Registration No. 33-44565

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-4

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Pre-Effective Amendment No.

Post-Effective Amendment No. 40

and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

Amendment No. 318

(Check appropriate box or boxes)

Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B
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(Exact Name of Registrant)

Principal Life Insurance Company
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(Name of Depositor)

The Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, Iowa 50392
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(Address of Depositor's Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

(515) 247-6785
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Depositor's Telephone Number, including Area Code

Scott Van Wyngarden

The Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, Iowa 50392
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(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Title of Securities Being Registered: Personal Variable Annuity

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
_____ immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
_XX _ on May 1, 2024 pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
_____ on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485
_____ on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485
If appropriate, check the following box:
_____    This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.



 

PERSONAL VARIABLE ANNUITY

Prospectus dated May 1, 2024
Principal Life Insurance Company (“the Company”, “we”, “our” or “us”) no longer offers or issues this product. This prospectus is only for the use of the current contractholders of the product.
This prospectus describes Personal Variable Annuity, a group variable annuity for employer sponsored qualified and non-qualified retirement plans (the “Contract”), issued by Principal Life Insurance Company through Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B (“Separate Account”).
This prospectus provides information about the Contract and the Separate Account that you, as contractholder, should know. The prospectus should be read and retained for future reference. Additional information about the Contract and the Separate Account is included in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), dated May 1, 2024, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and is considered a part of this prospectus. You may obtain a free copy of the SAI and all additional information by writing or calling: Personal Variable Annuity, Principal Financial Group, P.O. Box 9382, Des Moines, Iowa 50306-9382, Telephone: 1-800-852-4450. You can also visit the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, which contains the SAI, material incorporated into this prospectus by reference, and other information about registrants that file electronically with the SEC.
These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the SEC or any state securities commission nor has the SEC or any state securities commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Additional information about certain investment products, including variable annuities, has been prepared by the SEC's staff and is available at Investor.gov.
Owners of benefits generally may allocate their investments in the Contract among the Separate Account divisions. Each division of the Separate Account invests in shares of a corresponding mutual fund (the “underlying mutual funds”). A list of the underlying mutual funds available under the Contract is shown in Appendix A to this prospectus.
An owner of benefits’ aggregate investment account value will vary according to the investment performance of the underlying mutual funds in which the selected division(s) are invested. We do not guarantee the investment performance of the underlying mutual funds.
For any administrative questions, you may contact us by writing or calling: Personal Variable Annuity, Principal Financial Group, P.O. Box 9382, Des Moines, Iowa 50306-9382, Telephone: 1-800-852-4450.
This prospectus describes all material features of the Contract and any material differences due to state variations.
An investment in the Contract is not a deposit or obligation of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by any bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
No person is authorized to give any information or to make any representation in connection with this Contract other than those contained in this prospectus.






TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.GLOSSARY
2.
KEY INFORMATION
3.
OVERVIEW OF THE CONTRACT
4.FEE TABLE
5.PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE CONTRACT
6.GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF INSURANCE COMPANY, SEPARATE ACCOUNT AND MUTUAL FUND COMPANIES
7.CHARGES
8.GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTRACT
9.ANNUITY PERIOD
10.BENEFITS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT
11.PURCHASES AND CONTRACT VALUE
12.WITHDRAWALS
13.LOANS
14.TAXES
15.LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
16.FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
17.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONTRACT
The Contract
Delay of Payments
Assignment
Telephone and Internet Services
Important Information About Customer Identification Procedures
Performance Calculation
The Underlying Mutual Funds
Legal Opinions
Other Variable Annuity Contracts
Householding
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
Conflicts of Interest Related to Underlying Mutual Funds
Mutual Fund Diversification
State Regulation
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Surplus Distribution at Sole Discretion of the Company
18.REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND SAI
APPENDIX A — INVESTMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT

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1.GLOSSARY
The terms defined below are used throughout this Prospectus.
Aggregate Investment Account Value – The sum of the investment account values for investment accounts that correlate to a plan participant.
Annuity Change Factor – The factor used to determine the change in value of a variable annuity in the course of payment.
Annuity Commencement Date – The beginning date for annuity payments.
Annuity Premium – The amount applied under the Contract to purchase an annuity.
Annuity Purchase Date – The date an annuity premium is applied to purchase an annuity.
Associated Contract – An annuity contract issued by the Company to the same contractholder to fund the same or a comparable plan as determined by the Company.
Average Annual Balance – The total value at the beginning of the deposit year of all investment accounts that correlate to a plan participant under the Contract and other plan assets that correlate to a plan participant that are not allocated to the Contract or an associated or companion contract but for which the Company provides record keeping services (“outside assets”), adjusted by the time weighted average of contributions to, and withdrawals from, investment accounts and outside assets (if any) that correlate to the plan participant during the period.
Commuted Value – The dollar value, as of a given date, of remaining variable annuity payments. It is determined by the Company using the interest rate assumed in determining the initial amount of monthly income and assuming no variation in the amount of monthly payments after the date of determination.
Companion Contract – An unregistered group annuity contract offering guaranteed interest crediting rates and that is issued by the Company to the contractholder for the purpose of funding benefits under the Plan. The Company must agree in writing that a contract is a companion contract.
Contract Administration Expense/Recordkeeping Charge – A charge deducted or paid separately by the contractholder on a quarterly basis each deposit year prior to the annuity commencement date or on a complete redemption of investment accounts that correlate to a plan participant from the aggregate investment accounts that correlate to each plan participant.
Contract Date – The date this Contract is effective, as shown on the face page of the Contract.
Contract Year – A period beginning on a yearly date and ending on the day before the next yearly date.
Contractholder – The entity to which the Contract will be issued, which will normally be an employer, an association, or a trust established for the benefit of plan participants and their beneficiaries.
Contributions – Amounts contributed under the Contract that are accepted by the Company.
Deposit Year – The twelve-month period ending on a day selected by the contractholder.
Division – The part of the Separate Account B that is invested in shares of an underlying mutual fund.
Employer – The corporation, sole proprietor, firm, organization, agency or political subdivision named as employer in the plan and any successor.
Flexible Income Option – A periodic distribution from the Contract in an amount equal to the minimum annual amount determined in accordance with the minimum distribution rules of the Internal Revenue Code, or a greater amount as requested by the owner of benefits.
Funding Agent – An insurance company, custodian or trustee designated by the contractholder and authorized to receive any amount or amounts transferred from the Contract described in this prospectus. Funding agent will also mean the Company where the contractholder directs the Company to transfer such amounts from the Contract described in this prospectus to another group annuity contract issued by the Company to the contractholder.
General Account – assets of the Company other than those allocated to any of our Separate Accounts.
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Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) – The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder. Reference to the Internal Revenue Code means such Code or the corresponding provisions of any subsequent revenue code and any regulations thereunder.
Investment Account – An account that correlates to a plan participant established under the Contract for each type of contribution and for each division in which the contribution is invested.
Investment Account Value – The value of an investment account for a division, which on any date will be equal to the number of units then credited to such investment account multiplied by the unit value of this series of Contracts for that division for the valuation period in which such date occurs.
Net Investment Factor – The factor used to determine the change in unit value of a division during a valuation period.
Notification – Any form of notice received by the Company at the Company’s home office and approved in advance by the Company including written forms, electronic transmissions, telephone transmissions, facsimiles or photocopies.
Owner of Benefits – The entity or individual that has the exclusive right to be paid benefits and exercise rights and privileges pursuant to such benefits. The owner of benefits is the plan participant under all Contracts except Contracts used for general creditor non-qualified plans (see “Summary”) wherein the contractholder is the owner of benefits.
Plan – The plan established by the employer in effect on the date the Contract is executed and as amended from time to time, which the employer has designated to the Company in writing as the plan funded by the Contract.
Plan Participant – A person who (i) is a participant under the plan, (ii) a beneficiary of a deceased participant, or (iii) an alternate payee under a Qualified Domestic Relations Order in whose name an investment account has been established under this Contract.
Qualified Domestic Relations Order – A Qualified Domestic Relations Order as defined in Code Section  414(p)(1)(A).
Quarterly Date – The last valuation date of the third, sixth, ninth and twelfth month of each deposit year.
Separate Account B – A separate account established by the Company under Iowa law to receive contributions under the Contract offered by this prospectus and other contracts issued by the Company. It is divided into divisions, each of which invest in a corresponding account of the Principal Variable Contracts Fund, Inc.
Termination of Employment – A plan participant’s termination of employment with the employer, determined under the plan and as reported to the Company.
Underlying Mutual Fund – A registered open-end investment company in which a division of Separate Account B invests.
Unit Value – The value of a unit of a division of the Separate Account.
Valuation Date – The date as of which the net asset value of an underlying mutual fund is determined.
Valuation Period – The period of time between when the net asset value of an underlying mutual fund is determined on one valuation date and when such value is determined on the next following valuation date.
Variable Annuity Payments – A series of periodic payments, the amounts of which are not guaranteed but that will increase or decrease to reflect the investment experience of the LargeCap Value Division of the Separate Account. Periodic payments made pursuant to the flexible income option are not variable annuity payments.
Variable Annuity Reserves – The reserves held for annuities in the course of payment for the Contract.
Yearly Date – The contract date and the same day of each year thereafter.
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2.     KEY INFORMATION

IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ABOUT THE CONTRACT
  FEES AND EXPENSES  
LOCATION IN
PROSPECTUS
 
Charges for Early Withdrawals 
There are no charges for early withdrawals from this Contract.
  N/A
Transaction Fees 
We may charge for certain transactions, such as exceeding more than twelve unscheduled partial withdrawals in a contract year or more than twelve unscheduled transfers in a contract year, or making transfers via paper instruction. There also are charges for the following documentation expenses: Principal Standard Plan; Principal Custom-written plan, which includes initial plan document, plan amendments and summary plan booklet; and Plan not provided by Principal – summary plan booklet.
  7. CHARGES – Transaction Fees
Ongoing Fees and Expenses
(annual charges)
 
The following part of the table describes the fees and expenses that a contractholder or owner of benefits may pay each year, depending on the options chosen. Please refer to your data page for information about the specific fees you will pay each year based on the options you have elected.
  ANNUAL FEE  
MINIMUM
 
  MAXIMUM  LOCATION IN PROSPECTUS
 
1. Base contract1
  0.64%  1.25%  7. CHARGES – Base Contract Annual Expenses
 
2. Investment options (underlying mutual fund fees and expenses)2
  0.23%0.89%  APPENDIX A - INVESTMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT
 
3. Optional Benefits available for an additional charge (for a single optional benefit, if elected)
  $25 per year  $25 per year  7. CHARGES – Optional Benefit Charges
                                                         
 
1
This fee reflects the Mortality and Expense Risks Charge and Administration Charge. We assess each division with a daily charge. The annual rate of the charge is the percentage of the average daily net assets of the Separate Account divisions.
2
As a percentage of the average net underlying mutual fund assets.

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Lowest and Highest Annual Cost Table

Because your Contract is customizable, the choices you make affect how much you will pay. To help you understand the cost of owning your Contract, this table shows the lowest and highest cost you could pay each year, based on current charges. This estimate assumes that owners of benefits do not take withdrawals from the Contract, which could add surrender charges that substantially increase costs.
   
LOWEST ANNUAL COST
 
 $3,094
  
HIGHEST ANNUAL COST
 
$3,620
 
   Assumes:  Assumes: 
   
 
●  Investment of $100,000
 
●  5% annual appreciation
 
●  Least expensive Base Contract charge, and underlying mutual fund fees and expenses
 
●  No optional benefits
 
●  No sales charges
 
●  No additional purchase payments, transfers or withdrawals
  
 
●  Investment of $100,000
 
●  5% annual appreciation
 
●  Most expensive Base Contract charge, underlying mutual fund fees and expenses, and charge for optional benefit
 
●  No sales charges
 
●  No additional purchase payments, transfers or withdrawals
 
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   RISKS
LOCATION IN
PROSPECTUS
Risk of Loss  An owner of benefits can lose money by investing in this Contract.5. PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE CONTRACT – Poor Investment Performance
Not a Short-Term Investment  
This Contract is not designed for short-term investing and is not appropriate for owners of benefits who need ready access to cash.
5. PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE CONTRACT – Liquidity Risk
Risks Associated with Investment Options  
•  An investment in this Contract is subject to the risk of poor investment performance and can vary depending on the performance of the investment options available under the Contract.

•  Each investment option has its own unique risks.

•  The prospectuses for the available underlying mutual funds should be reviewed before making an investment decision.
5. PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE CONTRACT
Insurance Company Risks  
An investment in the Contract may be subject to the risks related to the Company. Obligations, guarantees, or benefits (if any) may be subject to the claims-paying ability of the Company. More information about the Company, including its financial strength ratings, is available upon request by calling the following toll-free telephone number: 1-800-852-4450.
5. PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE CONTRACT – Insurance Company Risks
   RESTRICTIONS
LOCATION IN
PROSPECTUS
Investments  
Investment Limitations - The underlying mutual funds available as investment options under the Contract are limited to those investment options included on Appendix A.

Limitations on Transfers – We reserve the right to charge for each unscheduled transfer after the twelfth unscheduled transfer in a contract year. We also reserve the right to limit transfers in circumstances where frequent transfers have been made.

Removal or Substitution of Underlying Mutual Funds - We reserve the right to remove, close or substitute the underlying mutual funds that are available as investment options under the Contract.
APPENDIX A: INVESTMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT.

8. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTRACT – Frequent Transfers among Divisions


8. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTRACT – Contract or Registrant Changes
Optional Benefits  
The flexible income option is an optional benefit an owner of benefits can purchase. Selecting this option provides for periodic distributions from the Contract in an amount equal to the minimum annual amount determined in accordance with the minimum distribution rules of the Internal Revenue Code, or a greater amount as requested by the owner of benefits.
10. BENEFITS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT
7


   TAXES      LOCATION IN     PROSPECTUS  
Tax Implications  
•  Owners of benefits should consult with a tax professional to determine the tax implications of an investment in and withdrawals from this Contract.

•  Contributions that are made on a pre-tax basis and earnings under this Contract are taxed at ordinary income tax rates when withdrawn. There also may be a 10% penalty tax if withdrawals are taken before age 59½.
    13. TAXES
   CONFLICTS OF INTEREST      LOCATION IN     PROSPECTUS  
Financial Professional Compensation  
A financial professional may have received compensation in the form of commissions for selling this Contract to the contractholder. The financial professional may have had a financial incentive to offer or recommend this Contract over another investment.
    17. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONTRACT – Payments to Financial Intermediaries

3.    OVERVIEW OF THE CONTRACT
Purpose
The purpose of this Contract is to help in retirement planning. It allows owners of benefits to accumulate assets through allocations to Separate Account B divisions that invest in underlying mutual funds and assist them with their long-term retirement planning or other long-term financial needs. Variable annuity payments are made on a completely variable basis under the annuitization feature. The Contract can supplement the owner of benefits’ retirement income by providing a stream of periodic payments. The Contract also provides a death benefit to designated beneficiaries in certain situations.
Phases of Contract
This Contract has two periods - an accumulation period and an income phase.
Accumulation Period
To help accumulate assets during the accumulation period, contributions can be allocated to a selection of investment options. Each investment option invests in an underlying mutual fund, each of which has its own investment strategies, investment adviser(s), expense ratios, and returns.
Additional information about the underlying mutual funds in which the divisions invest is provided in APPENDIX A: INVESTMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT.
Income Phase
An owner of benefits can elect to receive variable annuity payments under the Contract, which converts value in investment accounts that correlate to a plan participant into a variable stream of income payments. The amounts of the income payments are not guaranteed but will increase or decrease to reflect the investment experience of the LargeCap Value Division of Separate Account B. Another income option is to apply the value in investment accounts that correlate to a plan participant toward the optional flexible income option (discussed later in this section).The owner of benefits may select when he or she wants the payments to begin.
We offer variable annuity benefit payments only. In other words, we do not offer fixed benefit payments under this Contract.
All benefits under this Contract (including any applicable death benefit) terminate as to an owner of benefits when the owner of benefits applies investment account value to variable annuity payments or to the flexible income options.
See 9. ANNUITY PERIOD.
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Contract Features
This Contract is designed to accumulate value and to provide retirement income. The Contract’s primary features include: a death benefit; and the ability for an owner of benefits to convert investment account value to retirement income, which provides a variable stream of income payments.
Death Benefit
If a plan participant dies before the annuity purchase date, a death benefit is payable. Withdrawals could significantly reduce the death benefit.
If the plan participant dies after the annuity purchase date, no benefits will be available except as may be provided under the form of annuity payment selected.
For additional details on death benefits under this Contract, See 10. BENEFITS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT and 9. ANNUITY PERIOD.
Tax Treatment
Contributions allocated to the investment accounts accumulate on a tax-deferred basis. The earnings are not taxed until money is taken out of the Contract, such as when an owner of benefits makes a withdrawal, receives an income payment, or a death benefit is paid.
Optional Benefit and Loans
Flexible Income Option
The owner of benefits has the option to purchase the flexible income option. The flexible income option is an alternative to the variable annuity payments described earlier. This optional benefit provides for periodic distributions from the Contract in an amount equal to the minimum annual amount determined in accordance with the minimum distribution rules of the Code, or a greater amount as requested by the owner of benefits. For additional details on the flexible income option, See 9. ANNUITY PERIOD.
Loans
Loans are not available under the Contract.
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4.    FEE TABLE
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that are paid when buying, owning, and surrendering or making withdrawals from the Contract. Please refer to your data page for information about the specific fees that need to be paid each year based on the options elected.
The first table describes the fees and expenses paid at the time the Contract was purchased, after withdrawals from the Contract, or upon transfers of investment account values between underlying investment options.
Transaction Expenses
Contractholder transaction expenses(1)
Maximum
Current
Deferred Sales Load (or Surrender Charge) - as a percentage of amount surrendered
0%0%
Transaction Fees
for each unscheduled partial surrender
the lesser of $25 or 2% of each unscheduled partial surrender after the 12th unscheduled partial surrender in a contract year

$0
for each unscheduled transfer
the lesser of $30 or 2% of each unscheduled transfer after the 12th unscheduled transfer in a contract year, plus a $15 charge if transfers are made via paper instruction
A $15 charge is imposed if transfers are made via paper instruction
Document Expense
Principal Standard Plan
Principal Custom-written plan
-Initial Plan Document
-Plan Amendments
-Summary Plan Booklet
Plan not provided by Principal – Summary Plan Booklet

$350

$1,000
$500
$500

Minimum $100

$350

$1,000
$500
$500

Minimum $100
(1) For additional information about the fees and expenses described in the table, see 7. CHARGES.
(2) Note that in addition to the fees shown, the Separate Account and/or sponsors of the underlying mutual funds may adopt requirements pursuant to rules and/or regulations adopted by federal and/or state regulators that require us to collect additional transaction fees and/or impose restrictions on transfers.
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Annual Contract Expenses
The next table describes the fees and expenses to pay each year during the time the Contract is in force (not including underlying mutual fund fees and expenses).
If the owner of benefits chooses to purchase an optional benefit, there will be an additional charge, as shown below.
Annual Contract Expenses
Maximum Annual Charge
Current Annual Charge
Administrative Expenses
Contract Administration Expense /Recordkeeping Charge: $37 per plan participant + (0.35% of the Balance of the Plan’s Investment Accounts and Outside Assets). The minimum annual charge is $3,000.

Annual Recordkeeping Expense for Outside Assets
$4.50 per member + $11,392 (5,000 plan participants or more)
$1,000 (1 through 25 plan participants)
Contract Administration Expense /Recordkeeping Charge: $37 per plan participant + (0.35% of the Balance of the Plan’s Investment Accounts and Outside Assets). The minimum annual charge is $3,000.

Annual Recordkeeping Expense for Outside Assets
$4.50 per member + $11,392 (5,000 plan participants or more)
$1,000 (1 through 25 plan participants)
Base Contract Expenses (as a percentage of average daily Separate Account value)
1.25%0.64%

Optional Benefit Expenses
Maximum Annual Charge
Current Annual Charge
Flexible Income Option (if elected by the owner of benefits)
$25 per year
$25 per year
Annual Underlying Mutual Fund Expenses
The next table shows the minimum and maximum total operating expenses charged by the underlying mutual funds that need to be paid periodically during the time that the contractholder owns the Contract (before any fee waiver or expense reimbursement). A complete list of the underlying mutual funds available under the Contract, including their annual expenses, may be found in APPENDIX A - INVESTMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT.
Minimum and Maximum Annual Underlying Mutual Fund Operating Expenses
as of December 31, 2023
Minimum
Maximum
Total annual underlying mutual fund operating expenses (expenses that are deducted from underlying mutual fund assets, including management fees, distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees and other expenses)
0.23%0.89%
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Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Contract with the cost of investing in other variable annuity contracts. These costs include transaction expenses, annual Contract expenses, and annual mutual fund expenses.

