Table of Contents
Registration No. 333-59103
Registration No. 811-3989
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-6
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
| THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | ¨ | |||||
| Pre-Effective Amendment No. | ¨ | |||||
| Post-Effective Amendment No. 19 | x | |||||
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
| THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 | ¨ | |||||
| Amendment No. 36 | x | |||||
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
(Exact Name of Registrant)
THE NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
(Name of Depositor)
| 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 53202 | |||||||
| (Address of Depositor’s Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) | |||||||
Depositor’s Telephone Number, including Area Code 414-271-1444
RAYMOND J. MANISTA, General Counsel and Secretary
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copy to:
Chad E. Fickett, Assistant General Counsel
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
720 East Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
414-665-1209
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering Continuous
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate space)
| ¨ | immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485 |
| x | on May 1, 2010 pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485 |
| ¨ | 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485 |
| ¨ | on (DATE) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485 |
| ¨ | this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment. |
Title of Securities Being Registered: Interests in the Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account under flexible premium variable joint life insurance policies.
Table of Contents
Prospectus
May 1, 2010
Variable Joint Life
Issued by The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
and the Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account
This prospectus describes a flexible premium Variable Joint Life Insurance Policy with insurance payable on second death (the “Policy”). You may choose to invest your Net Premiums in one or more Divisions of the Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account (the “Separate Account”), each of which invests in one of the corresponding Portfolios listed below:
| Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. | ||
| Growth Stock Portfolio | Small Cap Growth Stock Portfolio | |
| Focused Appreciation Portfolio | Small Cap Value Portfolio | |
| Large Cap Core Stock Portfolio | International Growth Portfolio | |
| Index 500 Stock Portfolio | International Equity Portfolio | |
| Domestic Equity Portfolio | Money Market Portfolio | |
| Equity Income Portfolio | Select Bond Portfolio | |
| Mid Cap Growth Stock Portfolio | High Yield Bond Portfolio | |
| Index 400 Stock Portfolio | Balanced Portfolio | |
| Mid Cap Value Portfolio | Asset Allocation Portfolio | |
| Fidelity® Variable Insurance Products | ||
| VIP Mid Cap Portfolio | ||
| Russell Investment Funds | ||
| Multi-Style Equity Fund | Non-U.S. Fund | |
| Aggressive Equity Fund | Core Bond Fund | |
| Real Estate Securities Fund | ||
Please note that the Policy and the Portfolios are not guaranteed to achieve their goals and are not federally insured. The Policy and the Portfolios have not been endorsed by any bank or government agency and are subject to risks, including loss of the principal amount invested.
This Policy is subject to the law of the state in which it is issued. Some of the terms of the Policy may differ from the terms of the Policy delivered in another state because of state specific legal requirements. Areas where state specific Policy provisions may apply include, but are not limited to:
| • | certain investment options and certain Policy features; and |
| • | fund transfer rights. |
Please read carefully this prospectus and the accompanying prospectuses for the corresponding Portfolios and keep them for future reference. These prospectuses provide information that you should know before investing in the Policy. No person is authorized to make any representation in connection with the offering of the Policy other than those contained in these prospectuses.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved the Policy or determined that this prospectus is accurate or complete. It is a criminal offense to state otherwise.
We no longer issue the Policy described in this prospectus. The variable life insurance policies we presently offer are described in separate prospectuses.
Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
PROSPECTUS
Variable Joint Life
| · | Flexible Premium Variable Joint Life Insurance Policy |
| · | Insurance Payable on Second Death |
The following summary identifies some of the benefits and risks of the Policy. It omits important information which is included elsewhere in this prospectus, in the attached mutual fund prospectuses, and in the terms of the Policy. Unless clear from their context or otherwise appropriate, all of the capitalized terms used in this prospectus are defined herein or at the end of this prospectus in the Glossary of Terms.
Death Benefit The primary benefit of your Policy is the life insurance protection that it provides. The Death Benefit is payable on the second death while the Policy is in force. The Policy offers a choice of three Death Benefit options:
Option A—Specified Amount;
Option B—Specified Amount Plus Policy Value; or
Option C—Specified Amount Plus Premiums Paid.
Under each of these options, you selected the Specified Amount when you purchased the Policy. In addition, we will increase the Death Benefit under any of the options if necessary to meet the definitional requirements for life insurance for federal income tax purposes.
Access to Your Values The Policy provides access to Cash Value while at least one of the Insureds is alive. You may surrender your Policy for the Cash Value at any time during the lifetime of at least one of the Insured persons. You may make a withdrawal of Cash Value. You may borrow up to 90% of the Policy Value, after the surrender charge has been deducted (and less any existing Policy Debt at the time of the loan), using the Policy as security.
Flexibility You selected the Death Benefit option and Specified Amount subject to our availability limits. You control the amount and timing of Premium Payments, within limits. You may change the Death Benefit option, or increase or decrease the Specified Amount, subject to our approval. You may direct the allocation of your premiums and apportion the Separate Account assets supporting your Policy among the various Divisions of the Separate Account. Subject to certain limits, you may transfer accumulated amounts from one Division to another.
Payment Plan Options There are several ways of receiving proceeds under the Death Benefit and surrender provisions of the Policy, other than in a lump sum. More detailed information concerning these payment plan options is included elsewhere in this prospectus.
Tax Benefits You are generally not taxed on your Policy’s investment gains until you surrender the Policy or make a withdrawal.
Investment Risk Your Policy allows you to participate in the investment experience of the Divisions you select. You bear the corresponding investment risks. You will be subject to the risk that the investment performance of the Divisions will be unfavorable and that, due both to the unfavorable performance and the resulting higher insurance charges, the Policy Value will decrease. You could lose everything you invest. You may find a comprehensive discussion of these investment risks in the attached mutual fund prospectuses. You will also be subject to the risk that the investment performance of the Divisions you choose may be less favorable than that of other Divisions, and in order to keep the Policy in force, you may be required to pay more premiums than originally planned.
Default Risk Because certain guarantees under the Policy are guaranteed by the Company’s General Account assets, the ability to make good on these guarantees depends on the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the Company. Therefore, guaranteed benefits in excess of Invested Assets in the Separate Account are subject to the risk of default to the extent the Company is unable to satisfy some or all of these guarantees.
Policy for Long-Term Protection Your Policy is designed to serve your need for long-term life insurance protection. It is not suitable for short-term goals. We have not designed the Policies for frequent trading.
Policy Lapse Your Policy will lapse if you do not pay sufficient premium to keep it in force. Favorable investment experience will reduce the amount of premium you need to pay to keep the Policy in force, but we do not guarantee investment experience. Policy loans or withdrawals of Cash Value may increase the premium needed to keep the Policy in force.
Policy Loan Risks A loan, whether or not repaid, will affect your Policy Value over time because the amounts borrowed do not participate in the investment performance of the Divisions. The effect of a loan may be either favorable or unfavorable, depending on whether the earnings rate credited to the loan amount is higher or lower than the investment
Variable Joint Life Prospectus
1
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performance of the unborrowed amounts left in the Divisions; in addition, a charge is deducted from the Policy Value each month while there is Policy Debt. The Death Benefit is reduced by the amount of any Policy Debt outstanding. If you surrender the Policy or allow it to lapse while Policy Debt is outstanding, the amount of the loan, to the extent it has not previously been taxed, will be considered as an amount you received and taxed accordingly. Policy Debt reduces the Cash Value and increases the risk that your Policy will lapse.
Limitations on Access to Your Values A withdrawal of Cash Value may not reduce the loan value to less than any Policy Debt outstanding. The withdrawal amount may not reduce the Specified Amount to less than the minimum amount we would issue at the time of withdrawal. Following a withdrawal the remaining Cash Value must be at least three times the current monthly charges for the cost of insurance and other expenses. The minimum amount for a withdrawal is $250. A withdrawal of Cash Value will reduce the Death Benefit.
Adverse Tax Consequences Our understanding of the principal tax considerations for the Policy under current tax law is set forth in this prospectus. There are areas of some uncertainty under current law, and we do not address the likelihood of future changes in the law or interpretations thereof. Among other risks, your Policy may become a MEC if the cumulative premium you pay exceeds a defined limit; surrenders, withdrawals and loans under the Policy will then be taxable as ordinary income to the extent there are earnings in the Policy, and a 10% penalty may apply to these distributions. Conversely, excessive Policy loans could cause a Policy to terminate with no value with which to pay the tax liability. (See “Tax Considerations.”) Death Benefit proceeds may be subject to state and/or inheritance taxes.
Risk of an Increase in Current Fees and Expenses Certain fees and expenses are currently assessed at less than their maximum levels. We may increase these current charges in the future up to the guaranteed maximum levels. If fees and expenses are increased, you may need to increase the amount of premiums to keep the Policy in force.
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that are payable when a Policy is bought, owned, or surrendered. (See “Charges and Expenses” for a more detailed description.)
The first table describes the fees and expenses that are payable when you pay premiums, transfer amounts between Divisions, make a withdrawal, change the Specified Amount or change the Death Benefit option. (See “Charges and Expenses” for a more detailed description.)
| Charge | When Charge is Deducted | Current Charge | Maximum Guaranteed Charge | |||
| State Premium Tax Charge | Upon each Premium Payment | 2.35% of the premium paid prior to the Policy Anniversary in 2010. 2.00% of subsequent premiums.1 | 3.6% of the premium (includes both “State Premium Tax Charge” and “OBRA Expense Charge”) | |||
| OBRA Expense Charge2 | Upon each Premium Payment | 1.25% of the premium paid prior to the Policy Anniversary on 2010. 1.00% of subsequent premiums.1 | ||||
| Sales Load | Upon each Premium Payment | Up to 6.4% of Target Premium for the first 10 Policy Years; up to 2.4% thereafter3 and on all premiums in excess of Target Premium for all Policy Years | Same as current amount | |||
| Fee for Transfer of Assets, Withdrawals or Change of Specified Amount | When you make more than 12 transfers of assets among the Separate Account Divisions in a Policy Year, make withdrawals or change the Specified Amount more than once in a Policy Year | Currently waived | $25 | |||
| Fee for Change in the Death Benefit Option | Upon a change in the Death Benefit option | Currently waived | $250 | |||
| Surrender Charge | Upon surrender during the first ten Policy Years | 50% of the premiums paid in the first Policy Year grading to zero at the end of the tenth Policy Year4 | $50 per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount for any combination of Issue Age, sex, and underwriting classification |
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| Charge | When Charge is Deducted | Current Charge | Maximum Guaranteed Charge | |||
| Expedited Delivery Charge5 | When express mail delivery is requested | $15 per delivery (up to $45 for next day, a.m. delivery) | $50 per delivery (up to $75 for next day, a.m. delivery) adjusted for inflation 6 | |||
| Wire Transfer Fee5 | When a wire transfer is requested | $25 per transfer (up to $50 for international wires) | $50 per transfer (up to $100 for international wires) adjusted for inflation6 |
| 1 | See “Information about the Policy—Premium Expense Charges” for more information. |
| 2 | Due to a 1990 federal tax law change under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (“OBRA”), as amended, insurance companies are generally required to capitalize and amortize certain acquisition expenses rather than currently deduct such expenses. Due to this capitalization and amortization, the corporate income tax burden on insurance companies has been affected. We make a charge of 1.25% against each Premium Payment paid prior to the Policy Anniversary in 2010, and 1.00% against subsequent premiums to compensate us for corporate taxes. |
| 3 | The sales load in Policy Years 1-10 is applied to the premiums paid up to the Target Premium. All other premiums are charged a 2.4% sales load. The Target Premium is a hypothetical annual premium, which varies based on the initial Specified Amount and the characteristics of the Insured persons, such as Issue Age, sex and underwriting classification. |
| 4 | The surrender charge percentage is applied to the premiums actually paid during the first Policy Year or the Target Premium, whichever is less. The percentage remains level during Policy Year one, and declines monthly to zero during Policy Years two through ten. For more information on the surrender charge, see “Surrender Charge” in this prospectus. The “Schedule of Maximum Charges” to your Policy will indicate the maximum surrender charges applicable to your Policy. |
| 5 | This fee may increase over time to cover our administrative or other costs but will not exceed the maximum charge. We may discontinue this service at any time, with or without notice. |
| 6 | The maximum charges are subject to a consumer price index adjustment. The maximum charge will equal the maximum charge shown above multiplied by the CPI for the fourth month prior to the time of the charge, divided by the CPI for April, 2009. “CPI” means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, United States City Average, All Items, as published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. If the method for determining the CPI is changed, or it is no longer published, it will be replaced by some other index found by the Company to serve the same purpose. |
Periodic Charges (Other than Portfolio Operating Expenses)1
The next table describes the fees and expenses, other than operating expenses for the Portfolios, that you will pay periodically during the time that you own the Policy. (See “Charges and Expenses” for a more detailed description.)
| Charge | When Charge is Deducted | Current Charge | Maximum Guaranteed Charge | |||
| Monthly Policy Charge—Cost of Insurance Charge2,3 | ||||||
| Maximum Charge4 | Monthly, on each monthly processing date | $1,000.00 per year per $1,000 of net amount at risk | Same as current amount | |||
| Minimum Charge5 | Monthly, on each monthly processing date | $0.00102 per year per $1,000 of net amount at risk | Same as current amount | |||
| Charge for one male and one female Insured, Issue Ages 49, Select Non-Smoker underwriting classification in the tenth Policy Year (varies by Policy Year)6 | Monthly, on each monthly processing date | $0.22443 per year per $1,000 of net amount at risk in the tenth Policy Year6 | $0.95292 per year per $1,000 of net amount at risk in the tenth Policy Year7 | |||
| Monthly Policy Charge—Mortality and Expense Risk Charge | ||||||
| Monthly Policy Charge—Mortality and Expense Risk Charge—Invested Assets Component | Monthly, on each monthly processing date | 0.10% annually (monthly rate of 0.00833%) of the Policy Value less any Policy Debt | 0.90% annually (monthly rate of 0.075%) of the Policy Value, less any Policy Debt | |||
| Monthly Policy Charge—Mortality and Expense Risk Charge—Specified Amount Component3 | ||||||
Variable Joint Life Prospectus
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| Charge | When Charge is Deducted | Current Charge | Maximum Guaranteed Charge | |||
| Maximum Charge8 | Monthly, on each monthly processing date during the first ten Policy Years | $1.72 annually (monthly rate of $0.14333) per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount | Same as current amount | |||
| Minimum Charge9 | Monthly, on each monthly processing date during the first ten Policy Years | $0.04 annually (monthly rate of $0.00333) per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount | Same as current amount | |||
| Charge for Insureds Issue Ages 49 | Monthly, on each monthly processing date during the first ten Policy Years | $0.53 annually (monthly rate of $0.04417) per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount | Same as current amount | |||
| Monthly Policy Charge—Administrative Charge | Monthly, on each monthly processing date | Prior to Policy Anniversary in 2010:
$60 annually ($5 monthly)
On or After Policy Anniversary in 2010:
$80 annually ($6.67 monthly) |
$90 annually ($7.50 monthly) | |||
| Monthly Policy Charge—Underwriting and Issue Charge3,10 | ||||||
| Maximum Charge11 | Monthly, on each monthly processing date during the first ten Policy Years | $0.42 annually (monthly rate of $0.035) per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount | Same as current amount | |||
| Minimum Charge12 | Monthly, on each monthly processing date during the first ten Policy Years | $0.18 annually (monthly rate of $0.015) per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount | Same as current amount | |||
| Charge for Insureds Issue Ages 49, Select Non-Smoker underwriting classification | Monthly, on each monthly processing date during the first ten Policy Years | $0.18 annually (monthly rate of $0.015) per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount | Same as current amount | |||
| Monthly Policy Charge—Deferred Sales Charge | Monthly, on each monthly processing date during the first ten Policy Years | 7.5% annually (monthly rate of 0.625%) for the first ten Policy Years. (The charge for each Policy Year is applied to the cumulative amount of premiums paid during the first Policy Year, up to the Target Premium.) | Same as current amount | |||
| Monthly Policy Charge—Charge for Expenses and Taxes Associated with Any Policy Debt13 | Monthly, on each monthly processing date when there is Policy Debt | When the younger Insured is (or would be, if alive) Attained Age 99 and below:
0.90% annually (monthly rate of 0.075%) of outstanding Policy Debt for the first ten Policy Years; 0.35% annually (monthly rate of 0.02917%) thereafter
When the younger Insured is (or would be, if alive) Attained Age 100 and above:
0.00% annually of Policy Debt |
2% annually (monthly rate of 0.16667%) of outstanding Policy Debt | |||
| 1 | The charges described in this table may vary based upon one or more of the following characteristics: Insureds’ Issue Ages, sex, and underwriting classifications; initial Specified Amount; Target Premium; Policy Date and Policy Year. |
| 2 | The Cost of Insurance Charge is determined by multiplying the net amount at risk by the cost of insurance rate. The net amount at risk is the difference between the Death Benefit and the Policy Value. The cost of insurance rate reflects the Issue Age, sex and underwriting classification of the Insured persons, the Policy Date and Policy Year. |
| 3 | The charge varies based on individual characteristics. The rates shown in the table may not be representative of the charge a particular Owner may pay. For information about the rate for your particular situation, you may request a personalized illustration from your Financial Representative. |
| 4 | The maximum Cost of Insurance Charge assumes that the Insureds have the following characteristics: one male and one female, Attained Age 100 of the younger Insured, both substandard underwriting classification. The maximum Cost of Insurance Charge shown may also apply to other combinations of Policy Year and Insured characteristics. |
| 5 | The minimum Cost of Insurance Charge assumes that the Insureds have the following characteristics: both female, both Issue Age 20, both Premier Non-Tobacco classification. The minimum Cost of Insurance Charge shown may also apply to other combinations of Policy Year and Insured characteristics. |
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Variable Joint Life Prospectus
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| 6 | Generally, the cost of insurance rate will increase each Policy Year. |
| 7 | The maximum guaranteed cost of insurance rate will exceed the current rate in most Policy Years. Generally, the rate will increase each Policy Year. |
| 8 | The maximum Mortality and Expense Risk Charge—Specified Amount Component assumes that the Insureds have the following characteristics: one male and one female, Issue Ages 75 and older. |
| 9 | The minimum Mortality and Expense Risk Charge—Specified Amount Component assumes that the Insureds have the following characteristics: one male and one female, Issue Ages 25 and younger. |
| 10 | The charge may not exceed $900-$2,100 annually ($75-$175 monthly amount) based on the underwriting classification of the Insureds on the Date of Issue. This charge is based on the underwriting classification of the Insureds on the Date of Issue, subject to a maximum amount not to exceed $900-$2,100 ($75-$175 monthly amount), which is based on underwriting classification. |
| 11 | The maximum Underwriting and Issue Charge assumes that the Insureds have the following characteristic: substandard underwriting classification. |
| 12 | The minimum Underwriting and Issue Charge assumes that the Insureds have the following characteristic: standard underwriting classification. |
| 13 | The charge is applied to the Policy Debt. It is in addition to the interest charged on any Policy Loan and is deducted from Invested Assets. We add unpaid interest to the amount of the loan. Interest on a Policy loan accrues and is payable on a daily basis at an annual effective rate of 5%. The amount of the Policy loan will be transferred from the Divisions to our General Account and credited on a daily basis with an annual earnings rate equal to the 5% Policy loan interest rate. |
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
The table below shows the range (minimum and maximum) of total operating expenses, including investment advisory fees, distribution (12b-1) fees and other expenses of the Portfolios offered by Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc., Fidelity® Variable Insurance Products, and the Russell Investment Funds that are available for investment under the Policy. The first line of this table lists expenses that do not reflect fee waivers or expense limits and reimbursements, nor do they reflect short-term trading redemption fees, if any, charged by the Portfolios. The information is based on operations for the year ended December 31, 2009. More details concerning these fees and expenses are contained in the attached prospectuses for the Funds.
| Minimum | Maximum | |||
| Range of Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses include investment advisory fees, distribution (12b-1) fees, and other expenses as a percentage of average Portfolio assets)* |
0.21% | 1.14% | ||
| Range of Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Contractual Fee Waiver or Reimbursement** |
0.21% | 1.08% |
| * | For certain Portfolios, certain expenses were reimbursed or fees waived during 2009. It is anticipated that these voluntary expense reimbursement and fee waiver arrangements will continue past the current year, although certain arrangements may be terminated at any time. After taking into account these arrangements and any contractual fee waiver or expense reimbursement arrangements, Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses would have ranged from a minimum of 0.04% to a maximum of 1.08%. |
| ** | The “Range of Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Contractual Fee Waiver or Reimbursement” line in the above table shows the minimum and maximum fees and expenses charged by all of the Portfolios after taking into account contractual fee waiver or reimbursement arrangements in place. Those contractual arrangements are designed to reduce Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses for Owners and will continue for at least one year from the date of this prospectus. For more information about which Portfolios currently have such contractual reimbursement or fee waiver arrangements in place, see the prospectuses of the underlying Funds. |
The following table shows total annual operating expenses of each Portfolio available for investment under the Policy. Operating expenses are expressed as a percentage of average net assets for the year ended December 31, 2009, except as otherwise set forth in the notes to the table. The Portfolio expenses used to prepare the table were provided to the Company by the Portfolios. The Company has not independently verified such information. Current or future expenses may be higher or lower than those shown, especially in periods of market volatility. For more information about the Portfolios’ expenses, see the prospectuses of the underlying Funds.
| Portfolio |
Investment Advisory Fees |
12b-1 Fees |
Other Expenses |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses |
Total Operating Expenses |
Fee Waivers & Reimbursements |
Total Net Operating Expenses | ||||||||
| Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. |
|||||||||||||||
| Growth Stock Portfolio |
0.43% | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.45% | 0.00% | 0.45% | ||||||||
| Focused Appreciation Portfolio(1) |
0.78% | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.80% | 0.00% | 0.80% | ||||||||
| Large Cap Core Stock Portfolio |
0.44% | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.46% | 0.00% | 0.46% | ||||||||
| Index 500 Stock Portfolio |
0.20% | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.21% | 0.00% | 0.21% | ||||||||
| Domestic Equity Portfolio(1) |
0.57% | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.59% | 0.00% | 0.59% | ||||||||
| Equity Income Portfolio(1) |
0.65% | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.00% | 0.68% | 0.00% | 0.68% | ||||||||
| Mid Cap Growth Stock Portfolio |
0.53% | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.54% | 0.00% | 0.54% | ||||||||
| Index 400 Stock Portfolio |
0.25% | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.00% | 0.28% | 0.00% | 0.28% | ||||||||
| Mid Cap Value Portfolio(1) |
0.85% | 0.00% | 0.11% | 0.00% | 0.96% | 0.00% | 0.96% | ||||||||
| Small Cap Growth Stock Portfolio |
0.58% | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.01% | 0.62% | 0.00% | 0.62% | ||||||||
| Small Cap Value Portfolio(1) |
0.85% | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.06% | 0.93% | 0.00% | 0.93% | ||||||||
| International Growth Portfolio(1) |
0.70% | 0.00% | 0.16% | 0.00% | 0.86% | 0.00% | 0.86% | ||||||||
| International Equity Portfolio(2) |
0.66% | 0.00% | 0.06% | 0.00% | 0.72% | (0.06% | ) | 0.66% | |||||||
| Money Market Portfolio(3) |
0.30% | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.00% | 0.34% | 0.00% | 0.34% | ||||||||
| Select Bond Portfolio |
0.30% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.30% | 0.00% | 0.30% | ||||||||
| High Yield Bond Portfolio |
0.46% | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.00% | 0.49% | 0.00% | 0.49% |
Variable Joint Life Prospectus
5
Table of Contents
| Portfolio |
Investment Advisory Fees |
12b-1 Fees |
Other Expenses |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses |
Total Operating Expenses |
Fee Waivers & Reimbursements |
Total Net Operating Expenses | ||||||||
| Balanced Portfolio |
0.30% | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.31% | 0.00% | 0.31% | ||||||||
| Asset Allocation Portfolio(4) |
0.55% | 0.00% | 0.07% | 0.00% | 0.62% | (0.05% | ) | 0.57% | |||||||
|
Fidelity® Variable Insurance Products |
|||||||||||||||
| Mid Cap Portfolio(5) |
0.56% | 0.25% | 0.12% | 0.00% | 0.93% | 0.00% | 0.93% | ||||||||
| Russell Investment Funds |
|||||||||||||||
| Multi-Style Equity Fund |
0.73% | 0.00% | 0.13% | 0.01% | 0.87% | 0.00% | 0.87% | ||||||||
| Aggressive Equity Fund(6) |
0.90% | 0.00% | 0.23% | 0.01% | 1.14% | (0.06% | ) | 1.08% | |||||||
| Real Estate Securities Fund |
0.80% | 0.00% | 0.17% | 0.00% | 0.97% | 0.00% | 0.97% | ||||||||
| Non-U.S. Fund(6) |
0.90% | 0.00% | 0.22% | 0.02% | 1.14% | (0.06% | ) | 1.08% | |||||||
| Core Bond Fund(6) |
0.55% | 0.00% | 0.18% | 0.01% | 0.74% | (0.07% | ) | 0.67% | |||||||
| (1) | Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.’s investment adviser, Mason Street Advisors, LLC (“MSA”) has contractually agreed to waive the management fee and absorb certain other operating expenses of the below portfolios to the extent necessary so that Total Operating Expenses for such portfolios will not exceed the following annual rates of each portfolio’s respective average net assets. These fee waivers may be terminated at any time after April 30, 2011. |
| Portfolio |
Expense Limitation |
||
| Focused Appreciation Portfolio |
0.90 | % | |
| Domestic Equity Portfolio |
0.75 | % | |
| Equity Income Portfolio |
0.75 | % | |
| Mid Cap Value Portfolio |
1.00 | % | |
| Small Cap Value Portfolio |
1.00 | % | |
| International Growth Portfolio |
1.10 | % |
| (2) | International Equity Portfolio MSA has agreed to waive its management fee such that its management fee is 0.80% of the portfolio’s first $50 million of assets, 0.60% on portfolio assets from $50 million to $1 billion, 0.58% of assets from $1 billion to $1.5 billion and 0.51% on portfolio assets in excess of $1.5 billion. The fee waiver agreement may be terminated at any time after April 30, 2011. |
| (3) | Money Market Portfolio MSA has voluntarily agreed to waive all of its management fee on a temporary basis. This voluntary waiver will be reviewed periodically by MSA in light of market and economic developments and may be revised or discontinued at any time without advance notice. |
| (4) | Asset Allocation Portfolio MSA has contractually agreed to waive its management fee such that its management fee is 0.55% on the portfolio’s first $100 million of assets, 0.45% on portfolio assets from $100 million to $250 million and 0.35% on portfolio assets in excess of $250 million. In addition, MSA has contractually agreed to waive the management fee and absorb certain other operating expenses of the portfolio to the extent necessary so that Total Operating Expenses for the portfolio will not exceed an annual rate of 0.75% of the portfolio’s average net assets. These fee waiver agreements may be terminated at any time after April 30, 2011. |
| (5) | Fidelity Management & Research Company, the adviser to the Fidelity Variable Insurance Products portfolios has voluntarily agreed to reimburse the portfolio’s Service Class 2 to the extent that total operating expenses (excluding interest, taxes, certain securities lending costs, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, if any) exceed 1.10% of the class’ average net assets. This arrangement may be discontinued at any time. |
| (6) | Russell Investment Management Company (“RIMCo”) has contractually agreed, until April 30, 2011, to waive 0.06% of its advisory fee on the Aggressive Equity Fund and Non-U.S. Fund and 0.07% of its advisory fee on the Core Bond Fund. These waivers may not be terminated during the relevant period except with Board approval. |
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company is a mutual life insurance company organized by a special act of the Wisconsin Legislature in 1857. It is licensed to conduct a conventional life insurance business in the District of Columbia and in all states of the United States. The total assets of Northwestern Mutual exceeded $166.7 billion as of December 31, 2009. The Home Office of Northwestern Mutual is located at 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
“Northwestern Mutual,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” in this prospectus mean The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.
General Account assets are used to guarantee the payment of certain benefits under the Policy, including death benefits. To the extent that we are required to pay you amounts under these benefits that are in addition to Invested Assets in the Separate Account, such amounts will come from General Account assets. Thus, Owners must look to the strength of the Company and its General Account with regard to guarantees under the Policy. The General Account is exposed to the risks normally associated with the operation of a life insurance company, including insurance pricing, asset liability management and interest rate risk, operational risks, and the investment risks of a portfolio of securities that consists largely, though not exclusively, of fixed-income securities. Some of the risks associated with such a portfolio include interest rate, option, liquidity, and credit risk. The financial statements contained in the Statement of Additional Information include a further discussion of risks inherent within the General Account investments. The assets in the General Account are subject to the claims of the Company’s general creditors.
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We established the Separate Account by action of our Trustees on November 23, 1983, in accordance with the provisions of Wisconsin insurance law. The Separate Account is registered with the SEC as a unit investment trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). We own the assets in the Separate Account and we are obligated to pay all benefits under the Policies. We may use the Separate Account to support other variable life insurance policies we issue. We have divided the Separate Account into Divisions, each of which invests in shares of one Portfolio of the Funds.
Under Wisconsin law, Separate Account assets are held separate from our other assets and are not part of our General Account. Income, gains, and losses, whether or not realized, from assets allocated to the Separate Account will be credited to or charged against the Separate Account without regard to our other income, gains, or losses. Income, gains, and losses credited to, or charged against, a Division reflect that Division's own investment performance and not the investment performance of our other assets. We may not use the Separate Account's assets to pay any of our liabilities other than those arising from the Policies and any other variable life insurance Policies funded by the Separate Account. We may, however, use all of our assets (except those held in certain other separate accounts) to satisfy our obligations under your Policy.
Where permitted by law and subject to any required regulatory approvals or votes by Owners, we reserve the right to:
| • | operate the Separate Account or a Division either as a unit investment trust or a management investment company under the 1940 Act, or in any other form permitted by law, if deemed by the Company to be in the best interest of Owners; |
| • | invest current and future assets of a Division in securities of another Portfolio as a substitute for shares of a Portfolio already purchased or to be purchased; |
| • | transfer cash from time to time between the General Account and the Separate Account as deemed necessary or appropriate and consistent with the terms of the Policy, including but not limited to transfers for the deduction of charges and in support of payment options; |
| • | transfer assets of the Separate Account in excess of reserve requirements applicable to the Policies supported by the Separate Account to the General Account (Invested Assets remaining in the Separate Account necessary to fulfill its obligations under the Policy are not subject to claims against or losses in the General Account); |
| • | register or deregister the Separate Account under the 1940 Act or change its classification under that Act; |
| • | create new separate accounts; |
| • | add, delete or make substitutions for the securities and other assets held or purchased by the Separate Account; |
| • | restrict or eliminate any voting rights of Owners or other persons having voting rights as to the Separate Account; and |
| • | make any changes to the Separate Account to conform with, or required by any change in, federal tax law, the 1940 Act and regulations promulgated thereunder, or any other applicable federal or state laws. |
In the event that we take any of these actions, we may make an appropriate endorsement of your Policy and take other actions necessary to comply with applicable law.
A variety of investment options are offered under the Policy for the allocation of your premiums. However, the Company does not endorse or recommend a particular option, nor does it provide asset allocation or investment advice. You are responsible for choosing your investment options and should make your choices based on your individual situation and risk tolerances. After making your initial allocation decisions, you should monitor your allocations and periodically review the options you select and the amounts allocated to each to ensure your selections continue to be appropriate. The amounts you invest in a particular Division are not guaranteed and, because both principal and any return on the investment are subject to market risk, you can lose money.
The assets of each Division are invested in a corresponding Portfolio that is a series of one of the following mutual funds: Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.; Fidelity® Variable Insurance Products; and the Russell Investment Funds. The Separate Account buys shares of the Portfolios at their respective net asset values without sales charge. The Portfolios are available for investment only by separate accounts supporting variable insurance products and are not publicly traded. Their performance can differ substantially from publicly traded mutual funds with similar names. The specific Portfolios available under your Policy may change from time to time, and not all Portfolios in which assets of the Separate Account are invested may be available under your Policy. Your ability to invest in a Portfolio may be affected by the actions of such Portfolio, such as when a Portfolio closes.
The investment objectives of each Portfolio are set forth below. There is no assurance that any of the Portfolios will achieve its stated objective(s). You can find more detailed information about the Portfolios, including a description of each Portfolio, in the attached Portfolio prospectuses. Read the prospectuses for the Portfolios carefully before investing.
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Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.
