MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond (UK and International) Offering capital guarantees with growth potential

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1 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond (UK and International) Offering capital guarantees with growth potential

2 If you are asking yourself... How can I get a better return than bank deposits now interest rates are so low? Interest rates have been at a record low which has hit savings rates hard. The Guaranteed Investment Bond gives you the opportunity to get a better return on your money. How do I make sure that I get back at least what I invest? Markets have been really turbulent many people have lost money and are understandably concerned about how secure their investments are. The Guaranteed Investment Bond does just that, guarantees the money you have invested. How do I secure my capital but not lose out when the stock market starts to recover? Over the past 20 years, equities have outperformed investing in cash* so although recent market volatility has been worrying, you won t want to miss out when markets recover either. With the Guaranteed Investment Bond your money remains secure, plus you can lock in growth annually. How do I invest tax-efficiently? You might be a higher rate taxpayer now and want a tax-efficient way of taking money from your investment. Or you might be planning to work or retire abroad and not pay UK taxes. Or perhaps you may want to plan to minimise inheritance tax. The good news is the Guaranteed Investment Bond can be arranged tax-efficiently to suit your personal circumstances. * Source: Lipper; A Thompson Reuters Company, FTSE All Share Total Return discrete annual returns, September 2012.

3 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond 1 The MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond could be for you A quick summary before you read on This is a unique investment bond. Its aim is to provide you with the opportunity for growth as well as the peace of mind that your investment is guaranteed, whatever happens to market conditions. Find out more on page Guarantee your investment so it is secure 2 Lock-in investment gains, offering you the opportunity to increase your guaranteed capital 2 Take secure withdrawals 3 Certainty for your family with our guaranteed death benefits 3 Go for growth with our four unique Managed Wealth Portfolios 5 Be tax-savvy and protect your investment from income and inheritance tax 6 A range of flexible choices for paying your Financial Adviser 7 Benefit from flexibility as your needs change 10 You should also read the MetLife Bond Range Key Features Document that your Financial Adviser will give you, which clearly outlines the potential risks and provides further details on how the Guaranteed Investment Bond works. When you allocate 100% of your investment to the Secure Capital Option your bond will be referred to as an Guaranteed Investment Bond. If you allocate less than 100% of your investment to the Secure Capital Option, your bond will be a MetLife Investment Bond. Where your bond is a MetLife Investment Bond you should read the MetLife Investment Bond Brochure, in addition to the MetLife Bond Range Key Features Document.

4 2 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond A unique capital guarantee for peace of mind investing So you can be certain of the value of your fund, the capital guarantee ensures your investment is protected from market downturns. We call this guarantee the Secure Capital Option. How it works 1. Secure Capital Value The amount which we guarantee is referred to as your Secure Capital Value. This is your initial investment, less any Initial Adviser Charge you have asked us to pay to your Financial Adviser. Your guarantee can run for a minimum term of ten years, depending on the fund you have selected. For more information on the length of the terms available, please refer to the MetLife Fund List. So, if my Secure Capital Value is 250,000, I know this is the very least I will get back at the end of the term, even if my fund value drops below this. 2. Secure Capital Reviews Every year we will compare your Secure Capital Value with your fund value. If your fund value has grown beyond your Secure Capital Value, we will lock-in this new higher figure. If, however, the market has dropped and your fund value has fallen in value, your existing Secure Capital Value remains untouched remember it s guaranteed. Please note that if you have taken withdrawals this will reduce the amount that could be locked-in and therefore your Secure Capital Value. Please read the MetLife Bond Range Key Features Document which clearly explains how Secure Capital Reviews work with guaranteed withdrawals. After five years, my fund has grown in value to 320,000. As I ve taken no money out, my new Secure Capital Value will also now be 320, , , , , , ,000 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Fund value Secure Capital Value Secure Capital Reviews Please note, graph is for illustrative purposes only.

