Explore Your Retirement Opportunities


Athene® Velocity Fixed Indexed Annuity

Strengthen Your Growth Potential

Athene Velocity offers a unique growth opportunity for your retirement savings. You can earn interest based in part on the positive movement of the indicies attached to your selected Index Earning Strategy (IES) at the end of each two-year Strategy Term Period. You’re protected from negative index performance, which will never reduce the value of your annuity. Athene Velocity also helps you:

  • Track Values Daily
    The Balanced Allocation Value provides a daily valuation of the potential growth through each term.
  • Lock In Positive Performance
    At the end of every two-year term, Interest Earnings, if any, are locked in and cannot be lost due to negative index performance.1
  • Benefit from Gains To-Date on Free Withdrawals
    Because values are tracked daily, if you take a free withdrawal during a two-year term, you will receive any unrealized Interest Earnings to-date on the amount withdrawn.2
What is a fixed indexed annuity?

A fixed indexed annuity is a contract issued by an insurance company. In exchange for your premium, the insurance company provides the opportunity for growth based in part on the performance of underlying indices within a larger strategy while protecting your money from downside market risk. Fixed indexed annuities are not stock market investments and do not directly participate in any stock or equity investments or index. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. All guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing carrier and may be subject to annual charges. Other restrictions and limitations may apply.

Grow Your Retirement Savings

Athene Velocity helps take your retirement savings to a new level and protects your money from downside market risk. The graph below shows how the Balanced Allocation Value (BAV) is tracked every day and Interest Earnings, if any, are locked in every two years.

Athene Velocity Grow Your Retirement Savings

The graph above is intended for informational purposes only and it does not depict actual performance of any fixed indexed annuity contract or any index. It assumes no charges, including Annual Strategy Charges, or withdrawals, which will reduce the Accumulation Value.

The Accumulation Value is your premium plus any Interest Earnings. The Accumulation Value will be reduced by any applicable charges and withdrawals.3 Interest Earnings are credited every two years.

Key Terms and Definitions

BALANCED ALLOCATION VALUE (BAV) – The BAV is calculated daily and is the greater of the sum of the Strategy BAV of all Strategy Options or the Return of Charge amount. Each Strategy BAV accounts for any additional interest from the beginning of the current Strategy Term Period that has not yet been credited to the Strategy Value of that Strategy Option. The BAV is utilized for the Terminal Illness Waiver, Confinement Waiver and Death Benefit. The BAV is not available upon Surrender or at the Annuity Date, nor is it the basis for the Free Withdrawal amount.

CASH SURRENDER VALUE (CSV) – If you decide to surrender your contract, you will receive the contract’s Cash Surrender Value. The Cash Surrender Value is equal to the greatest of:

  • The Accumulation Value, plus interest on any remaining Free Withdrawal amount, less any applicable Withdrawal Charges, Premium Bonus Vesting Adjustments, Annual Strategy Charges and optional rider charges, if applicable, plus any applicable Market Value Adjustments
  • The Minimum Guaranteed Contract Value
  • The Return of Charge Amount (available after the Withdrawal Charge period and if no withdrawals are taken that incur a withdrawal charge)

If you surrender the contract before the end of the Withdrawal Charge period, you may receive less than your original premium.

CONFINEMENT AND TERMINAL ILLNESS WAIVERS – After the first contract anniversary, you can withdraw up to 100% of your annuity‘s value if you, as the Owner, are diagnosed with a Terminal Illness or an illness or serious injury necessitates a stay of 60 consecutive days or more at a Qualified Care Facility. If the Owner is a non-natural entity, then the Confinement and Terminal Illness Waivers will be triggered based on the Annuitant. Any applicable Withdrawal Charges, MVA or Premium Bonus Vesting Adjustments will be waived. For more details and state variations, please contact your insurance professional to see the Additional Information Insert and Certificate of Disclosure. In MA, the Confinement Waiver is not available. In CA, the Confinement Waiver and Terminal Illness Waiver are not available.

DEATH BENEFIT – Should you, as the Owner, pass away before you begin receiving annuity payments, the full value of the annuity will be payable to your beneficiary or beneficiaries. If the Owner is a non-natural entity, then the death benefit is triggered in the event of the Annuitant passing. The Death Benefit will be the greater of the contract`s Cash Surrender Value or the Balanced Allocation Value. A Withdrawal Charge and any applicable Premium Bonus Vesting Adjustments or MVAs will not be applied to the death benefit paid. Under certain circumstances, spousal beneficiaries may be able to continue the contract. After annuitization, payments will be consistent with the Settlement Option selected. Taxes may apply.

FREE WITHDRAWALS – The Free Withdrawal amount is the greater of a percentage of the Accumulation Value and a percentage of the Initial Premium and Premium Bonus, if applicable. The percentage is 10% in all years. Withdrawals in excess of the Free Withdrawal amount (excluding Required Minimum Distributions) will not receive gains to-date and will be subject to any applicable Withdrawal Charges, Premium Bonus Vesting Adjustments and MVAs. Gains to date are not credited on Lifetime Income Withdrawals or to withdrawals in excess of the Free Withdrawal amount.