The principal investment adviser for the Portfolios of the Northwestern Mutual Series Fund is Mason Street Advisors, LLC (“MSA”), our wholly-owned company. The investment advisory agreements for the respective Portfolios provide that MSA will provide services and bear certain expenses of the Fund. MSA employs a staff of investment professionals to manage the assets of the Fund and the other advisory clients of MSA. We provide related facilities and personnel, which MSA uses in performing its investment advisory functions. MSA has retained and oversees Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC, Capital Guardian Trust Company, T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., American Century Investment Management, Inc., and Janus Capital Management LLC under investment sub-advisory agreements to provide day-to-day management of the Portfolios as indicated below. Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC has appointed Franklin Templeton Investments (Asia) Limited as an additional sub-adviser for the International Equity Portfolio. Each such sub-adviser may be replaced without the approval of shareholders. Please see the attached prospectuses for Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. for more information.
| Portfolio | Investment Objective | Sub-adviser (if applicable) | ||
| Growth Stock Portfolio | Long-term growth of capital; current income is a secondary objective | N/A | ||
| Focused Appreciation Portfolio | Long-term growth of capital | Janus Capital Management LLC | ||
| Large Cap Core Stock Portfolio | Long-term growth of capital and income | N/A | ||
| Index 500 Stock Portfolio | Investment results that approximate the performance of the S&P 500® Index | N/A | ||
| Domestic Equity Portfolio | Long-term growth of capital and income | Capital Guardian Trust Company | ||
| Equity Income Portfolio | Long-term growth of capital and income | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | ||
| Mid Cap Growth Stock Portfolio | Long-term growth of capital | N/A | ||
| Index 400 Stock Portfolio | Investment results that approximate the performance of the S&P® MidCap 400 Index | N/A | ||
| Mid Cap Value Portfolio | Long-term capital growth; current income is a secondary objective | American Century Investment Management, Inc. | ||
| Small Cap Growth Stock Portfolio | Long-term growth of capital | N/A | ||
| Small Cap Value Portfolio | Long-term growth of capital | T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | ||
| International Growth Portfolio | Long-term growth of capital | Janus Capital Management LLC | ||
| International Equity Portfolio | Long-term growth of capital | Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC; Franklin Templeton Investments (Asia) Limited | ||
| Money Market Portfolio | Maximum current income to the extent consistent with liquidity and stability of capital* | N/A | ||
| Select Bond Portfolio | To provide as high a level of total return as is consistent with prudent investment risk; a secondary objective is to seek preservation of shareholders’ capital | N/A | ||
| High Yield Bond Portfolio | High current income and capital appreciation** | N/A | ||
| Balanced Portfolio | To realize as high a level of total return as is consistent with prudent investment risk, through income and capital appreciation | N/A | ||
| Asset Allocation Portfolio | To realize as high a level of total return as is consistent with reasonable investment risk | N/A |
| * | Although the Money Market Portfolio seeks to preserve its value at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Money Market Portfolio. An investment in a money market portfolio is neither insured nor guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any government agency. During extended periods of low interest rates, the yield of a money market portfolio may also become extremely low and possibly negative. |
| ** | High yield bonds are commonly referred to as junk bonds. |
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Fidelity® Variable Insurance Products
The Fidelity® VIP Mid Cap Portfolio is a series of Variable Insurance Products III. The Separate Account buys Service Class 2 shares of the Fidelity® VIP Mid Cap Portfolio, the investment adviser for which is the Fidelity Management & Research Company.
| Portfolio | Investment Objective | Sub-adviser | ||
| VIP Mid Cap Portfolio | Long-term growth of capital | Fidelity Management & Research Company, Inc. & Fidelity Research & Analysis Company |
The assets of each of the Portfolios comprising the Russell Investment Funds are invested by one or more investment management organizations researched and recommended by Frank Russell Company (“Russell”), and an affiliate of Russell, the Russell Investment Management Company (“RIMCo”). RIMCo is the investment adviser of the Russell Investment Funds. Russell is our majority-owned subsidiary.
| Portfolio | Investment Objective | |
| Multi-Style Equity Fund | Long-term growth of capital | |
| Aggressive Equity Fund | Long-term growth of capital | |
| Real Estate Securities Fund | Current income and long-term growth of capital | |
| Non-U.S. Fund | Long-term growth of capital | |
| Core Bond Fund | Current income and, as a secondary objective, capital appreciation |
We select the Portfolios offered through this Policy based on several criteria, including asset class coverage, the strength of the investment adviser’s or sub-adviser’s reputation and tenure, brand recognition, performance, and the capability and qualification of each investment firm. Another factor we consider during the selection process is whether the Portfolio’s investment adviser or an affiliate will make payments to us or our affiliates. We review the Portfolios periodically and may remove a Portfolio or limit its availability to new premiums and/or transfers of accumulated amounts if we determine that the Portfolio no longer meets one or more of the selection criteria, and/or if the Portfolio has not attracted significant allocations from Owners. The Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. and the Russell Investment Funds have been included in part because they are managed by subsidiaries of the Company.
We do not provide any investment advice and do not recommend or endorse any particular Portfolio. You bear the risk of any decline in the Policy Value of your Policy resulting from the performance of the Portfolios you have chosen.
Owners, through their indirect investment in the Portfolios, bear the costs of the investment advisory or management fees that the Portfolios pay to their respective investment advisors (see the Portfolios’ prospectuses for more information). As described above, an investment adviser of a Portfolio, or its affiliates, may make payments to the Company and/or certain of our affiliates. These payments may be derived, in whole or in part, from the advisory fee deducted from Portfolio assets. The amount of the compensation is based on a percentage of assets of the Portfolios attributable to the Policies and certain other variable insurance products that the Company issues. The percentages differ and some investment advisers (or other affiliates) may pay more than others. The percentages currently range up to 0.25%. These payments may be used for any corporate purpose, including payment of expenses that the Company and/or its affiliates incur for services performed on behalf of the Policies and the Portfolios. The Company and its affiliates may profit from these payments.
Certain Portfolios have adopted a Distribution (and/or Shareholder Servicing) Plan under Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act, which is described in more detail in the Portfolios’ prospectuses. These payments, which may be up to 0.25%, are deducted from assets of the Portfolios and are paid to our distributor, Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC. These payments decrease the Portfolio’s investment return.
Additionally, an investment adviser or sub-adviser of a Portfolio or its affiliate may provide the Company with wholesaling services that assist in the distribution of the Policies and may pay the Company and/or certain of our affiliates amounts to participate in sales meetings. These amounts may be significant and may provide the investment adviser or sub-adviser (or their affiliate) with increased access to persons involved in the distribution of the Policies.
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We are no longer issuing this Policy.
This prospectus describes the material provisions of the Policy. You should consult your Policy for more information about its terms and conditions, and for any state specific variations that may apply to your Policy.
Generally, the Policy was available for Insureds between Issue Ages 20-85. A minimum Specified Amount of at least $1,000,000 was required if the older Insured’s Issue Age was 20-49 and $500,000 if the older Insured’s Issue Age was 50-85.
The Policy permits you to pay premiums at any time before the Policy Anniversary that is nearest the 95th birthday of the younger Insured and in any amounts within the limits described in this section.
We used the Specified Amount you selected when you purchased the Policy to determine the minimum initial premium required to put your Policy in force. The minimum initial premium varies with the Issue Age, sex, and underwriting classification of the Insured persons.
After a Policy is issued, there are no minimum premiums, except that we will not accept a premium of less than $25. The Policy will remain in force during the lifetime of at least one of the Insured persons so long as the Cash Value is sufficient to pay the Monthly Policy Charge. If there is Policy Debt, payments at our Home Office will be treated as payments to reduce Policy Debt unless designated as Premium Payments.
The Policy sets no maximum on premiums, but we will accept a premium that would increase the net amount at risk only if the insurance, as increased, will be within our issue limits, the Insureds meet our insurability requirements and we receive the premium prior to the Policy anniversary nearest the older Insured’s 85th birthday. If you have elected the Guideline Premium/Cash Value Corridor Test (see “Death Benefit—Minimum Death Benefit”), we will not accept a premium if it would disqualify the Policy as life insurance for federal income tax purposes. We will accept a premium, however, even if it would cause the Policy to be classified as a MEC. (See “Tax Considerations.”)
You may send Premium Payments to our Home Office or to a payment center designated by us. All payments must be made in U.S. Dollars payable through a U.S. financial institution. We accept Premium Payments by check or electronic funds transfer (“EFT”). We do not accept third-party checks at the Home Office as part of the initial Premium Payment. We generally will not accept cash, money orders, traveler’s checks or “starter” checks; however, in limited circumstances, we may accept some cash equivalents in accord with our anti-money laundering procedures. If you make a Premium Payment with a check or bank draft and, for whatever reason, it is later returned unpaid or uncollected, or if a Premium Payment by EFT is reversed, we reserve the right to reverse the transaction. We also reserve the right to recover any resulting losses incurred by us by withdrawing a sufficient amount of Policy Value. We have the right to limit or refund a Premium Payment or make distributions from the Policy as necessary to continue to qualify the Policy as life insurance under federal tax law. If mandated under applicable law, we may be required to reject a Premium Payment.
Although we do not anticipate delays in our receipt and processing of premiums, we may experience such delays to the extent premiums are not received at our Home Office on a timely basis. Such delays could result in delays in the allocation of premiums. (See “Allocations to the Separate Account.”)
We may also be required to provide information about you and your account to government regulators.
The Policy Value is the cumulative amount invested, less withdrawals, adjusted for investment results and interest on Policy Debt, and reduced by the current monthly charges for the cost of insurance and other expenses. It is also equal to the sum of Invested Assets and Policy Debt.
Death Benefit Options The Death Benefit is payable on the second death while the Policy is in force. The Policy provides for three Death Benefit options:
| • | Specified Amount (Option A) |
| • | Specified Amount Plus Policy Value (Option B) |
| • | Specified Amount Plus Premiums Paid (Option C) |
The option you choose on your Application will generally depend on whether you prefer an increasing Death Benefit or a larger Policy Value, but in each case the Death Benefit will be at least the Minimum Death Benefit required for your Policy to qualify as life insurance under federal tax law. You selected the Specified Amount when you purchased the Policy and, subject to our approval, you may make changes upon written request.
The selected Death Benefit option will be in effect before the Policy Anniversary nearest the 100th birthday of the younger Insured (whether that Insured survived to age 100 or not), and the Death Benefit will be equal to the Policy Value on or after that Policy Anniversary. The investment performance of the Portfolios, as well as the charges and expenses under your Policy, may decrease your Policy Value and/or your Death Benefit.
The Death Benefit will be paid on the death of the second of the Insureds to die while the Policy is in force. The amount payable will be reduced by the amount of any Policy Debt and any Monthly Policy Charges due and unpaid if the second death occurs during a grace period. (See “Termination and Reinstatement.”) Subject to the terms and conditions of the
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Policy, the proceeds will be paid to a beneficiary or other payee after proof of the deaths of both Insureds is received in our Home Office. The amount of proceeds will be determined as of the date of the second death. We will pay interest on the proceeds from that date until payment is made.
Your beneficiary may receive the Death Benefit as a cash settlement. If the cash settlement amount meets our criteria, the Company will pay the Death Benefit by establishing an interest-bearing account, called the Northwestern Access Fund account, for the beneficiary in the amount of the Death Benefit less any Policy Debt. If our criteria are not met, the cash settlement of the Death Benefit is paid via a single check. Account information, along with a book of drafts (which will function like a checkbook), will be sent to the beneficiary, and the beneficiary will have access to funds in the account simply by writing a draft for all or part of the amount of the Death Benefit (or other available balance), and depositing or using the draft as desired. When the draft is paid through the bank that administers the account for Northwestern Mutual, the bank will receive the amount the beneficiary requests as a transfer from the Company's General Account. The Northwestern Access Fund is part of the Company's General Account. Any interest paid within a Northwestern Access Fund may be taxable, so please consult your tax advisor. The Northwestern Access Fund is not a bank account, and it is not insured by the FDIC or any other government agency. As part of our General Account, the Northwestern Access Fund is backed by the financial strength of the Company, although it is subject to the claims of our creditors. The Company may make a profit on all amounts held in the Northwestern Access Fund. We may discontinue the Northwestern Access Fund at any time, with or without notice.
If a payment plan was not previously elected by the Owner and in lieu of a lump sum payment, the Company currently permits the Death Benefit, less any Policy Debt, to be paid under a payment plan selected by your beneficiary after the death of the second Insured. Available payment plans include an interest income plan, installment income plans, and life income plans. Generally, (1) an interest income plan accrues interest on the Death Benefit, the interest may be received monthly, and any remaining proceeds or interest may be withdrawn at any time; (2) an installment income plan pays the Death Benefit in installments for a fixed period of time, and any remaining proceeds may be withdrawn at any time; and (3) a life income plan makes payments monthly for a chosen period and after that, for the life of the person on whose life the payments are based (or two persons if the joint option is selected). The choice of payment plans will vary depending on financial situation and the amount of income desired monthly for a chosen time period. The Owner may elect the payment plan while at least one of the Insureds is living or, if the second Insured to die is not the Owner, during the first 60 days after the second Insured’s date of death. A payment plan that is elected by the Owner will take effect on the date of death of the second Insured if the notice of election is received in our Home Office while the Insured is living. In all other cases, the payment plan will take effect on the date of receipt of the notice of election. If no payment plan is elected, the benefit is paid to the beneficiary with interest based on rates declared by the Company or as required by applicable state law on the date of death of the second Insured.
Minimum Death Benefit The Minimum Death Benefit is the amount required to maintain the Policy as life insurance for Federal income tax purposes. Under any of the Death Benefit options, or on or after the Policy Anniversary nearest the 100th birthday of the younger Insured, we will increase the Death Benefit if necessary to meet this requirement.
A Policy must satisfy one of two testing methods to qualify as life insurance for federal income tax purposes: the Guideline Premium/Cash Value Corridor Test or the Cash Value Accumulation Test. Both tests require the Policy to meet minimum ratios, or multiples, of Death Benefit to the Policy Value. The minimum multiple decreases as the age of the Insured persons advances. You made the choice of testing methods when you purchased the Policy and it may not be changed.
For the Guideline Premium/Cash Value Corridor Test the minimum multiples of Death Benefit to the Policy Value are shown in the following table. The Attained Age of the younger Insured is used even if the younger Insured is no longer living.
Guideline Premium/Cash Value
Corridor Test Multiples
Younger Insured Age
| Attained Age |
Policy Value % | |
| 40 or under |
250 | |
| 41 |
243 | |
| 42 |
236 | |
| 43 |
229 | |
| 44 |
222 | |
| 45 |
215 | |
| 46 |
209 | |
| 47 |
203 | |
| 48 |
197 | |
| 49 |
191 | |
| 50 |
185 | |
| 51 |
178 | |
| 52 |
171 | |
| 53 |
164 | |
| 54 |
157 | |
| 55 |
150 | |
| 56 |
146 | |
| 57 |
142 | |
| 58 |
138 | |
| 59 |
134 | |
| 60 |
130 | |
| 61 | 128 | |
| 62 | 126 | |
| 63 | 124 | |
| 64 | 122 | |
| 65 | 120 | |
| 66 | 119 |
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| Attained Age |
Policy Value % | |
| 67 | 118 | |
| 68 | 117 | |
| 69 | 116 | |
| 70 | 115 | |
| 71 | 113 | |
| 72 | 111 | |
| 73 | 109 | |
| 74 | 107 | |
| 75-90 | 105 | |
| 91 | 104 | |
| 92 | 103 | |
| 93 | 102 | |
| 94 | 101 | |
| 95 or over | 100 |
For the Cash Value Accumulation Test, the minimum multiples of Death Benefit to the Policy Value are calculated using net single premiums based on the Attained Age of both Insureds and the Policy’s underwriting classification, and using a 4% interest rate.
The Guideline Premium/Cash Value Corridor Test generally has lower minimum multiples than the Cash Value Accumulation Test, usually resulting in better Cash Value accumulation for a given amount of premium and Specified Amount. This is because the Guideline Premium/Cash Value Corridor Test generally requires a lower Death Benefit and therefore a lower cost of insurance charge. The Guideline Premium/Cash Value Corridor Test limits the amount of premium that may be paid in each Policy Year. The Cash Value Accumulation Test has no such annual limitation, and allows more premium to be paid during the early Policy Years.
Death Benefit Changes You may change the Death Benefit option, or increase or decrease the Specified Amount, subject to our approval. Changes are subject to insurability requirements and issue limits. We will not permit a change if it results in a Specified Amount less than what we would issue on that date for similar policies.
If the written request is received at our Home Office on a monthly processing date, a change in the Death Benefit option or an increase or decrease in the Specified Amount, will be effective on that date. If the written request is not received on a monthly processing date, it will be effective on the next monthly processing date.
Administrative charges of up to $250 for a change in the Death Benefit option, and up to $25 per change for more than one change in the Specified Amount in a Policy Year, may apply. We will deduct any such charges from the Policy Value. We are currently waiving these charges.
A change in the Death Benefit option, or an increase or decrease in the Specified Amount, may have important tax effects. (See “Tax Considerations.”) The cost of insurance charge will increase if a change results in a larger net amount at risk. (See “Charges against the Policy Value.”)
Allocations to the Separate Account
Net Premiums are placed in the Separate Account on the date we receive them at our Home Office, provided the Net Premiums are received in good order prior to the close of trading (typically, 4:00 pm Eastern Time) on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) for that day. “Good order” means that your request meets all the requirements necessary for us to process it, including, but not limited to, its insurability, underwriting, and MEC-limit (or life insurance qualification) requirements. We will process these premiums based upon the value of the units in the Divisions of the Separate Account as of the close of the regular trading session of the NYSE. If we receive the premiums on or after the close of trading, we will process the premiums using the value of the units in the Divisions determined at the close of the next regular trading session of the NYSE. Net Premiums are premiums less the Premium Expense Charge. (See “Premium Expense Charges.”) Net Premiums are allocated into the Divisions as you directed in the application for your Policy or in subsequent written requests. You may change the allocation for future Net Premiums at any time by written request and the change will be effective for premiums we place in the Separate Account thereafter.
Transfer Between Divisions Subject to the short-term and excessive trading limitations described below, you may change your allocation between Divisions and transfer accumulated amounts from one Division to another. In order to take full advantage of these features, you should carefully consider, on a continuing basis, which investment options are best suited to your long-term investment needs. See “Owner Inquiries” for more information on how you may change your allocation among Divisions. Your Financial Representative may provide us with instructions on your behalf involving the allocation and transfer of accumulated amounts among available Divisions, subject to our rules and requirements, including the restrictions on short-term and excessive trading discussed below.
We will make the transfer based upon the net valuation of units in the affected Division after our receipt of your request for transfer at our Home Office, provided it is in good order. “Good order” means that your request meets all the requirements necessary for us to process it. You may request the transfer in writing (including via facsimile, or, under limited circumstances, by e-mail) at our Home Office or, if eligible, via our website (www.northwesternmutual.com). The submission of transfer instructions through our website (“Electronic Instructions”) must be made in accordance with our current procedures for Electronic Instructions. However, we are not required to accept Electronic Instructions, and we will not be responsible for losses resulting from transactions based on unauthorized Electronic Instructions, provided we follow procedures reasonably designed to verify the authenticity of Electronic Instructions. Please note that electronic devices may not always be available. Any electronic device, whether it is yours, your service provider's or your agent's or ours, can experience outages or slowdowns for a variety of reasons, which may delay or prevent our
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processing of your request. Although we have taken precautions to limit these problems, we cannot promise complete reliability under all circumstances. If you are experiencing problems, you should make your transfer request by writing to our Home Office. Transfer requests made via email are deemed to be received by us upon receipt at the electronic location designated by us in our procedures. We reserve the right to limit, modify, suspend or terminate the ability to make transfers via Electronic Instructions. Currently we do not accept transfer instructions by telephone.
If we receive your request in good order for transfer before the close of trading on the NYSE (typically, 4:00 pm Eastern Time), your request will receive same-day pricing. If we receive your request for transfer on or after the close of trading on the NYSE, we will process the order using the value of the units in the Divisions determined at the close of the next regular trading session of the NYSE. Although no fee is presently charged, we reserve the right where allowed by state law to charge a fee that will cover the administrative costs of transfers. In addition, certain Portfolios in which the Divisions invest may impose redemption fees. These fees are described in the Portfolios’ prospectuses.
Short-Term and Excessive Trading Short-term and excessive trading (sometimes referred to as “market timing”) may present risks to a Portfolio’s long-term investors, such as Owners and other persons who may have material rights under the Policy (e.g., beneficiaries), because it can, among other things, disrupt Portfolio investment strategies, increase Portfolio transaction and administrative costs, require higher than normal levels of cash reserves to fund unusually large or unexpected redemptions, and adversely affect investment performance. These risks may be greater for Portfolios that invest in securities that may be more vulnerable to arbitrage trading including foreign securities and thinly traded securities, such as small cap stocks and non-investment grade bonds. These types of trading activities also may dilute the value of long-term investors’ interests in a Portfolio if it calculates its net asset value using closing prices that are no longer accurate. Accordingly, we discourage market timing activities.
To deter short-term and excessive trading, we have adopted and implemented policies and procedures which are designed to control abusive trading practices. We seek to apply these policies and procedures uniformly to all Owners. Any exceptions must be either expressly permitted by our policies and procedures or subject to an approval process described in them. We may also be prevented from uniformly applying these policies and procedures under applicable state or federal law or regulation. Because exceptions are permitted, it is possible that investors may be treated differently and, as a result, some may be allowed to engage in trading activity that might be viewed as market timing.
Among the steps we have taken to reduce the frequency and effect of these practices are monitoring trading activity and imposing trading restrictions, including the prohibition of more than twelve transfers among Divisions under a single Policy during a Policy Year. Multiple transfers with the same effective date made by the same Owner will be counted as a single transfer for purposes of applying the twelve transfer limitation. Further, an investor who is identified as having made a transfer in and out of the same Division, excluding the Money Market Division, (“round trip transfer”) in an amount in excess of $10,000 within fourteen calendar days will be restricted from making additional transfers after the third such round trip transfer until the next Policy Anniversary date, and sent a letter informing him or her of the restriction. Thereafter, the same investor will be similarly restricted after the second such round trip transfer. An Owner who is identified as having made one or more round trip transfers within thirty calendar days aggregating more than one percent (1%) of the total assets of the Portfolio underlying a Division, excluding the Money Market Division, will be sent a warning letter after the first such round trip transfer and will be restricted from making additional transfers until the next Policy Anniversary date after the second such round trip transfer. Thereafter, the same investor will be similarly restricted after the first such round trip transfer. These limitations do not apply to automatic asset transfers, scheduled or systematic transactions involving portfolio rebalancing, dollar cost averaging, initial allocations or changes in future allocations. Once a Policy is restricted, we will allow one additional transfer into the Money Market Division until the next Policy Anniversary.
Policies such as yours (or other Policies supported by the Separate Account) may be purchased by a corporation or other entity as a means to informally fund the liabilities created by the entity’s employee benefit or similar plan. These Policies may be aggregately managed to match liabilities under such plans. Policies sold under these circumstances may be subject to special transfer restrictions. Namely, transactions involving portfolio rebalancing programs may be exempt from the twelve transfers per Policy year limitation where: (1) the purpose of the portfolio rebalancing program is to match the Policy to the entity’s employee benefit or similar plan; (2) the portfolio rebalancing program adequately protects against short-term or excessive trading; and (3) the portfolio rebalancing program is managed by a third party administrator that meets our requirements. We reserve the right to monitor or limit transactions involving portfolio rebalancing programs where we believe such transactions may be potentially harmful to a Portfolio.
We may change these policies and procedures from time to time in our sole discretion without notice; provided, however, Owners will be given advance, written notice if the policies and procedures are revised to accommodate market timing. Additionally, the Funds may have their own policies and procedures described in their prospectuses that are designed to limit or restrict frequent trading. Such policies may be different from our policies and procedures, and may be more or less restrictive. As the Funds may accept purchase payments from other investors, including other insurance company separate accounts on behalf of their variable product customers and retirement plans, we cannot guarantee that the Funds will not be harmed by any abusive market timing activity relating to the retirement plans and/or other insurance
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companies that may invest in the Funds. The Funds’ policies and procedures may provide for the imposition of a redemption fee and, upon request from the Fund, require us to provide transaction information to the Fund (including an Owner’s tax identification number) and to restrict or prohibit transfers and other transactions that involve the purchase of shares of a Portfolio. In the event a Fund instructs us to restrict or prohibit transfers or other transactions involving shares of a Portfolio, you may not be able to make additional purchases in a Division until the restriction or prohibition ends. If you submit a request that includes a purchase or transfer into such a restricted Division, we will consider the request “not in good order” and it will not be processed. You may, however, submit a new transfer request.
If we believe your trading activity is in violation of, or inconsistent with, our policies and procedures or otherwise is potentially disruptive to the interests of other investors, you may be asked to stop such activities, and future investments and allocations or transfers by you may be rejected without prior notice. Because we retain discretion to determine what action is appropriate in a given situation, investors may be treated differently and some may be allowed to engage in activities that might be viewed as market timing.
We intend to monitor events and the effectiveness of our policies and procedures in order to identify whether instances of potentially abusive trading practices are occurring. However, we may not be able to identify all instances of abusive trading practices, nor completely eliminate the possibility of such activities, and there may be technological limitations on our ability to impose restrictions on the trading practices of Owners.
Premium Expense Charges We deduct a charge from each premium for state premium taxes and a portion of our federal income taxes. Premium taxes vary from state to state and currently range from 0.0% to 3.5% of life insurance premiums. We will charge the same percentage regardless of the state in which you live. The charge is currently 2.35% of premium prior to the Policy Anniversary in 2010, and 2.00% for subsequent premiums. We reserve the right to deduct in the future a different amount or percentage from Premium Payments to cover premium tax and federal corporate taxes paid by the Company which may be more or less than the current charge.
Due to a 1990 federal tax law change under the OBRA, as amended, insurance companies are generally required to capitalize and amortize certain acquisition expenses rather than currently deducting such expenses. Due to this capitalization and amortization, the corporate income tax burden on insurance companies has been affected. We make a charge of 1.25% against each Premium Payment paid prior to the Policy Anniversary in 2010, and 1.00% for subsequent premiums to compensate us for corporate taxes. We believe that this charge does not exceed a reasonable estimate of an increase in our federal income taxes resulting from a change in the Internal Revenue Code relating to deferred acquisition costs. The state premium tax charge and the OBRA expense charge may each vary in amount.
We deduct a sales load from each premium. We expect to recover our expenses of selling and advertising (“distribution expenses”) from this amount. The charge is 6.4% of the premiums up to the Target Premium paid for the first ten Policy Years, and 2.4% of all other premiums. The amounts we deduct for costs in a Policy Year are not specifically related to distribution expenses incurred in that year. To the extent that distribution expenses exceed the amounts deducted, we will pay the expenses from our other assets. These assets may include, among other things, any gain realized from the monthly charge against the Policy Value for the mortality and expense risks we have assumed, as described below. To the extent that the amounts deducted for distribution expenses exceed the amounts needed, we will realize a gain.
Charges Against the Policy Value We deduct a Monthly Policy Charge from the Policy Value on each monthly processing date. (See “Policy Value.”) The Monthly Policy Charge includes (1) the Cost of Insurance Charge, (2) the Mortality and Expense Risk Charge—Invested Assets Component, (3) the Mortality and Expense Risk Charge—Specified Amount Component, (4) the Administrative Charge, (5) the Underwriting and Issue Charge, (6) the Deferred Sales Charge and (7) the charge for the expenses and taxes associated with any Policy Debt. These seven components of the Monthly Policy Charge are described in the following seven paragraphs.
As part of the Monthly Policy Charge, we deduct the Cost of Insurance Charge from the Policy Value on each monthly processing date. We determine the amount by multiplying the net amount at risk by the cost of insurance rate. The net amount at risk is the difference between the Death Benefit and the Policy Value. The net amount at risk will be affected by investment performance, the amount and timing of premiums, and the charges and expenses for the Policy. The cost of insurance rate reflects the Policy Date, Policy Year, and the Issue Age, sex and underwriting classification of the Insured persons. All things being equal, higher Issue Ages and/or worse underwriting classifications will result in higher cost of insurance rates, and men will pay higher rates than women. In addition, cost of insurance rates will generally increase each Policy Year. The maximum cost of insurance rates are included in the Policy. We may realize gain from this charge to the extent the charge exceeds our costs attributable to the charge, in which case the gain may be used for any Company purpose.
As part of the Monthly Policy Charge, we also deduct from the Policy Value the Mortality and Expense Risk Charge—Invested Assets Component. The maximum amount of the Invested Assets component is equal to an annual rate of 0.90% (0.075% monthly rate) of the Policy Value, less any Policy Debt. Currently the charge is equal to an annual rate of 0.10% (0.00833% monthly rate) of the Policy Value, less any Policy Debt. The mortality risk is that Insureds may not live as long as we estimated. The expense risk includes the risk that
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expenses of issuing and administering the Policies may exceed the estimated costs, including other costs such as those related to marketing and distribution. We will realize a gain from this charge to the extent it is not needed to provide benefits and pay expenses under the Policies, in which case the gain may be used for any Company purpose.
As part of the Monthly Policy Charge, we deduct from the Policy Value the Mortality and Expense Risk Charge—Specified Amount Component. The Specified Amount component is based on the initial Specified Amount and the Issue Ages of the Insured persons, and applies during the first 10 Policy Years. The range on an annual basis is from $0.04 per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount if both Insured persons are Issue Age 25 or younger, up to $1.72 per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount if both Insured persons are issue age 72 or older. A table of rates and an example are included in Appendix A. The mortality risk is that Insureds may not live as long as we estimated. The expense risk includes the risk that expenses of issuing and administering the Policies may exceed the estimated costs, including other costs such as those related to marketing and distribution. We will realize a gain from this charge to the extent it is not needed to provide benefits and pay expenses under the Policies, in which case the gain may be used for any Company purpose.
As part of the Monthly Policy Charge, we deduct the Administrative Charge of not more than $7.50 monthly. Currently this charge is $5 monthly for months prior to the Policy Anniversary in 2010, and $6.67 monthly for months on or after the Policy Anniversary in 2010. This charge is for administrative expenses, including costs of premium collection, processing claims, keeping records and communicating with Owners. We do not expect to profit from this charge.
As part of the Monthly Policy Charge, we deduct the Underwriting and Issue Charge based on the initial Specified Amount and the underwriting classification of the Insureds on the Date of Issue. This charge applies during the first 10 Policy Years. The range is from $0.015 to $0.035 per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount, with a maximum monthly charge of $75 to $175.
As part of the Monthly Policy Charge, we deduct the Deferred Sales Charge. This charge for sales expenses is deducted during the first ten Policy Years. The charge is 7.5% (0.625% monthly rate) of cumulative premiums paid during the first Policy Year (up to the Target Premium). The charge applied during Policy Years 2-10 is equal to 0.625% per month times the cumulative premium paid in the first Policy Year (up to the Target Premium). This charge is for sales expenses.
As part of the Monthly Policy Charge, we deduct a charge for the expenses and taxes associated with the Policy Debt, if any. The aggregate charge when the younger Insured is (or would be if alive) Attained Age 99 and below is at the current annual rate of 0.90% (0.075% monthly rate) of the Policy Debt for the first 10 Policy Years and 0.35% (0.02917% monthly rate) thereafter. The aggregate charge when the younger Insured is (or would be, if alive) Attained Age 100 and above is at the current annual rate of 0.00% annually of the Policy Debt.
The Policy provides for transaction fees to be deducted from the Policy Value on the dates on which transactions take place. These charges are $25 per change for more than one change in the Specified Amount in a Policy Year, $25 per withdrawal, and $25 per transfer of assets among the Divisions if more than twelve transfers take place in a Policy Year. The fee for a change in the Death Benefit option is $250. Currently we are waiving all of these fees.
You may have the option of receiving funds via wire transfer or priority mail. Currently, a fee of $25 is charged for wire transfers (up to $50 for international transfers) and a $15 fee (up to $45 for next day, a.m. delivery) for priority mail. These fees are to cover our administrative costs or other expenses. We may discontinue the availability of these options at any time, with or without notice.
We will apportion deductions from the Policy Value among the Divisions in proportion to the amounts invested in the Divisions. For policies with the Monthly Charges From One Division Amendment, the Owner may elect in writing to have the Monthly Policy Charge deducted from one Division. We reserve the right to determine which Divisions to make available for this election. Currently, the Money Market Division is available for this election. If the amount in the specified Division is not sufficient to pay these charges, the remainder of these charges is deducted from each Division in proportion to the amounts invested in the Divisions.
Surrender Charge A surrender charge will be deducted from the Policy proceeds during the first ten Policy Years if the Policy is surrendered. The surrender charge during the first Policy Year is 50% of the Premium Payments paid up to the Target Premium. Beginning with the second Policy Year, the surrender charge decreases by a consistent dollar amount month by month to zero at the end of the tenth Policy Year. The Target Premium, and therefore the maximum surrender charge, depends on the Issue Age, sex and underwriting classification of the Insured persons. For example, for a male and female, both in the best underwriting classification and both Issue Age 55, the maximum surrender charge, where the Target Premium or more is paid and the Policy is surrendered during the first Policy Year, would be $9.29 per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount. The surrender charge will never exceed $50 per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount for any Issue Age, sex and underwriting classification combination. No surrender charge applies to a withdrawal of Cash Value.
Expenses of the Portfolios The investment performance of each Division reflects all expenses borne by the corresponding Portfolio. (See “Fee and Expense Tables—Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” and the attached Fund prospectuses.)
You may surrender a Policy for the Cash Value at any time during the lifetime of at least one of the Insured persons. The Cash Value for the Policy will change daily in response to investment results. No minimum Cash Value is guaranteed. The Cash Value is equal to the Policy Value, reduced by the surrender charge and reduced by any Policy Debt outstanding.
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We determine the Cash Value for a Policy at the end of each valuation period (typically, 4:00 pm Eastern Time each business day). Each business day, together with any non-business days before it, is a valuation period. A business day is any day on which the NYSE is open for trading. In accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, we may also determine the Cash Value for a Policy on any other day on which there is sufficient trading in securities to materially affect the value of the securities held by the Portfolios.
The Company currently permits surrender proceeds to be paid under a payment plan requested by an Owner at the time of surrender. Available payment plans include an interest income plan, installment income plans, and life income plans.
Described below are certain terms and conditions that apply when you borrow amounts under the Policy. For information on the tax treatment of loans, see “Tax Considerations” and consult with your tax advisor.
You may borrow an amount that, when added to existing Policy Debt, is not more than the loan value. The loan value is 90% of the sum of the Cash Value and any existing Policy Debt on the date of the loan. If a Policy loan is already outstanding, the maximum amount for any new loan is reduced by the amount already borrowed. We normally pay the loan proceeds within seven days after we receive a proper loan request at our Home Office. We may postpone payments of loans under certain conditions described in the “Deferral of Determination and Payment” section of this prospectus. There is a charge for the expenses and taxes associated with Policy Debt. (See “Charges and Expenses—Charges Against the Policy Value.”)
Written requests will be processed based on the date and time they are received in the Home Office, provided the request is received in good order. Based on our administrative procedures, you may have the option of receiving funds via wire transfer or priority mail, and we may charge a fee for this service to cover our administrative costs.
Interest on a Policy loan accrues on a daily basis at an annual effective, fixed rate of 5%. Interest is due and payable on each Policy Anniversary. We add unpaid interest to the amount of the loan at an annual effective, fixed rate of interest of 5%. If, on any monthly processing date, the amount of the loan plus the surrender charge plus the monthly charges for the cost of insurance and other expenses exceeds the Policy Value, the Policy will enter the grace period. (See “Termination and Reinstatement.”) We will send you a notice at least 61 days before the termination date. The notice will show how much you must pay to keep the Policy in force.
We will take the amount of a Policy loan from the Divisions in proportion to the amounts in the Divisions. We will transfer the amounts withdrawn to our General Account and credit them on a daily basis with an annual earnings rate equal to the 5% Policy loan interest rate. A Policy loan, even if you repay it, will have a permanent effect on the Policy Value because the amounts borrowed will not participate in the Separate Account’s investment results while the loan is outstanding. The effect may be either favorable or unfavorable depending on whether the earnings rate credited to the loan amount is higher or lower than the investment performance of the unborrowed amounts left in the Divisions.
The Death Benefit will also be reduced by the amount of any Policy Debt outstanding. If you surrender or exchange the Policy or allow it to lapse while Policy Debt is outstanding, the amount of the loan, to the extent it has not previously been taxed, will be considered as an amount you received and taxed accordingly.