The Example assumes that invest $100,000 is invested in the Contract for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that the investment has a 5% return each year and assumes the most expensive combination of annual mutual fund expenses and optional benefits available for an additional charge. Although actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, the costs be:
If you surrender your Contract at the end of the applicable time period:1 year3 years5 years10 years
$4,560$13,697$22,856$45,863
If you annuitize at the end of the applicable time period:
1 year3 years5 years10 years
$4,560$13,697$22,856$45,863
If you do not surrender your Contract:
1 year3 years5 years10 years
$4,560$13,697$22,856$45,863

5.    PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE CONTRACT

This section is intended to summarize the principal risks of investing in the Contract. Additional risks and details regarding various risks and benefits of investing in the Contract are described in the relevant sections of the Prospectus and SAI.
Poor Investment Performance
The owner of benefits can lose money by investing in this Contract, including loss of principal. An investment in this Contract is subject to the risk of poor investment performance and can vary depending on the performance of the investment options selected. The owner of benefits bears the risk of any decline in the aggregate investment account value resulting from the performance of the investment options selected.
In a low interest rate environment, yields for the Money Market division, after deduction of all applicable Contract and rider charges, may be negative even though the underlying money market fund’s yield, before deducting for such charges, is positive. If you allocate a portion of your Contract value to the Money Market division or participate in a scheduled automatic transfers program or Automatic Portfolio Rebalancing program where the Contract value is allocated to the Money Market division, that portion of your Contract value allocated to the Money Market division may decrease in value.
NOTE: All references to the Money Market division in this prospectus will mean the Fidelity VIP Government Money Market division.
Each investment option has its own unique risks. For more information about the risks of investing in a particular underlying mutual fund see that fund’s prospectus, which should be reviewed before making an investment decision. To see the funds' prospectuses, go to the following website: www.principal.com/personalVAReport.
Liquidity Risk
This Contract is not suitable as a short-term savings vehicle and is not appropriate if the owner of benefits needs ready access to cash. The benefits of tax deferral are better for investors with long time horizons. There may be adverse tax consequences if early withdrawals are taken from the Contract.
Variable Annuity Payment Risk
All variable annuity payments will reflect the performance of the mutual fund underlying the LargeCap Value Division and, therefore, the owner of benefits is subject to the risk that the amount of variable annuity payments may decline. See 9. ANNUITY PERIOD.
12


Fees and Charges
We reserve the right to increase the fees and charges under the Contract up to the maximum guaranteed fees and charges stated in the prospectus.
Alternatives to the Contract
Other contracts or investments may provide more favorable returns or benefits than the Contract.
Potentially Harmful Transfer Activity
This Contract is not designed as a vehicle for market timing. Accordingly, the ability to make transfers under the Contract is subject to limitation if we determine, in our sole opinion, that the exercise of that privilege may disadvantage or potentially hurt the rights or interests of other contract owners. We have limitations and restrictions on transfer activity, which we apply across all contracts without exception. (See 8. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTRACT - Frequent Transfers among Divisions).
Tax Law Changes
The tax risk associated with the Contract includes the possibility of a change in the federal income tax laws that apply to the Contract, or of the current interpretations of the laws by the IRS, which could have retroactive effects regardless of the date of enactment or publication.
Insurance Company Risks
An investment in the Contract is subject to the risks related to the Company, including that any obligations, guarantees, or benefits are subject to the claims-paying ability of the Company. If the Company isn't able to meet its obligations to creditors, it is possible that the Company's obligations to you under this Contract may not be satisfied. More information about the Company, including its financial strength ratings, can be found by visiting www.principal.com.
Risks Affecting Our Administration of the Contract
Our operations and/or the activities and operations of our service providers and business partners are subject to certain risks that are beyond our control, including systems failures, cyber-attacks, and pandemics (and similar events). These risks are not unique to the Company and they could materially impact our ability to administer the Contract.
The Company is highly dependent upon its computer systems and those of its business partners. This makes the Company potentially susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a cyber-attack. These risks include direct risks, such as theft, misuse, corruption and destruction of data maintained by the Company, and indirect risks, such as denial of service attacks on service provider websites and other operational disruptions that impede our ability to electronically interact with service providers. Operational disruptions and system failures also could occur based on other natural or man-made events, which could have similar impacts on your Contract. These security risks may also impact the underlying mutual fund companies, which may cause the underlying mutual funds to lose value. Although we make substantial efforts to protect our computer systems from these security risks, including internal processes and technological defenses that are preventative or detective, and other controls designed to provide multiple layers of security assurance, there can be no guarantee that we, our service providers, or the underlying mutual funds will avoid losses affecting contracts such as the security incidents described above.
If your Contract is adversely affected as a result of the failure of our cyber-security controls, we will take reasonable steps to restore your Contract.
6. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF INSURANCE COMPANY, SEPARATE ACCOUNT AND MUTUAL FUND COMPANIES
The Insurance Company
The obligations under the Contract (including death benefits or other benefits available under the Contract) are obligations of Principal Life Insurance Company and are subject to the Company’s claims-paying ability and financial strength. The Company’s business address is 711 High Street, Des Moines, IA 50392.
13


The Separate Account
Separate Account B is a separate account we established to receive and invest premium payments (and contributions) made by owners (and owners of benefits) of our variable annuity products. Separate Account B is divided into divisions. The assets of each division invest in a corresponding underlying mutual fund. New divisions may be added and made available and divisions may also be eliminated. These changes will be made in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
We do not guarantee the investment results of the Separate Account. There is no assurance that the value of the Contract will equal or be greater than the total of the contributions made to us.
The Separate Account is not affected by the rate of return of our General Account or by the investment performance of any of our other assets. Any income, gain, or loss (whether or not realized) from the assets of the Separate Account are credited to or charged against the Separate Account without regard to our other income, gains, or losses. Assets of the Separate Account attributed to the reserves and other liabilities under the Contract may not be charged with liabilities arising from any of our other businesses. The Company is obligated to pay all amounts promised to investors under the Contracts.
Any Contract obligations in excess of the Separate Account value (if any) become obligations of the General Account and will be subject to the rights of the Company’s other creditors and its overall claims paying ability.
The Underlying Mutual Funds
Information regarding each underlying mutual fund, including (i) its name, (ii) its type, (iii) its investment adviser and any sub-investment adviser, (iv) current expenses, and (v) performance is available in Appendix A to this prospectus. Each underlying mutual fund has issued a prospectus that contains more detailed information about the underlying mutual fund. If you wish to receive paper copies of the prospectuses for the underlying mutual funds, you can inform the Company by calling 1-800-852-4450. You also can obtain a copy by visiting the following website: www.principal.com/personalVAReport.
Voting Rights
We vote shares of the underlying mutual funds owned by the Separate Account according to the instructions of the person who holds the voting interest of the units of the division.
We will notify the person who holds the voting interest of the units of shareholder meetings of the mutual funds underlying the divisions in which units are held.
During the accumulation period, the owner of benefits is the person having the voting interest in the units of the division attributable to the investment accounts that correlate to the plan participant. The number of units held in the Separate Account that are attributable to each investment account is determined by dividing the investment account value attributable to a division of the Separate Account by the net asset value of one share of the underlying mutual fund.
During the annuity period, the person then entitled to variable annuity payments has the voting interest in the units of the division attributable to the variable annuity. The number of units held in the Separate Account that are attributable to each variable annuity is determined by dividing the reserve for the variable annuity by the net asset value of one share of the underlying mutual fund. The voting interest in the shares of the underlying mutual fund attributable to the variable annuity will ordinarily decrease during the annuity period since the reserve for the variable annuity decreases due to the reduction in the expected payment period.
The Company determines the number of underlying fund shares the owner of benefits or payees of variable annuities may instruct us to vote as of the record date established by the underlying mutual fund for its shareholder meeting. The Company will send the owner of benefits or payees of variable annuities proxy materials and instructions for the owner of benefits or payees of variable annuities to provide voting instructions to the Company. The Company will arrange for the handling and tallying of proxies received. If no voting instructions are received, the Company will vote those shares in the same proportion as shares for which the Company received instructions. In the event that applicable law changes or the Company is required by regulators to disregard voting instructions, the Company may decide to vote the shares of the underlying mutual funds in its own right.
NOTE: Because there is no required minimum number of votes, a small number of votes can have a disproportionate effect.
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7. CHARGES
Certain charges are deducted under the Contract. If the charge is not sufficient to cover our costs, we bear the loss. If the expense is more than our costs, the excess is profit to the Company. We expect a profit from all the fees and charges listed below, except the Annual Administrative Expenses Fee and Transaction Fee.
In addition to the charges under the Contract, there are also deductions from and expenses paid out of the assets of the underlying mutual funds that are described in the underlying mutual funds’ prospectuses.
Deferred Sales Load (“Surrender Charge”)
Although the Contract provides for a surrender charge, the Company has elected not to take this charge since January 1, 2006.
Transaction Fee
The Company reserves the right to charge a transaction fee of the lesser of $25 or 2% of each cash withdrawal after the twelfth cash withdrawal in a contract year. The fee will be taken by redeeming a sufficient number of units from the investment account(s) from which the withdrawal is made by an amount equal to the fee. If the investment account(s) from which the withdrawal is made is insufficient to permit the full amount of the fee to be taken, a sufficient number of units from the plan participant’s other investment accounts will be redeemed on a pro rata basis in an amount equal to the fee. If the amounts in the plan participant’s investment accounts are insufficient to permit the full amount of the fee to be taken, the amount of the withdrawal will be reduced by an amount equal to the fee.
Transfer Fee
The Company also reserves the right to charge a transfer fee of the lesser of $30 or 2% of each unscheduled transfer after the twelfth unscheduled transfer in a contract year. The fee will be taken by redeeming a sufficient number of units from the investment account(s) from which the withdrawal is made by an amount equal to the charge. If the investment account(s) from which the withdrawal is made is insufficient to permit the full amount of the fee to be taken, a sufficient number of units from the plan participant’s other investment accounts will be redeemed on a pro rata basis in an amount equal to the fee. A $15 charge is imposed for transfers that are made by paper instruction.
Base Contract Annual Expenses
Mortality and Expense Risks Charge
A mortality and expense risks charge is deducted under the Contract. There are also deductions from and expenses paid out of the assets of the investment accounts, as described in the prospectus for each fund.
Variable annuity payments will not be affected by adverse mortality experience or by any excess in the actual sales and administrative expenses over the charges provided for in the Contract. The Company assumes the risks that (i) variable annuity payments will continue for a longer period than anticipated and (ii) the allowance for administration expenses in the annuity conversion rates will be insufficient to cover the actual costs of administration relating to variable annuity payments. For assuming these risks, the Company, in determining unit values and variable annuity payments, makes a charge as of the end of each valuation period against the assets of the Separate Account held with respect to the Contract. The charge is equivalent to a simple annual rate of 0.64%.
The Company does not believe that it is possible to specifically identify that portion of the 0.64% deduction applicable to the separate risks involved but estimates that a reasonable approximate allocation would be 0.43% for the mortality risks and 0.21% for the expense risks. The mortality and expense risks charge may be changed by the Company at any time by giving not less than 60-days prior written notice to the contractholder. However, the charge may not exceed 1.25% on an annual basis, and only one change may be made in any one-year period. If the charge is insufficient to cover the actual costs of the mortality and expense risks assumed, the financial loss will fall on the Company; conversely, if the charge proves more than sufficient, the excess will be a gain to the Company.
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Contract Administration Expense/Recordkeeping Charge
An annual Contract Administration Expense/Recordkeeping Charge of $34 per plan participant plus 0.35% of the annual balance ($3,000 minimum) will be assessed on a quarterly basis during each deposit year. The annual balance used to compute the charge is the aggregate value of investment accounts that correlate to a plan participant, and other plan assets that correlate to a plan participant that are not allocated to the Contract or an associated or companion contract but for which the Company provides recordkeeping services (“outside assets”), at the end of each quarter. The $34 per plan participant charge is increased to $37 if the Company distributes benefit plan reports directly to the plan participants.
The Contract Administration Expense/Recordkeeping Charge will be assessed on the earlier of (i) the date the investment accounts are paid in full (a total redemption) or (ii) each quarterly date. One-fourth of the annual charge is normally assessed on each quarterly date.
If the accounts are paid in full (a total redemption) at any time during the deposit year, that portion of the $34 ($37) per plan participant charge for the deposit year in which such total redemption occurs not yet paid to the Company will be assessed in full. However, the remaining part of the Contract Administration Expense/Recordkeeping Charge consisting of the 0.35% of the average annual balance will be assessed on a pro rata basis for any fractional part of the deposit year.
The recordkeeping expense will be $34 ($37). The record keeping expense is increased by 10% if plan contributions are not reported in the Company’s standard form. In addition, if benefit plan reports are mailed on other than a quarterly basis the $34 ($37) per plan participant charge is adjusted according to the following schedule:
Reporting FrequencyAdjustment to $34 ($37) Charge
Annual9% decrease
Semi-Annual6% decrease
Monthly24% increase

The $34 ($37) per plan participant charge is also adjusted if the Company performs more (or less) than one 401(k) and 401(m) non-discrimination test in a deposit year. Such a charge is increased by 3% for each additional test and is reduced by 3% for each test not performed by the Company.
The 0.35% portion of the Contract Administration Expense/Recordkeeping charge will be reduced by 10% if the Company has issued an associated contract to the contractholder.
A contractholder may agree to pay all or a portion of the Contract Administration Expense/Recordkeeping Charge separately or have the fees deducted from investment accounts that correlate to a plan participant.
If deducted from investment accounts, the charge will be allocated among investment accounts that correlate to the plan participant in proportion to the relative values of such accounts and will be effected by cancelling a number of units in each such investment account equal to such account’s proportionate share of the deduction.
If the Company provides recordkeeping services for any outside assets, the contractholder can elect to deduct from investment accounts only the $34 ($37) portion of the Contract Administration Expense/Recordkeeping Charges that correlate to plan participants.
Documentation Expense
The Company can provide a sample plan document and summary plan descriptions to the contractholder. The contractholder will be billed $300 if the contractholder uses a Principal Financial Group Prototype for Savings Plans or Standardized Plan. If the Company provides a sample custom-written plan, the contractholder will be billed $1000 for the initial plan or for any restatement thereof, $500 for any amendments thereto, and $500 for standard summary plan description booklets. If the contractholder adopts a plan other than one provided by the Company, a minimum $100 charge will be made for summary plan description booklets requested by the contractholder, if any.
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Location Fee
Contractholders may request the Company to provide services to groups of employees at multiple locations. If the Company agrees to provide such services, the contractholder will be billed $150 on a quarterly basis ($600 annually) for each additional employee group or location. In addition, separate contract administration/record keeping charges and documentation fees may apply for each employee group or location requiring separate government reports and/or sample plan documents.
Outside Asset Recordkeeping Charge
If the Company provides record keeping services for plan assets that correlate to a plan participant other than assets under this Contract or an associated or companion contract (“outside assets”), the Company will bill the contractholder an Outside Asset Recordkeeping Charge. The annual charge is calculated based upon the following table:
Number of Members with Outside AccountsOutside Asset Annual Recordkeeping Expense
1 - 25$1,000
26 - 49
$15.30 per member + $614.70
50 - 99
$13.95 per member + $682.20
100 - 299
$12.60 per member + $817.20
300 - 499
$10.35 per member + $1,492.20
500 - 999
$8.55 per member + $2,392.20
1000 - 2499
$6.30 per member + $4,642.20
2500 - 4999
$5.40 per member + $6,892.20
5000 and over
$4.50 per member + $11,392.20

Optional Benefit Charges
Owners of benefits have the ability to choose the flexible income option available under this Contract. If an owner of benefits chooses the flexible income option, an additional charge $25.00 will be deducted annually on a pro rata basis from the investment accounts that correlate to the plan participant. For more information on the flexible income option and any restrictions related to it, see 9. ANNUITY PERIOD – Flexible Income Option.
Distribution of the Contract
The Company paid compensation to broker-dealers, financial institutions, and other parties (“Financial Intermediaries”) for the sale of the Contract according to schedules in the sales agreements and other agreements reached between the Company and the Financial Intermediaries. Such compensation generally consisted of commissions on Contributions made under the Contract.
Principal Securities, Inc. (“PSI”), the principal underwriter of the Contract, also receives 12b-1 fees in connection with certain underlying mutual funds in the contracts. PSI currently receives 12b-1 fees for Principal Variable Contracts Funds.
Underlying Mutual Fund Charges
Charges are deducted from and expenses paid out of the assets of the underlying mutual funds that are described in the prospectuses for those underlying mutual funds. A complete list of the underlying mutual funds available under the Contract, including their annual expenses, may be found in APPENDIX A - INVESTMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT.
8. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTRACT

The Personal Variable Annuity is significantly different from a fixed annuity. The owner of benefits of this Contract assumes the risk of investment gain or loss (as to amounts in the Separate Account divisions) rather than the Company. The Separate Account division value under a variable annuity is not guaranteed and varies with the investment performance of the underlying mutual funds.
There can be no assurance that owner of benefits' investment objectives will be achieved.
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The Contract was normally issued to an employer or association or a trust established for the benefit of plan participants and their beneficiaries. The Company issued a pre-retirement certificate describing the benefits under the Contract to plan participants who reside in a state that requires the issuance of such certificates. The contribution that correlates to a plan participant will be invested in the division or divisions that are chosen as of the end of the valuation period in which such contribution is received by the Company at its home office in Des Moines, Iowa. If the allocation instructions by the plan participant are late, or not completed, the Company will invest such unallocated contributions in the Money Market Division, as instructed by the employer, on the date such contributions are received. After complete allocation instructions have been received by the Company, all future contributions will be allocated to the chosen divisions as of the end of the valuation period in which such contributions are received. The contractholder may limit the number of divisions available to the owner of benefits, but the Money Market Division may not be so restricted to the extent the division is necessary to permit the Company to allocate initial contributions and the LargeCap Value Division may not be so restricted to the extent the division is necessary to permit the Company to pay variable annuity payments.
Contract Rights
During the accumulation period, the owner of benefits has material rights to the benefits under the Contract. The benefits include making additional contributions, transferring between investment options, taking withdrawals and starting annuity payments under the Contract. All of the owner of benefits’ rights of ownership cease upon the owner of benefits’ death. At that point, if annuity payments had not started, the death benefit will become payable according to your benefit instructions.
During the annuity period the owner of benefits is still the only person with material rights to the contract. After the death of the owner of benefits (and contingent annuitant, if applicable), the primary beneficiary(ies) have the rights to the death benefit, if any.
Contract Provisions and Limitations
Contributions
The Contract prescribes no limits on the minimum contribution that may be made to an investment account. Plan participant maximum contributions are discussed under 14. TAXES. Contributions may also be limited by the plan. The Company may also limit contributions on 60-days notice.
All Contributions made pursuant to the Contract are allocated to one or more investment accounts. Each investment account correlates to a division of Separate Account B. Each division invests in shares of an underlying mutual fund. More detailed information about the underlying mutual funds may be found in the current prospectus for the underlying mutual fund.
Allocating Contributions
An investment account or accounts correlating to a plan participant will be established for each type of contribution and for each division of Separate Account B in which such contribution is invested.
Investment accounts will be maintained until the investment account values are either (a) applied to effect variable annuity payments (b) paid to the owner of benefits or the beneficiary or (c) transferred in accordance with the provisions of the Contract.
Each contribution will be allocated to the division(s) designated by the notification on file with the Company and will result in a credit of units to the appropriate investment account. The number of units so credited will be determined by dividing the portion of the contributions allocated to a division by the unit value for such division for the valuation period within which the contribution was received by the Company at its home office in Des Moines, Iowa.
A complete list of the divisions may be found in Appendix A. Each division invests in shares of an underlying mutual fund. More detailed information about the underlying mutual funds can be found in the current prospectus for each underlying mutual fund, which can be found here: www.principal.com/personalVAReport.
Division Transfers
Upon notification, all or a portion of the value of an investment account that correlates to a plan participant may be transferred to another available investment account correlating to such plan participant for the same type of contribution. Transfers may be made at any time before the annuity purchase date.

