Rule 497(c)
November 15, 1997 Prospectus for
LIBERTY
ADVISOR VARIABLE ANNUITY
Including Fund Prospectuses for
THE ALGER AMERICAN FUND
ALLIANCE VARIABLE PRODUCTS SERIES FUND, INC.
LIBERTY VARIABLE INVESTMENT TRUST
MFS VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST
STEINROE VARIABLE INVESTMENT TRUST
NOT May lose value
FDIC No bank guarantee
INSURED
Distributed by:
Keyport Financial Services Corp.
125 High Street, Boston, MA 02110-2712
Issued by:
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston
175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02117
Liberty Life Service Office
125 High Street, Boston, MA 02110-2712
LAVAP 11/97
____Yes.I would like to receive the Liberty Advisor Variable Annuity
Statement of Additional Information.
____Yes.I would like to receive the Statement of Additional Information for
the Eligible Funds of:
____ The Alger American Fund
____ Alliance Variable Products Series Fund, Inc.
____ Liberty Variable Investment Trust
____ MFS Variable Insurance Trust
____ SteinRoe Variable Investment Trust
Name
Address
City State Zip
BUSINESS REPLY MAIL
FIRST CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 6719 BOSTON, MA
POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE
LIBERTY LIFE SERVICE OFFICE
125 HIGH STREET
BOSTON, MA 02110-9773
NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES.
GROUP FLEXIBLE PURCHASE PAYMENT
DEFERRED VARIABLE ANNUITY CONTRACT
ISSUED BY
Variable Account J
OF
LIBERTY LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY OF BOSTON
This Prospectus offers Group Variable Annuity Contracts (the "Contracts")
and the related Certificates (the "Certificates") that are designed to fund
benefits under certain group arrangements including those that qualify for
special tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Code").
As required by certain states, the Certificates may be offered as individual
contracts. Unless otherwise noted or the context so requires all references
to the Certificates include the Contracts and the individual Contracts. The
Certificates are offered on a flexible payment basis.
The variable annuity Contract (form number DVA(1)NY) and the Certificates
described in this prospectus provide for accumulation of Certificate Values
on a variable basis, and also on a fixed basis, and payments of periodic
annuity payments on either a variable or a fixed basis. The Certificates are
designed for use by individuals for retirement planning purposes.
This prospectus generally describes only the variable features of the
Certificate (for a summary of the fixed features, see Appendix A on Page 28).
If the Certificate Owner elects to have Certificate Values accumulated on a
variable basis, Purchase Payments will be allocated to a segregated
investment account of Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston ("Liberty
Life"), designated Variable Account J ("Variable Account").
The Variable Account invests in shares of the following investment companies
at their net asset value: The Alger American Fund ("Alger American Fund")-
Alger American Growth Portfolio ("Alger Growth") and Alger American Small
Capitalization Portfolio ("Alger Small Cap"); Alliance Variable Products
Series Fund, Inc. ("Alliance Series Fund") - Global Bond Portfolio ("Alliance
Global Bond") and Premier Growth Portfolio ("Alliance Premier Growth");
Liberty Variable Investment Trust ("Liberty Trust") (formerly named Keyport
Variable Investment Trust)-- Colonial Growth and Income Fund, Variable Series
("Colonial Growth and Income"); Colonial International Fund for Growth,
Variable Series ("Colonial Int'l Fund for Growth"); Colonial Strategic Income
Fund, Variable Series ("Colonial Strategic Income"); Colonial U.S. Stock
Fund, Variable Series ("Colonial U.S. Stock"); Liberty All-Star Equity Fund,
Variable Series ("Liberty All-Star Equity"); Newport Tiger Fund, Variable
Series ("Newport Tiger"); and Stein Roe Global Utilities Fund, Variable
Series ("Stein Roe Global Utilities"); MFS Variable Insurance Trust ("MFS
Trust") -- MFS Emerging Growth Series ("MFS Emerging Growth") and MFS
Research Series ("MFS Research"); and SteinRoe Variable Investment Trust
("SteinRoe Trust") -- Stein Roe Balanced Fund, Variable Series ("Stein Roe
Balanced"); Stein Roe Growth Stock Fund, Variable Series ("Stein Roe Growth
Stock"); Stein Roe Money Market Fund, Variable Series ("Stein Roe Money
Market"); Stein Roe Mortgage Securities Fund, Variable Series ("Stein Roe
Mortgage Securities"); and Stein Roe Special Venture Fund, Variable Series
("Stein Roe Special Venture").
The Variable Account may offer other forms of the Contracts and Certificates
with features, and fees and charges which vary from the Certificates, and
provide for investment in other Sub-accounts which may invest in different or
additional mutual funds. Other Contracts and Certificates will be described
in separate prospectuses and statements of additional information.
A Statement of Additional Information dated the same as this prospectus has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is herein
incorporated by reference. It is available, at no charge, by writing the
Principal Underwriter, Keyport Financial Services Corp. at 125 High Street,
Boston, MA 02110, by calling (800) 437-4466, or by returning the postcard on
the back cover of this prospectus. A table of contents for the Statement of
Additional Information is on Page 27.
The Certificates may be sold by or through banks or other depository
institutions. The Contract and Certificates: are not insured by the FDIC;
are not a deposit or other obligation of, or guaranteed by, the depository
institution; and are subject to investment risks, including the possible loss
of principal amount invested.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR HAS THE COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR
ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A
CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
THIS PROSPECTUS SETS FORTH THE INFORMATION A PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD KNOW
BEFORE INVESTING. THE PROSPECTUS SHOULD BE RETAINED FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.
THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING IN ANY STATE OR JURISDICTION
IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE. NO PERSON IS AUTHORIZED BY
LIBERTY LIFE TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS, OTHER
THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS, IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING,
AND IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH UNAUTHORIZED INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS SHOULD
NOT BE RELIED UPON.
The date of this prospectus is November 15, 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Glossary of Special Terms 3
Summary of Expenses 4
Synopsis 7
Performance Information 8
Liberty Life and the Variable Account 8
Purchase Payments and Applications 8
Investments of the Variable Account 10
Allocations of Purchase Payments 10
Eligible Funds 10
Transfer of Variable Account Value 13
Substitution of Eligible Funds and Other Variable
Account Changes 14
Deductions 14
Deductions for Certificate Maintenance Charge 14
Deductions for Mortality and Expense Risk Charge 14
Deductions for Daily Distribution Charge 15
Deductions for Contingent Deferred Sales Charge 15
Deductions for Transfers of Variable Account Value 16
Deductions for Premium Taxes 16
Deductions for Income Taxes 16
Total Variable Account Expenses 16
Other Services 16
The Certificates 18
Variable Account Value 18
Valuation Periods 18
Net Investment Factor 18
Modification of the Certificate 18
Right to Revoke 19
Death Provisions for Non-Qualified Certificates 19
Death Provisions for Qualified Certificates 20
Certificate Ownership 20
Assignment 20
Partial Withdrawals and Surrender 21
Annuity Provisions 21
Annuity Benefits 21
Income Date and Annuity Option 21
Change in Income Date and Annuity Option 21
Annuity Options 21
Variable Annuity Payment Values 23
Proof of Age, Sex, and Survival of Annuitant 23
Suspension of Payments 23
Tax Status 23
Introduction 23
Taxation of Annuities in General 23
Qualified Plans 25
Tax-Sheltered Annuities 25
Individual Retirement Annuities 25
Corporate Pension and Profit-Sharing Plans 25
Deferred Compensation Plans with Respect to Service
for State and Local Governments 25
Variable Account Voting Privileges 26
Sales of the Certificates 26
Legal Proceedings 26
Inquiries by Certificate Owners 26
Table of Contents_Statement of Additional Information 27
Appendix A_The Fixed Account (also known as the Modified
Guaranteed Annuity Account) 28
Appendix B_Telephone Instructions 31
GLOSSARY OF SPECIAL TERMS
Accumulation Unit: An accounting unit of measure used to calculate Variable
Account Value.
Annuitant: The Annuitant is the natural person to whom any annuity payments
will be made starting on the Income Date. The Annuitant may not be over age
90 on the Certificate Date (age 75 for Qualified Certificates).
Certificate Anniversary: The same month and day as the Certificate Date in
each subsequent year of the Certificate.
Certificate Date: The effective date of the Certificate; it is shown on the
Certificate Schedule.
Certificate Owner: The person (or persons in the case of joint ownership) who
possesses all the ownership rights under the Certificate. The primary
Certificate Owner may not be over age 90 on the Certificate Date (age 75 for
Qualified Certificates and age 90 for a joint Owner).
Certificate Value: The sum of the Variable Account Value and the Fixed
Account Value.
Certificate Withdrawal Value: The Certificate Value increased or decreased
by a limited Market Value Adjustment less any premium taxes and Certificate
Maintenance Charge and applicable Contingent Deferred Sales Charges.
Certificate Year: Any period of 12 months commencing with the Certificate
Date and each Certificate Anniversary thereafter shall be a Certificate Year.
Covered Person: The person(s) identified on the Certificate Schedule whose
death may result in an Adjustment of Certificate Value, a waiver of any
Contingent Deferred Sales Charges and a waiver of any Market Value
Adjustment or whose medically necessary stay in a hospital or nursing
facility may allow the Certificate Owner to be eligible for either a total or
partial waiver of the Contingent Deferred Sales Charge.
Designated Beneficiary: The person who may be entitled to receive benefits
following the death of the Annuitant, Certificate Owner, or joint Certificate
Owner. The Designated Beneficiary will be the first person among the
following who is alive on the date of death: primary Certificate Owner; joint
Certificate Owner; primary beneficiary; contingent beneficiary; and if none
of the above is alive, the primary Certificate Owner's estate. If the
primary Certificate Owner and joint Certificate Owner are both alive, they
will be the Designated Beneficiary together.
Eligible Funds: The mutual funds that are eligible investments for the
Variable Account under the Certificates.
Fixed Account: Part of Liberty Life's general account to which Purchase
Payments may be allocated or Certificate Values may be transferred.
Fixed Account Value: The value of all Fixed Account amounts accumulated under
the Certificate prior to the Income Date.
Guarantee Period Anniversary: An anniversary of a Guarantee Period's Start
Date.
Guarantee Period Month: The first Guarantee Period Month is the monthly
period which begins on the Start Date. Subsequent Guarantee Period Months
begin on the same day in the ensuing months.
Guarantee Period Year: The first Guarantee Period Year is the annual period
which begins on the Start Date. Subsequent Guarantee Period Years begin on
each Guaranteed Period Anniversary.
In Force: The status of the Certificate before the Income Date so long as it
is not totally surrendered, the Certificate Value under a Certificate does
not go to zero, and there has not been a death of the Annuitant or any
Certificate Owner that will cause the Certificate to end within at most five
years of the date of death.
Income Date: The date on which annuity payments are to begin.
Non-Qualified Certificate: Any Certificate that is not issued under a
Qualified Plan.
Office: Liberty Life's Service Office, which is 125 High Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02110.
Qualified Certificate: Certificates issued under Qualified Plans.
Qualified Plan: A retirement plan established pursuant to the provisions of
Sections 401, 403(b) or 408(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. Liberty Life
treats Section 457 plans as Qualified Plans.
Start Date: The date an amount is first allocated to a Guarantee Period.
Variable Account: A separate investment account of Liberty Life into which
Purchase Payments under the Certificates may be allocated. The Variable
Account is divided into Sub-Accounts ("Sub-Account") that correspond to the
Eligible Funds in which they invest.
Variable Account Value: The value of all Variable Account amounts accumulated
under the Certificate prior to the Income Date.
Written Request: A request written on a form satisfactory to Liberty Life,
signed by the Certificate Owner and a disinterested witness, and filed at
Liberty Life's Office.
SUMMARY OF EXPENSES
The expense summary format below, including the examples, was adopted by the
Securities and Exchange Commission to assist the owner of a variable annuity
certificate in understanding the transaction and operating expenses the owner
will directly or indirectly bear under a certificate. The values reflect
expenses of the Variable Account as well as the Eligible Funds under the
Certificates. The expenses shown for the Eligible Funds and the examples
should not be considered a representation of future expenses.
Certificate Owner Transaction Expenses
Sales Load Imposed on Purchases: 0%
Maximum Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
(as a percentage of Purchase Payments): 7%1
Years from Date of Payment Sales Charge
1 7%
2 6%
3 5%
4 4%
5 3%
6 2%
7 1%
8 or later 0%
Maximum Total Certificate Owner Transaction Expenses
(as a percentage of Purchase Payments): 7%
Annual Certificate Maintenance Charge2 $36
The Certificate Maintenance Charge will be waived before the Income Date if:
(i) the Certificate Value is greater than or equal to $40,000 on the
Certificate Anniversary date this charge is imposed, or
(ii) Purchase Payments of at least $2,000 have been made in the prior
Certificate Year and there has been no partial withdrawal in the prior
Certificate Year.
The Certificate Maintenance Charge will be waived on and after the Income
Date for the current year if:
(i) variable annuity Option A (Income for a Fixed Number of Years) is
applicable; and
(ii) at the time of the first payment of the year, the present value of
all the remaining payments (see "Option A" on Page 22) is greater than or
equal to $40,000.
Variable Account Annual Expenses
(as a percentage of average net assets)
Mortality and Expense Risk Charge: 1.25%
Distribution Charge:. .15%
Total Variable Account Annual Expenses: 1.40%
Alger American Fund, Alliance Series Fund, Liberty Trust, MFS Trust, and
SteinRoe Trust Annual Expenses3
(as a percentage of average net assets)
Total Fund
Operating
Expenses After
Management Other Any Expense
Fund Fees Expenses Reimbursements4
Alger Growth .75% .04% .79%
Alger Small Cap .85% .03% .88%
Alliance Global Bond .44 % .50%
.94%(1.15%)4
Alliance Premier Growth .72 % .23%
.95%(1.23%)4
Colonial Growth & Income .65 % .14% .79%
Colonial Int'l Fund for Growth .90% .50% 1.40%
Colonial Strategic Income .65% .15% .80%(.86%)4
Colonial U.S. Stock .80% .15% .95%
Liberty All-Star Equity .80% .13% .93%
Newport Tiger .90% .37% 1.27%
Stein Roe Global Utilities .65% .16% .81%
MFS Emerging Growth .75 % .25% 1.00
(1.16%)4
MFS Research .75 % .25%
1.00%(1.48%)4
Stein Roe Balanced .60% .07% .67%
Stein Roe Growth Stock .65% .08% .73%
Stein Roe Money Market .50% .15% .65%
Stein Roe Mortgage Securities .55% .15% .70%(.72)
Stein Roe Special Venture .65% .10% .75%
THE ABOVE EXPENSES FOR THE ELIGIBLE FUNDS WERE PROVIDED BY THE FUNDS. LIBERTY
LIFE HAS NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION.
Example #1 _ Assuming surrender of the Certificate at the end of the periods
shown.5
A $1,000 investment in each Sub-Account listed would be subject to the
expenses shown, assuming 5% annual return on assets.
Sub-Account 1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Alger Growth $ 93 $122 $162 $319
Alger Small Cap 94 125 167 331
Alliance Global Bond 94 127 170 338
Alliance Premier Growth 94 127 171 340
Colonial Growth & Income 93 122 162 319
Colonial Int'l Fund for Growth 99 141 195 395
Colonial Strategic Income 93 123 162 321
Colonial U.S. Stock 94 127 171 340
Liberty All-Star Equity 94 127 170 337
Newport Tiger 97 137 188 379
Stein Roe Global Utilities 93 123 163 322
MFS Emerging Growth 95 129 174 346
MFS Research 95 129 174 346
Stein Roe Balanced 91 119 155 304
Stein Roe Growth Stock 92 120 159 312
Stein Roe Money Market 91 118 154 301
Stein Roe Mortgage Securities 92 120 157 308
Stein Roe Special Venture 92 121 160 314
Example #2 _ Assuming annuitization of the Certificate at the end of the
_______________________________
periods shown.5
A $1,000 investment in each Sub-Account listed would be subject to the
expenses shown, assuming 5% annual return on assets.
Sub-Account 1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Alger Growth 23 73 132 319
Alger Small Cap 24 76 137 331
Alliance Global Bond 24 78 140 338
Alliance Premier Growth 24 78 141 340
Colonial Growth & Income 23 73 132 319
Colonial Int'l Fund for Growth 29 93 165 395
Colonial Strategic Income 23 74 132 321
Colonial U.S. Stock 24 78 141 340
Liberty All-Star Equity 24 78 140 337
Newport Tiger 27 88 158 379
Stein Roe Global Utilities 23 74 133 322
MFS Emerging Growth 25 80 144 346
MFS Research 25 80 144 346
Stein Roe Balanced 21 70 125 304
Stein Roe Growth Stock 22 71 129 312
Stein Roe Money Market 21 69 124 301
Stein Roe Mortgage Securities 22 70 127 308
Stein Roe Special Venture 23 72 130 314
Example #3 _ Assuming the Certificate stays in force through the periods
shown.
A $1,000 investment in each Sub-Account listed would be subject to the same
expenses shown in Example #2, assuming 5% annual return on assets.
1Contingent Deferred Sales Charges are deducted only if the Certificate is
totally or partially surrendered. A surrender will not incur the Charge
percentage shown as follows:
1. In any Certificate Year, Certificate Owners may withdraw an aggregate
amount, not to exceed, at the time of withdrawal, the Certificate's earnings,
which equal: (a) the Certificate Value, less (b) the portion of the Purchase
Payments not previously withdrawn.
2. In any Certificate Year after the first, Certificate Owners may
withdraw, in addition to the amount available in 1., the amount by which 10%
of the Certificate Value as of the preceding Certificate Anniversary exceeds
the amount available in 1.
2This charge will be waived on the first Certificate Anniversary and in
certain other instances (see "Deductions for Certificate Maintenance
Charge"). Liberty Life reserves the right to impose a transfer fee after
prior notice to Certificate Owners, but currently does not impose any charge.
Premium taxes are not shown. Liberty Life deducts the amount of premium
taxes, if any, when paid unless Liberty Life elects to defer such deduction.
3All Trust and Fund expenses are for 1996 with the exception of those for
Liberty All-Star Equity, which are estimated since Liberty All-Star Equity
commenced operations in November, 1997. The Alliance Series Fund, Liberty
Trust (Colonial Strategic Income only), MFS Trust, and SteinRoe Trust (Stein
Roe Mortgage Securities only) expenses reflect such Fund's or Trust's
adviser's agreement to reimburse expenses above certain limits (see footnote
4).
4Expense information shown for Alliance Series Fund has been restated to
reflect current fees and is net of voluntary expense reimbursements. The
Alliance Series Fund Adviser has agreed to continue such reimbursements for
the foreseeable future. Each percentage shown in the parentheses is what the
total expenses would have been in the absence of expense reimbursement: for
Alliance Global Bond - 1.15%; and for Alliance Premier Growth - 1.23%.
Liberty Trust's manager has agreed until 4/30/98 to reimburse all expenses,
including management fees, in excess of the following percentage of the
average annual net assets of each Fund, so long as such reimbursement would
not result in the Fund's inability to qualify as a regulated investment
company under the Internal Revenue Code: 1.00% for Colonial Growth & Income,
Stein Roe Global Utilities, Liberty All-Star Equity and Colonial U.S. Stock;
1.75% for Colonial Int'l Fund for Growth and Newport Tiger; and .80% for
Colonial Strategic Income. For Colonial Strategic Income the total .80% shown
in the table is after expense reimbursement and the .86% shown in the
parentheses is what the total for 1996 would have been in the absence of
expense reimbursement.
MFS Trust's Adviser has agreed to bear, subject to reimbursement, expenses
for each of the two Eligible Funds shown such that each Fund's total
operating expenses shall not exceed, on an annualized basis, 1.25% of the
average daily net assets of the Fund from January 1, 1997 through December
31, 1998, and 1.50% of the average daily net assets of the Fund from January
1, 1999 through December 31, 2004; provided however, that this obligation may
be terminated or revised at any time. Each percentage shown in the
parentheses is what the total expenses would have been in the absence of
expense reimbursement: for MFS Emerging Growth - 1.16%; and for MFS Research
- - 1.48%.
SteinRoe Trust's adviser has voluntarily agreed until 4/30/98 to reimburse
all expenses, including management fees, in excess of the following
percentage of the average annual net assets of each Fund, so long as such
reimbursement would not result in the Fund's inability to qualify as a
regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code: .80% for Stein
Roe Special Venture and Stein Roe Growth Stock; .65% for Stein Roe Money
Market; .75% for Stein Roe Balanced; and .70% for Stein Roe Mortgage
Securities. For Stein Roe Mortgage Securities, the total .70% shown in the
table is after expense reimbursement and the .72% shown in the parentheses is
what the total for 1996 would have been in the absence of expense
reimbursement.
5The annuity is designed for retirement planning purposes. Surrenders prior
to the Income Date are not consistent with the long-term purposes of the
Certificate and the applicable tax laws.
The examples should not be considered a representation of past or future
expenses and charges of the Sub-Accounts. Actual expenses may be greater or
less than those shown. Similarly, the assumed 5% annual rate of return is
not an estimate or a guarantee of future investment performance. See
"Deductions" in this prospectus, "Management of the Fund" in the prospectuses
for Alger American Fund and the Alliance Series Fund, "Trust Management
Organizations" and "Expenses of the Funds" in the prospectus for Liberty
Trust, "Management of the Series" and "Expenses" in the prospectus for MFS
Trust, and "How the Funds are Managed" in the prospectus for SteinRoe Trust.
SYNOPSIS
The following Synopsis should be read in conjunction with the detailed
information in this prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information.
Please refer to the Glossary of Special Terms for the meaning of certain
defined terms. Variations from the information appearing in this prospectus
due to individual state requirements are described in supplements which are
attached to this prospectus, or in endorsements to the Certificates, as
appropriate.