You may repay a Policy loan, and any accrued interest outstanding, in whole or in part, at any time during the lifetime of at least one of the Insured persons. If there is Policy Debt, payments received at our Home Office will be treated as payments to reduce Policy Debt unless designated as Premium Payments. If we receive your payment before the close of trading on the NYSE, we will credit payments as of the date we receive them and we will transfer those amounts from our General Account to the Divisions, in proportion to the premium allocation in effect, as of the same date. If we receive your payment on or after the close of trading on the NYSE, we will process the order using the value of the units in the Divisions determined at the close of the next regular trading session of the NYSE. Loan repayments are not subject to transaction fees. A Policy loan or unpaid interest may have important tax consequences. (See “Tax Considerations.”)
You may make a withdrawal of Cash Value. A withdrawal may not reduce the loan value to less than any Policy Debt outstanding. The loan value is 90% of the sum of the Cash Value and any existing Policy Debt on the date of the loan. The withdrawal amount may not reduce the Specified Amount to less than the minimum amount we would issue at the time of withdrawal. Following a withdrawal the remaining Cash Value must be at least three times the current monthly charges for the cost of insurance and other expenses. The minimum amount for withdrawals is $250. We permit up to four withdrawals in a Policy Year. An administrative charge of up to $25 may apply, but we are currently waiving this charge.
A withdrawal of Cash Value decreases the Death Benefit, and may also decrease the Specified Amount. The decrease depends on the Death Benefit option and the size of any prior increases in Death Benefit required to meet the definitional requirements for life insurance for federal income tax purposes. In some situations the Death Benefit will decrease by more than the amount of the withdrawal.
We will take the amount withdrawn from Cash Value from the Divisions in proportion to the amounts in the Divisions. The Policy makes no provision for repayment of amounts withdrawn. A withdrawal of Cash Value may have important tax consequences. (See “Tax Considerations.”)
If the Cash Value is less than the monthly charges for the cost of insurance and other expenses on any monthly processing
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date, we allow a grace period of 61 days for a premium payment to keep the Policy in force. The grace period begins on the date we send you a notice. The notice will state the minimum amount of premium required to keep the Policy in force and the date by which you must pay the premium. The Policy will terminate with no value unless you pay the required amount before the grace period expires.
After a Policy has terminated, you may reinstate it within three years (or longer if required under state law) following the termination date, subject to our approval and satisfaction of our underwriting requirements. The Policy may not be reinstated if either of the Insureds died after the end of the grace period. To reinstate the Policy, you must make a payment equal to an amount that will cover all Monthly Policy Charges that were due and unpaid before the end of the grace period and three times the Monthly Policy Charge due on the effective date of the reinstatement. If we approve the application for reinstatement, and the Application was received at our Home Office on a monthly processing date, the effective date of the reinstated Policy will be that date. If the Application is not received on a monthly processing date, the reinstated Policy will be effective on the next monthly processing date. Any Policy Debt that was outstanding when the Policy terminated will be reinstated.
Upon reinstatement, your Policy Date will not change. Therefore, fees and charges that vary by Policy year will take into account the period of time your Policy was terminated. The Policy Value when a Policy is reinstated is equal to the premium paid (plus applicable interest credited by the Company, if any), less Premium Expense Charges, plus any Policy Debt, less the sum of all monthly charges for the cost of insurance and other expenses that were due and unpaid before the end of the grace period, less the monthly charges due on the effective date of the reinstatement. We will allocate the Policy Value, less any Policy Debt, among the Divisions based on the allocations for premiums currently in effect.
If a surrender charge was assessed at the time of termination, the Policy Value when a Policy is reinstated will include a credit for such surrender charge. The same surrender charge schedule in your Policy will apply upon reinstatement.
A reinstatement may have important tax consequences. If you contemplate any such transaction you should consult a qualified tax adviser.
Reinvestments after Surrender or Withdrawal
While Owners have no right to reinvestment after a surrender or withdrawal, we may, at our sole discretion, permit such reinvestments as described in this paragraph. In special limited circumstances, we may allow payments into the Policy in the form of returned surrender or withdrawal proceeds in connection with a request to void a surrender or withdrawal if the request is received by the Company within a reasonable time after the surrender or withdrawal proceeds are mailed. These payments may be processed with a refund of any surrender charge or withdrawal fee previously assessed at the time of surrender or withdrawal and without a sales load. The period for which we will accept requests for the return of surrender or withdrawal proceeds may vary in accordance with our administrative procedures. The returned surrender or withdrawal proceeds will be reinvested at the unit value next determined for each Division after our receipt of the reinvestment request in good order at our Home Office, including, among other things, the return of surrender or withdrawal proceeds, satisfactory evidence of insurability and any premium due. If we receive your request before the close of trading on the NYSE (typically, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time), your request will receive same-day pricing. If we receive your request on or after the close of trading on the NYSE, we will process the order using the value of the units in the Divisions determined at the close of the next regular trading session of the NYSE. Proceeds will be applied to the same Divisions from which the surrender or withdrawal was made.
Depending on the Insureds’ underwriting classification, we may not accept the reinvestment or we may accept the reinvestment with different charges and expenses under the Policy. We may refuse to process reinvestments where it is not administratively feasible. Decisions regarding requests for reinvestment will take into consideration differences in costs and services and will not be unfairly discriminatory. Policies with reinvested surrender or withdrawal proceeds will have the same Death Benefit, Policy Value and surrender charge schedule as if the proceeds had not been surrendered or withdrawn, except that values will reflect the fact that amounts were not invested in the Separate Account during the period of time the surrender or withdrawal proceeds were not in the Policy as well as any changes in charges and expenses due to a change in underwriting classification. We will make an adjustment for any Policy Debt or the debt may be reinstated.
Right to Exchange for a Fixed Benefit Policy
If required by your state, you may have the right to exchange a Policy for a life insurance policy with benefits that do not vary with the investment experience of the Separate Account (“Fixed Benefit Policy”) as described below.
You may elect the exchange at any time within twelve months (or longer if required by state law) after the issue date of the Policy provided premiums are duly paid. We reserve the right to require evidence of insurability. The Fixed Benefit Policy will be on the lives of the same Insureds and will have the same initial Death Benefit, Policy Date and Issue Ages. The exchange will be subject to an equitable cash adjustment, which will recognize the investment performance of the Policy through the effective date of the exchange, and may have tax consequences. An exchange will be effective when we receive a proper written request, as well as the Policy, and any amount due on the exchange.
In addition, you may exchange a Policy for a Fixed Benefit Policy if, at any time, a Fund changes its investment adviser or if there is a material change in the investment policies of a Portfolio. You will be given notice of any such change and will have 60 days to make the exchange.
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Any Policy change that you request is subject to our then current insurability and processing requirements. Processing requirements may include, for example, completion of certain forms and satisfying certain evidentiary requirements.
If the Policy is changed or modified, we may make appropriate endorsements to the Policy, and we may require you to send your Policy to our Home Office for endorsement. Any modification or waiver of our rights or requirements under the Policy must be in writing and signed by an officer of the Company. No agent or other person may bind us by waiving or changing any provision contained in the Policy.
Upon notice to you, we may modify the Policy:
| • | to conform the Policy, our operations, or the Separate Account’s operations to the requirements of any law (including any regulation issued by a government agency) to which the Policy, the Company, or the Separate Account is subject; |
| • | to assure continued qualification of the Policy as a life insurance contract under the federal tax laws; or |
| • | to reflect a change in the Separate Account’s operation. |
Owner The Owner is identified in the Policy. The Owner may exercise all rights under the Policy while at least one of the Insured persons is living. Ownership may be transferred to another. We must receive a written proof of the transfer at our Home Office. “You” in this prospectus means the Owner or prospective purchaser of a Policy. Generally, only Owners are entitled to important information about the Policy. Other persons, such as beneficiaries or payors, are entitled to only limited information.
Beneficiary The beneficiary is the person to whom the Death Benefit is payable. The beneficiary is named in the application. You may change the beneficiary in accordance with the Policy provisions.
Incontestability We will not contest a Policy after it has been in force during the lifetime of at least one Insured for two years from the Date of Issue or two years from the effective date of a reinstatement. We will not contest an increase in the amount of insurance that was subject to insurability requirements after the increased amount has been in force during the lifetime of at least one Insured for two years from the date of issuance of the increase.
Suicide If either Insured dies by suicide within one year from the Date of Issue, the Policy will terminate and the amount payable under the Policy will be limited to the premiums paid, less the amount of any Policy Debt and withdrawals. If either Insured dies by suicide within one year of the date of an increase in the amount of insurance, which was subject to insurability requirements, the amount payable with respect to the increase will be limited to the Monthly Policy Charges attributable to the increase.
Misstatement of Age or Sex If the age or sex of either of the Insureds has been misstated, the Death Benefit and Policy Value will be modified by recalculating all Monthly Policy Charges based on the correct age and sex of both Insured persons.
Collateral Assignment You may assign a Policy as collateral security. We are not responsible for the validity or effect of a collateral assignment and will not be deemed to know of an assignment before receipt of the assignment in writing at our Home Office.
Deferral of Determination and Payment We will ordinarily pay Policy benefits within seven days after we receive all required documents at our Home Office. However, we may defer determination and payment of benefits during any period when it is not reasonably practicable to value securities because the NYSE is closed, or the SEC, by order, either has determined that an emergency exists or permits deferral of the determination and payment of benefits for the protection of Owners.
If you have submitted a check or draft to our Home Office, we have the right to defer payment of surrender, withdrawal, Death Benefit or loan proceeds or payment plan benefits until the check or draft has been honored.
If mandated under applicable law, we may be required to block an Owner’s account and thereby refuse to pay any requests for transfer, withdrawal, surrender, loans, or Death Benefits, until instructions are received from the appropriate regulator. We may also be required to provide additional information about an Owner and an Owner’s account to government regulators.
Dividends This Policy is eligible to share in the divisible surplus, if any, of the Company. Each year we determine, in our sole discretion, the amount and appropriate allocation of divisible surplus. Divisible surplus added to your Policy is referred to as a “dividend”. The Policy’s share, if any, will be credited as a dividend on the Policy Anniversary. There is no guaranteed method or formula for the determination or allocation of divisible surplus. The Company’s approach is subject to change. There is no guarantee of a divisible surplus. Even if there is a divisible surplus, the payment of a dividend on the Policy is not guaranteed. It is not expected that any dividends will be payable on this Policy.
We will credit annual dividends, if any, in cash or you may use them to increase the Policy Value. If you do not provide direction as to the use of dividends, we will use them to increase the Policy Value. Dividends used to increase the Policy Value will be allocated to the Divisions of the Separate Account according to the allocation of Net Premiums then in effect.
As long as the Separate Account continues to be registered as a unit investment trust under the 1940 Act, and as long as Separate Account assets of a particular Division are invested in shares of a given Portfolio, we will vote the shares of that
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Portfolio held in the Separate Account in accordance with instructions we receive from Owners. Periodic reports relating to the Portfolios, proxy material, and a form on which one can give instructions with respect to the proportion of shares of the Portfolio held in the Separate Account corresponding to the Owner’s Policy Value, will be made available to the Owner(s). We will vote shares for which no instructions have been received and shares held in our General Account in the same proportion as the shares for which instructions have been received from Owners. The effect of such proportional voting is that a small number of Owners may control the outcome of a particular vote.
Substitution of Fund Shares and Other Changes
If, in our judgment, a Portfolio or Fund becomes unsuitable for continued use with the Policies because of a change in investment objectives or restrictions, shares of another Portfolio or Fund or another mutual fund may be substituted. Any substitution of shares will be subject to any required approval of the SEC, the Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance or other regulatory authority. We have also reserved the right, subject to applicable federal and state law, to operate the Separate Account or any of its Divisions as a management company under the 1940 Act, or in any other form permitted, or to terminate registration of the Separate Account if registration is no longer required, and to change the provisions of the Policies to comply with any applicable laws.
In the event we take any of these actions, we may make an appropriate endorsement of your Policy and take other actions to carry out what we have done.
Reports and Financial Statements
At least once each Policy Year you will receive a statement showing the Death Benefit, Cash Value, Policy Value and any Policy loan, including loan interest. We will also send you a confirmation statement when you transfer among Divisions, make a withdrawal, take a Policy loan, or surrender the Policy. These statements will show your apportioned amounts among the Divisions.
Annually, we will send you a report containing financial statements of the Separate Account and, semi-annually, we will send you reports containing financial information and schedules of investments for the Portfolios underlying the Divisions to which your Invested Assets are allocated. The financial statements of Northwestern Mutual appear in the Statement of Additional Information. To receive a copy of the Annual Report, Semi-Annual Report and/or the Statement of Additional Information containing such financial statements, call 1-866-464-3800.
To reduce costs, we may send only a single copy of the same disclosure document(s) (such as prospectuses, prospectus supplements, reports, announcements, proxy statements, notices, and information statements) to each consenting household (rather than sending copies to each Owner residing in a household). If you are or become a member of such a household, you can revoke your consent to “householding” at any time, and can begin receiving your own copy of such disclosure documents by calling us at 1-866-424-2609.
Northwestern Mutual, like other life insurance companies, is generally involved in litigation at any given time. Although the outcome of any litigation cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe that, as of the date of this prospectus, there are no pending or threatened lawsuits that will have a materially adverse impact on the ability of Northwestern Mutual to meet its obligations under the Policy, on the Separate Account, or on Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, the principal underwriter for the Separate Account, and its ability to perform its duties as underwriter for the Separate Account.
With your ID and password, you can visit our website (www.northwesternmutual.com) to access performance information, forms for routine service, and daily Policy and unit values for Policies you own. Eligible Owners may also set up certain electronic payments, transfer accumulated amounts among Divisions and change the allocation of future contributions online, subject to our administrative procedures. For enrollment information, please visit our website (www.northwesternmutual.com). If you have questions about making a surrender, please call your Financial Representative or the Advanced Business Services Center at 1-866-464-3800 between 7:30 am and 5:00 pm Central Time Monday-Friday. To file a claim, please call your Financial Representative or Life Benefits at 1-800-635-8855.
Automatic Dollar-Cost Averaging
With Dollar-Cost Averaging, you can arrange to have a regular amount of money (either a fixed dollar amount or a fractional amount) automatically transferred monthly from the Money Market Division into the Division(s) you have chosen. Transfers will end either when the amount in the Money Market Division is depleted or when you submit the appropriate form to our Home Office to stop such transfers, whichever is earlier. There is no charge for the Dollar-Cost Averaging. We reserve the right to modify or terminate the Dollar-Cost Averaging Plan at any time.
Dollar-cost averaging does not assure a profit or protect against loss in a declining market. Carefully consider your willingness to continue payments during periods of low prices.
Over time, portfolio rebalancing helps you maintain your allocations among the Divisions you have chosen. If you elect portfolio rebalancing, your Invested Assets are periodically rebalanced in accordance with our procedures to return your allocation to the percentages you specify. Portfolio rebalancing may reduce the amount of Policy Value allocated to better performing Divisions.
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You may choose to rebalance monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. We do not charge a transfer fee for portfolio rebalancing. You may have elected portfolio rebalancing in the Application. You may also elect portfolio rebalancing and modify or terminate your election at any time by submitting a written request to our Home Office. If you make transfers through our website, your portfolio rebalancing will end and you will need to make a new election if you want portfolio rebalancing to continue. We may modify, limit, suspend or discontinue this feature at any time.
Allocation models may be offered. Each model is comprised of a combination of Portfolios representing various asset classes. The models are static or fixed allocation models that do not change. We do not provide investment advice regarding whether a model should be revised or whether it remains appropriate to invest in accordance with any particular model due to performance, a change in your investment needs or for other reasons. Please note that investment according to an allocation model may result in an increase in assets allocated to Portfolios managed by an affiliated investment adviser, and therefore a corresponding increase in Portfolio management fees collected by such adviser. We reserve the right to modify, suspend or terminate the models at any time.
Your Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative will provide you an illustration for your Policy upon your request. The illustrations show how the Death Benefit and Cash Value for a Policy would vary based on hypothetical investment results. The illustrations will be based on the information you give us about the Insured persons and will reflect such factors as the Specified Amount, Death Benefit option and premium payments that you select. These should be based upon realistic expectations given your own individual situation.
Illustrations for variable life insurance policies do not project or predict investment results. The illustrated values assume that non-guaranteed elements such as policy charges and level investment returns will not change. Given the volatility of the securities markets over time, the illustrated scenario is unlikely to occur and the Policy’s actual Cash Value, Death Benefit, and certain expenses (which will vary with the investment performance of the Portfolios) will be more or less than those illustrated. In addition, the actual timing and amounts of payments, deductions, expenses and any values removed from the Policy will also impact product performance. Due to these variations, even a Portfolio that averaged the same return as illustrated will produce values which will be more or less than those which were illustrated.
General The following discussion provides a general description of federal income tax considerations relating to your Policy. The discussion is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) as currently interpreted by the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). The discussion is not exhaustive, it does not address the likelihood of future changes in federal income tax law or interpretations thereof, and it does not address state or local tax considerations which may be significant in the purchase and ownership of a Policy.
This tax discussion is intended to describe the tax consequences associated with your Policy. It does not constitute legal or tax advice, and is not intended to be used and cannot be used to avoid any penalties that may be imposed on a taxpayer. Taxpayers should seek advice based on their particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.
Life Insurance Qualification Section 7702 of the Code defines life insurance for federal income tax purposes. Under Section 7702, a Policy will generally be treated as life insurance for federal tax purposes if at all times it meets either a guideline premium test or a cash value accumulation test. We have designed your Policy to comply with only the cash value accumulation test. We may take any action that may be necessary for the Policy to qualify as life insurance for tax purposes.
The definitional tests under the Code are based on the 1980 Commissioner’s Standard Ordinary (CSO) mortality tables. For Policies materially changed after 2008, the tests must be based on the 2001 CSO mortality tables. Because, in some circumstances, Policies issued based on the 1980 CSO mortality tables will not satisfy the definitional tests using the 2001 CSO mortality tables, you may not be permitted to make certain changes to your Policy (as defined by IRS Notices 2004-61 and 2006-95).
As provided by Section 817(h) of the Code, the Secretary of the Treasury has set standards for diversification of the investments underlying variable life insurance policies. Failure to meet the diversification requirements would disqualify your Policy as life insurance for purposes of Section 7702 of the Code. We believe that your Policy complies with the provisions of Sections 7702 and 817(h) of the Code, but the application of these rules is not entirely clear. We may make changes to your Policy if necessary for the Policy to qualify as life insurance for tax purposes.
IRS Rev. Ruls. 2003-91 and 2003-92 provide guidance on when an Owner’s control of Separate Account assets will cause the Owner, and not the life insurance company, to be treated as the owner of those assets. Important indicators of investor control are the ability of the Owner to select the investment advisor, the investment strategy or the particular investments of the Separate Account. If the Owner of a Policy were treated as the owner of the mutual fund shares held in the Separate Account, the income and gains related to those shares would be included in the Owner’s gross income for federal income tax purposes. We believe that we own the assets of the Separate Account under current federal income tax law.
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Tax Treatment of Life Insurance While your Policy is in force, increases due to investment experience are not subject to federal income tax until there is a distribution as defined by the Code. The Death Benefit received by a beneficiary will generally not be subject to federal income tax.
Unless the Policy is a MEC, as described below, a loan received under your Policy will not be treated as a distribution subject to current federal income tax. Interest paid by individual Owners of a Policy will ordinarily not be deductible. You should consult a qualified tax advisor as to the deductibility of interest paid, or accrued, by business Owners of a Policy. (See “Business-Owned Life Insurance.”)
So long as your Policy is not classified as a MEC (see “Modified Endowment Contract”), as a general rule, the proceeds from a surrender or withdrawal will be taxable only to the extent that the proceeds exceed the basis of the Policy. The basis of the Policy is generally equal to the premiums paid less any amounts previously received as tax-free distributions. Dividends, whether paid in cash, applied to the Policy, used to purchase additional insurance or used to pay premiums, are taxed as withdrawals with a resulting reduction in basis. However, the reduction in the basis of the Policy is offset by a corresponding increase in basis when the dividend is applied to the Policy and not paid in cash. In certain circumstances, a withdrawal of Cash Value during the first 15 Policy Years may be taxable to the extent that the Cash Value exceeds the basis of the Policy. This means that the amount withdrawn may be taxable even if that amount is less than the basis of the Policy.
Caution must be used when taking cash out of a Policy through policy loans. If interest is not paid annually, it is added to the principal amount and the total amount will continue to accrue for as long as the loan is maintained on the Policy. If the Policy remains in force until the death of the Insured or, in the case of joint life insurance, the second death, the loan will be repaid from the tax-free Death Benefit. However, if the Policy terminates by any method other than death, the loan will be repaid from the Cash Value of the Policy, and the total Cash Value, including the total amount of the loan, will be taxable to the extent it exceeds the basis of the Policy. If the extended term insurance nonforfeiture option is available in your Policy, and it lapses to the extended term insurance, the loan will be repaid from Cash Value of the Policy and the loan repayment will be treated as income and taxable to the extent it exceeds the amount of premiums paid. In extreme situations, Owners can face what is called the “surrender squeeze”. The surrender squeeze occurs when the unborrowed value remaining in the Policy is insufficient to cover the interest payment required to keep the Policy in force or to cover the tax due if the Policy terminates. Either the interest would have to be paid annually or it would be added to the Policy loan, causing the Policy to terminate and any income tax due on the loan amount to be payable with other assets of the Owner.
Subject to the agreement of the Company, and the Owner meeting any conditions set by the Company, a Policy may be exchanged tax-free for another life insurance policy or an annuity contract covering the same Insured (or, in the case of joint life insurance, covering the Insureds or a surviving Insured). The Code also allows certain policies to be exchanged for stand-alone and combination long-term care policies on a tax-free basis. Policies that are exchanged for life insurance policies after 2008 may only be exchanged for life insurance policies using 2001 CSO mortality tables. Any cash received or loan repaid in an exchange will be taxed to the extent of the gain in the Policy (i.e., on gain-first basis).
Ownership of a Policy may be transferred to a new owner and is taxable to the extent the sales proceeds exceed the basis of the Policy. In Rev. Rul. 2009-13, the IRS ruled that, when a life insurance policy is sold to a person with no insurable interest in the insured, the taxable gain is calculated by reducing the basis of the policy by the annual cost of the insurance protection provided by the policy. The death benefit of a policy in excess of the basis also may become taxable as a result of a transfer, unless the new owner is the insured, a partner of the insured, a partnership in which the insured is a partner or a corporation in which the insured is a shareholder or officer. You should seek qualified tax advice if you plan a transfer of ownership.
For taxable years beginning in 2013, part or all of the taxable benefits from and sales of the Policies may be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax. The tax will be assessed on the Owner’s net investment income for the year to the extent that the Owner’s adjusted gross income (with slight modifications) exceeds $250,000 (married filing jointly or surviving spouse), $125,000 (married filing separately) or $200,000 (other filers) (not indexed). Although the term ‘net investment income’ does not specifically refer to life insurance, there is a possibility that it could be construed to include transfers of and/or distributions from life insurance, to the extent they are taxable.
Modified Endowment Contracts (MEC) A Policy may be classified as a MEC if the cumulative premiums paid at any time during the first seven Policy Years exceed a defined “seven-pay” limit. The seven-pay limit is the sum of the premiums (net of expense and administrative charges) that would have to be paid in order for the Policy to be fully paid for after seven level annual payments based on defined interest and mortality assumptions. A Policy will be treated as a MEC unless any excess premiums are withdrawn from the Policy with interest within 60 days after the end of the Policy Year in which they are paid.
Whenever there is a “material change” under a Policy, it will generally be treated as a new contract for purposes of determining whether the Policy is a MEC, and it will be subjected to a new seven-pay period and a new seven-pay limit. The new seven-pay limit would be determined taking into account the value of the Policy at the time of such change. A materially changed Policy would be considered a MEC if it failed to satisfy the new seven-pay limit. A material change could occur as a result of certain changes to the benefits or terms of the Policy, such as a change in a death benefit option or a change in the Insured(s), if allowable under your Policy. A material change could occur as a result of an increase in the death benefit, the addition of a benefit or the payment of a premium after the seven-pay period, which could be considered “unnecessary” under the Code.
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If the benefits under the Policy are reduced during the first seven Policy Years after entering into the Policy (or within seven years after a material change) or, in the case of joint life Policies, the lifetime of either Insured, for example, by requesting a decrease in the amount of insurance coverage, by making a withdrawal, by taking any other action resulting in a surrender of Cash Value to you according to the terms of your Policy, by electing the fixed-paid up option, if available, under your Policy or, in some cases, by lapsing the Policy, the seven-pay premium limit will be redetermined based on the reduced level of benefits and applied retroactively for purposes of the seven-pay test. If the premiums previously paid are greater than the recalculated seven-pay premium level limit, the Policy will become a MEC. A life insurance policy which is received in exchange for a MEC will also be considered a MEC.
If a Policy is a MEC, any distribution from the Policy will be taxed on a gain-first basis. Distributions for this purpose include a loan (including any increase in the loan amount to pay interest on an existing loan or an assignment or a pledge to secure a loan), a withdrawal of Cash Value or a surrender of the Policy. Distributions taken within the two-year period prior to the Policy becoming a MEC may also be taxed under the MEC tax rules. If a Policy terminates while there is a Policy loan, the cancellation of the loan and accrued loan interest also will be treated as a distribution to the extent not previously treated as such. Any such distributions will be considered taxable income to the extent the Cash Value exceeds the basis in the Policy. For MECs, the basis would be increased by the amount of any prior loan under the Policy that was considered taxable income. For purposes of determining the taxable portion of any distribution, all MECs issued by Northwestern Mutual to the same Owner (excluding certain qualified plans) during any calendar year are to be aggregated. The Secretary of the Treasury has authority to prescribe additional rules to prevent avoidance of gain-first taxation on distributions from MECs.
A 10% penalty tax will apply to the taxable portion of a distribution from a MEC. The penalty tax will not, however, apply to distributions (i) to taxpayers 59 1/2 years of age or older, (ii) in the case of a disability (as defined in the Code) or (iii) received as part of a series of substantially equal periodic annuity payments for the life (or life expectancy) of the taxpayer or the joint lives (or joint life expectancies) of the taxpayer and the taxpayer’s beneficiaries. The exceptions generally do not apply to life insurance policies owned by corporations or other entities.
Estate and Generation Skipping Taxes The amount of the Death Benefit will generally be includible in the Owner’s estate for federal estate tax purposes and any applicable state inheritance tax. If your Policy is a joint life Policy, the Life Insurance Benefit will be includible in the Owner’s estate if the second of the Insureds to die owns the Policy, and the fair market value of the Policy will be includible in the Owner’s estate if the Owner is not the last surviving Insured. An unlimited marital deduction permits deferral of federal estate and gift taxes until the death of the Owner’s surviving spouse.
If ownership of a Policy is transferred, either directly or in trust, to a person two or more generations younger than the Owner, the value of the Policy may be subject to a generation skipping transfer tax.
During 2010, the estate tax and generation skipping transfer tax are repealed and the gift tax is subject to a $1 million exemption amount and a 35% maximum rate. Unless these rules are extended or made permanent, they will be sunsetted or repealed in 2011 and the rules in effect in 2001 ($1 million exclusion amount and 50% maximum tax rate) will be reinstated.
Business-Owned Life Insurance Business-owned life insurance may be subject to certain additional rules. Section 264(a)(1) of the Code generally disallows a deduction for premiums paid on Policies by anyone who is directly or indirectly a beneficiary under the Policy. Increases in Policy or Cash Value may also be subject to tax under the corporation alternative minimum tax provisions.
Section 264(a)(4) of the Code limits the Owner’s deduction for interest on loans taken against life insurance policies to interest on an aggregate total of $50,000 of loans per covered life only with respect to life insurance policies covering key persons. Generally, a key person means an officer or a 20% owner. However, the number of key persons will be limited to the greater of (a) five individuals, or (b) the lesser of 5% of the total officers and employees of the taxpayer or 20 individuals. Deductible interest for these Policies will be subject to limits based on current market rates.
In addition, Section 264(f) of the Code disallows a proportionate amount of a business’s interest deduction on non-life insurance indebtedness based on the amount of unborrowed Cash Value of non-exempt life insurance policies held in relation to other business assets. Exempt policies include policies held by natural persons unless the business is a direct or indirect beneficiary under the policy and policies owned by a business and insuring employees, directors, officers and 20% owners (as well as joint policies insuring 20% owners and their spouses).
Section 101(j) of the Code provides that the Death Benefit payable under business-owned life insurance in which the business is also the beneficiary will be taxable unless (i) the Insured is an eligible employee and (ii) the employee is given notice of the insurance and the maximum face amount and consents to be insured and to the continuation of the insurance after the employee terminates service with the employer. Generally, an eligible employee is an officer, a director, a person who owns more than 5% of the business, an employee earning more than $100,000 annually (increased for cost of living after 2006) or an employee who is among the highest paid 35% of employees. The law also imposes an annual reporting and record-keeping obligation on the employer.
IRS Notice 2007-61 has established a safe harbor under which the annual increase in the cash value of life insurance policies owned by life insurance companies is not taxable provided the policies cover no more than 35% of the company’s employees, directors, officers and 20% owners. The Notice
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adds that there is an unresolved issue whether cash value increases of other policies owned by life insurance companies may be taxable.
Policy Split Right If your Policy is a joint life Policy, your Policy permits the Owner to exchange the Policy for two policies, one on the life of each Insured, without evidence of insurability, if a change in the federal estate tax law results in either the repeal of the unlimited marital deduction or a 50% or greater reduction in the estate tax rate. The exchange must be made while both Insureds are alive (and neither Insured is classified as a Joint Insurable). The request for exchange must be received no later than 180 days after the earlier of the enactment of the law repealing the unlimited marital deduction or the enactment of the law reducing the estate tax rate by at least 50%.
The IRS has ruled with respect to one taxpayer that such a transaction would be treated as a non-taxable exchange. If not so treated, such a split of the Policy could result in the recognition of taxable income.
Split Dollar Arrangements Life insurance purchased under a split dollar arrangement is subject to special tax rules. IRS Notice 2002-8 provides that (1) the value of the current life insurance protection provided to the employee under the arrangement is taxed to the employee each year and, until the issuance of further guidance, can be determined using the government’s Table 2001 rates or the insurer’s lower one year term rates (which, for arrangements entered into after January 28, 2002, must satisfy additional sales requirements); and (2) for split dollar arrangements entered into on or before September 17, 2003, taxation of the equity (cash surrender value in excess of the amount payable to the employer) is governed by prior law and is subject to the following three safe harbors: (a) the annual accrual of income will not, by itself, be enough to trigger a taxable transfer; (b) equity will not be taxed regardless of the level of the employer’s economic interest in the life insurance policy as long as the value of the life insurance protection is treated and reported as an economic benefit; and (c) the employee can elect loan treatment at any time, provided all premiums paid by the employer are treated as a loan entered into at the beginning of the first year in which payments are treated as loans.
The Treasury and IRS regulations regarding the taxation of split dollar arrangements apply only to arrangements entered into or materially changed after September 17, 2003. The regulations provide that such split dollar arrangements must be taxed under one of two mutually exclusive tax regimes depending on the ownership of the underlying life insurance policy. Collateral assignment split dollar arrangements, in which the employee owns the policy, must be taxed under a loan regime. Where such an arrangement imposes a below market interest rate or no interest rate, the employee is taxed on the imputed interest under Section 7872 of the Code. Endorsement split dollar arrangements, in which the employer owns the policy, must be taxed under an economic benefit regime. Under this regime, the employee is taxed each year on (i) the value of the current life insurance protection provided to the employee, (ii) the amount of policy Cash Value to which the employee has current access, and (iii) the value of any other economic benefits provided to the employee during the taxable year.
Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, it is a criminal offense for an employer with publicly traded stock to extend or arrange a personal loan to a director or executive officer after July 30, 2002. One issue that has not been clarified is whether each premium paid by such an employer under a split dollar arrangement with a director or executive officer is a personal loan subject to the new law.
Section 409A of the Code imposes requirements for nonqualified deferred compensation plans with regard to the timing of deferrals, distribution triggers, funding mechanisms and reporting requirements. Nonqualified deferred compensation plans that fail to meet these conditions are taxed currently on all compensation previously deferred and interest earned thereon and assessed an additional 20% penalty. The law does not limit the use of life insurance as an informal funding mechanism for nonqualified deferred compensation plans, but IRS Notice 2007-34 treats certain split dollar arrangements as nonqualified deferred compensation plans that must comply with the new rules. The effective date of these rules was December 31, 2008. Congress is also considering limiting an individual’s annual aggregate deferrals to a nonqualified deferred compensation plan to $1,000,000.
Valuation of Life Insurance Special valuation rules apply to life insurance contracts distributed from a qualified plan to a participant or transferred by an employer to an employee. IRS Notice 2005-25 provides a safe harbor formula for valuing variable life insurance under which the value is the greater of the interpolated terminal reserve or the cash value (adjusted by a surrender factor for policies distributed from qualified plans), both increased by a pro rata portion of the estimated dividends for the Policy Year. These rules do not apply to split dollar arrangements entered into on or before September 17, 2003 and not materially modified thereafter.
Other Tax Considerations Taxpayers are required by regulation to annually report all “reportable transactions” as defined in the regulations. “Reportable transactions” include transactions that are offered under conditions of confidentiality as to tax treatment and involve an advisor who receives a fee of $250,000 or more, or transactions that include a tax indemnity. Rev. Proc. 2003-25 further held that the purchase of life insurance policies by a business does not, by itself, constitute a “reportable transaction”.
Depending on the circumstances, the exchange of a Policy, a Policy loan (including the addition of unpaid loan interest to a Policy loan), or a change in ownership or an assignment of the Policy may have federal income tax consequences. In addition, federal, state and local transfer, estate, inheritance, and other tax consequences of Policy ownership, premium payments and receipt of Policy proceeds depend on the circumstances of each Owner or beneficiary. If you contemplate any such transaction you should consult a qualified tax adviser. In addition, a Death Benefit under the Policy may be subject to federal estate tax and state inheritance taxes.
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We sell the Policy through our Financial Representatives who also are registered representatives of Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (“NMIS”). NMIS, our wholly-owned company, was organized under Wisconsin law in 1998 and is located at 611 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. NMIS is a registered broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. NMIS is the principal underwriter and distributor of the Policy, and has entered into a Distribution Agreement with us.
Northwestern Mutual variable insurance and annuity products are available exclusively through NMIS and its registered representatives and cannot be held with or transferred to an unaffiliated broker-dealer. Except in limited circumstances, NMIS registered representatives are required to offer Northwestern Mutual variable insurance and annuity products. The amount and timing of sales compensation paid by insurance companies varies. The commissions, benefits, and other sales compensation that NMIS and its registered representatives receive for the sale of a Northwestern Mutual variable insurance or annuity product might be more or less than that received for the sale of a comparable product from another company.
