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Your Guide To Personal Finance Responsibility

May 19, 2012

Although you may not want to think about the state of your finances, there is no getting away from the fact that money is an essential part of everyday life. This article is full of tips that will help you get your finances under control.

Be sure to include your post tax income. For starters, include all after-tax money that you get each month from your salary, alimony, child support, rental income, or other sources. Make sure your expenses are less than your income on a monthly basis. A great way to consolidate many bills into a smaller payment is by getting personal loans and these loans are typically desired because they offer a much lower rate of interest. You can imagine how much money you will save by consolidating higher interest loans into a personal loan with a lower rate.

To make this process effective, you should compose a detailed listing of your expenditures. You need to also include quarterly and yearly payments. Some of these expenses may be home improvement and repair costs, or car maintenance and registration payments. You need to also write down other, smaller things that you pay for daily or weekly, such as child care or grocery shopping. You should make sure that your list is as comprehensive as possible to ensure you have a true picture of what you spend.

There are always things you can eliminate from any budget. One easy thing you can do is bring coffee from home instead of stopping for expensive lattes on the way to work. Seek out anything similar to this that you can get rid of without difficulty prior to putting together a lasting financial plan.

See what improvements you can make to help you lower your utility bills. Windows can be a weak link in your homes armor by letting out heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. Make sure your windows are properly insulated. An on-demand hot water tank is a good way to reduce spending. Have a plumber come out and fix any leaky pipes you have to help lower your monthly water bill. Be sure to run your dishwasher only when it is full, so you can make the best use of it. If you can, purchase new energy efficient appliances. These energy-saving appliances help you save on your utilities. Also, when you are not using something, unplug it. You can save both money and energy by doing this.

Some home improvements pay for themselves over time with the reduction in utility expenses. For example, replacing your roof and installing new insulation prevents you from losing energy for both heating and cooling because of insufficient structural materials.

Try to save money by being careful with appliances. Even though you are spending money to repair or replace items, you will see a savings in the long run.

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Analysts say it’s unlikely Aviva can sell its US division

May 6, 2012

What’s an annuity?

It’s an insurance product, usually sold by a life insurance company.
HOW IT WORKS: If a customer buys an annuity, she pays a lump sum to the insurance company and in return gets money back in regularly scheduled payments for the rest of her life, or for some specified period of time. Many times, annuities are deferred, meaning the customer deposits the money but can’t touch it for a specified number of years while it earns interest. It’s sort of like a 401(k) in reverse, or a way to get a regular paycheck in retirement.
DIFFERENT TYPES: Variable annuities, the most popular type, offer higher risks and rewards by functioning much like a mutual fund. Fixed and indexed annuities set limits on rewards and eliminate the risk of losses.

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A Cure for Inflation? Fixed Indexed Annuities.

May 5, 2012

So where does that leave your clients? In a financially scary place. Todays inflation rates present a very serious challenge for those living on a fixed budget or in retirement. At the 8 percent EPI rate, the average American will lose half his purchasing power in just nine years. Even at the CPI rate of 2.9 percent, purchasing power would be halved in 25 years. But people in or near retirement could still have several decades of need for inflation-protected income. Making the situation worse, interest rates are still near record lows, and most bank savings accounts, money market and CDs are yielding less than 1 percent.

Going broke safely is a situation where investors have unknowingly kept money in low-yielding accounts or under the mattress. While it allows investors to sleep at night, inflation, over time, will erode the purchasing power of that safe money.

Fighting back, with annuities

Fixed and fixed indexed annuities provide the opportunity to combat inflation and your clients potentially shrinking purchasing power. Fixed indexed annuities are insurance contracts that, depending on the contract, may offer a guaranteed annual interest rate and earnings potential that is linked to participation in the increase, if any, of an index or benchmark. Acutely aware of the threat of sidelining consumer cash, insurers are innovating rapidly to give consumers and producers additional options for enhanced crediting on fixed and fixed indexed annuities. For example, several carriers have introduced interest-rate-based crediting strategies that use a point on a published swap curve as the benchmark rate. For its part, ING developed an index crediting strategy that bases credits on an increase, if any, in the three-month LIBOR. If this benchmark rises from one annuity anniversary to the next, so does the interest credited. Strategies such as these serve a dual purpose of combating inflation and dealing with interest-rate uncertainty.