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A transfer will be effective as of the end of the valuation period in which the request is received. Any amount transferred will result in the cancellation of units in the investment account from which the transfer is made. The number of units cancelled will be equal to the amount transferred from the investment account divided by the unit value of the division for the valuation period in which the transfer is effective. The transferred amount will result in the crediting of units in the investment account to which the transfer is made. The number of units credited will be equal to the amount transferred to the investment account divided by the unit value of the division for the valuation period in which the transfer is effective.
Unscheduled Transfers
You may make unscheduled division transfers from one division to another division.
Transfer values are calculated using the price next determined after we receive your request in good order.
We reserve the right to impose a fee of the lesser of $30 or 2% of the amount transferred on each unscheduled transfer after the 12th unscheduled transfer in a contract year.
We charge $15 for transfers made by paper instruction.
Limitations on Unscheduled Transfers
We reserve the right to reject excessive transfers if the trade(s) would disrupt the management of Separate Account B, any division of Separate Account B or any underlying mutual fund. In addition, we may suspend or modify transfer privileges in our sole discretion at any time to prevent market timing efforts that could disadvantage other owners of benefits. These modifications could include, but not be limited to:
requiring a minimum time period between each transfer;
imposing the transaction fee;
limiting the dollar amount that an owner may transfer at any one time; or
not accepting transfer requests from someone providing requests for multiple Contracts for which he or she is not the owner of benefits.
Transfers to the Contract
If a companion contract has been issued by the Company to fund the plan, and except as otherwise provided by the applicable plan, the Contract may accept all or a portion of the proceeds available under the companion contract at any time at least one month before annuity commencement date, subject to the terms of the companion contract.
Transfers to Companion Contract
If a companion contract has been issued by the Company to fund the plan, except as otherwise provided by the applicable plan and the provisions of the companion contract, an owner of benefits may by notification transfer all or a portion of the investment account values that correlate to a plan participant to the companion contract. If the notification does not state otherwise, amounts will be transferred on a pro rata basis from the investment accounts that correlate to the plan participant. Transfers with respect to a plan participant from this Contract to the companion contract will not be permitted if this Contract has accepted, within the six-month period preceding the proposed transfer from this Contract to the companion contract, a transfer from an unmatured investment account that correlates to the plan participant established under the companion contract. An unmatured investment account is an investment account that has not reached the end of its interest guarantee period. In all other respects, such transfers are subject to the same provisions regarding frequency of transfer, effective date of transfer and cancellation of units as described above in Division Transfers above.
Special Situation Involving Alternate Funding Agents
The Contract allows the investment account values of all plan participants to be transferred to an alternate funding agent with or without the consent of the plan participants. Transfers to an alternate funding agent require notification from the contractholder.
The amount to be transferred will be equal to the investment account values determined as of the end of the valuation period in which the notification is received. Such transfers will be subject to the Contract administration expense/recordkeeping charge.
General Account
No benefits under this Contract are funded by the General Account.
Contract or Registrant Changes
Any changes we make pursuant to this provision will be made in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
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Addition, Deletion or Substitution of Separate Account Divisions
Separate Account B is divided into divisions. The assets of each division invest in a corresponding underlying mutual fund. New divisions may be added and made available. We reserve the right, within the law, to make additions, deletions and substitutions for the divisions. We will make no such substitution or deletion without first notifying the contractholder and obtaining approval of the appropriate insurance regulatory authorities and the SEC (to the extent required by 1940 Act).
If the shares of a division are no longer available for investment or if, in the judgment of our management, investment in a division becomes inappropriate for the purposes of our contract, we may eliminate the shares of a division and substitute shares of another division of the trust or another open-end registered investment company. Substitution may be made with respect to both existing investments and the investment of future contributions.
Class of Purchasers
This Contract is no longer offered.
Frequent Transfers among Divisions
This Contract is not designed for frequent trading or market timing activity of the investment options. If an owner of benefits intends to trade frequently and/or use market timing investment strategies, they should not make contributions under this Contract. The Company does not accommodate market timing.
We consider frequent trading and market timing activities to be abusive trading practices because they:
Disrupt the management of the underlying mutual funds by:
forcing the fund to hold short-term (liquid) assets rather than investing for long term growth, which results in lost investment opportunities for the fund; and
causing unplanned portfolio turnover;
Hurt the portfolio performance of the underlying mutual funds; and
Increase expenses of the underlying mutual fund and separate account due to:
increased broker-dealer commissions; and
increased record keeping and related costs.
If we are not able to identify such abusive trading practices, the abuses described above will negatively impact the Contract and cause investors to suffer the harms described.
We have adopted policies and procedures to help us identify and prevent abusive trading practices. In addition, the underlying mutual funds monitor trading activity to identify and take action against abuses. While our policies and procedures are designed to identify and protect against abusive trading practices, there can be no certainty that we will identify and prevent abusive trading in all instances. When we do identify abusive trading, we will apply our policies and procedures in a fair and uniform manner.
If we, or an underlying mutual fund that is an investment option with the Contract, deem abusive trading practices to be occurring, we will take action that may include, but is not limited to:
Rejecting transfer instructions from an owner of benefits or other person authorized by the owner of benefits to direct transfers;
Restricting submission of transfer requests by, for example, allowing transfer requests to be submitted by 1st class U.S. mail only and disallowing requests made via the internet, by facsimile, by overnight courier or by telephone;
Limiting the number of unscheduled transfers during a contract year to no more than 12;
Prohibiting the owner of benefits from requesting a transfer among the divisions for a minimum of thirty days where there is evidence of at least one round-trip transaction (exchange or redemption of shares that were purchased within 30 days of the exchange/redemption); and
Taking such other action as directed by the underlying mutual fund.
We support the underlying mutual funds right to accept, reject or restrict, without prior written notice, any transfer requests into a fund.
In some instances, a transfer may be completed prior to a determination of abusive trading. In those instances, we will reverse the transfer (within two business days of the transfer) and return the Contract to the holdings it had prior to the transfer. We will give you notice in writing in this instance.
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9. ANNUITY PERIOD
Income Benefits
Income benefits consist of either monthly variable annuity payments or periodic payments made on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis pursuant to the flexible income option.
Variable Annuity Payments
Variable annuity payments will be provided by the investment accounts that correlate to the plan participant held under the LargeCap Value Division. Thus, if the owner of benefits elects variable annuity payments, any amounts that are to be used to provide variable annuity payments will be transferred to investment accounts held under the LargeCap Value Division as of the last valuation date in the month that begins two months before the annuity commencement date. After any such transfer, the value of the LargeCap Value Division investment accounts will be applied on the annuity purchase date to provide variable annuity payments. The annuity commencement date, which will be one month following the annuity purchase date, will be the first day of a month. Thus, if the annuity commencement date is August 1, the annuity purchase date will be July 1, and the date of any transfers to a LargeCap Value Division investment account will be the valuation date immediately preceding July 1.
Annuity Commencement Date
Variable annuity payments will be made to an owner of benefits beginning on the annuity commencement date and continuing thereafter on the first day of each month. An owner of benefits may select an annuity commencement date by notification to the Company. The date selected may be the first day of any month the plan allows, which is at least one month after the notification. Generally, the annuity commencement date cannot begin before the plan participant is age 59½, separated from service, or is totally disabled. The annuity commencement date must be no later than the date the plan participant must take a required distribution under the Internal Revenue Code. See 14. TAXES for a discussion of required distributions and the federal income tax consequences of distributions.
At any time not less than one month preceding the desired annuity commencement date, an owner of benefits may, by notification, select one of the annuity options described below (see Variable Annuity Payment Options). If no annuity option has been selected at least one month before the annuity commencement date, and if the plan does not provide one, payments that correlate to an unmarried plan participant will be made under the annuity option providing Variable Life Annuity with Monthly Payments Certain for Ten Years. Payments that correlate to a married plan participant will be made under the annuity option providing a Variable Life Annuity with One-Half Survivorship.
Limitations on Annuity Payment Options
Because of certain restrictions contained in the Code and regulations thereunder, an annuity option is not available under a Contract used to fund a TDA Plan, or 401(a) Plan unless (i) the joint or contingent annuitant is the plan participant’s spouse or (ii) on the plan participant’s annuity commencement date, the present value of the amount to be paid while the plan participant is living is greater than 50% of the present value of the total benefit to the plan participant and the plan participant’s beneficiary (or contingent annuitant, if applicable).
The amount applied to provide variable annuity payments must be at least $1,750. An owner of benefits may elect to have all or a portion of investment account values applied under one of the annuity options described below. However, if the monthly variable annuity payment at any time would be less than $20, the Company may, at its sole option, pay the variable annuity reserves in full settlement of all benefits otherwise available.
Once payments begin under the annuity benefit payment option an owner of benefits chooses, the option may not be changed. In addition, once payments begin, an owner of benefits may not surrender, withdraw or otherwise liquidate or commute any of the portion of your accumulated value that has been annuitized.
An owner of benefits may select one of the annuity benefit payment options listed below. Once payments begin under the option the owner of benefits selected, the option may not be changed. In addition, once payments begin the owner of benefits may not surrender or otherwise liquidate or commute any portion of your accumulated value that has been annuitized.
Variable Annuity Payment Options
The owner of benefits may choose from several variable annuity benefit payment options. Payments will be made monthly.
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The available variable annuity payment options are described immediately below.
Variable Life Annuity with Monthly Payments Certain for Zero, Five, Ten, Fifteen or Twenty Years or Installment Refund Period
This variable annuity payment option provides monthly payments during the plan participant’s lifetime, and further provides that if, at the death of the plan participant, monthly payments have been made for less than a minimum period, e.g. five years, any remaining payments for the balance of such period shall be paid to the owner of benefits, if the owner of benefits is not the plan participant, or to a designated beneficiary unless the owner of benefits or the beneficiary requests in writing that the commuted value of the remaining payments be paid in a single sum. (Persons entitled to take the remaining payments or the commuted value thereof rather than continuing monthly payments should consult with their tax advisor to be made aware of the differences in tax treatment.)
The minimum period may be either zero, five, ten, fifteen or twenty years or the period (called “installment refund period”) consisting of the number of months determined by dividing the amount applied under the option by the initial payment. If, for example, $14,400 is applied under a life option with an installment refund period, and if the first monthly payment provided by that amount, as determined from the applicable annuity conversion rates, would be $100, the minimum period would be 144 months ($14,400 divided by $100 per month) or 12 years. A variable life annuity with an installment refund period guarantees a minimum number of payments, but not the amount of any monthly payment or the amount of aggregate monthly payments. The longer the minimum period selected, the smaller will be the amount of the first annuity payment.
Under the Variable Life Annuity with Zero Years Certain, which provides monthly payments to the owner of benefits during the plan participant’s lifetime, it would be possible for the owner of benefits to receive no annuity payments if the plan participant died prior to the due date of the first payment since payment is made only during the lifetime of the plan participant.
Joint and Survivor Variable Life Annuity with Monthly Payments Certain for Ten Years
This variable annuity payment option provides monthly payments for a minimum period of ten years and thereafter during the joint lifetimes of the plan participant on whose life the annuity is based and the contingent annuitant named at the time this option is elected, and continuing after the death of either of them for the amount that would have been payable while both were living during the remaining lifetime of the survivor. In the event the plan participant and the contingent annuitant do not survive beyond the minimum ten year period, any remaining payments for the balance of such period will be paid to the owner of benefits, if the owner of benefits is not the plan participant, or to a designated beneficiary unless the owner of benefits or the beneficiary requests in writing that the commuted value of the remaining payments be paid in a single sum. (Designated beneficiaries entitled to take the remaining payments or the commuted value thereof rather than continuing monthly payments should consult with their tax advisor to be made aware of the differences in tax treatment.)
Joint and Two-Thirds Survivor Variable Life Annuity
This variable annuity payment option provides monthly payments during the joint lives of a plan participant and the person designated as contingent annuitant with two-thirds of the amount that would have been payable while both were living continuing until the death of the survivor.
Variable Life Annuity with One-Half Survivorship
This variable annuity payment option provides monthly payments during the life of the plan participant with one-half of the amount otherwise payable continuing so long as the contingent annuitant lives.
Under the Joint and Two-thirds Survivor Variable Life Annuity and under the Variable Life Annuity with One-Half Survivorship, it would be possible for the owner of benefits and/or contingent annuitant to receive no annuity payments if the plan participant and contingent annuitant both died prior to the due date of the first payment since payment is made only during their lifetimes.
Other Options
Other variable annuity payment options permitted under the applicable Plan may be arranged by mutual agreement of the owner of benefits and the Company.
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Material Factors that Determine Level of Variable Annuity Payments
Because women as a class live longer than men, it has been common that retirement annuities of equal cost for women and men of the same age will provide women less periodic income at retirement. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in Arizona Governing Committee vs. Norris that sex distinct annuity tables under an employer-sponsored benefit plan result in discrimination that is prohibited by Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Court further ruled that sex distinct annuity tables will be deemed discriminatory only when used with values accumulated from employer contributions made after August 1, 1983, the date of the ruling.
Title VII applies only to employers with 15 or more employees. However, certain State Fair Employment Laws and Equal Payment Laws may apply to employers with less than 15 employees.
The Contract described in this Prospectus offers both sex distinct and sex neutral annuity conversion rates. The annuity rates are used to convert a plan participant’s pre-retirement investment account values to a monthly lifetime income at retirement. Usage of either sex distinct or sex neutral annuity rates will be determined by the contractholder.
For each form of variable annuity, the annuity conversion rates determine how much the first monthly variable annuity payment will be for each $1,000 of the investment account value applied to effect the variable annuity. The conversion rates vary with the form of annuity, date of birth, and, if distinct rates are used, the sex of the plan participant and the contingent annuitant, if any. The sex neutral guaranteed annuity conversion rates are based upon (i) an interest rate of 2.5% per annum and (ii) mortality according to the “1983 Table A for Individual Annuity Valuation” projected with Scale G to the year 2001 set back five years in age. The sex distinct female rates are determined for all plan participants in the same way as sex neutral rates, as described above. The sex distinct male rates are determined for all plan participants in the same way as the sex neutral rates, as described above, except mortality is not set back five years in age. The guaranteed annuity conversion rates may be changed, but no change that would be less favorable to the owner of benefits will take effect for a current plan participant.
The Contract provides that an interest rate of not less than 2.5% per annum will represent the assumed investment return. Currently the assumed investment return used in determining the amount of the first monthly payment is 4% per annum. This rate may be increased or decreased by the Company in the future but in no event will it be less than 2.5% per annum. If, under the Contract, the actual investment return (as measured by an Annuity Change Factor, defined below) should always equal the assumed investment return, variable annuity payments would remain level. If the actual investment return should always exceed the assumed investment return, variable annuity payments would increase; conversely, if it should always be less than the assumed investment return, variable annuity payments would decrease.
The current 4% assumed investment return is higher than the 2.5% interest rate reflected in the annuity conversion rates contained in the Contract. With a 4% assumption, variable annuity payments will commence at a higher level, will increase less rapidly when actual investment return exceeds 4%, and will decrease more rapidly when actual investment return is less than 4%, than would occur with a lower assumption.
Determining the Amount of the First Variable Annuity Payment
The initial amount of monthly annuity income shall be based on the option selected, the age of the plan participant and contingent annuitant, if any, and the investment account values applied as of the annuity purchase date. The initial monthly income payment will be determined on the basis of the annuity conversion rates applicable on such date to such conversions under all contracts of this class issued by the Company. However, the basis for the annuity conversion rates will not produce payments less beneficial to the owner of benefits than the annuity conversion rate basis described above.
Determining the Amount of the Second and Subsequent Monthly Variable Annuity Payments
The second and subsequent monthly variable annuity payments will increase or decrease in response to the investment experience of the mutual fund underlying the LargeCap Value Division. The amount of each payment will be determined by multiplying the amount of the monthly variable annuity payment due in the immediately preceding calendar month by the Annuity Change Factor for the LargeCap Value Division for the Contract for the calendar month in which the variable annuity payment is due.
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The Annuity Change Factor for the LargeCap Value Division for a calendar month is the quotient of 1) divided by 2), below:
1) The number that results from dividing (i) the Contract’s unit value for the LargeCap Value Division for the first valuation date in the calendar month beginning one month before the given calendar month by (ii) the Contract’s unit value for such division for the first valuation date in the calendar month beginning two months before the given calendar month.
2) An amount equal to one plus the effective interest rate for the number of days between the two valuation dates specified in subparagraph (1) above at the interest rate assumed to determine the initial payment of variable benefits to the owner of benefits.
Hypothetical Example of Calculation of Variable Annuity Payments
Assume that on the date one month before the annuity commencement date the investment account value that is invested in the LargeCap Value Division that correlates to a plan participant is $37,592. Using the appropriate annuity conversion factor (assuming $5.88 per $1,000 applied) the investment account value provides a first monthly variable annuity payment of $221.04. To determine the amount of the second monthly payment assume that the LargeCap Value Division unit value as of the first valuation date in the preceding calendar month was $1.3712044 and the unit value as of the first valuation date in the second preceding calendar month was $1.3273110. The Annuity Change Factor is determined by dividing $1.3712044 by $1.3273110, which equals 1.0330694, and dividing the result by an amount corresponding to the amount of one increased by an assumed investment return of 4% (which for a thirty day period is 1.0032288). 1.0330694 divided by 1.0032288 results in an Annuity Change Factor for the month of 1.0297446. Applying this factor to the amount of variable annuity payment for the previous month results in a current monthly payment of $227.61 ($221.04 multiplied by 1.0297446 equals $227.61).
Flexible Income Option
Instead of variable annuity payments an owner of benefits may choose to receive income benefits under the Flexible Income Option. Unlike variable annuity payments, payments under the flexible income option may be made from any division of the Separate Account. Under the flexible income option, the Company will pay to the owner of benefits a portion of the aggregate investment accounts on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis on the date or dates requested each year and continuing for a period not to exceed the life or life expectancy of the plan participant, or the joint lives or life expectancy of such plan participant and the contingent annuitant, if the contingent annuitant is the plan participant’s spouse. If the notification does not specify from which investment accounts payments are to be made, amounts will be withdrawn on a pro rata basis from all investment accounts that correlate to the plan participant. Payments will end, however, on the date no amounts remain in such accounts or the date such accounts are paid or applied in full as described below. Payments will be subject to the following:
a.     The life expectancy of the plan participant and the plan participant’s spouse, if applicable, will be determined in accordance with the life expectancy tables contained in Internal Revenue Regulation Section 1.72-9. Life expectancy will be determined as of the date on which the first payment is made. Life expectancy will be redetermined annually thereafter.
b.     Payments may begin any time after the flexible income option is requested. Payments must begin no later than the latest date permitted or required by the plan or regulation to be the owner of benefit’s annuity commencement date.
c.     Payments will be made annually, semiannually, quarterly, or monthly as requested by the owner of benefits and agreed to by the Company. The annual amount payable will be the lesser of the aggregate investment account value that correlates to the plan participant or the minimum annual amount determined in accordance with the minimum distribution rules of the Code.
d.     If the plan participant should die before the aggregate investment account value has been paid or applied in full, the remaining investment account values will be treated as benefits payable at death as described in this prospectus.
e.     “Year” for purposes of determining payments under the flexible income option means the twelve month period starting on the installment payment starting date and each corresponding twelve month period thereafter.
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An owner of benefits may request a payment in excess of the minimum described above. Such payment may be equal to all or any portion of the investment accounts that correlate to the plan participant; provided, however, that if the requested payment would reduce the total value of such accounts to a total balance of less than $1,750 then such request will be a request for the total of such investment accounts. The owner of benefits may terminate the flexible income payments by giving the Company notification (i) requesting an excess payment equal to the remaining balance of the aggregate investment account values that correlate to a plan participant, (ii) requesting that the remaining balance of the aggregate investment account values be applied to provide variable annuity payments or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii), as long as the amount applied to provide an annuity is at least $1,750. The Company will make such excess payment on the later of (i) the date requested, or (ii) the date seven (7) calendar days after the Company receives the notification. The annuity commencement date for amounts so applied will be one month after the annuity purchase date. The annuity purchase date for amounts so applied will be the first valuation date in the month following the Company’s receipt of the notification or the first valuation date of such subsequent month as requested.
If the owner of benefits chooses the flexible income option, an additional charge $25.00 will be deducted annually on a pro rata basis from the investment accounts that correlate to the plan participant.
10. BENEFITS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT
The following tables summarize information about the benefits available under the Contract.

