar year, the Additional Withdrawal Amount will be equal to the amount in excess of the Maximum Annual Withdrawal necessary to satisfy the Required Minimum Distribution for that year (if any). |
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which time both the rider and the Contract will terminate. The rider will remain in Lifetime Automatic Periodic Benefit Status until it terminates without value upon the annuitant’s death.
The periodic payments will begin on the last day of the first full Contract year following the date the rider enters Lifetime Automatic Periodic Benefit Status and will continue to be paid annually thereafter. If, at the time the rider enters Lifetime Automatic Periodic Benefit Status, you are receiving systematic withdrawals under the Contract more frequently than annually, the periodic payments will be made at the same frequency in equal amounts such that the sum of the payments in each Contract year will equal the annual Maximum Annual Withdrawal. Such payments will be made on the same payment dates as previously set up, if the payments were being made monthly or quarterly. If the payments were being made semi-annually or annually, the payments will be made at the end of the half-Contract year or Contract year, as applicable.
ING LifePay Plus Reset.Once the Lifetime Guaranteed Withdrawal Status begins and the Maximum Annual Withdrawal has been determined, on each quarterly contract anniversary we will increase (or “reset”) the ING LifePay Plus Base to the current Contract value, if the Contract value is higher. The Maximum Annual Withdrawal will also be recalculated, and the remaining portion of the new Maximum Annual Withdrawal will be available for withdrawal immediately. This reset ONLY occurs when the rider is in Lifetime Guaranteed Withdrawal Status, and is automatic.
We reserve the right to change the charge for this rider with a reset. In this event, you will receive prior notice, of not less than 30 days, which explains the change, its impact to you and your options. You may decline this change (and the reset). However, this action will apply to all future resets and cannot be reversed.
Investment Option Restrictions.While the ING LifePay Plus rider is in effect, there are limits on the portfolios to which your Contract value may be allocated. Contract value allocated to portfolios other than Accepted Funds will be rebalanced so as to maintain at least 20% of such Contract value in the Fixed Allocation Funds. See “Fixed Allocation Funds Automatic Rebalancing,” below.
Accepted Funds. Currently, Accepted Funds are:ING Franklin Templeton Founding Strategy Portfolio; ING LifeStyle Moderate Portfolio; ING LifeStyle Moderate Growth Portfolio; ING LifeStyle Growth Portfolio; ING T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Portfolio; ING Van Kampen Equity and Income Portfolio;ING WisdomTreeSM Global High-Yielding Equity Index Portfolio; ING Liquid Assets Portfolio; and Fixed Account II. We may change these designations at any time upon 30 days notice to you. If a change is made, the change will apply to Contract value allocated to such portfolios after the date of the change.
Fixed Allocation Funds. TheING American Funds Bond Portfolio, theING VP Intermediate Bond Portfolio and the ING PIMCO Core Bond Portfolio are designated as the Fixed Allocation Funds. You may allocate your contract value to one or both Fixed Allocation Funds. We consider the ING VP Intermediate Bond Portfolio to be the default Fixed Allocation Fund with Fixed Allocation Funds Automatic Rebalancing.
If the rider is not continued under the spousal continuation right when available, the Fixed Allocation Fund may be reclassified as a Special Fund as of the Contract continuation date if it would otherwise be designated as a Special Fund for purposes of the Contract’s death benefits. For purposes of calculating any applicable death benefit guaranteed under the Contract, any allocation of Contract value to the Fixed Allocation Funds will be considered a Covered Fund allocation while the rider is in effect.
Other Funds. All portfolios available under the Contract other than Accepted Funds or the Fixed Allocation Funds are considered Other Funds.
Fixed Allocation Funds Automatic Rebalancing.If the Contract value in the Fixed Allocation Funds is less than 20% of the total Contract value allocated to the Fixed Allocation Funds and Other Funds on any ING LifePay Plus Rebalancing Date, we will automatically rebalance the Contract value allocated to the Fixed Allocation Funds and Other Funds so that 20% of this amount is allocated to the Fixed Allocation Funds. Accepted Funds are excluded from Fixed Allocation Funds Automatic Rebalancing. Any rebalancing is done |
1) | The rider will continue in the Growth Phase; |
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2) | On the date the rider is continued, the ING LifePay Plus Base will be reset to equal the greater of the ING LifePay Plus Base and the then current Contract value; |
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3) | The ING LifePay Plus charges will restart and be the same as were in effect prior to the claim date; |
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4) | Ratchets, which stop on the claim date, are restarted, effective on the date the rider is continued; |
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5) | Any remaining step-ups will be available, and if the rider is continued before an annual contract anniversary when a step-up would have been available, then that step-up will be available; |
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6) | The Maximum Annual Withdrawal percentage will be determined as of the date of the first withdrawal, whenever it occurs, and will be based on the spouse’s age on that date; and |
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7) | The rider’s Standard Withdrawal Benefit will be available until the quarterly contract anniversary on or after the spouse is age 59 ½. |
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Surrender Charges.If you elect the ING LifePay Plus rider, your withdrawals will be subject to surrender charges if they exceed the free withdrawal amount. However, once your Contract value is zero, the periodic payments under the ING LifePay Plus rider are not subject to surrender charges.
Loans.No loans are permitted on Contracts with the ING LifePay Plus rider.
Taxation.For more information about the tax treatment of amounts paid to you under the ING LifePay Plus Rider, see “Federal Tax Considerations – Tax Consequences of Living Benefits and Death Benefit.”
ING Joint LifePay Plus Minimum Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit (“ING Joint LifePay Plus”) Rider.The ING Joint LifePay Plus rider generally provides, subject to the restrictions and limitations below, that we will guarantee a minimum level of annual withdrawals from the Contract for the lifetime of both you and your spouse, even if these withdrawals deplete your contract value to zero. You may wish to purchase this rider if you are married and are concerned that you and your spouse may outlive your income.
Purchase. The ING Joint LifePay Plus rider is only available for purchase by individuals who are married at the time of purchase and eligible to elect spousal continuation (as defined by the Tax Code) when the death benefit becomes payable. We refer to these individuals as spouses. Certain ownership, annuitant, and beneficiary designations are required in order to purchase the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider. See “Ownership, Annuitant, and Beneficiary Requirements,” below.
The maximum issue age is 80. Both spouses must meet these issue age requirements on the contract anniversary on which the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider is effective. The issue age is the age of the owners on the Contract anniversary on which the rider is effective. Some broker dealers may limit the maximum issue age to ages younger than age 80, but in no event lower than age 55. We reserve the right to change the minimum or maximum issue ages on a nondiscriminatory basis. The ING Joint LifePay Plus rider will not be issued if the initial allocation to investment options is not in accordance with the investment option restrictions described in “Investment Option Restrictions,” below. The Company in its discretion may allow the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider to be elected after a contract has been issued without it, subject to certain conditions. Please contact our Customer Service Center for more information. Such election must be received in good order, including owner, annuitant, and beneficiary designations and compliance with the investment restrictions described below. The ING Joint LifePay Plus rider will be effective as of the following quarterly contract anniversary.
