RULE 22C-2 AGREEMENT This AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of this 17th day of January, 2011, between USAA Mutual Funds Trust (“Trust”), a registered investment company, acting on behalf of each of the USSA Mutual Funds series (each a “Fund” or...
Exhibit 24(b)(8.103) |
RULE 22C-2 AGREEMENT |
This AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of this 17th day of January, 2011, between USAA |
Mutual Funds Trust (“Trust”), a registered investment company, acting on behalf of each of the |
USSA Mutual Funds series (each a “Fund” or collectively the “Funds”). and ING Life Insurance |
and Annuity Company, ING National Trust, ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Company, |
ReliaStar Life Insurance Company, ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York, Security |
Life of Denver Insurance Company and Systematized Benefits Administrators Inc. (individually |
an “Intermediary” and collectively the “Intermediaries”) |
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Intermediary have entered into a fund participation and/or selling |
and service agreement dated 17th day of January, 2011; |
WHEREAS, the Intermediaries have adopted policies and procedures to monitor and deter |
excessive trading activity within the mutual funds, including the Funds, available through the |
variable annuity, variable life insurance and variable retirement plan products which they offer |
(the “Variable Products”); |
WHEREAS, the Intermediaries’ policies and procedures to monitor and deter excessive trading |
activity within the mutual funds available through their Variable Products are attached hereto |
and made part of this Agreement as Schedule A (the “Excessive Trading Policy”); |
WHEREAS, the Fund desires for the Intermediaries to monitor and deter excessive trading |
activity in the Funds in accordance with the Intermediaries’ Excessive Trading Policy; and |
WHEREAS, the parties desire to otherwise comply with the requirements under Rule 22c-2 of |
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 22c-2”). |
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, which |
consideration is full and complete, the Fund and the Intermediaries hereby agree as follows: |
A. Agreement to Monitor and Deter Excessive Trading Activity. |
1. The Intermediaries agree to monitor and deter excessive trading activity in the Funds |
which are available through their Variable Products in accordance with the Intermediaries’ |
Excessive Trading Policy. Said Excessive Trading Policy may be amended from time to time |
with the consent of the parties, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld. |
2. The Intermediaries agree to provide the Fund the taxpayer identification number (“TIN”), |
if requested, or any other identifying factor that would provide acceptable assurances of the |
identity of all shareholders that are restricted in the Fund to regular U.S. mail trading under the |
Intermediaries’ Excessive Trading Policy. |
B. Agreement to Provide Shareholder Information. |
1. Each Intermediary agrees to provide the Fund, upon written request, the following |
shareholder information: |
a. The taxpayer identification number (“TIN”) or any other government issued |
identifier, if known, that would provide acceptable assurances of the identity of each |
shareholder that has purchased, redeemed, transferred or exchanged shares of a Fund |
1 |
through an account directly maintained by the Intermediaries during the period | ||
covered by the request; | ||
b. | The amount and dates of, and the Variable Product(s) associated with, such | |
shareholder purchases, redemptions, transfers and exchanges; and | ||
c. | Any other data mutually agreed upon in writing. | |
2. Unless specifically requested by the Fund, the Intermediaries shall only be required to | ||
provide information relating to Covered Transactions. | ||
3. Under this Agreement the term “Covered Transactions” are those transactions which the | ||
Intermediaries consider when determining whether trading activity is excessive as described in | ||
their Excessive Trading Policy under paragraph 1 of said Policy. | ||
4. Requests to provide shareholder information shall set forth the specific period for which | ||
transaction information is sought. However, unless otherwise agreed to by the Intermediaries, | ||
any such request will not cover a period of more than 90 consecutive calendar days from the date | ||
of the request. | ||
5. The Intermediaries agree to provide, promptly upon request of the Fund the shareholder | ||
information requested. If requested by the Fund, the Intermediaries agree to use best efforts to | ||
determine promptly whether any specific person about whom they have received shareholder | ||
information is itself a financial intermediary (“indirect intermediary”) and, upon further request | ||
of the Fund, promptly either (i) provide (or arrange to have provided) shareholder information | ||
for those shareholders who hold an account with an indirect intermediary or (ii) restrict or | ||
prohibit the indirect intermediary from purchasing shares, in nominee name on behalf of other | ||
persons, securities issued by a Fund. Responses required by this paragraph must be | ||
communicated in writing and in a format mutually agreed upon by the parties. To the extent | ||
