Exhibit (n)(4)

EMPOWER ANNUITY INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, John L. Bernbach, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Robin A. Bienfait, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Andra S. Bolotin, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Jeff Carney, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Marcel R. Coutu, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, André R. Desmarais, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Paul G. Desmarais, Jr., a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Gary A. Doer, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Gregory J. Fleming, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Claude Généreux, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Alain Louvel, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Paula B. Madoff, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Paul A. Mahon, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Edmund F. Murphy III, President and Chief Executive Officer of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, R. Jeffrey Orr, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Robert L. Reynolds, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, T. Timothy Ryan, Jr., a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Jerome J. Selitto, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company; that I, Brian E. Walsh, a member of the Board of Directors of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company (the “Company”), a Colorado corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint Richard J. Bielen, President, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director; Steven G. Walker, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director; Michael G. Temple, Vice Chairman, Chief Operating Officer and Director; Bradford D. Rodgers, Senior Vice President and Senior Counsel, Attorney-in-Fact of Protective Life Insurance Company, and each of them (with full power to each of them to act alone), as my true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for me and in my name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to execute (either in writing or electronically) on behalf of the Company or its separate accounts relating to annuity contracts and life insurance policies registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and/or the Investment Company Act of 1940, the “Registration Statements,” as defined below, and any and all amendments thereto, together with all exhibits, instruments, and other documents necessary or appropriate in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal or state regulatory authority as may be necessary or desirable, hereby ratifying and confirming all and every act and thing requisite to all intents and purposes that said attorney-in-fact and agent or his or her substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This Power of Attorney does not revoke any prior power of attorney. This Power of Attorney shall not be revoked by any subsequent power of attorney I may execute, unless such subsequent power of attorney specifically revokes this Power of Attorney or specifically states that the instrument is intended to revoke all prior powers of attorney.

The “Registration Statements” covered by this Power of Attorney are defined to include the registration statements listed below:

Contract Name	Registration Statement Securities Act File Number	Separate Account Name	Separate Account Investment Company Act File Number
COLI VUL-2 Series Account	333-70963	COLI VUL-2 Series Account	811-09201
Schwab OneSource Choice Variable Annuity	333-194043	Variable Annuity-1 Series Account	811-07549
Schwab Advisor Choice Variable Annuity	333-194099	Variable Annuity-1 Series Account	811-07549

Great-West Smart Track Advisor Variable Annuity

333-212090

Variable Annuity-2 Series Account

811-05817

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of February 2022.

/s/ John L Bernbach

John L. Bernbach*

Member, Board of Directors