Prospectus

May 1, 2021

Variable CompLife®

Issued by The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
and the Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account

This prospectus (the "Prospectus") describes an individual scheduled premium variable whole life insurance policy that combines a minimum guaranteed death benefit with additional protection in an integrated policy design (the “Policy”). You may choose to invest your Net Premiums in up to ten 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
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
Government 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

Fidelity® Variable Insurance Products
VIP Mid Cap Portfolio
VIP Contrafund® Portfolio

Neuberger Berman Advisers
Management Trust
Sustainable Equity Portfolio

Russell Investment Funds
U.S. Strategic Equity Fund
U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
Global Real Estate Securities Fund
International Developed Markets Fund
Strategic Bond Fund

Russell Investment Funds LifePoints®
Variable Target Portfolio Series
Moderate Strategy Fund
Balanced Strategy Fund
Growth Strategy Fund
Equity Growth Strategy Fund

Credit Suisse Trust
Commodity Return Strategy Portfolio

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. Unless clear from their context or otherwise appropriate, all of the capitalized terms used in this Prospectus are defined at the end of this Prospectus in the Glossary of terms. “Northwestern Mutual,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” in this Prospectus mean The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.

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.

Additional information about certain investment products, including variable life insurance policies, has been prepared by the SEC’S Staff and is available at Investor.gov.

As permitted by regulations adopted by the SEC, paper copies of your underlying Portfolios’ shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from us. Instead, your Portfolio annual and semi-annual reports will be made available on www.nmfundreports.com and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a link to access the report for each Portfolio. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change, will continue to receive reports electronically and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports (and other communications) electronically by signing up for eDelivery at www.NorthwesternMutual.com/eDelivery. You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. You can inform us that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports by calling (866) 910-1232. Your election to receive shareholder reports in paper will apply to all future reports for all Portfolios available under your Policy.

 

 

Table of Contents

 

	Page
Important Information You Should Consider About the Policy	4
Overview of the Policy	6
Fee and Expense Tables	8
Transaction Fees	8
Periodic Charges (Other than Portfolio Operating Expenses) 1	9
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses	10
Risks of the Policy	11
The Company	11
The Separate Account	12
The Funds	12
Payments We Receive	13
Information About the Policy	13
The Policy Design	13
Requirements for Insurance	14
Premiums	14
Scheduled Premium, Unscheduled Premium and Additional Protection	15
Suspension of Premium Payments	16
Grace Period	16
Allocating Premiums to the Separate Account	16
Allocations Among Divisions	17
Policy Value and Paid-Up Additional Insurance	17
Cash Value	17
Death Benefit	18
General	18
Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit	18
Policy Value and Excess Amount	18
Additional Protection	18
Taxes	18
Paid-Up Additional Insurance	18
Payment of Proceeds	18
Excess Amount	18
Other Benefits Available Under the Policy	19
Optional Benefits Available for a Charge	20
Waiver of Premium Benefit	20
Additional Purchase Benefit	20
Standard Benefits Available for a Charge	21
Income Plans	21
Right to Exchange for a Fixed Benefit Policy	21
Paid-Up Insurance	21
Dollar-Cost Averaging	22
Asset Allocation Models	22
Policy Loans, Automatic Premium Loans, and Withdrawals	23
Policy Loans	23
Automatic Premium Loans	23
General Loan Terms	23

	Page
Withdrawals	24
Required Unscheduled Additional Premium	24
Reinstatement	24
COVID-19	25
Reinvestments After Surrender or Withdrawal	25
Other Policy Transactions	25
Transfers Between Divisions	25
Short-Term and Excessive Trading	26
Substitution of Portfolio Shares and Other Changes	27
Deductions and Charges	27
Deductions from Premiums	27
Charges Against the Policy Value	28
Charges Against the Separate Account Assets	28
Transaction Charges	28
Surrender Charges	28
Partial Surrenders	29
Optional Benefits	29
Expenses of the Portfolios	29
Commissions Paid to Financial Representatives	29
Guarantee of Premiums, Deductions and Charges	30
Modifying the Policy	30
Other Policy Provisions	30
Owner	30
Beneficiary	30
Incontestability	30
Suicide	30
Misstatement of Age or Sex	30
Collateral Assignment	30
Deferral of Determination and Payment	30
Annual Dividends	30
Voting Rights	31
Reports and Financial Statements	31
Special Policy for Employers	31
Householding	32
Abandoned Property Requirements	32
Cybersecurity and Certain Business Continuity Risks	32
Legal Proceedings	32
Speculative Investing	32
Owner Inquiries	32
Illustrations	33
Tax Considerations	33
General	33
Life Insurance Qualification	33
Tax Treatment of Life Insurance	34
Modified Endowment Contracts (MEC)	35
Estate and Generation Skipping Transfer Taxes	35

 

Table of Contents

	Page
Business-Owned Life Insurance	36
Split Dollar Arrangements	36
Valuation of Life Insurance	37
Other Tax Considerations	37
Distribution of the Policy	37

	Page
Glossary of Terms	37
APPENDIX A—Portfolios Available under Your Policy	40
Additional Information	43

Important Information You Should Consider About the Policy 

	FEES AND EXPENSES			Cross-Reference(s) to Location in Prospectus
Charges for Early Withdrawals	If you surrender your Policy (or change to paid-up insurance or upon a partial surrender) in the first fifteen Policy Years you will be assessed surrender charges of up to 40% of scheduled premium paid toward your death benefit. For example, if you surrender your Policy and the total amount of scheduled premium you paid toward your death benefit was $100,000, you could pay a surrender charge of up to $40,000. Withdrawals of Excess Amount are subject to a $25 administrative charge (currently waived) for each withdrawal request.			Fee and Expense Tables – Transaction Fees (Administrative Surrender Charge, Premium Surrender Charge and Administrative Charge for Withdrawals) Also see Other Benefits Available Under the Policy – Paid-Up Insurance and Policy Loans, Automatic Premium Loans, and Withdrawals –Withdrawals
Transaction Charges	In addition to surrender charges and withdrawal charges, you may also be charged for other transactions, such as certain tax-related charges, a front-end sales load, charges for transferring between investment options, as well as charges for expedited delivery or wire transfers.			Fee and Expense Tables – Transaction Fees
Ongoing Fees and Expenses (annual charges)	In addition to the charges above, investment in the Policy is subject to ongoing fees and expenses, including fees covering the cost of insurance and optional benefits available under the Policy. These fees are based on information as of December 31, 2020, may change from year to year, and are generally based on characteristics of the insured (e.g., age, sex and rating classification). You should review your Policy specifications page for specific rates applicable under your Policy. You bear the expenses associated with the Portfolios available under your Policy, the range for which is shown in the following table:			Fee and Expense Tables – Periodic Charges (Other than Portfolio Operating Expenses)   Fee and Expense Tables – Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
	Annual Fee	Minimum*	Maximum*
	Investment Options (Portfolio company fees and expenses)	0.21%	1.41%
	* As a percentage of Portfolio assets.
	RISKS
Risk of Loss	You can lose money by investing in the Policy, including loss of principal.			Risks of the Policy –Investment Risk and The Funds
Not a Short-Term Investment	The Policy is not a short-term investment and is not appropriate for you if you need ready access to cash. Surrender charges apply in the first 15 Policy Years and the value of your Policy and death benefit will be reduced if you withdraw money. In addition, short-term investment in the Policy may subject you to income taxes and tax penalties.			Risks of the Policy – Policy for Long- Term Protection
Risks Associated with Investment Options	Investment in the Policy is subject to the risk of poor investment performance and can vary depending on the performance of the investment options (Portfolios) available under the Policy. Each Portfolio will have its own unique risks and you should review these investment options before making an investment decision.			Risks of the Policy – Investment Risk

4  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

	RISKS	Cross-Reference(s) to Location in Prospectus
Insurance Company Risks	Investment in the Policy is subject to the risks related to Northwestern Mutual, and any obligations, guarantees, or benefits are subject to the claims-paying ability of Northwestern Mutual. More information about Northwestern Mutual, including its financial strength ratings, is available upon request by calling toll free (866) 424-2609.	Risks of the Policy –Investment Risk Also see The Company section
Policy Lapse	Insufficient premium payments, poor investment results, withdrawals, unpaid loans, or loan interest may cause your Policy to lapse, meaning you will no longer have any life insurance coverage and death benefits will not be paid. After lapse, you may reinstate the Policy subject to certain conditions described in the Prospectus, including the payment of any premium required to keep the Policy in force.	Risks of the Policy – Policy Lapse Information About the Policy – Reinstatement
	RESTRICTIONS
Investments	Transfers from the Divisions must be in amounts greater than or equal to 1% of assets in the Divisions, may be subject to charges, and are subject to the Policy’s short-term and excessive trading policies. These short-term and excessive trading policies may trigger additional restrictions on your Policy. Currently, there is no charge when you transfer Invested Assets among Divisions . However, we reserve the right to charge $25 for each transfer. You may invest in up to 10 Divisions at a time. Under certain circumstances Northwestern Mutual reserves the right to remove a Portfolio or substitute another Portfolio or mutual fund for such Portfolio.	Information about the Policy – Other Policy Transactions (Transfers Between Divisions and Short- Term and Excessive Trading)   Information about the Policy – Other Policy Transactions (Substitution of Portfolio Shares and Other Changes)
Optional Benefits	Optional benefits are subject to additional charges and payments made under these benefits are generally subject to the same transaction fees as other premium payments but may be treated differently for other purposes (e.g., certain death benefit minimums). Optional benefits are not available for all ages (or may terminate at certain ages) and underwriting classifications. Because we no longer issue the Policy, certain optional benefits may only be available upon mutual agreement. We may stop offering an optional benefit at any time.	Information About the Policy – Other Benefits Available Under the Policy
	TAXES
Tax Implications	You should consult with a tax professional to determine the tax implications of an investment in, and payments received under, the Policy. There is no additional tax benefit if the Policy is purchased through a tax-qualified plan or individual retirement account (IRA). Withdrawals will generally be subject to ordinary income tax, and may be subject to tax penalties.	Tax Considerations
	CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Investment Professional Compensation	We no longer issue the Policy to new owners. The Policy was sold exclusively through financial representatives of Northwestern Mutual’s affiliated broker- dealer, who are compensated with a commission based on a percentage of premium, and Northwestern Mutual may share revenue it earns on the Policy with its affiliated broker-dealer. These financial representatives may have, or had, a financial incentive to offer or recommend the Policy, or another policy issued by Northwestern Mutual, over other investments.	Distribution of the Policy   Also see Deductions and Charges – Commissions Paid to Financial Representatives
Exchanges	We no longer issue the Policy to new owners. Some financial representatives may have a financial incentive to offer a policy issued by Northwestern Mutual in place of one you already own. You should only exchange an existing policy if you determine, after comparing the features, fees and risks of both policies, that it is preferable to purchase a policy issued by Northwestern Mutual (or any other policy) rather than continue to own the existing policy.	None

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  5

Overview of the Policy

What is the Policy, and what is it designed to do?

The Policy is an individual scheduled premium variable whole life insurance policy, the purpose of which is primarily to provide life insurance protection (i.e., a death benefit) with additional protection, while providing the long-term accumulation of assets through allocations to a variety of Divisions. The Policy may be appropriate if you have a long-term investment horizon and is not intended for short-term investment, and is therefore not appropriate for people who may need to make early or frequent withdrawals or who intend to engage in frequent trading. You may want to consult your financial or tax advisor.

In exchange for your premium payments, upon the death of the Insured, we will pay the Death Benefit to your beneficiary at least equal to a Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit, as well as under some circumstances an additional amount (i.e., Additional Protection), for a period of years defined in the Policy. (See “Death Benefit – Additional Protection” for more information.)

How are Premium Payments treated under the Policy?

We no longer issue the Policy to new owners. Current owners must pay premiums when they are due to keep the Policy in-force and maintain the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit. Depending on the amount of any Policy Debt, your underwriting characteristics, Additional Protection and other factors, the investment results of the Divisions to which your Net Premium is allocated may affect the premium payments you are required to make (see “Information About the Policy –The Policy Design” and “Premiums” for more information). An effective Automatic Loan Provision under your Policy may affect the amount you are required to pay and you may also qualify for the suspension of premiums under limited circumstances (see “Information About the Policy –Premiums/Suspension of Premium Payments).

Premium payments are required to be paid on a scheduled basis at least once a Policy Year but even if you pay on a more frequent basis we place all scheduled Net Premium (i.e., premium less applicable premium charges such as taxes and sales load) in the Divisions at the beginning of each Policy Year. Unscheduled premiums are adjusted to reflect the time value of money according to predetermined rates. Allocation of Net Premium to the Divisions is done according to your current allocation instructions on file with us.

Investments in the Policy’s Divisions are held in the Separate Account which is an account separate from our General Account assets. We have established a segment within the Separate Account to receive and invest Net Premium for the Policies. Currently, the Policy segment is divided into over 40 Separate Account Divisions. Each Division purchases shares in a corresponding Portfolio. Information about each corresponding Portfolio is provided at the back of this Prospectus. See APPENDIX A: Portfolios Available under Your Policy.

Payment of insufficient Premiums may result in the Policy terminating or lapsing.

Q. What are the primary features and options that the Variable CompLife® Policy offers?

A.

Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit, Additional Protection & Excess Amount. In general, so long as you make the required, scheduled premium payments and no Policy Debt is outstanding, regardless of the investment performance of the Divisions your Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit will neither increase or decrease. Similarly, any Additional Protection included in the Policy will not decrease for period such protection is guaranteed so long as dividends are used to increase Policy Value. If Policy Value exceeds the amount necessary to support the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and any Additional Protection, such “Excess Amount” may also increase the Death Benefit. Paid-up additional insurance may also be available.

B.

Surrenders, Partial Surrenders and Withdrawals.You may surrender your Policy, and we will pay you its Cash Value (Policy Value less any Policy Debt and any surrender charge). You may also make a partial surrender under certain circumstances, which will split the Policy into two: one of which will be surrendered and one will continue in force. Upon partial surrender, the continued policy will have a reduced Cash Value and Death Benefit. You may also withdraw a part of the Policy Value if you have sufficient Excess Amount (see “Excess Amount”). A withdrawal reduces the Policy Value, may reduce the Death Benefit, and may increase the risk that the Policy will terminate or lapse. Surrenders and withdrawals are subject to charges and may have adverse tax consequences.

C.

Loans. You may take a loan against the Policy that when added to existing Policy Debt does not exceed the Loan Value. The Policy secures the loan. Taking a loan will reduce Cash Value and the Death Benefit payable, may have adverse tax consequences and will increase the risk that your Policy may terminate or lapse.

D.

Transfers. Generally, you may transfer Invested Assets among the Divisions. We also offer four asset allocation models and an automated transfer program: Dollar Cost Averaging.

E.

Collateral Assignment. Subject to our approval, you may generally assign the Policy as collateral for a loan or other obligation.

F.

Tax Treatment. You are generally not taxed on the Policy’s earnings until you withdraw Policy Value from your Policy. This is known as tax deferral.

G.

Additional Benefits. There are additional benefits you may add to your Policy. An additional charge may apply if you elect an additional benefit. The additional benefits available with this Policy are listed in the “Other Benefits Available Under the Policy” section of the Prospectus, and include the following:

6  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

•

Waiver of Premium Benefit – Pays the Insured’s premium while totally disabled

•

Additional Purchase Benefit – Allows the Owner to purchase additional life insurance on the life of the Insured without proof of insurability

•

Income Plans – In lieu of a lump sum payment, the Death Benefit and surrender proceeds may be payable in monthly (or less frequent) payments over a period of time

•

Right to Exchange for a Fixed Benefit Policy – Allows you to exchange your Policy for a life insurance policy with benefits that do not vary with the investment experience of the underlying Portfolios

•

Paid-up Insurance – Under certain conditions allows the Owner to change the Policy to a policy free of minimum premium payment obligations

•

Dollar Cost Averaging – On a monthly basis, automatically transfers a specific amount from the Government Money Market Division into the other Divisions you have selected

•

Allocation Models – Models are available that comprise a combination of Divisions representing various asset classes with various levels of risk tolerance

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  7

Fee and Expense Tables

The following tables describe the fees and expenses that are payable when you buy, own, surrender or make withdrawals from the Policy. Please refer to your Policy specifications page for information about the specific fees you will pay each year based on the options you have elected.

Transaction Fees

The first table describes the fees and expenses that are payable when you pay premiums, withdraw Excess Amount, surrender the Policy, make partial surrenders, or transfer amounts among investment options. 

Charge	When Charge is Deducted	Maximum Guaranteed Charge	Current Charge
State Premium Tax Charge	Upon each Premium Payment	3.5% of the premium (includes both “State Premium Tax Charge” and “Other Premium Expense Charge”)	2% of premiums1
Other Premium Expense Charge2	Upon each Premium Payment		0.80% of premiums1
Sales Load	Upon each Premium Payment	4.5% of the premium	4.5% of the premium
Administrative Charge for Withdrawals	Upon a withdrawal of Excess Amount	$25	Currently waived
Administrative Surrender Charge	Upon surrender, change to paid-up insurance, or partial surrender	Same as current charge	$216 plus $1.08 per $1,000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection for the first Policy Year, graded down linearly each year to zero at the beginning of the tenth Policy Year
Premium Surrender Charge3	Upon surrender, change to paid-up insurance, or partial surrender before payment of a scheduled premium that is due at the beginning of the fifteenth Policy Year	Same as current charge	Up to 40% of the sum of an annual premium for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit (exclusive of the Policy Fee and exclusive of any charge for extra mortality) plus a term insurance premium for the initial amount of Additional Protection   Minimum: $0.26 per $1000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit (for a female, Issue Age 1, after the year 14 Premium Payment) plus $0.08 per $1000 of Additional Protection   Maximum: $38.16 per $1000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit plus $26.30 per $1000 of Additional Protection (for a male, Issue Age 75, Premier Tobacco or Preferred Tobacco, after 5-10 years of Premium Payments)   Representative: $5.05 per $1000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit plus $0.76 per $1000 of Additional Protection (for a male, Issue Age 35, Premier Non-Tobacco or Preferred Non-Tobacco, after 5-10 years of Premium Payments)
Fee for Transfer of Assets	Upon transfer of assets among the Divisions	$25	Currently waived
Expedited Delivery Charge4	When express mail delivery is requested	$50 per delivery (up to $75 for next day, a.m. delivery) adjusted for inflation5	$15 per delivery (up to $45 for next day, a.m. delivery)
Wire Transfer Fee4	When a wire transfer is requested	$50 per transfer (up to $100 for international wires) adjusted for inflation5	$25 per transfer (up to $50 for international wires)

1

See “Information about the Policy—Premiums” for more information.

2

This charge was previously referred to as the “OBRA Expense Charge.” 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. This charge compensates us for the additional corporate income tax burden resulting from OBRA.

8  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

3

The premium surrender charge is a percentage of the surrender charge base, the amount of which will vary depending upon whether you suspended the payment of scheduled premiums at any time during the first five Policy Years. The premium surrender charge percentage varies by Issue Age and typically increases between Policy Years one through five, remains levels in Policy Years five through ten, and declines in Policy Years eleven through fifteen to zero. For more information on the calculation of the premium surrender charge, see “Surrender Charges” in this prospectus.

4

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.

5

The Maximum Guaranteed Charges are subject to a consumer price index adjustment in order to accommodate future increases in the costs associated with these requests. The maximum charge will equal the Maximum Guaranteed 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 table below 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. 

Charge	When Charge is Deducted	Maximum Guaranteed Charge	Current Charge
Charge for Administrative Costs	At Policy Date and annually on the Policy Anniversary	$84 plus $0.12 per $1,000 of both the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and the Additional Protection	$60
Charge for Issuance Expenses	At Policy Date and annually on the Policy Anniversary for each of the first ten Policy Years	Same as current amount	$24 plus $0.12 per $1,000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection
Charge for Guarantee of the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit	At Policy Date and annually on the Policy Anniversary	Same as current amount	$0.12 per $1,000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit
Charge for Cost of Insurance— Maximum and Minimum2 Charge for Cost of Insurance Representative2	At Policy Date and annually on the Policy Anniversary	Same as current amount	Maximum: $1,000 per $1,000 of net amount at risk (at age 99)3   Minimum: $0.69 per $1,000 of net amount at risk (for a female Insured age 10)3   Representative: $7.09 per $1,000 of net amount at risk (for a male Insured age 54 in the Premier Non-Tobacco or Preferred Non-Tobacco underwriting classification)3
Charge for Mortality and Expense Risks	Daily	Annual rate of .60% of the assets of the Separate Account	Annual rate of .45% of the assets of the Separate Account3
Charge for Waiver of Premium Rider4	At Policy Date and annually on the Policy Anniversary to age 65	Same as current amount	Maximum: 5.1% of premium (Issue Age 57)   Minimum: 1.3% of premium (Issue Age 0-9)   Representative: 2.5% of premium (Issue Age 35)
Charge for Additional Purchase Benefit4	At Policy Date and annually on the Policy Anniversary to age 40	Same as current amount	Maximum: $2.21 per $1,000 of the benefit (Issue Age 38)5   Minimum: $0.54 per $1,000 of the benefit (Issue Age 0)5   Representative: $0.54 per $1,000 of the benefit (the most common Issue Age is 0)

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  9

Charge	When Charge is Deducted	Maximum Guaranteed Charge	Current Charge
Extra Premium for Insureds Who Qualify as Sub-Standard Risks4	At Policy Date and annually on the Policy Anniversary and with each unscheduled premium	Same as current amount	Up to $53.63 per $1,000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection plus up to 37.2% of any (optional) additional premium6   Maximum: $53.63 per $1,000 of the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection plus 10.3% of additional premium paid (for a male, Issue Age 75, Class 9 Non-Tobacco or Class 7 Tobacco, with additional premium paid at age 75)   Minimum: $0.66 per $1,000 of the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection plus 5.6% of additional premium paid (for a female, Issue Ages 0-3, Class 1 Non- Tobacco, with additional premium paid at ages 0-15)   Representative: $3.76 per $1,000 of the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection plus 11.0% of additional premium paid (for a male, Issue Age 35, Class 2 Non-Tobacco or Standard Plus Tobacco)
Charge for Mortality and Expense Risks and Expenses for Loans7	Daily	Annual rate of 1.00% of Policy Debt	When the Insured is Attained Age 99 and below: Annual rate of 0.90% of Policy Debt3; When the Insured is Attained Age 100 and above: Annual rate of 0.60% of Policy Debt3

1

Some fees and expenses, such as fees applicable in Policy Years prior to your current Policy Year, may no longer apply because the Policy is no longer issued.

2

See “Deductions and Charges—Charges Against the Policy Value” for more information about how we determine cost of insurance rates. The cost of insurance is based on factors including but not limited to the Insured’s Attained Age, underwriting classification, the 1980 CSO Mortality Table and the net insurance amount at risk. The cost of insurance rate shown in the table may not be representative of the charge that a particular Owner may pay. Generally, higher Issue Ages and/or worse underwriting classifications will result in higher cost of insurance rates, and men will pay higher rates than women. The net amount at risk is the projected Death Benefit, discounted at a net annual rate of 4%, less the sum of the Policy Value and the Cash Value of any paid-up insurance. The projected Death Benefit is the Death Benefit at the end of the Policy Year, assuming a 4% net annual growth rate. Please request an illustration from your Financial Representative for personalized information, including the particular charges applicable to your Policy. (See “Illustrations”).

3

The amounts of these deductions may be effectively reduced by the dividends we may pay on in-force Policies. The dividends we currently pay are reflected in illustrations we provide. You may request an illustration from your Financial Representative. We do not guarantee future dividends. (See “Annual Dividends”).

4

The charges shown in the table may not be representative of the charge that a particular Owner may pay. The charges for Waiver of Premium Rider and Additional Purchase Benefit do not vary by sex. Generally, these charges increase for older Issue Ages except that the charge for Waiver of Premium rider does not increase after age 57. In addition, higher rates may apply to substandard underwriting classifications.

5

The maximum benefit amount is $100,000.

6

Varies by age and underwriting classification.

7

This charge is a loan interest spread; that is, the difference between the interest charged and the amount credited to the Policy. This amount is deducted from Invested Assets. (See “Policy Loans and Automatic Premium Loan—General Loan Terms”).

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

The table below shows the range (minimum and maximum) of total operating expenses charged by the Portfolios that you may pay periodically during the time you own your Policy. The table below is based on information as of December 31, 2020 and may change from year to year. A complete list of the Portfolios available under your Policy, including their annual expenses, may be found at the back of this document. 

	Minimum	Maximum
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses deducted from Portfolio assets, including management fees, distribution (12b-1) fees, and other expenses as a percentage of average Portfolio assets)	0.21%	1.41%
Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Contractual Fee Waiver or Reimbursement*	0.20%	1.25%

*

The “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 Portfolio Operating Expenses.

For more information about voluntary fee waivers that may be in place, see the “Deductions and Charges” section.

10  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

Risks of the Policy

Policy for Long-Term Protection Your Policy is designed to serve your long-term life insurance protection need. It is not suitable for short-term life insurance protection nor for short-term investing. The value of your Policy and Death Benefit will be reduced if you withdraw money. In addition, short-term investment in the Policy may subject you to income taxes and tax penalties.

Investment Risk Policy amounts in the Divisions will fluctuate with the performance of the Portfolios you choose. Amounts you allocate among the Divisions may grow in value, decline in value, or grow less than you expect depending on the investment performance of the corresponding Portfolios. These assets are not guaranteed and you can lose money. You may be required to pay more premiums than originally planned in order to keep the Policy in force.

A comprehensive discussion of the investment objectives and risks of each Portfolio may be found in each Portfolio’s prospectus. There is no assurance that any Portfolio will achieve its stated investment objective. The Policy is not designed for frequent or short-term trading.

Insurance 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 outside of 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 Lapse Insufficient Premium Payments, withdrawals, unpaid loans, or loan interest may cause your Policy to lapse, meaning you will no longer have any life insurance coverage. Favorable investment experience may reduce the amount of premium you need to pay to keep the Policy in force, but we do not guarantee investment experience. If you do not pay premium when they are due, your Policy will enter a 31-day grace period. If your Policy enters a grace period, we will notify you that the Policy will lapse at the end of the grace period unless you make a sufficient payment. Your Policy may be reinstated within three years (or longer if required by state law) after it has lapsed, subject to certain conditions.

Policy Loan Risks A Policy loan, whether or not repaid, will affect the value of your Policy over time because the amounts borrowed do not participate in the investment performance of the Divisions; in addition, a charge is deducted from your Policy Value while there is Policy Debt. The Death Benefit is

reduced by the amount of any outstanding Policy Debt. If you surrender the Policy or allow it to lapse while Policy Debt is outstanding, the amount of Policy Debt is extinguished by applying the Policy Value to repay it. If the Policy Debt exceeds the cost basis in the contract, we are required to report the extinguishment to you and the IRS on an IRS Form 1099-R. Policy Debt may increase the risk that your Policy will lapse.

Limitations on Access to Your Values Accessing your Policy's value may have tax consequences. You should not purchase the Policy if you intend to surrender all or part of your Policy in the near future. You may make Partial Surrenders or withdrawals of Excess Value subject to limitations on the amount that may be withdrawn or surrendered. (See "Partial Surrenders" and “Withdrawals”). A maximum of four withdrawals is permitted per Policy Year. A partial surrender or withdrawal will reduce the Death Benefit. The minimum amount of a withdrawal is $250.

Adverse Tax Consequences Our understanding of the principal tax considerations for the Policy under current tax law is set forth in this Prospectus. A surrender, loan, or withdrawal may have tax consequences. 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 modified endowment contract. A modified endowment contract (“MEC”) is a life insurance contract that is taxed less favorably on lifetime distributions than other life insurance contracts because the contract is considered too investment oriented. Generally, a Policy may be classified as a MEC if cumulative premiums paid during a seven-pay period exceed a “seven-pay” limit defined in the Internal Revenue Code. Distributions, including loans, from a Policy classified as a MEC are taxable to the extent of the gain in the Policy and may be subject to an additional 10% penalty tax if taken before the Owner attains age 59½. Moreover, excessive Policy loans could cause a Policy to terminate with insufficient value to pay the tax due upon termination. Death Benefit proceeds may be subject to state and/or inheritance taxes. (See “Tax Considerations”).

Risk of an Increase in Current Fees and Expenses Certain insurance charges are currently assessed at less than their maximum levels. We may increase these current charges in the future up to the guaranteed maximum levels . Although some Funds may have expense limitation agreements, the operating expenses of the Portfolios are not guaranteed and may increase or decrease over time. If fees and expenses are increased, you may need to increase the amount of premiums to keep the Additional Protection from decreasing.

The Company

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 were over $308 billion as of

December 31, 2020. The Home Office of Northwestern Mutual is located at 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.

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

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  11

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.

The Separate Account

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 Policy. 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 (or another share class of an existing 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;

•

on behalf of the Company, transfer assets of the Separate Account in excess of reserve requirements (only for accrued fees and charges or any seed capital) 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 changes to 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.

The Funds

A variety of investment options are made available under the Policy for the allocation of your premiums. However, the Company does not endorse or recommend any particular option, nor does it provide 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.

12  Variable CompLife ® Prospectus

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; Neuberger Berman Advisers Management Trust; Russell Investment Funds; and Credit Suisse Trust. 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.

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 its (i) name, (ii) investment objective(s), (iii) investment adviser, (iv) current expenses, and (v) performance, in Appendix A to this Prospectus. Each Portfolio has a prospectus that contains more detailed information about the Portfolio. Read the prospectuses for the Portfolios carefully before investing. You can find these documents online at www.nmprospectus.com, by calling (866) 464-3800 or by sending an email request to vavldocrequest@northwesternmutual.com. Note: A summary prospectus for a Portfolio contains information on its first page about how to obtain a copy of the full Portfolio statutory prospectus. You can also visit http://www.nmprospectus.com to obtain these documents.

Payments We Receive

The Policy makes available both proprietary and non-proprietary Portfolios. The Series Fund is a proprietary Fund that has been included in part because it is managed by a subsidiary of the Company. For non-proprietary Portfolios offered through this Policy, we consider during the selection process whether a Portfolio’s investment adviser or an affiliate will make payments to us or our affiliates. Other factors we consider during the selection process include asset class coverage, management style, sector 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. 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.

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. However, the amount of such payments is not determinative as to whether a Portfolio is available through the Policy. 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 0.20%. These payments are made for various purposes, including payment of services incurred by the Company and/or its affiliates in promoting and marketing the Policies and Portfolios. The Company and its affiliates may profit from these payments.

While not currently the case, certain Portfolios available under the Policy may adopt 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. The payments, which may be up to 0.25%, would be deducted from assets of the Portfolios and are paid to our distributor, Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC. These payments would decrease such Portfolio’s investment return. We would also consider the receipt of these payments generally to be a positive factor when selecting Portfolios.

Additionally, an investment adviser or sub-adviser of a Portfolio (or of an underlying fund in which a Portfolio invests) or its affiliates 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.

Information About the Policy

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.

The Policy Design

The Policy combines a Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit with Additional Protection in an integrated policy design. The Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit represents permanent life insurance guaranteed for the lifetime of the Insured if premiums are paid when due and no Policy Debt is outstanding. The Additional Protection is guaranteed for a period of years which depends on the sex and underwriting classification and

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  13

age of the Insured when the Policy is issued and the relative proportions of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection. For an Insured aged less than 43, the guaranteed period is not less than ten years. The guaranteed period is stated in the Policy. It is generally longer for younger Insureds and shorter for older Insureds, but will not be less than six years, or more than 46 years.

We place Net Premiums in the Divisions you select. The Net Premiums increase the Policy Value. The Policy Value is the cumulative amount invested, adjusted for investment results, reduced by any charges, including the cost of insurance, which is based on the net amount at risk. The net amount at risk is the Projected Insurance Amount divided by 1.04, less the Policy Value. The Projected Insurance Amount is what the insurance amount would be at the end of the year assuming a 4% annual effective interest rate on invested amounts. The cost of insurance also reflects the Attained Age of the Insured each year. If you pay premiums when they are due, and investment experience is favorable, the Policy Value will increase year by year.

We have designed the Policy so that the increase in Policy Value over time should reduce the net amount at risk. The reduction in the net amount at risk offsets the rising cost of the mortality risk as the age of the Insured increases, reducing the total cost of insurance which we subtract from the Policy Value each year. The change in the Policy Value will depend, in part, on the investment performance of the Divisions you choose. Investment experience is not guaranteed. If investment experience does not produce a sufficient rate of return, the amount of Additional Protection will be reduced in later Policy Years, or you will need to pay additional premium to keep the Additional Protection from falling.

For a typical Policy the average annual net investment rate of return required to maintain the initial amount of Additional Protection, without additional premium, should be between 4% and 6%, based on the current charges and dividend scale as of the year the Policy was issued. You may request a sales illustration to show the impact on the Additional Protection of a particular average annual net investment rate of return. (See “Illustrations”). Any excess Policy Value (“Excess Amount”) is simply added to the Death Benefit and the Cash Value, dollar for dollar, unless a greater increase in the Death Benefit is required to meet tax requirements for life insurance. (See “Excess Amount” and “Tax Considerations”).

The Policy also allows you to pay additional premiums that may be used to increase Policy Value or, subject to the insurability of the Insured, to purchase variable paid-up additional insurance. We calculate the values for the additional insurance separately from those which support the initial amount of insurance. The values for the variable paid-up additional insurance do not affect the Policy Value.

Requirements for Insurance

The minimum amount required for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit is $100,000, reduced to $50,000 if the Insured was below age 15 or over age 59 at issue. If the initial premium was at least $10,000 ($5,000 for ages below 15), the required minimum for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit was

$1,000. A lower minimum also may have applied in some other circumstances and would apply if the Policy was purchased for an employer-sponsored benefit plan. (See “Special Policy for Employers”). In all cases, the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit must be at least $1,000.

Premiums

The Policy provides for a level scheduled premium to be paid annually at the beginning of each Policy Year. Premiums are payable at our Home Office. 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 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. If mandated under applicable law, we may be required to reject a Premium Payment. We may accept a Premium Payment at the direction of the Owner, however, even if it would cause the Policy to be classified as a modified endowment contract. If we receive a Premium Payment before its due date in circumstances where allocating such Premium to your Policy could result in your Policy failing to qualify as life insurance or being classified as a modified endowment contract, or where the Premium Payment was intended to be applied as of its due date, depending on your or your Financial Representative’s instructions we may hold the Premium or partial Premium Payment in a non-interest bearing account until its due date, at which time we will allocate your payment to the Divisions.

We may also be required to provide information about you and your account to government regulators.

We accept Premium Payments via our website if eligible. Electronic payments via our website must be made in accordance with our current procedures. However, we are not required to accept electronic payments, and we will not be responsible for losses resulting from transactions based on unauthorized electronic payments, provided we follow procedures reasonably designed to verify the authenticity of electronic payments. For more information on electronic payments see “Owner Inquiries.” We reserve the right to limit, modify, suspend or terminate the ability to make payments via our website at any time.

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”).

By administrative practice, we accept premiums on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual schedule, and we permit Premium Payment under an authorized payment plan by electronic funds transfer from your bank. Even if you pay premiums more

14  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

frequently than annually, we place the scheduled net annual premium in the Separate Account at the beginning of each Policy Year. We advance this amount on this date and we are reimbursed as we receive your Premium Payments during the Policy Year. You have no obligation to repay the amount that we have advanced, but failure to pay the premiums when due will cause (1) scheduled Premium Payments to be suspended (subject to the conditions described later in this section), (2) if previously chosen by you, the Policy to continue in force as a reduced amount of paid-up insurance, (3) if the Automatic Premium Loan provision is currently in effect, an automatic premium loan (see “Policy Loans, Automatic Premium Loans, and Withdrawals”) to pay an overdue premium if the premium is less than the maximum amount available for a new loan, or (4) the Policy to terminate. If you do not pay premiums when they are due, we will reduce the Separate Account assets supporting the Policy to reflect the premiums due later in the Policy Year. This will result in the Company reclaiming the amount of any premium previously advanced for later in the Policy year.

Premiums you pay other than on an annual basis are increased to (1) reflect the time value of money, based on an 8% per annum interest rate, and (2) cover the administrative costs to

process the additional Premium Payments. A monthly premium is currently equal to the annual premium times .0863 plus 50 cents. You may pay monthly premiums only through an automatic payment plan arranged with your bank or via other means approved by us pursuant to our administrative procedures, which may be revoked at any time with or without notice. A quarterly premium is currently equal to the annual premium times .2573 plus $2.00. A semi-annual premium is equal to the annual premium times .5096 plus $1.35. For any frequency other than annual, the annual percentage rate (“APR”) will depend on the amount of the annual premium and the Premium Payment frequency. For monthly premiums, the APR will be between 7.71% and 12.88%. For quarterly premiums, the APR will be between 7.81% and 16.48%. For semi-annual premiums, the APR will be between 7.83% and 12.38%. You may obtain information about APR calculations for premiums paid other than annually from your Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative. The APR calculation is also available through www.northwesternmutual.com.

The following table shows examples of annual and periodic premiums, the excess of the annual sum of the periodic premiums over the annual premiums and the APR. 

Annual Premium	Periodic Premium	Annual Sum of Periodic Premiums	Annual Sum of Periodic Premiums Minus the Annual Premium	Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
MONTHLY PREMIUMS
$1,000.00	$86.80	$1,041.60	$41.60	9.00%
5,000.00	432.00	5,184.00	184.00	7.97%
10,000.00	863.50	10,362.00	362.00	7.84%
QUARTERLY PREMIUMS
1,000.00	259.30	1,037.20	37.20	9.96%
5,000.00	1,288.50	5,154.00	154.00	8.24%
10,000.00	2,575.00	10,300.00	300.00	8.03%
SEMIANNUAL PREMIUMS
1,000.00	510.95	1,021.90	21.90	8.96%
5,000.00	2,549.35	5,098.70	98.70	8.06%
10,000.00	5,097.35	10,194.70	194.70	7.94%

Scheduled Premium, Unscheduled Premium and Additional Protection The scheduled premium includes the premium for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and, depending on your Policy, the premium for Additional Protection. Additional Protection is additional insurance coverage guaranteed for a certain number of years provided Premium Payments are made when due and dividends are used to increase Policy Value. The amount of the scheduled premium depends on the amount of the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit (see “Death Benefit”) and the amount of Additional Protection, as well as the Insured’s age and underwriting classification. The amount of the scheduled premium also reflects the sex of the Insured except where state or federal law requires that premiums and other charges and values be determined without regard to sex. We send a notice to you not less than two weeks before each premium is due.

In addition to the premium required for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and any Additional Protection, the scheduled premium may include additional premium to purchase paid-up additional insurance or to increase the Policy Value, as directed by the Owner. The scheduled premium will also include the premium required for any additional benefit included as part of the Policy. We will reduce the additional premium included in the scheduled premium at any time upon your request unless required for any additional benefit. You may increase the additional premium included in the scheduled premium, or you may pay optional unscheduled additional premiums, at any time before the Policy Anniversary nearest to the Insured’s 85th birthday, subject to our insurability requirements and issue limits.

Policies that include Additional Protection are subject to a minimum premium (as part of their scheduled premium) that is equal to 70% of the premium for a Policy if it consisted solely

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  15

of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit (the “70% requirement”). The premium for the Additional Protection is two times the cost of term insurance (for the Insured’s age when the Policy was issued using the Cost of Insurance rates in your Policy) as long as this premium for Additional Protection in combination with the premium for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit meets the 70% requirement. If this combination does not meet the 70% requirement, the premium for Additional Protection is increased to meet the 70% requirement. In this case, the amount by which the premium is increased, after deductions, is used to increase the Policy Value.

If the Policy includes Additional Protection, after the guaranteed period we may reduce the amount of Additional Protection if Policy Value does not exceed a certain amount as described in the Policy. To prevent a reduction of the amount of Additional Protection, we may require an increased premium determined as of the date 25 days before the Policy Anniversary. In this case you are entitled to pay the increased premium required to keep the Additional Protection from falling until the Insured reaches age 80, but this right terminates as of the first Policy Anniversary on which you do not pay the increased premium when it is due.

The following table shows representative annual premiums for a Policy with an initial Death Benefit amount of $400,000, divided equally between Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection, for males at three ages, where Insureds are not substandard risks. This disclosure is intended to provide an example of the amounts of premium for Additional Protection relative to overall premium. Note that the Total Premium amount will be at least 70% of the premium that would be required for a $400,000 Policy without Additional Protection. 

