IDS LIFE VARIABLE LIFE SEPARATE ACCOUNT
485BPOS, 1997-04-29
Previous: MINNESOTA MUTUAL VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT, 485BPOS, 1997-04-29
Next: LABOR READY INC, 10-Q, 1997-04-29






<PAGE>



PAGE 1
                                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                      WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO

                                             FORM S-6

                                         File No. 33-62457

                             FOR REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT
                             OF 1933 OF SECURITIES OF UNIT INVESTMENT
                                 TRUSTS REGISTERED ON FORM N-8B-2

A.       Exact name of trust:  IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account

B.       Name of depositor:    IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

C.       Complete address of depositor's principal executive offices:


                         IDS Tower 10, Minneapolis, Minnesota  55440-0010

D.       Name and complete address of agent for service:

                                     Mary Ellyn Minenko, Esq.
                                    IDS Life Insurance Company
                                           IDS Tower 10
                                 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-0010

E.       Title and amount of securities being registered:

                  Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Insurance
                  Policy

F.       Proposed maximum aggregate offering price to the public of
         the securities being registered:

         Registration of Indefinite Amount of Securities  Pursuant to Rule 24f-2
         under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

G.       Amount of filing fee:

         Registrant's  Rule 24f-2  Notice for its most  recent  fiscal  year was
         filed on or about February 19, 1997.

H.       Approximate date of proposed public offering:

         It  is  proposed  that  this  filing  will  become   effective   (check
         appropriate box):

      immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
  X   on April 30, 1997, pursuant to paragraph (b)
      60 days after filing  pursuant to paragraph  (a)(1) on (date)  pursuant to
      paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485 this  post-effective  amendment  designates a
      new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.



<PAGE>



PAGE 2
                                 CROSS REFERENCE TO ITEMS REQUIRED
                                          BY FORM N-8B-2

N-8B-2 Item                   Caption in Prospectus

1.............................Cover Page; The variable account
2.............................IDS Life
3.............................Not applicable
4.............................Distribution of the policy
5.............................The variable account
6.............................The variable account
7.............................Not applicable
8.............................Annual financial information
9.............................Legal proceedings
10............................Surrender charge; Total surrenders;
                              Partial  surrenders;  Taxation of policy proceeds;
                              Reinstatement; Transfers between the fixed account
                              and the subaccounts;  Keeping the policy in force;
                              Grace  period;  Voting  rights;   Substitution  of
                              investments;   Payment  of  premiums;   The  fixed
                              account; Allocation of premiums; Transfers between
                              the fixed  account and the  subaccounts;  Right to
                              examine policy
11............................The fund
12............................The fund; Cover page
13............................Loads, fees, and charges; Keeping the
                              policy in force
14............................Purchasing your policy; Application
15............................Premiums; Payment of premiums;
                              Transfers between the fixed account
                              and the subaccounts; The fund
16............................Premiums; Payment of premiums;
                              Transfers between the fixed account
                              and the subaccounts; The fund
17............................Two ways to request a transfer, loan
                              or surrender; Policy surrenders
18............................The fund
19............................Reports
20............................Not applicable
21............................Policy loans; fixed account and
                              subaccounts; Two ways to request a
                              transfer, loan or surrender
22............................Not applicable
23............................Management of IDS Life
24............................Policy value; Proceeds payable upon
                              death; Payment of policy proceeds
25............................IDS Life
26............................Annual financial information
27............................IDS Life
28............................Management of IDS Life
29............................Ownership
30............................Not applicable
31............................Not applicable
32............................Not applicable



<PAGE>



PAGE 3
33............................Not applicable
34............................Not applicable
35............................IDS Life
36............................Not applicable
37............................Not applicable
38............................Distribution of the policy
39............................IDS Life; Distribution of the policy
40............................Annual financial information
41............................Distribution of the policy; IDS Life
42............................Management of IDS Life
43............................Not applicable
44............................Premiums; Transfers between the fixed
                              account and subaccounts; Subaccount
                              values
45............................Not applicable
46............................Subaccount values
47............................Relationship between portfolios and
                              subaccounts
48............................IDS Life
49............................Not applicable
50............................Not applicable
51............................The variable account
52............................Substitution of investments
53............................IDS Life's tax status
54............................Not applicable
55............................Policy illustrations
56............................Not applicable
57............................Not applicable
58............................Not applicable
59............................Annual financial information



<PAGE>



PAGE 4
Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Insurance Policy

   
Prospectus April 30, 1997
    

The Flexible  Premium  Survivorship  Variable Life Insurance Policy described in
this prospectus is designed to provide life insurance  coverage on two insureds,
with a death  benefit  payable  when the last  surviving  insured dies while the
policy is in force. The policy is intended to qualify as a life insurance policy
under Sections 72, 101 and 7702 of the Internal Revenue Code.

   
You may allocate  policy value to one or more of eight  subaccounts  of IDS Life
Variable Life Separate Account.  The subaccounts invest in the portfolios of IDS
Life Series Fund: Equity, Income, Money Market,  Managed,  Government Securities
and  International  Equity.  One subaccount  invests in the AIM V.I.  Growth and
Income Fund. One subaccount invests in Putnam VT New Opportunities  Fund. Policy
values  increase and decrease with  investment  experience  and reflect  certain
deductions and charges. There is no guaranteed minimum policy value with respect
to the  subaccounts  and you  bear  the  entire  investment  risk.  You may also
allocate  policy  value to the fixed  account  which earns at least a guaranteed
minimum  interest rate. The fixed account is the general  investment  account of
IDS Life Insurance Company (IDS Life).
    

You may withdraw a portion of the policy's cash surrender  value after the first
policy year or  surrender it in full at any time for its cash  surrender  value.
Surrender  charges are described  under "Loads,  fees and charges." You may also
take out policy loans.

The  frequency and amount of premium  payments are flexible,  subject to certain
restrictions  and  conditions.   Payment  of  the  scheduled  premium  will  not
necessarily  keep a policy from lapsing if the cash surrender value is less than
the amount needed to pay the monthly deduction. (See "Loads, fees and charges.")
However, a policy will not lapse if the premiums needed to keep either the death
benefit  guarantee to age 85 (DBG-85) or the death benefit  guarantee to age 100
(DBG-100) or the minimum initial premium period in effect, are paid.

This  prospectus  contains  detailed  information  about these and other  policy
features,  including certain  restrictions and limitations that apply. As in the
case of other life insurance  policies,  it may not be  advantageous to purchase
flexible premium  survivorship  variable life insurance as a replacement for, or
in addition to an existing  flexible  premium  variable or other life  insurance
policy.

   
web site address: http:\\www.americanexpress.com\advisors
    



<PAGE>



PAGE 5
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account
Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Insurance Policy

Issued and sold by:  IDS Life Insurance Company, IDS Tower 10,
Minneapolis,  MN 55440 Telephone: (612) 671-3131

   
This prospectus is valid only when  accompanied or preceded by the  prospectuses
of the IDS Life Series Fund, Inc., AIM Variable  Insurance  Funds,  Inc. and the
Putnam Variable Trust. All prospectuses should be retained for future reference.

These  securities  have not been approved or  disapproved  by the securities and
exchange commission or any state securities  commission,  nor has the securities
and  exchange or any state  securities  commission  passed upon the  accuracy or
adequacy of this prospectus.  Any  representation  to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
    

IDS LIFE IS NOT A FINANCIAL  INSTITUTION  AND THE  SECURITIES  IT OFFERS ARE NOT
DEPOSITS  OR  OBLIGATIONS  OF,  OR  GUARANTEED  OR  ENDORSED  BY  ANY  FINANCIAL
INSTITUTION NOR ARE THEY INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT  INSURANCE  CORPORATION,
THE  FEDERAL  RESERVE  BOARD OR ANY OTHER  AGENCY.  INVESTMENTS  IN THIS  POLICY
INVOLVE INVESTMENT RISK INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF PRINCIPAL.


<PAGE>



PAGE 6
Table of contents

Key terms
The policy in brief
The variable account
   
The funds
    IDS Life Series Fund - Equity Portfolio
    IDS Life Series Fund - Income Portfolio
    IDS Life Series Fund - Money Market Portfolio
    IDS Life Series Fund - Managed Portfolio
    IDS Life Series Fund - Government Securities Portfolio
    IDS Life Series Fund - International Equity Portfolio
    AIM V.I. Growth and Income Fund
    Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund
    Fund objectives
    Relationship between funds and subaccounts
Rates of return of the funds and subaccounts
    
The fixed account
Purchasing your policy
     Application
     Right to examine policy
     Premiums
Keeping the policy in force
         Death benefit  guarantee to age 85 Death  benefit  guarantee to age 100
         Minimum initial premium period Grace period Reinstatement
Loads, fees and charges
     Premium expense charge
     Monthly deduction
     Surrender charge
     Partial surrender fee
     Mortality and expense risk charge
         Fund expenses
Policy value
     Fixed account value
     Subaccount values
Proceeds payable upon death Change in death benefit  option Changes in specified
     amount Misstatement of age or sex Suicide Beneficiary
Transfers  between the fixed  account and  subaccounts  Fixed  account  transfer
     policies  Minimum  transfer amounts Maximum transfer amounts Maximum number
     of  transfers  per year Two ways to request a transfer,  loan or  surrender
     Automated transfers Automated dollar-cost averaging




<PAGE>



PAGE 7
Policy loans
Policy surrenders
     Total surrenders
     Partial surrenders
     Allocation of partial surrenders
     Effects of partial surrenders
     Taxes
Optional insurance benefits
     Four-Year Term Insurance Rider
     Policy Split Option Rider
Payment of policy proceeds
Federal taxes
     IDS Life's tax status
     Taxation of policy proceeds
     Modified endowment contracts
     Other tax considerations
IDS Life
     Ownership
     State regulation
     Distribution of the policy
     Legal proceedings
     Experts
Management of IDS Life
   
A I M Advisors, Inc. and Putnam Investment Management, Inc.
    
Other information
     Substitution of investments
     Voting rights
     Reports
Policy illustrations



<PAGE>



PAGE 8
Key terms

These terms can help you understand details about your policy.

Accumulation  unit: An accounting unit used to calculate the policy value of the
subaccounts.  It is a  measure  of the  net  investment  results  of each of the
subaccounts.

Attained  insurance age: Each insured's  insurance age plus the number of policy
anniversaries  since the policy date.  Attained  insurance age changes only on a
policy anniversary.

Cash surrender value: Proceeds received if the policy is surrendered in full, or
the amount payable if the last surviving  insured's death occurs on or after the
youngest  insured's  attained insurance age 100. The cash surrender value equals
the policy value minus indebtedness, minus any applicable surrender charges.

Code: The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Close of business: Closing time of the New York Stock Exchange, normally 3 p.m.,
Central time.

Death benefit guarantee to age 85 (DBG-85): A feature of the policy guaranteeing
that the policy will not lapse before the youngest  insured's attained insurance
age 85 (or 15 policy  years,  if later).  This  feature is in effect if you meet
certain premium payment requirements.

Death benefit guarantee to age 85 (DBG-85) premium: The premium required to keep
the DBG-85 in effect.  The DBG-85 premium is shown in your policy. It depends on
each  insured's  sex,  insurance age, risk  classification,  optional  insurance
benefits added by rider and the initial specified amount.

Death  benefit  guarantee  to  age  100  (DBG-100):  A  feature  of  the  policy
guaranteeing  that the  policy  will not lapse  before  the  youngest  insured's
attained  insurance  age 100.  This  feature  is in effect  if you meet  certain
premium payment requirements.

Death benefit  guarantee to age 100 (DBG-100)  premium:  The premium required to
keep the DBG-100 in effect.  The  DBG-100  premium is shown in your  policy.  It
depends on each insured's  sex,  insurance  age, risk  classification,  optional
insurance benefits added by rider and the initial specified amount.

Fixed account:  The general investment account of IDS Life. The fixed account is
made up of all of IDS  Life's  assets  other  than  those  held in any  separate
account.

Fixed  account  value:  The portion of the policy value that is allocated to the
fixed account, including indebtedness.




<PAGE>



PAGE 9

   
Funds:  Mutual funds or portfolios, each with a different
investment objective.  You may allocate your premiums into variable
subaccounts investing in shares of any or all of these funds.  The
following funds are available:

o        Under the IDS Life Series Fund, Inc. - Equity Portfolio,
         Income Portfolio, Money Market Portfolio, Managed Portfolio,
         Government Securities Portfolio and International Equity
         Portfolio;

o        Under the AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Inc. - AIM V.I.
         Growth and Income Fund;

o        Under the Putnam Variable Trust - Putnam VT New Opportunities
         Fund.
    
IDS Life: In this prospectus, "we," "us," "our" and "IDS Life" refer to IDS Life
Insurance Company.

Indebtedness: All existing loans on the policy plus interest that
has either been accrued or added to the policy loan.

Insurance  age:  Each  insured's  age based upon his or her last birthday on the
date of the application.

Insureds: The persons whose lives are insured by the policy.

Minimum initial  premium period:  A period of time during the early years of the
policy when the policy will not lapse even if the cash  surrender  value is less
than the amount needed to pay the monthly  deduction.  This feature is in effect
if you meet certain premium payment requirements.

Monthly date: The same day each month as the policy date. If there is no monthly
date in a calendar month, the monthly date is the first day of the next calendar
month.

Net amount at risk: A portion of the death  benefit,  equal to the total current
death  benefit  minus the  policy  value.  This is the  amount to which  cost of
insurance rates are applied in determining the monthly cost of insurance.

Net premium: The premium paid minus the premium expense charge.

Owner: The entity(ies) to which, or individual(s) to whom, the
policy is issued, or to whom ownership is subsequently transferred.
In the prospectus "you" and "your" refer to the owner.

Policy  anniversary:  The same day and  month as the  policy  date each year the
policy remains in force.

Policy date: The date the policy is issued and from which policy  anniversaries,
policy years and policy months are determined.




<PAGE>



PAGE 10
Policy  value:  The sum of the fixed  account  value plus the  variable  account
value.

Proceeds: The amount payable under the policy as follows:

    o    Upon death of the last surviving insured prior to the
         youngest insured's attained insurance age 100, proceeds
                  will be the  death  benefit  in  effect as of the date of that
                    insured's death, minus any indebtedness.

    o    Upon the death of the last  surviving  insured on or after the youngest
         insured's  attained  insurance  age  100,  proceeds  will  be the  cash
         surrender value.

    o    On surrender of the policy the proceeds will be the cash
         surrender value.

Risk classification: A group of insureds that IDS Life expects will have similar
mortality experience.

Scheduled premium: A premium,  selected by the owner at the time of application,
of a level amount, at a fixed interval of time.

Specified amount: An amount used to determine the death benefit and the proceeds
payable upon death of the last surviving insured prior to the youngest insured's
attained  insurance  age 100.  The  initial  specified  amount  is shown in your
policy.

Subaccount(s): One or more of the investment divisions of the
variable account, each of which invests in a particular fund.

Surrender charge: A contingent deferred issue and administration  expense charge
assessed  against the policy value at the time of surrender  during the first 15
years of the policy.

Valuation date: A normal  business day, Monday through Friday,  on which the New
York Stock Exchange is open.

Valuation  period:  The  interval  commencing  at the close of  business on each
valuation date and ending at the close of business on the next valuation date.

Variable  account:  IDS  Life  Variable  Life  Separate  Account  consisting  of
subaccounts,  each of which  invests in a particular  fund.  The policy value in
each subaccount depends on the performance of the particular fund.

Variable  account  value:  The  sum of the  values  that  are  allocated  to the
subaccounts of the variable account.




<PAGE>



PAGE 11
The policy in brief

The Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Insurance Policy (the policy) is
designed to provide  insurance  protection  on two  insureds and to build policy
value.  The policy  provides a death benefit that is payable to the  beneficiary
upon the last surviving insured's death. The policy allows you, as the owner, to
allocate your net premiums or transfer policy value, to:

   
         The variable account, consisting of subaccounts, each of
         which invests in a fund with a particular investment
         objective.  You may direct premiums to any or all of eight of
         these subaccounts.  Your policy's value may
         increase or decrease daily, depending on the investment
         return.  No minimum amount is guaranteed.  (p. )
    

         The fixed account, which earns interest at rates that are
         adjusted periodically by IDS Life.  This rate will never be
         lower than 4%.  (p.  )

   
The funds: Six subaccounts of the variable account invest in IDS
Life Series Fund, Inc. which includes Equity, Income, Money Market,
Managed, Government Securities and International Equity Portfolios.
One subaccount invests in AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Inc. - AIM
V.I. Growth and Income Fund.  One subaccount invests in Putnam
Variable Trust - Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund.(p.  )
    

Purchasing  your  policy:  To apply,  send a completed  application  and premium
payment to IDS Life's home office. For your application to be accepted, you will
need to provide  medical  and other  evidence  that the  persons  you propose to
insure meet the requirements of our underwriting rules. (p. )

Right to examine policy: You may return your policy for any reason
and receive a full refund of your premiums by mailing us the policy
and a written request for cancellation within a specified period.
(p.  )

Premiums: In applying for your policy, you state how much you
intend to pay and whether you will pay quarterly, semiannually or
annually.  You may make additional unscheduled premium payments
subject to certain limits.  No premium payments can be made on or
after the youngest insured's attained insurance age 100.  We may
refuse premiums in order to comply with the Code.  (p.  )

DBG-85: A feature of the policy guaranteeing that the policy will
not lapse before the youngest insured's attained insurance age 85
(or 15 policy years, if later).  This feature is in effect if you
meet certain premium payment requirements.  (p. )




<PAGE>



PAGE 12
DBG-100: A feature of the policy guaranteeing that the policy will
not lapse before the youngest insured's attained insurance age 100.
This feature is in effect if you meet certain premium payment
requirements.  (p.  )

Minimum initial  premium period:  A period of time during the early years of the
policy when the policy will not lapse even if the cash  surrender  value is less
than the amount needed to pay the monthly  deduction.  This feature is in effect
if you meet certain premium payment requirements. (p. )

Grace period:  If the cash surrender  value of your policy becomes less than the
amount  needed to pay the monthly  deduction,  and neither of the death  benefit
guarantees nor the minimum initial premium period is in effect, you will have 61
days to pay the premium needed so that the next three monthly  deductions can be
paid. If you don't, the policy will lapse. (p. )

Reinstatement: If your policy lapses, it can be reinstated within
five years.  The reinstatement is subject to certain conditions
including evidence of insurability satisfactory to IDS Life and the
payment of a sufficient premium. Neither the DBG-85 nor DBG-100 can
be reinstated.  (p.  )

Loads, fees and charges: Your policy is subject to the following charges,  which
compensate IDS Life for  administering  and  distributing  the policy as well as
paying policy benefits and assuming related risks:

o Premium expense charge -- charge deducted from each premium
payment to cover some distribution expenses, state and local
premium taxes and federal taxes.  (p.  )

o Monthly deduction -- charged against the value of your policy
each month (prior to the youngest insured's attained insurance age
100), covering the cost of insurance, cost of issuing the policy,
certain administrative expenses and optional insurance benefits.
(p.  )

o Surrender charge -- applies if you surrender your policy for its
full cash surrender value, or the policy lapses, during the first
15 years. The surrender charge is a deferred charge for costs of
issuing the policy.  It is based on the initial specified amount.
(p.  )

o Partial surrender fee -- applies if you surrender part of the
value of your policy; equals $25 or 2% of the amount surrendered,
whichever is less.  (p.  )

o Mortality and expense risk charge -- applies only to the
subaccounts; equals, on an annual basis, 0.9% of the average daily
net asset value of the subaccounts.  (p.  )




<PAGE>



PAGE 13

   
o Fund  expenses -- applies only to the funds.  The  investment  management  fee
equals, on an annual basis, 0.5% of the average daily net assets of the IDS Life
Series  Fund  -  Money  Market  Portfolio;  0.95%  of  IDS  Life  Series  Fund -
International  Equity Portfolio;  0.63% of the daily net assets of Putnam VT New
Opportunities  Fund;  0.65% of the daily net  assets of the AIM V.I.  Growth and
Income  Fund,  and 0.7% of the  average  daily net assets of the IDS Life Series
Fund - Equity,  Income,  Managed and Government Securities Portfolio.  Each fund
also pays taxes,  brokerage commissions and nonadvisory  expenses.  IDS Life has
agreed to a voluntary  limit of 0.1%, on an annual  basis,  of the average daily
net  assets  of each  IDS Life  Series  Fund  Portfolio  for  these  nonadvisory
expenses. (p. )
    

Proceeds payable upon death:  Prior to the youngest insured's attained insurance
age 100,  your  policy's  death  benefit  can never be less  than the  specified
amount, less outstanding indebtedness. The relationship between the policy value
and the death benefit depends on which of two options you choose:

o Option 1 level amount: The death benefit is the greater of the
specified amount or a percentage of policy value.

o Option 2 variable  amount:  The death  benefit is the greater of the specified
amount plus the policy value or a percentage of policy value.

You may change the death  benefit  option or  specified  amount  within  certain
limits; doing so will generally affect policy charges.

On or after the youngest insured's attained insurance age 100, the
proceeds payable upon the death of the last surviving insured will
be the cash surrender value.
(p.   )

Transfers  between  the fixed  account and  subaccounts:  You may, at no charge,
transfer policy value from one subaccount to another or between  subaccounts and
the fixed account.  (Certain restrictions apply to transfers involving the fixed
account.) We reserve the right to limit transfers to no more than five transfers
per year by phone or mail.  You can also  arrange for  automated  transfers on a
monthly, quarterly, semiannual or annual basis. (p. )

Policy loans: You may borrow against your policy's cash surrender
value.  A policy loan, even if repaid, can have a permanent effect
on the death benefit and policy value.  A loan may also have tax
consequences if your policy lapses or you surrender it.  (p.  )

Policy surrenders: You may cancel this policy while it is in force
and receive its cash surrender value.  The cash surrender value is
the policy value minus indebtedness, minus any applicable surrender
charges.  (p.  )




<PAGE>



PAGE 14
Exchange  right:  For two years after the policy is issued,  you can exchange it
for one that provides  benefits that do not vary with the  investment  return of
the subaccounts. Because the policy itself offers a fixed return option, all you
need to do is transfer all of the policy value in the  subaccounts  to the fixed
account. (p. )

Payment of policy proceeds: Proceeds will be paid when you
surrender the policy or the last surviving insured dies.  You or
the beneficiary may choose whether payment is to be made in a lump
sum or under one or more of certain options.  (p.  )

Federal  taxes:  The death benefit is not considered  part of the  beneficiary's
income and thus is not subject to federal  income  taxes.  When the proceeds are
paid after the  youngest  insured's  attained  insurance  age 100, if the amount
received plus any indebtedness exceeds your investment in the policy, the excess
may be taxable as ordinary income.  Part or all of any proceeds received through
full or partial surrender,  lapse, policy loan or assignment of policy value may
be subject to federal income tax as ordinary  income.  Proceeds other than death
benefits from certain policies,  classified as "modified  endowments," are taxed
differently from proceeds of conventional life insurance  contracts and may also
be subject to an additional  10% IRS penalty tax if you are younger than 59 1/2.
A policy is  considered  to be a modified  endowment  if it was  applied  for or
materially  changed  after June 21, 1988,  and premiums  paid in the early years
exceed certain modified endowment limits. (p. )

The variable account
   
You can direct your premiums to any or all of eight  subaccounts of the variable
account. These subaccounts invest in the following funds:

Subaccount  invests exclusively in shares of
 U           IDS Life Series Fund - Equity Portfolio
 V           IDS Life Series Fund - Income Portfolio
 W           IDS Life Series Fund - Money Market Portfolio
 X           IDS Life Series Fund - Managed Portfolio
 Y           IDS Life Series Fund - Government Securities Portfolio
 IL          IDS Life Series Fund - International Equity Portfolio
 FGI         AIM V.I. Growth and Income Fund
 FNO         Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund

The variable  account was established on Oct. 16, 1985,  under Minnesota law and
is registered as a single unit investment trust under the Investment Company Act
of 1940. Such registration does not involve any SEC supervision of the account's
management or investment  practices or policies.  Subaccount IL was added to the
variable  account on Oct.  28, 1994.  Subaccounts  FGI and FNO were added to the
variable account on Nov. 22, 1996.

    


<PAGE>



PAGE 15

   
The variable account meets the definition of a "separate  account" under federal
securities laws. Income,  capital gains or capital losses of each subaccount are
credited  to or  charged  against  the  assets  of  that  subaccount  alone.  No
subaccount  will be charged with  liabilities of any other  subaccount or of any
other business conducted by IDS Life. The variable account's net assets are held
in  relation  to the  policies  described  in this  prospectus  as well as other
variable  life  insurance  policies that we issue that are not described in this
prospectus.
    

At all times, IDS Life will maintain assets in the subaccounts with total market
value at least equal to the  reserves  and other  liabilities  required to cover
insurance benefits under all contracts participating in the subaccount.

   
The funds

IDS Life Series Fund, Inc., a Minnesota corporation, is a diversified,  open-end
management  investment  company  incorporated on May 8, 1985. The  International
Equity portfolio was added to the fund on October 28, 1994. IDS Life Series Fund
currently consists of six portfolios:

IDS Life Series Fund - Equity Portfolio

Objective: capital appreciation.  Invests primarily in common
stocks and other securities convertible into common stock.

IDS Life Series Fund - Income Portfolio

Objective:  to maximize current income while attempting to conserve the value of
the  investment  and to continue the high level of income for the longest period
of time. At least 50% of net assets will  normally be invested in  high-quality,
lower-risk  corporate bonds,  unrated  corporate bonds believed to have the same
investment  qualities  and  government  bonds.  Other  investments  may  include
lower-rated  corporate  bonds,  bonds and common stocks sold together as a unit,
preferred stock and foreign securities.

IDS Life Series Fund - Money Market Portfolio

Objective:  to provide  maximum  current  income  consistent  with liquidity and
conservation  of  capital.   Invests  in  relatively   short-term  money  market
securities,  such as  marketable  debt  securities  issued or  guaranteed  as to
principal   and   interest   by  the  U.S.   government   or  its   agencies  or
instrumentalities,  bank certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances,  letters
of credit and high-grade commercial paper.


    
<PAGE>



PAGE 16
   
IDS Life Series Fund - Managed Portfolio

Objective:  to maximize total investment return through a combination of capital
appreciation  and current income.  If the investment  manager believes the stock
market will be moving higher,  it can emphasize  stocks that offer potential for
appreciation.  At other times, the manager may increase the portfolio's holdings
in bonds and money-market securities providing high current income.

IDS Life Series Fund - Government Securities Portfolio

Objective: to provide a high current return and safety of
principal.  Invests primarily in debt obligations issued or
guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government, its
agencies and instrumentalities.

IDS Life Series Fund - International Equity Portfolio

Objective:  capital appreciation.  Invests primarily in common stocks of foreign
issuers and foreign securities  convertible into common stock. Other investments
may include certain  international  bonds if the portfolio manager believes they
have greater potential for capital appreciation than equities.

AIM Variable  Insurance  Funds,  Inc., a Maryland  corporation,  is an open-end,
series,  management  investment  company  incorporated  on January 22, 1993. The
variable account invests in the following fund:

AIM V.I. Growth and Income Fund

Objective:  to seek  growth  of  capital  with  current  income  as a  secondary
objective.  The Fund seeks to achieve its  objective by  generally  investing at
least 65% of its net assets in stocks of  companies  believed by  management  to
have the potential for above average growth in revenues and earnings.

Putnam Variable Trust is a  Massachusetts  business trust organized on September
24, 1987. The variable account invests in the following fund:

Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund

Objective:  seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing
principally in common stocks of companies in sectors of the economy
Putnam Investment Management, Inc. ("Putnam Management") believes
possess above-average long-term growth potential.


    
<PAGE>



PAGE 17
   
Fund objectives

Fund  objectives  for all funds except Putnam VT New  Opportunities  Fund can be
changed only if holders of a majority of outstanding shares agree. The objective
of Putnam VT New  Opportunities  Fund may be  changed  by the  Trustees  without
shareholders,  but as a matter of  policy,  the  Trustees  would not  materially
change  the  fund's  objective  without  shareholder   approval.   Because  fund
investments  are subject to the risk of  changing  economic  conditions  and the
ability of the investment  manager to anticipate  such changes,  there can be no
guarantee that the investment objectives of a fund will be achieved.

Relationship between funds and subaccounts

Shares of each fund are sold to the  appropriate  subaccount  at net asset value
without a sales charge. Dividends and capital gain distributions from a fund are
reinvested at net asset value without a sales charge and retained as an asset of
the  appropriate  subaccount.  Fund shares  will be redeemed by the  appropriate
subaccount, without fee to the subaccount, to the extent necessary to make death
benefit or other payments under the policy.

Currently,  shares of the IDS Life Series Fund Portfolios are available to serve
as the underlying investment for variable life insurance. Shares of the AIM V.I.
Growth and Income Fund and Putnam VT New  Opportunities  Fund are  available  to
serve as the  underlying  investment  for  variable  life  insurance  contracts,
variable  annuities and qualified  plans. In the future,  shares of the IDS Life
Series Fund  Portfolios may be available to serve as the  underlying  investment
for variable life insurance  contracts,  variable annuities and qualified plans.
It is conceivable that in the future it may be disadvantageous for variable life
insurance separate accounts, variable annuity separate accounts and/or qualified
plans to invest in the available funds simultaneously. Although IDS Life and the
funds do not currently foresee any such  disadvantages,  the boards of directors
or trustees of the  appropriate  funds will monitor  events in order to identify
any material conflicts between such policy owners, contract owners and qualified
plans to  determine  what  action,  if any,  should  be taken in  response  to a
conflict.  If a board were to conclude that separate funds should be established
for variable  life  insurance,  variable  annuity and  qualified  plan  separate
accounts, the variable life insurance  policyholders would not bear any expenses
associated with establishing separate accounts.

IDS  Life  acts  as  the  investment  manager  and  American  Express  Financial
Corporation acts as the investment  advisor for IDS Life Series,  Inc.  American
Express  Trust  Company acts as  custodian  of the IDS Life Series Fund,  Inc.'s
investments.

AIM Advisors, Inc. acts as the investment advisor for AIM V.I.
Growth and Income Fund.  Putnam Management acts as the investment
manager for Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund.