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National Retirement Expert, Abe Ashton, Unveils Annuityadvisory.com to Educate …

May 2, 2012

ST. GEORGE, Utah, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
Abe Ashton, national retirement expert unveiled
www.annuityadvisory.com to inform pre-retirees and retirees on the truths, benefits and consequences of buying annuities. Sign-up on the new website is absolutely FREE.

For the past fifteen years, Abe Ashton’s unique and dynamic retirement and income planning approach has helped thousands of retirees. Abe is a regular contributor to foxbusiness.com and was recognized by Senior Market Advisor Magazine in 2009 as one of the top 5 professionals working with retirees.

Numerous financial and insurance institutions have asked Abe to train their financial professionals across the country. Now, retirees can benefit from Abe’s extensive knowledge and experience by visiting
www.annuityadvisory.com . Abe Ashton shared key factors for developing the new site, “I created this free, informational website because I found in my own practice that annuities are the most frequently misunderstood financial products. Unfortunately, many retirees are afraid to call an advisor and ask questions regarding these and other financial products out of fear of being sold. Annuityadvisory.com provides an unbiased perspective on various annuity products including strategies to increase income while protecting the client’s retirement nest egg.”

This new, informative website provides candid answers to the most common questions asked by those considering an annuity as part of their retirement plan.

Annuity topics covered in Abe’s FREE Videos on the website include:

The History of Annuities

Types of Annuities

Surrender Charges and Terms

Income Growth Potential

And Abe’s Split Annuity Strategy

Patrick Kelly, national best selling author of Tax-Free Retirement and The Retirement Miracle encourages seniors to visit the informative site, “No retiree should buy an annuity without first visiting
www.annuityadvisory.com .” Patrick Kelly’s books are available for purchase at
www.retirementmiracle.com .

Abe is the Founder and President of One for the Money Financial, a financial and legacy planning company. The company’s senior advisors work exclusively with seniors and retirees, creating plans to increase monthly income while using conservative financial products to protect and guarantee their client’s retirement nest egg.

Visit
www.annuityadvisory.com to learn how you can protect your retirement nest egg and generate an income you can never outlive.

SOURCE One for the Money Financial

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

Financial Glossary

Words used in this article:





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IRI’s Weatherford: ‘What Are People Looking For? They Are Looking For Guarantees.’

May 1, 2012

Cathy Weatherford strode into the meeting room like a woman in a hurry and on a mission. Thats not surprising, considering her job is to spread the word about retirement options to an increasingly apprehensive public. Specifically, she wants to educate consumers, financial advisors and regulators about the importance of annuities in what she calls a holistic retirement plan.

And she is uniquely qualified to lead that charge. Weatherford is president and CEO of the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI), a position she has held since 2008. The Washington, DC-based nonprofit group advocates for proper retirement strategies and the use of annuities and variable life products in those plans.

But before she came to IRI Weatherford was no stranger to the insurance industry, after having served as CEO of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and the first woman to head Oklahomas insurance commission.

LifeHealthPro.com caught up with Weatherford as she presided over the organizations 2012 Marketing Summit in New York City in early April.

In the first part of the conversation, Weatherford discusses why annuities are gaining in popularity, how they can fit into an individuals retirement blueprint, and how insurers are managing risk in todays volatile market.

LHP: How do annuities fit into an overall retirement plan?

Cathy Weatherford: We have millions of Americans who suffered tremendous losses in their retirement portfolios in the economic downturn. After years and years of thinking, oh, these markets are always going to go up, they now have an acute awareness and knowledge that markets do go down, and we are going to have ongoing volatility in the marketplace. So what are people looking for? They are looking for guarantees. And they are looking for the ability, as I call it, to dip their toes back into the waters of market exposure, but protected against downside risks. I think thats exactly why people are gravitating to variable annuities as a part of their holistic retirement plan.

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Avoid ‘rock bottom’ annuities, says Almary Green

April 30, 2012

Mr Lamb, director of the Norwich-based IFA firm, said people coming up to retirement should defer the decision until rates improve because if they do not, they could be stuck with rock bottom rates for the rest of their retirement.

Mr Lamb said the outlook for annuities rates was not good because of the negative effects of quantitative easing, Solvency II and the EUs gender directive on equal pricing between the sexes, which will come into force on 21 December this year.

He said: These measures will put downward pressure on annuity rates which means that individuals should try to avoid locking into a rock-bottom annuity rate today for what could be a 20- to 30-year retirement.