Age at Issue	Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit	Premium for Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit	Additional Protection	Premium for Additional Protection	Total Premium
	SELECT or PREMIER NON-TOBACCO or PREFERRED NON-TOBACCO
15	$200,000	$1,292	$200,000	$588	$1,880
35	200,000	2,610	200,000	1,010	3,620
55	200,000	6,618	200,000	3,320	9,938
	STANDARD PLUS or STANDARD PLUS NON-TOBACCO
15	$200,000	$1,406	$200,000	$608	$2,014
35	200,000	2,874	200,000	1,118	3,992
55	200,000	7,196	200,000	4,428	11,624
	STANDARD or PREMIER TOBACCO or PREFERRED TOBACCO
15	$200,000	$1,612	$200,000	$740	$2,352
35	200,000	3,362	200,000	1,310	4,672
55	200,000	8,650	200,000	6,380	15,030

Suspension of Premium Payments You may suspend payment of scheduled premiums, at your option, if, as of 25 days prior to the Policy Anniversary on or before the due date of the premium, (1) the Excess Amount (see “Excess Amount”) equals or exceeds one year’s minimum scheduled premium (premium for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and the Additional Protection), plus the premium for any additional benefit, and (2) the Policy Value exceeds an amount that, at 6% interest, provides for future insurance coverage under your Policy, and future charges for expenses and additional benefits, and (3) no withdrawals are made after a date 25 days prior to the previous Policy Anniversary. Any required unpaid premium or charges may reduce your Policy Value upon suspension. While payment of premiums is suspended, certain charges ordinarily deducted from premiums will reduce the Policy Value instead at a pre-established rate set forth in your Policy. These rates may be different than charges applicable to premiums not under Premium Suspension. You may resume payment of scheduled premiums as of any Policy Anniversary and may be required to do so if the Excess Amount, as of a date 25 days prior to the Policy Anniversary, is determined to be less than one year’s minimum scheduled premium plus the premium for any additional benefit. You may pay unscheduled additional premiums while suspension of scheduled premiums is in effect, subject to our insurability requirements and issue limits.

Grace Period The Policy provides for a grace period of 31 days for any premium that is not paid when due. The Policy remains in force during this period. If you pay a premium during the grace period, the values for the Policy will be the same as if you had paid the premium when it was due. If you do not pay the premium within the grace period, and the Policy does not qualify for premium suspension, the Policy will terminate as of the date when the premium was due and will no longer be in force, unless it is continued as paid-up insurance. (See “Other Benefits Available Under the Policy – Paid-Up Insurance”).

Allocating Premiums to the Separate Account

We place the net scheduled annual premium in the Separate Account on each Policy Anniversary even if you are paying premiums other than on an annual frequency. With respect to those Premium Payments, we will process the premiums based on the Unit Value determined at the close of trading (typically, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on the NYSE for that day.

In certain circumstances under your Policy unscheduled additional premium may be paid. (See “Scheduled Premium, Unscheduled Premium and Additional Protection”). We will place net unscheduled premiums in the Separate Account as of the date your premium is received in Good Order at a Network Office or at our Home Office and are credited at the Unit Value determined as of the date of receipt. Net Premiums are

16  Variable CompLife ® Prospectus

premiums less the deductions from premiums. (See “Deductions from Premiums”). Unscheduled premium received before the close of trading on the NYSE will be deemed to be received that day. If received on or after the close of trading on the NYSE, it will be deemed to be received on the next regular trading session of the NYSE. If your payment is not in Good Order, either we or your Financial Representative may notify you in writing, by telephone or by email in an effort to conform your payment to our then-current requirements.

Allocations Among Divisions You may apportion the Separate Accounts assets supporting your Policy among as many as ten Divisions at a time. You may change the allocation for future Net Premiums at any time by written request and the change will be effective for premiums placed in the Separate Account thereafter. The change will be effective when we receive your request in Good Order at our Home Office. If we receive your request before the close of trading (typically, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on the NYSE, we will deem your request to be received and effective that day. If we receive your request on or after the close of trading on the NYSE, we will deem your request to be received and effective on the next regular trading session of the NYSE. If your request is not in Good Order, we will continue to credit Net Premiums to your Policy according to the allocation instructions then in effect and either we or your Financial Representative may notify you in writing, by telephone or by email in an effort to conform your request with our then-current requirements.

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. Investment returns from amounts allocated to the Divisions will vary with the investment performance of the Divisions and will be reduced by Policy charges. You bear the entire investment risk for amounts you allocate to the Divisions. We count the Government Money Market Division as one of the ten available Divisions if you are using it for any purpose, including dollar cost averaging. If you allocate any portion of a premium to a Division, the Division must receive at least 1% of that premium. You should periodically review your allocation instructions in light of market conditions and your overall life insurance and financial objectives. Under certain circumstances in accordance with our procedures your Financial Representative may provide us with instructions on your behalf involving the allocation of accumulated amounts among available Divisions, subject to our rules and requirements, including the restrictions on short-term and excessive trading.

Eligible Owners may also submit allocation requests via the Variable Life Service Center at 1-866-424-2609 or, if eligible, via our website at www.northwesternmutual.com (“Electronic Instructions”) in accordance with our then-current procedures for Electronic Instructions provided you have properly authorized us to accept Electronic Instructions in advance of your request. For more information see “Owner Inquiries.” 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. We reserve the right to limit, modify, suspend or terminate the ability to make requests via Electronic Instructions.

Policy Value and Paid-Up Additional Insurance

We determine the Policy Value and the value of any paid-up additional insurance daily by separate calculations. An increase or decrease in the Policy Value has no effect on the value of any paid-up additional insurance, and an increase or decrease in the value of any paid-up additional insurance has no effect on the Policy Value. You may increase or decrease the amount of scheduled additional premium which you are paying to increase the Policy Value or to increase the amount of paid-up additional insurance, and you may change the allocation for applying this additional premium so long as such change coincides with a change to your Policy’s overall fund allocation. You must make changes in the scheduled additional premium and its allocation by written request. We may require evidence of insurability if you increase the scheduled additional premium. We do not permit increases in the scheduled additional premium after the Policy Anniversary nearest the Insured’s 85th birthday.

You may transfer the value of paid-up additional insurance to increase the Policy Value by written request. This will generally result in a decrease in the total Death Benefit. You may not transfer Policy Value to the value of paid-up additional insurance.

Cash Value

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 plus the value of any paid-up additional insurance, reduced by any Policy Debt outstanding and the surrender charge. If you are not paying premiums on an annual basis, we reduce the Cash Value for any premiums due later in the Policy Year.

We determine the Cash Value for a Policy at the end of each valuation period (typically 4:00 p.m. 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.

You may surrender your Policy for the Cash Value at any time during the lifetime of the Insured. We will surrender your Policy upon receiving a surrender request in Good Order at our Home Office. Requests for surrender received before the close of trading (typically, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on the NYSE are deemed to be received and effective that day. If received on or after the close of trading, requests are deemed to be received and effective as of the close of the next regular trading session of the NYSE. If your request is not in Good Order, either we or your Financial Representative may notify you in writing, by telephone or by email in an effort to conform your request to our then-current requirements.

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  17

Alternatively, you may stop paying premiums when due and request that we apply the Cash Value to provide a reduced amount of fixed or variable paid-up insurance. (See “Other Benefits Available Under the Policy — Paid-Up Insurance”). Surrender proceeds may be paid under an Income Plan requested by the Owner at the time of surrender.

Available Income Plans include an interest income plan, installment income plans, and life income plans. The Company may offer additional Income Plans.

Death Benefit

General The Death Benefit for a Policy will equal the sum of (1) the amount of the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit (see below), (2) the amount of any Additional Protection in effect (see “Premiums—Scheduled Premium and Additional Protection”), (3) any Excess Amount of Policy Value (see “Excess Amount”), and (4) the amount of any paid-up additional insurance (see “Policy Value and Paid-Up Additional Insurance”), unless a higher amount is required by the Internal Revenue Code (see “Tax Considerations”). The amount payable under the Death Benefit is reduced by the amount of any Policy Debt outstanding and, if premiums are not paid on an annual basis, an adjustment for premiums used to purchase paid-up additional insurance that are due later in the Policy Year.

Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit The Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit you select when the Policy is issued will neither increase nor decrease, regardless of the investment experience of the Divisions, so long as you pay scheduled premiums when they are due and no Policy Debt is outstanding. There is a charge for guaranteeing the Minimum Guarantee Death Benefit. (See “Deductions and Charges–Deductions from Premiums”). In setting the premium rates for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit, we have assumed that the Separate Account assets will grow at a net annual rate of 4% after adjusting for the Separate Account charges and the expenses of the Portfolios in which the Divisions invest. (See “Deductions and Charges—Charges Against the Separate Account Assets”). We bear the risk that the rate of growth will be less. A higher rate of growth results in an increase in the Policy Value.

Policy Value and Excess Amount The Policy Value is the cumulative Net Premiums for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and the Additional Protection, including any additional Net Premiums or Policy dividends which have been used to increase the Policy Value: (1) adjusted for investment experience; (2) less the cost of insurance which we deduct from the Policy Value on each Policy Anniversary; and (3) less any other charges. Therefore, 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. If your Policy Value exceeds the amount needed to support the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection, if any, due to favorable investment results or from additional premiums or dividends used to increase Policy Value, you will have an Excess Amount. (See “Excess Amount”). Any Excess Amount will increase the Death Benefit for the Policy, dollar-for-dollar, unless your Policy would not meet the definitional requirements for life insurance under the Internal Revenue Code (see below). The

Policy Value and any Excess Amount change daily. The Policy Value and Excess Amount on the date of death will be used in the calculation of the Death Benefit.

Additional Protection The Additional Protection included in a Policy when it is issued will not increase by reason of investment experience more favorable than the assumed 4% net annual rate of growth. It will not decrease, regardless of investment experience, until expiration of the guaranteed period, so long as you pay scheduled premiums when they are due and no Policy Debt is outstanding. A condition for this guarantee is that you must use any dividends paid on the Policy to increase Policy Value unless the Policy has an Excess Amount. (See “Excess Amount”). After the guaranteed period, the Additional Protection may be reduced unless the Policy Value exceeds a certain amount described in the Policy. Additional information regarding Additional Protection can be found in the “Premiums—Scheduled Premiums and Additional Protection” section.

Taxes We have designed the Policy to meet the definitional requirements for life insurance in Section 7702 of the Internal Revenue Code. (See “Tax Considerations”). These rules require that the Death Benefit will never be less than the Policy Value divided by the net single premium per dollar of Death Benefit. The required difference between the Death Benefit and the Policy Value is larger at younger ages than at older ages. The Policy provides for an increase in the Death Benefit to the extent required to meet this requirement. After the Death Benefit has been increased to meet this requirement, an increase in the Policy Value will cause a greater than dollar-for-dollar increase in the Death Benefit, and a decrease in the Policy Value will cause a greater than dollar-for-dollar decrease in the Death Benefit.

Paid-Up Additional Insurance The Death Benefit is increased by the amount of any paid-up additional insurance purchased with additional premium or Policy dividends. The amount and value of the paid-up additional insurance vary daily to reflect investment experience and are not guaranteed. The amount of any paid-up additional insurance is its value used as a net single premium at the Attained Age of the Insured.

Payment of Proceeds Subject to the terms and conditions of the Policy, the proceeds will be paid to a beneficiary or other payee after proof of the death of the Insured is received in our Home Office. The amount of proceeds will be determined as of the date of death. We will pay interest on the proceeds from that date until payment is made.

Excess Amount

The Excess Amount is the amount by which the Policy Value exceeds the sum of (1) the Tabular Value for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and (2) the Tabular Values for any Additional Protection in effect. The Tabular Values are set out in your Policy. Tabular Values are based on a whole life policy assuming (1) all premiums are paid when due, (2) no additional premiums or dividends are used to increase Policy Value, (3) a 4% level annual net rate of return, and (4) the maximum Policy charges apply. If you are not paying premiums on an annual basis, the Excess Amount is reduced for any premiums due

18  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

later in the Policy Year. Among other things, the Excess Amount determines amounts available for withdrawals. (See “Policy Loans, Automatic Premium Loans, and Withdrawals”).

To demonstrate how Excess Amount is determined, assume the following Policy characteristics: (1) the Policy has a Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit in the amount of $200,000; (2) the Policy has Additional Protection in the amount of $100,000; (3) the Policy Value is $90,000; (4) there are no premiums due later in the current Policy Year; and (5), according to the Policy, the Tabular Value is .20000 per $1 of insurance. The Excess Amount is $90,000 (Policy Value) minus $60,000, which is the sum of $40,000 ($200,000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death

Benefit x .20000) plus $20,000 ($100,000 of Additional Protection x .20000). In this case, the Excess Amount is $30,000 ($90,000—$60,000).

Other Benefits Available Under the Policy

In addition to the standard death benefits associated with your Policy, other standard and/or optional benefits may also be available to you. The following table(s) summarize information about those benefits. If applicable, information about the fees associated with each benefit included in the table may be found in the Fee and Expense Tables.

 

Name of Benefit	Purpose	Is Benefit Standard or Optional	Brief Description of Limitations/Restrictions
Waiver of Premium Benefit	Permits an Insured who has become totally disabled to waive the payment of premiums due	Optional	•Not available for all ages and/or underwriting classifications •The disability must result from an accident or sickness •There is a charge for this benefit •If not elected at issue, only available upon mutual agreement
Additional Purchase Benefit	Allows the Owner to purchase additional life insurance protection without proof of insurability	Optional	•Not available for all ages and/or underwriting classifications •There is a charge for this benefit •If not elected at issue, only available upon mutual agreement
Income Plans	In lieu of a lump sum, the Death Benefit and surrender proceeds may be payable in a monthly (or less frequent) payments over a period of time	Standard	•Must be selected by owner •Payments are subject to fixed rates and not investment performance of the Portfolios •For death benefit proceeds, must be selected while the Insured is living or within 60 days after the death of the insured
Right to Exchange for a Fixed Benefit Policy	Allows you to exchange your Policy for a life insurance policy with benefits that do not vary with the investment experience of the underlying Portfolios	Standard	•Requires premium payments be paid •There may be a cost associated with exchange •Exchange may have tax consequences

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  19

Name of Benefit	Purpose	Is Benefit Standard or Optional	Brief Description of Limitations/Restrictions
Paid-up Insurance	Under certain conditions allows the Owner to change the Policy to a policy free of minimum premium payment obligations	Standard	•Must be selected by owner before grace period if variable benefit paid-up insurance is elected •Election is irrevocable and requires minimum Cash Value •Policy Debt and charges continue •When in force as Paid-up insurance, no additional premium is allowed on the Policy, your Death Benefit option will be irrevocably changed and you may not add optional benefits to the Policy
Dollar Cost Averaging	On a monthly basis, automatically transfers a specific amount from the Government Money Market Division into the other Divisions you have selected	Standard	•Must be selected by owner
Asset Allocation Models	Allocation models are available that comprise a combination of Divisions representing various asset classes with various levels of risk tolerance.	Standard	•Must be selected by owner •Only one model is available at a time •Models are “static” and therefore the Owner must make an affirmative election to change models •Available models may change in the future

 

Optional Benefits Available for a Charge

If available in your state, there are two optional benefits available for purchase under the Policy: (1) a Waiver of Premium Benefit; and (2) an Additional Purchase Benefit. If you select one or both of these optional benefits, you will be subject to a separate charge. (See “Periodic Charges Other than Fund Operating Expenses” and “Deductions and Charges—Optional Benefits” for more information about the charges.)

Any charge will continue to be assessed (1) as long as the benefit remains in force; or (2) until you decide you no longer need the benefit and let us know in writing at our Home Office. Because we no longer issue the Policy, these optional benefits are only available upon mutual agreement.

Waiver of Premium Benefit Subject to the terms and conditions of the benefit, the Waiver of Premium Benefit waives the payment of all premiums that come due during the total disability of the Insured if the disability is due to accident

or sickness and it begins on or before the Policy Anniversary nearest the Insured’s 60th birthday. If the disability occurs after the Policy Anniversary nearest the Insured’s 60th birthday, the benefit waives the payment of all premiums that come due during the total disability of the Insured until the Policy Anniversary nearest the Insured’s 65th birthday.

Example: John Doe, age 57, lost his right hand in a car accident and became totally disabled from his job as a roof tiler. John’s policy has a Waiver of Premium Benefit that waives his $7,000 annual premium upon total disability.

Additional Purchase Benefit Subject to the terms and conditions of the benefit, the Additional Purchase Benefit guarantees the right to buy more insurance without proof of insurability.

20  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

Example: Jane Doe, age 28, is the owner and insured of her policy, which has the Additional Purchase Benefit with periodic election amounts of $50,000 at each specified election date. Upon reaching an election date, Jane purchases a $50,000 policy without the Company requiring evidence of insurability.

Standard Benefits Available for a Charge

Income Plans  If an Income 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 an Income Plan selected by your beneficiary after the death of the Insured. Surrender proceeds may also be payable under an Income Plan selected by the Owner.

Available Income Plans include an interest income plan, installment income plans, and life income plans. The Company may offer additional 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 Death Benefit proceeds 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). Any proceeds added to increase the amount payable under a monthly income plan may be subject to a 2.00% expense charge plus any applicable state premium tax. The choice of Income Plans will vary depending on financial situation and the amount of income desired monthly for a chosen time period. The Owner may elect an Income Plan while the Insured is living or, if the Insured is not the Owner, during the first 60 days after the Insured’s date of death. An Income Plan that is elected by the Policy Owner will take effect on the date of death of the Insured if notice of election is received in our Home Office while the Insured is living. In all other cases, the Income Plan will take effect on the date of receipt of the notice of election. If no Income 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 Insured. Payments under these plans are from our General Account, and are subject to the claims of our creditors. Owners must look to the financial strength of the Company and its General Account with regard to guarantees under the Policy. A Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative authorized to sell the Policies can explain these provisions on request.

Example: John Does was the owner and insured of a Variable CompLife® policy and had elected an installment plan. Upon his death, in lieu of paying life insurance proceeds from the policy to his wife Jane, his beneficiary, in a lump sum, the Company made reduced amounts of monthly payments to her spread out over a ten year period while the remaining balance earned interest.

Right to Exchange for a Fixed Benefit Policy You may exchange a Policy for a whole life insurance policy with benefits that do not vary with the investment experience of the Separate Account (“Fixed Benefit Policy”), if at any time, a

Fund changes its investment adviser, if there is a material change in the investment policies of a Portfolio, or the Portfolio is substituted for another portfolio (see “Substitution of Portfolio Shares and Other Changes”). You may make the change within 60 days after the notice or effective date of the change, whichever is later. We reserve the right to require evidence of insurability. Depending on the timing and the individual circumstances surrounding the exchange, the Fixed Benefit Policy will be on the life of the same Insured and at the time of the exchange may have the same Policy Date and Issue Age, and a Death Benefit at least as great as the initial guaranteed Death Benefit of your Policy (assuming no reduction in Death Benefit prior to the exchange). The exchange may 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 (or verbal authorization according to our current procedures), as well as the Policy, and any amount due on the exchange.

Example: John Doe is the owner and insured of a Variable CompLife® policy and is informed that one of the underlying portfolios in his Policy will be substituted for a different portfolio. Upon notice, John decides he would rather own a policy that is not subject to the investment experience of the underlying portfolios in which the separate account divisions that support his policy invest and would rather own a policy that earns a fixed rate of interest. Subject to the Company’s requirements, John has up to 60 days to exchange his variable policy for a fixed policy.

Paid-Up Insurance The Paid-Up Insurance provision on your Policy will take effect automatically if you do not pay a premium when due or within the 31-day grace period and do not qualify for suspension of Premium Payments or you have elected to have premiums paid by Automatic Premium Loan and your Policy no longer has sufficient value for the loan. The Policy will continue in force as a reduced amount of fixed benefit paid-up insurance. Alternatively you may select a reduced amount of variable benefit paid-up insurance. You must make this selection before or during the grace period. If the Paid-Up provision on your Policy takes effect before you have paid the Premium that is due at the beginning of the fifteenth year, we will deduct surrender charges from the Policy Value. (See “Deductions and Charges—Surrender Charges”).

If the Policy is in force as a reduced amount of fixed benefit paid-up insurance, we will transfer the amount of the Cash Value from the Separate Account to our General Account at the conclusion of the 31-day grace period. Thereafter the Policy will not participate in the Separate Account’s investment results unless the Policy is subsequently reinstated. (See “Reinstatement”). The minimum Cash Value for fixed benefit paid-up insurance is $1,000. If the Cash Value is less than $1,000 as of the last day of the grace period, we will treat the Policy as surrendered. You may select variable benefit paid-up insurance only if the Cash Value of the Policy is at least $5,000.

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  21

We determine the amount of paid-up insurance by applying the amount of Cash Value plus any Policy Debt as a net single premium at the Attained Age of the Insured. Paid-up insurance has cash and loan values. For fixed benefit paid-up insurance, these amounts are guaranteed. For variable paid-up insurance, neither the Death Benefit nor the Cash Value is guaranteed. Paid-up insurance remains in force for the lifetime of the Insured unless you surrender the Policy or the Policy terminates. While the Policy is in force as either fixed or variable benefit paid-up insurance, the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and any Additional Protection will not be in effect. Any Policy Debt and the Policy loan interest rate will continue, and interest on the Policy loan will continue to accrue. (See “Policy Loans, Automatic Premium Loans, and Withdrawals”).

Example: Jane Doe is the owner and insured of a Variable CompLife® policy with the following characteristics:

Cash Value = $15,000
Policy Debt=$1,000
Applicable Net Single Premium Factor = 0.250

Jane decides she would rather own a paid-up policy that will not require additional premium payments. Because Jane’s policy has the required minimum amount of cash value, she is able to convert her policy to a paid-up policy. Her new policy, however, will not be allowed to add any benefits and her new paid-up insurance amount will equal the sum of the Cash Value of her policy plus the Policy Debt, divided by the applicable net single premium factor from her policy schedule pages, so $64,000 (i.e., ($15,000 + $1,000)/0.250).

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 Government Money Market Division into the Division(s) you have chosen. Transferred amounts must be allocated in whole percentages. (See “Allocations to the Separate Account—Transfers Between Divisions”). Transfers will end either when the amount in the Government 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 ensure a profit or protect against loss in a declining market. Carefully consider your willingness to continue payments during periods of low prices. You should consult your Financial Representative before deciding whether to elect dollar cost averaging.

Asset Allocation Models The Company currently makes available allocation models at no extra charge for amounts invested in the Divisions. An Owner can select only one model at a time. Each of the four models currently available (Moderately Conservative, Balanced, Aggressive, Very Aggressive) is comprised of a combination of Divisions that hold Portfolios representing various asset classes with various levels of risk tolerance. Generally, the four models can be characterized as follows: 

Moderately Conservative	This combination of Divisions has Portfolios that generally invest in fixed income securities and a mix of equity securities with a majority emphasis on fixed income investments in order to preserve principal, provide liquidity and income and to seek modest growth.
Balanced	This combination of Divisions has Portfolios that generally invest in a mix of fixed income and equity securities in order to preserve principal and pursue sustained long-term growth without the volatility of high- risk investments.
Aggressive	This combination of Divisions has Portfolios that generally invest in a mix of equity securities and some fixed income securities in order to primarily pursue long-term growth while willing to accept the volatility associated with high-risk investments.
Very Aggressive	This combination of Divisions has Portfolios that invest in almost entirely in a variety of equity securities in order to achieve higher potential growth while assuming the risks and higher volatility associated with these securities.

An Owner may only select a model which is currently available. Any investment allocations outside of an Owner’s original model must be made by the Owner, and will not be made by the Company. The Company does 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 an Owner’s investment needs or for other reasons. If an Owner wishes to remove Portfolios from an Owner’s model and/or change allocations to a current model, the Owner may do so by notifying us in writing, contacting their Financial Representative or by calling Variable Life Service Center at 1-866-242-2609. Not all models offered may be available under your Policy because an Owner may only invest in up to ten Divisions at any Time. Please note that investment in a model does not eliminate the risk of loss and it does not protect against losses in a declining market. An Owner should consult their Financial Representative for more information about available allocation models (including the specificasset mixes of available models) and whether investment in a model is appropriate for them.

Available models may change from time to time. The Company reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate any asset allocation model at any time without affecting an Owner’s current allocation, except in limited circumstances involving a Substitution or the elimination of a Portfolio as an investment option under the Contract (see “Substitution of Portfolio Shares and Other Changes” below for more information regarding the substitution of a Portfolio). In that case, allocations in a

22  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

Portfolio within a model (Original Portfolio) will be transferred to a different Portfolio if the Original Portfolio becomes no longer available (e.g., a substitution, merger, or liquidation), in which case the Company will send written notice in advance of such event. If an Owner is invested in a model that is no longer offered and initiates a change outside of the original model allocations, the Owner will not be able to select the original model (see “Transfers Between Divisions” above for more information about how to change portfolio allocations). There will be no automatic rebalancing to these models.

Please note that investment according to an allocation model may result in an increase in assets allocated to Portfolios managed by an investment adviser affiliated with the Company, and therefore a corresponding increase in Portfolio management fees collected by such adviser and may present a conflict of interest.

Policy Loans, Automatic Premium Loans, and Withdrawals

Described below are certain terms and conditions that apply when you borrow or withdraw amounts under the Policy. Policy loans are secured by your Policy Value. For information on the tax treatment of loans and withdrawals, see “Tax Considerations” and consult with your tax advisor.

Policy Loans You may borrow an amount that, when added to existing Policy Debt, is not more than the maximum amount under your policy (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. You may take loan proceeds in cash or you may apply them to pay premiums on the Policy. We normally pay the loan proceeds within seven days after we receive a proper loan request at our Home Office. Eligible Owners may also submit loan requests via the Variable Life Service Center at 1-866-424-2609. Written and telephone 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. If your request is not in Good Order, either we or your Financial Representative may notify you in writing, by telephone or by email in an effort to conform your request to our then-current requirements. 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. We may postpone payments of loans under certain conditions described in the “Deferral of Determination and Payment” section of this prospectus. Under certain circumstances in accordance with our procedures your Financial Representative may provide us with instructions regarding loan requests on your behalf.

Automatic Premium Loans If you have chosen the Automatic Premium Loan provision or it is currently in effect for your Policy, and your Policy does not qualify for suspension of Premium Payments, a premium loan will automatically be made to pay an overdue premium if the premium is less than the maximum amount available for a new loan. A confirmation statement will be sent each time an automatic premium loan occurs.

General Loan Terms Interest on a loan accrues at an annualized rate of interest. We add unpaid interest to the amount of the loan. The Policy’s Cash Value is reduced by the amount of the loan. If the Cash Value decreases to zero, the Policy will terminate unless a sufficient portion of the loan is repaid. We will send you a notice at least 31 days before the termination date. The notice will show how much you must repay to keep the Policy in force.

The loan interest rate is applied to both the amount of the loan and all accrued interest. A specified annual effective rate of 5% is one choice. The other choice is a variable rate based on a corporate bond yield index. We will adjust the variable rate annually, but it will not be less than 5%. Generally, if a higher rate is preferred, selecting the variable rate may be preferable. If you desire a smaller loan interest rate, the annual fixed, effective rate may be preferable.

We will take the amount of a loan, including interest as it accrues, from the Divisions in proportion to the amounts in the Divisions. We will transfer the amounts withdrawn to our General Account and will credit those amounts on a daily basis with an annual earnings rate equal to the loan interest rate less a charge for the mortality and expense risks we have assumed and for expenses, including taxes. When the Insured is Attained Age 99 and below, the aggregate charge is currently at the annual rate of .90% for the 5% specified loan interest rate and .90% for the variable loan interest rate. For example, the earnings rate corresponding to a 5% loan interest rate is currently 4.10% when the Insured is Attained Age 99 and below. When the Insured is Attained Age 100 and above, the aggregate charge is currently at the annual rate of .60% for the 5% specified loan interest rate and .60% for the variable loan interest rate. For example, the earnings rate corresponding to a 5% loan interest rate is currently 4.40% when the Insured is Attained Age 100 and above.

A loan, even if it is repaid, will have a permanent effect on the Policy Value and Cash 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 Policy is extinguished by applying the Policy Value to repay it. Under the Internal Revenue Code, this transaction is a distribution from the life insurance policy. If the Policy Debt exceeds the investment in the contract, Northwestern Mutual is required to report the extinguishment to you and the IRS on an IRS Form 1099-R.

Except when the Policy is in force as fixed benefit paid-up insurance, we will allocate a loan between Policy Value and variable paid-up additional insurance in proportion to the amount of Cash Value attributable to each.

You may repay a loan, and any accrued interest outstanding, in whole or in part, at any time while the Insured is alive. If we receive a payment without specific instructions, we will first

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  23

apply the payment to any premium due, with any remaining amount being applied to any outstanding loans. Payments in excess of outstanding debt and premiums due will be returned unless such amounts are deemed to be de minimis according to our procedures. Except as described below, if we receive your loan payments before the close of trading (typically, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on the NYSE, we will credit payments as of the date we receive them and transfer them from our General Account to the Divisions, in proportion to the amounts in the Divisions, as of the same date. If we receive your loan payments on or after the close of trading on the NYSE, we will credit payments as of the close of the next regular trading session of the NYSE and transfer them from our General Account to the Divisions, in proportion to the amounts in the Divisions, as of the date we credit the payment. Payments must be in Good Order to be processed. If your payment is not in Good Order, either we or your Financial Representative may notify you in writing, by telephone or by email in an effort to conform your payment to our then-current requirements.

Policy loan payments received within 34 days after the loan interest billing date will be credited as of the loan interest billing date. Automatic premium loans are effective as of the premium due date unless a loan payment is received between the premium due date and the date the Automatic Premium Loan is made. Automatic premium loan payments received up to 66 days after the loan interest billing date will be credited as of the Policy Anniversary, depending on your premium payment schedule. We will send you a notice indicating your loan interest billing date. Loan repayments are not subject to transaction fees.

Withdrawals You may make a withdrawal if the Excess Amount is sufficient. (See “Excess Amount”). A withdrawal may neither decrease the Excess Amount to less than the surrender charge which would apply if the Policy were surrendered nor reduce the loan value to less than any Policy Debt outstanding. A maximum of four withdrawals are permitted per Policy Year. The minimum amount for withdrawals is $250. An administrative charge of up to $25 may apply, but we are currently waiving that charge. We will allocate withdrawals in proportion to the amounts in the Divisions.

Written requests for withdrawals will be processed based on the date and time they are received in Good Order at the Home Office. Requests received before the close of trading (typically, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on the NYSE are deemed to be received and effective on that day. If received on or after the close of trading, they are deemed to be received and effective at the close of trading on the next regular trading session of the NYSE. If your request is not in Good Order, either we or your Financial Representative may notify you in writing, by telephone or by email in an effort to conform your request to our then-current requirements.

A withdrawal of Policy Value decreases the Death Benefit by the same amount. If the Death Benefit for a Policy has been increased to meet the federal tax requirements for life insurance, the decrease in the Death Benefit caused by a subsequent withdrawal may be larger than the amount of the withdrawal.

Required Unscheduled Additional Premium If cumulative withdrawals (including accumulation at a 4% annual interest rate) exceed the cumulative additional premiums which have been used to increase the Policy Value (including accumulation at a 4% annual interest rate) as of a date 25 days prior to your Policy Anniversary, we may require you to pay an unscheduled additional premium to increase Policy Value if there has been unfavorable investment experience since the most recent withdrawal. The minimum amount of Policy Value required to avoid an unscheduled additional premium depends on pre-established tabular values in your Policy for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit. Any required unscheduled additional premium will be due the Policy Anniversary following written notice to you. If the additional premium is not paid and there is sufficient Policy Value, the Paid-Up or Automatic Premium Loan provision on your Policy will take effect. (See “Paid-Up Insurance” and “Policy Loans, Automatic Premium Loans and Withdrawals”).

By way of example, assume that at issue you added additional premium to increase your Policy Value in the amount of $1,000, and no additional premiums are paid thereafter. On your 5thPolicy Anniversary you withdraw $2,000 and no further withdrawals are made. During the 10th Policy Year, there is poor investment performance such that 25 days prior to your Policy Anniversary, the Policy Value is less than the tabular value pre-established in your Policy. To determine the maximum amount of required unscheduled premium, we accumulate the $1,000 in additional premium at a 4% annual interest rate for 10 years ($1,480.24), and the $2,000 in withdrawals at a 4% annual interest rate for 5 years ($2,433.31). The amount of required unscheduled premium we may request would be $2,433.31 minus $1,480.24, or $953.07.

If the required unscheduled additional premium is greater than the maximum premium loan available, you may request a partial loan and submit a premium payment for the remaining balance due. The due date for any unscheduled additional premium is the Policy Anniversary following written notice to you. Required unscheduled additional premium payments will be credited the date they are received in Good Order if payments are received before market close (typically, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time). Automatic Premium Loans used to pay Required Unscheduled Additional Premium will be credited as of the Policy Anniversary unless a loan payment is received between the Policy Anniversary and the date the Automatic Premium Loan is made.

Reinstatement

If a premium is due and remains unpaid at the end of the grace period, and the Policy does not qualify for premium suspension, the Policy will terminate as of the date the premium was due and no longer be in force or continue as paid-up insurance. The Policy may be reinstated while the Insured is alive within three years after the premium due date, provided you have not requested a surrender of the Policy. The Insured must provide satisfactory evidence of insurability. Any premium, applicable interest or other payments due under the Policy will also be required. If we approve your request for reinstatement and the request is received before the close of trading (typically, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on the NYSE, we will deem your request to

24  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

be received and effective that day. If we receive your request on or after the close of trading on the NYSE, we will deem your request to be received and effective on the next regular trading session of the NYSE. Applications must be received in Good Order to be processed. If your request is not in Good Order, either we or your Financial Representative may notify you in writing, by telephone or by email in an effort to conform your request to our then-current requirements.

The Company may waive the requirement to provide satisfactory evidence of insurability if the reinstatement is applied for, and any premium or other payment due is paid, within 90 days (or longer if mandated by your state) after the premium due date and while the Insured is alive. 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. In addition, following reinstatement the Policy will have the same Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection and at least the same Policy Value and variable paid-up additional insurance as if: minimum premiums had been paid when due; investment earnings for all Divisions, less charges against the Separate Account, had been credited at an annual effective rate of 4% for the period from the due date of the overdue premium to the date of reinstatement; and loan interest, less charges by the Company for expenses and taxes, had been credited to the Policy Value and to the Cash Value of variable paid-up additional insurance at an annual effective interest rate of 4% from the due date of the overdue premium until the date of reinstatement. We will make an adjustment for any Policy Debt or the debt may be reinstated. If a surrender charge was assessed at the time of lapse, the Policy Value when a Policy is reinstated will not reflect a reduction 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.

COVID-19  Please note that the state in which your Policywas issued or delivered may require or provide for a longer Policy grace period, allow for the deferral of premium payments, provide for greater allowances to exercise certain contractual rights or benefits, or impose restrictions against Policy lapse or termination in recognition of financial hardships posed by the COVID-19 crisis, and the Company may offer additional accommodations beyond minimum state requirements as appropriate. Additional extensions of your Policy's grace period, deferrals of premium payments, greater allowances to exercise certain contractual rights and/or restrictions on Policy lapse may apply in the future but are not guaranteed. Please contact the Company at (866) 424-2609 for further information.

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 a 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 after our receipt of the reinvestment request in Good Order at our Home Office. If we receive your request before the close of trading (typically, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on the NYSE, we will deem your request to be received and effective that day. If we receive your request on or after the close of trading on the NYSE, we will deem your request to be received and effective on the next regular trading session of the NYSE. If your request is not in Good Order, either we or your Financial Representative may notify you in writing, by telephone or by email in an effort to conform your request to our then-current requirements. Proceeds will be applied to the same Divisions from which the surrender or withdrawal was made. Under certain circumstances in accordance with our procedures your Financial Representative may provide us with instructions regarding requests for reinvestment on your behalf.

Depending on the Insured’s 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 Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit, Additional Protection, Policy Value, variable paid-up additional insurance, 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.

Please note that our decision to permit a reinvestment does not reverse or eliminate any tax consequences and/or tax reporting resulting from the original surrender or withdrawal.

Surrenders and withdrawals have tax consequences and we may be required to report them to the Internal Revenue Service and/or your state for income tax purposes. We may also be required to treat the reinvested proceeds as a new premium for purposes of determining whether your policy will become a MEC, and, as with any premium payment, we may be required to reject your reinvestment if it would result in your Policy failing to qualify as life insurance for Federal tax purposes. (See “Tax Considerations”).

Other Policy Transactions

Transfers Between Divisions Subject to the short-term and excessive trading limitations described below, you may transfer accumulated amounts from one Division to another so long as you are invested in no more than ten Divisions at a time.

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  25

Transfer requests will be effective after our receipt of your request for transfer in Good Order at our Home Office. If we receive your request for transfer before the close of trading (typically, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on the NYSE, we will deem your request to be received and effective that day. If we receive your request for transfer on or after the close of trading on the NYSE, we will deem your request to be received and effective on the next regular trading session of the NYSE. If your request is not in Good Order, either we or your Financial Representative may notify you in writing, by telephone or by email in an effort to conform your request to our then-current requirements.

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. 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. Transfer requests must be in amounts greater than or equal to 1% of Invested Assets or the request will not be processed. When a transfer is made from any Division, the resulting allocation of Invested Assets must be in whole percentages in all Divisions that have any Invested Assets as a result of the transfer. Under certain circumstances in accordance with our procedures your Financial Representative may provide us with instructions on your behalf involving the transfer of accumulated amounts among available Divisions, subject to our rules and requirements, including the restrictions on short-term and excessive trading discussed below.

You may request the transfer in writing at our Home Office, by calling (866) 424-2609 or, if eligible, via our website at www.northwesternmutual.com. Electronic Instructions must be made in accordance with our current procedures and you must properly authorize us to accept Electronic Instructions in advance of your request. For more information see “Owner Inquiries.” 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. We reserve the right to limit, modify, suspend or terminate the ability to make transfers via Electronic Instructions.

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, a Policy Owner who is identified as having made a transfer in and out of the same Division, excluding the Government 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 if a total of three round trips are made within that same Policy Year or two round trip transfers are made within any subsequent year. The restriction will last until the next Policy Anniversary and the Policy Owner will be sent a letter informing him or her of the restriction. An Owner who is identified as having made one round trip transfer within thirty calendar days aggregating more than one percent (1%) of the total assets of the Portfolio underlying a Division, excluding the Government Money Market Division and the Divisions corresponding to the Portfolios of the Russell Investment Funds LifePoints® Variable Target Portfolio Series, will be restricted from making additional transfers after making one more such round trip transfer within any Policy Year, including the year in which the first such round trip transfer was made. The restriction will last until the next Policy Anniversary and the Policy Owner will be sent a letter informing him or her of the restriction. Unless we believe your trading behavior to be inconsistent with these short-term and excessive trading policies, these limitations will not apply to automatic asset transfers, scheduled or systematic transactions involving portfolio rebalancing, dollar cost averaging, initial allocations or changes in future allocations, to the extent these features are available under your Policy. Once a Policy is restricted, we will allow one additional transfer into the Government Money Market Division until the next Policy Anniversary. Additionally, in accordance with our procedures, we may modify some of these limitations to allow for transfers that would not count against the total transfer limit but only as necessary to alleviate any potential hardships to Owners (e.g., in situations involving a substitution of an underlying fund).

Policies such as this (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

26  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

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 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 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.

Substitution of Portfolio Shares and Other Changes If, in our judgment, one or more Portfolios become unsuitable for continued use with the Policy because of a change in investment objectives or restrictions, for each such Portfolio we may substitute shares of another Portfolio or another mutual fund. We may also substitute a class of shares of an existing Portfolio for a different class of the same Portfolio if allowable under applicable law. 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.

Deductions and Charges

Deductions from Premiums We deduct a charge from each premium for state premium taxes and a portion of our federal corporate income taxes attributable to policy acquisition expenses. Premium taxes vary from state to state and currently range from 0.0% to 3.5% of life insurance premiums. Some jurisdictions within a state may charge an additional premium tax in certain circumstances. The charge is currently 2.00% of premiums regardless of the state (or other jurisdiction) in which you live. We reserve the right to deduct a higher or lower amount or percentage from premiums in the future to cover these taxes subject to the overall cap of 3.5% as stated below. The amount deducted may be more or less than the total percentage charged by your state (and/or other jurisdiction) of residence.

Due to a 1990 federal tax law change under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, as amended (“OBRA”), 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 currently make a charge of up to 0.80% against each Premium Payment to compensate us for this additional corporate tax burden. Previously, this charge was 0.85% of premiums. 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 other premium expense charge may each vary in amount, but the sum of these charges will not exceed 3.5%.