    

<PAGE>



PAGE 18
   
The investment managers or advisors receive fees for their services as described
under "Loads, fees and charges."

Detailed information about the funds, their investment objectives,  policies and
risks, may be found in the fund prospectuses.

Diversification: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued final regulations
relating to the  diversification  requirements under Section 817(h) of the Code.
Each fund intends to comply with these requirements.
    
Ownership rules:  The U.S.  Treasury and the IRS have indicated they may provide
additional  guidance concerning how many subaccounts may be offered and how many
exchanges  among  subaccounts  may be allowed  before the owner is considered to
have  investment  control and thus is currently  taxed on income  earned  within
subaccount assets. We do not know at this time what the additional guidance will
be or when action will be taken.  We reserve the right to modify the policy,  as
necessary,  to ensure that the owner will not be subject to current  taxation as
the owner of the subaccount assets.
   
Rates of return of the funds and subaccounts

This  section  presents  rates of  return,  first for the funds and then for the
corresponding  subaccounts.  Rates of  return  are  different  in the two  cases
because those of the subaccounts reflect additional charges.  This section shows
the  actual  rates of return for the six IDS Life  Series  Fund  portfolios  and
subaccounts.  This section shows  hypothetical  rates of return for the AIM V.I.
Growth and Income Fund and Putnam VT New  Opportunities  Fund until November 22,
1996 when the subaccounts  began investing in those funds.  After this date, the
section shows actual rates of return.  All charges and expenses mentioned in the
section are explained fully under "Loads, fees and charges."

Rates of return of funds
    
In the  following  table are average  annual rates of return based on the actual
investment  performance  of the funds after  deduction of  applicable  portfolio
expenses (including the investment management fees and nonadvisory expenses) for
the periods  indicated.  These rates do not  reflect  charges  that apply to the
subaccounts or the policy and therefore do not illustrate how actual  investment
performance will affect policy benefits. Moreover, these rates of return are not
an estimate or guarantee of future performance.



<PAGE>



PAGE 19
   
Period ending 12/31/96
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                            10 years or
Fund                                          1 year    3 years   5 years   Since inception*
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                           <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>   
IDS Life Series Fund - Equity                 19.91%    19.47%    15.25%    16.81%
IDS Life Series Fund - Income                  3.46      6.19      8.57      7.86
IDS Life Series Fund - Money Market            4.83      4.55      3.93      5.45
IDS Life Series Fund - Managed                14.52     11.12     12.66     14.48
IDS Life Series Fund - Government Securities   1.47      4.43      6.39      7.02
IDS Life Series Fund - International Equity   23.85        --        --     31.68
AIM V.I. Growth and Income Fund               19.95        --        --     19.43
Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund              10.17        --        --     22.71

</TABLE>


*IDS Life Series Fund - Equity,  Income,  Money Market,  Managed and  Government
Securities  Portfolios commenced operations on January 20, 1986. IDS Life Series
Fund - International  Equity Portfolio commenced operations on October 28, 1994.
AIM V.I.  Growth  and  Income  Fund and  Putnam VT New  Opportunities  Fund each
commenced operations on May 2, 1994.

Rates of return of subaccounts

Average  annual  rates of return in the  following  table  reflect  all  charges
incurred  by the  funds and  charges  against  the  subaccounts  (including  the
mortality and expense risk charge). The rates do not reflect the premium expense
charge, surrender charge or monthly deduction.

Period Ending 12/31/96
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            10 years or
 Subaccount   Investment                      1 year    3 years   5 years   Since inception*
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                           <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>   
    U        Equity                           18.83%    18.40%    14.22%    13.43%
    V        Income                            2.58      5.27      7.62      7.71
    W        Money Market                      3.99      3.69      3.05      4.48
    X        Managed                          13.65     10.11     11.64     12.32
    Y        Government Securities             0.57      3.51      5.45      6.96
    IL       International Equity             22.95        --        --     26.52
    FGI**    Growth and Income Fund           18.87        --        --     18.33
    FNO**    New Opportunities Fund            9.18        --        --     21.60

</TABLE>

*U,V,W,X and Y subaccounts commenced operations on June 17, 1987.
Subaccount IL investing in International Equity portfolio commenced
operations on Oct. 28, 1994.  FGI and FNO subaccounts each
commenced operations on Nov. 22, 1996.

**For  subaccounts FGI and FNO, the performance  figures are calculated based on
the historical  performance of the funds,  which commenced  operations on May 2,
1994.  The figures  show what the  performance  of the  subaccounts  had existed
during the illustrated periods.


    
<PAGE>



PAGE 20
The fixed account

You can allocate premiums to the fixed account or transfer policy value from the
subaccounts  to the fixed  account  (with  certain  restrictions,  explained  in
"Transfers between the fixed account and subaccounts").

The fixed account is the general investment account of IDS Life. It includes all
assets  owned by IDS Life  other than those in the  variable  account  and other
separate  accounts.  Subject to applicable  law, IDS Life has sole discretion to
decide how assets of the fixed account will be invested.

Placing  policy value in the fixed  account does not entitle you to share in the
fixed account's investment  experience,  nor does it expose you to the account's
investment risk. Instead, IDS Life guarantees that the policy value you place in
the fixed account will accrue  interest at an effective  annual rate of at least
4%,  independent of the actual  investment  experience of the account.  IDS Life
bears the full investment risk for amounts allocated to the fixed account.

IDS  Life is not  obligated  to  credit  interest  at any rate  higher  than 4%,
although we may do so at our sole discretion.  Interest in excess of 4% will not
be credited on any portion of policy value in the fixed  account  against  which
you have a policy loan outstanding.

Because of exemptive and exclusionary provisions, interests in the fixed account
have not been registered  under the Securities Act of 1933 and the fixed account
has not been  registered as an investment  company under the Investment  Company
Act of 1940. Accordingly,  neither the fixed account nor any interests in it are
subject  to the  provisions  of  these  Acts  and the  staff  of the SEC has not
reviewed  the  disclosures  in this  prospectus  relating to the fixed  account.
Disclosures  regarding  the fixed  account may,  however,  be subject to certain
generally  applicable  provisions of the federal securities laws relating to the
accuracy and completeness of statements made in prospectuses.

Purchasing your policy

Application

To apply for  coverage,  complete an  application  and send it with your premium
payment to IDS Life's home office. In your application, you:

     o select a specified amount of insurance;
     o select a death benefit option;
     o designate a beneficiary; and
     o state how premiums are to be allocated among the fixed
       account and/or the subaccounts.

Insurability: Before issuing your policy, IDS Life requires
satisfactory evidence of the insurability of the persons whose
lives you propose to insure.  Our underwriting department will
review your application and any medical information or other data


<PAGE>



PAGE 21
required to determine  whether the proposed  individuals are insurable under our
underwriting  rules.  Your application may be declined if a person fails to meet
the underwriting requirements and any premiums you have paid will be returned.

Age  limit:  IDS Life  generally  will not  issue a policy to  persons  over the
insurance age of 85. It may, however, do so at its sole discretion.

Risk  classification:  The risk classification for each insured is based on that
insured's  health,  occupation or other relevant  underwriting  standards.  This
classification will affect the monthly deduction. (See "Loads, fees and charges"
and "Optional insurance benefits.")

Other conditions: In addition to proving insurability, you and the insureds must
also meet certain  conditions,  stated in the application  form, before coverage
will become effective and your policy is issued to you. The lives insured may be
covered under the terms of a conditional  insurance  agreement prior to a policy
being issued.

Incontestability:  IDS Life will have two years from the effective  date of your
policy  to  contest  the  truth  of  statements  or   representations   in  your
application.  After the policy has been in force  during  the  lifetime  of both
insureds for two years from the policy date, IDS Life cannot contest the policy.

Right to examine policy

You may return  your  policy for any  reason  and  receive a full  refund of all
premiums paid. To do so, you must mail or deliver the policy to IDS Life or your
financial advisor, with a written request for cancellation, by the latest of:

     o the 10th day after you receive it (15th day in Colorado,
       20th day in North Dakota);
     o the 10th day after IDS Life mails or personally delivers a written notice
       of withdrawal right (15th day in Colorado, 20th day in North Dakota); or
     o the 45th day after you sign your application.

On the date your request is postmarked or received,  the policy will immediately
be considered void from the start.

Premiums

Payment of premiums:

In applying for your policy, you decide how much you intend to pay and how often
you will make payments.  During the early policy years until the policy value is
sufficient  to cover the  surrender  charge,  IDS Life requires that you pay the
minimum initial premiums.



<PAGE>



PAGE 22
You may schedule payments annually, semiannually or quarterly.
(Payment at any other interval must be approved by IDS Life.)  This
premium schedule is shown in your policy.

The  scheduled  premium  serves only as an  indication  of your intent as to the
frequency and amount of future premium payments.  You may skip scheduled premium
payments  at any time if your  cash  surrender  value is  sufficient  to pay the
monthly  deduction,  or if you have paid sufficient  premium to keep the DBG-85,
the DBG-100 or the minimum initial premium period in effect.

You may also change the amount and  frequency of scheduled  premium  payments by
written  request.  IDS Life  reserves  the  right to limit  the  amount  of such
changes.  Any change in the premium amount is subject to applicable tax laws and
regulations.

Although you have  flexibility in paying  premiums,  the amount and frequency of
your payments will affect the policy value,  cash surrender  value and length of
time your  policy will  remain in force,  as well as affect  whether the DBG-85,
DBG-100 or the minimum initial premium period remain in effect.

Premium limitations:

You may make  unscheduled  premium  payments  at any time and in an amount of at
least  $50.  IDS Life  reserves  the right to limit  the  number  and  amount of
unscheduled premium payments.

No premium  payments,  scheduled  or  unscheduled,  are  allowed on or after the
youngest insured's attained insurance age 100.

Also, in order to receive favorable tax treatment under the Code,  premiums paid
during the life of the policy  must not exceed  certain  limitations.  To comply
with the Code,  IDS Life can either refuse excess  premiums as they are paid, or
refund excess  premiums with interest no later than 60 days after the end of the
policy year in which they were paid.

Allocation of premiums:

Until the policy date, we hold all premiums in the fixed account,  and we credit
interest on the net premiums  (gross  premiums minus premium  expense charge) at
the current  fixed account rate. As of the policy date, we will allocate the net
premiums  plus  accrued  interest to the  account(s)  you have  selected in your
application.  At that time, we will begin to assess the various loads,  fees and
charges.

Any amount  allocated to a subaccount is converted  into  accumulation  units of
that subaccount, as explained under "Policy value." Similarly, when transferring
value between  subaccounts,  accumulation  units in one subaccount are converted
into a cash value, which is then converted into accumulation units of the second
subaccount.



<PAGE>



PAGE 23
Keeping the policy in force

This section  includes a description of the policy  provisions that determine if
the policy will remain in force or lapse  (terminate).  It is important that you
understand  them so the  appropriate  premium  payments  are made to ensure that
insurance coverage meets your objectives.

If you wish to have a  guarantee  that the policy will remain in force until the
youngest   insured's   attained  insurance  age  100  regardless  of  investment
performance, you should pay at least the DBG-100 premiums.

If you wish to pay a lower  premium and are  satisfied to have a guarantee  that
the policy will remain in force until the youngest  insured's attained insurance
age 85 (or 15 policy years, if later) regardless of investment performance,  you
should pay at least the DBG-85 premiums.

If you wish to pay yet a lower  premium and are not  concerned  with a long-term
guarantee  that the  policy  will  remain  in  force  regardless  of  investment
performance,  you can pay  premiums  so that  the cash  surrender  value on each
monthly date is sufficient  to pay the monthly  deduction.  However,  during the
minimum  initial  premium  period,  you must pay at least  the  minimum  initial
premium until the policy value is greater than the surrender charge and the cash
surrender value is sufficient to pay the monthly deduction.

Death benefit guarantee to age 85

The DBG-85  provides  that your policy  will remain in force until the  youngest
insured reaches attained insurance age 85 (or 15 policy years, if later) even if
the cash  surrender  value is  insufficient  to pay the monthly  deduction.  The
DBG-85 will remain in effect, as long as:

         the sum of premiums paid minus partial surrenders minus
         outstanding indebtedness

         equals or exceeds the DBG-85 premiums due since the policy
         date.

The DBG-85 premium is shown in the policy.

If, on a monthly date,  you have not paid enough  premiums to keep the DBG-85 in
effect, an additional period of 61 days will be allowed for you to pay a premium
sufficient  to bring your total up to the  required  minimum.  If you do not pay
this amount  within 61 days,  the DBG-85 will  terminate.  Your policy will also
lapse  (terminate) if the cash surrender value is less than the amount needed to
pay the monthly  deduction  and the  minimum  initial  premium  period is not in
effect.  Although the policy can be  reinstated as explained  below,  the DBG-85
cannot be reinstated.



<PAGE>



PAGE 24
Death benefit guarantee to age 100

The DBG-100 provides that your policy will remain in force until
the youngest insured's attained insurance age 100 even if the cash
surrender value is insufficient to pay the monthly deduction.  The
DBG-100 will remain in effect, as long as:

         the sum of premiums paid minus partial surrenders minus
         outstanding indebtedness

         equals or exceeds the DBG-100 premiums due since the policy
         date.

The DBG-100 premium is shown in the policy.

If, on a monthly date, you have not paid enough  premiums to keep the DBG-100 in
effect, an additional period of 61 days will be allowed for you to pay a premium
sufficient  to bring your total up to the  required  minimum.  If you do not pay
this  amount  within  61 days,  the  DBG-100  will  terminate.  If you have paid
sufficient premiums, the DBG-85 will be in effect. If the DBG-85 and DBG-100 are
not in effect, your policy will lapse (terminate) if the cash surrender value is
less than the amount needed to pay the monthly deduction and the minimum initial
premium  period is not in  effect.  Although  the policy  can be  reinstated  as
explained below, the DBG- 100 cannot be reinstated.

Minimum initial premium period

To allow you to purchase this policy for the lowest  premium  possible,  you may
choose to pay only the  minimum  initial  premium  during  the  minimum  initial
premium period as long as the policy value minus indebtedness  equals or exceeds
the monthly  deduction.  The policy will not enter the grace  period  during the
minimum initial premium period as shown in your policy under "Policy Data," if:

1. on a monthly date, the policy value minus indebtedness  equals or exceeds the
monthly  deduction for the policy month  following such monthly date; and 2. the
sum  of  all  premiums  paid,  minus  any  partial  surrenders,  and  minus  any
indebtedness  equals or exceeds the minimum  initial  premium,  as shown in your
policy  under  "Policy  Data," times the number of months since the policy date,
including the current month.

The minimum initial period is

     4 years if the  youngest  insured's  insurance  age is 20-29 3 years if the
     youngest insured's insurance age is 30-39 2 years if the youngest insured's
     insurance age is 40-49 1 year if the youngest insured's insurance age is 50
     and over



<PAGE>



PAGE 25
Grace period

If the cash  surrender  value of the policy becomes less than that needed to pay
the  monthly  deduction  and  neither of the death  benefit  guarantees  nor the
minimum  initial  premium period is in effect,  you will have 61 days to pay the
required  premium amount.  If the required  premium is not paid, the policy will
lapse.

IDS Life will mail a notice to your last known  address,  requesting  payment of
the premium needed so that the next three monthly  deductions can be made. If we
receive this premium before the end of the 61-day grace period,  we will use the
payment  to pay all  monthly  deductions  and any other  charges  then due.  Any
balance  will be added to the policy  value and  allocated in the same manner as
other premium payments.

If a policy lapses with outstanding indebtedness,  any excess of the outstanding
indebtedness  over the premium paid generally will be taxable to the owner. (See
"Federal  taxes.") If the last  surviving  insured dies during the grace period,
any overdue monthly deductions will be deducted from the death benefit.

Reinstatement

Your policy may be  reinstated  within  five years  after it lapses,  unless you
surrendered it for cash. To reinstate, IDS Life will require:

     o a written request;

     o evidence satisfactory to IDS Life that both insureds remain
       insurable or evidence for the last surviving insured and due
           proof that the first death occurred before the date of
        lapse;

     o payment of a premium that will keep the policy in force for
       at least three months (one month in Virginia);

     o payment of the monthly deductions that were not collected
       during the grace period; and

     o payment or reinstatement of any indebtedness.

The  effective  date of a reinstated  policy will be the monthly date on or next
following  the day IDS Life  accepts your  application  for  reinstatement.  The
suicide period (see "Proceeds payable upon death") will apply from the effective
date  of  reinstatement  (except  in  Georgia,  Oklahoma,  Tennessee,  Utah  and
Virginia). Surrender charges will also be reinstated.

IDS Life will have two years from the effective date of reinstatement (except in
Virginia)  to  contest  the  truth  of  statements  or  representations  in  the
reinstatement application.



<PAGE>



PAGE 26
Loads, fees and charges

Policy charges compensate IDS Life for:

     o providing the insurance  benefits of the policy;  o issuing the policy; o
     administering  the policy;  o assuming certain risks in connection with the
     policy; and o distributing the policy.

Some of these  charges  are  deducted  from your  premium  payments.  Others are
deducted  periodically  from  your  policy  value in the  fixed  account  and/or
subaccounts.  You may also be assessed a charge if you surrender  your policy or
the policy lapses.

Premium expense charge

We deduct this charge from each premium payment.  The amount remaining after the
deduction,  called the net  premium,  is  credited  to the  account(s)  you have
selected. The premium expense charge has three parts:

Sales charge:  7.25% of all premiums paid.  Partially  compensates  IDS Life for
expenses in distributing the policy, including agents' commissions,  advertising
and printing of prospectuses and sales literature.

Premium tax  charge:  2.5% of each  premium  payment.  Compensates  IDS Life for
paying taxes imposed by certain states and governmental subdivisions on premiums
received  by  insurance  companies.  All  policies in all states are charged the
average  rate of 2.5% even though  state  premium  taxes vary from 2.0% to 3.5%.
This 2.5% rate may be different  than the actual premium tax IDS Life expects to
pay in your state.

Federal tax charge:  1.25% of each  premium  payment.  Compensates  IDS Life for
paying  Federal taxes  resulting from the sale of the policy and is a reasonable
charge in relation to IDS Life's federal tax burden. IDS Life reserves the right
to change the amount of this charge (except in Oregon) if applicable federal law
changes IDS Life's federal tax burden.

Monthly deduction

On each  monthly  date we  deduct  from the  value of your  policy  in the fixed
account and/or subaccounts an amount equal to the sum of:

     1.           the cost of insurance for the policy month;
     2.           the policy fee shown in your policy; and
     3.           charges for any optional insurance benefits provided by
                  rider for the policy month.



<PAGE>



PAGE 27
Each of the three components is explained below.

You  specify,  in  your  policy  application,  what  percentage  of the  monthly
deduction  from 0% to 100% will be taken from the fixed account and from each of
the subaccounts.  You may change these percentages for future monthly deductions
by written request.

Monthly deductions will be taken from the fixed account and the subaccounts on a
pro rata basis if:

     o you do not specify the accounts from which the monthly
       deduction is to be taken;
     o the value in the fixed account or any subaccount is
       insufficient to pay the portion of the monthly deduction you
       have specified; or
     o you purchased the policy in Texas.

If the cash  surrender  value of your  policy is not  enough to pay the  monthly
deduction on a monthly  anniversary,  the policy may lapse.  However, the policy
will not lapse if the DBG-85,  DBG-100 or the minimum  initial premium period is
in effect.  (See "Death benefit  guarantee to age 85, Death benefit guarantee to
age  100,   Minimum   initial   premium   period;"   also  "Grace   period"  and
"Reinstatement.")

Components of the monthly deduction:

1. Cost of insurance: the cost providing the death benefit under
your policy.

The cost of insurance for a policy month is calculated as:

                    [a x (b - c)] + d
where:

(a) is the monthly cost of insurance rate based on each insureds  insurance age,
duration of  coverage,  sex (unless  unisex  rates are required by law) and risk
classification.  Generally,  the cost of  insurance  rate will  increase  as the
attained insurance age of each insured increases.

Rates  are set by IDS Life,  based on its  expectations  as to future  mortality
experience.  We may change the rates from time to time; any change will apply to
all individuals of the same risk classification.  However, rates will not exceed
the Guaranteed  Maximum Cost of Insurance Rates shown in your policy,  which are
based on the 1980 Commissioners  Standard Ordinary Smoker or Nonsmoker Mortality
Tables, Age Last Birthday.

(b) is the death benefit on the monthly date divided by 1.0032737 (which reduces
IDS Life's net amount at risk,  solely for computing  the cost of insurance,  by
taking into account assumed monthly earnings at an annual rate of 4%);



<PAGE>



PAGE 28
(c) is the policy value on the monthly date.  At this point, the
policy value has been reduced by the policy fee and any charges for
optional riders;

(d) is any flat extra insurance charges assessed as a result of
special underwriting considerations.

2.  Policy  fee:  $30 per  month  for the first 15  policy  years.  This  charge
reimburses  IDS Life for expenses of issuing the policy,  such as processing the
application  (primarily  underwriting) and setting up computer  records;  and of
administering the policy, such as processing claims, maintaining records, making
policy changes and communicating  with owners.  IDS Life does not expect to make
any  profit on this  charge.  We  reserve  the right to change the charge in the
future, but guarantee that it will never exceed $30 per month.

3. Optional insurance benefit charges: charges for any optional
benefits added to the policy by rider.  See "Optional insurance
benefits."

Surrender charge

If you  surrender  your policy or the policy  lapses  during the first 15 policy
years, a surrender charge will be assessed. The surrender charge is a contingent
deferred issue and  administration  expense  charge.  It reimburses IDS Life for
costs of issuing the  policy,  such as  processing  the  application  (primarily
underwriting) and setting up computer records.  IDS Life does not expect to make
a profit on this  charge.  This  charge is $4 per  thousand  dollars  of initial
specified  amount.  It remains level during the first five policy years and then
decreases monthly until it is zero at the end of 15 policy years.

Partial surrender fee

If you surrender  part of the value of your policy,  you will be charged $25 (or
2% of the amount  surrendered,  if less). This fee is guaranteed not to increase
for the duration of your policy.

Mortality and expense risk charge

This charge applies only to the subaccounts and not to the fixed account.  It is
equal,  on an  annual  basis,  to 0.9%  of the  daily  net  asset  value  of the
subaccounts -- a level  guaranteed for the life of the policy.  Computed  daily,
the charge compensates IDS Life for:

    o    Mortality  risk -- the risk that the cost of  insurance  charge will be
         insufficient to meet actual claims.



<PAGE>



PAGE 29
    o    Expense  risk -- the  risk  that  the  policy  fee  and the  contingent
         deferred issue and administration  expense charge (described above) may
         be insufficient to cover the cost of administering the policy.

   
Any profit from the  mortality and expense risk charge would be available to IDS
Life for any proper corporate purpose including,  among others, payment of sales
and  distribution  expenses,  which we do not  expect to be covered by the sales
charge discussed  earlier.  Any further deficit will have to be made up from IDS
Life's general assets.
    

Fund expenses
   
The investment  managers receive fees for their services to the funds. The funds
also pay taxes,  brokerage  commissions and nonadvisory  expenses.  IDS Life has
agreed to a voluntary  limit of 0.1%, on an annual  basis,  of the average daily
net assets of each of the IDS Life Series Fund Portfolios for these  nonadvisory
expenses,  such as custodian  and trustee  fees,  registration  fees for shares,
postage,  fidelity and security bond costs,  legal fees and other  miscellaneous
fees and charges, even though actual expenses on IDS Life Series Fund-Government
Securities  Portfolio  ranged up to 0.18%,  IDS Life  Series  Fund-Money  Market
Portfolio  ranged  up to 0.23%  and IDS Life  Series  Fund-International  Equity
Portfolio  ranged  up to  0.37%.  IDS Life  reserves  the  right to  discontinue
limiting these nonadvisory  expenses at 0.1%. However,  its present intention is
to  continue  the limit until the time that  actual  expenses  are less than the
limit.  Other expenses for the year ended Dec. 31, 1996 were 0.09% for Putnam VT
New  Opportunities  Fund.  For AIM V.I.  Growth and Income  Fund other  expenses
(annualized) were 0.13% for the period ended Dec. 31, 1996.

The  investment  management  fee is  deducted  from the IDS Life  Series  Fund -
Equity,  Income, Money Market,  Managed,  Government  Securities,  International
Equity Portfolios and the Putnam VT New  Opportunities  Fund and AIM V.I. Growth
and Income Fund daily.

The investment management fee equals, on an annual basis:

     o IDS Life Series Fund - Money Market Portfolio -- 0.5% of
       average daily net assets
     o Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund -- 0.63% of average daily
       net assets
     o AIM V.I. Growth and Income Fund -- 0.65% of average daily
       net assets
     o IDS Life Series Fund - Equity,  Income, Managed and Government Securities
       Portfolios -- 0.7% of average daily net assets
     o International Equity Portfolio -- 0.95% of average daily
       net assets


    
<PAGE>



PAGE 30

   
IDS Life has entered into certain  agreements  under which it is  compensated by
the  advisors  and/or  distributors  of the AIM V.I.  Growth and Income Fund and
Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund for the administrative  services it provides to
these funds.
    

Other information on charges:

IDS Life may reduce or  eliminate  various  fees and charges when we incur lower
sales costs and/or perform fewer administrative services than usual.

Policy value

The value of your  policy is the sum of  values  in the fixed  account  and each
subaccount of the variable account.

Fixed account value

The value in the fixed  account on the  policy  date (when the policy is issued)
equals the portion of your  initial net premium  that you have  allocated to the
fixed account,  plus interest  accrued before the policy date, minus the portion
of the monthly  deduction for the first policy month that you have  allocated to
the fixed account.

On any later date, the value in the fixed account equals:

     o the value on the previous monthly date; plus
     o net premiums allocated to the fixed account since the last
       monthly date; plus
     o any transfers to the fixed account from the subaccounts,
       including loan transfers, since the last monthly date; plus
     o accrued interest on all of the above; minus
     o any transfers from the fixed account to the subaccounts,
       including loan repayment transfers, since the last monthly
       date; minus
     o any partial surrenders or partial surrender fees allocated
       to the fixed account since the last monthly date; minus
     o interest on any transfers or partial surrenders, from the
       date of the transfer or surrender to the date of
       calculation; minus
     o any  portion  of the  monthly  deduction  for the  coming  month  that is
       allocated to the fixed  account if the date of  calculation  is a monthly
       date.

Subaccount values

The  value  in  each  subaccount  changes  daily,  depending  on the  investment
performance  of the fund in which that  subaccount  invests and on other factors
detailed below.  There is no guaranteed minimum subaccount value. You, as owner,
bear the entire investment risk.



<PAGE>



PAGE 31
Calculation of subaccount value: The value in each subaccount on the policy date
equals the portion of your initial net premium allocated to that subaccount plus
interest  accrued  before  the policy  date,  minus the  portion of the  monthly
deduction for the first policy month that you have allocated to that subaccount.
The value of each subaccount on each subsequent valuation date equals:

o the value of the subaccount on the preceding valuation date, multiplied by the
  net investment factor for the current valuation period (explained below); plus
o net premiums received and allocated to the subaccount during the
  current valuation period; plus
o any transfers to the subaccount (from the fixed account or other  subaccounts,
  including loan repayment transfers) during the period; minus
o any transfers from the subaccount including loan transfers
  during the current valuation period; minus
o any partial surrenders and partial surrender fees allocated to
  the subaccount during the period; minus
o any portion of the monthly deduction allocated to the subaccount
  during the period.

The net investment  factor  measures the investment  performance of a subaccount
from one valuation period to the next.  Because  performance may fluctuate,  the
value of a subaccount may increase or decrease from day to day.

Accumulation  units:  The policy value allocated to each subaccount is converted
into  accumulation  units.  Each time you direct a premium  payment or  transfer
policy value into one of the subaccounts, a certain number of accumulation units
are credited to your policy for that subaccount.  Conversely, each time you take
a partial  surrender or transfer value out of a subaccount,  a certain number of
accumulation units are subtracted.

   
Accumulation  units are the true measure of investment value in each subaccount.
For subaccounts investing in the funds, they're related to, but not the same as,
the net  asset  value  of the  corresponding  fund.  The  dollar  value  of each
accumulation  unit  can  rise  or  fall  daily,   depending  on  the  investment
performance  of the  underlying  fund and on  certain  charges.  Here's how unit
values are calculated:
    

Number of units:  To calculate the number of units for a particular  subaccount,
we divide  your  investment  (net  premium or  transfer  amount) by the  current
accumulation unit value.

Accumulation  unit value: The current value for each subaccount  equals the last
value times the current net investment factor.



<PAGE>



PAGE 32
Net investment factor: Determined at the end of each valuation
period, this factor equals (a divided by b) - c, where:

(a) equals:
   
o net asset value per share of the fund; plus

o per-share amount of any dividend or capital gain distribution
  made by the relevant fund to the subaccount; plus
    
o any  credit or minus  any  charge  for  reserves  to cover  any tax  liability
  resulting from the investment operations of the subaccount.

(b) equals:

   
o net asset value per share of the fund at the end of the
  preceding valuation period; plus
    

o any credit or minus any charge for reserves to cover any tax
  liability in the preceding valuation period.

(c) is a percentage  factor  representing the mortality and expense risk charge,
as described in "Loads, fees and charges," above.

Factors that affect subaccount accumulation units:

Accumulation  units may change in two ways; in number and in value. Here are the
factors that influence those changes:

The number of accumulation units you own may fluctuate due to:

o additional purchase payments allocated to the subaccounts;
o transfers into or out of the  subaccount(s);
o partial  surrenders and partial  surrender fees;
o surrender charges; and/or
o monthly deductions

Accumulation unit values may fluctuate due to:

   
o changes in underlying funds(s) net asset value;
o dividends distributed to the subaccount(s);
o capital gains or losses of underlying  funds;
o fund operating expenses; and/or
o mortality and expense risk charges.
    

Proceeds payable upon death

We will pay a benefit to the  beneficiary  of the policy when the last surviving
insured dies.



<PAGE>



PAGE 33
If that death is prior to the youngest insured's attained insurance age 100, the
amount  payable is based on the specified  amount and death  benefit  option you
have selected, as described below, less any indebtedness.

