Monday, April 2, 2012

Security Benefit Launches Innovative Total Value Annuity

Unique Index Coupled with Successful Manufacturing and Distribution Creates Marketplace Excitement

Topeka, Kansas, April 02, 2012 - Security Benefit Corporation, a leading provider of retirement savings and income vehicles throughout the nation, today announced the launch of its Total Value Annuity, a fixed index annuity (FIA) offered exclusively through four elite independent marketing organizations (IMOs).

“We’re building on the success of our recent efforts to put unique and competitive products into the hands of respected national distribution organizations,” said Michael P. Kiley, Security Benefit Corporation Chief Executive Officer. “We are eager to again partner with Advisors Excel, together with three other elite marketing organizations, Creative Marketing, Gradient Financial and Impact Partnership.”

Through this very timely offering, Security Benefit is leveraging its state-of-the-art administrative platform as well as the highly effective distribution model that proved so effective with last year’s Security Income Annuity (SIA) launch.

“Our Total Value Annuity targets savers with an eye toward asset accumulation and we believe is a sensible part of our retirement savings and income product strategy,” said Doug Wolff, President, Security Benefit Life. “Our TVA extends Security Benefit’s fixed index annuity product line that includes the SIA and has rapidly become one of the top four selling products in the industry,* positioning Security Benefit as one of the fastest growing fixed index annuity providers in the nation.”

The Total Value Annuity comes as close to fully addressing the retirement challenge as any product on the market. Kiley expects his firm’s latest offering to help financial advisors and their clients address the three most important issues they face as they plan their financial future:

• Accumulation with Minimized Risk,

• Guaranteed Income for Life, and

• Death Benefit Option for Wealth Transfer to Heirs

The Total Value Annuity was designed to protect retirement savings and provide interest on those savings. Built with three different interest crediting options, Security Benefit’s newest product offers a fixed interest rate option or performance based interest results from the S&P 500® Index and/or the 5 Year Annuity Linked TVI Index (ALTVI). Annuity owners can choose to allocate all of their money to one interest crediting option or any combination of the three.

The ALTVI was built with a goal of providing positive returns through diversification, non-correlation and stabilized volatility. Its index provides the Total Value Annuity a unique alternative to the performance of traditional asset classes.

In addition to its flexible interest crediting options, the Total Value Annuity can be structured to provide guaranteed income for life through the optional Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit Rider, or to provide for others upon the owner’s death through the Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Rider.

“We believe our TVA can be a sensible part of retirement savings, and addresses many of the challenges and issues faced when approaching or entering retirement,” said Wolff. “

For more information, please contact:
Michel’ Cole, Security Benefit Corporation
(785) 438-3396

Laura Parsons, CSG-PR
303-887-2911

About Security Benefit Corporation
Founded in 1892, Security Benefit Corporation, a Guggenheim Partners Company, is a leading provider of savings and income solutions for America’s pre-and post-retirees. Security Benefit Corporation targets multiple wealth segments and channels of distribution through an independent, merit-based distribution structure. By leveraging Guggenheim’s superior general account management capabilities into highly competitive products, Security Benefit Corporation focuses on the retirement savings market providing a full range of services to independent distributors including broker/dealers, IMOs and other financial service providers. Security Benefit is indirectly controlled by Guggenheim Partners, LLC. The firm’s se2 division is an award-winning and nationally recognized provider of administrative services for the insurance and financial services industry. To learn more about Security Benefit or se2, visit www.securitybenefit.com or www.se2.com.

About Guggenheim Partners
Guggenheim Partners is a privately held global financial services firm with more than $125 billion in assets under management. The firm provides asset management, investment banking and capital markets services, insurance, institutional finance and investment advisory solutions to institutions, governments and agencies, corporations, investment advisors, family offices and individuals. Guggenheim Partners is headquartered in New York and Chicago and serves clients around the world from more than 25 offices in 10 countries. For more information, please visit www.guggenheimpartners.com.