The contract waives Withdrawal Charges, MVA and Premium Bonus Vesting Adjustments, if applicable, on Required Minimum Distributions taken after turning age 73.*

Withdrawal Charge Schedule

Withdrawal Charges may vary by state. Withdrawals and the surrender of the Contract may be subject to federal and state income tax and, except under certain circumstances, will be subject to an additional tax if taken prior to age 59½. For more information, please see the Additional Information Insert and Certificate of Disclosure.

INCOME BASE – The Income Base is used to determine the annual Lifetime Income Withdrawals and Annual Income Rider Charge, if applicable. Athene Velocity has a built in Income Rider that grows at 175% of Interest Earnings, if any, minus the Annual Strategy Charge, if applicable. Interest Earnings, if any, are credited to the Income Base through the earlier of beginning Lifetime Income Withdrawals or the 18th contract anniversary. If you begin Lifetime Income Withdrawals before the end of a two-year term, interest, if any, will be credited pro rata to the Income Base. The Income Base is not an amount that has a cash value or surrender value that can be paid out partially or in a lump sum. Withdrawals, prior to commencing Lifetime Income Withdrawals, will reduce the Income Base by the same percentage that the Accumulation Value is reduced for the withdrawal. However, the dollar amount of this reduction will not be less than the deduction from the Accumulation Value. After Lifetime Income Withdrawals have commenced, withdrawals up to the Lifetime Income Withdrawal amount will reduce the Income Base by the dollar amount of the withdrawal, while withdrawals in excess of the Lifetime Income Withdrawal amount will reduce the Income Base and future Lifetime Income Withdrawals by the same percentage that the Accumulation Value is reduced for the withdrawal. Withdrawals may also be subject to Withdrawal Charges, Premium Bonus Vesting Adjustments or MVAs, if applicable. For more information, please see the Certificate of Disclosure.

INDEX EARNINGS STRATEGY (IES) – The IES uses a Participation Rate in the calculation of Interest Earnings. The IES adds Interest Earnings, if any, to your annuity at the end of every two-year term. A percentage, called the Participation Rate, is applied to the growth of the benchmark index or indices to determine the Interest Earnings. The IES may apply an Annual Strategy Charge which is calculated by multiplying the Strategy Value of the associated Strategy Option and an annual Strategy Charge Rate on each contract anniversary. A portion of that charge (1/12th) is deducted from the applicable Strategy Value each month. All rates are set at contract issue and guaranteed for the first two-year term. For current Participation Rates, please see the rate sheet. A specific Strategy Option may not be available for the life of the contract.

LIFETIME INCOME WITHDRAWALS – Lifetime Income Withdrawals are calculated by multiplying the greater of the Income Base or Accumulation Value by the current Lifetime Income Withdrawal Percentage when Lifetime Income Withdrawals begin. The Lifetime Income Withdrawal Percentage depends on the income option elected and is determined by the “Age” Lifetime Income Withdrawals begin. “Age” means your attained age for Single Life or the younger of your attained age or your spouse’s attained age for Joint Life when your spouse is listed as the sole beneficiary or the contract is jointly owned. In general, the longer you wait to take income, the greater the initial Lifetime Income Withdrawal Percentage will be. When you’re ready to begin Lifetime Income Withdrawals, the income rider provides:
Earnings-Indexed Income Option may increase the lifetime income at the end of every 2-year strategy term based on the rate of interest credited, if any, in the Strategy Options elected.
Lifetime Income Withdrawals will continue even if they ultimately reduce the Accumulation Value to zero. Withdrawals in excess of the Lifetime Income Withdrawal may be subject to a Withdrawal Charge, MVA and Premium Bonus Vesting Adjustment and will reduce future Lifetime Income Withdrawals. Withdrawals in some instances could terminate the rider. For more information, please see the Certificate of Disclosure and ask your insurance professional. Withdrawals and surrender may be subject to federal and state income tax and, except under certain circumstances, will be subject to an IRS penalty if taken prior to age 59½.

MARKET VALUE ADJUSTMENT (MVA) – The MVA feature applies during the Withdrawal Charge period to a surrender or Withdrawals in excess of the Free Withdrawal amount. This adjustment is in addition to any Withdrawal Charge amount. The MVA does not apply to Free Withdrawals, RMDs or payments made under the Confinement and Terminal Illness waivers. Not applicable in MO.

MINIMUM GUARANTEED CONTRACT VALUE – You will receive a minimum interest crediting rate on a percentage of your premium adjusted for withdrawals and optional rider charges, depending on state, while the contract is in effect, regardless of market conditions, providing a minimum value the contract will not fall below.

REQUIRED MINIMUM DISTRIBUTIONS – Athene Velocity waives Withdrawal Charges, MVA and Premium Bonus Vesting Adjustments, if applicable, if you need to take Required Minimum Distributions after turning age 73. For more information, please contact your insurance professional to see the Additional Information Insert.

RETURN OF CHARGE (ROC) – If you do not take any withdrawals, including a full surrender, that are subject to a Withdrawal Charge, the Cash Surrender Value of your contract after the Withdrawal Charge period will never be less than the premium paid plus any applicable Premium Bonus, adjusted for withdrawals. This means that your premium and any bonus will be returned to you, even if Annual Strategy Charges and optional rider charges are greater than the interest earnings credited to your account.