If the last  surviving  insured's  death is on or after the  youngest  insured's
attained insurance age 100, the amount payable is the cash surrender value.

Option 1 (level  amount):  Under this option,  the policy's value is part of the
specified amount. The Option 1 death benefit is the greater of:

     o the specified amount on the date of the last surviving
       insured's death; or

     o     the applicable percentage of the policy value on the date of the last
           surviving  insured's death, if that death occurs on a valuation date,
           or on the next valuation date following
        the date of death.  (See table below.)

Youngest  insured's  attained  insurance  age in the table  below  refers to the
youngest life insured or the age such person would have reached.
                   Applicable percentage table

Youngest           Applicable        Youngest         Applicable
Insured's          percentage of     Insured's        percentage of
attained           policy            attained         policy
insurance          value             insurance        value
age                                  age

40 or younger      250%                 61             128%
    41             243                  62             126
    42             236                  63             124
    43             229                  64             122
    44             222                  65             120
    45             215                  66             119
    46             209                  67             118
    47             203                  68             117
    48             197                  69             116
    49             191                  70             115
    50             185                  71             113
    51             178                  72             111
    52             171                  73             109
    53             164                  74             107
    54             157                  75-95          105
    55             150                  96             104
    56             146                  97             103
    57             142                  98             102
    58             138                  99             101
    59             134                  100            100
    60             130



<PAGE>



PAGE 34
The  percentage  is designed to ensure that the policy meets the  provisions  of
Federal tax law,  which  require a minimum  death  benefit in relation to policy
value for your policy to qualify as life insurance.

Option 2 (variable amount):  Under this option, the policy value is added to the
specified amount. The Option 2 death benefit is the greater of:

     o the policy value plus the specified amount; or
     o the applicable percentage of policy value on the date of the
       last surviving insured's death, if that death occurs on a valuation date,
        or on the next valuation  date  following the date of death.  (See table
        above.)

Examples:                         Option 1            Option 2
- ---------                         --------            --------

specified amount                  $1,000,000          $1,000,000
policy value                      $50,000             $50,000
death benefit                     $1,000,000          $1,050,000
policy value increases to         $80,000             $80,000
death benefit                     $1,000,000          $1,080,000
policy value decreases to         $30,000             $30,000
death benefit                     $1,000,000          $1,030,000

If you  want to have  premium  payments  and  favorable  investment  performance
reflected partly in the form of an increasing death benefit, you should consider
Option 2. If you are satisfied with the specified amount of insurance protection
and  prefer  to have  premium  payments  and  favorable  investment  performance
reflected to the maximum extent in the policy value,  you should consider Option
1. Under Option 1, the cost of insurance is lower  because IDS Life's net amount
at risk is generally lower; for this reason,  the monthly deduction is less, and
a larger  portion of your  premiums  and  investment  returns is retained in the
policy value.

Change in death benefit option

You may make a written  request  to change  the death  benefit  option  once per
policy year. A change in the death benefit option also will change the specified
amount. You do not need to provide additional evidence of insurability.

If you change from Option 1 to Option 2: The  specified  amount will decrease by
an amount equal to the policy  value on the  effective  date of the change.  You
cannot change from Option 1 to Option 2 if the resulting  specified amount would
fall below the minimum specified amount shown in policy.



<PAGE>



PAGE 35
If you change from Option 2 to Option 1: The  specified  amount will increase by
an amount equal to the policy value on the effective date of the change.

An increase or decrease in specified amount resulting from a change in the death
benefit option will affect the monthly  deduction  because the cost of insurance
charge  depends  on the  specified  amount.  The  charge  for  certain  optional
insurance benefits may also change. The surrender charge,  however,  will not be
affected.

Changes in specified amount

Subject to certain  limitations,  you may make a written request to decrease the
specified  amount once each policy year after the first.  Decreases in specified
amount may have tax implications,  discussed in the section "Modified  endowment
contracts" under "Federal taxes."

Decreases:  Any  decrease  in  specified  amount will take effect on the monthly
anniversary  on or next  following  our  receipt of your  written  request.  The
specified  amount  remaining after the decrease may not be less than the minimum
specified  amount  shown in the policy.  If,  following a decrease in  specified
amount,  the policy would no longer qualify as life insurance  under federal tax
law,  the  decrease  may be  limited  to the  extent  necessary  to  meet  these
requirements.

A decrease in specified amount will affect your costs as follows:

     o Your monthly deduction will decrease because the cost of insurance charge
       depends on the specified amount.

     o Charges for certain optional insurance benefits may
       decrease.

     o The surrender charge will not change.

   
No  surrender  charge is imposed  when you request a decrease  in the  specified
amount.
    

Increases:  Increases in specified amount are not permitted.  If
you wish to purchase additional insurance, you should purchase an
additional policy.  Currently, we do not charge the policy fee for
the additional policy.
       




<PAGE>



PAGE 36
Misstatement of age or sex

If an insured's  age or sex has been  misstated,  the proceeds  payable upon the
last surviving insured's death will be:

    o    the policy value on the date of death; plus
    o    the amount of insurance that would have been purchased by the
         cost of  insurance  deducted  for the policy  month  during which death
         occurred,  if that cost had been calculated using rates for the correct
         age and sex; minus
    o    the amount of any outstanding indebtedness on the date of
         death.

Suicide

If either of the insureds  dies by suicide while sane or insane within two years
from the policy date, the only amount  payable will be the premiums paid,  minus
the amount of any outstanding indebtedness.  The policy will terminate as of the
date of the first death by suicide.

In Colorado and North  Dakota,  the suicide  period is shortened to one year. In
Missouri, IDS Life must prove that the insured intended to commit suicide at the
time he or she applied for coverage.

Beneficiary

Initially,  the beneficiary will be the person you designate in your application
for the policy.  You may change the  beneficiary by giving written notice to IDS
Life,  subject to requirements and restrictions  stated in the policy. If you do
not designate a beneficiary,  or if the designated  beneficiary  dies before the
last surviving insured, the beneficiary will be you or your estate.

Transfers between the fixed account and subaccounts

You may  transfer  policy  values  from one  subaccount  to  another  or between
subaccounts  and the fixed  account.  For most  transfers,  if we  receive  your
request  before the close of  business,  we will  process it that day.  Requests
received  after the close of business  will be processed  the next business day.
There is no charge for transfers.  Before  transferring policy value, you should
consider the risks involved in switching investments.

We may suspend or modify the transfer privilege at any time. Transfers involving
the fixed account are subject to the restrictions below.



<PAGE>



PAGE 37
Fixed account transfer policies

o Transfers from the fixed account must be made during a 30-day period  starting
on a policy anniversary, except for automated transfers, which can be set up for
monthly, quarterly or semiannual transfer periods.

   
o If we receive your request to transfer  amounts from the fixed account  within
30 days before the policy anniversary, the transfer will become effective on the
anniversary.
    

o If we receive your request on or within 30 days after the policy  anniversary,
the transfer will be effective on the day we receive it.

o We will not accept  requests for transfers from the fixed account at any other
time.

o If you have made a transfer from the fixed account to one or more
subaccounts, you may not make a transfer from any subaccount back
to the fixed account until the next policy anniversary.  We will
waive this limitation once during the first two policy years if you
exercise the policy's right to exchange provision.  (See "Exchange
right.")

Minimum transfer amounts

From a subaccount to another subaccount or the fixed account:

For mail and phone transfers,  $250 or the entire subaccount balance,  whichever
is less.

For automated transfers, $50.

From the fixed account to a subaccount: $250 or the entire fixed account balance
minus any outstanding indebtedness, whichever is less.

For automated transfers, $50.

Maximum transfer amounts

From a subaccount to another subaccount or the fixed account: None.

From the fixed account to a subaccount:  Entire fixed account  balance minus any
outstanding indebtedness.

Maximum number of transfers per year

We reserve the right to limit mail and  telephone  transfers  to five per policy
year. Twelve automated transfers per policy year are allowed.



<PAGE>



PAGE 38
Two ways to request a transfer, loan or surrender

Provide  your  name,   policy  number,   Social   Security  Number  or  Taxpayer
Identification Number when you request a transfer, loan or partial surrender.

1  By letter

Regular mail:

IDS Life Insurance Company
P.O. Box 499
Minneapolis, MN  55440-0499

Express mail:

IDS Life Insurance Company
733 Marquette Ave.
Minneapolis, MN  55402

2 By phone

Call between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Central Time:
1-800-437-0602 (toll free) or
(612) 671-4738 (Minneapolis/St. Paul area)

TTY service for the hearing impaired:
1-800-285-8846 (toll free)

o        We answer phone requests  promptly,  but you may experience delays when
         call volume is unusually  high.  If you are unable to get through,  use
         mail procedure as an alternative.

o        We  will  honor  any  telephone  transfer,  loan or  partial  surrender
         requests believed to be authentic and will use reasonable procedures to
         confirm that they are. These include asking  identifying  questions and
         tape recording calls. As long as these procedures are followed, neither
         IDS Life nor its affiliates  will be liable for any loss resulting from
         fraudulent requests.

o        Telephone  transfers,  loans and partial  surrenders are  automatically
         available. You may request that telephone transfers,  loans and partial
         surrenders not be authorized from your account by writing IDS Life.

Automated transfers

In addition to written and phone requests,  you can arrange to have policy value
transferred from one account to another  automatically.  Your financial  advisor
can help you set up an automated transfer.



<PAGE>



PAGE 39
Automated transfer policies:

o Minimum automated transfer: $50

o Frequency: monthly, quarterly, semiannually or annually

o Only one automated  transfer  arrangement can be in effect at any time. Policy
values may be transferred to one or more subaccounts and the fixed account,  but
can be transferred from only one account.

o You can start or stop this  service by written  request.  You must allow seven
days for us to change any instructions that are currently in place.

o Automated  transfers  from the fixed account may not exceed an amount that, if
continued, would deplete the fixed account within 12 months.

o If you have made a transfer from the fixed account to one or more subaccounts,
you may not make a transfer from any subaccount  back to the fixed account until
the next policy anniversary.

o If your request is submitted  with an  application  for a policy,  it will not
take effect until the policy is issued.

o If the value of the account from which policy  value is being  transferred  is
less than the $50  minimum,  the  transfer  arrangement  will  automatically  be
stopped.

o Automated  transfers  are  subject to all other  policy  provisions  and terms
including provisions relating to the transfer of money between the fixed account
and the subaccounts.

Automated dollar-cost averaging

You can use automated  transfers to take advantage of  dollar-cost  averaging --
investing a fixed amount at regular intervals. For example, you might have a set
amount transferred monthly from a relatively  conservative  subaccount to a more
aggressive one, or to several others.

   
This systematic  approach can help you benefit from fluctuations in accumulation
unit value,  caused by  fluctuations  in the market  value(s) of the  underlying
fund. Since you invest the same amount each period,  you  automatically  acquire
more units when the market value falls, fewer units when it rises. The potential
effect is to lower your average cost per unit.
    




<PAGE>



PAGE 40
How dollar-cost averaging works

          Amount    Accumulation   Number of units
Month     invested  unit value     purchased

Jan       $100          $20         5.00
Feb        100           16         6.25
Mar        100            9        11.11
Apr        100            5        20.00
May        100            7        14.29
June       100           10        10.00
July       100           15         6.67
Aug        100           20         5.00
Sept       100           17         5.88
Oct        100           12         8.33

(footnotes to table) By investing an equal number of dollars each
month...

(arrow in table pointing to April) you automatically buy more units when the per
unit market price is low.

(arrow in table  pointing  to August)  and fewer  units when the per unit market
price is high.

You have paid an average price of only $10.81 per unit over the 10 months, while
the average market price actually was $13.10.

   
Dollar-cost averaging does not guarantee that any subaccount will gain in value,
nor will it protect  against a decline in value if market  prices fall.  Because
this  strategy  involves  continuous  investing,  your success with  dollar-cost
averaging  will depend  upon your  willingness  to continue to invest  regularly
through periods of low price levels.  Dollar-cost  averaging can be an effective
way to help meet your long-term goals.
    

Policy loans

You may borrow against your policy by written or telephone  request.  (See chart
under  "Transfers  between the fixed  account and  subaccounts"  for address and
phone  numbers for your  requests.)  A loan  request  received  before  close of
business  will be  processed  the same day. A request  received  after  close of
business will be processed the following  business day.  (Loans by telephone are
limited to $50,000.)

Interest  rate:  The interest  rate for policy  loans is 6% per year.  After the
policy's 10th  anniversary  we expect to reduce the loan interest rate to 4% per
year. Interest is charged daily and due at the end of the policy year.



<PAGE>



PAGE 41
Minimum loan: $500 ($200 for Connecticut residents) or the
remaining loan value, whichever is less.

Maximum loan:

     o In Texas, 100% of the policy value in the fixed account, minus a pro rata
       portion of surrender charges.
     o In Virginia, 90% of the policy value minus surrender
       charges.
         o In Alabama, 100% of the policy value minus surrender
       charges.
     o In all other states, 85% of the policy value minus surrender
       charges.

We will  compute the maximum  loan value as of the end of the  valuation  period
during which we receive your loan request.  The amount available at any time for
a new loan is the maximum  loan value less any existing  indebtedness.  In doing
so, we reserve the right to deduct from the loan value  interest  for the period
until the next  policy  anniversary  and monthly  deductions  that will be taken
until the next policy anniversary.

Payment of loaned funds: Generally, we will pay loans within seven days after we
receive your request  (with  certain  exceptions  -- see "Deferral of payments,"
under "Payment of policy proceeds").

Allocation  of loans to accounts:  If you do not specify  whether the loan is to
come  from  the  fixed  account  or the  subaccounts,  it will be made  from the
subaccounts  and  the  fixed  account  in  proportion  to  their  values,  minus
indebtedness.  When a loan is made  from a  subaccount,  accumulation  units are
redeemed and the proceeds transferred into the fixed account. We will credit the
policy value loaned with 4% annual interest.

Repayments:  Loan repayments  will be allocated to subaccounts  and/or the fixed
account using the premium  allocation  percentages  in effect unless you tell us
otherwise. Repayments must be in amounts of at least $50.

Overdue interest: If accrued interest is not paid when due, we will increase the
amount of  indebtedness  in the fixed account to cover the amount due.  Interest
added to a policy  loan  will be  charged  the  same  interest  rate as the loan
itself.  We will take such interest from the fixed account  and/or  subaccounts,
using the monthly deduction  allocation  percentages.  If the value in the fixed
account or any subaccount is not enough to pay the interest so allocated, all of
the  interest  will be taken from all of the  accounts  in  proportion  to their
value, minus indebtedness.



<PAGE>



PAGE 42
Effects of policy loans: If you do not repay your loan, it will reduce the death
benefit  and  policy  value.  Even if you do  repay  it,  your  loan  can have a
permanent  effect on death  benefits and policy  values,  because money borrowed
against the subaccounts will not share in the investment results of the relevant
portfolio(s).

A loan may  terminate  the DBG-85,  the DBG-100 or the minimum  initial  premium
period.  The loan amount is deducted from total premiums paid,  which may reduce
the total  below the level  required  to keep the  DBG-85,  the  DBG-100  or the
minimum initial premium period in effect.

Taxes: If your policy lapses or you surrender it with an
outstanding indebtedness, and the amount of outstanding
indebtedness plus the cash surrender value is more than the sum of
premiums you paid, you will generally be liable for taxes on the
excess. (See "Federal taxes.")

Policy surrenders

You may  surrender  your  policy  in full or in  part by  written  or  telephone
request.   (See  chart  under   "Transfers   between   the  fixed   account  and
subaccounts.")  A surrender  request  received  before close of business will be
processed  the same day. A request  received  after  close of  business  will be
processed  the  following  business  day.  We may  require  that you return your
policy.

We will normally process your payment within seven days; however, we reserve the
right to defer payment.  (See  "Deferral of payments,"  under "Payment of policy
proceeds.")

Total  surrenders If you  surrender  your policy  totally,  you receive its cash
surrender  value  --  the  policy  value  minus  outstanding   indebtedness  and
applicable  surrender charges.  (See "Loads, fees and charges.") We will compute
the value of each subaccount as of the end of the valuation  period during which
your request is received.

Partial  surrenders  After the first policy year,  you may  surrender any amount
from $500 up to 85% of the policy's cash surrender value. (Partial surrenders by
telephone are limited to $50,000.) You will be charged a partial  surrender fee,
described under "Loads, fees and charges."

Allocation of partial  surrenders  Unless you specify  otherwise,  IDS Life will
make partial  surrenders from the fixed account and subaccounts in proportion to
their  values at the end of the  valuation  period  during which your request is
received. In determining these proportions,  we first subtract the amount of any
outstanding indebtedness from the fixed account value.



<PAGE>



PAGE 43
Effects of partial surrenders

o        The policy value will be reduced by the amount of the partial
         surrender and fee.

o        The  death  benefit  will  be  reduced  by the  amount  of the  partial
         surrender and fee, or, if the death benefit is based on the  applicable
         percentage  of  policy  value,  by an  amount  equal to the  applicable
         percentage times the amount of the partial surrender.

o        A partial  surrender  may  terminate  the  DBG-85,  the  DBG-100 or the
         minimum initial premium period.  The surrender  amount is deducted from
         total  premiums  paid,  which  may  reduce  the  total  below the level
         required to keep the DBG-85, the DBG-100 or the minimum initial premium
         period in effect.

o        If Option 1 is in effect, the specified amount will be
         reduced by the amount of the partial surrender and fee.

Because they reduce the specified amount, partial surrenders may affect the cost
of insurance. IDS Life will not allow a partial surrender if it would reduce the
specified amount below the required  minimum.  (See "Decreases"  under "Proceeds
payable upon death.")

o        If Option 2 is in effect, a partial surrender does not affect
         the specified amount.

Taxes  Upon surrender, you will generally be liable for taxes on
any excess of the cash surrender value plus outstanding
indebtedness over the premium paid.  (See "Federal taxes.")

Exchange right

For two years  after the  policy is  issued,  you can  exchange  it for one that
provides   benefits  that  do  not  vary  with  the  investment  return  of  the
subaccounts.  Because the policy  itself offers a fixed return  option,  all you
need to do is transfer all of the policy value in the  subaccounts  to the fixed
account.  We will automatically  credit all future premium payments to the fixed
account unless you request a different allocation.

Such transfer will not count against the  five-transfers-per-year  limit.  Also,
any restrictions on transfers into the fixed account will be waived.

There will be no effect on the policy's death  benefit,  specified  amount,  net
amount at risk, risk  classification(s) or issue age. Only the method of funding
the policy value will be affected.



<PAGE>



PAGE 44
Optional insurance benefits

You may choose to add the  following  benefits to your  policy at an  additional
cost,  in the form of riders (if certain  requirements  are met).  More detailed
information on these benefits are in your policy.

Four-Year Term Insurance Rider (FYT) FYT provides  four-year term insurance.  An
additional  death  benefit  is paid if both  insureds  die during the first four
years of the policy.

Policy  Split  Option  Rider  (PSO) PSO  permits  a policy to be split  into two
individual  permanent  plans  of life  insurance  then  offered  by IDS Life for
exchange,  one on the life of each insured,  upon the occurrence of a divorce of
the  insureds  or  certain  changes in federal  estate  tax law.  (See  "Federal
taxes.")

Payment of policy proceeds

Proceeds will be paid when:

        o you surrender the policy; or
        o the last surviving insured dies.

   
All  proceeds  will be paid by check.  We will  compute  the amount of the death
benefit and pay it in a single sum unless you select one of the payment  options
below. We will pay interest at a rate not less than 4% per year (8% in Arkansas,
11% in  Florida)  on  single  sum  death  proceeds,  from  the  date of the last
surviving insured's death to the settlement date (the date on which proceeds are
paid in a lump sum or first placed under a payment option).  You will be charged
a fee if you request express mail delivery.
    

Payment options:

During an  insured's  lifetime,  you may  request in writing  that we pay policy
proceeds under one or more of the three payment options below.  (The beneficiary
may also  select a payment  option,  unless you say that he or she  can't.)  You
decide  how much of the  proceeds  will be placed  under each  option  (minimum:
$5,000).  Any such amount will be  transferred  to IDS Life's  general  account.
Unless we agree otherwise,  payments under all options must be made to a natural
person.

You may also,  by written  request,  change a prior choice of payment  option or
elect a payment option other than the three below, if we agree.



<PAGE>



PAGE 45
If you elect a payment option for pre-death proceeds, payments under this option
may be subject to federal income tax as ordinary income.  If you elect Option A,
the full  pre-death  proceeds will be taxed as a full  surrender as described in
"Taxation  of policy  proceeds"  and may also be  subject to an  additional  10%
penalty  tax if the  policy is a modified  endowment.  The  interest  paid under
Option A will be ordinary  income subject to income tax in the year earned.  The
interest payments will not be subject to the 10% penalty tax.

If you  elect  Option B or  Option C for  payment  of  pre-death  proceeds,  any
indebtedness  at the time of election  will be taxed as a partial  surrender  as
described  in  "Taxation  of  policy  proceeds"  and may also be  subject  to an
additional 10% penalty tax if the policy is a modified endowment.  The remainder
of the  proceeds  will be used to make  payments  under the  option  elected.  A
portion of each payment  will be taxed as ordinary  income and a portion of each
payment will be considered a return of the investment in the policy and will not
be taxed.  An owner's  investment  in the policy is  described  in  "Taxation of
policy  proceeds." All payments made after the investment in the policy is fully
recovered  will be subject to tax.  Amounts paid under Option B or Option C that
are subject to tax may also be subject to an  additional  10% penalty tax.  (See
"Penalty tax.")

Death benefit  proceeds applied to any payment option are not considered part of
the  beneficiary's  income  and thus are not  subject  to  federal  income  tax.
Payments of interest  under  Option A will be  ordinary  income  subject to tax.
Under Option B or Option C, a portion of each  payment  will be ordinary  income
subject to tax, and a portion of each payment will be considered a return of the
beneficiary's  investment  in the policy.  The  beneficiary's  investment in the
policy is the death benefit proceeds applied to the payment option. All payments
made after the  investment in the policy is fully  recovered  will be subject to
tax.

Option A -- Interest  payments We will pay interest on any proceeds placed under
this option at a rate of 4% per year compounded  annually,  at regular intervals
and for a period that is agreeable to both you and us. At the end of any payment
interval,  you may withdraw  proceeds in amounts of at least $100.  At any time,
you may withdraw all of the proceeds that remain,  or you may place them under a
different payment option approved by us.



<PAGE>



PAGE 46
Option B -- Payments for a specified period: We will make fixed monthly payments
for any number of years you specify.  Here are examples of monthly  payments for
each $1,000 placed under this option:

   Payment period               Monthly payment per $1,000
      (years)                   placed under Option B

        10                               $9.61
        15                                6.87
        20                                5.51
        25                                4.71
        30                                4.18

Monthly  amounts for other  payment  periods will be furnished at your  request,
free of charge.

Option C -- Lifetime  income:  We will make monthly payments for the life of the
person (payee) who is to receive the income.  Payment will be guaranteed for 10,
15 or 20 years.  The amount of each monthly payment per $1,000 placed under this
option will be based on the table of  settlement  rates in effect at the time of
the first  payment.  The amount depends on the sex and adjusted age of the payee
on that  date.  Adjusted  age means the age of the  payee (on the  payee's  last
birthday) minus an adjustment as follows:

Calendar year of     Adjustment    Calendar year of      Adjustment
payee's birth                      payee's birth

Before 1920              0         1945-1949                 6
1920-1924                1         1950-1959                 7
1925-1929                2         1960-1969                 8
1930-1934                3         1970-1979                 9
1935-1939                4         1980-1989                10
1940-1944                5         After 1989               11

The amount of each monthly  payment per $1,000 placed under this option will not
be less than amounts shown in the next table.

Monthly  amounts  for any  adjusted  age not  shown  will be  furnished  at your
request, without charge.

Adjusted
  age         Life income per $1,000 with
 payee        payments guaranteed for
                 10 years          15 years            20 years
              Male    Female    Male      Female    Male     Female
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
  50         $4.22    $3.89    $4.17      $3.86    $4.08     $3.82
  55          4.62     4.22     4.53       4.18     4.39      4.11
  60          5.14     4.66     4.96       4.57     4.71      4.44
  65          5.81     5.22     5.46       5.05     5.02      4.79
  70          6.61     5.96     5.96       5.60     5.27      5.12
  75          7.49     6.89     6.38       6.14     5.42      5.35



<PAGE>



PAGE 47
Deferral of payments:

We reserve the right to defer payments of cash surrender value,  policy loans or
variable death benefits in excess of the specified amount if:

o the  payments  derive  from a  premium  payment  made by a check  that has not
cleared the banking system (good payment has not been collected);  o the NYSE is
closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); o in accordance with
SEC rules, trading on the NYSE is restricted or, because of an emergency,  it is
not practical to dispose of securities  held in the  subaccount or determine the
value of the subaccount's net assets.

Any loans or  surrenders  from the fixed account may be delayed up to six months
from the date we receive the  request.  If we postpone  the payment of surrender
proceeds more than 30 days,  we will pay you interest on the amount  surrendered
at an annual rate of 3% for the period of postponement.

Federal taxes

The  following  is a general  discussion  of the  policy's  federal  income  tax
implications.  It is not intended as tax advice.  Because the effect of taxes on
the value and benefits of your policy  depends on your  individual  situation as
well as IDS Life's tax status,  YOU SHOULD CONSULT A TAX ADVISOR TO FIND OUT HOW
THESE  GENERAL  CONSIDERATIONS  APPLY  TO YOU.  The  discussion  is based on our
understanding  of  federal  income  tax  laws as  currently  interpreted  by the
Internal  Revenue  Service  (IRS);  both the laws and their  interpretation  may
change.

The policy is intended to qualify as a life insurance  policy for federal income
tax purposes. To that end, the provisions of the policy are to be interpreted to
ensure or maintain this tax qualification. IDS Life reserves the right to change
the policy in order to ensure that it will continue to qualify as life insurance
for tax purposes. We will send you a copy of any changes.

IDS Life's tax status

IDS Life is taxed as a life insurance company under the Code. For federal income
tax purposes,  the subaccounts are considered a part of IDS Life, although their
operations  are treated  separately  in  accounting  and  financial  statements.
Investment  income from the  subaccounts  is reinvested  and becomes part of the
subaccounts' value. This investment income, including realized capital gains, is
not taxed to IDS Life,  and therefore no charge is made against the  subaccounts
for federal  income taxes.  IDS Life reserves the right to make such a charge in
the future if there is a change in the tax treatment of variable life  insurance
contracts or in IDS Life's tax status as we currently understand it.



<PAGE>



PAGE 48
Taxation of policy proceeds

The death benefit is not considered part of the beneficiary's income and thus is
not  subject to  federal  income  taxes.  When the  proceeds  are paid after the
youngest  insured's  attained insurance age 100, if the amount received plus any
indebtedness exceeds your investment in the policy, the excess may be taxable as
ordinary  income.  Part or all of any pre-death  proceeds  received through full
surrender,  lapse, partial surrender, policy loan or assignment of policy value,
or payment options may be subject to federal income tax as ordinary income. (See
the following  table.) In some cases,  the tax liability  depends on whether the
policy is a modified  endowment  (explained  following  the table).  The taxable
amount may also be subject to an  additional  10% penalty tax if the policy is a
modified endowment.

Source of proceeds            Taxable portion of pre-death proceeds

Full surrender:                  Amount received plus any
                                 indebtedness, minus your
                                 investment in the policy.*

Lapse:                           Any outstanding indebtedness minus
                                 your investment in the policy.*

Partial surrenders               Lesser of:
(modified endowments):           the amount received or policy
                                 value minus your investment in the
                                 policy.*

Policy loans and                 Lesser of:
assignments                      the amount of the loan/assignment
(modified endowments):           or policy value minus your
                                 investment in the policy.*

Partial surrenders               Generally, if the amount received
(other policies):                is greater than your investment in
                                 the  policy,*  the  amount  in  excess  of your
                                 investment  is  taxable.  However,  during  the
                                 first 15 policy years,  a different  amount may
                                 be taxable if the partial  surrender results in
                                 or is necessitated by a reduction in benefits.

Policy loans and                 None
assignments
(other policies):



<PAGE>



PAGE 49
Payment options:                 If proceeds of the policy will be paid
                                 under  one  of the  payment  options,  see  the
                                 "Payment option" section for tax information.

* The owner's investment is equal to premiums paid, minus the nontaxable portion
of any previous  partial  surrenders,  plus the taxable  portion of any previous
policy loans.

Modified endowment contracts

In  1988,  Congress  created  a new  class  of life  insurance  policies  called
"Modified  Endowment  Contracts,"  which are taxed differently from conventional
life insurance  contracts.  Policies applied for, or materially  changed,  on or
after June 21, 1988, are  considered to be modified  endowments if premiums paid
in the first  seven years of the  policy,  or the first seven years  following a
material  change,  exceed  certain  limits.  (Also,  any life  insurance  policy
received in exchange for a modified endowment is itself a modified endowment.)

We have  established  procedures for monitoring  whether a contract may become a
modified endowment contract.

Modified  endowment  limits are  calculated  when the policy is issued,  and are
based on the benefits  provided and on the risk  classification of the insureds.
They are later recalculated if certain reductions in benefits occur.

Reductions in benefits:  When benefits are reduced,  the limits are recalculated
as if the reduced  level of benefits  had always been in effect.  In most cases,
this  recalculation will further restrict the amount of premium that can be paid
without exceeding modified endowment limits. If premiums already paid exceed the
recalculated  limits, the policy becomes a modified endowment even if no further
premiums are paid.

Distributions  affected:  Modified endowment rules apply to distributions in the
year the policy  becomes a modified  endowment and in all subsequent  years.  In
addition,  the rules apply to  distributions  taken two years  before the policy
becomes a modified endowment,  which are presumed to be taken in anticipation of
that event.

Serial purchase of modified  endowments:  All modified  endowments issued by the
same insurer (or  affiliated  companies of the insurer) to the same owner during
any  calendar  year are treated as one policy in  determining  the amount of any
loan or distribution that is taxable.