Ownership, Annuitant, and Beneficiary Designation Requirements.Certain ownership, annuitant, and beneficiary designations are required in order to purchase the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider. These designations depend upon whether the contract is issued as a nonqualified contract, an IRA or a custodial IRA. In all cases, the ownership, annuitant, and beneficiary designations must allow for the surviving spouse to continue the contract when the death benefit becomes payable, as provided by the Tax Code. Non-natural, custodial owners are only allowed with IRAs (“custodial IRAs”). Joint annuitants are not allowed. The necessary ownership, annuitant, and/or beneficiary designations are described below. Applications that do not meet the requirements below will be rejected. We reserve the right to verify the date of birth and social security number of both spouses.
Nonqualified Contracts.For a jointly owned contract, the owners must be spouses, and the annuitant must be one of the owners. For a contract with only one owner, the owner’s spouse must be the sole primary beneficiary, and the annuitant must be one of the spouses.
IRAs.There may only be one owner, who must also be the annuitant. The owner’s spouse must be the sole primary beneficiary.
Custodial IRAs.While we do not maintain individual owner and beneficiary designations for IRAs held by an outside custodian, the ownership and beneficiary designations with the custodian must comply with the requirements listed in “IRAs,” above. The annuitant must be the same as the beneficial owner of the custodial IRA. We require the custodian to provide us the name and date of birth of both the owner and the owner’s spouse. |
During Lifetime Automatic Periodic Benefit Status, we will pay you periodic payments in an annual amount that is equal to the Maximum Annual Withdrawal. The time period for which we will make these payments will depend upon whether one or two spouses are active under the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider at the time this status begins. If both spouses are active under the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider, these payments will cease upon the death of the second spouse, at which time both the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider and the contract will terminate without further value. If only one spouse is active under the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider, the payments will cease upon the death of the active spouse, at which time both the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider and the contract will terminate without value.
If the Maximum Annual Withdrawal exceeds the net withdrawals taken the contract year when the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider enters Lifetime Automatic Periodic Benefit Status (including the withdrawal that results in the contract value decreasing to zero), that difference will be paid immediately to the contract owner. The periodic payments will begin on the last day of the first full contract year following the date the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider enters Lifetime Automatic Periodic Benefit Status and will continue to be paid annually thereafter.
You may elect to receive systematic withdrawals pursuant to the terms of the contract. Under a systematic withdrawal, either a fixed amount or an amount based upon a percentage of the contract value will be withdrawn from your contract and paid to you on a scheduled basis, either monthly, quarterly or annually. If, at the time the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider enters Lifetime Automatic Periodic Benefit Status, you are receiving systematic withdrawals under the contract more frequently than annually, the periodic payments will be made at the same frequency in equal amounts such that the sum of the payments in each contract year will equal the annual Maximum Annual Withdrawal. Such payments will be made on the same payment dates as previously set up, if the payments were being made monthly or quarterly. If the payments were being made semi-annually or annually, the payments will be made at the end of the half-contract year or contract year, as applicable.
ING Joint LifePay Plus Reset.Once the Lifetime Guaranteed Withdrawal Status begins and the Maximum Annual Withdrawal has been determined, on each quarterly contract anniversary we will increase (or “reset”) the ING Joint LifePay Plus Base to the current Contract value, if the Contract value is higher. The Maximum Annual Withdrawal will also be recalculated, and the remaining portion of the new Maximum Annual Withdrawal will be available for withdrawal immediately. This reset ONLY occurs when the rider is in Lifetime Guaranteed Withdrawal Status, and is automatic.
We reserve the right to change the charge for this rider with a reset. In this event, you will receive prior notice, of not less than 30 days, which explains the change, its impact to you and your options. You may decline this change (and the reset). However, this action will apply to all future resets and cannot be reversed.
Investment Option Restrictions.In order to mitigate the insurance risk inherent in our guarantee to provide you and your spouse with lifetime payments (subject to the terms and restrictions of the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider), we require that your contract value be allocated in accordance with certain limitations. In general, to the extent that you choose not to invest in the Accepted Funds, we require that 20% of the amount not so invested be invested in the Fixed Allocation Funds. We will require this allocation regardless of your investment instructions to the contract, as described below.
While the ING Joint LifePay Plus rider is in effect, there are limits on the portfolios to which your contract value may be allocated. Contract value allocated to portfolios other than Accepted Funds will be rebalanced so as to maintain at least 20% of such contract value in the Fixed Allocation Funds. See “Fixed Allocation Funds Automatic Rebalancing,” below. |
1) | spousal continuation by an active spouse, as described above; |
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2) | change of owner from one custodian to another custodian for the benefit of the same individual; |
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3) | change of owner from a custodian for the benefit of an individual to the same individual (in order to avoid the owner’s spouse from being designated inactive, the owner’s spouse must be named sole beneficiary under the contract); |
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4) | change of owner from an individual to a custodian for the benefit of the same individual; |
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5) | collateral assignments; |
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6) | for nonqualified contracts only, the addition of a joint owner, provided that the additional joint owner is the original owner’s spouse and is active when added as joint owner; |
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7) | for nonqualified contracts, removal of a joint owner, provided the removed joint owner is active and becomes the primary contract beneficiary; and |
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8) | change of owner where the owner becomes the sole primary beneficiary and the sole primary beneficiary becomes the owner if both were active spouses at the time of the change. |
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stating that their Electronic Trading Privileges have been suspended for a period of six months. Consequently, all fund transfers or reallocations, not just those which involve the fund whose shares were involved in the activity that violated our Excessive Trading Policy, will then have to be initiated by providing written instructions to us via regular U.S. mail. Suspension of Electronic Trading Privileges may also extend to products other than the product through which the Excessive Trading activity occurred. During the six month suspension period, electronic “inquiry only” privileges will be permitted where and when possible. A copy of the letter restricting future transfer and reallocation activity to regular U.S. mail and details of the individual’s or entity’s trading activity may also be sent, as applicable, to the person(s) or entity authorized to initiate fund transfers or reallocations, the agent/registered representative or investment adviser for that individual or entity and the fund whose shares were involved in the activity that violated our Excessive Trading Policy.
Following the six month suspension period during which no additional violations of our Excessive Trading Policy are identified, Electronic Trading Privileges may again be restored. We will continue to monitor the fund transfer and reallocation activity, and any future violations of our Excessive Trading Policy will result in an indefinite suspension of Electronic Trading Privileges. A violation of our Excessive Trading Policy during the six month suspension period will also result in an indefinite suspension of Electronic Trading Privileges.
We reserve the right to suspend Electronic Trading Privileges with respect to any individual or entity, with or without prior notice, if we determine, in our sole discretion, that the individual’s or entity’s trading activity is disruptive or not in the best interests of other owners of our variable insurance products, regardless of whether the individual’s or entity’s trading activity falls within the definition of Excessive Trading set forth above.