5 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond 3 The examples in this brochure assume you will be paying your Financial Adviser directly. If you choose to pay for advice through investments with the Secure Capital Option, following each payment made, your fund value and guarantee base will be recalculated to reflect the amount we have paid to your Financial Adviser. To find out more about your options for paying for advice, please refer to the Paying your Adviser section in this brochure and your MetLife Bond Range Key Features Document. 3. Withdrawals Secure withdrawals Each year you can choose to take secure withdrawals from your Guaranteed Investment Bond of up to 5% of your initial Secure Capital Value. If you take secure withdrawals of no more than 5% of your initial Secure Capital Value each year, your withdrawals are guaranteed for the full term of your guaranteed investment, irrespective of the funds remaining. If you choose to do this, it will reduce your Secure Capital Value by the same amount. Other withdrawals You can withdraw more than 5% every year, but your Secure Capital Value will reduce proportionately. Make sure you refer to the MetLife Bond Range Key Features Document and speak to your Financial Adviser for further details on how this works and how it may impact your investment. I want to take a secure withdrawal of 8,000 from my 250,000 investment which will mean my Secure Capital Value will reduce to 242, The Tax Maximiser Option This option is particularly useful if you want to withdraw money from your Guaranteed Investment Bond taxefficiently, as it gives you the potential to take more money each year. The option works if your Guaranteed Investment Bond has grown in value. If this is the case, you surrender your plan and reinvest this higher amount and your 5% annual tax-deferred allowance will be calculated using this higher amount. Your Secure Capital Value can also increase when you re-invest this higher amount (less any Initial Adviser Charge you ask us to pay to your Financial Adviser) into the Secure Capital Option. You can use this option when all of your investment is in the Secure Capital Option, but remember that if you do make any withdrawals, your Secure Capital Value will also reduce. You can choose to exercise the Tax Maximiser Option on one occasion at any policy anniversary after the first five years from your initial investment. You should seek tax advice before exercising this option, as it will lead to a chargeable event which could mean you have to pay tax as a result. 5. Guaranteed death benefit With the Guaranteed Investment Bond, your beneficiaries will also benefit from the safety net of our guarantees and won t suffer if the value of your investment suddenly drops due to market volatility. Your beneficiaries are guaranteed to receive either your Secure Capital Value, or 100.1% of your fund value, whichever is higher. And, if you have taken out the Guaranteed Investment Bond on a joint life basis, the guaranteed death benefit is guaranteed to be paid on the first or second life to die, depending on the life cover basis you choose at outset. If my fund value is 230,000 when I die, but my Secure Capital Value is 250,000, my beneficiaries will receive 250,000 (subject to any inheritance tax or income tax that may be payable). If I invest 250,000 and by year nine my fund value has grown to 305,000, I can exercise the Tax Maximiser Option. This means the 5% I can withdraw tax efficiently each year will now be based on this higher amount, increasing my withdrawals from 12,500 to 15,250

6 4 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond Investing for growth We offer a range of risk-rated portfolios which have been carefully selected and are reviewed on a daily basis to ensure your investment is not only secure, but has the potential to grow, and when used in conjunction with the Secure Capital Option, secure that growth on an annual basis.