Benefits Under this ContractPurpose
Is Benefit Standard or Optional?
Maximum FeeBrief Description of Restrictions/Limitations
Death BenefitOwners of benefits or beneficiaries receive a death benefit upon the death of the plan participant.StandardNo Additional FeeWithdrawals and negative investment performance could significantly reduce the benefit.
Flexible Income OptionIncome payments from this option may be made from any division of Separate Account B.Optional$25 per yearOwner of benefits must provide notification of election.
Death Benefit
If a plan participant dies prior to the annuity purchase date, this Contract will provide a death benefit upon the plan participant’s death.
Death Prior to Annuity Purchase Date
If a plan participant dies prior to the annuity purchase date, the Company (upon receipt of due proof of death and any waiver or consent required by applicable state law) will pay the death benefit in accordance with the provisions of the plan. The owner of benefits may elect to either: (1) leave the assets in the Contract to the extent permitted by applicable laws; (2) receive such value as a single sum benefit; or (3) if the beneficiary is an eligible designated beneficiary, apply the investment account Values that correlate to the plan participant to purchase variable annuity payments for the beneficiary if the aggregate value of such investment accounts is at least $1,750. If the beneficiary does not provide notification to the Company within 120 days of the date the Company receives due proof of death (e.g., a certified copy of the death certificate, a certified copy of a decree of a court of competent jurisdiction as to the finding of death, a written statement by a medical doctor who attended the deceased during his last illness), the beneficiary will be deemed a plan participant under the Contract (if allowed).
A beneficiary may elect to have all or a part of the amount available under this Contract transferred to any companion contract. Alternatively, this Contract may accept all or part of the amount available under a companion contract to establish an investment account or accounts for a beneficiary under this Contract. If the aggregate value of such investment accounts is less than $1,750, the Company may at its option pay the beneficiary the value of such accounts in lieu of all other benefits.
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An election to receive variable annuity payments must be made prior to the single sum payment to the beneficiary. The amount of the death benefit is determined by the terms of the plan. If the beneficiary is an eligible designated beneficiary, annuity income will be payable as lifetime annuity income with no benefits beyond the beneficiary’s life or life expectancy. In addition, the amount of the monthly variable annuity payments must be at least $20, or the Company may at its option pay the beneficiary the value of the variable annuity reserves in lieu of all other benefits. The beneficiary’s annuity purchase date will be the first day of the calendar month specified in the election, but in no event prior to the first day of the calendar month following the date notification is received by the Company. The amount to be applied will be determined as of the annuity purchase date. The beneficiary’s annuity commencement date will be the first day of the calendar month following the annuity purchase date. The beneficiary must be a natural person in order to elect variable annuity payments. The annuity conversion rates applicable to a beneficiary shall be the annuity conversion rates the Company makes available to owners of benefits under this Contract. The beneficiary will receive a written description of the options available.
For more information on distribution options, requirements and restrictions for beneficiaries, see 14. TAXES.
Death Benefit Examples
If the beneficiary chooses to take the value as a single sum benefit, the death benefit is the account value of the plan participant. Assume:
$100,000 is the initial investment
No additional purchase payments, transfers, or withdrawals
5% annual appreciation
Current base contract charge
No optional benefits
No sales charges
Maximum separate account fees
The account value at the end of each of the following years could be:
Year 1: $100,326
Year 3: $101,011
Year 5: $101,743
Year 10: $103,804
Death After Annuity Purchase Date
Upon the death of a plan participant after the annuity purchase date, no benefits will be available except as may be provided under the form of annuity selected. If provided for under the form of annuity, the owner of benefits or the beneficiary will continue receiving any remaining payments unless the owner of benefits or the beneficiary requests in writing that the commuted value of the remaining payments be paid in a single sum. If a shorter period is required by law, the Company will pay a commuted value at the end of that shorter period.
Flexible Income Option
For details about this benefit, see 9. ANNUITY PERIOD – Flexible Income Option.
11. PURCHASES AND CONTRACT VALUE

How to Buy a Contract
This Contract is no longer offered for purchase.
Contract Value
An investment account or accounts correlating to a plan participant will be established for each type of contribution and for each division of Separate Account B in which such contribution is invested. There is no guaranteed minimum Separate Account division value. The value reflects the investment experience of the selected divisions and also reflects contributions, withdrawals and the Contract expenses deducted from Separate Account B.
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Investment accounts will be maintained until the investment account values are either (a) applied to effect variable annuity payments (b) paid to the owner of benefits or the beneficiary or (c) transferred in accordance with the provisions of the Contract. Each contribution will be allocated to the division(s) designated by the notification on file with the Company and will result in a credit of units to the appropriate investment account. The number of units so credited will be determined by dividing the portion of the contributions allocated to a division by the unit value for such division for the valuation period within which the contribution was received by the Company at its home office in Des Moines, Iowa.
Unit Value
The unit value for a Contract that participates in a division of Separate Account B determines the value of an investment account consisting of contributions allocated to that division. The unit value for each division for the Contract is determined on each day on which the net asset value of its underlying mutual fund is determined. The unit value for a valuation period is determined as of the end of that period. The investment performance of the underlying mutual fund and deducted expenses affect the unit value.
For this series of contracts, the unit value for each division will be fixed at $1.00 for the valuation period in which the first amount of money is credited to the division. A division’s unit value for any later valuation period is equal to its unit value for the immediately preceding valuation period multiplied by the net investment factor (see below) for that division for this series of contracts for the later valuation period.
Net Investment Factor
Each net investment factor is the quantitative measure of the investment performance of each division of Separate Account B.
For any specified valuation period the net investment factor for a division for this series of Contracts is equal to:
a) the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the net asset value of a share of the underlying mutual fund as of the end of the valuation period, plus the per share amount of any dividend or other distribution made by the underlying mutual fund during the valuation period (less an adjustment for taxes, if any) by (ii) the net asset value of a share of the underlying mutual fund as of the end of the immediately preceding valuation period, reduced by
b) a mortality and expense risks charge, equal to a simple interest rate for the number of days within the valuation period at an annual rate of 0.64%.
The amounts derived from applying the rate specified in subparagraph b) above and the amount of any taxes referred to in subparagraph a) above will be accrued daily and will be transferred from Separate Account B at the discretion of the Company.
Hypothetical Example of Calculation of Unit Value for All Divisions Except the Money Market Division
The computation of the unit value may be illustrated by the following hypothetical example. Assume that the current net asset value of an underlying mutual fund share is $14.8000; that there were no dividends or other distributions made by the underlying mutual fund and no adjustment for taxes since the last determination; that the net asset value of an underlying mutual fund share last determined was $14.7800; that the last unit value was $1.0185363; and that the valuation period was one day. To determine the current net investment factor, divide $14.8000 by $14.7800 that produces 1.0013532 and deduct from this amount the mortality and expense risks charge of 0.0000175, that is the rate for one day that is equivalent to a simple annual rate of 0.64%. The result, 1.0013381, is the current net investment factor. The last unit value ($1.0185363) is then multiplied by the current net investment factor (1.0013381), that produces a current unit value of $1.0198992.
Hypothetical Example of Calculation of Unit Value for the Money Market Division
The computation of the unit value may be illustrated by the following hypothetical example. Assume that the current net asset value of an underlying mutual fund share is $1.0000; that a dividend of 0.0328767 cents per share was declared by the underlying mutual fund prior to calculation of the net asset value of the share and that no other distributions and no adjustment for taxes were made since the last determination; that the net asset value of an underlying mutual fund share last determined was $1.0000; that the last unit value was $1.0162734; and that the valuation period was one day.
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To determine the current net investment factor, add the current net asset value ($1.0000) to the amount of the dividend ($.000328767) and divide by the last net asset value ($1.0000), which when rounded to seven places equals 1.0003288. Deduct from this amount the mortality and expense risks charge of 0.0000175 (the proportionate rate for one day based on a simple annual rate of 0.64%). The result (1.0003137) is the current net investment factor. The last unit value ($1.0162734) is then multiplied by the current net investment factor (1.0003137), resulting in a current unit value of $1.0165922.
Distribution of the Contract
The principal underwriter of the Contract is Principal Securities, Inc. (“PSI”), which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Principal Financial Services, Inc. and an affiliate of the Company. PSI’s address is Principal Securities, Inc., 655 9th Street, Des Moines, IA 50392.
12. WITHDRAWALS

This section describes withdrawals under the Contract.
Withdrawals
The Contract is designed for and intended to be used for retirement plans. However, subject to any plan limitations or any reduction for vesting provided for in the plan as to amounts available, the owner of benefits may make withdrawals from the investment accounts that correlate to the applicable plan participant at any time prior to the annuity purchase date subject to any charges that may be applied.
Withdrawals from investment accounts correlating to a particular plan participant result in the redemption of units and receipt of the value of the redeemed units minus any applicable fees and charges.
The procedure for making withdrawals is as follows:
a.    The plan must allow for such withdrawals.
b.    The Company must receive a notification requesting a cash withdrawal from the owner of benefits on a form either furnished or approved by the Company. The notification must specify the amount to be withdrawn for each investment account from which withdrawals are to be made. If no specification is made, withdrawals from investment accounts will be made on a pro rata basis.
c.    If a certificate has been issued to the owner of benefits, the Company may require that any notification be accompanied by such certificate.
d.    In the case of a withdrawal of the aggregate investment account value, it will be subject to the Contract Administration Expense/Recordkeeping Charge. If the aggregate investment account values are insufficient to cover the requested withdrawal and applicable charges, the amount paid will be reduced to satisfy such charges.
Any withdrawal will result in the redemption of units from each investment account from which values have been withdrawn. The number of units redeemed from an investment account will be equal to the amount withdrawn from that account divided by the unit value for the division of the Separate Account in which the account is invested for the valuation period in which the cancellation is effective. Units will also be cancelled to cover any charges assessed under (d) above.
(Note: Under the Texas Education Code, plan participants under contracts issued in connection with optional retirement programs for certain employees of Texas institutions of higher education are prohibited from making withdrawals except in the event of termination of employment, retirement or death of the plan participant.
The Code generally provides that distributions from the contracts (except those used for creditor exempt or general creditor non-qualified plans) may begin only after the plan participant attains age 59½, terminates employment, dies or becomes disabled, or in the case of deemed hardship (or, for 457 Plans, unforeseen emergencies). Withdrawals before age 59½ may involve an income tax penalty. See 14. TAXES.
Withdrawals from Separate Account B are generally paid (1) within seven calendar days after notification for such withdrawal is received by the Company at its home office, or (2) on the requested date for the withdrawal, if later. However, certain delays in payment are permitted (see 16. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONTRACT – Delay of Payments).
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13. LOANS
The Company does not make loans available under this Contract.
14. TAXES
It should be recognized that the descriptions below of the federal income tax status of amounts received under the contracts are not exhaustive and do not purport to cover all situations. A tax advisor should be consulted for complete information. (For the federal tax status of the Company and Separate Account B, see “Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B”.)
A.    Taxes Payable by Owners of Benefits and Annuitants
The Contract offered in connection with this prospectus is used with retirement programs which receive favorable tax deferred treatment under Federal income tax law or deferred annuity contracts purchased with after tax dollars. Annuity payments or other amounts received under the Contract are subject to income tax withholding. The amounts withheld will vary among recipients depending on the tax status of the taxpayer and the type of payments from which taxes are withheld.
Contributions to Contracts used for Creditor-Exempt and General Creditor Non-Qualified Plans do not enjoy the advantages available to qualified retirement plans, but Contributions invested in Contracts used to Fund Creditor - Exempt Non-Qualified Retirement Plans may receive tax-deferred treatment of the earnings, until distributed from the Contract as retirement benefits.
1.    Tax-Deferred Annuity Plans – (Section 403(b) Annuities for Employees of Certain Tax-Exempt Organizations or Public Educational Institutions)
Contributions. Under section 403(b) of the Code, payments made by certain employers (i.e., tax-exempt organizations, meeting the requirements of section 501(c)(3) of the Code and public educational institutions) to purchase annuity contracts for their employees are excludable from the gross income of employees to the extent that the aggregate contributions do not exceed the limitations prescribed by section 402(g) and section 415 of the Code. This gross income exclusion applies to employer contributions and voluntary salary reduction contributions.
For 2024, an individual’s voluntary salary reduction contributions under section 403(b) are generally limited to $23,000; additional catch-up contributions up to $7,500 are permitted for those age 50 and older. Combined employer and salary reduction contributions are generally limited to the lesser of 100% of the participant’s compensation, or $69,000 (plus, if applicable, the $7,500 catch-up contribution). In addition, for plan years beginning after December 31, 1988, employer contributions must comply with various nondiscrimination rules; these rules may have the effect of further limiting the rate of employer contributions for highly compensated employees.
Taxation of Distributions. Distributions are restricted. The restrictions apply to amounts accumulated after December 31, 1988 (including voluntary contributions after that date and earnings on prior and current voluntary contributions). These restrictions require that no distributions will be permitted prior to one of the following events: (1) attainment of age 59 ½, (2) severance from employment, (3) death, (4) disability, (5) hardship (hardship distributions will be limited to the amount of salary reduction contributions exclusive of earnings thereon), (6) plan termination, or (7) qualified reservist distribution.
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All distributions from a section 403(b) Plan are taxed as ordinary income of the recipient in accordance with the Code and are subject to 20% income tax withholding if they are eligible rollover distributions. Distributions received before the recipient attains age 59 ½ generally are subject to a 10% penalty tax in addition to regular income tax. Certain distributions are excepted from this penalty tax, including distributions following (1) death, (2) disability, (3) separation from service during or after the year the Participant reaches age 55, (4) severance from employment at any age if the distribution is in the form of substantially equal periodic payments over the life (or life expectancy) of the Plan Participant (or the Plan Participant and Beneficiary), and (5) distributions to alternate payee pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, (6) made on account of certain levies on income or payments, (7) not in excess of tax deductible medical expenses, (8) qualified reservist distributions, (9) terminal illness distributions, (10) distribution for certain natural disaster victims (not to exceed $22,000) or (11) a qualified birth or adoption distribution (not to exceed $5,000).
Required Distributions. The Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) regulations dictate when Plan Participants must start taking payments from their 403(b). Generally, a participants must commence taking required minimum distributions from their 403(b) not later than their “Required Beginning Date.” Generally, the Required Beginning Date for the first RMD is April 1st of the year following the later of (1) the calendar year in which the participant retires and (2) the calendar year in which the participant reaches
• 70½ if you attained 70½ by December 31st, 2019
• 72 if you attained 72 by December 31st, 2022
• 73 if you attain age 72 on/after January 1st, 2023
• 75 if you attain age 74 after December 31st, 2032
Thereafter, the RMD is required no later than December 31 of each calendar year. Plan Participants employed by governmental entities and certain church organizations may delay the commencement of payments until April 1 of the calendar year following retirement if they remain employed after attaining age 72.
RMDs must be made over a period that does not exceed the life expectancy of the Plan Participant (or the Plan Participant and Beneficiary). Upon the death of the Plan Participant the required minimum distribution options available to the beneficiary will depend upon their status at the time of death.
An eligible designated beneficiary must direct that payment of his/her benefits be made or started no later than December 31 of the year following the year of Plan Participant’s death with annual distributions of at least the required minimum distribution. An eligible designated beneficiary is any designated beneficiary who is (1) the Plan Participant’s spouse, (2) an individual who is no more than ten (10) years younger than the Plan Participant, (3) the Plan Participant’s minor child who has not reached age 21, (4) disabled, or (5) chronically ill. If the surviving spouse is the eligible designated beneficiary of the Contract, the surviving spouse may have additional distribution options. An eligible designated beneficiary who is Plan Participant’s minor child ceases to retain the status upon reaching majority. Upon reaching majority the entire remaining balance of the Contract must be distributed by December 31 of the year in which occurs the tenth anniversary of the minor attaining majority.
A non-eligible individual designated beneficiary must distribute the entire balance of the Contract by December 31 of the year in which occurs the tenth anniversary of Plan Participant’s death. If the Plan Participant had reached his or her Required Beginning Date prior to death, proposed IRS regulations state that the designated beneficiary must continue taking distributions during the 10-year period at least as rapidly as under the method in effect at the date of death, and then any remaining balance must be distributed by December 31 of the year in which occurs the tenth anniversary of the Plan Participant’s death.
If the Plan Participant had not reached his or her Required Beginning Date as of his/her date of death and there is no designated beneficiary or Plan Participant’s beneficiary is not an individual, the entire balance of the Contract must be paid by December 31 of the year in which occurs the fifth anniversary of Plan Participant’s death. If the Plan Participant had attained his or her Required Beginning Date prior to death, distributions must continue at least as rapidly as under the method in effect at the date of death. A penalty tax of up to 25% will be imposed on the amount by which the required minimum distribution in any year exceeds the amount actually distributed in that year.
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Tax-Free Transfers and Rollovers. The Code provides for the tax-free exchange of one annuity contract for another annuity contract, and the IRS has ruled that total or partial amounts transferred between section 403(b) annuity contracts and/or 403(b)(7) custodial accounts may qualify as tax-free exchanges under certain circumstances. In addition, section 403(b) of the Code permits tax-free rollovers of eligible rollover distributions from section 403(b) programs to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and eligible retirement plans. If an eligible rollover distribution is taken as a direct rollover to an IRA or other eligible retirement plans the mandatory 20% income tax withholding does not apply. However, the 20% mandatory withholding requirement does apply to an eligible rollover distribution that is not made as a direct rollover. In addition, such an indirect rollover must be completed within 60 days of receipt of the distribution.
2.    457 Plans
Contributions. Under section 457 of the Code, there are three types of 457 plans: tax exempt 457(b), governmental 457(b) and 457(f) plans, Tax exempt 457(b) plans and 457(f) plans may only be established for a select group of management or highly compensated employees and/or independent contractors.
These plans allow individuals to defer the receipt of compensation which would otherwise be presently payable and to therefore defer the payment of Federal income taxes on the amounts. For 2024, participants in a tax exempt 457(b) or a governmental 457(b) may defer both employee and employer contributions up to the 402(g) limit, $23,000. Catch up contributions of $7,500 are also allowed for governmental 457(b) plan participants age 50 and older. Special catch-up contributions rules may also apply to tax exempt 457(b) plans. The amounts which are deferred may be used by the employer to purchase the Contract. The amounts in a tax exempt 457(b) plan and a 457(f) plan are owned by the employer and are subject to the claims of the employer’s creditors. The amounts which are deferred for a governmental 457(b) plan are held for the exclusive benefit of the participants and beneficiaries.
Taxation of Distributions. For a governmental 457(b) plan, the amounts are taxable to the participant in the year they are distributed. For a tax exempt 457(b), the amounts are taxable to the participant in the year they are paid or otherwise made available. Amounts otherwise made available may be deferred in certain circumstances. For a 457(f) plan, amounts are taxable to the participant at the time there is no substantial risk of forfeiture.
Distributions Before Severance from Employment. Distributions for tax exempt 457(b) plans and governmental 457(b) plans are not permitted until severance from employment except for unforeseeable emergencies, certain de minimis withdrawals and the calendar year in which participant reaches age 73. Distributions from 457(f) plans may be allowed at certain times as allowed by a plan document.
Required Distributions. The minimum distribution requirements for tax exempt 457(b) plans and governmental 457(b) plans are generally the same as for those for qualified plans and section 403(b) plans. There are no minimum distribution requirements for 457(f) plans.
Tax Free Transfers and Rollovers. Federal income tax law permits rollovers from governmental 457(b) plans to another eligible retirement plan or IRA. Federal tax law does not permit rollovers from tax exempt 457(b) plans or 457(f) plans to any other retirement plan or IRA. Federal tax law does permit the transfer from one tax exempt 457(b) plan to another.
3.    401(a) Plans
Contributions. Under Section 401(a) of the Code, payments made by employers to purchase annuity Contracts for their employees are excludable from the gross income of employees to the extent that the aggregate contributions do not exceed the limitations prescribed by section 402(g), and section 415 of the Code. This gross income exclusion applies to employer contributions and voluntary salary reduction contributions.
For 2024, an individual’s voluntary salary reduction contributions for a 401(k) plan are generally limited to $23,000. In addition, individuals age 50 and older may make a “catch-up” contribution of up to $7,500.
For 401(a) qualified plans, the maximum annual contribution that a member can receive is limited to the lesser of 100% of includible compensation or $69,000 (plus, if applicable, the $7,500 catch-up contribution).
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Taxation of Distributions. Distributions are restricted. These restrictions require that no distributions of employee elective salary deferrals will be permitted prior to one of the following events: (1) attainment of age 59½, (2) severance from employment, (3) death, (4) disability, (5) plan termination, or (6) for certain 401(a) Plans, hardship (hardship distributions will be limited to the amount of salary reduction contributions exclusive of earnings thereon). In-service distributions may be permitted under various circumstances in certain plans. Please consult with the terms of your plan to determine the applicable distribution restrictions.
To the extent distributions do not represent voluntary after-tax distributions, distributions from a section 401(a) Plan are taxed as ordinary income of the recipient in accordance with the Code. Distributions received before the recipient attains age 59 ½ generally are subject to a 10% penalty tax in addition to regular income tax. Certain distributions are excepted from this penalty tax, including distributions following (1) death, (2) disability, (3) separation from service during or after the year the Participant reaches age 55, (4) severance from employment at any age if the distribution is in the form of substantially equal periodic payments over the life (or life expectancy) of the Plan Participant (or the Plan Participant and Beneficiary), and distributions (5) to alternate payee pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, (6) made on account of certain levies on income or payments, (7) not in excess of tax deductible medical expenses, (8) qualified reservist distributions, (9) distribution for certain natural disaster victims or (10) a qualified birth or adoption distribution (not to exceed $5,000).
Required Distributions. Generally, a participants must commence taking required minimum distributions from their 403(b) not later than their “Required Beginning Date.” Generally, the Required Beginning Date for the first RMD is April 1st of the year following the later of (1) the calendar year in which the participant retires* and (2) the calendar year in which the participant reaches
70½ if you attained 70½ by December 31st, 2019
72 if you attained 72 by December 31st, 2022
73 if you attain age 72 on/after January 1st, 2023
75 if you attain age 74 after December 31st, 2032
*For participants who are 5% or greater owners the Required Beginning Date is determined without regard to whether the 5% or greater owner has retired.
Thereafter, the RMD is required no later than December 31 of each calendar year.
Following the death of the Plan Participant, the distribution requirements are generally the same as those described with respect to 403(b) Plans. A penalty tax of 25% will be imposed on the amount by which the minimum required distribution in any year exceeds the amount actually distributed in that year. Please consult with the terms of your plan to determine the applicable distribution requirements for your plan.
Tax-Free Transfers and Rollovers. The Code provides for the tax-free exchange of one annuity contract for another annuity contract. Distributions from a 401(a) Plan may also be transferred to an IRA or other eligible retirement plan. If an eligible rollover distribution is taken as a direct rollover to an IRA or other eligible retirement plans the mandatory 20% income tax withholding does not apply. However, the 20% mandatory withholding requirement does apply to an eligible rollover distribution that is not made as a direct rollover. In addition, such an indirect rollover must be completed within 60 days of receipt of the distribution.
4.    Creditor-Exempt Non-Qualified Plans
Certain employers may establish Creditor-Exempt Non-Qualified Plans. Under such Plans the employer formally funds the Plan either by purchasing an annuity contract or by transferring funds on behalf of Plan Participants to a trust established for the benefit of such Plan Participants with a direction to the trustee to use the funds to purchase an annuity contract.
The Trustee is the Contractholder and is considered the nominal owner of the Contract. Each Plan Participant as a Trust beneficiary is an Owner of Benefits under the Contract and is treated as the owner for income tax purposes.
Taxation of Contract Earnings. Since each Plan Participant for income tax purposes is considered the owner of the Investment Account or Accounts which correlate to such Participant, any increase in a Participant’s Investment Account Value resulting from the investment performance of the Contract is not taxable to the Plan Participant until received by such Plan Participant.
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Contributions. Payments made by the employer to the Trust on behalf of a Plan Participant are currently includible in the Plan Participant’s gross income as additional compensation and, if such payments coupled with the Plan Participant’s other compensation is reasonable in amount, such payments are currently deductible as compensation by the Employer.
Taxation of Distributions. In general, partial redemptions from an Investment Account that are not received by a Plan Participant as an annuity under the Contract allocated to post-August 13, 1982 Contributions under a preexisting Contract are taxed as ordinary income to the extent of the accumulated income or gain under the Contract. Partial redemptions from a contract that are allocated to pre-August 14, 1982 Contributions under a preexisting Contract are taxed only after the Plan Participant has received all of the “investment in the contract” (Contributions less any amounts previously received and excluded from gross income).
In the case of a complete redemption of an Investment Account under the Contract (regardless of the date of purchase), the amount received will be taxed as ordinary income to the extent that it exceeds the Plan Participant’s investment in the contract.
If a Plan Participant purchases two or more contracts from the Company (or an affiliated company) within any calendar year after October 21, 1988, those contracts are treated as a single contract for purposes of measuring the income on a partial redemption or complete surrender.
When payments are received as an annuity, the Plan Participant’s investment in the Contract is treated as received ratably over the expected payment period of the annuity and excluded from gross income as a tax-free return of capital. Individuals who commence receiving annuity payments on or after January 1, 1987, can exclude from income only their unrecovered investment in the Contract. Where such individuals die before they have recovered their entire investment in the contract on a tax-free basis, they may be entitled to a deduction of the unrecovered amount on their final tax return.
In addition to regular income taxes, there is a 10% penalty tax on the taxable portion of a distribution received before the Plan Participant attains age 59½ under the Contract, unless the distribution is; (1) made to a Beneficiary on or after death of the Plan Participant, (2) made upon the disability of the Plan Participant; (3) part of a series of substantially equal periodic payments for the life or life expectancy of the Plan Participant or the Plan Participant and Beneficiary; (4) made under an immediate annuity contract, or (5) allocable to Contributions made prior to August 14, 1982.
Required Distributions. The Code does not require a Plan Participant under a Creditor-Exempt Non-Qualified Plan to commence receiving distributions at any particular time and does not limit the duration of annuity payments. However, upon the death of the Plan Participant prior to the commencement of annuity payments, the amount accumulated under the Contract must be fully distributed within five years or, if distributions to a designated beneficiary under the Contract commence within one year of the Plan Participant’s death, distributions are permitted over the life of the beneficiary or over a period not extending beyond the beneficiary’s life expectancy. If the Plan Participant has commenced receiving annuity distributions prior to the Plan Participant’s death, distributions must continue at least as rapidly as under the method in effect at the date of death.
Tax-Free Exchanges. Under Section 1035 of the Code, the exchange of one annuity contract for another is not a taxable transaction if the same owner is on each contract in the exchange, but is reportable to the IRS. Transferring Investment Account Values from this contract to a Companion Contract would fall within the provisions of Section 1035 of the Code.
5.    General Creditor Non-Qualified Plans
Contributions. Private taxable employers may establish informally financed, General Creditor Non-Qualified Plans for a select group of management or highly compensated employees and/or independent contractors. Certain arrangements of nonprofit employers entered into prior to August 16, 1989, and not subsequently modified, are subject to the rules discussed below.
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Informally financed General Creditor Non-Qualified Plans represent a bare contractual promise on the part of the employer to pay wages at some future time. The Contract used to informally finance the employer’s obligation is owned by the employer and is subject to the claims of the employer’s creditors. The Plan Participant has no present right or vested interest in the Contract and is only entitled to payment in accordance with Plan provisions. If the Employer who is the Contractholder is not a natural person, the Contract does not receive tax-deferred treatment afforded other Contractholders under the Code.
Taxation of Distributions. Amounts received by an individual from a General Creditor Non-Qualified Plan are includible in the employee’s gross income for the taxable year in which such amounts are paid or otherwise made available. Such amounts are deductible by the employer when made taxable to the individual.
B.    Fund Diversification
Separate Account investments must be adequately diversified in order for the increase in the value of Creditor-Exempt Non-Qualified Contracts to receive tax-deferred treatment. In order to be adequately diversified, the portfolio of each underlying mutual fund must, as of the end of each calendar quarter or within 30 days thereafter, have no more than 55% of its assets invested in any one investment, 70% in any two investments, 80% in any three investments and 90% in any four investments. Failure of an underlying mutual fund to meet the diversification requirements could result in tax liability to Creditor-Exempt Non-Qualified Contractholders.
The investment opportunities of the mutual fund could conceivably be limited by adhering to the above diversification requirements. This would affect all Contractholders, including those owners of Contracts for whom diversification is not a requirement for tax-deferred treatment.
15. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
There are no legal proceedings pending for which the following would be adversely affected in a material way: Separate Account B; the Company; or the principal underwriter.
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16. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial statements of Principal Life Insurance Company that are included in the SAI should be considered only as they relate to our ability to meet our obligations under the Contract. They do not relate to the investment performance of the assets held in Separate Account B.
17. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONTRACT
The Contract
The entire Contract is made up of the Contract, amendments, riders and endorsements. Only the Company’s corporate officers can agree to change or waive any provisions of a Contract. Any change or waiver must be in writing and signed by an officer of the Company.
The terms of a Contract may be changed at any time by written agreement between the Company and the contractholder without the consent of any plan participant, owner of benefits, beneficiary, or contingent annuitant. However, except as required by law or regulation, no such change shall apply to variable annuities that were in the course of payment prior to the effective date of the change. The Company will notify any contractholder affected by any change under this paragraph.
The Company may unilaterally change the Contract at any time, including retroactive changes, in order to meet the requirements of any law or regulation issued by any governmental agency to which the Company is subject. In addition, the Company may, on 60-days prior notice to the contractholder, unilaterally change the basis for determining investment account values, the net investment factors, the annuity purchase rates and the annuity change factors; the guaranteed annuity conversion rates; the provisions with respect to transfers to or from a companion contract or between investment accounts; and the Contract administration expense/recordkeeping charge.
However, no amendment or change will apply to annuities in the course of payment except to the extent necessary to meet the requirements of any law or regulation issued by any governmental agency to which the Company is subject. In addition, no change on the guaranteed annuity conversion rates will be effective for any current plan participant if the effect of such amendment or change would be less favorable to the owner of benefits. Also, any change in the Contract administration expense/recordkeeping charge will not take effect as to any investment accounts to be transferred to an alternate funding agent if, prior to the date of the amendment or change is to take effect, the Company receives a written request from the contractholder for payment of all such investment account values to the alternate funding agent and such request is not revoked.
Furthermore, the Company may, on 60-days notice to the contractholder, unilaterally change the mortality and expense risks charge provided that (a) the charge shall in no event exceed 1.25%, (b) the charge shall not be changed more frequently than once in any one year period and (c) no change shall apply to annuities that were in the course of payment prior to the effective date of the change.
Delay of Payments
Withdrawals are generally disbursed within seven calendar days after we receive the owner of benefits’ notification for a withdrawal in a form acceptable to us. This period may be shorter where required by law. However, payment of any amount after notification of a withdrawal request, death, annuity payments or the transfer to or from a division may be deferred during any period when the right to sell mutual fund shares is suspended as permitted under provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (as amended).
The right to sell shares may be suspended during any period when:
trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the SEC or when the NYSE is closed for other than weekends and holidays; or
an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, as a result of which:
disposal by a mutual fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable;
it is not reasonably practicable for a mutual fund to fairly determine the value of its net assets; or
the SEC permits suspension for the protection of security holders.
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If payments are delayed, the withdrawal or transfer will be processed on the first valuation date following the expiration of the permitted delay unless we receive your written instructions to cancel the withdrawal or transfer. The written instruction must be received in the home office prior to the expiration of the permitted delay. The transaction will be completed within seven business days following the expiration of a permitted delay. The Company will notify the contractholder of any delay exceeding 30 days.
Assignment
No benefits in the course of payment under a Contract used to fund a TDA Plan, 401(a) Plan, governmental 457(b) Plan or creditor-exempt non-qualified plan are assignable by any owner of benefits, plan participant, beneficiary or contingent annuitant and all such benefits under such Contracts, shall be exempt from the claims of creditors to the maximum extent permitted by law. Benefits in the course of payment for Contracts used to fund tax exempt 457(b) Plans, 457(f) Plans and general creditor non-qualified plans are assignable only by the contractholder and such benefits are subject to the claims of the contractholder’s general creditors.
Investment account values that correlate to a plan participant are non-forfeitable by the owner of benefits; provided, however, if the plan specifically so provides, investment account values that correlate to a plan participant shall be reduced to the extent required by the vesting provisions of the plan as of the date the Company receives notification of the event requiring the reduction.
Telephone and Internet Services
If the owner of benefits elects telephone services, instructions for the following transactions may be given to us via the telephone:
make contribution allocation changes; and
make transfers between investment accounts.
Neither the Company nor Separate Account B is responsible for the authenticity of telephone service (or internet, if applicable) transaction requests. We reserve the right to refuse telephone service or internet transaction requests. The owner of benefits is liable for a loss resulting from a fraudulent telephone (or internet, if applicable) order that we reasonably believe is genuine. We follow procedures in an attempt to assure genuine telephone service and internet transactions. If these procedures are not followed, we may be liable for loss caused by unauthorized or fraudulent transactions. The procedures may include recording telephone service transactions, requesting personal identification (for example, name, address, security phrase, password, daytime telephone number, or birth date) and sending written confirmation to the owner of benefits’ address of record.
Instructions received via our telephone services and/or the internet are binding on the owner of benefits.
We reserve the right to modify or terminate telephone service (or internet, if applicable) transaction procedures at any time. Whenever reasonably feasible, we will provide the contractholder with prior notice (by mail or by email, if previously authorized) if we modify or terminate telephone service transaction procedures. In some instances, it may not be reasonably feasible to provide prior notice if we modify or terminate telephone service transaction procedures; however, any modification or termination will apply to all contractholders and owners of benefits in a non-discriminatory fashion.
If the owner of benefits elects telephone privileges, instructions:
may be given by calling us at 1-800-547-7754 while we are open for business (generally, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern Time on any day that the NYSE is open).
that are in good order and received by us before the close of a valuation period will receive the price next determined (the value as of the close of that valuation period).
that are in good order and received by us after the close of a valuation period will receive the price next determined (the value as of the close of the next valuation period).
Plan participants may obtain daily account information, investment information and counselor assistance by calling the toll free number.
Important Information About Customer Identification Procedures
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who applies for a Contract. When you apply for a Contract, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to verify your identity. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents.
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If concerns arise with verification of your identification, no transactions will be permitted while we attempt to reconcile the concerns. If we are unable to verify your identity within 30 days of our receipt of an original purchase, the Contract will be terminated and any value redeemed in accordance with normal redemption procedures. We will not suspend an owner of benefits’ right of full redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption except as permitted by Section 22(e) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 or as amended.
We do not knowingly sell annuities that are for the benefit of a business/organization that is illegal under federal and/or State law (such as a marijuana clinic), or a person who owns or receives income from such an entity or whose source of funds is illegal.
Performance Calculation
The Separate Account may publish advertisements containing information (including graphs, charts, tables and examples) about the hypothetical performance of its divisions for this Contract as if the Contract had been issued on or after the date the underlying mutual fund in which the division invests was first offered. The hypothetical performance from the date of the inception of the underlying mutual fund in which the division invests is calculated by reducing the actual performance of the underlying mutual fund by the fees and charges of this Contract as if it had been in existence.
The yield and total return figures described below vary depending upon market conditions, composition of the underlying mutual fund’s portfolios and operating expenses. These factors and possible differences in the methods used in calculating yield and total return should be considered when comparing the Separate Account performance figures to performance figures published for other investment vehicles. The Separate Account may also quote rankings, yields or returns as published by independent statistical services or publishers and information regarding performance of certain market indices. Any performance data quoted for the Separate Account represents only historical performance and is not intended to indicate future performance. For further information on how the Separate Account calculates yield and total return figures, see the SAI.
From time to time Separate Account B advertises its Money Market division’s “yield” and “effective yield” for these Contracts. Both yield figures are based on historical earnings and are not intended to indicate future performance. The “yield” of the division refers to the income generated by an investment in the division over a 7-day period (which period is stated in the advertisement). This income is then “annualized.” That is, the amount of income generated by the investment during that week is assumed to be generated each week over a 52-week period and is shown as a percentage of the investment. The “effective yield” is calculated similarly but, when annualized, the income earned by an investment in the division is assumed to be reinvested. The “effective yield” is slightly higher than the “yield” because of the compounding effect of the assumed reinvestment.
Separate Account B also advertises the average annual total return of its various divisions. The average annual total return for any of the divisions is computed by calculating the average annual compounded rate of return over the stated period that would equate an initial $1,000 investment to the ending redeemable value.
The Underlying Mutual Funds
The underlying mutual funds are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as open-end investment management companies. The underlying mutual funds provide the investment vehicles for the Separate Account.
We purchase and sell shares of the underlying mutual fund for Separate Account B at their net asset value. Shares represent interests in the underlying mutual fund available for investment by Separate Account B. Each underlying mutual fund corresponds to one of the divisions. The assets of each division are separate from the others. A division’s performance has no effect on the investment performance of any other division.
The underlying mutual funds are NOT available to the general public directly. The underlying mutual funds are available only as investment options in variable life insurance policies and/or variable annuity contracts issued by life insurance companies and qualified plans. Some of the underlying mutual funds have been established by investment advisers that manage publicly available mutual funds having similar names and investment objectives. While some of the underlying mutual funds may be similar to, and may in fact be modeled after, publicly available mutual funds, you should understand that the underlying mutual funds are not otherwise directly related to any publicly available mutual fund. Consequently, the investment performance of any underlying mutual fund may differ substantially from the investment performance of a publicly available mutual fund.
37