The maximum commission payable to the registered representative who sold the Policy is 40% of Premium Payments up to the Target Premium and 2.75% of Premium Payments in excess of that amount during the first Policy Year; 6% of Premium Payments up to Target Premium and 2.75% of Premium Payments in excess of that amount paid in Policy Years 2-10; and 2.75% of Premium Payments thereafter. In addition, a commission of 0.10% of Policy Value less Policy Debt is paid at the end of Policy Years 6 and later. We may pay new registered representatives differently during a training period. The entire amount of the sales commissions is passed through NMIS to the registered representative who sold the Policy and to his or her managers. The Company pays compensation and bonuses for the management team of NMIS, and other expenses of distributing the Policies.
Because registered representatives of NMIS are also our appointed agents, they may be eligible for various cash benefits, such as bonuses, insurance benefits, retirement benefits, and non-cash compensation programs that we offer, such as conferences, achievement recognition, prizes, and awards. In addition, registered representatives of NMIS who meet certain productivity, persistency, and length of service standards and/or their managers may be eligible for additional compensation. For example, registered representatives who meet certain annual sales production requirements with respect to their sales of Northwestern Mutual insurance and annuity products may qualify to receive additional cash compensation for their other sales of investment products and services. Sales of the Policies may help registered representatives and/or their managers qualify for such compensation and benefits. Certain registered representatives of NMIS may receive other payments from us for the recruitment, training, development, and supervision of financial representatives, production of promotional literature and similar services.
Commissions and other incentives and payments described above are not charged directly to Owners or to the Separate Account. We intend to recoup commissions and other sales expenses through fees and charges deducted under the Policy.
ATTAINED AGE
The Insured’s Issue Age listed in the Policy, plus the number of complete Policy Years that have elapsed since the Policy Date.
CASH VALUE
The amount available in cash if the Policy is surrendered.
DATE OF ISSUE
The date on which insurance coverage takes effect as shown in the Policy.
DEATH BENEFIT
The gross amount payable to the beneficiary upon the death of second Insured, before the deduction of Policy Debt and other adjustments.
DIVISION
A subdivision of the Separate Account. We invest each Division’s assets exclusively in shares of one Portfolio.
FINANCIAL REPRESENTATIVE
An individual who is authorized to sell you the Policy and who is both licensed as a Northwestern Mutual insurance agent and registered as a representative of our affiliate, Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, the principal underwriter of the Policy.
FUND
Each Fund is registered under the 1940 Act as an open-end management investment company or as a unit investment trust, or is not required to be registered under the Act. Each is available as an investment option under the Policy. The assets of each of the Divisions of the Separate Account are used to purchase shares of the corresponding Portfolio of a Fund.
GENERAL ACCOUNT
All assets of the Company, other than those held in the Separate Account or in other separate accounts that have been or may be established by the Company.
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HOME OFFICE
Our office at 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202-4797.
INSUREDS
The persons named as the Insureds on the application and in the Policy.
INVESTED ASSETS
The sum of all amounts in the Divisions of the Separate Account.
ISSUE AGE
An Insured’s age on his or her birthday nearest the Policy Date.
MEC
Modified endowment contract as described in section 7702A of the Internal Revenue Code.
NET PREMIUM
The amount of Premium Payment remaining after Premium charges have been deducted.
OWNER (You, Your)
The person named in the Application as the Owner, or the person who becomes Owner of a Policy by transfer or succession.
POLICY ANNIVERSARY
The same day and month as the Policy Date in each year following the first Policy Year.
POLICY DATE
The date shown on the Policy from which the following are computed, among other things:
1. Policy Year;
2. Policy Anniversary;
3. the Issue Age of each Insured; and
4. the Attained Age of each Insured.
POLICY DEBT
The total amount of all outstanding Policy loans, including both principal and accrued interest.
POLICY VALUE
The cumulative amount invested, less withdrawals, adjusted for investment results and interest on Policy Debt, and reduced by the monthly charges for the cost of insurance and other expenses. It is also equal to the sum of Invested Assets and Policy Debt.
POLICY YEAR
A year that starts on the Policy Date or on a Policy Anniversary.
PORTFOLIO
A series of a Fund available for investment under the Policy which corresponds to a particular Division of the Separate Account.
PREMIUM PAYMENTS
All payments you make under the Policy other than loan repayments and transaction charges.
SEPARATE ACCOUNT
Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account.
SPECIFIED AMOUNT
The amount you select, subject to minimums and underwriting requirements we establish, used in determining the insurance coverage on the Insureds’ lives.
TARGET PREMIUM
An amount based on the initial Specified Amount and characteristics of the Insured persons, such as Issue Age, sex and underwriting classification, used to compute the sales load, commissions, surrender charge and other expense charges during the first 10 Policy Years.
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More information about the Separate Account is included in a Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is dated the same day as this prospectus, is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and is available free of charge from the Company. To request a free copy of the Separate Account’s SAI, or current annual report, call us toll-free at 1-866-464-3800. Information about the Separate Account (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Public Reference Room of the SEC in Washington, DC. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the Separate Account are available on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, or they may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing the Public Reference Section of the SEC, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549-0102.
Your Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative will provide you with illustrations for a Variable Joint Life Policy free of charge upon your request. The illustrations show how the Death Benefit, Policy Value and cash surrender value for a Policy would vary based on hypothetical investment results. Your Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative will also respond to other inquiries you may have regarding the Policy, or you may contact Advanced Business Services Center at 1-866-464-3800.
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Monthly Policy Charge—Mortality and Expense Risk Charge—Specified Amount Component
Table of Annual Charges Per $1,000 of Initial Specified Amount
| Issue Age* |
Annual Charge | ||
| 20-25 |
$ | 0.04 | |
| 26 |
0.05 | ||
| 27 |
0.06 | ||
| 28 |
0.07 | ||
| 29 |
0.08 | ||
| 30 |
0.09 | ||
| 31 |
0.10 | ||
| 32 |
0.11 | ||
| 33 |
0.12 | ||
| 34 |
0.13 | ||
| 35 |
0.14 | ||
| 36 |
0.17 | ||
| 37 |
0.19 | ||
| 38 |
0.22 | ||
| 39 |
0.25 | ||
| 40 |
0.28 | ||
| 41 |
0.30 | ||
| 42 |
0.33 | ||
| 43 |
0.36 | ||
| 44 |
0.38 | ||
| 45 |
0.41 | ||
| 46 |
0.44 | ||
| 47 |
0.47 | ||
| 48 |
0.50 | ||
| 49 |
0.53 | ||
| 50 |
0.57 | ||
| 51 |
0.60 | ||
| 52 |
0.63 | ||
| 53 |
0.66 | ||
| 54 |
0.69 | ||
| 55 |
0.72 | ||
| 56 |
0.77 | ||
| 57 |
0.83 | ||
| 58 |
0.88 | ||
| 59 |
0.94 | ||
| 60 |
0.99 | ||
| 61 |
1.04 | ||
| 62 |
1.10 | ||
| 63 |
1.15 | ||
| 64 |
1.21 | ||
| 65 |
1.26 | ||
| 66 |
1.31 | ||
| 67 |
1.35 | ||
| 68 |
1.40 | ||
| 69 |
1.44 | ||
| 70 |
1.49 | ||
| 71 |
1.54 | ||
| 72 |
1.58 | ||
| 73 |
1.63 | ||
| 74 |
1.67 | ||
| 75-85 |
1.72 | ||
| * | The Issue Age used in this calculation equals the younger Insured Issue Age plus an age adjustment. The age adjustment is based on the age difference (older Issue Age minus younger Issue Age) and this schedule: |
| Age Difference |
Age Adjustment (years) | |
| 0-1 |
0 | |
| 2-4 |
1 | |
| 5-8 |
2 | |
| 9-14 |
3 | |
| 15-24 |
4 | |
| 25-34 |
5 | |
| 35-44 |
6 | |
| 45-54 |
7 | |
| 55-65 |
8 |
Example: For a Policy at Issue Ages 65 and 60 and a Specified Amount of $1,000,000, the age adjustment is 2 and the Issue Age is 62. The annual charge per $1,000 of Specified Amount is $1.10. The Monthly Policy Charge—Mortality and Expense Risk Charge—Specified Amount component will be $1,100.04 annually, or $91.67 monthly, for this Policy.
Note: In no event will the sum of the Monthly Policy Charge—Mortality and Expense Risk Charge—Specified Amount component annual charge and the Monthly Policy Charge—Underwriting and Issue Charge annual charge exceed $1.90 per $1,000 of initial Specified Amount. The Monthly Policy Charge—Underwriting and Issue Charge will be reduced to meet this constraint if necessary.
Variable Joint Life Prospectus
27
Table of Contents
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
May 1, 2010
VARIABLE JOINT LIFE
A Flexible Premium Variable Joint Life Policy with Insurance Payable on Second Death (the “Policy”).
Issued by The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
and
Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account
We no longer issue the Policy described in this Statement of Additional Information. The Policies we currently offer are described in separate Prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information.
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus, but supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the prospectus for the Policy identified above and dated the same date as this SAI. The prospectus may be obtained by writing The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, or by calling telephone number 1-866-464-3800.
The (i) statement of assets and liabilities as of the end of the most recent fiscal year, (ii) the statement of operations for the most recent fiscal year, and (iii) the changes in net assets for the two most recent fiscal years from the audited financial statements of the Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account (“the Account”), and the related notes to the financial statements and the report of the independent registered public accounting firm thereon from the Account’s Annual Report to Policy Owners for the year ended December 31, 2009, are incorporated by reference into this SAI. See “Financial Statements of the Account.” No other information is incorporated by reference.
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The Policy is offered on a continuous basis exclusively through individuals who, in addition to being life insurance agents of Northwestern Mutual, are registered representatives of Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (“NMIS”). NMIS is our wholly-owned company. The principal business address of NMIS is 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
NMIS is the principal underwriter of the Policies for purposes of the federal securities laws. We paid the following amounts to NMIS with respect to sales of variable life insurance policies issued in connection with the Account during each of the last three fiscal years representing commission payments NMIS made to our agents and related benefits. None of these amounts was retained by NMIS and no amounts were paid to other underwriters or broker-dealers. We also paid additional amounts to NMIS in reimbursement for other expenses related to the distribution of variable life insurance policies.
| Year |
Amount | ||
| 2009 |
$ | 27,055,697 | |
| 2008 |
$ | 43,654,229 | |
| 2007 |
$ | 56,984,188 | |
NMIS also provides certain services related to the administration of payment plans under the Policy pursuant to an administrative services contract with Northwestern Mutual. In exchange for these services, NMIS receives compensation to cover the actual costs incurred by NMIS in performing these services.
The financial statements of the Account, and the related notes and report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, contained in the Annual Report to Policy Owners for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, that are incorporated by reference in this Statement of Additional Information, and the consolidated financial statements of Northwestern Mutual, and the related notes and report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, for the fiscal year ended on the same date that have been included in this Statement of Additional Information are so included in reliance on the reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP provides audit services for the Account. The address of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is 100 East Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1800, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE ACCOUNT
The financial statements of the Account, related notes and the related report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, contained in the Annual Report to Policy Owners as of December 31, 2009, and for the year then ended are hereby incorporated by reference to Form N-30B-2 for the Account, File No. 811-3989, filed on March 11, 2010. Copies of the Account’s Annual Report may be obtained, without charge, by writing to The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, or by calling 1-866-464-3800.
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The following consolidated financial statements of Northwestern Mutual should be considered only as bearing upon the ability of Northwestern Mutual to meet its obligations under the Policy.
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
(in millions)
| December 31, | ||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | |||||
| Assets: |
||||||
| Bonds |
$ | 91,004 | $ | 79,314 | ||
| Mortgage loans |
21,024 | 21,677 | ||||
| Policy loans |
13,717 | 12,884 | ||||
| Common and preferred stocks |
5,918 | 5,744 | ||||
| Real estate |
1,582 | 1,528 | ||||
| Other investments |
8,587 | 9,185 | ||||
| Cash and temporary investments |
2,610 | 4,807 | ||||
| Total investments |
144,442 | 135,139 | ||||
| Due and accrued investment income |
1,632 | 1,498 | ||||
| Income taxes recoverable |
— | 73 | ||||
| Net deferred tax assets |
2,359 | 2,696 | ||||
| Deferred premium and other assets |
2,403 | 2,361 | ||||
| Separate account assets |
16,344 | 13,387 | ||||
| Total assets |
$ | 167,180 | $ | 155,154 | ||
| Liabilities and Surplus: |
||||||
| Reserves for policy benefits |
$ | 125,025 | $ | 117,954 | ||
| Policyowner dividends payable |
4,730 | 4,555 | ||||
| Interest maintenance reserve |
519 | 192 | ||||
| Asset valuation reserve |
1,843 | 1,023 | ||||
| Income taxes payable |
288 | — | ||||
| Other liabilities |
6,028 | 5,642 | ||||
| Separate account liabilities |
16,344 | 13,387 | ||||
| Total liabilities |
154,777 | 142,753 | ||||
| Surplus |
12,403 | 12,401 | ||||
| Total liabilities and surplus |
$ | 167,180 | $ | 155,154 | ||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Consolidated Statement of Operations
(in millions)
| For the year
ended December 31, | |||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | |||||||||
| Revenue: |
|||||||||||
| Premiums |
$ | 13,062 | $ | 13,551 | $ | 13,242 | |||||
| Net investment income |
7,772 | 7,835 | 7,568 | ||||||||
| Other income |
532 | 537 | 545 | ||||||||
| Total revenue |
21,366 | 21,923 | 21,355 | ||||||||
| Benefits and expenses: |
|||||||||||
| Benefit payments to policyowners and beneficiaries |
6,807 | 6,071 | 5,544 | ||||||||
| Net additions to policy benefit reserves |
7,178 | 8,491 | 7,904 | ||||||||
| Net transfers to (from) separate accounts |
(40 | ) | (102 | ) | 484 | ||||||
| Total benefits |
13,945 | 14,460 | 13,932 | ||||||||
| Commissions and operating expenses |
2,189 | 2,070 | 2,009 | ||||||||
| Total benefits and expenses |
16,134 | 16,530 | 15,941 | ||||||||
| Gain from operations before dividends and taxes |
5,232 | 5,393 | 5,414 | ||||||||
| Policyowner dividends |
4,715 | 4,547 | 5,012 | ||||||||
| Gain from operations before taxes |
517 | 846 | 402 | ||||||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) |
42 | (304 | ) | 21 | |||||||
| Net gain from operations |
475 | 1,150 | 381 | ||||||||
| Net realized capital gains (losses) |
(154 | ) | (667 | ) | 619 | ||||||
| Net income |
$ | 321 | $ | 483 | $ | 1,000 | |||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Surplus
(in millions)
| For the year
ended December 31, |
||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | ||||||||||
| Beginning of year balance |
$ | 12,401 | $ | 12,106 | $ | 11,684 | ||||||
| Net income |
321 | 483 | 1,000 | |||||||||
| Change in net unrealized capital gains (losses) |
503 | (3,483 | ) | (12 | ) | |||||||
| Change in net deferred tax assets |
(204 | ) | (20 | ) | 165 | |||||||
| Change in nonadmitted assets and other |
141 | (178 | ) | (137 | ) | |||||||
| Change in asset valuation reserve |
(820 | ) | 2,664 | (594 | ) | |||||||
| Change in accounting principle |
61 | 829 | — | |||||||||
| Net increase in surplus |
2 | 295 | 422 | |||||||||
| End of year balance |
$ | 12,403 | $ | 12,401 | $ | 12,106 | ||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
(in millions)
| For the year
ended December 31, |
||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | ||||||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities: |
||||||||||||
| Premiums and other income received |
$ | 9,264 | $ | 9,379 | $ | 9,495 | ||||||
| Investment income received |
7,779 | 7,838 | 7,424 | |||||||||
| Benefit payments to policyowners and beneficiaries |
(7,122 | ) | (6,442 | ) | (5,904 | ) | ||||||
| Net transfers from (to) separate accounts |
66 | 121 | (474 | ) | ||||||||
| Commissions, expenses and taxes paid |
(1,644 | ) | (2,115 | ) | (2,148 | ) | ||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities |
8,343 | 8,781 | 8,393 | |||||||||
| Cash flows from investing activities: |
||||||||||||
| Proceeds from investments sold or matured: |
||||||||||||
| Bonds |
41,409 | 42,698 | 64,980 | |||||||||
| Common and preferred stocks |
9,057 | 5,527 | 6,099 | |||||||||
| Mortgage loans |
2,058 | 1,811 | 2,940 | |||||||||
| Real estate |
460 | 199 | 177 | |||||||||
| Other investments |
825 | 1,669 | 1,175 | |||||||||
| 53,809 | 51,904 | 75,371 | ||||||||||
| Cost of investments acquired: |
||||||||||||
| Bonds |
53,306 | 46,592 | 70,890 | |||||||||
| Common and preferred stocks |
7,408 | 5,121 | 5,594 | |||||||||
| Mortgage loans |
1,411 | 2,659 | 4,422 | |||||||||
| Real estate |
250 | 118 | 151 | |||||||||
| Other investments |
1,658 | 2,712 | 2,401 | |||||||||
| 64,033 | 57,202 | 83,458 | ||||||||||
| Disbursement of policy loans, net of repayments |
834 | 1,087 | 802 | |||||||||
| Net cash applied to investing activities |
(11,058 | ) | (6,385 | ) | (8,889 | ) | ||||||
| Cash flows from financing and miscellaneous sources: |
||||||||||||
| Net inflows (outflows) on deposit-type contracts |
(20 | ) | (84 | ) | 235 | |||||||
| Other cash provided (applied) |
538 | (52 | ) | (77 | ) | |||||||
| Net cash provided by (applied to) financing and miscellaneous sources: |
518 | (136 | ) | 158 | ||||||||
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and temporary investments |
(2,197 | ) | 2,260 | (338 | ) | |||||||
| Cash and temporary investments, beginning of year |
4,807 | 2,547 | 2,885 | |||||||||
| Cash and temporary investments, end of year |
$ | 2,610 | $ | 4,807 | $ | 2,547 | ||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| 1. | Basis of Presentation |
The accompanying consolidated statutory financial statements include the accounts of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (together, “the Company”). All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. The Company offers life, annuity, disability and long-term care insurance products to the personal, business and estate markets.
The consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Wisconsin (“statutory basis of accounting”), which are based on the Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”). Financial statements prepared on the statutory basis of accounting differ from financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), primarily because on a GAAP basis: (1) certain policy acquisition costs are deferred and amortized, (2) most bond and preferred stock investments are reported at fair value, (3) policy benefit reserves are established using different actuarial methods and assumptions, (4) deposit-type contracts, for which premiums, benefits and reserve changes are not included in revenue or benefits as reported in the statement of operations, are defined differently, (5) majority-owned, non-insurance subsidiaries are consolidated, (6) changes in deferred taxes are reported as a component of net income and (7) no deferral of realized investment gains and losses is permitted. The effects on the Company’s financial statements attributable to the differences between the statutory basis of accounting and GAAP are material.
Certain accounting practices used by the Company vary from the Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual of the NAIC with the permission of the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Wisconsin (“permitted practices”). Permitted practices are used in situations where the NAIC does not provide accounting guidance specific to a transaction entered into by the Company or where the Company and the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (“OCI”) agree that an alternative accounting practice would be more appropriate based on the Company’s circumstances.
During 2008, the Company adopted permitted practices regarding valuation of net deferred tax assets (see Note 10) and equity method accounting for the Company’s investment in Frank Russell Company common stock (see Note 11). Additionally, the Company was previously granted a permitted practice by the OCI regarding valuation of its oil and gas investments (see Note 3).
| 2. | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies |
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with the statutory basis of accounting requires management to make estimates or assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the annual periods presented. Actual future results could differ from these estimates and assumptions.
Investments
See Notes 3, 4 and 14 regarding the statement value and fair value of the Company’s investments in bonds, mortgage loans, common and preferred stocks, real estate and other investments, including derivative instruments.
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Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Policy Loans
Policy loans represent amounts borrowed from the Company by life insurance policyowners, secured by the cash value of the related policies, and are reported at unpaid principal balance. Policy loans earn interest at either a fixed rate established at the time the loan is requested by the policyowner or at a variable rate which is reset annually, with annual interest rates ranging from 5.00% to 8.00% for loans outstanding at December 31, 2009. Policy loans have no stated maturity date, with repayment of principal made at the discretion of the policyowner. Policyowner dividends available on the portion of life insurance cash values that serve as collateral for policy loans are generally determined with reference to the interest rate charged on the policy loan (“direct recognition method”). As a result, the Company considers the unpaid principal balance to approximate fair value for policy loans.
Temporary Investments
Temporary investments represent securities that had maturities of one year or less at purchase, primarily money market funds and short-term commercial paper. These investments are reported at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.
Separate Accounts
Separate account assets and related reserve liabilities represent the segregation of balances attributable to variable life insurance and variable annuity products, including a group annuity separate account used to fund certain of the Company’s employee and financial representative benefit plan obligations. Policyowners bear the investment performance risk associated with variable products. Separate account assets are invested at the direction of the policyowner in a variety of mutual fund options. Variable annuity policyowners also have the option to invest in fixed rate investment options, which are supported by the assets held in the Company’s general account. Separate account assets are reported at fair value based primarily on quoted market prices. See Note 7 for more information about the Company’s separate accounts and Note 8 for more information about the Company’s employee and financial representative benefit plans.
Reserves for Policy Benefits
Reserves for policy benefits represent the net present value of future policy benefits less future policy premiums, calculated using actuarial methods, mortality and morbidity experience tables and valuation interest rates prescribed or permitted by the OCI. These actuarial tables and methods include assumptions regarding future mortality and morbidity experience. Actual future experience could differ from the assumptions used to make these reserve estimates. See Note 5 for more information about the Company’s reserves for policy benefits.
Policyowner Dividends
All life, disability and long-term care insurance policies and certain annuity policies issued by the Company are participating. Annually, the Company’s Board of Trustees approves dividends payable on participating policies during the subsequent fiscal year, which are accrued and charged to operations when approved. Participating policyowners generally have the option to direct their dividends to be paid in cash, used to reduce future premiums due, used to purchase additional insurance benefits or left on deposit with the Company to accumulate interest. Dividends used by policyowners to purchase additional insurance benefits are reported as premiums in the consolidated statement of operations, but are not included in premiums received or benefit payments in the consolidated statement of cash flows. The Company’s annual declaration of policyowner dividends includes a guarantee of a minimum aggregate amount of
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
dividends to be paid to policyowners as a group in the subsequent fiscal year. If this guaranteed amount is greater than the aggregate of actual dividends paid to policyowners in the subsequent year, the difference is paid in the immediately succeeding calendar year.
Interest Maintenance Reserve
The Company is required to maintain an interest maintenance reserve (“IMR”). The IMR is used to defer realized capital gains and losses, net of income tax, on fixed income investments and derivatives that are attributable to changes in market interest rates, including both changes in risk-free market interest rates and market credit spreads. Net realized capital gains and losses deferred to the IMR are amortized into investment income over the estimated remaining term to maturity of the investment sold or the asset/liability hedged by an interest rate-related derivative instrument.
Asset Valuation Reserve
The Company is required to maintain an asset valuation reserve (“AVR”). The AVR represents a reserve for invested asset valuation using a formula prescribed by the NAIC. The AVR is intended to protect surplus against potential declines in the value of the Company’s investments that are not related to changes in interest rates. Increases or decreases in the AVR are reported as direct adjustments to surplus in the consolidated statement of changes in surplus.
Premium Revenue
Most life insurance premiums are recognized as revenue at the beginning of each respective policy year. Universal life insurance and annuity premiums are recognized as revenue when received. Considerations received on supplementary annuity contracts without life contingencies are deposit-type transactions and excluded from revenue in the consolidated statement of operations. Disability and long-term care insurance premiums are recognized as revenue when due. Premium revenue is reported net of ceded reinsurance. See Note 9 for more information about the Company’s use of reinsurance.
Net Investment Income
Net investment income primarily represents interest and dividends received or accrued on bonds, mortgage loans, common and preferred stocks, policy loans and other investments. Accrued investment income more than 90 days past due is a nonadmitted asset and reported as a direct reduction of surplus in the consolidated statement of changes in surplus. Accruals of investment income for securities that have been determined to be other-than-temporarily impaired are generally suspended. Accrued investment income that is ultimately deemed uncollectible is included as a reduction of net investment income in the period that such determination is made. Net investment income also includes dividends and distributions paid to the Company from accumulated earnings of joint ventures, partnerships and unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries and prepayment fees on bonds and mortgage loans. Net investment income is reduced by investment management expenses, real estate depreciation, depletion related to oil and natural gas investments and interest costs associated with securities lending. See Note 3 for more information regarding net investment income.
Other Income
Other income primarily represents ceded reinsurance expense allowances and various insurance policy charges. See Note 9 for more information about the Company’s use of reinsurance.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Benefit Payments to Policyowners and Beneficiaries
Benefit payments to policyowners and beneficiaries include death, surrender, disability and long-term care benefits, as well as matured endowments and payments on supplementary annuity contracts that include life contingencies. Benefit payments on supplementary annuity contracts without life contingencies are deposit-type transactions and excluded from benefits in the consolidated statement of operations. Benefit payments are reported net of ceded reinsurance recoveries. See Note 9 for more information about the Company’s use of reinsurance.
Commissions and Operating Expenses
Commissions and other operating costs, including costs of acquiring new insurance policies, are generally charged to expense as incurred.
Information Technology Equipment and Software
The cost of information technology (“IT”) equipment and operating system software is generally capitalized and depreciated over three years using the straight-line method. Non-operating system software is generally capitalized and depreciated over a maximum of five years. IT equipment and operating software assets of $44 million and $43 million at December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively, are included in other assets in the consolidated statement of financial position and are net of accumulated depreciation of $171 million and $143 million, respectively. Non-operating software costs, net of accumulated depreciation, are nonadmitted assets and thereby excluded from assets and surplus in the consolidated statement of financial position. Depreciation expense for IT equipment and software totaled $83 million, $79 million and $79 million for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively.
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment
The cost of furniture, fixtures and equipment, including leasehold improvements, is generally capitalized and depreciated over the useful life of the assets using the straight-line method. The cost of furniture, fixtures and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation, are nonadmitted assets and thereby excluded from assets and surplus in the consolidated statement of financial position. Depreciation expense for furniture, fixtures and equipment totaled $7 million, $6 million and $6 million for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively.
Investment Capital Gains and Losses
Realized capital gains and losses are recognized based upon specific identification of investment assets sold. Realized capital losses also include valuation adjustments for impairment of bonds, mortgage loans, common and preferred stocks, real estate and other investments that have experienced a decline in fair value that management considers to be other-than-temporary. Realized capital gains and losses as reported in the consolidated statement of operations exclude any IMR deferrals. See Note 3 for more information regarding realized capital gains and losses, including other-than-temporary investment impairments.
Unrealized capital gains and losses primarily represent changes in the fair value of common stocks and other equity investments and changes in valuation adjustments made for bonds in or near default. Changes in the Company’s equity method share of undistributed earnings of joint ventures, partnerships and unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries are also included in changes in unrealized capital gains and losses. See Note 3 for more information regarding unrealized capital gains and losses.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Nonadmitted Assets
Certain assets are designated as nonadmitted on the statutory basis of accounting. Such assets, principally related to pension funding, amounts advanced to or due from the Company’s financial representatives, furniture, fixtures, equipment and non-operating software (net of accumulated depreciation), deferred tax assets in excess of statutory limits and certain investments are excluded from assets and surplus in the consolidated statement of financial position. Changes in nonadmitted assets are reported as a direct adjustment to surplus in the consolidated statement of changes in surplus.
Subsequent Events
The Company has evaluated events subsequent to December 31, 2009 through February 15, 2010, the date these consolidated financial statements were available to be issued. Based on this evaluation, certain events subsequent to December 31, 2009 have been disclosed (see Note 9 and Note 11). None of these subsequent events required adjustment to the consolidated financial statements at December 31, 2009 or for the periods then ended.
Reclassifications
Certain amounts in prior year footnote disclosures have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.
| 3. | Investments |
Bonds
Investments in bonds rated “1” (highest quality), “2” (high quality), “3” (medium quality), “4” (low quality) or “5” (lower quality) by the Securities Valuation Office (“SVO”) of the NAIC are reported at amortized cost, less any valuation adjustment. Bonds rated “6” (lowest quality) by the SVO are reported at the lower of amortized cost or fair value. The interest method is used to amortize any purchase premium or discount, including estimates of future prepayments obtained from independent sources. Prepayment assumptions are updated at least annually, using the retrospective method to adjust net investment income for changes in the estimated yield to maturity.
The statutory basis of accounting permits fair value disclosures for bonds to be based on values published by the SVO, quoted market prices, independent pricing services or internally developed pricing models. Disclosure of fair value for bonds at December 31, 2009 is primarily based on independent pricing services or internally developed pricing models utilizing observable market data. At December 31, 2008 the fair value of bonds was based primarily on values published by the SVO. In the absence of SVO-published values at December 31, 2008, fair value was based on independent pricing services or internally developed pricing models utilizing observable market data. See Note 14 for more information regarding the fair value of the Company’s investments in bonds.
Statement value and fair value of bonds at December 31, 2009 and 2008, summarized by asset categories required in the NAIC Annual Statement, were as follows:
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| December 31, 2009 |
Reconciliation to Fair Value | ||||||||||||
| Statement Value |
Gross Unrealized Gains |
Gross Unrealized Losses |
Fair Value | ||||||||||
| (in millions) | |||||||||||||
| U.S. Government |
$ | 8,667 | $ | 178 | $ | (411 | ) | $ | 8,434 | ||||
| States, territories and possessions |
1,019 | 33 | (65 | ) | 987 | ||||||||
| Special revenue and assessments |
14,786 | 611 | (39 | ) | 15,358 | ||||||||
| All foreign governments |
1,219 | 123 | (2 | ) | 1,340 | ||||||||
| Hybrid securities |
383 | 22 | (28 | ) | 377 | ||||||||
| Industrial and miscellaneous |
64,930 | 3,017 | (1,875 | ) | 66,072 | ||||||||
| Total bonds |
$ | 91,004 | $ | 3,984 | $ | (2,420 | ) | $ | 92,568 | ||||
| December 31, 2008 |
Reconciliation to Fair Value | ||||||||||||
| Statement Value |
Gross Unrealized Gains |
Gross Unrealized Losses |
Fair Value | ||||||||||
| (in millions) | |||||||||||||
| U.S. Government |
$ | 7,795 | $ | 1,555 | $ | (4 | ) | $ | 9,346 | ||||
| States, territories and possessions |
463 | 61 | (7 | ) | 517 | ||||||||
| Special revenue and assessments |
13,084 | 454 | (44 | ) | 13,494 | ||||||||
| All foreign governments |
1,313 | 319 | — | 1,632 | |||||||||
| Hybrid securities |
442 | 4 | (122 | ) | 324 | ||||||||
| Industrial and miscellaneous |
56,217 | 656 | (7,450 | ) | 49,423 | ||||||||
| Total bonds |
$ | 79,314 | $ | 3,049 | $ | (7,627 | ) | $ | 74,736 | ||||
As of December 31, 2009, U.S. Government securities were in a net unrealized loss position of $233 million, compared to a net unrealized gain of $1.5 billion at December 31, 2008. The fair value of these securities reflects the relationship between the stated interest rate on the bonds held by the Company and current market yields. This relationship was impacted by rising market yields on U.S. Government securities during 2009, as well as sales by the Company of certain holdings with above market interest rates and purchases of new bonds with lower market yields. Industrial and miscellaneous corporate bonds were in a net unrealized gain position of $1.1 billion as of December 31, 2009 compared to a net unrealized loss of $6.8 billion as of December 31, 2008, primarily the result of historically high market credit spreads as of December 31, 2008, and the significant narrowing of those spreads during 2009.
Based on statement value, 90% and 89% of the Company’s bond portfolio was rated as investment-grade (i.e., rated “1” or “2” by the SVO) at December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held below investment grade bonds with a statement value of $2.0 billion that were previously classified as investment grade as of December 31, 2008 (“downgrades”). During 2009, the aggregate fair value of these bonds increased by $174 million. At December 31, 2009, the Company held bonds with an aggregate statement value of $199 million that were re-rated as investment grade at that date, but had been rated as below investment grade at December 31, 2008 (“upgrades”). During 2009, the aggregate fair value of these bonds increased by $48 million. These changes in fair value included both changes in the credit circumstances of the individual issuer as well as the general narrowing of credit spreads during 2009.
