Retirement, Investments, & Insurance for Individuals Invest & Retire Annuities Principal® Strategic Outcomes

Principal® Strategic Outcomes

What’s a RILA

Like other annuities, RILAs are long-term, tax-deferred investments. They offer investment options—called segments—that are linked to a specific market index for a set period of time. This gives you a level of control over how your assets are invested and for how long. 

  • Growth is based on the performance of the underlying indices you choose, up to a set participation rate or cap.
  • Index credits are what provide growth potential for your investment. Credits are based on the performance of the underlying index from the start date to the end date of your investment period.
  • RILAs also offer you some protection from investment loss. Loss is limited by either a buffer or floor.

Take control of your retirement planning

Invest for growth potential
Designed to keep your money growing in positive markets.

Help protect against loss
Limit some investment losses in down and volatile markets.

Make it personal
Choose between various index allocations, growth strategies, and investment protections. 

Photo of young Asian woman with laptop.

How Principal® Strategic Outcomes works

It’s all about choice. These choices help you personalize your investments to your specific goals.

How do segment lengths work?

Longer investment options may offer a higher participation rate, providing the opportunity for higher account gains. Shorter options give you more investment flexibility by allowing you to move your assets around more frequently.

Chart showing term period and potential return

Strategic Outcomes offers investment options of one, two, and six years. You select the segment term, which is how long you want to invest money in that investment option.

1-year term
Enjoy the highest level of flexibility. You can reset your protection level each year and realize any earnings on an annual basis.

2-year term
You’ll still have investment flexibility with this option and benefit from higher participation rates than the 1-year segments.

6-year term
This option has the highest participation rates which means more growth potential in exchange for less flexibility.

What index or indices do you want to participate in?
Chart showing that you can chose from four different indices (S&P 500, Russell 200 index, MSCI EAFE index, SG Smart Climate)

What index or indices do you want to participate in?
You can choose from three well-known indices or an ESG index. The performance of the index will determine your investment growth.

Each investment option tracks and provides credits – either positive or negative. Crediting is based on the change to the index between your segment start and end dates. Credits are applied when your chosen investment option ends.
 

What’s the difference between a buffer and a floor?
Chart showing the difference between a buffer and floor

Strategic Outcomes offers two protection levels – a buffer and a floor. Both protect you from some investment loss. We also offer two full protection options.

Buffer option
A buffer protects you from losses up to the stated buffer. You absorb any losses beyond the buffer.

Floor option
You absorb losses up to the stated floor but are protected from losses beyond that. We offer a 0% floor which protects you from any loss.

Fixed segment option
We offer a fixed segment investment option that isn't tied to an index. Instead, you receive a fixed rate of return, giving you full protection from market loss but not the growth potential of other segment options.

Amounts allocated to a fixed segment option earn interest at the applicable annual interest rate for the segment term. The annual interest rate declared at the beginning of the segment term is guaranteed until the segment end date.

If you allocate your accumulated value to the fixed segment option, the value of that segment at any time will be equal to the accumulated value allocated on the fixed segment start date, plus interest during the segment term and minus any amount deducted during the segment term.

What’s the difference between a participation rate and a cap?
Graphic showing participation rate or index cap impacting your investments.

You have two different growth strategies available to you—a participation rate or a cap.

A participation rate is used to determine the amount of credit given on an investment. Any positive change in the underlying index is multiplied by the participation rate. The rate may be more or less than 100%.

A cap is the maximum return available to you when the index performs positively. 

Participation and cap rates are included in exchange for the downside protection provided and may limit your investment performance.

Want an extra boost?

If you’d like to boost your gains in positive performing markets, you can choose the optional rate enhancement rider. The rider increases either the participation rate or cap for your investment options. The rate enhancement rider is available on all index-linked segments for an additional fee.

Lock in your investment performance

At any time if you feel your investment objectives have been met and you’d like to lock-in your gains, or remove your investment from market volatility, you can use the segment performance lock-in feature. It comes automatically with your investment for no additional charge.

4 different hypothetical scenarios to help demonstrate how this works

 

10% buffer with a participation rate

Graph showing a 10% buffer with a participation rate

UP MARKET SCENARIO

The index performance is +20% with 100% participation rate. Your return would be +20%.

Your ending value:
$120,000

DOWN MARKET SCENARIO

The index performance is -20% with a 10% buffer. Your return would be -10%.

Your ending value:
$90,000

10% buffer with a cap

Graph showing a 10% buffer with a cap

UP MARKET SCENARIO

The index performance is +20% with a 10% cap. Your return would be +10%.

Your ending value:
$110,000

DOWN MARKET SCENARIO

The index performance is -20%. With a 10% buffer, your return would be -10%.

Your ending value:
$90,000

10% floor with a participation rate

Graphic showing a 10% floor with a participation rate

UP MARKET SCENARIO

The index performance is 20% with a 50% participation rate. Your return would be 10%.

Your ending value:
$110,000

DOWN MARKET SCENARIO

The index performance is -20%. With a 10% floor, your return would be -10%.

Your ending value:
$90,000

0% floor with a participation rate

Graphic showing 0% floor with a participation rate

UP MARKET SCENARIO

The index performance is +20% with a 30% participation rate. Your return would be +6%.

Your ending value:
$106,000

DOWN MARKET SCENARIO

The index performance is -20% with a 0% floor. Your return would be 0%.

Your ending value:
$100,000

All examples are hypothetical and are not meant to show actual results or predict future results. It’s intended to be educational in nature and is not intended to be taken as a recommendation. Your circumstances and experience will be different than that shown.

Is Principal® Strategic Outcomes right for you?

This could be a good investment for you if:

  • You're interested in keeping money invested for potential growth.
  • You want some loss protection if markets go down.
  • You're looking for tax-deferred growth.
  • You’re comfortable keeping your money in a long-term investment.
  • You want the flexibility to change your investment strategy if your financial goals change.
See how we can help

Talk with your financial professional to learn more and determine if Outcome Protector is right for you.