FIRST AMENDMENT TO FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT

Exhibit 24(b)(8.56)

FIRST AMENDMENT TO FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT

            This First Amendment dated as of June 1, 2016, by and between Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company (the “Company”), and one or more of The Lazard Funds, Inc., an open-end series investment company (the "Fund"), Lazard Asset Management Securities LLC, the Fund’s principal underwriter (“Distributor”), and Lazard Asset Management LLC, the investment adviser to each mutual fund comprising the Fund and the parent company of the Distributor (“XXX”) is made to the Fund Participation Agreement dated as of October 23, 2000 (the “Agreement”).  Terms defined in the Agreement are used herein as therein defined.

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration the adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

1. Effective September 1, 2014, ING Life Insurance and Annuity Company (formerly Aetna Life Insurance and Annuity Company) was renamed Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company.

2. Distributor assumes all rights, duties and obligations of Lazard Freres & Co. LLC’s in and under the Agreement.

3. To the extent that the Agreement obligates Distributor, the Fund or their affiliates (other than XXX) to pay any fees to Company other than those fees indirectly payable to Company pursuant to the Fund’s distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Plan”), XXX shall solely be responsible for payment to Company of such fees, and none of Distributor, the Fund or any of their affiliates (other than XXX) shall have any responsibility or liability for payment of such fees.  The Distributor shall solely be responsible for payment to Company  of fees indirectly payable to Company pursuant to the Plan, and none of XXX, the Fund or any of their affiliates (other than the Distributor) shall have any responsibility or liability for the payment of such fees.  XXX hereby is made a party to the Agreement for the sole purpose set forth in this Section 3.

4. Schedule B and Schedule C to the Agreement shall be deleted in their entirety and replaced with the Schedule B and Schedule C attached hereto.

5.         Except as specifically amended above, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.

6.         This amendment may be executed in multiple counterparts of like form, each of which, when executed, shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this amendment to the Agreement effective as of the date written above.

[Signature Page Follows]

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VOYA RETIREMENT INSURANCE AND ANNUITY COMPANY                     

By:       /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
            Name:  Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
            Title:  Vice President

            Date:  June 14, 2016

LAZARD ASSET MANAGEMENT SECURITIES LLC

By:       /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
            Name:  Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
            Title:  President

            Date:  6/20/16

LAZARD ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC (solely with respect to Section 3 above.)

By:       /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
            Name:  Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
            Title:  Deputy Chairman

            Date:  6/20/16

THE RETIREMENT SERIES, INC.

By:       /s/ Xxxxxxx St. Clair
            Name:  Xxxxxxx St. Clair
            Title:  Treasurer