In 10 years they could be kicking themselves that they have condemned themselves to a paltry income for life, when they could have got a better deal if they had waited.

Capped drawdown is one option people can consider instead of an annuity if they have a large enough pension fund, while other alternatives for small pension pots include flexible or investment-linked annuities, which provide greater flexibility and potential for growth.

The third alternative is a fixed-term annuity, which has a maturity value given at the outset, letting people reconsider their options at the end of the policy term, when they might be in poor health and able to secure a better rate through an impaired life annuity.

Mr Lamb added: Whatever people do, they should avoid committing their entire pension fund while rates are so low.

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Variable Annuities: Power ‘Clubs’ Score Hole-In-One Financial Plans

April 29, 2012

By Tom Henske
InsuranceNewsNet Magazine, April 2012

The score of a golf game isnt necessarily affected by the type of club thats usedbut rather by how the player swings it. The same can be said about developing a clients portfolio. Lets consider a variable annuity as the club. There are many parts needed to ensure a hole-in-one financial plan, and an annuity is just one small part.

Three Suitability Factors

The three most important factors when evaluating a clients suitability for an annuity product are their age, health and risk tolerance. Older clients may find variable annuities to be an appropriate tool to achieve their retirement goals because of the assurance many of them offer. For example, a 65-year-old can be invested in a balanced portfolio which guarantees a 5 percent withdrawal rate for life. This is justified by paying 3 percent in annual cost.

The same 3 percent, however, does not make sense for a 35-year-old to incur because theyll have many more years in the market. Annuities generally work best the longer you live, based on either annuitization or a specific, guaranteed payout percentage for life. This is why annuities do not make sense if you believe the clients life expectancy will be shortened for any health reason. Risk tolerance is also a factor, as each investor has a varying level of apprehension.

If you determine a prospect to be an ideal candidate for an annuity product, start the conversation by describing the worst case scenariogive the guarantee as an example. You can illustrate this by saying, Mr. Client, when youre 65, if your company could provide you with X amount of incomeguaranteed for lifewould this be something you would be interested in discussing? Theyll likely chuckle and say, Ummhellip; yes!

Worth the Risk

As advisors, we know a variable annuity is not an inexpensive proposition, but the cost is only relevant in the absence of value. Your client has to be concerned about outliving their resources and investing in equities. The price for effective annuity products are worth the risk mitigation they provide. For example, for a 3 percent annual fee, one insurance company offers a variable annuity product guaranteeing the initial value invested will at least double in 20 years (3.6 percent rate of return). Should the market perform well, the annual rate of return will still depend on the portfolio performance, but the net has to be higher than 3.6 percent.

Lifetime Guarantee

Today, the human body has the capacity to live well past 100, which is concerning to many of our clients. The longer a person lives, the more resources they will need, which increases the likelihood theyll run out of money. No one aspires to run out of income, but annuities with guaranteed lifetime payouts, guard against this longevity risk. When the stock market took a drastic decline in 2008 and 2009, it was because people were selling. It is very difficult to talk a person off the ledge when they see the value of their portfolio cut in half. Few who held variable annuities with guarantees sold out of the market, and people with guaranteed riders got the benefit of the market reboundwhich is important to tell your skeptical clients.

There are no other products that give you the upside of market participation, downside protection and a favorable tax treatment for a relatively small investment.

Protection

Variable annuities allow investors who tend to be risk-averse to be more aggressive in their asset allocation. For example, if an investor without an annuity typically felt comfortable with an investment portfolio with 60 percent in equities and 40 percent in fixed income, they might be willing to increase equity exposure if it resided inside of a variable annuity with a guarantee rider. The long-term benefits of this strategy could be significant over an extended period of time, allowing their retirement nest egg to last longer.

Tom Henske, ChFC, CLU, CLTC, CFS, is the founder of Henske Advisors. He is now one of seven partners nationwide for Lenox Advisors, a wholly owned subsidiary of NFP. He is a 10-year member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) and has two Court of the Table qualifications. He can be reached at Tom.Henske@innfeedback.com.

copy; Entire contents copyright 2012 by InsuranceNewsNet.com Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted without the expressed written consent from InsuranceNewsNet.com.

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Life insurance agent arrested for elder abuse

April 29, 2012

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles life insurance agent has been charged with embezzling more than $1 million in premiums from elderly people who gave him money for life insurance policies and annuities.

