How Brighthouse SmartGuard Plus Helps Protect Your Family with Flexible Coverage Options

Brighthouse SmartGuard Plus® is a next-generation index-linked universal life insurance product designed to help you protect your family’s financial future while also offering growth opportunities and flexible income options during retirement. Combining a guaranteed death benefit, market-linked cash value growth, and guaranteed retirement income through the Guaranteed Distribution Rider (GDR), SmartGuard Plus is a life insurance solution built for today's financial planning needs.

Key Features of Brighthouse SmartGuard Plus

Guaranteed Death Benefit

At its core, SmartGuard Plus offers a guaranteed death benefit—helping ensure that your loved ones are financially protected in the event of your passing. This death benefit is generally income-tax-free and can help cover:

• Living expenses
• Outstanding debts
• College tuition for children
• Final expenses
• Estate or inheritance taxes

Even after you start receiving Distribution Payments, your policy’s death benefit will never fall below the guaranteed minimum amount, provided your policy remains in force and the GDR is active.

Growth Potential with Market-Linked Accounts

SmartGuard Plus allows you to allocate your cash value to indexed accounts that track the performance of major stock market indices, such as the S&P 500®, Russell 2000®, and MSCI EAFE®.

The product offers growth opportunities up to a "Cap Rate," along with downside protection via customizable "Buffer Rates" that shield your cash value from some or all market losses.

• Growth opportunities: Your cash value may grow based on positive market performance.
• Downside protection: Choose Buffer Rates of 10%, 15%, 20%, or 100% protection from market losses.

Guaranteed Distribution Payments for Retirement Income

After the 10th policy year, SmartGuard Plus' Guaranteed Distribution Rider (GDR) allows you to start taking tax-advantaged Distribution Payments. These payments are structured as policy loans and are designed to help supplement your retirement income.

Key features of Distribution Payments:

• Available after 10 years.
• The Guaranteed Minimum Distribution Payment amount is defined at issue and increases every five years up to age 70.
• Once payments begin, all cash value is transferred to a Fixed Account with guaranteed interest, ceasing market participation.
• Unused Maximum Distribution Payments may be taken as a separate One-Time Payment (subject to limits).

You can:

• Choose when to start receiving income.
• Elect to receive payments for 10 years, 20 years, or for life.
• Stop payments at any time.

How SmartGuard Plus Protects Your Retirement

Once you begin taking Distribution Payments, SmartGuard Plus ensures your policy remains in force through its Lifetime Lapse Prevention Benefit, as long as you pay your required premiums. The GDR prevents your policy from lapsing even if your cash value drops due to Distribution Payments and market downturns.

Customization Options

SmartGuard Plus allows you to customize your policy to fit your goals:

• Choose your crediting strategy: Indexed Account(s) or Fixed Account.
• Select your Buffer Rate to balance growth potential and downside protection.
• Choose your Distribution Payment duration: 10 years, 20 years, or lifetime.

Simple Underwriting for Faster Approval

Brighthouse offers a streamlined underwriting process for individuals ages 35-65 seeking face amounts up to $3 million:

• No labs or exams for most applicants.
• Fast underwriting decisions, typically within 72 hours.

Applicants ages 61-65 may need to provide medical records but still benefit from a simpler process than traditional underwriting.

Lifetime Lapse Prevention Benefit

A unique feature of SmartGuard Plus, the Lifetime Lapse Prevention Benefit ensures that your policy won’t lapse as long as you pay your required premiums and keep your policy’s loans within the available limits. This ensures your coverage continues—providing peace of mind for your family’s financial security.

Tax Advantages of SmartGuard Plus

• Death benefits are generally income tax-free.
• Distribution Payments are typically treated as policy loans, meaning they are not taxable income if your policy remains in force.
• Tax-advantaged cash value growth.

Consult a tax advisor for your specific circumstances, as exceptions may apply.

Why SmartGuard Plus Is a Versatile Choice

• Provides permanent life insurance protection.
• Offers potential retirement income through guaranteed policy loans.
• Builds tax-advantaged cash value.
• Protects your cash value with market buffers.
• Allows for customization based on your risk tolerance and retirement needs.

Final Thought

Brighthouse SmartGuard Plus helps you build a financial legacy for your family while also creating a potential source of supplemental retirement income. With its combination of guaranteed protection, market-driven growth opportunities, and flexible income options, SmartGuard Plus is a forward-thinking solution for people who want to protect their loved ones and prepare for retirement with confidence.

Speak with your financial professional to see how Brighthouse SmartGuard Plus can help align your life insurance strategy with your long-term financial goals.