Legal Opinions
Legal matters applicable to the issue and sale of the Contract, including our right to issue the Contract under Iowa Insurance Law, have been passed upon by Doug Hodgson, Counsel.
Other Variable Annuity Contracts
The Company currently offers other variable annuity contracts that participate in Separate Account B. In the future, we may designate additional group or individual variable annuity contracts as participating in Separate Account B.
Householding
To avoid sending duplicate copies of materials to owners, only one copy of the applicable prospectus will be mailed to contractholders having the same name and address on our records. The consolidation of these mailings, called householding, benefits us through reduced mailing expense. If you want to receive multiple copies of these materials, you may call us at 1-800-852-4450. You may also notify us in writing. Individual copies of prospectuses will be sent to you within thirty (30) days after we receive your request to stop householding.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Company pays compensation to broker-dealers, financial institutions, and other parties (“Financial Intermediaries”) for the sale of the Contract according to schedules in the sales agreements and other agreements reached between the Company and the Financial Intermediaries. Such compensation generally consists of commissions on purchase payments made on the Contract.
Conflicts of Interest Related to Underlying Mutual Funds
Compensation and Underlying Mutual Fund Selection
When selecting the underlying mutual funds, we consider each such fund’s investment strategy, asset class, manager’s reputation, and performance. We also consider the amount of compensation that we receive from the underlying mutual funds, their advisers, sub-advisers, or their distributors, which can be significant. Additionally, we offer certain underlying mutual funds at least in part because they are managed by an affiliate.
Compensation We Receive from Underlying Mutual Funds
The Company and certain of our affiliates receive compensation from certain underlying mutual funds pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. This compensation is paid out of an underlying mutual fund’s assets and is as much as 0.25% of the average net assets of an underlying mutual fund that are attributable to the variable insurance products issued by us and our affiliates that offer the particular fund (the Company’s variable contracts). An investment in an underlying mutual fund with a 12b-1 fee will increase the cost of your investment.
Compensation We Receive from Underlying Mutual Fund Advisors
We and certain of our affiliates also receive compensation from the advisers and sub-advisers to some of the underlying mutual funds. We use this compensation for such purposes as paying expenses that we incur in promoting, issuing, distributing and administering the Contract and providing services on behalf of the underlying mutual funds in our role as intermediary. Some advisers and sub-advisers pay us more than others; some advisers and sub-advisers do not pay us any such compensation. Such compensation is not reflected in an underlying mutual fund's expenses in cases where it is not paid directly out of such fund’s assets or, if it is derived, in whole or in part, from the advisory fee deducted from fund assets. Owners, through their indirect investment in the underlying mutual funds, bear the costs of these advisory fees.
Other Conflicts of Interest
The underlying mutual funds are available to registered separate accounts offering variable annuity and variable life products of other affiliated and unaffiliated insurance companies, as well as to the separate account and other separate accounts of the Company. Although we do not anticipate any disadvantages to these arrangements, it is possible that a material conflict may arise between the interests of the separate account and one or more of the other separate accounts participating in the underlying mutual funds. A conflict may occur, for example, as a result of a change in law affecting the operations of variable life and variable annuity separate accounts, differences in the voting instructions of the owners and payees and those of other insurance companies, or some other reason. In the event of a conflict of interest, we will take steps necessary to protect owners and payees, including withdrawing the Separate Account from participation in the underlying mutual funds involved in the conflict or substituting shares of other funds.
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Mutual Fund Diversification
The United States Treasury Department has adopted regulations under Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code which establish standards of diversification for the investments underlying mutual funds available under this Contract. Separate account investments must be adequately diversified in order for the increase in the value of creditor-exempt non-qualified contracts to receive tax-deferred treatment. In order to be adequately diversified, the portfolio of each underlying mutual fund must, as of the end of each calendar quarter or within 30 days thereafter, have no more than 55% of its assets invested in any one investment, 70% in any two investments, 80% in any three investments and 90% in any four investments. Failure of an underlying mutual fund to meet the diversification requirements could result in tax liability to creditor-exempt non-qualified contract holders.
The investment opportunities of the underlying mutual funds could conceivably be limited by adhering to the above diversification requirements. This would affect all contractholders, including those of contracts for which diversification is not a requirement for tax-deferred treatment.
State Regulation
The Company is subject to the laws of the State of Iowa governing insurance companies and to regulation by the Iowa Insurance Division. An annual statement in a prescribed form must be filed by March 1 in each year covering our operations for the preceding year and our financial condition on December 31 of the prior contract year. Our books and assets are subject to examination by the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Iowa, or the Commissioner’s representatives, at all times. A full examination of our operations is conducted periodically by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Iowa law and regulations also prescribe permissible investments, but this does not involve supervision of the investment management or policy of the Company.
In addition, we are subject to the insurance laws and regulations of other states and jurisdictions where we are licensed to operate. Generally, the insurance departments of these states and jurisdictions apply the laws of the state of domicile in determining the field of permissible investments.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The financial statements of Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B and the consolidated financial statements of Principal Life Insurance Company are included in the SAI. Those statements have been audited by Ernst & Young, LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, 801 Grand Avenue, Suite 3100, Des Moines, IA 50309, for the periods indicated in their reports that also appear in the SAI.
Surplus Distribution at Sole Discretion of the Company
It is not anticipated that any divisible surplus will ever be distributable to the Contract in the future because the Contract is not expected to result in a contribution to the divisible surplus of the Company. However, if any distribution of divisible surplus is made, it will be made to investment accounts in the form of additional units.
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18. REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND SAI

This prospectus (Part A of the registration statement) omits some information contained in the Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) (Part B of the registration statement) and Part C of the registration statement, which the Company has filed with the SEC. The SAI is hereby incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
The SAI includes additional information about the Company and is available, without charge, upon request. To obtain a copy of the SAI free of charge, contact your financial professional or write or telephone:

Principal Securities, Inc.
a company of
the Principal Financial Group
Des Moines, IA 50392-2080
Telephone: 1-800-852-4450

You also may obtain a free copy of the SAI by writing to Personal Variable Annuity, Principal Financial Group, P.O. Box 9382, Des Moines, Iowa 50306-9382. The SAI and other information also are available on the Company’s website (www.principal.com) or by email request (annuityinternet@principal.com). You can also visit the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, which contains the SAI and other reports. Lastly, copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following email address: publicinfo@sec.gov.


