Insurance Commission Dave Jones says 73-year-old Frank Conlon has been arrested and charged with felony elder abuse, grand theft and fraud.

Hes in jail with bail set at more than $1 million pending arraignment in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Investigators say Conlon diverted insurance premiums over a four-year period and spent the money for his personal use instead of sending the money to insurance companies.

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PPI highlights ‘critical’ enhanced annuities, Partnership

April 28, 2012

Home
gt;
Pensions
gt;
Personal Pensions

PPI highlights ‘critical’ enhanced annuities, Partnership

A new report has highlighted the critical role that enhanced annuities can play for those who have to retire early.

By Donia OLoughlin

|
Published Apr 25, 2012
| comments

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Symetra Reports First Quarter 2012 Results

April 28, 2012

BELLEVUE, Wash., Apr 25, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
– Adjusted operating income increased 36% over first quarter 2011 levels.

– Net income was up 41% year over year, including a $10.3 million pretax increase in net investment gains driven by Symetra’s real estate investment trust (REIT) portfolio.

– Benefits posted a favorable loss ratio of 61.6%; operating income grew 79% versus first quarter 2011.

– Deferred Annuities generated a 25% increase in operating income compared with the same quarter a year ago, driven by higher account values and higher interest spreads.

– Income Annuities results improved largely due to favorable mortality experience.

– Life earnings declined as a result of higher claims and administrative expenses.

Symetra Financial Corporation

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today reported first quarter
2012 net income of $75.4 million, or $0.55 per diluted share. This
compares with $53.5 million, or $0.39 per diluted share, in first
quarter 2011.

Adjusted operating income(1) was $59.3 million, or $0.43 per
diluted share, in first quarter 2012, compared with $43.7 million, or
$0.32 per diluted share, in the same period a year ago.

Summary Financial Results Three Months Ended
(In millions, except per share data) March 31
2012 2011*
—— ——–
Net Income $ 75.4 $ 53.5
$ 0.55 $ 0.39
Per Diluted Share of Common Stock
Adjusted Operating Income $ 59.3 $ 43.7
$ 0.43 $ 0.32
Per Diluted Share of Common Stock
* Historical financial information has been restated to reflect
retrospective adoption of a new accounting standard
for deferred acquisition costs on Jan. 1, 2012.

"Bolstered by an exceptional Benefits loss ratio, mortality gains in
Income Annuities and solid operating results in our other lines of
business, Symetra turned in its best quarterly earnings performance
since becoming a public company in January 2010," said Tom Marra,
Symetra president and chief executive officer.

"We also made considerable progress on our 'Grow & Diversify'
initiatives during the first quarter," Marra continued. "Our group life
and disability income team delivered the sales numbers we expected at
this early stage; Symetra Edge Pro fixed indexed annuity sales grew for
the third consecutive quarter; and we welcomed three marquee national
brokerage general agency partners and opened a new office in the Boston
area to support our expanding life business. Coming up in the second
quarter, we plan to introduce our new fee-based, lower-cost variable
annuity to the marketplace."

BUSINESS SEGMENT RESULTS
-----------------------------------------------
Segment Pretax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) Three Months Ended
(In millions) March 31
2012 2011*
--------------------- ------
Benefits $ 25.1 $ 14.0
Deferred Annuities 25.8 20.7
Income Annuities 14.5 8.9
Life 14.5 17.1
Other (3.3) (1.4)
--------------------- ------
Subtotal $ 76.6 $ 59.3
Less: Income Taxes** 17.3 15.6
--------------------- ------
Adjusted Operating Income $ 59.3 $ 43.7
===================== ======
* Historical financial information has been restated to reflect
retrospective adoption of a
new accounting standard for deferred acquisition costs on Jan.
1, 2012.
** Represents the total provision for income taxes adjusted for
the tax effect on net realized
investment gains (losses) and on net gains (losses) on
Symetra's fixed indexed annuity (FIA)
product at the U.S. federal income tax rate of 35%.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Benefits

--
Pretax adjusted operating income was $25.1 million, compared
with $14.0 million in first quarter 2011. First quarter 2012 operating
income benefited from a more favorable loss ratio than a year ago and
the earnings contribution from a block of medical stop-loss business
acquired from American United Life Insurance Company (AUL) in July
2011.

