Exhibit 12(b)

CERTIFICATION

Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (subsections (a) and (b) of section 1350, chapter 63 of title 18, United States Code), each of the undersigned officers of the TIAA-CREF Funds does hereby certify, to such officer’s knowledge, that:

The report on Form N-CSR of the TIAA Separate Account VA-1 (the “Fund”) dated December 31, 2011 (the “Form N-CSR”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and information contained in the Form N-CSR fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Funds.

Dated:  February 16, 2012	By:	/s/ Roger W. Ferguson, Jr.
		Roger W. Ferguson, Jr.
		President and Chief Executive Officer
		(principal executive officer)
Dated:  February 16, 2012	By:	/s/ Phillip G. Goff
		Phillip G. Goff
		Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting
		Officer and Treasurer
		(principal financial officer)