Our failure to send or an individual’s or entity’s failure to receive any warning letter or other notice contemplated under our Excessive Trading Policy will not prevent us from suspending that individual’s or entity’s Electronic Trading Privileges or taking any other action provided for in our Excessive Trading Policy.
We do not allow exceptions to our Excessive Trading Policy. We reserve the right to modify our Excessive Trading Policy, or the policy as it relates to a particular fund, at any time without prior notice, depending on, among other factors, the needs of the underlying fund(s), the best interests of contract owners and fund investors and/or state or federal regulatory requirements. If we modify our policy, it will be applied uniformly to all contract owners or, as applicable, to all contract owners investing in the underlying fund.
Our Excessive Trading Policy may not be completely successful in preventing market timing or excessive trading activity. If it is not completely successful, fund performance and management may be adversely affected, as noted above.
Limits Imposed by the Funds. Each underlying fund available through the variable insurance and retirement products offered by us and/or the other members of the ING family of insurance companies, either by prospectus or stated contract, has adopted or may adopt its own excessive/frequent trading policy, and orders for the purchase of fund shares are subject to acceptance or rejection by the underlying fund. We reserve the right, without prior notice, to implement fund purchase restrictions and/or limitations on an individual or entity that the fund has identified as violating its excessive/frequent trading policy and to reject any allocation or transfer request to a subaccount if the corresponding fund will not accept the allocation or transfer for any reason. All such restrictions and/or limitations (which may include, but are not limited to, suspension of Electronic Trading Privileges and/or blocking of future purchases of a fund or all funds within a fund family) will be done in accordance with the directions we receive from the fund.
Agreements to Share Information with Fund Companies.As required by Rule 22c-2 under the 1940 Act, we have entered into information sharing agreements with each of the fund companies whose funds are offered through the contract. Contract owner trading information is shared under these agreements as necessary for the fund companies to monitor fund trading and our implementation of our Excessive Trading Policy. Under these agreements, the company is required to share information regarding contract owner transactions, including but not limited to information regarding fund transfers initiated by you. In addition to information about contract owner transactions, this information may include personal contract owner information, including names and social security numbers or other tax identification numbers. |
As a result of this information sharing, a fund company may direct us to restrict a contract owner’s transactions if the fund determines that the contract owner has violated the fund’s excessive/frequent trading policy. This could include the fund directing us to reject any allocations of premium or contract value to the fund or all funds within the fund family.
Dollar Cost Averaging You may elect to participate in our dollar cost averaging program (“DCA”) if you have at least $1,200 of contract value in (i) the ING Liquid Assets Portfolio, or (ii) a Fixed Interest Allocation with either a 6-month or a 1-year guaranteed interest period (subject to availability). These subaccounts or Fixed Interest Allocations serve as the source accounts from which we will, on a monthly basis, automatically transfer a set dollar amount of money to other subaccounts selected by you. We also may offer DCA Fixed Interest Allocations, which are 6-month and 1- year Fixed Interest Allocations available exclusively for use with the dollar cost averaging program. The DCA Fixed Interest Allocations require a minimum premium payment of $1,200 directed into a DCA Fixed Interest Allocation. A Fixed Interest Allocation or DCA Fixed Interest Allocation may not participate in the dollar cost averaging program and in systematic withdrawals at the same time. There is no additional charge for this feature.
The dollar cost averaging program is designed to lessen the impact of market fluctuation on your investment. Since we transfer the same dollar amount to other subaccounts each month, more units of a subaccount are purchased if the value of its unit is low and fewer units are purchased if the value of its unit is high. Therefore, a lower than average value per unit may be achieved over the long term. However, we cannot guarantee this. When you elect the dollar cost averaging program, you are continuously investing in securities regardless of fluctuating price levels. You should consider your tolerance for investing through periods of fluctuating price levels.
Unless you have a DCA Fixed Interest Allocation, you elect the dollar amount you want transferred under this program. Each monthly transfer must be at least $100. If your source account is the ING Liquid Assets Portfolio or a 1-year Fixed Interest Allocation, the maximum amount that can be transferred each month is your contract value in such source account divided by 12. If your source account is a 6-month Fixed Interest Allocation, the maximum amount that can be transferred each month is your contract value in such source account divided by 6. You may change the transfer amount once each contract year. If you have a DCA Fixed Interest Allocation, there is no minimum or maximum transfer amount. We will transfer all your money allocated to that source account into the subaccount(s) in equal payments over the selected 6-month or 1-year period. The last payment will include earnings accrued over the course of the selected period. If you make an additional premium payment into a Fixed Interest Allocation subject to dollar cost averaging, the amount of your transfers under the dollar cost averaging program remains the same, unless you instruct us to increase the transfer amount.
If we receive a transfer request that violates the reallocation limitations under the Contract, we will inform your financial representative or you that we cannot process the transfer and that new instructions are required. Transfers under the DCA program must be in compliance with the investment restrictions for the living benefit riders. If you set up DCA transfers that are not in compliance with such restrictions, the fixed allocation funds automatic rebalancing feature of those living benefit riders will automatically rebalance the amounts to bring them into compliance.
Transfers from a Fixed Interest Allocation or a DCA Fixed Interest Allocation under the dollar cost averaging program are not subject to a Market Value Adjustment. However, if you terminate the dollar cost averaging program for a DCA Fixed Interest Allocation and there is money remaining in the DCA Fixed Interest Allocation, we will transfer the remaining money to the ING Liquid Assets Portfolio. Such transfer will trigger a Market Value Adjustment if the transfer is made more than 30 days before the maturity date of the DCA Fixed Interest Allocation.
If you do not specify to which subaccounts you want to transfer the dollar amount of the source account, we will transfer the money to the subaccounts in which you are invested on a proportional basis. The transfer date is the same day each month as your contract date. If, on any transfer date, your contract value in a source account is equal to or less than the amount you have elected to have transferred, the entire amount will be transferred and the program will end. You may terminate the dollar cost averaging program at any time by sending satisfactory notice to our Customer Service Center at least 7 days before the next transfer date.
You are permitted to transfer contract value to a Restricted Fund, subject to the limitations described above in this |
death benefit subject to the required distribution rules of the Tax Code apply. See next section, “Required Distributions upon Contract Owner’s Death.”
If the guaranteed death benefit as of the date we receive due proof of death, minus the contract value also on that date, is greater than zero, we will add such difference to the contract value. Such addition will be allocated to the variable subaccounts in proportion to the contract value in the subaccounts, unless we are directed otherwise. If there is no contract value in any subaccount, the addition will be allocated to the ING Liquid Assets Portfolio, or its successor. Such addition to contract value will not affect the guaranteed death benefit. If the guaranteed death benefit is less than or equal to the contract value, the contract value will not change.
The death benefit terminates upon continuation. If elected, any optional living benefit rider also terminates upon continuation. At subsequent surrender, any surrender charge applicable to premium payments paid prior to the date we receive due proof of death of the contract owner will be waived. No additional premium payments may be made.
Required Distributions Upon Contract Owner’s Death We will not allow any payment of benefits provided under a non-qualified Contract which does not satisfy the requirements of Section 72(s) of the Tax Code.