<PAGE>



PAGE 50
Penalty  tax:  If a policy is a  modified  endowment,  the  taxable  portion  of
pre-death proceeds from a full surrender,  lapse, partial surrender, policy loan
or assignment of policy value,  or certain  payment  options may be subject to a
10% penalty tax unless:

   o     the distribution occurs after the owner attains age 59-1/2;
   o     the distribution is attributable to the owner becoming
         disabled (within the meaning of Code Section 72(m)(7);
                    or
   o     the  distribution is part of a series of  substantially  equal periodic
         payments  made at least once a year over the life (or life  expectancy)
         of the owner or over the  joint  lives  (or life  expectancies)  of the
         owner and the owner's beneficiary.

Other tax considerations

Policy Split Option Rider:  The Policy Split Option Rider permits a policy to be
split into two individual  permanent plans of insurance then offered by IDS Life
for exchange,  one on the life of each insured, upon the occurrence of a divorce
of the  insureds or certain  changes in federal  estate tax law. A policy  split
could have  adverse tax  consequences;  for example,  it is not clear  whether a
policy  split will be treated  as a  nontaxable  exchange  under  Sections  1031
through  1043 of the Code.  If a policy  split is not  treated  as a  nontaxable
exchange, a split could result in the recognition of taxable income in an amount
up to any gain in the policy at the time of the split.  In  addition,  it is not
clear whether, in all circumstances, the individual contracts that result from a
policy split would be treated as life insurance contracts for federal income tax
purposes  and,  if  so  treated,  whether  the  individual  contracts  would  be
classified as modified endowment contracts.  Before you exercise rights provided
by the policy split  option,  it is important  that you consult with a competent
tax advisor regarding the possible consequences of a policy split.

Interest paid on policy loans: If the loan is used for personal  purposes,  such
interest is not tax-deductible.  Other rules apply if the loan is used for trade
or business or investment purposes, or if the policy is owned by a business or a
corporation.

Policy changes: Changing ownership,  exchanging or assigning the policy may have
tax consequences, depending on the circumstances.

Other taxes:  Federal estate tax, state and local estate tax,  inheritance  tax,
gift tax and other tax  consequences  of ownership or receipt of policy proceeds
will also depend on the circumstances.



<PAGE>



PAGE 51
Qualified  retirement  plans: The policy may be used in conjunction with certain
qualified  plans.  Since the rules  governing such use are complex,  a purchaser
should consult a competent pension consultant.

On July 6, 1983, the Supreme Court held in Arizona Governing Committee v. Norris
that  optional   annuity   benefits   provided  under  an  employee's   deferred
compensation  plan could not,  under Title VII of the Civil  Rights Act of 1964,
vary  between  men and women on the basis of sex.  Since  the  policy's  cost of
insurance rates and purchase rates for certain  settlement  options  distinguish
between men and women,  employers and employee organizations should consult with
legal counsel before purchasing the policy for any employment-related  insurance
or benefit program.

IDS Life

IDS Life is a stock life insurance company organized under the laws of the State
of Minnesota in 1957. Our address is IDS Tower 10, Minneapolis, MN 55440.

IDS Life  conducts a  conventional  life  insurance  business in the District of
Columbia and all states except New York. A wholly owned  subsidiary of IDS Life,
IDS Life  Insurance  Company  of New York,  conducts a  substantially  identical
business in New York. IDS Life has been in the variable  annuity  business since
1968 and has sold a number of different  variable annuity contracts and variable
life insurance  policies,  utilizing  other separate  accounts,  unit investment
trusts and mutual funds.

Ownership

IDS Life is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express Financial  Corporation
(AEFC); AEFC, a Delaware  corporation,  is a wholly owned subsidiary of American
Express Company.

State regulation

IDS Life is subject to the laws of Minnesota  governing  insurance companies and
to regulation by the Minnesota Department of Commerce. In addition,  IDS Life is
subject to regulation  under the insurance laws of other  jurisdictions in which
it may  operate.  An  annual  statement  in a  prescribed  form  is  filed  with
Minnesota's  Department  of  Commerce  and in each  state in which IDS Life does
business.  IDS Life's books and accounts are subject to review by the  Minnesota
Department of Commerce at all times and a full  examination of its operations is
conducted  periodically.   Such  regulation  does  not,  however,   involve  any
supervision of management or investment practices or policies.



<PAGE>



PAGE 52
Distribution of the policy

IDS Life is the sole  distributor  of the policy.  IDS Life is  registered  as a
broker-dealer  under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD).  Representatives of IDS
Life are licensed insurance and annuity agents, and are registered with the NASD
as representatives of IDS Life.

IDS Life  pays its  representatives  a  commission  of up to 50% of the  initial
target premium  (annualized) when the policy is sold, plus 2% of all premiums in
excess of the target premium. Each year, IDS Life pays a service fee not greater
than  0.3%  of the  policy  value,  net of  indebtedness.  IDS  Life  also  pays
approximately  27% of the total  representative's  commission  to the field vice
presidents and district sales managers of the selling representative.

   
Legal proceedings

A number of  lawsuits  have been  filed  against  life and  health  insurers  in
jurisdictions  in  which  IDS  Life  does  business  involving  insurers'  sales
practices,  alleged agent misconduct,  failure to properly supervise agents, and
other matters. IDS Life, like other life and health insurers,  from time to time
is involved in such litigation.  On December 13, 1996, and action of this nature
was commenced in Minnesota  state court.  The plaintiffs  purport to represent a
class consisting of all persons who replaced existing IDS Life policies with new
IDS Life policies from and after January 1, 1985.  Plaintiffs seek damages in an
unspecified  amount and also seek to establish a claims resolution  facility for
the  determination  of  individual  issues.  IDS  Life  filed an  answer  to the
Complaint on February 18, 1997. A similar  action  involving the  replacement of
existing IDS Life insurance policies and annuity contracts was filed in the same
court on March 21, 1997.
    

IDS Life believes it has meritorious defenses to these and other actions arising
in connection with the conduct of its business  activities and intends to defend
them vigorously. IDS Life believes that it is not a party to, nor are any of its
properties  the  subject of, any pending  legal  proceedings  which would have a
material adverse effect on its consolidated financial condition.

Experts

   
The consolidated  financial statements of IDS Life Insurance Company at Dec. 31,
1996 and 1995,  and for each of the three  years in the period  ended  Dec.  31,
1996,  and the individual  and combined  financial  statements of the segregated
asset  subaccounts  of the IDS Life Variable Life Separate  Account for Flexible
Premium Survivorship  Variable Life Insurance (comprised of subaccounts U, V, W,
X, Y, IL, FGI and FNO) at Dec. 31, 1996,  and for each of the three years in the
period ended Dec. 31, 1996, except for the following subaccounts:  IL subaccount
which is for each of the two
    



<PAGE>



PAGE 53

   
years in the  period  ended  Dec.  31,  1996 and for the period  Oct.  28,  1994
(commencement of operations) to Dec. 31, 1996, FGI and FNO subaccounts which are
for the period Nov.  22, 1996  (commencement  of  operation)  to Dec.  31, 1994,
appearing in this prospectus have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent
auditors,  as set forth in their reports thereon appearing elsewhere herein, and
are included in reliance upon such reports given upon the authority of such firm
as experts in accounting and auditing.
    

Actuarial  matters  included in the  prospectus  have been  examined by James M.
Jensen,  F.S.A.,  M.A.A.A.,  Vice President,  Insurance Product Development,  as
stated in his opinion filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

Management of IDS Life

Directors

David R. Hubers
Director since September  1989;  president and chief  executive  officer,  AEFC,
since  August  1993,  and  director,  AEFC,  since  January  1984;  senior  vice
president,  finance and chief  financial  officer,  AEFC,  from  January 1984 to
August 1993.

Richard W. Kling
Director  since  February  1984;  president  since  March 1994.  Executive  vice
president,  Marketing  and  Products,  from  January  1988 to March  1994.  Vice
President,  AEFC, since January 1988; director of IDS Life Series Fund, Inc. and
chairman of the board of managers of IDS Life Variable Annuity Funds A & B.

Paul F. Kolkman
Director  since May 1984;  executive  vice  president  since  March  1994;  vice
president,  Finance,  from May 1984 to March 1994; vice president,  AEFC,  since
January 1987.

       
James A. Mitchell
Chairman  of the board  since  March  1994;  director  since  July  1984;  chief
executive  officer since November 1986;  president from July 1984 to March 1994;
executive vice president,  AEFC,  since March 1994;  director,  AEFC, since July
1984; senior vice president, AEFC, from July 1984 to March 1994.

Barry J. Murphy
Director and executive vice president,  Client Service since March 1994;  senior
vice  president,  Operations,  Travel  Related  Services  (TRS), a subsidiary of
American  Express Company,  since July 1992; vice president,  TRS, from November
1989 to July 1992;  chief  operating  officer,  TRS, from March 1988 to November
1989.

Stuart A. Sedlacek
Director and executive vice president,  Assured  Assets,  since March 1994; vice
president, AEFC, since September 1988.



<PAGE>



PAGE 54
Melinda S. Urion
Director and controller  since  September  1991;  executive vice president since
March 1994;  vice  president and treasurer  from  September  1991 to March 1994;
senior vice  president,  chief  financial  officer  and  director,  AEFC,  since
November 1995; corporate controller, AEFC from April 1994 to November 1995; vice
president, AEFC, from September 1991 to November 1995; chief accounting officer,
AEFC, from July 1988 to September 1991.

Officers Other Than Directors

Morris Goodwin Jr.
Vice  president and  treasurer  since March 1994;  vice  president and corporate
treasurer,  AEFC,  since July  1989;  chief  financial  officer  and  treasurer,
American Express Trust Company, from January 1988 to July 1989.

William A. Stoltzmann
Vice  president,  general  counsel and secretary  since 1985; vice president and
assistant general counsel, AEFC, since November 1985.

The address for all of the directors  and  principal  officers is: IDS Tower 10,
Minneapolis, MN 55440.

The officers, employees and sales force of IDS Life are bonded, in the amount of
$100 million,  by virtue of a blanket  fidelity bond issued to American  Express
Company by Saint Paul Fire and Marine, the lead underwriter.
   
AIM Advisors, Inc. and Putnam Investment Management, Inc.

AIM Advisors, Inc.

A I M Advisors,  Inc.  ("AIM") was  organized  in 1976 and is  headquartered  in
Houston, Texas. AIM is a wholly owned subsidiary of A I M Management Group Inc.,
an indirect  subsidiary of AMVESCO plc,  (formerly INVESCO plc). As of March 18,
1997,  total  assets  advised  or  managed  by AIM  and  its  subsidiaries  were
approximately $68 billion.

Putnam Management

Putnam  Management has been managing  mutual funds since 1937.  Today,  the firm
serves as the investment manager for the funds in the Putnam Family, with nearly
$141 billion in assets under management in over 7 million  shareholder  accounts
at December 31, 1996.

    

<PAGE>



PAGE 55
Other information

A  registration  statement  has been  filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  (SEC) under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as  amended.  For further
information  concerning the policy,  its separate account (the variable account)
and IDS Life,  please  refer to the  registration  statement,  as amended,  with
exhibits.

Substitution of investments
   
If shares of any fund are unavailable for purchase by the appropriate subaccount
or if, in the  judgment of IDS Life's  management,  further  investment  in such
shares  is  no  longer  appropriate,  shares  of  another  registered,  open-end
management investment company may be substituted.
    
If deemed by IDS Life to be in the best interest of persons having voting rights
under the policy,  the variable account may be operated as a management  company
under the Investment  Company Act of 1940, or it may be  deregistered  under the
Act if such registration is no longer required.

In the event of any such  substitution  or  change,  IDS Life may,  without  the
consent or  approval  of owners,  amend the policy and take  whatever  action is
necessary and appropriate.  However, no such substitution or change will be made
without any necessary  approval of the SEC or state insurance  departments.  IDS
Life will notify owners within five days of any substitution or change.

Voting rights

All shares issued by the fund are the same class (kind) -- capital  stock.  They
are fully paid and nonassessable and can be redeemed or transferred. They can be
issued as full shares or  fractions.  All shares  have equal  voting  rights;  a
fraction of a share has the same kind of rights and privileges as a full share.

   
Each of the funds issues its own series of common stock. The shares of each fund
represent an interest  only in that fund's assets (and profits or losses) and in
the event of  liquidation,  each share of a fund  would have the same  rights to
dividends and assets as every other share of that fund.

Each share of a fund has one vote. On some issues, such as election of directors
of IDS Life Series Fund, all shares of the IDS Life Series Fund  Portfolios vote
together as one series. When electing  directors,  all shares of IDS Life Series
Fund  Portfolios  have cumulative  voting rights.  Cumulative  voting means that
shareholders  are  entitled  to a number of votes  equal to the number of shares
they hold  multiplied by the number of directors to be elected and they have the
right to divide votes among candidates.
    



<PAGE>



PAGE 56
   
On an issue  affecting  only one fund -- for example,  a fundamental  investment
restriction  pertaining  only to  that  fund -- its  shares  vote as a  separate
series. If shareholders of a particular fund vote approval of an agreement,  the
agreement  becomes  effective  with  respect to that fund,  whether or not it is
approved by shareholders of the other funds.

IDS Life is the owner of all fund  shares and as such  holds all voting  rights.
However,  IDS  Life  will  vote  the  shares  of each  fund in  accordance  with
instructions received from owners. If we do not receive timely instructions from
you,  we will vote your  shares in the same  proportion  as the shares for which
instructions  are received.  Fund shares that are not otherwise  attributable to
owners will also be voted by IDS Life in the same  proportion as those shares in
that subaccount for which instructions are received.
    

We determine the number of fund shares in each subaccount for which you may give
instructions by applying your percentage interest in the subaccount to the total
number of votes attributable to the subaccount. The number will be determined as
of a date  chosen by IDS Life,  but not more than 60 days  before the meeting of
the fund.

Fractional  votes are  counted.  You will  receive  notice  of each  shareholder
meeting,  together with any proxy solicitation  materials and a statement of the
number of votes for which you are entitled to give instructions.

   
If  required  by  state  insurance  officials,  IDS Life  may  disregard  voting
instructions  that  would  change the goals of one or more of the funds or would
result in  approval  or  disapproval  of an  investment  advisory  contract.  In
addition,  IDS Life itself may disregard voting  instructions that would require
changes in the  investment  policy or  investment  advisor of one or more of the
funds,  if IDS Life  reasonably  disapproves  such  changes in  accordance  with
applicable federal regulations.  If IDS Life does disregard voting instructions,
it will,  in its next  report to  owners,  advise  them of that  action  and the
reasons for it.
    

Reports

At least once a year IDS Life will mail to you,  at your last  known  address of
record,  a report  containing  all  information  required by law or  regulation,
including a statement showing the current policy value.



<PAGE>



PAGE 57
Policy illustrations

The following  tables  illustrate how policy values,  cash surrender  values and
death benefits may change with the investment experience of the subaccount.  The
tables show how these  amounts  might vary,  for a male  insurance  age 55 and a
female insurance age 55, both nonsmokers, if:

     o the annual rate of return of the fund is 0%, 6% or 12%.

     o the cost of insurance rates are current rates or guaranteed
       rates.

Any such  illustration  involves a number of detailed  assumptions.  (See chart,
"Understanding  the  illustrations.")  To the extent that your own circumstances
differ from those assumed in the illustrations, your expected results would also
differ.

Upon request,  you will be furnished with comparable tables  illustrating  death
benefits,  policy values and cash  surrender  values based on the actual ages of
the persons you propose to insure and on an initial specified amount and premium
payment  schedule.  In  addition,  after you have  purchased  a policy,  you may
request illustrations based on policy values at the time of request.

Understanding the illustrations:

   
Rates of return: assumed to be uniform,  gross,  after-tax,  annual rates of 0%,
6%, or 12% for the fund. Results would differ depending on allocations among the
subaccounts,  if returns  averaged 0%, 6% and 12% for the funds as a whole,  but
differed across individual funds.
    

Insureds: assumed to be a male insurance age 55 and a female
insurance age 55, in a standard risk classification, qualifying for
the nonsmoker rate.  Results would be lower if one or both of the
insureds were in a substandard risk classification or did not
qualify for the non-smoker rate.

Premiums: A $15,000 premium is assumed to be paid in full at the
beginning of each policy year.  Results would differ if premiums
were paid on a different schedule.

Policy  loans and partial  withdrawals:  It is assumed that none have been made.
(Since indebtedness is assumed to be zero, the cash surrender value in all cases
equals the policy value minus the surrender charge.)



<PAGE>



PAGE 58
Effect of expenses and charges:  The net investment  return of the  subaccounts,
shown in the  tables,  is lower  than the  gross,  after-tax  return of the fund
because  expenses paid by the fund and charges made against the subaccounts have
been deducted. These include:

   
o the  daily  investment  management  fee  paid  by  the  funds,  assumed  to be
  equivalent to an annual rate of 0.7% of the fund's aggregate average daily net
  assets;
o the daily mortality and expense risk charge, equivalent to 0.9%
  of the daily net asset value of the subaccounts annually; and
o a nonadvisory expense charge paid by the funds, assumed to be equivalent to an
  annual  rate of 0.1% of each  funds  aggregate  average  daily net  assets for
  direct expenses incurred by the fund.

The  nonadvisory  expense  charge for the IDS Life  Series Fund is capped by IDS
Life at 0.1%,  even though  actual  expenses on IDS Life Series  Fund-Government
Securities  Portfolio ranged up to 0.18%, IDS Life Series-Money Market Portfolio
ranged  up to 0.23%  and IDS Life  Series  Fund-International  Equity  Portfolio
ranged up to 0.37%.  Although IDS Life reserves the right to discontinue capping
these  expenses,  our present intent is to continue the cap  indefinitely  until
actual expenses are less than the cap. Should IDS Life discontinue the cap prior
to that time, the policy values and death benefits in the tables generally would
be less.  Other  expenses for the year ended Dec. 31, 1996 were 0.09% for Putnam
VT New  Opportunities  Fund. For AIM V.I.  Growth and Income Fund other expenses
(annualized) were 0.13% for the period ended Dec. 31, 1996.
    

(After deduction of the above expenses and charges, the illustrated gross annual
investment  rates of return  of 0%, 6% and 12%  correspond  to  approximate  net
annual rates of -1.69%, 4.21% and 10.11%, respectively.)

   
Taxes:  Results  shown in the  tables  reflect  the fact  that IDS Life does not
currently  charge the  subaccounts  for federal  income tax. If such a charge is
taken in the future,  the funds will have to earn more than they do now in order
to produce the death benefits and policy values illustrated.
    


<PAGE>



PAGE 59

Illustration
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Initial specified amount $1,000,000            Male -   Insurance age 55 - Nonsmoker               Current costs assumed
Death benefit Option 1                         Female - Insurance age 55 - Nonsmoker                annual premium $15,000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Premium          Death benefit (1)(2)               Policy value (1)(2)               Cash surrender value (1)(2)
           accumulated      assuming hypothetical gross        assuming hypothetical gross       assuming hypothetical gross
End of     with annual      annual investment return of        annual investment return of       annual investment return of
policy     interest
year       at 5%          0%           6%          12%         0%        6%        12%          0%        6%        12%

     <S>    <C>           <C>          <C>         <C>          <C>       <C>        <C>          <C>       <C>       <C>  
     1      15750         1000000      1000000     1000000      12651     13424      14196        8651      9424      10196
     2      32288         1000000      1000000     1000000      25091     27415      29830       21091     23415      25830
     3      49652         1000000      1000000     1000000      37208     41880      46926       33208     37880      42926
     4      67884         1000000      1000000     1000000      48899     56727      65520       44899     52727      61520
     5      87029         1000000      1000000     1000000      60287     72093      85888       56287     68093      81888

     6     107130         1000000      1000000     1000000      71159     87781     107990       67559     84181     104390
     7     128237         1000000      1000000     1000000      81642    103927     132130       78442    100727     128930
     8     150398         1000000      1000000     1000000      91530    120341     158315       88730    117541     155515
     9     173668         1000000      1000000     1000000     100843    137053     186782       98443    134653     184382
    10     198102         1000000      1000000     1000000     109597    154091     217796      107597    152091     215796

    11     223757         1000000      1000000     1000000     117705    171386     251558      116105    169786     249958
    12     250695         1000000      1000000     1000000     125288    189070     288490      124088    187870     287290
    13     278979         1000000      1000000     1000000     132259    207081     328874      131459    206281     328074
    14     308678         1000000      1000000     1000000     138531    225360     373048      138131    224960     372648
    15     339862         1000000      1000000     1000000     144222    244042     421558      144222    224042     421558

    20     520789         1000000      1000000     1000000     164007    345156     751285      164007    345156     751285
    25     751702         1000000      1000000     1362530     151963    449820    1297647      151963    449820    1297647
    30    1046412         1000000      1000000     2280735      46519    529397    2172129       46519    529397    2172129
    35    1422545               0      1000000     3716419          0    526059    3539447           0    526059    3539447
    40    1902596               0      1000000     5931791          0    341804    5649324           0    341804    5649324
    45    2515277               0            0     9069560          0         0    8979762           0         0    8979762

(1) Assumes no policy loans or partial withdrawals have been made.

(2) Assumes a $15,000 premium is paid at the beginning of each policy year.  Values will be different if premiums are paid in
    different amounts or with a different frequency.
</TABLE>

The above  hypothetical  investment results are illustrative only and should not
be  deemed  a  representation  of  past or  future  investment  results.  Actual
investment  results  may be more or less than those  shown.  The death  benefit,
policy value and cash  surrender  value would be  different  from those shown if
returns averaged 0%, 6% and 12% over a period of years, but fluctuated above and
below those averages for individual policy years. No representation  can be made
that  these  hypothetical  rates of return can be  achieved  for any one year or
sustained over any period of time.



<PAGE>



PAGE 60
Illustration
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Initial specified amount $1,000,000            Male -   Insurance age 55 - Nonsmoker               Guaranteed costs assumed
Death benefit Option 1                         Female - Insurance age 55 - Nonsmoker                annual premium $15,000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Premium          Death benefit (1)(2)               Policy value (1)(2)               Cash surrender value (1)(2)
           accumulated      assuming hypothetical gross        assuming hypothetical gross       assuming hypothetical gross
End of     with annual      annual investment return of        annual investment return of       annual investment return of
policy     interest
year       at 5%          0%           6%          12%         0%        6%        12%          0%        6%        12%

     <S>    <C>           <C>          <C>         <C>          <C>       <C>        <C>          <C>       <C>       <C>  
     1      15750         1000000      1000000     1000000      12651     13424      14196        8651      9424      10196
     2      32288         1000000      1000000     1000000      25091     27415      29830       21091     23415      25830
     3      49652         1000000      1000000     1000000      37208     41880      46926       33208     37880      42926
     4      67884         1000000      1000000     1000000      48899     56727      65520       44899     52727      61520
     5      87029         1000000      1000000     1000000      60287     72093      85888       56287     68093      81888

     6     107130         1000000      1000000     1000000      71159     87781     107990       67559     84181     104390
     7     128237         1000000      1000000     1000000      81642    103927     132130       78442    100727     128930
     8     150398         1000000      1000000     1000000      91530    120341     158315       88730    117541     155515
     9     173668         1000000      1000000     1000000     100843    137053     186782       98443    134653     184382
    10     198102         1000000      1000000     1000000     109492    153988     217697      107492    151988    215697

    11     223757         1000000      1000000     1000000     117288    170973     251160      115688    169373     249560
    12     250695         1000000      1000000     1000000     124256    188039     287501      123056    186839     286301
    13     278979         1000000      1000000     1000000     130212    205026     326914      129412    204226     326114
    14     308678         1000000      1000000     1000000     135078    221870     369736      134678    221470     369336
    15     339862         1000000      1000000     1000000     138775    238514     416371      138775    238514     416371

    20     520789         1000000      1000000     1000000     129561    310821     724728      129561    310821     724728
    25     751702         1000000      1000000     1302265      23194    325124    1240252       23194    325124    1240252
    30    1046412               0      1000000     2163670          0    167003    2060638           0    167003    2060638
    35    1422545               0            0     3476899          0         0    3311332           0         0    3311332
    40    1902596               0            0     5409153          0         0    5151574           0         0    5151574
    45    2515277               0            0     7983928          0         0    7904880           0         0    7904880

(1) Assumes no policy loans or partial withdrawals have been made.

(2) Assumes a $15,000 premium is paid at the beginning of each policy year.  Values will be different if premiums are paid in
    different amounts or with a different frequency.
</TABLE>

The above  hypothetical  investment results are illustrative only and should not
be  deemed  a  representation  of  past or  future  investment  results.  Actual
investment  results  may be more or less than those  shown.  The death  benefit,
policy value and cash  surrender  value would be  different  from those shown if
returns averaged 0%, 6% and 12% over a period of years, but fluctuated above and
below those averages for individual policy years. No representation  can be made
that  these  hypothetical  rates of return can be  achieved  for any one year or
sustained over any period of time.



<PAGE>



PAGE 61
Illustration
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Initial specified amount $1,000,000            Male -   Insurance age 55 - Nonsmoker               Current costs assumed
Death benefit Option 2                         Female - Insurance age 55 - Nonsmoker                annual premium $15,000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Premium          Death benefit (1)(2)               Policy value (1)(2)               Cash surrender value (1)(2)
           accumulated      assuming hypothetical gross        assuming hypothetical gross       assuming hypothetical gross
End of     with annual      annual investment return of        annual investment return of       annual investment return of
policy     interest
year       at 5%          0%           6%          12%         0%        6%        12%          0%        6%        12%
     <S>    <C>           <C>          <C>         <C>          <C>       <C>        <C>          <C>       <C>       <C>  
     1      15750         1012650      1013422     1014195      12650     13422      14195        8650      9422      10195
     2      32288         1025086      1027410     1029825      25086     27410      29825       21086     23410      25825
     3      49652         1037195      1041864     1046909      37195     41864      46909       33195     37864      42909
     4      67884         1048862      1056683     1065469      48862     56683      65469       44862     52683      61469
     5      87029         1060214      1072004     1085780      60214     72004      85780       56214     68004      81780

     6     107130         1071019      1087604     1107768      71019     87604     107768       67419     84004     104168
     7     128237         1081406      1103617     1131726      81406    103617     131726       78206    100417     128526
     8     150398         1091143      1119816     1157604      91143    119816     157604       88343    117016     154804
     9     173668         1100242      1136207     1185594     100242    136207     185594       97842    133807     183194
    10     198102         1108715      1152801     1215912     108715    152801     215912      106715    150801     213912

    11     223757         1116452      1169483     1248666     116452    169483     248666      114852    167883     247066
    12     250695         1123585      1186379     1284229     123585    186379     284229      122385    185179     283029
    13     278979         1130005      1203375     1322758     130005    203375     322758      129205    202575     321958
    14     308678         1135607      1220355     1364430     135607    220355     364430      135207    219955     364030
    15     339862         1140521      1237439     1409686     140521    237439     409686      140521    237439     409686

    20     520789         1154361      1323780     1703041     154361    323780     703041      154361    323780     703041
    25     751702         1130471      1388619     2131448     130471    388619    1131448      130471    388619    1131448
    30    1046412         1007126      1352982     2694292       7126    352982    1694292        7126    352982    1694292
    35    1422545               0      1067303     3330814          0     67303    2330814           0     67303    2330814
    40    1902596               0            0     4052478          0         0    3052478           0         0    3052478
    45    2515277               0            0     4424523          0         0    3424523           0         0    3424523

(1) Assumes no policy loans or partial withdrawals have been made.

(2) Assumes a $15,000 premium is paid at the beginning of each policy year.  Values will be different if premiums are paid in
    different amounts or with a different frequency.
</TABLE>

The above  hypothetical  investment results are illustrative only and should not
be  deemed  a  representation  of  past or  future  investment  results.  Actual
investment  results  may be more or less than those  shown.  The death  benefit,
policy value and cash  surrender  value would be  different  from those shown if
returns averaged 0%, 6% and 12% over a period of years, but fluctuated above and
below those averages for individual policy years. No representation  can be made
that  these  hypothetical  rates of return can be  achieved  for any one year or
sustained over any period of time.



<PAGE>



PAGE 62
Illustration
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Initial specified amount $1,000,000            Male -   Insurance age 55 - Nonsmoker               Guaranteed costs assumed
Death benefit Option 2                         Female - Insurance age 55 - Nonsmoker                annual premium $15,000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Premium          Death benefit (1)(2)               Policy value (1)(2)               Cash surrender value (1)(2)
           accumulated      assuming hypothetical gross        assuming hypothetical gross       assuming hypothetical gross
End of     with annual      annual investment return of        annual investment return of       annual investment return of
policy     interest
year       at 5%          0%           6%          12%         0%        6%        12%          0%        6%        12%

     <S>    <C>           <C>          <C>         <C>          <C>       <C>        <C>          <C>       <C>       <C>  
     1      15750         1012650      1013422     1014195      12650     13422      14195        8650      9422      10195
     2      32288         1025086      1027410     1029825      25086     27410      29825       21086     23410      25825
     3      49652         1037195      1041864     1046909      37195     41864      46909       33195     37864      42909
     4      67884         1048862      1056683     1065469      48862     56683      65469       44862     52683      61469
     5      87029         1060214      1072004     1085780      60214     72004      85780       56214     68004      81780

     6     107130         1071019      1087604     1107768      71019     87604     107768       67419     84004     104168
     7     128237         1081406      1103617     1131726      81406    103617     131726       78206    100417     128526
     8     150398         1091143      1119816     1157604      91143    119816     157604       88343    117016     154804
     9     173668         1100242      1136207     1185594     100242    136207     185594       97842    133807     183194
    10     198102         1108596      1152679     1215786     108596    152679     215786      106596    150679     213786

    11     223757         1115980      1168989     1248149     115980    168989     248149      114380    167389     246549
    12     250695         1122410      1185130     1282904     122410    185130     282904      121210    183930     281704
    13     278979         1127665      1200852     1320041     127665    200852     320041      126865    200052     319241
    14     308678         1131648      1216014     1359674     131648    216014     359674      131248    215614     359274
    15     339862         1134260      1230470     1401932     134260    230470     401932      134260    230470     401932

    20     520789         1114956      1277423     1648090     114956    277423     648090      114956    277423     648090
    25     751702               0      1217641     1912766          0    217641     912766           0    217641     912766
    30    1046412               0            0     2085053          0         0    1085053           0         0    1085053
    35    1422545               0            0     1925001          0         0     925001           0         0     925001
    40    1902596               0            0     1056450          0         0      56450           0         0      56450
    45    2515277               0            0           0          0         0          0           0         0          0

(1) Assumes no policy loans or partial withdrawals have been made.

