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Shield® Level Annuities

 

A Shield® Level Annuity is an index-linked annuity, which means it doesn’t invest directly in the markets. Instead, it offers growth opportunities by tracking the performance of one or more market indices.1

Shield Level Annuities include Shield® Level Select 6-Year Annuity, Shield® Level II 6-Year Annuity, Shield® Level Select 3-Year Annuity, Shield® Level II 3-Year Annuity, Shield® Level Select Advisory Annuity, and Shield® Level II Advisory Annuity.



Could a Shield Level Annuity be right for you?

Kristin shares why she chose a Shield Level Annuity for her portfolio.

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Diversify your retirement portfolio with a Shield Level Annuity.
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Protect retirement assets

A Shield Level Annuity provides a level of protection to help ensure that losses are limited when markets turn volatile.

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Participate in growth opportunities

With a Shield Level Annuity, balance is built in. This means that even with a guaranteed level of protection, there are opportunities to take advantage of market growth.

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Pay no annual fees

Unlike many financial products, there are no annual fees with a Shield Level Annuity.2

How It Works

Your Shield Level Annuity3 can be tailored to your needs by answering four questions:

1. What index or indices do you want to track?
You can track the performance of well-known indices: S&P 500® Index (large cap), Russell 2000® Index (small cap), MSCI EAFE Index (international) and Nasdaq-100® (large cap).A,B,C,D

2. How much protection do you want?
A Shield Level Annuity offers a built-in level of protection called the Shield Rate.4 This protects your assets from some of the losses that can derail plans.

3. How much growth potential do you want?
Three rate crediting types are available: Cap Rate, Step Rate, and Step Rate Edge. A Fixed Account is also available. If elected, a Fixed Account pays a fixed rate of interest rather than tracking the performance of an index. Your financial professional can help you determine which strategy might work best for you.5

4. How long do you want to invest?
Select the term, which is how long you want to invest. A Shield Level Annuity offers 1-, 2-, 3-, and 6-year terms. At the end of each term, you can adjust or maintain your Shield Options to meet changing needs.

Resource Materials

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Click here for important information about Shield Level Suite Annuities. Changes outlined should be read along with the resources below.

Download these resources for more detailed information about this product:
Understanding the Market’s Impact
Product Brochure
Customize a Solution
Historical Price Returns
Step Rate Edge Flyer
Resources for use in NY
Step Rate Edge Flyer (NY)


Are you a financial professional? View related materials created for financial professionals.



Prospectuses



Shield Level II 6-Year Annuity Prospectus
Shield Level II 3-Year Annuity Prospectus
Shield Level II Advisory Prospectus

Additional Information

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Shield Level Annuity Rates
Get the current rates for all Shield Level Annuity products here. Our rates generally update on the 1st and the 15th of each month.
Go to Rates
Performance Lock Brochure
Our Performance Lock feature allows you to lock the Interim Value of your Shield Option once during a term.6 The Interim Value is determined at the end of the business day when Performance Lock is exercised.
Read the Brochure

Take the Next Step

Talk to your financial professional to find out if a Brighthouse Shield Level Annuity is right for a portion of your portfolio and to learn more about purchasing this product.

Here are some questions to help you start the conversation:

  • 1. Does a Shield Level Annuity fit my needs?
  • 2. What if I need to use the money for something else before my term is over?
  • 3. What percentage of my retirement assets should I invest in a Shield Level Annuity?
  • 4. How have the indices a Shield Level Annuity tracks performed in the past?
  • 5. Can I split my investment between more than one index?

Take a look at a short video that describes how each of our crediting strategies can provide growth opportunities.

Watch the Video Now

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This Brighthouse Financial product can only be purchased through a licensed financial professional.

Don’t have a financial professional? Learn more about working with a financial professional.

Brighthouse Financial Logo

Trusted by more than 2 million customers and with over 2 million annuity contracts and life insurance policies in force,* Brighthouse Financial® is one of the largest providers of annuities and life insurance in the U.S.**

* Data as of March 31, 2024.

** Ranked by 2023 admitted assets. Best’s Review®: Top 200 U.S. Life/Health Insurers. AM Best, 2024.

A The S&P 500® is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates (“SPDJI”) and has been licensed for use by Brighthouse Financial, Inc. S&P®, S&P 500®, US 500, The 500, iBoxx®, iTraxx® and CDX® are trademarks of S&P Global, Inc. or its affiliates (“S&P”); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”); and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by Brighthouse Financial, Inc. Brighthouse Financial products are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, or their respective affiliates; and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products, nor do they have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of the S&P 500®. 

B The Russell 2000® Index is a trademark of Russell Investments and has been licensed for use by affiliates of Brighthouse Financial, Inc. This annuity product is not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by Russell Investments, and Russell Investments makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in this annuity product. 

C These annuity products are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by MSCI, and MSCI bears no liability with respect to any such products or securities, or any index on which such products or securities are based. The annuity product prospectuses contains a more detailed description of the limited relationship MSCI has with affiliates of Brighthouse Financial, Inc. 

