Somebody Help Me Now; Lincoln SVUL(ONE), Unique Hybrid Product for Survivorship Market, Helps Boomers Manage Estate & Retirement Planning Needs

PHILADELPHIA, April 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boomers who helped make the classic "Somebody Help Me Now"(1) a rock hit in 1967 are starting to think that familiar refrain as they face their financial strategy decisions. The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company is answering the plea by expanding estate planning markets into the younger Boomer client age base, while maintaining its attractiveness to traditional ages. Lincoln SVUL(ONE), a distinctive hybrid survivorship product, is one of the first to market of its kind and the most flexible available to date.

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"Unlike traditional survivorship life products, the hybrid Lincoln SVUL(ONE) offers clients the ability to protect their estate with a guaranteed death benefit and grow it through policy cash values," said James Desrocher, assistant vice president, variable life product development with The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (Lincoln), an affiliate of Lincoln Financial Group. "It also offers the flexibility to adapt the product to address their particular needs over time, by dialing between levels of guarantee and growth potential. And, as a true life stage product, Lincoln SVUL(ONE) also offers the ability to draw retirement income if needed to supplement other income sources."

Worried about the future of the estate tax? No more.

Lincoln SVUL(ONE) is proving to be an excellent choice for use in individual life insurance trusts (ILITs) because it provides options that were not available in the past. No-lapse guaranteed UL products traditionally used in ILITs do not provide significant cash value or estate growth potential, which limits client options. Lincoln SVUL(ONE) provides both, along with flexibility. Regardless of pending changes in estate tax (current or projected), the flexibility of Lincoln SVUL(ONE) offers clients choices.

"Affluent 60-year-olds are confidently leading Baby Boomers into the retirement revolution," says Desrocher. "A recent survey conducted by the Lincoln Retirement(SM) Institute showed that 55 percent of successful sixties report creating comprehensive plans to ensure they don't outlive their money while 52 percent said they've set long-term goals of having sufficient assets to leave a legacy. Lincoln SVUL(ONE) offers the protection and growth potential that successful sixties and Boomers need to reach their estate planning and supplemental income goals."

Lincoln SVUL(ONE) allows maximum equity exposure while maintaining strong no-lapse guarantees. The Optimal No-Lapse Enhancement (ONE) feature is what enables Lincoln SVUL(ONE) to do more than the typical SVUL policy. Automatically included in the premium of the policy, it offers two valuable benefits: a fully guaranteed minimum death benefit (GMDB) and a reset feature. Both work together to give an innovative combination of death benefit protection and growth potential. Clients can benefit from market gains with protection against market volatility. Automatic rebalancing is required on this policy.

The GMDB ensures that the required premium amount to maintain the desired death benefit will not change with market fluctuations. Additionally, as cash values grow over time, the unique reset feature offers the potential to extend or increase the length and amount of the guarantee. Cash value growth could also help reduce the required premium payment while still maintaining the full death benefit on a guaranteed basis.

Lincoln SVUL(ONE) is effective for business succession and charitable giving needs as well. The death benefit proceeds allow beneficiaries to fund the ongoing expenses of a business (bills, employees' salaries, taxes) to avoid immediate pressure to sell. This protects beneficiaries/heirs from being forced to sell the business to the first (potentially low-ball) offer. Additionally, the growth potential and guarantee mean that business clients have the ability to equalize their estate between beneficiaries. Lincoln SVUL(ONE) also allows people who want to be philanthropic (but don't have excess resources) to make major cash gifts to favorite charities.

Lincoln SVUL(ONE), a distinctive hybrid survivorship product, fills in the gaps left by traditional products, and answers Boomers' plea for help with estate planning and supplemental retirement income needs. By offering protection and growth as well as income potential and flexibility, Boomers and pre-retirees can focus more confidently on the lives they want to lead, and the legacies they want to leave behind.

Hello, future.(SM) (1) "Somebody Help Me Now," by the Spencer Davis Group, 1967. About Lincoln SVUL(ONE)

Lincoln SVUL(ONE) is issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, Fort Wayne, IN, on policy form LN657 and offered through broker/dealers with an effective selling agreement. Products and features are subject to state availability. Lincoln SVUL(ONE) is sold by prospectus. Consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the variable policy and its underlying investment options carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information about the variable product and its underlying investment options. A prospectus is available on request and should be read carefully before investing or sending money. For a current prospectus, please call 1-800-444-2363 or go to http://www.lfg.com/. Return and principal value may fluctuate so that when withdrawn, it may be worth more or less than the original cost.

Not FDIC insured. Not a deposit. Not insured by a federal government agency. Not guaranteed by a bank or savings association. May go down in value. The policy guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company.

About The Lincoln Retirement(SM) Institute

The Lincoln Retirement(SM) Institute is an organization within Lincoln Financial Group (LFG) that was created to conduct research, organize the intellectual capital of the company and work with external thinkers on retirement subjects that are relevant to the boomer generation. The Lincoln Retirement(SM) Institute will soon be launching an innovative new web site, which will be located at http://www.lfg.com/retire and house interactive tools, real-life scenarios, fresh content and pertinent information to help Baby Boomers prepare for the retirement revolution.

As a company, LFG is dedicated to thoughtfully raising awareness about retirement issues. The company recently began hosting a series of nationwide Retirement Income Summits to help give financial advisors tangible tools to better meet the needs of their Baby Boomer clients.

About Lincoln Financial Group

Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation and its affiliates. With headquarters in Philadelphia, Lincoln Financial Group has consolidated assets of $125 billion as of December 31, 2005, and had annual consolidated revenues of $5.5 billion in 2005. The company offers: annuities; life, group life and disability insurance; 401(k) and 403(b) plans; savings plans; mutual funds; managed accounts; institutional investments; and comprehensive financial planning and advisory services. Company affiliates include: Lincoln Financial Distributors, which provides wholesaling and marketing support; Lincoln Financial Advisors, a national network of financial planners, agents, and registered representatives; Delaware Investments, the marketing name for Delaware Management Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries; Lincoln Financial Media, which owns and operates three television stations, 18 radio stations, and the Lincoln Financial Sports production and syndication business; and Lincoln UK. For more information please visit http://www.lfg.com/.