The Certificate allows Certificate Owners to allocate Purchase Payments to
the Variable Account and also to the Fixed Account. The Variable Account is
a separate investment account maintained by Liberty Life. The Fixed Account
is part of Liberty Life's "general account", which consists of all Liberty
Life's assets except the Variable Account and the assets of other separate
investment accounts maintained by Liberty Life. Certificate Owners may
allocate payments to, and receive annuity payments from the Variable Account
and/or the Fixed Account. If the Certificate Owner allocates payments to the
Variable Account, the accumulation values and annuity payments will fluctuate
according to the investment experience of the Sub-Accounts chosen. If the
Certificate Owner allocates payments to the Fixed Account, the accumulation
values will increase at guaranteed interest rates and annuity payments will
be of a fixed amount. Fixed Account Values are subject to a limited market
value adjustment. (See "Liberty Life and the Variable Account" on Page 8 for
more information on the Variable Account and Appendix A on Page 28 for more
information on the Fixed Account.) If the Certificate Owner allocates
payments to both Accounts, then the accumulation values and annuity payments
will be variable in part and fixed in part.
The Certificate permits Purchase Payments to be made on a flexible Purchase
Payment basis. The minimum initial payment is $5,000. The minimum amount
for each subsequent payment is $1,000 or such lesser amount as Liberty Life
may permit from time to time (currently $250). (See "Purchase Payments" on
Page 9.)
There are no deductions made from Purchase Payments for sales charges at the
time of purchase. A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge may be deducted in the
event of a total or partial surrender (see "Partial Withdrawals and
Surrender" on Page 21). The Contingent Deferred Sales Charge is based on a
graded table of charges. The charge will not exceed 7% of that portion of
the amount surrendered that represents Purchase Payments made during the
seven years immediately preceding the request for surrender. (See
"Deductions for Contingent Deferred Sales Charge" on Page 15.)
Liberty Life deducts a Mortality and Expense Risk Charge, which is equal on
an annual basis to 1.25% of the average daily net asset values in the
Variable Account attributable to the Certificates. (See "Deductions for
Mortality and Expense Risk Charge" on Page 14.) Liberty Life also deducts a
daily distribution charge which is equal on an annual basis to .15% of the
same values. (See "Deductions for Daily Distribution Charge" on Page 15.)
Liberty Life deducts an annual Certificate Maintenance Charge (currently
$36.00) from the Variable Account Value for administrative expenses. Prior
to the Income Date, Liberty Life reserves the right to change this charge for
future years. Liberty Life will in certain instances waive this charge. (See
"Deductions for Certificate Maintenance Charge" on Page 14.)
Liberty Life reserves the right to deduct a charge of $25 for each transfer
in excess of 12 per Certificate Year but currently does not do so. (See
"Transfer of Variable Account Value" on Page 13.)
Premium taxes will be charged against the Certificate Value. Currently such
premium taxes range from 0% to 5.0%. (See "Deductions for Premium Taxes" on
Page 16.)
There are no federal income taxes on increases in the value of a Certificate
until a distribution occurs, in the form of a lump sum payment, annuity
payments, or the making of a gift or assignment of the Certificate. A
federal penalty tax (currently 10%) may also apply. (See "Tax Status" on
Page 23.)
The Certificate allows the Certificate Owner to revoke the Certificate
generally within 10 days of delivery (see "Right to Revoke" on Page 19).
Liberty Life will refund the Certificate Value as of the date the returned
Certificate is received by Liberty Life, plus any distribution charges
previously deducted. The Certificate Owner thus will bear the investment
risk during the revocation period.
The full financial statements for Liberty Life are in the Statement of
Additional Information.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Variable Account may from time to time advertise certain performance
information concerning its various Sub-Accounts.
Certain of the Eligible Funds have been available for Liberty Life and/or non-
Liberty Life variable annuity contracts for periods prior to the commencement
of the offering of the Certificates described in this prospectus. Any
performance information for such periods will be based on the historical
results of the Eligible Funds being applied to the Certificate for the
specified time periods.
Performance information is not intended to indicate either past performance
under an actual Certificate or future performance.
The Sub-Accounts may advertise total return information for various periods
of time. Total return performance information is based on the overall
percentage change in value of a hypothetical investment in the specific Sub-
Account over a given period of time.
Average annual total return information shows the average percentage change
in the value of an investment in the Sub-Account from the beginning date of
the measuring period to the end of that period. This standardized version of
average annual total return reflects all historical investment results, less
all charges and deductions applied against the Sub-Account and a Certificate
(including any Contingent Deferred Sales Charge that would apply if a
Certificate Owner surrendered the Certificate at the end of each period
indicated). Average total return does not take into account any premium
taxes and would be lower if these taxes were included.
In order to calculate average annual total return, Liberty Life divides the
change in value of a Sub-Account under a Certificate surrendered on a
particular date by a hypothetical $1,000 investment in the Sub-Account made
by the Certificate Owner at the beginning of the period illustrated. The
resulting total rate for the period is then annualized to obtain the average
annual percentage change during the period. Annualization assumes that the
application of a single rate of return each year during the period will
produce the ending value, taking into account the effect of compounding.
The Sub-Accounts may present additional total return information computed on
a different basis.
First, the Sub-Accounts may present total return information computed on the
same basis as described above, except deductions will not include the
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. This presentation assumes that the
investment in the Certificate continues beyond the period when the Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge applies, consistent with the long-term investment and
retirement objectives of the Certificate. The total return percentage will
thus be higher under this method than the standard method described above.
Second, the Sub-Accounts may present total return information calculated by
dividing the change in a Sub-Account's Accumulation Unit value over a
specified time period by the Accumulation Unit value of that Sub-Account at
the beginning of the period. This computation results in a 12-month change
rate or, for longer periods, a total rate for the period which Liberty Life
annualizes in order to obtain the average annual percentage change in the
Accumulation Unit value for that period. The change percentages do not take
into account the Contingent Deferred Sales Charge, the Certificate
Maintenance Charge and premium tax charges. The percentages would be lower
if these charges were included.
The Stein Roe Money Market Sub-Account is a money market Sub-Account that
also may advertise yield and effective yield information. The yield of the
Sub-Account refers to the income generated by an investment in the Sub-
Account over a specifically identified 7-day period. This income is
annualized by assuming that the amount of income generated by the investment
during that week is generated each week over a 52-week period and is shown as
a percentage. The yield reflects the deduction of all charges assessed
against the Sub-Account and a Certificate but does not take into account
Contingent Deferred Sales Charges and premium tax charges. The yield would
be lower if these charges were included.
The effective yield of the Stein Roe Money Market Sub-Account is calculated
in a similar manner but, when annualizing such yield, income earned by the
Sub-Account is assumed to be reinvested. This compounding effect causes
effective yield to be higher than yield.
LIBERTY LIFE AND THE VARIABLE ACCOUNT
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston was incorporated on September 17,
1963 as a stock life insurance company. Its executive and administrative
offices are at 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02117.
Liberty Life writes individual life insurance on both a participating and a
non-participating basis and group life and health insurance and individual
and group annuity contracts on a non-participating basis. The variable
annuity contracts described in this prospectus are issued on a non-
participating basis. Liberty Life is licensed to do business in all states
and in the District of Columbia. However, the contracts described in this
prospectus are currently offered only in New York. Liberty Life has been
rated "A" by A.M. Best and Company, independent analysts of the insurance
industry. The Best's A rating is in the second highest rating category, which
also includes a lower rating of A-. Best's Ratings merely reflect Best's
opinion as to the relative financial strength of Liberty Life and Liberty
Life's ability to meet its contractual obligations to its policyholders. Even
though assets in the Variable Account are held separately from Liberty Life's
other assets, ratings of Liberty Life may still be relevant to Certificate
Owners since not all of Liberty Life's contractual obligations relate to
payments based on those segregated assets (e.g., see "Death Provisions" on
pages 19-20 for Liberty Life's obligation after certain deaths to increase
the Certificate Value if it is less than the guaranteed minimum death value
amount).
Liberty Life is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Liberty Mutual
Insurance Company and Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Liberty Mutual
Insurance Company is a multi-line insurance and financial services
institution.
The Variable Account was established by Liberty Life pursuant to the
provisions of Massachusetts Law on June 2, 1997. The Variable Account meets
the definition of "separate account" under the federal securities laws. The
Variable Account is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as
a unit investment trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Such
registration does not involve supervision of the management of the Variable
Account or Liberty Life by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Obligations under the Certificates are the obligations of Liberty Life.
Although the assets of the Variable Account are the property of Liberty Life,
these assets are held separately from the other assets of Liberty Life and
are not chargeable with liabilities arising out of any other business Liberty
Life may conduct. Income, capital gains and/or capital losses, whether or not
realized, from assets allocated to the Variable Account are credited to or
charged against the Variable Account without regard to the income, capital
gains, and/or capital losses arising out of any other business Liberty Life
may conduct. Thus, Liberty Life does not guarantee the investment performance
of the Variable Account. The Variable Account Value and the amount of
variable annuity payments will vary with the investment performance of the
investments in the Variable Account.
PURCHASE PAYMENTS AND APPLICATIONS
The initial Purchase Payment is due on the Certificate Date. The minimum
initial Purchase Payment is $5,000. Additional Purchase Payments can be made
at the Certificate Owner's option. Each subsequent Purchase Payment must be
at least $1,000 or such lesser amount as Liberty Life may permit from time to
time (currently $250). Liberty Life may reject any Purchase Payment.
If the application for a Certificate is in good order and it calls for
amounts to be allocated to the Variable Account, Liberty Life will apply the
initial Purchase Payment to the Variable Account and credit the Certificate
with Accumulation Units within two business days of receipt. If the
application for a Certificate is not in good order, Liberty Life will attempt
to get it in good order within five business days. If it is not complete at
the end of this period, Liberty Life will inform the applicant of the reason
for the delay and that the Purchase Payment will be returned immediately
unless the applicant specifically consents to Liberty Life's keeping the
Purchase Payment until the application is complete. Once the application is
complete, the Purchase Payment will be applied within two business days of
its completion. Liberty Life has reserved the right to reject any
application.
Liberty Life confirms, in writing, to the Certificate Owner the allocation of
all Purchase Payments and the re-allocation of values after any requested
transfer. Liberty Life must be notified immediately by the Certificate Owner
of any processing error.
Liberty Life will permit others to act on behalf of an applicant in certain
instances, including the following two examples. First, Liberty Life will
accept an application for a Certificate that contains a signature signed
under a power of attorney if a copy of that power of attorney is submitted
with the application. Second, Liberty Life will issue a Certificate that is
replacing an existing life insurance or annuity policy that was issued by
either Liberty Life or an affiliated company without having previously
received a signed application from the applicant. Certain dealers or other
authorized persons such as employers and Qualified Plan fiduciaries will
inform Liberty Life of an applicant's answers to the questions in the
application by telephone or by order ticket and cause the initial Purchase
Payment to be paid to Liberty Life. If the information is in good order,
Liberty Life will issue the Certificate with a copy of an application
completed with that information. The Certificate will be delivered to the
Certificate Owner with a letter from Liberty Life that will give the
Certificate Owner an opportunity to respond to Liberty Life if any of the
application information is incorrect. Alternatively, Liberty Life's letter
may request the Certificate Owner to confirm the correctness of the
information by signing either a copy of the application or a Certificate
delivery receipt that ratifies the application in all respects (in either
case, a copy of the signed document would be returned to Liberty Life for its
permanent records). All purchases are confirmed, in writing, to the
applicant by Liberty Life. Liberty Life's liability under a Certificate
extends only to amounts so confirmed.
INVESTMENTS OF THE VARIABLE ACCOUNT
Allocations of Purchase Payments
Purchase Payments applied to the Variable Account will be invested in one or
more of the Eligible Fund Sub-Accounts designated as permissible investments
in accordance with the selection made by the Certificate Owner in the
application. Any selection must specify the percentage of the Purchase
Payment that is allocated to each Sub-Account or must specify the asset
allocation model selected. (See "Other Services, The Programs" on Page 16).
The percentage for each Sub-Account, if not zero, must be at least 5% and
must be a whole number. A Certificate Owner may change the allocation
percentages without fee, penalty or other charge. Allocation changes must be
made by Written Request unless the Certificate Owner has by Written Request
authorized Liberty Life to accept telephone allocation instructions from the
Certificate Owner or from a person acting for the Certificate Owner as an
attorney-in-fact under a power of attorney. By authorizing Liberty Life to
accept telephone changes, a Certificate Owner agrees to accept and be bound
by the conditions and procedures established by Liberty Life from time to
time. The current conditions and procedures are in Appendix B and
Certificate Owners authorizing telephone allocation instructions will be
notified, in advance, of any changes.
The Variable Account is segmented into Sub-Accounts. Each Sub-Account
contains the shares of one of the Eligible Funds and such shares are
purchased at net asset value. Eligible Funds and Sub-Accounts may be added
or withdrawn as permitted by applicable law. The Sub-Accounts in the
Variable Account and the corresponding Eligible Funds currently are as
follows:
Eligible Funds of Alger American Fund Sub-Accounts
Alger Growth Alger Growth Sub-Account
Alger Small Cap Alger Small Cap Sub-Account
Eligible Funds of Alliance Series Fund Sub-Accounts
Alliance Global Bond Alliance Global Bond Sub-
Account
Alliance Premier Growth Alliance Premier Growth Sub-
Account
Eligible Funds of Liberty Trust Sub-Accounts
Colonial Growth & Income Colonial Growth & Income Sub-
Account
Colonial Int'l Fund for Growth Colonial Int'l Fund for Growth
Sub-Account
Colonial Strategic Income Colonial Strategic Income Sub-
Account
Colonial U.S. Stock Colonial U.S. Stock Sub-
Account
Liberty All-Star Equity Liberty All-Star Equity Sub-
Account
Newport Tiger Newport Tiger Sub-Account
Stein Roe Global Utilities Stein Roe Global Utilities
Sub-Account
Eligible Funds of MFS Trust Sub-Accounts
MFS Emerging Growth MFS Emerging Growth Sub-
Account
MFS Research MFS Research Sub-Account
Eligible Funds of SteinRoe Trust Sub-Accounts
Stein Roe Balanced Stein Roe Balanced Sub-Account
Stein Roe Growth Stock Stein Roe Growth Stock Sub-
Account
Stein Roe Money Market Stein Roe Money Market Sub-
Account
Stein Roe Mortgage Securities Stein Roe Mortgage
Securities
Sub-Account
Stein Roe Special Venture Stein Roe Special Venture
Sub-Account
Eligible Funds
The Eligible Funds which are the permissible investments of the Variable
Account are the separate funds listed above of Alger American Fund, Alliance
Series Fund, Liberty Trust, MFS Trust and SteinRoe Trust, and any other
mutual funds with which Liberty Life and the Variable Account may enter into
a participation agreement for the purpose of making such mutual funds
available as Eligible Funds under certain Certificates.
Fred Alger Management, Inc. ("Alger Management") is the investment manager
for both Eligible Funds of Alger American Fund. Alger Management has been in
the business of providing investment advisory services since 1964.
Alliance Capital Management L.P. is the investment advisor for both Eligible
Funds of Alliance Series Fund. AIGAM International Limited serves as sub-
adviser for Alliance Global.
Liberty Advisory Services Corp. ("LASC")(formerly named Keyport Advisory
Services Corp.), an affiliate of Liberty Life, is the manager for Liberty
Trust and its Eligible Funds. Colonial Management Associates, Inc.
("Colonial"), an affiliate of Liberty Life, serves as sub-adviser for the
Eligible Funds (except for Newport Tiger, Stein Roe Global Utilities and
Liberty All-Star Equity). Colonial has provided investment advisory services
since 1931. Newport Fund Management, Inc., an affiliate of Liberty Life,
serves as sub-adviser for Newport Tiger. Liberty Asset Management Company, an
affiliate of Liberty Life, serves as sub-adviser for Liberty All-Star Equity
and the current portfolio managers are J.P. Morgan Investment Management
Inc., Oppenheimer Capital, Wilke/Thompson Capital Management Inc., Westwood
Management Corp. and Palley-Needelman Asset Management, Inc.
Massachusetts Financial Services Company ("MFS") is the investment advisor
for both Eligible Funds of MFS Trust. MFS is America's oldest mutual fund
organization. MFS and its predecessor organizations have a history of money
management dating from 1924 and the founding of the first mutual fund in the
United States, Massachusetts Investors Trust.
Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated ("Stein Roe") is the investment adviser for
each Eligible Fund of SteinRoe Trust and sub-adviser for Stein Roe Global
Utilities. In 1986, Stein Roe was organized and succeeded to the business of
Stein Roe & Farnham, a partnership. Stein Roe is an affiliate of Liberty
Life. Stein Roe and its predecessor have provided investment advisory and
administrative services since 1932.
The investment objectives of the Eligible Funds are briefly described below.
More detailed information, including investor considerations related to the
risks of investing in a particular Eligible Fund, may be found in the current
prospectus for that Fund. An investor should read that prospectus carefully
before selecting a fund for investing. The prospectus is available, at no
charge, from a salesperson or by writing the Principal Underwriter, Keyport
Financial Services Corp. at 125 High Street, Boston, MA 02110 or by calling
(800) 437-4466.
Eligible Funds of Alger
American Fund and Variable Account
Sub-Accounts Investment Objective
Alger Growth Long-term capital appreciation
(Alger Growth Sub-Account)
Alger Small Cap Long-term capital appreciation.
(Alger Small Cap Sub-Account)
Eligible Funds of Alliance Series
Fund and Variable Account
Sub-Accounts Investment Objective
Alliance Global Bond A high level of return from a
(Alliance Global Bond combination of current income and Sub-
Account) capital appreciation by investing
in a globally diversified
portfolio of high quality debt
securities denominated in the U.S.
Dollar and a range of foreign
currencies.
Alliance Premier Growth Growth of capital rather than
(Alliance Premier Growth current income.
Sub-Account)
Eligible Funds of Liberty Trust
and Variable Account
Sub-Accounts Investment Objective
Colonial Growth & Income Primarily income and long-term
(Colonial Growth & Income capital growth and, secondarily,
Sub-Account)(formerly named preservation of capital.
Colonial-Keyport Growth and
Income Fund)
Colonial Int'l Fund for Growth Long-term capital growth, by
(Colonial Int'l Fund for Growth investing primarily in non-U.S.
Sub-Account)(formerly named equity securities.
Colonial-Keyport Int'l Fund for
Growth)
Colonial Strategic Income A high level of current income, as
(Colonial Strategic Income is consistent with prudent risk and
Sub-Account)(formerly named maximizing total return, by
Colonial-Keyport Strategic diversifying investments primarily
Income Fund) in U.S. and foreign government and
high yield, high risk corporate debt
securities.
Colonial U.S. Stock Long-term capital growth by
(Colonial U.S. Stock Sub Account) investing primarily in large
(formerly named Colonial-Keyport capitalization equity securities.
U.S. Stock Fund)
Liberty All-Star Equity Total investment return, comprised
(Liberty All-Star Equity Sub-Account) of long-term capital appreciation
and current income, through
investment primarily in a
diversified portfolio of equity
securities.
Newport Tiger
(Newport Tiger Sub-Account)(formerly Long term capital growth by
named Newport-Keyport Tiger Fund) investing primarily in equity
securities of companies located in
the nine Tigers of Asia (Hong Kong,
Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan,
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, China
and the Philippines).
Stein Roe Global Utilities
(Stein Roe Global Utilities Sub-Account) Current income and long-term
growth
(formerly named Colonial-Keyport of capital and income.
Utilities Fund)
Eligible Funds of MFS Trust
and Variable Account
Sub-Accounts Investment Objective
MFS Emerging Growth Long-term growth of capital.
(MFS Emerging Growth Sub-Account)
MFS Research Long-term growth of capital and
(MFS Research Sub-Account) future income.
Eligible Funds of SteinRoe Trust
and Variable Account
Sub-Accounts Investment Objective
Stein Roe Balanced High total investment return
(Stein Roe Balanced through investment in a changing
Sub-Account) (formerly named SteinRoe mix of securities.
Managed Assets Fund)
Stein Roe Growth Stock Long-term growth of capital through
(Stein Roe Growth Stock investment primarily in common
Sub-Account)(formerly named SteinRoe stocks.
Managed Growth Stock Fund)
Stein Roe Money Market High current income from short-term
(Stein Roe Money Market money market instruments while
Sub-Account)(formerly named SteinRoe emphasizing preservation of capital
Cash Income Fund) and maintaining excellent
liquidity.
Stein Roe Mortgage Securities Highest possible level of
current
(Stein Roe Mortgage Securities income consistent with safety of
Sub-Account)(formerly named SteinRoe principal and maintenance of
Mortgage Securities Income Fund) liquidity through investment
primarily in mortgage-backed
securities.
Stein Roe Special Venture Capital growth by investing
(Stein Roe Special Venture primarily in common stocks,
Sub-Account)(formerly named SteinRoe convertible securities, and other
Capital Appreciation Fund) securities selected for prospective
capital growth.
There is no assurance that the Eligible Funds will achieve their stated
objectives.
All the Eligible Funds are funding vehicles for variable annuity contracts
and variable life insurance policies offered by separate accounts of Liberty
Life and of insurance companies affiliated and unaffiliated with Liberty
Life. The risks involved in this "mixed and shared funding" are disclosed in
the Eligible Fund prospectuses under the following captions: Alger American
Fund - "Participating Insurance Companies and Plans"; Alliance Series Fund -
"Introduction to the Fund"; Liberty Trust - "The Trust"; MFS Trust -
"Investment Concept of the Trust"; and SteinRoe Trust - "The Trust".
Transfer of Variable Account Value
Certificate Owners may transfer Variable Account Value from one Sub-Account
to another Sub-Account and/or to the Fixed Account.
The Certificate allows Liberty Life to charge a transfer fee and to limit the
number of transfers that can be made in a specified time period. Certificate
Owners should be aware that transfer limitations may prevent a Certificate
Owner from making a transfer on the date he or she wants to, with the result
that the Certificate Owner's future Certificate Value may be lower than it
would have been had the transfer been made on the desired date.