F-10
Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Statement value of bonds by NAIC rating category at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, 2009 |
NAIC Rating | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Total | |||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Government |
$ | 8,667 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 8,667 | |||||||
| States, territories and possessions |
935 | 84 | — | — | — | — | 1,019 | ||||||||||||||
| Special revenue and assessments |
14,786 | — | — | — | — | — | 14,786 | ||||||||||||||
| All foreign governments |
1,146 | 73 | — | — | — | — | 1,219 | ||||||||||||||
| Hybrid securities |
249 | 93 | 26 | 10 | — | 5 | 383 | ||||||||||||||
| Industrial and miscellaneous |
30,525 | 25,465 | 3,821 | 2,849 | 2,093 | 177 | 64,930 | ||||||||||||||
| Total bonds |
$ | 56,308 | $ | 25,715 | $ | 3,847 | $ | 2,859 | $ | 2,093 | $ | 182 | $ | 91,004 | |||||||
| December 31, 2008 |
NAIC Rating | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Total | |||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. Government |
$ | 7,795 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 7,795 | |||||||
| States, territories and possessions |
363 | 100 | — | — | — | — | 463 | ||||||||||||||
| Special revenue and assessments |
12,904 | 180 | — | — | — | — | 13,084 | ||||||||||||||
| All foreign governments |
1,224 | 89 | — | — | — | — | 1,313 | ||||||||||||||
| Hybrid securities |
372 | 65 | 5 | — | — | — | 442 | ||||||||||||||
| Industrial and miscellaneous |
26,059 | 21,211 | 3,820 | 3,308 | 1,684 | 135 | 56,217 | ||||||||||||||
| Total bonds |
$ | 48,717 | $ | 21,645 | $ | 3,825 | $ | 3,308 | $ | 1,684 | $ | 135 | $ | 79,314 | |||||||
Statement value and fair value of bonds by contractual maturity at December 31, 2009 are summarized below. Actual maturities may differ from contractual maturities because certain borrowers have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment premiums.
| Statement Value |
Fair Value | |||||
| (in millions) | ||||||
| Due in one year or less |
$ | 2,249 | $ | 2,291 | ||
| Due after one year through five years |
16,916 | 17,498 | ||||
| Due after five years through ten years |
28,145 | 29,147 | ||||
| Due after ten years |
17,498 | 17,798 | ||||
| 64,808 | 66,734 | |||||
| Mortgage-backed and structured securities |
26,196 | 25,834 | ||||
| Total |
$ | 91,004 | $ | 92,568 | ||
F-11
Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
The tables below summarize the composition of the Company’s investments in public and private mortgage-backed and other structured securities at December 31, 2009 and 2008. The investment grade designation is based on an NAIC rating of “1” or “2”. These ratings are subject to change based upon subsequent evaluations of credit quality by the SVO or other rating agencies. On a statement value basis, 96% and 98% of the Company’s investments in these securities were rated as investment grade as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively, with a significant concentration in residential mortgage-backed securities issued by government agencies. The decrease in the investment grade percentage is primarily attributable to downgrades of certain CMBS holdings during 2009.
| December 31, 2009 |
Investment Grade | Below Investment Grade | Total | |||||||||||||||
| Statement Value |
Fair Value | Statement Value |
Fair Value | Statement Value |
Fair Value | |||||||||||||
| (in millions) | (in millions) | (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Residential Mortgage-Backed: |
||||||||||||||||||
| Government Agencies |
$ | 15,835 | $ | 16,455 | $ | 1 | $ | 1 | $ | 15,836 | $ | 16,456 | ||||||
| Other Prime |
1,730 | 1,711 | 22 | 20 | 1,752 | 1,731 | ||||||||||||
| Other Below-prime |
495 | 442 | 147 | 111 | 642 | 553 | ||||||||||||
| Commercial Mortgage-Backed: |
||||||||||||||||||
| Government Agencies |
491 | 480 | — | — | 491 | 480 | ||||||||||||
| Conduit |
2,447 | 2,251 | 328 | 143 | 2,775 | 2,394 | ||||||||||||
| Re-REMIC |
304 | 208 | 142 | 20 | 446 | 228 | ||||||||||||
| Collateralized Debt Obligations |
118 | 60 | 161 | 24 | 279 | 84 | ||||||||||||
| Other Commercial Mortgage-Backed |
61 | 62 | 9 | 7 | 70 | 69 | ||||||||||||
| Other Asset-Backed |
3,682 | 3,760 | 223 | 79 | 3,905 | 3,839 | ||||||||||||
| Total Structured Securities |
$ | 25,163 | $ | 25,429 | $ | 1,033 | $ | 405 | $ | 26,196 | $ | 25,834 | ||||||
| December 31, 2008 |
Investment Grade | Below Investment Grade | Total | |||||||||||||||
| Statement Value |
Fair Value | Statement Value |
Fair Value | Statement Value |
Fair Value | |||||||||||||
| (in millions) | (in millions) | (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Residential Mortgage-Backed: |
||||||||||||||||||
| Government Agencies |
$ | 13,280 | $ | 13,750 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 13,280 | $ | 13,750 | ||||||
| Other Prime |
1,806 | 1,650 | — | — | 1,806 | 1,650 | ||||||||||||
| Other Below-prime |
641 | 532 | 198 | 118 | 839 | 650 | ||||||||||||
| Commercial Mortgage-Backed: |
||||||||||||||||||
| Government Agencies |
323 | 329 | — | — | 323 | 329 | ||||||||||||
| Conduit |
2,316 | 1,625 | 33 | 14 | 2,349 | 1,639 | ||||||||||||
| Re-REMIC |
280 | 77 | 61 | 5 | 341 | 82 | ||||||||||||
| Collateralized Debt Obligations |
272 | 89 | 40 | 6 | 312 | 95 | ||||||||||||
| Other Commercial Mortgage-Backed |
238 | 146 | 18 | 3 | 256 | 149 | ||||||||||||
| Other Asset-Backed |
3,767 | 3,391 | 70 | 33 | 3,837 | 3,424 | ||||||||||||
| Total Structured Securities |
$ | 22,923 | $ | 21,589 | $ | 420 | $ | 179 | $ | 23,343 | $ | 21,768 | ||||||
Mortgage-backed securities issued by government agencies experienced favorable movements in fair value relative to statement value during 2009 and 2008 due to declining market yields for such securities. Narrower credit spreads during 2009 on securities not backed by the U.S. government resulted in a recovery of a portion of the market value declines for other mortgage-backed and structured securities that had occurred in 2008. Other asset-backed securities shown above are primarily backed by credit card and automobile loans.
F-12
Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Sub-prime and other Below-prime Mortgage Risk
Sub-prime mortgages are residential loans to borrowers with weak credit profiles. Alt-A mortgages are residential loans to borrowers who generally have credit profiles above sub-prime but do not conform to traditional (“prime”) mortgage underwriting guidelines. The Company has invested in certain mortgage-backed and structured securities that include exposure to sub-prime and other below-prime mortgage loans. These investments are included in bonds in the consolidated statement of financial position and generally reported at amortized cost, less any valuation adjustments. At December 31, 2009 and 2008, the statement value of sub-prime investments was $1 million and $8 million, respectively, and the statement value of Alt-A and other below-prime investments was $641 million and $831 million, respectively. At December 31, 2009 and 2008, the fair value of sub-prime investments was $1 million and $2 million, respectively, and the fair value of Alt-A and other below-prime investments was $552 million and $648 million, respectively. Of the Alt-A and other below-prime investments held by the Company at December 31, 2009 and 2008, 77% and 76%, respectively, were rated as investment-grade.
As of December 31, 2009 and 2008, 84% and 96%, respectively, of the Company’s commercial mortgage-backed securities were rated as investment grade. Statement values of these securities by NAIC rating category and year of origination at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, 2009 |
NAIC Rating | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Total | |||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 |
$ | 360 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 360 | |||||||
| 2008 |
10 | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | ||||||||||||||
| 2007 |
297 | 147 | 106 | 90 | 26 | 2 | 668 | ||||||||||||||
| 2006 |
611 | 54 | 53 | 87 | 12 | — | 817 | ||||||||||||||
| 2005 |
445 | 79 | 48 | 44 | 20 | 1 | 637 | ||||||||||||||
| 2004 & prior |
1,250 | 168 | 100 | 43 | 8 | — | 1,569 | ||||||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 2,973 | $ | 448 | $ | 307 | $ | 264 | $ | 66 | $ | 3 | $ | 4,061 | |||||||
| December 31, 2008 |
NAIC Rating | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Total | |||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 |
$ | 677 | $ | 58 | $ | 14 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 749 | |||||||
| 2006 |
849 | 44 | 10 | 18 | 2 | — | 923 | ||||||||||||||
| 2005 |
434 | 119 | 7 | 21 | 19 | — | 600 | ||||||||||||||
| 2004 |
197 | 70 | 4 | 19 | — | — | 290 | ||||||||||||||
| 2003 & prior |
804 | 177 | 14 | 24 | — | — | 1,019 | ||||||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 2,961 | $ | 468 | $ | 49 | $ | 82 | $ | 21 | $ | — | $ | 3,581 | |||||||
Mortgage Loans
Mortgage loans consist solely of commercial mortgage loans underwritten and originated by the Company and are reported at unpaid principal balance, less any valuation adjustments or unamortized commitment or origination fees. Such fees are generally deferred upon receipt and amortized into net investment income using the interest method. See Note 14 for more
F-13
Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
information regarding the fair value of the Company’s investments in mortgage loans.
The maximum and minimum interest rates for mortgage loans originated during 2009 were 8.5% and 5.2%, respectively, while these rates during 2008 were 7.0% and 4.8%, respectively. The aggregate ratio of amounts loaned to the fair value of collateral for mortgage loans originated during 2009 and 2008 was 58% and 63%, respectively, with a maximum of 100% for any single loan during each of 2009 and 2008. Loans with a 100% loan-to-value are made on a very limited basis and represent construction loans on build-to-suit properties, structured to be refinanced upon completion with a loan-to-value between 50% to 70%. As of December 31, 2009 and 2008, the aggregate weighted-average loan-to-value ratio for the mortgage loan portfolio was 72% and 66%, respectively. The increase in the aggregate loan-to-value ratio during 2009, as shown in the table following, is primarily the result of declining fair values for the underlying collateral, based on current appraisals performed by the Company.
Fair value of the collateral securing the Company’s commercial mortgage loan portfolio is evaluated at least annually by the Company’s real estate professionals. More frequent evaluations are performed as necessary in the event of changes in the market capitalization rates, borrower financial strength and/or property performance. Fair value of the collateral is estimated using the income capitalization approach based on stabilized property income and market capitalization rates. Stabilized property income is derived from actual property financial statements, adjusted for non-recurring items, normalized market vacancy and lease rollover, among other factors. Other collateral, such as excess land and additional capital required to maintain property income, are also factored into fair value estimates. Private market transactions and public market alternatives are considered in determining market capitalization rates.
The aggregate ratios of amounts loaned to fair value of collateral for mortgage loans by property type as of December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, 2009 |
< 50% | 51%-70% | 71%-90% | > 90% | Total | ||||||||||
| (statement value, in millions) | |||||||||||||||
| Apartment |
$ | 633 | $ | 1,353 | $ | 3,448 | $ | 1,008 | $ | 6,442 | |||||
| Office |
733 | 2,303 | 1,901 | 531 | 5,468 | ||||||||||
| Retail |
387 | 2,173 | 2,496 | 249 | 5,305 | ||||||||||
| Warehouse/Industrial |
97 | 754 | 1,130 | 787 | 2,768 | ||||||||||
| Other |
101 | 246 | 602 | 92 | 1,041 | ||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 1,951 | $ | 6,829 | $ | 9,577 | $ | 2,667 | $ | 21,024 | |||||
| December 31, 2008 |
< 50% | 51%-70% | 71%-90% | > 90% | Total | ||||||||||
| (statement value, in millions) | |||||||||||||||
| Apartment |
$ | 818 | $ | 2,841 | $ | 2,662 | $ | 993 | $ | 7,314 | |||||
| Office |
1,622 | 2,124 | 1,615 | 207 | 5,568 | ||||||||||
| Retail |
775 | 2,730 | 1,100 | 297 | 4,902 | ||||||||||
| Warehouse/Industrial |
296 | 868 | 1,205 | 400 | 2,769 | ||||||||||
| Other |
183 | 649 | 180 | 112 | 1,124 | ||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 3,694 | $ | 9,212 | $ | 6,762 | $ | 2,009 | $ | 21,677 | |||||
F-14
Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
The statement value of mortgage loans by contractual maturity at December 31, 2009 is summarized below. Actual maturities may differ from contractual maturities because certain borrowers have the right to prepay obligations with or without prepayment premiums.
| Statement Value | |||
| Due in one year or less |
$ | 1,291 | |
| Due after one year through two years |
1,429 | ||
| Due after two years through five years |
6,752 | ||
| Due after five years through eight years |
6,325 | ||
| Due after eight years |
5,227 | ||
| $ | 21,024 | ||
The geographic diversification of the Company’s mortgage loans by property type as of December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, 2009 |
East | Midwest | South | West | Canada | Total | ||||||||||||
| (statement value, in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Apartment |
$ | 2,068 | $ | 364 | $ | 1,520 | $ | 2,490 | $ | — | $ | 6,442 | ||||||
| Office |
1,932 | 623 | 1,089 | 1,824 | — | 5,468 | ||||||||||||
| Retail |
1,635 | 670 | 1,270 | 1,688 | 42 | 5,305 | ||||||||||||
| Warehouse/Industrial |
467 | 491 | 528 | 1,282 | — | 2,768 | ||||||||||||
| Other |
154 | 244 | 400 | 243 | — | 1,041 | ||||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 6,256 | $ | 2,392 | $ | 4,807 | $ | 7,527 | $ | 42 | $ | 21,024 | ||||||
| December 31, 2008 |
East | Midwest | South | West | Canada | Total | ||||||||||||
| (statement value, in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Apartment |
$ | 2,547 | $ | 546 | $ | 1,620 | $ | 2,601 | $ | — | $ | 7,314 | ||||||
| Office |
1,892 | 653 | 1,109 | 1,914 | — | 5,568 | ||||||||||||
| Retail |
1,440 | 437 | 1,258 | 1,723 | 44 | 4,902 | ||||||||||||
| Warehouse/Industrial |
461 | 479 | 511 | 1,318 | — | 2,769 | ||||||||||||
| Other |
141 | 244 | 486 | 253 | — | 1,124 | ||||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 6,481 | $ | 2,359 | $ | 4,984 | $ | 7,809 | $ | 44 | $ | 21,677 | ||||||
Common and Preferred Stocks
Common stocks are generally reported at fair value. The statutory basis of accounting permits fair value for common stocks to be based on values published by the SVO, quoted market prices, independent pricing services or internally developed pricing models. At December 31, 2009, fair value was based primarily on quoted market prices. For private common stocks without quoted market prices, fair value at December 31, 2009 is based upon internally developed pricing models that utilize observable market data (public comparables), external pricing sources (sponsor valuations) and cash flow modeling. At December 31, 2008, the fair value of common stocks was primarily based on values published by the SVO and quoted market prices. When SVO-published values or quoted market prices were not used at December 31, 2008, fair value was based on internally developed pricing models. The equity method is generally used to report investments in common stock of unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries. See Note 11 regarding statement value of the Company’s investment in Frank Russell Company common stock. See Note 14 for more information regarding the fair value of the Company’s investments in common stock.
F-15
Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Preferred stocks rated “1” (highest quality), “2” (high quality) or “3” (medium quality) by the SVO are reported at amortized cost. Preferred stocks rated “4” (low quality), “5” (lower quality) or “6” (lowest quality) by the SVO are reported at the lower of amortized cost or fair value. The statutory basis of accounting permits fair value for preferred stocks to be based on values published by the SVO, quoted market prices, independent pricing services or internally developed pricing models. At December 31, 2009, fair value was based primarily on internally developed pricing models. At December 31, 2008, the fair value of preferred stocks was based primarily upon values published by the SVO. In the absence of SVO-published values at December 31, 2008, fair value was based primarily upon internally developed pricing models. See Note 11 regarding statement value of the Company’s investments in Frank Russell Company preferred stock. See Note 14 for more information regarding the fair value of the Company’s investments in preferred stock.
When necessary, valuation adjustments are made for preferred stocks with SVO ratings of “4”, “5” or “6” and for common and preferred stocks with a decline in fair value that management considers to be other-than-temporary. If the impairment is considered to be temporary, the valuation adjustment is reported as an unrealized capital loss. Valuation adjustments for declines in value considered to be other-than-temporary are reported as realized capital losses.
Real Estate
Real estate investments are reported at cost, less any valuation adjustment, encumbrances and accumulated depreciation of buildings and other improvements, using a straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the improvements. Fair value of real estate is based primarily on the present value of estimated future cash flow (for commercial properties) or the capitalization of stabilized net operating income (for multi-family residential properties).
The geographic diversification of the Company’s investments in real estate by property type as of December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, 2009 |
East | Midwest | South | West | Total | ||||||||||
| (statement value, in millions) | |||||||||||||||
| Apartment |
$ | 255 | $ | 94 | $ | 35 | $ | 160 | $ | 544 | |||||
| Office |
83 | 414 | 127 | 140 | 764 | ||||||||||
| Warehouse/Industrial |
12 | — | 49 | 170 | 231 | ||||||||||
| Other |
27 | — | 16 | — | 43 | ||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 377 | $ | 508 | $ | 227 | $ | 470 | $ | 1,582 | |||||
| December 31, 2008 |
East | Midwest | South | West | Total | ||||||||||
| (statement value, in millions) | |||||||||||||||
| Apartment |
$ | 277 | $ | 40 | $ | 27 | $ | 294 | $ | 638 | |||||
| Office |
72 | 402 | 136 | 26 | 636 | ||||||||||
| Warehouse/Industrial |
12 | — | 54 | 172 | 238 | ||||||||||
| Other |
— | — | 16 | — | 16 | ||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 361 | $ | 442 | $ | 233 | $ | 492 | $ | 1,528 | |||||
F-16
Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
The Company’s home office properties are included in Midwest Office investments in the table above, and have an aggregate statement value of $263 million and $245 million at December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively.
Other Investments
Other investments consist primarily of partnership investments (including real estate, venture capital and leveraged buyout fund limited partnerships), real estate joint ventures and unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries organized as limited liability companies. The partnerships, real estate joint ventures and limited liability companies are reported using the statutory equity method of accounting. The unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries are recorded based on their audited GAAP equity. These subsidiaries primarily invest in public and private equity securities, investment grade municipal bonds and real estate joint ventures.
Statement value of other investments as of December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| For the year ended December 31, | ||||||
| Asset type |
2009 | 2008 | ||||
| (in millions) | ||||||
| Unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries |
$ | 4,721 | $ | 4,673 | ||
| Partnerships and LLCs |
2,800 | 3,116 | ||||
| Low income housing tax credit properties |
545 | 576 | ||||
| Leveraged leases |
318 | 331 | ||||
| Derivative instruments |
14 | 80 | ||||
| Due on sale of securities |
53 | 162 | ||||
| Oil and gas investments |
74 | 107 | ||||
| Other |
62 | 140 | ||||
| Total |
$ | 8,587 | $ | 9,185 | ||
Oil and gas investments are reported using the full cost method, under which all exploration and development costs, whether successful or not, are capitalized and amortized as a reduction of net investment income as oil and natural gas reserves are produced. This method is permitted by the OCI. The Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual of the NAIC does not provide accounting guidance for oil and gas investments.
See Note 4 regarding the Company’s use of derivatives.
Net Investment Income
The components of net investment income for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 were as follows:
| For the year ended December 31, | |||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | |||||||
| (in millions) | |||||||||
| Bonds |
$ | 4,932 | $ | 4,821 | $ | 4,535 | |||
| Mortgage loans |
1,356 | 1,334 | 1,306 | ||||||
| Policy loans |
976 | 876 | 821 | ||||||
| Common and preferred stocks |
178 | 214 | 331 | ||||||
| Real estate |
231 | 263 | 270 | ||||||
| Derivative instruments |
19 | — | — | ||||||
F-17
Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| Other investments |
432 | 770 | 898 | ||||||
| Amortization of IMR |
39 | 35 | 29 | ||||||
| Gross investment income |
8,163 | 8,313 | 8,190 | ||||||
| Less: investment expenses |
391 | 478 | 622 | ||||||
| Net investment income |
$ | 7,772 | $ | 7,835 | $ | 7,568 | |||
F-18
Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Capital Gains and Losses
Realized capital gains and losses for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 were as follows:
| For the year ended December 31, 2009 |
For the year ended December 31, 2008 |
For the year ended December 31, 2007 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Realized Gains |
Realized Losses |
Net Realized Gains (Losses) |
Realized Gains |
Realized Losses |
Net Realized Gains (Losses) |
Realized Gains |
Realized Losses |
Net Realized Gains (Losses) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | (in millions) | (in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonds |
$ | 1,397 | $ | (1,412 | ) | $ | (15 | ) | $ | 518 | $ | (1,757 | ) | $ | (1,239 | ) | $ | 465 | $ | (327 | ) | $ | 138 | ||||||||||
| Common and preferred stocks |
1,101 | (695 | ) | 406 | 773 | (1,342 | ) | (569 | ) | 1,415 | (246 | ) | 1,169 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Mortgage loans |
— | (8 | ) | (8 | ) | — | (2 | ) | (2 | ) | — | (10 | ) | (10 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Real estate |
232 | (17 | ) | 215 | 82 | (4 | ) | 78 | 65 | — | 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other investments |
897 | (1,402 | ) | (505 | ) | 1,416 | (1,205 | ) | 211 | 306 | (568 | ) | (262 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
$ | 3,627 | $ | (3,534 | ) | 93 | $ | 2,789 | $ | (4,310 | ) | (1,521 | ) | $ | 2,251 | $ | (1,151 | ) | 1,100 | ||||||||||||||
| Less: IMR gains (losses) |
563 | (705 | ) | 144 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less: Capital gains taxes (benefit) |
(316 | ) | (149 | ) | 337 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net realized capital gains (losses) |
$ | (154 | ) | $ | (667 | ) | $ | 619 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Realized gains and losses on bonds and common and preferred stock are the result of normal trading activity undertaken to execute the Company’s overall portfolio management strategy including asset/liability duration management, sector exposure, total return and tax optimization, as well as valuation adjustments resulting from the Company’s determination of other-than-temporary-impairments, as discussed below. Realized gains and losses for other investments are primarily due to derivative transactions, predominantly from foreign currency futures and equity futures (see Note 4). During 2009, 2008 and 2007, realized losses of $175 million, $156 million and $5 million, respectively, were attributable to the sale of bonds with significant declines in credit quality. Proceeds from the sale of bond investments totaled $32 billion, $34 billion and $56 billion for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively.
Changes in net unrealized capital gains and losses for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 were as follows:
| For the year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | ||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||
| Bonds |
$ | 117 | $ | (356 | ) | $ | 98 | |||||
| Common and preferred stocks |
903 | (3,604 | ) | (367 | ) | |||||||
| Other investments |
(316 | ) | (831 | ) | 178 | |||||||
| 704 | (4,791 | ) | (91 | ) | ||||||||
| Change in deferred taxes |
(201 | ) | 1,308 | 79 | ||||||||
| Change in net unrealized capital gains (losses) |
$ | 503 | $ | (3,483 | ) | $ | (12 | ) | ||||
The fluctuations in net unrealized capital gains/(losses) during 2009 and 2008 were due primarily to the declines in the fair value of common stocks and other investments during 2008 that
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Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
management considered to be temporary, some of which have since recovered value with the market rebound during 2009. Net unrealized capital losses included unrealized losses of ($311) million, ($460) million and ($386) million for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively, related to distributions made to the Company from unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries. The Company’s share of the earnings or losses of these subsidiaries are reported as unrealized under the equity method of accounting until distributed to the Company, at which time net investment income is recognized and the previously unrealized net gains are reversed.
Changes in net unrealized capital gains (losses) also included valuation adjustments for declines in the fair value of investments held by unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries that were considered to be other-than-temporary.
The amortized cost and fair value of bonds and common and preferred stocks for which fair value had temporarily declined and remained below cost as of December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Decline For Less Than 12 Months | Decline For Greater Than 12 Months | |||||||||||||||||||
| Amortized Cost |
Fair Value |
Difference | Amortized Cost |
Fair Value |
Difference | |||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonds |
$ | 16,596 | $ | 15,854 | $ | (742 | ) | $ | 9,415 | $ | 7,550 | $ | (1,865 | ) | ||||||
| Common and preferred stocks |
1,396 | 1,249 | (147 | ) | 1,109 | 813 | (296 | ) | ||||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 17,992 | $ | 17,103 | $ | (889 | ) | $ | 10,524 | $ | 8,363 | $ | (2,161 | ) | ||||||
| December 31, 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Decline For Less Than 12 Months | Decline For Greater Than 12 Months | |||||||||||||||||||
| Amortized Cost |
Fair Value |
Difference | Amortized Cost |
Fair Value |
Difference | |||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonds |
$ | 29,909 | $ | 26,205 | $ | (3,704 | ) | $ | 16,589 | $ | 12,454 | $ | (4,135 | ) | ||||||
| Common and preferred stocks |
3,326 | 2,391 | (935 | ) | 1,048 | 610 | (438 | ) | ||||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 33,235 | $ | 28,596 | $ | (4,639 | ) | $ | 17,637 | $ | 13,064 | $ | (4,573 | ) | ||||||
At December 31, 2009 and 2008, $1.2 billion and $1.6 billion, respectively, of the unrealized loss related to declines for greater than 12 months were related to structured securities, primarily CMBS. At December 31, 2009, the unrealized loss on bonds for which fair value had temporarily declined and remained below cost, decreased due primarily to market credit spreads narrowing from the historically high levels at December 31, 2008. These bonds are current on interest and principal payments and are otherwise performing according to their contractual terms. Based on the review process described below, management considers these declines in fair value, as well as the declines in fair value of common and preferred stocks, to be temporary based on existing facts and circumstances. Changes in the fair value of common stocks are reflected in surplus through unrealized gains/losses as a result of being reported at fair value in the financial statements.
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Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Impairments
On a quarterly basis, the Company performs a review of bonds, mortgage loans, common and preferred stocks, real estate and other investments to identify those that have experienced a decline in fair value that management considers to be other-than-temporary. Factors considered in evaluating whether a decline in fair value is other-than-temporary include: (1) the duration and extent to which fair value has been less than cost, (2) the financial condition and near-term financial prospects of the issuer and (3) the Company’s ability and intent to hold the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for an anticipated recovery in value.
For fixed income securities, emphasis is placed on evaluating the issuer’s ability to service all contractual interest and principal payments and the Company’s ability and intent to hold the security until the earlier of a recovery in value or maturity. The Company’s intent and ability to hold a security considers broad portfolio management objectives such as asset/liability duration management and issuer and industry segment exposures.
For equity securities, greater weight and consideration is given to the duration and extent of a decline in fair value and the likelihood that the fair value of the security will recover. An investment in real estate is evaluated for an-other-than temporary impairment when the fair value of the property is lower than its depreciated cost. Fixed income securities (excluding structured securities, as described below), real estate and other investments that are determined to have an other-than-temporary impairment are written down to fair value. Mortgage loans determined to have an other-than-temporary impairment are written down to net realizable value based on appraisal of the collateral property.
Effective January 1, 2008, the Company adopted Statement of Statutory Accounting Principle No. 98, Treatment of Cash Flows When Quantifying Changes in Valuation and Impairments, An Amendment to SSAP No. 43 – Loan Backed and Structured Securities (“SSAP 98”). SSAP 98 required that valuation adjustments for other-than-temporary impairment of loan-backed and structured securities be based on fair value. Previous statutory accounting guidance required that such valuation adjustments be based on undiscounted future cash flows. SSAP 98 was adopted prospectively at January 1, 2008 and resulted in $90 million of additional realized capital losses during 2008 than would have been required under previous accounting guidance.
During 2009, the Company adopted Statement of Statutory Accounting Principle No. 43R, Loan Backed and Structured Securities (“SSAP 43R”). SSAP 43R superceded SSAP 98 and requires that valuation adjustments for other-than-temporary impairments of loan-backed and structured securities be based on fair value only if the Company intends to sell or cannot assert the intent and ability to hold the investment until its anticipated recovery. However, if the Company can assert the intent and ability to hold the investment until its anticipated recovery, the valuation adjustment is based on the discounted expected future cash flows of the security. The discount rate used would generally be either the effective yield at purchase or the effective yield immediately prior to the valuation adjustment. The adoption of SSAP 43R was effective September 30, 2009 and resulted in a cumulative increase to surplus of $61 million, representing the difference between other-than-temporary valuation adjustments measured using the discounted cash flow method required by SSAP 43R and the fair value measurement previously required by SSAP 98. This increase to surplus is reported as a change in accounting principle in the consolidated statement of changes in surplus for the year ended December 31, 2009.
Realized capital losses recognized due to declines in fair value of investments that were
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Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
considered to be other-than-temporary for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 were $749 million, $960 million and $156 million, respectively, with details by asset class and sector as follows:
| For the year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | ||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||
| Bonds, common and preferred stocks: |
||||||||||||
| Financial services |
$ | (69 | ) | $ | (366 | ) | $ | (26 | ) | |||
| Structured securities |
(166 | ) | (157 | ) | (1 | ) | ||||||
| Energy |
(25 | ) | (98 | ) | (31 | ) | ||||||
| Consumer discretionary |
(133 | ) | (82 | ) | (3 | ) | ||||||
| Health care |
— | (41 | ) | (14 | ) | |||||||
| Industrials |
(48 | ) | (30 | ) | (6 | ) | ||||||
| Technology |
(7 | ) | (25 | ) | (1 | ) | ||||||
| Other |
(74 | ) | (53 | ) | (2 | ) | ||||||
| Subtotal |
(522 | ) | (852 | ) | (84 | ) | ||||||
| Other investments: |
||||||||||||
| Real estate and RE funds |
(151 | ) | (88 | ) | (46 | ) | ||||||
| Energy holdings |
(12 | ) | (10 | ) | — | |||||||
| Security partnerships |
(52 | ) | (10 | ) | (26 | ) | ||||||
| Derivatives |
(4 | ) | — | — | ||||||||
| Mortgage loans |
(8 | ) | — | — | ||||||||
| Subtotal |
(227 | ) | (108 | ) | (72 | ) | ||||||
| Total |
$ | (749 | ) | $ | (960 | ) | $ | (156 | ) | |||
The $522 million in total valuation adjustments for bonds and stocks during 2009 was comprised of $449 million for bonds, $62 million for common stocks and $11 million for preferred stocks. The $166 million of structured securities valuation adjustments recorded during 2009 included $79 million of other collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), primarily backed by bank securities, and $62 million of commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBSs”), including CMBS CDOs.
During 2008 these valuation adjustments included $445 million for bonds, $231 million for common stocks, and $176 million for preferred stocks. The $157 million of valuation adjustments recorded against structured securities during 2008 was comprised of $63 million of CDOs and $94 million for CMBS, including CMBS CDOs.
Other-than-temporary valuation adjustments on loan-backed and structured securities for the year ended December 31, 2009, including the basis for the adjustment, were as follows:
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| Amortized Cost Basis Before Other-than- Temporary-Impairment |
Other-than- Temporary Impairment Recognized in Loss |
Fair Value | ||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||
| Aggregate Intent to Sell |
$ | — | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
| Aggregate Intent & Ability to Hold |
221 | (86 | ) | 46 | ||||||
| Total |
$ | 221 | $ | (86 | ) | $ | 46 | |||
Loan-backed and structured securities for which the present value of expected cash flows was less than the amortized cost basis, thereby resulting in an other-than-temporary valuation adjustment at December 31, 2009, were as follows:
| CUSIP |
Book/Adj Carrying Value before current period OTTI |
Present Value of Flows |
Recognized other-than- temporary impairment |
Amortized cost after other-than- temporary |
Fair Value | |||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 09774XBM3 |
$ | 2 | $ | 3 | $ | — | $ | 3 | $ | 1 | ||||||||||
| 20846QDV7 |
7 | 7 | — | 7 | 7 | |||||||||||||||
| 61746WKA7 |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 38373MAQ3 |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 38374J7C4 |
3 | 3 | — | 3 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| 46625M3T4 |
1 | — | — | 1 | — | |||||||||||||||
| 38373VMQ0 |
1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 38374BSY0 |
5 | 4 | — | 5 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| 74436JEH6 |
— | 1 | — | — | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 11777LAK7 |
1 | 2 | — | 1 | — | |||||||||||||||
| 15188RAE2 |
1 | — | — | 1 | — | |||||||||||||||
| 3622MSAH5 |
1 | — | (1) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 3622MSAJ1 |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 47631WAE7 |
1 | — | (1) | — | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 50177AAZ2 |
4 | 1 | (3) | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 50179AAU1 |
1 | 1 | (1) | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| 61751XAP5 |
1 | — | (1) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 65105LAG5 |
2 | — | (2) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 65105YAF9 |
1 | — | (1) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 78466MAK0 |
1 | — | (1) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 83586WAL1 |
1 | — | (1) | — | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 036510AD7 |
10 | 1 | (9) | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 62475FAQ5 |
1 | — | (1) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 62475FAR3 |
1 | — | (1) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 62745FAU6 |
1 | — | (1) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 65106CAD1 |
3 | — | (3) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 894127AQ2 |
15 | 13 | — | 15 | 3 | |||||||||||||||
| 55291MAA1 |
28 | 20 | (4) | 23 | 6 | |||||||||||||||
| 55291MAB9 |
12 | 7 | (3) | 9 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| 74042JAJ2 |
25 | 18 | (5) | 19 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 74042MAQ9 |
27 | 19 | (3) | 24 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| 98885YAE9 |
10 | 1 | (9) | 1 | — | |||||||||||||||
| 61750WAF0 |
7 | 1 | (6) | — | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 62475FAP7 |
2 | — | (2) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 62475FAN2 |
2 | — | (2) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 62475FAM4 |
4 | — | (4) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 36170UBB6 |
3 | — | (3) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 36170VAJ8 |
10 | — | (10) | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 05951FAA2 |
13 | 10 | (4) | 10 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
| 74043AAL5 |
13 | 9 | (4) | 9 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 36170UBH3 |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| 36170UBK6 |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 36170UBM2 |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 36170UBP5 |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 36170UBR1 |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 36170UBT7 |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 36170UBD2 |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 36170UBF7 |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 221 | $ | 122 | $ | (86) | $ | 135 | $ | 46 | ||||||||||
In addition to the realized losses above, $40 million, $77 million and $53 million of other-than-temporary valuation adjustments were recognized by the Company’s unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively. The decline in equity of these subsidiaries resulting from these valuation adjustments is included in changes in net unrealized capital gains (losses) in the consolidated statement of changes in surplus.
Securities Lending
The Company has entered into securities lending agreements whereby certain general account investment securities are loaned to third parties, primarily major brokerage firms. At December 31, 2009 and 2008, the aggregate statement value of loaned securities was $2.9 billion and $2.5 billion, respectively, while the aggregate fair value of these loaned securities was $2.7 billion and $3.0 billion, respectively. The Company’s policy requires a minimum of 102% of the fair value of the loaned securities, calculated on a daily basis, as collateral in the form of either cash or securities to be held by the Company or a trustee.
At each of December 31, 2009 and 2008, securities lending collateral held by the Company of $2.9 billion, which is reported in the consolidated statement of financial position at amortized cost and included in cash and temporary investments, with the offsetting collateral liability of $2.9 billion included in other liabilities. These collateral assets included $2.3 billion and $2.8 billion, respectively, of collateral positions with open terms (i.e., positions for which the borrower may return the loaned security and request return of the collateral at any time), $400 million and $10 million, respectively, for collateral positions with terms of less than 30 days, $90 million and $0, respectively, for collateral positions with terms of less than 60 days and $100 million and $90 million, respectively, for collateral positions with terms exceeding 90 days. At each of December 31, 2009 and 2008, the aggregate fair value of all collateral positions was $2.9 billion.
In addition to the collateral held by the Company, additional non-cash collateral was held on the Company’s behalf by a trustee at December 31, 2009 and 2008 with initial loan values of $73 million and $219 million, respectively, and current fair values of $70 million and $208 million, respectively, and is not included in the consolidated statement of financial position.
The Company has also entered into securities lending arrangements for separate account investment securities, utilizing similar procedures and collateral requirements as those for general account loaned securities. At December 31, 2009 and 2008, the aggregate statement value of loaned securities held by the separate accounts was $85 million and $67 million, respectively.
Secured Funding Transaction
During 2009, the Company entered into a secured funding transaction, whereby certain mortgage-backed securities owned by the Company have been deposited in a trust and pledged under an indenture as part of a borrowing arrangement with an unrelated third party. At December 31,
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
2009, the aggregate statement value of the pledged securities was $2.1 billion while the aggregate fair value of those securities was $1.4 billion. During the duration of the indenture, these assets are restricted from being sold, substituted or otherwise accessed by the Company. This transaction is reported as a secured funding under Statement of Statutory Accounting Principles No. 91R, Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments of Liabilities (“SSAP 91R”), and as such these securities remain reported as bonds in the consolidated statement of financial position.