practicable, the format for any Shareholder Information provided to the Fund should be | ||
consistent with the NSCC Standardized Data Reporting Format. | ||
6. The Fund agrees to reimburse the Intermediaries for costs that are reasonable and | ||
necessary, and incurred with complying with extraordinary requests (e.g., transaction | ||
information older than one year). | ||
C. Agreement to Restrict Trading. | ||
1. Each Intermediary agrees to execute written instructions from the Fund to restrict or | ||
prohibit further Covered Transactions involving Fund shares by a shareholder who has been | ||
identified by the Fund as having engaged in transactions in shares of a Fund (through an account | ||
directly maintained by the Intermediary) that violate the policies and procedures established by | ||
the Funds for the purposes of eliminating or reducing frequent trading of Fund shares. Unless | ||
otherwise directed by the Fund, any such restrictions or prohibitions only apply to Covered | ||
Transactions. | ||
2 | . a. | For those shareholders whose information is on the Intermediaries’ books and |
records, the Intermediaries agree to execute or have executed the written instructions | ||
from the Fund or its designee to restrict or prohibit trading as soon as reasonably | ||
practicable after receipt of the instructions by the Intermediaries. The Intermediaries | ||
will provide written confirmation to the Fund as soon as reasonably practicable after | ||
the instructions have been executed. | ||
2 |
b. | For those shareholders whose information is not on the Intermediaries’ books and |
records the Intermediaries agree to execute or have executed the written instructions | |
from the Fund to restrict or prohibit trading as soon as reasonably practicable after | |
receipt of the instructions by the Intermediaries. The Intermediaries will provide | |
written confirmation to the Fund as soon as reasonably practicable that such | |
instructions have or have not been executed. If an indirect intermediary is unable or | |
unwilling to restrict or prohibit trading by a Shareholder, upon the Funds’ written | |
request, the Intermediary will restrict or prohibit transactions in Fund Shares by the | |
indirect intermediary. | |
3. Instructions to restrict or prohibit further Covered Transactions involving Fund shares | |
must include: | |
a. | The reason for requesting the restriction(s) and/or prohibition(s), supporting details |
regarding the transaction activity which resulted in the restriction(s) and/or | |
prohibition(s)s and the applicable sections of the Fund’s frequent trading policy and | |
procedures that have been violated; | |
b. | The specific restriction(s) and/or prohibition(s) to be executed, including the length of |
time such restriction(s) and/or prohibition(s) shall remain in place; | |
c. | The TIN or any other government issued identifier, if known by the Fund, that would |
help the Intermediaries determine the identity of affected shareholder(s); and | |
d. | Whether such restriction(s) and/or prohibition(s) are to be executed in relation to all |
of the affected shareholder’s Variable Products, only the type of Variable Product(s) | |
through which the affected shareholder engaged in transaction activity which | |
triggered the restriction(s) and/or prohibition(s) or in some other respect. In absence | |
of direction from the Fund in this regard, restriction(s) and/or prohibition(s) shall be | |
executed as they relate to the Intermediary’s Variable Product(s) through which the | |
affected shareholder engaged in the transaction activity which triggered the | |
restriction(s) and/or prohibition(s). | |
4. The Fund agrees to reimburse the Intermediaries for reasonable costs they incur directly | |
resulting from requests by the Fund or its designee to implement non-routine purchase | |
restrictions such as blocking new money through payroll/ACH deposits. | |
D. Limitation on Use of Information. | |
The Fund agrees neither to use the information received from the Intermediary for any purpose | |
other than to comply with SEC Rule 22c-2 and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, nor | |
to share the information with anyone other than its employees who legitimately need access to it. | |
Neither the Fund nor any of its affiliates or subsidiaries may use any information provided | |
pursuant to this Agreement for marketing or solicitation purposes. The Fund will take such steps | |
as are reasonably necessary to ensure compliance with this obligation. | |
The Fund shall indemnify and hold the Intermediaries, individually and collectively, (and any of | |
their respective directors, officers, employees, or agents) harmless from any damages, loss, cost, | |
or liability (including reasonable legal fees and the cost of enforcing this indemnity) arising out | |
of or resulting from any unauthorized use of or disclosure by the Fund of the information | |
received from the Intermediaries pursuant to this Agreement. In addition, because an award of | |
money damages (whether pursuant to the foregoing sentence or otherwise) may be inadequate | |
3 |
for any breach of this provision and any such breach may cause the Intermediaries irreparable | ||
harm, the Fund also agrees that, in the event of any breach or threatened breach of this provision, | ||
the Intermediaries will also be entitled, without the requirement of posting a bond or other | ||