If any contract owner of a non-qualified contract dies before the annuity start date, we will distribute the death benefit payable to the beneficiary as follows: (a) the death benefit must be completely distributed within 5 years of the contract owner’s date of death; or (b) the beneficiary may elect, within the 1-year period after the contract owner’s date of death, to receive the death benefit in the form of an annuity from us, provided that (i) such annuity is distributed in substantially equal installments over the life of such beneficiary or over a period not extending beyond the life expectancy of such beneficiary; and (ii) such distributions begin not later than 1 year after the contract owner’s date of death.
Notwithstanding (a) and (b) above, if the sole contract owner’s beneficiary is the deceased owner’s surviving spouse, then such spouse may elect to continue the Contract under the same terms as before the contract owner’s death. Upon receipt of such election from the spouse at our Customer Service Center: (i) all rights of the spouse as contract owner’s beneficiary under the Contract in effect prior to such election will cease; (ii) the spouse will become the owner of the Contract and will also be treated as the contingent annuitant, if none has been named and only if the deceased owner was the annuitant; and (iii) all rights and privileges granted by the Contract or allowed by ING USA will belong to the spouse as contract owner of the Contract. We deem the spouse to have made this election if such spouse makes a premium payment to the Contract or fails to make a timely election as described in this paragraph. If the owner’s beneficiary is a not a spouse, the distribution provisions described in subparagraphs (a) and (b) above, will apply even if the annuitant and/or contingent annuitant are alive at the time of the contract owner’s death.
Subject to availability, and our then current rules, a spousal or non-spousal beneficiary may elect to receive death benefits as payments over the life expectancy of the beneficiary (“stretch”). “Stretch” payments will be subject to the same limitations as systematic withdrawals, and non-qualified “stretch” payments will be reported on the same basis as other systematic withdrawals.
If we do not receive an election from an owner’s beneficiary who is not a spouse within the 1-year period after the contract owner’s date of death, then we will pay the death benefit to the owner’s beneficiary in a cash payment within five years from the date of death. We will determine the death benefit as of the date we receive proof of death. Such cash payment will be in full settlement of all our liability under the Contract.
If a contract owner dies after the annuity start date, all of the contract owner’s rights granted under the Contract or allowed by us will pass to the contract owner’s beneficiary.
If a contract has joint owners we will consider the date of death of the first joint owner as the death of the contract owner and the surviving joint owner will become the beneficiary of the Contract. If any contract owner is not an individual, the death of an annuitant shall be treated as the death of a contract owner. |
Lifetime Annuity Options | | |
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Life Income— | | Length of Payments:For as long as either annuitant lives. It is possible that only one |
Two Lives | | payment will be made if both annuitants die before the second payment’s due date. |
Continuing Payments:When you select this option you choose for: |
| | a) | | 100%, 66 2/3% or 50% of the payment to continue to the surviving annuitant after |
| | | | the first death; or |
| | b) | | 100% of the payment to continue to the annuitant on the second annuitant’s death, |
| | | | and 50% of the payment to continue to the second annuitant on the annuitant’s |
| | | | death. |
| | Death Benefit—None:All payments end upon the death of both annuitants. |
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Life Income— | | Length of Payments:For as long as either annuitant lives, with payments guaranteed from |
Two Lives— | | 5 to 30 years or as otherwise specified in the contract. |
Guaranteed | | Continuing Payments:100% of the payment to continue to the surviving annuitant after |
Payments | | the first death. |
| | Death Benefit—Payment to the Beneficiary:If both annuitants die before we have made |
| | all the guaranteed payments, we will continue to pay the beneficiary the remaining |
| | payments. |
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Life Income— Cash | | Length of Payments:For as long as the annuitant lives. |
Refund Option | | Death Benefit—Payment to the Beneficiary:Following the annuitant’s death, we will |
(limited | | pay a lump sum payment equal to the amount originally applied to the annuity option (less |
availability—fixed | | any applicable premium tax) and less the total amount of annuity payments paid. |
payments only) | | | | |
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Life Income—Two | | Length of Payments:For as long as either annuitant lives. |
Lives—Cash Refund | | Continuing Payments:100% of the payment to continue after the first death. |
Option (limited | | | | |
availability—fixed | | Death Benefit—Payment to the Beneficiary:When both annuitants die we will pay a |
payments only) | | lump-sum payment equal to the amount applied to the annuity option (less any applicable |
premium tax) and less the total amount of income payments paid. |
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Nonlifetime Annuity Payment Option |
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Nonlifetime— | | Length of Payments:You may select payments for 5 to 30 years. In certain cases a lump- |
Guaranteed | | sum payment may be requested at any time (see below). |
Payments | | Death Benefit—Payment to the Beneficiary:If the annuitant dies before we make all the |
| | guaranteed payments, we will continue to pay the beneficiary the remaining payments. |
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Lump-Sum Payment:If the “Nonlifetime—Guaranteed Payments” option is elected with variable payments, you |
may request at any time that all or a portion of the present value of the remaining payments be paid in one lump |
sum. Any such lump-sum payments will be treated as a withdrawal during the accumulation phase and we will |
charge any applicable surrender charge. Lump-sum payments will be sent within seven calendar days after we |
receive the request for payment in good order at our Customer Service Center. |
· | | Bancnorth Investment Group, Inc. | | · | | ING Financial Markets LLC |
· | | Directed Services LLC | | · | | ING Financial Partners, Inc. |
· | | Financial Network Investment Corporation | | · | | ING Funds Distributor, LLC |
· | | Guaranty Brokerage Services, Inc. | | · | | ING Investment Management Services LLC |
· | | ING America Equities, Inc. | | · | | ING Private Wealth Management LLC |
· | | ING Direct Funds Limited | | · | | Multi-Financial Securities Corporation |
· | | ING DIRECT Securities, Inc. | | · | | PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc. |
· | | ING Financial Advisers, LLC | | · | | Systematized Benefits Administrators, Inc. |
1. | | ING Financial Partners, Inc. | | 14. | | Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. |
2. | | Linsco/Private Ledger Corporation | | 15. | | Wells Fargo Investments, LLC |
3. | | Morgan Stanley DW Inc. | | 16. | | Securities America, Inc. |
4. | | Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. | | 17. | | Banc of America Investment Services Inc. |
5. | | ING Financial Partners, Inc. - CAREER | | 18. | | Woodbury Financial Services Inc. |
6. | | Wachovia Securities Inc. - Bank | | 19. | | Centaurus Financial, Inc. |
7. | | PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc. | | 20. | | MML Investors Services, Inc. |
8. | | A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. | | 21. | | Investors Capital Corporation |
9. | | UBS Financial Services, Inc. | | 22. | | National Planning Corporation |
10. | | Wachovia Securities Inc. | | 23. | | Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. |
11. | | Financial Network Investment Corporation | | 24. | | Citicorp Investment Services |
12. | | Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. | | 25. | | FFP Securities, Inc. |
13. | | Multi-Financial Securities Corporation | | | | |
IRAS and Roth IRAs.The Tax Code does not allow a transfer or assignment of your rights under the contracts except in limited circumstances. Adverse tax consequences may result if you assign or transfer your interest in the contract to persons other than your spouse incident to a divorce. Anyone contemplating such an assignment or transfer should contact a qualified tax adviser regarding the potential tax effects of such a transaction.