            Date:  6/20/16

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schedule B

Portfolio Name	Class	Symbol	CUSIP
Lazard Capital Allocator Opportunistic Strategies Portfolio	Open	LCAOX	00000X000
Lazard Developing Markets Equity Portfolio	Open	LDMOX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Core Equity Portfolio	Open	ECEOX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio	Open	LEDOX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Blend Portfolio	Open	XXXXX	00000X000
Xxxxxx Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio**	Open	LZOEX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Income Portfolio	Open	XXXXX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Multi Asset Portfolio	Open	EMMOX	00000X000
Lazard Enhanced Opportunities Portfolio	Open	LEOOX	00000X000
Lazard Explorer Total Return Portfolio	Open	LETOX	00000X000
Lazard Fundamental Long/Short Portfolio	Open	LLSOX	00000X000
Lazard Global Dynamic Multi Asset Portfolio	Open	GDMOX	00000X000
Lazard Global Equity Select Portfolio	Open	GESOX	00000X000
Lazard Global Fixed Income Portfolio	Open	LZGOX	00000X000
Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Portfolio	Open	GLFOX	00000X000
Lazard Global Realty Equity Portfolio	Open	LITOX	00000X000
Lazard Global Strategic Equity Portfolio	Open	LSTOX	52107V 542
Lazard International Equity Portfolio	Open	LZIOX	00000X000
Lazard International Equity Concentrated Portfolio	Open	LCNOX	52107V 575
Lazard International Equity Select Portfolio	Open	LZESX	00000X000
Lazard International Small Cap Equity Portfolio	Open	LZSMX	00000X000
Lazard International Strategic Equity Portfolio	Open	LISOX	00000X000
Lazard US Corporate Income Portfolio	Open	LZHOX	00000X000
Lazard US Equity Concentrated Portfolio	Open	LEVOX	00000X000
Lazard US Mid Cap Equity Portfolio	Open	LZMOX	00000X000
Lazard US Realty Equity Portfolio	Open	LREOX	00000X000
Lazard US Realty Income Portfolio	Open	LRIOX	00000X000
Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio	Open	XXXXX	00000X000
Xxxxxx US Small-Mid Cap Equity Portfolio	Open	LZCOX	00000X000
Lazard US Strategic Equity Portfolio	Open	LZUOX	00000X000
Portfolio Name	Class	Symbol	CUSIP
Lazard Capital Allocator Opportunistic Strategies Portfolio	Institutional	LCAIX	00000X000
Lazard Developing Markets Equity Portfolio	Institutional	LDMIX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Core Equity Portfolio	Institutional	ECEIX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio	Institutional	LEDIX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Blend Portfolio	Institutional	EMBIX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio**	Institutional	LZEMX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Income Portfolio	Institutional	LEIIX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Multi Asset Portfolio	Institutional	EMMIX	00000X000
Lazard Enhanced Opportunities Portfolio	Institutional	LEOIX	00000X000
Lazard Explorer Total Return Portfolio	Institutional	LETIX	00000X000
Lazard Fundamental Long/Short Portfolio	Institutional	LLSIX	00000X000
Lazard Global Dynamic Multi Asset Portfolio	Institutional	GDMIX	00000X000
Lazard Global Equity Select Portfolio	Institutional	GESIX	00000X000
Lazard Global Fixed Income Portfolio	Institutional	LZGIX	00000X000
Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Portfolio	Institutional	GLIFX	00000X000
Lazard Global Realty Equity Portfolio	Institutional	LITIX	00000X000
Lazard Global Strategic Equity Portfolio	Institutional	LSTIX	52107V 559
Lazard International Equity Portfolio	Institutional	LZIEX	00000X000
Lazard International Equity Concentrated Portfolio	Institutional	LCNIX	52107V 583
Lazard International Equity Select Portfolio	Institutional	LZSIX	00000X000
Lazard International Small Cap Equity Portfolio	Institutional	LZISX	00000X000
Lazard International Strategic Equity Portfolio	Institutional	LISIX	00000X000
Lazard US Corporate Income Portfolio	Institutional	LZHYX	00000X000
Lazard US Equity Concentrated Portfolio	Institutional	LEVIX	00000X000
Lazard US Mid Cap Equity Portfolio	Institutional	LZMIX	00000X000
Lazard US Realty Equity Portfolio	Institutional	LREIX	00000X000
Lazard US Realty Income Portfolio	Institutional	LRIIX	00000X000
Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income  Portfolio	Institutional	UMNIX	00000X000
Lazard US Small-Mid Cap Equity Portfolio	Institutional	LZSCX	00000X000
Lazard US Strategic Equity Portfolio	Institutional	LZUSX	00000X000
Portfolio Name	Class	Symbol	CUSIP
Lazard Capital Allocator Opportunistic Strategies Portfolio	R6	RLCPX	52107V 849
Lazard Developing Markets Equity Portfolio	R6	RLDMX	52107V 872
Lazard Emerging Markets Core Equity Portfolio	R6	RLEOX	52107V 000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx	X0	XXXXX	52107V 815
Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Blend Portfolio	R6	RLEBX	52107V 831
Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio**	R6	RLEMX	52107V 880
Lazard Emerging Markets Income Portfolio	R6	RLEIX	00000X000
Lazard Emerging Markets Multi Asset Portfolio	R6	RLMSX	52107V 000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx	X0	XXXXX	00000X000
Lazard Explorer Total Return Portfolio	R6	RLETX	52107V 740
Lazard Fundamental Long/Short Portfolio	R6	RFLSX	00000X000
Lazard Global Dynamic Multi Asset Portfolio	R6	GDMAX	00000X000
Lazard Global Equity Select Portfolio	R6	RLGEX	00000X000
Lazard Global Fixed Income Portfolio	R6	RLGFX	52107V 000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx	X0	XXXXX	52107V 000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx	X0	XXXXX	52107V 765
Lazard Global Strategic Equity Portfolio	R6	RGSTX	52107V 000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx	X0	XXXXX	52107V 000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx	X0	XXXXX	52107V 567
Lazard International Equity Select Portfolio	R6	RLIQX	52107V 609
Lazard International Small Cap Equity Portfolio	R6	RLICX	52107V 807
Lazard International Strategic Equity Portfolio	R6	RLITX	52107V 708
Lazard US Corporate Income Portfolio	R6	RLCIX	52107V 864
Lazard US Equity Concentrated Portfolio	R6	RLUEX	52107V 104
Lazard US Mid Cap Equity Portfolio	R6	RLMCX	52107V 302
Lazard US Realty Equity Portfolio	R6	RLREX	52107V 773
Lazard US Realty Income Portfolio	R6	RLRIX	52107V 781
Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio	R6	RLSDX	52107V 823
Lazard US Small-Mid Cap Equity Portfolio	R6	RLSMX	52107V 401
Lazard US Strategic Equity Portfolio	R6	RLUSX	52107V 203

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Schedule C

Fees to the Company

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1. Servicing Fees.

Administrative services to Contract owners and participants shall be the responsibility of the Company and shall not be the responsibility of the Funds, XXX or the Distributor. The Distributor recognizes the Company as the sole shareholder of Fund shares issued under the Fund Participation Agreement, and that substantial savings will be derived from administrative expenses, such as significant reductions in postage expense and shareholder communications, by virtue of having a sole shareholder for each of the Accounts rather than multiple shareholders. In consideration of the administrative savings resulting from such arrangement, except with respect to the R6 Share Class, XXX agrees to pay the Company a servicing fee based on the annual rate of X.XX% (.XXXX% monthly) of the average net assets invested in the Funds through the Contracts in each calendar month.

XXX will make such payments to the Company within thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar month. Each payment will be accompanied by a statement showing the calculation of the fee payable to the company for the month and such other supporting data as may be reasonably requested by the Company.

2. 12b-1 Fees

In accordance with the Fund’s plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Distributor will make payments to the Company at an annual rate of X.XX% (X.XXX% monthly) of the average assets invested in the Funds through Contracts in each calendar month.   Distributor will make such payments to the Company within thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar month. Each payment will be accompanied by a statement showing the calculation of the fee payable to the company for the month and such other supporting data as may be reasonably requested by the Company.

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