Withdrawal Provisions
Prior to the Annuity Date, you may, upon Notice to us, request a full or a partial withdrawal and we will withdraw that amount from your Account Value (the “Withdrawal Amount”). A withdrawal (including any withdrawals to pay for advisory fees) will result in a reduction to the Investment Amount in each Shield Option, the Fixed Account, and the Holding Account in the ratio that each Shield Option, the Fixed Account, and the Holding Account bears to the total Account Value, unless you instruct us otherwise. For a partial withdrawal, the amount payable to you will be a net amount equal to the requested Withdrawal Amount reduced by any applicable Premium Tax and other taxes. Alternatively, you can choose to have the Premium Tax and other taxes deducted from the remaining Account Value, in which case you would receive the full dollar amount you requested. A withdrawal (including any withdrawals to pay for advisory fees) will also result in a proportionate reduction to the death benefit under the Contract. If you have the Return of Premium death benefit, your Purchase Payment is reduced proportionally by the percentage reduction in Account Value of the Shield Option(s), the Fixed Account, and the Holding Account for each partial withdrawal.
The total Withdrawal Amount from the Account Value must not be less than $500, which is the minimum partial withdrawal amount. If the withdrawal would result in the Account Value being less than the Minimum Account Value ($2,000), we will treat the withdrawal request as a request for a full withdrawal. We will not terminate any Contract if at the time the termination would otherwise occur the guaranteed amount under any death benefit is greater than the Account Value.
If you request a full or partial withdrawal (unless you instruct us otherwise for a partial withdrawal), the Withdrawal Amount will result in our paying you a net amount. The net amount payable to you is equal to the amount withdrawn from the Account Value, less Premium Tax and other taxes, if any.
The Withdrawal Amount (including amounts withdrawn to pay fees and expenses associated with a fee-based program) will reduce the Investment Amount for each Shield Option by the percentage reduction in the Interim Value of such Shield Option (i.e. a proportional reduction), or, if you have exercised Performance Lock, it will reduce the Performance Lock Value of the Shield Option by the dollar amount of the withdrawal. Accordingly, when the Interim Value is less than the Investment Amount, the reduction to the Shield Option is on a more than dollar for dollar basis. On the other hand, when the Interim Value is greater than the Investment Amount, the reduction to the Shield Option is on a less than dollar for dollar basis.
For example, Performance Lock has not been exercised and Owner 1 makes a $100,000 Purchase Payment at Contract issue and allocates the Purchase Payment equally to two Shield Options so that each starts with $50,000. This amount is the initial Investment Amount. Assume in 6 months Shield Option A has an Interim Value of $65,000 and Shield Option B has an Interim Value of $45,000. Assume at this time Owner 1 decides to make a withdrawal of $20,000. If the entire withdrawal is taken from Shield Option A, the reduction in the Interim Value is 30.77% ($20,000 ÷ $65,000). The Investment Amount for Shield Option A would then be reduced to $34,615.38 ($50,000 x (1-30.77%)). The total Investment Amount is then $84,615.38 ($34,615.38 + $50,000). If the entire withdrawal is taken from Shield Option B, the reduction in the Interim Value is 44.44% ($20,000 ÷ $45,000). The Investment Amount for Shield Option B would be reduced to $27,777.78 ($50,000 x (1-44.44%)). The total Investment Amount is then $77,777.78 ($50,000 + $27,777.78).
Using the same example above and assuming Owner 1 exercised the Performance Lock Value on Shield Option A and Shield Option B resulting in a Performance Lock Value of $65,000 for Shield Option A and $45,000 for Shield Option B. Assume that after exercising the Performance Lock, Owner 1 makes a withdrawal of $20,000. If the entire withdrawal is taken from Shield Option A, the Performance Lock Value of that Shield Option would be reduced to $45,000 ($65,000 - $20,000). The Account Value after the withdrawal is then $90,000 ($45,000 + $45,000). If the entire withdrawal is taken from Shield Option B, the Performance Lock Value of that Shield Option would be reduced to $25,000 ($45,000 - $20,000). The Account Value after the withdrawal is then $90,000 ($65,000 + $25,000).
The remaining Investment Amount after a withdrawal will be used as the new Investment Amount for the Term until the Term End Date or the next Interim Value calculation for that Shield Option. A partial withdrawal from a Shield Option does not affect the Cap Rate, Step Rate, or Edge Rate, as applicable, and the Shield Rate that will apply to the remaining Investment Amounts that are held in the Shield Option through the Term End Date.
After receipt of a Notice of withdrawal from you, we reserve the right to defer payment for a withdrawal for the period permitted by applicable law but not more than six (6) months.
Financial Advisor Initiated Withdrawals. Subject to our administrative procedures, you may authorize your financial advisor to take withdrawals on your behalf, which may be used to pay fees and expenses associated with your fee-based program. A withdrawal made to pay such fees and expenses is subject to the same withdrawal provisions described in this section. These withdrawal amounts, like all withdrawals, will reduce the Investment Amount for each Shield Option, the Fixed Account and the Holding Account in the ratio that each Shield Option, the Fixed Account and the Holding Account