MassMutual Ascend American Legend 7 overview
The American Legend 7 earns interest from the performance of a market index, yet your money is never invested in the market itself. When the index falls during a crediting period, the credit is zero rather than a loss.
Its best S&P 500 1-year point-to-point cap is currently 8.75% at a $100,000 premium, one of 10 crediting strategies on the contract. Every strategy's current terms are in the menu below.
The tradeoff is access and upside. Withdrawals above the free amount face a surrender charge for 7 years, and index credits are limited by caps, participation rates, or spreads.
Crediting strategy menu
These are the carrier's filed rates by premium band, refreshed automatically from our live feed. The Reference cap tag marks the strategy we use to rank this product against its peers.
| Strategy | Method | Rate terms | Premium | In force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year Declared Rate Strategy | Fixed | Fixed 3.85% | $10K - $100K | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year Declared Rate Strategy | Fixed | Fixed 4.05% | $100K - $2M | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year iShares U.S. Real Estate Annual Point to Point with Cap | Point-to-point | Cap 11.00% | $10K - $100K | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year iShares U.S. Real Estate Annual Point to Point with Cap | Point-to-point | Cap 12.00% | $100K - $2M | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year S&P 500 7-year cap lock point-to-point | Point-to-point | Cap 7.00% | $10K - $100K | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year S&P 500 7-year cap lock point-to-point | Point-to-point | Cap 7.25% | $100K - $2M | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year S&P 500 Annual Point-to-Point with Cap | Point-to-point | Cap 8.25% | $10K - $100K | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year S&P 500 Annual Point-to-Point with CapReference cap | Point-to-point | Cap 8.75% | $100K - $2M | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year S&P 500 Risk Control Annual Point to Point with Participation Rate | Point-to-point | Participation 70% | $10K - $100K | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year S&P 500 Risk Control Annual Point to Point with Participation Rate | Point-to-point | Participation 75% | $100K - $2M | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year S&P U.S. Retiree Spending Annual Point to Point with Patrticipation Rate | Point-to-point | Participation 65% | $10K - $100K | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year S&P U.S. Retiree Spending Annual Point to Point with Patrticipation Rate | Point-to-point | Participation 70% | $100K - $2M | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year SPDR Gold Shares Annual Point-to-Point Cap | Point-to-point | Cap 11.25% | $10K - $100K | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1 Year SPDR Gold Shares Annual Point-to-Point Cap | Point-to-point | Cap 12.00% | $100K - $2M | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1-Year First Trust Barclays Edge point-to-point with 7-year Cap rate lock | Point-to-point | Cap 13.15% | $10K - $100K | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1-Year First Trust Barclays Edge point-to-point with 7-year Cap rate lock | Point-to-point | Cap 13.65% | $100K - $2M | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1-Year First Trust Barclays Edge point-to-point with Cap rate | Point-to-point | Cap 13.25% | $10K - $100K | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1-Year First Trust Barclays Edge point-to-point with Cap rate | Point-to-point | Cap 13.75% | $100K - $2M | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1-Year S&P 500 point-to-point with performance trigger | Trigger | Trigger 6.50% | $10K - $100K | Jun 21, 2026 |
| 1-Year S&P 500 point-to-point with performance trigger | Trigger | Trigger 7.10% | $100K - $2M | Jun 21, 2026 |
Compare all fixed index annuity rates to see how these terms line up against every carrier in our live feed.
Getting your money out
The contract allows 10% out without a surrender charge.
The surrender charge starts at 9.00% in year 1 and steps down to 3.00% in year 7. Those charges apply to the amount you withdraw above the free allowance.
A market value adjustment also applies during the surrender period. It can raise or lower an early withdrawal depending on how interest rates have moved since the contract was issued.
Optional riders
- Income Ascender · 1.10% annually
- IncomeSecuresm (GLWB) · 0.95% annually
- IncomeSecuresm · 1.00% annually
- Inheritance Enhancer · 0.95% annually
- Inheritance Enhancer · 1.15% annually
- Legacy Ascender Death Benefit · 0.95%
To see what a rider would actually pay, run this contract through our income rider calculator.
Who this fits
This contract fits money that can stay put for 7 years and a saver who wants a floor under a portion of retirement savings. It suits dollars that would otherwise sit in bonds or CDs but can accept a range of outcomes in exchange for more upside.
It does not fit an emergency fund or money with a known near-term spending date. A buyer who wants full market upside will find the caps and participation rates limit strong years, and withdrawals before age 59½ can carry a 10% IRS early withdrawal penalty on top of ordinary income tax.
Not sure this is the right fit? Take our annuity guide quiz and we will point you to the product types that match your timeline and your goal.
About MassMutual Ascend
MassMutual Ascend holds an A.M. Best financial strength rating of A++. An annuity's guarantees rest on the issuing carrier's claims-paying ability, and no annuity is FDIC insured.
The contract is currently filed in 50 states. Availability and product versions vary by state, so confirm your state before applying.
To see how MassMutual Ascend measures up on size, ratings, and product lineup, compare the top annuity companies we place business with.
For the company's history, ratings, and full product lineup, read our MassMutual Ascend annuity review.
Other MassMutual Ascend index annuities
Same carrier, different surrender terms and rate sheets. Caps shown are the best S&P 500 1-year point-to-point cap at a $100,000 premium, refreshed from the same live feed as this page.
| Product | Surrender | S&P 500 1-yr cap |
|---|---|---|
| American Landmark 3 | 3 yrs | 6.00% |
| American Landmark 5 | 5 yrs | 8.00% |
| Safe Return | 10 yrs | 6.75% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the current cap on the American Legend 7?
Its best S&P 500 1-year point-to-point cap is 8.75% at a $100,000 premium as of Aug 19, 2026. Carriers reprice caps regularly, so treat this as a snapshot of the current rate sheet rather than a permanent number.
How many crediting strategies does the American Legend 7 offer?
It currently offers 10 strategies across fixed, capped, participation, and trigger designs. Each strategy has its own current terms by premium band, listed in the strategy menu on this page.
Is my money locked up for 7 years?
Not locked, but charged. The contract allows 10% out without a surrender charge. Withdrawals above that allowance face the surrender schedule shown on this page, plus a market value adjustment.
How does the American Legend 7 compare to similar annuities?
It currently ranks #11 of 30 among 6-7 year fixed index annuities in our live carrier feed, ranked by S&P 500 1-year cap at a $100,000 premium. That standing refreshes automatically as carriers reprice.
Is the American Legend 7 FDIC insured?
No annuity is FDIC insured. Every guarantee in the contract is an obligation of MassMutual Ascend, which holds an A.M. Best financial strength rating of A++.
How we know what's on this page
Rates, terms & availability
Every number on this page comes from the carrier's filed rate sheets in our live rate feed, refreshed daily. Nothing is typed in by hand, so the figures update automatically when MassMutual Ascend reprices.
Financial strength
A.M. Best. We publish the carrier's letter rating rather than a score of our own.
Peer standing
We rank each product's best S&P 500 1-year cap at a $100,000 premium against contracts with similar surrender periods in the same feed. Where a fact is not in the feed, the page leaves it out rather than estimating.