security, to seek equitable relief, including injunctive relief and specific performance. Such | ||
remedies will not be the exclusive remedies for any breach of this provision but will be in | ||
addition to all other remedies available at law or in equity to the Intermediaries. | ||
In the event that the Fund is required by legal process, law, or regulation to disclose any | ||
information received from the Intermediaries pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund shall provide | ||
Intermediaries with prompt written notice of such requirement as far in advance of the proposed | ||
disclosure as possible so that the Intermediaries (at their expense) may either seek a protective | ||
order or other appropriate remedy which is necessary to protect their interests or waive | ||
compliance with this provision to the extent necessary. | ||
E. Prior Agreements. | ||
The parties acknowledge that prior to the effective date of this Agreement efforts to monitor and | ||
deter excessive trading activity within the Variable Products were governed by whatever | ||
practices the Fund and the Intermediaries agreed to follow in the absence of any formal | ||
agreement. The parties also acknowledge having previously entered into fund participation | ||
and/or selling and service agreements concerning the purchase and redemption of shares of | ||
Funds through the Variable Products. The terms of this Agreement supplement the fund | ||
participation and/or selling and service agreements and to the extent the terms of this Agreement | ||
conflict with the terms of the fund participation and/or selling and service agreements, the terms | ||
of this Agreement will control. This Agreement will terminate upon termination of the fund | ||
participation and/or selling and service agreements. | ||
F. Notices. | ||
1. Except as otherwise provided, all notices and other communications hereunder shall be in | ||
writing and shall be sufficient if delivered by hand or if sent by confirmed facsimile or e-mail, or | ||
by mail, postage prepaid, addressed: | ||
a. | If to Intermediaries, to: | |
ING U.S. Financial Services | ||
Attention: Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Address: | Xxx Xxxxxx Xxx | |
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000 | ||
Phone: | 000-000-0000 | |
Fax: | 000-000-0000 | |
Email: | Xxxxxxxxxx.Xxxxxxx@xx.xxx.xxx | |
b. | If to the Fund, to: | |
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Address: USAA Investment Management Company | ||
0000 Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx | ||
Xxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000 | ||
4 |
Attention: Operational Integrity (A-01-W) | |||||
Phone: | 000.000.0000 | ||||
Fax: | 000.000.0000 | ||||
Email: | xxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx | ||||
2. The parties may by like notice, designate any future or different address to which | |||||
subsequent notices shall be sent. Any notice shall be deemed given when received. | |||||
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be executed | |||||
in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized officer as of the date first written above. | |||||
ING Life Insurance and Annuity Company | Systematized Benefits Administrators Inc. | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Name | Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | Name and | Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
and Title: | Authorized Representative | Title: | Authorized Representative | ||
ING National Trust | Security Life of Denver Insurance Company | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Name | Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | Name | Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
and Title: | Authorized Representative | and Title: | Authorized Representative | ||
ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance | ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New | ||||
Company | York | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Name | Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | Name and | Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
and Title: | Authorized Representative | Title: | Authorized Representative | ||
ReliaStar Life Insurance Company | USAA Mutual Funds | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx | ||
Name | Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | Name | Xxxxx Xxxxx | 1/29/11 | |
and Title: | Authorized Representative | and Title: | Exec. Director | ||
Authorized Signatory | |||||
5 |
Schedule A | |||
ING “Excessive Trading” Policy | |||
The ING family of companies (“ING”), as providers of multi-fund variable insurance and retirement | |||
products, has adopted this Excessive Trading Policy to respond to the demands of the various fund | |||
families which make their funds available through our variable insurance and retirement products to | |||
restrict excessive fund trading activity and to ensure compliance with Section 22c-2 of the Investment | |||
Company Act of 1940, as amended. ING’s current definition of Excessive Trading and our policy with | |||
respect to such trading activity is outlined below. | |||
1 | . | ING actively monitors fund transfer and reallocation activity within its variable insurance and | |
retirement products to identify Excessive Trading. | |||