(2) Assumes a $15,000 premium is paid at the beginning of each policy year.  Values will be different if premiums are paid in
    different amounts or with a different frequency.
</TABLE>

The above  hypothetical  investment results are illustrative only and should not
be  deemed  a  representation  of  past or  future  investment  results.  Actual
investment  results  may be more or less than those  shown.  The death  benefit,
policy value and cash  surrender  value would be  different  from those shown if
returns averaged 0%, 6% and 12% over a period of years, but fluctuated above and
below those averages for individual policy years. No representation  can be made
that  these  hypothetical  rates of return can be  achieved  for any one year or
sustained over any period of time.

<PAGE>


Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Insurance Policy

Annual Financial Information

Report of Independent Auditors

The Board of Directors
IDS Life Insurance Company

We have audited the accompanying individual and combined statements
of net assets of the  segregated  asset  subaccounts  of IDS Life  Variable Life
Separate  Account for Flexible  Premium  Survivorship  Variable  Life  Insurance
(comprised  of  subaccounts  U, V, W, X, Y, IL, FGI and FNO) as of December  31,
1996,  and the related  statements of  operations  and changes in net assets for
each of the three  years in the period  then  ended,  except for the FGI and FNO
subaccounts  which  are  for the  period  November  22,  1996  (commencement  of
operations)  to December 31, 1996 and the IL subaccount  which is for each of 
the two years in the period ended December 31, 1996 and for the period October 
28, 1994  (commencement  of  operations)  to December  31,  1994.  These 
financial  statements  are the  responsibility  of the  management  of IDS  Life
Insurance  Company.  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. Our procedures included
confirmation  of  securities  owned at  December  31,  1996 with the affiliated
and unaffiliated mutual fund managers.  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 individual and combined  financial  position of the
segregated asset subaccounts of IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account for 
Flexible Premium  Survivorship  Variable Life Insurance at December 31, 1996 
and the  individual and combined  results of their  operations and the changes
in their net assets for the periods  described above, in conformity with 
generally accepted accounting principles. 



ERNST & YOUNG LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 21, 1997


<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account-Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Subaccounts

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statements of Net Assets                                                                                      Dec. 31, 1996

                                                                          Segregated Asset Subaccounts
                                                 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assets                                                   U               V             W                X            Y
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                 <C>             <C>            <C>           <C>              <C>      
Investments in shares of mutual fund portfolios
and funds, at market value:
IDS Life Series Fund Equity Portfolio -
19,949,118 shares at net asset value
of  $25.65 per share (cost $417,245,751)           $511,780,273   $         --   $         --   $         --   $         --
IDS Life Series Fund Income Portfolio -
5,355,948 shares at net asset value
of  $10.17 per share (cost $53,157,977)                      --     54,451,972             --             --             --
IDS Life Series Fund Money Market Portfolio -
17,412,099 shares at net asset value
of  $1.00 per share (cost $17,410,679)                       --             --     17,410,456             --             --
IDS Life Series Fund Managed Portfolio -
19,453,108 shares at net asset value
of  $17.06 per share (cost $286,974,981)                     --             --             --    331,841,371             --
IDS Life Series Fund Government Securities
Portfolio -
917,540 shares at net asset value
of  $10.03 per share (cost $9,263,943)                       --             --             --             --      9,201,807
IDS Life Series Fund International Equity
Portfolio -  6,609,679 shares at net asset value
of  $15.04 per share (cost $92,717,017)                      --             --             --             --             --
AIM V.I. Growth & Income Fund - 
85,916 shares at net asset value
of  $15.03 per share (cost $1,296,276)                       --             --             --             --             --
Putnam New Opportunities Fund
136,562 shares at net asset value
of  $17.22 per share (cost $2,369,506)                       --             --             --             --             --
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    511,780,273     54,451,972     17,410,456    331,841,371      9,201,807
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividends receivable                                         --        306,251         68,520             --         43,939
Accounts receivable from IDS Life for contract
purchase payments                                       359,107         97,806             --        287,541         60,500
Receivable from mutual fund portfolios
     for redemptions                                         --             --        151,268             --             --
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total assets                                        512,139,380     54,856,029     17,630,244    332,128,912      9,306,246
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liabilities
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payable to IDS Life for:
Mortality and expense risk fee                          751,408         42,557         12,832        489,659          7,083
Contract terminations                                        --             --        151,268          2,099             --
Payable to mutual fund portfolios and funds
   for investments purchased                            359,107        361,500         55,688        285,442         97,356
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total liabilities                                     1,110,515        404,057        219,788        777,200        104,439
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets applicable to Variable Life
   contracts in accumulation period                $511,028,865   $ 54,451,972   $ 17,410,456   $331,351,712   $  9,201,807
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accumulation units outstanding                      153,373,376     26,774,670     11,458,041    109,309,116      4,856,455
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value per accumulation unit              $       3.33   $       2.03   $       1.52   $       3.03   $       1.89
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account-Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Subaccounts

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statements of Net Assets                                                                              Dec. 31, 1996

                                                                   Segregated Asset Subaccounts
                                                 ----------------------------------------------------------Combined
Assets                                                      IL             FGI              FNO            Variable
                                                                                                            Account
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                   <C>               <C>              <C>          <C>          
Investments in shares of mutual fund portfolios and
funds, at market value:
IDS Life Series Fund Equity Portfolio -
19,949,118 shares at net asset value
of  $25.65 per share (cost $417,245,751)          $           --   $           --   $           --   $  511,780,273
IDS Life Series Fund Income Portfolio -
5,355,948 shares at net asset value
of  $10.17 per share (cost $53,157,977)                       --               --               --       54,451,972
IDS Life Series Fund Money Market Portfolio -
17,412,099 shares at net asset value
of  $1.00 per share (cost $17,410,679)                        --               --               --       17,410,456
IDS Life Series Fund Managed Portfolio -
19,453,108 shares at net asset value
of  $17.06 per share (cost $286,974,981)                      --               --               --      331,841,371
IDS Life Series Fund Government Securities
Portfolio -   917,540 shares at net asset value
of  $10.03 per share (cost $9,263,943)                        --               --               --        9,201,807
IDS Life Series Fund International Equity
Portfolio -  6,609,679 shares at net asset value
of  $15.04 per share (cost $92,717,017)               99,404,854               --               --       99,404,854
AIM V.I. Growth & Income Fund - 
85,916 shares at net asset value
of  $15.03 per share (cost $1,296,276)                        --        1,291,317               --        1,291,317
Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund -
136,562 shares at net asset value
of  $17.22 per share (cost $2,369,506)                        --               --        2,351,605        2,351,605
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      99,404,854        1,291,317        2,351,605    1,027,733,655
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividends receivable                                          --               --               --          418,710
Accounts receivable from IDS Life for contract
purchase payments                                        268,398           95,743          130,166        1,299,261
Receivable from mutual fund portfolios 
    for redemptions                                           --               --               --          151,268
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total assets                                          99,673,252        1,387,060        2,481,771    1,029,602,894
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liabilities
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payable to IDS Life for:
Mortality and expense risk fee                           139,262              564            1,009        1,444,374
Contract terminations                                         --               --               --          153,367
Payable to mutual fund portfolios and funds
for investments purchased                                498,406           95,743          130,166        1,883,408
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total liabilities                                        637,668           96,307          131,175        3,481,149
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets applicable to Variable Life
contracts in accumulation period                  $   99,035,584   $    1,290,753   $    2,350,596   $1,026,121,745
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accumulation units outstanding                        59,452,809        1,288,668        2,406,142
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value per accumulation unit             $         1.67   $         1.00   $         0.98
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account-Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Subaccounts
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statements of Operations                                                                                Year ended Dec. 31, 1996

                                                                                  Segregated Asset Subaccounts
                                                           ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 U             V               W            X              Y
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                        <C>           <C>            <C>            <C>           <C>        
Investment income (loss):
Dividend income from mutual fund
 portfolios and funds                                      $66,883,373   $ 3,233,159    $   611,169    $21,120,183   $   532,217
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risk fee                               3,754,636       437,113        114,838      2,565,481       103,203
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Investment income (loss) - net                              63,128,737     2,796,046        496,331     18,554,702       429,014
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments - net

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Realized gain on sales of investments in
mutual fund portfolios and funds:
Proceeds from sales                                          2,580,239     3,501,950      6,220,752      1,852,115     1,415,835
Cost of investments sold                                     1,907,065     3,439,003      6,220,842      1,633,941     1,428,871
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net realized gain(loss) on investments                         673,174        62,947            (90)       218,174       (13,036)
Net change in unrealized appreciation or
depreciation of investments                                  5,691,003    (1,319,174)           (94)    17,604,775      (403,974)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net gain (loss) on investments                               6,364,177    (1,256,227)          (184)    17,822,949      (417,010)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting
from operations                                            $69,492,914   $ 1,539,819    $   496,147    $36,377,651   $    12,004
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*For the period from Nov. 22, 1996 (commencement of operations) to Dec. 31, 1996.
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account-Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Subaccounts
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statements of Operations                                                                      Year ended Dec. 31, 1996

                                                                         Segregated Asset Subaccounts
                                                        ------------------------------------------------------Combined
                                                                 IL            FGI*              FNO*         Variable
                                                                                                               Account
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                        <C>            <C>             <C>             <C>         
Investment income (loss):
Dividend income from mutual fund
 portfolios and funds                                      $  6,174,491   $      8,263    $         --    $ 98,562,855
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risk fee                                  553,611            576           1,042       7,530,500
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Investment income (loss) - net                                5,620,880          7,687          (1,042)     91,032,355
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments - net
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Realized gain on sales of investments in
mutual fund portfolios and funds:
Proceeds from sales                                                  --             --              --      15,570,891
Cost of investments sold                                             --             --              --      14,629,722
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net realized gain(loss) on investments                               --             --              --         941,169
Net change in unrealized appreciation or
depreciation of investments                                   2,374,285         (4,959)        (17,901)     23,923,961
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net gain (loss) on investments                                2,374,285         (4,959)        (17,901)     24,865,130
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting
from operations                                            $  7,995,165   $      2,728    $    (18,943)   $115,897,485
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*For the period from Nov. 22, 1996 (commencement of operations) to Dec. 31, 1996.
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account - Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Subaccounts
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statements of Operations                                                                                   Year ended Dec. 31, 1995

                                                             Segregated Asset Subaccounts                                  Combined
                                   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Variable
                                        U              V             W              X            Y             IL           Account
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                               <C>            <C>            <C>           <C>            <C>          <C>          <C>
Investment income:
Dividend income from
mutual fund portfolios .........  $  5,405,186   $  2,256,517   $  369,544    $  9,316,974   $  425,859   $  168,339   $ 17,942,419
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expenses:
Mortality and expense
risk fee .......................     2,240,441        298,775       64,375       1,761,361       62,389      112,228      4,539,569
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Investment income--net .........     3,164,745      1,957,742      305,169       7,555,613      363,470       56,111     13,402,850
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments -- net
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Realized gain (loss) on sales of
investments in mutual
fund portfolios: 
Proceeds from sales ............     2,030,794      1,262,058    4,382,642       2,054,955    1,009,224       19,482     10,759,155
Cost of investments sold .......     1,586,450      1,260,160    4,382,780       1,946,416    1,005,908       17,414     10,199,128
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net realized gain (loss) on
investments ....................       444,344          1,898         (138)        108,539        3,316        2,068        560,027
Net change in unrealized
appreciation or depreciation
of investments .................    72,066,408      4,051,945           60      26,093,487      713,207    4,338,153    107,263,260
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net gain (loss) on
investments ....................    72,510,752      4,053,843          (78)     26,202,026      716,523    4,340,221    107,823,287
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase in
net assets resulting from
operations .....................  $ 75,675,497   $  6,011,585   $  305,091    $ 33,757,639   $1,079,993   $4,396,332   $121,226,137
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account - Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Subaccounts
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statements of Operations                                                         Year ended Dec. 31, 1994

                                                       Segregated Asset Subaccounts
                                  U              V            W           X            Y         IL*    
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                         <C>           <C>           <C>          <C>           <C>           <C>
Investment income (loss):
Dividend income from
mutual fund portfolios...   $13,315,288   $ 1,852,616   $  200,930   $14,283,336   $  431,043    $     --
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------
Expenses:
Mortality and expense
risk fee (Note 3)........     1,252,075       232,967       49,351     1,197,216       57,443       2,115
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total expenses...........     1,252,075       232,967       49,351     1,197,216       57,443       2,115
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Investment income
(loss) -- net............    12,063,213     1,619,649      151,579    13,086,120      373,600      (2,115)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments -- net                                               
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Realized gain (loss) on sales
of investments in mutual
fund portfolios:
Proceeds from sales......        39,266     2,392,412    4,239,196       601,333    1,065,052          --
Cost of investments sold..       36,448     2,442,459    4,239,286       578,188    1,090,577          --
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net realized gain (loss) on
investments..............         2,818       (50,047)         (90)       23,145      (25,525)         --
Net change in unrealized
appreciation or depreciation
of investments...........    (7,104,030)   (2,959,460)        (199)  (13,046,187)    (718,640)    (24,601)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net loss on investments..    (7,101,212)   (3,009,507)        (289)  (13,023,042)    (744,165)    (24,601)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in
net assets resulting from
operations...............   $ 4,962,001   $(1,389,858)  $  151,290   $    63,078   $ (370,565)   $(26,716)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* For the period Oct. 28, 1994 (commencement of operations) to Dec. 31, 1994.
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account - 
Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable 
Life Subaccounts
- ------------------------------------------
Statements of Operations
                  Year ended Dec. 31, 1994

                                  Combined
                                  Variable
                                   Account
- ------------------------------------------
Investment income (loss):
Dividend income from
mutual fund portfolios...      $30,083,213
- ------------------------------------------
Expenses:
Mortality and expense
risk fee (Note 3)........        2,791,167
- ------------------------------------------
Total expenses...........        2,791,167
- ------------------------------------------
Investment income
(loss) -- net............       27,292,046
- ------------------------------------------

Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) 
on Investments -- net
- ------------------------------------------
Realized gain (loss) on
sales of investments in
mutual fund portfolios:
Proceeds from sales......        8,337,259
Cost of investments
sold.....................        8,386,958
- ------------------------------------------
Net realized gain (loss) on
investments..............          (49,699)
Net change in unrealized
appreciation or
depreciation of
investments..............      (23,853,117)
- ------------------------------------------
Net loss on investments..      (23,902,816)
- ------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in net assets
resulting from operations      $ 3,389,230
- ------------------------------------------
* For the period Oct. 28, 1994 (commencement 
of operations) to Dec. 31, 1994.
See accompanying notes to financial statements.



<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account-Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Subaccounts

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statements of Changes in Net Assets                                                                       Year ended Dec. 31, 1996

                                                                            Segregated Asset Subaccounts
                                              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operations                                              U                 V                W               X                Y

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                              <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>          
Investment income (loss) - net                   $  63,128,737    $   2,796,046    $     496,331    $  18,554,702    $     429,014
Net realized gain (loss) on investments                673,174           62,947              (90)         218,174          (13,036)
Net change in unrealized appreciation or
depreciation of investments                          5,691,003       (1,319,174)             (94)      17,604,775         (403,974)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) from operations             69,492,914        1,539,819          496,147       36,377,651           12,004
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contract Transactions
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Variable life contract purchase payments           105,961,565       13,310,365        9,046,621       66,518,941        2,145,072
Net transfers*                                      66,015,408        3,722,805       (1,205,578)      22,431,178          692,739
Transfers for policy loans                          (6,244,169)        (355,098)          27,139       (3,900,647)         (80,185)
Policy charges                                     (23,329,445)      (3,771,136)      (1,130,174)     (17,570,432)        (802,276)
Contract terminations:
Surrender benefits                                 (14,981,757)      (1,611,110)        (450,677)     (10,189,903)        (266,418)
Death benefits                                        (952,889)        (205,738)         (28,391)        (652,571)         (45,597)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Increase (decrease) from contract transactions     126,468,713       11,090,088        6,258,940       56,636,566        1,643,335
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets at beginning of year                    315,067,238       41,822,065       10,655,369      238,337,495        7,546,468
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets at end of year                        $ 511,028,865    $  54,451,972    $  17,410,456    $ 331,351,712    $   9,201,807
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accumulation Unit Activity
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Units outstanding at beginning of year             112,397,698       21,093,984        7,292,031       89,225,571        3,992,247
Contract purchase payments                          34,307,830        6,801,860        6,064,251       23,599,318        1,157,302
Net transfers*                                      21,380,545        1,912,837         (839,017)       7,943,928          352,919
Transfers for policy loans                          (2,016,634)        (182,651)          18,550       (1,382,862)         (43,801)
Contract charges                                    (7,542,639)      (1,925,848)        (757,352)      (6,225,537)        (432,937)
Contract terminations:
Surrender benefits                                  (4,851,362)        (820,422)        (301,100)      (3,621,740)        (144,876)
Death benefits                                        (302,062)        (105,090)         (19,322)        (229,562)         (24,398)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Units outstanding at end of year                   153,373,376       26,774,670       11,458,041      109,309,116        4,856,455
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Includes transfer activity from (to) other subaccounts and transfers from (to) IDS Life's Fixed Account.
**For the period from Nov. 22, 1996 (commencement of operations) to Dec. 31, 1996.
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account-Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Subaccounts

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statements of Changes in Net Assets                                                              Year ended Dec. 31, 1996


                                                                     Segregated Asset Subaccounts
                                              -------------------------------------------------------------------Combined
Operations                                                 IL               FGI**             FNO**              Variable
                                                                                                                  Account
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                              <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>            
Investment income (loss) - net                   $     5,620,880    $         7,687    $        (1,042)   $    91,032,355
Net realized gain (loss) on investments                       --                 --                 --            941,169
Net change in unrealized appreciation or
depreciation of investments                            2,374,285             (4,959)           (17,901)        23,923,961
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) from operations                7,995,165              2,728            (18,943)       115,897,485
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contract Transactions
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Variable life contract purchase payments              28,312,012            143,703            362,548        225,800,827
Net transfers*                                        43,320,118          1,148,866          2,017,177        138,142,713
Transfers for policy loans                              (665,251)              (596)            (2,348)       (11,221,155)
Policy charges                                        (3,387,753)            (3,948)            (7,838)       (50,003,002)
Contract terminations:
Surrender benefits                                    (1,284,169)                --                 --        (28,784,034)
Death benefits                                           (77,361)                --                 --         (1,962,547)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Increase (decrease) from contract transactions        66,217,596          1,288,025          2,369,539        271,972,802
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets at beginning of year                       24,822,823                 --                 --        638,251,458
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets at end of year                        $    99,035,584    $     1,290,753    $     2,350,596    $ 1,026,121,745
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accumulation Unit Activity
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Units outstanding at beginning of year                18,302,995                 --                 --
Contract purchase payments                            17,547,447            143,377            369,755
Net transfers*                                        26,953,612          1,149,856          2,046,787
Transfers for policy loans                              (412,513)              (611)            (2,377)
Contract charges                                      (2,093,202)            (3,955)            (8,024)
Contract terminations:
Surrender benefits                                      (797,805)                --                 --
Death benefits                                           (47,725)                --                 --
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Units outstanding at end of year                      59,452,809          1,288,668          2,406,142
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Includes transfer activity from (to) other subaccounts and transfers from (to) IDS Life's Fixed Account.
**For the period from Nov. 22, 1996 (commencement of operations) to Dec. 31, 1996.
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account -- Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Subaccounts
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statements of Changes in Net Assets                                                                        Year ended Dec. 31, 1995

                                               Segregated Asset Subaccounts                                                Combined
                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------       Variable
Operations                         U             V              W               X              Y              IL            Account
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                          <C>           <C>            <C>           <C>              <C>            <C>            <C>         
Investment income -- net .   $  3,164,745  $ 1,957,742    $   305,169   $   7,555,613    $   363,470    $    56,111    $ 13,402,850
Net realized gain
(loss) on investments ....        444,344        1,898           (138)        108,539          3,316          2,068         560,027
Net change in unrealized
appreciation or
depreciation of
investments ..............     72,066,408    4,051,945             60      26,093,487        713,207      4,338,153     107,263,260
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase
in net assets resulting
from operations ..........     75,675,497    6,011,585        305,091      33,757,639      1,079,993      4,396,332     121,226,137
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contract Transactions
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Variable life
contract purchase
payments .................     65,899,530    8,927,561      3,827,646      53,655,655      1,708,490      8,359,743     142,378,625
Net transfers* ...........     26,661,981    4,547,910      1,986,781      15,550,065       (413,095)    10,873,809      59,207,451
Transfers for
policy loans .............     (3,999,311)    (424,646)      (139,379)     (2,605,848)       (62,672)      (159,345)     (7,391,201)
Policy charges ...........    (17,285,517)  (2,859,472)      (698,384)    (15,283,083)      (785,784)      (958,424)    (37,870,664)
Contract terminations:
Surrender benefits .......     (8,829,772)  (1,144,868)      (425,657)     (7,032,033)      (328,204)      (231,490)    (17,992,024)
Death benefits ...........       (245,450)     (68,976)        (8,227)       (300,012)       (35,240)        (2,966)       (660,871)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Increase from contract
transactions .............     62,201,461    8,977,509      4,542,780      43,984,744         83,495     17,881,327     137,671,316
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets at
beginning of year ........    177,190,280   26,832,971      5,807,498     160,595,112      6,382,980      2,545,164     379,354,005
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets at end
of year ..................   $315,067,238  $41,822,065    $10,655,369   $ 238,337,495    $ 7,546,468    $24,822,823    $638,251,458
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Accumulation Unit Activity
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Units outstanding
at beginning of
year .....................     86,671,509   16,248,127      4,147,565      70,902,569      3,949,666      2,581,651
Contract purchase
payments .................     27,401,979    4,900,338      2,667,651      22,373,025        977,297      7,327,340
Net transfers* ...........     10,887,309    2,417,994      1,361,557       6,465,711       (244,047)     9,554,177
Transfers for
policy loans .............     (1,647,099)    (231,730)       (95,887)     (1,089,571)       (35,608)      (137,740)
Policy charges ...........     (7,207,668)  (1,574,630)      (487,738)     (6,377,740)      (448,607)      (829,452)
Contract terminations:
Surrender
benefits .................     (3,608,606)    (628,575)      (295,330)     (2,922,433)      (186,158)      (190,349)
Death benefits ...........        (99,726)     (37,540)        (5,787)       (125,990)       (20,296)        (2,632)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Units outstanding
at end of year ...........    112,397,698   21,093,984      7,292,031      89,225,571      3,992,247     18,302,995
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Includes transfer activity from (to) other subaccounts and transfers from (to)
IDS Life's Fixed Account. See accompanying notes to financial statements.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account -- Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life Subaccounts
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statements of Changes in Net Assets                                                                        Year ended Dec. 31, 1994

                                                             Segregated Asset Subaccounts                                  Combined
                              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------       Variable
Operations                         U               V             W             X               Y             IL*            Account
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                          <C>            <C>            <C>           <C>             <C>          <C>              <C>
Investment income
(loss) -- net ............   $ 12,063,213   $  1,619,649   $   151,579   $ 13,086,120    $  373,600   $      (2,115)   $ 27,292,046
Net realized gain (loss)
on investments ...........          2,818        (50,047)          (90)        23,145       (25,525)             --         (49,699)
Net change in unrealized
appreciation or
depreciation of
investments ..............     (7,104,030)    (2,959,460)         (199)   (13,046,187)     (718,640)        (24,601)    (23,853,117)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease)
in net assets resulting
from operations ..........      4,962,001     (1,389,858)      151,290         63,078      (370,565)        (26,716)      3,389,230
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contract Transactions
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Variable life
contract purchase
payments .................     53,662,326      8,536,627     3,045,575     47,393,912     2,349,108         479,249     115,466,797
Net transfers** ..........     31,299,656        674,364      (558,467)    29,895,792      (387,467)      2,131,779      63,055,657
Transfers for
policy loans .............     (2,091,783)      (300,575)      (58,150)    (2,044,233)      (54,511)          2,570      (4,546,682)
Policy charges............    (13,474,555)    (2,647,918)     (607,708)   (12,642,019)     (803,474)        (32,704)    (30,208,378)
Contract terminations:
Surrender benefits........     (6,281,648)    (1,072,188)     (131,954)    (6,054,959)     (240,666)         (9,014)    (13,790,429)
Death benefits ...........       (140,601)       (66,862)         (526)      (174,073)      (12,924)             --        (394,986)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Increase from contract
transactions .............     62,973,395      5,123,448     1,688,770     56,374,420       850,066       2,571,880     129,581,979
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets at
beginning of year ........    109,254,884     23,099,381     3,967,438    104,157,614     5,903,479              --     246,382,796
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets at end
of year ..................   $177,190,280   $ 26,832,971   $ 5,807,498   $160,595,112    $6,382,980     $ 2,545,164    $379,354,005
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Accumulation Unit Activity
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Units outstanding
at beginning of
year .....................     54,422,093     13,255,311     2,911,403     45,869,757     3,444,125              --
Contract purchase
payments .................     27,492,793      5,083,028     2,210,496     21,082,609     1,429,074         476,913
Net transfers** ..........     16,014,201        346,533      (394,967)    13,252,188      (244,851)      2,144,481
Transfers for
policy loans .............     (1,070,031)      (178,817)      (42,438)      (910,619)      (33,478)          2,570
Policy charges ...........     (6,903,443)    (1,581,088)     (440,906)    (5,623,402)     (490,857)        (33,133)
Contract terminations:
Surrender
benefits .................     (3,212,348)      (637,064)      (95,759)    (2,691,231)     (146,375)         (9,180)
Death benefits ...........        (71,756)       (39,776)         (264)       (76,733)       (7,972)             --
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Units outstanding
at end of year ...........     86,671,509     16,248,127     4,147,565     70,902,569     3,949,666       2,581,651
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*  For the period Oct. 28, 1994 (commencement of operations) to Dec. 31, 1994.
** Includes  transfer  activity from (to) other  subaccounts  and transfers from
(to) IDS Life's Fixed Account. See accompanying notes to financial statements.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
Notes to Financial Statements

- -----------------------------------------------------
1.  Organization

IDS Life Variable Life Separate  Account (the Variable  Account) was established
on Oct. 16, 1985 as a segregated  asset  account of IDS Life  Insurance  Company
(IDS Life) under  Minnesota law and is  registered  as a single unit  investment
trust under the  Investment  Company  Act of 1940.  Operations  of the  Variable
Account commenced on Jan. 20, 1986.

The Variable  Account is comprised  of various  subaccounts.  The assets of each
subaccount of the Variable Account are not chargeable with  liabilities  arising
out of the business  conducted by any other subaccount,  account or by IDS Life.
The assets of the Variable  Account  shall be available,  however,  to cover the
liabilities of IDS Life to the extent the assets of the Variable  Account exceed
its liabilities  arising under the policies  supported by it.  Flexible  Premium
Survivorship  Variable Life policy owners  allocate their premium payment to one
or more of the  eight  subaccounts  which  are  used in  connection  with  those
policies.  Such funds are then invested in shares of six  portfolios of IDS Life
Series Fund,  Inc. (the mutual fund);  or in the AIM V.I. Growth and Income Fund
or in the Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund.

The mutual fund, a Minnesota  corporation,  which commenced  operations Jan. 20,
1986, is registered  under the Investment  Company Act of 1940 as a diversified,
open-end management  investment  company.  AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Inc., a
Maryland  Corporation,  which  was  incorporated  on Jan.  22,  1993,  is also a
diversified,  open-end  management  investment  company.  Putnam Variable Trust,
which was organized on Sept. 24, 1987, is a Massachusetts  business trust. Funds
are  allocated to the  subaccounts  which are used in  connection  with Flexible
Premium Survivorship Variable Life policies;  Subaccount U invests in the shares
of the  Equity  Portfolio;  Subaccount  V invests  in the  shares of the  Income
Portfolio;  Subaccount  W invests in the shares of the Money  Market  Portfolio;
Subaccount  X invests  in the  shares of the  Managed  Portfolio;  Subaccount  Y
invests in the shares of the  Government  Securities  Portfolio;  Subaccount  IL
invests in the shares of the  International  Equity  Portfolio;  Subaccount  FGI
invests in the AIM V.I. Growth and Income Fund and Subaccount FNO invests in the
Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund.

IDS  Life  acts  as  the  investment  manager  and  American  Express  Financial
Corporation acts as the investment advisor of the IDS Life Series Fund, Inc. IDS
Life serves as distributor  for the Variable  Account and the underlying  series
mutual fund.  AIM Management  Froup Inc. acts as the invesement  manager for AIM
V.I. Growth and Income Fund. Putnam  Investments acts as the investment  manager
for Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund.

- -----------------------------------------------------
2.  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Investments in Mutual Funds
Investments in shares of the mutual fund Portfolio(s) or shares in the Funds are
stated at market value which is the net asset value per share as  determined  by
the respective portfolio or fund.  Investment  transactions are accounted for on
the date the shares are purchased  and sold.  The cost of  investments  sold and
redeemed  is  determined  on the average  cost  method.  Dividend  distributions
received from the  Portfolios or the Funds are  reinvested,  net of any expenses
payable to IDS Life,  in  additional  shares of the  Portfolios or Funds and are
recorded as income by the subaccounts on the ex-dividend date.

Unrealized  appreciation  or  depreciation  of investments  in the  accompanying
financial  statements  represents the  subaccounts'  share of the Portfolios' or
Funds' undistributed net investment income,  undistributed realized gain or loss
and the unrealized appreciation or depreciation on their investment securities.

Federal Income Taxes
IDS Life is taxed as a life insurance  company.  The Variable Account is treated
as part of IDS Life for federal  income tax  purposes.  Under  existing  federal
income tax law,  no income  taxes are  payable  with  respect to any  investment
income of the Variable Account.