Tax Consequences of Living Benefits and Death Benefit
Living Benefits.Except as otherwise noted below, when a withdrawal from a nonqualified contract occurs under the ING LifePay Plus or ING Joint LifePay Plus rider, the amount received will be treated as ordinary income subject to tax up to an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the contract value (unreduced by the amount of any deferred sales charge) immediately before the distribution over the contract owner’s investment in the contract at that time.
Investment in the contract is generally equal to the amount of all contributions to the contract, plus amounts previously included in your gross income as the result of certain loans, assignments, or gifts, less the aggregate amount of non-taxable distributions previously made. For nonqualified contracts, the income on the contract for purposes of calculating the taxable amount of a distribution may be unclear. For example, the living benefits provided under the ING LifePay Plus or ING Joint LifePay Plus rider, as well as the market value adjustment, could increase the contract value that applies. Thus, the income on the contract could be higher than the amount of income that would be determined without regard to such a benefit. As a result, you could have higher amounts of income than will be reported to you. In addition, payments under any guaranteed payment phase of such riders after the contract value has been reduced to zero may be subject to the exclusion ratio rules under Tax Code Section 72(b) for tax purposes.
The tax treatment of partial annuitizations is unclear. We currently treat any partial annuitization, such as those associated with the minimum guaranteed income benefit as withdrawals rather than annuity payments. Please consult your tax adviser before electing a partial annuitization.
Enhanced Death Benefits.The Contract offers a death benefit that may exceed the greater of the premium payments and the contract value. It is possible that the IRS could characterize such a death benefit as an incidental death benefit. There are limitations on the amount of incidental benefits that may be provided under pension and profit sharing plans. In addition, the provision of such benefits may result in currently taxable income to contract owners, and the presence of the death benefit could affect the amount of required minimum distributions. Finally, certain charges are imposed with respect to some of the available death benefits. It is possible those charges (or some portion thereof) could be treated for federal tax purposes as a distribution from the Contract.
Possible Changes in Taxation Although the likelihood of legislative change and tax reform is uncertain, there is always the possibility that the tax treatment of the Contracts could change by legislation or other means. It is also possible that any change could be retroactive (that is, effective before the date of the change). You should consult a tax adviser with respect to legislative developments and their effect on the Contract.
Taxation of Company We are taxed as a life insurance company under the Tax Code. The Separate Account is not a separate entity from us. Therefore, it is not taxed separately as a “regulated investment company,” but is taxed as part of the Company.
We automatically apply investment income and capital gains attributable to the separate account to increase reserves under the contracts. Because of this, under existing federal tax law we believe that any such income and gains will not be taxed to the extent that such income and gains are applied to increase reserves under the contracts. In addition, any foreign tax credits attributable to the separate account will be first used to reduce any income taxes imposed on the separate account before being used by the Company. |
Fund Name and | | |
Investment Adviser/Subadviser | | Investment Objective |
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ING Investors Trust | | |
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7337 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85258 | | |
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ING American Funds Bond Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks to maximize your level of current income and |
| | preserve your capital. The Portfolio’s investment objective |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | is not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder |
| | vote. |
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ING American Funds Growth Portfolio | | Seeks to make your investment grow. The Portfolio’s |
| | investment objective is not fundamental and may be |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | changed without a shareholder vote. |
Investment Adviser to Master Funds:Capital Research | | |
Management Company | | |
Fund Name and | | |
Investment Adviser/Subadviser | | Investment Objective |
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ING American Funds Growth-Income Portfolio | | Seeks to make your investment grow and provide you with |
| | income over time. The Portfolio’s investment objective is |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | not fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder |
Investment Adviser to Master Funds:Capital Research | | vote. |
Management Company | | |
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ING American Funds International Portfolio | | Seeks to make your investment grow over time. The |
| | Portfolio’s investment objective is not fundamental and may |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | be changed without a shareholder vote. |
Investment Adviser to Master Funds:Capital Research | | |
Management Company | | |
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ING FMRSMDiversified Mid Cap Portfolio*(Class S) | | Seeks long-term growth of capital. |
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Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:Fidelity Management & Research | | |
Co. | | |
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* FMRSMis a service mark of Fidelity Management & | | |
Research Company | | |
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ING FMRSMLarge Cap Growth Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks growth of capital over the long term. The Portfolio’s |
(formerly, ING FMRSMEarnings Growth Portfolio) | | investment objective is not fundamental and may be |
| | changed without a shareholder vote. |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:Fidelity Management & Research | | |
Co. | | |
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* FMRSMis a service mark of Fidelity Management & | | |
Research Company | | |
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ING Focus 5 Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks total return through capital appreciation and dividend |
| | income. The Portfolio’s investment objective is not |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder |
Investment Subadviser:ING Investment Management Co. | | vote. |
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ING Franklin Income Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks to maximize income while maintaining prospects for |
| | capital appreciation. The Portfolio’s investment objective is |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | not fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder |
Investment Subadviser:Franklin Advisers, Inc. | | vote. |
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ING Franklin Mutual Shares Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks capital appreciation and secondarily, income. The |
| | Portfolio’s investment objective is not fundamental and may |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | be changed without a shareholder vote. |
Investment Subadviser:Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC | | |
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ING Franklin Templeton Founding Strategy Portfolio | | Seeks capital appreciation and secondarily, income. The |
(Class S) | | Portfolio’s investment objective is not fundamental and may |
| | be changed without a shareholder vote. |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Fund Name and | | |
Investment Adviser/Subadviser | | Investment Objective |
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ING Global Real Estate Portfolio(Class S) | | Anon-diversifiedportfolio that seeks to provide investors |
| | with high total return. The Portfolio’s investment objective |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | is not fundamental and may be changed without a |
Investment Subadviser:ING Clarion Real Estate Securities | | shareholder vote. |
L.P. | | |
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ING Global Resources Portfolio(Class S) | | Anon-diversifiedportfolio that seeks long-term capital |
| | appreciation. |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:ING Investment Management Co. | | |
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ING Global Technology Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks long-term growth of capital. The Portfolio’s |
(formerly, ING Goldman Sachs TollkeeperSMPortfolio) | | investment objective is not fundamental and may be |
| | changed without a shareholder vote. |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:ING Investment Management Co. | | |
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ING International Growth Opportunities Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks long-term growth of capital. |
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Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:ING Investment Management Co. | | |
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ING LifeStyle Aggressive Growth Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks growth of capital. This objective is not fundamental |
| | and may be changed without a shareholder vote. |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | |
Asset Allocation Consultants:Ibbotson Associates and | | |
ING Investment Management Co. | | |
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ING LifeStyle Growth Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks growth of capital and some current income. This |
| | objective is not fundamental and may be changed without a |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | shareholder vote. |
Asset Allocation Consultants:Ibbotson Associates and | | |
ING Investment Management Co. | | |
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ING LifeStyle Moderate Growth Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks growth of capital and a low to moderate level of |
| | current income. This objective is not fundamental and may |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | be changed without a shareholder vote. |
Asset Allocation Consultants:Ibbotson Associates and | | |
ING Investment Management Co. | | |