The name of the Contract is Personal Variable Annuity. The registration numbers for the Contract are 033-44565 and 811-02091.
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APPENDIX A
INVESTMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACT

The following is a list of investment options available under the Contract. To obtain underlying mutual fund statutory and summary prospectuses, you can visit www.principal.com/personalVAReport, call 1-800-852-4450, or send a request to annuityinternet@principal.com.
The expense and performance information below reflects fees and expenses of the underlying mutual funds but does not reflect the other fees and expenses that your Contract may charge. Expenses would be higher and performance would be lower if these charges were included. Each underlying mutual fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of future performance.
Type
Portfolio

Advisor/Sub-advisor
Current Expenses (Net)
Average Annual Total Returns
(as of 12/31/23)
1 year
5 year
10 year
Asset Allocation
Principal VCF Diversified Balanced Account (1) – Class 1

Principal Global Investors, LLC
0.23%14.17%7.63%6.03%
Foreign Large BlendPrincipal VCF Diversified International Account – Class 1

Principal Global Investors, LLC
0.89%17.45%8.01%4.23%
Intermediate GovernmentPrincipal VCF Government & High Quality Bond Account – Class 1

Principal Global Investors, LLC
0.53%4.64%(0.06)%1.01%
Intermediate-Term BondPrincipal VCF Core Plus Bond Account – Class 1

Principal Global Investors, LLC
0.50%5.34%1.61%2.01%
Large Growth
Principal VCF LargeCap Growth Account I (4) – Class 1

Principal Global Investors, LLC/Brown Advisory, LLC & T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.
0.69%40.34%15.66%13.01%
Large ValuePrincipal VCF Equity Income Account – Class 1

Principal Global Investors, LLC
0.49%11.22%10.87%9.22%
Mid-Cap Growth
Principal VCF MidCap Account (3) – Class 1

Principal Global Investors, LLC
0.55%26.08%15.60%11.87%
Money Market
Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio (2) – Initial Class

Fidelity Management & Research Company
0.27%4.89%1.72%1.11%
(1)     This underlying mutual fund is a fund of funds. The fund of funds expenses may be higher than other fund types because the expenses of the selected fund include the expenses of the funds it holds.
(2)     All references to the Money Market Division in this prospectus will mean the Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Division.
(3)     Effective August 16, 2013, the MidCap account is no longer available to customers with an application signature date on or after August 16, 2013. Beginning June 6, 2020, available to all investors regardless of application date.
(4)     This reflects an expense reimbursement and/or fee waiver arrangement that is in place and reported in the underlying mutual fund’s registration statement. This agreement may be terminated in the future and, therefore, the expense figures shown reflect temporary fee reductions.
Appendix A - Investment Options Available    41
Under the Contract
 

PART B

PRINCIPAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
(the “Depositor”)

PRINCIPAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY SEPARATE ACCOUNT B
(the “Registrant”)

PERSONAL VARIABLE ANNUITY

(A Group Variable Annuity Contract for Employer Sponsored

Qualified and Non-Qualified Retirement Plans)

Statement of Additional Information

dated May 1, 2024

This Statement of Additional Information provides information about Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B Personal Variable Annuity - Group Variable Annuity Contracts (the “Contract” or the “Contracts”) in addition to the information that is contained in the Contract’s Prospectus, dated May 1, 2024.

This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the prospectus, a copy of which can be obtained free of charge by writing or telephoning:

Principal Securities, Inc.
a company of
the Principal Financial Group
Des Moines Iowa 50392-2080
Telephone: 1-800-633-1373




TABLE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
UNDERWRITING COMMISSIONS
CALCULATION OF PERFORMANCE DATA
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
APPENDIX A - Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account BA-1
APPENDIX B - Principal Life Insurance CompanyB-1

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GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY
The Company is a stock life insurance company with its home office at: Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, Iowa 50392. It is authorized to transact life and annuity business in all states of the United States and the District of Columbia. The Company is a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Principal Financial Group, Inc., a publicly-traded company.
On June 24, 1879, the Company was incorporated under Iowa law as a mutual assessment life insurance company named Bankers Life Association. The Company became a legal reserve life insurance company and changed its name to Bankers Life Company in 1911. In 1986, the Company changed its name to Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company. In 1998, the Company became Principal Life Insurance Company, a subsidiary stock life insurance company of Principal Mutual Holding Company, as part of a reorganization into a mutual insurance holding company structure. In 2001, Principal Mutual Holding Company converted to a stock company through a process called demutualization, resulting in the current organizational structure.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Ernst & Young LLP, 801 Grand Avenue, Suite 3100, Des Moines, Iowa 50309, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B and the Principal Life Insurance Company.
UNDERWRITING COMMISSIONS
Aggregate dollar amount of underwriting commissions paid to and retained by Principal Securities, Inc. ("PSI") for the Separate Account B Personal Variable Annuity contracts:
YearPaid ToRetained by
2023$0
2022$0
2021$0

CALCULATION OF PERFORMANCE DATA
The Separate Account may publish advertisements containing information (including graphs, charts, tables and examples) about the performance of one or more of its Divisions. The Contract was not offered prior to July 15, 1992. Certain of the underlying funds were offered prior to the date the Contract was available. Thus, the Separate Account may publish advertisements containing information about the hypothetical performance of one or more of its divisions for this Contract as the Contract was issued on or after the date the underlying mutual fund was first offered. The hypothetical performance from the date of inception of the underlying mutual fund in which the division invests is derived by reducing the actual performance of the underlying mutual fund by the highest level of fees and charges of the Contract as if it had been in existence.
In addition, as certain of the underlying mutual funds have added classes since the inception of the fund, performance may be shown for periods prior to the inception date of the new class which represents the historical results of initial class shares and do not include the effects of the subsequent class’ annual fees and expenses. The yield and total return figures described below will vary depending upon market conditions, the composition of the underlying Account’s portfolios and operating expenses. These factors and possible differences in the methods used in calculating yield and total return should be considered when comparing the Separate Account performance figures to performance figures published for other investment vehicles. The Separate Account may also quote rankings, yields or returns as published by independent statistical services or publishers and information regarding performance of certain market indices. Any performance data quoted for the Separate Account represents only historical performance and is not intended to indicate future performance.
From time to time the Account advertises its Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Division’s “yield” and “effective yield” for these Contracts. Both yield figures are based on historical earnings and are not intended to indicate future performance. The “yield” of the Division refers to the income generated by an investment under the contract in the Division over a seven-day period (which period will be stated in the advertisement).
3


This income is then “annualized.” That is, the amount of income generated by the investment during that week is assumed to be generated each week over a 52-week period and is shown as a percentage of the investment. The “effective yield” is calculated similarly but, when annualized, the income earned by an investment in the division is assumed to be reinvested. The “effective yield” will be slightly higher than the “yield” because of the compounding effect of this assumed reinvestment. Neither yield quotation reflects sales load deducted from purchase payments that, if included, would reduce the “yield” and “effective yield.” For the period ended December 31, 2023, the 7-day annualized and effective yields of the Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Division were 3.96% and 4.04%, respectively.
From time to time, the Separate Account will advertise the average annual total return of its various divisions for these Contracts. The average annual total return for any of the divisions is computed by calculating the average annual compounded rate of return over the stated period that would equate an initial $1,000 investment to the ending redeemable contract value. In this calculation the ending value is reduced by a contingent deferred sales charge that decreases from 5% to 0% over a period of 7 years. The Separate Account may also advertise total return figures of its Divisions for a specified period that does not take into account the sales charge in order to illustrate the change in the Division’s unit value over time. See “Deductions Under the Contract” for a discussion of contingent deferred sales charges.
Assuming the Contract had been offered as of the dates indicated in the table below, the hypothetical average annual total returns for the periods ending December 31, 2023 are:
With Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
Effective DateOne YearFive YearsTen YearsSince Inception
Core Plus Bond12/18/1987-1.06%0.10%0.95%
Diversified Balanced05/26/20177.30%6.12%5.00%
Diversified International05/02/199410.37%6.49%3.16%
Equity Income04/28/19984.49%9.34%7.97%
Fidelity Government Money Market04/01/1982-1.45%0.18%0.00%
Government & High Quality Bond05/06/1993-1.76%-1.59%-0.07%
LargeCap Growth I06/01/199433.94%14.36%12.01%
MidCap12/18/198718.53%14.07%10.86%
Without Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
Effective DateOne YearFive YearsTen YearsSince Inception
Core Plus Bond12/18/19874.14%0.50%0.95%
Diversified Balanced05/26/201712.95%6.55%5.08%
Diversified International05/02/199416.18%6.92%3.16%
Equity Income04/28/19989.98%9.79%7.97%
Fidelity Government Money Market04/01/19823.74%0.59%0.00%
Government & High Quality Bond05/06/19933.41%-1.19%-0.07%
LargeCap Growth I06/01/199438.94%14.59%12.01%
MidCap12/18/198724.77%14.53%10.86%

4


FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

APPENDIX A - Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B Financials

A-1
 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors of Principal Life Insurance Company and Contract Owners of Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B

Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities of each of the subaccounts listed in the Appendix that comprise Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B (the “Separate Account”), as of December 31, 2023, the related statements of operations and the statements of changes in net assets for each of the periods indicated in the Appendix, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each subaccount as of December 31, 2023, the results of its operations and changes in its net assets for each of the periods indicated in the Appendix, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Separate Account’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on each of the subaccounts’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Separate Account in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of December 31, 2023, by correspondence with the fund companies or their transfer agents, as applicable. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
We have served as the Separate Account’s auditor since 1970.
Des Moines, Iowa
April 10, 2024

A-2


Appendix:
Subaccounts comprising Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B
Sub AccountStatement of operationsStatements of changes in net assets
AllianceBernstein VPS Discovery Value Portfolio – Class A (1)
AllianceBernstein VPS Small Cap Growth Portfolio – Class A
Alps Global Opportunity Portfolio – Class III (2)
American Century VP Capital Appreciation Fund – Class I
American Century VP Disciplined Core Value Fund – Class I
American Century VP Inflation Protection Fund – Class II
American Century VP Mid Cap Value Fund – Class II
American Century VP Ultra Fund – Class I
American Century VP Ultra Fund – Class II
American Century VP Value Fund – Class II
American Funds Insurance Series - American High-Income Trust Fund – Class 2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund – Class 2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund – Class 4 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund – Class 2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund – Class 4 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk Asset Allocation Fund – Class P2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk Growth Fund – Class P2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk International Fund – Class P2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - New World Fund – Class 2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - New World Fund – Class 4 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund – Class 2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund – Class 4 Shares
BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocations ETF V.I. Fund – Class III
BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap V.I. Fund – Class III
BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund – Class III
Blue Chip Account – Class 3
BNY Mellon IP MidCap Stock Portfolio – Service Shares
BNY Mellon IP Technology Growth Portfolio – Service Shares
Calvert VP EAFE International Index Portfolio – Class F
Calvert VP Investment Grade Bond Index Portfolio – Class F
Calvert VP Russell 2000 Small Cap Index Portfolio – Class F
Calvert VP S&P MidCap 400 Index Portfolio – Class F
Clearbridge Variable Small Cap Growth Portfolio – Class II Shares
Columbia VP - Limited Duration Credit Fund – Class 2
Columbia VP - Small Cap Value Fund – Class 2
Core Plus Bond Account – Class 1
For the year ended December 31, 2023For each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2023
A-3


Delaware VIP Small Cap Value Series – Service Class
Diversified Balanced Account – Class 1
Diversified Balanced Account – Class 2
Diversified Balanced Managed Volatility Account – Class 2
Diversified Balanced Volatility Control Account – Class 2
Diversified Growth Account – Class 2
Diversified Growth Managed Volatility Account – Class 2
Diversified Growth Volatility Control Account – Class 2
Diversified Income Account – Class 2
Diversified International Account – Class 1
DWS Alternative Asset Allocation VIP – Class B
DWS Equity 500 Index VIP – Class B2
DWS Small Mid Cap Value VIP – Class B
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Convertible Securities Portfolio – Class IB
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT GAMCO Small Company Value Portfolio – Class IB
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Micro Cap Portfolio – Class IB
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT SmartBeta Equity ESG Portfolio – Class IB
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Socially Responsible Portfolio – Class IB
Equity Income Account – Class 1
Equity Income Account – Class 2
Fidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio – Service Class
Fidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio – Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio – Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2020 Portfolio – Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2030 Portfolio – Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2040 Portfolio – Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2050 Portfolio – Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio – Initial Class
Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio – Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio – Service Class
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio – Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Portfolio – Service Class
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Portfolio – Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Overseas Portfolio – Service Class 2
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Global Real Estate VIP Fund – Class 2
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Income VIP Fund – Class 4
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Rising Dividends VIP Fund – Class 4
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Small Cap Value VIP Fund – Class 2
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin U.S. Government Securities VIP Fund – Class 2
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Global Bond VIP Fund – Class 4
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Growth VIP Fund – Class 2
A-4


Global Emerging Markets Account – Class 1
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value Fund – Institutional Shares
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value Fund – Service Shares
Goldman Sachs VIT - Multi-Strategy Alternatives Portfolio – Service Shares
Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund – Institutional Shares
Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund – Service Shares
Government & High Quality Bond Account – Class 1
Guggenheim Investments VIF Global Managed Futures Strategy Fund
Guggenheim Investments VIF Long Short Equity Fund
Guggenheim Investments VIF Multi-Hedge Strategies Fund
Guggenheim Investments VIF Series F (Guggenheim Floating Rate Strategies Series)
Invesco V.I. American Franchise Fund – Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. American Value Fund – Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Balanced-Risk Allocation Fund – Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Core Equity Fund – Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Discovery Mid Cap Growth Fund – Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity Fund – Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity Fund – Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Health Care Fund – Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Health Care Fund – Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Main Street Small Cap Fund – Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Small Cap Equity Fund – Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Technology Fund – Series I Shares
Janus Henderson Series Balanced Portfolio – Service Shares
Janus Henderson Series Enterprise Portfolio – Service Shares
Janus Henderson Series Flexible Bond Portfolio – Service Shares
Janus Henderson Series Global Technology and Innovation Portfolio – Service Shares
LargeCap Growth Account I – Class 1
LargeCap S&P 500 Index Account – Class 1
LargeCap S&P 500 Index Account – Class 2
MFS® International Intrinsic Value Portfolio – Service Class
MFS® New Discovery Series – Service Class
MFS® Utilities Series – Service Class
MFS® Value Series – Service Class
MidCap Account – Class 1
MidCap Account – Class 2
Neuberger Berman AMT Mid Cap Growth Portfolio – Class S
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity Portfolio – I Class Shares
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity Portfolio – S Class Shares
PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio – Administrative Class
PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio – Advisor Class
PIMCO VIT CommodityRealReturn® Strategy Portfolio – M Class
PIMCO VIT Emerging Markets Bond Portfolio – Administrative Class
PIMCO VIT High Yield Portfolio – Administrative Class
PIMCO VIT Low Duration Portfolio – Advisor Class
PIMCO VIT Total Return Portfolio – Administrative Class
A-5


Principal Capital Appreciation Account – Class 1
Principal Capital Appreciation Account – Class 2
Principal LifeTime 2020 Account – Class 1
Principal LifeTime 2030 Account – Class 1
Principal LifeTime 2040 Account – Class 1
Principal LifeTime 2050 Account – Class 1
Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Account – Class 1
Real Estate Securities Account – Class 1
Real Estate Securities Account – Class 2
Rydex VI Basic Materials Fund
Rydex VI Commodities Strategy Fund
Rydex VI NASDAQ 100 Fund
SAM Balanced Portfolio – Class 1
SAM Balanced Portfolio – Class 2
SAM Conservative Balanced Portfolio – Class 1
SAM Conservative Balanced Portfolio – Class 2
SAM Conservative Growth Portfolio – Class 1
SAM Conservative Growth Portfolio – Class 2
SAM Flexible Income Portfolio – Class 1
SAM Flexible Income Portfolio – Class 2
SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio – Class 1
SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio – Class 2
Short-Term Income Account – Class 1
SmallCap Account – Class 1
SmallCap Account – Class 2
T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth Portfolio – II
T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Portfolio – II
The Merger Fund VL
TOPS® Aggressive Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
TOPS® Balanced ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
TOPS® Conservative ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
TOPS® Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
TOPS® Moderate Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
VanEck VIP Trust Global Resources Fund – Class S Shares
Calvert VP Nasdaq 100 Index Portfolio – Class F
Fidelity VIP Energy Portfolio – Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Health Care Portfolio – Service Class 2
Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity Portfolio – Service Shares
VanEck VIP Trust Global Gold Fund – Class S Shares
For the year ended December 31, 2023For the year ended December 31, 2023 and for the period from June 6, 2022 (date fund made available) through December 31, 2022
U.S. LargeCap Buffer July Account – Class 2For the year ended December 31, 2023For the year ended December 31, 2023 and for the period from June 29, 2022 (date fund made available) through December 31, 2022
A-6


U.S. LargeCap Buffer October Account – Class 2 For the year ended December 31, 2023For the year ended December 31, 2023 and for the period from September 29, 2022 (date fund made available) through December 31, 2022
U.S. LargeCap Buffer January Account – Class 2 For the year ended December 31, 2023For the year ended December 31, 2023 and for the period from December 29, 2022 (date fund made available) through December 31, 2022
U.S. LargeCap Buffer April Account – Class 2For the period from March 30, 2023 (date fund made available) through December 31, 2023
(1)Represented the operations of AllianceBernstein VPS Small/Mid Cap Value Portfolio - Class A until June 3, 2023.
(2)Represented the operations of Alps/Red Rocks Global Opportunity Portfolio Class III until June 3, 2023.


A-7


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

AllianceBernstein VPS Discovery Value Portfolio - Class AAllianceBernstein VPS Small Cap Growth
Portfolio - Class A
Alps Global Opportunity Portfolio - Class IIIAmerican Century VP Capital Appreciation Fund - Class I
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value$3,120,311 $2,661,994 $836,521 $1,125,593 
Total assets3,120,311 2,661,994 836,521 1,125,593 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$3,120,311 $2,661,994 $836,521 $1,125,593 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$3,120,311 $2,661,994 $836,521 $1,125,593 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$3,120,311 $2,661,994 $836,521 $1,125,593 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$3,243,591 $3,975,259 $964,914 $1,096,919 
Shares of mutual funds owned176,189 247,858 68,511 79,156 
Accumulation units outstanding152,915 50,732 57,118 52,252 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding152,915 50,732 57,118 52,252 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

AllianceBernstein VPS Discovery Value Portfolio - Class A
AllianceBernstein VPS Small Cap Growth
Portfolio - Class A
Alps Global Opportunity Portfolio - Class IIIAmerican Century VP Capital Appreciation Fund - Class I
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$34,664 $ $ $ 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks41,737 33,175 5,483 13,876 
Administrative charges4,828 3,981 1,267 1,665 
Separate account rider charges1,078    
Net investment income (loss)(12,979)(37,156)(6,750)(15,541)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(97,984)(564,983)(83,929)(32,861)
Capital gains distributions272,999   1,665 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments175,015 (564,983)(83,929)(31,196)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments290,183 1,013,365 294,255 251,139 
Net gains (losses) on investments452,219 411,226 203,576 204,402 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$452,219 $411,226 $203,576 $204,402 
See accompanying notes.
A-8


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

American Century VP Disciplined Core Value Fund - Class I
American Century VP Inflation Protection
Fund - Class II
American Century VP Mid Cap Value Fund - Class II
American Century VP Ultra
Fund - Class I
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $8,413,934 $24,801,229 $5,656,816 $3,568,999 
Total assets8,413,934 24,801,229 5,656,816 3,568,999 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$8,413,934 $24,801,229 $5,656,816 $3,568,999 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$8,413,934 $24,801,229 $5,656,816 $3,568,999 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$8,413,934 $24,801,229 $5,656,816 $3,568,999 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$9,775,036 $27,366,586 $5,843,822 $2,937,914 
Shares of mutual funds owned1,096,993 2,646,876 290,540 139,142 
Accumulation units outstanding269,528 1,931,382 170,776 71,716 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding269,528 1,931,382 170,776 71,716 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

American Century VP Disciplined Core Value Fund - Class I
American Century VP Inflation Protection
Fund - Class II
American Century VP Mid Cap Value Fund - Class II
American Century VP Ultra
Fund - Class I
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$125,470 $838,369 $138,338 $ 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks92,536 289,710 80,377 40,321 
Administrative charges2,877 38,038 8,953 1,613 
Separate account rider charges 320 806  
Net investment income (loss)30,057 510,301 48,202 (41,934)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(263,901)(494,038)(228,311)113,262 
Capital gains distributions  772,199 231,900 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(263,901)(494,038)543,888 345,162 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments821,222 496,552 (348,238)818,445 
Net gains (losses) on investments587,378 512,815 243,852 1,121,673 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$587,378 $512,815 $243,852 $1,121,673 
See accompanying notes.
A-9


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

American Century VP Ultra
Fund - Class II
American Century VP Value
Fund - Class II
American Funds Insurance Series - American High-Income Trust Fund - Class 2 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund - Class 2 Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $17,800,870 $15,213,365 $980,419 $2,346,930 
Total assets17,800,870 15,213,365 980,419 2,346,930 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$17,800,870 $15,213,365 $980,419 $2,346,930 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$17,800,870 $15,213,365 $980,419 $2,346,930 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$17,800,870 $15,213,365 $980,419 $2,346,930 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$14,386,034 $13,134,326 $1,083,586 $2,399,286 
Shares of mutual funds owned721,852 1,245,976 112,304 99,742 
Accumulation units outstanding311,409 573,370 74,325 142,058 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding311,409 573,370 74,325 142,058 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

American Century VP Ultra
Fund - Class II
American Century VP Value
Fund - Class II
American Funds Insurance Series - American High-Income Trust Fund - Class 2 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund - Class 2 Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$ $327,748 $66,484 $49,350 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks223,906 159,267 12,189 27,322 
Administrative charges26,872 11,198 487 2,953 
Separate account rider charges915   1,930 
Net investment income (loss)(251,693)157,283 53,808 17,145 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares1,189,198 720,252 (19,057)(2,264)
Capital gains distributions1,490,231 1,140,015  86,146 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments2,679,429 1,860,267 (19,057)83,882 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments3,888,248 (927,299)64,789 163,928 
Net gains (losses) on investments6,315,984 1,090,251 99,540 264,955 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$6,315,984 $1,090,251 $99,540 $264,955 
See accompanying notes.
A-10


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

American Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund - Class 4 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund - Class 2 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund - Class 4 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk Asset Allocation Fund - Class P2 Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $21,860,850 $1,208,133 $3,440,359 $7,830,367 
Total assets21,860,850 1,208,133 3,440,359 7,830,367 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$21,860,850 $1,208,133 $3,440,359 $7,830,367 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$21,860,850 $1,208,133 $3,440,359 $7,830,367 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$21,860,850 $1,208,133 $3,440,359 $7,830,367 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$23,027,358 $1,458,705 $4,327,112 $8,574,035 
Shares of mutual funds owned936,626 69,036 197,042 679,130 
Accumulation units outstanding1,542,496 86,584 272,709 628,288 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding1,542,496 86,584 272,709 628,288 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

American Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund - Class 4 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund - Class 2 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund - Class 4 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk Asset Allocation Fund - Class P2 Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$405,306 $3,130 $904 $131,209 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks121,765 15,167 21,019 45,524 
Administrative charges28,872 1,445 4,931 10,629 
Separate account rider charges 437   
Net investment income (loss)254,669 (13,919)(25,046)75,056 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(44,694)(118,160)(425,800)(41,444)
Capital gains distributions723,261 16,178 42,948 835,112 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments678,567 (101,982)(382,852)793,668 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments1,500,910 277,769 859,435 (202,977)
Net gains (losses) on investments2,434,146 161,868 451,537 665,747 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$2,434,146 $161,868 $451,537 $665,747 
See accompanying notes.
A-11


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk Growth
Fund - Class P2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk International
Fund - Class P2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - New World
Fund - Class 2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - New World
Fund - Class 4 Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $6,910,657 $438,483 $1,428,646 $6,691,600 
Total assets6,910,657 438,483 1,428,646 6,691,600 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$6,910,657 $438,483 $1,428,646 $6,691,600 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$6,910,657 $438,483 $1,428,646 $6,691,600 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$6,910,657 $438,483 $1,428,646 $6,691,600 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$8,322,910 $486,192 $1,512,233 $7,249,303 
Shares of mutual funds owned644,050 52,702 56,760 268,200 
Accumulation units outstanding428,220 48,765 101,774 539,227 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding428,220 48,765 101,774 539,227 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk Growth
Fund - Class P2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk International
Fund - Class P2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - New World
Fund - Class 2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - New World
Fund - Class 4 Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$36,580 $7,804 $20,903 $77,993 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks41,342 3,224 18,949 40,020 
Administrative charges9,549 702 1,824 9,317 
Separate account rider charges  377  
Net investment income (loss)(14,311)3,878 (247)28,656 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(203,581)(50,582)13,057 14,965 
Capital gains distributions1,434,839 35,256   
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,231,258 (15,326)13,057 14,965 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments69,807 32,172 189,887 803,509 
Net gains (losses) on investments1,286,754 20,724 202,697 847,130 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$1,286,754 $20,724 $202,697 $847,130 
See accompanying notes.
A-12


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

American Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund - Class 2 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund - Class 4 Shares
BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocations ETF V.I.
Fund - Class III
BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap V.I.
Fund - Class III
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $2,950,449 $14,364,512 $12,581,946 $2,414,462 
Total assets2,950,449 14,364,512 12,581,946 2,414,462 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$2,950,449 $14,364,512 $12,581,946 $2,414,462 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$2,950,449 $14,364,512 $12,581,946 $2,414,462 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$2,950,449 $14,364,512 $12,581,946 $2,414,462 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$2,817,153 $13,819,063 $12,327,850 $2,777,367 
Shares of mutual funds owned207,632 1,021,658 956,802 243,885 
Accumulation units outstanding150,791 876,541 902,146 151,904 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding150,791 876,541 902,146 151,904 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

American Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund - Class 2 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund - Class 4 Shares
BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocations ETF V.I.
Fund - Class III
BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap V.I.
Fund - Class III
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$51,839 $221,381 $224,221 $41,572 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks36,603 83,808 65,059 14,024 
Administrative charges3,584 18,865 15,865 3,230 
Separate account rider charges1,659  7  
Net investment income (loss)9,993 118,708 143,290 24,318 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares3,285 (42,624)(193,454)(393,883)
Capital gains distributions27,350 116,665   
Total realized gains (losses) on investments30,635 74,041 (193,454)(393,883)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments378,480 1,743,197 1,520,160 725,901 
Net gains (losses) on investments419,108 1,935,946 1,469,996 356,336 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$419,108 $1,935,946 $1,469,996 $356,336 
See accompanying notes.
A-13


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund - Class III
Blue Chip
Account - Class 3
BNY Mellon IP MidCap Stock Portfolio - Service Shares
BNY Mellon IP Technology Growth
Portfolio - Service Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $3,703,084 $14,289,642 $1,227,294 $7,423,623 
Total assets3,703,084 14,289,642 1,227,294 7,423,623 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$3,703,084 $14,289,642 $1,227,294 $7,423,623 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$3,703,084 $14,289,642 $1,227,294 $7,423,623 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$3,703,084 $14,289,642 $1,227,294 $7,423,623 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$4,357,858 $12,383,701 $1,198,308 $6,857,256 
Shares of mutual funds owned284,197 1,167,454 66,126 294,939 
Accumulation units outstanding288,982 1,360,031 87,886 117,966 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding288,982 1,360,031 87,886 117,966 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund - Class III
Blue Chip
Account - Class 3
BNY Mellon IP MidCap Stock Portfolio - Service Shares
BNY Mellon IP Technology Growth
Portfolio - Service Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$89,610 $ $5,159 $ 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks26,086 76,831 7,182 84,790 
Administrative charges5,295 15,303 1,543 10,176 
Separate account rider charges 194  813 
Net investment income (loss)58,229 (92,328)(3,566)(95,779)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(56,233)(267,185)(12,116)(181,434)
Capital gains distributions  30,303  
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(56,233)(267,185)18,187 (181,434)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments386,748 3,826,999 150,699 3,268,913 
Net gains (losses) on investments388,744 3,467,486 165,320 2,991,700 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$388,744 $3,467,486 $165,320 $2,991,700 
See accompanying notes.
A-14


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Calvert VP EAFE International Index Portfolio - Class FCalvert VP Investment Grade Bond Index Portfolio - Class FCalvert VP Nasdaq 100 Index Portfolio - Class F
Calvert VP Russell 2000 Small Cap Index
Portfolio - Class F
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $4,601,205 $5,380,246 $3,023,657 $7,028,561 
Total assets4,601,205 5,380,246 3,023,657 7,028,561 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$4,601,205 $5,380,246 $3,023,657 $7,028,561 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$4,601,205 $5,380,246 $3,023,657 $7,028,561 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$4,601,205 $5,380,246 $3,023,657 $7,028,561 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$4,305,277 $5,929,801 $2,569,123 $7,251,864 
Shares of mutual funds owned48,639 113,868 21,650 89,127 
Accumulation units outstanding388,292 530,091 228,456 520,605 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding388,292 530,091 228,456 520,605 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Calvert VP EAFE International Index Portfolio - Class FCalvert VP Investment Grade Bond Index Portfolio - Class FCalvert VP Nasdaq 100 Index Portfolio - Class F
Calvert VP Russell 2000 Small Cap Index
Portfolio - Class F
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$124,722 $148,881 $7,641 $56,254 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks23,687 30,469 14,580 39,391 
Administrative charges5,867 7,488 2,140 9,142 
Separate account rider charges    
Net investment income (loss)95,168 110,924 (9,079)7,721 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares22,823 (174,056)63,995 (64,378)
Capital gains distributions   3,584 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments22,823 (174,056)63,995 (60,794)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments488,916 293,820 486,370 967,363 
Net gains (losses) on investments606,907 230,688 541,286 914,290 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$606,907 $230,688 $541,286 $914,290 
See accompanying notes.
A-15


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Calvert VP S&P MidCap 400 Index Portfolio - Class FClearbridge Variable Small Cap Growth Portfolio - Class II SharesColumbia VP - Limited Duration Credit Fund - Class 2Columbia VP - Small Cap Value Fund - Class 2
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $9,599,477 $4,528,155 $5,430,194 $4,245,568 
Total assets9,599,477 4,528,155 5,430,194 4,245,568 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$9,599,477 $4,528,155 $5,430,194 $4,245,568 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$9,599,477 $4,528,155 $5,430,194 $4,245,568 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$9,599,477 $4,528,155 $5,430,194 $4,245,568 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$9,233,854 $5,734,063 $5,507,643 $4,696,054 
Shares of mutual funds owned80,445 179,049 575,842 331,426 
Accumulation units outstanding619,705 309,563 502,683 276,465 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding619,705 309,563 502,683 276,465 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Calvert VP S&P MidCap 400 Index Portfolio - Class FClearbridge Variable Small Cap Growth Portfolio - Class II SharesColumbia VP - Limited Duration Credit Fund - Class 2Columbia VP - Small Cap Value Fund - Class 2
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$108,401 $ $153,601 $14,811 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks56,399 27,460 35,523 22,299 
Administrative charges12,662 6,527 7,342 5,157 
Separate account rider charges  77  
Net investment income (loss)39,340 (33,987)110,659 (12,645)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares23,409 (124,396)(73,731)(84,627)
Capital gains distributions365,773   252,294 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments389,182 (124,396)(73,731)167,667 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments776,369 461,893 257,846 543,828 
Net gains (losses) on investments1,204,891 303,510 294,774 698,850 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$1,204,891 $303,510 $294,774 $698,850 
See accompanying notes.
A-16


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Core Plus Bond Account - Class 1Delaware VIP Small Cap Value Series - Service Class
Diversified Balanced
Account - Class 1
Diversified Balanced
Account - Class 2
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $75,768,816 $1,716,691 $17,459,046 $701,275,104 
Total assets75,768,816 1,716,691 17,459,046 701,275,104 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$75,768,816 $1,716,691 $17,459,046 $701,275,104 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$75,768,816 $1,716,691 $17,459,046 $701,275,104 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$75,768,816 $1,716,691 $17,459,046 $701,275,104 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$88,545,593 $1,613,038 $18,909,766 $734,107,215 
Shares of mutual funds owned7,867,997 45,010 1,228,645 49,177,777 
Accumulation units outstanding3,818,217 90,347 1,271,517 34,636,962 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding3,818,217 90,347 1,271,517 34,636,962 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Core Plus Bond Account - Class 1Delaware VIP Small Cap Value Series - Service Class
Diversified Balanced
Account - Class 1
Diversified Balanced
Account - Class 2
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$2,220,665 $11,961 $351,005 $12,131,122 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks927,238 22,612 201,728 8,841,229 
Administrative charges76,765 2,466 7,727 1,061,071 
Separate account rider charges9,218 724  62,800 
Net investment income (loss)1,207,444 (13,841)141,550 2,166,022 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(2,182,429)2,038 (344,876)5,697,818 
Capital gains distributions 80,167 1,085,152 43,697,922 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(2,182,429)82,205 740,276 49,395,740 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments3,917,678 54,841 1,210,677 29,881,367 
Net gains (losses) on investments2,942,693 123,205 2,092,503 81,443,129 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$2,942,693 $123,205 $2,092,503 $81,443,129 
See accompanying notes.
A-17


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Diversified Balanced Managed Volatility
Account - Class 2
Diversified Balanced Volatility Control Account - Class 2Diversified Growth Account - Class 2Diversified Growth Managed Volatility Account - Class 2
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $134,075,437 $241,387,693 $3,077,826,133 $293,489,021 
Total assets134,075,437 241,387,693 3,077,826,133 293,489,021 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$134,075,437 $241,387,693 $3,077,826,133 $293,489,021 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$134,075,437 $241,387,693 $3,077,826,133 $293,489,021 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$134,075,437 $241,387,693 $3,077,826,133 $293,489,021 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$137,828,810 $236,293,665 $2,933,395,830 $283,788,315 
Shares of mutual funds owned11,488,898 20,702,203 177,396,319 23,311,281 
Accumulation units outstanding9,138,427 18,842,653 129,723,334 17,929,772 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding9,138,427 18,842,653 129,723,334 17,929,772 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Diversified Balanced Managed Volatility
Account - Class 2
Diversified Balanced Volatility Control Account - Class 2Diversified Growth Account - Class 2Diversified Growth Managed Volatility Account - Class 2
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$2,143,077 $2,934,471 $49,199,325 $4,087,618 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks1,698,054 2,768,977 38,169,303 3,583,292 
Administrative charges206,210 332,316 4,580,851 437,733 
Separate account rider charges20,014  167,463 47,546 
Net investment income (loss)218,799 (166,822)6,281,708 19,047 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares1,355,367 319,257 81,045,616 4,538,292 
Capital gains distributions6,251,412 1,784,968 197,790,879 17,108,954 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments7,606,779 2,104,225 278,836,495 21,647,246 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments7,038,705 22,574,135 141,542,226 16,594,187 
Net gains (losses) on investments14,864,283 24,511,538 426,660,429 38,260,480 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$14,864,283 $24,511,538 $426,660,429 $38,260,480 
See accompanying notes.
A-18


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Diversified Growth Volatility Control Account - Class 2Diversified Income Account - Class 2Diversified International Account - Class 1DWS Alternative Asset Allocation VIP - Class B
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $1,440,206,286 $246,926,555 $75,288,383 $223,959 
Total assets1,440,206,286 246,926,555 75,288,383 223,959 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$1,440,206,286 $246,926,555 $75,288,383 $223,959 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$1,440,206,286 $246,926,555 $75,288,383 $223,959 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$1,440,206,286 $246,926,555 $75,288,383 $223,959 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$1,348,232,395 $268,707,111 $66,669,533 $251,323 
Shares of mutual funds owned115,958,638 19,644,117 4,860,450 17,607 
Accumulation units outstanding103,752,562 17,571,978 2,527,003 18,724 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding103,752,562 17,571,978 2,527,003 18,724 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Diversified Growth Volatility Control Account - Class 2Diversified Income Account - Class 2Diversified International Account - Class 1DWS Alternative Asset Allocation VIP - Class B
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$16,063,455 $4,368,645 $940,420 $14,985 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks16,258,699 3,127,057 909,980 1,473 
Administrative charges1,951,272 375,291 57,670 333 
Separate account rider charges 17,265 630  
Net investment income (loss)(2,146,516)849,032 (27,860)13,179 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares4,325,345 (2,629,602)2,347,510 (1,606)
Capital gains distributions20,322,450 10,077,086  2,124 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments24,647,795 7,447,484 2,347,510 518 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments147,523,322 14,489,138 8,864,403 (3,027)
Net gains (losses) on investments170,024,601 22,785,654 11,184,053 10,670 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$170,024,601 $22,785,654 $11,184,053 $10,670 
See accompanying notes.
A-19


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

DWS Equity 500 Index
VIP - Class B2
DWS Small Mid Cap Value VIP - Class BEQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Convertible Securities Portfolio - Class IB
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT GAMCO Small Company Value
Portfolio - Class IB
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $2,675,822 $1,442,112 $1,065,325 $659,775 
Total assets2,675,822 1,442,112 1,065,325 659,775 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$2,675,822 $1,442,112 $1,065,325 $659,775 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$2,675,822 $1,442,112 $1,065,325 $659,775 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$2,675,822 $1,442,112 $1,065,325 $659,775 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$2,142,471 $1,390,459 $1,368,807 $643,482 
Shares of mutual funds owned99,104 104,048 117,197 9,429 
Accumulation units outstanding127,961 102,510 79,745 42,410 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding127,961 102,510 79,745 42,410 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

DWS Equity 500 Index
VIP - Class B2
DWS Small Mid Cap Value VIP - Class BEQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Convertible Securities Portfolio - Class IB
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT GAMCO Small Company Value
Portfolio - Class IB
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$25,689 $12,435 $25,199 $3,730 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks23,015 14,402 6,360 4,004 
Administrative charges3,782 2,185 1,449 811 
Separate account rider charges 42 117  
Net investment income (loss)(1,108)(4,194)17,273 (1,085)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares59,489 7,810 (51,382)(3,222)
Capital gains distributions134,252 60,851  42,109 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments193,741 68,661 (51,382)38,887 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments353,923 110,184 150,453 58,607 
Net gains (losses) on investments546,556 174,651 116,344 96,409 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$546,556 $174,651 $116,344 $96,409 
See accompanying notes.
A-20


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Micro Cap Portfolio - Class IBEQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT SmartBeta Equity ESG Portfolio - Class IBEQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Socially Responsible Portfolio - Class IBEquity Income Account - Class 1
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $543,436 $626,284 $1,187,416 $160,275,000 
Total assets543,436 626,284 1,187,416 160,275,000 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$543,436 $626,284 $1,187,416 $160,275,000 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$543,436 $626,284 $1,187,416 $160,126,829 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period   148,171 
Total net assets$543,436 $626,284 $1,187,416 $160,275,000 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$837,908 $592,998 $1,115,730 $146,623,396 
Shares of mutual funds owned62,752 36,497 60,490 5,826,063 
Accumulation units outstanding39,401 43,747 70,886 6,988,120 
Annuitized units outstanding   9,952 
Total units outstanding39,401 43,747 70,886 6,998,072 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Micro Cap Portfolio - Class IBEQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT SmartBeta Equity ESG Portfolio - Class IBEQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Socially Responsible Portfolio - Class IBEquity Income Account - Class 1
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$2,846 $7,851 $8,051 $3,314,354 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks5,618 3,851 8,006 1,944,147 
Administrative charges752 844 1,327 158,513 
Separate account rider charges  847 1,247 
Net investment income (loss)(3,524)3,156 (2,129)1,210,447 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(33,913)7,511 (848)3,383,480 
Capital gains distributions 6,809 24,286 7,368,466 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(33,913)14,320 23,438 10,751,946 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments67,956 67,399 176,715 2,683,641 
Net gains (losses) on investments30,519 84,875 198,024 14,646,034 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$30,519 $84,875 $198,024 $14,646,034 
See accompanying notes.
A-21


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Equity Income Account - Class 2Fidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service ClassFidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Energy
Portfolio - Service Class 2
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $16,028,302 $31,864,574 $57,213,702 $1,799,861 
Total assets16,028,302 31,864,574 57,213,702 1,799,861 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$16,028,302 $31,864,574 $57,213,702 $1,799,861 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$16,028,302 $31,864,574 $57,213,702 $1,799,861 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$16,028,302 $31,864,574 $57,213,702 $1,799,861 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$16,526,032 $23,822,592 $48,588,236 $1,828,367 
Shares of mutual funds owned591,232 659,722 1,221,732 73,195 
Accumulation units outstanding1,025,582 566,965 1,857,628 184,910 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding1,025,582 566,965 1,857,628 184,910 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Equity Income Account - Class 2Fidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service ClassFidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Energy
Portfolio - Service Class 2
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$293,270 $114,627 $134,898 $42,633 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks98,455 382,325 546,329 18,324 
Administrative charges22,194 15,295 79,348 2,947 
Separate account rider charges  2,323  
Net investment income (loss)172,621 (282,993)(493,102)21,362 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(6,905)1,326,765 3,240,356 58,543 
Capital gains distributions725,805 1,070,753 1,931,867  
Total realized gains (losses) on investments718,900 2,397,518 5,172,223 58,543 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments547,184 6,289,131 9,803,599 (136,918)
Net gains (losses) on investments1,438,705 8,403,656 14,482,720 (57,013)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$1,438,705 $8,403,656 $14,482,720 $(57,013)
See accompanying notes.
A-22