We deduct a charge, or sales load, of 4.5% for sales costs from each premium. We expect to recover our expenses of selling and advertising (“distribution expenses”) from this amount, over the period while the Policies are in force, and from the surrender charges described below. The amounts we deduct for costs in a Policy Year are not specifically related to distribution

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  27

expenses incurred 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 charge against the assets of the Separate Account for the mortality and expense risks we have assumed. (See “Charges Against the Separate Account Assets”). To the extent that the amounts deducted for distribution expenses exceed the amounts needed, we will realize a gain.

We deduct an annual charge of $60 from premiums each year for administrative costs to maintain the Policy. These expenses include costs of premium billing and collection, processing claims, keeping records and communicating with Owners. We retain the right to increase this charge after 10 years, but it is guaranteed not to exceed $84 plus $0.12 per $1,000 of both the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and the Additional Protection. We do not expect to profit from this charge.

We deduct an annual charge from premiums each of the first 10 years to compensate us for expenses, other than distribution expenses, incurred in issuing the Policy. These expenses include the costs of processing applications, medical examinations, determining insurability and establishing records. The annual amount of this charge is $24 plus $0.12 per $1,000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection. If you surrender the Policy before these charges have been deducted for 10 years, the remaining charges will be reflected in the administrative surrender charge. (See “Surrender Charges”).

We deduct an annual charge of $0.12 per $1,000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit from premiums each year to compensate us for the risk we have assumed by guaranteeing the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit.

To determine the net annual premium, we will also deduct any extra amounts we charge for Insureds who qualify as substandard risks, plus the cost of any additional benefits purchased with the Policy.

Charges Against the Policy Value We deduct a cost of insurance charge from the Policy Value on each Policy Anniversary. As provided for in the Fees and Expense Tables, we will continue to deduct this charge if your Policy continues as variable benefit paid-up insurance. We determine the amount by multiplying the net amount at risk by cost of insurance rate. The net amount at risk is the Projected Insurance Amount, discounted at a net annual rate of 4%, less the Policy Value. The Projected Insurance Amount is the amount of insurance at the end of the Policy Year, assuming that the Policy Value increases by the 4% net annual growth rate assumed in constructing the Policy. The cost of insurance rate reflects the Attained Age of the Insured. For Select, Premier Non-Tobacco and Preferred Non-Tobacco risks, the cost of insurance rate is based on the Commissioners 1980 Standard Ordinary Non-Smoker Mortality Tables. For Standard, Premier Tobacco and Preferred Tobacco risks, the cost of insurance rate is based on the Commissioners 1980 Standard Ordinary Smoker Mortality Tables. For other risks, the cost of insurance rate is based on the Commissioners 1980 Standard Ordinary Mortality Tables. The cost of insurance rates are included in the Policy. 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. We also deduct a cost of insurance charge from the Cash Value of any paid-up additional insurance on each Policy Anniversary. If we receive an unscheduled premium on a day other than a Policy Anniversary and the net amount at risk increases as a result, we will deduct a cost of insurance charge on that day, reflecting the increase in the net amount at risk and the portion of the Policy Year remaining. The cost of insurance charge covers the cost of mortality and some expenses. Our revenues attributable to this charge may exceed our costs attributable to this charge, in which case we may realize a gain. Surrenders may have tax consequences.

While payment of premiums is suspended, a portion of the annual charges which we would ordinarily deduct from premiums will be deducted from the Policy Value instead. We will also make this deduction on the Policy Anniversary each year.

We will also reduce the Policy Value by any surrender charges, administrative charges or decrease in Policy Debt that may result from a withdrawal, a decrease in the face amount of insurance, or a change to variable benefit paid-up insurance.

Charges Against the Separate Account Assets There is a daily charge to the Separate Account for the mortality and expense risks that we have assumed. The current charge is at the annual rate of .45% of the assets of the Separate Account, not to exceed a maximum annual rate of .60%. The mortality risk is that Insureds may not live as long as we estimated. The expense risk is 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. The actual mortality and expense experience under the Policies will be a factor used in determining dividends. (See “Annual Dividends”).

The Policies provide that a charge for taxes may be made against the assets of the Separate Account. We are not currently making a separate daily charge on assets for such taxes. The Portfolios in which the assets that support your Policy are invested also bear expenses which reduce the investment rate of return.

Transaction Charges The Policy provides for a fee of up to $25 for a transfer of assets among the Divisions and for a fee of up to $25 for a withdrawal of Excess Amount. We are currently waiving these charges.

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 wires) 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.

Surrender Charges If you surrender the Policy before you have paid the premium that is due at the beginning of the fifteenth Policy Year, we will deduct a surrender charge from

28  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

the Policy Value. Similarly, we will deduct a surrender charge on a change to paid-up insurance. (See “Paid-Up Insurance”). A table of surrender charges is in the Policy. Surrenders may have tax consequences.

The surrender charge consists of an administrative surrender charge and a premium surrender charge. The administrative surrender charge is equal to the sum of the issue expense charges which we have not deducted. The administrative surrender charge in the first Policy Year is $216, plus $1.08 per $1,000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and Additional Protection. This charge grades down linearly each year as you pay the premium (or payment of premiums is suspended) and is zero after you have paid the premium that is due at the beginning of the tenth Policy Year (or it is suspended).

The premium surrender charge is a percentage (shown in the table below) of the surrender charge base. If payment of the premium for a Policy Year has been suspended, the premium surrender charge percentage will be as if you had paid the annual premium. During the first five Policy Years, if you pay premiums more frequently than annually, we will adjust the premium surrender charge percentages to reflect the actual period for which you have paid premiums.

If none of the Premium Payments during the first five Policy Years have been suspended, the surrender charge base equals the sum of an annual premium for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit (exclusive of the Policy fee and exclusive of any charge for extra mortality) plus a term insurance premium for the initial amount of Additional Protection.

If any of the Premium Payments during the first five Policy Years have been suspended, the surrender charge base equals the lesser of (1) the sum of an annual premium for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit (exclusive of the Policy fee and exclusive of any charge for extra mortality) plus a term insurance premium for the initial amount of Additional Protection, and (2) the sum of the total premiums paid (exclusive of any premiums for additional benefits purchased with the Policy, and premiums for extra mortality, and any extra amount for premiums paid more often than annually) divided by the number of years (including fractions), but not more than five, for which premiums have been paid or suspended. 

For Policies surrendered after payment at the beginning of year	Premium Surrender Charge Percentage
	Issue age 65 and under	Issue age 75
1	24%	24%
2	28%	25.5%
3	32%	27%
4	36%	28.5%
5 through 10	40%	30%
11	32%	24%
12	24%	18%
13	16%	12%
14	8%	6%
15 and later	0%	0%

For Issue Ages 66 through 74, the percentages are determined by linear interpolation between the percentages shown.

For a Policy that has a Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit of $50,000 or more, the surrender charge will not exceed $41.16 per $1,000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit. For a Policy that has a Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit of $100,000 or more, issued for an Insured ages 15-59, the surrender charge will not exceed $22.86 per $1,000 of Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit. The surrender charge could equal or exceed the Policy Value but we will not apply the surrender charge to the value of any paid-up additional insurance.

Partial Surrenders We will permit partial surrenders of a Policy so long as the Policy continues to meet the regular minimum size requirements. A partial surrender will cause the Policy to be split into two Policies. One Policy will be surrendered; the other will continue in force on the same terms as the original Policy, except that the premiums will be based on the reduced amount of insurance. You will receive a new Policy document. The Cash Value and the Death Benefit will be proportionately reduced. We will allocate reductions among the Divisions in proportion to the amounts in the Divisions. We will make a deduction from the Policy proceeds for a proportionate part of the surrender charge (based on the change in the face amounts) if a partial surrender takes place before you have paid the scheduled premium that is due at the beginning of the fifteenth Policy Year.

Optional Benefits There is a separate charge for any optional benefit you have selected. (See “Other Policy Provisions—Optional Benefits”). For a Policy with a Waiver of Premium Rider, the maximum charge is 5.1% of premium, and the minimum is 1.3% of premium. For a Policy with an Additional Purchase Benefit, the maximum charge is $2.21 per $1,000 of the benefit, and the minimum charge is $0.54 per $1,000 of the benefit.

Expenses of the Portfolios The investment performance of each Division reflects all expenses borne by the corresponding Portfolio. For certain Portfolios, certain expenses may have been reimbursed or fees may have been waived during 2020 in addition to any contractual fee waiver or reimbursements. It is anticipated that any such voluntary expense reimbursement and fee waiver arrangements would continue past the current year, although certain arrangements may be terminated at any time. After taking into account these arrangements, as well as any contractual fee waiver or expense reimbursement arrangements, Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses would have ranged from a minimum of 0.20% to a maximum of 1.25%. (See “Fee and Expense Tables—Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” and Appendix A.)

Commissions Paid to Financial Representatives  The maximum commission payable to the registered representative who sold the Policy is 40% of the premium paid during the first Policy Year; 6% of the premium paid in Policy Years 2-10; and 2.75% of Premium Payments thereafter. Registered representatives may receive less than the maximum commission or no commission in certain circumstances according to pre-established guidelines. We may also pay new registered representatives differently during a training period. The entire amount of sales commissions paid to registered representatives is passed through Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (“NMIS”), our wholly-owned

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  29

company, 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.

Guarantee of Premiums, Deductions and Charges

We guarantee that the premiums for the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and the maximum charge for mortality and expense risks will not increase over time. These amounts will not increase regardless of future changes in longevity or increases in expenses.

Modifying the Policy

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 and/or close of trading 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 ensure 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.

Other Policy Provisions

Owner The Owner is identified in the Policy. The Owner may exercise all rights under the Policy while the Insured is living. Ownership may be transferred to another. Written proof of the transfer must be received by Northwestern Mutual at its Home Office. In this prospectus “you” 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 insurance under the Policy after the insurance has been in force during the lifetime of the Insured for two years from the Date of Issue or two years from the effective date of a reinstatement. If there is an increase in insurance because of an increase in scheduled premiums or payment of an unscheduled premium, and the increase was

subject to insurability requirements, the increase will not be contestable after it has been in force during the lifetime of the Insured for two years from the date of issuance of the increase. After the two year period, to the extent permitted by state law we may rescind the Policy if the application contains a fraudulent misstatement.

Suicide If the Insured dies by suicide within one year from the Date of Issue, the amount payable under the Policy will be limited to the premiums paid, less the amount of any Policy Debt and withdrawals and less the Cash Value of any variable paid-up insurance surrendered.

Misstatement of Age or Sex If the age or sex of the Insured has been misstated, we will adjust benefits under a Policy to reflect the correct age and sex.

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 So long as premiums have been paid when due, 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, under SEC rules, the Government Money Market Portfolio suspends payments of redemption proceeds in connection with a liquidation of the Portfolio, we will delay payment of any transfer, partial surrender, surrender, death benefit from the Government Money Market Division until the Portfolio is liquidated.

If you have submitted a check or draft to our Home Office, we have the right to defer payment of surrender, partial surrender, withdrawal, Death Benefit or loan proceeds, or Income Plan benefits until the check or draft has been honored.

If a Policy is in force as fixed benefit paid-up insurance, we have the right to defer payment of the Cash Value for up to six months from the date of a Policy loan or surrender. If payment on surrender is deferred for 30 days or more, we will pay interest at an annual effective rate of 4%.

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, partial surrender, surrender, loans, or Death Benefit proceeds, 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.

Annual Dividends

The 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 allocated to your Policy is referred to as a “dividend.” The Policy’s share, if any, will be credited as a

30  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

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. Illustrated dividends published at the time a life insurance policy is issued generally reflect the actual recent experience of the issuing company with respect to mortality and expenses and hypothetical investment results.

If you receive dividends, you may use them to increase the Policy Value. If the Policy has Additional Protection in force, the dividends will be used to increase the Policy Value unless the Policy has Excess Amount. (See “Excess Amount”). If the Policy has Excess Amount, or if no Additional Protection is in force, you may use dividends to purchase variable benefit paid-up additional insurance or to pay premiums, or you may receive the dividend in cash. (See “Tax Considerations”). We will use dividends to increase the Policy Value if you give us no direction. If the Policy is in force as fixed benefit paid-up insurance, you may use dividends to purchase fixed benefit paid-up additional insurance or you may receive the dividend in cash. If the Policy is in force as variable benefit paid-up insurance, you may use the dividends to increase Policy Value or you may receive the dividend in cash. Dividends used to increase the Policy Value or to purchase variable paid-up additional insurance will be allocated to the Divisions of the Separate Account according to the allocation of Net Premiums then in effect.

Voting Rights

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 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 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.

We may, if required by state insurance regulations, disregard voting instructions which would require shares to be voted for a change in the sub-classification or investment objectives of a Portfolio, or to approve or disapprove an investment advisory agreement for a Portfolio. We may also disregard voting instructions that would require changes in the investment policy or investment adviser for a Portfolio, provided that we reasonably determine to take this action in accordance with applicable federal law. If we disregard voting instructions we will include a summary of the action and reasons therefore in the next annual report to Policy Owners.

Reports and Financial Statements

For each Policy Year, you will receive a statement showing the Death Benefit, Cash Value and any Policy loan (including interest charged) as of the anniversary date. We will also send you a confirmation statement when you pay the annual premium. These statements will show your apportioned amounts among the Divisions. The Invested Assets may exceed the Cash Value of your Policy, because the Cash Value is reduced by the amount of any applicable surrender charge and any premiums due later in the Policy Year. We will also send you a confirmation statement when you transfer among Divisions, take a Policy loan, or surrender the Policy. The annual statement and confirmation statements will show the apportionment of Invested Assets among the Divisions. If the Policy is in force as fixed benefit paid-up insurance, statements and reports will be limited to an annual Policy statement showing the Death Benefit, Cash Value and any Policy loan.

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, performance information and schedules of investments for the Portfolios underlying the Divisions to which your Policy's assets are allocated. We may also provide you with a notice informing you where you may obtain these reports in lieu of sending you these reports in paper. Because each Division invests exclusively in the shares of an underlying Portfolio, the performance information for a Division and its corresponding Portfolio will generally be the same except that if the Policy level charges were reflected in this performance information, the results would be lower. Current historical performance information, updated on a monthly and quarterly basis, is available at www.northwesternmutual.com/prospectuses-performance-and-reports . The financial statements of the Company and the Separate Account appear in the Statement of Additional Information. To receive a copy of the Annual Report, Semi-Annual Report and/or Statement of Additional Information, call (866) 464-3800. Certain reports and other information can be obtained on our website at www.nmprospectus.com.

Special Policy for Employers

A reduced minimum amount applies for Policies where the insurance involved an employer-sponsored benefit plan or arrangement. The sum of the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and the Additional Protection was required to be at least $10,000, of which the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit must have been at least $1,000. The premium for the Additional Protection is two times the cost of term insurance for the Insured’s age when the Policy was issued. Premium rates for term insurance are set forth in the Policy.

These Policies for employers may include a provision to permit the amount of Additional Protection to increase after issue. Any such increase amount must be based on the terms of the benefit plan or arrangement and may not be subject to the discretion of the Insured or the Insured’s beneficiary. A description of the method of determining the amount of any increase is included in the Policy. Changes to the amount of Additional Protection will be effective on Policy anniversaries. The surrender charge

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  31

and all charges for issue and administrative expenses will be based on the Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit and the initial amount of Additional Protection.

For certain situations where the insurance involves an employer-sponsored benefit plan or arrangement, federal law and the laws of certain states may require that premiums and annuity rates be determined without regard to sex. Special Policies were available for this purpose. You are urged to review any questions in this area with qualified counsel.

Householding

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 (866) 424-2609.

Abandoned Property Requirements

Every state has unclaimed property laws which generally declare insurance contracts/policies to be abandoned after a period of inactivity of three to five years from the contract’s/ policy’s maturity date, the date the death benefit is due and payable, or in some states, the date the insurer learns of the death of the insured. For example, if the payment of the death benefit has been triggered, but, if after a thorough search, we are still unable to locate the beneficiary, or if the beneficiary does not come forward to claim the death benefit proceeds in a timely manner, the death benefit proceeds will be paid to the abandoned property division or unclaimed property office of the state in which the beneficiary or you last resided, as shown on our books and records, or to our state of domicile. This “escheatment” is revocable, however, and the state is obligated to pay the death benefit proceeds (without interest) if your beneficiary steps forward to claim them with the proper documentation. To prevent such escheatment, it is important that you update your beneficiary designations, including addresses, if and as they change. Please contact your Financial Representative or call (866) 424-2609 for assistance in making such changes.

Cybersecurity and Certain Business Continuity Risks

The Company has administrative, technical and physical safeguards in place with respect to information security, nevertheless, our variable product business is potentially susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a cyber-attack as it is highly dependent upon the effective operation of our computer systems and those of our business partners. These risks include, among other things, the theft, misuse, corruption and destruction of data maintained online or digitally, denial of service on websites and other operational disruption and unauthorized release of confidential customer information. Cyber-attacks affecting us, the Portfolios, intermediaries and other affiliated or third-party service providers may adversely affect us and your Policy Value. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with our

processing of contract transactions (including the processing of orders through our website, if available, or with the Portfolios), impact our ability to calculate values, cause the release and possible destruction of confidential customer or business information, impede order processing, subject us and/or our service providers and intermediaries to regulatory fines and financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. Cybersecurity risks may also impact the issuers of securities in which the Portfolios invest, which may cause the Portfolios to lose value. There can be no assurance that we or the Portfolios or our service providers will avoid losses affecting your Policy due to cyber-attacks or information security breaches in the future.

Other disruptive events, including (but not limited to) natural or man-made disasters and public health crises or pandemics (such as coronavirus COVID-19), may also adversely affect our ability to conduct business, including if our employees or the employees of intermediaries or other affiliated or third-party service providers are unable to perform their responsibilities as a result of any such event. Such disruptions to our business operations can interfere with issuance or our processing of transactions (including the processing of orders through our website or with the Portfolios), may interfere with our ability to receive, pickup and process mail and messages, impact our ability to calculate values, or cause other operational or system issues. Furthermore, these disruptions may persist even if our employees or the employees of intermediaries or other affiliate or third-party service providers are able to work remotely. These events may also impact the issuers of securities in which the Portfolios invest, which may cause the Portfolios to lose value. There can be no assurance that the Company, the Portfolios or our service providers will avoid losses affecting your Policy due to a disaster or other catastrophe.

Legal Proceedings

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.

Speculative Investing

This Policy, or any of its riders, should not be used for any type of speculative collective investment scheme (including, for example, arbitrage). Your Policy is not intended to be traded on any stock exchange or secondary market, and attempts to engage in such trading may violate state and/or federal law.

Owner Inquiries

You may receive information about your Policy via the Variable Life Service Center by calling toll-free at 1-866-424-2609. With your ID and password, you can also visit our website www.northwesternmutual.com to access performance information, forms for routine service, and daily Policy and

32  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

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. Please note that electronic devices may not always be available. Any electronic device, whether it is yours, your service provider’s, your agent’s or ours, can experience outages or slowdowns for a variety of reasons, which may delay or prevent our processing of your request or payment. 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 request or payment in writing at our Home Office. Electronic requests or payments are deemed to be received by us upon receipt at the electronic location designated by us in our procedures. If you have questions about your Policy, please call your Financial Representative or (866) 424-2609. To file a claim, please call your Financial Representative or Life Benefits at 1-800-635-8855.

Illustrations

Your Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative will provide you with an illustration for your Policy upon request. The illustration will reflect the performance of your Policy to

date and will show how the Death Benefit minus Policy Debt, Invested Assets and Cash Value would vary based on hypothetical investment results.

Illustrations for variable life insurance policies do not project or predict investment results. The illustrated values assume that non-guaranteed elements such as according to the allocation 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.

Tax Considerations

General The following discussion provides a general description of federal tax considerations relating to the Policy. The discussion is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) as currently interpreted by the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). The discussion is not exhaustive, it does not address the likelihood of future changes in federal 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.

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, or an interest in 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.

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.

There is no additional tax benefit if the Policy is purchased through a tax-qualified plan or individual retirement account (IRA). Withdrawals will generally be subject to tax penalties.

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 Commissioner’s Standard Ordinary (CSO) mortality tables in effect when the Policies were issued. For Policies issued or materially changed after 2019, the tests must be based on the 2017 CSO mortality tables. Because Policies issued based on the 1980 CSO or 2001 CSO mortality tables may not satisfy the definitional tests using the 2017 CSO mortality tables, certain changes to those Policies will not be permitted (as defined by IRS Notice 2016-63). Special safe harbor calculation rules apply to life insurance after the Insured attains age 100. See IRS Rev. Proc. 2010-20.

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.

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  33

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 assets held in the Separate Account, the income and gains related to those assets 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.

Tax Treatment of Life Insurance While a Policy is in force, increases in the Cash Value as a result of 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.

So long as your Policy is not classified as a MEC (see “Modified Endowment Contract”), the proceeds from a surrender or withdrawal will generally be taxable only to the extent that the proceeds exceed the investment in the contract (“cost basis” or “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 paid in cash, if any, are generally taxed as withdrawals with a resulting reduction in basis. However, dividends applied to purchase additional insurance or used to pay premiums are generally not taxable. 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.

Unless the Policy is a MEC a loan received under your Policy will not be treated as a distribution subject to current federal income tax. If the Policy remains in force until the death of the Insured or, in the case of joint life insurance, the second death, the Policy Debt will be repaid from the Death Benefit. However, if the Policy terminates by any method other than death, the Policy Debt will be repaid from the Cash Value of the Policy, and the total Cash Value , including the total amount of the Policy Debt, 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 extended term insurance, the Policy Debt will be repaid from Cash Value of the Policy and the Policy Debt repayment will be treated as income and taxable to the extent it exceeds Policy’s basis.

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 Policy Debt will continue to increase for as long as the loan is maintained on the Policy. In extreme situations, Owners can face what is called the “surrender squeeze.” The surrender squeeze occurs if the Policy Debt becomes too large when compared to the unborrowed Cash Value remaining in the Policy, thereby causing the Policy to lapse. (See the "Policy Loans, Automatic Premium Loans, and Withdrawals" section for more details). As described above, if your policy lapses with outstanding Policy Debt, you will have an income tax liability to the extent the Policy Debt

exceeds the Policy basis. This means that you may have to pay income tax for a year in which you did not receive any cash from the policy.

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”).

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 covering the same Insured (or, in the case of joint life insurance, covering the Insureds or a surviving Insured) or an annuity contract with the same owner (or, in the case of an annuity owned by a non-natural owner, if the annuitant is the same as the life insurance policy 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 2019 may only be exchanged for life insurance policies using 2017 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, or an interest in the Policy, may be transferred. If the transfer is for a valuable consideration, it is taxable to the extent the sales proceeds or fair market value of property received exceed the basis of the Policy. The transfer of a Policy with a loan in excess of Policy basis is considered a sale to the extent of the loan, and the loan is treated as “sales proceeds” paid to the transferor. If a Policy, or an interest in a Policy were transferred for valuable consideration, the death benefit will be taxable as ordinary income to the extent it exceeds the sum of the purchase price and subsequent premiums paid by the new owner. However, the death benefit will not be taxable if both of the following criteria are satisfied:

1.

The transfer was not a “Reportable Policy Sale,” and

2.

The transferee 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 or the basis of the Policy is carried over, in whole or in part, in the transfer. You should seek qualified tax advice if you plan a transfer of ownership.

A Reportable Policy Sale is defined by Code section 101(a)(3), which was enacted in 2017 as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. A Reportable Policy Sale occurs when a Policy or an interest in the Policy is transferred, directly or indirectly, for valuable consideration and the acquirer does not have a “substantial family, business, or financial relationship with the insured apart from the acquirer’s interest in” the Policy. An example of an indirect transfer is an acquisition of a partnership that owns the Policy. If a Reportable Policy Sale occurs, the acquirer and the insurance company are required to send information about the sale to the IRS and the transferor.

Where the Policy cash value is distributed as periodic payments under a payment plan, part or all of the taxable payments 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

34  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

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). Under final regulations issued by the IRS, “net investment income” may, among other things, include the transfer of a life insurance policy that constitutes a sale, interest paid on the Death Benefit and taxable distributions from life insurance policies held in arrangements that constitute “passive activities”. You should seek qualified tax advice.

Modified Endowment Contracts (MEC) A modified endowment contract (“MEC”) is a type of life insurance contract that is taxed less favorably on lifetime distributions than other life insurance contracts. A MEC has less-favorable tax treatment because it is considered to be too investment oriented. Generally, a Policy will be classified as a MEC if the cumulative premiums paid during the first seven Policy Years after issue, or after a “material change” (described below), exceed the policy’s “seven-pay” limit. The seven-year time period is commonly referred to as the “seven-pay period”. Code Section 7702A defines the seven-pay limit as the sum of the Premium Payments (net of expense and administrative charges) that would have to be paid in order for the Policy to be fully paid-up after seven level annual payments, based on defined interest and mortality assumptions. If premiums in excess of the seven-pay limit are paid during a seven-pay period, a Policy will be a MEC. However, a policy will not be a MEC if the excess premiums are refunded, with interest, within 60 days after the end of the Policy Year in which they are paid. For purposes of measuring this 60-day refund period, the term “Policy Year” refers to the year that starts on the date of a material change if that date is different than the Policy Date. If excess premium is refunded, all Policy values are recalculated as though the excess premium had never been paid.

A Policy can also become a MEC if the benefits under the Policy are reduced during the seven-pay or, in the case of joint life Policies, the lifetime of either Insured. If a reduction occurs during a seven-pay period, the seven-pay premium limit will be redetermined based on the reduced level of benefits. All premiums paid during the seven-pay period must be retroactively tested against the new, lower, seven-pay limit. If the premiums previously paid are greater than the recalculated seven-pay limit, the Policy will become a MEC. This means that a reduction of Policy benefits can result in a MEC because of premiums paid in prior years even if those premiums did not exceed the policy’s seven-pay limit at the time they were paid. A reduction in benefits includes a decrease in the amount of coverage, the termination or reduction of certain riders, a withdrawal or any other action resulting in a surrender of Policy Value to you according to the terms of the Policy, an election for Paid-up insurance or, in some cases, a lapsing of the Policy where the Policy is not reinstated within 90 days. A life insurance policy which is received in exchange for a MEC will also be considered a MEC. In the case of joint life Policies, the reduction test must be applied during the lifetime of either insured rather than only during seven-pay periods.

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. This means that a

new seven-pay period begins with a new seven-pay limit. The new seven-pay limit is determined by taking into account the Cash Value of the Policy at the time of such change. 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.

If a Policy is a MEC, any distribution from the Policy will be treated as a distribution of gain first, subject to ordinary income taxation. Distributions for this purpose include a loan, a withdrawal of Cash Value , a surrender of the Policy, and dividends paid in cash. We do not report dividends retained by the Company to purchase paid-up additions as “Distributions”. Distributions taken within the two-year period prior to a Policy becoming a MEC may also be taxed under the MEC tax rules. The Policy basis is increased to the extent a loan is a taxable distribution from a MEC. For these purposes, the term “loan”, includes an increase in Policy Debt due to accrued but unpaid loan interest, or an assignment or pledge of the policy to secure a loan. 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 ½ 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 Transfer Taxes If the Insured owns, or has any incidents of ownership in, the Policy, the amount of the Death Benefit will generally be includible in the Insured’s estate for federal estate tax purposes and any applicable state inheritance tax. If a Policy is a joint life Policy, the Death Benefit will be includible in the estate of the second Insured to die if that individual owned or had any incidents of ownership in, the policy at the time of death. In some circumstances, the Death Benefit of a policy may be included in an Insured’s estate even if not owned at the time of death. This may occur if the Insured transferred an ownership interest, or an incident of ownership, in a policy within three years of death. If the Owner dies, but an Insured is still alive, the fair market value of the Policy will be includible in the Owner’s estate. With appropriate estate planning, an unlimited marital deduction may permit deferral of federal estate and gift taxes until the death of the Owner’s surviving spouse.

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  35

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.

An exemption limit of $5 million (single)/$10 million (married) (with inflation indexing after 2011) and a maximum rate of 40% applies for purposes of the estate, gift and generation skipping transfer taxes. In addition, any unused estate exemption limit may be carried over to the surviving spouse.

Business-Owned Life Insurance Business-owned life insurance may be subject to certain additional rules. Section 101(j) of the Code provides that a portion of the Death Benefit payable under business-owned life insurance in which the business is also the beneficiary will be taxable to the extent it exceeds the premiums or other consideration the business paid for the policy. This rule will not apply if (i) the Insured is an eligible employee and (ii) certain notice and consent requirements are satisfied before the policy is issued. Generally, an eligible employee is someone who was an employee at any time during the 12-month period before death, a director, a person who owns more than 5% of the business, an employee earning more than $120,000 annually (increased for cost of living), one of the highest 5 paid officers 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. Increases in Policy or Cash Value may also be subject to tax under the corporation alternative minimum tax provisions.

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. Interest on debt that is related to or is incurred to purchase or carry life insurance might be deductible in certain, limited, circumstances set forth in Code Section 264. For example, interest paid or accrued for up to an aggregate of $50,000 of indebtedness with respect to life insurance covering a “key person” may be deductible. Generally, a key person is defined as 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, if a business owns life insurance with cash value, Section 264(f) may disallow a portion of a business’s non-life insurance related interest deduction. The disallowance is based on a ratio that compares the amount of unborrowed life insurance Cash Value to the adjusted basis of other business assets. Certain policies may be excluded from the disallowance calculation. These 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 an individual who at the time the policy is issued is an employee, director, officer or 20% owner (as well as joint policies insuring 20% owners and their spouses). The IRS has ruled that a policy received in a tax-free exchange is newly issued for this purpose.

The IRS has ruled privately that losses in business-owned life insurance could be deducted upon the surrender of the policy if there was no reasonable prospect of recovery, but that the losses would be calculated by reducing the basis of the policy by the annual cost of the insurance protection provided by the policy. Private rulings apply only to the taxpayer who receives the ruling but may be indicative of the IRS’s thinking on an issue.

Special rules under the Code govern how life insurance companies calculate income tax deductions. Under these rules the annual increase in the cash value of life insurance policies owned by life insurance companies may limit the company’s deductions, resulting in an overall increase in its taxable income. In Revenue Procedure 2007-61, the IRS provided a safe harbor under which the annual increase in cash value of life insurance policies covering no more than 35% of the company’s employees, directors, officers and 20% owners will not limit the life insurance company’s deductions. Additionally, the Revenue Procedure included language that the tax-deferred nature of such contracts remains subject to challenge by the IRS under other provisions of the tax law, including judicial doctrines such as the business purpose doctrine.

Split Dollar Arrangements Life insurance purchased under a split dollar arrangement is subject to special tax rules. Treasury 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 increase in 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 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 are 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

36  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

must comply with the new rules. These rules became effective December 31, 2008. Congress has also considered 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 Rev. Proc. 2005-25 provides safe harbor formulas for valuing variable and non-variable life insurance. Generally, the safe harbor value is the greater of (i) the sum of the interpolated terminal reserve, any unearned premiums, and a pro rata portion of the estimated dividends for the Policy Year; or (ii) the cash value without reduction for surrender charges (but adjusted by a surrender factor for policies distributed from qualified plans) multiplied by a factor specified in Rev. Proc. 2005-25. 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 Under Code Section 6011, taxpayers are required to annually report all “reportable transactions”. Regulations under Code Section 6011 provide a list of several types of reportable transactions, some of which may involve life insurance policies. For example, in some circumstances a reportable transaction might exist if life insurance is owned by a welfare benefit plan. “Reportable transactions” also include transactions that create significant differences between the amount of any item for purposes of determining income, gain, expense or loss for tax purposes differs by more than $10 million, on a gross basis, from the amount of the item for purposes for book purposes. However, Rev. Proc. 2004-67 held that the purchase of life insurance policies that creates such a difference does not, by itself, constitute a “reportable transaction.” The rules related to reportable transactions are complicated and you should consult a qualified tax advisor before purchasing any insurance policy as part of a transaction.

Distribution of the Policy

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 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. NMIS is a registered broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, an investment adviser registered with the SEC, and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and SIPC. You may obtain information about SIPC, including the SIPC brochure, by contacting SIPC at 202-371-3800 or visiting its website at SIPC.org. 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. (See Deductions and Charges—Commissions Paid to Financial Representatives).

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 can qualify to receive additional cash compensation for their other sales of investment products and services. Sales of the Policies 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. NMIS registered representatives receive ongoing servicing compensation related to the Policies, but may be ineligible to receive ongoing servicing compensation paid by issuers of other investment products for certain smaller accounts.

Glossary of Terms

APPLICATION
The form completed by the applicant when applying for coverage under the Policy. This includes any:

1. amendments or endorsements;
2. supplemental Applications;
3. reinstatement Applications; and
4. Policy change Applications.

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  37

ADDITIONAL PROTECTION
The additional coverage provided by the Policy, guaranteed for a certain number of years provided Premium Payments are made when due and dividends are used to increase Policy Value.

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. Please note that in certain contexts outside of the Prospectus, such as sales literature, notices and/or other materials, the term Accumulated Value After Loan or Net Accumulated Value may be used to describe your Cash Value, as appropriate.

COMPANY
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.

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 the 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.

EXCESS AMOUNT
An amount by which the value of the Policy exceeds the sum of the tabular value for the minimum guaranteed death benefit as well as the tabular value for any applicable additional protection.

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 Portfolio of the Funds 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.

GOOD ORDER
Your request or payment meets all the current requirements necessary for us to process it. For certain requests this may include, as applicable, the return of proceeds, evidence of insurability, underwriting, MEC-limit (or insurance

qualification) requirements, any premium payments due, instructions as to payment due dates, or proper completion of certain Northwestern Mutual forms.

HOME OFFICE
Our office at 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202-4797.

INCOME PLAN
An optional method of receiving the Death Benefit, maturity benefit, surrender proceeds or withdrawal proceeds of an insurance policy or annuity contract through a series of periodic payments. An Income Plan may also be known as a “payment plan.”

INSURED
The person named as the Insured on the Application and in the Policy.

INVESTED ASSETS
The sum of all amounts in the Divisions of the Separate Account.

ISSUE AGE
The 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. A modified endowment contract is a type of life insurance contract that is considered too investment oriented and is taxed less favorably on lifetime distributions than other life insurance contracts. See the “Tax Considerations” section for more detailed information.

MONTHLY PROCESSING DATE
The first Monthly Processing Date is the Policy Date; thereafter, the Monthly Processing Date is the same day of each month as the Policy Date. If the Monthly Processing Date would otherwise fall on the 29th, 30th or 31st of the month, monthly processing will occur on that day or on the last day of the month if the month does not have that day.

NET PREMIUM
The amount of Premium Payment remaining after premium charges have been deducted.

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.

NYSE
New York Stock Exchange.

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 in the Policy from which the following are computed, among other things:

38  Variable CompLife ® Prospectus

1. Policy Year;
2. Policy Anniversary;
3. the Issue Age of Insured; and
4. the Attained Age of the 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. Please note that in certain contexts outside of the Prospectus, such as sales literature, notices and/or other materials, the term Accumulated Value may be used in place of Policy Value. In some circumstances, the term Accumulated Value After Loan may be used to describe your Policy Value after deductions for an outstanding loan, as appropriate.

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.

PROJECTED INSURANCE AMOUNT
An estimated annual amount of insurance that assumes a 4% interest rate on invested amounts.

SEPARATE ACCOUNT
Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account.

UNIT
An accounting unit of measure representing the value in one or more Divisions of the Separate Account.

UNIT VALUE
The value of a particular Unit at a particular time. Unit Value is analogous to, but not the same as, the share price of a Portfolio in which a Division invests. It may fluctuate from one Valuation Period to the next.

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  39

APPENDIX A—Portfolios Available under Your Policy

The following is a list of Portfolios available under your Policy. More information about the Portfolios is available in the prospectuses for the Portfolios, which may be amended from time to time and can be found online at www.nmprospectus.com. You can also request this information at no cost by calling (866) 464-3800 or by sending an email request to vavldocrequest@northwesternmutual.com.

The current expenses and performance information below reflects fees and expenses of the Portfolios, but do not reflect the other fees and expenses that your Policy may charge. Expenses would be higher and performance would be lower if these other charges were included. Each Portfolio’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of future performance. 

Investment Objective	Portfolio and Adviser/ Sub-adviser (if applicable)		Current Expenses	Average Annual Total Returns (as of 12/31/2020)
				1 Year	5 Year	10 Year
Long-term growth of capital; current income is a secondary objective	Growth Stock Portfolio2	Mason Street Advisors, LLC (MSA)/T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.	0.42%1	34.97%	17.68%	14.73%
Long-term growth of capital	Focused Appreciation Portfolio2	MSA/Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P.	0.62%1	32.55%	19.30%	15.90%
Long-term growth of capital and income	Large Cap Core Stock Portfolio2	MSA/ Wellington Management Company LLP	0.44%1	22.74%	15.24%	11.73%
Long-term growth of capital and income	Large Cap Blend Portfolio2	MSA/ Fiduciary Management, Inc.	0.81%1	10.05%	12.18%	11.14%
Investment results that approximate the performance of the Standard & Poor’s 500® Composite Stock Price Index	Index 500 Stock Portfolio2	MSA/Black Rock Advisors, LLC	0.20%1	18.18%	14.97%	13.64%
Long-term growth of capital; income is a secondary objective	Large Company Value Portfolio2	MSA/American Century Investment Management, Inc.	0.77%1	2.64%	9.11%	10.06%
Long-term growth of capital and income	Domestic Equity Portfolio2	MSA/Delaware Investments Fund Advisers, a series of Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust	0.52%1	0.73%	9.11%	10.53%
Long-term growth of capital and income	Equity Income Portfolio2	MSA/ T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc	0.58%1	1.20%	9.98%	9.30%
Long-term growth of capital	Mid Cap Growth Stock Portfolio2	MSA/ Wellington Management Company LLP	0.54%	25.41%	13.38%	10.44%
Investment results that approximate the performance of the Standard & Poor’s MidCap 400® Stock Price Index	Index 400 Stock Portfolio2	MSA/Northern trust Investments, Inc.	0.26%1	13.37%	12.05%	11.23%
Long-term growth of capital; current incomes is a secondary objective	Mid Cap Value Portfolio2	MSA/American Century Investment Management, Inc.	0.76%1	1.67%	9.54%	10.61%
Long-term growth of capital	Small Cap Growth Stock Portfolio2	MSA/ Wellington Management Company LLP	0.56%	33.47%	16.90%	13.38%
Investment results that approximate the performance of the Standard & Poor’s SmallCap 600® Index	Index 600 Stock Portfolio2	MSA/Northern Trust Investments, Inc.	0.31%	10.93%	12.03%	11.55%
Long-term growth of capital	Small Cap Value Portfolio2	MSA/ T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc	0.95%	9.29%	12.16%	9.78%

40  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

Investment Objective	Portfolio and Adviser/ Sub-adviser (if applicable)		Current Expenses	Average Annual Total Returns (as of 12/31/2020)
				1 Year	5 Year	10 Year
Long-term growth of capital	International Growth Portfolio2	MSA/FIAM LLC	0.63%	17.91%	12.11%	7.39%
Capital appreciation	Research International Core Portfolio2	MSA/ Massachusetts Financial Services Company	0.76%1	13.46%	9.76%	6.21%
Long-term growth of capital; any income realized will be incidental	International Equity Portfolio2	MSA/Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC	0.54%1	-2.71%	3.12%	3.26%
Capital appreciation	Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio2	MSA/ Aberdeen Asset Managers Limited	0.93%1	26.86%	12.97%	3.33%
Maximum current income to the extent consistent with liquidity and stability of capital3	Government Money Market Portfolio	MSA/BlackRock Advisors, LLC	0.33%	0.31%	0.90%	0.50%
Provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with prudent investment risk	Short-Term Bond Portfolio2	MSA/ T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc	0.39%	4.29%	2.60%	1.72%
Provide as high a level of total return consistent with prudent investment risk; a secondary objective is to seek preservation of shareholders’ capital	Select Bond Portfolio2	MSA/Wells Capital Management, Inc.	0.31%1	8.98%	4.75%	3.95%
Maximum total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management	Long-Term U.S. Government Bond Portfolio2	MSA/Pacific Investment Management Company LLC	0.94%	17.37%	7.33%	7.25%
Pursue total return using a strategy that seeks to protect against U.S. inflation	Inflation Protection Portfolio2	MSA/American Century Investment Management, Inc.	0.56%1	9.57%	4.75%	3.43%
High current income and capital appreciation	High Yield Bond Portfolio2	MSA/Federated Investment Management Company	0.45%	6.64%	7.88%	6.28%
Maximum total return, consistent with prudent investment management	Multi-Sector Bond Portfolio2	MSA/Pacific Investment Management Company LLC	0.73%1	6.13%	7.54%	5.60%
Realize as high a level of total return as is consistent with prudent investment risk, through income and capital appreciation	Balanced Portfolio2	MSA	0.50%1	12.49%	8.86%	7.30%
Realize as high a level of total return as is consistent with reasonable investment risk	Asset Allocation Portfolio2	MSA	0.59%1	13.43%	10.10%	8.17%
Long-term growth of capital	Fidelity® VIP Mid Cap Portfolio – Initial Class4	Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC (FMR)5	0.62%	18.19%	11.07%	9.50%
Long-term capital appreciation	Fidelity® VIP Contrafund® Portfolio – Initial Class4	FMR5	0.61%	30.57%	16.19%	13.52%

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  41

Investment Objective	Portfolio and Adviser/ Sub-adviser (if applicable)		Current Expenses	Average Annual Total Returns (as of 12/31/2020)
				1 Year	5 Year	10 Year
Long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in securities of companies that meet the Portfolio’s environmental, social and governance criteria	Sustainable Equity Portfolio6	Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC	0.92%	19.56%	13.05%	11.62%
Long-term growth of capital	U.S. Strategic Equity Fund7	Russell Investment Management LLC (RIM)8	0.84%	23.84%	14.27%	12.79%
Long-term growth of capital	U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund7	RIM8	1.25%	12.70%	10.84%	9.37%
Current income and long- term growth of capital	Global Real Estate Securities Fund7	RIM8	0.91%	-5.18%	4.61%	5.88%
Long-term growth of capital	International Developed Markets Fund7	RIM8	1.06%	5.08%	6.50%	5.10%
Provide total return	Strategic Bond Fund7	RIM8	0.69%	8.43%	4.69%	4.00%
Current income and moderate long-term capital appreciation	LifePoints® Variable Target Portfolio Series Moderate Strategy Fund7	RIM8	0.86%1	6.40%	6.15%	5.13%
Above-average long-term capital appreciation and a moderate level of current income	LifePoints® Variable Target Portfolio Series Balanced Strategy Fund7	RIM8	0.95%1	7.65%	7.37%	6.10%
High long-term capital appreciation; and as a secondary objective, current income	LifePoints® Variable Target Portfolio Series Growth Strategy Fund7	RIM8	1.01%1	9.75%	8.62%	6.76%
High long-term capital appreciation	LifePoints® Variable Target Portfolio Series Equity Growth Strategy Fund7	RIM8	1.04%1	8.26%	8.93%	7.09%
Total return	Commodity Return Strategy Portfolio – Class 29	Credit Suisse Asset Management, LLC	0.80%1	28.52%10	N/A	N/A

1

This reflects an expense reimbursement and/or fee waiver arrangement that is in place and reported in the Portfolio’s registration statement. This agreement may be terminated in the future and, therefore, the expense figures shown reflect temporary fee reductions.