<PAGE>

- -----------------------------------------------------
3.  Mortality and Expense Risk Fee and Policy Charges

IDS Life makes  contractual  assurances  to the Variable  Account that  possible
future adverse changes in  administrative  expenses and mortality  experience of
the policy owners and beneficiaries  will not affect the Variable  Account.  The
mortality and expense risk fee paid to IDS Life is computed  daily and is equal,
on an annual basis,  to 0.9 percent of the daily net asset value of the Variable
Account.  A monthly deduction is made for the cost of insurance,  the policy fee
and the  cost of any  riders.  The cost of  insurance  for the  policy  month is
determined on the monthly date by determining the net amount at risk, as of that
day, and by then applying the cost of insurance  rates to the net amount at risk
which IDS Life is assuming for the succeeding  month. The monthly deduction will
be taken from the subaccounts as specified in the application for the policy.

IDS Life  deducts a policy  fee of $30 per  month  for the first 15 years.  This
charge  reimburses IDS Life for expenses  incurred in administering  the policy,
such as  processing  claims,  maintaining  records,  making  policy  changes and
communicating with owners of policies. IDS Life does not anticipate that it will
make any  profit on this  charge.  IDS Life  reserves  the right to change  this
charge in the future, but guarantees that it will never exceed $30.00 per month.

- -----------------------------------------------------
4.  Optional Insurance Benefit Charge

Each month IDS Life deducts charges for any optional insurance benefits added to
the policy by rider.

- -----------------------------------------------------
5.  Premium Expense Charge

IDS Life deducts a sales charge and a charge for premium taxes from each premium
payment. The total of these charges is called the premium expense charge.

A sales  charge of 7.25  percent of each  premium  payment  will be  deducted to
compensate  IDS Life for expenses  relating to the  distribution  of the policy,
including agents' commissions, advertising, and the printing of the prospectuses
and sales  literature.  In addition,  IDS Life may charge a contingent  deferred
sales charge if the policy is surrendered or lapses.

The policy provides that a charge of 2.5 percent of each premium payment will be
deducted to cover the premium  taxes  assesed by various  states.  Premium taxes
vary from state to state. This charge is the average rate which IDS Life expects
to pay on premiums from all states.

The policy  provides that a charge of 1.25 percent of each premium  payment will
be deducted to cover the federal  taxes  resulting  from the sale of the policy.
IDS Life  reserves  the right to change this charge in the future if  applicable
federal law changes.

- -----------------------------------------------------
6.  Surrender Charge

There are  surrender  charges  for full  surrender  in the first 15 years of the
policy.  They are generally  level for 5 years and decreasing the next 10 years.
The  surrender  charge is $4.00 per $1,000 of the amount used to  determine  the
death benefit (specified amount).  This surrender charge reimburses IDS Life for
the cost of  issuing  the  policy.  Charges by IDS Life for  surrenders  are not
available on an  individual  segregated  asset  account  basis.  Charges for all
segregated  asset accounts  amounted to $11,956,753 in 1996, $10,125,762 in 1995
and  $6,969,493 in 1994.  Such charges are not an expense of the  subaccounts or
Variable Account. They are deducted from contract surrender benefits paid by IDS
Life.


<PAGE>
- -----------------------------------------------------
7.  Investment Transactions

The subaccounts'  purchases of Portfolio or Fund shares,  including reinvestment
of dividend distributions, were as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         Year Ended Dec. 31,
                                               ---------------------------------------
Subaccount   Investment                            1996          1995         1994    
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                           <C>           <C>           <C>         
     U       Equity Portfolio.................$192,481,448  $ 67,589,599  $ 75,168,483
     V       Income Portfolio.................  17,388,084    12,197,309     9,135,509
     W       Money Market Portfolio...........  12,976,023     9,230,592     6,079,545
     X       Managed Portfolio................  77,193,596    53,726,907    70,115,877
     Y       Government Securities Portfolio..   3,488,184     1,456,189     2,288,718
    IL       International Equity Portfolio...  72,175,223    17,987,335     2,571,873*
   FGI       AIM V.I. Growth and Income Fund...  1,296,276**         ---           ---
   FNO       Putnam VT New Opportunities Fund.   2,369,506**         ---           ---
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              $379,368,340  $162,187,931  $165,360,005
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 *Commenced operations on Oct. 28, 1994.
**Commenced operations on Nov. 22, 1996.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Condensed Financial Information (unaudited)
                                                                                                                       Period from
                                                                                                                        June 17 to
                                                                       Year Ended Dec. 31,                                Dec. 31,
                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             1996     1995     1994     1993     1992     1991    1990     1989     1988     1987*
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                         <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>  
Subaccount U (Equity)
Accumulation unit value at beginning of
period...................................   $2.80    $2.04    $2.01    $1.79    $1.71    $1.04    $1.10    $0.90    $0.83    $1.00
Accumulation unit value at end of period.   $3.33    $2.80    $2.04    $2.01    $1.79    $1.71    $1.04    $1.10    $0.90    $0.83
Number of accumulation units outstanding
at end of period (000 omitted)........... 153,373  112,398   86,672   54,422   35,765   20,713   13,993    9,013    5,110    1,602
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subaccount V (Income)
Accumulation unit value at beginning of
period...................................   $1.98    $1.65    $1.74    $1.53    $1.41    $1.23    $1.17    $1.06    $0.99    $1.00
Accumulation unit value at end of period.   $2.03    $1.98    $1.65    $1.74    $1.53    $1.41    $1.23    $1.17    $1.06    $0.99
Number of accumulation units outstanding
at end of period (000 omitted)...........  26,775   21,094   16,248   13,255    8,848    6,088    4,646    3,207    1,423      267
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subaccount W (Money Market)
Accumulation unit value at beginning of
period....................................  $1.46    $1.40    $1.36    $1.34    $1.31    $1.25    $1.17    $1.08    $1.03    $1.00
Accumulation unit value at end of period..  $1.52    $1.46    $1.40    $1.36    $1.34    $1.31    $1.25    $1.17    $1.08    $1.03
Number of accumulation units outstanding
at end of period (000 omitted)............ 11,458    7,292    4,148    2,911    2,981    2,876    2,221    1,497      562      192
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subaccount X (Managed)
Accumulation unit value at beginning of
period...................................   $2.67    $2.27    $2.27    $1.91    $1.75    $1.34    $1.25    $0.97    $0.90    $1.00
Accumulation unit value at end of period.   $3.03    $2.67    $2.27    $2.27    $1.91    $1.75    $1.34    $1.25    $0.97    $0.90
Number of accumulation units outstanding
at end of period (000 omitted)........... 109,309   89,226   70,903   45,870   30,475   21,753   15,649   10,496    8,247    3,550
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subaccount Y (Government Securities)
Accumulation unit value at beginning of
period...................................   $1.89    $1.62    $1.71    $1.54    $1.46    $1.26    $1.20    $1.05    $1.00    $1.00
Accumulation unit value at end of period.   $1.89    $1.89    $1.62    $1.71    $1.54    $1.46    $1.26    $1.20    $1.05    $1.00
Number of accumulation units outstanding
at end of period (000 omitted)...........   4,856    3,992    3,949    3,444    2,556    1,504    1,096      491      271       55
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subaccount IL (International Equity)**
Accumulation unit value at beginning of
period...................................   $1.36    $0.99    $1.00       --       --       --       --       --       --       --
Accumulation unit value at end of period.   $1.67    $1.36    $0.99       --       --       --       --       --       --       --
Number of accumulation units outstanding
at end of period (000 omitted)...........  59,453   18,303    2,582       --       --       --       --       --       --       --
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subaccount FGI (AIM V.I. Growth and Income)#
Accumulation unit value at beginning of
period...................................   $1.00       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --
Accumulation unit value at end of period.   $1.00       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --
Number of accumulation units outstanding
at end of period (000 omitted)...........   1,289       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subaccount FNO (Putnam VT New Opportunities)#
Accumulation unit value at beginning of
period...................................   $1.00       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --
Accumulation unit value at end of period.   $0.98       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --
Number of accumulation units outstanding
at end of period (000 omitted)...........   2,406       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --       --
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 *Operations commenced on June 17, 1987.
**Operations commenced on Oct. 28, 1994.
  #Operations commenced on Nov. 22, 1996.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

<PAGE>
IDS Life Financial Information

The financial  statements shown below are those of the insurance company and not
those of any other  entity.  They are included for the purpose of informing  the
investor as to the financial  condition of the insurance company and its ability
to carry out its obligations under its variable contracts.

                           IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                           CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS


                                                        Dec. 31,       Dec. 31,
ASSETS                                                    1996           1995
- ------                                                    ----        ---------
                                                             (thousands)

Investments:
Fixed maturities:
Held to maturity, at amortized cost (Fair value:
1996, $10,521,650; 1995, $11,878,377) ..............   $10,236,379   $11,257,591
Available for sale, at fair value (Amortized cost:
1996, $11,008,622; 1995, $10,146,136) ..............    11,146,845    10,516,212
Mortgage loans on real estate ......................     3,493,364     2,945,495
Policy loans .......................................       459,902       424,019
Other investments ..................................       251,465       146,894

Total investments ..................................    25,587,955    25,290,211

Cash and cash equivalents ..........................       224,603        72,147
Amounts recoverable from reinsurers ................       157,722       114,387
Amounts due from brokers ...........................        11,047            --
Other accounts receivable ..........................        44,089        39,108
Accrued investment income ..........................       343,313       348,008
Deferred policy acquisition costs ..................     2,330,805     2,025,725
Deferred income taxes ..............................        33,923            --
Other assets .......................................        37,364        36,410
Separate account assets ............................    18,535,160    14,974,082

Total assets .......................................   $47,305,981   $42,900,078
                                                       ===========   ===========

<PAGE>

                           IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                     CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (continued)


                                                       Dec. 31,        Dec. 31
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY                    1996             1995
- ------------------------------------                    ----             ----
                                                             (thousands)


Liabilities:
Future policy benefits:
Fixed annuities ....................................   $21,838,008   $21,404,836
Universal life-type insurance ......................     3,177,149     3,076,847
Traditional life insurance .........................       209,685       209,249
Disability income and long-term care insurance .....       424,200       327,157

Policy claims and other
policyholders' funds ...............................        83,634        56,323
Deferred income taxes ..............................          --         112,904
Amounts due to brokers .............................       261,987       121,618
Other liabilities ..................................       332,078       285,354
Separate account liabilities .......................    18,535,160    14,974,082

Total liabilities ..................................    44,861,901    40,568,370

Stockholder's equity:
Capital stock, $30 par value per share;
100,000 shares authorized, issued and outstanding ..         3,000         3,000
Additional paid-in capital .........................       283,615       278,814
Net unrealized gain on investments .................        86,102       230,129
Retained earnings ..................................     2,071,363     1,819,765

Total stockholder's equity .........................     2,444,080     2,331,708

Total liabilities and stockholder's equity .........   $47,305,981   $42,900,078
                                                       ===========   ===========

Commitments and contingencies (Note 6)

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

<PAGE>

                                              IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                                           CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                   Years ended Dec. 31,
                                                       1996               1995                1994
                                                       ----               ----                ----
                                                                      (thousands)
<S>                                               <C>                 <C>                 <C>
Revenues:
Premiums:
Traditional life insurance                        $    51,403         $   50,193          $   48,184
Disability income and long-term care insurance        131,518            111,337              96,456

Total premiums                                        182,921            161,530             144,640

Policyholder and contractholder charges               302,999            256,454             219,936
Management and other fees                             271,342            215,581             164,169
Net investment income                               1,965,362          1,907,309           1,781,873
Net realized loss on investments                         (159)            (4,898)             (4,282)

Total revenues                                      2,722,465          2,535,976           2,306,336

Benefits and expenses:
Death and other benefits:
Traditional life insurance                             26,919             29,528              28,263
Universal life-type insurance
and investment contracts                               85,017             71,691              52,027
Disability income and
long-term care insurance                               19,185             16,259              13,393

Increase (decrease) in liabilities for future policy benefits:
Traditional life insurance                              1,859             (1,315)             (3,229)
Disability income and
long-term care insurance                               57,230             51,279              37,912

Interest credited on universal life-type
insurance and investment contracts                  1,370,468          1,315,989           1,174,985
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs     278,605            280,121             280,372
Other insurance and operating expenses                261,468            211,642             210,101

Total benefits and expenses                         2,100,751          1,975,194           1,793,824

Income before income taxes                            621,714            560,782             512,512

Income taxes                                         207,138            195,842             176,343

Net income                                         $  414,576         $  364,940          $  336,169
                                                   ==========         ==========          ==========
</TABLE>

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                                  CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
                                             Three years ended Dec. 31, 1996
                                                       (thousands)

                                                            Additional    Net Unrealized
                                              Capital           Paid-In     Gain (Loss) on     Retained
                                               Stock            Capital       Investments      Earnings            Total
                                               -----            -------       -----------      --------            -----
<S>                                           <C>            <C>           <C>               <C>              <C>
Balance, Dec. 31, 1993                         $3,000         $ 222,000     $      114        $1,468,230       $1,693,344
Initial adoption of SFAS No. 115                   --                --        181,269                --          181,269
Net income                                         --                --             --           336,169          336,169
Change in net unrealized
gain (loss) on  investments                        --                --       (457,091)               --         (457,091)
Cash dividends                                     --                --             --          (165,000)        (165,000)

Balance, Dec. 31, 1994                          3,000           222,000       (275,708)        1,639,399        1,588,691
Net income                                         --                --             --           364,940          364,940
Change in net unrealized
gain (loss) on investments                         --                --        505,837                --          505,837
Capital contribution from parent                   --            56,814             --                --           56,814
Loss on reinsurance transaction
with affiliate                                     --                --             --            (4,574)          (4,574)
Cash dividends                                     --                --             --          (180,000)        (180,000)

Balance, Dec. 31, 1995                          3,000           278,814        230,129         1,819,765        2,331,708
Net income                                         --                --             --           414,576          414,576
Change in net unrealized
gain (loss) on investments                         --                --       (144,027)               --         (144,027)
Capital contribution from parent                   --             4,801             --                --            4,801
Other changes                                      --                --             --             2,022            2,022
Cash dividends                                     --                --             --          (165,000)        (165,000)

Balance, Dec. 31, 1996                         $3,000          $283,615       $ 86,102        $2,071,363       $2,444,080
                                                =====           =======         ======          ========         ========
</TABLE>

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

<PAGE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                                              CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

                                                                       Years ended Dec. 31,
                                                            1996               1995                1994
                                                            ----               ----                ----
                                                                            (thousands)
<S>                                                      <C>                <C>                 <C>      
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income                                               $ 414,576          $ 364,940           $ 336,169
Adjustments to reconcile net income to
net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Policy loan issuance, excluding universal
life-type insurance                                        (49,314)           (46,011)            (37,110)
Policy loan repayment, excluding universal
life-type insurance                                         41,179             36,416              33,384
Change in amounts recoverable from reinsurers              (43,335)           (34,083)            (25,006)
Change in other accounts receivable                         (4,981)            12,231             (28,551)
Change in accrued investment income                          4,695            (30,498)            (10,333)
Change in deferred policy acquisition
costs, net                                                (294,755)          (196,963)           (192,768)
Change in liabilities for future policy
benefits for traditional life,
disability income and
long-term care insurance                                    97,479             85,575              55,354
Change in policy claims and other
policyholders' funds                                        27,311              6,255               5,552
Change in deferred income taxes                            (65,609)           (33,810)            (19,176)
Change in other liabilities                                 46,724             (6,548)               (122)
(Accretion of discount)
amortization of premium, net                               (23,032)           (22,528)             30,921
Net realized loss on investments                               159              4,898               4,282
Policyholder and contractholder
charges, non-cash                                         (154,286)          (140,506)           (126,918)
Other, net                                                 (10,816)             3,849              (8,709)

Net cash (used in) provided by operating
activities                                               $ (14,005)         $   3,217           $  16,969
</TABLE>

<PAGE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                                    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (continued)


                                                                         Years ended Dec. 31,
                                                            1996               1995                1994
                                                                            (thousands)
<S>                                                   <C>                <C>                   <C>
Cash flows from investing activities:
Fixed maturities held to maturity:
Purchases                                             $    (43,751)      $ (1,007,208)         $ (879,740)
Maturities, sinking fund payments and calls                759,248            538,219           1,651,762
Sales                                                      279,506            332,154              58,001
Fixed maturities available for sale:
Purchases                                               (2,299,198)        (2,452,181)         (2,763,278)
Maturities, sinking fund payments and calls              1,270,240            861,545           1,234,401
Sales                                                      238,905            136,825             374,564
Other investments, excluding policy loans:
Purchases                                                 (904,536)          (823,131)           (634,807)
Sales                                                      236,912            160,521             243,862
Change in amounts due from brokers                         (11,047)             7,933              (2,214)
Change in amounts due to brokers                           140,369           (105,119)           (124,749)

Net cash used in investing activities                     (333,352)        (2,350,442)           (842,198)

Cash flows from financing activities:
Activity related to universal life-type insurance
and investment contracts:
Considerations received                                  3,567,586          4,189,525           3,566,814
Surrenders and death benefits                           (4,250,294)        (3,141,404)         (3,602,392)
Interest credited to account balances                    1,370,468          1,315,989           1,174,985
Universal life-type insurance policy loans:
Issuance                                                   (86,501)           (84,700)            (78,239)
Repayment                                                   58,753             52,188              50,554
Capital contribution from parent                             4,801                 --                  --
Cash dividends to parent                                  (165,000)          (180,000)           (165,000)

Net cash provided by financing activities                  499,813          2,151,598             946,722

Net increase (decrease) in cash and
cash equivalents                                           152,456           (195,627)            121,493

Cash and cash equivalents at
beginning of year                                           72,147            267,774             146,281

Cash and cash equivalents at
end of year                                          $     224,603        $    72,147         $   267,774
                                                         =========           ========            ========
</TABLE>

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

<PAGE>


                           IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                  ($ thousands)

1. Summary of significant accounting policies

   Nature of business

   IDS Life Insurance  Company (the Company) is a stock life  insurance  company
   organized  under the laws of the State of Minnesota.  The Company is a wholly
   owned subsidiary of American Express Financial Corporation, which is a wholly
   owned subsidiary of American Express Company. The Company serves residents of
   all  states  except  New York.  IDS Life  Insurance  Company of New York is a
   wholly owned  subsidiary of the Company and serves New York State  residents.
   The Company also wholly owns  American  Enterprise  Life  Insurance  Company,
   American  Centurion Life Assurance Company (ACLAC) and American Partners Life
   Insurance Company.

   The Company's  principal  products are deferred  annuities and universal life
   insurance,  which are  issued  primarily  to  individuals.  It offers  single
   premium and flexible premium deferred  annuities on both a fixed and variable
   dollar  basis.  Immediate  annuities  are  offered  as  well.  The  Company's
   insurance  products include universal life (fixed and variable),  whole life,
   single  premium  life and term  products  (including  waiver of  premium  and
   accidental death benefits).  The Company also markets  disability  income and
   long-term care insurance.

   Basis of presentation

   The accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements include the accounts of
   the Company and its wholly  owned  subsidiaries.  All  material  intercompany
   accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

   The  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements  have been prepared in
   conformity  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles  which  vary in
   certain  respects from reporting  practices  prescribed or permitted by state
   insurance regulatory authorities.

   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 and disclosure of
   contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and
   the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.
   Actual results could differ from those estimates.

   Investments

   Fixed  maturities  that the  Company  has both the  positive  intent  and the
   ability to hold to maturity are classified as held to maturity and carried at
   amortized  cost.  All  other  fixed  maturities  and  all  marketable  equity
   securities  are  classified  as available for sale and carried at fair value.
   Unrealized  gains and losses on  securities  classified as available for sale
   are carried as a separate component of stockholder's  equity, net of deferred
   taxes.

   Realized investment gain or loss is determined on an identified cost basis.

   Prepayments  are  anticipated  on  certain   investments  in  mortgage-backed
   securities  in  determining  the constant  effective  yield used to recognize
   interest income.  Prepayment estimates are based on information received from
   brokers who deal in mortgage-backed securities.

   Mortgage loans on real estate are carried at amortized cost less reserves for
   mortgage  loan losses.  The  estimated  fair value of the  mortgage  loans is
   determined by a discounted  cash flow analysis using mortgage  interest rates
   currently offered for mortgages of similar maturities.

   Impairment of mortgage loans is measured as the excess of the loan's recorded
   investment over its present value of expected principal and interest payments
   discounted  at the  loan's  effective  interest  rate,  or the fair  value of
   collateral.  The  amount of the  impairment  is  recorded  in a  reserve  for
   mortgage loan losses.  The reserve for mortgage loans losses is maintained at
   a level that management  believes is adequate to absorb  estimated  losses in
   the  portfolio.  The level of the  reserve  account  is  determined  based on
   several factors,  including historical experience,  expected future principal
   and  interest  payments,   estimated   collateral  values,  and  current  and
   anticipated economic and political conditions. Management regularly evaluates
   the adequacy of the reserve for mortgage loan losses.

   The Company  generally  stops  accruing  interest on mortgage loans for which
   interest   payments  are  delinquent   more  than  three  months.   Based  on
   management's  judgement  as to  the  ultimate  collectibility  of  principal,
   interest  payments received are either recognized as income or applied to the
   recorded investment in the loan.

   The cost of interest rate caps and floors is amortized to  investment  income
   over the life of the  contracts  and  payments  received as a result of these
   agreements  are recorded as investment  income when  realized.  The amortized
   cost of  interest  rate caps and  floors is  included  in other  investments.
   Amounts paid or received under  interest rate swap  agreements are recognized
   as an adjustment to investment income.

   Policy loans are carried at the aggregate of the unpaid loan  balances  which
   do not exceed the cash surrender values of the related policies.

   When  evidence  indicates a decline,  which is other than  temporary,  in the
   underlying value or earning power of individual investments, such investments
   are written down to the fair value by a charge to income.

   Statements of cash flows

   The  Company  considers  investments  with a  maturity  at the  date of their
   acquisition of three months or less to be cash equivalents.  These securities
   are carried principally at amortized cost which approximates fair value.

   Supplementary information to the consolidated statements of cash flows
   for the years ended Dec. 31 is summarized as follows:

                                         1996         1995          1994
                                      ---------      --------      -----
     Cash paid during the year for:
       Income taxes                    $317,283     $191,011     $226,365
       Interest on borrowings             4,119        5,524        1,553

   Recognition of profits on annuity contracts and insurance policies

   Profits on fixed  deferred  annuities are  recognized by the Company over the
   lives  of  the  contracts,  using  primarily  the  interest  method.  Profits
   represent the excess of investment  income earned from investment of contract
   considerations over interest credited to contract owners and other expenses.

   The  retrospective  deposit  method  is  used  in  accounting  for  universal
   life-type  insurance.  This method  recognizes  profits over the lives of the
   policies  in  proportion  to  the  estimated  gross  profits  expected  to be
   realized.

   Premiums on traditional life,  disability income and long-term care insurance
   policies  are  recognized  as revenue  when due,  and  related  benefits  and
   expenses  are  associated  with  premium  revenue in a manner that results in
   recognition  of  profits  over the  lives  of the  insurance  policies.  This
   association  is  accomplished  by means of the  provision  for future  policy
   benefits and the deferral and subsequent  amortization of policy  acquisition
   costs.

   Policyholder and contractholder charges include the monthly cost of insurance
   charges and issue and  administrative  fees.  These  charges also include the
   minimum  death  benefit  guarantee  fees  received  from  the  variable  life
   insurance  separate  accounts.  Management and other fees include  investment
   management fees and mortality and expense risk fees from the variable annuity
   and variable life insurance separate accounts and underlying funds.

   Deferred policy acquisition costs

   The costs of acquiring new business,  principally sales compensation,  policy
   issue costs,  underwriting and certain sales expenses,  have been deferred on
   insurance  and annuity  contracts.  The deferred  acquisition  costs for most
   single premium deferred annuities and installment  annuities are amortized in
   relation  to  surrender  charge  revenue  and a  portion  of  the  excess  of
   investment income earned from investment of the contract  considerations over
   the interest credited to contract owners.  The costs for universal  life-type
   insurance and certain installment  annuities are amortized as a percentage of
   the  estimated  gross profits  expected to be realized on the  policies.  For
   traditional life,  disability  income and long-term care insurance  policies,
   the costs are amortized over an  appropriate  period in proportion to premium
   revenue.

   Liabilities for future policy benefits

   Liabilities  for  universal  life-type  insurance,  single  premium  deferred
   annuities and installment annuities are accumulation values.

   Liabilities  for  fixed  annuities  in a  benefit  status  are  based  on the
   Progressive  Annuity  Table with interest at 5 percent,  the 1971  Individual
   Annuity Table with interest at 7 percent or 8.25 percent,  or the 1983a Table
   with  various  interest  rates  ranging  from  5.5  percent  to 9.5  percent,
   depending on year of issue.

   Liabilities  for future  benefits on traditional  life insurance are based on
   the net level  premium  method and  anticipated  rates of  mortality,  policy
   persistency  and interest  earnings.  Anticipated  mortality  rates generally
   approximate the 1955-1960 Select and Ultimate Basic Table for policies issued
   prior to 1980,  the  1965-1970  Select and Ultimate  Basic Table for policies
   issued from  1981-1984 and the 1975-1980  Select and Ultimate Basic Table for
   policies  issued after 1984.  Anticipated  policy  persistency  rates vary by
   policy form,  issue age and policy  duration with  persistency  on cash value
   plans generally  anticipated to be better than  persistency on term insurance
   plans.  Anticipated  interest  rates are 4% for policies  issued before 1974,
   5.25% for policies issued from 1974-1980,  and range from 10% to 6% depending
   on policy form,  issue year and policy  duration  for  policies  issued after
   1980.

   Liabilities for future  disability income policy benefits include both policy
   reserves  and  claim  reserves.  Policy  reserves  are based on the net level
   premium  method  and  anticipated  rates  of  morbidity,   mortality,  policy
   persistency and interest earnings.  Anticipated  morbidity rates are based on
   the 1964  Commissioners  Disability Table for policies issued before 1996 and
   the 1985 CIDA table for policies issued in 1996.  Anticipated mortality rates
   are based on the 1958  Commissioners  Standard  Ordinary  Table for  policies
   issued before 1996 and the 1975-1980 Basic Table for policies issued in 1996.
   Anticipated policy  persistency rates vary by policy form,  occupation class,
   issue age and policy duration. Anticipated interest rates are 3% for policies
   issued  before  1996 and grade from 7.5% to 5% over five  years for  policies
   issued in 1996.  Claim  reserves are  calculated on the basis of  anticipated
   rates  of  claim  continuance  and  interest   earnings.   Anticipated  claim
   continuance  rates are based on the 1964  Commissioners  Disability Table for
   claims incurred before 1993 and the 1985 CIDA Table for claims incurred after
   1992. Anticipated interest rates are 8% for claims incurred prior to 1992, 7%
   for claims incurred in 1992 and 6% for claims incurred after 1992.

   Liabilities  for future  long-term care policy  benefits  include both policy
   reserves  and  claim  reserves.  Policy  reserves  are based on the net level
   premium  method  and  anticipated  rates  of  morbidity,   mortality,  policy
   persistency and interest earnings.  Anticipated  morbidity rates are based on
   the 1985 National Nursing Home Survey.  Anticipated mortality rates are based
   on the 1983a Table. Anticipated policy persistency rates vary by policy form,
   issue age and policy duration. Anticipated interest rates are 9.5% grading to
   7% over 10 years for policies  issued from  1989-1992 and 7.75% grading to 7%
   over 4 years for policies issued after 1992. Claim reserves are calculated on
   the basis of anticipated  rates of claim  continuance and interest  earnings.
   Anticipated  claim  continuance  rates are based on the 1985 National Nursing
   Home Survey.  Anticipated  interest rates are 8% for claims incurred prior to
   1992, 7% claims incurred in 1992 and 6% for claims incurred after 1992.

   Reinsurance

   The maximum  amount of life insurance risk retained by the Company on any one
   life is $750 of life and waiver of premium  benefits  plus $50 of  accidental
   death benefits.  The maximum amount of disability income risk retained by the
   Company on any one life is $6 of monthly  benefit for benefit  periods longer
   than three  years.  The  excesses  are  reinsured  with other life  insurance
   companies on a yearly  renewable  term basis.  Graded  premium whole life and
   long-term care policies are primarily reinsured on a coinsurance basis.

   Federal income taxes

   The Company's  taxable income is included in the consolidated  federal income
   tax return of American Express Company. The Company provides for income taxes
   on a separate return basis,  except that, under an agreement between American
   Express  Financial  Corporation and American Express Company,  tax benefit is
   recognized for losses to the extent they can be used on the  consolidated tax
   return.  It is the  policy  of  American  Express  Financial  Corporation  to
   reimburse subsidiaries for all tax benefits.

   Included  in other  liabilities  at Dec.  31,  1996 and 1995 are  $33,358 and
   ($13,415),  respectively,   receivable  from/(payable  to)  American  Express
   Financial Corporation for federal income taxes.

   Separate account business

   The separate  account  assets and  liabilities  represent  funds held for the
   exclusive  benefit  of the  variable  annuity  and  variable  life  insurance
   contract owners.

   The Company makes  contractual  mortality  assurances to the variable annuity
   contract  owners  that the net assets of the  separate  accounts  will not be
   affected by future variations in the actual life expectancy experience of the
   annuitants and the beneficiaries from the mortality  assumptions  implicit in
   the annuity  contracts.  The Company  makes  periodic  fund  transfers to, or
   withdrawals  from, the separate  accounts for such actuarial  adjustments for
   variable  annuities that are in the benefit payment period. For variable life
   insurance,  the Company  guarantees that the rates at which insurance charges
   and  administrative  fees are deducted  from  contract  funds will not exceed
   contractual maximums. The Company also guarantees that the death benefit will
   continue payable at the initial level regardless of investment performance so
   long as minimum premium payments are made.

   Accounting changes

   The Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board's (FASB) Statement  of  Financial
   Accounting  Standards (SFAS)  No. 121,  "Accounting  for  the  Impairment  of
   Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived Assets to Be Disposed Of," was effective
   Jan. 1, 1996.  The new rule did not have a material  impact on the  Company's
   results of operations or financial condition.  The Company adopted SFAS No.
   115, "Accounting for Certain  Investments in Debt and Equity Securities." The
   effect of  adopting the  new rule was to  increase  stockholder's  equity by
   $181,269,  net of tax, as of Jan. 1, 1994,  but the adoption had no impact on
   the Company's net income.