Currently, Liberty Life has no limit on the number or frequency of transfers,
and it is not charging a transfer fee of $25 for each transfer in excess of
12 per Certificate Year. For transfers under different Certificates that are
being requested under powers of attorney with a common attorney-in-fact or
that are, in Liberty Life's determination, based on the recommendation of a
common investment adviser or broker/dealer, there is a transfer limitation of
one transfer every 30 days or such shorter time period as Liberty Life may
permit.
Liberty Life is also limiting each transfer to a maximum of $500,000 or such
greater amount as Liberty Life may permit. All transfers requested for a
Certificate on the same day will be treated as a single transfer and the
total combined transfer amount will be subject to the $500,000 limitation.
If the $500,000 limitation is exceeded, no amount of the transfer will be
executed by Liberty Life.
In applying the $500,000 limitation, Liberty Life may treat as one transfer
all transfers requested by a Certificate Owner for multiple Certificates he
or she owns. If the $500,000 limitation is exceeded for multiple transfers
requested on the same day that are treated as a single transfer, no amount of
the transfer will be executed by Liberty Life.
In applying the $500,000 limitation to transfers requested by a common
attorney-in-fact or investment adviser, Liberty Life will treat as one
transfer all transfers requested under different Certificates that are being
requested under powers of attorney with a common attorney-in-fact or that
are, in Liberty Life's determination, based on the recommendation of a common
investment adviser or broker/dealer. If the $500,000 limitation is exceeded
for multiple transfers requested on the same day that are treated as a single
transfer, no amount of the transfer will be executed by Liberty Life. If a
transfer is executed under one Certificate and, within the next 30 days, a
transfer request for another Certificate is determined by Liberty Life to be
related to the executed transfer under this paragraph's rules, the transfer
request will not be executed by Liberty Life. In order for it to be
executed, it would need to be requested again after the 30 day period has
expired and it, along with any other transfer requests that are collectively
treated as a single transfer, would need to total less than $500,000.
Liberty Life's interest in applying these limitations is to protect the
interests of both Certificate Owners who are not engaging in significant
transfer activity and Certificate Owners who are engaging in such activity.
Liberty Life has determined that the actions of Certificate Owners engaging
in significant transfer activity among Sub-Accounts may cause an adverse
effect on the performance of the Eligible Fund for the Sub-Account involved.
The movement of Sub-Account values from one Sub-Account to another may
prevent the appropriate Eligible Fund from taking advantage of investment
opportunities because it must maintain a liquid position in order to handle
redemptions. Such movement may also cause a substantial increase in Fund
transaction costs which must be indirectly borne by Certificate Owners.
Certificate Owners will be notified, in advance, of the imposition of any
transfer fee or of a change in the limitation on the number of transfers.
The fee will not exceed the lesser of $25 and the cost of effecting a
transfer.
Transfers must be made by Written Request unless the Certificate Owner has by
Written Request authorized Liberty Life to accept telephone transfer requests
from the Certificate Owner or from a person acting for the Certificate Owner
as an attorney-in-fact under a power of attorney. By authorizing Liberty
Life to accept telephone transfer instructions, a Certificate Owner agrees to
accept and be bound by the conditions and procedures established by Liberty
Life from time to time. The current conditions and procedures are in
Appendix B and Certificate Owners authorizing telephone transfers will be
notified, in advance, of any changes. Written transfer requests may be made
by a person acting for the Certificate Owner as an attorney-in-fact under a
power of attorney.
Transfer requests received by Liberty Life before the close of trading on the
New York Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 PM Eastern Time) will be initiated at
the close of business that day. Any requests received later will be
initiated at the close of the next business day. Each request from a
Certificate Owner to transfer value will be executed by both redeeming and
acquiring Accumulation Units on the day Liberty Life initiates the transfer.
If 100% of any Sub-Account's value is transferred and the allocation formula
for Purchase Payments includes that Sub-Account, then the allocation formula
for future Purchase Payments will automatically change unless the Certificate
Owner instructs otherwise. For example, if the allocation formula is 50% to
Sub-Account A and 50% to Sub-Account B and all of Sub-Account A's value is
transferred to Sub-Account B, the allocation formula will change to 100% to
Sub-Account B unless the Certificate Owner instructs otherwise.
Substitution of Eligible Funds and Other Variable Account Changes
If the shares of any of the Eligible Funds should no longer be available for
investment by the Variable Account or if in the judgment of Liberty Life's
management further investment in such fund shares should become inappropriate
in view of the purpose of the Certificate, Liberty Life may add or substitute
shares of another Eligible Fund or of another mutual fund for Eligible Fund
shares already purchased under the Certificate. No substitution of Fund
shares in any Sub-Account may take place without prior approval of the
Securities and Exchange Commission and notice to Certificate Owners, to the
extent required by the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Liberty Life has also reserved the right, subject to compliance with the law
as currently applicable or subsequently changed: (a) to operate the Variable
Account in any form permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or in
any other form permitted by law; (b) to take any action necessary to comply
with or obtain and continue any exemptions from the Investment Company Act of
1940 or to comply with any other applicable law; (c) to transfer any assets
in any Sub-Account to another Sub-Account, or to one or more separate
investment accounts, or to Liberty Life's general account; or to add, combine
or remove Sub-Accounts in the Variable Account; and (d) to change the way
Liberty Life assesses charges, so long as the aggregate amount is not
increased beyond that currently charged to the Variable Account and the
Eligible Funds in connection with the Certificates.
DEDUCTIONS
Deductions for Certificate Maintenance Charge
Liberty Life has responsibility for all administration of the Certificates
and the Variable Account. Liberty Life has sub-contracted to an affiliate the
actual day-to-day administration of the Certificates, for which it pays a
fee. This administration includes, but is not limited to, preparation of the
Certificates, maintenance of Certificate Owners' records, and all accounting,
valuation, regulatory and reporting requirements. Liberty Life makes a
Certificate Maintenance Charge for such services during the accumulation and
annuity payment periods. At the present time the Certificate Maintenance
Charge is $36 per Certificate Year. PRIOR TO THE INCOME DATE THE CERTIFICATE
MAINTENANCE CHARGE IS NOT GUARANTEED AND MAY BE CHANGED BY LIBERTY LIFE. The
Certificate Maintenance Charge will be waived before the Income Date if:
(i) it is the first Certificate Anniversary, or
(ii) the Certificate Value is greater than or equal to $40,000 on the
Certificate Anniversary date this charge is imposed, or
(iii) Purchase Payments of at least $2,000 have been made in the prior
Certificate Year and there has been no partial withdrawal in the prior
Certificate Year.
The Certificate Maintenance Charge will be waived on and after the Income
Date for the current year if:
(i) variable annuity Option A (Income for a Fixed Number of Years) is
applicable; and
(ii) at the time of the first payment of the year, the present value of all
of the remaining payments (see "Option A" on Page 22) is greater than or
equal to $40,000.
Prior to the Income Date, the full amount of the charge will be deducted from
the Variable Account Value on each Certificate Anniversary and on the date of
any total surrender not falling on the Certificate Anniversary. On the
Income Date, a pro-rata portion of the charge due on the next Certificate
Anniversary will be deducted from the Variable Account Value. This pro-rata
charge covers the period from the prior Certificate Anniversary to the Income
Date. For example, if the Income Date occurs 73 days after that prior
anniversary, then one-fifth (i.e., 73 days/365 days) of the annual charge
would be deducted on the Income Date. The charge will be deducted from each
Sub-Account in the proportion that the value of each bears to the Variable
Account Value.
Once annuity payments begin on the Income Date or once they begin after
surrender benefits are applied under a settlement option, the yearly cost of
the Certificate Maintenance Charge for a payee's annuity will be the same as
the yearly amount in effect immediately before the annuity payments begin.
Liberty Life may not later change the amount of the Certificate Maintenance
Charge deducted from the annuity payments. The charge will be deducted on a
pro-rata basis from each annuity payment. For example, if annuity payments
are monthly, then one-twelfth of the annual charge will be deducted from each
payment.
Deductions for Mortality and Expense Risk Charge
Although variable annuity payments made to Annuitants will vary in accordance
with the investment performance of the investments of the Variable Account,
they will not be affected by the mortality experience (death rate) of persons
receiving such payments or of the general population. Liberty Life
guarantees the Death Benefits described below (see "Death Provisions").
Liberty Life assumes an expense risk since the Certificate Maintenance Charge
after the Income Date will stay the same and not be affected by variations in
expenses.
To compensate it for assuming mortality and expense risks, for each Valuation
Period Liberty Life deducts from each Sub-Account a Mortality and Expense
Risk Charge equal on an annual basis to 1.25% of the average daily net asset
value of the Sub-Account. The charge is deducted during both the
accumulation and annuity periods (i.e., both before and after the Income
Date). Less than the full charge will be deducted from Sub-Account values
attributable to Certificates issued to employees of Liberty Life and other
persons specified in "Sales of the Certificates".
Deductions for Daily Distribution Charge
Liberty Life also deducts from each Sub-Account each Valuation Period a daily
Distribution Charge equal on an annual basis to 0.15% of the average daily
net asset value of the Sub-Account. This charge compensates Liberty Life for
certain sales distribution expenses relating to the Certificate.
This charge will not be deducted from Sub-Account values attributable to
Certificates that have reached the maximum cumulative distribution charge
limit defined below and to Certificates issued to employees of Liberty Life
and other persons specified in "Sales of the Certificates". The charge is
also not deducted from Sub-Account values attributable to Annuity Units.
Liberty Life may decide not to deduct the charge from Sub-Account values
attributable to a Certificate issued in an internal exchange or transfer of
an annuity contract of Liberty Life's general account.
Deductions for Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
A sales charge is not deducted from the Certificate's Purchase Payments when
initially received. However, a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge may be
deducted upon a surrender.
In order to determine whether a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge will be due
upon a partial or total surrender, Liberty Life maintains a separate set of
records. These records identify the date and amount of each Purchase Payment
made to the Certificate and the Certificate Value over time.
Certificate Owners will be permitted to make partial surrenders during the
Accumulation Period without incurring a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge, as
follows:
1. In any Certificate Year, Certificate Owners may withdraw an aggregate
amount not to exceed, at the time of the withdrawal, the Certificate's
earnings, which equal: (a) the Certificate Value, less (b) the portion of the
Purchase Payments not previously withdrawn.
2. In any Certificate Year after the first, Certificate Owners may withdraw,
in addition to the amount available in 1., the amount by which 10% of the
Certificate Value as of the preceding Certificate Anniversary exceeds the
amount available in 1.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charges, as discussed below, will be deducted with
respect to withdrawals in excess of these amounts.
In computing the applicable charge amounts, the amount of any surrender in
any Certificate Year after the first as set forth in 2. above, will be
deducted from the Purchase Payments in chronological order from the oldest to
the most recent until the amount is fully deducted. Any amount so deducted
will not be subject to a charge.
The following additional amounts will be deducted from the Purchase Payments
in the same chronological order: the amount of any surrender in the first
Certificate Year in excess of the amount set forth in 1. above and the amount
of any surrender in any later Certificate Year in excess of the combined
amount set forth in 1. and 2. above. The Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
for each Purchase Payment from which a deduction is made will be equal to (a)
multiplied by (b), where:
(a) is the amount so deducted; and
(b) is the applicable percentage for the number of years that have elapsed
from the date of that payment to the date of surrender. Years are
measured from the month and day of payment to the same month and day in
each subsequent calendar year. The percentages applicable to each
Purchase Payment during the seven years after the date of its payment
are: 7% during year 1; 6% during year 2; 5% during year 3; 4% during
year 4; 3% during year 5; 2% during year 6; 1% during year 7; and 0%
thereafter.
The applicable Contingent Deferred Sales Charges for each Purchase Payment
are then totaled. The lesser of this total amount and the Certificate's
maximum cumulative distribution charge will be deducted from the Certificate
Value in the same manner as the surrender amount. The maximum cumulative
distribution charge is equal to (a) less (b), where (a) is 9% of the total
Purchase Payments made to the Certificate and (b) is the sum of all prior
Contingent Deferred Sale Charge deductions from the Certificate Value and all
prior Variable Account daily distribution charges applicable to the
Certificate from the 0.15% distribution charge factor. After each surrender,
Liberty Life's records will be adjusted to reflect any deductions made from
the applicable Purchase Payments.
Example: Two Purchase Payments were made one year apart for $5,000 and
$7,000. The Certificate Value has grown to an assumed $13,200 when the
Certificate Owner decides to withdraw $8,000. The Certificate Value at the
beginning of the Certificate Year of surrender was $13,000. The Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge percentages at the time of surrender are an assumed 5%
for the $5,000 payment and 6% for the $7,000 payment. The portion of the
surrender representing the Certificate's earnings ($13,200 less $12,000, or
$1,200) would not be subject to charges. Since $1,200 is less than the
amount guaranteed not to have charges (10% of $13,000, or $1,300), an
additional $100 would not be subject to charges. This $100 would be deducted
from the oldest Purchase Payment, reducing it from $5,000 to $4,900. The
$1,200 increase in value plus the additional $100 leaves $6,700 ($8,000 -
1,200 - 100) to be deducted. This $6,700 would be deducted from the $4,900
of the first payment still left and $1,800 of the second payment. The total
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge would be $4,900 multiplied by the applicable
5% and $1,800 times the applicable 6%, or a total of $353. The distribution
charge records would now reflect $0 for the 1st payment and $5,200 for the
2nd payment. The $8,000 requested plus the $353 charge would be deducted
from Certificate Values under the rules specified in "Partial Withdrawals and
Surrender" on Page 21.
The Contingent Deferred Sales Charge, when it is applicable, will be used to
cover the expenses of selling the Certificate, including compensation paid to
selling dealers and the cost of sales literature. Any expenses not covered
by the charge will be paid from Liberty Life's general account, which may
include monies deducted from the Variable Account for the Mortality and
Expense Risk Charge. A dealer selling the Certificate may receive up to
6.00% of Purchase Payments with additional compensation later based on the
Certificate Value of those payments. During certain time periods selected by
Liberty Life and Keyport Financial Services Corp., the percentage may
increase to 6.25%.
The Contingent Deferred Sales Charge will be waived in the event a Covered
Person is confined in a medical facility in accordance with the provisions
and conditions of an endorsement relating to such confinements.
The Contingent Deferred Sales Charge will be eliminated under Certificates
issued to employees of Liberty Life and other persons specified in "Sales of
the Certificates".
Liberty Life may reduce or change to 0% any Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
percentage under a Certificate issued in an internal exchange or transfer of
an annuity contract of Liberty Life's general account.
Liberty Life may allow, under the Systematic Withdrawal Program and under
other permitted circumstances, all or part of the amount in 2. above to also
be available in the first Certificate Year. If so, the amount in 2. above
will be calculated by substituting the initial Purchase Payment for the
Certificate Value.
Deductions for Transfers of Variable Account Value
The Certificate allows Liberty Life to charge a transfer fee. Currently no
fee is being charged. Certificate Owners will be notified, in advance, of
the imposition of any fee. The fee will not exceed the lesser of $25 and the
cost of effecting a transfer.
Deductions for Premium Taxes
Liberty Life deducts the amount of any premium taxes levied by any state or
governmental entity when paid unless Liberty Life elects to defer such
deduction. It is not possible to describe precisely the amount of premium
tax payable on any transaction involving the Certificate offered hereby.
Such premium taxes depend, among other things, on the type of Certificate
(Qualified or Non-Qualified), on the state of residence of the Certificate
Owner, the state of residence of the Annuitant, the status of Liberty Life
within such states, and the insurance tax laws of such states. For New York
Certificates, the current premium tax rate is 0%.
Deductions for Income Taxes
Liberty Life will deduct from any amount payable under the Certificate any
income taxes that a governmental authority requires Liberty Life to withhold
with respect to that amount. See "Income Tax Withholding" and "Tax-Sheltered
Annuities".
Total Variable Account Expenses
Total Variable Account expenses in relation to the Certificate will be the
Certificate Maintenance Charge, the Mortality and Expense Risk Charge, and
the Daily Sales Charge.
The value of the assets in the Variable Account will reflect the value of
Eligible Fund shares and therefore the deductions from and expenses paid out
of the assets of the Eligible Funds. These deductions and expenses are
described in the Eligible Fund prospectuses.
OTHER SERVICES
The Programs. Liberty Life offers several investment related programs which
are available only prior to the Income Date: Asset Allocation; Dollar Cost
Averaging; Systematic Investment; and Systematic Withdrawal Programs. A
Rebalancing Program is available prior to and after the Income Date. Under
each Program, the related transfers between and among Sub-Accounts and the
Fixed Account are not counted as one of the twelve free transfers. Each of
the Programs has its own requirements, as discussed below. Liberty Life
reserves the right to terminate any Program.
If the Certificate Owner has submitted the required telephone authorization
form, certain changes may be made by telephone. For those Programs involving
transfers, Owners may change instructions by telephone with regard to which
Sub-Accounts or the Fixed Account Certificate Value may be transferred. The
current conditions and procedures are described in Appendix B.
Dollar Cost Averaging Program. Liberty Life offers a Dollar Cost Averaging
Program that Certificate Owners may participate in by Written Request. The
program periodically transfers Accumulation Units from the Stein Roe Money
Market Sub-Account or the One-Year Guarantee Period of the Fixed Account to
other Sub-Accounts selected by the Certificate Owner. The program allows a
Certificate Owner to invest in Variable Sub-Accounts over time rather than
having to invest in those Sub-Accounts all at once. The program is available
for initial and subsequent Purchase Payments and for Certificate Value
transferred into the Stein Roe Money Market Sub-Account or the One-Year
Guarantee Period. Under the program, Liberty Life makes automatic transfers
on a periodic basis out of the Stein Roe Money Market Sub-Account or the One-
Year Guarantee Period into one or more of the other available Sub-Accounts
(Liberty Life reserves the right to limit the number of Sub-Accounts the
Certificate Owner may choose but there are currently no limits).
The Certificate Owner by Written Request must specify the Stein Roe Money
Market Sub-Account or the One Year Guarantee Period from which the transfers
are to be made, the monthly amount to be transferred (minimum $100) and the
Sub-Account(s) to which the transfers are to be made. The first transfer
will occur at the close of the Valuation Period that includes the 30th day
after the receipt of the Certificate Owner's Written Request. Each succeeding
transfer will occur one month later (e.g., if the 30th day after the receipt
date is April 8, the second transfer will occur at the close of the Valuation
Period that includes May 8). When the remaining value is less than the
monthly transfer amount, that remaining value will be transferred and the
program will end. Before this final transfer, the Certificate Owner may
extend the program by allocating additional Purchase Payments to the Stein
Roe Money Market Sub-Account or the One Year Guarantee Period or by
transferring Certificate Value to the Stein Roe Money Market Sub-Account or
the One Year Guarantee Period. The Certificate Owner may, by Written Request
or by telephone, change the monthly amount to be transferred, change the Sub-
Account(s) to which the transfers are to be made, or end the program. The
program will automatically end if the Income Date occurs. Liberty Life
reserves the right to end the program at any time by sending the Certificate
Owner a notice one month in advance.
Written or telephone instructions must be received by Liberty Life by the end
(currently 4:00 PM Eastern Time) of the business day preceding the next
scheduled transfer in order to be in effect for that transfer. Telephone
instructions are subject to the conditions and procedures established by
Liberty Life from time to time. The current conditions and procedures appear
in Appendix B, and Certificate Owners in a dollar cost averaging program will
be notified, in advance, of any changes.
Asset Allocation Program. Certificate Owners may select from five asset
allocation model portfolios developed by Ibbotoson Associates (Model A -
Capital Preservation, Model B - Income and Growth, Model C - Moderate Growth,
Model D - Growth, and Model E - Aggressive Growth). If a Certificate Owner
elects one of the models, initial and subsequent Purchase Payments will
automatically be allocated among the Sub-Accounts in the model. Only one
model may be used in a Certificate at a time. Certificate Owners may use a
questionnaire and scoring system to determine the model which corresponds to
their risk tolerance and time horizons.
Periodically Ibbotoson Associates will review the models and may determine
that a reconfiguration of the Sub-Accounts and percentage allocations among
those Sub-Accounts is appropriate. Certificate Owners will receive
notification prior to any reconfiguration.
The Fixed Account is not available in any asset allocation model. A
Certificate Owner may allocate initial or subsequent Purchase Payments, or
Certificate Value, between an asset allocation model and the Fixed Account.
Rebalancing Program. In accordance with the Certificate Owner's election of
the relative Purchase Payment percentage allocations, Liberty Life will
automatically rebalance the Certificate Value of each Sub-Account quarterly.
On the last day of the calendar quarter, Liberty Life will automatically
rebalance the Certificate Value in each of the Sub-Accounts to match the
current Purchase Payment percentage allocations. The Program may be
terminated at any time and the percentages may be altered by Written Request.
The requested change must be received at the Office ten (10) days prior to
the end of the calendar quarter. Certificate Value allocated to the Fixed
Account is not subject to automatic rebalancing. After the Income Date,
automatic rebalancing applies only to variable annuity payments and Liberty
Life will rebalance the number of Annuity Units in each Sub-Account (Annuity
Units are used to calculate the amount of each Sub-Account annuity payment;
see "Variable Annuity Benefits" in the Statement of Additional Information.)
Systematic Investment Program. Purchase Payments may be made by monthly
draft against the bank account of any Certificate Owner who has completed and
returned to Liberty Life a Systematic Investment Program application and
authorization form. The application and authorization form may be obtained
from Liberty Life or from the sales representative. Each Systematic
Investment Program Purchase Payment is subject to a current minimum of $50.