D Nasdaq®, Nasdaq-100®, Nasdaq-100 Index®, and NDX® are registered trademarks of Nasdaq, Inc. (which, with its affiliates, is referred to as the “Corporations”) and are licensed for use by Brighthouse Financial, Inc. Brighthouse Financial products have not been passed on by the Corporations as to their legality or suitability and are not issued, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the Corporations. THE CORPORATIONS MAKE NO WARRANTIES AND BEAR NO LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THESE PRODUCTS. 

1 The contract owner can participate in rising markets up to the rate crediting type. Growth opportunities are based on the elected rate crediting type. The performance (Performance Rate) for each Shield Option is determined on the term end date and is based on the index performance, adjusted for the applicable Shield Rate (level of protection) and rate crediting type. An adjustment to the value of the Shield Option to reflect any losses as well as the limitation on positive index gains could be viewed as implicit fees. The issuing insurance company will absorb losses up to the level of protection in falling markets. The account value will be reduced by any negative index performance beyond the elected level of protection. If the Fixed Account is not elected, there could be a substantial loss if the index declines more than the level of protection. Availability of the Fixed Account may vary by state.

2 Withdrawals may be subject to withdrawal charges, and premium tax and other taxes may apply. When a withdrawal is taken, the value of the Shield Option will be adjusted to reflect any gains or losses attributable to an Interim Value calculation. Losses beyond the elected level of protection could be substantial. By providing a level of downside protection, positive index gains may be limited up to a certain percentage, based on the elected rate crediting type. As a result, the contract owner’s return may be lower than the index’s return. An adjustment to the value of the Shield Option to reflect any losses as well as the limitation on positive index gains could be viewed as implicit fees.

3 The Shield Options available may vary by state or firm. Not all Shield Level Annuities offer the same Shield Options.

4 There could be a substantial loss if the index declines more than your level of protection.

5 Visit brighthousefinancial.com for current rates, which generally update every two weeks.

6 Interim Value is determined at the end of the business day when Performance Lock is exercised. Upon exercising the Performance Lock feature, the value of the Shield Option will be adjusted to reflect any gains or losses attributable to the Interim Value calculation. Any losses, which could be substantial, may be beyond the elected level of protection. Once locked, the contract owner can no longer participate in index performance for the remainder of the term and may receive less than the elected rate crediting type or less than the full protection of the Shield Rate. The locked Interim Value could be less than if the contract owner chose to exercise Performance Lock at a later date or not at all.

This material is for general informational purposes only, does not purport to be complete or cover every situation, and should not be construed as legal, tax, accounting, investment, or fiduciary advice. Brighthouse Financial and its affiliates did not consider any individual’s circumstances in preparing this information. Clients should confer with their tax, legal, and accounting professionals in addition to consulting with a financial professional.

All guarantees, including any optional benefits, are subject to the claims-paying ability and financial strength of Brighthouse Financial. Each issuing insurance company is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations.

Brighthouse Shield® Level Select 6-Year Annuity, Brighthouse Shield® Level II 6-Year Annuity, Brighthouse Shield® Level Select 3-Year Annuity, Brighthouse Shield® Level II 3-Year Annuity, Brighthouse Shield® Level Select Advisory Annuity, and Brighthouse Shield® Level II Advisory Annuity are collectively referred to as “Shield® Level Annuities,” “Shield® Level II Annuities,” “Shield® Annuities,” or “Shield® II Annuities."

Brighthouse Shield® Level Select 6-Year Annuity, Brighthouse Shield® Level Select 3-Year Annuity, and Brighthouse Shield® Level Select Advisory Annuity are index-linked annuities issued by, and product guarantees are solely the responsibility of, Brighthouse Life Insurance Company, Charlotte, NC 28277, on Policy Form L-22494 (09/12)-AV (“Brighthouse Financial”). Brighthouse Shield® Level II 6-Year Annuity, Brighthouse Shield® Level II 3-Year Annuity, and Brighthouse Shield® Level II Advisory Annuity, collectively referred to as “Shield® Level Annuities,” “Shield® Level II Annuities,” “Shield® Annuities,” or “Shield® II Annuities,” are index-linked annuities issued by, and product guarantees are solely the responsibility of, Brighthouse Life Insurance Company, Charlotte, NC 28277, on Policy Form 5-213-1 (07/24) and, for products issued in New York, by Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY, New York, NY 10017, on Policy Form 5-213-1-NY (07/24) (“Brighthouse Financial”). These products are distributed by Brighthouse Securities, LLC (member FINRA). All are Brighthouse Financial affiliated companies. The contract prospectuses and contracts contain information about each contract’s features, risks, charges, expenses, exclusions, limitations, termination provisions, and terms for keeping the contract in force. Prospectuses and complete details about each contract are available from a financial professional and should be read carefully. Product availability and features may vary by state or firm.