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Financial Professionals Financial professional news Principal ® RILA product enhancements become effective May 18, 2026
May 13, 2026

Principal® RILA product enhancements become effective May 18, 2026

Enhancements to our registered index-linked annuity (RILA) solutions introduce a new index to link performance to, new buffer segments for a spectrum of protection, and a new lever for legacy planning.

Principal® RILA enhancement overview

  • First-in-market: 0%, 10%, and 20% buffer 6-year segments with mid-cap exposure, linked to the S&P MidCap 400® Index
  • Broadened allocation opportunities: small-, mid-, large-cap exposure options and choice of buffer protection ranging from 0% to 100%.
  • Principal® Strategic Outcomes fee and no fee death benefit options to shape legacy planning: New Annual Step-Up Death Benefit Rider (0.30% fee), designed to help address market timing risk

Together, these updates provide you with more ways to tailor income, growth potential, and protection strategies to respond to dynamic client needs and evolving market environments.

New segments, effective May 18, 2026:

   Product   Segment   Protection level   
    Principal® Strategic Income    6-year S&P MidCap 400®          10% buffer  
    Principal Strategic Income    6-year S&P MidCap 400®    20% buffer  
    Principal Strategic Income        6-year S&P 500®    100% buffer    

 

  ProductSegment  Protection level     Rates
Principal Strategic Outcomes 
 6-year S&P
 MidCap 400®
    0% buffer    Standard rates and enhanced rates  
Principal Strategic Outcomes 
 6-year S&P
 MidCap 400®
  10% buffer  Standard rates and enhanced rates  
Principal Strategic Outcomes   
 6-year S&P
 MidCap 400®
  20% buffer  Standard rates and enhanced rates  
Principal Strategic Outcomes 
 6-year S&P
 500®
  100% buffer  Standard rates and enhanced rates  
Principal Strategic Outcomes 
 6-year
 Nasdaq-100®
  0% buffer
  Enhanced rates only

Discontinued segments, effective May 18, 2026:

Discontinued segments will not be available on or after May 18, 2026. Existing contracts with discontinued segments selected will stay invested until the end of the segment term.

  Product Segment  Protection level   
  Principal Strategic Income, Principal Strategic Outcomes   6-year SG Smart Climate    10% buffer  
  Principal Strategic Income, Principal Strategic Outcomes  1-year S&P 500®  0% floor*  
  Principal Strategic Income, Principal Strategic Outcomes    1-year S&P 500®  10% floor  
  Principal Strategic Income, Principal Strategic Outcomes  1-year S&P 500®  20% peak buffer  

*The 1-year S&P 500® 0% floor segment will continue to be available for renewals on contracts with applications signed prior to May 18, 2026.

Principal Strategic Outcomes legacy planning levers, effective May 18, 2026

  • Standard death benefit, included for no additional fee. For issue ages 0-79, beneficiaries receive the greater of the accumulated value or premium payments less withdrawals. For issue ages 80-85, beneficiaries receive the accumulated value.
  • New! Annual Step-Up Death Benefit Rider, available up to a max issue age of 75 for a fee of 0.30% if elected. Beneficiaries receive the greatest of the accumulated value, premium payments less withdrawals, or the highest accumulated value on any segment anniversary that occurs after the rider effective date and prior to the Lock-in Date (less withdrawals).

Marketing resources

  • Principal® Strategic Outcomes client brochure (PDF)
  • Principal® Strategic Outcomes product overview (PDF)
  • Principal® Strategic Outcomes rates (PDF)
  • Principal® Strategic Income client brochure (PDF)
  • Principal® Strategic Income product overview (PDF)
  • Principal® Strategic Income rates (PDF)

Additional information

  • View current and upcoming rates online at: principal.com/strategicoutcomes and principal.com/strategicincome
  • State approvals: The new segments for Principal Strategic Outcomes and Principal Strategic Income are available in all states except: GA, IN, LA, MD, MN, MT, NJ, VT, and VA.
  • National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) carrier-specific training is required before your first sale of Principal Strategic Outcomes and Principal Strategic Income. If you have already completed this training, you do not need to retake for these new segments.
  • Questions? Connect with your Principal annuities team: 866-309-1623