Method and system for a deferred variable annuity with benefit payments as a function of an age-based withdrawal percent

• US 8,756,133 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2011
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Talcott Resolution Life Insurance Co. (DSG)
• Original Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tatro, Charles D., Weiss, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apple, Kirsten
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trotter, Scott S
• Application Number:
  US13/012,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20110119096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/4, 705/36.R
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A computer system for processing data relating to a deferred variable annuity contract during the accumulation phase includes a data storage device storing data relating to the deferred variable annuity contract, including a payment base value, a contract value, a withdrawal percent, a birth date of a relevant life, and a formula for determining, based on the withdrawal percent and a withdrawal base value, an available periodic benefit payment amount that does not decrease the payment base; and a processor. The processor is configured to determine a withdrawal percent applicable to a date, based on whether the date is prior to a date of a selected birthday of the relevant life.

Claims

1. A computer system for processing data relating to a deferred variable annuity contract during the accumulation phase, comprising:

a data storage device storing data relating to the deferred variable annuity contract, including;

a payment base value, a contract value adjusted for increases or decreases in values of investments selected by an owner of the deferred variable annuity contract, a withdrawal percent, an issue date of the deferred variable annuity contract, a birth date of a relevant life, and a formula for determining, based on the withdrawal percent and the payment base value, an available periodic benefit payment amount available for withdrawal during a plurality of periods without decrease in the payment base value but with a decrease in the contract value equal to an amount of the withdrawal; and

a processor in communication with the data storage device, the processor configured to;

access data indicative of a withdrawal percent applicable to a date, the withdrawal percent being dependent on an age of the relevant life as of the date, the age of the relevant life being determined by the processor based on years subsequent to the birth date of the relevant life and independent of the issue date of the deferred variable annuity contract; and

provide an output signal indicative of the applicable withdrawal percent.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to furnish the output signal to a data storage device for storage of the applicable withdrawal percent, and to a display device for display of the applicable withdrawal percent.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to access the applicable withdrawal percent, employ the applicable withdrawal percent in determining an available periodic benefit payment amount, and providing an output signal to a display device for display of the determined available periodic benefit payment amount.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the stored data further comprises data indicative of a plurality of withdrawal percent values associated with time periods commencing on birthdays of the relevant life.

5. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising a payment module in communication with the processor and configured to effect payment to the relevant life in accordance with data indicative of a request for a withdrawal.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the stored data comprises data indicative of a first withdrawal percent associated with dates prior to a selected birthday of the relevant life and a second withdrawal percent associated with dates on and after the selected birthday of the relevant life.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether a value of withdrawals since a most recent contract anniversary is greater than the available benefit payment amount, and to provide an output signal indicative of no decrease in the payment base responsive to determining that the value of withdrawals since a most recent contract anniversary is not greater than the available benefit payment amount.

8. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the stored data further comprises data indicative of a third withdrawal percent associated with dates on and after a second selected birthday of the relevant life at least five years after the first selected birthday.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the stored data further comprises data indicative of a fourth withdrawal percent associated with dates on and after a third selected birthday of the relevant life at least ten years after the first selected birthday.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the stored data relates to a single life election, and the data storage device further stores data indicative of a further set of withdrawal percents associated with a joint/spousal continuation election, comprising data indicative of:

a first joint/spousal withdrawal percent associated with dates prior to the selected birthday of the relevant life and lower than the single life election withdrawal percent associated with dates prior to the selected birthday of the relevant life, and

a second joint/spousal withdrawal percent associated with dates on and after the selected birthday of the relevant life and, lower than the single life election withdrawal percent associated the with dates on and after the selected birthday of the relevant life;

wherein the relevant life for the joint/spousal continuation election is a younger of the joint lives.