ING currently defines Excessive Trading as: | |||
a. | More than one purchase and sale of the same fund (including money market funds) within a | ||
60 calendar day period (hereinafter, a purchase and sale of the same fund is referred to as a | |||
“round-trip”). This means two or more round-trips involving the same fund within a 60 | |||
calendar day period would meet ING’s definition of Excessive Trading; or | |||
b. | Six round-trips within a twelve month period. | ||
The following transactions are excluded when determining whether trading activity is excessive: | |||
a. | Purchases or sales of shares related to non-fund transfers (for example, new purchase | ||
payments, withdrawals and loans); | |||
b. | Transfers associated with scheduled dollar cost averaging, scheduled rebalancing or | ||
scheduled asset allocation programs; | |||
c. | Purchases and sales of fund shares in the amount of $5,000 or less; | ||
d. | Purchases and sales of funds that affirmatively permit short-term trading in their fund shares, | ||
and movement between such funds and a money market fund; and | |||
e. | Transactions initiated by a member of the ING family of insurance companies. | ||
2 | . | If ING determines that an individual has made a purchase of a fund within 60 days of a prior round- | |
trip involving the same fund, ING will send them a letter warning that another sale of that same fund | |||
within 60 days of the beginning of the prior round-trip will be deemed to be Excessive Trading and | |||
result in a six month suspension of their ability to initiate fund transfers or reallocations through the | |||
Internet, facsimile, Voice Response Unit (VRU), telephone calls to the ING Customer Service | |||
Center, or other electronic trading medium that ING may make available from time to time | |||
(“Electronic Trading Privileges”). Likewise, if ING determines that an individual has made five | |||
round-trips within a twelve month period, ING will send them a letter warning that another purchase | |||
and sale of that same fund within twelve months of the initial purchase in the first round-trip in the | |||
prior twelve month period will be deemed to be Excessive Trading and result in a six month | |||
suspension of their Electronic Trading Privileges. According to the needs of the various business | |||
units, a copy of the warning letters may also be sent, as applicable, to the person(s) or entity | |||
authorized to initiate fund transfers or reallocations, the agent/registered representative or investment | |||
adviser for that individual. A copy of the warning letters and details of the individual’s trading | |||
activity may also be sent to the fund whose shares were involved in the trading activity. | |||
A-1 |
3 | . | If ING determines that an individual has used one or more of its products to engage in Excessive |
Trading, ING will send a second letter to the individual. This letter will state that the individual’s | ||
Electronic Trading Privileges have been suspended for a period of six months. Consequently, all | ||
fund transfers or reallocations, not just those which involve the fund whose shares were involved in | ||
the Excessive Trading activity, will then have to be initiated by providing written instructions to ING | ||
via regular U.S. mail. During the six month suspension period, electronic “inquiry only” privileges | ||
will be permitted where and when possible. A copy of the letter restricting future transfer and | ||
reallocation activity to regular U.S. mail and details of the individual’s trading activity may also be | ||
sent to the fund whose shares were involved in the Excessive Trading activity. | ||
4 | . | Following the six month suspension period during which no additional Excessive Trading is |
identified, Electronic Trading Privileges may again be restored. ING will continue to monitor the | ||
fund transfer and reallocation activity, and any future Excessive Trading will result in an indefinite | ||
suspension of the Electronic Trading Privileges. Excessive Trading activity during the six month | ||
suspension period will also result in an indefinite suspension of the Electronic Trading Privileges. | ||
5 | . | ING reserves the right to limit fund trading or reallocation privileges with respect to any individual, |
with or without prior notice, if ING determines that the individual’s trading activity is disruptive, | ||
regardless of whether the individual’s trading activity falls within the definition of Excessive | ||
Trading set forth above. Also, ING’s failure to send or an individual’s failure to receive any | ||
warning letter or other notice contemplated under this Policy will not prevent ING from suspending | ||
that individual’s Electronic Trading Privileges or taking any other action provided for in this Policy. | ||
6 | . | Each fund available through ING’s variable insurance and retirement products, either by prospectus |
or stated policy, has adopted or may adopt its own excessive/frequent trading policy. ING reserves | ||
the right, without prior notice, to implement restrictions and/or block future purchases of a fund by | ||
an individual who the fund has identified as violating its excessive/frequent trading policy. All such | ||
restrictions and/or blocking of future fund purchases will be done in accordance with the directions | ||
ING receives from the fund. | ||
A-2 |