Fixed Indexed Annuity

Index Protector 7

MassMutual Ascend Life Insurance Company

9.75%

Best Cap

10%

Free W/D

Jurisdictions

Product data status: May 29, 2026

Rates, state availability, rider terms, and contract language must be confirmed with a licensed financial advisor or insurance professional before purchase. Guarantees are backed by the issuing insurer.

Live product data

Rates as of May 29, 2026, based on the latest AdvisorWorld scan of CANNEX data.

GLWB lifetime withdrawal rate

4.5% lifetime payout

A seven-year income-rider fixed indexed annuity from a dual-agency-rated US carrier, with an optional IncomeDefender GLWB rider publishing a contractually guaranteed lifetime withdrawal rate scaling by age and deferral, alongside an account-value menu of S&P 500 cap, volatility-controlled, and international named-ETF strategies.

0.85% annual rider feeRMD-friendly income ridersAdvisorWorld + CANNEX data

Best fit

Income-focused buyers who want a contractually guaranteed lifetime withdrawal rate from a GLWB rider attached to a seven-year FIA chassis from a dual-agency-rated carrier, who expect to actually elect income later, and who accept an ongoing rider fee in exchange for the lifetime-payout guarantee.

AM Best

A++ Superior

Surrender period

7 years

Free withdrawal

10%/yr

Availability

50 jurisdictions (excl. New York)

Featured crediting strategies

Caps, participation rates, and declared rates are shown separately.

Index / strategyRate mechanicsTermPremium

S&P 500

S&P 500 Index

9.5% cap rate

1-year term

Up to $250,000

S&P 500

S&P 500 Index

9.75% cap rate

Rate varies by premium band.

1-year term

Up to $250,000

S&P 500

S&P 500 Index

8.25% cap rate

7-year term

Up to $250,000

S&P 500

S&P 500 Index

9% cap rate

Rate varies by premium band.

7-year term

Up to $250,000

Fixed Account

5.05% declared rate

1-year term

Up to $250,000

Fixed Account

5.3% declared rate

Rate varies by premium band.

1-year term

Up to $250,000

+ 12 volatility-controlled index options (S&P 500, iShares US, S&P U.S....)

Lifetime Income Riders

Income rider

IncomeDefender

RMD friendly

Lifetime payout rate4.5% lifetime payout

Annual rider fee0.85% annual rider fee

Product analyst notes

How to think about this contract

Why it can stand out

Carries the IncomeDefender GLWB rider, an optional lifetime-income rider with a contractually guaranteed withdrawal rate that scales by age and deferral years — a different rider family from the IncomeSecure rider on American Legend 7 / AssuranceSelect 7 Plus in this carrier's lineup, so buyers comparing income FIAs at this carrier should compare both rider designs.
A.M. Best Superior plus Standard & Poor's Strong — dual-agency financial-strength corroboration behind a seven-year income-rider FIA, rather than a single-source view.
Crediting menu pairs a recognizable S&P 500 annual point-to-point cap with volatility-controlled indexes (S&P 500 Average Daily Risk Control, S&P U.S. Retiree Spending) and an iShares MSCI EAFE international option on the account-value side, so buyers can choose between like-for-like S&P comparison and alternative crediting mechanics for the underlying account value that backs rider charges.
Seven-year declining surrender ladder steps down materially each year — a buyer needing partial liquidity in the back half of the contract beyond the free-withdrawal allowance faces a smaller charge than in years one through three.

What to confirm

The IncomeDefender rider carries an ongoing rider fee deducted from the account value. A buyer who never turns income on still pays the rider fee for as long as the rider is attached — the lifetime-income story only delivers value if the buyer expects to actually elect income later.
Rider rates scale by deferral years and issue age — the figure in the headline reflects the highest currently published variant on this filing and is not a contractual promise of what a specific buyer at a specific age will receive.
The First Trust Barclays Edge Index and other proprietary participation-rate strategies on the account-value menu are not directly comparable to an S&P 500 cap — evaluate each on its own back-tested behavior, not on a side-by-side rate read.
This is the no-MVA seven-year filing; the related Index Protector 5 MVA accepts an MVA mechanic in exchange for a higher published cap on its account-value crediting. The two products are not the same — confirm which version your application is for before electing the rider.

Not ideal for

Accumulation-focused buyers who would rather skip the rider fee and let the account value grow on the cap alone — the shorter Index Protector 4 or the MVA-bearing Index Protector 5 MVA ship without an income rider — buyers who want a shorter surrender, or buyers who prefer a MYGA-style declared rate with no rider mechanics.

All crediting strategies

View rate listings (18 rows)

These are the current crediting strategy listings returned for this product. Use the filters to narrow by index, term, premium band, or rate type.

Par: 75% · 1-yr

S&P 500 Average Daily Risk Control Price Return Index

participation