Systematic Withdrawal Program. To the extent permitted by law, Liberty Life
will make monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annual distributions of a
predetermined dollar amount to the Certificate Owner that has enrolled in the
Systematic Withdrawal Program. Under the Program, all distributions will be
made directly to the Certificate Owner and will be treated for federal tax
purposes as any other withdrawal or distribution of Certificate Value. (See
"Tax Status".) The Certificate Owner may specify the amount of each partial
withdrawal, subject to a minimum of $100. Systematic withdrawals may be made
from any Sub-Account or Guarantee Period of the Fixed Account. In each
Certificate Year, portions of Certificate Value may be withdrawn without the
imposition of any Contingent Deferred Sales Charge ("Free Withdrawal
Amount"). If withdrawals pursuant to the Program are greater than the Free
Withdrawal Amount, the amount of the withdrawals greater than the Free
Withdrawal Amount will be subject to the applicable Contingent Deferred Sales
Charge. Any unrelated voluntary partial withdrawal a Certificate Owner makes
during a Certificate Year will be aggregated with withdrawals pursuant to the
Program to determine the applicability of any Contingent Deferred Sales
Charge under the Certificate provisions regarding partial withdrawals.
Unless the Certificate Owner specifies the Sub-Account or Sub-Accounts or the
Fixed Account from which withdrawals of Certificate Value shall be made or if
the amount in a specified Sub-Account is less than the predetermined amount,
Liberty Life will make withdrawals under the Program in the manner specified
for partial withdrawals in "Partial Withdrawals and Surrender". All Sub-
Account withdrawals under the Program will be effected by canceling the
number of Accumulation Units equal in value to the amount to be distributed
to the Certificate Owner and any applicable Contingent Deferred Sales Charge.
The Program may be combined with all other Programs except the Systematic
Investment Program.
It may not be advisable to participate in the Systematic Withdrawal Program
and incur a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge when making additional Purchase
Payments under the Certificate.
THE CERTIFICATES
Variable Account Value
The Variable Account Value for a Certificate is the sum of the value of each
Sub-Account to which values are allocated under a Certificate. The value of
each Sub-Account is determined at any time by multiplying the number of
Accumulation Units attributable to that Sub-Account by the Accumulation Unit
value for that Sub-Account at the time of determination. The Accumulation
Unit value is an accounting unit of measure used to determine the change in
an Accumulation Unit's value from Valuation Period to Valuation Period.
Each Purchase Payment that is made results in additional Accumulation Units
being credited to the Certificate and the appropriate Sub-Account thereunder.
The number of additional units for any Sub-Account will equal the amount
allocated to that Sub-Account divided by the Accumulation Unit value for that
Sub-Account at the time of investment.
Valuation Periods
The Variable Account is valued each Valuation Period using the net asset
value of the Eligible Fund shares. A Valuation Period is the period
commencing at the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on each
Valuation Date and ending at the close of trading for the next succeeding
Valuation Date. A Valuation Date is each day that the New York Stock
Exchange is open for business. The New York Stock Exchange is currently
closed on weekends, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents'
Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day
and Christmas Day.
Net Investment Factor
Variable Account Value will fluctuate in accordance with the investment
results of the underlying Eligible Funds. In order to determine how these
fluctuations affect value, Liberty Life utilizes an Accumulation Unit value.
Each Sub-Account has its own Accumulation Units and value per Unit. The Unit
value applicable during any Valuation Period is determined at the end of that
period.
When Liberty Life first purchased Eligible Fund shares on behalf of the
Variable Account, Liberty Life valued each Accumulation Unit at a specified
dollar amount. The Unit value for each Sub-Account in any Valuation Period
thereafter is determined by multiplying the value for the prior period by a
net investment factor. This factor may be greater or less than 1.0;
therefore, the Accumulation Unit may increase or decrease from Valuation
Period to Valuation Period. Liberty Life calculates a net investment factor
for each Sub-Account by dividing (a) by (b) and then subtracting (c) (i.e.,
(a/b) - c), where:
(a) is equal to:
(i) the net asset value per share of the Eligible Fund at the end of
the
Valuation Period; plus
(ii) the per share amount of any distribution made by the Eligible Fund
if the
"ex-dividend" date occurs during that same Valuation Period.
(b) is the net asset value per share of the Eligible Fund at the end of the
prior Valuation Period.
(c) is equal to:
(i) the Valuation Period equivalent of the Mortality and Expense Risk
Charge; plus
(ii) the Valuation Period equivalent of the daily Distribution Charge; plus
(iii) a charge factor, if any, for any tax provision established by Liberty
Life as a result of the operations of that Sub-Account.
If a Certificate ever reaches the maximum cumulative sales charge limit
defined in "Deductions for Contingent Deferred Sales Charge" on Page 15, Unit
values without (c)(ii) above will be used thereafter. For Certificates
issued to employees of Liberty Life and other persons specified in "Sales of
the Certificates", Unit values with .35% in (c)(i) above and without (c)(ii)
above will be used. Unit values without (c)(ii) above may be used for
certain Certificates issued in an internal exchange or transfer (see
"Deductions for Daily Distribution Charge").
Modification of the Certificate
Only Liberty Life's President or Secretary may agree to alter the Certificate
or waive any of its terms. Any changes must be made in writing and with the
Certificate Owner's consent, except as may be required by applicable law.
Right to Revoke
The Certificate Owner may return the Certificate within 10 days after he or
she receives it by delivering or mailing it to Liberty Life's Service Office.
The return of the Certificate by mail will be effective when the postmark is
affixed to a properly addressed and postage-prepaid envelope. The returned
Certificate will be treated as if Liberty Life never issued it and Liberty
Life will refund the Certificate Value.
DEATH PROVISIONS FOR NON-QUALIFIED CERTIFICATES
Death of Primary Owner, Joint Owner or Certain Non-Owner Annuitant. These
provisions apply if, before the Income Date while the Certificate is In
Force, the primary Certificate Owner or any Joint Certificate Owner dies
(whether or not the decedent is also the Annuitant) or the Annuitant dies
under a Certificate with a non-natural Certificate Owner such as a trust.
The Designated Beneficiary will control the Certificate after such a death.
If the decedent's surviving spouse (if any) is the sole Designated
Beneficiary, the surviving spouse will automatically become the new sole
primary Certificate Owner as of the decedent's date of death. And, if the
Annuitant is the decedent, the new Annuitant will be any living contingent
annuitant, otherwise the surviving spouse. The Certificate may continue
until another death occurs (i.e., until the death of the Annuitant, primary
Certificate Owner or joint Certificate Owner). Except for this paragraph,
all of "Death Provisions" will apply to that subsequent death.
In all other cases, the Certificate may continue up to five years from the
date of death. During this period, the Designated Beneficiary may exercise
all ownership rights, including the right to make transfers or partial
surrenders or the right to totally surrender the Certificate for its
Surrender Value. If the Certificate is still in effect at the end of the
five-year period, Liberty Life will automatically end it then by paying the
Certificate Value to the Designated Beneficiary. If the Designated
Beneficiary is not then alive, Liberty Life will pay any person(s) named by
the Designated Beneficiary in a Written Request; otherwise the Designated
Beneficiary's estate.
The Covered Person under this paragraph shall be the decedent if he or she is
the first to die of the primary Certificate Owner, Joint Certificate Owner,
Annuitant, or, if there is a non-natural Certificate Owner such as a trust,
the Annuitant shall be the Covered Person. If the Covered Person dies, the
Certificate Value will be increased, as provided below, if it is less than
the Death Benefit Amount ("DBA"). The DBA is:
The DBA at issue is the initial Purchase Payment. Thereafter, the DBA is
calculated for each Valuation Period by adding any additional Purchase
Payments, and deducting any partial withdrawals, including any applicable
surrender charge. This resulting amount is the "net Purchase Payment death
benefit". The Certificate Value for each Certificate Anniversary (the
"Anniversary Value") before the 81st birthday of the Covered Person is
determined. Each Anniversary Value is increased by any Purchase Payments
made after that anniversary. This resultant value is then decreased by an
amount calculated at the time of any partial withdrawal made after that
anniversary. The amount is calculated by taking the amount of any partial
withdrawal, and dividing by the Certificate Value immediately preceding the
partial withdrawal, and then multiplying by the Anniversary Value immediately
preceding the withdrawal. The greatest Anniversary Value, as so adjusted,
(the "greatest Anniversary Value") is the DBA unless the net Purchase Payment
death benefit is higher. The net Purchase Payment death benefit will be the
DBA if such amount is higher than the greatest Anniversary Value.
When Liberty Life receives due proof of the Covered Person's death, Liberty
Life will compare, as of the date of death, the Certificate Value to the DBA.
If the Certificate Value was less than the DBA, Liberty Life will increase
the current Certificate Value by the amount of the difference. Note that
while the amount of the difference is determined as of the date of death,
that amount is not added to the Certificate Value until Liberty Life receives
due proof of death. The amount to be credited will be allocated to the
Variable Account and/or the Fixed Account based on the Purchase Payment
allocation selection that is in effect when Liberty Life receives due proof
of death. Whether or not the Certificate Value is increased because of this
minimum death provision, the Designated Beneficiary may, by the later of the
90th day after the Covered Person's death and the 60th day after Liberty Life
is notified of the death, surrender the Certificate for the Certificate
Withdrawal Value without any applicable Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
being deducted. For a surrender after the applicable 90 or 60 day period and
for a surrender at any time after the death of a non-Covered Person, any
applicable Contingent Deferred Sales Charge would be deducted. If the
Certificate is not surrendered, it will continue for the time period
specified above.
Payment of Benefits. Instead of receiving a lump sum, the Certificate Owner
or any Designated Beneficiary may direct by Written Request that Liberty Life
pay any benefit of $5,000 or more under an annuity payment option that meets
the following: (a) the first payment to the Designated Beneficiary must be
made no later than one year after the date of death; (b) payments must be
made over the life of the Designated Beneficiary or over a period not
extending beyond that person's life expectancy; and (c) any payment option
that provides for payments to continue after the death of the Designated
Beneficiary will not allow the successor payee to extend the period of time
over which the remaining payments are to be made.
Death of Certain Non-Certificate Owner Annuitant. These provisions apply if,
before the Income Date while the Certificate is In Force, (a) the Annuitant
dies, (b) the Annuitant is not a Certificate Owner, and (c) the Certificate
Owner is a natural person. The Certificate will continue after the
Annuitant's death. The new Annuitant will be any living contingent
annuitant, otherwise the primary Certificate Owner. If the Annuitant is the
first to die of the Certificate's primary Certificate Owner, Joint
Certificate Owner and Annuitant, then the Annuitant is the Covered Person and
the Certificate Value will be increased, as provided below, if it is less
than the Death Benefit Amount ("DBA"), as defined above. When Liberty Life
receives due proof of the Annuitant's death, Liberty Life will compare, as of
the date of death, the Certificate Value to the DBA. If the Certificate
Value was less than the DBA, Liberty Life will increase the current
Certificate Value by the amount of the difference. Note that while the
amount of the difference is determined as of the date of death, that amount
is not added to the Certificate Value until Liberty Life receives due proof
of death. The amount to be credited will be allocated to the Variable
Account and/or the Fixed Account based on the Purchase Payment allocation
selection that is in effect when Liberty Life receives due proof of death.
Whether or not the Certificate Value is increased because of this minimum
death provision, the Certificate Owner may surrender the Certificate within
90 days of the date of the Annuitant's death for the Certificate Withdrawal
Value without any applicable Contingent Deferred Sales Charge being deducted.
For a surrender after 90 days, any applicable Contingent Deferred Sales
Charge would be deducted.
DEATH PROVISIONS FOR QUALIFIED CERTIFICATES
Death of Annuitant. If the Annuitant dies before the Income Date while the
Certificate is In Force, the Designated Beneficiary will control the
Certificate after such a death. The Certificate Value will be increased, as
provided below, if it is less than the Death Benefit Amount ("DBA") as
defined above. When Liberty Life receives due proof of the Annuitant's
death, Liberty Life will compare, as of the date of death, the Certificate
Value to the DBA. If the Certificate Value was less than the DBA, Liberty
Life will increase the current Certificate Value by the amount of the
difference. Note that while the amount of the difference is determined as of
the date of death, that amount is not added to the Certificate Value until
Liberty Life receives due proof of death. The amount to be credited will be
allocated to the Variable Account and/or the Fixed Account based on the
Purchase Payment allocation selection that is in effect when Liberty Life
receives due proof of death. Whether or not the Certificate Value is
increased because of this minimum death provision, the Designated Beneficiary
may, by the later of the 90th day after the Annuitant's death and the 60th
day after Liberty Life is notified of the death, surrender the Certificate
for the Certificate Withdrawal Value without any applicable Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge being deducted. For a surrender after the applicable
90 or 60 day period, any applicable Contingent Deferred Sales Charge would be
deducted.
If the Certificate is not surrendered, it may continue for the time period
permitted by the Internal Revenue Code provisions applicable to the
particular Qualified Plan. During this period, the Designated Beneficiary
may exercise all ownership rights, including the right to make transfers or
partial withdrawals or the right to totally surrender the Certificate for its
Certificate Withdrawal Value. If the Certificate is still in effect at the
end of the period, Liberty Life will automatically end it then by paying the
Certificate Withdrawal Value (without the deduction of any applicable
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge) to the Designated Beneficiary. If the
Designated Beneficiary is not alive then, Liberty Life will pay any person(s)
named by the Designated Beneficiary in a Written Request; otherwise the
Designated Beneficiary's estate.
Payment of Benefits. Instead of receiving a lump sum, the Certificate Owner
or any Designated Beneficiary may direct by Written Request that Liberty Life
pay any benefit of $5,000 or more under an annuity payment option that meets
the following: (a) the first payment to the Designated Beneficiary must be
made no later than one year after the date of death; (b) payments must be
made over the life of the Designated Beneficiary or over a period not
extending beyond that person's life expectancy; and (c) any payment option
that provides for payments to continue after the death of the Designated
Beneficiary will not allow the successor payee to extend the period of time
over which the remaining payments are to be made.
CERTIFICATE OWNERSHIP
The Certificate Owner shall be the person designated in the application. The
Certificate Owner may exercise all the rights of the Certificate. Joint
Certificate Owners are permitted but not contingent Certificate Owners.
The Certificate Owner may by Written Request change the Certificate Owner,
primary beneficiary, contingent beneficiary or contingent annuitant. An
irrevocably-named person may be changed only with the written consent of such
person.
Because a change of Certificate Owner by means of a gift (i.e., a transfer
without full and adequate consideration) may be a taxable event, a
Certificate Owner should consult a competent tax adviser as to the tax
consequences resulting from such a transfer.
Any Qualified Certificate may have limitations on transfer of ownership. A
Certificate Owner should consult the Plan Administrator and a competent tax
adviser as to the tax consequences resulting from such a transfer.
ASSIGNMENT
The Certificate Owner may assign the Certificate at any time. A copy of any
assignment must be filed with Liberty Life. The Certificate Owner's rights
and those of any revocably-named person will be subject to the assignment.
Any Qualified Certificate may have limitations on assignability.
Because an assignment may be a taxable event, a Certificate Owner should
consult a competent tax adviser as to the tax consequences resulting from any
such assignment.
PARTIAL WITHDRAWALS AND SURRENDER
The Certificate Owner may make partial withdrawals from the Certificate.
Liberty Life must receive a Written Request and the minimum amount to be
withdrawn must be at least $300 or such lesser amount as Liberty Life may
permit in conjunction with a Systematic Withdrawal Program. If the
Certificate Value after a partial withdrawal would be below $2,500, Liberty
Life will treat the request as a withdrawal of only the excess amount over
$2,500. The amount withdrawn will include any applicable Contingent Deferred
Sales Charge and therefore the amount actually withdrawn may be greater than
the amount of the surrender check requested. Unless the request specifies
otherwise, the total amount withdrawn will be deducted from all Sub-Accounts
of the Variable Account in the ratio that the value in each Sub-Account bears
to the total Variable Account Value. If there is no value, or insufficient
value, in the Variable Account, then the amount surrendered, or the
insufficient portion, will be deducted from the Fixed Account in the ratio
that each Guarantee Period's value bears to the total Fixed Account Value.
The Certificate Owner may totally surrender the Certificate by making a
Written Request. Surrendering the Certificate will end it. Upon surrender,
the Certificate Owner will receive the Certificate Withdrawal Value.
Liberty Life will pay the amount of any surrender within seven days of
receipt of such request. Alternatively, the Certificate Owner may purchase
for himself or herself an annuity option with any surrender benefit of at
least $5,000. Liberty Life's consent is needed to choose an option if the
Certificate Owner is not a natural person.
Annuity options based on life contingencies cannot be surrendered after
annuity payments have begun. Option A, which is not based on life
contingencies, may be surrendered if a variable payout has been selected.
Because of the potential tax consequences of a full or partial surrender, a
Certificate Owner should consult a competent tax adviser regarding a
surrender.
ANNUITY PROVISIONS
Annuity Benefits
If the Annuitant is alive on the Income Date and the Certificate is In Force,
payments will begin under the annuity option or options the Certificate Owner
has chosen. The amount of the payments will be determined by applying the
Certificate Value increased or decreased by a limited Market Value Adjustment
of Fixed Account Value described in Appendix A (less any premium taxes not
previously deducted and less any applicable Certificate Maintenance Charge)
on the Income Date in accordance with the option selected.
Income Date and Annuity Option
The Certificate Owner may select an Income Date and an Annuity Option at the
time of application. If the Certificate Owner does not select an Annuity
Option, Option B will automatically be designated. If the Certificate Owner
does not select an Income Date for the Annuitant, the Income Date will
automatically be the earlier of (i) Annuitant's 90th birthday and the 10th
Certificate Anniversary and (ii) any maximum date permitted under state law.
Change in Income Date and Annuity Option
The Certificate Owner may choose or change an Annuity Option or the Income
Date by making a Written Request to Liberty Life at least 30 days prior to
the Income Date. However, any Income Date must be: (a) for fixed annuity
options, not earlier than the first Certificate Anniversary; and (b) not
later than the earlier of (i) the later of the Annuitant's 90th birthday and
the 10th Certificate Anniversary and (ii) any maximum date permitted under
state law.
Annuity Options
The Annuity Options are:
Option A: Income for a Fixed Number of Years;
Option B: Life Income with 10 Years of Payments Guaranteed; and
Option C: Joint and Last Survivor Income.
Other options may be arranged by mutual consent. Each option is available in
two forms -- as a variable annuity for use with the Variable Account and as a
fixed annuity for use with Liberty Life's general account Fixed Account.
Variable annuity payments will fluctuate while fixed annuity payments will
not. The dollar amount of each fixed annuity payment will be determined by
deducting from the Fixed Account Value increased or decreased by a limited
Market Value Adjustment described in Appendix A any applicable premium taxes
not previously deducted and then dividing the remainder by $1,000 and
multiplying the result by the greater of: (a) the applicable factor shown in
the appropriate table in the Certificate; or (b) the factor currently offered
by Liberty Life at the time annuity payments begin. This current factor may
be based on the sex of the payee unless to do so would be prohibited by law.
If no Annuity Option is selected, Option B will automatically be applied.
Unless the Certificate Owner chooses otherwise, Variable Account Value, (less
any applicable premium taxes not previously deducted and less any applicable
Certificate Maintenance Charge) will be applied to a variable annuity option
and Fixed Account Value increased or decreased by a limited Market Value
Adjustment described in Appendix A (less any applicable premium taxes not
previously deducted) will be applied to a fixed annuity option. Any premium
taxes will be deducted proportionately from both the Variable Account Value
and Fixed Account Value. Whether variable or fixed, the same Certificate
Value applied to each option will produce a different initial annuity payment
as well as different subsequent payments.
The payee is the person who will receive the sum payable under an annuity
option. Any annuity option that provides for payments to continue after the
death of the payee will not allow the successor payee to extend the period of
time over which the remaining payments are to be made.
If the amount available to apply under any variable or fixed option is less
than $5,000, Liberty Life has reserved the right to pay such amount in one
sum to the payee in lieu of the payment otherwise provided for.
Annuity payments will be made monthly unless quarterly, semi-annual or annual
payments are chosen by Written Request. However, if any payment provided for
would be or becomes less than $100, Liberty Life has the right to reduce the
frequency of payments to such an interval as will result in each payment
being at least $100.
Option A: Income For a Fixed Number of Years. Liberty Life will pay an
annuity for a chosen number of years, not fewer than 5 nor over 50 (a period
of years over 30 may be chosen only if it does not exceed the difference
between age 100 and the Annuitant's age on the date of the first payment).
At any time while variable annuity payments are being made, the payee may
elect to receive the following amount: (a) the present value of the remaining
payments, commuted at the interest rate used to create the annuity factor for
this option (this interest rate is 5% per year unless 3% per year is chosen
by Written Request at the time the option is selected); less (b) any
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge due by treating the value defined in (a) as
a total surrender. (See "Deductions for Contingent Deferred Sales Charge".)
Instead of receiving a lump sum, the payee may elect another payment option
and the amount applied to the option will not be reduced by the charge
defined in (b) above. If, at the death of the payee, Option A payments have
been made for fewer than the chosen number of years:
(a) payments will be continued during the remainder of the period to the
successor payee; or
(b) that successor payee may elect to receive in a lump sum the present
value of the remaining payments, commuted at the interest rate used to
create the annuity factor for this option. For the variable annuity,
this interest rate is 5% per year unless 3% per year had been chosen by
the payee at the time the option was selected.
The Mortality and Expense Risk Charge is deducted during the Option A payment
period if a variable payout has been selected, but Liberty Life has no
mortality risk during this period.
If annual payments are chosen for Option A and a variable payout has been
selected, Liberty Life has available a "stabilizing" payment option that may
be chosen. Each annual payment will be determined as described in "Variable
Annuity Payment Values". Each annual payment will then be placed in Liberty
Life's general account, from which it will be paid out in twelve equal
monthly payments. The sum of the twelve monthly payments will exceed the
annual payment amount because of an interest rate factor used by Liberty Life
that will vary from year to year. The commutation method described above for
calculating the present value of remaining payments applies to the annual
payments. Any monthly payments remaining before the next annual payment will
be commuted at the interest rate used to determine that year's monthly
payments.
