Nationwide Financial launches low-cost variable annuity

Nationwide Financial has launched Nationwide Destination Architect 2.0, which it touts as a low-cost, advisory based variable annuity. The company also introduced Nationwide Lifetime Income Track (Lifetime Income Track), an optional Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB) rider available for an additional cost with Nationwide Destination Architect.

Features of Nationwide Destination Architect include:

• No surrender charges;
• A one-year Enhanced Death Benefit rider (available for an additional cost);
• Spousal Protection Feature (SPF), available at no additional cost on all death benefit options;
• Over 100 investment options when Lifetime Income Track is not elected.

The Lifetime Income Track optional GLWB rider features:

• Guaranteed lifetime income without annuitization;
• An annual step-up feature on the income benefit base;
• A joint option, available for an additional cost, that allows income payments to continue for the contract owner’s spouse;
• Lifetime withdrawal percentages based on the owner’s age and rider duration;
• Underlying investment options with a maximum equity exposure of 70 percent (80 percent via managed volatility investment options) and a minimum equity exposure of 40 percent;
• A nonlifetime withdrawal feature, which does not lock in the lifetime withdrawal percentage or impact the ability to qualify for higher lifetime withdrawal percentages.

Nationwide Destination Architect will replace Nationwide Income Architect, which will no longer be available effective May 1, or upon state approval.

Jefferson National has expanded the fund options in its Monument Advisor variable annuity. The additions are:

• The ALPS/Alerian Energy Infrastructure Portfolio
• The Probabilities VIT Fund
• The Guggenheim VT Macro Opportunities
• Guggenheim VT Floating Rate Strategies
• Fidelity VIP Target Volatility Portfolio
• Van Eck VIP Global Gold Fund
• The 7Twelve Balanced Portfolio

Lincoln Financial Group now offers several new investment options in its variable annuities. All of the new funds are available to Lincoln’s national network of distribution partners.

The investment choices, which seek to reduce exposure to market risks, include seven new options for Lincoln ChoicePlus Assurance products and four new options for American Legacy products. All invest in underlying funds that are managed by several well-known asset managers, including BlackRock, Dimensional, Fidelity, MFS and SSgA.