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ING LifeStyle Moderate Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks growth of capital and current income. This objective |
| | is not fundamental and may be changed without a |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | shareholder vote. |
Asset Allocation Consultants:Ibbotson Associates and | | |
ING Investment Management Co. | | |
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ING Liquid Assets Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks high level of current income consistent with the |
| | preservation of capital and liquidity. |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:ING Investment Management Co. | | |
Fund Name and | | |
Investment Adviser/Subadviser | | Investment Objective |
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ING Oppenheimer Main Street Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks long-term growth of capital and future income. |
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Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:OppenheimerFunds, Inc. | | |
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ING Templeton Global Growth Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks capital appreciation. Current income is only an |
| | incidental consideration. |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:Templeton Global Advisors | | |
Limited | | |
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ING T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks, over the long-term, a high total investment return, |
| | consistent with the preservation of capital and prudent |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | investment risk. |
Investment Subadviser:T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | | |
| |
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ING T. Rowe Price Equity Income Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks substantial dividend income as well as long-term |
| | growth of capital. |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | | |
| |
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ING Van Kampen Capital Growth Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks long-term capital appreciation. |
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Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:Van Kampen | | |
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ING Van Kampen Global Franchise Portfolio(Class S) | | Anon-diversifiedportfolio that seeks long-term capital |
| | appreciation. |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:Van Kampen | | |
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ING Van Kampen Growth and Income Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks long-term growth of capital and income. |
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Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:Van Kampen | | |
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ING Van Kampen Real Estate Portfolio(Class S) | | Anon-diversifiedportfolio that seeks capital appreciation |
| | and secondarily seeks current income. |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:Van Kampen | | |
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ING WisdomTreeSMGlobal High-Yielding Equity | | Seeks investment returns that closely correspond to the price |
Index Portfolio(Class S) | | and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the |
| | WisdomTreeSMGlobal High-Yielding Equity Index |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | (“Index”). The Portfolio’s investment objective is not |
Investment Subadviser:ING Investment Management Co. | | fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder |
| | vote. |
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ING Partners, Inc. | | |
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151 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT 06156-8962 | | |
| |
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Fund Name and | | |
Investment Adviser/Subadviser | | Investment Objective |
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ING Columbia Small Cap Value II Portfolio(Service Class) | | Seeks long-term growth of capital. |
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Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:Columbia Management Advisors, | | |
LLC | | |
| |
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ING Oppenheimer Global Portfolio(Service Class) | | Seeks capital appreciation. |
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Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:OppenheimerFunds, Inc. | | |
| |
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ING Oppenheimer Strategic Income Portfolio | | Seeks a high level of current income principally derived |
(Service Class) | | from interest on debt securities. |
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Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:OppenheimerFunds, Inc. | | |
| |
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ING Templeton Foreign Equity Portfolio(Service Class) | | Seeks long-term capital growth. |
|
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC (formerly ING | | |
Life Insurance and Annuity Company) | | |
Investment Subadviser:Templeton Investment Counsel, | | |
LLC | | |
| |
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ING T. Rowe Price Diversified Mid Cap Growth | | Seeks long-term capital appreciation. |
Portfolio(Service Class) | | |
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Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | | |
| |
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ING T. Rowe Price Growth Equity Portfolio(Service Class) | | Seeks long-term capital growth, and secondarily, increasing |
| | dividend income. |
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | | |
| |
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ING Van Kampen Comstock Portfolio(Service Class) | | Seeks capital growth and income. |
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Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC (formerly, | | |
ING Life Insurance and Annuity Company) | | |
Investment Subadviser:Van Kampen | | |
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ING Van Kampen Equity and Income Portfolio | | Seeks total return, consisting of long term capital |
(Service Class) | | appreciation and current income. |
|
Investment Adviser:Directed Services LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:Van Kampen | | |
| |
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ING Variable Portfolios, Inc. | | |
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7337 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85258 | | |
| |
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Fund Name and | | |
Investment Adviser/Subadviser | | Investment Objective |
| |
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ING VP High Yield Bond Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks to provide investors with a high level of current |
| | income and total return. |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:ING Investment Management Co. | | |
| |
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ING VP Index Plus MidCap Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks to outperform the total return performance of the |
| | Standard & Poor’s MidCap 400 Index (S&P MidCap 400 |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | Index), while maintaining a market level of risk. |
Investment Subadviser:ING Investment Management Co. | | |
| |
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ING VP Index Plus SmallCap Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks to outperform the total return performance of the |
| | Standard & Poor’s SmallCap 600 Index (S&P SmallCap 600 |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | Index), while maintaining a market level of risk. |
Investment Subadviser:ING Investment Management Co. | | |
| |
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ING Variable Products Trust | | |
| |
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7337 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85258 | | |
| |
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ING VP SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks long-term capital appreciation. |
|
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | |
Investment Subadviser:ING Investment Management Co. | | |
| |
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ING VP Intermediate Bond Portfolio | | |
| |
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ING VP Intermediate Bond Portfolio(Class S) | | Seeks to maximize total return consistent with reasonable |
| | risk, through investment in a diversified portfolio consisting |
Investment Adviser:ING Investments, LLC | | primarily of debt securities. |
Investment Subadviser:ING Investment Management Co. | | |
| |
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Fidelity Variable Insurance Products | | |
| |
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82 Devonshire Street, Boston, MA 02109 | | |
| |
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Fidelity VIP Contrafund Portfolio(Service Class 2) | | Seeks long-term capital appreciation. |
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Investment Adviser:Fidelity Management & Research | | |
Company | | |
Investment Subadviser:FMR Co., Inc.; Fidelity Research | | |
& Analysis Company; Fidelity Management & Research | | |
(U.K.) Inc.; Fidelity International Investment Advisors; | | |
Fidelity International Investment Advisors (U.K.) Limited; | | |
Fidelity Investments Japan Limited | | |
| |
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Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio(Service Class 2) | | Seeks reasonable income. Also considers the potential for |
| | capital appreciation. Seeks to achieve a yield which exceeds |
Investment Adviser:Fidelity Management & Research | | the composite yield on the securities comprising the |
Company | | Standard & Poor’s 500®Index (S&P 500®). |
Investment Subadviser:FMR Co., Inc.; Fidelity Research | | |
& Analysis Company; Fidelity Management & Research | | |
(U.K.) Inc.; Fidelity International Investment Advisors; | | |
Fidelity International Investment Advisors (U.K.) Limited; | | |
Fidelity Investments Japan Limited | | |
with new guaranteed interest periods, or to any of the subaccounts of ING USA’s Separate Account B as described in the prospectus on the maturity date of a guaranteed interest period. The minimum amount that you can transfer to or from any Fixed Interest Allocation is $100. Transfers from a Fixed Interest Allocation may be subject to a Market Value Adjustment. If you have a special Fixed Interest Allocation that was offered exclusively with our dollar cost averaging program, canceling dollar cost averaging will cause a transfer of the entire Contract value in such Fixed Interest Allocation to the ING Liquid Assets Portfolio, and such a transfer will be subject to a Market Value Adjustment.
