AXA Equitable Helps Americans Prepare for a Long ...( New 200% Benefit Base Guarantee Av...),Health

New 200% Benefit Base Guarantee Available with Accumulator(R) Variable

Annuity

NEW YORK, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Acknowledging that Americans are living longer than ever in retirement, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company is offering a new way to help them afford the lifestyle they choose. The newest rider available with the company's top-selling Accumulator(R) variable annuity provides for a minimum 200% benefit base guarantee if no withdrawals are taken during the first 10 years of the contract or until age 70, whichever is later.

This means that a person who makes an initial contribution of $100,000 will have a minimum $200,000 benefit base after the later of the 10th anniversary of the contract or when turning 70 if no withdrawals have been made before that date.

"Because of the uncertainty of the financial markets, it may be difficult for people to predict exactly how much money they'll be able to spend in retirement," said Claude Methot, AXA Equitable's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer. "One way for them to guarantee part of their income is to purchase a variable annuity that will allow them to withdraw a certain percentage every year for life."

The Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefit for Life (GWBL) optional rider available with the Accumulator assures that the owner will receive a minimum amount of money every year for life, regardless of the market's performance. The guaranteed withdrawal percentage is determined by the owner's age at the time of the first withdrawal; it can range from 4% to as much as 7% of the benefit base.

Moreover, the owner may see increases in the withdrawal percentage if he or she experiences a ratchet during an age band change. For example, owners who are 45 to 59 years old may withdraw 4% of the benefit base. But, if good performance causes the benefit base to ratchet, owners who are 60 to 75 may withdraw 5% of the benefit base going for
'/>"/>