2

A series of Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc., for which MSA, our wholly-owned company, serves as investment adviser.

3

Although the Government Money Market Portfolio seeks to preserve its value at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Government 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.

4

The Fidelity® VIP Mid Cap Portfolio and the Fidelity® VIP Contrafund® Portfolio are series of Variable Insurance Products Fund III and the Variable Insurance Products Fund II, respectively.

5

The following affiliates of Fidelity Management & Research Company also assist with foreign investments for each Portfolio: Fidelity Management & Research (U.K.) Inc., Fidelity Management & Research (Hong Kong) Limited, and Fidelity Management & Research (Japan) Inc.

6

A series of Neuberger Berman Advisers Management Trust.

7

A series of Russell Investment Funds.

8

Assets of each Portfolio are invested by one or more investment management organizations researched and recommended by Russell Investment Management LLC, the investment adviser for the Russell Investment Funds.

9

A series of Credit Suisse Trust.

10

Return represents performance from May 1, 2020 (inception date) to December 31, 2020.

42  Variable CompLife® Prospectus

Additional Information

More information about your Policy and Separate Account is included in a Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is dated the same day as this Prospectus, is incorporated by reference into 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, or to request other information about the Policy or to make investor inquiries, call (866) 424-2609. Under certain circumstances you or your Financial Representative may be able to obtain these documents online at www.nmprospectus.com. 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 electronic request at the following email address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Edgar Contract Identifier C000031361

Variable CompLife® Prospectus  43

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
May 1, 2021

Variable CompLife®
An individual scheduled premium Variable Whole Life Policy that combines a Minimum Guaranteed Death Benefit with Additional Protection in an integrated policy design (the “Policy”).

Issued by The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
and
Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account
(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 (the “Prospectus”) identified above and dated the same date as this SAI. The Prospectus may be obtained by writing The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (“Northwestern Mutual”), 720 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, by calling telephone number (866) 424-2609, or by visiting www.nmprospectus.com.

B-1

Table of Contents 

	Page
DISTRIBUTION OF THE POLICY	B-3
EXPERTS	B-3

B-2

DISTRIBUTION OF THE POLICY

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 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. 

Year	Amount
2020	$631,328
2019	$834,668
2018	$1,111,244

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.

EXPERTS

The statutory financial statements of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020, and the financial statements of Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account as of December 31, 2020 and for the periods indicated, included in this Statement of Additional Information constituting part of this Registration Statement, have been 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. The address of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is 833 East Michigan Street, Suite 1200, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.

B-3

Annual Report December 31, 2020

Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account

Financial Statements

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Trustees of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and the Policyowners of Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account

Opinions on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities of each of the divisions of Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account indicated in the table below as of December 31, 2020, and the related statements of operations and of changes in net assets for each of the periods indicated in the table below, including the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the divisions of Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account as of December 31, 2020, and the results of each of their operations and the changes in each of their net assets for the periods indicated in the table below, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Growth Stock Division	Mid Cap Value Division	Select Bond Division	U.S. Strategic Equity
(1)	(1)	(1)	Division (1)
Focused Appreciation	Small Cap Growth	Long-Term U.S.	U.S. Small Cap Equity
Division (1)	Stock Division (1)	Government Bond	Division (1)
		Division (1)
Large Cap Core Stock	Index 600 Stock	Inflation Protection	International
Division (1)	Division (1)	Division (1)	Developed Markets
			Division (1)
Large Cap Blend	Small Cap Value	High Yield Bond	Strategic Bond Division
Division (1)	Division (1)	Division (1)	(1)
Index 500 Stock	International Growth	Multi-Sector Bond	Global Real Estate
Division (1)	Division (1)	Division (1)	Securities Division (1)
Large Company Value	Research International	Balanced Division (1)	LifePoints Moderate
Division (1)	Core Division (1)		Strategy Division (1)
Domestic Equity	International Equity	Asset Allocation	LifePoints Balanced
Division (1)	Division (1)	Division (1)	Strategy Division (1)
Equity Income Division	Emerging Markets	Fidelity VIP Mid Cap	LifePoints Growth
(1)	Equity Division (1)	Division (1)	Strategy Division (1)
Mid Cap Growth Stock	Government Money	Fidelity VIP	LifePoints Equity
Division (1)	Market Division (1)	Contrafund Division (1)	Growth Strategy
			Division (1)
Index 400 Stock	Short-Term Bond	AMT Sustainable	Credit Suisse Trust
Division (1)	Division (1)	Equity Division (1)	Commodity Return
			Strategy Division (1)
(1)  Statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020 and statement of changes in net assets for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

Basis for Opinions

These financial statements are the responsibility of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements of each of the divisions of Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to each of the divisions of Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of investments owned as of December 31, 2020 by correspondence with the custodians and the transfer agents of the investee mutual funds. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

April 26, 2021

We have served as the auditor of one or more of the divisions of Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account since 1984.

2

Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account

Table of Contents

Statements of Assets and Liabilities	1
Statements of Operations	9
Statements of Changes in Net Assets	12
Notes to Financial Statements	22

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

December 31, 2020 (in thousands, except accumulation values)

				Focused		Large Cap
		Growth Stock		Appreciation		Core Stock		Large Cap		Index 500
		Division		Division		Division		Blend Division		Stock Division
Assets:
	Investments, at fair value (1)
	Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.	$	712,525	$	284,754	$	373,483	$	13,750	$	1,905,085
	Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund		-		-		-		-		-
	Neuberger Berman Advisers Management Trust		-		-		-		-		-
	Russell Investment Funds		-		-		-		-		-
	Credit Suisse Trust		-		-		-		-		-
Due from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company			9		8		-		20		38
	Total Assets		712,534		284,762		373,483		13,770		1,905,123
Liabilities:
Due to Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company			-		-		6		-		-
Due to Participants			-		-		-		-		-
	Total Liabilities		-		-		6		-		-
Total Net Assets		$	712,534	$	284,762	$	373,477	$	13,770	$	1,905,123
Net Assets:
Variable Life Policies Issued
	Before October 11, 1995
	Policyowners’ Equity	$	58,765	$	19,881	$	40,244	$	680	$	246,378
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		329		95		296		5		1,357
	Variable CompLife Policies Issued Between
	October 11, 1995 and December 31, 2008 (2)
	Policyowners’ Equity		624,270		237,837		314,974		12,675		1,551,422
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		5,649		2,516		3,093		134		13,769
	Variable Executive Life Policies Issued Between
	March 2, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (3)
	Policyowners’ Equity		11,856		6,452		7,006		144		30,193
	Variable Joint Life Policies Issued Between
	December 10, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (4)
	Policyowners’ Equity		11,665		17,981		7,864		132		62,004
Total Net Assets		$	712,534	$	284,762	$	373,477	$	13,770	$	1,905,123
(1)	Investments, at cost	$	534,372	$	179,668	$	282,864	$	12,380	$	984,319
	Mutual Fund Shares Held		197,704		70,887		195,336		10,966		288,606
(2)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	9.197199	$	8.398901	$	5.718617	$	2.662920	$	8.939275
	Units Outstanding		68,490		28,617		55,620		4,811		175,093
(3)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	130.365531	$	91.289389	$	80.301917	$	23.385328	$	210.492951
	Units Outstanding		91		71		87		6		143
(4)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	130.365531	$	91.289389	$	80.301917	$	23.385328	$	210.492951
	Units Outstanding		89		197		98		6		295

^(a) Amount is less than 500

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-1

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

December 31, 2020 (in thousands, except accumulation values)

		Large						Mid Cap
		Company		Domestic		Equity Income		Growth Stock		Index 400
		Value Division		Equity Division		Division		Division		Stock Division
Assets:
	Investments, at fair value (1)
	Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.	$	17,426	$	212,866	$	129,991	$	676,762	$	403,753
	Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund		-		-		-		-		-
	Neuberger Berman Advisers Management Trust		-		-		-		-		-
	Russell Investment Funds		-		-		-		-		-
	Credit Suisse Trust		-		-		-		-		-
Due from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company			-		30		-		-		-
	Total Assets		17,426		212,896		129,991		676,762		403,753
Liabilities:
Due to Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company			-		-		168		57		125
Due to Participants			-		-		-		-		-
	Total Liabilities		-		-		168		57		125
Total Net Assets		$	17,426	$	212,896	$	129,823	$	676,705	$	403,628
Net Assets:
Variable Life Policies Issued
	Before October 11, 1995
	Policyowners’ Equity	$	1,226	$	16,811	$	9,581	$	91,084	$	20,090
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		7		131		66		641		125
	Variable CompLife Policies Issued Between
	October 11, 1995 and December 31, 2008 (2)
	Policyowners’ Equity		14,688		183,116		110,471		563,339		355,875
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		146		2,172		1,256		5,380		3,547
	Variable Executive Life Policies Issued Between
	March 2, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (3)
	Policyowners’ Equity		1,060		4,729		3,635		6,041		11,493
	Variable Joint Life Policies Issued Between
	December 10, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (4)
	Policyowners’ Equity		299		5,937		4,814		10,220		12,498
Total Net Assets		$	17,426	$	212,896	$	129,823	$	676,705	$	403,628
(1)	Investments, at cost	$	16,757	$	153,431	$	124,463	$	518,202	$	313,871
	Mutual Fund Shares Held		17,408		129,638		79,505		165,346		187,792
(2)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	2.385488	$	3.228727	$	3.767909	$	6.778346	$	6.407252
	Units Outstanding		6,219		57,388		29,652		83,903		56,097
(3)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	20.613433	$	35.463950	$	40.954303	$	193.811117	$	75.180406
	Units Outstanding		51		133		89		31		153
(4)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	20.613433	$	35.463950	$	40.954303	$	193.811117	$	75.180406
	Units Outstanding		15		167		118		53		166

^(a) Amount is less than 500

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-2

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

December 31, 2020 (in thousands, except accumulation values)

				Small Cap						International
		Mid Cap Value		Growth Stock		Index 600		Small Cap		Growth
		Division		Division		Stock Division		Value Division		Division
Assets:
	Investments, at fair value (1)
	Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.	$	71,448	$	421,704	$	58,716	$	207,866	$	144,087
	Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund		-		-		-		-		-
	Neuberger Berman Advisers Management Trust		-		-		-		-		-
	Russell Investment Funds		-		-		-		-		-
	Credit Suisse Trust		-		-		-		-		-
	Due from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company		-		-		-		-		-
	Total Assets		71,448		421,704		58,716		207,866		144,087
Liabilities:
	Due to Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company		74		89		4		7		37
	Due to Participants		-		-		-		-		-
	Total Liabilities		74		89		4		7		37
Total Net Assets		$	71,374	$	421,615	$	58,712	$	207,859	$	144,050
Net Assets:
Variable Life Policies Issued
	Before October 11, 1995
	Policyowners’ Equity	$	3,867	$	20,163	$	4,185	$	14,053	$	8,049
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		30		103		30		99		53
	Variable CompLife Policies Issued Between
	October 11, 1995 and December 31, 2008 (2)
	Policyowners’ Equity		62,657		381,033		50,618		182,029		124,651
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		710		3,881		514		2,115		1,460
	Variable Executive Life Policies Issued Between
	March 2, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (3)
	Policyowners’ Equity		2,038		5,467		1,725		2,975		4,417
	Variable Joint Life Policies Issued Between
	December 10, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (4)
	Policyowners’ Equity		2,072		10,968		1,640		6,588		5,420
Total Net Assets		$	71,374	$	421,615	$	58,712	$	207,859	$	144,050
(1)	Investments, at cost	$	69,899	$	269,658	$	51,829	$	184,826	$	89,539
	Mutual Fund Shares Held		43,276		123,269		39,196		94,399		67,362
(2)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	4.609170	$	7.745486	$	2.662820	$	5.213261	$	3.105508
	Units Outstanding		13,748		49,696		19,202		35,323		40,609
(3)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	50.098747	$	104.149054	$	30.394793	$	57.260960	$	34.110132
	Units Outstanding		41		52		57		52		130
(4)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	50.098747	$	104.149054	$	30.394793	$	57.260960	$	34.110132
	Units Outstanding		41		105		54		115		159

^(a) Amount is less than 500

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-3

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

December 31, 2020 (in thousands, except accumulation values)

		Research				Emerging		Government
		International		International		Markets Equity		Money Market		Short-Term
		Core Division		Equity Division		Division		Division		Bond Division
Assets:
	Investments, at fair value (1)
	Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.	$	63,499	$	499,724	$	90,146	$	182,634	$	31,908
	Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund		-		-		-		-		-
	Neuberger Berman Advisers Management Trust		-		-		-		-		-
	Russell Investment Funds		-		-		-		-		-
	Credit Suisse Trust		-		-		-		-		-
	Due from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company		-		60		-		32		19
	Total Assets		63,499		499,784		90,146		182,666		31,927
Liabilities:
	Due to Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company		16		-		27		-		-
	Due to Participants		-		-		-		339		-
	Total Liabilities		16		-		27		339		-
Total Net Assets		$	63,483	$	499,784	$	90,119	$	182,327	$	31,927
Net Assets:
Variable Life Policies Issued
	Before October 11, 1995
	Policyowners’ Equity	$	3,872	$	59,587	$	4,993	$	16,314	$	2,419
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		26		655		31		163		15
	Variable CompLife Policies Issued Between
	October 11, 1995 and December 31, 2008 (2)
	Policyowners’ Equity		54,484		413,446		77,537		145,873		24,745
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		550		4,731		759		2,476		245
	Variable Executive Life Policies Issued Between
	March 2, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (3)
	Policyowners’ Equity		2,852		8,689		2,834		10,584		2,087
	Variable Joint Life Policies Issued Between
	December 10, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (4)
	Policyowners’ Equity		1,699		12,676		3,965		6,917		2,416
Total Net Assets		$	63,483	$	499,784	$	90,119	$	182,327	$	31,927
(1)	Investments, at cost	$	52,497	$	567,670	$	64,511	$	182,634	$	31,258
	Mutual Fund Shares Held		53,767		322,611		64,760		182,634		29,654
(2)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	1.643464	$	3.584281	$	1.334398	$	1.566628	$	1.125573
	Units Outstanding		33,486		116,670		58,675		94,910		22,202
(3)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	16.084924	$	5.647675	$	16.321818	$	43.480109	$	13.954768
	Units Outstanding		177		1,539		174		235		150
(4)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	16.084924	$	5.647675	$	16.321818	$	43.480109	$	13.954768
	Units Outstanding		106		2,244		243		159		173

^(a) Amount is less than 500

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-4

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

December 31, 2020 (in thousands, except accumulation values)

				Long-Term U.S.		Inflation
		Select Bond		Government		Protection		High Yield		Multi-Sector
		Division		Bond Division		Division		Bond Division		Bond Division
Assets:
	Investments, at fair value (1)
	Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.	$	298,705	$	19,768	$	15,243	$	122,451	$	61,822
	Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund		-		-		-		-		-
	Neuberger Berman Advisers Management Trust		-		-		-		-		-
	Russell Investment Funds		-		-		-		-		-
	Credit Suisse Trust		-		-		-		-		-
	Due from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company		30		4		-		4		3
	Total Assets		298,735		19,772		15,243		122,455		61,825
Liabilities:
	Due to Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company		-		-		1		-		-
	Due to Participants		-		-		-		-		-
	Total Liabilities		-		-		1		-		-
Total Net Assets		$	298,735	$	19,772	$	15,242	$	122,455	$	61,825
Net Assets:
Variable Life Policies Issued
	Before October 11, 1995
	Policyowners’ Equity	$	23,989	$	959	$	708	$	8,292	$	3,966
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		218		12		6		72		29
	Variable CompLife Policies Issued Between
	October 11, 1995 and December 31, 2008 (2)
	Policyowners’ Equity		238,414		18,209		11,673		105,156		52,388
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		2,816		207		123		1,088		509
	Variable Executive Life Policies Issued Between
	March 2, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (3)
	Policyowners’ Equity		19,252		185		1,123		5,125		2,371
	Variable Joint Life Policies Issued Between
	December 10, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (4)
	Policyowners’ Equity		14,046		200		1,609		2,722		2,562
Total Net Assets		$	298,735	$	19,772	$	15,242	$	122,455	$	61,825
(1)	Investments, at cost	$	280,574	$	19,514	$	14,196	$	117,770	$	57,906
	Mutual Fund Shares Held		218,672		16,283		12,566		163,050		53,295
(2)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	3.297004	$	1.873219	$	1.278801	$	4.679675	$	1.600950
	Units Outstanding		73,167		9,831		9,225		22,703		33,042
(3)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	268.089237	$	26.913884	$	17.146141	$	63.375613	$	22.433485
	Units Outstanding		72		7		65		81		106
(4)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	268.089237	$	26.913884	$	17.146141	$	63.375613	$	22.433485
	Units Outstanding		52		7		94		43		114

^(a) Amount is less than 500

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-5

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

December 31, 2020 (in thousands, except accumulation values)

				Asset				Fidelity VIP		AMT
		Balanced		Allocation		Fidelity VIP Mid		Contrafund		Sustainable
		Division		Division		Cap Division		Division		Equity Division
Assets:
	Investments, at fair value (1)
	Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.	$	436,945	$	62,009	$	-	$	-	$	-
	Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund		-		-		195,217		75,870		-
	Neuberger Berman Advisers Management Trust		-		-		-		-		7,379
	Russell Investment Funds		-		-		-		-		-
	Credit Suisse Trust		-		-		-		-		-
	Due from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company		40		-		-		4		-
	Total Assets		436,985		62,009		195,217		75,874		7,379
Liabilities:
	Due to Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company		-		13		18		-		1
	Due to Participants		-		-		-		-		-
	Total Liabilities		-		13		18		-		1
Total Net Assets		$	436,985	$	61,996	$	195,199	$	75,874	$	7,378
Net Assets:
Variable Life Policies Issued
	Before October 11, 1995
	Policyowners’ Equity	$	193,896	$	8,785	$	15,557	$	7,740	$	720
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		1,233		68		106		41		3
	Variable CompLife Policies Issued Between
	October 11, 1995 and December 31, 2008 (2)
	Policyowners’ Equity		219,643		49,240		169,326		63,437		5,390
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		2,640		531		2,020		620		55
	Variable Executive Life Policies Issued Between
	March 2, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (3)
	Policyowners’ Equity		11,650		1,288		2,816		1,003		294
	Variable Joint Life Policies Issued Between
	December 10, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (4)
	Policyowners’ Equity		7,923		2,084		5,374		3,033		916
Total Net Assets		$	436,985	$	61,996	$	195,199	$	75,874	$	7,378
(1)	Investments, at cost	$	390,262	$	56,372	$	164,164	$	55,775	$	5,876
	Mutual Fund Shares Held		277,778		47,958		5,042		1,575		240
(2)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	4.948376	$	3.004653	$	6.482361	$	3.167508	$	2.707463
	Units Outstanding		44,921		16,565		26,433		20,223		2,011
(3)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	277.610210	$	33.001529	$	70.458211	$	35.233871	$	29.909730
	Units Outstanding		42		39		40		28		10
(4)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	277.610210	$	33.001529	$	70.458211	$	35.233871	$	29.909730
	Units Outstanding		29		63		76		86		31

^(a) Amount is less than 500

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-6

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

December 31, 2020 (in thousands, except accumulation values)

						International				Global Real
						Developed				Estate
		U.S. Strategic		U.S. Small Cap		Markets		Strategic Bond		Securities
		Equity Division		Equity Division		Division		Division		Division
Assets:
Investments, at fair value (1)
	Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-
	Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund		-		-		-		-		-
	Neuberger Berman Advisers Management Trust		-		-		-		-		-
	Russell Investment Funds		280,201		112,151		132,213		92,145		168,736
	Credit Suisse Trust		-		-		-		-		-
Due from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company			1		-		42		-		-
	Total Assets		280,202		112,151		132,255		92,145		168,736
Liabilities:
Due to Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company			-		18		-		2		48
Due to Participants			-		-		-		-		-
	Total Liabilities		-		18		-		2		48
Total Net Assets		$	280,202	$	112,133	$	132,255	$	92,143	$	168,688
Net Assets:
Variable Life Policies Issued
	Before October 11, 1995
	Policyowners’ Equity	$	10,326	$	5,620	$	7,330	$	5,677	$	8,689
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		66		40		68		64		73
	Variable CompLife Policies Issued Between
	October 11, 1995 and December 31, 2008 (2)
	Policyowners’ Equity		243,619		98,687		113,618		70,874		147,128
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		2,621		1,199		1,299		891		1,838
	Variable Executive Life Policies Issued Between
	March 2, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (3)
	Policyowners’ Equity		12,422		3,212		6,173		11,142		4,358
	Variable Joint Life Policies Issued Between
	December 10, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (4)
	Policyowners’ Equity		11,148		3,375		3,767		3,495		6,602
Total Net Assets		$	280,202	$	112,133	$	132,255	$	92,143	$	168,688
(1)	Investments, at cost	$	221,230	$	94,635	$	118,891	$	89,421	$	163,421
	Mutual Fund Shares Held		14,311		7,121		10,855		8,469		11,742
(2)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	3.107894	$	3.587903	$	2.150242	$	2.665278	$	5.118605
	Units Outstanding		79,230		27,840		53,444		26,926		29,103
(3)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	35.592905	$	42.144292	$	24.058667	$	29.237785	$	56.074809
	Units Outstanding		349		76		257		381		78
(4)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	35.592905	$	42.144292	$	24.058667	$	29.237785	$	56.074809
	Units Outstanding		313		80		157		120		118

^(a) Amount is less than 500

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-7

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

December 31, 2020 (in thousands, except accumulation values)

		LifePoints			LifePoints		LifePoints		LifePoints		Credit Suisse
		Moderate			Balanced		Growth		Equity Growth		Trust Commodity
		Strategy			Strategy		Strategy		Strategy		Return Strategy
		Division			Division		Division		Division		Division
Assets:
Investments, at fair value (1)
	Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc.	$	-		$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-
	Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund		-			-		-		-		-
	Neuberger Berman Advisers Management Trust		-			-		-		-		-
	Russell Investment Funds		7,658			25,050		22,701		9,194		-
	Credit Suisse Trust		-			-		-		-		23,054
Due from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company			-			1		6		-		-
	Total Assets		7,658			25,051		22,707		9,194		23,054
Liabilities:
Due to Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company			3			-		-		2		1
Due to Participants			-			-		-		-		-
	Total Liabilities		3			-		-		2		1
Total Net Assets		$	7,655		$	25,051	$	22,707	$	9,192	$	23,053
Net Assets:
Variable Life Policies Issued
	Before October 11, 1995
	Policyowners’ Equity	$	2,123		$	5,975	$	4,395	$	1,321	$	765
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		14			44		34		5		9
	Variable CompLife Policies Issued Between
	October 11, 1995 and December 31, 2008 (2)
	Policyowners’ Equity		5,421			18,097		17,560		6,689		19,420
	Northwestern Mutual Equity		68			223		254		109		249
	Variable Executive Life Policies Issued Between
	March 2, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (3)
	Policyowners’ Equity		28			25		10		-		984
	Variable Joint Life Policies Issued Between
	December 10, 1998 and December 31, 2008 (4)
	Policyowners’ Equity		1			687		454		1,068		1,626
Total Net Assets		$	7,655		$	25,051	$	22,707	$	9,192	$	23,053
(1)	Investments, at cost	$	7,068		$	23,361	$	21,174	$	8,568	$	25,403
	Mutual Fund Shares Held		731			2,442		2,200		968		6,821
(2)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	1.520808		$	1.658834	$	1.757555	$	1.805853	$	4.922044
	Units Outstanding		3,609			11,044		10,135		3,765		3,996
(3)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	18.849922		$	19.332571	$	19.098502	$	17.914598	$	4.659188
	Units Outstanding		2			1		1		-		211
(4)	Accumulation Unit Value	$	18.849922		$	19.332571	$	19.098502	$	17.914598	$	4.659188
	Units Outstanding		-	(a)		36		24		60		349

^(a) Amount is less than 500

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-8

Statements of Operations

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

For the Year Ended December 31, 2020 (in thousands)

				Focused
	Growth Stock			Appreciation			Large Cap Core			Large Cap			Index 500
	Division			Division			Stock Division			Blend Division			Stock Division
Income:
Dividend income	$	3,833		$	1,336		$	3,606		$	599		$	26,898
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risk charges		2,640			1,011			1,406			52			7,173
Taxes		25			9			17			-			108
Total expenses		2,665			1,020			1,423			52			7,281
Net investment income (loss)		1,168			316			2,183			547			19,617
Realized gain (loss) on investments:
Realized gain (loss) on sale of fund shares		15,188			11,193			7,706			(46	)		52,343
Realized gain distribution		99,877			10,706			9,143			167			32,905
Realized gains (losses)		115,065			21,899			16,849			121			85,248
Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of investments during the period		66,006			48,308			49,075			403			178,806
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	$	182,239		$	70,523		$	68,107		$	1,071		$	283,671
	Large									Mid Cap
	Company Value			Domestic			Equity Income			Growth Stock			Index 400
	Division			Equity Division			Division			Division			Stock Division
Income:
Dividend income	$	322		$	4,018		$	5,301		$	1,531		$	4,588
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risk charges		63			829			490			2,427			1,426
Taxes		1			8			4			37			8
Total expenses		64			837			494			2,464			1,434
Net investment income (loss)		258			3,181			4,807			(933	)		3,154
Realized gain (loss) on investments:
Realized gain (loss) on sale of fund shares		(480	)		4,412			3,164			3,756			2,587
Realized gain distribution		542			9,108			5,111			24,273			15,720
Realized gains (losses)		62			13,520			8,275			28,029			18,307
Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of investments during the period		242			(17,278	)		(12,896	)		106,964			23,388
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	$	562		$	(577	)	$	186		$	134,060		$	44,849
				Small Cap									International
	Mid Cap Value			Growth Stock			Index 600			Small Cap			Growth
	Division			Division			Stock Division			Value Division			Division
Income:
Dividend income	$	1,168		$	362		$	812		$	869		$	2,068
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risk charges		276			1,396			193			747			519
Taxes		2			8			2			6			3
Total expenses		278			1,404			195			753			522
Net investment income (loss)		890			(1,042	)		617			116			1,546
Realized gain (loss) on investments:
Realized gain (loss) on sale of fund shares		1,240			2,545			(250	)		412			1,579
Realized gain distribution		-			19,079			1,833			11,044			492
Realized gains (losses)		1,240			21,624			1,583			11,456			2,071
Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of investments during the period		(1,807	)		83,294			3,905			3,561			17,483
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	$	323		$	103,876		$	6,105		$	15,133		$	21,100

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-9

Statements of Operations

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

For the Year Ended December 31, 2020 (in thousands)

	Research						Emerging		Government
	International			International			Markets Equity		Money Market			Short-Term
	Core Division			Equity Division			Division		Division			Bond Division
Income:
Dividend income	$	1,208		$	16,122		$	1,530	$	475		$	686
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risk charges		226			1,988			283		727			119
Taxes		2			27			2		7			1
Total expenses		228			2,015			285		734			120
Net investment income (loss)		980			14,107			1,245		(259	)		566
Realized gain (loss) on investments:
Realized gain (loss) on sale of fund shares		442			(3,882	)		369		-			318
Realized gain distribution		979			-			-		1			-
Realized gains (losses)		1,421			(3,882	)		369		1			318
Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of investments during the period		5,081			(27,537	)		17,071		-			219
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	$	7,482		$	(17,312	)	$	18,685	$	(258	)	$	1,103
				Long-Term U.S.			Inflation
	Select Bond			Government			Protection		High Yield			Multi-Sector
	Division			Bond Division			Division		Bond Division			Bond Division
Income:
Dividend income	$	8,068		$	318		$	291	$	6,735		$	2,313
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risk charges		1,152			84			52		491			234
Taxes		11			-			-		4			2
Total expenses		1,163			84			52		495			236
Net investment income (loss)		6,905			234			239		6,240			2,077
Realized gain (loss) on investments:
Realized gain (loss) on sale of fund shares		1,628			1,066			241		867			(100	)
Realized gain distribution		1,602			1,273			-		-			69
Realized gains (losses)		3,230			2,339			241		867			(31	)
Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of investments during the period		12,690			(253	)		723		(314	)		1,141
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	$	22,825		$	2,320		$	1,203	$	6,793		$	3,187
				Asset					Fidelity VIP			AMT
	Balanced			Allocation			Fidelity VIP Mid		Contrafund			Sustainable
	Division			Division			Cap Division		Division			Equity Division
Income:
Dividend income	$	9,853		$	1,328		$	1,000	$	136		$	36
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risk charges		1,806			243			702		265			21
Taxes		90			4			7		3			-
Total expenses		1,896			247			709		268			21
Net investment income (loss)		7,957			1,081			291		(132	)		15
Realized gain (loss) on investments:
Realized gain (loss) on sale of fund shares		(1,142	)		701			3,380		1,280			40
Realized gain distribution		14,470			2,419			-		305			249
Realized gains (losses)		13,328			3,120			3,380		1,585			289
Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of investments during the period		25,414			3,110			24,679		15,575			906
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	$	46,699		$	7,311		$	28,350	$	17,028		$	1,210

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-10

Statements of Operations

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

For the Year Ended December 31, 2020 (in thousands)

							International
	U.S. Strategic			U.S. Small Cap			Developed			Strategic Bond
	Equity Division			Equity Division			Markets Division			Division
Income:
Dividend income	$	1,063		$	52		$	1,412		$	1,686
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risk charges		980			381			476			343
Taxes		5			2			3			3
Total expenses		985			383			479			346
Net investment income (loss)		78			(331	)		933			1,340
Realized gain (loss) on investments:
Realized gain (loss) on sale of fund shares		1,576			(388	)		(2,733	)		345
Realized gain distribution		2,107			2,258			-			2,980
Realized gains (losses)		3,683			1,870			(2,733	)		3,325
Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of investments during the period		49,436			10,112			6,925			2,363
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	$	53,197		$	11,651		$	5,125		$	7,028
	Global Real			LifePoints						LifePoints
	Estate			Moderate			LifePoints			Growth
	Securities			Strategy			Balanced			Strategy
	Division			Division			Strategy Division			Division
Income:
Dividend income	$	2,404		$	143		$	260		$	339
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risk charges		671			33			99			93
Taxes		4			1			3			2
Total expenses		675			34			102			95
Net investment income (loss)		1,729			109			158			244
Realized gain (loss) on investments:
Realized gain (loss) on sale of fund shares		(1,548	)		(201	)		(569	)		(618	)
Realized gain distribution		-			-			332			380
Realized gains (losses)		(1,548	)		(201	)		(237	)		(238	)
Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of investments during the period		(11,356	)		487			1,562			1,749
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	$	(11,175	)	$	395		$	1,483		$	1,755
				Credit Suisse
				Trust
	LifePoints			Commodity
	Equity Growth			Return
	Strategy			Strategy
	Division			Division
Income:
Dividend income	$	213		$	1,141
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risk charges		37			80
Taxes		1			-
Total expenses		38			80
Net investment income (loss)		175			1,061
Realized gain (loss) on investments:
Realized gain (loss) on sale of fund shares		(621	)		(2,116	)
Realized gain distribution		313			-
Realized gains (losses)		(308	)		(2,116	)
Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of investments during the period		298			949
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	$	165		$	(106	)

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-11

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

(in thousands)

	Growth Stock Division						Focused Appreciation Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	1,168		$	1,150		$	316		$	478
Net realized gains (losses)		115,065			68,788			21,899			22,930
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		66,006			57,241			48,308			31,875
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		182,239			127,179			70,523			55,283
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		8,945			11,540			2,505			3,393
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(19,241	)		(27,361	)		(5,711	)		(16,912	)
Mortality and other (net)		(11,060	)		(9,217	)		(4,574	)		(3,589	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		109,104			58,461			33,699			21,881
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(102,720	)		(59,770	)		(31,499	)		(21,590	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(14,972	)		(26,347	)		(5,580	)		(16,817	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		167,267			100,832			64,943			38,466
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		545,267			444,435			219,819			181,353
End of period	$	712,534		$	545,267		$	284,762		$	219,819
Units issued during the period		6,735			5,338			4,341			3,122
Units redeemed during the period		(8,256	)		(9,074	)		(4,774	)		(5,341	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(1,521	)		(3,736	)		(433	)		(2,219	)
	Large Cap Core Stock Division						Large Cap Blend Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	2,183		$	2,251		$	547		$	93
Net realized gains (losses)		16,849			20,750			121			1,423
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		49,075			53,758			403			1,229
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		68,107			76,759			1,071			2,745
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		6,756			7,127			253			287
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(12,656	)		(14,187	)		(112	)		(835	)
Mortality and other (net)		(6,597	)		(5,820	)		(225	)		(219	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		35,070			19,351			1,743			1,861
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(36,569	)		(19,607	)		(2,220	)		(2,359	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(13,996	)		(13,136	)		(561	)		(1,265	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		54,111			63,623			510			1,480
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		319,366			255,743			13,260			11,780
End of period	$	373,477		$	319,366		$	13,770		$	13,260
Units issued during the period		4,394			4,473			851			829
Units redeemed during the period		(7,007	)		(7,077	)		(994	)		(1,232	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(2,613	)		(2,604	)		(143	)		(403	)

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-12

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

(in thousands)

	Index 500 Stock Division						Large Company Value Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	19,617		$	17,980		$	258		$	257
Net realized gains (losses)		85,248			80,090			62			682
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		178,806			301,904			242			2,478
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		283,671			399,974			562			3,417
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		29,410			37,946			407			435
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(47,475	)		(62,749	)		(673	)		(1,441	)
Mortality and other (net)		(28,980	)		(27,106	)		(290	)		(245	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		196,869			145,726			5,762			2,222
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(205,143	)		(143,381	)		(3,955	)		(1,708	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(55,319	)		(49,564	)		1,251			(737	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		228,352			350,410			1,813			2,680
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		1,676,771			1,326,361			15,613			12,933
End of period	$	1,905,123		$	1,676,771		$	17,426		$	15,613
Units issued during the period		15,123			14,677			2,440			1,278
Units redeemed during the period		(21,151	)		(20,017	)		(2,152	)		(1,457	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(6,028	)		(5,340	)		288			(179	)
	Domestic Equity Division						Equity Income Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	3,181		$	2,983		$	4,807		$	2,417
Net realized gains (losses)		13,520			15,586			8,275			15,208
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		(17,278	)		20,470			(12,896	)		12,175
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		(577	)		39,039			186			29,800
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		4,433			4,418			1,952			3,570
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(3,366	)		(9,311	)		(3,869	)		(7,901	)
Mortality and other (net)		(3,678	)		(3,818	)		(2,164	)		(2,338	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		23,506			18,551			18,700			31,352
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(31,205	)		(22,786	)		(22,237	)		(36,423	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(10,310	)		(12,946	)		(7,618	)		(11,740	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		(10,887	)		26,093			(7,432	)		18,060
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		223,783			197,690			137,255			119,195
End of period	$	212,896		$	223,783		$	129,823		$	137,255
Units issued during the period		5,499			4,935			4,209			3,620
Units redeemed during the period		(8,204	)		(8,454	)		(5,902	)		(6,675	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(2,705	)		(3,519	)		(1,693	)		(3,055	)

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-13

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

(in thousands)

	Mid Cap Growth Stock Division						Index 400 Stock Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	(933	)	$	(1,419	)	$	3,154		$	2,795
Net realized gains (losses)		28,029			27,872			18,307			27,244
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		106,964			115,822			23,388			47,170
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		134,060			142,275			44,849			77,209
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		13,532			13,475			6,720			6,905
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(17,879	)		(25,940	)		(8,324	)		(15,265	)
Mortality and other (net)		(10,781	)		(10,183	)		(5,912	)		(5,812	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		43,825			26,266			59,241			62,922
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(48,948	)		(28,656	)		(65,314	)		(62,690	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(20,251	)		(25,038	)		(13,589	)		(13,940	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		113,809			117,237			31,260			63,269
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		562,896			445,659			372,368			309,099
End of period	$	676,705		$	562,896		$	403,628		$	372,368
Units issued during the period		5,716			5,977			5,876			5,643
Units redeemed during the period		(8,901	)		(10,036	)		(8,239	)		(7,838	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(3,185	)		(4,059	)		(2,363	)		(2,195	)
	Mid Cap Value Division						Small Cap Growth Stock Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	890		$	856		$	(1,042	)	$	(1,021	)
Net realized gains (losses)		1,240			8,809			21,624			47,053
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		(1,807	)		8,080			83,294			42,501
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		323			17,745			103,876			88,533
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		1,525			1,259			6,639			7,398
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(2,209	)		(2,736	)		(8,864	)		(15,014	)
Mortality and other (net)		(1,240	)		(1,313	)		(5,766	)		(5,247	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		11,476			8,489			50,050			34,236
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(14,942	)		(10,565	)		(54,923	)		(36,980	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(5,390	)		(4,866	)		(12,864	)		(15,607	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		(5,067	)		12,879			91,012			72,926
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		76,441			63,562			330,603			257,677
End of period	$	71,374		$	76,441		$	421,615		$	330,603
Units issued during the period		1,762			1,478			4,426			4,203
Units redeemed during the period		(2,828	)		(2,408	)		(6,568	)		(6,932	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(1,066	)		(930	)		(2,142	)		(2,729	)

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-14

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

(in thousands)

	Index 600 Stock Division						Small Cap Value Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	617		$	(83	)	$	116		$	71
Net realized gains (losses)		1,583			3,497			11,456			33,236
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		3,905			5,532			3,561			9,853
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		6,105			8,946			15,133			43,160
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		1,174			1,307			3,558			4,722
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(767	)		(1,966	)		(5,192	)		(8,681	)
Mortality and other (net)		(918	)		(637	)		(3,115	)		(3,398	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		21,161			16,252			10,124			9,403
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(18,320	)		(13,897	)		(17,462	)		(15,528	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		2,330			1,059			(12,087	)		(13,482	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		8,435			10,005			3,046			29,678
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		50,277			40,272			204,813			175,135
End of period	$	58,712		$	50,277		$	207,859		$	204,813
Units issued during the period		5,970			4,122			3,055			3,092
Units redeemed during the period		(4,668	)		(3,596	)		(5,626	)		(5,462	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		1,302			526			(2,571	)		(2,370	)
							Research International Core
	International Growth Division						Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	1,546		$	919		$	980		$	555
Net realized gains (losses)		2,071			15			1,421			1,976
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		17,483			31,121			5,081			8,018
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		21,100			32,055			7,482			10,549
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		3,786			3,873			667			(2,321	)
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(3,258	)		(7,410	)		(1,325	)		(1,827	)
Mortality and other (net)		(2,472	)		(1,848	)		(944	)		(596	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		32,239			18,214			28,117			25,897
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(30,326	)		(17,262	)		(24,159	)		(14,083	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(31	)		(4,433	)		2,356			7,070
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		21,069			27,622			9,838			17,619
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		122,981			95,359			53,645			36,026
End of period	$	144,050		$	122,981		$	63,483		$	53,645
Units issued during the period		6,314			5,287			8,133			12,847
Units redeemed during the period		(6,834	)		(6,957	)		(7,113	)		(7,416	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(520	)		(1,670	)		1,020			5,431