--
Loss ratio was 61.6%, compared with 67.6% in the prior-year
period. Driving the improvement were lower-than-expected stop-loss
claims. Symetra's long-term Benefits loss ratio target range is
63%--65%. AUL stop-loss policies continued to generate loss ratios
favorable to the company's target range.

--
Sales for the quarter were $66.7 million, up significantly from
$48.7 million in first quarter 2011. Strong January stop-loss
production accounted for most of the growth in Benefits sales.

Deferred Annuities

--
Pretax adjusted operating income was $25.8 million, compared
with $20.7 million in first quarter 2011. Operating income continued
to grow on higher account values and higher interest spread. The
higher spread reflected ongoing discipline in pricing new business,
managing renewal crediting rates on existing business, and
prepayment-related income.

--
Total account values were a record $11.6 billion at
quarter-end, up 9.4% from $10.6 billion at the end of first quarter
2011.

--
Sales were $353.8 million, compared with $618.4 million in
first quarter 2011. The year-over-year decline was due largely to
lower interest rates. While sales were flat versus fourth quarter
2011, first quarter production was more evenly distributed across
Symetra's bank partners. The Symetra Edge Pro(R) fixed
indexed annuity product gained additional traction in the market,
delivering the third consecutive quarter of sales growth since its
nationwide rollout in June 2011.

Income Annuities

--
Pretax adjusted operating income was $14.5 million, compared
with $8.9 million in first quarter 2011. The improvement in first
quarter results was driven mostly by increased mortality gains. The
interest spread was up slightly from the same quarter a year ago.

--
Mortality gains were high at $5.4 million, compared with
mortality gains of $0.7 million in first quarter 2011. Mortality
experience is variable from quarter to quarter.

--
Sales were $55.8 million, compared with sales of $64.5 million
in the same quarter of 2011. The anticipated sales decline stemmed
from Symetra's continued focus on shorter-duration annuities to reduce
reinvestment rate risk in the persistent low interest rate environment.

Life

--
Pretax adjusted operating income was $14.5 million, compared
with $17.1 million in first quarter 2011. First quarter 2012 results
reflected a lower BOLI return on assets (ROA) as a result of higher
claims and lower reinvestment rates. Higher administrative expenses
associated with the buildout of the Life Division team, the
establishment of a new Boston-area office, and the onboarding of new
brokerage general agency distribution partners also contributed to the
decrease in earnings.

--
Sales of individual life products were $3.0 million, compared
with $2.4 million in the same quarter a year ago. BOLI sales were $2.0
million, compared with no sales in first quarter 2011.

Other

--
Pretax adjusted operating losses were $3.3 million, compared
with losses of $1.4 million in the same quarter a year ago. The Other
segment includes unallocated corporate income and expenses, interest
expense on debt and other income outside of Symetra's four business
segments. The larger first quarter 2012 loss was due mostly to an
increase in tax credit investments, which decreased investment income.

Investment Portfolio

--
Net realized investment gains were $25.9 million, up from net
gains of $15.6 million in first quarter 2011. The year-over-year
improvement stemmed from higher marked-to-market gains in Symetra's
equity portfolio, as well as gains from the strategic sale of certain
residential mortgage-backed securities. Impairment losses were $2.5
million in first quarter 2012, compared with losses of $0.9 million in
first quarter 2011.

--
Symetra's equity portfolio posted net investment gains of $18.0
million, compared with net gains of $12.2 million in first quarter
2011, primarily driven by the REIT portfolio. Symetra's $160 million
REIT portfolio, established in second quarter 2011, delivered a total
return of 7.5%, compared with the benchmark index result of 8.3%. The
company's common stock portfolio generated a total return of 3.7% in
first quarter 2012, compared with the S&P 500 Total Return Index
result of 12.6%.

Stockholders' Equity

--
Total stockholders' equity, or book value, as of March 31,
2012, was $3,154.7 million, or $22.85 per share, compared with
$3,114.9 million, or $22.64 per share, as of Dec. 31, 2011.

--
Adjusted book value as converted,(1) as of March 31,
2012, was $2,372.7 million, or $17.19 per share, up from $2,305.7
million, or $16.75 per share, as of Dec. 31, 2011.

--
Risk-based capital (RBC) ratio for Symetra Life Insurance
Company at the end of first quarter 2012 was estimated at 466%.
Statutory capital and surplus, including asset valuation reserve
(AVR), was $2,087.0 million.