7 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond 5 Guaranteed Portfolios The MetLife Managed Wealth Portfolios The Secure Capital Option is currently available with our MetLife Managed Wealth Portfolios. These portfolios are specifically designed with a view to managing the effect of large market swings, and in doing so are intended to result in smoother, more consistent returns over time. The extent to which market gains are achieved will be determined by the asset classes and predefined asset allocations mentioned below. The funds in which the MetLife Managed Wealth Portfolios currently invest are managed by BlackRock*, one of the world s leading providers of investment, advisory and risk management solutions. Through the BlackRock funds, each of the MetLife Managed Wealth Portfolios have exposure (via funds and other instruments) to global equities and their equivalents, fixed interest (such as UK gilts and corporate bonds), currencies, cash and cash equivalents. For a full description of the financial instruments in which the MetLife Managed Wealth Portfolios invest and how the portfolios work, please refer to the MetLife Fund List. MetLife Managed Wealth Portfolio - Foundation Offers a maximum exposure to equities of 40% and aims to hold a fixed exposure of 60% to fixed interest. Having the greatest exposure to fixed interest of all Managed Wealth Portfolios, the Foundation portfolio is likely to have the smallest swings in its value over time. MetLife Managed Wealth Portfolio - Min Offers a maximum exposure to equities of 50% and aims to hold a fixed exposure of 50% to fixed interest. The Min portfolio also offers a high level of exposure to fixed interest, but with higher exposure to equities than the Foundation portfolio, meaning it is likely to have slightly wider swings in its value over time. MetLife Managed Wealth Portfolio - Mid Offers a maximum exposure to equities of 60% and aims to hold a fixed exposure of 40% to fixed interest. Having a medium exposure to fixed interest, the Mid portfolio is likely to have slightly higher swings in its value over time, but lower than the Max portfolio. MetLife Managed Wealth Portfolio - Max Offers a maximum exposure to equities of 70% and aims to hold a fixed exposure of 30% to fixed interest. Having the least exposure to fixed interest, the Max portfolio is likely to have larger swings in its value over time than the Foundation, Min or Mid portfolios. Other Portfolios MetLife also offer a range of Protected Growth Funds, non-guaranteed portfolios and a cash fund. Depending upon your circumstances and investment objectives, these alternatives may be more appropriate. To learn more about the funds offered by MetLife, and to better understand which option will best suit your requirements you should refer to the MetLife Fund List and speak to your Financial Adviser. * BlackRock consents to the references made to it in this document. Neither BlackRock Fund Managers Limited nor any other company within the BlackRock Group of companies makes any representation or warranties as to the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of any information contained in this document, other than that relating to the BlackRock funds.

8 6 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond Tax-savvy investing For income tax planning Your Guaranteed Investment Bond allows you to take regular withdrawals taxefficiently. If in any one year these withdrawals total 5%* or less of your premium, the withdrawals are treated as a return of capital and any gain is not taxed as income at that time. You can of course take out more than 5% each year, but any gain may be taxed. 5% withdrawals can be taken tax efficiently for 20 years. In addition, to maximise tax-efficiency, you can invest in either our international or UK version of the Guaranteed Investment Bond. The International Guaranteed Investment Bond If you are a basic, higher or additional rate taxpayer, plan to work or retire abroad and are currently a UK resident, then the international version of the Guaranteed Investment Bond could be very tax-efficient for you. That is because our international bond does not pay UK tax, so your investment is not taxed as it grows. You are still eligible for the 5% per year tax-deferred withdrawals. A tax charge may arise if this 5% allowance is exceeded, but this will depend on your tax situation at the time. The UK Guaranteed Investment Bond UK investment bonds pay the equivalent of basic rate tax at source within the bond. If you are a non-taxpayer or basic rate taxpayer when you encash your Guaranteed Investment Bond, you may have no further tax to pay. If you are a higher or additional rate taxpayer or you become one when the average gain in the value of your Guaranteed Investment Bond is added to your other income, you will have to pay income tax based on the difference between the basic and higher or additional rate of tax. For estate planning You can use the Guaranteed Investment Bond with a range of trusts, making it an effective estate planning tool. We suggest that you discuss with your Financial Adviser how the Guaranteed Investment Bond can be arranged to best suit your personal circumstances and tax situation. The tax treatment of this product could also change in the future. * This also applies to any amounts you instruct us to pay to your Financial Adviser.