The Security Benefit Total Value Annuity (Form 5700 (3-12) and ICC 12 5700 (3-12)),, a flexible premium deferred fixed index annuity contract, the Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB) Rider (form 5720 (3-12) and ICC 12 5720 (3-12)) and the Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit (GMDB) Rider (Form 5721 (3-12)), optional riders available for purchase with the Security Benefit Total Value Annuity, are issued by Security Benefit Life Insurance Company. Product features, limitations and availability may vary by state. Not available in all states. Not a deposit. Not insured by any federal agency. Guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of Security Benefit Life Insurance Company. May go down in value.

*According to a ranking from AnnuitySpecs.com’s Indexed Sales & Market Report, 4Q2011, of all the Indexed Annuity products sold, Security Benefit went from unranked on 1/1/2011 to number 4 in Indexed Annuity Sales as of 12/31/11.

The Annuity Linked TVI Index, ALTVI, RBS, The Royal Bank of Scotland and the DAISY device logo are trademarks of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc and have been licensed for use by The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc or one of its affiliates. Security Benefit Life Insurance Company annuities are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by The Royal Bank of Scotland plc or The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc.  The Royal Bank of Scotland plc and The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc make no representation and offer no advice with regard to purchasing any Security Benefit annuity. None of The Royal Bank of Scotland plc or any of its officers, employees, representatives or agents accept any responsibility for the appropriateness or suitability of any Security Benefit annuity for any purchaser, the performance of the Annuity Linked TVI Index or any Security Benefit annuity or the accuracy or completeness of this document.

TVI, TVI Index, Trader Vic Index, EAM Partners L.P., and EAM are trademarks of EAM Partners L.P. (“EAM”). The Trader Vic Index™ was created and is owned by EAM. EAM developed, maintains and is the sole party responsible for the methodology that is employed in connection with the Trader Vic Index™. RBS has provided a contribution to the Trader Vic Index™ in a limited manner. RBS’s contribution is limited to performing calculations and data distribution in connection with the Trader Vic Index™. EAM does not sponsor, endorse, sell, or promote this or any annuity contract or other vehicle that is offered by third parties and that seeks to provide an investment return based on the returns of the Trader Vic Index™, nor shall EAM be liable for any errors, misstatements or omissions in any communications with respect thereto. A decision to invest in any such annuity contract or other vehicle should not be made in reliance on any of the statements set forth in this document. Prospective purchasers are advised to make such a decision only after carefully considering the risks associated with purchasing such an annuity or other vehicle, as detailed in the offering materials prepared by or on behalf of the issuer of the annuity contract or vehicle.

Services are offered through Security Distributors, Inc., a subsidiary of Security Benefit Corporation (Security Benefit). ©2012 Security Benefit Life Insurance Company. All rights reserved. 88-00001-24 2012/04/01

Contact:
Laura Parsons
CSG PR
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303-887-2911

WWF Report into Sustainable Procurement could Boost Timber demand, says FRA

FRA, a research and advisory consultancy, claims that the publication of a report into public sector timber procurement in the UK could lead to a greater demand for sustainable timber.

Bainbridge Island, WA, April 02, 2012 - Forestry Research Analysis (FRA), a research and advisory consultancy, claims that the publication of a report into public sector timber procurement in the UK could lead to a greater demand for sustainable timber.

The high profile World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) report has proven an embarrassment for the British public sector as it shows only half of the country’s 433 local authorities have a sustainable timber procurement plan in place. As a result, FRA claims that as much as ten per cent of the timber being used by the more than 200 local authorities could be from non-EU, illegal sources.

“As soon as these figures come out, most of the authorities will have to do something to repair their reputations and green credentials,” stated FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins.

The ‘Barking up the right tree?’ report found that 40 per cent of all timber imported to the UK is used by the public sector, with up to ten per cent of this being from questionable sources. Of the 433 authorities questioned only 16 were actually implementing their sustainable procurements plan effectively, while a few more showed immediate interest in improving their practices.

Changes will have to be made very quickly to the way in which timber is procured in the UK as, from 3 March 2013, the EU will be able to ban illegally sourced timber form the UK altogether.

Here at FRA, we hope that this will lead to a change in attitude among UK local government, who we believe have a responsibility to set a standard for how the timber they use is sourced,” added Mr Collins.

He also claimed that the law change could lead to a major increase in the demand for sustainable timber, such as that grown by firms like Greenwood Management in plantations in Brazil.

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394