THE EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES
SUPPLEMENT DATED JANUARY 30, 1999
TO
EQUI-VEST(R) PROSPECTUS
DATED MAY 1, 1998
EQUI-VEST(R) EDC CONTRACTS (SERIES 100 AND SERIES 200)
OFFERED TO CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF STATE AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS
WITHIN THE STATE OF IOWA
This Supplement adds to and modifies certain information contained in the
prospectus dated May 1, 1998 (PROSPECTUS) for EQUI-VEST(R) PERSONAL RETIREMENT
PROGRAMS AND EMPLOYER-SPONSORED RETIREMENT PROGRAMS offered by Equitable Life.
Equitable Life will offer EQUI-VEST(R) EDC, as described below (IOWA/ENHANCED
EDC CONTRACTS), to fund plans that meet the requirements of Internal Revenue
Code Section 457 ("Section 457 Plans") sponsored by certain state and municipal
governments described in Section 457 of the Code, within the State of Iowa
(EMPLOYER). Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contracts will be available only when an
Employer (i) makes contributions to a Section 457 Plan, whether in addition to,
or instead of, employee salary reduction or elective deferred contributions, as
applicable, (ii) has entered into an agreement with Equitable Life that permits
Equitable Life to offer Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contracts as a funding vehicle for
your Employer's Section 457 Plan; and (iii) has greater than $50 million in plan
assets for all Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contracts within the state of Iowa. Capitalized
terms not otherwise defined in this Supplement have the same meaning as in the
Prospectus. Page references are to pages in the Prospectus.
Employees of an Employer may participate under an Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contract on
the same basis and under the same terms and conditions described in the
Prospectus as applicable to EQUI-VEST(R) EDC Contracts, except for certain
material differences described in this Supplement. Participation under
Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contracts, will be available to (i) Annuitants, within the
state of Iowa, participating under EQUI-VEST EDC Contracts purchased prior to
the date of this Supplement and (ii) any Annuitant participating under an
Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contract purchased as of or after the date of this Supplement.
"PART 1: SUMMARY" OF THE PROSPECTUS HAS BEEN MODIFIED AS FOLLOWS:
ANNUAL ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE. The Annual Administrative Charge is waived and
does not apply to Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contracts.
FEE TABLES. For Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contracts, the following fee tables replace
Table 1: EQUI-VEST Series 100 and Table 2: EQUI-VEST Series 200 fee tables at
pages 13, 14, and 15. You should refer to the fee tables in "Part I: SUMMARY" of
the Prospectus for all other applicable expenses related to EQUI-VEST Series 100
and Series 200 Contracts. Please also see the discussion of the modifications to
"Part 7: DEDUCTIONS AND CHARGES" set forth in this Supplement.
FOR USE ONLY IN THE STATE OF IOWA
<PAGE>
TABLE 1: EQUI-VEST SERIES 100
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALLIANCE
ALLIANCE INTERMEDIATE ALLIANCE ALLIANCE ALLIANCE ALLIANCE
MONEY GOVERNMENT QUALITY HIGH GROWTH & EQUITY
MARKET SECURITIES BOND YIELD INCOME INDEX
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Separate Account Annual
Expenses (4)
Mortality and Expense Risk Fees .65% .65% .65% .65% .65% .65%
Other Expenses .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
Total Separate Account Annual Expenses .90% .90% .90% .90% .90% .90%
HRT Annual Expenses (4)
Investment Advisory Fees .35% .50% .53% .60% .55% .32%
Rule 12b-1 Fees (7) .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
Other Expenses. .04% .06% .05% .04% .04% .04%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total HRT Annual Expenses (5)(6) .64% .81% .83% .89% .84% .61%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<CAPTION>
TABLE 1: EQUI-VEST SERIES 100
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALLIANCE
ALLIANCE ALLIANCE ALLIANCE ALLIANCE CONSER- ALLIANCE
COMMON ALLIANCE INTER- AGGRESSIVE SMALL CAP VATIVE ALLIANCE GROWTH
STOCK GLOBAL NATIONAL STOCK GROWTH INVESTORS BALANCED INVESTORS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Separate Account Annual
Expenses (4)
Mortality and Expense Risk
Fees .65% .65% .65% .65% .65% .65% .65% .65%
Other Expenses .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Separate Account
Annual Expenses .90% .90% .90% .90% .90% .90% .90% .90%
HRT Annual Expenses (4)
Investment Advisory Fees .37% .65% .90% .54% .90% .48% .42% .52%
Rule 12b-1 Fees (7) .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
Other Expenses .03% .08% .18% .03% .05% .07% .05% .05%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total HRT Annual Expenses
(5)(6) .65% .98% 1.33% .82% 1.20% .80% .72% .82%
====================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
FOR USE ONLY IN THE STATE OF IOWA
2
<PAGE>
TABLE 1: EQUI-VEST SERIES 100 (CONTINUED)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T. ROWE T. ROWE
PRICE PRICE EQ/PUTNAM
INTERNATIONAL EQUITY GROWTH & EQ/PUTNAM MFS
STOCK INCOME INCOME VALUE BALANCED RESEARCH
PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Separate Account Annual Expenses
Mortality and Expense Risk Fees .65% .65% .65% .65% .65%
Other Expenses .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Separate Account Annual Expenses .90% .90% .90% .90% .90%
EQAT Annual Expenses