The proceeds to the Company of the funding transaction were $600 million, which is included in other liabilities in the consolidated statement of financial position at December 31, 2009. The related indenture requires substantially all cash flows from the pledged securities to be used to pay interest and principal on the funded balance. Interest on the outstanding principal balance accrues at an annual rate of 1-month LIBOR + 1.75%. Interest expense incurred during 2009 was less than $100,000.
As part of the transaction, the Company entered into an unconditional agreement to repurchase the pledged securities from the trust at market value on December 29, 2011. In the unlikely event that the outstanding principal, interest and other obligations on the secured borrowing transaction exceed the market value of the pledged securities, the repurchase will not be completed on that date. Instead, the market value will be recalculated and compared to the outstanding principal, interest and other obligations on the borrowing arrangement on the last monthly payment date of each quarter thereafter and the repurchase will be completed at market value on the first such payment date when the market value exceeds such obligations. If the repurchase has not been completed by the payment date for December 2013, it will be completed at the market value on that date. In any event, the proceeds of the repurchase will be applied to the borrowing obligations and upon satisfaction of such obligations the trust will be liquidated.
| 4. | Derivative Financial Instruments |
In the normal course of business, the Company enters into derivative transactions, generally to mitigate (or “hedge”) the risk to its assets, liabilities and surplus from fluctuations in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and other market risks. Derivatives used in hedging transactions are designated as either “cash flow” hedges, which mitigate the risk of variability in future cash flows associated with the asset or liability being hedged, or “fair value” hedges, which mitigate the risk of changes in fair value of the asset or liability being hedged. Derivatives that qualify for hedge accounting are reported on a basis consistent with the asset or liability being hedged (e.g., at amortized cost or fair value). Derivatives used as hedges that do not qualify for hedge accounting are reported at fair value.
To qualify for hedge accounting, the hedge relationship must be designated and formally documented at inception. This documentation details the risk management objective and strategy for the hedge, including the risk being hedged, the derivative used in the hedge and the methodology for assessing hedge effectiveness, which must be measured on an ongoing basis over the life of the hedge. To qualify for hedge accounting, the hedge must be “highly effective,” meaning that the changes in the fair value of cash flows of the hedging instrument must be between 80-125% of the inverse of the corresponding changes in fair value or cash flows of the hedged risk.
Fair value is the amount that the Company would expect to receive or pay in an arms-length
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Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
settlement of the derivative contract as of the reporting date. The fair value of derivative instruments is based on quoted market prices, when available. In the absence of quoted market prices, fair value is estimated using third-party or internal pricing models. For derivatives reported at fair value, changes in fair value on open derivative positions are reported as an unrealized capital gain or loss. Upon maturity or termination of the derivative contract, a realized capital gain or loss is recognized.
Additionally, the Company uses derivatives for the purpose of investment “replication.” A replication is a derivative transaction that, when entered into in conjunction with other cash market investments, replicates the risk and reward characteristics of otherwise permissible investment positions. Derivatives used as part of a replication are reported on a basis consistent with the investment position being replicated (e.g., at amortized cost or fair value).
The Company also uses derivatives for income generation purposes. Derivatives used for income generation purposes are reported on a basis consistent with the accounting treatment that would be used for the covering asset or underlying interest to which the derivative relates (e.g., at amortized cost or fair value). The cash premium received by the Company at the inception of the contract is deferred for accounting purposes until maturity of the contract or its exercise by the counterparty (if the term of the derivative is less than one year) or amortized over the life of the contract (if the term of the derivative is greater than one year).
Over-the-counter derivative transactions expose the Company to the risk that a counterparty may not be able to fulfill its obligations under the contract. The Company manages this risk by dealing only with counterparties that maintain a minimum credit rating, by performing ongoing review of counterparties’ credit standing and by adhering to established limits for credit exposure to any single counterparty. The Company also utilizes collateral support agreements that require the daily exchange of collateral assets if credit exposure exceeds certain limits. As of December 31, 2009 and 2008, the Company held $97 million and $118 million, respectively, of cash collateral under these agreements. The cash collateral is included in other assets in the consolidated statement of financial position, with a corresponding liability reflecting the Company’s obligation to return the collateral included in other liabilities.
Following are descriptions of the types of derivative instruments used by the Company:
Cash Flow Hedges:
Interest rate floors are used to mitigate the asset/liability management risk of a significant and sustained decrease in interest rates for certain of the Company’s insurance products. Interest rate floors entitle the Company to receive payments from a counterparty if market interest rates decline below a specified level. The Company’s use of interest rate floors qualifies for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at amortized cost.
Interest rate swaps are used to mitigate interest rate risk for investments in variable interest rate and fixed interest rate bonds. Interest rate swaps obligate the Company and a counterparty to exchange amounts based on the difference between a variable interest rate index and a specified fixed rate of interest applied to the notional amount of the contract. The Company’s use of interest rate swaps qualifies for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at amortized cost.
Swaptions are used to mitigate the asset/liability management risk of a significant and sustained
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
increase in interest rates for certain of the Company’s insurance products. Swaptions provide the Company an option to enter into an interest rate swap with a counterparty on predefined terms. Prior to 2009, the Company’s use of swaptions qualified for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at amortized cost. During 2009, the Company elected to discontinue hedge accounting for these instruments, and as a result, these instruments are reported at fair value as of December 31, 2009. This change resulted in an unrealized capital gain of $26 million for the year ended December 31, 2009.
Foreign currency swaps are used to mitigate the foreign exchange risk for investments in bonds denominated in foreign currencies. Foreign currency swaps obligate the Company and a counterparty to exchange the currencies of two different countries at a specified exchange rate. The Company’s use of foreign currency swaps qualifies for hedge accounting. These instruments are reported at amortized cost, with the exception of changes in fair value due to fluctuations in market currency exchange rates. Foreign currency translation gain or loss is reported as an unrealized capital gain or loss until the maturity or termination of the contract, at which time a realized capital gain or loss is recognized.
Foreign currency covers are used to mitigate foreign exchange risk pending settlement of executed trades for investments denominated in foreign currencies. Foreign currency covers obligate the Company to pay to or receive from a counterparty a specified amount of a foreign currency at a specified exchange rate at a future date. The Company’s use of foreign currency covers qualifies for hedge accounting, with foreign currency translation gain or loss recorded as an adjustment to the cost basis of the hedged security. The Company held no positions in these instruments at December 31, 2009.
Commodity swaps are used to mitigate market risk for the anticipated sale of future oil or natural gas production. Commodity swaps obligate the Company and a counterparty to exchange amounts based on the difference between a variable energy commodity price and a specified fixed energy commodity price applied to the notional amount of the contract. The Company’s use of commodity swaps does not qualify for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at fair value. No unrealized gains or losses were recognized during 2009 on these contracts. Unrealized capital gains of $1 million were recognized during 2008 on these contracts. The Company held no positions in these instruments at December 31, 2009.
Interest rate basis swaps are used to mitigate the basis risk for investments in variable interest rate preferred stocks. Interest rate basis swaps obligate the Company and a counterparty to exchange amounts based on the difference between the rates of return on two different reference indices applied to the notional amount of the contract. The Company’s use of interest rate basis swaps does not qualify for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at fair value. No unrealized gains or losses were recognized during 2009 on these contracts. Unrealized capital losses were less than $1 million during 2008 on these contracts. The Company held no positions in these instruments at December 31, 2009 or 2008.
Fair Value Hedges:
Short fixed income futures are used to mitigate interest rate risk for investment in portfolios of fixed income securities. Short fixed income futures obligate the Company to sell to a counterparty a specified bond at a specified price at a future date. The Company’s use of short fixed income futures contracts does not qualify for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at fair value. Unrealized capital gains of $239 million and unrealized capital losses of
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Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
$239 million were recognized during 2009 and 2008, respectively, on these contracts. The Company held no positions in these instruments at December 31, 2009.
Foreign currency forwards are used to mitigate the foreign exchange risk for investments in bonds denominated in foreign currencies or common stock or other equity investments in companies operating in foreign countries. Foreign currency forwards obligate the Company to pay to or receive from a counterparty a specified amount of a foreign currency at a future date. The Company’s use of foreign currency forwards does not qualify for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at fair value. Unrealized capital gains of $19 million and unrealized capital losses of $13 million were recognized during 2009 and 2008, respectively, on these contracts.
Foreign currency futures are used to mitigate the foreign exchange risk for investments in bonds denominated in foreign currencies or common stock or other equity investments in companies operating in foreign countries. Foreign currency futures obligate the Company to exchange a specified amount of a foreign currency with a counterparty at a specified exchange rate at a future date. The Company’s use of foreign currency futures does not qualify for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at fair value. Unrealized capital gains of $73 million and unrealized capital losses of $73 million were recognized during 2009 and 2008, respectively, on these contracts. The Company held no direct positions in these instruments at December 31, 2009.
Short total return swaps are used to mitigate market risk for investment in portfolios of common stocks and other equity securities. Total return swaps obligate the Company and a counterparty to exchange amounts based on the difference between a variable equity index return and a specified fixed rate of return applied to the notional amount of the contract. The Company’s use of total return swaps does not qualify for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at fair value. Unrealized capital gains of $8 million and unrealized capital losses of $9 million were recognized during 2009 and 2008, respectively, on these contracts.
Short equity index futures are used to mitigate market risk for investments in portfolios of common stock. Short equity index futures obligate the Company to pay to or receive from a counterparty an amount based on a specified equity market index as of a future date applied to the notional amount of the contract. The Company’s use of short equity index futures does not qualify for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at fair value. Unrealized capital gains of $17 million and unrealized capital losses of $17 million were recognized during 2009 and 2008, respectively, on these contracts. The Company held no positions in these instruments at December 31, 2009.
Purchased put options are used to mitigate credit and market risk for investments in debt and equity securities issued by specific entities. Purchased put options provide the Company an option to put a specific security to a counterparty at a specified price at a future date. The Company’s use of purchased put options does not qualify for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at fair value. No unrealized capital gains or losses were recognized during 2009 or 2008 on these contracts. The Company held no positions in these instruments at December 31, 2009.
Equity collars are used to mitigate market risk for investments in specific common stocks or other equity securities. Equity collars consist of both a purchased put option and a written call option on a specific equity security owned by the Company. The Company’s use of equity collars does
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
not qualify for hedge accounting, with these instruments reported at fair value. Unrealized capital losses of less than $1 million and unrealized capital gains of $1 million were recognized during 2009 and 2008, respectively, on these contracts. The Company held no positions in these instruments at December 31, 2009.
Purchased credit default swaps are used to mitigate the credit risk for investments in bonds issued by specific debtors. Credit default swaps provide the Company an option to put a specific bond to a counterparty at par in the event of a “credit event” encountered by the bond issuer. A credit event is generally defined as a bankruptcy, failure to make required payments or acceleration of issuer obligations under the terms of the bond. In some cases the Company’s use of credit default swaps qualifies for hedge accounting, while in other cases it does not. Credit default swaps that qualify for hedge accounting are reported at amortized cost. Swaps that do not qualify for hedge accounting are reported at fair value. Unrealized capital losses of $22 million and unrealized capital gains of $14 million were recognized during 2009 and 2008, respectively, on contracts that did not qualify for hedge accounting.
Replications:
Long fixed income futures replications are used in conjunction with cash market instruments to manage the duration of investment in portfolios of fixed income securities and to mitigate interest rate risk for such portfolios. Long fixed income futures replications are reported at fair value, with changes in fair value reported as an unrealized capital gain or loss until the contracts mature or are terminated, at which time a realized capital gain or loss is recognized. The average fair value of open contracts was $1.7 billion and $3.5 billion during 2009 and 2008, respectively. Realized capital gains of $73 million and $274 million were recognized during 2009 and 2008, respectively, upon termination of these contracts. The Company held no positions in these instruments at December 31, 2009.
Long total return swap replications are used in conjunction with the purchase of cash market instruments to replicate investment in portfolios of common stocks and other equity securities. Total return swaps obligate the Company and a counterparty to exchange amounts based on the difference between a variable equity index return and a specified fixed rate of return applied to the notional amount of the contract. Total return swaps are reported at fair value, with changes in fair value reported as an unrealized capital gain or loss until the contracts mature or are terminated, at which time a realized capital gain or loss is recognized. The average fair value of open contracts was $7 million and ($10) million during 2009 and 2008, respectively. Realized capital gains of $72 million and realized capital losses of $143 million were recognized during 2009 and 2008, respectively, on these contracts.
Long equity index futures replications are used in conjunction with the purchase of cash market instruments to replicate investment in portfolios of common stocks and other equity securities. Long equity index futures replications are reported at fair value, with changes in fair value reported as an unrealized capital gain or loss until the contracts mature or are terminated, at which time a realized capital gain or loss is recognized. The average fair value of open contracts was $0 and $248 million during 2009 and 2008, respectively. No realized gains or losses were recognized during 2009 on these contracts. Realized capital losses of $87 million were recognized during 2008 upon termination of these contracts. The Company held no positions in these instruments at December 31, 2009.
Fixed income replications are used to replicate a bond investment through the use of cash market
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
instruments combined with written credit derivatives (single-name default swaps or index credit default swaps) and/or interest rate swaps. Fixed income replications, including the derivative components, are reported at amortized cost. The average fair value of open contracts was $2 million during both 2009 and 2008. Realized capital gains of $11 million and realized capital losses of $39 million were recognized during 2009 and 2008, respectively, upon termination of these contracts.
The Company writes credit derivatives only for replication purposes and not as a participant in the credit insurance market. Single-name credit default swap (“CDS”) contracts replicate credit exposure to a specific entity and debt issue with terms to maturity of five to ten years. Upon the occurrence of a defined credit event, the Company would be required to purchase a notional amount of the reference obligation from the counterparty at par value. The Company is not aware of any credit events on outstanding CDS contracts at December 31, 2009. The maximum amounts that the Company could potentially be required to pay on CDS contracts as of both December 31, 2009 and 2008 was $10 million. The fair value of CDS contracts outstanding as of both December 31, 2009 and 2008 was less than $1 million. Index credit default swap (“CDX”) contracts replicate general corporate credit exposure in either investment-grade or high-yield markets with terms to maturity of five to ten years. Upon the occurrence of a defined credit event, the Company would be required to pay to the counterparty an amount equal to the affected entity’s proportion to the overall index applied to the notional amount of the contract. The Company did not have any open positions in CDX contracts as of December 31, 2009 and 2008.
Income Generation Transactions:
Written equity call options (covered) are used to generate income in exchange for potential future gains on a specific common stock owned by the Company. The Company receives a cash premium at the inception of the contract, and the counterparty has the right (but not the obligation) to purchase the underlying security from the Company at a predetermined price at any time during the term of the contract. Written equity call options are reported at fair value, with changes in fair value reported as an unrealized capital gain or loss until the contracts mature or are exercised by the counterparty, at which time a realized capital gain or loss is recognized. The average fair value of open contracts was ($11) million and ($1) million during 2009 and 2008, respectively. Realized capital losses of $3 million and realized capital gains of $2 million were recognized during 2009 and 2008, respectively, upon termination of these contracts. The Company held no positions in these instruments at December 31, 2009.
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Table of Contents
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Effect on Financial Statements:
The Company’s use of derivatives impacts both the consolidated statement of financial position and the consolidated statement of operations. The effects on the consolidated statement of financial position at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, 2009 | December 31, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Notional Amount |
Statement Value |
Fair Value |
Notional Amount |
Statement Value |
Fair Value |
|||||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derivatives designated as hedging instruments: |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate contracts |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate floors |
$ | 1,025 | $ | 13 | $ | 69 | $ | 1,175 | $ | 17 | $ | 130 | ||||||||||
| Interest rate swaps |
52 | — | 11 | 52 | — | 17 | ||||||||||||||||
| Swaptions |
— | — | — | 1,742 | 53 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||
| Foreign exchange contracts |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cross currency swaps |
807 | (86 | ) | (55 | ) | 863 | 9 | 101 | ||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency covers |
— | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Credit contracts |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit default swaps |
52 | — | — | 52 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
| Total derivatives designated as hedging instruments |
$ | 1,936 | $ | (73 | ) | $ | 25 | $ | 3,886 | $ | 79 | $ | 271 | |||||||||
| Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments: |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate contracts |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate swaps |
$ | 150 | $ | — | $ | (1 | ) | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | |||||||||
| Swaptions |
1,871 | 83 | 83 | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
| Fixed futures |
— | — | — | 7,274 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
| Foreign exchange contracts |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency forwards |
595 | 10 | 10 | 92 | (8 | ) | (8 | ) | ||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency futures |
— | — | — | 1,299 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
| Equity contracts |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity total return swaps |
71 | 1 | 1 | 586 | (7 | ) | (7 | ) | ||||||||||||||
| Equity futures |
— | — | — | 552 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
| Equity options |
— | — | — | 11 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Credit contracts |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit default swaps |
224 | (7 | ) | (7 | ) | 264 | 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||
| Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments |
$ | 2,911 | $ | 87 | $ | 86 | $ | 10,078 | $ | 1 | $ | 1 | ||||||||||
| Total derivatives |
$ | 4,847 | $ | 14 | $ | 111 | $ | 13,964 | $ | 80 | $ | 272 | ||||||||||
The notional amounts shown above are used to denominate the derivative contracts and do not represent amounts exchanged between the Company and the derivative counterparties, but do provide information regarding the volume of the Company’s derivative activity. The statement value of derivatives is included in other investments in the consolidated statement of financial position.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
The effects on the consolidated statement of operations for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 were as follows:
| Location of Gain/(Loss) Recognized |
Amount of Gain or (Loss) Recognized | |||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | ||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||
| Derivatives in fair value hedging relationships: |
||||||||||||||
| Credit contracts |
||||||||||||||
| Credit default swaps |
Net realized capital gains (losses) |
$ | — | $ | — | $ | — | |||||||
| Total derivatives in fair value hedging relationships |
$ | — | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||
| Location of Gain/(Loss) Recognized |
Amount of Gain or (Loss) Recognized | |||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | ||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||
| Derivatives in cash flow hedging relationships: |
||||||||||||||
| Interest rate contracts |
||||||||||||||
| Interest rate floors |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | |||||||
| Interest rate swaps |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | — | 2 | — | ||||||||||
| Swaptions |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| Foreign exchange contracts |
||||||||||||||
| Cross currency swaps |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | (3 | ) | — | (8 | ) | ||||||||
| Foreign currency covers |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| Total derivatives in cash flow hedging relationships |
$ | (3 | ) | $ | 2 | $ | (8 | ) | ||||||
| Location of Gain/(Loss) Recognized |
Amount of Gain or (Loss) Recognized | |||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | ||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||
| Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments: |
||||||||||||||
| Interest rate contracts |
||||||||||||||
| Interest rate swaps |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | $ | 10 | $ | (35 | ) | $ | (3 | ) | |||||
| Swaptions |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| Fixed futures |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | 50 | 137 | (3 | ) | |||||||||
| Foreign exchange contracts |
||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency forwards |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | (9 | ) | 131 | (180 | ) | ||||||||
| Foreign currency futures |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | (171 | ) | 194 | — | |||||||||
| Equity contracts |
||||||||||||||
| Equity total return swaps |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | 51 | (36 | ) | (28 | ) | ||||||||
| Equity futures |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | (321 | ) | (58 | ) | (5 | ) | |||||||
| Equity options |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | (2 | ) | 2 | — | |||||||||
| Commodity Contracts |
||||||||||||||
| Natural gas/crude oil swaps |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | — | 4 | 1 | ||||||||||
| Credit contracts |
||||||||||||||
| Credit default swaps |
Net realized capital gains (losses) | 10 | 11 | 2 | ||||||||||
| Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments |
$ | (382 | ) | $ | 350 | $ | (216 | ) | ||||||
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| 5. | Reserves for Policy Benefits |
General account reserves for policy benefits at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, | ||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | |||||
| (in millions) | ||||||
| Life insurance reserves |
$ | 111,534 | $ | 105,453 | ||
| Annuity reserves and deposit liabilities |
7,130 | 6,432 | ||||
| Disability and long-term care unpaid claims and claim reserves |
3,938 | 3,744 | ||||
| Disability and long-term care active life reserves |
2,423 | 2,325 | ||||
| Total reserves for policy benefits |
$ | 125,025 | $ | 117,954 | ||
Life insurance reserves on substantially all policies issued since 1978 are based on the Commissioner’s Reserve Valuation Method (“CRVM”) using the 1958, 1980 or 2001 CSO mortality tables with valuation interest rates ranging from 3.5% to 5.5%. Other life insurance reserves are based primarily on the net level premium method, using various mortality tables at interest rates ranging from 2.0% to 4.5%. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had $1.2 trillion of total life insurance in-force, including $4 billion of life insurance in-force for which gross premiums were less than net premiums according to the standard valuation methods and assumptions prescribed by the OCI.
As of January 1, 2009, the Company changed the valuation basis for waiver reserves on life insurance. This change decreased the policy benefit reserve for the waiver benefit by $67 million, which was reported as a direct increase to surplus in the consolidated statement of changes in surplus for the year ended December 31, 2009. In addition, the Company implemented the preferred mortality tables associated with the 2001 CSO mortality table for the calculation of life insurance deficiency reserves for term life policies issued in 2008 and 2007, resulting in an $8 million decrease in reserves that is reported as a direct increase to surplus in the consolidated statement of changes in surplus for the year ended December 31, 2009.
Tabular cost has been determined from the basic data for the calculation of policy reserves. Tabular cost less actual reserves released has been determined from the basic data for the calculation of reserves and reserves released. Tabular interest has been determined from the basic data for the calculation of policy reserves. Tabular interest on funds not involving life contingencies is calculated as the product of the valuation interest rate times the mean of the amount of funds subject to such rate held at the beginning and end of the year of valuation.
Additional premiums are charged for substandard lives on policies issued after January 1, 1956. Net level premium or CRVM mean reserves are based on multiples of mortality tables or one-half the net flat or other extra mortality charge. The Company waives deduction of fractional premiums upon death of an insured and returns any portion of the final premium beyond the date of death. Cash values are not promised in excess of the legally computed reserves.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Deferred annuity reserves on policies issued since 1985 are based primarily on the Commissioner’s Annuity Reserve Valuation Method (“CARVM”) with valuation interest rates ranging from 3.5% to 6.25%. Other deferred annuity reserves are based on policy value, with additional reserves held to reflect guarantees under these contracts. Immediate annuity reserves are based on the present value of expected benefit payments with valuation interest rates ranging from 3.5% to 7.5%. Changes in future policy benefit reserves on supplementary contracts without life contingencies are deposit-type transactions and thereby excluded from net additions to policy benefit reserves in the consolidated statement of operations.
At December 31, 2009 and 2008, the withdrawal characteristics of the Company’s general account annuity reserves and deposit liabilities were as follows:
| December 31, | ||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | |||||
| (in millions) | ||||||
| Subject to discretionary withdrawal |
||||||
| - with market value adjustment |
$ | 990 | $ | 801 | ||
| - at book value less surrender charge of 5% or more |
420 | 208 | ||||
| - at book value without adjustment |
3,692 | 3,583 | ||||
| Not subject to discretionary withdrawal |
2,028 | 1,840 | ||||
| Total |
$ | 7,130 | $ | 6,432 | ||
Unpaid claims and claim reserves for disability policies are based on the present value of expected benefit payments, primarily using the 1985 Commissioner’s Individual Disability Table A (“CIDA”), modified for Company experience, with valuation interest rates ranging from 3.0% to 5.5%. Unpaid claims and claim reserves for long-term care policies are based on the present value of expected benefit payments using industry-based long-term care experience with valuation interest rates ranging from 4.0% to 4.5%.
Reserves for unpaid claims, losses and loss adjustment expenses on disability and long-term care policies were $3.9 billion and $3.7 billion at December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively. Changes in these reserves for the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| For the year ended December 31, |
||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | |||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||
| Balance at January 1 |
$ | 3,744 | $ | 3,612 | ||||
| Incurred related to: |
||||||||
| Current year |
551 | 472 | ||||||
| Prior years |
130 | 112 | ||||||
| Total incurred |
681 | 584 | ||||||
| Paid related to: |
||||||||
| Current year |
(20 | ) | (18 | ) | ||||
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| Prior years |
(467 | ) | (434 | ) | ||||
| Total paid |
(487 | ) | (452 | ) | ||||
| Balance at December 31 |
$ | 3,938 | $ | 3,744 | ||||
Changes in reserves for incurred claims related to prior years are generally the result of differences between actual and assumed claim experience.
Active life reserves for disability policies issued since 1987 are based primarily on the two-year preliminary term method using the 1985 CIDA for morbidity with a 4.0% valuation interest rate. Active life reserves for prior disability policies are based on the net level premium method, using the 1964 Commissioner’s Disability Table for morbidity with valuation interest rates ranging from 3.0% to 4.0%.
Active life reserves for long-term care policies consist of mid-terminal reserves and unearned premiums. Mid-terminal reserves are based on the one-year preliminary term method and industry-based morbidity experience. For policies issued prior to March, 2002, reserves are based on a 4.0% valuation interest rate and total terminations based on the 1983 Individual Annuitant Mortality table without lapses. For policies issued March, 2002 and later, minimum reserves are based on valuation interest rates of 4.0% or 4.5% and total terminations based on either the 1983 Group Annuity Mortality table or the 1994 Group Annuity Mortality table with lapses. A separate calculation is performed using valuation interest rates ranging from 5.2% to 6.0% and assuming no lapses. Reserves from the separate calculation are compared in the aggregate to the minimum reserves as calculated above and the greater of the two is reported.
| 6. | Premium and Annuity Considerations Deferred and Uncollected |
Gross deferred and uncollected insurance premiums represent life insurance premiums due to be received from policyowners through the next respective policy anniversary dates. Net deferred and uncollected premiums represent only the portion of gross premiums related to mortality charges and interest and are reported as an asset in the consolidated statement of financial position.
Deferred and uncollected premiums at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, 2009 | December 31, 2008 | |||||||||||
| Gross | Net | Gross | Net | |||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||
| Ordinary new business |
$ | 185 | $ | 70 | $ | 171 | $ | 72 | ||||
| Ordinary renewal |
1,850 | 1,539 | 1,836 | 1,547 | ||||||||
| Total deferred and uncollected premiums |
$ | 2,035 | $ | 1,609 | $ | 2,007 | $ | 1,619 | ||||
| 7. | Separate Accounts |
Following is a summary of separate account liabilities by withdrawal characteristic at December 31, 2009 and 2008:
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| December 31, | ||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | |||||
| (in millions) | ||||||
| Subject to discretionary withdrawal |
$ | 13,524 | $ | 11,047 | ||
| Not subject to discretionary withdrawal |
2,609 | 2,160 | ||||
| Non-policy liabilities |
211 | 180 | ||||
| Total separate account liabilities |
$ | 16,344 | $ | 13,387 | ||
While separate account liability values are not guaranteed by the Company, variable annuity and variable life insurance products do include guaranteed minimum death benefits (“GMDB”) underwritten by the Company. General account reserves for policy benefits included $18 million and $29 million attributable to GMDB at December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively.
Premiums and other considerations received from variable annuity and variable life insurance policyowners were $1.2 billion, $1.4 billion and $1.7 billion during the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively. These amounts are reported as premiums in the consolidated statement of operations. The subsequent transfer of these receipts to the separate accounts is reported as transfers to separate accounts in the consolidated statement of operations, net of amounts received from the separate accounts to provide for policy benefit payments to variable product policyowners.
Following are amounts reported as transfers to and from separate accounts in the summary of operations of the Company’s NAIC Separate Account Annual Statement, which agree with the amounts reported as net transfers to separate accounts in the consolidated statement of operations for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007:
| For the year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | ||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||
| From Separate Account Annual Statement: |
||||||||||||
| Transfers to separate accounts |
$ | 1,319 | $ | 1,619 | $ | 1,866 | ||||||
| Transfers from separate accounts |
(1,359 | ) | (1,721 | ) | (1,382 | ) | ||||||
| Net transfers to (from) separate accounts |
$ | (40 | ) | $ | (102 | ) | $ | 484 | ||||
| 8. | Employee and Financial Representative Benefit Plans |
The Company sponsors noncontributory defined benefit retirement plans (“plans”) for all eligible employees and financial representatives. In addition to these tax-qualified plans, the Company sponsors nonqualified plans, including plans that provide benefits to certain participants in excess of limits set by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) for the qualified plans. The Company’s funding policy for the tax qualified plans is to make annual contributions that are no less than the minimum amount needed to comply with the requirements of ERISA and no greater than the maximum amount deductible for federal income tax purposes. The Company contributed $70 million and $35 million to the qualified employee retirement plan during the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively, and expects to contribute $75 million in 2010.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
In addition to defined pension benefits, the Company provides certain health care and life insurance benefits (“postretirement benefits”) to retired employees, financial representatives and eligible dependents. The Company pays the entire cost of retiree life insurance coverage, while retirees contribute a portion of the cost of the health plan. Substantially all employees and financial representatives will become eligible for these benefits if they reach retirement age while working for the Company.
During 2009, the employee retirement health plan was amended to increase the participant portion of the cost of benefits. The effect of this amendment reduced the December 31, 2009 plan obligation by $5 million and reduced the 2009 expense by $3 million.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Aggregate assets and projected benefit obligations of the defined benefit plans and postretirement benefit plans at December 31, 2009 and 2008, and changes in assets and obligations for the years then ended, were as follows:
| Defined Benefit Plans | Postretirement Benefit Plans | |||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2009 | 2008 | |||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Fair value of plan assets at January 1 |
$ | 1,992 | $ | 2,741 | $ | 62 | $ | 89 | ||||||||
| Changes in plan assets: |
||||||||||||||||
| Actual return on plan assets |
419 | (728 | ) | 13 | (24 | ) | ||||||||||
| Company contributions |
70 | 35 | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Actual plan benefits paid |
(63 | ) | (56 | ) | (6 | ) | (3 | ) | ||||||||
| Fair value of plan assets at December 31 |
$ | 2,418 | $ | 1,992 | $ | 69 | $ | 62 | ||||||||
| Projected benefit obligation at January 1 |
$ | 2,368 | $ | 2,455 | $ | 269 | $ | 244 | ||||||||
| Changes in benefit obligation: |
||||||||||||||||
| Service cost of benefits earned |
83 | 90 | 25 | 29 | ||||||||||||
| Interest cost on projected obligations |
147 | 147 | 16 | 14 | ||||||||||||
| Projected gross plan benefits paid |
(73 | ) | (65 | ) | (16 | ) | (14 | ) | ||||||||
| Projected Medicare Part D reimbursement |
— | — | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Experience losses (gains) |
19 | (259 | ) | — | (6 | ) | ||||||||||
| Plan amendments |
— | — | (5 | ) | — | |||||||||||
| Projected benefit obligation at December 31 |
$ | 2,544 | $ | 2,368 | $ | 290 | $ | 269 | ||||||||
Plan assets consist of a share of a group annuity separate account (“GASA”) issued by the Company, which invests primarily in public common stocks and a diversified mix of corporate, government and mortgage-backed debt securities. The investment objective of the plans is to maximize long-term total rate of return, consistent with prudent investment risk management and in accordance with ERISA requirements. Plan investments are managed for the sole benefit of the plans’ participants. See Note 14 for information about the fair values of benefit plan assets within GASA.
While significant exposure to public equity securities is warranted by the long-term duration of expected benefit payments, diversification across asset classes is maintained to provide a risk/reward profile consistent with the objectives of the plans’ participants. Diversified equity investments are subject to an aggregate maximum exposure of 75% of total assets, with holdings in any one corporate issuer not to exceed 3% of total assets. Asset mix is rebalanced regularly to maintain holdings within target asset allocation ranges. The measurement date for plan assets is December 31, with the fair value of plan assets based primarily on quoted market values.
The plans’ target asset allocations and the actual allocation of the fair value of the plans’ ratable share of the GASA by asset class at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| Target Allocation |
Defined Benefit Plans |
Postretirement Benefit Plans |
|||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2009 | 2008 | ||||||||||||
| Bonds |
40 | % | 38 | % | 36 | % | 38 | % | 36 | % | |||||
| Equity securities |
58 | % | 59 | % | 58 | % | 59 | % | 58 | % | |||||
| Other investments |
2 | % | 3 | % | 6 | % | 3 | % | 6 | % | |||||
| Total assets |
100 | % | 100 | % | 100 | % | 100 | % | 100 | % | |||||
The projected benefit obligation (“PBO”) represents the actuarial net present value of estimated future benefit obligations. For defined benefit plans, PBO includes assumptions for future salary increases. This method is consistent with the going concern assumption and is prescribed for measurement of pension obligations. The accumulated benefit obligation (“ABO”) is similar to the PBO, but is based only on current salaries with no assumption of future salary increases. The aggregate ABO for the defined benefit plans was $2.2 billion and $2.0 billion at December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively.