Please be aware that the benefit we pay under certain optional benefit riders will be adjusted by any transfers you make to and from the Fixed Interest Allocations during specified periods while the rider is in effect. See “Optional Riders” in the prospectus.
Withdrawals from a Fixed Interest Allocation During the accumulation phase, you may withdraw a portion of your Contract value in any Fixed Interest Allocation. You may make systematic withdrawals of only the interest earned during the prior month, quarter or year, depending on the frequency chosen, from a Fixed Interest Allocation under our systematic withdrawal option. A withdrawal from a Fixed Interest Allocation may be subject to a Market Value Adjustment and a contract surrender charge. Be aware that withdrawals may have federal income tax consequences, including a 10% penalty tax, as well as state income tax consequences.
Please be aware that the benefit we pay under any of the optional benefit riders will be reduced by any withdrawals you made from the Fixed Interest Allocations during the period while the rider is in effect. See “Optional Riders” in the prospectus.
Market Value Adjustment A Market Value Adjustment may decrease, increase or have no effect on your Contract value. We will apply a Market Value Adjustment (i) whenever you withdraw or transfer money from a Fixed Interest Allocation (unless made within 30 days before the maturity date of the applicable guaranteed interest period, or under the systematic withdrawal or dollar cost averaging program) and (ii) if on the annuity start date a guaranteed interest period for any Fixed Interest Allocation does not end on or within 30 days of the annuity start date.
A Market Value Adjustment may be positive, negative or result in no change. In general, if interest rates are rising, you bear the risk that any Market Value Adjustment will likely be negative and reduce your Contract value. On the other hand, if interest rates are falling, it is more likely that you will receive a positive Market Value Adjustment that increases your Contract value. In the event of a full surrender, transfer or annuitization from a Fixed Interest Allocation, we will add or subtract any Market Value Adjustment from the amount surrendered, transferred or annuitized. In the event of a partial withdrawal, transfer or annuitization, we will add or subtract any Market Value Adjustment from the total amount withdrawn, transferred or annuitized in order to provide the amount requested. If a negative Market Value Adjustment exceeds your Contract value in the Fixed Interest Allocation, we will consider your request to be a full surrender, transfer or annuitization of the Fixed Interest Allocation.
Contract Value in the Fixed Interest Allocations On the contract date, the Contract value in any Fixed Interest Allocation in which you are invested is equal to the portion of the initial premium paid and designated for allocation to the Fixed Interest Allocation. On each business day after the contract date, we calculate the amount of Contract value in each Fixed Interest Allocation as follows: |
The first withdrawal taken during the contract year is $3,000 net, with $500 of surrender charges, and/or MVA charges. The Maximum Annual Withdrawal is not exceeded.
The next withdrawal taken during the contract year is $1,500 net, with $300 of surrender charges, and/or MVA charges. The Maximum Annual Withdrawal is not exceeded because total net withdrawals, $4,500, do not exceed the Maximum Annual Withdrawal, $5,000.
The next withdrawal taken during the contract year is $1,500 net, with $200 of surrender charges, and/or MVA charges. Because total net withdrawals taken, $6,000, exceed the Maximum Annual Withdrawal, $5,000, then there is an adjustment to the Maximum Annual Withdrawal.
Total gross withdrawals during the contract year are $7,000 ($3,000 + $500 + $1,500 + $300 + $1,500 + $200). The adjustment is the lesser of the amount by which the total gross withdrawals for the year exceed the Maximum Annual Withdrawal ($7,000 - $5,000 = $2,000), and the amount of the current gross withdrawal ($1,500 + 200 = $1,700.
If the Account Value before this withdrawal is $50,000, then the Maximum Annual Withdrawal is reduced by 3.40% ($1,700 / $50,000) to $4,830 ((1 - 3.40%) * $5,000). |
The first withdrawal taken during the contract year is $3,000 net, with $0 of surrender charges, and/or MVA charges. The Maximum Annual Withdrawal is not exceeded.
The next withdrawal taken during the contract year is $1,500 net, with $0 of surrender charges, and/or MVA charges. The Maximum Annual Withdrawal is not exceeded because total net withdrawals, $4,500, do not exceed the Maximum Annual Withdrawal, $5,000.
The next withdrawal taken during the contract year is $1,500 net, with $0 of surrender charges, and/or MVA charges. Because total net withdrawals taken, $6,000, exceed the Maximum Annual Withdrawal, $5,000, there is an adjustment to the Maximum Annual Withdrawal.
Total gross withdrawals during the contract year are $6,000 ($3,000 + $1,500 + $1,500). The adjustment is the lesser of the amount by which the total gross withdrawals for the year exceed the Maximum Annual Withdrawal, $1,000, and the amount of the current gross withdrawal, $1,500.
If the Account Value after the part of the gross withdrawal that was within the Maximum Annual Withdrawal, $500, is $49,500, then the Maximum Annual Withdrawal is reduced by 2.02% ($1,000 / $49,500) to $4,899 ((1 - 2.02%) |
Illustration 3: A withdrawal exceeds the Maximum Annual Withdrawal amount but does not exceed the Additional Withdrawal Amount.
Assume the Maximum Annual Withdrawal is $5,000. The Required Minimum Distribution for the current calendar year applicable to this contract is determined to be $6,000. The Additional Withdrawal Amount is set equal to the excess of this amount above the Maximum Annual Withdrawal, $1,000 ($6,000 - $5,000).
The first withdrawal taken during the contract year is $3,000 net, with $0 of surrender charges, and/or MVA charges. The Maximum Annual Withdrawal is not exceeded.
The next withdrawal taken during the contract year is $1,500 net, with $0 of surrender charges, and/or MVA charges. The Maximum Annual Withdrawal is not exceeded because total net withdrawals, $4,500, do not exceed the Maximum Annual Withdrawal, $5,000.
The next withdrawal taken during the contract year is $1,500 net, with $0 of surrender charges, and/or MVA charges. Total net withdrawals taken, $6,000, exceed the Maximum Annual Withdrawal, $5,000, however, the Maximum Annual Withdrawal is not adjusted until the Additional Withdrawal Amount is exhausted. The amount by which total net withdrawals taken exceed the Maximum Annual Withdrawal, $1,000 ($6,000 - $5,000), is the same as the Additional Withdrawal Amount, so no adjustment to the Maximum Annual Withdrawal is made. If total net withdrawals taken had exceeded the sum of the Maximum Annual Withdrawal and the Additional Withdrawal Amount, then an adjustment would be made to the Maximum Annual Withdrawal. |
Introduction This Statement of Additional Information provides background information regarding Separate Account B.