2012 Earnings Guidance

Symetra revised its guidance for full-year adjusted operating income per
diluted share to $1.35--$1.50. This revised range assumes a Benefits loss
ratio within Symetra's long-term target range, continued low interest
rates, a favorable full-year 2012 effective tax rate, and ongoing
investments in the company's Grow & Diversify initiatives.

Among the factors that could drive actual results toward the upper end,
middle or lower end of the guidance range are:

--
changes in the interest rate environment;

--
Benefits Division loss ratio relative to long-term target;

--
timing and success of product launches;

--
amount of issuance and yields on commercial mortgage loans;

--
increases or decreases in the amount of prepayments in the investment
portfolio;

--
returns on alternative investment portfolio;

--
mortality experience;

--
life and annuity sales levels; and

--
achievement of target cash balances.

Additional Financial Information

This press release, the first quarter 2012 financial supplement and
financial review slides are posted on the company's website at
http://investors.symetra.com .
Investors are encouraged to review all of these materials.

Management to Review Results on Conference Call and Webcast

Symetra's senior management team will discuss the company's first
quarter 2012 performance with investors and analysts on Thursday, April
26, 2012 at 10 a.m., Eastern Time (7 a.m., Pacific Time). To listen by
phone, dial 1-888-680-0890. For international callers, dial
617-213-4857. The passcode is 18127149. Participants may pre-register
for the call at
www.symetra.com/earnings .
Pre-registrants will be issued a PIN to use when dialing into the live
call, which will provide quick access to the conference by bypassing the
operator.

To listen to a live webcast of the conference call, go to
http://investors.symetra.com .
Listeners should go to the website at least 15 minutes before the call
and test the compatibility of their computer. Links will be available to
download any necessary audio software.

A replay of the call can be accessed by phone at approximately 1 p.m.,
Eastern Time (10 a.m., Pacific Time) on April 26, 2012 by dialing
1-888-286-8010. For international callers, dial 617-801-6888. The
passcode is 43640013. The replay will be available by phone through May
3, 2012. To access a replay of the conference call over the Internet,
visit
http://investors.symetra.com .

Use of Non-GAAP Measures

(1) Symetra uses both U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles (GAAP) and non-GAAP financial measures to track the
performance of its operations and financial condition. Definitions of
each non-GAAP measure are provided below, and reconciliations to the
most directly comparable GAAP measures are included in the tables at the
end of this press release. These measures are not substitutes for GAAP
financial measures. For more information about these non-GAAP measures,
please see Symetra's 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

This press release references the following non-GAAP financial measures:

--
Adjusted operating income is defined by the company as net
income, excluding after-tax net investment gains (losses) and
including after-tax net realized gains (losses) on Symetra's fixed
indexed annuity (FIA) product.

--
Adjusted operating income per diluted share is defined as
adjusted operating income divided by diluted common shares outstanding.

--
Adjusted book value is defined as stockholders' equity, less
accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), or AOCI.

--
Adjusted book value, as converted, is defined as stockholders'
equity, less AOCI plus the assumed proceeds from exercising the
outstanding warrants.

--
Adjusted book value per share, as converted, is calculated as
adjusted book value, as converted, divided by the sum of outstanding
common shares and shares subject to outstanding warrants.

About Symetra

Symetra Financial Corporation

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is a diversified financial
services company based in Bellevue, Wash. In business since 1957,
Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through
a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions, and
independent agents and advisors. For more information, visit
www.symetra.com .

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than
statements of current or historical facts included or referenced in this
release that address activities, events or developments that we expect
or anticipate will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking
statements. The words "will," "believe," "intend," "plan," "expect,"
"anticipate," "project," "estimate," "predict," "potential" and similar
expressions also are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements with
respect to Symetra's:

--
estimates or projections of revenues, net income (loss), net income
(loss) per share, adjusted operating income (loss), adjusted operating
income (loss) per share, market share or other financial forecasts;

--
trends in operations, financial performance and financial condition;

--
financial and operating targets or plans; and

--
business and growth strategy, including prospective products, services
and distribution partners.