See "Annuity Payments" on Page 24 for the manner in which Option A may be
taxed.
Option B: Life Income with 10 Years of Payments Guaranteed. Liberty Life
will pay an annuity during the lifetime of the payee. If, at the death of
the payee, payments have been made for fewer than 10 years:
(a) payments will be continued during the remainder of the period to the
successor payee; or
(b) that successor payee may elect to receive in a lump sum the present
value of the remaining payments, commuted at the interest rate used to
create the annuity factor for this option. For the variable annuity,
this interest rate is 5% per year unless 3% per year had been chosen by
the payee at the time the option was selected.
The amount of the annuity payments will depend on the age of the payee on the
Income Date and it may also depend on the payee's sex.
Option C: Joint and Last Survivor Income. Liberty Life will pay an annuity
for as long as either the payee or a designated second natural person is
alive. The amount of the annuity payments will depend on the age of both
persons on the Income Date and it may also depend on each person's sex. IT
IS POSSIBLE UNDER THIS OPTION TO RECEIVE ONLY ONE ANNUITY PAYMENT IF BOTH
PAYEES DIE AFTER THE RECEIPT OF THE FIRST PAYMENT OR TO RECEIVE ONLY TWO
ANNUITY PAYMENTS IF BOTH PAYEES DIE AFTER RECEIPT OF THE SECOND PAYMENT AND
SO ON.
Variable Annuity Payment Values
The amount of the first variable annuity payment is determined by Liberty
Life using an annuity purchase rate that is based on an assumed annual
investment return of 5% per year, unless 3% is chosen by Written Request.
Subsequent variable annuity payments will fluctuate in amount and reflect
whether the actual investment return of the selected Sub-Account(s) (after
deducting the Mortality and Expense Risk Charge) is better or worse than the
assumed investment return. The total dollar amount of each variable annuity
payment will be equal to: (a) the sum of all Sub-Account payments; less (b)
the pro-rata amount of the annual Certificate Maintenance Charge. Currently,
a payee may instruct Liberty Life to change the Sub-Account(s) used to
determine the amount of the variable annuity payments unlimited times every
12 months.
Proof of Age, Sex, and Survival of Annuitant
Liberty Life may require proof of age, sex or survival of any payee upon
whose age, sex or survival payments depend. If the age or sex has been
misstated, Liberty Life will compute the amount payable based on the correct
age and sex. If income payments have begun, any underpayments Liberty Life
may have made will be paid in full with the next annuity payment. Any
overpayments, unless repaid in one sum, will be deducted from future annuity
payments until Liberty Life is repaid in full.
SUSPENSION OF PAYMENTS
Liberty Life reserves the right to postpone surrender payments from the Fixed
Account for up to six months. Liberty Life reserves the right to suspend or
postpone any type of payment from the Variable Account for any period when:
(a) the New York Stock Exchange is closed other than customary weekend or
holiday closings; (b) trading on the Exchange is restricted; (c) an emergency
exists as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable to dispose of
securities held in the Variable Account or determine their value; or (d) the
Securities and Exchange Commission permits delay for the protection of
security holders. The applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission shall govern as to whether the conditions described in
(b) and (c) exist.
TAX STATUS
Introduction
The Certificate is designed for use by individuals in retirement plans which
may or may not be Qualified Plans under the provisions of the Internal
Revenue Code (the "Code"). The ultimate effect of federal income taxes on
the Certificate Value, on annuity payments, and on the economic benefit to
the Certificate Owner, Annuitant or Designated Beneficiary depends on the
type of retirement plan for which the Certificate is purchased and upon the
tax and employment status of the individual concerned. The discussion
contained herein is general in nature and is not intended as tax advice.
Each person concerned should consult a competent tax adviser. No attempt is
made to consider any applicable state or other tax laws. Moreover, the
discussion herein is based upon Liberty Life's understanding of current
federal income tax laws as they are currently interpreted. No representation
is made regarding the likelihood of continuation of those current federal
income tax laws or of the current interpretations by the Internal Revenue
Service.
Taxation of Annuities in General
Section 72 of the Code governs taxation of annuities in general. There are
no income taxes on increases in the value of a Certificate until a
distribution occurs, in the form of a full surrender, a partial surrender, an
assignment or gift of the Certificate, or annuity payments. A trust or other
entity owning a Non-Qualified Certificate other than as an agent for an
individual is taxed differently; increases in the value of a Certificate are
taxed yearly whether or not a distribution occurs.
Surrenders, Assignments and Gifts. A Certificate Owner who fully surrenders
his or her Certificate is taxed on the portion of the payment that exceeds
his or her cost basis in the Certificate. For Non-Qualified Certificates,
the cost basis is generally the amount of the Purchase Payments made for the
Certificate and the taxable portion of the surrender payment is taxed as
ordinary income. For Qualified Certificates, the cost basis is generally
zero and the taxable portion of the surrender payment is generally taxed as
ordinary income subject to special 5-year income averaging for lump-sum
distributions received before January 1, 2000. A Designated Beneficiary
receiving a lump sum surrender benefit after the death of the Annuitant or
Certificate Owner is taxed on the portion of the amount that exceeds the
Certificate Owner's cost basis in the Certificate. If the Designated
Beneficiary elects to receive annuity payments within 60 days of the
decedent's death, different tax rules apply. See "Annuity Payments" below.
For Non-Qualified Certificates, the tax treatment applicable to Designated
Beneficiaries may be contrasted with the income-tax-free treatment applicable
to persons inheriting and then selling mutual fund shares with a date-of-
death value in excess of their basis.
Partial withdrawals received under Non-Qualified Certificates prior to
annuitization are first included in gross income to the extent Certificate
Value exceeds Purchase Payments. Then, to the extent the Certificate Value
does not exceed Purchase Payments, such withdrawals are treated as a non-
taxable return of principal to the Certificate Owner. For partial
withdrawals under a Qualified Certificate, payments are treated first as a
non-taxable return of principal up to the cost basis and then a taxable
return of income. Since the cost basis of Qualified Certificates is
generally zero, partial surrender amounts will generally be fully taxed as
ordinary income.
A Certificate Owner who assigns or pledges a Non-Qualified Certificate is
treated as if he or she had received the amount assigned or pledged and thus
is subject to taxation under the rules applicable to partial withdrawals or
surrenders. A Certificate Owner who gives away the Certificate (i.e.,
transfers it without full and adequate consideration) to anyone other than
his or her spouse is treated for income tax purposes as if he or she had
fully surrendered the Certificate.
A special computational rule applies if Liberty Life issues to the
Certificate Owner, during any calendar year, (a) two or more Certificates or
(b) one or more Certificates and one or more of Liberty Life's other annuity
contracts. Under this rule, the amount of any distribution includable in the
Certificate Owner's gross income is to be determined under Section 72(e) of
the Code by treating all the Liberty Life contracts as one contract. Liberty
Life believes that this means the amount of any distribution under one
Certificate will be includable in gross income to the extent that at the time
of distribution the sum of the values for all the Certificates or contracts
exceeds the sum of the cost bases for all the contracts.
Annuity Payments. The non-taxable portion of each variable annuity payment
is determined by dividing the cost basis of the Certificate that is allocated
to Variable Account Value by the total number of expected payments while the
non-taxable portion of each fixed annuity payment is determined by an
"exclusion ratio" formula which establishes the ratio that the cost basis of
the Certificate that is allocated to Fixed Account Value bears to the total
expected value of annuity payments for the term of the annuity. The
remaining portion of each payment is taxable. Such taxable portion is taxed
at ordinary income rates. For Qualified Certificates, the cost basis is
generally zero. With annuity payments based on life contingencies, the
payments will become fully taxable once the payee lives longer than the life
expectancy used to calculate the non-taxable portion of the prior payments.
Because variable annuity payments can increase over time and because certain
payment options provide for a lump sum right of commutation, it is possible
that the IRS could determine that variable annuity payments should not be
taxed as described above but instead should be taxed as if they were received
under an agreement to pay interest. This determination would result in a
higher amount (up to 100%) of certain payments being taxable.
With respect to the "stabilizing" payment option available under Annuity
Option A, pursuant to which each annual payment is placed in Liberty Life's
general account and paid out with interest in twelve equal monthly payments,
it is possible the IRS could determine that receipt of the first monthly
payout of each annual payment is constructive receipt of the entire annual
payment. Thus, the total taxable amount for each annual payment would be
accelerated to the time of the first monthly payout and reported in the tax
year in which the first monthly payout is received.
Penalty Tax. Payments received by Certificate Owners, Annuitants, and
Designated Beneficiaries under Certificates may be subject to both ordinary
income taxes and a penalty tax equal to 10% of the amount received that is
includable in income. The penalty tax is not imposed on amounts received:
(a) after the taxpayer attains age 59-1/2; (b) in a series of substantially
equal payments made for life or life expectancy; (c) after the death of the
Certificate Owner (or, where the Certificate Owner is not a human being,
after the death of the Annuitant); (d) if the taxpayer becomes totally and
permanently disabled; or (e) under a Non-Qualified Certificate's annuity
payment option that provides for a series of substantially equal payments,
provided only one Purchase Payment is made to the Certificate, the
Certificate is not issued as a result of a Section 1035 exchange, and the
first annuity payment begins in the first Certificate Year.
Income Tax Withholding. Liberty Life is required to withhold federal income
taxes on taxable amounts paid under Certificates unless the recipient elects
not to have withholding apply. Liberty Life will notify recipients of their
right to elect not to have withholding apply. See "Tax-Sheltered Annuities"
(TSAs) for an alternative type of withholding that may apply to distributions
from TSAs that are eligible for rollover to another TSA or an individual
retirement annuity or account (IRA).
Section 1035 Exchanges. A Non-Qualified Certificate may be purchased with
proceeds from the surrender of an existing annuity contract. Such a
transaction may qualify as a tax-free exchange pursuant to Section 1035 of
the Code. It is Liberty Life's understanding that in such an event: (a) the
new Certificate will be subject to the distribution-at-death rules described
in "Death Provisions for Non-Qualified Certificates"; (b) Purchase Payments
made between August 14, 1982 and January 18, 1985 and the income allocable to
them will, following an exchange, no longer be covered by a "grandfathered"
exception to the penalty tax for a distribution of income that is allocable
to an investment made over ten years prior to the distribution; and (c)
Purchase Payments made before August 14, 1982 and the income allocable to
them will, following an exchange, continue to receive the following
"grandfathered" tax treatment under prior law: (i) the penalty tax does not
apply to any distribution; (ii) partial withdrawals are treated first as a
non-taxable return of principal and then a taxable return of income; and
(iii) assignments are not treated as surrenders subject to taxation. Liberty
Life's understanding of the above is principally based on legislative reports
prepared by the Staff of the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation.
Diversification Standards. The U.S. Secretary of the Treasury has issued
regulations that set standards for diversification of the investments
underlying variable annuity contracts (other than pension plan contracts).
The Eligible Funds are designed to be managed to meet the diversification
requirements for the Certificate as those requirements may change from time
to time. If the diversification requirements are not satisfied, the
Certificate would not be treated as an annuity contract. As a consequence to
the Certificate Owner, income earned on a Certificate would be taxable to the
Certificate Owner in the year in which diversification requirements were not
satisfied, including previously non-taxable income earned in prior years. As
a further consequence, Liberty Life would be subjected to federal income
taxes on assets in the Variable Account.
The Secretary of the Treasury announced in September 1986 that he expects to
issue regulations which will prescribe the circumstances in which a
Certificate Owner's control of the investments of a segregated asset account
may cause the Certificate Owner, rather than the insurance company, to be
treated as the owner of the assets of the account. The regulations could
impose requirements that are not reflected in the Certificate. Liberty Life,
however, has reserved certain rights to alter the Certificate and investment
alternatives so as to comply with such regulations. Since the regulations
have not been issued, there can be no assurance as to the content of such
regulations or even whether application of the regulations will be
prospective. For these reasons, Certificate Owners are urged to consult with
their own tax advisers.
Qualified Plans
The Certificate is designed for use with several types of Qualified Plans.
The tax rules applicable to participants in such Qualified Plans vary
according to the type of plan and the terms and conditions of the plan
itself. Therefore, no attempt is made herein to provide more than general
information about the use of the Certificate with the various types of
Qualified Plans. Participants under such Qualified Plans as well as
Certificate Owners, Annuitants, and Designated Beneficiaries are cautioned
that the rights of any person to any benefits under such Qualified Plans may
be subject to the terms and conditions of the plans themselves regardless of
the terms and conditions of the Certificate issued in connection therewith.
Following are brief descriptions of the various types of Qualified Plans and
of the use of the Certificate in connection therewith. Purchasers of the
Certificate should seek competent advice concerning the terms and conditions
of the particular Qualified Plan and use of the Certificate with that Plan.
Tax-Sheltered Annuities
Section 403(b) of the Code permits public school employees and employees of
certain types of charitable, educational and scientific organizations
specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code to purchase annuity contracts and,
subject to certain contribution limitations, exclude the amount of Purchase
Payments from gross income for tax purposes. However, such Purchase Payments
may be subject to Social Security (FICA) taxes. This type of annuity
contract is commonly referred to as a "Tax-Sheltered Annuity" (TSA).
Section 403(b)(11) of the Code contains distribution restrictions.
Specifically, benefits may be paid, through surrender of the Certificate or
otherwise, only (a) when the employee attains age 59-1/2, separates from
service, dies or becomes totally and permanently disabled (within the meaning
of Section 72(m)(7) of the Code) or (b) in the case of hardship. A hardship
distribution must be of employee contributions only and not of any income
attributable to such contributions. Section 403(b)(11) does not apply to
distributions attributable to assets held as of December 31, 1988. Thus, it
appears that the law's restrictions would apply only to distributions
attributable to contributions made after 1988, to earnings on those
contributions, and to earnings on amounts held as of 12/31/88. The Internal
Revenue Service has indicated that the distribution restrictions of Section
403(b)(11) are not applicable when TSA funds are being transferred tax-free
directly to another TSA issuer, provided the transferred funds continue to be
subject to the Section 403(b)(11) distribution restrictions.
Liberty Life will notify a Certificate Owner who has requested a distribution
from a Certificate if all or part of such distribution is eligible for
rollover to another TSA or to an individual retirement annuity or account
(IRA). Any amount eligible for rollover treatment will be subject to
mandatory federal income tax withholding at a 20% rate if the Certificate
Owner receives the amount rather than directing Liberty Life by Written
Request to transfer the amount as a direct rollover to another TSA or IRA.
Individual Retirement Annuities
Section 408(b) of the Code permits eligible individuals to contribute to an
individual retirement program known as an "Individual Retirement Annuity."
These Individual Retirement Annuities are subject to limitations on the
amount which may be contributed, the persons who may be eligible, and on the
time when distributions may commence. In addition, distributions from
certain types of Qualified Plans may be placed on a tax-deferred basis into
an Individual Retirement Annuity.
Corporate Pension and Profit-Sharing Plans
Sections 401(a) and 403(a) of the Code permit corporate employers to
establish various types of retirement plans for employees. Such retirement
plans may permit the purchase of the Certificate to provide benefits under
the plans.
Deferred Compensation Plans With Respect to Service for State and Local
Governments
Section 457 of the Code, while not actually providing for a Qualified Plan as
that term is normally used, provides for certain deferred compensation plans
that enjoy special income tax treatment with respect to service for tax-
exempt organizations, state governments, local governments, and agencies and
instrumentalities of such governments. The Certificate can be used with such
plans. Under such plans, a participant may specify the form of investment in
which his or her participation will be made. However, all such investments
are owned by and subject to the claims of general creditors of the sponsoring
employer.
VARIABLE ACCOUNT VOTING PRIVILEGES
In accordance with its view of present applicable law, Liberty Life will vote
the shares of the Eligible Funds held in the Variable Account at regular and
special meetings of the shareholders of the Eligible Funds in accordance with
instructions received from persons having the voting interest in the Variable
Account. Liberty Life will vote shares for which it has not received
instructions in the same proportion as it votes shares for which it has
received instructions.
However, if the Investment Company Act of 1940 or any regulation thereunder
should be amended or if the present interpretation thereof should change, and
as a result Liberty Life determines that it is permitted to vote the shares
of the Eligible Funds in its own right, it may elect to do so.
The person having the voting interest under a Certificate prior to the Income
Date shall be the Certificate Owner. The number of shares held in each Sub-
Account which are attributable to each Certificate Owner is determined by
dividing the Certificate Owner's Variable Account Value in each Sub-Account
by the net asset value of the applicable share of the Eligible Fund. The
person having the voting interest after the Income Date under an annuity
payment option shall be the payee. The number of shares held in the Variable
Account which are attributable to each payee is determined by dividing the
reserve for the annuity payments by the net asset value of one share. During
the annuity payment period, the votes attributable to a payee decrease as the
reserves underlying the payments decrease.
The number of shares in which a person has a voting interest will be
determined as of the date coincident with the date established by the
respective Eligible Fund for determining shareholders eligible to vote at the
meeting of the Fund and voting instructions will be solicited by written
communication prior to such meeting in accordance with the procedures
established by the Eligible Fund.
Each person having the voting interest in the Variable Account will receive
periodic reports relating to the Eligible Fund(s) in which he or she has an
interest, proxy material and a form with which to give such voting
instructions with respect to the proportion of the Eligible Fund shares held
in the Variable Account corresponding to his or her interest in the Variable
Account.
SALES OF THE CERTIFICATES
Keyport Financial Services Corp. ("KFSC") serves as the Principal Underwriter
for the Certificate described in this prospectus. The Certificate will be
sold by salespersons who represent Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston,
an affiliate of KFSC, as variable annuity agents and who are registered
representatives of broker/dealers who have entered into distribution
agreements with KFSC. KFSC is registered under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 and is a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. It is located at 125 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.
Different Certificates may be sold (1) to a person who is an officer,
director, or employee of Liberty Life, or an affiliate of Liberty Life, a
trustee or officer of an Eligible Fund, an employee of the investment adviser
or sub-investment adviser of an Eligible Fund, or an employee or associated
person of an entity which has entered into a sales agreement with the
Principal Underwriter for the distribution of Certificates, or (2) to any
Qualified Plan established for such a person. Such Certificates may be
different from the Certificates sold to others in that (1) they are not
subject to the deduction for the Certificate Maintenance Charge, the asset-
based Sales charge or the Contingent Deferred Sales Charge and (2) they have
a Mortality and Expense Risk Charge of 0.35% per year.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
There are no legal proceedings to which the Variable Account or the Principal
Underwriter are a party. Liberty Life is engaged in various kinds of routine
litigation which in its judgment is not of material importance in relation to
the total capital and surplus of Liberty Life.
INQUIRIES BY CERTIFICATE OWNERS
Certificate Owners with questions about their Certificates may write Liberty
Life Service Office, 125 High Street, Boston, MA 02110, or call (800) 367-
3653.
TABLE OF CONTENTS-STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Page
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston 2
Variable Annuity Benefits 2
Variable Annuity Payment Values 2
Re-Allocating Sub-Account Payments 4
Safekeeping of Assets 4
Principal Underwriter 4
Experts 4
Investment Performance 5
Yields for Stein Roe Money Market Sub-Account 6
Financial Statements 7
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston 9
APPENDIX A
THE FIXED ACCOUNT (ALSO KNOWN AS THE MODIFIED GUARANTEED ANNUITY ACCOUNT)
Introduction
This Appendix describes the Fixed Account option available under the
Certificate.
FIXED ACCOUNT VALUES PROVIDED BY THE CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO A MARKET
VALUE ADJUSTMENT, THE OPERATION OF WHICH MAY RESULT IN UPWARD OR DOWNWARD
ADJUSTMENTS IN AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED AND AMOUNTS PAID (INCLUDING WITHDRAWALS,
SURRENDERS, DEATH BENEFITS, AND AMOUNTS APPLIED TO PURCHASE ANNUITY PAYMENTS)
TO A CERTIFICATE OWNER OR OTHER PAYEE. IN NO EVENT WILL THE DOWNWARD MARKET
VALUE ADJUSTMENT ELIMINATE INTEREST AT THE RATE OF 3% PER YEAR APPLIED TO THE
AMOUNT ALLOCATED TO A GUARANTEED PERIOD. PAYMENTS MADE FROM FIXED ACCOUNT
VALUES AT THE END OF THEIR GUARANTEE PERIOD ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE MARKET
VALUE ADJUSTMENT.
Purchase Payments allocated to the Fixed Account option become part of
Liberty Life's general account. Because of applicable exemptive and
exclusionary provisions, interests in the Fixed Account options have not been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933 ("1933 Act"), nor is the general
account an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Accordingly,
neither the general account, the Fixed Account option, nor any interest
therein, is subject to regulation under the 1933 Act or the Investment
Company Act. Liberty Life understands that the Securities and Exchange
Commission has not reviewed the disclosure in the prospectus relating to the
general account and the Fixed Account option.
Investments in the Fixed Account and Capital Protection Plus
Purchase Payments will be allocated to the Fixed Account in accordance with
the selection made by the Certificate Owner in the application. Any
selection must specify that percentage of the Purchase Payment that is to be
allocated to each Guarantee Period of the Fixed Account. The percentage, if
not zero, must be at least 5%. The Certificate Owner may change the
allocation percentages without fee, penalty or other charge. Allocation
changes must be made by Written Request unless the Certificate Owner has by
Written Request authorized Liberty Life to accept telephone allocation
instructions from the Certificate Owner. By authorizing Liberty Life to
accept telephone changes, a Certificate Owner agrees to accept and be bound
by the conditions and procedures established by Liberty Life from time to
time. The current conditions and procedures are in Appendix B and
Certificate Owners authorizing telephone allocation instructions will be
notified, in advance, of any changes.