   Reclassification

   Certain 1995 and 1994 amounts have been  reclassified  to conform to the 1996
   presentation.

2. Investments

   Fair values of investments in fixed maturities represent quoted market prices
   and estimated  values when quoted prices are not available.  Estimated values
   are  determined  by  established  procedures  involving,  among other things,
   review of market  indices,  price levels of current  offerings of  comparable
   issues,  price  estimates  and  market  data  from  independent  brokers  and
   financial files.

   Net realized gain (loss) on investments for the years ended Dec. 31 is
   summarized as follows:

                                          1996           1995            1994
                                       --------        --------        --------

   Fixed maturities ............       $  8,736        $  9,973        $ (1,575)
   Mortgage loans ..............         (8,745)        (13,259)         (3,013)
   Other investments ...........           (150)         (1,612)            306
                                       --------        --------        --------
                                       $   (159)       $ (4,898)       $ (4,282)
                                       ========        ========        ========

   <PAGE>
   Changes in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments for the
   years ended Dec. 31 are summarized as follows:

                                         1996          1995            1994
                                     ----------    ------------     -----------
   Fixed maturities:
      Held to maturity .......     $  (335,515)     $ 1,195,847     $(1,329,740)
      Available for sale .....        (231,853)         811,649        (720,449)
   Equity securities .........             (52)           3,118          (2,917)

   The  amortized  cost,  gross  unrealized  gains and losses and fair values of
   investments in fixed maturities and equity securities at Dec. 31, 1996 are as
   follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    Gross       Gross
                                        Amortized  Unrealized  Unrealized   Fair
   Held to maturity                         Cost      Gains     Losses      Value
   ----------------                         ----      -----     ------      -----
<S>                                      <C>         <C>      <C>          <C>
   U.S. Government agency obligations    $ 44,002    $   933  $  1,276     $ 43,659
   State and municipal obligations          9,685        412        --       10,097
   Corporate bonds and obligations      8,057,997    356,687    47,639    8,367,045
   Mortgage-backed securities           2,124,695     21,577    45,423    2,100,849
                                     ------------  ---------   ------- ------------
                                      $10,236,379   $379,609   $94,338  $10,521,650
                                      ===========   ========   =======  ===========

                                                      Gross       Gross
                                       Amortized  Unrealized  Unrealized       Fair
   Available for sale                       Cost      Gains      Losses        Value
   ------------------                       ----      -----      ------        -----
   U.S. Government agency obligations $    77,944   $  2,607   $     96  $    80,455
   State and municipal obligations         11,032      1,336         --       12,368
   Corporate bonds and obligations      3,701,604    122,559     24,788    3,799,375
   Mortgage-backed securities           7,218,042    104,808     68,203    7,254,647
                                       ----------   --------     ------  -----------
   Total fixed maturities              11,008,622    231,310     93,087   11,146,845
   Equity securities                        3,000        308         --        3,308
                                      -----------   --------    -------  -----------
                                      $11,011,622   $231,618    $93,087  $11,150,153
                                      ===========   ========    =======  ===========
</TABLE>

   The  amortized  cost,  gross  unrealized  gains and losses and fair values of
   investments in fixed maturities and equity securities at Dec. 31, 1995 are as
   follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                       Gross         Gross
                                          Amortized   Unrealized   Unrealized     Fair
   Held to maturity                           Cost      Gains       Losses        Value

<S>                                     <C>           <C>          <C>       <C>
   U.S. Government agency obligations   $    64,523   $  3,919     $    --   $    68,442
   State and municipal obligations           11,936        362          32        12,266
   Corporate bonds and obligations        8,921,431    620,327      36,786     9,504,972
   Mortgage-backed securities             2,259,701     42,684       9,688     2,292,697
                                        -----------  ---------     -------   -----------
                                        $11,257,591   $667,292     $46,506   $11,878,377
                                        ===========   ========     =======   ===========

                                                        Gross        Gross
                                          Amortized   Unrealized   Unrealized     Fair
   Available for sale                        Cost       Gains       Losses        Value

   U.S. Government agency obligations   $    84,082  $   3,248    $     50   $    87,280
   State and municipal obligations           11,020      1,476          --        12,496
   Corporate bonds and obligations        2,514,308    186,596       3,451     2,697,453
   Mortgage-backed securities             7,536,726    206,288      24,031     7,718,983
                                         ----------   --------     -------    ----------
   Total fixed maturities                10,146,136    397,608      27,532    10,516,212
   Equity securities                          3,156        361          --         3,517
                                         ----------   --------     -------    ----------
                                        $10,149,292   $397,969     $27,532   $10,519,729
                                        ===========   ========     =======   ===========
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
   The amortized cost and fair value of investments in fixed  maturities at Dec.
   31, 1996 by contractual  maturity are shown below.  Expected  maturities will
   differ from contractual  maturities  because  borrowers may have the right to
   call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.

                                           Amortized             Fair
   Held to maturity                           Cost               Value

   Due in one year or less               $    197,711       $    200,134
   Due from one to five years               2,183,374          2,294,335
   Due from five to ten years               4,606,775          4,779,690
   Due in more than ten years               1,123,824          1,146,642
   Mortgage-backed securities               2,124,695          2,100,849
                                         ------------       ------------
                                          $10,236,379        $10,521,650

                                            Amortized             Fair
   Available for sale                         Cost                Value

   Due in one year or less               $    227,051       $    229,650
   Due from one to five years                 851,428            899,098
   Due from five to ten years               2,140,579          2,182,079
   Due in more than ten years                 571,522            581,371
   Mortgage-backed securities               7,218,042          7,254,647
                                         ------------       ------------
                                          $11,008,622        $11,146,845

   During  the years  ended  Dec.  31,  1996,  1995 and 1994,  fixed  maturities
   classified  as held to maturity  were sold with  amortized  cost of $277,527,
   $333,508 and $61,290,  respectively. Net gains and losses on these sales were
   not  significant.  The sale of these fixed  maturities was due to significant
   deterioration in the issuers' creditworthiness.

   As a result of adopting the FASB Special Report,  "A Guide to  Implementation
   of Statement 115 on  Accounting  for Certain  Investments  in Debt and Equity
   Securities," the Company reclassified securities with a book value of $91,760
   and net unrealized  gains of $881 from held to maturity to available for sale
   in December 1995.

   In addition,  fixed maturities  available for sale were sold during 1996 with
   proceeds of $238,905 and gross realized gains and losses of $571 and $16,084,
   respectively.  Fixed maturities available for sale were sold during 1995 with
   proceeds of $136,825 and gross  realized gains and losses of $nil and $5,781,
   respectively.  Fixed maturities available for sale were sold during 1994 with
   proceeds  of  $374,564  and gross  realized  gains and  losses of $1,861  and
   $7,602, respectively.

   At Dec. 31, 1996, bonds carried at $13,571 were on deposit with various
   states as required by law.
<PAGE>

   Net investment income for the years ended Dec. 31 is summarized as follows:

                                         1996            1995           1994
                                        ---------       -------        -----

   Interest on fixed maturities       $1,666,929      $1,656,136    $1,556,756
   Interest on mortgage loans            283,830         232,827       196,521
   Other investment income                43,283          35,936        38,366
   Interest on cash equivalents            5,754           5,363         6,872
                                   -------------         -------   -----------
                                       1,999,796       1,930,262     1,798,515
   Less investment expenses               34,434          22,953        16,642
                                    ------------       ---------    ----------
                                      $1,965,362      $1,907,309    $1,781,873
                                      ==========      ==========    ==========

   At Dec. 31, 1996, investments in fixed maturities comprised 84 percent of the
   Company's total invested  assets.  These  securities are rated by Moody's and
   Standard & Poor's (S&P),  except for securities carried at approximately $1.9
   billion which are rated by American Express  Financial  Corporation  internal
   analysts using criteria  similar to Moody's and S&P. A summary of investments
   in fixed maturities, at amortized cost, by rating on Dec. 31 is as follows:

     Rating                              1996               1995
     ------                          -----------         -----------
     Aaa/AAA ....................... $ 9,460,134         $ 9,907,664
     Aaa/AA ........................       2,870               3,112
     Aa/AA .........................     241,914             279,403
     Aa/A ..........................     192,631             154,846
     A/A ...........................   2,949,895           3,104,122
     A/BBB .........................   1,034,661             871,782
     Baa/BBB .......................   4,531,515           4,417,654
     Baa/BB ........................     768,285             657,633
     Below investment grade ........   2,063,096           2,007,511
                                     -----------         -----------
                                     $21,245,001         $21,403,727

   At Dec. 31, 1996, 95 percent of the securities rated Aaa/AAA are GNMA, FNMA
   and FHLMC mortgage-backed securities.  No holdings of any other issuer are
   greater than 1 percent of the Company's  total investments in fixed
   maturities.
<PAGE>

   At Dec. 31, 1996, approximately 13.7 percent of the Company's invested assets
   were mortgage loans on real estate.  Summaries of mortgage loans by region of
   the United States and by type of real estate are as follows:

                                 Dec. 31, 1996               Dec. 31, 1995
                           -------------------------    ------------------------
                           On Balance   Commitments    On Balance   Commitments
     Region                   Sheet     to Purchase       Sheet     to Purchase
   ------------------      -----------   -----------    -----------   ----------
   East North Central      $  777,960      $  19,358     $  720,185    $ 67,206
   West North Central         389,285         29,620        303,113      34,411
   South Atlantic             891,852         35,007        732,529     111,967
   Middle Atlantic            553,869         17,959        508,634      37,079
   New England                310,177         14,042        244,816      40,452
   Pacific                    190,770          4,997        168,272      23,161
   West South Central         105,173         11,246         61,860      27,978
   East South Central          75,176             --         58,462      10,122
   Mountain                   236,597         11,401        184,964      16,774
                           ----------       --------       --------      ------
                            3,530,859        143,630      2,982,835     369,150
   Less allowance for losses   37,495             --         37,340          --
                           ----------       --------        -------         ---
                           $3,493,364       $143,630     $2,945,495    $369,150
                           ==========       ========     ==========    ========

                                   Dec. 31, 1996                Dec. 31, 1995
                           -------------------------    ------------------------
                           On Balance    Commitments    On Balance   Commitments
     Property type             Sheet     to Purchase       Sheet     to Purchase
- -----------------------     ---------      ---------    -----------  -----------
Department/retail stores   $1,154,179      $  68,032    $   985,660    $ 134,538
Apartments                  1,119,352         23,246      1,038,446       84,978
Office buildings              611,395         27,653        464,381       62,664
Industrial buildings          296,944          6,716        255,469       22,721
Hotels/motels                  97,870          6,257         31,335       48,816
Nursing/retirement homes       88,226          1,877         80,864        4,378
Mixed Use                      73,120             --         53,169           --
Medical buildings              67,178          8,289         57,772        2,495
Other                          22,595          1,560         15,739        8,560
                         ------------     ----------      ---------     --------
                            3,530,859        143,630      2,982,835      369,150
Less allowance for losses      37,495             --         37,340           --
                         ------------         ------      ---------       ------
                           $3,493,364       $143,630     $2,945,495     $369,150
                           ==========       ========     ==========     ========
<PAGE>

Mortgage loan fundings are restricted by state insurance regulatory  authorities
to 80  percent  or less of the  market  value of the real  estate at the time of
origination  of the loan. The Company holds the mortgage  document,  which gives
the right to take  possession  of the property if the borrower  fails to perform
according to the terms of the agreement. The fair value of the mortgage loans is
determined by a discounted  cash flow analysis  using  mortgage  interest  rates
currently offered for mortgages of similar  maturities.  Commitments to purchase
mortgages  are made in the ordinary  course of  business.  The fair value of the
mortgage commitments is $nil.

At Dec. 31, 1996 and 1995, the Company's  recorded  investment in impaired loans
was  $79,441 and $83,874  with a reserve of $16,162 and  $19,307,  respectively.
During 1996 and 1995,  the average  recorded  investment  in impaired  loans was
$74,338 and $74,567, respectively.

The Company  recognized $4,889 and $5,014 of interest income related to impaired
loans for the year ended Dec. 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively.

The  following  table  presents  changes in the  reserve for  investment  losses
related to all loans:

                                            1996              1995
                                         ---------         --------
Balance, Jan. 1 ....................      $ 37,340         $ 35,252
Provision for investment losses ....        10,005           15,900
Loan payoffs .......................        (4,700)         (11,900)
Foreclosures .......................        (5,150)          (1,350)
Other ..............................            --             (562)
                                          --------         --------
Balance, Dec. 31 ...................      $ 37,495         $ 37,340
                                          ========         ========

At Dec. 31, 1996,  the Company had  commitments to purchase  affordable  housing
limited partnership  investments of $28,476, which is recorded as a liability in
the accompanying  balance sheets.  The total amounts  committed in 1997 and 1998
are $25,234 and  $3,242,  respectively.  The  Company  also had  commitments  to
purchase  real estate  investments  for $35,425.  Commitments  to purchase  real
estate  investments are made in the ordinary course of business.  The fair value
of these commitments is $nil.

<PAGE>

3. Income taxes

   The Company  qualifies  as a life  insurance  company for federal  income tax
   purposes.  As such,  the  Company  is subject to the  Internal  Revenue  Code
   provisions applicable to life insurance companies.

   Income tax expense consists of the following:

                                     1996          1995          1994
                                    ------       --------      -------
   Federal income taxes:
         Current                   $260,357      $218,040     $186,508
         Deferred                   (65,609)      (33,810)     (19,175)
                                   --------      --------     --------
                                    194,748       184,230      167,333
   State income taxes-current        12,390        11,612        9,010
                                  ---------       -------       ------
   Income tax expense              $207,138      $195,842     $176,343
                                   ========      ========     ========

   Increases  (decreases)  to the federal  tax  provision  applicable  to pretax
   income based on the statutory rate are attributable to:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        1996                  1995                  1994
                                 -----------------     -----------------     -----------------
                                 Provision    Rate     Provision    Rate     Provision    Rate
<S>                              <C>         <C>        <C>         <C>       <C>         <C>
        Federal income
          taxes based on
        the statutory rate       $217,600    35.0%      $196,274    35.0%     $179,379    35.0%
        Increases (decreases)
        are attributable to:
        Tax-excluded interest
          and dividend income      (9,636)   (1.6)        (8,524)   (1.5)       (9,939)   (2.0)
        Other, net                (13,216)   (2.1)        (3,520)   (0.6)       (2,107)   (0.4)
                                ---------   -----       --------    ----      --------    ----
        Federal income taxes     $194,748    31.3%      $184,230    32.9%     $167,333    32.6%
                                 ========   =====       ========    ====      ========    ====
</TABLE>

   A portion  of life  insurance  company  income  earned  prior to 1984 was not
   subject to current  taxation  but was  accumulated,  for tax  purposes,  in a
   policyholders'  surplus  account.  At  Dec.  31,  1996,  the  Company  had  a
   policyholders' surplus account balance of $20,114. The policyholders' surplus
   account  is  only  taxable  if  dividends  to  the  stockholder   exceed  the
   stockholder's  surplus  account  or if the  Company is  liquidated.  Deferred
   income taxes of $7,040 have not been established  because no distributions of
   such amounts are contemplated.

<PAGE>

   Significant components of the Company's deferred tax assets and liabilities
   as of Dec. 31  are as follows:

                                           1996            1995
                                          -------         -----
   Deferred tax assets:
   Policy reserves                       $724,412       $600,176
   Life insurance guarantee
      fund assessment reserve              29,854         26,785
   Other                                    2,763             --
                                        ---------        -------
   Total deferred tax assets              757,029        626,961
                                        ---------        -------

   Deferred tax liabilities:
   Deferred policy acquisition costs      665,685        590,762
   Unrealized gain on investments          48,486        129,653
   Investments, other                       8,935         17,152
   Other                                       --          2,298
                                         --------        -------
   Total deferred tax liabilities         723,106        739,865
                                         --------        -------
   Net deferred tax assets (liabilities)$  33,923      $(112,904)
                                        =========      =========

   The Company is required to establish a "valuation  allowance" for any portion
   of the deferred tax assets 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.

4. Stockholder's equity

   During 1996,  the Company  received a $4,801  capital  contribution  from its
   parent,  American  Express  Financial  Corporation.  During 1995, the Company
   received  a  $39,700  capital  contribution  from its  parent  in the form of
   investments in fixed  maturities and mortgage loans.  In addition,  effective
   Jan. 1, 1995, the Company began consolidating the financial results of ACLAC.
   This  change  reflected  the  transfer of  ownership  of ACLAC from Amex Life
   Assurance  Company (Amex Life), a former  affiliate,  to the Company prior to
   the sale of Amex Life to an  unaffiliated  third party on Oct. 2, 1995.  This
   transfer  of  ownership  to the  Company  has  been  reflected  as a  capital
   contribution of $17,114 in the accompanying financial statements.  The effect
   of this change in reporting entity was not significant and prior periods have
   not been restated.

   As discussed in Note 5, the Company entered into a reinsurance agreement with
   Amex Life during 1995. As a result of this transaction,  a loss of $4,574 was
   realized and reported as a direct charge to retained earnings.

   Other changes in the statements of stockholder's equity are primarily related
   to reinsurance transactions with affiliates.

   Retained  earnings  available for distribution as dividends to the parent are
   limited to the Company's  surplus as determined in accordance with accounting
   practices  prescribed by state insurance  regulatory  authorities.  Statutory
   unassigned surplus  aggregated  $1,261,592 as of Dec. 31, 1996 and $1,103,993
   as of Dec.  31,  1995 (see Note 3 with  respect  to the  income tax effect of
   certain  distributions).  In addition,  any dividend distributions in 1997 in
   excess of approximately  $351,306 would require approval of the Department of
   Commerce of the State of Minnesota.

   Statutory net income for the years ended Dec. 31 and capital and surplus as
   of Dec. 31 are summarized as follows:

                                       1996            1995           1994
                                      ------          ------        ------
   Statutory net income            $ 365,585       $ 326,799       $ 294,699
   Statutory capital and surplus   1,565,082       1,398,649       1,261,958

   Dividends paid to American  Express  Financial  Corporation  were $165,000 in
   1996, $180,000 in 1995, and $165,000 in 1994.

5. Related party transactions

   The Company has loaned funds to American Express Financial  Corporation under
   a collateral loan agreement.  The balance of the loan was $11,800 and $25,800
   at Dec.  31, 1996 and 1995,  respectively.  This loan can be  increased  to a
   maximum of $75,000 and pays interest at a rate equal to the preceding month's
   effective  new money  rate for the  Company's  permanent  investments.  It is
   collateralized  by equity  securities  valued at $116,543 at Dec.  31,  1996.
   Interest  income on related party loans  totaled  $780,  $1,371 and $2,894 in
   1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.

   The Company  purchased a five year  secured note from an  affiliated  company
   which had an  outstanding  balance of $nil and  $19,444 at Dec.  31, 1996 and
   1995,  respectively.  The note bears a fixed rate of 8.42  percent.  Interest
   income on the above note totaled $1,637,  $1,937 and $2,278 in 1996, 1995 and
   1994, respectively.

   The Company has a reinsurance  agreement  whereby it assumed 100 percent of a
   block of single  premium life  insurance  business  from Amex Life  Assurance
   Company  (Amex  Life),  a former  affiliate.  The  accompanying  consolidated
   balance  sheets at Dec.  31, 1996 and 1995  include  $758,812  and  $764,663,
   respectively, of future policy benefits related to this agreement.

   The Company has a  reinsurance  agreement to cede 50 percent of its long-term
   care insurance business to Amex Life. The accompanying  consolidated  balance
   sheets at Dec. 31, 1996 and 1995 include $134,121 and $95,484,  respectively,
   of reinsurance receivables related to this agreement. Premiums ceded amounted
   to $32,917,  $25,553 and $20,360 and  reinsurance  recovered from  reinsurers
   amounted to $5,135, $4,998 and $3,022 for the years ended Dec. 31, 1996, 1995
   and 1994, respectively.

   The Company has a reinsurance  agreement to assume deferred annuity contracts
   from Amex Life. At Oct. 1, 1995, a $803,618  block of deferred  annuities and
   $28,327 of deferred policy acquisition costs were transferred to the Company.
   The  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheet  at Dec.  31,  1996  includes
   $828,298 of future policy benefits related to this agreement.  Contracts with
   future policy benefits  totaling $50,400 were still reinsured with the former
   affiliate at Dec.  31,  1996.  The  remaining  contracts  had been novated to
   Company contracts.

   Until July 1, 1995, the Company  participated  in the IDS Retirement  Plan of
   American Express Financial  Corporation which covered all permanent employees
   age 21 and over who had met certain employment  requirements.  Effective July
   1, 1995, the IDS Retirement Plan was merged with American  Express  Company's
   American Express Retirement Plan, which simultaneously was amended to include
   a  cash  balance  formula  and  a  lump  sum  distribution  option.  Employer
   contributions  to the plan are based on  participants'  age, years of service
   and total  compensation  for the year.  Funding of retirement  costs for this
   plan complies with the applicable minimum funding  requirements  specified by
   ERISA.  The Company's share of the total net periodic  pension cost was $174,
   $155 and $156 in 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.

   The  Company  also  participates  in defined  contribution  pension  plans of
   American  Express  Company  which  cover all  employees  who have met certain
   employment requirements.  Company contributions to the plans are a percent of
   either each employee's eligible compensation or basic contributions. Costs of
   these plans charged to operations in 1996,  1995 and 1994 were $990, $815 and
   $957, respectively.

   The Company  participates  in defined  benefit  health care plans of American
   Express  Financial  Corporation  that provide  health care and life insurance
   benefits to retired  employees  and  retired  financial  advisors.  The plans
   include   participant   contributions   and   service   related   eligibility
   requirements.  Upon  retirement,  such  employees are considered to have been
   employees  of  American  Express  Financial  Corporation.   American  Express
   Financial  Corporation  expenses these benefits and allocates the expenses to
   its  subsidiaries.  Accordingly,  costs of such  benefits  to the Company are
   included in employee  compensation and benefits and cannot be identified on a
   separate company basis.

   Charges  by  American  Express   Financial   Corporation  for  use  of  joint
   facilities,  marketing  services  and  other  services  aggregated  $397,362,
   $377,139,  and $335,183  for 1996,  1995 and 1994,  respectively.  Certain of
   these costs are included in deferred policy  acquisition  costs. In addition,
   the  Company  rents its home office  space from  American  Express  Financial
   Corporation on an annual renewable basis.

6. Commitments and contingencies

   At Dec. 31, 1996 and 1995, traditional life insurance and universal life-type
   insurance in force aggregated $67,274,354 and $59,683,532,  respectively,  of
   which  $3,875,921 and $3,771,204  were reinsured at the respective year ends.
   The Company also  reinsures a portion of the risks assumed  under  disability
   income  and  long-term  care  policies.  Under  all  reinsurance  agreements,
   premiums  ceded to  reinsurers  amounted to $48,250,  $39,399 and $31,016 and
   reinsurance  recovered  from  reinsurers  amounted to $15,612,  $14,088,  and
   $10,778  for the years  ended  Dec.  31,  1996,  1995 and  1994.  Reinsurance
   contracts  do  not  relieve  the  Company  from  its  primary  obligation  to
   policyholders.

   A number of  lawsuits  have been filed  against  life and health  insurers in
   jurisdictions in which the Company and its subsidiaries do business involving
   insurers'  sales  practices,  alleged agent  misconduct,  failure to properly
   supervise agents, and other matters. In December 1996, an action of this type
   was brought against the Company and its parent,  American  Express  Financial
   Corporation.  The plaintiffs  purport to represent a class  consisting of all
   persons who replaced existing Company policies with new Company policies from
   and after Jan. 1, 1985.  The complaint  puts at issue  various  alleged sales
   practices and  misrepresentations,  alleged  breaches of fiduciary duties and
   alleged violations of consumer fraud statutes.  Plaintiffs seek damages in an
   unspecified amount and seek to establish a claims resolution facility for the
   determination of individual  issues.  The Company and its parent believe they
   have meritorious defenses to the claims raised in the lawsuit. The outcome of
   any litigation cannot be predicted with certainty,  particularly in the early
   stages of an action.  In the opinion of  management,  however,  the  ultimate
   resolution of the above  lawsuit and others filed against the Company  should
   not have a material  adverse effect on the Company's  consolidated  financial
   position.

   During 1996, the Company  settled the federal tax audit for 1987 through 1989
   tax years.  There was no material impact as a result of that audit. Also, the
   IRS is  currently  auditing  the  Company's  1990  through  1992  tax  years.
   Management  does not believe  there will be a material  impact as a result of
   this audit.

7. Lines of credit 

   The  Company  has  available  lines of credit with two banks and its parent
   aggregating $175,000, of which $100,000 is with its parent. The lines of
   credit are at 40 to 80 basis  points over the lenders' cost of funds or equal
   to the prime rate,  depending on which line of credit agreement is used.  The
   $25,000 line of credit with one bank expired on Dec. 31, 1996 and the Company
   did not seek renewal. The $50,000 line  of credit with the other bank expires
   on  June 30, 1997  and  the  Company expects  to seek  renewal.  Borrowings
   outstanding under these agreements were $nil at Dec. 31, 1996 and 1995.

8. Derivative financial instruments

   The  Company  enters  into  transactions   involving   derivative   financial
   instruments to manage its exposure to interest rate risk,  including  hedging
   specific  transactions.  The Company does not hold derivative instruments for
   trading purposes. The Company manages risks associated with these instruments
   as described below.

   Market risk is the  possibility  that the value of the  derivative  financial
   instruments  will  change  due to  fluctuations  in a factor  from  which the
   instrument derives its value,  primarily an interest rate. The Company is not
   impacted by market risk related to derivatives held for non-trading  purposes
   beyond  that  inherent  in cash  market  transactions.  Derivatives  held for
   purposes  other than trading are largely used to manage risk and,  therefore,
   the cash flow and  income  effects  of the  derivatives  are  inverse  to the
   effects of the underlying transactions.

   Credit risk is the  possibility  that the  counterparty  will not fulfill the
   terms of the  contract.  The  Company  monitors  credit  exposure  related to
   derivative  financial  instruments through established  approval  procedures,
   including  setting  concentration  limits by counterparty  and industry,  and
   requiring  collateral,  where  appropriate.  A vast majority of the Company's
   counterparties are rated A or better by Moody's and Standard & Poor's.

   Credit  exposure  related to interest rate caps and floors is measured by the
   replacement  cost of the contracts.  The replacement cost represents the fair
   value of the instruments.

   The  notional or contract  amount of a  derivative  financial  instrument  is
   generally used to calculate the cash flows that are received or paid over the
   life of the  agreement.  Notional  amounts  are not  recorded  on the balance
   sheet. Notional amounts far exceed the related credit exposure.

<PAGE>

   The Company's holdings of derivative financial instruments are as follows:

                               Notional    Carrying      Fair      Total Credit
   Dec. 31, 1996                Amount       Value       Value       Exposure
   -------------              ---------     -------     --------   ------------
   Assets:
    Interest rate caps      $ 4,000,000     $16,227     $  7,439      $  7,439
    Interest rate floors      1,000,000       2,041        4,341         4,341
    Interest rate swaps       1,000,000          --      (24,715)           --
                             ----------     -------     --------       -------
                             $6,000,000     $18,268     $(12,935)      $11,780
                             ==========     =======     ========       =======
   Dec. 31, 1995
   Assets:
     Interest rate caps      $5,100,000     $26,680     $  8,366       $ 8,366
                             ==========     =======     ========       =======

   The fair  values  of  derivative  financial  instruments  are based on market
   values,  dealer quotes or pricing  models.  The interest rate caps and floors
   expire on various  dates from 1996 to 2001.  The  interest  rate swaps are in
   effect through 2001.

   Interest  rate  caps,  swaps and floors  are used  principally  to manage the
   Company's  interest  rate risk.  These  instruments  are used to protect  the
   margin between  interest  rates earned on investments  and the interest rates
   credited to related annuity contract holders.

9. Fair values of financial instruments

   The Company  discloses fair value  information  for most on- and  off-balance
   sheet  financial  instruments  for which it is  practicable  to estimate that
   value.  Fair  values  of life  insurance  obligations  and all  non-financial
   instruments,  such as deferred  acquisition  costs are excluded.  Off-balance
   sheet  intangible  assets,  such as the  value of the field  force,  are also
   excluded.  Management  believes the value of excluded  assets is significant.
   The fair value of the Company,  therefore, cannot be estimated by aggregating
   the amounts presented.

                                           1996                        1995
                                          ------                      -----
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 Carrying         Fair        Carrying         Fair
   Financial Assets               Value           Value         Value         Value
   ----------------               -----           -----         -----         -----
<S>                            <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>        
   Investments:
     Fixed maturities (Note 2):
       Held to maturity        $10,236,379   $10,521,650   $11,257,591   $11,878,377
       Available for sale       11,146,845    11,146,845    10,516,212    10,516,212
     Mortgage loans on
       real estate (Note 2)      3,493,364     3,606,077     2,945,495     3,184,666
     Other:
       Equity securities (Note 2)    3,308         3,308         3,517         3,517
       Derivative financial
         instruments (Note 8)       18,268       (12,935)       26,680         8,366
       Other                        63,993        66,242        52,182        52,182
   Cash and
     cash equivalents (Note 1)     224,603       224,603        72,147        72,147
   Separate account assets
     (Note 1)                   18,535,160    18,535,160    14,974,082    14,974,082

   Financial Liabilities
     Future policy benefits
       for fixed annuities      20,641,986    19,721,968    20,259,265    19,603,114
     Separate account 
         liabilities            17,358,087    16,688,519    14,208,619    13,665,636
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

   At Dec.  31,  1996 and 1995,  the  carrying  amount  and fair value of future
   policy benefits for fixed annuities exclude life insurance-related  contracts
   carried at  $1,112,155  and  $1,070,598,  respectively,  and policy  loans of
   $83,867 and $74,973,  respectively. The fair value of these benefits is based
   on the status of the  annuities at Dec. 31, 1996 and 1995.  The fair value of
   deferred  annuities is estimated as the carrying  amount less any  applicable
   surrender charges and related loans. The fair value for annuities in non-life
   contingent  payout  status is  estimated  as the present  value of  projected
   benefit payments at rates appropriate for contracts issued in 1996 and 1995.

