Important information

A deferred variable annuity, such as Retirement Cornerstone^®, is a long-term financial product designed for retirement purposes. It is a contractual agreement in which payment(s) are made to an insurance company, which agrees to pay out an income or lump-sum amount at a later date. Variable annuity contracts offer tax-deferred growth potential and optional features such as living and death benefits. Guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of the issuing life insurance company.

Retirement Cornerstone^® Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (GMIB) guarantees lifetime payments when you annuitize the GMIB Benefit Base after the specified waiting period (generally at the 10th or later contract anniversary following when you first fund the GMIB). You are eligible for resets until age 95 on the GMIB. Note that a reset may extend the GMIB exercise date. You will be enrolled in an automatic annual reset program at the time of the application unless a different reset option is selected. Once the benefit base is reset, a new waiting period to exercise the GMIB will apply from the date of reset but will never be later than age 95. As a result, the total dollar amount charged on future contract anniversaries may increase since the charges may be applied to a higher benefit base. Your Annual Withdrawal Amount is available to you unless your Protected Benefit Account value falls to zero. At that point, the GMIB is exercised automatically if the No-Lapse guarantee is in effect. View current rates on equitable.com.

The predicted values in the hypothetical examples were calculated based on an assumed 3% inflation rate.

Interest Rate Disclosure

There is no guarantee that historical trends will continue in the future.

The data contained in this chart was sourced as follows:

1. 10-Year Treasury rates came from http://www.multpl.com/
2. Average 30 Year Mortgage rates came from Freddie Mac

Taking a withdrawal from the Protected Benefit Account greater than the Annual Withdrawal Amount (an “excess withdrawal”) in any given year will have an adverse effect on income guarantees, reducing your benefit base pro rata and potentially cancelling the No-Lapse Guarantee. A pro rata adjustment or reduction reduces the benefit base by the same percentage that the Protected Benefit Account Value is reduced by the withdrawal. Therefore, the amount of a pro rata reduction may be greater or lesser than the dollar amount of the withdrawal. If an excess withdrawal reduces the Protected Benefit Account Value to zero, the GMIB will terminate. The GMIB rider fee is 1.40% (2.50% maximum) of the benefit base deducted from the Protected Benefit Account Value on each contract anniversary.

The issuing life insurance company has discretion to change the rider fee level after the first two contract years within the minimum/maximum. The Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit can be dropped without penalty or exercised if the fee is increased.

The RMD Wealth Guard GMDB is not available in New York.

Withdrawals from an annuity contract are taxable as ordinary income and, if made prior to age 59½, may be subject to an additional 10% federal tax. The contingent withdrawal charge declines from 7% over a 7-year period for the Series B product. Amounts invested in an annuity’s portfolio are subject to fluctuation in value and market risk, including loss of principal. There are fees and charges associated with a variable annuity contract, which include, but are not limited to, operations charges, sales and withdrawal charges, administrative fees and additional charges for optional benefits. There are certain contract limitations and restrictions associated with the Retirement Cornerstone^® contract, which include, but are not limited to, a contract fee and additional charges for optional benefits. Speak to a financial professional for costs and complete details.

The Retirement Cornerstone^® variable annuity contains two distinct accounts within a single tax-deferred product: one account, the Investment Account, offers an extensive selection of over 100 investment portfolios from well-known investment managers, and the other account, the Protected Benefit Account, offers a focused selection of investment portfolios, which fund the optional guaranteed benefit riders, available for an additional fee. As your needs change over the years, starting at age 50, you can simply transfer assets from the Investment Account to the Protected Benefit Account. Transfers from the Protected Benefit Account to the Investment Account are not allowed. The guaranteed riders may be elected only at the time of the application. For distributions made from this annuity contract, the aggregate account value in the Investment Account and the Protected Benefit Account will be used to determine the tax consequences of any such distribution.

The income from the Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (GMIB) is calculated using your “benefit base”. A “benefit base” is used to generate a minimum income amount or withdrawal amount and is not a cash value. It is equal to the total amount of contributions and transfers into the Protected Benefit Account investment options and increases annually at a specified rate, called a Roll-Up Rate, during the GMIB Roll-Up Period. The Deferral and Annual Roll-Up Rates compound annually and are guaranteed to be locked in for the first 7 contract years. After the first 7 contract years, the rate becomes a flexible rate tied to the recent average 10-Year Treasury rate plus 2.00% and is recalculated each contract year. Both the deferral and annual Roll-Up Rates can be as high as 10% and will never be less than 7% during the GMIB Roll-Up period. If the account value falls to zero, income withdrawal rates will be reduced based on a lifetime annuitization rate. When lifetime income begins (annuitization), there is a mortality based rate table that applies where the rate is lower than 7%. Refer to the Annuitization Factors for more information. Taking a withdrawal from the Protected Benefit Account greater than the Annual Withdrawal Amount (an “excess withdrawal”) in any given year will have an adverse effect on income guarantees, reducing your benefit base pro rata and potentially cancelling the No-Lapse Guarantee.

The GMIB rider fee is 1.40% (2.50% maximum) of the benefit base deducted from the Protected Benefit Account Value on each contract anniversary. The issuing life insurance company has discretion to change the rider fee level after the first two contract years within the minimum/maximum. The Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit can be dropped without penalty or exercised if the fee is increased.

In the event of the contract owner’s death, there are certain rules and restrictions for single and joint life spousal beneficiaries who elect to continue the contract under spousal continuation. Depending on the surviving spouse’s age, spousal continuation may not be available. If spousal continuation is elected, certain benefits, such as the Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit (GMIB) and Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefits (GMDBs), either may not be available or may not continue to be funded through the Protected Benefit Account. Please consult the prospectus for the full rules covering spousal continuation.