Liberty Life currently offers Guarantee Periods of 1, 3, 5, and 7 years.
Liberty Life may change at any time the number of Guarantee Periods it offers
under newly-issued and in-force Certificates, as well as the length of those
Guarantee Periods. If Liberty Life stops offering a particular Guarantee
Period, existing Fixed Account Value in such Guarantee Period would not be
affected until the end of the Period (at that time, a Period of the same
length would not be a transfer option). Each Guarantee Period currently
offered is available for initial and subsequent Purchase Payments and for
transfers of Certificate Value.
Liberty Life offers a Capital Protection Plus program that a Certificate
Owner may request. Under this program, Liberty Life will allocate part of
the Purchase Payment to the Guarantee Period selected by the Certificate
Owner so that such part, based on that Guarantee Period's interest rate in
effect on the date of allocation, will equal at the end of the Guarantee
Period the total Purchase Payment. The rest of the Purchase Payment will be
allocated to the Sub-Account(s) of the Variable Account based on the
Certificate Owner's allocation. If any part of the Fixed Account Value is
surrendered or transferred before the end of the Guarantee Period, the Value
at the end of that Period will not equal the original Purchase Payment
amount.
For an example of Capital Protection Plus, assume Liberty Life receives a
Purchase Payment of $10,000 when the interest rate for the 7-year Guarantee
Period is 6.75% per year. Liberty Life will allocate $6,331 to that
Guarantee Period because $6,331 will increase at that interest rate to
$10,000 after 7 years. The remaining $3,669 of the payment will be allocated
to the Sub-Account(s) selected by the Certificate Owner.
Fixed Account Value
The Fixed Account Value at any time is equal to:
(a) all Purchase Payments allocated to the Fixed Account plus the interest
subsequently credited on those payments; plus
(b) any Variable Account Value transferred to the Fixed Account plus the
interest subsequently credited on the transferred value; less
(c) any prior partial withdrawals from the Fixed Account, including any
charges therefor; less
(d) any Fixed Account Value transferred to the Variable Account.
Interest Credits
Liberty Life will credit interest daily (based on an annual compound interest
rate) to Purchase Payments allocated to the Fixed Account at rates declared
by Liberty Life for Guarantee Periods of one or more years from the month and
day of allocation. Any rate set by Liberty Life will be at least 3% per
year.
Liberty Life's method of crediting interest means that Fixed Account Value
might be subject to different rates for each Guarantee Period the Certificate
Owner has selected in the Fixed Account. For purposes of this section,
Variable Account Value transferred to the Fixed Account and Fixed Account
Value renewed for another Guarantee Period shall be treated as a Purchase
Payment allocation.
Application of Market Value Adjustment
Any surrender, withdrawal, transfer, or application to an Annuity Option of
Fixed Account Value from a Guarantee Period of three years or more is subject
to a limited Market Value Adjustment, unless: (1) the effective date of the
transaction is at the end of the Guarantee Period; or (2) the effective date
of a surrender is within 90 days of the date of death of the first Covered
Person to die.
If a Market Value Adjustment applies to either a surrender or the application
to an Annuity Option, then any negative Market Value Adjustment amount will
be deducted from the Certificate Value and any positive Market Value
Adjustment amount will be added to the Certificate Value. If a Market Value
Adjustment applies to either a partial withdrawal or a transfer, then any
negative Market Value Adjustment amount will be deducted from the partial
withdrawal or transfer amount after the withdrawal or transfer amount has
been deducted from the Fixed Account Value, and any positive Market Value
Adjustment amount will be added to the applicable amount after it has been
deducted from the Fixed Account Value.
No Market Value Adjustment is ever applicable to Guarantee Periods of fewer
than three years.
Effect of Market Value Adjustment
A Market Value Adjustment reflects the change in prevailing current interest
rates since the beginning of a Guarantee Period. The Market Value Adjustment
may be positive or negative, but any negative Adjustment may be limited in
amount (see Market Value Adjustment Factor below).
Generally, if the Treasury Rate for the Guarantee Period is lower than the
Treasury Rate for a new Guarantee Period with a length equal to the time
remaining in the Guarantee Period, then the application of the limited Market
Value Adjustment will result in a reduction of the amount being surrendered,
withdrawn, transferred, or applied to an Annuity Option.
Similarly, if the Treasury Rate for the Guarantee Period is higher than the
Treasury Rate for a new Guarantee Period with a length equal to the time
remaining in the Guarantee Period, then the application of the Market Value
Adjustment will result in an increase in the amount being surrendered,
withdrawn, transferred, or applied to an Annuity Option.
The Market Value Adjustment will be applied before the deduction of any
applicable surrender charges or applicable taxes.
Market Value Adjustment Factor
The Market Value Adjustment is computed by multiplying the amount being
surrendered, withdrawn, transferred, or applied to a Payment Option, by the
Market Value Adjustment Factor. The Market Value Adjustment Factor is
calculated as the larger of Formula (1) or (2):
(1) (1+a)/(1+b)(n/12) - 1
where:
"a" is the Treasury Rate for the number of Guarantee Period Years in the
Guarantee Period;
"b" is the Treasury Rate for a period equal to the time remaining (rounded up
to the next whole number of Guarantee Period Years) to the expiration of the
Guarantee Period; and
"n" is the number of complete Guarantee Period Months remaining before the
expiration of the Guarantee Period.
(2) (1.03)/(1+i)(y+d/#) - 1
where:
"i" is the Guaranteed Interest Rate for the Guarantee Period;
"y" is the number of complete Guarantee Period Years that have elapsed in the
Guarantee Period;
"d" is the number of days since the last Guarantee Period Anniversary or, if
"y" is zero, the number of days since the start of the Guarantee Period; and
"#" is the number of days in the current Guarantee Period Year (i.e., the sum
of "d" and the number of days until the next Guarantee Period Anniversary).
In Formulas (1) and (2), all references to Guarantee Period, Guarantee Period
Anniversary, Guarantee Period Month, and Guarantee Period Year relate to the
Guarantee Period from which is being taken the amount being surrendered,
withdrawn, transferred, or applied to an Annuity Option.
As stated above, the Formula (2) amount will apply only if it is greater than
the Formula (1) amount. This will occur only when the Formula (1) amount is
negative and the Formula (2) amount is a smaller negative number. Formula (2)
thus ensures that a full (normal) negative Market Value Adjustment of Formula
(1) will not apply to the extent it would decrease the Guarantee Period's
Fixed Account Value (before the deduction of any applicable surrender charges
or any applicable taxes) below the following amount:
(a) the amount allocated to the Guarantee Period; less
(b) any prior systematic or partial withdrawal amounts; less
(c) any prior amounts transferred to the Variable Account or to another
Guarantee Period in the Fixed Account; plus
(d) interest on the above items (a) through (c) credited annually at a
rate of 3% per year.
Treasury Rates
The Treasury Rate for a Guarantee Period is the interest rate in the Treasury
Constant Maturity Series, as published by the Federal Reserve Board, for a
maturity equal to the number of years specified in "a" and "b" in Formula (1)
above. Weekly Series are published at the beginning of the following week. To
determine "a", Liberty Life uses the weekly Series first published on or
after the most recent Determination Date which occurs on or before the Start
Date for the Guarantee Period, except that if the Start Date is the same as
the Determination Date or the date of publication, or any date in between,
Liberty Life instead uses the weekly Series first published after the prior
Determination Date. To determine "b", Liberty Life uses the weekly Series
first published on or after the most recent Determination Date which occurs
on or before the date on which the Market Value Adjustment Factor is
calculated, except that if the calculation date is the same as the
Determination Date or the date of publication, or any date in between,
Liberty Life instead uses the weekly Series first published after the prior
Determination Date. The Determination Dates are the last business day prior
to the first and fifteenth of each calendar month.
If the number of years specified in "a" or "b" is not equal to a maturity in
the Treasury Constant Maturity Series, the Treasury Rate will be determined
by straight line interpolation between the interest rates of the next highest
and next lowest maturities.
If the Treasury Constant Maturity Series becomes unavailable, Liberty Life
will adopt a comparable constant maturity index or, if such a comparable
index also is not available, Liberty Life will replicate calculation of the
Treasury Constant Maturity Series Index based on U.S. Treasury Security
coupon rates.
End of A Guarantee Period
Liberty Life will notify a Certificate Owner in writing at least 30 days
prior to the end of a Guarantee Period. At the end of the Guarantee Period,
Liberty Life will automatically transfer the Guarantee Period's Fixed Account
Value to the Money Market Sub-Account of the Variable Account unless Liberty
Life previously received a Certificate Owner's Written Request of: (1)
election of a new Guarantee Period from among those being offered by Liberty
Life at that time; or (2) instructions to transfer the ending Guarantee
Period's Fixed Account Value to one or more Sub-accounts of the Variable
Account. A new Guarantee Period cannot be longer than the number of years
remaining until the Income Date.
Transfers of Fixed Account Value
The Certificate Owner may transfer Fixed Account Value from one Guarantee
Period to another or to one or more Sub-Accounts of the Variable Account
subject to any applicable Market Value Adjustment. If the Fixed Account Value
represents multiple Guarantee Periods, the transfer request must specify from
which values the transfer is to be made.
The Certificate allows Liberty Life to limit the number of transfers that can
be made in a specified time period. Currently, Liberty Life is limiting
Variable Account and Fixed Account transfers to generally unlimited transfers
per calendar year with a $500,000 per transfer dollar limit. See "Transfer
of Variable Account Value". These limitations will not apply to any transfer
made at the end of a Guarantee Period. Certificate Owners will be notified,
in advance, of a change in the limitation on the number of transfers.
Transfer requests must be by Written Request unless the Certificate Owner has
authorized Liberty Life by Written Request to accept telephone transfer
instructions from the Certificate Owner or from a person acting for the
Certificate Owner as an attorney-in-fact under a power of attorney. By
authorizing Liberty Life to accept telephone transfer instructions, a
Certificate Owner agrees to accept and be bound by the conditions and
procedures established by Liberty Life from time to time. The current
conditions and procedures are in Appendix B and Certificate Owners
authorizing telephone transfers will be notified, in advance, of any changes.
Written transfer requests may be made by a person acting for the Certificate
Owner as an attorney-in-fact under a power of attorney.
Transfer requests received by Liberty Life before the close of trading on the
New York Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 PM Eastern Time) will be executed at
the close of business that day. Any requests received later will be executed
at the close of the next business day.
The amount of the transfer will be deducted from the specified values in the
manner stated in the next section below.
If 100% of a Guarantee Period's value is transferred and the current
allocation for Purchase Payments includes that Guarantee Period, then the
allocation formula for future Purchase Payments will automatically change
unless the Certificate Owner instructs otherwise. For example, if the
allocation formula is 50% to the one-year Guarantee Period and 50% to Sub-
Account A and all Fixed Account Value is transferred to Sub-Account A, the
allocation formula will change to 100% to Sub-Account A.
APPENDIX B
TELEPHONE INSTRUCTIONS
Telephone Transfers of Certificate Values
1. If there are Joint Certificate Owners, both must authorize Liberty Life
to accept telephone instructions but either Certificate Owner may give
Liberty Life telephone instructions.
2. All callers will be required to identify themselves. Liberty Life
reserves the right to refuse to act upon any telephone instructions in cases
where the caller has not sufficiently identified himself/herself to Liberty
Life's satisfaction.
3. Neither Liberty Life nor any person acting on its behalf shall be
subject to any claim, loss, liability, cost or expense if it or such person
acted in good faith upon a telephone instruction, including one that is
unauthorized or fraudulent; however, Liberty Life will employ reasonable
procedures to confirm that a telephone instruction is genuine and, if Liberty
Life does not, Liberty Life may be liable for losses due to an unauthorized
or fraudulent instruction. The Certificate Owner thus bears the risk that an
unauthorized or fraudulent instruction that is executed may cause the
Certificate Value to be lower than it would be had no instruction been
executed.
4. All conversations will be recorded with disclosure at the time of the
call.
5. The application for the Certificate may allow a Certificate Owner to
create a power of attorney by authorizing another person to give telephone
instructions. Unless prohibited by state law, such power will be treated as
durable in nature and shall not be affected by the subsequent incapacity,
disability or incompetency of the Certificate Owner. Either Liberty Life or
the authorized person may cease to honor the power by sending written notice
to the Certificate Owner at the Certificate Owner's last known address.
Neither Liberty Life nor any person acting on its behalf shall be subject to
liability for any act executed in good faith reliance upon a power of
attorney.
6. Telephone authorization shall continue in force until (a) Liberty Life
receives the Certificate Owner's written revocation, (b) Liberty Life
discontinues the privilege, or (c) Liberty Life receives written evidence
that the Certificate Owner has entered into a market timing or asset
allocation agreement with an investment adviser or with a broker/dealer.
7. Telephone transfer instructions received by Liberty Life's Service
Office at 800-367-3653 before the close of trading on the New York Stock
Exchange (currently 4:00 P.M. Eastern Time) will be initiated that day based
on the unit value prices calculated at the close of that day. Instructions
received after the close of trading on the NYSE will be initiated the
following business day.
8. Once instructions are accepted by Liberty Life, they may not be
canceled.
9. All transfers must be made in accordance with the terms of the
Certificate and current prospectus. If the transfer instructions are not in
good order, Liberty Life will not execute the transfer and will notify the
caller within 48 hours.
10. If 100% of any Sub-Account's value is transferred and the allocation
formula for Purchase Payments includes that Sub-Account, then the allocation
formula for future Purchase Payments will change accordingly unless Liberty
Life receives telephone instructions to the contrary. For example, if the
allocation formula is 50% to Sub-Account A and 50% to Sub-Account B and all
of Sub-Account A's value is transferred to Sub-Account B, the allocation
formula will change to 100% to Sub-Account B unless Liberty Life is
instructed otherwise.
Telephone Changes to Purchase Payment Allocation Percentages
Numbers 1-6 above are applicable.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
GROUP FLEXIBLE PURCHASE PAYMENT
DEFERRED VARIABLE ANNUITY CONTRACT
ISSUED BY
VARIABLE ACCOUNT J
OF
LIBERTY LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY OF BOSTON ("Liberty Life")
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus but it relates
to, and should be read in conjunction with, the Liberty Advisor variable
annuity prospectus dated November 15, 1997. The prospectus is available, at
no charge, by writing Keyport Financial Sercives Corp. at 125 High Street,
Boston, MA 02110 or by calling (800) 437-4466.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston...................................2
Variable Annuity Benefits..................................................2
Variable Annuity Payment Values..........................................2
Re-Allocating Sub-Account Payments.......................................4
Safekeeping of Assets......................................................4
Principal Underwriter......................................................4
Experts....................................................................4
Investment Performance.....................................................5
Yields for Stein Roe Money Market Sub-Account............................6
Financial Statements.......................................................7
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston.................................9
The date of this statement of additional information is November 15, 1997.
LIBERTY LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY OF BOSTON
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company ("Liberty Mutual") and Liberty Mutual Fire
Insurance Company ("Liberty Mutual Fire") are the ultimate corporate parents
of Liberty Life. Liberty Mutual and Liberty Mutual Fire ultimately control
Liberty Life through the following intervening holding company subsidiary:
Liberty Mutual Property-Casualty Holding Corporation. Liberty Mutual is a
multi-line insurance company. For additional information about Liberty Life,
see page 8 of the prospectus.
VARIABLE ANNUITY BENEFITS
Variable Annuity Payment Values
For each variable payment option, the total dollar amount of each
periodic payment will be equal to: (a) the sum of all Sub-Account payments;
less (b) the pro-rata amount of the annual Certificate Maintenance Charge.
The first payment for each Sub-Account will be determined by deducting
any applicable Certificate Maintenance Charge and any applicable state
premium taxes and then dividing the remaining value of that Sub-Account by
$1,000 and multiplying the result by the greater of: (a) the applicable
factor from the Certificate's annuity table for the particular payment
option; or (b) the factor currently offered by Liberty Life at the time
annuity payments begin. This current factor may be based on the sex of the
payee unless to do so would be prohibited by law.
The number of Annuity Units for each Sub-Account will be determined by
dividing such first payment by the Sub-Account Annuity Unit value for the
Valuation Period that includes the date of the first payment. The number of
Annuity Units remains fixed for the annuity payment period. Each Sub-Account
payment after the first one will be determined by multiplying (a) by (b),
where: (a) is the number of Sub-Account Annuity Units; and (b) is the
Sub-Account Annuity Unit value for the Valuation Period that includes the
date of the particular payment.
Variable annuity payments will fluctuate in accordance with the
investment results of the underlying Eligible Funds. In order to determine
how these fluctuations affect annuity payments, Liberty Life uses an Annuity
Unit value. Each Sub-Account has its own Annuity Units and value per Unit.
The Annuity Unit value applicable during any Valuation Period is determined
at the end of such period.
When Liberty Life first purchased Eligible Fund shares on behalf of the
Variable Account, Liberty Life valued each Annuity Unit for each Sub-Account
at a specified dollar amount. The Unit value for each Sub-Account in any
Valuation Period thereafter is determined by multiplying the value for the
prior period by a net investment factor. This factor may be greater or less
than 1.0; therefore, the Annuity Unit may increase or decrease from Valuation
Period to Valuation Period. For each assumed annual investment rate (AIR),
Liberty Life calculates a net investment factor for each Sub-Account by
dividing (a) by (b), where:
(a) is equal to the net investment factor as defined in the
prospectus without any deduction for the sales charge defined in
(c)(ii) of the net investment factor formula; and
(b) is the assumed investment factor for the current Valuation
Period. The assumed investment factor adjusts for the interest
assumed in determining the first variable annuity payment. Such
factor for any Valuation Period shall be the accumulated value, at
the end of such period, of $1.00 deposited at the beginning of such
period at the assumed annual investment rate (AIR). The AIR for
Annuity Units based on the Certificate's annuity tables is 5% per
year. An AIR of 3% per year is also currently available upon
Written Request.
With a particular AIR, payments after the first one will increase or
decrease from month to month based on whether the actual annualized
investment return of the selected Sub-Account(s) (after deducting the
Mortality and Expense Risk Charge) is better or worse than the assumed AIR
percentage. If a given amount of Sub-Account value is applied to a
particular payment option, the initial payment will be smaller if a 3% AIR is
selected instead of a 5% AIR but, all other things being equal, the
subsequent 3% AIR payments have the potential for increasing in amount by a
larger percentage and for decreasing in amount by a smaller percentage. For
example, consider what would happen if the actual annualized investment
return (see the first sentence of this paragraph) is 9%, 5%, 3%, or 0%
between the time of the first and second payments. With an actual 9% return,
the 3% AIR and 5% AIR payments would both increase in amount but the 3% AIR
payment would increase by a larger percentage. With an actual 5% return, the
3% AIR payment would increase in amount while the 5% AIR payment would stay
the same. With an actual return of 3%, the 3% AIR payment would stay the
same while the 5% AIR payment would decrease in amount. Finally, with an
actual return of 0%, the 3% AIR and 5% AIR payments would both decrease in
amount but the 3% AIR payment would decrease by a smaller percentage. Note
that the changes in payment amounts described above are on a percentage basis
and thus do not illustrate when, if ever, the 3% AIR payment amount might
become larger than the 5% AIR payment amount. Note though that if Option A
(Income for a Fixed Number of Years) is selected and payments continue for
the entire period, the 3% AIR payment amount will start out being smaller
than the 5% AIR payment amount but eventually the 3% AIR payment amount will
become larger than the 5% AIR payment amount.
Re-Allocating Sub-Account Payments
The number of Annuity Units for each Sub-Account under any variable
annuity option will remain fixed during the entire annuity payment period
unless the payee makes a written request for a change. Currently, a payee
can instruct Liberty Life to change the Sub-Account(s) used to determine the
amount of the variable annuity payments 1 time every 12 months. The payee's
request must specify the percentage of the annuity payment that is to be
based on the investment performance of each Sub-Account. The percentage for
each Sub-Account, if not zero, must be at least 5% and must be a whole
number. At the end of the Valuation Period during which Liberty Life
receives the request, Liberty Life will: (a) value the Annuity Units for
each Sub-Account to create a total annuity value; (b) apply the new
percentages the payee has selected to this total value; and (c) recompute the
number of Annuity Units for each Sub-Account. This new number of units will
remain fixed for the remainder of the payment period unless the payee
requests another change.
SAFEKEEPING OF ASSETS
Liberty Life is responsible for the safekeeping of the assets of the
Variable Account.
Liberty Life has responsibility for providing all administration of the
Certificates and the Variable Account. This administration includes, but is
not limited to, preparation of the Contracts and Certificates, maintenance of
Certificate Owners' records, and all accounting, valuation, regulatory and
reporting requirements. Liberty Life has contracted with Keyport Life
Insurance Company, an affiliate, to provide all administration for the
Contracts and Certificates, as its agent. Keyport Life Insurance Company's
compensation is based on the number of Certificates and on the Certificate
Value of these Certificates.
PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
The Contract and Certificate, which are offered continuously, are
distributed by Keyport Financial Services Corp. ("KFSC"), which is an
affiliate of Liberty Life.
EXPERTS
The financial statements of Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston at
December 31, 1996, and for the year then ended appearing in this Statement of
Additional Information have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent
auditors, as set forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere herein,
and are included in reliance upon such report given upon the authority of
such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The financial statements of Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston as
of December 31, 1995 and for each of the years in the two-year period ended
December 31, 1995 have been included herein in reliance on the report of KPMG
Peat Marwick LLP, independent certified public accountants, and upon the
authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE
The Variable Account may from time to time quote performance information
concerning its various Sub-Accounts. A Sub-Account's performance may also be
compared to the performance of sub-accounts used with variable annuities
offered by other insurance companies. This comparative information may be
expressed as a ranking prepared by Financial Planning Resources, Inc. of
Miami, FL (The VARDS Report), Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., or by
Morningstar, Inc. of Chicago, IL (Morningstar's Variable Annuity Performance
Report), which are independent services that compare the performance of
variable annuity sub-accounts. The rankings are done on the basis of changes
in accumulation unit values over time and do not take into account any
charges (such as sales charges or administrative charges) that are deducted
directly from contract values.