   At Dec. 31, 1996 and 1995, the fair value of liabilities  related to separate
   accounts is estimated as the carrying  amount less any  applicable  surrender
   charges and less  variable  insurance  contracts  carried at  $1,177,073  and
   $765,463, respectively.

10.Segment information

   The Company's operations consist of two business segments;  first, individual
   and group life insurance, disability income and long-term care insurance, and
   second,  annuity  products  designed for  individuals,  pension plans,  small
   businesses  and   employer-sponsored   groups.  The  consolidated   condensed
   statements  of income for the years ended Dec.  31,  1996,  1995 and 1994 and
   total  assets at Dec. 31, 1996,  1995 and 1994 by segment are  summarized  as
   follows:

                                          1996           1995            1994
                                         ------         ------          -----
   Net investment income:
   Life, disability income
     and long-term care insurance   $    262,998   $    256,242   $     247,047
   Annuities                           1,702,364      1,651,067       1,534,826
                                     -----------    -----------    ------------
                                     $ 1,965,362    $ 1,907,309    $  1,781,873
                                     ===========    ===========    ============
   Premiums, charges and fees:
   Life, disability income
     and long-term care insurance   $    448,389   $    384,008   $     335,375
   Annuities                             308,873        249,557         193,370
                                    ------------   ------------   -------------
                                    $    757,262   $    633,565   $     528,745
                                    ============   ============   =============
   Income before income taxes:
   Life, disability income
     and long-term care insurance   $    161,115   $    125,402   $     122,677
   Annuities                             460,758        440,278         394,117
   Net loss on investments                  (159)        (4,898)         (4,282)
                                   -------------  -------------  --------------
                                    $    621,714   $    560,782   $     512,512
                                    ============   ============   =============
   Total assets:
   Life, disability income
     and long-term care insurance   $  7,028,906   $  6,195,870    $  5,269,188
   Annuities                          40,277,075     36,704,208      30,478,355
                                     -----------    -----------     -----------
                                     $47,305,981    $42,900,078     $35,747,543
                                     ===========    ===========     ===========

   Allocations of net investment  income and certain general  expenses are based
   on various assumptions and estimates.

   Assets are not  individually  identifiable by segment and have been allocated
   principally based on the amount of future policy benefits by segment.

   Capital  expenditures  and  depreciation   expense  are  not  material,   and
   consequently, are not reported.

<PAGE>

Report of Independent Auditors


The Board of Directors
IDS Life Insurance Company

We have  audited  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  of IDS  Life
Insurance  Company (a wholly  owned  subsidiary  of American  Express  Financial
Corporation)  as of  December  31, 1996 and 1995,  and the related  consolidated
statements of income,  stockholder's equity and cash flows for each of the three
years in the period ended December 31, 1996. 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 consolidated financial position of IDS Life Insurance
Company at  December  31,  1996 and 1995,  and the  consolidated  results of its
operations  and its cash flows for each of the three  years in the period  ended
December 31, 1996, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

As discussed in Note 1 to the  consolidated  financial  statements,  the Company
changed  its method of  accounting  for certain  investments  in debt and equity
securities in 1994.



Ernst & Young LLP
February 7, 1997
Minneapolis, Minnesota





<PAGE>

PAGE 63

(REG2)

                                              PART II

                                   UNDERTAKINGS TO FILE REPORTS

        Subject to the terms and  conditions of Section 15(d) of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the undersigned  registrant hereby undertakes to file with
the  Securities  and  Exchange   Commission  such   supplementary  and  periodic
information,  documents,  and  reports  as may be  prescribed  by  any  rule  or
regulation  of the  Commission  hereto or  hereafter  duly  adopted  pursuant to
authority conferred in that section.

                                       RULE 484 UNDERTAKING

The By-Laws of IDS Life Insurance Company provide that:

The  Corporation  shall  indemnify  any  person  who  was  or is a  party  or is
threatened to be made a party, by reason of the fact that he is or was a Manager
of Variable Annuity Funds A and B, director,  officer, employee or agent of this
Corporation,  or is or was  serving at the  direction  of the  Corporation  as a
Manager of Variable Annuity Funds A and B, director,  officer, employee or agent
of another corporation,  partnership,  joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
to any threatened,  pending or completed  action,  suit or proceeding,  wherever
brought,  to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Minnesota,
as now  existing or hereafter  amended,  provided  that this  Article  shall not
indemnify  or  protect  any such  Manager  of  Variable  Annuity  Funds A and B,
director, officer, employee or agent against any liability to the Corporation or
its security holders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence, in the performance of his duties or
by reason of his reckless disregard of his obligations and duties.

Insofar as  indemnification  for liability  arising under the  Securities Act of
1933 may be permitted to  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,  the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities  and Exchange  Commission
such  indemnification  is against  public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against
such liabilities  (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred
or paid by a director,  officer or  controlling  person of the registrant in the
successful  defense of any  action,  suit or  proceeding)  is  asserted  by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of
such issue.



<PAGE>



PAGE 64
   
             REPRESENTATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 205 OF THE NATIONAL SECURITIES
                              MARKET IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1996

The sponsoring  insurance company  represents that the fees and charges deducted
under the contract, in the aggregate, are reasonable in relation to the services
rendered,  the expenses  expected to be incurred,  and the risks  assumed by the
insurance company.
    


<PAGE>



PAGE 65
                    CONTENTS OF POST EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO REGISTRATION
                                      STATEMENT NO. 33-62457

This Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 comprises the following papers
and documents:

        The facing sheet.

        The prospectus consisting of 88 pages.

        The undertakings to file reports.

        The signatures.

        The following exhibits:

1.      A.     Copies of all exhibits required by paragraph A of
               instructions for Exhibits in Form N-8B-2 to the
               Registration Statement.

               (1)    (a)     Resolution of Board of Directors of IDS Life
                              Insurance Company establishing the Trust,
                              adopted May 9, 1985.*

                      (b)     Resolution of Board of Directors of IDS Life
                              Insurance Company reconstituting the Trust,
                              adopted October 16, 1985.*

                      (c)     Resolution of Board of Directors of IDS Life
                              Insurance Company reconstituting the Trust
                              adopted August 5, 1994.**

               (2)    Not applicable.

               (3)    (a)     Not applicable.

                      (b)     (1)    Form of Division Vice President's
                                     Employment Agreement dated November 1991.*

                              (2)    Form of District Manager's Rider to IDS
                                     Life Insurance Company, Personal Financial
                                     Planner's Agreement dated November 1986.*

                              (3)    Form of Personal Financial Planner's
                                     Agreement dated November 1986.*

                      (c)     Schedules of Sales Commissions.**

               (4)    Not applicable.

               (5)    Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable Life
                      Insurance Policy.**

               (6)    (a)     Certificate of Incorporation of IDS Life
                              Insurance Company, dated July 23, 1957.*

                      (b)     Amended By-Laws of IDS Life Insurance Company.*



<PAGE>



PAGE 66
               (7)    Not applicable.

               (8)            (a) Form of  Investment  Management  and  Services
                              Agreement  dated  December 17,  1985,  between IDS
                              Life and IDS Life Series Fund, Inc.*

                      (b)     Form of Investment Advisory Agreement dated
                              July 11, 1984, between IDS Life and IDS
                              Financial Services Inc. relating to the
                              Variable Account.*

                      (c)     Addendum to Investment Management and Services
                              Agreement.**

                      (d)     Addendum to Investment Advisory Agreement.**

               (9)    None.

               (10)   Application form for the Flexible Premium
                      Survivorship Variable Life Insurance Policy.**

               (11)   IDS Life Insurance Company's Description of Transfer
                      and Redemption Procedures and Method of Conversion
                      to Fixed Benefit Policies.**

        B.     (1)    Not applicable.

               (2)    Not applicable.

        C.     Not applicable.

2.      Opinion and consent of counsel as to the legality of the
        securities being registered is filed with Registrant's most
        recent 24f-2 Notice.

3.      Financial Statement Schedules are filed electronically
        herewith.

        Schedule I   -        Consolidated Summary of Investments other than
                              Investments in Related Parties
        Schedule  III  -  Supplementary  Insurance  Information  Schedule  IV  -
        Reinsurance  Schedule V - Valuation and  Qualifying  Accounts  Report of
        Independent Auditors dated February 2, 1997.

        All other schedules to the consolidated financial statements required by
        Article  7  of  Regulation  S-X  are  not  required  under  the  related
        instructions or are inpplicable and, therefore, have been omitted.

4.      Not applicable.

5.      Financial Data Schedules are filed electronically herewith.
        -      IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account for Flexible
               Premium Survivorship Life Insurance
        -      IDS Life Insurance Company

6.      Actuarial Opinion in support of the 1.25% federal tax charge.*



<PAGE>



PAGE 67
7.      Opinion of James M. Jensen, F.S.A., M.A.A.A., is filed
        electronically herewith.

8.      Written consent of James M. Jensen, F.S.A., M.A.A.A., is filed
        electronically herewith.

9.      Written consent of Ernst & Young LLP, is filed electronically
        herewith.

10.     Directors' Power of Attorney dated March 12, 1997, is filed
        electronically herewith.

*Filed as an Exhibit to the original  Registration  Statement to form S-6 and is
herein incorporated by reference.

**Filed as an Exhibit to Registrant's Form N-8B-2 with Pre-
Effective Amendment No. 1, File No. 33-62457 is incorporated herein
by reference.



<PAGE>



PAGE 68
                                            SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment
Company Act of 1940, IDS Life Insurance  Company,  on behalf of the  Registrant,
certifies that it meets requirements for- effectiveness of this Amendment to its
Registration  Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933
and has duly caused this  Registration  Statement  to be signed on behalf of the
Registrant  by the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly  authorized,  in this  City of
Minneapolis, and State of Minnesota on the 29th day of April, 1997.


                            IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account
                                        (Registrant)

                          By IDS Life Insurance Company
                                        (Sponsor)

                          By/s/ Richard W. Kling*
                                Richard W. Kling


Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,  this  Registration
Statement  has been signed by the  following  Officers and Directors of IDS Life
Insurance Company in the capacities indicated on the 29th day of April, 1997:

Signature                          Title

/s/ James A. Mitchell*             Chairman of the Board
    James A. Mitchell              and Chief Executive Officer

/s/ Richard W. Kling*              Director and President
    Richard W. Kling

/s/ David R. Hubers*               Director
    David R. Hubers

/s/ Paul F. Kolkman*               Director and Executive Vice
    Paul F. Kolkman                President

/s/ Barry J. Murphy*               Director and Executive Vice
    Barry J. Murphy                President, Client Service

/s/ Stuart A. Sedlacek*            Director and Executive Vice
    Stuart A. Sedlacek             President, Assured Assets

/s/ Melinda S. Urion*              Director, Executive Vice
    Melinda S. Urion               President and Controller




<PAGE>



PAGE 69
*Signed pursuant to Power of Attorney dated March 12, 1997 and is
filed electronically as Exhibit No. 10 to the original Registration
Statement.

By:



- ---------------------------------
Mary Ellyn Minenko






<PAGE>



PAGE 1
IDS LIFE VARIABLE LIFE SEPARATE ACCOUNT
Registration Number 33-62457/811-4298

EXHIBIT INDEX

3.      Financial Statement Schedules and Report of Independent
        Auditors.

5.      Financial Data Schedules
        -      IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account for Flexible
               Premium Survivorship Life Insurance
        -      IDS Life Insurance Company

7.      Opinion of James M. Jensen, F.S.A., M.A.A.A.

8.      Written consent of James M. Jensen, F.S.A., M.A.A.A.

9.      Written consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

10.  Directors' Power Of Attorney dated March 12, 1997.



<PAGE>

IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
SCHEDULE I - CONSOLIDATED SUMMARY OF INVESTMENTS
OTHER THAN INVESTMENTS IN RELATED PARTIES ($ thousands)
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1996
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Column A                                  Column B         Column C           Column D

Type of Investment                          Cost            Value         Amount at which
                                                                            shown in the
                                                                           balance sheet
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                       <C>               <C>                 <C>       
Fixed maturities:
    Held to maturity:
        United States Government and
          government agencies and
          authorities (a)             $    2,085,280  $      2,060,778  $        2,085,280
        States, municipalities and
           political subdivisions              9,685            10,097               9,685
        All other corporate bonds          8,141,414         8,450,775           8,141,414
                                        -------------   ---------------   -----------------
              Total held to maturity      10,236,379        10,521,650          10,236,379

    Available for sale:
        United States Government and
          government agencies and
          authorities (b)                  6,925,876         6,960,002           6,960,002
        States, municipalities and
           political subdivisions             11,032            12,368              12,368
        All other corporate bonds          4,071,714         4,174,475           4,174,475
                                        -------------   ---------------   -----------------
              Total available for sale    11,008,622        11,146,845          11,146,845

Mortgage loans on real estate              3,493,364         XXXXXXXXX           3,493,364
Policy loans                                 459,902         XXXXXXXXX             459,902
Other investments                            251,465         XXXXXXXXX             251,465
                                        -------------                     -----------------

              Total investments       $   25,449,732  $      XXXXXXXXX  $       25,587,955
                                        =============                     =================

(a) - Includes mortgage-backed securities with a cost and market value of $2,041,278 and $2,017,119,
           respectively.
(b) - Includes mortgage-backed securities with a cost and market value of $6,847,932 and $6,879,547,
           respectively.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
SCHEDULE III - SUPPLEMENTARY INSURANCE INFORMATION ($ thousands)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

    Column A     Column B      Column C  Column D    Column E    Column F   Column G    Column H    Column I      Column J  Column K

    Segment      Deferred      Future    Unearned  Other policy  Premium      Net       Benefits,  Amortization    Other    Premiums
                  policy       policy    premiums   claims and  revenue    investment   claims,     of deferred  operating  written
                 acquisition  benefits,              benefits                income    losses and    policy       expenses
                   cost        losses,                payable                          settlement   acquisition
                              claims and                                                 expenses     costs
                                loss
                               expenses
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>           <C>           <C>          <C>        <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>          <C>          <C>
Annuities     $  1,398,025  $ 21,838,008 $       -  $    50,137  $        -  $1,702,364  $    2,724  $   189,645  $ 180,942    N/A



Life, DI, and
Long-term 
Care Insurance      932,780    3,811,034          -       33,497     182,921     262,998     187,486       88,960     80,526   N/A

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total         $  2,330,805  $ 25,649,042 $       -  $    83,634  $  182,921  $1,965,362  $  190,210  $   278,605  $ 261,468    N/A

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
SCHEDULE III - SUPPLEMENTARY INSURANCE INFORMATION ($ thousands)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1995
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

    Column A      Column B     Column C    Column D    Column E    Column F   Column G    Column H    Column I    Column J  Column K

    Segment      Deferred     Future       Unearned  Other policy  Premium      Net       Benefits,  Amortization Other     Premiums
                  policy      policy       premiums   claims and  revenue    investment   claims,     of deferred operating  written
                 acquisition benefits,                benefits                income     losses and    policy     expenses
                   cost       losses,                 payable                            settlement   acquisition
                              claims and                                                  expenses     costs
                               loss
                               expenses
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>            <C>         <C>          <C>        <C>           <C>        <C>         <C>         <C>          <C>            <C>
Annuities      $ 1,227,169 $ 21,404,836 $       -  $     28,191  $       -  $1,651,067  $    2,693  $   189,626  $  166,191     N/A



Life, DI, 
and Long-term 
Care Insurance     798,556    3,613,253          -        28,132    161,530     256,242     164,749       90,495      45,451    N/A


- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total          $ 2,025,725 $ 25,018,089 $       -  $     56,323  $ 161,530  $1,907,309  $  167,442  $   280,121  $  211,642     N/A

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
SCHEDULE III - SUPPLEMENTARY INSURANCE INFORMATION ($ thousands)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1994
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

  Column A        Column B    Column C    Column D    Column E    Column F  Column G    Column H    Column I      Column J  Column K

   Segment       Deferred     Future      Unearned  Other policy  Premium     Net       Benefits,  Amortization   Other     Premiums
                  policy      policy      premiums   claims and  revenue   investment   claims,     of deferred  operating   written
                 acquisition benefits,              benefits                income     losses and    policy       expenses
                   cost       losses,                payable                           settlement   acquisition
                             claims and                                                 expenses     costs
                               loss
                              expenses
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>            <C>         <C>          <C>       <C>          <C>        <C>         <C>         <C>          <C>             <C>
Annuities      $ 1,150,585 $ 19,361,979 $       - $    23,888  $        - $1,534,826  $   (5,762) $   194,060  $  131,515      N/A



Life, DI, and
Long-term Care
Insurance         714,739    3,346,931          -      26,180     144,640    247,047     134,128       86,312      78,586      N/A


- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total          $ 1,865,324 $ 22,708,910 $       - $    50,068  $  144,640 $1,781,873  $  128,366  $   280,372  $  210,101      N/A

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
SCHEDULE IV - REINSURANCE ($ thousands)
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996, 1995 AND 1994
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Column A              Column B       Column C        Column D      Column E    Column F

                             Gross amount  Ceded to other   Assumed from      Net     % of amount
                                            companies     other companies   Amount   assumed to net
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                        <C>            <C>            <C>              <C>               <C>  
For the year ended
  December 31, 1996

Life insurance in force    $  65,571,173  $   3,875,921  $     1,703,181  $63,398,433       2.69%
===================================================================================================

Premiums:
  Life insurance           $      54,111  $       3,253  $           545  $   51,403        1.06%
  DI & LTC insurance             164,561         33,043               --     131,518        0.00%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total premiums             $     218,672  $      36,296  $           545  $  182,921        0.30%
===================================================================================================

For the year ended
  December 31, 1995

Life insurance in force    $  57,895,180  $   3,771,204  $     1,788,352  $55,912,328       3.20%
===================================================================================================

Premiums:
  Life insurance           $      53,089  $       2,648  $          (248) $   50,193       -0.49%
  DI & LTC insurance             137,016         25,679               --     111,337        0.00%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total premiums             $     190,105  $      28,327  $          (248) $  161,530       -0.15%
===================================================================================================

For the year ended
  December 31, 1994

Life insurance in force    $  50,814,651  $   3,246,608  $     1,851,916  $49,419,959       3.75%
===================================================================================================

Premiums:
  Life insurance           $      51,219  $       3,354  $           319  $   48,184        0.66%
  DI & LTC insurance             114,049         17,593               --      96,456        0.00%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total premiums             $     165,268  $      20,947  $           319  $  144,640        0.22%
===================================================================================================
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
SCHEDULE V - VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS ($ thousands)
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996, 1995 AND 1994
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Column A           Column B        Column C                       Column D      Column E

                                                  Additions
                                                -------------
                                 Balance at                       Charged to
              Description         Beginning      Charged to     Other Accounts- Deductions-  Balance at End
                                  of Period   Costs & Expenses     Describe      Describe *    of Period
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                                  <C>                   <C>               <C>          <C>       <C>    
For the year ended
  December 31, 1996
- ------------------------------
Reserve for Mortgage Loans           $37,340               $155              $0           $0        $37,495
Reserve for Other Investments         $4,713              ($750)             $0           $0         $3,963

For the year ended
  December 31, 1995
- ------------------------------
Reserve for Mortgage Loans           $35,252             $1,088              $0      ($1,000)       $37,340
Reserve for Other Investments         $7,515            ($2,802)             $0           $0         $4,713

For the year ended
  December 31, 1994
- ------------------------------
Reserve for Mortgage Loans           $35,020               $232              $0           $0        $35,252
Reserve for Fixed Maturities         $22,777           ($16,777)             $0       $6,000             $0
Reserve for Other Investments        $10,700            ($3,185)             $0           $0         $7,515

* 1995 amount represents a reserve on mortgage loans which were transferred from an affiliate. 
  1994 amount represents a direct writedown of the related investments in fixed maturities.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>



Report of Independent Auditors

The Board of Directors
IDS Life Insurance Company

We have audited the consolidated financial statements of IDS Life
Insurance Company as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, and for each of
the three years in the period ended December 31, 1996, and have
issued our report thereon dated February 7, 1997 (included
elsewhere in this Registration Statement).  Our audits also
included the financial statement schedules listed in Item 3 of
this Registration Statement.  These schedules are the
responsibility of the Company's management.  Our responsibility is
to express an opinion based on our audits.

In our opinion, the financial statement schedules referred to
above, when considered in relation to the basic financial
statements taken as a whole, present fairly, in all material
respects, the information set forth therein.



Ernst & Young LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
February 7, 1997


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                     6
<CIK>                         0000768836
<NAME> IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account (V2D)
<MULTIPLIER>                   1
<CURRENCY>                     U.S. DOLLAR
       
<S>                            <C>
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>              DEC-31-1996     
<PERIOD-START>                 JAN-01-1996     
<PERIOD-END>                   DEC-31-1996     
<PERIOD-TYPE>                  YEAR
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>          880436131     
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>         1027733655
<RECEIVABLES>                  1869239
<ASSETS-OTHER>                 0       
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                 1029602894
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>       0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>        0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>     (3481149)
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>           (3481149)
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>       0
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>          368919277
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>          252304526
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>      0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>         0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>        0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>       0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>       0 
<NET-ASSETS>                   1026121745
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>              98562855
<INTEREST-INCOME>              0
<OTHER-INCOME>                 0
<EXPENSES-NET>                (7530500)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>        91032355
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>       941169
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>      23923961 
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>          115897485
<EQUALIZATION>                 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>      0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>          0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>        151750174
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>   (35135423)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>            0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>         387870287
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>        0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>      0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>        0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>     0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>          0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>             0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>               (7530500)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>           832186602
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>          0
<PER-SHARE-NII>                0
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>        0
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>           0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>      0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>           0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>            0       
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                0
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>         0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>           0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                          7
<CIK>                      0000768836
<NAME>                     IDS Life Insurance Company
<MULTIPLIER>               1000
<CURRENCY>                 U.S. DOLLAR
       
<S>                                       <C>    
<PERIOD-START>                            JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                              DEC-31-1996
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                         DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                    YEAR
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                     1
<DEBT-HELD-FOR-SALE>                         11146845
<DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE>                        10236379
<DEBT-MARKET-VALUE>                          10521650
<EQUITIES>                                       3308
<MORTGAGE>                                    3493364
<REAL-ESTATE>                                   70290
<TOTAL-INVEST>                               25587955
<CASH>                                         224603
<RECOVER-REINSURE>                               1803
<DEFERRED-ACQUISITION>                        2330805
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               47305981
<POLICY-LOSSES>                              25649042
<UNEARNED-PREMIUMS>                                 0
<POLICY-OTHER>                                      0
<POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS>                           83634
<NOTES-PAYABLE>                                     0
<COMMON>                                         3000
                               0
                                         0
<OTHER-SE>                                    2144080
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 47305981
                                     182921
<INVESTMENT-INCOME>                           1965362
<INVESTMENT-GAINS>                              (159)
<OTHER-INCOME>                                 574341
<BENEFITS>                                    1560678
<UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION>                    278605
<UNDERWRITING-OTHER>                           261468
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                621714
<INCOME-TAX>                                   207138
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            414576
<DISCONTINUED>                                      0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                     0
<CHANGES>                                           0
<NET-INCOME>                                   414576
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       0
<RESERVE-OPEN>                                  24192
<PROVISION-CURRENT>                             88549
<PROVISION-PRIOR>                                   0
<PAYMENTS-CURRENT>                              86354
<PAYMENTS-PRIOR>                                    0
<RESERVE-CLOSE>                                 26387
<CUMULATIVE-DEFICIENCY>                             0
        

</TABLE>




<PAGE>



PAGE 1








April 24, 1997



IDS Life Insurance Company
IDS Tower 10
Minneapolis, Minnesota  55440

Gentlemen:

This opinion is furnished in connection with the Post-Effective  Amendment No. 2
(Amendment) by IDS Life Insurance Company for the filing of the Flexible Premium
Survivorship  Variable Life Insurance Policy ("the Policy") under the Securities
Act of 1933. The prospectus  included on Form S-6 in the Amendment describes the
Policy. I am familiar with the Policy,  the Amendment and the exhibits  thereto.
In my opinion, the illustrations of Death Benefits, Policy Values, and Surrender
Values included in the section of the prospectus entitled "Illustrations", under
the  assumptions  stated in that section,  are consistent with the provisions of
the Policy.

I hereby  consent to the use of this  opinion as an exhibit to the  registration
statement  and to the  reference to my name under the heading  "Experts" in this
prospectus.

Very Truly Yours,



James M. Jensen, F.S.A., M.A.A.A.
Vice President - Insurance Product Development





<PAGE>



PAGE 1









                                        CONSENT OF ACTUARY


The Board of Directors
IDS Life Insurance Company


I consent to the  reference to me under the caption  "Experts" and to the use of
my opinion dated April 24, 1997 on the Illustrations  used by IDS Life Insurance
Company in the Prospectus for the Flexible  Premium  Survivorship  Variable Life
Insurance  Policy  offered  by  IDS  Life  Insurance  Company  as  part  of  the
Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 being filed under the Securities Act of 1933.




James M. Jensen, F.S.A., M.A.A.A.
Vice President - Insurance Product Development

Minneapolis, Minnesota
April 24, 1997





<PAGE>



PAGE 1






CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


We consent to the  reference to our firm under the caption  "Experts" and to the
use of our  reports  dated  February  7,  1997  on  the  consolidated  financial
statements  and  schedules  of IDS Life  Insurance  Company and our report dated
March 21, 1997 on the  financial  statements  of IDS Life Variable Life Separate
Account for Flexible Premium Survivorship  Variable Life Insurance  (comprising,
respectively,  the U, V, W, X, Y, IL, FGI and FNO subaccounts) in Post-Effective
Amendment  No. 2 to the  Registration  Statement  (Form S-6, No.  33-62457)  and
related  Prospectus for the  registration of the Flexible  Premium  Survivorship
Variable Life Insurance Policy to be offered by IDS Life Insurance Company.



Ernst & Young LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
April 25, 1997





<PAGE>



PAGE 1
                                    IDS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                                         POWER OF ATTORNEY

City of Minneapolis

State of Minnesota

        Each of the undersigned,  as directors of IDS Life Insurance  Company on
behalf of the below listed  registrants that previously have filed  registration
statements and amendments thereto pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Act of 1933 and the  Investment  Company  Act of 1940  with the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission:

                                                     1933 Act        1940 Act
                                                     Reg. Number     Reg. Number
IDS Life Variable Account 10
  IDS Life Flexible Portfolio Annuity                  33-62407        811-07355
IDS Life Accounts F, IZ, JZ, G, H, N, KZ, LZ and MZ
  IDS Life Flexible Annuity                             33-4173         811-3217
IDS Life Accounts F, IZ, JZ, G, H, N, KZ, LZ and MZ
  IDS Life Variable Retirement and Combination
  Retirement Annuities                                  2-73114         811-3217
IDS Life Accounts F, IZ, JZ, G, H, N, KZ, LZ and MZ
  IDS Life Employee Benefit Annuity                     33-52518        811-3217
IDS Life Accounts F, IZ, JZ, G, H, N, KZ, LZ and MZ
  IDS Life Group Variable Annuity Contract              33-47302        811-3217
IDS Life Insurance Company
  IDS Life Group Variable Annuity Contract
  (Fixed Account)                                       33-48701           N/A
IDS Life Insurance Company
  IDS Life Guaranteed Term Annuity                      33-28976           N/A
IDS Life Insurance Company
  IDS Life Flexible Payment Market Value Annuity        33-50968           N/A
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account
  Flexible Premium Variable Life Insurance Policy       33-11165        811-4298
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account
  Flexible Premium Survivorship Variable
  Life Insurance Policy                                 33-62457        811-4298
IDS Life Variable Life Separate Account
  Single Premium Variable Life
  Insurance Policy                                      2-97637         811-4298
IDS Life Variable Account for Smith Barney
  Single Premium Variable Life Insurance Policy         33-5210         811-4652
IDS Life Account SBS
  Symphony Annuity                                      33-40779        812-7731
IDS Life Account RE
IDS Life Real Estate Variable Annuity                   33-13375           N/A
IDS Life Variable Annuity Fund A                        2-29081         811-1653
IDS Life Variable Annuity Fund B                        2-47430         811-1674


hereby constitutes and appoints William A. Stoltzmann, Mary Ellyn
Minenko, Eileen J. Newhouse, Sherilyn K. Beck, Colin Lancaster,
Bruce Kohn and Timothy S. Meehan or any one of them, as her or his
attorney-in-fact and agent, to sign for her or him in her or his
name, place and stead any and all filings, applications (including



<PAGE>



PAGE 2
applications for exemptive relief),  periodic reports,  registration  statements
(with all exhibits  and other  documents  required or  desirable  in  connection
therewith),  other documents,  and amendments  thereto and to file such filings,
applications,  periodic reports,  registration statements,  other documents, and
amendments  thereto  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  and  any
necessary states,  and grants to any or all of them the full power and authority
to do and  perform  each and every  act  required  or  necessary  in  connection
therewith.

     Dated the 12th day of March, 1997.



/s/ David R. Hubers                             March 10, 1997
- ---------------------------------
    David R. Hubers
    Director


/s/ Richard W. Kling                            March 12, 1997
- ---------------------------------
    Richard W. Kling
    Director and President


/s/ Paul F. Kolkman                             March 11, 1997
- ---------------------------------
    Paul F. Kolkman
    Director and Executive Vice
    President


/s/ James A. Mitchell                           March 10, 1997
- ---------------------------------
    James A. Mitchell
    Director, Chairman of the
    Board and Chief Executive Officer


/s/ Barry J. Murphy                             March 10, 1997
- ---------------------------------
    Barry J. Murphy
    Director and Executive Vice
    President, Client Service


/s/ Stuart A. Sedlacek                          March 7, 1997
- ---------------------------------
    Stuart A. Sedlacek
    Director and Executive Vice
    President, Assured Assets


/s/ Melinda S. Urion                            March 10, 1997
- ---------------------------------
    Melinda S. Urion
    Director, Executive Vice
    President and Controller




© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission