What Is the Corebridge Power Select Builder?
The Corebridge Power Select Builder (official product brochure) is a pure accumulation fixed index annuity issued by American General Life Insurance Company (AGL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Corebridge Financial. The product is built for one job: growing money tax-deferred at competitive crediting rates without paying for a lifetime income rider you do not need. It carries no rider fee by default, a 10-year surrender schedule, and one of the most aggressive index crediting menus available in the A-tier FIA category, including a 9% S&P 500 annual cap, 165% participation on Dimensional US Foundations, and enhanced-tier strategies that go as high as 340% participation in exchange for a small annual fee.
On a live illustration we ran on May 23, 2026 for a male annuitant age 60 with $100,000 premium in New Hampshire, an allocation across three of the strongest crediting strategies (50% Invesco New Economy, 25% Dimensional US Foundations, 25% S&P 500 cap) produced an accumulation value of $265,183 after 10 years using current rates against the most recent 10-year index performance. That is a 10.01% annualized effective return, with full downside protection and a zero floor in negative years. Few fixed index annuities at the A-tier rating produce a hypothetical 10-year credited return that high.
Power Select Builder at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Product Type | Fixed Index Annuity (FIA), accumulation-focused, no living benefit rider |
| Issuing Carrier | American General Life Insurance Company (AGL), member of Corebridge Financial |
| Surrender Period | 10 years |
| Surrender Schedule (most states) | 9% / 9% / 8% / 7% / 6% / 5% / 4% / 3% / 2% / 1% |
| Rider Fee | None (no living benefit rider available) |
| Minimum Premium | $25,000 (qualified and non-qualified) |
| Maximum Premium | $2,000,000 (higher with home office approval) |
| Additional Premium Window | 30 days after issue, $100 minimum additional |
| Issue Ages | 18 to 78 (owner and annuitant) |
| Free Withdrawal | 10% of contract value annually after year 1 |
| Market Value Adjustment | Yes, on excess withdrawals during surrender period |
| Guaranteed Minimum Cash Surrender Value | 87.5% of premium (90% in NJ), 2.45% annual interest |
| Death Benefit | Greater of accumulation value or minimum withdrawal value, avoids probate |
| Charge Waivers | Nursing home, terminal illness, extended care (state-dependent) |
| AM Best Rating | A (Excellent) |
| Comdex Score | 82 |
| State Availability | All states except Guam, Idaho, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands |
Is Corebridge a Good Annuity Company?
Corebridge Financial is the publicly traded life insurance and retirement business that was spun off from AIG in September 2022 and is now majority-owned by Brookfield Reinsurance. The issuing entity for the Power Select Builder, American General Life Insurance Company, has been writing life and annuity contracts since 1919 and is one of the largest annuity issuers in the United States. Corebridge has consistently ranked as the third-largest fixed indexed annuity carrier nationally, posting $10.0 billion in FIA sales in 2025 (see our FIA industry sales history for the full 11-year carrier ranking).
The financial strength profile is strong across all four major rating agencies as of May 2026:
| Rating Agency | Rating |
|---|---|
| AM Best | A (Excellent) |
| Standard & Poor’s | A+ |
| Fitch | A+ |
| Moody’s | A2 |
| Comdex Composite | 82 |
For more on Corebridge’s history, ownership transitions, and complete product lineup, see our full Corebridge Financial Annuity Review.
The Three-Tier Crediting Menu
The Power Select Builder’s defining feature is its crediting strategy menu, which is one of the deepest in the FIA category. Twenty separate index crediting options are available across one-year and two-year reset terms, plus a fixed account. Most strategies use a participation rate (you receive a percentage of the index gain, no cap), and one of the most attractive design choices is the tiered participation rate structure on the Dimensional US Foundations and AB All Market indices.
The tiered structure works like this: buyers can pay a small annual fee (1% or 2%) for materially higher participation rates. Pay nothing, get the standard rate. Pay 1% for Tier 1, get a meaningfully higher rate. Pay 2% for Tier 2, get the highest rate available on that strategy. The buyer chooses how much risk-adjusted return to chase versus how much fee to pay.
Current Rates: 1-Year Reset Strategies
| Strategy | Crediting | Fee | Recent 10-yr Annualized |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invesco New Economy | 55% participation | None | 12.40% |
| Dimensional US Foundations Enhanced Tier 2 | 250% participation | 2% | 12.08% |
| Dimensional US Foundations Enhanced Tier 1 | 205% participation | 1% | 9.98% |
| Dimensional US Foundations | 165% participation | None | 8.09% |
| S&P 500 | 9% cap | None | 7.14% |
| AB All Market Enhanced Tier 2 | 250% participation | 2% | 6.97% |
| ML Strategic Balanced | 110% participation | None | 5.84% |
| AB All Market Enhanced Tier 1 | 205% participation | 1% | 5.77% |
| PIMCO Global Optima | 70% participation | None | 5.00% |
| S&P 500 Performance Triggered | 6.25% trigger | None | 4.97% |
| AB All Market | 165% participation | None | 4.69% |
| Russell 2000 | 35% participation | None | 4.34% |
Current Rates: 2-Year Reset Strategies
Two-year reset strategies measure index performance over a longer window, allowing the carrier to offer higher participation rates. The trade-off is that interest is only credited every two contract years rather than every one.
| Strategy | Crediting | Fee | Recent 10-yr Annualized |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensional US Foundations Enhanced Tier 2 | 340% participation | 2% annual | 12.86% |
| Dimensional US Foundations Enhanced Tier 1 | 290% participation | 1% annual | 11.20% |
| Dimensional US Foundations | 240% participation | None | 9.47% |
| AB All Market Enhanced Tier 2 | 340% participation | 2% annual | 6.87% |
| S&P 500 | 45% participation | None | 6.10% |
| AB All Market Enhanced Tier 1 | 290% participation | 1% annual | 5.98% |
| AB All Market | 240% participation | None | 5.06% |
| PIMCO Global Optima | 80% participation | None | 4.48% |
| ML Strategic Balanced | 0.6% annual spread | None | 3.92% |
Fixed Account
The 1-year fixed account currently credits 3.75% guaranteed for the first year, with a 1% minimum guaranteed rate going forward. Useful for buyers who want a portion of premium allocated to a guaranteed declared rate while the rest sits in indexed strategies.
For more on how cap rates, participation rates, and spread strategies work in fixed indexed annuities, see our FIA cap rates and participation rates guide.
Sample Allocation: How the Numbers Worked on a Real Illustration
On a live illustration for a $100,000 premium, male annuitant age 60, non-qualified in New Hampshire, we modeled a balanced allocation that captures both the headline strategies:
- 50% to Invesco New Economy at 55% participation
- 25% to Dimensional US Foundations at 165% participation (no fee)
- 25% to S&P 500 at 9% annual cap
Using current crediting rates against the most recent 10 calendar years of index performance, the contract produced an ending accumulation value of $265,183 at the end of year 10. That is a 10.01% annualized effective return, with full downside protection (no contract year credited less than 0%). The guaranteed scenario (assuming zero index credits in all years) holds the $100,000 contract value flat throughout, with the Guaranteed Minimum Cash Surrender Value growing at 2.45% annually to $111,462 by year 10.
The illustration’s hypothetical, of course, is based on past index performance and is not a guarantee of future results. Carriers reserve the right to lower caps and participation rates on each contract anniversary (subject to product-specific minimums). But the design of the menu is exactly what buyers shopping pure accumulation FIAs should be looking at: multiple index strategies, aggressive participation rates, a high S&P cap, and no rider fee dragging on the contract every year.
Surrender Charges, Free Withdrawals, and Waivers
The Power Select Builder has a 10-year surrender schedule. In most states the schedule is:
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surrender Charge | 9% | 9% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 1% |
A handful of states (AK, CT, DE, FL, MA, MN, NV, ND, OH, OR, SC, SD, TX, UT, WA) use a slightly steeper 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1 schedule. California uses a 9-year 9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1 schedule. NJ uses 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1.
After the first contract year, you can withdraw up to 10% of the contract value as of the prior contract anniversary without surrender charges or market value adjustment. In year 1, the 10% free withdrawal is calculated against premium. Withdrawals above the free amount during the surrender period trigger both the surrender charge and a market value adjustment. For more on how surrender charges work and when they make sense, see our annuity surrender charges guide.
Three charge waivers are built into the contract, subject to state availability:
- Nursing home waiver. Surrender charges and MVA may be waived if the annuitant is confined to a qualifying nursing home or assisted living facility.
- Terminal illness waiver. Surrender charges and MVA may be waived if the annuitant is diagnosed with a terminal illness.
- Extended care waiver. Surrender charges and MVA may be waived for extended care needs.
Restrictions and limitations apply, and each waiver is subject to state-specific availability and conditions. Review the disclosure document for the exact requirements in your state.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Highest S&P 500 cap in the A-tier accumulation FIA category. 9% annual point-to-point cap is materially above competing accumulation FIAs from Athene, Nationwide, and most mutual carriers.
- Aggressive participation rates on premium indices. 165% par on Dimensional US Foundations with no fee, and up to 340% on the 2-year enhanced tier with a 2% annual fee. Few competing products offer this level of leverage on volatility-controlled indices.
- No rider fee. Most FIAs charge 0.95% to 1.30% annually for an income rider whether you use it or not. The Power Select Builder skips the rider entirely. For accumulation-only buyers, that is roughly 10 to 15 percentage points of cumulative return preserved over the 10-year surrender period.
- Strong financial strength. A (AM Best), A+ (S&P and Fitch), A2 (Moody’s), Comdex 82. Backed by American General Life Insurance Company, which has been writing contracts since 1919.
- Tiered crediting menu. Buyers can pay 0%, 1%, or 2% annual fee for progressively higher participation rates, allowing personalized risk and return targeting that most FIAs do not support.
- Three care-event waivers. Nursing home, terminal illness, and extended care charge waivers built into the contract at no extra cost.
Cons
- No income rider. If you want guaranteed lifetime income from this carrier and product line, the Power Select Builder is the wrong contract. Buyers seeking income should look at the Athene Ascent Pro 10 Bonus, Nationwide Peak 10, or a Corebridge product with a guaranteed living benefit rider attached.
- 10-year surrender period. Long commitment. Liquidity beyond the 10% annual free withdrawal is expensive during the surrender window.
- $25,000 minimum premium. Higher than some accumulation FIAs that accept $10,000 minimums. Not a major issue for typical buyers but excludes smaller-balance allocations.
- Not available in Idaho or New York. American General Life Insurance Company does not solicit, issue, or deliver contracts in New York, and the Power Select Builder specifically is not approved in Idaho. New York residents should consider an alternative carrier such as Nationwide.
- Comdex 82 trails the top of the field. Allianz (93) and Nationwide (92) score higher on the composite rating measure. The Comdex difference does not affect claims-paying ability at the A tier, but rating-depth-focused buyers may prefer a higher-Comdex carrier.
- Caps and participation rates can be lowered. Like all FIAs, current rates are not guaranteed for the surrender period. The carrier can reset rates on each contract anniversary subject to product-specific minimums. The 9% S&P cap today may be 6% in three years if the rate environment shifts.
Who the Power Select Builder Is Best For
This contract is the strongest pick we currently place for accumulation-focused FIA buyers age 50 to 70 who want exposure to market-linked growth with full downside protection and do not need a guaranteed lifetime income rider. Buyers in this profile typically already have income covered through Social Security, a pension, an existing income annuity, or a withdrawal strategy from other accounts, and they want the FIA to do one specific job: grow tax-deferred at competitive crediting rates without paying for features they will not use.
It is also a strong fit for buyers who want to actively choose their crediting strategy and adjust it on contract anniversaries. The 20-strategy menu (plus tiered fee options on Dimensional US Foundations and AB All Market) gives more flexibility than most competing contracts. Buyers who prefer simplicity and a single strategy can allocate 100% to the 9% S&P 500 cap and still beat most competing FIA S&P cap rates.
It is not the right contract for buyers who want guaranteed lifetime income, who need liquidity within the next 10 years, who live in Idaho or New York, or who want a mutual carrier rather than a publicly traded one. For each of those buyer profiles, alternatives in the same competitive set are more appropriate.
How It Compares to Other Top Accumulation FIAs
The Power Select Builder competes most directly with the Athene Performance Elite 7, the Athene Agility 10, and a handful of other accumulation-focused contracts at the A-tier rating. Three points of distinction:
- S&P 500 cap. The Power Select Builder’s 9% S&P cap is at the top of the A-tier category. The Athene Performance Elite 7 and Athene Agility 10 both cap the S&P 500 lower than 9%, typically in the 5% to 7% range.
- Dimensional US Foundations participation. 165% with no fee (or 250%-340% with the enhanced tier fees) is competitive with the best volatility-controlled-index participation rates in the category.