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-15

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

(in thousands)

							Emerging Markets Equity
	International Equity Division						Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	14,107		$	10,465		$	1,245		$	450
Net realized gains (losses)		(3,882	)		26,300			369			271
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		(27,537	)		21,318			17,071			10,881
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		(17,312	)		58,083			18,685			11,602
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		18,249			21,599			1,402			2,138
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(12,466	)		(24,330	)		(1,293	)		(3,210	)
Mortality and other (net)		(5,334	)		(8,800	)		(1,127	)		(1,025	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		46,851			42,006			16,503			14,790
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(56,584	)		(52,138	)		(13,302	)		(11,868	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(9,284	)		(21,663	)		2,183			825
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		(26,596	)		36,420			20,868			12,427
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		526,380			489,960			69,251			56,824
End of period	$	499,784		$	526,380		$	90,119		$	69,251
Units issued during the period		18,687			18,002			12,162			11,676
Units redeemed during the period		(21,756	)		(23,449	)		(11,040	)		(10,565	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(3,069	)		(5,447	)		1,122			1,111
	Government Money Market
	Division						Short-Term Bond Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	(259	)	$	2,313		$	566		$	482
Net realized gains (losses)		1			2			318			92
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		-			-			219			519
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		(258	)		2,315			1,103			1,093
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		35,425			43,281			133			1,105
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(24,977	)		(23,121	)		(840	)		(5,089	)
Mortality and other (net)		(4,877	)		(4,312	)		(539	)		(533	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		209,259			107,285			16,356			16,817
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(184,392	)		(127,831	)		(14,626	)		(7,946	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		30,438			(4,698	)		484			4,354
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		30,180			(2,383	)		1,587			5,447
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		152,147			154,530			30,340			24,893
End of period	$	182,327		$	152,147		$	31,927		$	30,340
Units issued during the period		110,895			62,690			11,138			13,859
Units redeemed during the period		(94,895	)		(62,028	)		(11,606	)		(7,508	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		16,000			662			(468	)		6,351

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-16

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

(in thousands)

							Long-Term U.S. Government
	Select Bond Division						Bond Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	6,905		$	6,145		$	234		$	218
Net realized gains (losses)		3,230			713			2,339			(253	)
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		12,690			13,342			(253	)		1,352
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		22,825			20,200			2,320			1,317
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		6,721			7,815			598			332
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(8,542	)		(12,079	)		(480	)		(79	)
Mortality and other (net)		(5,508	)		(4,736	)		(363	)		(226	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		136,521			101,553			11,308			4,716
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(119,883	)		(89,163	)		(7,561	)		(2,777	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		9,309			3,390			3,502			1,966
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		32,134			23,590			5,822			3,283
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		266,601			243,011			13,950			10,667
End of period	$	298,735		$	266,601		$	19,772		$	13,950
Units issued during the period		12,059			10,910			6,175			3,091
Units redeemed during the period		(9,726	)		(10,401	)		(4,252	)		(2,134	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		2,333			509			1,923			957
	Inflation Protection Division						High Yield Bond Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	239		$	256		$	6,240		$	5,881
Net realized gains (losses)		241			22			867			1,318
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		723			640			(314	)		8,209
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		1,203			918			6,793			15,408
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		(105	)		309			2,470			3,340
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(770	)		(455	)		(3,527	)		(5,362	)
Mortality and other (net)		(240	)		(185	)		(2,163	)		(2,153	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		15,736			7,624			44,994			24,561
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(12,463	)		(7,141	)		(46,217	)		(23,077	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		2,158			152			(4,443	)		(2,691	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		3,361			1,070			2,350			12,717
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		11,881			10,811			120,105			107,388
End of period	$	15,242		$	11,881		$	122,455		$	120,105
Units issued during the period		5,434			2,407			3,948			2,768
Units redeemed during the period		(4,243	)		(2,356	)		(4,774	)		(3,328	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		1,191			51			(826	)		(560	)

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-17

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

(in thousands)

	Multi-Sector Bond Division						Balanced Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	2,077		$	2,101		$	7,957		$	6,989
Net realized gains (losses)		(31	)		139			13,328			18,856
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		1,141			3,774			25,414			34,018
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		3,187			6,014			46,699			59,863
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		861			852			10,536			11,730
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(1,471	)		(2,029	)		(12,873	)		(16,713	)
Mortality and other (net)		(980	)		(862	)		(9,190	)		(8,815	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		18,075			14,514			43,404			69,764
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(13,386	)		(4,827	)		(42,144	)		(62,625	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		3,099			7,648			(10,267	)		(6,659	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		6,286			13,662			36,432			53,204
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		55,539			41,877			400,553			347,349
End of period	$	61,825		$	55,539		$	436,985		$	400,553
Units issued during the period		9,477			9,173			4,994			6,043
Units redeemed during the period		(8,702	)		(4,551	)		(5,749	)		(6,224	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		775			4,622			(755	)		(181	)
	Asset Allocation Division						Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	1,081		$	981		$	291		$	421
Net realized gains (losses)		3,120			4,171			3,380			20,645
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		3,110			4,749			24,679			13,976
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		7,311			9,901			28,350			35,042
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		316			1,825			4,471			4,882
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(1,023	)		(2,509	)		(5,566	)		(8,534	)
Mortality and other (net)		(1,202	)		(1,158	)		(3,078	)		(3,061	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		3,750			3,601			11,681			13,225
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(4,434	)		(2,723	)		(21,609	)		(19,640	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(2,593	)		(964	)		(14,101	)		(13,128	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		4,718			8,937			14,249			21,914
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		57,278			48,341			180,950			159,036
End of period	$	61,996		$	57,278		$	195,199		$	180,950
Units issued during the period		2,219			2,048			2,463			2,385
Units redeemed during the period		(2,969	)		(2,216	)		(4,536	)		(4,493	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(750	)		(168	)		(2,073	)		(2,108	)

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-18

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

(in thousands)

	Fidelity VIP Contrafund Division						AMT Sustainable Equity Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	(132	)	$	(103	)	$	15		$	2
Net realized gains (losses)		1,585			6,089			289			518
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		15,575			6,705			906			698
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		17,028			12,691			1,210			1,218
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		515			1,010			163			114
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(1,571	)		(1,658	)		(188	)		(217	)
Mortality and other (net)		(1,058	)		(820	)		(132	)		(86	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		17,846			7,162			2,649			1,732
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(9,616	)		(7,573	)		(1,885	)		(2,273	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		6,116			(1,879	)		607			(730	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		23,144			10,812			1,817			488
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		52,730			41,918			5,561			5,073
End of period	$	75,874		$	52,730		$	7,378		$	5,561
Units issued during the period		5,532			2,684			548			352
Units redeemed during the period		(3,922	)		(3,606	)		(359	)		(623	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		1,610			(922	)		189			(271	)
	U.S. Strategic Equity Division						U.S. Small Cap Equity Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	78		$	1,473		$	(331	)	$	140
Net realized gains (losses)		3,683			12,142			1,870			1,606
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		49,436			43,177			10,112			18,423
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		53,197			56,792			11,651			20,169
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		5,065			3,691			2,692			2,689
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(7,098	)		(10,473	)		(3,165	)		(5,836	)
Mortality and other (net)		(4,280	)		(3,937	)		(1,698	)		(1,796	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		13,336			9,095			13,532			8,664
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(17,898	)		(13,118	)		(15,571	)		(10,518	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(10,875	)		(14,742	)		(4,210	)		(6,797	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		42,322			42,050			7,441			13,372
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		237,880			195,830			104,692			91,320
End of period	$	280,202		$	237,880		$	112,133		$	104,692
Units issued during the period		4,675			4,992			2,504			2,388
Units redeemed during the period		(8,194	)		(10,133	)		(3,705	)		(4,199	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(3,519	)		(5,141	)		(1,201	)		(1,811	)

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-19

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

(in thousands)

	International Developed Markets Division						Strategic Bond Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	933		$	2,760		$	1,340		$	2,051
Net realized gains (losses)		(2,733	)		(1,971	)		3,325			894
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		6,925			21,073			2,363			4,196
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		5,125			21,862			7,028			7,141
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		3,584			4,029			1,779			2,831
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(2,620	)		(7,912	)		(2,269	)		(5,318	)
Mortality and other (net)		(1,959	)		(2,271	)		(1,893	)		(1,655	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		25,493			19,212			102,903			57,505
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(28,759	)		(19,606	)		(103,654	)		(53,867	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(4,261	)		(6,548	)		(3,134	)		(504	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		864			15,314			3,894			6,637
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		131,391			116,077			88,249			81,612
End of period	$	132,255		$	131,391		$	92,143		$	88,249
Units issued during the period		6,839			6,299			8,281			5,898
Units redeemed during the period		(8,708	)		(8,981	)		(8,270	)		(6,629	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(1,869	)		(2,682	)		11			(731	)
	Global Real Estate Securities Division						LifePoints Moderate Strategy Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	1,729		$	8,410		$	109		$	56
Net realized gains (losses)		(1,548	)		(2,162	)		(201	)		104
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		(11,356	)		27,356			487			671
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		(11,175	)		33,604			395			831
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		4,966			5,368			290			353
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		(4,946	)		(10,384	)		(223	)		(298	)
Mortality and other (net)		(2,906	)		(3,234	)		(167	)		(189	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		32,898			23,645			1,506			1,039
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(36,893	)		(23,405	)		(1,645	)		(951	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(6,881	)		(8,010	)		(239	)		(46	)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		(18,056	)		25,594			156			785
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		186,744			161,150			7,499			6,714
End of period	$	168,688		$	186,744		$	7,655		$	7,499
Units issued during the period		3,470			3,334			1,337			967
Units redeemed during the period		(4,808	)		(4,707	)		(1,514	)		(959	)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(1,338	)		(1,373	)		(177	)		8

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-20

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT

(in thousands)

	LifePoints Balanced Strategy Division						LifePoints Growth Strategy Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	158		$	246		$	244		$	53
Net realized gains (losses)		(237	)		(136	)		(238	)		985
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		1,562			3,026			1,749			2,553
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		1,483			3,136			1,755			3,591
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		408			546			(128	)		673
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		270			(552	)		(574	)		(1,800	)
Mortality and other (net)		(434	)		(467	)		(405	)		(431	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		3,077			2,987			1,031			1,325
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(3,242)			(1,494)			(2,309)			(1,032)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		79			1,020			(2,385)			(1,265)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		1,562			4,156			(630	)		2,326
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		23,489			19,333			23,337			21,011
End of period	$	25,051		$	23,489		$	22,707		$	23,337
Units issued during the period		3,029			2,394			1,170			1,464
Units redeemed during the period		(2,940)			(2,328)			(2,008)			(2,225)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		89			66			(838	)		(761	)
	LifePoints Equity Growth Strategy Division						Credit Suisse Trust Commodity Return Strategy Division
	Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019			Year Ended December 31, 2020			Year Ended December 31, 2019
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)	$	175		$	(24	)	$	1,061		$	101
Net realized gains (losses)		(308	)		633			(2,116	)		(1,972	)
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)		298			1,536			949			3,120
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations		165			2,145			(106)			1,249
Policy Transactions:
Policy owners’ net payments		(446	)		363			757			1,085
Policy loans, surrenders and death benefits		435			(471	)		(270	)		(767	)
Mortality and other (net)		(135	)		(198	)		(327	)		(336	)
Transfers from other divisions or sponsor		322			336			8,408			6,889
Transfers to other divisions or sponsor		(3,435)			(1,486)			(6,800)			(6,765)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from contract transactions		(3,259)			(1,456)			1,768			106
Net increase (decrease) in net assets		(3,094	)		689			1,662			1,355
Net Assets:
Beginning of period		12,286			11,597			21,391			20,036
End of period	$	9,192		$	12,286		$	23,053		$	21,391
Units issued during the period		394			691			2,354			1,765
Units redeemed during the period		(2,354)			(1,640)			(1,963)			(1,765)
Net units issued (redeemed) during period		(1,960	)		(949	)		391			—

The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of these Financial Statements.

F-21

Notes to Financial Statements

1. Organization

Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account (“the Account”) is registered as a unit investment trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and is a segregated asset account of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (“Northwestern Mutual” or “sponsor”) used to fund variable life insurance policies (“the Policies”).

All assets of each Division of the Account are invested in shares of the corresponding Portfolio of Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc., Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund, Neuberger Berman Advisers Management Trust, Russell Investment Funds and Credit Suisse Trust (collectively known as “the Funds”). The Funds are open-end investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The financial statements for the Funds should be read in conjunction with the financial statements of the Divisions. Each Division of the account indirectly bears exposure to the market, credit and liquidity risks of the Funds in which it invests.

New sales of the Policies which invest in the Account were discontinued for Variable CompLife, Variable Executive Life, and Variable Joint Life policies in 2008; Variable Life was discontinued in 1995. However, premium payments made by policyowners existing at that date will continue to be recorded by the Account.

2. Significant Accounting Policies

A. Use of Estimates – The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets for use in estimates. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

B. Investment Valuation – The shares are valued at the Funds’ offering and redemption prices per share. As of December 31, 2020, all of the Account’s investments are identified as Level 1 securities for valuation purposes under the Fair Value Measurement Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. Level 1 fair value is determined by unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical securities or derivatives. Level 2 fair value is determined by other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities). Level 3 fair value is determined by significant unobservable inputs (including the Account’s own assumptions in determining fair value). There were no transfers between levels during the year. All changes in fair value are recorded as change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of investments during the period in the statements of operations of the applicable Division.

C. Investment Income, Securities Transactions and Policy Dividends – Transactions in the Funds’ shares are accounted for on the trade date. The basis for determining cost on sale of the Funds’ shares is identified cost. Dividend income and distributions of net realized gains from the Funds are recorded on the ex–date of the dividends. Dividends and distributions received are reinvested in additional shares of the respective portfolios of the Funds. The Policies are eligible to receive policy dividends from Northwestern Mutual. Any policy dividends reinvested in the Account are reflected in Policyowners’ net payments in the accompanying financial statements.

D. Due to Participants – Upon notification of death of the policyowner, a liability is recorded and is included in Due to Participants in the accompanying financial statements. This liability is identified as Level 1 for valuation purposes under the Fair Value Measurement Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification.

E. Taxes – Northwestern Mutual is taxed as a “life insurance company” under the Internal Revenue Code. The Policies, which are funded in the Account, are taxed as part of the operations of Northwestern Mutual. The Policies provide that a charge for taxes may be made against the assets of the Account. Currently, for Variable Life policies issued before October 11, 1995, Northwestern Mutual charges the Account at an annual rate of 0.05% of the Account’s net assets and reserves the right to increase, decrease or eliminate the charge for taxes in the future. Currently, for Variable CompLife policies issued on or after October 11, 1995, Variable Executive Life policies issued on or after March 2, 1998, and Variable Joint Life policies issued on or after December 10, 1998, there is no charge being made against the assets of the Account for federal income taxes, but Northwestern Mutual reserves the right to charge for taxes in the future.

F. Premium Payments – For Variable Life and Variable CompLife policies, the Account is credited for the policyowners’ net annual premiums at the respective policy anniversary dates regardless of when policyowners actually pay their premiums. Northwestern Mutual’s equity represents any unpaid portion of net annual premiums.

3. Purchases and Sales of Investments

Purchases and sales of the Funds’ shares for the year ended December 31, 2020 were as follows (amounts in thousands):

Fund Name	Purchases		Sales
Growth Stock Division	$	135,109	$	49,077
Focused Appreciation Division		34,183		28,753
Large Cap Core Stock Division		25,915		28,586
Large Cap Blend Division		2,407		2,274
Index 500 Stock Division		132,547		135,853
Large Company Value Division		5,917		3,864
Domestic Equity Division		22,245		20,268
Equity Income Division		19,098		16,632
Mid Cap Growth Stock Division		42,888		39,720
Index 400 Stock Division		35,688		30,261
Mid Cap Value Division		5,591		10,009
Small Cap Growth Stock Division		33,380		28,111
Index 600 Stock Division		11,738		6,943
Small Cap Value Division		18,266		19,173
International Growth Division		14,244		12,207
Research International Core Division		11,216		6,734
International Equity Division		39,303		34,632

F-22

Notes to Financial Statements

Fund Name	Purchases		Sales
Emerging Markets Equity Division	$	11,267	$	7,807
Government Money Market Division		130,388		99,913
Short-Term Bond Division		13,030		11,996
Select Bond Division		44,469		26,766
Long-Term U.S. Government Bond Division		12,150		7,142
Inflation Protection Bond Division		6,584		4,187
High Yield Bond Division		17,498		15,713
Multi-Sector Bond Division		15,224		9,980
Balanced Division		44,366		32,805
Asset Allocation Division		9,068		8,145
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Division		7,988		21,771
Fidelity VIP Contrafund Division		15,096		8,808
AMT Sustainable Equity Division		1,603		729
U.S. Strategic Equity Division		9,044		17,730
U.S. Small Cap Equity Division		6,298		8,567
International Developed Markets Division		8,793		12,164
Strategic Bond Division		17,720		16,531
Global Real Estate Securities Division		9,864		14,950
LifePoints Moderate Strategy Division		1,809		1,939
LifePoints Balanced Strategy Division		5,030		4,460
LifePoints Growth Strategy Division		2,401		4,164
LifePoints Equity Growth Strategy Division		1,674		4,446
Credit Suisse Trust Commodity Return Strategy Division		5,879		3,049

4. Expenses and Related Party Transactions

A deduction for mortality and expense risks is paid to Northwestern Mutual. Mortality risk is the risk that insureds may not live as long as estimated. Expense risk is the risk that expenses of issuing and administering the Policies may exceed the estimated costs.

For Variable Life and Variable CompLife policies, the deduction is determined daily at an annual rate of 0.50% and 0.45%, respectively, of the net assets of the Account. These charges are reflected as a reduction in invested assets and are included in Mortality and expense risk charges on the statements of operations.

A deduction for the mortality and expense risks for Variable Executive Life policies is determined monthly at an annual rate of 0.48% of the amount invested in the Account for the Policy for the first ten Policy years, and 0.05% thereafter for policies with the Cash Value Amendment, or 0.03% thereafter for the policies without the Cash Value Amendment.

A deduction for the mortality and expense risks for Variable Joint Life policies is determined monthly at an annual rate of 0.00% of the amount invested in the Account. Additional Variable Joint Life mortality and expense risks deductions are determined annually and are paid to Northwestern Mutual for the first ten Policy years based on the age of the insured individuals at the time the policy was issued.

Additional mortality costs are deducted from the Policies annually for Variable Life and Variable CompLife policies, and monthly for Variable Executive Life and Variable Joint Life policies and are paid to Northwestern Mutual to cover the cost of providing insurance protection. For Variable Life and Variable CompLife policies, this cost is actuarially calculated based upon the insured’s age, the 1980 Commissioners Standard Ordinary Mortality Table and the amount of insurance provided under the policy. For Variable Executive Life and Variable Joint Life policies, the cost reflects expected mortality costs based upon actual experience.

Certain deductions are also made from the annual, single or other premiums before amounts are allocated to the Account. These deductions are for sales load, administrative expenses, taxes and a risk charge for the guaranteed minimum death benefit among other charges which are detailed in the Prospectus.

Mortality and expense risks deductions for Variable Executive Life and Variable Joint Life policies, as well as the noted additional mortality costs and other deductions for each of the products are reflected as a reduction in units and are included in Mortality and other on the statements of changes in net assets.

5. COVID-19

During the first quarter of 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a public health emergency. COVID-19 has led to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on U.S. and world economies and markets in general. COVID-19 may adversely impact the value of the Account’s investments. Because of the uncertainties regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the global economy, and business operations, and securities markets, values reflected in these financial statements may materially differ from the value received upon actual sales of those investments.

The extent of the impact on the performance of the Account and its investments will depend on future developments, including the duration and spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, related restrictions and advisories, and the effects on the financial markets and economy overall, all of which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted.

F-23

Notes to Financial Statements

6. Financial Highlights

As of the respective period end date:										For the respective period ended:
Units Outstanding (000’s)		Unit Value, Lowest to Highest					Net Assets     (000’s)			Dividend Income as a% of Average Net Assets		Expense Ratio, Lowest to Highest (1)	Total Return Lowest to Highest (1)
Growth Stock Division
2020	68,670	$	9.197199	to	$	130.365531	$		712,534	0.63	%	0.00% to 0.55%		34.23		%	to	34.97		%
2019	70,191		6.844781	to		96.585761			545,267	0.66		0.00 to 0.55		28.98			to	29.68
2018	73,927		5.301752	to		74.477290			444,435	0.70		0.00 to 0.55		0.70			to	1.26
2017	75,993		5.259578	to		73.551913			455,218	0.86		0.00 to 0.55		23.59			to	24.27
2016	78,732		4.251519	to		59.189518			381,579	0.87		0.00 to 0.55		1.91			to	2.47
Focused Appreciation Division
2020	28,885	$	8.398901	to	$	91.289389	$		284,762	0.55	%	0.00% to 0.55%		31.82		%	to	32.55		%
2019	29,318		6.365138	to		68.873586			219,819	0.64		0.00 to 0.55		31.25			to	31.97
2018	31,537		4.844807	to		52.188290			181,353	0.49		0.00 to 0.55		(2.87	)		to	(2.34	)
2017	32,539		4.983314	to		53.438372			191,961	0.72		0.00 to 0.55		32.89			to	33.62
2016	33,700		3.746116	to		39.992151			146,387	0.24		0.00 to 0.55		5.30			to	5.87
Large Cap Core Stock Division
2020	55,805	$	5.718617	to	$	80.301917	$		373,477	1.12	%	0.00% to 0.55%		22.07		%	to	22.74		%
2019	58,418		4.680129	to		65.424142			319,366	1.20		0.00 to 0.55		30.47			to	31.19
2018	61,022		3.583452	to		49.869208			255,743	1.51		0.00 to 0.55		(6.55	)		to	(6.04	)
2017	63,131		3.831001	to		53.073917			282,834	1.76		0.00 to 0.55		24.19			to	24.87
2016	71,653		2.759081	to		37.544148			233,882	1.15		0.00 to 0.55		27.88			to	28.58
Large Cap Blend Division
2020	4,823	$	2.662920	to	$	23.385328	$		13,770	5.08	%	0.00% to 0.55%		9.45		%	to	10.05		%
2019	4,966		2.430590	to		21.249241			13,260	1.12		0.00 to 0.55		23.29			to	23.97
2018	5,369		1.969452	to		17.140701			11,780	0.78		0.00 to 0.55		(4.53	)		to	(4.00	)
2017	5,549		2.060897	to		17.855817			12,473	0.92		0.00 to 0.55		18.38			to	19.02
2016	5,069		1.739254	to		15.001832			9,582	1.06		0.00 to 0.55		13.36			to	13.99
Index 500 Stock Division
2020	175,531	$	8.939275	to	$	210.492951		$1,905,123		1.63	%	0.00% to 0.55%		17.53		%	to	18.18		%
2019	181,559		7.598098	to		178.109105		1,676,771		1.61		0.00 to 0.55		30.46			to	31.18
2018	186,899		5.818234	to		135.776139		1,326,361		1.60		0.00 to 0.55		(5.10	)		to	(4.58	)
2017	191,990		6.124794	to		142.286114		1,445,616		1.76		0.00 to 0.55		20.85			to	21.52
2016	196,058		5.062909	to		117.092375		1,222,210		1.85		0.00 to 0.55		11.12			to	11.73
Large Company Value Division
2020	6,285	$	2.385488	to	$	20.613433	$		17,426	2.21	%	0.00% to 0.55%		2.07		%	to	2.64		%
2019	5,997		2.334690	to		20.083819			15,613	2.21		0.00 to 0.55		26.96			to	27.66
2018	6,176		1.837071	to		15.732361			12,933	1.78		0.00 to 0.55		(8.43	)		to	(7.92	)
2017	6,091		2.004205	to		17.086312			13,497	2.00		0.00 to 0.55		10.49			to	11.10
2016	6,290		1.812084	to		15.379433			12,809	1.71		0.00 to 0.55		14.73			to	15.36
Domestic Equity Division
2020	57,688	$	3.228727	to	$	35.463950	$		212,896	2.11	%	0.00% to 0.55%		0.18		%	to	0.73		%
2019	60,393		3.219819	to		35.207252			223,783	1.83		0.00 to 0.55		20.11			to	20.77
2018	63,912		2.678096	to		29.152607			197,690	1.74		0.00 to 0.55		(3.34	)		to	(2.81	)
2017	67,362		2.768059	to		29.996128			217,712	1.62		0.00 to 0.55		13.16			to	13.78
2016	71,274		2.443831	to		26.364364			203,723	1.86		0.00 to 0.55		14.35			to	14.98
Equity Income Division
2020	29,859	$	3.767909	to	$	40.954303	$		129,823	4.65	%	0.00% to 0.55%		0.65		%	to	1.20		%
2019	31,552		3.739921	to		40.467475			137,255	2.29		0.00 to 0.55		25.92			to	26.61
2018	34,607		2.967059	to		31.961107			119,195	2.01		0.00 to 0.55		(9.84	)		to	(9.35	)
2017	35,456		3.287847	to		35.257091			135,832	2.20		0.00 to 0.55		15.61			to	16.24
2016	37,103		2.841098	to		30.330455			122,350	2.03		0.00 to 0.55		18.52			to	19.17

⁽¹⁾ Total return includes deductions for management and other expenses; it excludes deductions for sales loads and other charges, which are a reduction in units. The expense ratios further reflect only those expenses which impact total return. For additional information regarding all expenses assessed, refer to the accompanying notes.

F-24

Notes to Financial Statements

6. Financial Highlights

	As of the respective period end date:									For the respective period ended:
	Units Outstanding (000’s)		Unit Value, Lowest to Highest					Net Assets (000’s)		Dividend Income as a% of Average Net Assets			Expense Ratio, Lowest to Highest (1)		Total Return Lowest to Highest (1)
Mid Cap Growth Stock Division
2020		83,987	$	6.778346	to	$	193.811117	$	676,705		0.28	%		0.00% to 0.55%		24.72	%	to	25.41	%
2019		87,172		5.429275	to		154.540637		562,896		0.18			0.00 to 0.55		32.29		to	33.01
2018		91,231		4.100122	to		116.184426		445,659		0.13			0.00 to 0.55		(7.89	)	to	(7.38	)
2017		94,455		4.446849	to		125.441587		501,695		0.25			0.00 to 0.55		19.63		to	20.29
2016		97,909		3.713373	to		104.283373		434,672		0.19			0.00 to 0.55		0.28		to	0.83
Index 400 Stock Division
2020		56,416	$	6.407252	to	$	75.180406	$	403,628		1.38	%		0.00% to 0.55%		12.75	%	to	13.37	%
2019		58,779		5.677085	to		66.313755		372,368		1.21			0.00 to 0.55		25.20		to	25.88
2018		60,974		4.530052	to		52.678316		309,099		1.11			0.00 to 0.55		(11.82	)	to	(11.33	)
2017		62,321		5.132177	to		59.411237		358,143		1.07			0.00 to 0.55		15.33		to	15.96
2016		64,605		4.445732	to		51.235085		321,909		1.15			0.00 to 0.55		19.72		to	20.38
Mid Cap Value Division
2020		13,830	$	4.609170	to	$	50.098747	$	71,374		1.83	%		0.00% to 0.55%		1.11	%	to	1.67	%
2019		14,896		4.554015	to		49.276848		76,441		1.61			0.00 to 0.55		28.50		to	29.21
2018		15,826		3.540449	to		38.138006		63,562		1.60			0.00 to 0.55		(13.33	)	to	(12.85	)
2017		16,920		4.080949	to		43.762109		78,440		1.44			0.00 to 0.55		11.20		to	11.81
2016		17,981		3.666285	to		39.139970		74,486		1.68			0.00 to 0.55		22.56		to	23.23
Small Cap Growth Stock Division
2020		49,853	$	7.745486	to	$	104.149054	$	421,615		0.11	%		0.00% to 0.55%		32.74	%	to	33.47	%
2019		51,995		5.829238	to		78.030714		330,603		0.10			0.00 to 0.55		34.95		to	35.69
2018		54,724		4.315234	to		57.505467		257,677		0.00			0.00 to 0.55		(12.19	)	to	(11.71	)
2017		56,874		4.909491	to		65.129570		305,351		0.11			0.00 to 0.55		20.94		to	21.61
2016		59,134		4.055279	to		53.557262		262,833		0.23			0.00 to 0.55		11.64		to	12.25
Index 600 Stock Division
2020		19,313	$	2.662820	to	$	30.394793	$	58,712		1.79	%		0.00% to 0.55%		10.32	%	to	10.93	%
2019		18,011		2.411252	to		27.399696		50,277		0.25			0.00 to 0.55		21.77		to	22.44
2018		17,485		1.978237	to		22.378619		40,272		1.41			0.00 to 0.55		(9.28	)	to	(8.78	)
2017		15,104		2.178475	to		24.532713		38,659		1.86			0.00 to 0.55		12.31		to	12.93
2016		13,434		1.937744	to		21.724279		30,548		0.58			0.00 to 0.55		25.43		to	26.12
Small Cap Value Division
2020		35,490	$	5.213261	to	$	57.260960	$	207,859		0.51	%		0.00% to 0.55%		8.69	%	to	9.29	%
2019		38,061		4.791826	to		52.395678		204,813		0.47			0.00 to 0.55		25.20		to	25.89
2018		40,431		3.823467	to		41.620093		175,135		0.53			0.00 to 0.55		(13.21	)	to	(12.73	)
2017		42,358		4.400993	to		47.690780		211,637		0.77			0.00 to 0.55		11.04		to	11.65
2016		44,467		3.959369	to		42.713658		199,932		0.93			0.00 to 0.55		31.67		to	32.39
International Growth Division
2020		40,898	$	3.105508	to	$	34.110132	$	144,050		1.69	%		0.00% to 0.55%		17.26	%	to	17.91	%
2019		41,418		2.645647	to		28.928599		122,981		1.25			0.00 to 0.55		34.07		to	34.80
2018		43,088		1.971431	to		21.459907		95,359		1.40			0.00 to 0.55		(11.76	)	to	(11.28	)
2017		43,701		2.232113	to		24.188049		110,000		1.30			0.00 to 0.55		29.32		to	30.03
2016		43,639		1.832844	to		19.596007		90,803		1.30			0.00 to 0.55		(5.04	)	to	(4.52	)
Research International Core Division
2020		33,769	$	1.643464	to	$	16.084924	$	63,483		2.26	%		0.00% to 0.55%		12.84	%	to	13.46	%
2019		32,749		1.454984	to		14.176293		53,645		1.66			0.00 to 0.55		27.55		to	28.25
2018		27,318		1.139564	to		11.053328		36,026		1.66			0.00 to 0.55		(14.14	)	to	(13.66	)
2017		25,545		1.325886	to		12.802534		39,047		1.68			0.00 to 0.55		27.51		to	28.21
2016		21,617		1.038788	to		9.985604		26,555		1.77			0.00 to 0.55		(1.66	)	to	(1.12	)

⁽¹⁾ Total return includes deductions for management and other expenses; it excludes deductions for sales loads and other charges, which are a reduction in units. The expense ratios further reflect only those expenses which impact total return. For additional information regarding all expenses assessed, refer to the accompanying notes.

F-25

Notes to Financial Statements

6. Financial Highlights

	As of the respective period end date:									For the respective period ended:
	Units Outstanding (000’s)		Unit Value, Lowest to Highest					Net Assets (000’s)		Dividend Income as a % of Average Net Assets			Expense Ratio, Lowest to Highest (1)		Total Return Lowest to Highest (1)
International Equity Division
2020		120,453	$	3.584281	to	$	5.647675	$	499,784		3.58	%		0.00% to 0.55%		(3.24	)%	to	(2.71	) %
2019		123,522		3.700743	to		5.804990		526,380		2.49			0.00 to 0.55		11.98		to	12.60
2018		128,969		3.301503	to		5.155553		489,960		2.50			0.00 to 0.55		(15.87	)	to	(15.41	)
2017		132,108		3.920448	to		6.094491		598,133		2.35			0.00 to 0.55		21.63		to	22.30
2016		134,698		3.220087	to		4.983406		502,291		2.14			0.00 to 0.55		2.33		to	2.89
Emerging Markets Equity Division
2020		59,092	$	1.334398	to	$	16.321818	$	90,119		2.26	%		0.00% to 0.55%		26.16	%	to	26.86	%
2019		57,970		1.056655	to		12.866468		69,251		1.11			0.00 to 0.55		19.94		to	20.60
2018		56,859		0.880106	to		10.668771		56,824		1.31			0.00 to 0.55		(14.23	)	to	(13.75	)
2017		53,406		1.025080	to		12.370178		62,871		0.92			0.00 to 0.55		27.14		to	27.84
2016		42,450		0.805449	to		9.676365		39,231		0.72			0.00 to 0.55		8.47		to	9.06
Government Money Market Division
2020		95,304	$	1.566628	to	$	43.480109	$	182,327		0.26	%		0.00% to 0.55%		(0.24	) %	to	0.31	%
2019		79,304		1.568812	to		43.345856		152,147		1.92			0.00 to 0.55		1.38		to	1.94
2018		78,642		1.545924	to		42.522150		154,530		1.53			0.00 to 0.55		0.97		to	1.53
2017		77,104		1.529296	to		41.875417		147,850		0.59			0.00 to 0.55		0.05		to	0.60
2016		83,720		1.527011	to		41.625993		164,799		0.12			0.00 to 0.55		(0.42	)	to	0.13
Short-Term Bond Division
2020		22,525	$	1.125573	to	$	13.954768	$	31,927		2.30	%		0.00% to 0.55%		3.72	%	to	4.29	%
2019		22,993		1.084100	to		13.380170		30,340		2.05			0.00 to 0.55		3.81		to	4.38
2018		16,642		1.043226	to		12.818134		24,893		1.54			0.00 to 0.55		0.81		to	1.36
2017		16,212		1.033965	to		12.646732		22,489		1.28			0.00 to 0.55		0.78		to	1.33
2016		16,506		1.025038	to		12.481062		20,405		1.19			0.00 to 0.55		1.12		to	1.67
Select Bond Division
2020		73,291	$	3.297004	to	$	268.089237	$	298,735		2.81	%		0.00% to 0.55%		8.38	%	to	8.98	%
2019		70,958		3.038977	to		245.997917		266,601		2.77			0.00 to 0.55		8.06		to	8.65
2018		70,449		2.809628	to		226.413644		243,011		2.25			0.00 to 0.55		(0.76	)	to	(0.21	)
2017		70,939		2.828365	to		226.897252		251,754		2.07			0.00 to 0.55		3.02		to	3.58
2016		70,949		2.742774	to		219.047810		249,118		1.94			0.00 to 0.55		2.49		to	3.06
Long-Term U.S Government Bond Division
2020		9,845	$	1.873219	to	$	26.913884	$	19,772		1.66	%		0.00% to 0.55%		16.73	%	to	17.37	%
2019		7,922		1.603184	to		22.930587		13,950		2.20			0.00 to 0.55		12.55		to	13.17
2018		6,965		1.423026	to		20.262648		10,667		2.02			0.00 to 0.55		(2.58	)	to	(2.04	)
2017		6,284		1.459300	to		20.685508		9,880		1.86			0.00 to 0.55		7.69		to	8.28
2016		6,543		1.353810	to		19.104481		9,594		1.87			0.00 to 0.55		0.54		to	1.09
Inflation Protection Division
2020		9,384	$	1.278801	to	$	17.146141	$	15,242		2.12	%		0.00% to 0.55%		8.97	%	to	9.57	%
2019		8,193		1.172363	to		15.648347		11,881		2.63			0.00 to 0.55		8.42		to	9.02
2018		8,142		1.080225	to		14.354000		10,811		2.09			0.00 to 0.55		(3.14	)	to	(2.61	)
2017		7,799		1.114216	to		14.738894		10,493		0.69			0.00 to 0.55		3.01		to	3.58
2016		6,910		1.080563	to		14.229840		8,987		1.23			0.00 to 0.55		4.11		to	4.68
High Yield Bond Division
2020		22,827	$	4.679675	to	$	63.375613	$	122,455		5.82	%		0.00% to 0.55%		6.06	%	to	6.64	%
2019		23,653		4.407984	to		59.428074		120,105		5.49			0.00 to 0.55		14.34		to	14.97
2018		24,213		3.851321	to		51.690668		107,388		5.42			0.00 to 0.55		(3.24	)	to	(2.71	)
2017		25,336		3.976385	to		53.128855		116,367		5.44			0.00 to 0.55		6.30		to	6.88
2016		25,741		3.737039	to		49.707921		110,842		5.33			0.00 to 0.55		13.97		to	14.60

⁽¹⁾ Total return includes deductions for management and other expenses; it excludes deductions for sales loads and other charges, which are a reduction in units. The expense ratios further reflect only those expenses which impact total return. For additional information regarding all expenses assessed, refer to the accompanying notes.

F-26

Notes to Financial Statements

6. Financial Highlights

	As of the respective period end date:									For the respective period ended:
	Units Outstanding (000’s)		Unit Value, Lowest to Highest					Net Assets (000’s)		Dividend Income as a % of Average Net Assets			Expense Ratio, Lowest to Highest (1)			Total Return Lowest to Highest (1)
Multi-Sector Bond Division
2020		33,262	$	1.600950	to	$	22.433485	$	61,825		4.14	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		5.55	%	to	6.13	%
2019		32,487		1.515308	to		21.138053		55,539		4.66			0.00 to 0.55			13.42		to	14.04
2018		27,865		1.334721	to		18.535667		41,877		3.12			0.00 to 0.55			(1.84	)	to	(1.30	)
2017		26,759		1.358433	to		18.780164		40,381		3.85			0.00 to 0.55			7.79		to	8.38
2016		23,443		1.258995	to		17.327635		32,977		4.53			0.00 to 0.55			10.48		to	11.09
Balanced Division
2020		44,992	$	4.948376	to	$	277.610210	$	436,985		2.47	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		11.87	%	to	12.49	%
2019		45,747		4.418751	to		246.784874		400,553		2.30			0.00 to 0.55			17.28		to	17.92
2018		45,928		3.764026	to		209.277798		347,349		2.37			0.00 to 0.55			(3.98	)	to	(3.45	)
2017		47,261		3.916267	to		216.761163		375,073		2.19			0.00 to 0.55			11.37		to	11.98
2016		48,762		3.512832	to		193.563662		347,403		2.26			0.00 to 0.55			6.00		to	6.58
Asset Allocation Division
2020		16,667	$	3.004653	to	$	33.001529	$	61,996		2.36	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		12.81	%	to	13.43	%
2019		17,417		2.660780	to		29.093477		57,278		2.23			0.00 to 0.55			20.42		to	21.08
2018		17,585		2.207402	to		24.028105		48,341		1.99			0.00 to 0.55			(5.40	)	to	(4.88	)
2017		18,186		2.331046	to		25.259678		53,600		2.07			0.00 to 0.55			14.25		to	14.87
2016		17,637		2.038314	to		21.988973		44,895		2.37			0.00 to 0.55			7.20		to	7.79
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Division
2020		26,549	$	6.482361	to	$	70.458211	$	195,199		0.62	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		17.42	%	to	18.07	%
2019		28,622		5.515184	to		59.676525		180,950		0.67			0.00 to 0.55			22.50		to	23.17
2018		30,730		4.497777	to		48.449732		159,036		0.40			0.00 to 0.55			(15.24	)	to	(14.77	)
2017		31,890		5.301232	to		56.847028		195,568		0.49			0.00 to 0.55			19.88		to	20.54
2016		33,080		4.417776	to		47.161926		169,985		0.32			0.00 to 0.55			11.31		to	11.92
Fidelity VIP Contrafund Division
2020		20,337	$	3.167508	to	$	35.233871	$	75,874		0.22	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		29.74	%	to	30.46	%
2019		18,727		2.438969	to		27.008170		52,730		0.22			0.00 to 0.55			30.56		to	31.27
2018		19,649		1.866274	to		20.573795		41,918		0.44			0.00 to 0.55			(7.15	)	to	(6.64	)
2017		19,612		2.008049	to		22.036922		44,858		0.77			0.00 to 0.55			20.92		to	21.59
2016		20,138		1.658952	to		18.124509		38,211		0.62			0.00 to 0.55			7.14		to	7.73
AMT Sustainable Equity Division
2020		2,052	$	2.707463	to	$	29.909730	$	7,378		0.64	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		18.91	%	to	19.56	%
2019		1,863		2.274699	to		25.016087		5,561		0.41			0.00 to 0.55			25.20		to	25.88
2018		2,134		1.815096	to		19.872228		5,073		0.51			0.00 to 0.55			(6.23	)	to	(5.72	)
2017		2,092		1.933853	to		21.076980		5,287		0.51			0.00 to 0.55			17.78		to	18.43
2016		2,390		1.640254	to		17.797220		4,887		0.71			0.00 to 0.55			9.26		to	9.86
U.S. Strategic Equity Division
2020		79,892	$	3.107894	to	$	35.592905	$	280,202		0.45	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		23.16	%	to	23.84	%
2019		83,411		2.520964	to		28.741505		237,880		1.07			0.00 to 0.55			29.55		to	30.26
2018		88,552		1.943977	to		22.064057		195,830		1.15			0.00 to 0.55			(10.14	)	to	(9.64	)
2017		92,817		2.161152	to		24.418364		230,509		1.02			0.00 to 0.55			20.14		to	20.80
2016		99,289		1.797106	to		20.214494		204,986		1.04			0.00 to 0.55			10.03		to	10.64
U.S. Small Cap Equity Division
2020		27,996	$	3.587903	to	$	42.144292	$	112,133		0.06	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		12.08	%	to	12.70	%
2019		29,197		3.197903	to		37.394611		104,692		0.56			0.00 to 0.55			22.40		to	23.07
2018		31,008		2.610168	to		30.385277		91,320		0.47			0.00 to 0.55			(12.45	)	to	(11.97	)
2017		32,697		2.978626	to		34.518205		110,459		0.18			0.00 to 0.55			14.85		to	15.48
2016		34,090		2.590944	to		29.891437		100,382		0.83			0.00 to 0.55			18.01		to	18.66

⁽¹⁾Total return includes deductions for management and other expenses; it excludes deductions for sales loads and other charges, which are a reduction in units. The expense ratios further reflect only those expenses which impact total return. For additional information regarding all expenses assessed, refer to the accompanying notes. Returns are not annualized for periods less than one year.