With the GMIB, it is important to be aware that annual dollar-for-dollar withdrawals made before the rider is exercised can potentially be greater than the annual guaranteed income stream that is ultimately realized under the rider. In particular, if you take withdrawals on a dollar-for-dollar basis and the Protected Benefit Account Value goes to zero while the No-Lapse Guarantee is still in effect, or you annuitize under the GMIB, the guaranteed lifetime income amount could go down depending on your current age.

You can take annual dollar-for-dollar withdrawals from the Protected Benefit Account cash value for income and still maintain a GMIB Benefit Base at least equal to the amounts contributed or transferred into the Protected Benefit Account. However, a guaranteed lifetime income amount is not established under GMIB until you exercise the rider through annuitization and begin receiving the supplemental annuity payments. That guaranteed lifetime income amount is calculated by applying the GMIB rider annuity payout rates to the benefit base, and it depends on your age and the size of the benefit base. The annual guaranteed lifetime income from the GMIB rider may be higher or lower than the annual dollar-for-dollar withdrawal amounts previously received.

The GMIB rider fee may be raised or lowered at any time within the minimum/maximum, after the first two contract years, at the company’s discretion. Certain features available with the Retirement Cornerstone^® 19 variable annuity, including the Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit, are optional and entail an additional cost; you do not have to elect these optional features in order to purchase a Retirement Cornerstone^® contract.

The IRS requires the owner of an IRA or Qualified Plan annuity contract to include the actuarial present value of certain optional benefits (which may include some of these Retirement Cornerstone^® optional features) in the calculation of lifetime Required Minimum Distribution payments. Earnings are taxable as ordinary income when distributed and may be subject to a 10% additional federal tax if withdrawn before age 59½. Withdrawals may also be subject to withdrawal charges. Withdrawals will reduce the death benefit (other than RMD withdrawals under the RMD Wealth Guard GMDB) cash surrender value. For tax purposes, withdrawals will come from any gain in the contract first. The contingent withdrawal charge declines from 7% over a seven-year period for the Series B product. Please see the prospectus for the withdrawal charge scale for other annuities in the Retirement Cornerstone^® Series.

There are certain contract limitations and restrictions associated with the Retirement Cornerstone^® contract, which include, but are not limited to, a contract fee and additional charges for optional benefits. In addition, the underlying investment portfolios charge management fees and have other expenses. For costs and complete details of coverage, speak to your financial professional/insurance-licensed registered representative. Certain types of contracts, features and benefits may not be available in all jurisdictions. Equitable Financial and Equitable America offer other variable annuity contracts with different fees, charges and features. Not every contract is available through the same selling broker/dealer. Equitable Financial and Equitable America may discontinue contributions and transfers among investment options or make other changes in contribution and transfer requirements and limitations. If we discontinue contributions and transfers into the Protected Benefit Account, you will no longer be able to fund your guaranteed benefits.

You can contact Equitable at (212) 554-1234 to find out the availability of other contracts. This material was prepared to support the promotion and marketing of Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company and Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company of America variable annuities. Equitable Financial, Equitable America, its distributors and their respective representatives do not provide tax, accounting or legal advice. Any tax statements contained herein were not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding U.S. federal, state or local tax penalties. Please consult your own independent advisors as to any tax, accounting or legal statements made herein. Call your financial professional or visit equitable.com.

Guarantees described herein are subject to the claims-paying ability the issuing life insurance company. The guarantees do not apply to the investment portfolios.
Variable investment portfolios are subject to market risk including loss of principal.

The S&P 500^® Index comprises 500 of the largest companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. Larger, more established companies may not be able to attain potentially higher growth rates of smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion. Individuals cannot invest directly in an index. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. There is no guarantee that historical trends will continue into the future.

Certain types of contracts, features and benefits may not be available in all jurisdictions. Equitable Financial and Equitable America offer other variable annuity contracts with different fees, charges and features. Not every contract is available through the same selling broker/dealer. Equitable Financial and Equitable America may discontinue contributions and transfers among investment options or make other changes in contribution and transfer requirements and limitations. If we discontinue contributions and transfers into the Protected Benefit Account, you will no longer be able to fund your guaranteed benefits.

This content is not a complete description of all material provisions of the variable annuity contract. This content must be preceded or accompanied by a current Retirement Cornerstone^® Series prospectus and any applicable supplements. The prospectus contains more complete information, including investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, limitations and restrictions. Please read the prospectus and any applicable supplements, and consider this information carefully before purchasing a contract

If you are purchasing an annuity contract to fund an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or employer-sponsored retirement plan, you should be aware that such annuities do not provide tax-deferral benefits beyond those already provided by the Internal Revenue Code. Before purchasing one of these annuities, you should consider whether its features and benefits beyond tax deferral meet your needs and goals. You may also want to consider the relative features, benefits and costs of these annuities with any other investment that you may use in connection with your retirement plan or arrangement.

When distributed outside of New York State by Equitable Advisors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) (Equitable Financial Advisors in MI and TN) through Equitable Advisors Financial Professionals whose business address is not in New York State, or when distributed by Equitable Distributors, LLC through financial professionals of unaffiliated broker-dealers when the solicitation state is not New York, the Retirement Cornerstone^® variable annuity is issued by Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company of America (Equitable America), an AZ stock company with an administrative office located in Charlotte, NC. When offered by Equitable Advisors Financial Professionals whose business address is in New York State or when distributed by Equitable Distributors, LLC through financial professionals of unaffiliated broker-dealers when the solicitation state is New York, Retirement Cornerstone^® is issued by Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial) (NY, NY). The obligations of Equitable America and Equitable Financial are backed solely by their own claims-paying abilities.