“Last year’s market meltdown was a stark reminder of how vulnerable individuals’ investment portfolios can be,” said Christopher M. “Kip” Condron, chairman and chief executive officer of AXA Equitable. “We believe that Retirement Cornerstone represents a unique response to that sense of vulnerability. It can offer an easy way for investors to put cash back to work and take advantage of what they see as the best growth opportunities, as well as providing downside protection for retirement income.”
The growth track offers a selection of more than 90 investment portfolio choices, and the protection track offers a “roll-up” rate each year to calculate guaranteed minimum income that is one point above the 10-year Treasury rate. This rate will never fall below 4% and has a cap of 8%. The investor can decide how much of their portfolio to allocate to the two tracks and make tax-free transfers at any time.
“The extreme volatility of the recent past drove many investors into overly conservative positions at the worst possible moment,” Condron noted. “The unique value of Retirement Cornerstone is the simple way it can give people the confidence they need to once again invest for growth, but without given up the comfort of having a reliable guarantee – all on one platform.”
