Preference Plus Account (PPA)® Product Site

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Preference Plus Account (PPA) is a tax sheltered variable annuity developed by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (“MetLife”) to provide a retirement savings vehicle for employees of public schools, colleges and universities, non-profit hospitals and nonprofit organizations under IRC §501(c)(3). PPA is designed to help individuals accumulate assets for retirement as well as provide a steady stream of income throughout their retirement years, if annuitized.

PPA Facts-at-a-Glance

What is a variable annuity?

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PPA Performance

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Minimum contribution

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Funding Options

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Transfers among funding options

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Benefit sensitivity

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Income for life

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Death Benefit

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Minimum Distribution Service

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Loan Provision

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Fees Charges3

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A variable annuity is a long-term retirement savings vehicle where returns are based on the performance of investments such as stocks and bonds held by the underlying portfolios. The money you earn and the payments you receive depend on how well these investments perform, and you take on the investment risk. Although a variable annuity may be an appropriate choice for some people as part of an overall retirement portfolio, it is not suitable for everyone. Please read the prospectus thoroughly and completely before investing.

A variable annuity offers the following advantages:

Tax-deferral
Individuals pay no income tax on their contributions into their tax qualified plan until the money is withdrawn from their account (unlike Roth contributions which are deducted after tax withholdings).3,4

Death benefit3
If the individual dies before income payments begin, the beneficiary is guaranteed to receive a specified amount. The beneficiary will receive the individual’s benefit from this feature if, at the time of the individual’s death, the account balance is less than the guaranteed amount.

Range of underlying funding options5
The underlying funding options available in a variable annuity typically invest in stocks, bonds, money market instruments, or some combination of the three.4

Periodic payments6
Individuals can elect to receive periodic income payments that may continue for their lifetime (and the lifetime of their spouse).

Click below to review performance reports and prospectuses:

Annuity
Performance Reports
Prospectus
Preference Plus Account - 457(b)
Performance Reports
Prospectus
Preference Plus Account - Corporate Keogh (Allocated) Performance Reports
Prospectus
Preference Plus Account - Corporate Keogh (Unallocated) Performance Reports
Prospectus
Preference Plus Account - IRA Rollover Performance Reports
Prospectus
Preference Plus Account - IRA/Simple/Roth IRA/SEP/NQL Performance Reports
Prospectus
Preference Plus Account - Supplemental Savings Performance Reports
Prospectus
Preference Plus Account - TSA Performance Reports
Prospectus

None. If no purchase payments are made for more than 36 months and the account balance is under $2,000, MetLife may cancel the certificate, if permitted by law, by paying the account balance less any outstanding loans (if loans are permitted by plan). Early withdrawal charges may apply. No certificate will be terminated due solely to negative investment performance.

  • Asset Allocation Portfolios
  • “Fund-of-Funds” Portfolios
  • Index Portfolios
  • Fixed Interest Account
  • Portfolios that invest in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

Note: Purchase payments allocated to the investment divisions are not guaranteed and bear the risk of loss.

Free. Non-taxable. Unlimited.

Other restrictions may apply. Please see prospectus for more details.

No certificate withdrawal charge will apply:3

  • if individuals leave their job and continuously participated in the certificate for at least 10 years (not applicable to transfers)
  • to a full withdrawal while an individual is disabled (as defined by the Social Security Administration). Disability must occur after individuals purchase this certificate.
  • upon death
  • to any withdrawal made to provide income payments for life or for a non-commutable period of five years or more
  • in any given certificate year, to partial withdrawals up to 10% of the account balance
  • any withdrawal required to avoid federal income tax penalties or satisfy federal income tax rules [except Section 72(t) withdrawals]

For a stream of income for life guaranteed by MetLife, all or part of the certificate may be annuitized.

Assuming income has not started, the standard death benefit is the greatest of:

  • Account balance;
  • Total purchase payments less withdrawals (including any applicable withdrawal charges);
  • Highest account balance on 12/31 following the end of any fifth certificate anniversary less withdrawals, fees and charges since that 12/31 date. In each case, the amount is reduced by outstanding loans, where loans are permited by plan.