9 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond 7 Paying your Adviser - a range of flexible choices At MetLife, we always recommend taking expert advice. That s why all our retirement and investment products are available exclusively through Financial Advisers. You can choose to pay your Financial Adviser directly, or you can pay your Financial Adviser through the money you invest in your MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond. If you choose to pay your Financial Adviser through your MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond, we will deduct the charges from your bond in order to make this payment. You should review your instruction to us regularly with your Financial Adviser. If you choose to pay for your advice through investments under the Secure Capital Option, this will reduce the value of your guaranteed benefits. You should agree with your Financial Adviser on the option that works best for both of you. Adviser charges - at a glance Initial Adviser Charge An upfront, one-off payment to your Financial Adviser. It can be a specific amount or a percentage of your investment. Ad hoc Adviser Charge A one-off payment of a fixed amount to your Financial Adviser, as and when you receive advice or services. Ongoing Adviser Charge A regular payment for ongoing advice and services that you receive from your Financial Adviser. This can be a fixed amount or a percentage of your fund value. Please refer to the MetLife Bond Range Key Features Document and speak to your Financial Adviser for more information.

10 8 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond How will the MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond work for you? Whatever stage you re at in your financial planning journey, the MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond offers a unique investment solution that combines a capital guarantee with potential for growth. The MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond gives you access to a range of guaranteed investment options to suit a variety of needs, and your Financial Adviser can help you select the approach that suits you best. For added flexibility, you can agree with your Financial Adviser on the way you pay for their professional services. Here s an example of how the MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond can be used to help save for the future. Saving for the future - university fees Joanne and Peter have been married for nine years and have two children, James, aged seven and Harry, aged four. They recently inherited 75,000 from James aunt and are planning to use the money to support the boys further education and future home improvements. As it will be used for their children s benefit, James likes the idea of investing for their children s future education, but wants the flexibility to be able to access the money easily. He also recognises that given it is likely to remain invested for at least ten years an element of equity investment could help deliver greater growth. After reviewing their plans with their Financial Adviser, Joanne and Peter decide to invest all of his inheritance in the MetLife Managed Wealth Portfolio - Min, with the Secure Capital Option. This allows them to achieve the perfect balance between security and growth that they are looking for. Joanne and Peter opt to make a regular payment to their Financial Adviser for ongoing advice and services from their Guaranteed Investment Bond and understand that their guarantee benefits will be recalculated to reflect the amounts that are paid to their Financial Adviser.

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12 10 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond Built-in flexibility to suit your changing needs We know that your circumstances and needs might change in the future, so the Guaranteed Investment Bond has been designed to be as flexible as possible. Here s how: You can invest from as little as 10,000 and can top up into your guaranteed portfolio with a minimum of 5,000. You can access your investment at any time and can take all or some of your money if needed*. You can decide to take withdrawals monthly, quarterly, every four months, half-yearly or annually. If you decide you don t want all or part of your capital guaranteed any more, you can choose to invest in a wider range of portfolios (talk to your Financial Adviser about our Investment Bond). You can invest individually or jointly. Death benefits can be paid on a single life assured, joint lives or multiple lives assured. * If you choose to leave prior to the end of your term you will receive the fund value at that time rather than the Secure Capital Value.

13 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond 11 A quick recap of all the benefits Your capital investment is guaranteed Unlimited growth locked-in annually Guaranteed withdrawals up to 5% p.a. for 20 years Tax Maximiser Option Guaranteed death benefit Choice of four unique Managed Wealth Portfolios International version available Estate planning benefits, when used with trusts Ability to invest jointly

14 12 MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond Investing for your future with MetLife At MetLife, our aim is a simple one: to help you build financial freedom for your future by offering financial security, whatever the economic conditions. In today s uncertain world, this is even more important than ever. That s why we offer a range of unique, unit-linked guarantees across our investment and retirement products that offer capital or income security, as well as the opportunity to lock-in investment gains. Talk to your Financial Adviser today to find out more about how the MetLife Guaranteed Investment Bond could work for you.

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16 Want to find out more? Speak to your Financial Adviser to learn more about how this product could work for you, or call us on If you are looking for a Financial Adviser, you can find one close to you at You can also visit us at for more information Products and services are offered by MetLife Europe Limited which is an affiliate of MetLife, Inc. and operates under the MetLife brand. MetLife Europe Limited is authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request. Registered address: 20 on Hatch, Lower Hatch Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. Registration number UK branch address: One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AA. Branch registration number BR WM l MAR 2015