497 1 c56054_497.htm no2clean.htm -- Converted by SEC Publisher, created by BCL Technologies Inc., for SEC Filing

COLLEGE RETIREMENT EQUITIES FUND
(CREF)

SUPPLEMENT NO. 2
Dated December 31, 2008
to the May 1, 2008 Prospectus

CREF EXPENSE DEDUCTIONS

In keeping with CREF’s “at cost” expense structure, the amounts deducted on a daily basis from each CREF Account are based on estimated expenses, which are derived from projections of overall expenses and the assets of each Account. As described in the Prospectus, any differences between these estimates and the actual expenses are adjusted quarterly to reflect actual costs. Please be advised that the expense ratios actually incurred or anticipated to be incurred by the CREF Accounts through April 30, 2009 are higher than previously estimated for that period. The difference between the CREF Accounts’ estimated and actual expense ratios is primarily due to the dramatic downturn in the financial markets since August 2008, which has resulted in a large reduction in the Accounts’ assets.

Accordingly, the revised estimates for the estimated expenses in the “Annual Expense Deductions from Net Assets” section of the “Annual Expense Deduction” table on page 6 of the Prospectus should be as follows in the chart below. These revised estimates do not reflect a change in an Account’s actual expense rate; however, the amount deducted each day will include both the amount reflecting the expense rate and an amount determined by the reconciliation process described on pages 4–5 of the Prospectus.

ESTIMATED ANNUAL EXPENSE DEDUCTIONS

                        Inflation-         
         Global        Equity    Bond    Linked    Social    Money 
    Stock    Equities    Growth    Index    Market    Bond    Choice    Market 
Estimated Annual Expense Deductions from Net Assets (as a percentage of average net assets)             
Investment Advisory Expenses    0.160%    0.200%    0.180%    0.110%    0.130%     0.110%    0.130%    0.090% 
Administrative Expenses    0.360%    0.360%    0.360%    0.360%    0.360%     0.360%    0.360%    0.360% 
Distribution Expenses (12b-1)    0.085%    0.085%    0.085%    0.085%    0.085%     0.085%    0.085%    0.085% 
Mortality and Expense                                 
   Risk Charges    0.005%    0.005%    0.005%    0.005%    0.005%     0.005%    0.005%    0.005% 
Acquired Fund Fees and                                 
   Expenses#    0.010%    0.010%    0.000%    0.000%    0.000%     0.000%    0.010%    0.000% 
Total Annual Expense                                 
   Deductions    0.620%    0.660%    0.630%    0.560%    0.580%     0.560%    0.590%    0.540% 

# “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are an Account’s proportionate amount of the expenses of other investment vehicles in which it invests. These expenses are not paid directly by participants. Instead, participants bear these expenses indirectly because they reduce the performance of the investment vehicles in which the Account invests.


Additionally, due to changes in the CREF Accounts’ estimated expenses, the expense example chart at the bottom of page 6 of the Prospectus should be replaced by the following chart:

                        Inflation-         
        Global        Equity    Bond    Linked    Social    Money 
    Stock    Equities    Growth    Index    Market    Bond    Choice    Market 
1 Year    $6    $7    $6    $6    $6    $6    $6    $6 
3 Years    $20    $21    $20    $18    $19    $18    $19    $17 
5 Years    $35    $37    $35    $31    $32    $31    $33    $30 
10 Years    $77    $82    $79    $70    $73    $70    $74    $68 

 

 

 

 

 

 
A11798 (12/08)