Description of ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Company ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Company (“ING USA”) is an Iowa stock life insurance company, which was originally incorporated in Minnesota on January 2, 1973. ING USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lion Connecticut Holdings Inc. (“Lion Connecticut”), which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of ING Groep N.V. (“ING”), a global financial services holding company based in The Netherlands. ING USA is authorized to sell insurance and annuities in all states, except New York and the District of Columbia. ING USA’s financial statements appear in the Statement of Additional Information.
As of December 31, 2006, ING USA had approximately $2,989.1 million in stockholder’s equity and approximately $69,677.6 billion in total assets, including approximately $37,928.3 billion of separate account assets. ING USA is authorized to do business in all jurisdictions except New York. ING USA offers variable insurance products. ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York (“RLNY”), an affiliate of ING USA, is licensed to do variable annuity business in the state of New York.
Separate Account B of ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Company Separate Account B is a separate account established by the Company for the purpose of funding variable annuity contracts issued by the Company. The separate account is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as a unit investment trust under the Investment Company act of 1940, as amended. Purchase payments to accounts under the contract may be allocated to one or more of the subaccounts. Each subaccount invests in the shares of only one of the funds offered under the contracts. We may make additions to, deletions from or substitutions of available investment options as permitted by law and subject to the conditions of the contract. The availability of the funds is subject to applicable regulatory authorization. Not all funds are available in all jurisdictions or under all contracts.
Safekeeping of Assets ING USA acts as its own custodian for Separate Account B.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Ernst & Young LLP, Suite 1000, 55 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard, Atlanta GA 30308, an Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, perform annual audits of ING USA and Separate Account B.
Distribution of Contracts The offering of contracts under the prospectus associated with this Statement of Additional Information is continuous. Directed Services LLC, an affiliate of ING USA, acts as the principal underwriter (as defined in the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) of the variable insurance products (the “variable insurance products”) issued by ING USA. The contracts are distributed through registered representatives of other broker-dealers who have entered into selling agreements with Directed Services LLC. For the years ended 2006, 2005 and 2004 commissions paid by ING USA, including amounts paid by its affiliated Company, RLNY, to Directed Services LLC aggregated $429,206,095, $378,135,000 and $374,955,000, respectively. All commissions received by the distributor were passed through to the broker-dealers who sold the contracts. Directed Services LLC is located at 1475 Dunwoody Drive, West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380-1478. |
Under a management services agreement, last amended in 1995, ING USA provides to Directed Services LLC certain of its personnel to perform management, administrative and clerical services and the use of certain facilities. ING USA charges Directed Services LLC for such expenses and all other general and administrative costs, first on the basis of direct charges when identifiable, and the remainder allocated based on the estimated amount of time spent by ING USA’s employees on behalf of Directed Services LLC. In the opinion of management, this method of cost allocation is reasonable. This fee, calculated as a percentage of average assets in the variable separate accounts, was $70,763,649, $42,969,000 and $36,570,000, for the years ended 2006, 2005, and 2004, respectively.
Published Ratings From time to time, the rating of ING USA as an insurance company by A.M. Best may be referred to in advertisements or in reports to contract owners. Each year the A.M. Best Company reviews the financial status of thousands of insurers, culminating in the assignment of Best’s Ratings. These ratings reflect their current opinion of the relative financial strength and operating performance of an insurance company in comparison to the norms of the life/health insurance industry. Best’s ratings range from A+ + to F. An A++ and A+ ratings mean, in the opinion of A.M. Best, that the insurer has demonstrated the strongest ability to meet its respective policyholder and other contractual obligations.
Accumulation Unit Value The calculation of the Accumulation Unit Value (“AUV”) is discussed in the prospectus for the Contracts under Condensed Financial Information. Note that in your Contract, accumulation unit value is referred to as the Index of Investment Experience. The following illustrations show a calculation of a new AUV and the purchase of Units (using hypothetical examples). Note that the examples below do not reflect the mortality and expense risk charge for this product and are for illustration purposes only. For AUV’s calculated for this Contract, please see the Condensed Financial Information in the prospectus. |
Performance Information From time to time, we may advertise or include in reports to contract owner’s performance information for the subaccounts of Separate Account B, including the average annual total return performance, yields and other nonstandard measures of performance. Such performance data will be computed, or accompanied by performance data computed, in accordance with standards defined by the SEC.
Except for the Liquid Assets subaccount, quotations of yield for the subaccounts will be based on all investment income per unit (contract value divided by the accumulation unit) earned during a given 30- day period, less expenses accrued during such period. Information on standard total average annual return performance will include average annual rates of total return for 1-, 5- and 10-year periods, or lesser periods depending on how long Separate Account B has been investing in the portfolio. We may show other total returns for periods of less than one year. We will base total return figures on the actual historic performance of the subaccounts of Separate Account B, assuming an investment at the beginning of the period when the separate account first invested in the portfolios, and withdrawal of the investment at the end of the period, adjusted to reflect the deduction of all applicable portfolio and current contract charges. We may also show rates of total return on amounts invested at the beginning of the period with no withdrawal at the end of the period. Total return figures which assume no withdrawals at the end of the period will reflect all recurring charges. In addition, we may present historic performance data for the investment portfolios since their inception reduced by some or all of the fees and charges under the Contract. Such adjusted historic performance includes data that precedes the inception dates of the subaccounts of Separate Account B. This data is designed to show the performance that would have resulted if the Contract had been in existence before the separate account began investing in the portfolios.
Current yield for the Liquid Assets subaccount is based on income received by a hypothetical investment over a given 7-day period, less expenses accrued, and then “annualized” (i.e., assuming that the 7-day yield would be received for 52 weeks). We calculate “effective yield” for the Liquid Assets subaccount in a manner similar to that used to calculate yield, but when annualized, the income earned by the investment is assumed to be reinvested. The “effective yield” will thus be slightly higher than the “yield” because of the compounding effect of earnings. We calculate quotations of yield for the remaining subaccounts on all investment income per accumulation unit earned during a given 30-day period, after subtracting fees and expenses accrued during the period, assuming the selection of the Option Package III death benefit and the ING Joint LifePay Plus MGWB optional benefit rider.You should be aware that there is no guarantee that the Liquid Assets Subaccount will have a positive or level return.
We may compare performance information for a subaccount to: (i) the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index, Dow Jones Industrial Average, Donoghue Money Market Institutional Averages, or any other applicable market indices, (ii) other variable annuity separate accounts or other investment products tracked by Lipper Analytical Services (a widely used independent research firm which ranks mutual funds and other investment companies), or any other rating service, and (iii) the Consumer Price Index (measure for inflation) to determine the real rate of return of an investment in the Contract. Our reports and promotional literature may also contain other information including the ranking of any subaccount based on rankings of variable annuity separate accounts or other investment products tracked by Lipper Analytical Services or by similar rating services.
Performance information reflects only the performance of a hypothetical contract and should be considered in light of other factors, including the investment objective of the investment portfolio and market conditions. Please keep in mind that past performance is not a guarantee of future results. |