F-27

Notes to Financial Statements

6. Financial Highlights

	As of the respective period end date:									For the respective period ended:
	Units Outstanding (000’s)		Unit Value, Lowest to Highest					Net Assets (000’s)		Dividend Income as a % of Average Net Assets			Expense Ratio, Lowest to Highest (1)			Total Return Lowest to Highest (1)
International Developed Markets Division
2020		53,858	$	2.150242	to	$	24.058667	$	132,255		1.25	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		4.50	%	to	5.08	%
2019		55,727		2.055606	to		22.896522		131,391		2.62			0.00 to 0.55			19.07		to	19.72
2018		58,409		1.724712	to		19.124827		116,077		1.72			0.00 to 0.55			(15.34	)	to	(14.87	)
2017		59,631		2.035246	to		22.466466		141,472		2.65			0.00 to 0.55			24.29		to	24.98
2016		60,682		1.635824	to		17.976751		116,151		3.23			0.00 to 0.55			1.80		to	2.36
Strategic Bond Division
2020		27,427	$	2.665278	to	$	29.237785	$	92,143		1.82	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		7.84	%	to	8.43	%
2019		27,416		2.469076	to		26.963899		88,249		2.75			0.00 to 0.55			8.60		to	9.19
2018		28,147		2.271363	to		24.693685		81,612		2.12			0.00 to 0.55			(1.35	)	to	(0.81	)
2017		29,030		2.300337	to		24.895915		86,180		1.35			0.00 to 0.55			3.30		to	3.86
2016		29,943		2.224732	to		23.970161		86,313		1.59			0.00 to 0.55			2.54		to	3.10
Global Real Estate Securities Division
2020		29,299	$	5.118605	to	$	56.074809	$	168,688		1.53	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		(5.70	)%	to	(5.18	)%
2019		30,637		5.422414	to		59.135972		186,744		5.05			0.00 to 0.55			20.98		to	21.64
2018		32,010		4.477782	to		48.615288		161,150		4.49			0.00 to 0.55			(6.24	)	to	(5.73	)
2017		33,345		4.771257	to		51.568102		179,095		3.63			0.00 to 0.55			11.19		to	11.80
2016		34,924		4.286703	to		46.124107		168,647		4.49			0.00 to 0.55			2.46		to	3.02
LifePoints Moderate Strategy Division
2020		3,611	$	1.520808	to	$	18.849922	$	7,655		2.02	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		5.82	%	to	6.40	%
2019		3,788		1.435781	to		17.716081		7,499		1.21			0.00 to 0.55			11.93		to	12.54
2018		3,780		1.281521	to		15.741887		6,714		4.57			0.00 to 0.55			(5.44	)	to	(4.92	)
2017		4,399		1.353996	to		16.557145		6,960		2.27			0.00 to 0.55			9.29		to	9.88
2016		3,497		1.237730	to		15.067752		5,175		3.65			0.00 to 0.55			7.16		to	7.75
LifePoints Balanced Strategy Division
2020		11,081	$	1.658834	to	$	19.332571	$	25,051		1.18	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		7.06	%	to	7.65	%
2019		10,992		1.547882	to		17.958473		23,489		1.59			0.00 to 0.55			15.81		to	16.45
2018		10,926		1.335190	to		15.421524		19,333		5.36			0.00 to 0.55			(7.31	)	to	(6.80	)
2017		11,492		1.439016	to		16.545882		22,495		2.36			0.00 to 0.55			11.39		to	12.00
2016		10,796		1.290626	to		14.773443		18,770		3.30			0.00 to 0.55			8.46		to	9.05
LifePoints Growth Strategy Division
2020		10,160	$	1.757555	to	$	19.098502	$	22,707		1.67	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		9.15	%	to	9.75	%
2019		10,998		1.608669	to		17.402048		23,337		0.70			0.00 to 0.55			17.42		to	18.06
2018		11,759		1.368685	to		14.739598		21,011		4.93			0.00 to 0.55			(8.55	)	to	(8.05	)
2017		11,847		1.495208	to		16.029490		22,139		3.19			0.00 to 0.55			15.02		to	15.65
2016		12,307		1.298639	to		13.860030		19,559		2.92			0.00 to 0.55			9.13		to	9.73
LifePoints Equity Growth Strategy Division
2020		3,825	$	1.805853	to	$	17.914598	$	9,192		2.42	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		7.66	%	to	8.26	%
2019		5,785		1.675624	to		16.548015		12,286		0.23			0.00 to 0.55			19.43		to	20.09
2018		6,734		1.401615	to		13.779890		11,597		4.92			0.00 to 0.55			(9.95	)	to	(9.45	)
2017		6,907		1.554985	to		15.218716		13,330		3.38			0.00 to 0.55			16.91		to	17.55
2016		6,850		1.328754	to		12.946453		10,823		2.95			0.00 to 0.55			10.24		to	10.85
Credit Suisse Trust Commodity Return Strategy Division
2020		4,556	$	4.659188	to	$	4.922044	$	23,053		5.73	%		0.00% to 0.55	%		(2.02	)%	to	(1.48	)%
2019		4,165		4.729147	to		5.018507		21,391		0.88			0.00 to 0.55			6.11		to	6.69
2018		4,165		4.432602	to		4.724979		20,036		2.52			0.00 to 0.55			(12.14	)	to	(11.66	)
2017		3,845		5.017461	to		5.372638		21,122		9.04			0.00 to 0.55			0.96		to	1.52
2016		3,494		4.942479	to		5.316102		18,978		0.00			0.00 to 0.55			11.41		to	12.02

⁽¹⁾Total return includes deductions for management and other expenses; it excludes deductions for sales loads and other charges, which are a reduction in units. The expense ratios further reflect only those expenses which impact total return. For additional information regarding all expenses assessed, refer to the accompanying notes. Returns are not annualized for periods less than one year.

F-28

The Northwestern Mutual

Life Insurance Company

Financial Statements and

Supplementary Information

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

NM-1

Report of Independent Auditors

To the Board of Trustees of

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

We have audited the accompanying statutory financial statements of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (the “Company”), which comprise the statutory statements of financial position as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the related statutory statements of operations, changes in surplus and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020.

Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with the accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Wisconsin. Management is also responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

Auditors’ Responsibility

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the 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 from material misstatement.

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected depend on our judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, we consider internal control relevant to the Company’s preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.

Basis for Adverse Opinion on U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

As described in Note 1 to the financial statements, the financial statements are prepared by the Company on the basis of the accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Wisconsin, which is a basis of accounting other than accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

NM-2

The effects on the financial statements of the variances between the statutory basis of accounting described in Note 1 and accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, although not reasonably determinable, are presumed to be material.

Adverse Opinion on U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

In our opinion, because of the significance of the matter discussed in the “Basis for Adverse Opinion on U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles” paragraph, the financial statements referred to above do not present fairly, in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, or the results of its operations or its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020.

Opinion on Statutory Basis of Accounting

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, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020, in accordance with the accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Wisconsin described in Note 1.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

February 15, 2021

NM-3

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Statements of Financial Position

(in millions)

	December 31,
	2020		2019
Assets:
Bonds	$	166,324	$	159,760
Mortgage loans		41,568		39,771
Policy loans		17,686		17,829
Common and preferred stocks		5,083		4,677
Real estate		2,959		2,872
Other investments		24,942		20,962
Cash and short-term investments		3,239		2,408
Total investments		261,801		248,279
Due and accrued investment income		2,522		2,057
Net deferred tax assets		2,305		1,609
Deferred premium and other assets		3,692		3,541
Separate account assets		38,447		34,832
Total assets	$	308,767	$	290,318
Liabilities and surplus:
Policy benefit reserves	$	222,225	$	211,100
Policyowner dividends payable		6,220		5,995
Interest maintenance reserve		2,355		979
Asset valuation reserve		7,362		6,203
Income taxes payable		231		129
Other liabilities		6,970		6,864
Separate account liabilities		38,447		34,832
Total liabilities		283,810		266,102
Surplus:
Surplus notes		3,573		3,568
Unassigned surplus		21,384		20,648
Total surplus		24,957		24,216
Total liabilities and surplus	$	308,767	$	290,318

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

NM-4

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Statements of Operations

(in millions)

	For the years ended
	December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
Revenue:
Premiums	$	19,323		$	19,010		$	18,036
Net investment income		11,078			10,149			9,791
Other income		723			696			655
Total revenue		31,124			29,855			28,482
Benefits and expenses:
Benefit payments to policyowners and beneficiaries		11,736			11,515			11,436
Net additions to policy benefit reserves		9,527			9,451			8,079
Net transfers from separate accounts		(680	)		(783	)		(497	)
Total benefits		20,583			20,183			19,018
Commissions and operating expenses		3,502			3,306			3,230
Total benefits and expenses		24,085			23,489			22,248
Gain from operations before dividends and taxes		7,039			6,366			6,234
Policyowner dividends		6,235			5,999			5,634
Gain from operations before taxes		804			367			600
Income tax expense (benefit)		277			(199	)		(159	)
Net gain from operations		527			566			759
Net realized capital (losses) gains		(102	)		702			24
Net income	$	425		$	1,268		$	783

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

NM-5

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Statements of Changes in Surplus

(in millions)

	For the years ended
	December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
Beginning of year balance	$	24,216		$	22,134		$	20,851
Net income		425			1,268			783
Change in net unrealized capital gains and losses		799			1,141			(126	)
Change in net deferred tax assets		807			(130	)		(76	)
Change in nonadmitted assets		228			(143	)		169
Change in asset valuation reserve		(1,159	)		(1,606	)		(263	)
Change in surplus notes		5			620			-
Other surplus changes		(364	)		932			796
Net increase in surplus		741			2,082			1,283
End of year balance	$	24,957		$	24,216		$	22,134

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

NM-6

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Statements of Cash Flows

(in millions)

	For the years ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
Cash flows from operating activities:
Premiums and other income received	$	13,808		$	13,864		$	13,252
Investment income received		10,036			9,518			9,202
Benefit and dividend payments to policyowners and beneficiaries		(10,537	)		(10,660	)		(10,513	)
Net transfers from separate accounts		664			770			496
Commissions, expenses and taxes paid		(3,809	)		(3,268	)		(2,699	)
Net cash provided by operating activities		10,162			10,224			9,738
Cash flows used in investing activities:
Proceeds from investments sold or matured:
Bonds		60,747			41,841			33,279
Mortgage loans		3,301			3,078			3,167
Common and preferred stocks		4,046			5,461			4,886
Real estate		468			941			23
Other investments		3,063			2,235			2,831
Subtotal proceeds from investments		71,625			53,556			44,186
Cost of investments acquired:
Bonds		(64,976	)		(47,219	)		(40,797	)
Mortgage loans		(5,008	)		(6,048	)		(4,314	)
Common and preferred stocks		(4,075	)		(3,832	)		(4,857	)
Real estate		(478	)		(841	)		(168	)
Other investments		(7,537	)		(5,634	)		(4,515	)
Subtotal cost of investments acquired		(82,074	)		(63,574	)		(54,651	)
Net inflows of policy loans		492			168			35
Net cash applied to investing activities		(9,957	)		(9,850	)		(10,430	)
Cash flows from financing and miscellaneous sources:
Surplus notes issuance		-			596			-
Net inflows (outflows) on deposit-type contracts		724			(232	)		(350	)
Other cash (applied) provided		(98	)		(229	)		472
Net cash provided by financing and miscellaneous sources		626			135			122
Net increase (decrease) in cash and short-term investments		831			509			(570	)
Cash and short-term investments, beginning of year		2,408			1,899			2,469
Cash and short-term investments, end of year	$	3,239		$	2,408		$	1,899

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

NM-7

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Statements of Cash Flows (supplemental)

(in millions)

	For the years ended
	December 31,
	2020		2019		2018
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information
Non-cash operating, investing and financing and miscellaneous sources not included in the statements of cash flows:
Operating:
Dividends used to pay premiums and loans	$	5,779	$	5,453	$	5,149
Capitalized interest and payment in-kind investment income		895		870		776
Other policyowner contract activity		268		245		226
Employee benefit and compensation plan expenses		100		155		128
Investing:
Bond refinancings and exchanges		3,652		13,075		2,116
Mortgage loan refinancings and transfers		520		731		1,377
Net policy loan activity		285		316		295
Other invested asset exchanges		163		270		103
Common stock exchanges		22		105		144
Net premium loan activity		113		125		139
Net asset transfers with affiliated entities		434		199		138
Financing and Miscellaneous:
Deposit-type contract deposits and interest credited		556		505		391
Surplus note exchange		5		24		-

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

NM-8

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

1. Basis of Presentation

The accompanying statutory financial statements include the accounts of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (the Company). The Company offers life, annuity and disability insurance products to the personal, business and estate markets throughout the United States of America.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, a pandemic. The impact of COVID-19 has not significantly affected the Company’s financial results during 2020. The economic environment and other potential impacts of COVID-19 will continue to be monitored by the Company.

As part of an affiliated reinsurance agreement, the Company assumes the risks associated with the long-term care policies issued by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC). See Note 9 for more information regarding reinsurance and its impacts on the Company’s financial statements.

These 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 or SAP), 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 U.S. 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 statements of operations, are defined differently, (5) majority-owned subsidiaries are consolidated, (6) changes in deferred taxes are reported as a component of net income, (7) no deferral of realized investment gains and losses is permitted and (8) “nonadmitted” assets, required for the statutory basis of accounting, are included in total assets. The effects on the Company’s financial statements attributable to the differences between the statutory basis of accounting and GAAP are material.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with the statutory basis of accounting requires the Company to make estimates or assumptions about the future 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.

Policy Loans

Policy loans represent amounts borrowed from the Company by life insurance and annuity policyowners, secured by the cash value of the related policies. Policy loans earn interest at either a fixed or variable rate, based on either an election that is made by the policyowner when applying for their policy or, for certain policies, as specified by the contract. If a variable rate is elected or specified by the contract, the rate will be reset annually. Policy loans are reported at the unpaid principal balance, which approximates fair value.

NM-9

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Cash and Short-term Investments

Short-term investments include 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, as well as a group annuity separate account used to fund certain of the Company’s employee and financial representative benefit plan obligations. All separate account assets are legally insulated from claims by the Company’s general account policyowners and creditors. Variable product policyowners bear the investment performance risk associated with these products. Separate account assets related to variable products 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 generally reported at fair value primarily based on quoted market prices for the underlying investment securities. See Note 7 and Note 14 for more information regarding the Company’s separate accounts and Note 8 for more information regarding the Company’s employee and financial representative benefit plans.

Policy Benefit Reserves

Policy benefit reserves generally 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 Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Wisconsin (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. Deposit funds, which include liabilities for funding agreements, supplementary contracts and income annuities without life contingencies, and amounts left on deposit with the Company by beneficiaries or policyowners, are also included within policy benefit reserves. See Note 5 and Note 14 for more information regarding the Company’s policy benefit reserves.

Policyowner Dividends

All life and disability insurance policies and certain annuity policies issued by the Company are participating. All long-term care insurance policies issued by NLTC are also participating. Annually, the Company’s Board of Trustees (at its discretion) approves the amount and allocation, if any, of dividends among groups of policies issued by the Company, based on management’s recommendation. The payment of dividends on any particular policy is not guaranteed. Dividends are accrued and charged to operations when approved. The liability for policyowner dividends includes the estimated amount of annual and termination dividends. Termination dividends are additional dividends payable on whole life policies upon surrender, maturity or, for policies issued in one state, death. Depending on the type of policy they own, participating policyowners generally have the option to receive their dividends in cash, or use them as follows: reduce future premiums due, purchase additional insurance benefits, repay policy loans, or leave them on deposit with the Company to accumulate interest. Dividends used by policyowners to purchase additional insurance benefits or pay premiums are reported as premiums in the statements of operations but are not included in premiums received or benefit and dividend payments to policyowners and beneficiaries in the statements of cash flows. The Company’s annual approval and declaration of policyowner dividends includes a guarantee of a minimum aggregate amount of annual dividends to be paid to policyowners as a group in the subsequent calendar year. If this guaranteed amount is greater than the aggregate of annual dividends paid to policyowners in the subsequent year, the difference is paid in the immediately succeeding calendar year. The fact that the Company guarantees a minimum aggregate payment of annual dividends in one year does not obligate the Company to declare a dividend in future years or to guarantee any portion of dividends that may be declared in future years.

NM-10

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

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 any 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 net 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 by absorbing 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 statements 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 contracts and income annuities without life contingencies are deposit-type transactions and are excluded from revenue in the statements 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 regarding the Company’s use of reinsurance.

Net Investment Income

Net investment income primarily represents interest, dividends and prepayment fees received or accrued on bonds, mortgage loans, common and preferred stocks, policy loans and other investments. Net investment income also includes dividends and distributions paid to the Company from the accumulated earnings of joint ventures, partnerships and unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries. Net investment income is reduced by investment management expenses, real estate depreciation, interest costs associated with securities lending and repurchase agreements and interest expense related to the Company’s surplus notes. See Note 3 for more information regarding net investment income and repurchase agreements and Note 13 for more information regarding the Company’s surplus notes.

Other Income

Other income primarily represents ceded reinsurance expense allowances and various insurance policy charges. Ceded reinsurance expense allowances are recognized as revenue when due. See Note 9 for more information regarding the Company’s use of reinsurance.

Benefit Payments to Policyowners and Beneficiaries

Benefit payments to policyowners and beneficiaries include death, surrender, maturity, disability and long-term care benefits, as well as payments on supplementary contracts and income annuities that include life contingencies. Benefit payments on supplementary contracts and income annuities without life contingencies are deposit-type transactions and are excluded from benefits in the statements of operations. Benefit payments are reported net of ceded reinsurance recoveries. See Note 9 for more information regarding the Company’s use of reinsurance.

Commissions and Operating Expenses

Commissions and other operating expenses, including costs of acquiring new insurance policies, are generally charged to expense as incurred.

NM-11

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Federal Income Taxes

Current federal income taxes are charged or credited to operations based upon amounts estimated to be payable or recoverable as a result of taxable operations for the current year and any adjustments to such estimates from prior years. Deferred tax assets and liabilities represent the future tax recoveries or obligations associated with the accumulation of temporary differences between the tax and financial statement bases of the Company’s assets and liabilities. Changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities related to unrealized capital gains and losses on investments are included in changes in net unrealized capital gains and losses in the statements of changes in surplus. Other net changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities are reported as direct adjustments to surplus in the statements of changes in surplus.

The statutory basis of accounting limits the amount of gross deferred tax assets that can be admitted to surplus to those for which ultimate recoverability can be demonstrated. This limit is based on a calculation that considers available tax loss carryback and carryforward capacity, the expected timing of reversal for accumulated temporary differences, gross deferred tax liabilities and the level of Company surplus.

A “more likely than not” standard is applied for financial statement recognition of contingent tax liabilities, whereby a liability is recorded only if the Company believes that there is a greater than 50% likelihood that the related tax position will not be sustained upon examination. In cases where liability recognition is appropriate, a best estimate of the ultimate tax liability is made. If this estimate represents 50% or less of the total amount of the tax contingency, the best estimate is established as a liability. If this best estimate represents more than 50% of the total tax contingency, the total amount is established as a liability. Changes in contingent tax liabilities are included in income tax benefit in the year that such determination is made by the Company. The Company reports interest accrued or released related to contingent tax liabilities in current income taxes or tax benefit.

See Note 10 for more information on the Company’s income taxes.

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 using the straight-line method. IT equipment and operating software assets of $27 million and $31 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, are included in other assets in the Statements of Financial Position and are net of accumulated depreciation of $42 million and $428 million, respectively. Non-operating software costs, net of accumulated depreciation, are nonadmitted assets and thereby excluded from assets and surplus in the statements of financial position. These amounts were $388 million and $357 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Depreciation expense for IT equipment and software totaled $153 million, $146 million and $134 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, 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. Furniture, fixtures and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation, are nonadmitted assets and thereby excluded from assets and surplus in the statements of financial position. These amounts were $117 million and $130 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Depreciation expense for furniture, fixtures and equipment totaled $14 million, $16 million and $16 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Corporate Owned Life Insurance

Through a wholly-owned subsidiary, the Company indirectly holds corporate-owned life insurance (“COLI”) to provide protection against key-person risk for certain qualified employees and to help fund certain future employee benefit expenses. See Note 3 for more information regarding COLI.

NM-12

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Nonadmitted Assets

Certain assets are designated as nonadmitted on the statutory basis of accounting. Such assets, principally related to defined benefit pension funding, amounts advanced to or due from the Company’s financial representatives, furniture, fixtures, equipment and non-operating software (net of accumulated depreciation), derivatives, and certain equity-method investments for which audits are not performed are excluded from assets and surplus in the statements of financial position. Changes in nonadmitted assets are reported as a direct adjustment to surplus in the statements of changes in surplus.

Foreign Currency Translation

All of the Company’s insurance operations are conducted in the United States of America on a U.S. dollar-denominated basis. The Company invests in bonds, mortgage loans, equities, and other investments denominated in foreign currencies. Investments denominated in a foreign currency are remeasured to U.S. dollars at each reporting date using then-current foreign currency exchange rates. Translation gains or losses relating to fluctuations in exchange rates are reported as a change in net unrealized capital gains and losses until the related investment is sold, determined to be other-than-temporarily impaired or matures, at which time a realized capital gain or loss is reported. Transactions denominated in a foreign currency, such as receipt of foreign-denominated interest or dividends, are remeasured to U.S. dollars based on the actual exchange rate at the time of the transaction. See Note 4 for more information regarding the Company’s use of derivatives to mitigate exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates.

Subsequent Events

The Company has evaluated events subsequent to December 31, 2020 through February 15, 2021, the date these financial statements were available to be issued. Based on this evaluation, it is the Company’s opinion that other than described below, no other events subsequent to December 31, 2020 have occurred that are material to the Company’s financial position at that date or the results of its operations for the year then ended.

During January 2021, the Company issued a $750 million funding agreement as part of a funding agreement-backed note (FABN) program, first established in December 2020. See Note 5 for more information regarding the Company’s FABN program.

3. Investments

Bonds

The Securities Valuation Office (SVO) of the NAIC Investment Analysis Office evaluates the credit quality of the Company’s bond investments and issues related credit ratings. Bonds rated at “1” (highest quality), “2” (high quality), “3” (medium quality), “4” (low quality) or “5” (lower quality) are reported in the financial statements at amortized cost less any other-than-temporary impairment. Bonds rated “6” (lowest quality) are reported at the lower of amortized cost or fair value. SVO-identified exchange-traded fund investments are reported at fair value. The interest method is used to amortize any purchase premium or discount, including estimates of future prepayments that are obtained from independent sources. Prepayment assumptions are updated at least annually, with the retrospective method used to adjust net investment income for changes in the estimated yield to maturity.

The disclosure of fair value for bonds is primarily 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.

NM-13

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Statement value and fair value of bonds at December 31, 2020 and 2019, summarized by asset categories required in the NAIC Annual Statement, were as follows:

December 31, 2020	Reconciliation to Fair Value
			Gross		Gross
	Statement		Unrealized		Unrealized			Fair
	Value		Gains		Losses			Value
	(in millions)
U.S. Government	$	2,755	$	168	$	(1	)	$	2,922
States, territories and possessions		603		153		-			756
Special revenue and assessments		18,643		1,145		(4	)		19,784
All foreign governments		4,927		577		(4	)		5,500
Hybrid securities		976		69		(4	)		1,041
SVO-identified funds		401		-		-			401
Industrial and miscellaneous		138,019		15,269		(258	)		153,030
Total bonds	$	166,324	$	17,381	$	(271	)	$	183,434

December 31, 2019	Reconciliation to Fair Value
			Gross		Gross
	Statement		Unrealized		Unrealized			Fair
	Value		Gains		Losses			Value
	(in millions)
U.S. Government	$	2,701	$	158	$	(5	)	$	2,854
States, territories and possessions		742		139		(1	)		880
Special revenue and assessments		26,310		887		(48	)		27,149
All foreign governments		4,531		350		(23	)		4,858
Hybrid securities		473		28		(22	)		479
SVO-identified funds		3		-		-			3
Industrial and miscellaneous		125,000		7,864		(358	)		132,506
Total bonds	$	159,760	$	9,426	$	(457	)	$	168,729

Bonds classified by the NAIC as special revenue and assessments primarily consist of U.S. Government agency-issued residential mortgage-backed securities and municipal bonds issued by political subdivisions to finance specific public projects. Bonds classified as industrial and miscellaneous consist primarily of notes issued by public and private corporate entities and structured securities not issued by U.S. Government agencies.

NM-14

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Statement value of bonds by SVO rating category at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

December 31, 2020	SVO Rating
	1		2		3		4		5		6		Total
	(in millions)
U.S. Government	$	2,755	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	2,755
States, territories and possessions		527		76		-		-		-		-		603
Special revenue and assessments		18,435		178		30		-		-		-		18,643
All foreign governments		1,468		3,377		39		34		9		-		4,927
Hybrid securities		-		768		172		35		-		1		976
SVO-identified funds		-		401		-		-		-		-		401
Industrial and miscellaneous		59,331		61,398		8,797		5,208		3,160		125		138,019
Total bonds	$	82,516	$	66,198	$	9,038	$	5,277	$	3,169	$	126	$	166,324

December 31, 2019	SVO Rating
	1		2		3		4		5		6		Total
	(in millions)
U.S. Government	$	2,701	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	2,701
States, territories and possessions		664		78		-		-		-		-		742
Special revenue and assessments		26,159		119		32		-		-		-		26,310
All foreign governments		1,472		2,903		65		40		51		-		4,531
Hybrid securities		-		270		173		30		-		-		473
SVO-identified funds		-		-		-		3		-		-		3
Industrial and miscellaneous		60,420		49,654		6,809		5,014		3,049		54		125,000
Total bonds	$	91,416	$	53,024	$	7,079	$	5,087	$	3,100	$	54	$	159,760

Based on statement value, 89% and 90% of the Company’s bond portfolio was rated investment grade (i.e., rated 1 or 2 by the SVO) at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Statement value and fair value of structured securities at December 31, 2020 and 2019, aggregated by investment grade or below investment grade (i.e., rated 3, 4, 5 or 6 by the SVO), were as follows:

December 31, 2020	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:
U.S. Government agencies	$	16,465	$	17,191	$	-		$	-	$	16,465	$	17,191
Other prime		661		685		2			2		663		687
Other below-prime		546		560		3			4		549		564
Commercial mortgage-backed:
U.S. Government agencies		70		74		-			-		70		74
Conduit		3,756		3,954		-			-		3,756		3,954
Other commercial mortgage-backed		-		-		-			-		-		-
Other asset-backed		10,705		11,038		39			43		10,744		11,081
Total structured securities	$	32,203	$	33,502	$	44		$	49	$	32,247	$	33,551

NM-15

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

December 31, 2019	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:
U.S. Government agencies	$	24,486	$	24,947	$	-		$	-	$	24,486	$	24,947
Other prime		709		719		1			1		710		720
Other below-prime		357		362		2			3		359		365
Commercial mortgage-backed:
U.S. Government agencies		64		66		-			-		64		66
Conduit		3,008		3,077		-			-		3,008		3,077
Other commercial mortgage-backed		2		2		-			-		2		2
Other asset-backed		8,420		8,574		98			107		8,518		8,681
Total structured securities	$	37,046	$	37,747	$	101		$	111	$	37,147	$	37,858

Based on statement value, over 99% of the Company’s structured securities portfolio was rated as investment grade at each of December 31, 2020 and 2019. Based on statement value, the Company’s investment in residential mortgage-backed securities issued by U.S. Government agencies at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was 10% and 15%, respectively, of total bond investments.

Statement value and fair value of bonds and short-term investments by contractual maturity at December 31, 2020 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 fees.

	Statement		Fair
	Value		Value
	(in millions)
Due in one year or less	$	5,399	$	5,443
Due after one year through five years		37,436		39,716
Due after five years through ten years		51,204		55,919
Due after ten years		74,910		84,981
Total	$	168,949	$	186,059

Mortgage Loans

Mortgage loans consist solely of commercial mortgage loans underwritten and originated by the Company and are reported at the 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 over the life of the loan using the interest method. Affiliated mortgage loan investments were $134 million and $163 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

NM-16

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The statement value of mortgage loans by collateral property type and geographic location at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

December 31, 2020	United States of America
	East		Midwest		South		West		Foreign		Total
	(in millions)
Apartment	$	6,479	$	2,170	$	3,416	$	7,901	$	-	$	19,966
Office		3,552		871		1,127		3,192		-		8,742
Retail		2,318		524		1,492		1,950		-		6,284
Warehouse/Industrial		741		546		585		1,311		185		3,368
Manufactured housing		283		317		1,118		898		231		2,847
Other		124		60		27		150		-		361
Total	$	13,497	$	4,488	$	7,765	$	15,402	$	416	$	41,568

December 31, 2019	United States of America
	East		Midwest		South		West		Foreign		Total
	(in millions)
Apartment	$	5,434	$	1,915	$	2,912	$	7,411	$	-	$	17,672
Office		3,617		897		1,293		3,263		-		9,070
Retail		2,593		535		1,670		2,052		-		6,850
Warehouse/Industrial		677		447		672		1,179		196		3,171
Manufactured housing		254		321		1,189		893		-		2,657
Other		126		59		28		138		-		351
Total	$	12,701	$	4,174	$	7,764	$	14,936	$	196	$	39,771

The Company has mortgage loans where co-lending or participation arrangements are in place with unaffiliated third parties. Mortgage loans with co-lending or participation arrangements totaled $3.3 billion and $3.5 billion at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

All mortgage loans were current on contractual interest and principal payments at each of December 31, 2020 and 2019. Interest rates and loan-to-value (LTV) ratio information for the Company’s mortgage loans originated or refinanced during 2020 and 2019 is summarized below.

For mortgage loans originated or refinanced during:	2020			2019
Minimum interest rate		1.93	%		2.95	%
Maximum interest rate		5.50	%		11.75	%
Weighted-average LTV		57	%		57	%
Maximum LTV		71	%		74	%

LTV ratios are commonly used to assess the credit quality of commercial mortgage loans. A lower LTV ratio generally indicates a higher quality loan. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the aggregate weighted-average LTV ratio for the mortgage loan portfolio was 54% and 52%, respectively.

NM-17

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The statement value of mortgage loans by collateral property type and LTV ratio at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

December 31, 2020	< 51%		51%-70%		71%-90%		> 90%		Total
	(in millions)
Apartment	$	5,091	$	14,268	$	382	$	225	$	19,966
Office		4,311		3,929		502		-		8,742
Retail		1,797		3,230		1,141		116		6,284
Warehouse/Industrial		1,836		1,214		318		-		3,368
Manufactured housing		902		1,945		-		-		2,847
Other		169		44		133		15		361
Total	$	14,106	$	24,630	$	2,476	$	356	$	41,568

December 31, 2019	< 51%		51%-70%		71%-90%		> 90%		Total
	(in millions)
Apartment	$	5,628	$	11,877	$	167	$	-	$	17,672
Office		5,977		2,704		318		71		9,070
Retail		3,179		3,370		258		43		6,850
Warehouse/Industrial		1,699		1,187		216		69		3,171
Manufactured housing		419		2,238		-		-		2,657
Other		222		54		59		16		351
Total	$	17,124	$	21,430	$	1,018	$	199	$	39,771

At December 31, 2020, the Company had no mortgage loans with an LTV ratio in excess of 100%. The aggregate statement value of mortgage loans with an LTV ratio in excess of 100% was $45 million at December 31, 2019.

The fair value of the collateral securing each commercial mortgage loan is updated at least annually by the Company. More frequent updates are performed if deemed necessary due to changes in market capitalization rates, borrower financial strength and/or property operating 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, is also factored into fair value estimates. Both private market transactions and public market alternatives are considered in determining appropriate market capitalization rates. See Note 14 for more information regarding the fair value of the Company’s investments in mortgage loans.

In the normal course of business, the Company may refinance or otherwise modify the terms of an existing mortgage loan, typically in reaction to a request by the borrower. These modifications can include a partial repayment of outstanding loan principal, changes to interest rates, extensions of loan maturity and/or changes to loan covenants. When such modifications are made, the statutory basis of accounting requires that the new terms of the loan be evaluated to determine whether the modification qualifies as a “troubled debt restructuring.” If new terms are extended to a borrower that are less favorable to the Company than those currently being offered to new borrowers under similar circumstances in an arms-length transaction, a realized capital loss is reported for the estimated amount of the economic concessions made and the reported value of the mortgage loan is reduced. The Company recognized no capital losses related to troubled debt restructuring of mortgage loans for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The Company had no mortgage loans at either of December 31, 2020 or December 31, 2019 that were considered “restructured.”

NM-18

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

In circumstances where the Company has deemed it probable that it will be unable to collect all contractual principal and interest on a mortgage loan, a valuation allowance is established to reduce the statement value of the mortgage loan to its net realizable value. Changes to mortgage loan valuation allowances are reported as a change in net unrealized capital gains and losses in the statements of changes in surplus. If the Company later determines that the decline in value is other-than-temporary, a realized capital loss is reported, and any temporary valuation allowance is reversed. The Company had no mortgage loan valuation allowance at December 31, 2020 or 2019. The Company recognized other-than-temporary impairment losses on mortgage loans of $15 million and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Common and Preferred Stocks

Common stocks are generally reported at fair value, with $ 4,883 million and $4,474 million included in the statements of financial position at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The fair value for publicly-traded common stocks is primarily based on quoted market prices. For private common stocks without quoted market prices, fair value is primarily determined using a sponsor valuation or market comparables approach. The equity method is generally used to report investments in common stock of unconsolidated subsidiaries.

Preferred stocks rated 1, 2 or 3 by the SVO are reported at amortized cost. Preferred stocks rated 4, 5 or 6 by the SVO are reported at the lower of amortized cost or fair value. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the statements of financial position included $200 million and $203 million, respectively, of preferred stocks. The fair value for preferred stocks is primarily determined using a sponsor valuation or market comparables approach.

See Note 14 for more information regarding the fair value of the Company’s investments in common and preferred stock.

Real Estate

Real estate investments are reported at cost, less any encumbrances and accumulated depreciation of buildings and other improvements. Depreciation of real estate investments is recorded using a straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the improvements. Fair value of real estate is estimated primarily based on the capitalization of stabilized net operating income.

The statement value of real estate investments by property type and U.S. geographic location at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

December 31, 2020	East		Midwest		South		West		Total
	(in millions)
Apartment	$	403	$	187	$	79	$	833	$	1,502
Office		213		688		62		-		963
Warehouse/Industrial		113		-		-		204		317
Other		16		53		108		-		177
Total	$	745	$	928	$	249	$	1,037	$	2,959

December 31, 2019	East		Midwest		South		West		Total
	(in millions)
Apartment	$	277	$	195	$	178	$	718	$	1,368
Office		214		676		128		17		1,035
Warehouse/Industrial		118		-		38		205		361
Other		16		54		13		25		108
Total	$	625	$	925	$	357	$	965	$	2,872

NM-19

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The Company’s home office properties are included above (Office/Midwest) and had an aggregate statement value of $688 million and $676 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The Company’s other investments in real estate are held for the production of income.

Other Investments

Other investments primarily represent investments that are made through ownership interests in partnerships, joint ventures (JVs) and limited liability companies (LLCs). In some cases, these ownership interests are held directly by the Company, while in other cases these investments are held indirectly through wholly-owned non-insurance investment holding companies organized as LLCs. Whether held directly by the Company or indirectly through its investment holding companies, securities or real estate partnerships, JVs, and LLCs are reported in the statements of financial position using the equity method of accounting based on the Company’s share of the underlying entities’ audited GAAP-basis equity.

The statement value of other investments held directly or indirectly by the Company at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

	December 31,
	2020			2019
	(in millions)
Securities partnerships and LLCs	$	9,615		$	7,581
Common and preferred stocks		3,499			2,030
Real estate JVs, partnerships and LLCs		3,435			2,697
Bonds		3,296			3,571
Real estate		1,197			1,023
COLI		1,195			1,043
Cash and short-term investments		1,100			444
Structured settlements		790			800
Low income housing tax credit properties		708			662
Derivative instruments		358			546
Lease receivables		144			274
Other net assets (liabilities)		(395	)		291
Total	$	24,942		$	20,962

For securities partnerships and LLCs, bonds, common and preferred stocks, COLI, cash and short-term investments and derivative instruments, the underlying entity generally reports these investments at fair value. For real estate related investments (including JVs, partnerships and LLCs), structured settlements, tax credit properties and lease receivables, the underlying entity generally reports these investments at cost, reduced where appropriate by depreciation or amortization. Tax credit properties had 13 years of unexpired credits at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The required holding period for tax credit properties is 15 years. The amount of tax credits and other tax benefits recognized during 2020 and 2019 were $136 million and $123 million, respectively. See Note 10 for more information regarding the Company’s use of tax credits.

See Note 4 for more information regarding the Company’s use of derivatives.

NM-20

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Investments in Subsidiaries, Controlled and Affiliated Entities

The Company’s investments in subsidiaries, controlled and affiliated entities (SCAs) are reported in the statements of financial position using the equity method of accounting based on the Company’s share of the underlying entities’ audited GAAP-basis equity. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the value of wholly-owned SCA investments were as follows:

	December 31, 2020						December 31, 2019
	Investment in     SCA		Nonadmitted     Asset		Statement     Value		Investment in     SCA		Nonadmitted     Asset		Statement     Value
			(in millions)						(in millions)
NM Wealth Management Company	$	265	$	-	$	265	$	237	$	-	$	237
Total common stock SCAs 1		265		-		265		237		-		237
NML Securities Holdings, LLC		11,016		-		11,016		8,485		-		8,485
NML Real Estate Holdings, LLC		2,467		-		2,467		2,404		-		2,404
NM Investment Holdings, LLC		1,371		-		1,371		1,334		-		1,334
NM Investment Services, LLC		126		-		126		124		-		124
NM Pebble Valley, LLC		93		-		93		128		-		128
NM GP Holdings, LLC		56		6		50		62		13		49
NM QOZ Fund II, LLC		45		-		45		-		-		-
QOZ Holding Company, LLC		23		-		23		-		-		-
NM QOZ FUND, LLC		16		-		16		16		-		16
NM-SAS, LLC		12		7		5		4		-		4
Mason Street Advisors, LLC		6		6		-		36		36		-
Northwestern Mutual Investment Management Company, LLC		3		3		-		44		44		-
NM Career Distribution Holdings, LLC		2		2		-		4		4		-
GRO-SUB, LLC		2		2		-		1		1		-
GRO, LLC		-		-		-		1		1		-
Venture Studio Holdings, LLC		-		-		-		-		-		-
Total other investment SCAs 2		15,238		26		15,212		12,643		99		12,544
Total investments in SCAs	$	15,503	$	26	$	15,477	$	12,880	$	99	$	12,781

¹ Reported in common and preferred stocks in the statements of financial position.