Ibbotson Associates of Chicago, IL provides historical returns from 1926
on capital markets in the United States. The Variable Account may quote the
performance of its Sub-Accounts in conjunction with the long-term performance
of capital markets in order to illustrate general long-term risk versus
reward investment scenarios. Capital markets tracked by Ibbotson Associates
include common stocks, small company stocks, long-term corporate bonds, long-
term government bonds, U.S. Treasury Bills, and the U.S. inflation rate.
Historical total returns are determined by Ibbotson Associates for: Large
Company Stocks, represented by the Standard and Poor's Composite Stock Price
Index (an unmanaged weighted index of 90 stocks prior to March 1957 and 500
stocks thereafter of industrial, transportation, utility and financial
companies widely regarded by investors as representative of the stock
market); Small Company Stocks, represented by the fifth capitalization
quintile (i.e., the ninth and tenth deciles) of stocks on the New York Stock
Exchange for 1926-1981 and by the performance of the Dimensional Fund
Advisors Small Company 9/10 (for ninth and tenth deciles) Fund thereafter;
Long Term Corporate Bonds, represented beginning in 1969 by the Salomon
Brothers Long-Term High-Grade Corporate Bond Index, which is an unmanaged
index of nearly all Aaa and Aa rated bonds, represented for 1946-1968 by
backdating the Salomon Brothers Index using Salomon Brothers' monthly yield
data with a methodology similar to that used by Salomon Brothers in computing
its Index, and represented for 1925-1945 through the use of the Standard and
Poor's monthly High-Grade Corporate Composite yield data, assuming a 4%
coupon and a 20-year maturity; Long-Term Government Bonds, measured each year
using a portfolio containing one U.S. government bond with a term of
approximately twenty years and a reasonably current coupon; U.S. Treasury
Bills, measured by rolling over each month a one-bill portfolio containing,
at the beginning of each month, the shortest-term bill having not less than
one month to maturity; Inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index for
all Urban Consumers, not seasonably adjusted, since January, 1978 and by the
Consumer Price Index before then. The stock capital markets may be
contrasted with the corporate bond and U.S. government securities capital
markets. Unlike an investment in stock, an investment in a bond that is held
to maturity provides a fixed rate of return. Bonds have a senior priority to
common stocks in the event the issuer is liquidated and interest on bonds is
generally paid by the issuer before it makes any distributions to common
stock owners. Bonds rated in the two highest rating categories are
considered high quality and present minimal risk of default. An additional
advantage of investing in U.S. government bonds and Treasury bills is that
they are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government and thus
have virtually no risk of default. Although government securities fluctuate
in price, they are highly liquid.
Yields for Stein Roe Money Market Sub-Account
Yield and effective yield percentages for the Stein Roe Money Market Sub-
Account are calculated using the method prescribed by the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Both yields reflect the deduction of the annual 1.40%
asset-based Certificate charge. Both yields also reflect, on an allocated
basis, the Certificate's annual $36 Certificate Maintenance Charge that is
collected after the first Certificate Anniversary. Both yields do not
reflect Contingent Deferred Sales Charges and premium tax charges. The
yields would be lower if these charges were included. The following are the
standardized formulas:
Yield equals: (A - B - 1) X 365
C 7
Effective Yield Equals: (A - B)365/7 - 1
C
Where:
A = the Accumulation Unit value at the end of the 7-day period.
B = hypothetical Certificate Maintenance Charge for the 7-day
period. The assumed annual charge is equal to the $36 Certificate
charge multiplied by a fraction equal to the average number of
Certificates with Stein Roe Money Market Sub-Account value during
the 7-day period divided by the average total number of
Certificates during the 7-day period. This annual amount is
converted to a 7-day charge by multiplying it by 7/365. It is then
equated to an Accumulation Unit size basis by multiplying it by a
fraction equal to the average value of one SteinRoe Cash Income
Accumulation Unit during the 7-day period divided by the average
Certificate Value in Stein Roe Money Market Sub-Account during the
7-day period.
C = the Accumulation Unit value at the beginning of the 7-day
period.
The yield formula assumes that the weekly net income generated by an
investment in the Stein Roe Money Market Sub-Account will continue over an
entire year. The effective yield formula also annualizes seven days of net
income but it assumes that the net income is reinvested over the year. This
compounding effect causes effective yield to be higher than the yield.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Variable Account recently commenced operations and therefore no
financial statements are included. The financial statements of Liberty Life
are provided as relevant to its ability to meet its financial obligations
under the Certificates.
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
Report of Independent Auditors
The Board of Directors
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Liberty Life Assurance
Company of Boston (the Company) as of December 31, 1996, and the related
statements of income, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for the year then
ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial
statements based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free
of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis,
evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.
An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of Liberty Life Assurance
Company of Boston at December 31, 1996, and the results of its operations and
its cash flows for the year then ended, in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles.
February 28, 1997 Ernst & Young LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
Independent Auditors' Report
The Board of Directors
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston:
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Liberty Life Assurance
Company of Boston as of December 31, 1995, and the related statements of
income, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the two-
year period then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of
the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on
these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free
of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis,
evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.
An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of Liberty Life Assurance
Company of Boston as of December 31, 1995 and the results of its operations
and its cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period then ended,
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
February 16, 1996
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston
Balance Sheets
December 31
1996 1995
(In Thousands)
Assets
Investments:
Fixed maturities, available for sale $1,737,187 $1,522,447
Equity securities, available for sale 4,122 4,191
Policy loans 45,345 40,672
Short-term investments 78,715 121,471
Other invested assets 38,281 32,339
Total investments 1,903,650 1,721,120
Cash and cash equivalents 34,372 64,801
Amounts recoverable from reinsurers 48,800 36,919
Premiums receivable 8,421 4,974
Investment income due and accrued 20,820 17,275
Deferred policy acquisition costs 77,424 62,762
Other assets 7,050 7,545
Assets held in separate accounts 1,097,040 899,519
Total assets $3,197,577 $2,814,915
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:
Liabilities:
Future Policy benefits $ 936,842 $ 809,042
Policyholders' and beneficiaries' funds 548,153 441,619
Policy and contract claims 30,394 19,344
Dividends to policyholders 12,919 12,309
Experience rating refund reserves 2,400 1,190
Liability for participating policies 68,504 65,256
Federal income taxes payable 542 -
Deferred federal income taxes 73,973 93,158
Due to Parent 8,907 9,334
Accrued expenses and other liabilities 117,144 191,894
Liabilities related to separate accounts 1,097,040 899,519
Total liabilities 2,896,818 2,542,665
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, $312.50 par value; 8,000
shares authorized, issued and outstanding 2,500 2,500
Additional paid-in capital 52,500 2,500
Net unrealized gains on investments,
net of federal income taxes of $43,793
and $66,391 81,330 122,875
Cumulative foreign currency translations,
net of federal income taxes of $612 and $515 1,139 957
Retained earnings 163,290 143,418
Total stockholders' equity 300,759 272,250
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $3,197,577 $2,814,915
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston
Statements of Income
Year Ended December 31
1996 1995 1994
(In Thousands)
Revenues:
Premiums, net $283,965 $197,017 $130,606
Net investment income 122,527 108,721 97,022
Realized gains on investments 6,722 5,091 3,043
Contractholder charges and assessments 5,759 5,428 4,943
Other revenues 4,469 4,323 3,776
Total revenues 423,442 320,580 239,390
Benefits and expenses:
Death and other policy benefits 173,281 126,029 110,158
Recoveries from reinsurers on ceded claims (11,454) (10,489) (5,858)
Provision for future policy benefits and
other policy liabilities 121,347 88,903 41,609
Interest credited to policyholders 32,252 27,527 18,347
Change in deferred policy acquisition costs (15,247) (11,101) (9,921)
General expenses 69,926 52,555 38,381
Insurance taxes and licenses 6,956 4,997 3,550
Dividends to policyholders 12,610 12,277 11,671
Total benefits and expenses 389,671 290,698 207,937
Income from continuing operations before
federal income taxes and earnings of
participating policies 33,771 29,882 31,453
Federal income taxes 10,327 10,782 11,003
Income from continuing operations before
earnings of participating policies 23,444 19,100 20,450
Earnings of participating policies net
of federal income tax benefit of $2,514
in 1996, $2,581 in 1995 and $835 in 1994 3,247 3,397 1,545
Income from continuing operations 20,197 15,703 18,905
Discontinued operations:
Loss from operations on discontinued
group health, net of federal income
(benefits) taxes of ($175) in 1996, ($1,236)
in 1995 and $100 in 1994 (325) (2,267) 24
Net income $ 19,872 $ 13,436 $ 18,929
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston
Statements of Stockholders' Equity
Years Ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994
(In Thousands)
Net
Unrealized Cumulative
Additional Gains Foreign
Common Paid-In (Losses) on Currency Retained
Stock Capital Investments Translations Earnings Total
Balance at
January 1, 1994 $2,500 2,500 105,774 203 111,053 $222,030
Net income 18,929 18,929
Net unrealized
gains (losses) on
investments, net
of deferred
federal income
taxes of ($425) (93,500) (93,500)
Cumulative foreign
currency translations,
net of deferred
federal income taxes
of ($140) 260 260
Balance at
December 31, 1994 2,500 2,500 12,274 463 129,982 147,719
Net income 13,436 13,436
Net unrealized
gains (losses) on
investments, net
of deferred
federal income
taxes of ($59,758) 110,601 110,601
Cumulative foreign
currency translations,
net of deferred
federal income taxes
of ($267) 494 494
Balance at
December 31, 1995 2,500 2,500 122,875 957 143,418 272,250
Additional Paid-In
Capital 50,000 50,000
Net income 19,872 19,872
Net unrealized
gains (losses) on
investments, net
of deferred
federal income
taxes of $22,598 (41,545) (41,545)
Cumulative foreign
currency translations,
net of deferred federal
income taxes
of ($97) 182 182
Balance at
December 31, 1996 $2,500 52,500 81,330 1,139 163,290 $300,759
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston
Statements of Cash Flows
Years ended December 31
1996 1995 1994
(In Thousands)
Cash flows from operating activities:
Premiums collected $ 280,613 $ 197,607 $ 127,716
Investment income received 98,899 89,412 80,817
Other considerations received 10,331 9,421 22,599
Policyholder claims paid (124,297) (96,494) (123,676)
Surrender benefits paid (33,748) (5,927) (5,317)
Policyholder dividends paid (12,008) (11,685) (11,081)
General expenses paid (67,834) (56,736) (41,915)
Insurance taxes and licenses paid (3,959) (6,000) (6,346)
Federal income taxes paid, including
capital gains taxes (5,858) (12,878) (4,897)
Intercompany net receipts (426) 9,201 (16,620)
Other receipts (payments) 12,218 (2,782) (6,904)
Net cash flows provided by operating
activities 153,931 113,139 14,376
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from fixed maturities sold 128,493 41,763 66,835
Proceeds from fixed maturities matured 91,292 75,084 124,347
Cost of fixed maturities acquired (480,206) (224,725) (315,121)
Proceeds from equity securities sold 125,997 87,449 45,632
Cost of equity securities acquired (122,197) (86,390) (45,898)
Change in policy loans (4,673) (4,087) (3,827)
Investment cash in transit 126 (182) 34
Proceeds from short-term investments
sold or matured 833,144 485,257 902,371
Cost of short-term investments acquired (790,040) (566,870) (879,643)
Proceeds from other long-term investments
sold 5,997 4,320 2,657
Cost of other long-term investments
acquired (6,904) (13,427) (5,772)
Net cash used in investing activities (218,971) (201,808) (108,385)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Additional paid-in capital 50,000 - -
Policyholders' deposits on investment
contracts 139,579 62,019 124,565
Policyholders' withdrawals from
investment contracts (65,343) (62,314) (30,608)
Change in securities loaned (89,625) 148,710 93,957
Net cash provided by financing activities 34,611 148,415 (52)
Change in cash and cash equivalents (30,429) 59,746 5,107
Cash and cash equivalents,
beginning of year 64,801 5,055
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year $ 34,372 $ 64,801 $ 5,055
Reconciliation of net income to net cash
flows from operating activities:
Net income $ 19,872 $ 13,436 $ 18,929
Adjustments to reconcile net income to
net cash flows from operating
activities:
Realized capital gains on investments (6,722) (5,091) (3,211)
Accretion of bond discount (20,271) (17,822) (16,297)
Interest credited to policyholders 32,252 27,543 18,347
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Proceeds from securities loaned 89,625 (148,710) -
Amounts recoverable from reinsurers (11,881) 4,897 (16,735)
Premiums receivable (3,447) 413 (418)
Investment income due and accrued (3,545) (1,409) (1,336)
Deferred policy acquisition costs (15,247) (10,888) (9,921)
Other assets 495 1,354 (1,846)
Future policy benefits 127,800 88,924 45,660
Policy and contract claims 11,050 (1,523) (494)
Dividends to policyholders 610 567 590
Experience rating refund liabilities 1,210 (510) 550
Liability for participating policies 3,248 3,397 1,544
Federal income taxes payable 542 (5,830) 4,643
Deferred federal income taxes 3,805 3,235 1,563
Due to Parent (427) 9,201 (16,620)
Accrued expenses and other liabilities (75,038) 151,955 (5,454)
Net cash flows provided by
operating activities $ 153,931 $ 113,139 $ 14,376
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994
(In Thousands)
1. Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies
Organization
Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston ("The Company") is domiciled in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Company is directly owned 100% by Liberty
Mutual Property-Casualty Holding Corporation, a subsidiary directly owned 90%
by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and 10% by Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance
Company ("Liberty Mutual").
The Company insures life, annuity and accident and health risks for groups
and individuals. The Company also issues structured settlement contracts and
administers separate account contracts. The Company is licensed and sells its
products in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the
reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial
statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the
year. Actual amounts could subsequently differ from such estimates.
Investments
Fixed maturity and equity securities are classified as available for sale and
are carried at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on fixed maturity and
equity securities are reported as a separate component of stockholders'
equity, net of applicable deferred income taxes.
For the mortgage-backed bond portion of the fixed maturity investment
portfolio, the Company recognizes income using a constant effective yield
based on anticipated prepayments over the estimated economic life of the
security. When actual prepayments differ significantly from anticipated
prepayments, the effective yield is recalculated to reflect actual payments
to date and anticipated future payments and any resulting adjustments are
included in investment income.
Short-term investments include investments with maturities of less than one
year at the date of acquisition.
Other invested assets, specifically investments in limited partnerships, are
accounted for using the equity method.
Policy loans are reported at unpaid loan balances.
Realized capital gains and losses are determined on the specific
identification basis.
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs
Policy acquisition costs are the costs of acquiring new business which vary
with, and are primarily related to, the production of new business. Such
costs include commissions, costs of policy underwriting, and variable agency
expenses. Acquisition costs related to traditional life insurance and certain
long-duration group accident and health insurance, to the extent recoverable
from future policy revenues, are deferred and amortized over the premium-
paying period of the related policies using assumptions consistent with those
used in computing policy benefit reserves. For universal life insurance and
investment products, to the extent recoverable from future gross profits,
deferred policy acquisition costs are amortized generally in proportion to
the present value of expected gross profits from surrender charges and
investment, mortality, and expense margins. Deferred policy acquisition costs
are adjusted for amounts relating to unrealized gains and losses on fixed
maturity and equity securities the Company has designated as available for
sale. This adjustment, net of tax, is included with the change in net
unrealized gains or losses that is credited or charged directly to
stockholders' equity. Deferred policy acquisition costs have decreased for
this adjustment by $585 and $2,834 at December 31, 1996 and 1995,
respectively.
The Company began deferring acquisition costs relating to group life and
disability insurance as of January 1, 1995. Costs relating to these policies
are amortized straight line over a five year period. Anticipated premium
revenue was estimated using the same assumptions which were used for
computing liabilities for future policy benefits.
Recognition of Traditional Life Premium Revenue and Related Expenses
Premiums on traditional life insurance policies are recognized as revenue
when due. Benefits and expenses are associated with premiums so as to result
in the recognition of profits over the life of the policies. This association
is accomplished by providing liabilities for future policy benefits and the
deferral and subsequent amortization of acquisition costs.
Recognition of Universal Life Revenue and Policy Account Balances
Revenues from universal life policies represent investment income from the
related invested assets and amounts assessed against policyholders. Included
in such assessments are mortality charges, surrender charges paid and
administrative fees. Policy account balances consist of consideration
received plus credited interest, less accumulated policyholder charges,
assessments and withdrawals. Credited interest rates were between 5.75% and
6.3% in 1996 and between 6.3% and 6.5% in 1995 and 1994.
Investment Contracts
The Company writes certain annuity and structured settlement contracts
without mortality risk which are accounted for as investment contracts.
Revenues for investment contracts consist of investment income from the
related invested assets, with profits recognized to the extent investment
income earned exceeds the amount credited to the contract. This method of
computing the liability for future policy benefits effectively results in
recognition of profits over the benefit period. Policy account balances
consist of consideration received plus credited interest less policyholder
withdrawals. Credited interest rates were between 5.35% and 7.05% in 1996,
between 5.6% and 7.25% in 1995, and between 5.0% and 5.25% in 1994 for
annuity contracts. Credited interest rates were between 6.2% and 11.4% in
1996, 1995 and 1994 for structured settlement contracts.
Future Policy Benefits
Liabilities for future policy benefits for traditional life policies have
been computed using the net level premium method based on estimated future
investment yield, mortality and withdrawal experience. Interest rate
assumptions were between 4.5% and 10.25% for all years of issue. Mortality
assumptions have been calculated principally on an experience multiple
applied to the 1955-60 and 1965-70 Select and Ultimate Basic Tables for
issued prior to 1986, the 1986 Bragg Non-Smoker/Smoker Select and Ultimate
Basic Tables for 1986 to 1992 issues, and the 1991 Bragg Non-Smoker/Smoker
Select and Ultimate Basic Tables for 1993 and subsequent issues. Withdrawal
assumptions are generally based on the Company's experience.
The liability for future policy benefits with respect to structured
settlement contracts with life contingencies and single premium group
annuities (group pension) is determined based on interest crediting rates
between 6.2% and 11.4%, and the mortality assumptions are based on the 1971
GAM and IAM tables.
Future policy benefits for long-term disability cases are computed using the
1987 Commissioners' Group Disability Table adjusted for the Company's
experience.
Policy and Contract Claims
Accident and health business policy and contract claims principally include
claims in course of settlement and claims incurred but not reported, which
are determined based on a formula derived as a result of the Company's past
experience. Claims liabilities may be more or less than the amounts paid when
the claims are ultimately settled. Such differences are considered changes in
estimates and are recorded in the statement of income in the year the claims
are settled.
Reinsurance
All assets and liabilities related to reinsurance ceded contracts are
reported on a gross basis in the accompanying balance sheets. The
accompanying statements of operations reflect premiums, benefits and
settlement expenses net of reinsurance ceded.
Reinsurance premiums, commissions, expense reimbursements, benefits and
reserves related to reinsured business are accounted for on bases consistent
with those used in accounting for original policies issued and the terms of
the reinsurance contracts.
Federal Income Taxes
The Company has adopted the asset and liability method of accounting for
income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are
recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences
between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and
liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and
liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable
income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be
recovered or settled. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax
assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes
the enactment date.
Participating Policies
Participating policies approximate 33% and 35% of life insurance in force at
December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively, and 18% and 56% of individual life
insurance premium revenue in 1996 and 1995, respectively. Dividends to
participating policyholders are calculated as the sum of the difference
between the assumed mortality, interest and loading, and the actual
experience of the Company relating to participating policyholders. As a
result of statutory regulations, the major portion of earnings from
participating policies inures to the benefit of the participating
policyholders and is not available to stockholders. Undistributed earnings of
the participating block of business is represented by the liability for
participating policies in the accompanying balance sheets. The payment of
dividends to stockholders is further restricted by insurance laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Foreign Currency Translations
The Company enters into certain transactions that are denominated in a
currency other than the U.S. dollar. Functional currencies are assigned to
foreign currencies. The resulting translation adjustments from such
transactions are accumulated and then converted to U.S. dollars. The
unrealized gain or loss from this translation is recorded as a separate
component of stockholders' equity, net of deferred federal income taxes. The
translations are calculated using current exchange rates for the balance
sheet and average exchange rates for the statement of operations.
Separate Accounts
Separate account assets and liabilities reported in the accompanying balance
sheets represent funds that are separately administered, principally for
annuity contracts, and for which the contractholder, rather than Liberty Life
Assurance, bears the investment risk. Separate account contractholders have
no claim against the assets of the general account of Liberty Life Assurance.
Separate account assets are reported at market value. The operations of the
separate accounts are not included in the accompanying financial statements.
Fees charged on separate account policyholder deposits are included in other
income.
Reclassification
Certain 1995 balances have been reclassified to permit comparison with the
1996 presentation.
2. Investments
Fixed Maturities
The amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses, and fair value of
investments in fixed maturities are summarized as follows:
December 31, 1996
Gross Gross
Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair
Cost Gains Losses Value
U.S. Treasury securities and
obligations of U.S government
corporations and agencies $ 408,214 $ 86,080 $ (1,195) $ 493,099
Debt securities issued by
foreign governments 24,762 87 (256) 24,593
Corporate securities 614,901 29,667 (3,864) 640,704
U.S. government guaranteed
mortgage-backed securities 567,343 16,402 (4,954) 578,791
Total fixed maturities $1,615,220 $132,236 $(10,269) $1,737,187
At December 31, 1995
Gross Gross
Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair
Cost Gains Losses Value
U.S. Treasury securities and
obligations of U.S government
corporations and agencies $ 380,296 $116,737 $ (37) $ 496,996
Debt securities issued by
foreign governments 19,651 1,839 (7) 21,483
Corporate securities 313,686 18,727 (2,797) 329,616
U.S. government guaranteed
mortgage-backed securities 621,282 53,523 (453) 674,352
Total fixed maturities $1,334,915 $190,826 $ (3,294) $1,522,447
The amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investment in fixed
maturities by contractual maturity is summarized as follows:
At December 31, 1996
Amortized Fair
Cost Value
Maturity in one year or less $ 29,651 $ 30,279
Maturity after one year through five years 169,258 172,798
Maturity after five years through ten years 313,404 335,973
Maturity after ten years 535,564 619,346
U.S. government guaranteed mortgage-
backed securities 567,343 578,791
Total fixed maturities $1,615,220 $1,737,187
The expected maturities in the foregoing table may differ from contractual
maturities because certain borrowers may have the right to call or prepay
obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.