The minimum distribution generally required each year once individuals reach age 73, or when they retire, whichever is later, by federal income tax rules can be calculated and forwarded from the Preference Plus Account by enrolling in MetLife’s automated required minimum distribution service related to this annuity. Failure to take required minimum distributions for a year will result in a penalty tax on the amount of the shortfall. MetLife will guarantee the calculation for this annuity against Internal Revenue Service (IRS) penalties for this annuity (based upon the information provided for this annuity certificate only). May not be available in all markets.

The amount that may be borrowed, the interest rate charged, the loan repayment schedules and loan application fees are described in the loan application form and the certificate (TSA only).

Note: Loan availability may be subject to the provisions of the employer’s plan and not available in all markets.

Annual certificate fee
Depending on the plan provisions, there may be a $20 annual certificate fee imposed upon the Fixed Interest Account. The fee will be waived if the account balance is $10,000 or greater, and purchase payments are made during the year.

Annual Separate Account charge
1.25% (as a percentage of the average account balance in the Separate Account). Additional investment-related fees and expenses will apply to the selected funding options. Please refer to the prospectus for more information.

Withdrawal charges
A declining 7-year withdrawal charge applies to each contribution. 7-year withdrawal charge schedule:
7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0%.

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Automated investment strategies7

  • * The AllocatorSM
    Each month, a dollar amount individuals choose is transferred from the Fixed Interest Account to any of the funding options they choose. The Allocator uses dollar cost averaging to take advantage of ups and downs in the market by investing the same amount at regular intervals of time.

  • * The EqualizerSM
    Take the emotion out of investing by automating the process with the Equalizer, a feature that helps individuals try to buy low and sell high. The Equalizer is a balanced, automated strategy that allocates money equally between the Fixed Interest Account and one of two stock investment divisions, either the MetLife Stock Index Division or the Frontier Mid Cap Growth Division. The transaction occurs automatically each quarter. If one investment division or the Fixed Interest Account outperforms the other, units or amounts are redeemed and transferred to the other so that they have equal balances. 

  • * The Equity Generator®
    Purchase payments go into the Fixed Interest Account, where they earn an interest rate guaranteed by MetLife and are protected from investment risk. Then each month, an amount equal to the accrued interest in the Fixed Interest Account is transferred into one investment division of individuals’ choice. The guarantees associated with the Fixed Interest Account is subject to the financial strength and claims-paying ability of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

  • * The Rebalancer®
    When individuals choose multiple funding options, including any of the asset allocation portfolios, they can help ensure that the percentage allocations stay consistent by electing this strategy. If the funding mix becomes unbalanced due to market conditions, we will automatically readjust them each quarter to bring them back in line with the original allocation.

  • * The Index Selector®
    Individuals select one of five Index Selector asset allocation models based on varying levels of risk tolerance. Based on the model they choose, the entire account balance is allocated among five index portfolios that seek to replicate the returns of five indices, as well as the Fixed Interest Account. Each Index Selector Model has a different percentage of some or all of the five index portfolios and the Fixed Interest Account. The Index Selector strategy will reallocate the holdings every quarter to match the original allocations.

  • * Asset Allocation Funding Options
    A diversified funding option that offers fully managed funding choices across a wide selection of asset classes.

    PPA offers Asset Allocation Portfolios. Each portfolio is diversified among asset classes and is designed to meet a specific investment objective and risk tolerance.

    Each Asset Allocation Portfolio is a “fund of funds” that invests in other underlying portfolios. Because of this two-tier structure, each Asset Allocation Portfolio bears its own investment management fees and expenses, as well as its pro rata share of the investment management fees and expenses of the underlying portfolios.8 Combining the investment strategies of several managers in a single portfolio may help to manage investment risk and provides individuals with a wide range of investment management expertise. Diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against loss.