11. A computer-implemented method for processing data relating to a deferred variable annuity contract, comprising:

accessing by a processor, from a data storage device in communication with the processor, data relating to the deferred variable annuity contract, including a contract value adjusted for increases or decreases in values of investments selected by an owner of the deferred variable annuity contract, a payment base value, withdrawal percent data, data indicative of an issue date of the deferred variable annuity contract and data related to a birthday of a relevant life;

determining by the processor, based on an age of the relevant life as of a selected date, the age of the relevant life being based on the data related to the birthday of the relevant life and independent of the issue date of the deferred variable annuity contract, a withdrawal percent applicable to the date, and

providing by the processor an output signal indicative of the applicable withdrawal percent;

wherein a product of the withdrawal percent and a withdrawal base value determines an available periodic benefit payment amount available for withdrawal without reduction of the payment base value but with a decrease in the contract value equal to an amount of the withdrawal.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising receiving the output signal at a display device and providing a display of the applicable withdrawal percent.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising receiving the output signal at a memory device, storing the applicable withdrawal percent in the memory device, calculating, using the stored applicable withdrawal percent, an available benefit payment, and providing the available benefit payment amount to a display device for display.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising receiving by a payment module in communication with the processor data indicative of an amount of a requested withdrawal and effecting payment by the payment module to the relevant life in accordance with the amount of the requested withdrawal.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

accessing by the processor from the data storage device a current contract value and an amount of a withdrawal;

determining an updated contract value by subtracting the amount of the withdrawal from the current contract value;

determining, based on the applicable withdrawal percent, the withdrawal base value and a sum of withdrawals during an applicable period, that the payment base value is to be decreased;

determining, responsive to a determination that the payment base value is decreased, an updated payment base value; and

providing an output signal having data indicative of the updated contract value and the updated payment base value.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

accessing by the processor from the data storage device a current contract value;

determining an updated contract value by subtracting the amount of a withdrawal from the current contract value;

determining, based on the applicable withdrawal percent, the withdrawal base value and a sum of withdrawals during an applicable period, that the payment base value is not to be decreased;

responsive to a determination that the payment base value is not decreased, providing an output signal indicative of the updated contract value and an unchanged payment base value.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the accessed data comprises data indicative of a first withdrawal percent value applicable to withdrawals prior to a selected birthday of the relevant life and a second withdrawal percent value applicable to withdrawals on or after the selected birthday of the relevant life.

18. A tangible computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions stored thereon, which instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

access, from a data storage device in communication with the processor, data relating to a deferred variable annuity contract, including a contract value adjusted for increases or decreases in values of investments selected by an owner of the deferred variable annuity contract, a payment base value, withdrawal percent data, data indicative of an issue date of the deferred variable annuity contract, and data related to a birthday of a relevant life;

determine, based on whether a date is prior to a date of a selected birthday of the relevant life, and independent of the issue date of the deferred variable annuity contract, a withdrawal percent applicable to the date, and

provide an output signal having data indicative of the withdrawal percent;

wherein amounts of benefit payments available on a periodic basis without reduction of the payment base value, but with a decrease in the contract value equal to an amount of the withdrawal, are determined based on the applicable withdrawal percent and a withdrawal base value.

19. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to cause the withdrawal percent value of the output signal to be stored in a memory device, and to determine an available benefit payment amount based on the stored withdrawal percent value and the withdrawal base value.

20. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to access data indicative of an amount of withdrawals made during a current contract year, determine a total amount of the withdrawals made during the current contract year and the amount of a current request for a withdrawal, and determine whether the payment base value is decreased based on a comparison of the total amount with a product of the withdrawal base value and the applicable withdrawal percent.

21. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, responsive to a determination that the payment base value is decreased, determine a decrease in the payment base value based on data including the current contract value and an amount that the total amount of the withdrawals made during the current contract year and the amount of the requested withdrawal, exceed a product of the withdrawal base value and the applicable withdrawal percent.

22. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the withdrawal percent data includes a first withdrawal percent value applicable to withdrawals prior to the selected birthday of the relevant life and a second withdrawal percent value applicable to withdrawals on or after the selected birthday of the relevant life.

23. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the selected birthday is the 65^th birthday of the relevant life.