Understanding a change to your TIAA-CREF Investment Solutions IRA

Understanding a change to your TIAA-CREF Investment Solutions IRA

A change is scheduled for TIAA CREF Investment Solutions IRAs in 2013. You will receive a new TIAA contract for each Investment Solutions IRA you own. The new contract is for the TIAA Traditional Annuity and the TIAA Real Estate Account in your IRA. Please keep your new contract with your important records when you receive it. The change (scheduled to take effect on the date stated in the accompanying letter) will happen automatically. But it s important to understand the change being made, why it is being made and how it might affect you. We ve created this guide to help you do just that. Here s what you need to know. On the effective date of the change, the guaranteed minimum rate for new contributions, rollovers and transfers to TIAA Traditional held in an Investment Solutions IRA will change from a guaranteed minimum rate of 3% to a guaranteed minimum rate between 1% and 3% (determined annually). For details about how the new rate will be determined, please go to www.tiaa-cref.org/iraupdates. Any TIAA Traditional balance you have in an Investment Solutions IRA on the effective date of the change will continue to have the current 3% guaranteed minimum rate as long as that money remains in place. And your principal is always guaranteed. 1 In future years, you will, as always, be credited with any additional amounts declared above the guaranteed minimum. 2 This applies to balances held in TIAA Traditional in an Investment Solutions IRA both before and after the effective date of the change. W W The rate of return for TIAA Real Estate will not be affected by this change. Who is affected? Virtually anyone who owns a TIAA-CREF Investment Solutions IRA that was opened before October 11, 2010. IMPORTANT. This change does not affect TIAA Traditional or TIAA Real Estate held in any employer-sponsored plan. It applies only to TIAA Traditional and TIAA Real Estate held in an Investment Solutions IRA. Why are we making this change? We are making this change to better reflect the current global interest rate environment, and at the same time, safeguard you and your beneficiaries for the long term. The new guaranteed minimum rate (between 1% and 3%) allows us to be more responsive to different interest rate environments, and offers the potential for higher rates if interest rates rise in the future. 1 All guarantees are subject to TIAA s claims-paying ability. 2 Additional amounts, if any, are not guaranteed for future years. TIAA Traditional is a guaranteed insurance contract and not an investment for federal securities law purposes. 2 3

You will see two account balances each for TIAA Traditional and TIAA Real Estate after the effective date of the change. Before the change takes place, any money you have in TIAA Traditional in an Investment Solutions IRA appears as a single line item on your quarterly and confirmation statements, and on your online account page. Once the change takes place, you ll see TWO line items: Original balance: Money accumulated in TIAA Traditional up to the effective date. New balance: Money going into TIAA Traditional starting on the effective date. The same applies to TIAA Real Estate balances. The table below shows how this will work. TIAA Traditional What s in this balance? Original balance Money accumulated in TIAA Traditional up to the effective date. New balance Money going into TIAA Traditional starting on the effective date. What is the guaranteed minimum rate? Money going in Money going out Are my balances guaranteed? Guaranteed minimum 3% rate on the original balance. Crediting rate could be higher than the guaranteed minimum rate. Closed to new contributions, rollovers and transfers as of the effective date. Once money is moved out, it cannot be moved back in. Any money moved into TIAA Traditional starting on the effective date will earn the new guaranteed minimum rate between 1% and 3%. Yes, always guaranteed. Guaranteed minimum rate between 1% and 3% on the new balance. Crediting rate could be higher than the guaranteed minimum rate. From the effective date of the change through February 28, 2014, the guaranteed minimum rate will be 1%. Open to new contributions, rollovers and transfers starting on the effective date. Money may be moved out and back in. Yes, always guaranteed. TIAA Real Estate What s in this balance? Original balance Money accumulated in TIAA Real Estate up to the effective date.. New balance Money going into TIAA Real Estate starting on the effective date. What happens to the rate of return? Money going in Money going out Rate of return is not affected by this change. Closed to new contributions, rollovers and transfers as of the effective date. Once money is moved out, it cannot be moved back in. Rate of return is not affected by this change. Open to new contributions, rollovers and transfers starting on the effective date. Money may be moved out and back in. 4 5

Important information to consider so you can plan accordingly. Retirement planning advice. Your Investment Solutions IRA will continue to come with the same retirement planning advice service as always. Asset allocation. The mix of investments you ve chosen for your IRA will remain the same after the effective date of the change unless you choose to change it. We recommend you review it regularly to make sure it continues to match your objectives and needs as time goes by. Investment choices. All IRA investment choices available to you before the effective date of the change will remain available after the change takes place. Beneficiaries. Your IRA beneficiary designations will remain the same after the effective date of the change. Please review them regularly to make sure they are up-to-date. The rules regarding beneficiaries will also remain the same. Automatic rebalancing. If you currently have your IRA automatically rebalanced each year on your birthday, that service will continue without interruption after the effective date of the change. For details about how rebalancing will work, please go to www.tiaa-cref.org/iraupdates. Distribution options. All distribution options available to you before the effective date of the change will remain available after that date. In addition, the guaranteed minimum payout rate for contributions, rollovers and transfers made to TIAA Traditional before the effective date will continue to be 2.5%. The guaranteed minimum payout rate for contributions, rollovers and transfers to TIAA Traditional made on or after the effective date will be 2%. As a result, your lifetime income payments may be lower. Please go to www.tiaa-cref.org/iraupdates for details. If you currently have any distribution instructions in place, you may want to review them in light of the change to make sure they continue to meet your needs. Maintenance window. There will be a maintenance window (approximately 48 hours over the weekend of the effective date of the change), during which you will not be able to make certain IRA transactions. Please visit www.tiaa-cref.org/iraupdates for further details. Scheduled effective date. Please refer to the letter accompanying this brochure for the scheduled effective date of the change. If the date changes, we ll post a message at www.tiaa-cref.org/iraupdates. You can also call the numbers below to confirm the date. For further assistance. Please go to www.tiaa cref.org/iraupdates for more information about the change. Or call 888 211 3850 (inside and outside the U.S.) to speak with a TIAA-CREF Financial Consultant. If you are a Wealth Management client, please contact your Advisor directly or call 888 211 3849 (inside and outside the U.S.). 6 7

TIAA Traditional is a guaranteed annuity backed by TIAA s claims-paying ability. It guarantees your principal and a minimum interest rate, plus it offers the opportunity for additional amounts in excess of the guaranteed rate. These additional amounts, when declared by the TIAA Board of Trustees, remain in effect for the declaration year that begins each March 1. TIAA annuity contract is issued by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA), New York, NY. 2013 Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF), 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 215212_B