These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by
Symetra in light of its experience and perception of historical trends,
current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other
factors believed to be appropriate under the circumstances. Whether
actual results and developments will conform to Symetra's expectations
and predictions is subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and
contingencies that could cause actual results to differ materially from
expectations, including, among others:

--
the effects of dramatic fluctuations in interest rates and a prolonged
low interest rate environment;

--
general economic, market or business conditions, including further
economic downturns or other adverse conditions in the global and
domestic capital and credit markets;

--
the effects of changes in monetary policy, government programs to
stimulate mortgage refinancing and significant increases in corporate
refinance activity;

--
investment losses;

--
Symetra's ability to successfully execute on its "Grow & Diversify"
strategy;

--
recorded reserves for future policy benefits and claims subsequently
proving to be inadequate or inaccurate;

--
deviations from assumptions used in setting prices for insurance and
annuity products or establishing cash-flow testing reserves;

--
continued viability of certain products under various economic,
regulatory and other conditions;

--
market pricing and competitive trends related to insurance products
and services;

--
changes in amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and
deferred sales inducements;

--
financial strength or credit ratings downgrades;

--
the availability and cost of capital and financing;

--
the continued availability and cost of reinsurance coverage;

--
changes in laws or regulations, or their interpretation, including
those that could increase Symetra's business costs and required
capital levels;

--
the ability of subsidiaries to pay dividends to Symetra;

--
the effects of implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act;

--
the effects of implementation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act of 2010; and

--
the risks that are described from time to time in Symetra's filings
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including those in
Symetra's 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press
release are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be
no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by
Symetra will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they
will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Symetra or its
business or operations. Symetra assumes no obligation to update publicly
any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.

Symetra Financial Corporation
Consolidated Income Statement Data
(in millions, except per share data)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended
March 31
2012 2011
------------------ ------------------
As Adjusted*
Revenues
Premiums $ 150.3 $ 120.9
Net investment income 320.5 310.0
Policy fees, contract charges and other 46.3 44.7
Net realized investment gains (losses):
Total other-than-temporary impairment losses on securities (3.6) (0.9)
Less: portion of losses recognized in other comprehensive income 1.1 -
------- -------
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings (2.5) (0.9)
Other net realized investment gains 28.4 16.5
------- -------
Total net realized investment gains 25.9 15.6
------- -------
Total revenues 543.0 491.2
------- -------
Benefits and expenses
Policyholder benefits and claims 105.2 92.3
Interest credited 229.5 228.3
Other underwriting and operating expenses 83.0 71.9
Interest expense 8.2 8.0
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs 15.8 16.3
------- -------
Total benefits and expenses 441.7 416.8
------- -------
Income from operations before income taxes 101.3 74.4
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
Current (6.3) 11.2
Deferred 32.2 9.7
------- -------
Total provision for income taxes 25.9 20.9
------- -------
Net income $ 75.4 $ 53.5
======= ======= ======= =======
Net income per common share
Basic $ 0.55 $ 0.39
Diluted $ 0.55 $ 0.39
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding
Basic 137.776 137.292
Diluted 137.781 137.300
Cash dividends declared per common share $ 0.07 $ 0.05
Non-GAAP financial measures
Adjusted operating income $ 59.3 $ 43.7
======= ======= ======= =======
Reconciliation to net income
Net income $ 75.4 $ 53.5
Less: Net realized investment gains (net of taxes)** 16.9 10.1
Add: Net realized gains - FIA (net of taxes)*** 0.8 0.3
------- -------
Adjusted operating income $ 59.3 $ 43.7
======= ======= ======= =======
*Historical financial information has been restated to reflect
retrospective adoption of a new accounting standard for deferred
acquisition costs on Jan. 1, 2012 as described in our 2011
report on Form 10-K.
**Net realized investment gains are reported net of taxes
of $9.0 and $5.5 for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and
2011,
respectively.
***Net realized gains - FIA are reported net of taxes of $0.4
and $0.2 for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011,
respectively.