The PBO and ABO amounts above represent the estimated obligations for benefits to vested participants only, as required by the statutory basis of accounting. The additional obligations estimated for participants that have not yet vested in the defined pension plans and the postretirement plans at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| Defined Benefit Plans |
Postretirement Benefit Plans |
|||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2009 | 2008 | |||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||
| PBO |
$ | 73 | $ | 60 | $ | 231 | $ | 228 | ||||
| ABO |
43 | 35 | — | — | ||||||||
The assumptions used in estimating the projected benefit obligations and the net benefit cost at December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 and for the years then ended were as follows:
| Defined Benefit Plans | Postretirement Benefit Plans |
|||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | |||||||||||||
| Projected benefit obligation: |
||||||||||||||||||
| Discount rate |
6.25 | % | 6.25 | % | 6.00 | % | 6.25 | % | 6.25 | % | 6.00 | % | ||||||
| Annual increase in compensation |
3.75 | % | 3.75 | % | 4.50 | % | 3.75 | % | 3.75 | % | 4.50 | % | ||||||
| Net periodic benefit cost: |
||||||||||||||||||
| Discount rate |
6.25 | % | 6.00 | % | 6.00 | % | 6.25 | % | 6.00 | % | 6.00 | % | ||||||
| Annual increase in compensation |
3.75 | % | 4.50 | % | 4.50 | % | 3.75 | % | 4.50 | % | 4.50 | % | ||||||
| Long-term rate of return on plan assets |
8.00 | % | 8.00 | % | 8.00 | % | 8.00 | % | 8.00 | % | 8.00 | % | ||||||
The long-term rate of return on plan assets is estimated assuming a target allocation of plan assets among asset classes, with expected returns by asset class based on long-term historical returns for each asset class. Risk is assessed by evaluating long-term historical standard deviations and correlations between asset classes.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
The PBO for postretirement benefits at December 31, 2009 assumed an annual increase in future retiree medical costs of 6.5%, grading down to 5% over three years and remaining level thereafter. At December 31, 2008 the comparable assumption was for an annual increase in future retiree medical costs of 7.0% grading down to 5% over four years and remaining level thereafter. A further increase in the assumed health care cost trend of 1% in each year would increase the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation at December 31, 2009 by $32 million and net periodic postretirement benefit expense for the year ended December 31, 2009 by $6 million. A decrease in the assumed health care cost trend of 1% in each year would reduce the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation as of December 31, 2009 and net periodic postretirement benefit expense for the year ended December 31, 2009 by the same amounts.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Following is an aggregate reconciliation of the funded status of the plans to the related financial statement liability reported by the Company at December 31, 2009 and 2008:
| Defined Benefit Plans |
Postretirement Benefit Plans |
|||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2009 | 2008 | |||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Fair value of plan assets |
$ | 2,418 | $ | 1,992 | $ | 69 | $ | 62 | ||||||||
| Projected benefit obligation |
2,544 | 2,368 | 290 | 269 | ||||||||||||
| Funded status |
(126 | ) | (376 | ) | (221 | ) | (207 | ) | ||||||||
| Unrecognized net experience losses |
691 | 986 | 42 | 49 | ||||||||||||
| Unrecognized prior service cost |
— | — | (5 | ) | — | |||||||||||
| Unrecognized initial net asset |
(516 | ) | (544 | ) | — | — | ||||||||||
| Additional minimum liability |
(10 | ) | (9 | ) | — | — | ||||||||||
| Nonadmitted asset |
(493 | ) | (485 | ) | — | — | ||||||||||
| Net pension liability |
$ | (454 | ) | $ | (428 | ) | $ | (184 | ) | $ | (158 | ) | ||||
Unrecognized net experience gains or losses represent cumulative amounts by which plan experience for return on plan assets or growth in estimated benefit obligations have varied from related assumptions. These differences accumulate without recognition in the Company’s financial statements unless they exceed 10% of plan assets or 10% of the projected benefit obligation, whichever is greater. If they exceed this limit, they are amortized into net periodic benefit cost over the remaining average years of service until retirement of the plan participants, which is currently fourteen years for employee plans and twelve years for financial representative plans.
Unrecognized initial asset represents the amount by which the fair value of plan assets exceeded the projected benefit obligation for funded pension plans upon the adoption of new statutory accounting guidance for defined benefit plans as of January 1, 2001. The Company has elected not to record a direct credit to surplus for this excess, electing instead to amortize this unrecognized initial asset as a credit to net periodic benefit cost until exhausted.
An additional minimum liability is required if a plan’s ABO exceeds plan assets or accrued pension liabilities. This additional liability was $10 million, $9 million and $13 million at December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively. Changes in the additional minimum liability are reported as a direct adjustment to surplus in the consolidated statement of changes in surplus.
Any net pension assets for funded plans are nonadmitted and are thereby excluded from assets and surplus in the consolidated statement of financial position.
The components of net periodic benefit cost for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 were as follows:
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| Defined Benefit Plans |
Postretirement Benefit Plans |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Components of net periodic benefit cost: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service cost of benefits earned |
$ | 83 | $ | 90 | $ | 85 | $ | 25 | $ | 29 | $ | 27 | ||||||||||||
| Interest cost on projected obligations |
147 | 147 | 136 | 16 | 15 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Amortization of experience gains and losses |
61 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Amortization of initial net asset |
(28 | ) | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
| Expected return on plan assets |
(160 | ) | (218 | ) | (202 | ) | (5 | ) | (7 | ) | (7 | ) | ||||||||||||
| Net periodic benefit cost |
$ | 103 | $ | 23 | $ | 23 | $ | 38 | $ | 37 | $ | 33 | ||||||||||||
The expected benefit payments by the defined benefit plans and the postretirement plans for the years 2010 through 2019 are as follows:
| Defined Benefit Plans |
Postretirement Benefit Plans | |||||
| (in millions) | ||||||
| 2010 |
$ | 88 | $ | 17 | ||
| 2011 |
97 | 19 | ||||
| 2012 |
107 | 22 | ||||
| 2013 |
119 | 23 | ||||
| 2014 |
131 | 26 | ||||
| 2015-2019 |
896 | 174 | ||||
| Total |
$ | 1,438 | $ | 281 | ||
The Company also sponsors a contributory 401(k) plan for eligible employees, for which the Company provides a matching contribution, and a noncontributory defined contribution plan for financial representatives. For the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 the Company expensed total contributions to these plans of $30 million, $29 million and $28 million, respectively. The Company also sponsors nonqualified plans that provide benefits to certain participants in excess of limits set by ERISA for qualified defined contribution plans.
| 9. | Reinsurance |
The Company limits its exposure to life insurance death benefits by ceding insurance coverage to various reinsurers. The Company retains a maximum of $35 million of individual life coverage and a maximum of $50 million of joint life coverage. The Company also participates in a life insurance catastrophic risk sharing pool.
The Company cedes 60% of the morbidity risk on group disability plans. The Company ceased reinsuring new individual disability policies in 1999 and new long-term care policies in 2002, but has maintained the reinsurance ceded on policies issued prior to those dates.
Amounts in the consolidated financial statements are reported net of the impact of reinsurance. Reserves for policy benefits at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were reported net of ceded reserves of $1.7 billion and $1.6 billion, respectively.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
The effects of reinsurance on premium revenue and benefit expense for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 were as follows:
| For the year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | ||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||
| Direct premium revenue |
$ | 13,910 | $ | 14,356 | $ | 14,007 | ||||||
| Premiums ceded |
(848 | ) | (805 | ) | (765 | ) | ||||||
| Net premium revenue |
$ | 13,062 | $ | 13,551 | $ | 13,242 | ||||||
| Direct benefit expense |
$ | 14,458 | $ | 15,027 | $ | 14,518 | ||||||
| Benefits ceded |
(513 | ) | (567 | ) | (586 | ) | ||||||
| Net benefit expense |
$ | 13,945 | $ | 14,460 | $ | 13,932 | ||||||
In addition, the Company received $194 million, $184 million and $182 million in allowances from reinsurers for reimbursement of commissions and other expenses on ceded business for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively. These amounts are included in other income in the consolidated statement of operations.
Reinsurance contracts do not relieve the Company from its obligations to policyowners. Failure of reinsurers to honor their obligations could result in losses to the Company. The Company mitigates this risk by dealing only with reinsurers that meet its financial strength standards, while adhering to concentration limits that would limit losses in the event of one or more reinsurer failures. Most significant reinsurance treaties contain financial protection provisions should a reinsurer’s credit rating fall below a prescribed level. There were no reinsurance recoverables at December 31, 2009 and 2008 that were considered by management to be uncollectible.
Subsequent to December 31, 2009, the Company agreed to recapture previously ceded long-term care insurance business from two unaffiliated reinsurers. The expected impact on the Company’s 2010 financial statements from these recapture transactions will be to increase investments and policy benefit reserves by $68 million and $100 million, respectively, with a resulting decrease in net income and surplus of $32 million at December 31, 2010 and for the year then ended. This financial statement impact represents the net compensation paid to these reinsurers upon recapture to forego expected future profits on the related long-term care insurance business.
| 10. | Income Taxes |
The Company files a consolidated federal income tax return including the following subsidiaries:
| Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC |
Frank Russell Company and subsidiaries | |
| NML Real Estate Holdings, LLC and subsidiaries |
Bradford, Inc. | |
| NML Securities Holdings, LLC and subsidiaries |
Mason Street Advisors, LLC | |
| Northwestern Investment Management Company, LLC |
NML – CBO, LLC | |
| Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company |
JYD Assets, LLC | |
| NM Pebble Valley, LLC |
NM GP Holdings, LLC |
The Company collects from or refunds to these subsidiaries their share of consolidated federal income taxes determined under written tax-sharing agreements.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
The major components of current income tax expense in the consolidated statement of operations for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 were as follows:
| For the year ended December 31, |
||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | ||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||
| Tax payable on ordinary income |
$ | 52 | $ | 97 | $ | 50 | ||||||
| Tax credits |
(43 | ) | (122 | ) | (110 | ) | ||||||
| Increase (decrease) in contingent tax liabilities |
33 | (279 | ) | 81 | ||||||||
| Total current tax expense (benefit) |
$ | 42 | $ | (304 | ) | $ | 21 | |||||
The Company’s taxable income can vary significantly from gain from operations before taxes reported in the consolidated statement of operations due to temporary and permanent differences in revenue recognition and expense deduction between tax and financial statement bases of reporting. The Company’s financial statement effective tax rates were 9%, 91% and 16% for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively.
The effective tax rate is not the rate of tax applied to the Company’s federal taxable income or loss by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). It is a financial statement relationship that represents the ratio between the sum of total tax expense or benefit incurred, including current tax expense or benefit on realized capital gains and losses and changes in deferred taxes not related to unrealized gains and losses on investments, to the sum of gain from operations before taxes and pretax net realized capital gains or losses. These financial statement effective rates were different than the applicable federal income tax rate of 35% due primarily to net investment income eligible for dividends received deduction, changes in non-admitted deferred tax assets, certain investment transactions, amortization of the IMR, leveraged leases, tax credits, pension contributions, tax losses of subsidiaries not eligible for refunds under intercompany tax-sharing agreements, interest accrued or released on contingent tax liabilities and adjustments to estimated current tax liabilities upon subsequent filing of tax returns.
The Company received federal tax refunds from the IRS of $454 million during the year ended December 31, 2009 and made payments to the IRS for federal income taxes of $72 million and $252 million during the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively. Income taxes paid in 2009 and prior years of $989 million are available at December 31, 2009 for refund claims in the event of future tax losses. Due to limitations on the utilization of tax credits a significant portion of the tax credits available in 2009 were not utilized. Tax credit carryforwards at December 31, 2009 were $79 million.
Federal income tax returns for 2005 and prior years are closed as to further assessment of tax. Income taxes recoverable or payable in the consolidated statement of financial position represents taxes recoverable or payable at the respective reporting date, adjusted for an estimate of additional taxes that may become due with respect to tax years that remained open to examination by the IRS at the respective reporting date (“contingent tax liabilities”).
Changes in the amount of contingent tax liabilities for the year ended December 31, 2009 were as follows (in millions):
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| Balance at January 1, 2009 |
$ | 385 | |
| Additions based on tax positions related to the current year |
— | ||
| Additions for tax positions of prior years |
33 | ||
| Reductions for tax positions of prior years |
— | ||
| Balance at December 31, 2009 |
$ | 418 | |
Included in the balance at December 31, 2009 are $364 million of tax positions for which the ultimate deductibility is highly certain but for which there is uncertainty about the timing of the deductions. Because of the impact of deferred tax accounting for amounts other than interest, the timing of the ultimate deduction would not affect the effective tax rate in future periods.
The Company recognizes interest accrued or released related to contingent tax liabilities in current income tax expense (benefit). During the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, the Company recognized $19 million, $(38) million and $34 million, respectively, in interest-related expense (benefit). The Company had $55 million and $35 million accrued for the payment of interest at December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
The Company accounts for deferred tax assets and liabilities, which represent the financial statement impact of cumulative temporary differences between the tax and financial statement bases of assets and liabilities. The significant components of the net deferred tax asset at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, | |||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | Change | |||||||||
| (in millions) | |||||||||||
| Deferred tax assets: |
|||||||||||
| Policy acquisition costs |
$ | 955 | $ | 925 | $ | 30 | |||||
| Investments |
226 | 440 | (214 | ) | |||||||
| Policy benefit liabilities |
1,645 | 1,645 | — | ||||||||
| Benefit plan obligations |
495 | 444 | 51 | ||||||||
| Guaranty fund assessments |
11 | 11 | — | ||||||||
| Nonadmitted assets |
69 | 75 | (6 | ) | |||||||
| Other |
159 | 111 | 48 | ||||||||
| Valuation adjustment |
— | — | — | ||||||||
| Adjusted gross deferred tax assets: |
3,560 | 3,651 | (91 | ) | |||||||
| Nonadmitted deferred tax assets: |
— | (74 | ) | 74 | |||||||
| Admitted adjusted deferred tax assets |
3,560 | 3,577 | (17 | ) | |||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities: |
|||||||||||
| Premiums and other receivables |
603 | 591 | 12 | ||||||||
| Investments |
590 | 284 | 306 | ||||||||
| Other |
8 | 6 | 2 | ||||||||
| Gross deferred tax liabilities |
1,201 | 881 | 320 | ||||||||
| Net admitted adjusted gross deferred tax assets |
$ | 2,359 | $ | 2,696 | $ | (337 | ) | ||||
Adjusted gross deferred tax assets at December 31, 2009 included $3.4 billion of temporary differences that were ordinary in nature and $0.2 billion of temporary differences that were capital in nature. Gross deferred tax liabilities at December 31, 2009 included $0.9 billion of temporary differences that were ordinary in nature and $0.3 billion of temporary differences that were capital in nature.
Changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities related to unrealized gains and losses on investments are included in changes in unrealized capital gains and losses in the consolidated statement of changes in surplus. Other net changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities are direct adjustments to surplus and separately reported in the consolidated statement of changes in surplus.
The statutory basis of accounting limits the amount of gross deferred tax assets that can be included in Company surplus. This limit is based on a formula that takes into consideration available loss carryback and carryforward capacity, expected timing of reversal for existing temporary differences, gross deferred tax liabilities and the level of Company surplus.
On December 7, 2009, the NAIC adopted Statement of Statutory Accounting Principles No. 10R, Income Taxes- Revised, A Temporary Replacement of SSAP No. 10 (“SSAP 10R”) effective for
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
the years ending December 31, 2009 and 2010. SSAP 10R amends the calculation of admitted deferred tax assets (“DTA”) by extending the reversal period for carryforward of temporary differences from one year to three years and increasing the level of surplus limitation from 10% to 15%, provided the entity meets a minimum risk-based capital (“RBC”) level of 250%. Entities that do not meet that minimum RBC level must calculate their admitted DTA using the statutory guidance previously in effect. At December 31, 2009, the Company exceeded the minimum RBC level required to use the SSAP 10R DTA admissibility methodology.
SSAP 10R further requires that gross DTAs be reduced by a statutory valuation allowance adjustment if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the DTAs will not be realized. In management’s judgment, the Company’s gross deferred tax assets will likely be realized. Accordingly, no statutory valuation allowance has been recorded. At December 31, 2009, the Company’s gross deferred tax assets did not exceed the limit allowed under SSAP 10R. If the Company had not qualified to use the SSAP 10R DTA admissibility methodology, the Company’s gross deferred tax assets at December 31, 2009 would have exceeded the previous SSAP 10 limit by $544 million, which would have reduced surplus in the consolidated statement of financial position by $544 million at December 31, 2009, compared to the result under SSAP 10R. Of this amount, $544 million is ordinary in nature.
At December 31, 2008, the Company adopted a permitted practice related to the valuation of its net deferred tax assets. This permitted practice, which was effective through September 30, 2009, differed from the NAIC Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual in that it extended the reversal period for carryforward of temporary differences in Statement of Statutory Accounting Principles No. 10, Accounting for Income Taxes (“SSAP 10”), from one year to three years and increased the level of surplus limitation from 10% to 15%.
At December 31, 2008, the Company’s gross deferred tax assets exceeded this permitted practice limit by $74 million. If the Company had not received permission for this alternative accounting treatment, the Company’s gross deferred tax assets at December 31, 2008 would have exceeded the SSAP 10 limit by $844 million, which would have reduced surplus in the consolidated statement of financial position by $770 million at December 31, 2008 compared to the result under the permitted practice.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Significant components of the calculation of admitted deferred tax assets under SSAP 10R at December 31, 2009 were as follows:
| Ordinary | Capital | Total | |||||||
| (in millions) | |||||||||
| One year Reversal and 10% Surplus Limit: |
|||||||||
| Federal taxes recoverable from taxes paid in prior years |
$ | 894 | $ | 71 | $ | 965 | |||
| DTA’s expected to be realized within one year |
— | 849 | 849 | ||||||
| Remaining DTA’s to be offset against DTL’s |
146 | 1,054 | 1,200 | ||||||
| Three Year Reversal and 15% Surplus Limit: |
|||||||||
| Federal taxes recoverable from taxes paid in prior years |
819 | 146 | 965 | ||||||
| DTA’s expected to be realized within three years |
— | 1,466 | 1,466 | ||||||
| Remaining DTA’s to be offset against DTL’s |
71 | 1,058 | 1,129 | ||||||
| Increased Amounts From Use of Three year Reversal and 15% Surplus Limit: |
|||||||||
| Deferred tax assets |
— | — | — | ||||||
| Admitted assets |
544 | — | 544 | ||||||
| Surplus |
544 | — | 544 | ||||||
| Stautory Capital and Surplus: |
|||||||||
| 10 percent of statutory capital and surplus |
977 | ||||||||
| 15 percent of statutory capital and surplus |
1,466 | ||||||||
| Risk based Capital levels: |
|||||||||
| Total adjusted capital |
16,611 | ||||||||
| Authorized control level |
1,810 | ||||||||
| 11. | Frank Russell Company |
The Company acquired Frank Russell Company (“Russell”) effective January 1, 1999. Russell, a global leader in multi-manager investment services, provides investment products and services in over 40 countries. The initial purchase price of approximately $1.0 billion was funded with a combination of cash, senior notes issued by Russell and bank debt. The purchase agreement also called for additional contingent consideration to be paid to the former owners of Russell based upon its financial performance during the five year period ended December 31, 2003.
At the time of acquisition, the Company received permission from the OCI for a permitted practice regarding the valuation of its equity investment in Russell, whereby all GAAP acquisition goodwill, including any subsequent additions to goodwill resulting from payment of contingent purchase consideration, was charged off from the statutory cost basis of the acquisition as a direct reduction of Company surplus. During 2008, the Company received permission from the OCI to amend the original permitted practice to be in accordance with Statement of Statutory Accounting Principle No. 97, Investments in Subsidiary, Controlled and Affiliated Entities, A Replacement of SSAP No. 88 (“SSAP 97”), using the statutory equity method based on Russell’s audited GAAP book equity, exclusive of any adjustment for Russell’s GAAP goodwill as would otherwise be required by SSAP 97. This new permitted practice was adopted as a change in accounting principle effective January 1, 2008 and resulted in an $829 million direct increase to surplus during the year ended December 31, 2008. At December 31, 2009 and 2008, the Company’s investment in Russell common stock was reported in common and preferred stocks in
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
the consolidated statement of financial position at $154 million and $67 million, respectively, compared with a fair value estimated by the Company of approximately $1.7 billion and $1 billion, respectively.
If the Company had not received permission for this alternative accounting treatment, surplus as reported in the consolidated statement of financial position would have been lower by $746 million and $730 million at December 31, 2009 and December 31, 2008, respectively, and net income as reported in the consolidated statement of operations would have been lower by $16 million, $63 million and $63 million for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively.
During 2007, the Company received common stock dividends from Russell in the amount of $56 million, which was included in net investment income in the consolidated statement of operations. No common stock dividends were received from Russell during 2009 or 2008.
In July 2008, a subsidiary of the Company sold common stock representing a 5% ownership interest in Russell to a third party, resulting in an after-tax gain that was reported as an unrealized capital gain in 2008 pending distribution of the net proceeds to the Company by the subsidiary. Those proceeds were received by the Company in 2009, and are reported in net investment income in the consolidated statement of operations for the year then ended.
In conjunction with the financing of the Russell acquisition in 1999, the Company guaranteed the repayment of $350 million of senior notes issued to third parties by Russell. During December 2008, the Company purchased, at par, perpetual senior preferred stock issued by Russell in the amount of $350 million. Russell used the proceeds of the senior preferred stock issuance to retire the senior notes upon their maturity on January 15, 2009. The senior preferred stock is callable under certain conditions and pays preferred dividends at a rate of 8.0%, payable semi-annually. The Company earned $27 million in dividends on senior preferred stock during 2009.
During 2008, Russell entered into capital support agreements with money market funds it sponsors in order to assure the realizable value of $764 million of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. securities held by the funds. The Company guaranteed Russell’s obligations under those agreements. The Company subsequently entered into a loan agreement with Russell under which Russell could borrow up to $764 million to purchase the Lehman securities or to otherwise meet its obligations to the funds under the capital support agreements. The loan bore interest at prime plus 2% and had a term of three years. At December 31, 2008, there was no outstanding balance under this loan agreement. On January 12, 2009, the loan agreement was terminated, and the Company entered into an agreement to purchase, at par, up to $764 million of perpetual junior preferred stock and warrants issued by Russell. The junior preferred stock is callable under certain conditions and pays preferred dividends at a rate of 10.0%, payable semi-annually. The Company purchased $519 million of junior preferred stock and warrants under this agreement during 2009, with the proceeds used by Russell to fulfill obligations to its sponsored funds under the capital support agreements.
During 2009, Russell redeemed $24 million of junior preferred stock and cancelled related warrants under this agreement leaving $495 million of junior preferred stock and warrants outstanding at December 31, 2009. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 39 million warrants which are subject to cancellation upon the redemption of junior preferred stock under certain circumstances. The warrants, which have exercise prices ranging from $5.33 to $6.43,
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
would increase the Company’s ownership interest in Russell from approximately 93% to 94% if exercised prior to potential cancellation or further dilution as a result of outstanding options related to Russell’s incentive compensation plans. The Company utilized the Black-Scholes model to value warrants held at December 31, 2009. Russell continues to support the value of up to $245 million of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. securities held by its sponsored funds, and the Company remains committed to purchase up to that amount of junior preferred stock and warrants issued by Russell to fund this obligation. The Company earned $17 million in dividends on junior preferred stock during 2009.
During 2008, the Company purchased $654 million of short-term notes issued by third parties from money market funds sponsored by Russell. These notes were purchased at amortized cost, which approximated fair value, and had varying interest rates and maturity dates. The securities have all reached maturity during 2009 and have been repaid. The Company held $342 million of these notes at December 31, 2008, which were reported at amortized cost and included in cash and temporary investments in the consolidated statement of financial position.
The Company also invested in other notes issued by Russell, which bear interest at rates from 6.1% to 7.0% and mature in 2014. The Company held $180 million at each of December 31, 2009 and 2008, of other notes issued by Russell, which are reported at amortized cost and included in bonds in the consolidated statement of financial position.
During 2009, Russell entered into a revolving line of credit of up to $250 million, which was guaranteed by the Company. This line of credit replaced a similar agreement that had expired on April 30, 2009. During 2009, the Company received a payment of $2.5 million from Russell related to the guarantee of this credit facility. Russell’s borrowings under these facilities were $180 million and $233 million at December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively.
The statement value of the Company’s various investments in securities issued by Russell at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, | ||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | |||||
| (in millions) | ||||||
| Common stock |
$ | 154 | $ | 67 | ||
| Fixed income notes |
180 | 180 | ||||
| Senior preferred stock |
350 | 350 | ||||
| Junior preferred stock |
425 | — | ||||
| Warrants |
70 | — | ||||
| Total |
$ | 1,179 | $ | 597 | ||
On February 10, 2010, Russell and the Company entered into an agreement to sell Russell’s private equity business, which is expected to result in an after tax gain to Russell of approximately $365 million which will be reported as an unrealized gain in the Company’s 2010 consolidated statement of changes in surplus. The after tax proceeds of the sale are expected to be used by Russell to retire the fixed income notes issued by Russell to the Company with the remainder being used to retire junior preferred stock and warrants.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
| 12. | Contingencies and Guarantees |
In the normal course of business, the Company has guaranteed certain obligations of other affiliates and made guarantees of operating leases or future minimum compensation payments on behalf of its financial representatives. The terms of these guarantees range from less than one year to 39 years at December 31, 2009. If these affiliates or financial representatives are not able to meet their obligations, the Company would be required to make payments to fulfill its guarantees. The maximum aggregate exposure under these guarantees was $491 million at December 31, 2009. The Company believes that the likelihood is remote that payments will be required under these guarantees and therefore has not accrued a contingent liability in the consolidated statement of financial position. In addition, the Company makes commitments to fund private equity investments, real estate, mortgage loans or other investments in the normal course of business. These commitments aggregated to $3.1 billion at December 31, 2009 and were extended at market rates and terms.
The Company is engaged in various legal actions in the course of its investment and insurance operations. The status of these legal actions is actively monitored by management. If management believed, based on available information, that an adverse outcome upon resolution of a given legal action was probable and the amount of that adverse outcome was reasonably estimable, a loss would be recognized and a related liability recorded. No such liabilities were recorded by the Company at December 31, 2009 and 2008.
Legal actions are subject to inherent uncertainties, and future events could change management’s assessment of the probability or estimated amount of potential losses from pending or threatened legal actions. Based on available information, it is the opinion of management that the ultimate resolution of pending or threatened legal actions, both individually and in the aggregate, will not result in losses having a material effect on the Company’s financial position at December 31, 2009.
| 13. | Related Party Transactions |
During each of 2009 and 2008, the Company transferred certain investments from its general account to unconsolidated subsidiaries as capital contributions. The aggregate statement value and fair value of investments transferred during 2009 was $135 million and $139 million, respectively. The aggregate statement value and fair value of investments transferred during 2008 was $102 million and $449 million, respectively. These capital contributions were accounted for at statement value, and no capital gain or loss was reported by the Company or its subsidiaries as a result of these transfers.
During March 2006, the Company completed a reorganization transaction whereby the Mason Street Funds, a family of mutual funds sponsored and managed by a subsidiary of the Company, were combined with new or existing mutual funds sponsored by two unaffiliated third parties (“successor funds”). Under the terms of the reorganization transaction, the remaining Mason Street Fund shares owned by the Company and its subsidiaries, with an aggregate fair value of $970 million, were exchanged for mutual fund shares in the successor funds of equal fair value. In connection with the reorganization, the Company and its subsidiaries agreed not to redeem their investment in the successor funds for a period of up to three years after the reorganization transaction. During 2009 the Company and its subsidiaries redeemed all of the remaining mutual fund shares in the successor funds with realized capital losses of $83 million and unrealized
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
capital losses of $100 million, respectively, reported by the Company on these redemptions. During 2008 the Company and its subsidiaries redeemed $258 million and $40 million, respectively, of mutual fund shares in the successor funds with net realized capital gains of $27 million and unrealized capital losses of $14 million reported by the Company on these redemptions. The Company held shares in the successor funds with aggregate fair values of $376 million at December 31, 2008, which were included in common stocks in the consolidated statement of financial position. At December 31, 2008, the Company’s unconsolidated subsidiaries held additional shares in the successor funds with aggregate fair values of $162 million.
| 14. | Fair Value of Financial Instruments |
The fair value of an asset or liability is the amount at which the asset or liability could be purchased or sold in a current transaction between willing parties, other than in a forced sale or liquidation situation.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
The fair value of investment assets and certain policy liabilities at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
| December 31, 2009 | December 31, 2008 | |||||||||||
| Statement Value |
Fair Value |
Statement Value |
Fair Value | |||||||||
| Assets: |
||||||||||||
| Bonds |
$ | 91,004 | $ | 92,568 | $ | 79,314 | $ | 74,736 | ||||
| Mortgage loans |
21,024 | 19,847 | 21,677 | 18,620 | ||||||||
| Policy loans |
13,717 | 13,717 | 12,884 | 12,884 | ||||||||
| Common and preferred stocks |
5,918 | 7,499 | 5,744 | 6,646 | ||||||||
| Real estate |
1,582 | 1,893 | 1,528 | 2,402 | ||||||||
| Other investments |
8,587 | 9,320 | 9,185 | 10,624 | ||||||||
| Cash and temporary investments |
2,610 | 2,610 | 4,807 | 4,807 | ||||||||
| Total investments |
$ | 144,442 | $ | 147,454 | $ | 135,139 | $ | 130,719 | ||||
| Liabilities: |
||||||||||||
| Investment-type insurance reserves |
$ | 5,078 | $ | 4,714 | $ | 4,563 | $ | 4,226 | ||||
The statutory basis of accounting allows for the fair value disclosures for bonds and certain preferred stocks, as well as statement value for common stocks and certain preferred stocks, be based on values published by the SVO, quoted market prices, independent pricing services or internally developed pricing models.
At December 31, 2009, the fair value of bonds were generally based on independent pricing services or internally developed pricing models based on observable market data, the fair value of public common and preferred stocks were generally based on quoted market prices and the fair value of private equity securities were generally based on internally developed pricing models utilizing inputs such as public company comparables, sponsor values, and discounted cash flows. At December 31, 2008, the fair value of bonds, common and preferred stocks and other equity securities were generally based on values published by the SVO or quoted market prices of identical or similar securities when no SVO value is available. When SVO-published values or quoted market prices were not used, fair value was estimated using independent pricing services or internally developed pricing models. The fair value of the Company’s investment in Russell common stock is estimated using a multiple, reflective of comparable public companies, of Russell’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, adjusted for debt and the Company’s holdings in Russell preferred stock. See Note 11 regarding the statement value of the Company’s investment in Russell common stock. The fair value of mortgage loans is based on estimated future cash flows discounted using market interest rates for debt with comparable credit risk and maturities. The fair value of real estate is based primarily on estimated future cash flows discounted using market interest or capitalization rates. The fair value of policy loans is based on unpaid principal balance, which approximates fair value. Other investments include: real estate joint ventures, for which fair value is based on estimated future cash flows discounted using market interest rates; other joint ventures and partnerships, for which statement value approximates fair value; investments in low income housing tax credits, for which fair value is based on estimated future tax benefits discounted using market interest rates, and derivatives, for which fair value is based on quoted market prices, where available, or third party and internally developed pricing models.
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Investment-type insurance reserves only include individual fixed annuity policies, supplementary contracts without life contingencies and amounts left on deposit with the Company. The fair value of investment-type insurance reserves is based on estimated future cash flows discounted at market interest rates for similar instruments with comparable maturities.
The statutory basis of accounting requires that certain bonds and preferred stocks, most common stocks, certain derivative instruments and most separate account assets be reported at fair value. Estimates of fair value can be categorized into three levels based on the nature of the inputs to the valuation estimates:
Level 1 – Fair value is based on quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that are accessible to the Company.
Level 2 – Fair value is based on observable market data such as quoted prices for similar assets in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar assets in non-active markets.
Level 3 – Fair value is estimated by the Company using one or more significant unobservable inputs.
The table below presents the common stocks and separate account assets reported at fair value in the consolidated statement of financial position, in aggregate, as of December 31, 2009. The statement value of bonds rated “6” by the NAIC and preferred stocks rated “4”, “5” and “6” by the NAIC, which are reported at the lower of amortized cost or fair value, and the statement value of derivatives reported at fair value as of December 31, 2009 are considered immaterial for the purpose of this disclosure and are thereby not included below.
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries are excluded from common stocks reported at fair value, as they are reported using the equity method.
| December 31, 2009 | ||||||||||||||
| Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Total | |||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||
| General account common stocks |
$ | 3,960 | $ | — | $ | 664 | $ | 4,624 | ||||||
| Separate accounts: |
||||||||||||||
| Mutual fund investments |
13,774 | — | — | 13,774 | ||||||||||
| Other benefit plan assets |
11 | 8 | 1 | 20 | ||||||||||
| Pension and postretirement assets: |
||||||||||||||
| Bonds |
4 | 951 | 11 | 966 | ||||||||||
| Public and private equities |
1,184 | — | 13 | 1,197 | ||||||||||
| Preferred stock |
— | 3 | 2 | 5 | ||||||||||
| Cash and Short term securities |
192 | — | — | 192 | ||||||||||
| Other asset/liabilities |
(18 | ) | (11 | ) | 156 | 127 | ||||||||
| Subtotal pension and postretirement assets |
1,362 | 943 | 182 | 2,487 | ||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 19,107 | $ | 951 | $ | 847 | $ | 20,905 | ||||||
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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007
The following table summarizes the changes in fair value of assets utilizing Level 3 inputs for the year ended December 31, 2009.
| For the year ended December 31, 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fair value, beginning of period |
Realized investment gains/(losses) |
Unrealized gains/(losses) |
Purchases, sales, settlements |
Transfers into/out of Level 3 |
Fair value, end of period | |||||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| General account common stocks |
$ | 1,064 | $ | (22 | ) | $ | 86 | $ | (73 | ) | $ | (391 | ) | $ | 664 | |||||||
| Separate accounts: |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other benefit plan assets |
1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Pension and postretirement assets: |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonds |
3 | — | — | (5 | ) | 13 | 11 | |||||||||||||||
| Public and private equities |
14 | 1 | (1 | ) | — | (1 | ) | 13 | ||||||||||||||
| Preferred stock |
2 | — | — | — | — | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Other asset/liabilities |
153 | (4 | ) | (4 | ) | 11 | — | 156 | ||||||||||||||
| Subtotal pension and postretirement assets |
172 | (3 | ) | (5 | ) | 6 | 12 | 182 | ||||||||||||||
| Total |
$ | 1,237 | $ | (25 | ) | $ | 81 | $ | (67 | ) | $ | (379 | ) | $ | 847 | |||||||
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PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS
| PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 100 E. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1800 Milwaukee, WI 53202 Telephone (414) 212 1600 Facsimile (414) 212 1880 |
Report of Independent Auditors
To the Board of Trustees and Policyowners of
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
We have audited the accompanying statutory consolidated statements of financial position of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and its subsidiary (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, and the related consolidated statutory statements of operations, of changes in surplus, and of cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2009. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
As described in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company prepared these consolidated financial statements using accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Wisconsin (statutory basis of accounting), which practices differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The effects on the financial statements of the variances between the statutory basis of accounting and accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, although not reasonably determinable, are presumed to be material.
In our opinion, because of the effects of the matter discussed in the preceding paragraph, the financial statements referred to above do not present fairly, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2009 and 2008 or the results of its operations or its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2009.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2009, on the basis of accounting described in Note 1.