² Reported in other investments in the statements of financial position.

Investment filings for all common stock SCAs were submitted to the NAIC during 2020. In all cases, the NAIC accepted the statement value.

Net Investment Income

The sources of net investment income for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 were as follows:

	For the years ended December 31,
	2020		2019		2018
			(in millions)
Bonds	$	6,154	$	6,400	$	6,020
Mortgage loans		1,717		1,676		1,573
Common and preferred stocks		188		146		210
Real estate		279		288		275
Other investments		2,122		1,205		1,184
Policy loans		1,180		1,180		1,164
Amortization of IMR		255		133		135
Gross investment income		11,895		11,028		10,561
Less: investment expenses		817		879		770
Net investment income	$	11,078	$	10,149	$	9,791

NM-21

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, bond investment income included $82 million and $72 million of prepayment fees, respectively, generated as a result of 127 and 108 securities, respectively, sold, disposed, or otherwise redeemed as a result of a callable feature. Accrued investment income more than ninety days past due is a nonadmitted asset. Changes in the nonadmitted amount are reported as direct adjustments to surplus in the statements of changes in surplus. 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.

Realized Capital Gains and Losses

Realized capital gains and losses are recognized based upon specific identification of investments 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 the Company considers to be other-than-temporary. Realized capital gains and losses, as reported in the statements of operations, are net of any capital gains tax (or benefit) and exclude any deferrals to the IMR of interest rate-related capital gains or losses.

Realized capital gains and losses for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 were as follows:

	For the year ended								For the year ended								For the year ended
	December 31, 2020								December 31, 2019								December 31, 2018
						Net								Net								Net
						Realized								Realized								Realized
	Realized		Realized			Gains			Realized		Realized			Gains			Realized		Realized			Gains
	Gains		Losses			(Losses)			Gains		Losses			(Losses)			Gains		Losses			(Losses)
			(in millions)								(in millions)								(in millions)
Bonds	$	2,724	$	(861)		$	1,863		$	1,094	$	(369)		$	725		$	275	$	(543	)	$	(268	)
Mortgage loans		-		(22	)		(22	)		8		(3	)		5			-		(2	)		(2	)
Common and preferred stocks		461		(643	)		(182	)		662		(291	)		371			538		(147	)		391
Real estate		253		-			253			502		(6	)		496			12		(13	)		(1	)
Other investments		1,350		(1,302	)		48			1,005		(1,053	)		(48	)		699		(952	)		(253	)
Subtotal	$	4,788	$	(2,828	)		1,960		$	3,271	$	(1,722	)		1,549		$	1,524	$	(1,657	)		(133	)
Less: IMR net gains (losses) before taxes							2,064								674								(245	)
Less: Capital gains tax (benefit) expense							(2	)							173								88
Net realized capital (losses) gains						$	(102	)						$	702							$	24

Realized capital gains and losses are generally the result of normal investment trading activity. Proceeds from the sale of bonds totaled $48 billion, $30 billion, and $22 billion for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

On a quarterly basis, the Company performs a review of bonds, mortgage loans, common and preferred stocks, real estate and other investments to identify investments that have experienced a decline in fair value that is considered to be other-than-temporary. Factors considered include the duration and extent to which fair value was less than cost, the financial condition and near-term financial prospects of the issuer and the Company’s ability and intent to hold the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for an anticipated recovery in value. If the decline in an investment’s fair value is considered to be other-than-temporary, the statement value of the investment is generally written down to fair value and a realized capital loss is reported.

For fixed income investments, the review focuses on the issuer’s ability to remit all contractual interest and principal payments and the Company’s ability and intent to hold the investment until the earlier of a recovery in value or maturity. The Company’s intent and ability to hold an investment takes into

NM-22

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

consideration broad portfolio management parameters such as expected net cash flows and liquidity targets, asset/liability duration management and issuer and industry sector credit exposures. Mortgage loans considered to have experienced an other-than-temporary decline in value are written down to net realizable value based on the appraised value of the collateral property.

For equity securities, greater weight and consideration is given to the duration and extent of the decline in fair value and the likelihood that the fair value of the security will recover in the foreseeable future. A real estate equity investment is evaluated for an other-than-temporary impairment when the fair value of the property is lower than its depreciated cost.

For real estate and other investments that represent ownership interests in partnerships, JVs and LLCs, the review focuses on the likelihood that the Company will ultimately recover its initial investment, adjusted for its share of subsequent net earnings and/or distributions. The Company’s review of securities partnerships will generally defer to GAAP-basis impairment reviews performed by the general partner absent compelling evidence of a permanent impairment of the Company’s partnership interest.

Realized capital losses related to declines in fair value of investments that were considered to be other-than-temporary for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 were as follows:

	For the years ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
Bonds, common and preferred stocks:				(in millions)
Structured securities	$	-		$	(1)		$	(1	)
Foreign government		(34	)		-			-
Financial services		-			-			(1	)
Consumer discretionary		(51	)		(84	)		-
Industrials		(42	)		(9	)		(35	)
Energy		(59	)		(44	)		(2	)
Basic materials		-			(1	)		-
Other		(13	)		-			-
Subtotal		(199	)		(139	)		(39	)
Mortgage loans		(15	)		-			-
Real estate		-			(6	)		(13	)
Other investments:
Securities partnerships		(6	)		(78	)		(44	)
Energy and transportation		-			-			(22	)
Subtotal		(6	)		(78	)		(66	)
Total	$	(220	)	$	(223	)	$	(118	)

In addition to the realized capital losses above, $37 million, $0.2 million and $22 million of other-than-temporary impairments were recorded by the Company’s unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The decline in the Company’s equity in these subsidiaries resulting from these impairments is reported in changes in net unrealized capital gains and losses in the statements of changes in surplus.

Unrealized Capital Gains and Losses

Unrealized capital gains and losses include changes in the fair value of common and some preferred stocks, other investments and currency translation adjustments on foreign-denominated bonds and mortgage loans and are reported net of any related changes in deferred taxes in the statements of changes in surplus. Changes in the Company’s equity-method share of the undistributed earnings of partnerships, JVs, LLCs and unconsolidated subsidiaries are also reported as changes in unrealized capital gains and losses. If net earnings are distributed to the Company in the form of dividends, net investment income is recognized in the amount of the distribution and the previously unrealized net capital gains are reversed.

NM-23

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Changes in net unrealized capital gains and losses for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 were as follows:

	For the years ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
	(in millions)
Bonds	$	606		$	152		$	(376	)
Mortgage loans		33			11			(10	)
Common and preferred stocks		520			304			(653	)
Other investments		(251	)		727			833
Subtotal		908			1,194			(206	)
Change in deferred taxes		(109	)		(53	)		80
Change in net unrealized capital gains and losses	$	799		$	1,141		$	(126	)

Changes in net unrealized capital gains and losses for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 included the reversal of previously unrealized capital gains of $(1,428) million, $(369) million and $ (602) million, respectively, related to distributions of accumulated net earnings made to the Company from unconsolidated non-insurance subsidiaries.

The amortized cost and fair value of bonds and common and preferred stocks for which fair value declined and remained below cost at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

	December 31, 2020
	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	$	5,669	$	5,526	$	(143	)	$	3,544	$	3,290	$	(254	)
Common and preferred stocks		150		131		(19	)		159		123		(36	)
Total	$	5,819	$	5,657	$	(162	)	$	3,703	$	3,413	$	(290	)

	December 31, 2019
	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	$	11,128	$	10,947	$	(181)	$	9,657	$	9,139	$	(518)
Common and preferred stocks		495		430		(65)		374		307		(67)
Total	$	11,623	$	11,377	$	(246)	$	10,031	$	9,446	$	(585)

All of these bonds were current on contractual interest and principal payments at December 31, 2020. Based on the results of the impairment review process described above, the Company considers these declines in fair value to be temporary based on current facts and circumstances.

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, unrealized capital losses on structured securities in a loss position for greater than 12 months were $5 million and $32 million, respectively, while unrealized capital losses on structured securities in a loss position for less than 12 months were $20 million and $34 million, respectively.

NM-24

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

For securities without a full SVO credit analysis performed, the statutory basis of accounting allows the Company to assign a NAIC designation of 5* to such securities for reporting purposes. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the statement and fair values of NAIC 5* securities were as follows:

	December 31,
	2020						2019
	Number of         Securities		Statement       Value		Fair       Value		Number of       Securities		Statement     Value		Fair       Value
	($ in millions)						($ in millions)
Bonds		51	$	1,300	$	1,279		59	$	1,471	$	1,412
Preferred stock		9		127		155		5		79		83
Loan-backed and structured securities		2		6		8		5		57		66
Total		62	$	1,433	$	1,442		69	$	1,607	$	1,561

Repurchase Agreements

The Company participates in bilateral and tri-party repurchase programs with U.S. domiciled unaffiliated third parties. The agreements under these programs require the Company to sell securities and simultaneously agree to repurchase the same (or substantially the same) securities prior to the securities reaching their maturity. These repurchase agreements are intended to enhance the yield of the Company’s investment portfolio. The agreements are accounted for as collateralized borrowings with the transferred security proceeds recorded as other liabilities in the statements of financial position while the underlying securities continue to be recorded as investments by the Company. Investment earnings are recorded as net investment income and the difference between the transferred security proceeds and the amount at which the securities will be subsequently reacquired is amortized into net investment income as interest expense in the statements of operations.

The Company manages counterparty and other risks associated with its repurchase program by adhering to guidelines that require counterparties to provide the Company with cash or other high-quality collateral of no less than 97% of the fair value of the securities on loan plus accrued interest and by setting conservative standards for the Company’s reinvestment of cash collateral received. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the liability to return the repurchase agreement cash collateral was $1.3 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively, and is reported as other liabilities in the statements of financial position.

During 2020 and 2019, cash collateral received, and the corresponding liability to return that collateral, had the following characteristics:

For the quarter ended:	Maximum       Balance		Ending Balance
	(in millions)
March 31, 2020	$	1,990	$	1,862
June 30, 2020	$	1,866	$	1,278
September 30, 2020	$	1,332	$	1,319
December 31, 2020	$	1,319	$	1,315
March 31, 2019	$	1,867	$	1,771
June 30, 2019	$	1,798	$	1,797
September 30, 2019	$	1,833	$	1,410
December 31, 2019	$	1,718	$	1,711

NM-25

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

During 2020 and 2019, securities sold under repurchase agreements included the following characteristics:

For the quarter ended:	Maximum Balance (Fair Value)		Ending Balance (Fair Value)		Ending Balance (Statement Value)
	(in millions)
March 31, 2020	$	2,033	$	1,907	$	1,862
June 30, 2020	$	1,911	$	1,303	$	1,278
September 30, 2020	$	1,367	$	1,350	$	1,319
December 31, 2020	$	1,353	$	1,341	$	1,315
March 31, 2019	$	1,902	$	1,799	$	1,697
June 30, 2019	$	1,835	$	1,821	$	1,697
September 30, 2019	$	1,872	$	1,434	$	1,299
December 31, 2019	$	1,754	$	1,730	$	1,600

The repurchase agreements have overnight contractual maturities. Securities sold under the repurchase agreements consisted of U.S. Treasury securities and U.S. Government agency-issued residential mortgage-backed securities. All securities sold had NAIC ratings of 1.

The amortized cost, fair value and remaining term to maturity of reinvested repurchase agreement collateral held by the Company at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

	December 31, 2020				December 31, 2019
	Amortized Cost		Fair Value		Amortized Cost		Fair Value
	(in millions)				(in millions)
30 days or less	$	554	$	554	$	700	$	700
31-60 days		165		165		9		9
61-90 days		39		39		30		30
91-120 days		2		2		60		60
121-180 days		138		138		117		118
181-365 days		115		115		258		258
1-2 years		54		54		486		486
2-3 years		214		215		45		45
Over 3 years		46		46		9		9
Total	$	1,327	$	1,328	$	1,714	$	1,715

If the securities sold under the repurchase agreements or the reinvested collateral become less liquid, the Company has the liquidity resources within its general account available to meet potential cash demands when securities are required to be repurchased.

Restricted Assets

Certain of the Company’s investments are either pledged as collateral or are otherwise held beyond the exclusive control of the Company (“restricted assets”). These restrictions are generally the result of collateral support agreements with counterparties in connection with repurchase agreements and derivative transactions.

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, collateral held by counterparties was primarily in the form of cash, short-term investments and bonds, including U.S. Government securities. See Note 4 for more information regarding the Company’s derivative portfolio.

NM-26

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The statement value of restricted assets at December 31, 2020 and 2019, summarized by type of restriction, was as follows:

	December 31,
	2020		2019
	(in millions)
Loaned securities - repurchase agreements	$	1,315	$	1,600
Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago pledged collateral		1,359		-
Derivative transactions		242		67
Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago stock		37		-
Securities on deposit with states		4		4
Total restricted assets	$	2,957	$	1,671

Collateral Assets Received

The statement and fair values of collateral received at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

	December 31,              2020				December 31,              2019
	Statement Value		Fair Value		Statement Value		Fair Value
	(in millions)				(in millions)
Repurchase agreement collateral	$	1,315	$	1,341	$	1,711	$	1,711
Derivative collateral		154		154		642		642
Mortgage loan escrow		75		75		59		59
Real estate escrow and security deposits		4		4		5		5
Total collateral assets	$	1,548	$	1,574	$	2,417	$	2,417

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, derivative collateral received included $1 million related to separate accounts and the obligation to return this collateral is reported in separate account liabilities in the statements of financial position. The obligation to return all other collateral received is reported as other liabilities in the statements of financial position.

4. Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company enters into derivative transactions, generally to mitigate the risk to its assets, liabilities and surplus from fluctuations in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, credit conditions and other market risks. Derivatives may be exchange traded, cleared or executed in the over-the-counter market. A majority of the Company’s over-the-counter derivatives are bilateral contracts between two counterparties. The Company’s remaining over-the-counter derivatives are cleared and settled through central clearing exchanges.

Derivatives that are designated as hedges for accounting purposes and meet the qualifications for statutory hedge accounting are reported on a basis consistent with the asset or liability being hedged (i.e., at amortized cost or fair value). Derivatives that are used to mitigate risk but are not designated as hedges for accounting purposes or otherwise do not meet the qualifications for statutory 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, the derivative used in the hedge and the methodology for assessing hedge effectiveness. The hedge must also be “highly effective,” with an assessment of its effectiveness performed both at inception and on an ongoing basis over the life of the hedge.

NM-27

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

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 industry-standard models utilizing market observable inputs.

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 arrangements that require the daily exchange of collateral assets if counterparty credit exposure exceeds certain limits. The Company does not offset the statement values for derivatives executed with the same counterparty, even if a master netting arrangement is in place. The Company also does not offset the right to claim collateral against the obligation to return such collateral.

The fair value of collateral held by the Company under derivative support agreements at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

	December 31,
	2020		2019
	(in millions)
Bonds:
General Account	$	83	$	71
Separate Accounts		-		-
Total bond collateral	$	83	$	71
Cash:
General Account	$	153	$	642
Separate Accounts		1		-
Total cash collateral	$	154	$	642

Bond collateral held in the general account is not reported in the statements of financial position. Cash collateral held in the general account is reported as cash and short-term investments in the statements of financial position, while the Company’s obligation to return the collateral is reported as other liabilities. Separate account cash collateral assets and related liabilities is reported in the separate account assets and liabilities, respectively, in the statements of financial position.

NM-28

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The fair value of collateral posted by the Company at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

	December 31,
	2020		2019
	(in millions)
Bonds posted for derivative support agreements:
General Account	$	12	$	7
Separate Accounts		-		-
Bonds posted for futures agreements:
General Account		92		34
Separate Accounts		15		10
Total bond collateral	$	119	$	51
Cash posted for derivative support agreements:
General Account	$	117	$	12
Separate Accounts		-		-
Cash posted for futures agreements:
General Account		4		1
Separate Accounts		2		3
Total cash collateral	$	123	$	16

Bonds posted as collateral are reported as bonds and cash posted as collateral is reported as a receivable included in other investments in the statements of financial position.

The Company has no embedded credit derivatives that expose it to the possibility of being required to make future payments.

Hedging - Designated as Hedging Instruments

The Company designates and accounts for the following derivative types as cash flow or fair value hedges, with the related derivative instrument reported at amortized cost in the statements of financial position. No component of these derivatives’ economic gain or loss was excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness.

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. Amounts received on these contracts are reported as net investment income.

Interest rate swaps are used to mitigate interest rate risk for investments in fixed and variable interest rate bonds and fixed rate liabilities over a period of up to 12 years. 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. Amounts received or paid on these contracts are reported as net investment income.

NM-29

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Foreign currency swaps are used to mitigate the foreign exchange risk for investments in bonds and mortgage loans denominated in foreign currencies over a period of up to 30 years. Foreign currency swaps obligate the Company and a counterparty to exchange the foreign currency-denominated interest and principal payments receivable on foreign bonds and mortgage loans for U.S. dollar-denominated payments based on currency exchange rates specified at trade inception. Foreign exchange gains or losses on these contracts are reported as a change in unrealized capital gains or losses until the maturity or termination of the contract, at which time a realized capital gain or loss is recognized. Amounts received or paid on these contracts are reported as net investment income.

Hedging - Not Designated as Hedging Instruments

The Company enters into other derivative transactions that mitigate economic risks but are not designated as a hedge for accounting purposes or otherwise do not qualify for statutory hedge accounting. These instruments are reported in the statements of financial position at fair value. Changes in the fair value of these instruments are reported as a change in unrealized capital gains or losses until the maturity or termination of the contract, at which time a realized capital gain or loss is recognized.

The average fair value of outstanding derivative assets not designated as hedging instruments was $ 142 million and $136 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The average fair value of outstanding derivative liabilities not designated as hedging instruments was $30 million and $18 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Interest rate caps and floors are used to mitigate the risk of a significant and sustained increase or decrease in interest rates for certain of the Company’s debt instruments and insurance and annuity products. Interest rate caps and floors entitle the Company to pay or receive payments from a counterparty if market interest rates rise above or decline below a specified level. Amounts paid or received on these contracts are reported as net investment income.

Interest rate swaps are used to mitigate interest rate risk for investments in variable interest rate and fixed interest rate bonds over a period of up to 10 years. 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. Amounts received or paid on these contracts are reported as net investment income.

Swaptions are used to mitigate the asset/liability management risk of a significant and sustained 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 specified terms.

Fixed income futures are used to mitigate interest rate risk for investments in portfolios of fixed income securities. Fixed income futures obligate the Company to sell to or buy from a counterparty a specified number of contracts at a specified price at a future date.

Fixed income forwards are used to gain exposure to the investment risk and return of mortgage-backed securities by utilizing “to-be-announced” (TBA) forward contracts. The Company also uses TBA forward contracts to hedge interest rate risk and participate in the mortgage-backed securities market in an efficient and cost-effective way. Additionally, pursuant to the Company’s mortgage dollar roll program, TBAs or mortgage-backed securities are transferred to counterparties with a corresponding agreement to purchase a substantially similar security for later settlement. These transactions do not qualify as secured borrowings and are accounted for as derivatives.

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.

NM-30

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Foreign currency swaps are used to mitigate the foreign exchange risk for investments in bonds denominated in foreign currencies over a period of up to 15 years. Foreign currency swaps obligate the Company and a counterparty to exchange the foreign currency-denominated interest and principal payments receivable on foreign bonds and mortgage loans for U.S. dollar-denominated payments based on currency exchange rates specified at trade inception. Foreign exchange gains or losses on these contracts are reported as a change in unrealized capital gains or losses until the maturity or termination of the contract, at which time a realized capital gain or loss is recognized. Amounts received or paid on these contracts are reported as net investment income.

Equity and fixed income total return swaps are used to mitigate market risk for investments in portfolios of common stocks, other equity securities, and fixed income investments. Total return swaps obligate the Company and a counterparty to exchange amounts based on the difference between the return on a specified security, basket of securities or index and a specified short-term funding rate, typically London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus or minus a spread, applied to the notional amount of the contract.

Equity index futures are used to mitigate market risk for investments in portfolios of common stock. 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.

Warrants are acquired through the purchase of private bonds. Warrants provide the Company the right to purchase an underlying financial instrument at a given price and time. Changes in the value of the underlying financial instrument are reported as a change in unrealized capital gains or losses. When the warrant is exercised, the derivative is terminated, and the current value becomes the basis for the new financial instrument.

Purchased credit default swaps are used to mitigate the credit risk for investments in bonds issued by specific bond issuers. 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.

Investment Replications

Equity 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. Equity 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. Equity total return swaps are reported at fair value, with changes in fair value reported as a change in unrealized capital gains or losses until the maturity or termination of the contract, at which time a realized capital gain or loss is recognized.

Interest rate swap replications are used to replicate a bond investment through the use of cash market instruments combined with an interest rate swap. Interest rate swaps obligate the Company and a counterparty to exchange amounts based on the difference between a variable interest rate and a specified fixed interest rate applied to the notional amount of the contract. Interest rate swap replications, including the derivative components, are reported at amortized cost.

NM-31

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The effects of the Company’s use of derivative instruments on the Statements of Financial Position at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

	December 31, 2020
	Notional		Statement Value					Fair Value
	Amount		Assets		Liabilities			Assets		Liabilities
					(in millions)
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate floors	$	400	$	2	$	-		$	32	$	-
Interest rate swaps		350		-		-			9		-
Foreign exchange contracts:
Foreign currency swaps		11,592		258		(599	)		432		(477	)
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate caps		1,338		1		-			1		-
Interest rate floors		200		35		-			35		-
Interest rate swaps		168		8		-			8		-
Swaptions		3,656		26		-			26		-
Fixed income futures		12,536		-		-			-		-
Fixed income forwards		2,295		15		(1	)		15		(1	)
Foreign exchange contracts:
Foreign currency forwards		1,771		4		(16	)		4		(16	)
Foreign currency swaps		132		9		(6	)		9		(6	)
Equity contracts:
Equity total return swaps		-		-		-			-		-
Equity index futures		-		-		-			-		-
Fixed contracts:
Fixed income total return swaps		-		-		-			-		-
Credit contracts:
Purchased credit default swaps		-		-		-			-		-
Warrants		-		-		-			-		-
Investment replications
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate swaps		6		-		-			-		-
Equity contracts:
Equity total return swaps		-		-		-			-		-
Total derivatives			$	358	$	(622	)	$	571	$	(500	)

NM-32

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

	December 31, 2019
	Notional		Statement Value					Fair Value
	Amount		Assets		Liabilities			Assets		Liabilities
					(in millions)
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate floors	$	600	$	3	$	-		$	27	$	-
Interest rate swaps		56		-		-			5		-
Foreign exchange contracts:
Foreign currency swaps		10,962		468		(168	)		590		(142	)
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate caps		998		2		-			2		-
Interest rate floors		2,252		32		(2	)		32		(2	)
Interest rate swaps		150		2		(0	)		2		-
Swaptions		3,559		31		-			31		-
Fixed income futures		7,370		-		-			-		-
Fixed income forwards		-		-		-			-		-
Foreign exchange contracts:
Foreign currency forwards		1,092		1		(15	)		1		(15	)
Foreign currency swaps		121		7		(4	)		7		(4	)
Equity contracts:
Equity total return swaps		-		-		-			-		-
Equity index futures		-		-		-			-		-
Fixed contracts:
Fixed income total return swaps		-		-		-			-		-
Credit contracts:
Purchased credit default swaps		-		-		-			-		-
Warrants		-		-		-			-		-
Investment replications
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate swaps		-		-		-			-		-
Equity contracts:
Equity total return swaps		-		-		-			-		-
Total derivatives			$	546	$	(189	)	$	697	$	(163	)

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. Derivative instruments are reported as other investments or other liabilities in the statements of financial position.

NM-33

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The effects of the Company’s use of derivative instruments on the statements of operations and changes in surplus for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 were as follows:

	For the year ended December 31, 2020
	Change in Net     Unrealized Capital Gains (Losses)			Net Realized Capital Gains (Losses)			Net Investment     Income
				(in millions)
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate floors	$	-		$	-		$	15
Interest rate swaps		-			-			1
Foreign exchange contracts:
Foreign currency swaps		(641	)		29			158
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate caps		-			-			(1	)
Interest rate floors		9			27			-
Interest rate swaps		6			-			1
Swaptions		(3	)		-			(9	)
Fixed income futures		12			(121	)		-
Fixed income forwards		13			23			-
Foreign exchange contracts:
Foreign currency forwards		2			(83	)		-
Foreign currency swaps		(1	)		-			2
Equity contracts:
Equity total return swaps		-			-			-
Equity index futures		-			-			-
Fixed contracts:
Fixed income total return swaps		-			-			-
Credit contracts:
Purchased credit default swaps		-			(1	)
Warrants		(40	)		117			-
Investment replications
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate swaps		-			5			-
Equity contracts:
Equity total return swaps		-			52			-
Total derivatives	$	(643	)	$	48		$	167

NM-34

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

	For the year ended December 31, 2019
	Change in Net     Unrealized Capital Gains (Losses)			Net Realized Capital Gains (Losses)			Net Investment     Income
				(in millions)
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate floors	$	-		$	-		$	8
Interest rate swaps		-			-			-
Foreign exchange contracts:
Foreign currency swaps		(188	)		(3	)		139
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate caps		(3	)		-			(2	)
Interest rate floors		11			-			(1	)
Interest rate swaps		(9	)		4			1
Swaptions		(34	)		-			(9	)
Fixed income futures		7			(123	)		-
Fixed income forwards		-			4			-
Foreign exchange contracts:
Foreign currency forwards		(17	)		46			-
Foreign currency swaps		(1	)		-			1
Equity contracts:
Equity total return swaps		-			68			(9	)
Equity index futures		-			-			-
Fixed contracts:
Fixed income total return swaps		-			-			-
Credit contracts:
Purchased credit default swaps		-			-
Warrants		26			-			-
Investment replications
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate swaps		-			-			-
Equity contracts:
Equity total return swaps		-			-			-
Total derivatives	$	(208	)	$	(4	)	$	128

NM-35

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

	For the year ended December 31, 2018
	Change in Net Unrealized Capital Gains (Losses)			Net Realized Capital Gains (Losses)			Net Investment     Income
				(in millions)
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate floors	$	-		$	-		$	6
Interest rate swaps		-			-			-
Foreign exchange contracts:
Foreign currency swaps		376			30			107
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate caps		-			-			(2	)
Interest rate floors		(1	)		-			-
Interest rate swaps		7			12			(1	)
Swaptions		8			-			(9	)
Fixed income futures		(9	)		(32	)		-
Fixed income forwards		(4	)		(8	)		-
Foreign exchange contracts:
Foreign currency forwards		12			24			-
Foreign currency swaps		5			-			-
Equity contracts:
Equity total return swaps		-			-			-
Equity index futures		-			-			-
Fixed contracts:
Fixed income total return swaps		-			-			-
Credit contracts:
Purchased credit default swaps		-			-
Warrants		16			-			-
Investment replications
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate swaps		-			-			-
Equity contracts:
Equity total return swaps		-			-			-
Total derivatives	$	410		$	26		$	101

Changes in net unrealized gains or losses resulting from derivatives that no longer qualify for hedge accounting were $0 million, $0 million and $5 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

NM-36

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

5. Policy Benefit Reserves

General account policy benefit reserves at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

	December 31,
	2020		2019
	(in millions)
Life insurance reserves	$	194,110	$	185,991
Annuity reserves		11,849		10,887
Deposit funds		4,860		3,580
Disability and long-term care unpaid claims and claim reserves		5,342		5,200
Disability and long-term care active life reserves		6,064		5,442
Total policy benefit reserves	$	222,225	$	211,100

See Note 9 for more information regarding the Company’s use of reinsurance and the related impact on policy benefit reserves.

Life Insurance Reserves

Policy and contract reserves are determined in accordance with standard valuation methods approved by the OCI and are computed in accordance with standard actuarial methodology based on the Commissioners’ Reserve Valuation Method (CRVM) or the net level premium method. The reserves are based on assumptions for interest, mortality and other risks insured. Effective January 1, 2017, the OCI required a principles-based approach (“PBR”) for the calculation of its policy benefit reserves with a three-year phase-in period from the effective date. PBR requires reserves to be calculated using company experience assumptions with margin subject to a floor based on similar prescribed methods and assumptions used with existing in-force business. The Company adopted PBR for certain new life insurance products issued on or after July 1, 2019 and for all remaining life insurance policies issued on or after January 1, 2020. PBR did not affect policy benefit reserves for policies in-force prior to January 1, 2017.

Life insurance reserve calculations, using basic data, determine tabular interest, tabular cost, and tabular cost less actual reserves released. 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.

As of December 31, 2020, the Company had nearly $2 trillion of total life insurance in force, including $29 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. Gross premiums are calculated using mortality tables that reflect both the Company’s actual experience and the potential transfer of risk to reinsurers. Net premiums are determined in the calculation of statutory reserves, which must be based on industry-standard mortality tables.

Additional premiums or charges are assessed for substandard lives on policies issued after January 1, 1956. Net level premium or CRVM mean reserves for these policies 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.

NM-37

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the account and cash values related to the Company’s general account life reserves were as follows:

	Account Value				Cash Value				Reserves
	December 31,
	2020		2019		2020		2019		2020		2019
					(in millions)
Subject to discretionary withdrawal, surrender values, or policy loans:
Universal life	$	8,449	$	7,602	$	8,185	$	7,319	$	8,211	$	7,346
Universal life with secondary guarantees		14		14		12		11		29		26
Other permanent cash value life insurance		-		-		171,031		164,904		174,799		168,377
Variable life		-		-		-		-		943		941
Variable universal life		5		4		5		4		27		27
Not subject to discretionary withdrawal or no cash value:
Term policies without cash value		-		-		-		-		4,830		4,556
Accidental death benefits		-		-		-		-		11		12
Disability - active lives		-		-		-		-		1,100		1,032
Disability - disabled lives		-		-		-		-		1,297		1,243
Miscellaneous reserves		-		-		-		-		2,894		2,774
Total gross life reserves		8,468		7,620		179,233		172,238		194,141		186,334
Reinsurance ceded		-		-		-		-		1,216		1,223
Total net life insurance	$	8,468	$	7,620	$	179,233	$	172,238	$	192,925	$	185,111

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the withdrawal characteristics of the Company’s separate account life reserves were as follows:

	Account Value				Cash Value				Reserves
	December 31,
	2020		2019		2020		2019		2020		2019
					(in millions)
Subject to discretionary withdrawal, surrender values or policy loans:
Variable life	$	-	$	-	$	9,086	$	8,162	$	8,199	$	7,281
Variable universal life		1,375		1,093		1,308		1,043		1,287		1,020
Total gross life reserves	$	1,375	$	1,093	$	10,394	$	9,205	$	9,486	$	8,301
Reinsurance ceded		-		-		-		-		-		-
Total net life insurance	$	1,375	$	1,093	$	10,394	$	9,205	$	9,486	$	8,301

NM-38

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Following are amounts reported as net life insurance reserves in the Company’s Annual Statement, which agree with the amounts reported as net life insurance reserves in the table above at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

	December 31,
	2020		2019
	($ in millions)
From Life, Accident & Health Annual Statement:
Life insurance	$	190,270	$	182,519
Accidental death benefits		11		12
Disability - active lives		1,100		1,032
Disability - disabled lives		1,297		1,243
Miscellaneous reserves		247		305
Subtotal net life insurance		192,925		185,111
From Separate Accounts Annual Statement:
Life insurance		9,486		8,301
Combined Total	$	202,411	$	193,412

During 2019, the methodology and mortality assumptions used in certain life insurance reserve calculations were reviewed and updated, and the corresponding reserves were reduced by $1.6 billion, net of reinsurance, respectively. This was accounted for as a change in valuation basis and is included in other surplus changes in the statements of changes in surplus.

Annuity Reserves

For annuities and supplementary contracts, policy and contract reserves are calculated using Commissioners’ Annuity Reserve Valuation Method (CARVM), Valuation Manual Section 21 (VM-21) for variable annuity products and Actuarial Guideline 33 for all other products. 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. Changes in future policy benefit reserves on supplementary contracts and income annuities without life contingencies are deposit-type transactions and are excluded from net additions to policy benefit reserves in the statements of operations.

During 2020, valuation interest rate assumptions used in certain annuity reserve calculations were reviewed and updated, and the corresponding reserves were increased by $ 126 million. This was accounted for as a change in valuation basis and is included in other surplus changes in the statements of changes in surplus.

Deposit Funds

Deposit funds primarily represent reserves for funding agreements, supplementary contracts and income annuities without life contingencies, and amounts left on deposit with the Company by beneficiaries or policyowners. Beneficiaries of the Company’s life insurance policies can choose to receive their death benefit in a single lump sum payment or through a supplementary contract consisting of a series of scheduled payments. If the beneficiary does not affirmatively choose a supplementary contract, the proceeds are automatically paid to the beneficiary in a single lump sum.

Prior to November 1, 2013, beneficiaries of the Company’s life insurance policies also could choose to receive their death benefit by deposit of the proceeds (if $ 20,000 or more) into an interest-bearing retained asset account (“Northwestern Access Fund”). Funds held on behalf of Northwestern Access Fund account holders are segmented in the Company’s general account and are invested primarily in short-term, liquid investments and high quality corporate bonds. Northwestern Access Fund accounts are credited with interest at short-term market rates, with certain accounts subject to guaranteed minimum crediting rates.

NM-39

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The total deposit fund liability for Northwestern Access Fund account balances held by the Company was $310 million and $328 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Accounts were credited with interest at annual rates ranging from 0.02% to 3.50% and 1.28% to 3.50% during 2020 and 2019, respectively. The crediting interest rates changed 28 times and 45 times during 2020 and 2019, respectively.

In May 2020, the Company became a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBC) and began issuing funding agreements to FHLBC in exchange for cash. Funding agreements are issued through the general account and the sales proceeds are invested as part of a spread lending strategy. The Company is required to pledge collateral to the FHLBC in the form of eligible securities when funding agreements are issued. Upon an event of default by the Company, the FHLBC’s recovery on the collateral is limited to the outstanding amount of the Company’s liability to the FHLBC.

At December 31, 2020, the Company held $37 million of FHLBC activity stock. At December 31, 2020, the amount of collateral pledged to the FHLBC was as follows:

	Statement Value (1)		Fair Value (1)
	(in millions)
Current year	$	1,359	$	1,525

⁽¹⁾ Includes amounts in excess of minimum requirements

During the year ended December 31, 2020, the maximum amount of collateral pledged to the FHLBC was as follows:

	Statement Value		Fair Value		Amount Borrowed at Time of Max Collateral
	(in millions)
Current year	$	1,359	$	1,525	$	886

At December 31, 2020, the amount borrowed from FHLBC, in the form of funding agreements, was as follows:

	December 31,
	2020
	(in millions)
Borrowed	$	886
Deposit fund reserves	$	886
Max borrowed during the year	$	886
Borrowing capacity as determined by insurer	$	8,000

The Company does not have prepayment obligations for these funding agreements.

During December 2020, the Company established a $10 billion global FABN program. As part of this program, a special purpose entity will issue medium term notes (Notes) to investors. Note proceeds will be used to purchase funding agreements from the Company. The issued funding agreements will have payment terms substantially identical to the Notes. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company has not issued funding agreements under this FABN program. During January 2021, the Company issued its first funding agreement, in the amount of $750 million, as part of this program.

NM-40

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Withdrawal Characteristics of Annuity Reserves and Deposit Funds

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the withdrawal characteristics of the Company’s general account and separate account annuity reserves and deposit funds were as follows:

	General Account				Separate Account				Total
	December 31,
	2020		2019		2020		2019		2020		2019
	(in millions)
Individual Annuities
Subject to discretionary withdrawal
- with market value adjustment	$	70	$	85	$	-	$	-	$	70	$	85
- at book value less surrender charge of 5% or more		71		80		-		-		71		80
- at fair value		-		-		22,203		20,535		22,203		20,535
Total with market value adjustment or at fair value		141		165		22,203		20,535		22,344		20,700
- at book value without adjustment		1,857		1,893		-		-		1,857		1,893
Not subject to discretionary withdrawal		7,861		6,984		289		271		8,150		7,255
Total gross individual annuities		9,859		9,042		22,492		20,806		32,351		29,848
Reinsurance ceded		-		-		-		-		-		-
Total net individual annuities	$	9,859	$	9,042	$	22,492	$	20,806	$	32,351	$	29,848
Group Annuities
Subject to discretionary withdrawal
- at fair value	$	-	$	-	$	19	$	21	$	19	$	21
Total with market value adjustment or at fair value		-		-		19		21		19		21
Not subject to discretionary withdrawal		1,990		1,845		6,291		5,577		8,281		7,422
Total gross group annuities		1,990		1,845		6,310		5,598		8,300		7,443
Reinsurance ceded		-		-		-		-		-		-
Total net group annuities	$	1,990	$	1,845	$	6,310	$	5,598	$	8,300	$	7,443
Deposit-Type Contracts
Subject to discretionary withdrawal
- with market value adjustment	$	95	$	112	$	-	$	-	$	95	$	112
- at fair value		-		-		33		31		33		31
Total with market value adjustment or at fair value		95		112		33		31		128		143
- at book value without adjustment		3,468		3,133		-		-		3,468		3,133
Not subject to discretionary withdrawal		1,297		335		-		-		1,297		335
Total gross deposit-type contracts		4,860		3,580		33		31		4,893		3,611
Reinsurance ceded		-		-		-		-		-		-
Total net deposit-type contracts	$	4,860	$	3,580	$	33	$	31	$	4,893	$	3,611
Total annuity reserves and deposit funds	$	16,709	$	14,467	$	28,835	$	26,435	$	45,544	$	40,902

Of the individual annuity reserves at book value less surrender charge of 5% or more noted above, the Company expects that $9 million will have less than a 5% surrender charge and be reported with the amounts at book value without adjustment in 2021.

NM-41

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Following are amounts reported as net annuity reserves in the Company’s Annual Statement, which agree with the amounts reported as net annuity reserves in the table above at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

	December 31,
	2020		2019
	($ in millions)
From Life, Accident & Health Annual Statement:
Annuities	$	10,300	$	9,469
Supplementary contracts with life contingencies		1,549		1,418
Deposit-type contracts		4,860		3,580
Subtotal net annuity reserves		16,709		14,467
From Separate Accounts Annual Statement:
Annuities		28,513		26,133
Supplementary contracts		289		271
Other contract deposit funds		33		31
Subtotal net annuity reserves		28,835		26,435
Combined Total	$	45,544	$	40,902

Disability and Long-Term Care Reserves

Unpaid claims and claim reserves for disability and long-term care policies are based on the present value of expected benefit payments. The changes in reserves for unpaid claims, losses and loss adjustment expenses on disability and long-term care policies for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

	For the years ended
	December 31,
	2020			2019
	(in millions)
Balance at January 1	$	5,200		$	5,012
Incurred related to:
Current year		972			845
Prior years		(85	)		57
Total incurred		887			902
Paid related to:
Current year		(41	)		(34)
Prior years		(704	)		(680)
Total paid		(745	)		(714)
Balance at December 31	$	5,342		$	5,200

Changes in reserves for incurred claims related to prior years are generally the result of differences between assumed claim experience at the time reserves were originally estimated and subsequent actual claim experience. In 2020, this change also included the impact of certain disability income assumption updates made to align assumptions with recent experience.

Active life reserves are based on the net level premium method for disability policies issued prior to 1987 and the two-year preliminary term method for those issued after 1987. Active life reserves are mean reserves for disability policies issued through 2000 and mid-terminal plus unearned premium reserves for policies issued after 2000. 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.

NM-42

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

During 2019, the morbidity assumptions used in certain long-term care insurance active life reserve calculations were reviewed and updated, and the corresponding reserves were increased by $340 million. This was accounted for as a change in valuation basis and is included in other surplus changes in the statements of changes in surplus.