Symetra Financial Corporation
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data
(in millions, except per share data)
(unaudited)
March 31 December 31
2012 2011
----------------- -----------------
As Adjusted*
Assets
Total investments $ 26,415.0 $ 26,171.7
Other assets 1,276.7 1,215.8
Separate account assets 853.0 795.8
-------- --------
Total assets $ 28,544.7 $ 28,183.3
======= ======== ======= ========
Liabilities and stockholders' equity
Policyholder liabilities $ 23,382.7 $ 23,140.6
Notes payable 449.2 449.2
Other liabilities 705.1 682.8
Separate account liabilities 853.0 795.8
-------- --------
Total liabilities 25,390.0 25,068.4
Common stock and additional paid-in capital 1,457.1 1,455.8
Retained earnings 697.5 631.8
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes 1,000.1 1,027.3
-------- --------
Total stockholders' equity 3,154.7 3,114.9
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 28,544.7 $ 28,183.3
======= ======== ======= ========
Book value per share** $ 22.85 $ 22.64
======= ======== ======= ========
Non-GAAP financial measures
Adjusted book value $ 2,154.6 $ 2,087.6
======= ======== ======= ========
Reconciliation to stockholders' equity
Total stockholders' equity $ 3,154.7 $ 3,114.9
Less: AOCI 1,000.1 1,027.3
-------- --------
Adjusted book value 2,154.6 2,087.6
Add: Assumed proceeds from exercise of warrants 218.1 218.1
-------- --------
Adjusted book value, as converted $ 2,372.7 $ 2,305.7
======= ======== ======= ========
Adjusted book value per share, as converted*** $ 17.19 $ 16.75
======= ======== ======= ========
*Historical financial information has been restated to reflect
retrospective adoption of a
new accounting standard for deferred acquisition costs on Jan.
1, 2012 as described in
our 2011 report on Form 10-K.
**Book value per share is calculated based on stockholders'
equity divided by outstanding
common shares plus shares subject to outstanding warrants,
totaling 138.050 and 137.613
as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.
***Adjusted book value per share, as converted, is calculated
based on adjusted book
value, as converted, divided by outstanding common shares plus
shares subject to
outstanding warrants, totaling 138.050 and 137.613 as of March
31, 2012 and December 31,
2011, respectively.

Symetra Financial Corporation
Reconciliation of Segment Pretax Adjusted Operating Income,
Operating Revenues and Operating ROAE
(in millions)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended
March 31
2012 2011
------------------ ------------------
As Adjusted*
Segment pretax adjusted operating income (loss)
Benefits $ 25.1 $ 14.0
Deferred Annuities 25.8 20.7
Income Annuities 14.5 8.9
Life 14.5 17.1
Other (3.3) (1.4)
------- - ------- -
Subtotal 76.6 59.3
Add: Net realized investment gains 25.9 15.6
Less: Net realized gains - FIA 1.2 0.5
------- -------
Income from operations before income taxes $ 101.3 $ 74.4
======= ======= ======= =======
Reconciliation of revenues to operating revenues
Revenues $ 543.0 $ 491.2
Less: Net realized investment gains 25.9 15.6
Add: Net realized gains - FIA 1.2 0.5
------- -------
Operating revenues $ 518.3 $ 476.1
======= ======= ======= =======
Twelve Months Ended
March 31
2012 2011
------------------ ------------------
As Adjusted
ROE 7.6 % 8.6 %
Average stockholders' equity** $ 2,869.9 $ 2,346.8
Non-GAAP financial measures
Operating ROAE 10.0 % 9.1 %
Average adjusted book value*** $ 2,049.5 $ 1,871.0
*Historical financial information has been restated to reflect
retrospective adoption of a new accounting standard for
deferred acquisition costs on Jan. 1, 2012 as described in our
2011 report on Form 10-K.
**Average stockholders' equity is derived by averaging ending
stockholders' equity for the most recent five quarters.
***Average adjusted book value is derived by averaging ending
adjusted book value for the most recent five quarters.

SOURCE: Symetra Financial Corporation

Symetra Financial Corporation
Investor Relations Contact:
Jim Pirak, 425-256-8284
jim.pirak@symetra.com
or
Media Relations Contact:
Diana McSweeney, 425-256-6167
diana.mcsweeney@symetra.com

Copyright Business Wire 2012

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SYA

Symetra Financial Corp.

US

: U.S.: NYSE


$
12.12

+0.32
+2.71%

Volume: 971,061
April 27, 2012 4:04p

P/E Ratio7.59
Dividend Yield2.31%

Market Cap$1.44 billion
Rev. per Employee$1.89M

/quotes/zigman/474717/quotes/nls/sya

Add to portfolio

SYA

Symetra Financial Corp.

US

: U.S.: NYSE


$
12.12

+0.32
+2.71%

Volume: 971,061
April 27, 2012 4:04p

P/E Ratio7.59
Dividend Yield2.31%

Market Cap$1.44 billion
Rev. per Employee$1.89M

Financial Glossary

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