Federal Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Federal Income Taxes

Federal Income Taxes

The effective tax rate is the ratio of tax expense (benefit) over pre-tax income (loss). The effective tax rate was 25% and 17% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively, compared to 18% and (4)%, respectively, for the corresponding periods in 2023. The effective tax rate on pre-tax income is typically lower than the prevailing corporate federal income tax rate of 21% due to benefits from preferential tax items including the separate account dividends-received deduction and tax credits.

For the three months ended September 30, 2024, the effective tax rate differed from the prevailing corporate federal income tax rate due primarily to a tax benefit at 21% from pre-tax losses in addition to the effects of preferential tax items. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the effective tax rate differed from the prevailing corporate federal income tax rate due primarily to the effects of preferential tax items.

For the three months ended September 30, 2023, the effective tax rate differed from the prevailing corporate federal income tax rate due primarily to the effects of preferential tax items. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the effective tax rate differed from the prevailing corporate federal income tax rate due primarily to the effects of preferential tax items exceeding the tax expense at 21% on pre-tax income.