Gross gains of $1,462 and $811, and gross losses of $1,411, and $445 were
realized on the sales of fixed maturities respectively.
At December 31, 1996, bonds with an admitted asset value of $14,232 were on
deposit with state insurance departments to satisfy regulatory requirements.
Equity Securities and Other Invested Assets
Unrealized gains and losses on investments in equity securities, available
for sale and other invested assets are recorded in a separate component of
stockholders' equity and do not affect operations. The cost, gross unrealized
gains and losses on, and the fair value of, those investments are summarized
as follows:
At December 31, 1996
Gross Gross
Unrealized Unrealized Fair
Cost Gains Losses Value
Equity securities $ 3,098 $ 1,241 $ (217) $ 4,122
Other invested assets 32,729 6,462 (910) 38,281
Total $35,827 $ 7,703 $(1,127) $42,403
At December 31, 1995
Gross Gross
Unrealized Unrealized Fair
Cost Gains Losses Value
Equity securities $ 3,086 $ 1,105 -- $ 4,191
Other invested assets 28,874 4,045 $ (580) 32,339
Total $31,960 $ 5,150 $ (580) $36,530
Net Investment Income
Major categories of the Company's net investment income are summarized as
follows:
Year ended December 31
1996 1995 1994
Investment income:
Fixed maturities $118,365 $104,779 $ 95,837
Equity securities 83 214 22
Policy loans 2,672 2,397 2,111
Short-term investments and cash equivalents 1,633 2,034 1,711
Other invested assets 1,476 878 342
Gross investment income 124,229 110,302 100,023
Less: Investment expenses 1,702 1,581 1,942
Discontinued operations -- -- 1,059
Net investment income $122,527 $108,721 $ 97,022
Realized Capital Gains on Investments
Realized capital gains on investments were derived from the following
sources:
Year ended December 31
1996 1995 1994
Fixed maturities $ 61 $ 366 $ 1,752
Equity securities 3,812 3,441 434
Short-term investments -- -- (4)
Other invested assets 2,849 1,284 1,029
Less: Discontinued operations -- 168
Realized capital gains on investments $ 6,722 $ 5,091 $ 3,043
Concentration of Investments
There were no investments in a single entity's fixed maturities in excess of
ten percent of stockholders' equity at December 31, 1996 and 1995,
respectively.
3. Reinsurance
Certain premiums and benefits are assumed from and ceded to other insurance
companies under various reinsurance agreements. Reinsurance assumed is not
significant. The ceded reinsurance agreements provide the Company with
increased capacity to write larger risks and maintain its exposure to loss
within capital resources.
The Company generally reinsures risks on life insurance policies over two
hundred fifty thousand dollars as well as selected risks of lesser amounts.
Life insurance in force and premium information is summarized as follows:
Year ended December 31, 1996
Assumed Ceded to
Direct From Other Other Net
Amount Companies Companies Amount
Life insurance in force $25,127,732 $64,767 $1,699,677 $23,492,822
Premiums:
Group life and disability $ 193,209 $ 55 10,070 183,194
Individual life and annuity 103,191 2,939 5,536 100,594
Group pension 177 - - 177
Total premiums $ 296,577 $ 2,994 $ 15,606 $ 283,965
Year ended December 31, 1995
Assumed Ceded to
Direct From Other Other Net
Amount Companies Companies Amount
Life insurance in force $17,374,371 $56,753 $1,110,191 $16,320,933
Premiums:
Group life and disability $ 105,415 $ 68 $ 12,223 $ 93,260
Individual life and annuity 103,732 123 2,477 101,378
Group pension 2,379 - - 2,379
Total premiums $ 211,526 $ 191 $ 14,700 $ 197,017
Amounts payable or recoverable for reinsurance on policy and contract
liabilities are not subject to periodic or maximum limits. At December 31,
1996, the Company's reinsurance recoverables are not material and no
individual reinsurer owed the Company an amount that was equal to or greater
than 3% of the Company's surplus.
Amounts recoverable from reinsurers are presented as an asset in the
accompanying financial statements and are summarized as follows:
At December 31
1996 1995
Group life and health $ 25,952 $ 19,377
Individual life and annuity 22,848 17,542
Total amounts recoverable from reinsurers $ 48,800 $ 36,919
4. Federal Income Taxes
The Company is included in a consolidated federal income tax return with
Liberty Mutual and its other subsidiaries. Under a written tax sharing
agreement, approved by the Board of Directors, Liberty Mutual collects from
and refunds to the subsidiaries the amount of taxes or benefits determined as
if Liberty Mutual and the subsidiaries filed separate returns.
Federal income tax expense (benefit) attributable to income from operations
was composed of the following:
Year ended December 31
1996 1995 1994
Continuing operations:
Current $ 7,011 $ 7,848 $ 9,559
Deferred 3,316 2,934 1,444
Federal income tax (benefit) expense $10,327 10,782 $11,003
Year ended December 31
1996 1995 1994
Discontinued operations:
Current $ (175) $ (1,236) $ (19)
Deferred 0 0 119
Federal income tax (benefit) expense $ (175) $ (1,236) $ 100
A reconciliation of federal income tax expense as recorded in the statements
of income with expected federal income tax expense computed at the applicable
federal tax rate of 35% is summarized as follows:
Year ended December 31
1996 1995 1994
Expected income tax expense $ 11,820 $ 10,458 $11,009
Adjustments to income taxes resulting from:
Reconciliation of prior year tax return (1,226) 401 -
Other, net (267) (77) (6)
Federal income tax expense $ 10,327 $10,782 $11,003
The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant
portions of deferred tax assets and deferred liabilities are summarized as
follows:
Year ended December 31
1996 1995 1994
Deferred tax assets:
Dividends to policyholders $ 3,349 $ 3,230 $ 3,242
Experience rating reserves - 14 102
Unearned interest on policy loans 303 283 -
Unearned group premium adjustment 962 585 448
Accrued surrender charges on deposit funds 401 - -
1987 disability reserve tax adjustment - 215 334
Other 60 29 281
Total deferred tax assets 5,075 4,356 4,407
Deferred tax liabilities:
Future policy benefits (11,760) (11,181) (12,002)
Deferred acquisition costs (18,818) (16,201) (13,742)
Bonds purchased at market discount (2,273) (1,769) (1,509)
Bonds market valuation adjustment (41,493) (64,788) (5,916)
Unrealized gain on other long-term
investments (2,300) (1,603) (717)
Reconciliation of taxes on other long-term
investments (951) (829) (134)
Cumulative foreign currency translations (612) (515) (248)
Deferred and uncollected premium adjustment (653) (565) (337)
Experience rating reserves (133) 0 0
Other (55) (63) -
Total deferred tax liabilities $(79,048) $(97,514) $(34,605)
Net deferred tax liability $(73,973) $(93,158) $(30,198)
The Company is required to establish a valuation allowance for any portion of
the deferred tax asset that management believes will not be realized. In the
opinion of management, it is more likely than not that the Company will
realize the benefit of the deferred tax assets, and, therefore, no such
valuation allowance has been established.
Prior to 1984, a portion of the Company's income was not taxed, but was
accumulated in a "policyholders' surplus account". In the event that those
amounts are distributed to stockholders', or the balance of the account
exceeds certain limitations under the Internal Revenue Code, the excess
amounts would become taxable at current rates. The policyholders' surplus
account balance at December 31, 1996 was approximately $4,000. Management
does not intend to take actions nor does management expect any events to
occur that would cause federal income taxes to become payable on that amount.
However, if such taxes were assessed, the amount of taxes payable would be
approximately $1,400.
5. Unpaid Claims Liability for Group Accident and Health Business
The following table provides a reconciliation of the beginning and ending
balances of unpaid claim liabilities, net of reinsurance recoverables:
Year ended December 31
1996 1995
Unpaid claim liabilities, at beginning of year $ 102,089 $ 76,630
Less: reinsurance recoverables 203 444
Net balance at beginning of year 101,886 76,186
Claims incurred related to:
Current year 104,526 52,747
Prior years 18,176 6,813
Total incurred 122,702 59,560
Claims paid related to:
Current year 34,342 15,413
Prior years 27,449 18,447
Total paid 61,791 33,860
Net balance at end of year 162,797 101,886
Plus: reinsurance recoverables 238 203
Balance, Unpaid claim liabilities,at end of year $ 163,035 $ 102,089
During 1996, approximately $17,000 of long-term disability business was
accepted from unaffiliated companies through buyout contracts. In return for
future premiums, as underwritten by the Company, the Company accepted the
risk for covered lines under those contacts, including certain claims which
were already in payment status. These claims, which were incurred in 1995 or
earlier, were not included in the December 31, 1995 claim reserves and
liabilities but are included as prior years incurred claims at December 31,
1996. The claims incurred related to prior years increased by $6,813 in 1995
due to changes in estimates of prior year insured events.
6. Risk-Based Capital and Retained Earnings
Life insurance companies are subject to certain Risk-Based Capital ("RBC")
requirements as specified by the NAIC. Under those requirements, the amount
of capital and surplus maintained by a life insurance company is to be
determined based on the various risk factors related to it. At December 31,
1996, the Company meets the RBC requirements.
The payment of dividends by the Company to stockholders is limited and cannot
be made except from earned profits. The maximum amount of dividends that may
be paid by life insurance companies without prior approval of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner is subject to
restrictions relating to statutory surplus and net gain from operations.
According to a resolution voted by the Board of Directors of Liberty Life
Assurance, not more than the larger of 10% of statutory profits on
participating business or fifty cents per thousand dollars of participating
business in force in a given year may accrue to the benefit of stockholders.
The amount of statutory unassigned surplus (deficit) held for the benefit of
participating policyholders is $(1,245) and for the stockholders is $83,428
at December 31, 1996. Dividends paid to policyholders were $12,008 and there
were no dividends paid to stockholders in 1996.
7. Commitments and Contingencies
The Company is named as a defendant in various legal actions arising
principally from claims made under insurance policies and contracts. Those
actions are considered by the Company in estimating reserves for policy and
contract liabilities. The Company's management believes that the resolution
of those actions will not have a material effect on the Company's financial
position or results of operations.
The Company is subject to insurance guaranty fund laws in the states in which
it does business. These laws assess insurance companies amounts to be used to
pay benefits to policyholders and claimants of insolvent insurance companies.
Many states allow these assessments to be credited against future premium
taxes. At December 31, 1996 and 1995, the Company has accrued $888 and $842,
respectively, of premium tax deductions. The Company recognizes its
obligations for guaranty fund assessments when it receives notice that an
amount is payable to a guaranty fund. Expenses incurred for guaranty fund
assessments were $150 and $472 in 1996 and 1995, respectively.
8. Separate Accounts
Separate Accounts held by the Company represent primarily funds which are
administered for pension plans. The assets consist of common stock, long-term
bonds, real estate and short-term investments. Except for long-term bonds
which are carried at amortized cost, the assets are carried at estimated fair
value. Investment income and changes in asset values do not affect the
operating results of the Company. Separate Accounts business is maintained
independently from the general account of the Company. The Company provides
administrative services for these contracts. Fees earned by the Company
related to these contracts included in other considerations were $1,503 and
$1,434 for the years ended December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively.
9. Employee Benefits
The Company shares personnel with Liberty Mutual which has a non-contributory
defined benefit pension plan covering employees who have attained age twenty-
one and have completed one year of service. Benefits are based on years of
service and the employee's "final average compensation" which is the
employee's average annual compensation for the highest five consecutive
calendar years during the ten years immediately preceding retirement. Liberty
Mutual's funding and accounting policies are to contribute annually the
maximum amount that can be deducted for federal income tax purposes and to
charge such contributions to expense in the year deductible for income tax
purposes. Liberty Mutual's pension cost charged to operations for the entire
plan in 1996 and 1995 was $15,541 and $26,432 respectively. The Company's
allocated pension cost in 1996 and 1995 was $395 and $628, respectively.
As of January 1, 1996 and 1995, the actuarial present value of accumulated
vested and nonvested benefits for the entire plan, based on a valuation
interest rate of 8% in 1996 and 1995, approximated $657,550 and $607,595,
respectively, and the net assets, at fair market value, available for plan
benefits approximated $994,643 and $776,859 in 1996 and 1995, respectively.
Assets of the plan consist primarily of investments in life insurance company
separate accounts and a collective investment trust fund. At January 1, 1996
and 1995, separate account investments of the Company, included in plan
assets at fair market value, amounted to approximately $696,384 and $521,220
respectively.
10. Postretirement Benefits
Liberty Mutual provides certain health care and life insurance benefits
("postretirement") for retired employees. Substantially all employees may
become eligible for these benefits if they reach retirement age while working
for the Liberty Companies. Alternatively, retirees may elect certain prepaid
health care benefit plans. Life insurance benefits are based upon a
participant's final compensation subject to the plan maximum.
Liberty Mutual records the costs of its postretirement benefits by the
accrual accounting method and has elected to amortize its transition
obligation for retirees and fully eligible or vested employees over 20 years.
The unamortized transition obligation was $155,840 and $165,580 at December
31, 1996 and 1995, respectively.
Net postretirement benefit costs for Liberty Mutual were approximately
$26,239 in 1996 and $30,979 in 1995 and includes the expected cost of such
benefits for newly eligible or vested employees, interest cost, gains and
losses arising from differences between actuarial assumptions and actual
experience, and amortization of the transition obligation. Liberty Mutual
made payments of $13,000 in 1996 and $14,000 in 1995, as claims were
incurred.
At December 31, 1996 and December 31, 1995, the accrued unfunded
postretirement benefit obligation for Liberty Mutual's retirees and other
fully eligible plan participants was $59,023 and $45,848, respectively. The
accumulated benefit obligation for non-vested employees was $96,742 and
$86,357 at December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively. The discount rates used
in determining the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation were 7.25%
and 7% in 1996 and 1995, respectively, and the health care cost trend rates
were 10.75% and 11.25%, graded to 5% over 10 years, in 1996 and 1995,
respectively.
The Company's share of postretirement benefit costs were approximately $236
and $282 for 1996 and 1995, respectively.
The health care cost trend rate assumption has a significant effect on the
amount reported. To illustrate, increasing the assumed health care cost trend
rates by one percentage point in each year would increase the postretirement
benefit obligation of the entire plan as of December 31, 1996 by
approximately $13,899, and the estimated eligibility cost and interest cost
components of net periodic postretirement benefit cost for 1996 by
approximately $1,699.
11. Related Party Transactions
Under a Service Agreement between the Company and Liberty Mutual, the latter
provides personnel, office space, equipment, computer processing and other
services. The Company reimburses Liberty Mutual for these services at cost,
and for any other special services supplied at the Company's request.
Substantially all of the Company's insurance expenses incurred in 1996 and
1995 related to this agreement.
The Company insures the group term life and disability risks for Liberty
Mutual employees. Premiums associated with these policies amounted to $13,903
and $14,755 in 1996 and 1995, respectively.
The Company insures key officers of Liberty Mutual Group under an Optional
Life Insurance Plan. Premiums associated with this plan amounted to $4,967
and $4,278 in 1996 and 1995, respectively.
Liberty Mutual purchased structured settlement annuity contracts, with and
without life contingencies, from the Company. Premiums under these contracts
amounted to $91,754 and $78,567 in 1996 and 1995, respectively. The related
policy and contract reserves with respect to all structured settlement
annuity contracts purchased by Liberty Mutual amounted to $441,220 and
$386,565 at December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively.
Liberty Mutual deposited $16,107 and $2,761 with the Company in 1996 and
1995, respectively, to fund certain Liberty Mutual environmental claim
transactions. Such amounts have been included in deposit type fund revenues
for the years ended December 31, 1996 and 1995, as well as in the liability
for premium and other deposit funds.
In 1996, Keyport Life Insurance Company began ceding 100% of the premiums and
benefits of certain structured settlement annuity contracts, with and without
life contingencies, to the Company. Premiums under these contracts amounted
to $3,194 in 1996. The related policy and contract reserves with respect to
these structured settlement annuity contracts assumed by the Company amounted
to $2,601 at December 31, 1996.
12. Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair values generally represent quoted market value prices for securities
traded in the public marketplace, or analytically determined values using bid
or closing prices for securities not traded in the public marketplace.
The following methods and assumptions were used by the Company in estimating
the "fair value" disclosures for financial instruments in the accompanying
financial statements and notes thereto:
Fixed Maturities
Fair values for publicly traded fixed maturities are determined using values
reported by an independent pricing service. Fair values of private placement
fixed maturities are determined by obtaining market indications from various
broker-dealers.
Cash and Short-term Investments
The carrying amounts reported in the accompanying balance sheets for these
financial instruments approximate their fair values.
Policy Loans
The carrying amounts reported in the accompanying balance sheets for these
financial instruments approximate their fair values.
Investment Contracts
The fair values for the Company's liabilities under investment-type insurance
contracts are estimated using discounted cash flow calculations, based on
interest rates currently being offered for similar contracts with maturities
consistent with those remaining for the contracts being valued.
Policy Account Balances
The fair values of the Company's liabilities for insurance contracts other
than investment-type contracts are not required to be disclosed. However, the
fair values of liabilities under all insurance contracts are taken into
consideration in the Company's overall management of interest rate risk, such
that the Company's exposure to changing interest rates is minimized through
the matching of investment maturities with amounts due under insurance
contracts.
The carrying amount and fair value of the Company's financial instruments are
summarized a follows:
December 31, 1996 December 31, 1995
Carrying Fair Carrying Fair
Amount Value Amount Value
Fixed maturities $1,737,187 $1,737,187 $1,522,447 $1,522,447
Equity securities 4,122 4,122 4,191 4,191
Other invested assets 38,281 38,281 32,339 32,339
Policy loans 45,345 45,345 40,672 40,672
Short-term investments 78,715 78,715 121,471 121,471
Individual and group annuities 153,927 153,742 150,562 149,223
Other policyholder funds
left on deposit 8,009 8,009 7,527 7,527
13. Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs
Details with respect to deferred policy acquisition costs are summarized as
follows:
Year ended December 31
1996 1995
Balance, beginning of year $ 62,762 $ 54,283
Additions 16,114 14,143
Amortization (867) (2,830)
Valuation adjustment for unrealized
gain on fixed maturities (585) (2,834)
Balance, end of year $ 77,424 $ 62,762
14. Segment Information
Revenues and income from continuing operations before federal income taxes
and earnings of participating policies for each of the Company's segments are
summarized as follows:
Year ended December 31
1996 1995 1994
Revenues from continuing operations:
Group life and disability $203,911 $108,132 $ 84,872
Individual life and annuity 186,696 175,960 116,966
Group pension 32,835 36,488 37,552
Total revenues from continuing operations $423,442 $320,580 $239,390
Income from continuing operations before federal
income taxes and earnings from participating
policies:
Group life and disability $ 8,377 $ 5,723 $ 11,559
Individual life and annuity 24,319 22,444 18,284
Group pension 1,075 1,715 1,610
Total income from continuing operations
before federal income taxes and
earnings of participating policies $ 33,771 $ 29,882 $ 31,453
15. Reconciliation to Statutory-Basis Accounting
The Company is required to file statutory financial statements with state
insurance regulatory authorities. Accounting principles used to prepare
statutory financial statements differ from the financial statements reported
herein which are prepared on the basis of generally accepted accounting
principles.
Reconciliations of statutory net income and capital and surplus, as
determined using statutory accounting principles, to the amounts included in
the accompanying financial statements are summarized as follows:
Year ended December 31
Net income: 1996 1995 1994
Statutory basis, net income $ 3,554 $ 6,952 $ 4,289
Increases/(decreases)
Deferred policy acquisition costs 15,247 11,101 9,921
Policy reserves 9,631 2,779 8,971
Participating policies (3,248) (3,397) (1,545)
Deferred federal income taxes (3,316) (2,934) (1,563)
Deferred premiums (1,859) (1,763) (1,644)
Interest maintenance reserve (526) (439) 687
Other 389 1,137 (187)
Net income as reported herein $ 19,872 $ 13,436 $ 18,929
Year ended December 31
Stockholders' equity: 1996 1995 1994
Statutory basis, capital and surplus $137,933 $ 84,441 $ 76,434
Increases/(decreases)
Deferred policy acquisition costs 77,424 65,597 54,283
Policy reserves 102,214 92,583 88,531
Participating policies (68,504) (65,256) (61,859)
Asset valuation reserve 11,773 9,372 6,969
Interest maintenance reserve 4,327 4,853 5,292
Deferred federal income taxes (73,973) (93,158) (30,198)
Deferred premiums (17,346) (15,487) (9,970)
Net unrealized gain on fixed maturities 121,967 184,696 17,077
Other 4,944 4,609 1,160
Stockholders' equity as reported herein $300,759 $272,250 $147,719
16. Discontinued Operations
On December 31, 1993, the Company discontinued its Group Medical insured and
administrative services line of business. Substantially all of the insured
operating assets and future policy liabilities, as of December 31, 1993, were
ceded to Liberty Mutual effective January 1, 1994, until the termination date
of the contracts. After termination there is no additional insurance risk
associated with this particular line of business and all insured operating
assets and future policy liabilities will be extinguished.