Investment Management and Advisory Fees .75% .55% .55% .55% .55%
Rule 12b-1 Fees .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
Other Expenses .20% .05% .05% .10% .05%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total EQAT Annual Expenses 1.20% .85% .85% .90% .85%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<CAPTION>
TABLE 1: EQUI-VEST SERIES 100
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MORGAN
MFS STANLEY
EMERGING EMERGING WARBURG PINCUS MERRILL LYNCH
GROWTH MARKETS SMALL COMPANY MERRILL LYNCH BASIC VALUE
COMPANIES EQUITY VALUE WORLD STRATEGY EQUITY
PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Separate Account Annual Expenses
Mortality and Expense Risk Fees .65% .65% .65% .65% .65%
Other Expenses .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Separate Account Annual Expenses .90% .90% .90% .90% .90%
EQAT Annual Expenses
Investment Management and Advisory Fees .55% 1.15% .65% .70% .55%
Rule 12b-1 Fees (7) .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
Other Expenses .05% .35% .10% .25% .05%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total EQAT Annual Expenses .85% 1.75% 1.00% 1.20% .85%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
FOR USE ONLY IN THE STATE OF IOWA
3
<PAGE>
TABLE 2: EQUI-VEST SERIES 200
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALLIANCE
ALLIANCE INTERMEDIATE ALLIANCE ALLIANCE ALLIANCE ALLIANCE
MONEY GOVERNMENT QUALITY HIGH GROWTH & EQUITY
MARKET SECURITIES BOND YIELD INCOME INDEX
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Separate Account Annual
Expenses (4)
Mortality and Expense Risk Fees .65% .65% .65% .65% .65% .65%
Other Expenses .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Separate Account Annual Expenses .90% .90% .90% .90% .90% .90%
HRT Annual Expenses
Investment Advisory Fees .35% .50% .53% .60% .55% .32%
Rule 12b-1 Fees .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
Other Expenses. .04% .06% .05% .04% .04% .04%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total HRT Annual Expenses(5)(6) .64% .81% .83% .89% .84% .61%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<CAPTION>
TABLE 2: EQUI-VEST SERIES 200
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALLIANCE
ALLIANCE ALLIANCE ALLIANCE ALLIANCE CONSER- ALLIANCE
COMMON ALLIANCE INTER- AGGRESSIVE SMALL CAP VATIVE ALLIANCE GROWTH
STOCK GLOBAL NATIONAL STOCK GROWTH INVESTORS BALANCED INVESTORS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Separate Account Annual
Expenses
Mortality and Expense Risk
Fees .65% .65% .65% .65% .65% .65% .65% .65%
Other Expenses .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Separate Account
Annual Expenses .90% .90% .90% .90% .90% .90% .90% .90%
HRT Annual Expenses (4)
Investment Advisory Fees .37% .65% .90% .54% .90% .48% .42% .52%
Rule 12b-1 Fees (7) .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
Other Expenses .03% .08% .18% .03% .05% .07% .05% .05%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total HRT Annual
Expenses(5)(6) .65% .98% 1.33% .82% 1.20% .80% .72% .82%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
FOR USE ONLY IN THE STATE OF IOWA
4
<PAGE>
TABLE 2: EQUI-VEST SERIES 200 (CONTINUED)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T. ROWE T. ROWE
PRICE PRICE EQ/PUTNAM
INTERNATIONAL EQUITY GROWTH & EQ/PUTNAM MFS
STOCK INCOME INCOME VALUE BALANCED RESEARCH
PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Separate Account Annual Expenses
Mortality and Expense Risk Fees .65% .65% .65% .65% .65%
Other Expenses .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Separate Account Annual Expenses .90% .90% .90% .90% .90%
EQAT Annual Expenses
Investment Management and Advisory Fees .75% .55% .55% .55% .55%
Rule 12b-1 Fees .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
Other Expenses .20% .05% .05% .10% .05%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total EQAT Annual Expenses 1.20% .85% .85% .90% .85%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<CAPTION>
TABLE 2: EQUI-VEST SERIES 200
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MORGAN
MFS sSTANLEY
EMERGING EMERGING WARBURG PINCUS MERRILL LYNCH
GROWTH MARKETS SMALL COMPANY MERRILL LYNCH BASIC VALUE
COMPANIES EQUITY VALUE WORLD STRATEGY EQUITY
PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Separate Account Annual Expenses
Mortality and Expense Risk Fees .65% .65% .65% .65% .65%
Other Expenses .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Separate Account Annual Expenses .90% .90% .90% .90% .90%
EQAT Annual Expenses
Investment Management and Advisory Fees .55% 1.15% .65% .70% .55%
Rule 12b-1 Fees .25% .25% .25% .25% .25%
Other Expenses .05% .35% .10% .25% .05%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total EQAT Annual Expenses .85% 1.75% 1.00% 1.20% .85%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
- -------------
At page 16, Note 3 of the Fee Table is not applicable to Iowa/Enhanced EDC
Contracts. As to certain limitations on charges, see "Limitations on Charges"
under the discussion below of the modifications to "Part 7: DEDUCTIONS AND
CHARGES." Also, at page 16, Note 7 is revised as follows:
(7) The respective Class IB shares of HRT and EQAT are subject to fees imposed
under distribution plans (the "Rule 12b-1 Plans") adopted by HRT and EQAT
pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended. The Rule 12b-1 Plans provide that HRT and EQAT, on behalf of each
of their Portfolios may charge annually up to 0.25% of the average daily
net assets of a Portfolio attributable to its Class IB shares in respect of
activities primarily intended to result in the sale of the Class IB shares.
