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Financial Professional FAQs

What options are available to me on the secure broker site?

We are continually updating the capabilities of our secure broker website. Currently we offer many capabilities.1 You may:

  • Download sales and service forms, applications, product literature and prospectuses.
  • View annuity rates, performance sheets and fund fact guides for variable annuity underlying investments.
  • Access our asset allocation tool, Portfolio Navigator.
  • Look up your client contracts and see detailed information on each contract. You can view account balances, transaction history details, underlying investments details, current and future asset allocations, contract owner and annuitant address information and rider information.
  • View, sort, print or download contract information on all of your contracts at once, or find information on a contract without looking up contract numbers or the spelling of your client’s last name. The Book of Business provides you with robust contract information, including contract values, withdrawal amounts, rate of return, rider amounts, beneficiaries, and activity history.

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How often do you send out client statements?

  • We mail variable annuity statements quarterly, based on the contract date.
  • We mail fixed annuity statements annually, based on the contract date.
  • We mail statements to the owner's address of record and to the agent or back office when the bank or broker/dealer has an active servicing agreement.

If you are not receiving statements, please check with your back office. You may contact Client Services any time you wish to check the account balance or request a statement to be mailed or faxed to you or your client.

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How can I be assigned as the servicing agent on an existing contract?

If your current bank or broker/dealer assigns you as the new servicing agent on an existing contract sold in your office, you will need to submit a letter of instruction, signed by the contract owner or your sales manager, to change the agent of record.2 If you and your client want you to have telephone transaction authority, please also submit a Telephone Transaction Authorization Form PDF document signed by the contract owner.3 Agent changes generally take five business days to complete; we may need more time if we need to confirm your selling agreement and appointment.

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How do I secure a Telephone Transaction Authorization?

The Telephone Transaction Authorization is a convenient feature of your client's contract which allows them to authorize us to accept telephone instructions for various transactions from the licensed agent assigned to the contract. Transactions you may request are:

For fixed and variable annuity contracts

  • To change the contract address of record.4
  • To request withdrawals to the extent authorized in the prospectus/contract.

For variable annuity contracts only

  • To make transfers between accounts.
  • To change the allocation of future investments.
  • To make changes to portfolio asset allocation plans.

When you sell a variable annuity, the Telephone Transaction Authorization is included in the application. The contract owner should complete the form. Telephone Transaction Authorizations signed after May 1, 2002 will allow authorization privileges for all active servicing agents assigned to the contract and their licensed assistants, regardless of how often the broker/dealer assigns a new agent to the contract.

If you need to complete a new Telephone Transaction Authorization, please download the Telephone Transaction Authorization Form PDF document.

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How can I see a list of my clients?

Our website offers you two easy methods to view your clients:

  1. You may individually access each contract that we have entered into our system and assigned to you.5 Log in to access your client's contracts.
  2. You may view, sort, print or download a full list of your clients' contracts. Log in to our secure site, then click on Book of Business.

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When will I receive my commission?

We pay commissions to your back office in accordance with our sales agreement with your bank or broker/dealer. Please contact your back office for more information and confirmation of paid commissions.

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Did your company name change?

Yes. In early 2005, we announced our new company name, Ameriprise Financial, Inc., as well as a new brand name, RiverSource.

  • On August 1, 2005, Ameriprise Financial became our new parent company name. After the October 1, 2005 separation, Ameriprise Financial is independent of American Express Company.
  • The RiverSourceSM brand is a cornerstone of Ameriprise Financial, Inc., and represents our annuity, life insurance, and asset management product lines and their distribution.
  • Ameriprise Financial, Inc., is comprised of our retail brand, as well as our personal home and auto protection products, 401(k) products and retail brokerage services.
  • As Ameriprise Financial, Inc., becomes independent, we will build on our over 110 years of financial services experience and the power of more than $400 billion in assets owned, managed and administered (as of March 31, 2005). We bring this strength, reputation for integrity and client focus to all that we do.

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1Some sections of the site may not be available to all Distributors.

2 Letters of instruction submitted by your sales manager must be written on company letterhead.

3 You only need to submit this form if prior authorization was signed before May 1, 2002.

4 The authority to change the address of record became available January 18, 2005. You will need to submit a new signed Telephone Transaction Authorization Form PDF document if the current form on file has a signature date prior to January 18, 2005.

5 If you cannot view a new contract, please assume that the paperwork you submitted is still in processing and should be completed soon. If you are looking for an in-force contract recently assigned to you, the agent change transaction may still be in process. Changing the agent assignment takes approximately 5 business days; we may need more time if we need to confirm your selling agreement and appointment.