REVENUE RULE 96-2

1996-1 C.B. 141, 1996-2 I.R.B. 5

Internal Revenue Service
Revenue Rule

INSURANCE COMPANIES; INTEREST RATE TABLES

Released: December 18, 1995
Published: January 8, 1996

§807.--Rules for Certain Reserves

Insurance companies; interest rate tables. Prevailing state assumed interest rates are provided for the determination of reserves under section 807 of the Code for contracts issued in 1995 and 1996. Rev. Rul. 92-19 supplemented in part.

For purposes of s 807(d)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1994, this ruling supplements the schedules of prevailing state assumed interest rates set forth in Rev. Rul. 92-19, 1992-1 C.B. 227. This information is to be used by insurance companies in computing their reserves for (1) life insurance and supplementary total and permanent disability benefits, (2) individual annuities and pure endowments, and (3) group annuities and pure endowments. As s 807(d)(2)(B) requires that the interest rate used to compute these reserves be the greater of (1) the applicable federal interest rate, or (2) the prevailing state assumed interest rate, the table of applicable federal interest rates in Rev. Rul. 92-19 is also supplemented.

Following are supplements to schedules A, B, C, and D to Part III of Rev. Rul. 92-19, providing prevailing state assumed interest rates for insurance products with different features issued in 1995 and 1996, and a supplement to the table in Part IV of Rev. Rul. 92-19, providing the applicable federal interest rate under s 807(d) for 1995 and 1996. This ruling does not supplement Parts I and II of Rev. Rul. 92-19.

This is the fourth supplement to the interest rates provided in Rev. Rul. 92- 19. Earlier supplements were published in Rev. Rul. 93-58, 1993-2 C.B. 241 (interest rates for insurance products issued in 1992 and 1993), Rev. Rul. 94- 11, 1994-1 C.B. 196 (1993 and 1994), and Rev. Rul. 95-4, 1995-1 C.B. 141 (1994 and 1995).

Part III, Prevailing State Assumed Interest Rates--Products Issued in Years After 1982. *

Schedule A

STATUTORY VALUATION INTEREST RATES BASED ON THE 1980 AMENDMENTS TO THE NAIC STANDARD VALUATION LAW

A. Life insurance valuation:

Guarantee Duration (years) Calendar Year of Issue 1996

10 or fewer                        5.50 **
More than 10 but not more than 20  5.25 **
More than 20                       4.50 **

Source: Rates calculated from the monthly averages, ending June 30, 1995, of Moody's Corporate Bond Yield Average--Monthly Average Corporates.

** As the applicable federal interest rate for 1996 of 6.63 percent exceeds this prevailing state assumed interest rate, the interest rate to be used for this product under s 807 is 6.63 percent.

* The terms used in the schedules in this ruling and in Part III of Rev. Rul. 92-19 are those used in the Standard Valuation Law; the terms are defined in Revenue Rule 92-19.

Part III, Schedule B

STATUTORY VALUATION INTEREST RATES BASED ON THE 1980 AMENDMENTS TO THE NAIC STANDARD VALUATION LAW

B. Single premium immediate annuities and annuity benefits involving life contingencies arising from other annuities with cash settlement options and from guaranteed interest contracts with cash settlement options:

Calendar Year of Issue Valuation Interest Rate

1995                                 7.25

Source: Rates calculated from the monthly averages, ending June 30, 1995, of Moody's Corporate Bond Yield Average--Monthly Average Corporates. The terms used in this schedule are those used in the Standard Valuation Law as defined in Rev. Rul. 92-19.

* As this prevailing state assumed interest rate exceeds the applicable federal interest rate for 1995 of 6.99 percent, the interest rate to be used for this product under s 807 is 7.25 percent.

Part III, Schedule C13--1995

STATUTORY VALUATION INTEREST RATES BASED ON NAIC STANDARD VALUATION LAW FOR 1995 CALENDAR YEAR BUSINESS GOVERNED BY THE 1980 AMENDMENTS

C. Valuation interest rates for other annuities and guaranteed interest contracts that are valued on an issue year basis:

Cash Settlement Options? Future Interest Guarantee Guarantee Duration (years) Valuation Interest Rate for Plan Type A Plan Type B Plan Type C
yes yes 5 or fewer 7.25 6.25* 5.75*
    6 to 10 7.00 6.25* 5.75*
    11 to 20 6.25* 5.5* 5.25*
    21 or more 5.25* 4.75* 4.75*
yes no 5 or fewer 7.5 6.5* 6.0*
    6 to 10 7.25 6.5* 6.0*
    11 to 20 6.5* 5.75* 5.5*
    21 or more 5.5* 5.* 5.*
no yes or no 5 or fewer 7.25 n/a n/a
    6 to 10 7. n/a n/a
    11 to 20 6.5* n/a n/a
    21 or more 5.5* n/a n/a

Source: Rates calculated from the monthly averages, ending June 30, 1995 of Moody's Corporate Bond Yield Average--Monthly Average Corporates.

* As the applicable federal interest rate for 1995 of 6.99 percent exceeds this prevailing state assumed interest rate, the interest rate to be used for this product under s 807 is 6.99 percent.

Part III, Schedule D13--1995

STATUTORY VALUATION INTEREST RATES BASED ON NAIC STANDARD VALUATION LAW FOR 1995 CALENDAR YEAR BUSINESS GOVERNED BY THE 1980 AMENDMENTS

D. Valuation interest rates for other annuities and guaranteed interest contracts that are contracts with cash settlement options and that are valued on a change in fund basis:

Cash Settlement Options? Future Interest Guarantee Guarantee Duration (years) Valuation Interest Rate for Plan Type A Plan Type B Plan Type C
yes yes 5 or fewer 8.25 7.50 6.00*
    6 to 10 8.00 7.50 6.00*
    11 to 20 7.25 7.00 5.75*
    21 or more 6.25* 6.25 5.25*
yes no 5 or fewer 8.5 8.0 6.25*
    6 to 10 8.25 8.0 6.25*
    11 to 20 7.50 7.25 6.00*
    21 or more 6.5* 6.50* 5.50*

Source: Rates calculated from the monthly averages, ending June 30, 1995, of Moody's Corporate Bond Yield Average--Monthly Average Corporates.

* As the applicable federal interest rate for 1995 of 6.99 percent exceeds this prevailing state assumed interest rate, the interest rate to be used for this product under s 807 is 6.99 percent.

Part IV. Applicable Federal Interest Rates.

TABLE OF APPLICABLE FEDERAL INTEREST RATES FOR PURPOSES OF s 807

Year    Interest Rate

1995    6.99
1996    6.63

Sources: Rev. Rul. 94-73, 1994-2 C.B. 197 for the 1995 rate and Rev. Rul. 95- 79, 1995-49 I.R.B. 4 (at 6) for the 1996 rate.

EFFECT ON OTHER REVENUE RULINGS

Rev. Rul. 92-19 is supplemented by the addition to Part III of that ruling of prevailing state assumed interest rates under s 807 for certain insurance products issued in 1995 and 1996 and is further supplemented by an addition to the table in Part IV of Rev. Rul. 92-19 listing applicable federal interest rates. Parts I and II of Rev. Rul. 92-19 are not affected by this ruling.

DRAFTING INFORMATION

The principal author of this revenue ruling is Ann H. Logan of the Office of Assistant Chief Counsel (Financial Institutions and Products). For further information regarding this revenue ruling contact her on (202) 622-3970 (not a toll-free call).

Rev. Rul. 96-2, 1996-1 C.B. 141, 1996-2 I.R.B. 5