Additional Actuarial Reserves

Each year, the Company must perform asset adequacy testing (AAT) to demonstrate that reserves make adequate provision for the anticipated cash flows required by contractual obligations and related expenses, in light of assets held for the reserves. Asset adequacy testing is performed in accordance with presently accepted actuarial standards and must include assumptions necessary to determine the adequacy of reserves under moderately adverse conditions. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, reserves required as a result of AAT were as follows:

	December 31,
	2020		2019
	(in millions)
Annuities and deposit funds	$	320	$	260
Life insurance		2		2
Total reserves	$	322	$	262

Statutory Minimum Reserves

The Company has the option to establish policy benefit reserves using a standard of valuation that produces higher reserves than those calculated according to the minimum standard provided in the statutory regulations. For contracts issued January 1, 2001 and later, excess reserves over the statutory minimums were $665 million and $549 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

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 in deferred premium and other assets in the statements of financial position.

Deferred and uncollected premiums at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

	December 31, 2020				December 31, 2019
	Gross		Net		Gross		Net
	(in millions)				(in millions)
Ordinary new business	$	369	$	219	$	252	$	156
Ordinary renewal		2,919		2,321		2,806		2,240
Total deferred and uncollected premiums	$	3,288	$	2,540	$	3,058	$	2,396

NM-43

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

7. Separate Accounts

Separate account liabilities at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

	Variable Life				Variable Annuities				Total
	December 31,
	2020		2019		2020		2019		2020		2019
	(in millions)				(in millions)				(in millions)
Separate account reserves	$	9,486	$	8,301	$	28,835	$	26,435		38,321	$	34,736
Non-policy liabilities										126		96
Total separate account liabilities									$	38,447	$	34,832

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 policy benefit reserves included $6 million and $5 million attributable to GMDB at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Premiums and other considerations received from variable annuity and variable life insurance policyowners were $1.5 billion for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. These amounts are reported as premiums in the statements of operations. The subsequent transfer of these premiums to the separate accounts, net of amounts received from the separate accounts to provide for policy benefit payments to variable product policyowners, is reported as net transfers to separate accounts in the statements of operations. Following are amounts reported as transfers to and from separate accounts within the Company’s Separate Account Annual Statement, which agree with the amounts reported as net transfers to (from) separate accounts within these financial statements:

	At and for the years ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
	(in millions)
From Separate Account Annual Statement:
Transfers to separate accounts	$	1,467		$	1,522		$	1,696
Transfers from separate accounts		(2,147	)		(2,305	)		(2,193	)
Net transfers to (from) separate accounts	$	(680	)	$	(783	)	$	(497	)

8. Employee and Financial Representative Benefit Plans

The Company provides defined pension benefits for all eligible employees and financial representatives. This includes sponsorship of noncontributory defined benefit pension plans that are “qualified” under the terms of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), as well as “nonqualified” plans that provide benefits to certain participants in excess of limits set by ERISA and the Code for the qualified plans. The Company’s funding policy for the 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 made no contributions to the qualified retirement plans during either of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 and does not expect to make a contribution to the plans during 2021.

The Company’s defined benefit pension plans for employees contains two different benefit formulas – a formula based on the final average pay of the participant that was frozen as of December 31, 2013 and one that awards cash balance credits based on each participant’s age and years of service that became effective on January 1, 2014. Benefits accrued under the final average pay formula remain available to participants upon retirement. Accumulated cash balance credits earn interest based on market rates and are subject to a minimum crediting rate. The Company’s defined benefit pension plans for financial representatives utilize a formula that is based on the participant’s estimated annual income earned over their career.

NM-44

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

In addition to defined pension benefits, the Company provides certain health care and life insurance benefits (“postretirement benefits”) to retired employees, retired financial representatives and their eligible dependents. Participants are eligible for retirement health care coverage if they meet eligibility requirements for age and length of service and were either active or retired as of July 31, 2013 for employees and as of December 31, 2013 for financial representatives. Employees or financial representatives hired or contracted after the above dates are not eligible for coverage under the postretirement health plans. During 2020, the Company announced that beginning with employees retiring on or after January 1, 2022, the Company will no longer provide a subsidy for retiree health care coverage.

Medicare-eligible retirees and their dependents are offered health care options provided under an independent third-party health care marketplace (“marketplace”). Retirees and dependents that are not yet Medicare-eligible retain the historical health care benefits offered by the Company. Medicare-eligible retirees and dependents are provided with a pre-funded retiree health reimbursement account and access to third-party advisors to purchase health benefits through the marketplace. Non-Medicare-eligible retirees and dependents are provided premium assistance based on the retirees’ years of service with the Company. The Company pays the entire cost of retiree life insurance coverage.

Benefit Plan Assets

Aggregate plan assets of the defined benefit pension plans and postretirement benefit plans at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and changes in these assets for the years then ended, were as follows:

	Defined Benefit Plans						Postretirement Benefit Plans
	2020			2019			2020			2019
	(in millions)						(in millions)
Fair value of plan assets at January 1	$	5,459		$	4,621		$	84		$	73
Changes in plan assets:
Actual return on plan assets		854			988			13			15
Actual plan benefits paid		(155	)		(150	)		(3	)		(4	)
Fair value of plan assets at December 31	$	6,158		$	5,459		$	94		$	84

Plan assets consist of group annuity contracts issued by the Company that are funded by a Group Annuity Separate Account, which primarily invests in a diversified portfolio of public and private common stocks and corporate, government and mortgage-backed debt securities. The overall investment objective of the plans is to maximize long-term total rate of return, consistent with prudent standards for investment and asset/liability risk management and in accordance with ERISA requirements. Plan investments are managed with a long-term perspective and for the sole benefit of the plans’ participants.

Plan asset allocations are rebalanced regularly to maintain holdings within desired asset allocation ranges and to reposition the portfolio based upon perceived market opportunities and risks. Diversification, both by and within asset classes, is a primary risk management consideration. Assets are invested across various asset classes, sectors, industries and geographies. The measurement date for plan assets was December 31 of the respective period with the fair value of plan assets primarily based on quoted market prices.

NM-45

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The target asset allocations and the actual allocation of the plans’ investments based on fair value at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

	Target Allocation				Actual Allocation
	2020		2019		2020		2019
Bonds		64%		64%		60%		62%
Equity investments		35%		35%		37%		36%
Other investments		1%		1%		3%		2%
Total assets		100%		100%		100%		100%

At each of December 31, 2020 and 2019, other investments were comprised of cash and short-term investments.

Benefit Plan Obligations

Aggregate projected benefit obligations (PBOs) of the defined benefit pension plans and postretirement benefit plans at December 31, 2020 and 2019 and changes in these obligations for the years then ended were as follows:

	Defined Benefit Plans						Postretirement Benefit Plans
	2020			2019			2020			2019
	(in millions)						(in millions)
Projected benefit obligation at January 1	$	6,050		$	4,970		$	743		$	610
Changes in benefit obligation:
Service cost of benefits earned		134			129			14			16
Interest cost on projected obligations		177			204			16			23
Projected gross plan benefits paid		(181	)		(168	)		(23	)		(22	)
Experience (gains)/losses		889			915			119			116
Plan amendments and other		-			-			(207	)		-
Projected benefit obligation at December 31	$	7,069		$	6,050		$	662		$	743

The PBO represents the estimated net present value of estimated future benefit obligations. For defined benefit plans, the PBO includes assumptions for future compensation increases for active participants. The accumulated benefit obligation (ABO) is similar to the PBO but is based only on current compensation with no assumption of future compensation increases. The aggregate ABO for the defined benefit plans was $6.6 billion and $5.7 billion for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Experience (gains)/losses for each of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 primarily reflect the impact of changes in the PBO discount rate.

NM-46

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Benefit Plan Assumptions

The assumptions used in estimating the projected benefit obligations at December 31, 2020 and 2019 and the net periodic benefit cost for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 were as follows:

	Defined Benefit Plans				Postretirement Benefit Plans
	2020		2019		2020		2019
Projected benefit obligation:
Weighted average discount rate		2.44%		3.17%		2.37%		3.18%
Annual increase in compensation		3.75%		3.75%		3.75%		3.75%
Cash balance plan interest crediting rate		2.39%		3.14%		n/a		n/a
	Defined Benefit Plans						Postretirement Benefit Plans
	2020		2019		2018		2020		2019		2018
Net periodic benefit cost:
Weighted average discount rate		3.17%		4.18%		3.57%		3.18%		4.18%		3.57%
Annual increase in compensation		3.75%		3.75%		3.75%		3.75%		3.75%		3.75%
Long-term rate of return on plan assets		6.25%		6.25%		6.25%		6.25%		6.25%		6.25%
Cash balance plan interest crediting rate		3.14%		4.16%		3.54%		n/a		n/a		n/a

The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets is estimated in consideration of historical financial market performance, internal and third-party capital market expectations and the long-term target asset allocation.

The assumed annual increase in future retiree medical costs used in measuring the obligation for postretirement benefits were as follows:

	December 31,
	2020		2019
Assumed annual increase		5.00%		5.00%
Ultimate rate of annual increase		5.00%		5.00%
Year in which ultimate rate is reached		2021		2020

Effective January 1, 2019, the Company’s exposure to medical inflation will be limited to a maximum annual increase of 3% with any annual increase in excess of that rate passed on to the plan’s participants in the form of increased premiums.

NM-47

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Benefit Plan Funded Status

Following is an aggregate reconciliation of the funded status of the plans to the related financial statement liabilities reported by the Company at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

	Defined Benefit Plans						Postretirement Benefit Plans
	2020			2019			2020			2019
	(in millions)						(in millions)
Fair value of plan assets	$	6,158		$	5,459		$	94		$	84
Projected benefit obligation		7,069			6,050			662			743
Funded status		(911	)		(591	)		(568	)		(659	)
Nonadmitted asset		(463	)		(485	)		-			-
Financial statement liability	$	(1,374	)	$	(1,076	)	$	(568	)	$	(659	)

The PBO for defined benefit plans above included $1,374 million related to the underfunded qualified plan for financial representatives and unfunded non-qualified plans at December 31, 2020 and $1,076 million related to unfunded non-qualified plans at December 31, 2019. In the aggregate, the fair value of qualified defined benefit plan assets represented 107% and 110% of the projected benefit obligations of these plans at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Statutory accounting guidance requires that changes in plan funded status be recognized immediately as a direct adjustment to surplus, subject to limitations such as admissibility of net pension assets. These adjustments are included in changes in nonadmitted assets and other in the statements of changes in surplus. Aggregate defined benefit pension and postretirement plan surplus impacts were as follows for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:

	For the year ended December 31, 2020
	Defined Benefit Plans							Postretirement Benefit Plans
	Net experience     gains (losses)			Prior service     (costs) credits		Net initial     asset		Net experience   gains (losses)			Prior service   (costs) credits
	(in millions)							(in millions)
Balance at January 1	$	(1,289	)	$	165	$	299	$	(63	)	$	(45)
Amortization from surplus into net periodic benefit cost		56			(25)		(14)		4			(4)
Changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in surplus		(384	)		-		-		(109	)		234
Balance at December 31	$	(1,617	)	$	140	$	285	$	(168	)	$	185

NM-48

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

	For the year ended December 31, 2019
	Defined Benefit Plans									Postretirement Benefit Plans
	Net experience   gains (losses)			Prior service   (costs) credits			Net     initial asset			Net experience   gains (losses)			Prior service     (costs) credits
	(in millions)									(in millions)
Balance at January 1	$	(1,113	)	$	190		$	314		$	42		$	(50	)
Amortization from surplus into net periodic benefit cost		53			(25	)		(15	)		(1	)		5
Changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in surplus		(229	)		-			-			(104	)		-
Balance at December 31	$	(1,289	)	$	165		$	299		$	(63	)	$	(45	)

Benefit Plan Costs

The components of net periodic benefit cost for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 were as follows:

	Defined Benefit Plans									Postretirement Benefit Plans
	2020			2019			2018			2020			2019			2018
	(in millions)									(in millions)
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost of benefits earned	$	134		$	129		$	146		$	14		$	16		$	20
Interest cost on projected obligations		177			204			180			16			23			21
Amortization of experience losses		56			53			42			4			(1	)		-
Amortization of prior service (credits) costs		(25	)		(25	)		(25	)		(4	)		5			5
Amortization of initial net asset		(14	)		(15	)		-			-			-			-
Expected return on plan assets		(336	)		(284	)		(309	)		(5	)		(4	)		(5	)
Curtailment		(1	)		-			-			28			-			-
Net periodic benefit (credit) cost	$	(9	)	$	62		$	34		$	53		$	39		$	41

The expected benefit payments by the defined benefit plans and the postretirement benefit plans for the years 2021 through 2030 are as follows:

	Defined Benefit Plans		Postretirement Benefit Plans
	(in millions)
2021	$	183	$	28
2022		205		27
2023		214		27
2024		225		26
2025		233		26
2026-2030		1,306		125
Total	$	2,366	$	259

NM-49

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The Company 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. In addition, the Company sponsors nonqualified plans that provide related benefits to certain participants in excess of limits set by ERISA for qualified defined contribution plans. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company expensed total contributions to these plans of $57 million, $53 million and $50 million, respectively. The Company announced in the fourth quarter of 2020 that it’s matching contributions to the 401(k) plan will be temporarily ceased beginning in 2021 and replaced by additional contribution credits to the cash balance plan.

9. Reinsurance

The Company limits its exposure to life insurance death benefits by ceding coverage to various reinsurers. In 1999, the Company ceased reinsuring new individual disability policies, but has maintained a portion of the reinsurance ceded on policies issued prior to 1999. The Company cedes between 60—80% of the morbidity risk on group disability and 60% of the mortality risk on group life policies.

As part of an affiliated reinsurance agreement, the Company assumes 100% of the net risk associated with NLTC’s long-term care business. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the net amount due from NLTC under this agreement was $50 million and $48 million, respectively.

Amounts in the financial statements are reported net of the impact of reinsurance. Policy benefit reserves were reported net of ceded reserves of $1.7 billion at both December 31, 2020 and 2019. The Company has reinsured all risks disclosed in the financial statements under Actuarial Guideline 48.

The effects of reinsurance on premium revenue and total benefits for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 were as follows:

	For the years ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
	(in millions)
Direct premium revenue	$	19,501		$	19,197		$	18,231
Premiums assumed		800			763			711
Premiums ceded		(978	)		(950	)		(906	)
Premium revenue	$	19,323		$	19,010		$	18,036
Direct benefit expense	$	20,538		$	20,158		$	19,037
Benefits assumed		837			830			680
Benefits ceded		(792	)		(805	)		(699	)
Total benefits	$	20,583		$	20,183		$	19,018

In addition, the Company received $133 million, $135 million and $129 million in allowances from reinsurers for reimbursement of commissions and other expenses on ceded business for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. These amounts are reported in other income in the statements of operations. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company incurred $127 million, $136 million and $138 million, respectively, in expense allowances on reinsurance assumed from NLTC.

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 counterparty risk by dealing only with reinsurers that meet its financial strength standards while adhering to concentration limits for counterparty exposure to any single reinsurer. Most significant reinsurance treaties contain financial protection provisions that take effect if a reinsurer’s credit rating falls below a prescribed level. There were no reinsurance recoverables at December 31, 2020 and 2019 that were considered by the Company to be uncollectible.

NM-50

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

10. Federal Income Taxes

The results of the Company’s operations are consolidated with the following entities for purposes of filing the Company’s consolidated federal income tax return:

Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC	NM Harrisburg, Inc
NML Real Estate Holdings, LLC and subsidiaries	Mason Street Advisors, LLC
NML Securities Holdings, LLC and subsidiaries	NM GP Holdings, LLC and subsidiaries
Northwestern Mutual MU TLD Registry, LLC	NM Pebble Valley, LLC
Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company	Northwestern Mutual Registry, LLC
NM Investment Holdings, LLC	QOZ Holding Co, LLC and subsidiaries
GRO, LLC and GRO-SUB, LLC	NM QOZ Fund, LLC
NM Career Distrib. Holdings, LLC and subsidiaries	NM QOZ Fund II, LLC
NM Investment Management Company, LLC	NM SAS, LLC
Northwestern Long Term Care Ins. Co	Venture Studio Holdings, LLC
	Wysh Financial Services, LLC

The Company collects from or refunds to these subsidiaries their share of consolidated federal income taxes determined pursuant to written tax-sharing agreements, which generally require that these subsidiaries determine their share of consolidated tax payments or refunds as if each subsidiary filed a separate federal income tax return on a stand-alone basis.

The components of current income tax expense (benefit) in the Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 related to ordinary taxable income (loss) were as follows:

	For the years ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
	(in millions)
Tax payable on ordinary income	$	637		$	103		$	110
Low income housing tax credits		(136	)		(123	)		(119	)
Other tax credits		(71	)		(49	)		(23	)
Decrease in contingent tax liabilities		(153	)		(130	)		(127	)
Total current tax expense (benefit)	$	277		$	(199	)	$	(159	)

In addition to current income tax benefit related to ordinary taxable income or loss as summarized above, the Company is subject to federal income tax on capital gains and losses that generally result from investment transactions. Investment capital gains and losses resulting from changes in market interest rates or credit spreads are deferred to the IMR net of any related tax expense or benefit. Current tax expense (benefit) of $433 million, $141 million and $(49) million was included in net IMR deferrals for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. In addition, net realized capital gains and losses as reported in the statements of operations included current tax expense (benefit) of $(2) million, $173 million and $88 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

NM-51

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The table below shows how the Company’s income tax expense or benefit for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 differs from the amount obtained by applying the statutory rate of 21% to gain from operations before taxes, including net realized capital gains (losses) before IMR and capital gain tax (benefit):

	For the years ended December 31,
	2020			2019			2018
	(in millions)
Provision computed at statutory rate	$	580		$	402		$	98
Adjustments to the statutory rate:
Subsidiary distributions		(283	)		(73	)		(115	)
Tax credits		(207	)		(172	)		(142	)
Amortization of IMR		(53	)		(28	)		(28	)
Dividends received deduction		(31	)		(33	)		(26	)
Employee benefits		(22	)		(12	)		(17	)
Deferred adjustments		(29	)		183			214
Other		(50	)		(21	)		(28	)
Total statutory income tax expense (benefit)	$	(95	)	$	246		$	(44	)
Federal income tax expense (benefit) reported on statements of operations	$	277		$	(199	)	$	(159	)
Capital gains tax expense, net of IMR transfers		431			315			39
Change in net deferred tax assets		(803	)		130			76
Total statutory income tax expense (benefit)	$	(95	)	$	246		$	(44	)

During the year, the Company may make payments to or receive refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for federal income taxes that are applicable to current or previous tax years. The Company made or received net income tax payments, including subsidiaries, of $679 million, $410 million and $150 million to the IRS during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Federal income taxes available for recoupment in the case of future tax losses are limited to amounts reported on previous tax returns. Total capital gain taxes paid for tax years 2020, 2019 and 2018 that are available for recoupment are $461 million, $496 million and $247 million, respectively.

Federal income tax returns for 2016 and 2013 and prior years are closed as to further assessment of tax. Tax returns for the 2014 and 2015 tax years are in appeals with the IRS. Income taxes payable in the statements of financial position represents an estimate of taxes payable, including additional taxes that may become due with respect to tax years that remained open to examination by the IRS (“contingent tax liabilities”) at the respective reporting date.

Changes in contingent tax liabilities for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

	For the years ended       December 31,
	2020			2019
	(in millions)
Balance at January 1	$	153		$	283
Reductions for tax positions of prior years		(153	)		(130	)
Balance at December 31	$	-		$	153

NM-52

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Included in contingent tax liabilities at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were $0 million and $138 million, respectively, 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 taxes for amounts other than interest, the timing of the ultimate deduction may affect the effective tax rate in future periods. The Company has no tax positions for which the ultimate deductibility is not certain.

For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized $(15) million, $(3) million and $(9) million, respectively, of interest-related tax expense.

The components of net deferred tax assets reported in the statements of financial position at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

	December 31,
	2020		2019		Change
	(in millions)
Deferred tax assets:
Policy acquisition costs	$	1,016	$	942	$	74
Investments		319		259		60
Policy benefit liabilities		1,673		1,656		17
Benefit plan obligations		621		573		48
Fixed Assets		931		-		931
Other		83		115		(32	)
Gross deferred tax assets		4,643		3,545		1,098
Nonadmitted deferred tax assets		-		-		-
Gross admitted deferred tax assets		4,643		3,545		1,098
Deferred tax liabilities:
Investments		986		822		164
Other		1,352		1,114		238
Gross deferred tax liabilities		2,338		1,936		402
Net deferred tax assets	$	2,305	$	1,609	$	696

The Company exceeded the minimum RBC level of 300%, which is necessary to apply the maximum admissibility thresholds, based on authorized control level RBC computed without net deferred tax assets at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

NM-53

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Significant components of the calculation of net admitted deferred tax assets at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows (in millions):

	December 31, 2020							December 31, 2019							Change
	Ordinary		Capital			Total		Ordinary		Capital			Total		Ordinary		Capital			Total
Gross deferred tax assets	$	4,324	$	319		$	4,643	$	3,287	$	258		$	3,545	$	1,037	$	61		$	1,098
Statutory valuation allowance adjustment		-		-			-		-		-			-		-		-			-
Adjusted gross deferred tax assets		4,324		319			4,643		3,287		258			3,545		1,037		61			1,098
Deferred tax assets nonadmitted		-		-			-		-		-			-		-		-			-
Subtotal net admitted deferred tax asset		4,324		319			4,643		3,287		258			3,545		1,037		61			1,098
Deferred tax liabilities		1,352		986			2,338		1,114		822			1,936		238		164			402
Net admitted deferred tax asset/(liability)	$	2,972	$	(667	)	$	2,305	$	2,173	$	(564	)	$	1,609	$	799	$	(103	)	$	696

		December 31, 2020						December 31, 2019						Change
		Ordinary		Capital		Total		Ordinary		Capital		Total		Ordinary		Capital		Total
Federal income taxes paid in prior years recoverable through loss carrybacks	$	-	$	185	$	185	$	-	$	147	$	147	$	-	$	38	$	38
Adjusted gross deferred tax assets expected to be realized (excluding the amount of deferred tax assets above) after application of the threshold limitation (lesser of a. or b. below)		2,599		-		2,599		1,695		-		1,695		904		-		904
Adjusted gross deferred tax assets (excluding the amount of deferred tax assets offset by gross deferred tax liabilities)		1,725		134		1,859		1,592		112		1,704		133		22		155
Total deferred tax assets admitted as the result of application of SSAP No. 101	$	4,324	$	319	$	4,643	$	3,287	$	259	$	3,545	$	1,037	$	60	$	1,098
a. Adjusted gross deferred tax assets expected to be realized following the balance sheet date					$	2,599					$	1,695					$	904
b. Adjusted gross deferred tax assets allowed per limitation threshold					$	3,394					$	3,386					$	8
Ratio percentage used to detemine recovery period and threshold limitation amount						920%						1010%
Amount of adjusted capital and surplus used to determine recovery period and threshold limitation					$	22,625					$	22,576

All gross deferred tax liabilities have been recognized at December 31, 2020 and 2019. The Company did not employ tax planning strategies in its valuation allowance assessment at either December 31, 2020 or 2019. At December 31, 2020, the percentage of net ordinary deferred tax assets admitted as a result of tax planning strategies was 9%. The Company did not employ tax planning strategies in its deferred tax asset admissibility calculations at December 31, 2019.

11. Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments

In the normal course of its investment activities, the Company makes commitments to fund private equity investments, real estate, mortgage loans and other investments. These forward commitments aggregated to $9.7 billion and $10.1 billion at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and were extended at market rates and terms.

Contingencies

The Company is engaged in various legal actions in the normal course of its insurance and investment operations. The status of these legal actions is actively monitored by the Company. If the Company believes, based on available information, that an adverse outcome upon resolution of a given legal action is probable and the amount of that adverse outcome is reasonably estimable, a loss is recognized and a related liability reported. Legal actions are subject to inherent uncertainties, and future events could change the Company’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 the Company that the ultimate resolution of pending or threatened legal actions, both individually and in the aggregate, will not result in losses that would have a material effect on the Company’s financial position at December 31, 2020.

NM-54

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Guarantees

In the normal course of business, the Company makes guarantees to third parties on behalf of wholly-owned subsidiaries (e.g., debt guarantees) and financial representatives (e.g., the guarantee of office lease payments), or directly to financial representatives (e.g., future minimum compensation payments). If the financial representatives are not able to meet their obligations or these minimum compensation thresholds are not otherwise met, the Company would be required to make payments to fulfill its guarantees. For certain of these guarantees, the Company has the right to pursue recovery of payments made under the agreements. The terms of these guarantees range from less than one year to twenty-one years at December 31, 2020.

Following is a summary of the guarantees provided by the Company that were outstanding at December 31, 2020 and 2019, including both the maximum potential exposure under the guarantees and the financial statement liability reported based on fair value of the guarantees.

	December 31, 2020					December 31, 2019
Nature of guarantee	Maximum   potential amount   of future payments			Financial         statement liability		Maximum   potential amount   of future payments			Financial   statement liability
			(in millions)					(in millions)
Guarantees of future minimum compensation - financial representatives	$	59		$	1	$	67		$	1
Guarantees of real estate obligations		476			5		418			4
Guarantees issued on behalf of wholly-owned subsidiaries		106			-		19			-
Total guarantees	$	641		$	6	$	504		$	5

No material payments have been required under these guarantees to date, and the Company believes the probability that it will be required to perform under these guarantees in the future is remote. Performance under these guarantees would require the Company to recognize additional operating expense or increase the amount of its equity investment in the affiliate or subsidiary on behalf of which the guarantee was made.

12. Related Party Transactions

The Company has a capital support and guarantee of benefits agreement that requires it to maintain the capital and surplus (as defined) of NLTC at a minimum level based upon a formula applied to NLTC’s earned premium and policy benefit reserves, or 150% of its company action level of RBC as prescribed by the NAIC, whichever is lower. In addition, NM guarantees NLTC’s policyowners its ability to pay all policy benefits due and owed pursuant to contracts of insurance sold by NLTC during the term of the agreement. This agreement was amended during 2020 to extend the length of the agreement through December 31, 2025 and increase the aggregate capital contribution limit from $200 million to $300 million. The Company contributed capital to NLTC of $15 million and $25 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The Company has contributed a total of $205 million to NLTC through December 31, 2020. The Company reported a payable to NLTC of $59 million and $56 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, which is reported in other liabilities in the statements of financial position at each of those dates. Intercompany balances are settled in cash, generally within thirty days of the respective reporting date.

NM-55

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

13. Surplus Notes

The following table summarizes the surplus notes issued by the Company and are outstanding at December 31, 2020:

Description	Issue date		Principal     amount		Statement     value		Interest paid     current year		Cumulative         interest paid		Interest     rate			Maturity     date
($ in millions)
2010 Notes		3/26/2010	$	1,224	$	1,224	$	74	$	1,083		6.063	%		3/30/2040
2017 Notes		9/26/2017		1,200		1,198		46		139		3.850	%		9/30/2047
2019 Notes		9/20/2019		1,347		1,151		50		50		3.625	%		9/30/2059
		Total
			$	3,771	$	3,573	$	170	$	1,272

Each series of notes was distributed pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Interest on each of the above notes is payable semi-annually on March 30 and September 30, subject to approval by the OCI. SAP requires recognition of interest expense on the notes upon OCI approval of semi-annual interest payments.

On September 20, 2019, the Company issued $1,347 million of 2019 notes. A portion of the issuance was comprised of $ 600 million new principal, issued at a discount, with net proceeds of $597 million. The remaining $747 million of principal was used to redeem 2010 notes with a principal balance of $526 million as part of a surplus note exchange transaction. Of the $221 million of discount at the time of the exchange, $22 million was related to an inducement for noteholders to exchange their 2010 notes, and was recorded as a reduction to net investment income within the statement of operations. Since this exchange transaction did not meet the “substantially different” criteria within SSAP No. 103R, Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments of Liabilities, the remaining discount of $199 million will be amortized and charged to the statement of operations over the remaining life of the 2019 notes.

The notes are unsecured and subordinated to all present and future indebtedness, policy claims and other creditor claims of the Company and do not repay principal prior to maturity, with principal payment at maturity subject to the prior approval of the OCI. The notes are not redeemable at the option of any note holder but are redeemable, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company at any time, subject to the prior approval of the OCI, at a “make whole” redemption price equal to the greater of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed or the sum of the present value of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the notes to be redeemed, excluding accrued interest as of the date on which the notes are to be redeemed, discounted on a semi-annual basis at a defined U.S. Treasury rate plus 0.20% (2017 notes) and 0.25% (2010 and 2019 notes). The entire amount of the 2017 and 2019 notes are redeemable, at par, in the event of certain defined tax events.

No affiliates of the Company hold any portion of the notes, which are generally held of record at the Depository Trust Company by bank custodians on behalf of investors. No single investor holds 10% or more of the 2017 notes or the 2019 notes. The largest holder of the 2010 notes is Nippon Life Insurance Company of Japan, which held $250 million in principal amount of notes at each of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

NM-56

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

14. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Certain of the Company’s assets and liabilities are considered “financial instruments” as defined by Statement of Statutory Principles No. 100, Fair Value Measurements (SSAP 100). The Company’s estimation of fair value for financial instruments uses a hierarchy that, where possible, makes use of quoted market prices from active and transparent markets for assets that are identical to those being valued, typically obtained from independent pricing services (“level 1”). In the absence of quoted market prices for identical assets, fair value is estimated by these pricing services using relevant and observable market-based inputs for substantially similar securities (“level 2”). Financial instruments for which no quoted market prices or observable inputs are available are generally valued using internally-developed pricing models or indicative (i.e., non-binding) quotes from independent securities brokers (“level 3”).

The Company actively monitors fair value estimates received from independent pricing services at each financial reporting date, including analysis of valuation changes for individual securities compared to overall market trends and validation on an exception basis with internally-developed pricing models. The Company also performs periodic reviews of the information sources, inputs and methods used by its independent pricing services, including an evaluation of their control processes. Where necessary, the Company will challenge third-party valuations or methods and require more observable inputs or different methodologies.

For financial instruments included in the scope of SSAP 100, the statement value and fair value at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

	December 31, 2020
					Quoted prices in		Significant		Significant		Net
					active markets		observable		unobservable		Asset
	Statement		Fair		for identical assets		inputs		inputs		Value
	Value		Value		(level 1)		(level 2)		(level 3)		(NAV)
	(in millions)
General account investment assets:
Bonds	$	166,324	$	183,434	$	3,175	$	162,956	$	17,303	$	-
Mortgage loans		41,568		45,155		-		-		45,155		-
Common and preferred stocks		4,623		4,659		4,051		60		548		-
Policy loans		17,686		17,686		-		-		17,686		-
Derivative assets		358		571		-		571		-		-
Surplus note investments		161		211		-		211		-		-
Cash and short-term investments		3,239		3,239		614		2,625		-		-
Separate account assets		38,447		38,447		34,519		3,172		711		45
General account liabilities:
Investment-type insurance reserves	$	6,397	$	6,445	$	-	$	-	$	6,445	$	-
Liabilities for repurchase agreements		1,315		1,315		-		1,315		-		-
Derivative liabilities		622		500		-		500		-		-
Separate account liabilities		38,447		38,447		34,519		3,172		711		45

NM-57

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

	December 31, 2019
					Quoted prices in		Significant		Significant		Net
					active markets		observable		unobservable		Asset
	Statement		Fair		for identical assets		inputs		inputs		Value
	Value		Value		(level 1)		(level 2)		(level 3)		(NAV)
	(in millions)
General account investment assets:
Bonds	$	159,760	$	168,729	$	2,605	$	151,243	$	14,881	$	-
Mortgage loans		39,771		41,784		-		-		41,784
Common and preferred stocks		4,267		4,290		3,671		78		541
Policy loans		17,829		17,829		-		-		17,829
Derivative assets		546		697		-		697		-
Surplus note investments		111		144		-		144		-		-
Cash and short-term investments		2,408		2,408		809		1,599		-		-
Separate account assets		34,832		34,832		31,092		3,017		617		106
General account liabilities:
Investment-type insurance reserves	$	5,242	$	5,189	$	-	$	-	$	5,189	$	-
Liabilities for repurchase agreements		1,711		1,711		-		1,711		-		-
Derivative liabilities		189		163		-		163		-		-
Separate account liabilities		34,832		34,832		31,092		3,017		617		106

Bonds

Bonds classified as level 1 financial instruments are generally limited to U.S. Treasury securities. Most bonds, including U.S. and foreign public and private corporate bonds, municipal bonds and structured securities, are classified as level 2 financial instruments and are valued based on prices obtained from independent pricing services or internally-developed pricing models using observable inputs. Typical market-observable inputs include benchmark yields, reported trades, issuer spreads, bids, offers, benchmark securities, estimated cash flows and prepayment speeds. Level 3 bonds are typically privately-placed and relatively illiquid, with fair value based on non-binding broker quotes or internally-developed pricing models utilizing unobservable inputs. See Note 3 for more information regarding the Company’s investments in bonds.

Mortgage Loans

Mortgage loans consist solely of commercial mortgage loans underwritten and originated by the Company. Fair value of these loans is estimated using a discounted cash flow approach based on market interest rates for commercial mortgage debt with comparable credit risk and maturity. See Note 3 for more information regarding the Company’s investments in mortgage loans.

Common and Preferred Stock

Common and preferred stocks classified as level 1 financial instruments are limited to those actively traded on a U.S. or foreign stock exchange. Level 2 securities are stocks for which market quotes are available but are not considered to be actively traded. Common and preferred stocks classified as level 3 are generally privately-placed with fair value primarily based on a sponsor valuation or market comparables approach utilizing unobservable inputs. See Note 3 for more information regarding the Company’s investments in common and preferred stocks.

Policy Loans

See Note 2 for information regarding policy loans, for which the Company considers the unpaid principal balance to approximate fair value.

NM-58

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Derivative Instruments

The Company’s derivative investments are generally traded in over-the-counter markets with fair value estimated using industry-standard models with market-observable inputs such as swap yield curves, LIBOR basis curves, foreign currency spot rates, foreign currency basis curves, option volatilities and credit spreads. Warrants classified as level 3 are generally privately-placed with fair value primarily based on a sponsor valuation or market comparables approach utilizing unobservable inputs. See Note 4 for more information regarding the Company’s derivative investments.

Surplus Note Investments

The Company invests in surplus note issuances of other mutual insurance companies. These bond-like instruments are classified as level 2 financial instruments and are valued based on prices obtained from independent pricing services or internally-developed pricing models using observable inputs. Typical market-observable inputs include benchmark yields, reported trades, issuer spreads, bids, offers, benchmark securities, estimated cash flows and prepayment speeds.

Cash and Short-term Investments

Cash and short-term investments include cash deposit balances, money market mutual funds, short-term commercial paper and other highly-liquid debt instruments, for which the Company considers net asset value or amortized cost to approximate fair value.

Separate Account Assets and Liabilities

See Note 2 and Note 7 for information regarding the Company’s separate accounts, for which fair value is primarily based on quoted market prices for the related common stocks, preferred stocks, bonds, derivative instruments and other investments. Separate account assets classified as level 3 financial instruments are primarily securities partnership investments that are valued based on the Company’s underlying equity in the partnerships, which the Company considers to approximate fair value.

General Account Insurance Reserves

The Company’s general account insurance liabilities defined as financial instruments under SSAP 100 are limited to “investment-type” products such as fixed-rate annuity policies, supplementary contracts without life contingencies and amounts left on deposit. The fair value of investment-type insurance reserves is estimated based on future cash flows discounted at market interest rates for similar instruments with comparable maturities.

Repurchase Agreement Liabilities

See Note 3 for information regarding repurchase agreement activity, for which the Company considers the liability to return collateral to approximate the fair value of collateral originally received.

NM-59

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

Assets and Liabilities Reported at Fair Value

The following tables summarize assets and liabilities measured and reported at fair value in the statements of financial position at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

	December 31, 2020
	Quoted prices in		Significant		Significant		Net
	active markets		observable		unobservable		Asset
	for identical assets		inputs		inputs		Value
	(level 1)		(level 2)		(level 3)		(NAV)		Total
	(in millions)
General account:
Bonds	$	401	$	30	$	90	$	-	$	521
Common and preferred stocks		4,051		-		390		-		4,441
Money market mutual funds		309		-		-		-		309
Derivative assets		-		98		-		-		98
Derivative liabilities		-		23		-				23
Total general account	$	4,761	$	151	$	480	$	-	$	5,392
Separate accounts:
Mutual fund investments	$	32,149	$	-	$	-		-	$	32,149
Other benefit plan assets/liabilities		21		20		4		-		45
Pension and postretirement assets:
Bonds		341		3,094		118		-		3,553
Common and preferred stock		1,768		1		47		45		1,861
Cash and short-term securities		50		52		-		-		102
Other assets/liabilities		190		5		542		-		737
Subtotal pension and postretirement assets		2,349		3,152		707		45		6,253
Total separate accounts	$	34,519	$	3,172	$	711	$	45	$	38,447

	December 31, 2019
	Quoted prices in		Significant		Significant		Net
	active markets		observable		unobservable		Asset
	for identical assets		inputs		inputs		Value
	(level 1)		(level 2)		(level 3)		(NAV)		Total
	(in millions)
General account:
Bonds	$	3	$	37	$	5	$	-	$	45
Common and preferred stocks		3,671		-		458		-		4,129
Money market mutual funds		668		-		-		-		668
Derivative assets		-		75		-		-		75
Derivative liabilities		-		21		-				21
Total general account	$	4,342	$	133	$	463	$	-	$	4,938
Separate accounts:
Mutual fund investments	$	29,245	$	-	$	-		-	$	29,245
Other benefit plan assets/liabilities		21		18		4		1		44
Pension and postretirement assets:
Bonds		226		2,887		119		-		3,232
Common and preferred stock		1,462		1		46		105		1,614
Cash and short-term securities		34		105		-		-		139
Other assets/liabilities		104		6		448		-		558
Subtotal pension and postretirement assets		1,826		2,999		613		105		5,543
Total separate accounts	$	31,092	$	3,017	$	617	$	106	$	34,832

NM-60

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

During 2020, transfers into level 3 are the result of observable market data, such as public ratings, no longer being available and transfers out of level 3 are the result of observable market data, including 3rd party vendor prices and public ratings, being available and utilized in the determination of the fair market value of the securities. There were no material asset transfers into or out of level 3 during the year ended December 31, 2019.

The following tables summarize the changes in fair value of level 3 financial instruments for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

For the year ended December 31, 2020	General account common and preferred stock		General account bonds		Derivative assets		Separate account assets
			(in millions)
Fair value, beginning of period	$	458	$	5	$	-	$	617
Realized gains/(losses)		14		(5)		-		47
Unrealized gains/(losses)		(21)		(25)				41
Issuances		-		-		-		-
Purchases		58		5		-		137
Sales		(57)		-		-		(134)
Settlements		-		-		-		-
Net discount/premium		8		-		-		2
Transfers into level 3				110		-		7
Transfers out of level 3		(70)		-		-		(6)
Fair value, end of period	$	390	$	90	$	-	$	711

For the year ended December 31, 2019	General account common and preferred stock		General account bonds		Derivative assets		Separate account assets
	(in millions)
Fair value, beginning of period	$	455	$	5	$	16	$	531
Realized gains/(losses)		(27)		-		-		41
Unrealized gains/(losses)		24		-				26
Issuances		-		-		-		-
Purchases		37		-		-		151
Sales		(35)		-		-		(132)
Settlements		-		-		-		-
Net discount/premium		4		-		-		(1)
Transfers into level 3				-		-		1
Transfers out of level 3		-		-		(16)
Fair value, end of period	$	458	$	5	$	-	$	617

NM-61

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

The fair values of level 3 financial instruments are sensitive to changes in significant unobservable inputs. Level 3 bonds are valued using a combination of discounted cash flows and indicative quotes from independent securities brokers based on market comparable companies. The most significant unobservable input in the discounted cash flow analysis is the discount rate. This rate is estimated based upon a risk-free market interest rate (U.S. Treasury with comparable maturity) plus a credit spread adjustment based on the estimated credit rating of the issuer. In general, issuers with lower credit ratings have higher credit spreads. A decrease in the credit spread adjustment would increase the fair value of the investment as the future expected cash flows are discounted at a lower rate. The opposite impact would occur if credit spread adjustments increase.

Level 3 privately-placed common and preferred stocks and derivatives, are primarily valued using a private equity sponsor valuation or market comparables approach. Both approaches rely on the use of multiples that are based on industry-specific comparable companies. Multiples are derived from the relationship of an entity’s fair value to its book value or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). The use of EBITDA normalizes for company-specific differences in capital structure, taxation and fixed asset accounting. An increase in the multiple would result in an increase in the fair value of the investment. The opposite impact would occur if the multiple decreased.

NM-62