- No rider fee. The Athene Agility 10 also includes its income rider at no charge, but the Performance Elite 7 has a 0.95% annual rider fee for its optional Enhanced Benefit Rider. Buyers who do not need a rider should not pay for one.
For broader context on how Corebridge stacks up against the rest of the top-five FIA carriers, see our Athene vs Allianz comparison and the FIA industry sales history covering 11 years of LIMRA carrier rankings.
How to Buy the Power Select Builder
My Annuity Store places the Power Select Builder through Corebridge’s independent distribution channel. We are licensed in 47 states and have placed more than $1 billion in annuity premium since 2020. To request a personalized illustration showing your specific premium, age, state, and chosen allocation, use our free annuity quote request form or call us directly at 855-583-1104.
The illustration referenced throughout this review (male, age 60, $100,000 premium, New Hampshire, 50/25/25 allocation across Invesco New Economy, Dimensional US Foundations, and S&P 500 cap) was run May 23, 2026. Current crediting rates are subject to change. Your specific projected accumulation value will depend on premium, state of issue, allocation choices, and the carrier’s rate sheet in effect on your purchase date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Corebridge Power Select Builder have a lifetime income rider?
No. The Power Select Builder is built specifically as an accumulation-focused FIA with no guaranteed living benefit rider available. Buyers who want lifetime income from a Corebridge product should look at a different product in the Power Series family that offers a GLB rider, or compare alternatives from carriers like Athene, Nationwide, or Allianz that specialize in income-rider designs.
What is the current S&P 500 cap rate on the Power Select Builder?
The 1-year S&P 500 point-to-point cap is currently 9% as of May 2026. This is among the highest S&P 500 caps offered on any A-tier accumulation fixed indexed annuity. Caps are subject to change on each contract anniversary, with a product-specific minimum cap floor.
What is the difference between the standard and enhanced tiers on Dimensional US Foundations?
The standard Dimensional US Foundations participation rate is 165% with no fee. Enhanced Tier 1 increases the participation rate to 205% in exchange for a 1% annual fee on that allocation. Enhanced Tier 2 increases participation to 250% in exchange for a 2% annual fee. The 2-year reset versions go even higher (290% Tier 1, 340% Tier 2). Buyers who expect strong index performance can lock in higher leverage; buyers who prefer to avoid fees can use the standard 165% participation tier.
What is the minimum guaranteed value if the indices never credit anything?
The Guaranteed Minimum Cash Surrender Value is set at 87.5% of premium in most states (90% in New Jersey) and grows at 2.45% annual interest. On a $100,000 premium that translates to roughly $111,462 at the end of year 10 in the all-zero-credits scenario. The contract accumulation value would remain at $100,000 in the all-zero scenario, since no interest would be credited but no principal would be lost either.
What is the financial strength rating of the issuing carrier?
American General Life Insurance Company carries an A (Excellent) rating from AM Best, A+ from Standard & Poor’s and Fitch, and A2 from Moody’s. The Comdex composite score is 82. AGL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Corebridge Financial, which spun off from AIG in 2022 and is now majority-owned by Brookfield Reinsurance. The company has been writing contracts since 1919.
Can I buy the Power Select Builder in New York?
No. American General Life Insurance Company does not solicit, issue, or deliver contracts in New York, and the Power Select Builder specifically is also not available in Idaho, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. New York residents who want a comparable accumulation FIA should consider the Nationwide Peak 10 or another carrier with full New York approval.
Final Take
The Corebridge Power Select Builder is the clearest pick we currently place for accumulation-focused FIA buyers who do not need an income rider. The 9% S&P 500 cap is at the top of the A-tier category. The 165% participation on Dimensional US Foundations (with no fee) is aggressive. The tiered crediting menu lets buyers choose how much fee to pay for higher participation. And the absence of a mandatory rider fee preserves 10 to 15 percentage points of cumulative return over the surrender period compared to FIAs with built-in income riders.
The trade-off is real: if you need guaranteed lifetime income from this purchase, this is the wrong contract. You should look at Athene Ascent Pro 10 Bonus, Nationwide Peak 10, or another contract with an income rider. But for buyers whose FIA money has one job and that job is accumulation, the Power Select Builder is a strong, clean pick at the A tier with one of the deepest crediting menus available.
To request a personalized illustration based on your age, premium, and state, use our free annuity quote request or call 855-583-1104. The consultation and the illustration are free.