/s/PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
February 15, 2010
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PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 26. Exhibits
| Exhibit | Description | Filed Herewith/Incorporated Herein By Reference To | ||||||
| (a)(1) |
Resolution of the Board of Trustees of |
Exhibit (a)(1) to Form N-6 Post-Effective | ||||||
| (a)(2) |
Resolution of Board of Trustees of The |
Exhibit A(1) to Form S-6 Registration | ||||||
| (b) |
Not Applicable |
|||||||
| (c) |
Distribution Agreement Between The |
Exhibit (c) to Form N-6 Registration Statement | ||||||
| (d)(1) |
Flexible Premium Variable Joint Life |
Exhibits A(5)(a) and A(5)(b) to Form S-6 Post- | ||||||
| (d)(2) |
Variable Life Insurance Policy, RR.VJL, |
Exhibit A(5)(a) to Form S-6 Registration | ||||||
| (d)(3) |
Variable Life Insurance Policy, RR.VJL, |
Exhibit A(5)(b) to Form S-6 Registration | ||||||
| (e) |
Form of Life Insurance Application 90- |
Exhibit (e) to Form N-6 Post-Effective | ||||||
| (f)(1) |
Restated Articles of Incorporation of |
Exhibit A(6)(a) to Form S-6 Post-Effective | ||||||
| (f)(2) |
Amended By-Laws of The |
Exhibit (f) to Form N-6 Post-Effective | ||||||
| (g) |
Form of Reinsurance Agreement |
Exhibit (g) to Form N-6 Post-Effective | ||||||
| (h)(a)(1) |
Participation Agreement dated March |
Exhibit (b)(8)(a) to Form N-4
Post-Effective | ||||||
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| Insurance Company |
||||||||
| (h)(a)(2) |
Amendment No. 1 dated August 7, 2000 |
Exhibit (h)1(a)(2) to Form N-6 Registration | ||||||
| (h)(a)(3) |
Amendment No. 2 dated October 13, |
Exhibit (h)1(a)(3) to Form N-6 Pre-Effective | ||||||
| (h)(b)(1) |
Participation Agreement dated May 1, |
Exhibit (b)(8)(b) to Form N-4 Post-Effective | ||||||
| (h)(b)(2) |
Amendment No. 1 dated October 18, |
Exhibit (h)1(b)(2) to Form N-6 Pre-Effective | ||||||
| (h)(c)(1) |
Administrative Service Fee Agreement |
Exhibit (b)(8)(c) to Form N-4 Post-Effective | ||||||
| (h)(c)(2) |
Form of Administrative Services |
Exhibit (b)(8)(f) to Form N-4 Post-Effective | ||||||
| (h)(d)(1) |
Service Agreement dated May 1, 2003 |
Exhibit (b)(8)(c)(2) to Form N-4 Pre-Effective | ||||||
| (h)(d)(2) |
Amendment dated August 1, 2004 to the |
Exhibit (b)(8)(c)(3) to Form N-4 Pre-Effective | ||||||
| (i) |
Not Applicable |
|||||||
| (j)(a) |
Agreement entered into on February 13, |
Exhibit A(8) to Form S-6
Registration | ||||||
C-2
Table of Contents
| Company and NML Equity Services, |
||||||||
| (j)(b) |
Form of Shareholder Information |
Exhibit (b)(8)(g) to Form N-4 Post-Effective | ||||||
| (j)(c) |
Power of Attorney
|
Filed herewith. | ||||||
| (j)(d) |
NMIS/NM Annuity Operations Admin |
Exhibit (b)(8)(i) to Form N-4 Post-Effective | ||||||
| (k) |
Opinion and Consent of Raymond J. |
Filed herewith. | ||||||
| (l) |
Not Applicable |
|||||||
| (m) |
Not Applicable |
|||||||
| (n) |
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers |
Filed herewith. | ||||||
| (o) |
Not Applicable |
|||||||
| (p) |
Not Applicable |
|||||||
| (q) |
Memorandum describing Issuance, |
Filed herewith | ||||||
C-3
Table of Contents
Item 27. Directors and Officers of the Depositor
The following lists include all of the Trustees, executive officers and other officers of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company without regard to their activities relating to variable life insurance policies or their authority to act or their status as "officers" as that term is used for certain purposes of the federal securities laws and rules thereunder.
TRUSTEES – As of April 1, 2010
| Name | Business Address | |
| Facundo L. Bacardi |
Chairman Bacardi Limited c/o Apache Capital 133 Sevilla Coral Gables, FL 33134
| |
| John N. Balboni |
Senior Vice President & CIO International Paper 6400 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38197
| |
| Robert C. Buchanan |
Retired Chairman Fox Valley Corporation P. O. Box 727 Appleton, WI 54912-0727
| |
| David J. Drury |
President Poblocki Sign Company LLC 922 South 70th Street Milwaukee, WI 53214
| |
| Connie K. Duckworth |
Founder & CEO Arzu 77 Stone Gate Lane Lake Forest, IL 60045
| |
| David A. Erne |
Attorney Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, sc 1000 North Water Street Suite 2100 Milwaukee, WI 53202
| |
| James P. Hackett |
President and CEO Steelcase, Inc. 901 - 44th Street
|
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|
Grand Rapids, MI 49508
| ||
| Hans Helmerich |
President & CEO Helmerich & Payne, Inc. 1437 S. Boulder Tulsa, OK 74119
| |
| Dale E. Jones |
Vice Chairman Heidrick & Struggles 2001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 925 Washington, DC 20006
| |
| Margery Kraus |
President & CEO APCO Worldwide 700 12th Street, NW Suite 800 Washington, DC 20005
| |
| David J. Lubar |
President & CEO Lubar & Co. 700 N. Water Street Suite 1200 Milwaukee, WI 53202
| |
| Ulice Payne, Jr. |
President & CEO Addison-Clifton, LLC 13555 Bishops Court Suite 245 Brookfield, WI 53005
| |
| Gary A. Poliner |
Executive Vice President Northwestern Mutual 720 E. Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53202
| |
| John E. Schlifske |
President Northwestern Mutual 720 E. Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53202
| |
| H. Mason Sizemore, Jr. |
2054 N.W. Blue Ridge Drive Seattle, WA 98177
| |
| Peter M. Sommerhauser |
Attorney Godfrey & Kahn, SC |
C-5
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| 780 North Water Street Milwaukee, WI 53202-3590
| ||
| Mary Ellen Stanek |
Managing Director & Chief Investment Officer Baird Advisors Robert W. Baird & Co. President-Baird Funds Inc. 777 E. Wisconsin Avenue 21st Floor Milwaukee, WI 53202
| |
| John J. Stollenwerk |
10941 North Range Line Road Mequon, WI 53092
| |
| Timothy W. Sullivan |
President & CEO Bucyrus International 1100 Milwaukee Avenue South Milwaukee, WI 53172
| |
| S. Scott Voynich |
Managing Partner Robinson, Grimes & Company, PC 5637 Whitesville Road (31904) P. O. Box 4299 (31914) Columbus, GA
| |
| Barry L. Williams |
Retired Managing General Partner Williams Pacific Ventures, Inc. 4 Embarcadero Center, Suite 3700 San Francisco, CA 94111
| |
| Edward J. Zore |
Chairman and CEO Northwestern Mutual 720 E. Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53202
|
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS – As of April 1, 2010
| Name | Title | |
| Edward J. Zore |
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | |
| John E. Schlifske |
President | |
| Sandra L. Botcher |
Vice President (Enterprise Risk Assurance) | |
| Michael G. Carter |
Vice President & Chief Financial Officer | |
| Eric P. Christophersen |
Vice President (Compliance/Best Practices) | |
| David D. Clark |
Senior Vice President (Real Estate) | |
| Jefferson V. DeAngelis |
Senior Vice President (Public Markets) | |
| Mark G. Doll |
Executive Vice President & Chief Investment Officer |
C-6
Table of Contents
| Christina H. Fiasca |
Senior Vice President (Agency Services) | |
| Timothy J. Gerend |
Vice President (Field Compensation and Planning) | |
| Kimberley Goode |
Vice President (Communications & Corporate Affairs) | |
| Karl G. Gouverneur |
Vice President (Information Systems) | |
| John M. Grogan |
Vice President (Wealth Management) | |
| Thomas G. Guay |
Vice President (New Business) | |
| Gary M. Hewitt |
Vice President & Treasurer (Treasury & Investment Operations) | |
| J. Chris Kelly |
Vice President and Controller | |
| John L. Kordsmeier |
Vice President (Disability Income) | |
| Susan A. Lueger |
Vice President (Human Resources) | |
| Jeffrey J. Lueken |
Senior Vice President (Securities) | |
| Jean M. Maier |
Executive Vice President (Enterprise Operations and Technology) | |
| Raymond J. Manista |
General Counsel & Secretary | |
| Meridee J. Maynard |
Senior Vice President (Product Distribution) | |
| Gregory C. Oberland |
Executive Vice President (Insurance and Investment Products) | |
| Kathleen A. Oman |
Vice President (Policyowner Services) | |
| Gary A. Poliner |
Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer | |
| David R. Remstad |
Vice President and Chief Actuary | |
| Marcia Rimai |
Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer | |
| Bethany M. Rodenhuis |
Vice President (Corporate Planning) | |
| Timothy G. Schaefer |
Chief Information Officer | |
| Calvin R. Schmidt |
Vice President (Investment Product Operations) | |
| Todd M. Schoon |
Executive Vice President (Agencies) | |
| David W. Simbro |
Vice President (Life Product) | |
| Paul J. Steffen |
Vice President (Agencies) | |
| Martha M. Valerio |
Vice President | |
| Conrad C. York |
Vice President (Marketing) | |
| Michael L. Youngman |
Vice President (Government Relations) |
OTHER OFFICERS – As of December 1, 2009
| Employee | Title | |
| Gregory A. Gurlik |
Senior Actuary | |
| Donald C. Kiefer |
VP Actuary | |
| Kenneth M. Latus |
Actuary | |
| James Lodermeier |
Senior Actuary | |
| Robert G. Meilander |
VP Corporate Actuary | |
| Ted A. Matchulat |
Director Product Compliance | |
| Jon K. Magalska |
Senior Actuary | |
| Arthur V. Panighetti |
VP Actuary | |
| P. Andrew Ware |
VP Actuary | |
| Mark S. Bishop |
Regional VP Field Supv | |
| Jennifer L. Brase |
VP Agency Dev | |
| Somayajulu Durvasula |
Regional VP Field Supv | |
| Michael S. Ertz |
VP Field Administration | |
| Mark J. Gmach |
Regional VP Field Supv | |
| David D. Kiecker |
Regional VP Field Supv | |
| Steven C. Mannebach |
VP Agency Dev | |
| Daniel J. O’Meara |
Regional VP Field Supv | |
| Charles J. Pendley |
VP Agency Dev | |
| Robert J. Johnson |
Director Compliance Oversight and Review | |
| James M. Makowski |
Asst. Director-Marketing Materials Compliance | |
| Timothy Nelson |
Director Market Conduct |
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Table of Contents
| Employee | Title | |
| Jason T. Anderson |
Assistant Director Tax | |
| Gwen C. Canady |
Director Corporate Reporting | |
| Barbara E. Courtney |
Director Mutual Fund Accounting | |
| Walter M. Givler |
VP Accounting Policy | |
| David K. Nunley |
VP-Tax | |
| Stephen R. Stone |
Director Investment Accounting | |
| John M. Abbott |
Director-Field Investigations | |
| Carl E. Amick |
VP-Risk Management Operations | |
| Maryann Bialo |
Asst. Director DI Benefits | |
| Pamela C. Bzdawka |
Assistant Director-SIU | |
| Stephen J. Frankl |
Director-Sales Strategy and Support | |
| Sharon A. Hyde |
Asst. Director DI Benefits | |
| Cynthia Lubbert |
Asst. Director-DI Underwriting | |
| Steven J. Stribling |
Director-DI Benefits | |
| Cheryl L. Svehlek |
Director-Administration | |
| Laila V. Hick |
Director of Field Supervision | |
| Karla D. Hill |
Asst. Director of Distribution Operations | |
| Joanne M. Migliaccio |
Director of Distribution Operations | |
| Daniel A. Riedl |
VP Distribution Policies and Operations | |
| Sandra L. Botcher |
VP Enterprise Risk Assurance | |
| Linda A. Schaefer |
Director Operations Strategy | |
| Anne C. Wills |
Director BCP | |
| Todd O. Zinkgraf |
VP Enterprise Solutions | |
| Christen L. Partleton |
VP Facility Operations | |
| Robyn S. Cornelius |
Director Dist Planning | |
| David J. Dorshorst |
Director of Field Comp | |
| Allen M. Kluz |
Director of Field Benefits | |
| Kim M. Althaus |
Director of FCP Systems | |
| Richard P. Snyder |
Director Distribution Planning | |
| William H. Taylor |
Vice President Financial Security Planning | |
| Troy M. Burbach |
Director - Field Development Systems | |
| Pency P. Byhardt |
VP-Field Development | |
| Sharen L. King |
Director-Practice Management and Field Training | |
| Douglas P. Bates |
VP Federal Relations | |
| Steven M. Radke |
VP Leg & Reg Relations | |
| Blaise C. Beaulier |
VP Information Systems | |
| Robert J. Kowalsky |
VP Information Systems | |
| Rachel L. Taknint |
VP Information Risk Management | |
| David A. Eurich |
Director – IPS Training, Marketing & Communications | |
| Martha M. Kendler |
Director – IPS Annuity Products | |
| Arleen J. Llewellyn |
Director – Business Integration | |
| Mac McAuliffe |
National Sales Director – IPS - Sales | |
| Michael J. Mihm |
Director – IPS Business Development | |
| Ronald C. Nelson |
Director – IPS Research & Product Support |
C-8
Table of Contents
| Employee | Title | |
| Jeffrey J. Niehaus |
Director – IPS Business Retirement Markets | |
| David G. Stoeffel |
VP IPS Investment Product Lines | |
| Kellen A. Thiel |
Director – IPS Advisory Products | |
| Brian D. Wilson |
Director – IPS Marketing & Sales | |
| Robert J. Wright |
Director – IPS Strategic Partnerships Product Support | |
| Meg E. Jansky |
Director-Annuity Operations | |
| Lisa A. Myklebust |
Director-Business Systems Team | |
| Mark J. Backe |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Beth M. Berger |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Frederick W. Bessette |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Melissa J. Bleidorn |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Anne T. Brower |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Michael S. Bula |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| M. Christine Cowles |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Domingo G. Cruz |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Mark S. Diestelmeier |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| John E. Dunn |
VP & Investment Products & Services Counsel | |
| James R. Eben |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Marcia E. Facey |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Chad E. Fickett |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Gerald E. Fradin |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| James C. Frasher |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Matthew E. Gabrys |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| John K. Garofani |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Sheila M. Gavin |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Kevin M. Gleason |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| C. Claibourne Greene |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Elizabeth S. Idleman |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Gregory Johnson |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| James A. Koelbl |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Abimbola O. Kolawole |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Carol L. Kracht |
VP & Deputy General Counsel & Board Relations | |
| Elizabeth J. Lentini |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| George R. Loxton |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Stephanie Lyons |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Dean E. Mabie |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Steve Martinie |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Michael J. Mazza |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| James L. McFarland |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Lesli H. McLinden |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Larry S. Meihsner |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Christopher J. Menting |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Richard E. Meyers |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Scott J. Morris |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Jennifer W. Murphy |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| David K. Nelson |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Mary S. Nelson |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Michelle Nelson |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Timothy A. Otto |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Randy M. Pavlick |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| David W. Perez |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Judith L. Perkins |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| William C. Pickering |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary |
C-9
Table of Contents
| Employee | Title | |
| Nora M. Platt |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Harvey W. Pogoriler |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Zhibin Ren |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Peter K. Richardson |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Tammy M. Roou |
VP & Ins & Distr Counsel | |
| Thomas F. Scheer |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Kathleen H. Schluter |
VP & Tax Counsel | |
| Rodd Schneider |
VP & Litigation Counsel | |
| Sarah E. Schott |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Catherine L. Shaw |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| David Silber |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Mark W. Smith |
Assoc. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Karen J. Stevens |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Brenda J. Stugelmeyer |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| John M. Thompson |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Douglas D. Timmer |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Andrew T. Vedder |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Warren, John W. |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Catherine A. Wilbert |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Catherine M. Young |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Terry R. Young |
Asst. General Counsel & Asst. Secretary | |
| Jason R. Handal |
Director-Speciality Markets | |
| Todd L. Laszewski |
Director Life Product Development | |
| Jane Ann Schiltz |
VP Business Markets | |
| Terese J. Capizzi |
Director Long Term Care Administration | |
| Julie K. Flaa |
Director Long Term Care Product Development | |
| Mollie A. Kenny |
Regulatory Consultant | |
| Steve P. Sperka |
VP Long Term Care | |
| John K. Wilson |
Director Long Term Care Sales Support | |
| Carrie L. Bleck |
Director Policyowner Services | |
| Sherri L. Schickert |
Director Policyowner Services | |
| Diane P. Smith |
Asst. Director Policyowner Services | |
| Natalie J. Versnik |
Director Policyowner Services | |
| Michael D. Zelinski |
Director Policyowner Services | |
| Donna L. Lemanczyk |
Asst. Secretary | |
| Warren L. Smith |
Asst. Secretary | |
| Karla J. Adams |
Director Investment Risk Management | |
| James A. Brewer |
Director Investment Planning | |
| Donald Forecki |
Director Investment Operations, Asst. Secretary | |
| Karen A. Molloy |
Director Banking & Cash Management, Asst. Treasurer | |
| Patricia A. Zimmermann |
Director Investment Technology & Development, Asst. Secretary | |
| Shanklin B. Cannon |
Medical Director | |
| Kurt P. Carbon |
Director Life Lay Standards | |
| Wayne F. Heidenreich |
Medical Director | |
| Paul W. Skalecki |
VP Underwriting Standards | |
The business addresses for all of the executive officers and other officers is 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
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Item 28. Persons Controlled By or Under Common Control with the Depositor or Registrant
The subsidiaries of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (“Northwestern Mutual”), as of March 31, 2010 are set forth on pages C-11 through C-12. In addition to the subsidiaries set forth on pages C-11 through C-12, the following separate investment accounts (which include the Registrant) may be deemed to be either controlled by, or under common control with, Northwestern Mutual:
| 1. | NML Variable Annuity Account A |
| 2. | NML Variable Annuity Account B |
| 3. | NML Variable Annuity Account C |
| 4. | Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account |
| 5. | Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account II |
Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. and Russell Investment Funds (the “Funds”), shown below as subsidiaries of Northwestern Mutual, are investment companies, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, offering their shares to the separate accounts identified above; and the shares of the Funds held in connection with certain of the accounts are voted by Northwestern Mutual in accordance with voting instructions obtained from the persons who own, or are receiving payments under, variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies issued in connection with the separate accounts, or in the same proportions as the shares which are so voted.
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NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL CORPORATE STRUCTURE1
(as of April 1, 2010)
| Name of Subsidiary |
Jurisdiction of Incorporation | |
| Amber, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| AMLI at Cambridge Square, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Baraboo, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Bayridge, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Bradford, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Brendan International Sales, Inc. - 100% ownership |
U.S. Virgin Islands | |
| Burgundy, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Carlisle Ventures, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Chateau, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Coral, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Cortona Holdings, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Fairfield West Deer Park LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Frank Russell Company - 92.86% ownership |
Washington | |
| Foxkirk, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Group Liquidation Corp. - 100% ownership |
New Mexico | |
| Hazel, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Health Invest, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Higgins, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Highbrook International Sales, Inc. - 100% ownership |
U.S. Virgin Islands | |
| Hobby, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Hollenberg 1, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Hollenberg 2, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Jerusalem Avenue Property, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Justin International FSC, Inc. - 100% ownership |
U.S. Virgin Islands | |
| JYD Assets LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Klode, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Kristiana International Sales, Inc. - 100% ownership |
U.S. Virgin Islands | |
| Ladak, Inc. - 100% ownership |
California | |
| Lake Bluff, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Logan, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Lydell, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Maroon, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Mason & Marshall, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Mason Street Advisors, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Mitchell, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Model Portfolios, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| N.M. Albuquerque, Inc. - 100% ownership |
New Mexico | |
| New Arcade, LLC - 100% ownership |
Wisconsin | |
| Nicolet, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NM DFW Lewisville, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NM F/X, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NM GP Holdings, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NM Harrisburg, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Pennsylvania | |
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Table of Contents
| NM Imperial, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NM Lion, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NM Majestic Holdings, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NM Pebble Valley LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NM RE Funds, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NM Regal, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NM-Exchange Three, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NM-Exchange, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NML Clubs Associated, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Wisconsin | |
| NML Development Corporation - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NML Real Estate Holdings, LLC - 100% ownership |
Wisconsin | |
| NML Securities Holdings, LLC - 100% ownership |
Wisconsin | |
| NML-CBO, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| NMRM Holdings, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| North Van Buren, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Northwestern Investment Management Company, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company - 100% ownership |
Wisconsin | |
| Northwestern Mutual Capital GP II, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Northwestern Mutual Capital GP, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Northwestern Mutual Capital Limited - 100% ownership |
United Kingdom | |
| Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC - 100% ownership |
Wisconsin | |
| Northwestern Mutual Life International, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Maryland | |
| Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company - 100% ownership |
||
| NW Pipeline, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Texas | |
| Olive, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| PPF AMLI 460 SW Longview Boulevard, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| RE Corp. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Regina International Sales, Inc. - 100% ownership |
U.S. Virgin Islands | |
| Russet, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Scotty, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Solar Resources, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Wisconsin | |
| Stadium and Arena Management, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Travers International Sales, Inc. - 100% ownership |
U.S. Virgin Islands | |
| Tupelo, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| Walden OC, LLC - 100% ownership |
Delaware | |
| White Oaks, Inc. - 100% ownership |
Delaware |
| (1) | Certain subsidiaries are omitted on the basis that, considered in the aggregate at year end 2006, they did not constitute a significant subsidiary as defined by Regulation S-X. Except for certain Real Estate Partnerships/LLCs/Equity Interests, includes general account NM investments where NM’s ownership interest is greater than 50%. Excluded is the entire corporate structure under Frank Russell Company. |
| (2) | Growth Stock Portfolio, Focused Appreciation Portfolio, Large Cap Core Stock Portfolio, Large Cap Blend Portfolio, Index 500 Stock Portfolio, Large Company Value Portfolio, Domestic Equity Portfolio, Equity Income Portfolio, Mid Cap Growth Stock Portfolio, Index 400 Stock Portfolio, Mid Cap Value Portfolio, Small Cap Growth Stock Portfolio, Index 600 Stock Portfolio, Small Cap Value Portfolio, International Growth Portfolio, Research International Core Portfolio, International Equity Portfolio, Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, Money Market Portfolio, Short-Term Bond Portfolio, Select Bond Portfolio, Long-Term U.S. Government Bond Portfolio, Inflation Protection Portfolio, High Yield Bond Portfolio, Multi-Sector Bond Portfolio, Balanced Portfolio, Asset Allocation Portfolio. |
Item 29. Indemnification
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(a) That portion of the By-laws of the Depositor, Northwestern Mutual, relating to indemnification of Trustees and officers is set forth in full in Article VII of the By-laws of Northwestern Mutual, amended by resolution and previously filed as Exhibit A(6)(b) to the registration statement of Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account (File No. 333-59103) on July 15, 1998.
(b) Section 10 of the Distribution Agreement dated May 1, 2006 between Northwestern Mutual and Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (“NMIS”) provides substantially as follows:
B. Indemnification by Company. The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless NMIS, its successors and assigns, and their respective officers, directors, and employees (together referred to as “NMIS Related Persons”), from any and all joint or several losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including any reasonable investigative, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any amounts paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted), to which NMIS and/or any NMIS Related Persons may become subject, under any law, regulation or NASD rule, at common law or otherwise, that arises out of or are based upon (i) any breach of this Agreement by the Company and (ii) any untrue statement of or omission to state a material fact (except for information supplied by or on behalf of NMIS or for which NMIS is responsible) contained in any Registration Statement, Contract prospectus, SAI or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Material.
This indemnification shall be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have; provided, however, that no person shall be entitled to indemnification pursuant to this provision for any loss, claim, damage or liability due to the willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty by the person seeking indemnification.
C. Indemnification by NMIS. NMIS agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its successors and assigns, and their respective officers, trustees or directors, and employees (together referred to as “Company Related Persons”), from any and all joint or several losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including any reasonable investigative, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any amounts paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted), to which the Company and/or any Company Related Persons may become subject, under any law, regulation or NASD rule, at common law or otherwise, that arises out of or are based upon (i) any breach of this Agreement by NMIS and (ii) any untrue statement of or omission to state a material fact (except for information supplied by or on behalf of the Company or for which the Company is responsible) contained in any Registration Statement, Contract prospectus, SAI or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Material, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon information furnished in writing by NMIS to the Company specifically for use in the preparation of the aforesaid material.
This indemnification shall be in addition to any liability that NMIS may otherwise have; provided however, that no person shall be entitled to indemnification pursuant to this provision for any loss, claim, damage or liability due to the willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty by the person seeking indemnification.
D. Indemnification Generally. Any person seeking indemnification under this section shall promptly notify the indemnifying party in writing after receiving notice of the commencement of any action as to which a claim for indemnification will be made;
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Table of Contents
provided, however, that failure to so notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve such party from any liability which it may have to such person otherwise than on account of this section.
The indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in the defense of the indemnified person but such participation will not relieve such indemnifying party of the obligation to reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable legal and other expenses incurred by such party in defending himself, herself or itself.
Item 30. Principal Underwriters
(a) NMIS is the principal underwriter of the securities of the Registrant. NMIS is also the principal underwriter for the NML Variable Annuity Account A (811-21887), the NML Variable Annuity Account B (811-1668), the NML Variable Annuity Account C (811-21886), and the Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account II (811-21933).
(b) As of April 1, 2010, the directors and officers of NMIS are as follows:
| Name |
Position | |
| Jason T. Anderson |
Assistant Treasurer | |
| Mark S. Bishop |
Regional Vice President, Field Supervision | |
| Christine Szafranski |
Assistant Director, Market Conduct | |
| Pency Byhardt |
Vice President, Field Development | |
| Michael G. Carter |
Director | |
| Eric P. Christophersen |
Vice President, Compliance/Best Practices | |
| Somayajulu V. Durvasula |
Regional Vice President, Field Supervision | |
| Michael S. Ertz |
Vice President, Agency Administration | |
| David A. Eurich |
Director, Field Training | |
| Christina H. Fiasca |
Senior Vice President, Field Compensation, Training & Development | |
| Anne A. Frigo |
Director, Insurance Products Compliance | |
| Don P. Gehrke |
Director, Retail Investment Operations | |
| Timothy J. Gerend |
Vice President, Field Compensation & Planning | |
| Mark J. Gmach |
Regional Vice President, Field Supervision | |
| David A. Granger |
Assistant Director, Human Resources | |
| Mark A. Gregory |
Assistant Director, NMIS Compliance | |
| Thomas C. Guay |
Vice President, Variable Underwriting & Issue | |
| Rhonda K. Haight |
Assistant Director, IPS Platforms | |
| David P. Harley |
Director, Retail Investment Operations | |
| Laila V. Hick |
Director, Field Supervision Standards | |
| Karla D. Hill |
Assistant Director, Contract, License and Registration Operations | |
| Patricia J. Hillman |
Director, Annuity Customer Services | |
| Dean M. Hopp |
Assistant Director, IPS Product Lines and Municipal Funds Securities Limited Principal | |
| Diane B. Horn |
NMIS Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer | |
| Robert J. Johnson |
Director, Compliance/Best Practices | |
| Todd M. Jones |
Treasurer, Financial and Operations Principal | |
| Martha M. Kendler |
Director, Annuity Products | |
| Sharen L. King |
Director, Practice Management & Field Training | |
| Steven J. LaFore |
Assistant Secretary | |
| Dwight Larkin |
Assistant Director- Retail Investment Services & ROSFP, Municipal Securities Principal, MSRB Contact | |
| Arleen J. Llewellyn |
Director, IPS Business Integration | |
| Jean M. Maier |
Director; Senior Vice President, Insurance Operations | |
| James M. Makowski |
Assistant Director, Marketing Materials Compliance | |
| Steven C. Mannebach |
Vice President, Recruiting & Leadership Development | |
| Jeffrey S. Marks |
Director, Sales Development | |
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Table of Contents
| Meridee J. Maynard |
Senior Vice President, Life Product | |
| Mac McAuliffe |
National Sales Director | |
| Allan J. McDonell |
Assistant Director, Annuity Operations and Municipal Securities Principal | |
| Mark E. McNulty |
Assistant Director, Compliance Assurance | |
| Joanne M. Migliaccio |
Director, Contract, License and Registration | |
| Michael J. Mihm |
Director, Business Development | |
| Benjamin N. Moen |
Regional Vice President, Sales | |
| Jennifer W. Murphy |
Secretary | |
| Timothy D. Nelson |
Director, Compliance/Best Practices | |
| Jeffrey J. Niehaus |
Director, Business Markets | |
| Jennifer O’Leary |
Assistant Treasurer | |
| Kathleen A. Oman |
Vice President, Variable Life Servicing | |
| Michael J. Patkunas |
Regional Vice President, Sales | |
| John J. Piazza |
Regional Vice President, Sales | |
| Georganne K. Prom |
New Business Variable Life Compliance Coordinator | |
| Michael A. Reis |
Assistant Treasurer | |
| Daniel A. Riedl |
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer | |
| Marcia Rimai |
Director | |
| Robin E. Rogers |
Assistant Director, Contract, License & Registration | |
| Russell R. Romberger |
Regional Vice President, Sales | |
| Jeffrey P. Schloemer |
Assistant Director, Compliance Oversight & Review | |
| Calvin R. Schmidt |
Director, President and CEO | |
| Alexander D. Schneble |
Director, NMIS Administration | |
| Todd M. Schoon |
Director, Senior Vice President, Agencies | |
| Todd W. Smasal |
Director, Human Resources | |
| Richard P. Snyder |
Field Education Consultant | |
| Michael C. Soyka |
Regional Vice President, Sales | |
| Paul J. Steffen |
Vice President, Agencies | |
| Steven H. Steidinger |
Director, Variable Life Products | |
| Carol A. Stilwell |
POS Variable Life Compliance Coordinator | |
| David G. Stoeffel |
Vice President –Product Line | |
| William H. Taylor |
Vice President, Advanced Financial Security Planning | |
| Kellen A. Thiel |
Director, Personal Investment Markets | |
| Gwendolyn K. Weithaus |
Assistant Director, NMIS Compliance | |
| Alan M. Werth |
Third Party Sales Consultant | |
| Jeffrey B. Williams |
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, NMIS Compliance, FINRA Executive Representative | |
| Brian D. Wilson |
Director, Marketing and Sales | |
| Robert J. Wright |
Director, Strategic Partnerships and Product Support |
The address for each director and officer of NMIS is 611 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
(c) NMIS, the principal underwriter, received $27,055,697 of commissions and other compensation, directly or indirectly, from Registrant during the last fiscal year.
Item 31. Location of Accounts and Records
All accounts, books or other documents required to be maintained in connection with the Registrant’s operations are maintained in the physical possession of Northwestern Mutual at 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
Item 32. Management Services
There are no management-related service contracts, other than those referred to in Part A or Part B of this Registration Statement, under which management-related services are provided to the Registrant and pursuant to which total payments of $5,000 or more were made during any of the last three fiscal years.
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Table of Contents
Item 33. Fee Representation
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company hereby represents that the fees and charges deducted under the variable life insurance policies which are the subject of this registration statement, in the aggregate, are reasonable in relation to the services rendered, the expenses expected to be incurred, and the risks assumed by the insurance company under the policies.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant, Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account, certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Amended Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Amended Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf, in the City of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, on the 27th day of April, 2010.
| NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT (Registrant) | ||||||||
| By |
THE NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (Depositor) | |||||||
| Attest: |
/s/ RAYMOND J. MANISTA |
By: |
/s/ EDWARD J. ZORE | |||||
| Raymond J. Manista, |
Edward J. Zore, Chief Executive Officer | |||||||
| General Counsel and Secretary |
||||||||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amended Registration Statement has been signed by the Depositor on the 27th day of April, 2010.
| THE NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (Depositor) | ||||||||
| Attest: |
/s/ RAYMOND J. MANISTA |
By: |
/s/ EDWARD J. ZORE | |||||
| Raymond J. Manista, |
Edward J. Zore, Chief Executive Officer | |||||||
| General Counsel and Secretary |
||||||||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amended Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities with the Depositor and on the dates indicated:
| Signature |
Title | |
| /s/ EDWARD J. ZORE |
Chairman, Trustee and Chief Executive Officer; | |
| Edward J. Zore |
Principal Executive Officer | |
| /s/ MICHAEL G. CARTER |
Chief Financial Officer and | |
| Michael G. Carter |
Principal Financial Officer | |
| /s/ JOHN C. KELLY |
Vice President and Controller and | |
| John C. Kelly |
Principal Accounting Officer | |
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|
|
Trustee | |
| Facundo L. Bacardi |
||
| /s/ John N. Balboni* |
Trustee | |
| John N. Balboni |
||
| /s/ Robert C. Buchanan* |
Trustee | |
| Robert C. Buchanan |
||
| /s/ David J. Drury* |
Trustee | |
| David J. Drury |
||
| /s/ Connie K. Duckworth* |
Trustee | |
| Connie K. Duckworth |
||
| /s/ David A. Erne* |
Trustee | |
| David A. Erne |
||
| /s/ James P. Hackett* |
Trustee | |
| James P. Hackett |
||
| /s/ Hans Helmerich* |
Trustee | |
| Hans Helmerich |
||
| /s/ Dale E. Jones* |
Trustee | |
| Dale E. Jones |
||
| /s/ Margery Kraus* |
Trustee | |
| Margery Kraus |
||
| /s/ David J. Lubar* |
Trustee | |
| David J. Lubar |
||
| /s/ Ulice Payne, Jr.* |
Trustee | |
| Ulice Payne, Jr. |
||
| /s/ Gary A. Poliner |
Trustee | |
| Gary A. Poliner |
||
| /s/ John E. Schlifske |
Trustee | |
| John E. Schlifske |
||
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| /s/ H. Mason Sizemore, Jr.* |
Trustee | |
| H. Mason Sizemore, Jr. |
||
| /s/ Peter M. Sommerhauser* |
Trustee | |
| Peter M. Sommerhauser |
||
| /s/ Mary Ellen Stanek* |
Trustee | |
| Mary Ellen Stanek |
||
| /s/ John J. Stollenwerk* |
Trustee | |
| John J. Stollenwerk |
||
| /s/ S. Scott Voynich |
Trustee | |
| S. Scott Voynich |
||
| /s/ Barry L. Williams |
Trustee | |
| Barry L. Williams |
||
| *By: |
/s/ Edward J. Zore | |
| Edward J. Zore, Attorney in fact, | ||
| pursuant to the Power of Attorney filed herewith. |
Each of the signatures is affixed as of April 27, 2010
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EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBITS FILED WITH FORM N-6
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 19 TO
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
FOR
NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
| Exhibit | Description | |||||||
| (j)(c) | Power of Attorney |
Filed herewith | ||||||
| (k) | Opinion and Consent of Raymond J. Manista, Esq. dated April 27, 2010 |
Filed herewith | ||||||
| (n) | Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP dated April 27, 2010 |
Filed herewith | ||||||
| (q) | Memorandum describing Issuance, Transfer and Redemption Procedures for Variable Life Insurance Contracts Pursuant to Rule 6e-3(T)(b)(12)(iii) |
Field herewith |
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