The 12b-1 fees will not be increased for the life of the Iowa/Enhanced EDC
Contracts.
FOR USE ONLY IN THE STATE OF IOWA
5
<PAGE>
"PART 7: DEDUCTIONS AND CHARGES" OF THE PROSPECTUS HAS BEEN MODIFIED AS FOLLOWS:
CHARGES TO PORTFOLIOS. The following paragraph is added to "Charges to
Portfolios" at page 55, after the HRT Portfolio investment advisory fee table:
The Rule 12b-1 Plan adopted with respect to HRT's Class IB shares provides that
HRT, on behalf of each Portfolio, may charge annually up to 0.25% of the average
daily net assets of a Portfolio attributable to its Class IB shares in respect
of activities primarily intended to result in the sale of the Class IB shares.
This fee will not be increased for the life of the Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contracts.
Fees and expenses are described more fully in the HRT prospectus.
LIMITATION ON CHARGES. At page 59, the discussion under "Limitation on Charges"
is applicable to Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contracts attributable to EQUI-VEST EDC
Contracts issued to fund Section 457 Plans prior to the date of this Supplement.
The discussion, however, does not apply to Iowa/Enhanced EDC Conatracts issued
on and after the date of this Supplement.
CHARGES TO INVESTMENT FUNDS. At page 59, the discussion under "Charges to
Investment Funds" through the Series 200 table of specific charges is replaced
by the following:
We make a daily charge (after any deductions to provide for taxes) against the
assets held in each of the Investment Funds under an Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contract.
This charge is reflected in the Accumulation Unit Values and made at an annual
rate not to exceed 0.90% for each of the Investment Funds. The charge is for
financial accounting, death benefits, mortality risk, expenses and expense risk.
The specific changes for Series 100 and 200 Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contracts are:
expenses and financial accounting - 0.25%; expense risks - 0.30%; and mortality
risks and death benefits - 0.35%.
ANNUAL ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE. The Annual Administrative Charge, discussed at
page 60, under Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contracts is waived.
CONTINGENT WITHDRAWAL CHARGE. At page 61, the following will apply to
withdrawals under Iowa/Enhanced EDC Contracts, in addition to the exceptions to
the withdrawal charge discussed under the section entitled "No charge will be
applied to any amount withdrawn from an IRA, Roth IRA, QP IRA, SEP, SIMPLE IRA,
TSA, EDC or Annuitant-Owned HR-10 (except for NQ and Trusteed Contracts) if:"
o the Annuitant retires pursuant to terms of the Section 457 plan, or
separates from service;
o the Annuitant has qualified to receive Social Security disability benefits
as certified by the Social Security Administration;
o we receive proof satisfactory to us that the Annuitant's life expectancy is
six months or less (such proof must include, but is not limited to,
certification by a licensed physician);
o the Annuitant elects a withdrawal that qualifies as a hardship withdrawal
under the Code;
o the Annuitant has been confined to a nursing home for more than a 90-day
period (or such other period, if required in Iowa as verified by a licensed
physician. A nursing home for this purpose means one which is (a) approved
by Medicare as a provider of skilled nursing care service, or (b) licensed
as a skilled nursing home by the state or territory in which it is located
(it must be within the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or
Guam) and meets all of the following:
o its main function is to provide skilled, intermediate or custodial
nursing care;
o it provides continuous room and board to three or more persons;
o it is supervised by a registered nurse or practical nurse;
o it keeps daily medical records of each patient;
o it controls and records all medications dispensed; and
o its primary service is other than to provide housing for residents.
FOR USE ONLY IN THE STATE OF IOWA
6
