<PAGE>
Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company
700 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Telephone: (714) 640-3852
February 24, 1997
Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company
Post Office Box 9000
700 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, California 92660
Dear Sir or Madam:
In my capacity as Vice President and Investment Counsel of Pacific Mutual Life
Insurance Company ("Pacific Mutual"), I am familiar with Separate Account A of
Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company ("Separate Account"), which is a separate
account for assets applicable to Pacific One Variable Annuity contracts
("Contracts") issued by Pacific Mutual.
I have made such examination of the law and examined such corporate records and
such other documents as in my judgment are necessary and appropriate to enable
me to render the following opinion.
The issuance and sale of interests in the Separate Account under the Contracts
during the Separate Account's fiscal year ending December 31, 1996 represent the
following amounts allocated to the Variable Accounts:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
VARIABLE ACCOUNT AMOUNT
---------------- ------------
<S> <C>
MONEY MARKET $ 36,737,034
MANAGED BOND 7,754,147
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES 7,002,619
HIGH YIELD BOND 8,258,647
EQUITY INCOME 8,993,350
MULTI-STRATEGY 3,224,846
INTERNATIONAL 15,113,360
EQUITY INDEX 8,973,381
GROWTH LT 12,920,255
EQUITY 6,166,698
BOND AND INCOME 1,687,592
AGGRESSIVE EQUITY 4,265,206
EMERGING MARKETS 2,453,918
------------
TOTAL: $123,551,053
============
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company
February 24, 1997
Page 2
It is my opinion that such interests were issued in connection with Contracts
that constitute legal, validly issued and binding obligations of Pacific Mutual
except as limited by bankruptcy or insolvency laws affecting the rights of
creditors generally.
I consent to the use of this letter by Pacific Mutual in connection with the
Separate Account's Notice pursuant to Rule 24f-2 under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 for the Separate Account's fiscal year ending December 31, 1996.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Sharon A. Cheever
Vice President and Investment Counsel
<PAGE>
APPENDIX I. U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON D.C. 20549
FORM 24F-2
Annual Notice of Securities Sold
Pursuant to Rule 24f-2
Read instructions at end of Form before preparing Form.
Please print or type.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Name and address of Issuer: SEPARATE ACCOUNT A
700 NEWPORT CENTER DRIVE
NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Name of each series or class of funds for which this notice is filed:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Investment Company Act File Number: 811-8946
Securities Act File Number: 33-88458
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Last day of fiscal year for which this notice is filed:
December 31, 1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Check box if this notice is being filed more than 180 days after the close of
the issuer's fiscal year for purposes of reporting securities sold after the
close of the fiscal year but before termination of the issuer's 24f-2
declaration:
[_]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Date of termination of issuer's declaration under rule 24f-2(a)(1), if
applicable (see instruction A.6):
N/A
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Number and amount of securities of the same class or series which had been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933 other than pursuant to rule 24f-2
in a prior fiscal year, but which remained unsold at the beginning of the
fiscal year:
NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Number and amount of securities registered during the fiscal year other than
pursuant to rule 24f-2:
NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Number and aggregate sale price of securities sold during the fiscal year:
SEE ATTACHED WORKSHEET
Number of securities sold not applicable as Registrant is a separate account
registered as a unit investment trust.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Number and aggregate sale price of securities sold during the fiscal year
in reliance upon registration pursuant to rule 24f-2:
SAME AS NUMBER 9
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. Number and aggregate sale price of securities issued during the fiscal
year in connection with dividend reinvestment plans, if applicable (see
instruction C.7):
N/A
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Calculation of registration fee:
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
(i) Aggregate sale price of securities sold
during the fiscal year in reliance on rule
24f-2 (from item 10): $123,551,053
------------
(ii) Aggregate price of shares issued in connection
with dividend reinvestment plans (from item 11,
if applicable): +
------------
(iii) Aggregate price of shares redeemed or repurchased
during the fiscal year (if applicable): - 29,430,593
------------
(iv) Aggregate price of shares redeemed or repurchased
and previously applied as a reduction to filing
fees pursuant to rule 24f-2 (if applicable): +
------------
(v) Net aggregate price of securities sold and issued
during the fiscal year in reliance on rule 24f-2
[line (i), plus line (ii), less line (iii), plus
Line (iv)] (if applicable): 94,120,460
------------
(vi) Multiplier prescribed by Section 6(b) of the
Securities Act of 1933 or other applicable law
or regulation (see instruction C.6): x 1/3300
------------
(vii) Fee due [line (I) or line (v) multiplied by
Line (vi)]: 28,521.35
============
</TABLE>
Instructions: Issuers should complete lines (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) only
if the form is being filed within 60 days after the close of
the issuer's fiscal year. See Instruction C.3.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13. Check box if fees are being remitted to the Commission's lockbox depository
as described in section 3a of the Commission's Rules of Informal and Other
Procedures (17 CFR 202.3a).
[X]
Date of mailing or wire transfer of filing fees to the Commission's lockbox
depository:
February 26, 1997
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SIGNATURES
This report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
issuer and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
By (Signature and Title) /s/ Diane N. Ledger
----------------------------------------------
Date February 27, 1997 Diane N. Ledger, Assistant Vice President
----------------- ----------------------------------------------
Please print the name and title of the signing officer below the signature.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
SEPARATE ACCOUNT A
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 12/31/96
RULE 24F-2 FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
(A) (B) (C)
NET
TOTAL TOTAL SALES
SALES REDEMPTIONS (REDEMPTIONS)
----------- ----------- -------------
(A) - (B)
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Money Market 36,737,034 21,564,593 15,172,441
Managed Bond 7,754,147 328,641 7,425,506
Government Securities 7,002,619 258,862 6,743,757
High Yield Bond 8,258,647 1,664,217 6,594,430
Equity Income 8,993,350 879,230 8,114,120
Multi-Strategy 3,224,846 132,527 3,092,319
International 15,113,360 769,070 14,344,290
Equity Index 8,973,381 458,025 8,515,356
Growth LT 12,920,255 2,234,504 10,685,751
Equity 6,166,698 572,025 5,594,673
Bond and Income 1,687,592 227,006 1,460,586
Agressive Equity 4,265,206 209,463 4,055,743
Emerging Markets 2,453,918 132,430 2,321,488
----------- ----------- -------------
TOTAL 123,551,053 29,430,593 94,120,460
----------- ----------- -------------
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FEE CALCULATION:
EDGAR 1/33 OF 1%
Method Method
----------- -----------
(a/b) (a*b)
<S> <C> <C>
Sales Less Redemptions (a) 94,120,460 94,120,460
Rate (b) 3,300 0.00030303
----------- -----------
Filing Fee 28,521.35 28,521.32
----------- -----------
Fee due payable will be the higher of the two methods. If less than zero, no amount due.
AMOUNT DUE: -----------
28,521.35
-----------
</TABLE>