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Freedom 2020 Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Freedom 2030 Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Freedom 2040 Portfolio - Service Class 2
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $22,601,508 $3,879,038 $3,472,450 $3,398,203 
Total assets22,601,508 3,879,038 3,472,450 3,398,203 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$22,601,508 $3,879,038 $3,472,450 $3,398,203 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$22,601,508 $3,879,038 $3,472,450 $3,398,203 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$22,601,508 $3,879,038 $3,472,450 $3,398,203 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$20,536,104 $4,069,866 $3,639,305 $3,297,439 
Shares of mutual funds owned945,274 312,826 227,702 137,523 
Accumulation units outstanding699,983 314,238 264,175 233,278 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding699,983 314,238 264,175 233,278 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Freedom 2020 Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Freedom 2030 Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Freedom 2040 Portfolio - Service Class 2
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$379,724 $91,913 $71,837 $41,075 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks280,602 19,330 18,489 16,332 
Administrative charges18,521 4,833 4,608 4,083 
Separate account rider charges1,758    
Net investment income (loss)78,843 67,750 48,740 20,660 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares273,676 (55,815)(59,079)(1,666)
Capital gains distributions651,602 14,138  33,357 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments925,278 (41,677)(59,079)31,691 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments896,737 312,054 399,172 405,016 
Net gains (losses) on investments1,900,858 338,127 388,833 457,367 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$1,900,858 $338,127 $388,833 $457,367 
See accompanying notes.
A-23


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2050 Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio - Initial ClassFidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Growth
Portfolio - Service Class
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $1,559,082 $36,065,759 $43,839,406 $16,007,746 
Total assets1,559,082 36,065,759 43,839,406 16,007,746 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$1,559,082 $36,065,759 $43,839,406 $16,007,746 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$1,559,082 $36,065,759 $43,839,406 $16,007,746 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$1,559,082 $36,065,759 $43,839,406 $16,007,746 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$1,562,139 $36,065,759 $43,839,406 $13,689,232 
Shares of mutual funds owned69,047 36,065,747 43,839,406 173,319 
Accumulation units outstanding106,513 8,986,407 4,247,078 347,096 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding106,513 8,986,407 4,247,078 347,096 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Fidelity VIP Freedom 2050 Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio - Initial ClassFidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Growth
Portfolio - Service Class
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$17,573 $1,760,000 $1,870,871 $5,385 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks8,047 413,065 336,228 181,951 
Administrative charges2,012 33,171 61,537 7,279 
Separate account rider charges 624   
Net investment income (loss)7,514 1,313,140 1,473,106 (183,845)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(35,460)  623,498 
Capital gains distributions15,746   678,106 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(19,714)  1,301,604 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments238,944   3,183,650 
Net gains (losses) on investments226,744 1,313,140 1,473,106 4,301,409 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$226,744 $1,313,140 $1,473,106 $4,301,409 
See accompanying notes.
A-24


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Fidelity VIP Growth
Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Health Care Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap
Portfolio - Service Class
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap
Portfolio - Service Class 2
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $11,658,790 $909,293 $133,022 $24,043,671 
Total assets11,658,790 909,293 133,022 24,043,671 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$11,658,790 $909,293 $133,022 $24,043,671 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$11,658,790 $909,293 $133,022 $24,043,671 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$11,658,790 $909,293 $133,022 $24,043,671 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$10,335,153 $874,538 $129,676 $23,503,977 
Shares of mutual funds owned129,657 26,775 3,704 693,101 
Accumulation units outstanding190,918 81,140 6,676 977,894 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding190,918 81,140 6,676 977,894 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Fidelity VIP Growth
Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Health Care Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap
Portfolio - Service Class
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap
Portfolio - Service Class 2
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$457 $ $644 $87,943 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks140,667 4,104 1,327 239,105 
Administrative charges16,882 951  34,898 
Separate account rider charges1,329   5,290 
Net investment income (loss)(158,421)(5,055)(683)(191,350)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares597,410 (2,216)(25,788)172,795 
Capital gains distributions518,703  3,476 658,624 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,116,113 (2,216)(22,312)831,419 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments2,319,045 30,450 33,645 2,301,847 
Net gains (losses) on investments3,276,737 23,179 10,650 2,941,916 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$3,276,737 $23,179 $10,650 $2,941,916 
See accompanying notes.
A-25


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Fidelity VIP Overseas
Portfolio - Service Class 2
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Global Real Estate VIP Fund - Class 2
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Income VIP
Fund - Class 4
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Rising Dividends VIP Fund - Class 4
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $18,683,644 $1,586,366 $6,461,741 $8,519,699 
Total assets18,683,644 1,586,366 6,461,741 8,519,699 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$18,683,644 $1,586,366 $6,461,741 $8,519,699 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$18,683,644 $1,586,366 $6,461,741 $8,519,699 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$18,683,644 $1,586,366 $6,461,741 $8,519,699 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$15,836,284 $1,839,242 $6,791,766 $8,818,369 
Shares of mutual funds owned732,405 126,403 440,473 316,013 
Accumulation units outstanding894,640 142,563 511,751 471,022 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding894,640 142,563 511,751 471,022 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Fidelity VIP Overseas
Portfolio - Service Class 2
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Global Real Estate VIP Fund - Class 2
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Income VIP
Fund - Class 4
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Rising Dividends VIP Fund - Class 4
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$141,062 $44,052 $277,963 $69,083 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks209,409 13,335 33,850 53,479 
Administrative charges27,171 2,282 8,349 11,953 
Separate account rider charges124 126   
Net investment income (loss)(95,642)28,309 235,764 3,651 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares863,885 (117,339)(39,144)106,425 
Capital gains distributions47,263  342,486 853,987 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments911,148 (117,339)303,342 960,412 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments2,341,941 241,429 (99,956)(111,000)
Net gains (losses) on investments3,157,447 152,399 439,150 853,063 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$3,157,447 $152,399 $439,150 $853,063 
See accompanying notes.
A-26


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Small Cap Value VIP Fund - Class 2Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin U.S. Government Securities VIP Fund - Class 2Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Global Bond VIP Fund - Class 4
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Growth VIP
Fund - Class 2
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $2,588,524 $2,804,054 $2,400,868 $581,439 
Total assets2,588,524 2,804,054 2,400,868 581,439 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$2,588,524 $2,804,054 $2,400,868 $581,439 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$2,588,524 $2,804,054 $2,400,868 $581,439 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$2,588,524 $2,804,054 $2,400,868 $581,439 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$2,638,395 $2,767,764 $2,483,360 $488,086 
Shares of mutual funds owned195,066 270,662 182,854 48,493 
Accumulation units outstanding79,817 295,964 288,037 20,976 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding79,817 295,964 288,037 20,976 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Small Cap Value VIP Fund - Class 2Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin U.S. Government Securities VIP Fund - Class 2Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Global Bond VIP Fund - Class 4
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Growth VIP
Fund - Class 2
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$13,995 $72,935 $ $18,146 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks33,172 15,860 18,642 4,629 
Administrative charges3,857 3,955 3,211  
Separate account rider charges387  23  
Net investment income (loss)(23,421)53,120 (21,876)13,517 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(63,501)(36,937)(170,662)(8,920)
Capital gains distributions151,719    
Total realized gains (losses) on investments88,218 (36,937)(170,662)(8,920)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments211,609 76,244 257,185 95,040 
Net gains (losses) on investments276,406 92,427 64,647 99,637 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$276,406 $92,427 $64,647 $99,637 
See accompanying notes.
A-27


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Global Emerging Markets
Account - Class 1
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value Fund - Institutional Shares
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value
Fund - Service Shares
Goldman Sachs VIT - Multi-Strategy Alternatives Portfolio - Service Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $27,134,810 $8,964,589 $3,077,401 $613,552 
Total assets27,134,810 8,964,589 3,077,401 613,552 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$27,134,810 $8,964,589 $3,077,401 $613,552 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$27,134,810 $8,964,589 $3,077,401 $613,552 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$27,134,810 $8,964,589 $3,077,401 $613,552 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$28,934,543 $8,851,715 $3,209,950 $655,954 
Shares of mutual funds owned1,847,162 559,937 189,846 69,016 
Accumulation units outstanding972,284 218,596 189,197 55,119 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding972,284 218,596 189,197 55,119 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Global Emerging Markets
Account - Class 1
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value Fund - Institutional Shares
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value
Fund - Service Shares
Goldman Sachs VIT - Multi-Strategy Alternatives Portfolio - Service Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$683,061 $87,432 $21,418 $39,066 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks335,912 113,843 20,989 3,828 
Administrative charges29,753 13,480 4,378 935 
Separate account rider charges776 1,131   
Net investment income (loss)316,620 (41,022)(3,949)34,303 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(719,933)23,513 (34,902)(1,700)
Capital gains distributions 215,343 72,613  
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(719,933)238,856 37,711 (1,700)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments3,329,510 642,093 239,156 7,982 
Net gains (losses) on investments2,926,197 839,927 272,918 40,585 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$2,926,197 $839,927 $272,918 $40,585 
See accompanying notes.
A-28


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund - Institutional Shares Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund - Service SharesGovernment & High Quality Bond Account - Class 1Guggenheim Investments VIF Global Managed Futures Strategy Fund
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $3,890,564 $1,234,162 $47,779,180 $255,809 
Total assets3,890,564 1,234,162 47,779,180 255,809 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$3,890,564 $1,234,162 $47,779,180 $255,809 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$3,890,564 $1,234,162 $47,779,180 $255,809 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$3,890,564 $1,234,162 $47,779,180 $255,809 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$3,878,934 $1,301,850 $55,105,177 $265,883 
Shares of mutual funds owned316,821 101,828 5,674,487 14,898 
Accumulation units outstanding121,299 87,588 4,831,876 24,152 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding121,299 87,588 4,831,876 24,152 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund - Institutional Shares Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund - Service SharesGovernment & High Quality Bond Account - Class 1Guggenheim Investments VIF Global Managed Futures Strategy Fund
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$36,794 $9,142 $1,152,555 $19,142 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks48,527 7,346 601,620 8,208 
Administrative charges5,653 1,611 45,188 1,052 
Separate account rider charges361  1,867  
Net investment income (loss)(17,747)185 503,880 9,882 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(220,581)(21,450)(2,589,151)(30,696)
Capital gains distributions   12,178 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(220,581)(21,450)(2,589,151)(18,518)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
on investments869,533 203,018 3,617,426 22,327 
Net gains (losses) on investments631,205 181,753 1,532,155 13,691 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$631,205 $181,753 $1,532,155 $13,691 
See accompanying notes.
A-29


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Guggenheim Investments VIF Long Short Equity FundGuggenheim Investments VIF Multi-Hedge Strategies FundGuggenheim Investments VIF - Series F (Guggenheim Floating Rate Strategies Series)
Invesco V.I. American Franchise
Fund - Series I Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $256,698 $599,837 $5,750,223 $4,460,258 
Total assets256,698 599,837 5,750,223 4,460,258 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$256,698 $599,837 $5,750,223 $4,460,258 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$256,698 $599,837 $5,750,223 $4,460,258 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$256,698 $599,837 $5,750,223 $4,460,258 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$235,468 $597,218 $5,496,313 $4,564,944 
Shares of mutual funds owned15,126 23,169 226,923 75,649 
Accumulation units outstanding21,792 54,291 496,692 125,469 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding21,792 54,291 496,692 125,469 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Guggenheim Investments VIF Long Short Equity FundGuggenheim Investments VIF Multi-Hedge Strategies FundGuggenheim Investments VIF - Series F (Guggenheim Floating Rate Strategies Series)
Invesco V.I. American Franchise
Fund - Series I Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$821 $23,151 $183,665 $ 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks2,146 7,292 47,522 48,714 
Administrative charges431 1,079 7,143 1,949 
Separate account rider charges16 102 476  
Net investment income (loss)(1,772)14,678 128,524 (50,663)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares20,710 (1,267)(33,671)(36,643)
Capital gains distributions   87,959 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments20,710 (1,267)(33,671)51,316 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments14,163 11,709 403,918 1,270,181 
Net gains (losses) on investments33,101 25,120 498,771 1,270,834 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$33,101 $25,120 $498,771 $1,270,834 
See accompanying notes.
A-30


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Invesco V.I. American Value Fund - Series I SharesInvesco V.I. Balanced-Risk Allocation Fund - Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Core Equity
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Discovery Mid Cap Growth
Fund - Series I Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $2,842,398 $1,096,980 $11,720,077 $619,141 
Total assets2,842,398 1,096,980 11,720,077 619,141 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$2,842,398 $1,096,980 $11,720,077 $619,141 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$2,842,398 $1,096,980 $11,720,077 $619,141 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$2,842,398 $1,096,980 $11,720,077 $619,141 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$3,327,273 $1,234,368 $12,103,553 $736,458 
Shares of mutual funds owned203,319 129,361 400,139 9,857 
Accumulation units outstanding248,749 96,230 428,464 46,528 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding248,749 96,230 428,464 46,528 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Invesco V.I. American Value Fund - Series I SharesInvesco V.I. Balanced-Risk Allocation Fund - Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Core Equity
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Discovery Mid Cap Growth
Fund - Series I Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$16,892 $ $82,673 $ 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks34,971 7,391 142,458 8,862 
Administrative charges4,197 1,567 5,699 354 
Separate account rider charges608    
Net investment income (loss)(22,884)(8,958)(65,484)(9,216)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(163,150)(64,426)(331,430)(50,974)
Capital gains distributions554,512  266,791  
Total realized gains (losses) on investments391,362 (64,426)(64,639)(50,974)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(5,884)130,904 2,361,748 133,123 
Net gains (losses) on investments362,594 57,520 2,231,625 72,933 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$362,594 $57,520 $2,231,625 $72,933 
See accompanying notes.
A-31


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity
Fund - Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Health Care
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Health Care
Fund - Series II Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $4,470,858 $3,356,014 $5,056,918 $6,113,070 
Total assets4,470,858 3,356,014 5,056,918 6,113,070 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$4,470,858 $3,356,014 $5,056,918 $6,113,070 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$4,470,858 $3,356,014 $5,056,918 $6,113,070 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$4,470,858 $3,356,014 $5,056,918 $6,113,070 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$4,549,141 $3,423,264 $5,382,952 $7,390,490 
Shares of mutual funds owned131,149 100,269 195,173 257,068 
Accumulation units outstanding299,993 272,223 180,465 414,335 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding299,993 272,223 180,465 414,335 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity
Fund - Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Health Care
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Health Care
Fund - Series II Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$8,547 $ $ $ 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks57,254 20,397 65,102 42,212 
Administrative charges6,872 4,591 3,349 9,352 
Separate account rider charges45  270  
Net investment income (loss)(55,624)(24,988)(68,721)(51,564)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(62,691)(141,304)(57,117)(132,443)
Capital gains distributions3,200 2,456   
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(59,491)(138,848)(57,117)(132,443)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments819,529 642,429 205,588 290,441 
Net gains (losses) on investments704,414 478,593 79,750 106,434 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$704,414 $478,593 $79,750 $106,434 
See accompanying notes.
A-32


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Invesco V.I. Main Street Small Cap Fund - Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Small Cap Equity
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Technology
Fund - Series I Shares
Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity
Portfolio - Service Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $450,943 $4,439,883 $2,901,909 $176,609 
Total assets450,943 4,439,883 2,901,909 176,609 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$450,943 $4,439,883 $2,901,909 $176,609 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$450,943 $4,439,883 $2,901,909 $176,609 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$450,943 $4,439,883 $2,901,909 $176,609 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$407,019 $4,516,093 $3,120,975 $158,943 
Shares of mutual funds owned17,146 258,133 156,860 16,917 
Accumulation units outstanding19,405 118,599 124,344 15,567 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding19,405 118,599 124,344 15,567 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Invesco V.I. Main Street Small Cap Fund - Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Small Cap Equity
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Technology
Fund - Series I Shares
Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity
Portfolio - Service Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$3,753 $ $ $679 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks4,746 57,053 32,087 754 
Administrative charges190 5,595 1,284 81 
Separate account rider charges 495   
Net investment income (loss)(1,183)(63,143)(33,371)(156)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(449)(208,441)(308,327)466 
Capital gains distributions 78,465   
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(449)(129,976)(308,327)466 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments65,112 819,860 1,268,902 17,149 
Net gains (losses) on investments63,480 626,741 927,204 17,459 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$63,480 $626,741 $927,204 $17,459 
See accompanying notes.
A-33


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Janus Henderson Series Balanced Portfolio - Service SharesJanus Henderson Series Enterprise Portfolio - Service Shares
Janus Henderson Series Flexible Bond
Portfolio - Service Shares
Janus Henderson Series Global Technology and Innovation Portfolio - Service Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $7,327,074 $8,251,499 $9,565,319 $7,225,641 
Total assets7,327,074 8,251,499 9,565,319 7,225,641 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$7,327,074 $8,251,499 $9,565,319 $7,225,641 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$7,327,074 $8,251,499 $9,565,319 $7,225,641 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$7,327,074 $8,251,499 $9,565,319 $7,225,641 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$7,158,948 $7,911,556 $10,750,544 $6,972,972 
Shares of mutual funds owned152,489 120,689 857,108 449,915 
Accumulation units outstanding708,238 230,271 924,657 371,187 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding708,238 230,271 924,657 371,187 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Janus Henderson Series Balanced Portfolio - Service SharesJanus Henderson Series Enterprise Portfolio - Service Shares
Janus Henderson Series Flexible Bond
Portfolio - Service Shares
Janus Henderson Series Global Technology and Innovation Portfolio - Service Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$122,305 $7,295 $336,477 $ 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks43,009 102,129 66,820 36,409 
Administrative charges9,885 4,086 12,868 8,885 
Separate account rider charges  273  
Net investment income (loss)69,411 (98,920)256,516 (45,294)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(71,843)185,700 (301,394)(313,514)
Capital gains distributions 619,388   
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(71,843)805,088 (301,394)(313,514)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments850,780 529,233 429,870 2,788,311 
Net gains (losses) on investments848,348 1,235,401 384,992 2,429,503 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$848,348 $1,235,401 $384,992 $2,429,503 
See accompanying notes.
A-34


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

LargeCap Growth Account I - Class 1
LargeCap S&P 500 Index
Account - Class 1
LargeCap S&P 500 Index
Account - Class 2
MFS® International Intrinsic Value Portfolio - Service Class
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $154,123,500 $89,024,448 $52,321,988 $7,662,857 
Total assets154,123,500 89,024,448 52,321,988 7,662,857 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$154,123,500 $89,024,448 $52,321,988 $7,662,857 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$154,123,500 $89,024,448 $52,321,988 $7,662,857 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$154,123,500 $89,024,448 $52,321,988 $7,662,857 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$140,457,762 $77,067,184 $50,961,834 $8,059,911 
Shares of mutual funds owned3,813,050 4,096,845 2,455,279 265,795 
Accumulation units outstanding2,452,209 2,894,988 2,784,671 552,361 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding2,452,209 2,894,988 2,784,671 552,361 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

LargeCap Growth Account I - Class 1
LargeCap S&P 500 Index
Account - Class 1
LargeCap S&P 500 Index
Account - Class 2
MFS® International Intrinsic Value Portfolio - Service Class
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$ $1,201,908 $595,541 $35,093 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks1,663,201 1,015,594 304,066 63,912 
Administrative charges96,142 75,302 70,652 10,636 
Separate account rider charges2,272 5,944  109 
Net investment income (loss)(1,761,615)105,068 220,823 (39,564)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares3,703,360 5,458,558 455,512 84,983 
Capital gains distributions6,912,940 3,530,098 2,062,421 561,820 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments10,616,300 8,988,656 2,517,933 646,803 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
on investments36,985,233 9,656,608 7,636,573 501,901 
Net gains (losses) on investments45,839,918 18,750,332 10,375,329 1,109,140 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$45,839,918 $18,750,332 $10,375,329 $1,109,140 
See accompanying notes.
A-35


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

MFS® New Discovery
Series - Service Class
MFS® Utilities Series - Service ClassMFS® Value Series - Service Class
MidCap
Account - Class 1
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $5,626,291 $13,524,827 $2,840,951 $274,722,654 
Total assets5,626,291 13,524,827 2,840,951 274,722,654 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$5,626,291 $13,524,827 $2,840,951 $274,722,654 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$5,626,291 $13,524,827 $2,840,951 $274,722,654 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$5,626,291 $13,524,827 $2,840,951 $274,722,654 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$8,250,981 $14,281,667 $2,805,382 $244,219,565 
Shares of mutual funds owned557,059 428,815 137,178 4,358,601 
Accumulation units outstanding348,514 711,134 73,833 1,755,003 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding348,514 711,134 73,833 1,755,003 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

MFS® New Discovery
Series - Service Class
MFS® Utilities Series - Service ClassMFS® Value Series - Service Class
MidCap
Account - Class 1
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$ $487,159 $42,290 $ 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks42,566 144,886 40,603 3,155,618 
Administrative charges7,916 22,454 4,873 195,071 
Separate account rider charges517 956 333 122 
Net investment income (loss)(50,999)318,863 (3,519)(3,350,811)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(735,727)480,762 90,526 1,203,576 
Capital gains distributions 817,140 211,980 6,360,096 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(735,727)1,297,902 302,506 7,563,672 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments1,462,500 (2,202,972)(146,656)53,233,826 
Net gains (losses) on investments675,774 (586,207)152,331 57,446,687 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$675,774 $(586,207)$152,331 $57,446,687 
See accompanying notes.
A-36


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

MidCap
Account - Class 2
Neuberger Berman AMT Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio - Class S
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity Portfolio - I Class Shares
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity
Portfolio - S Class Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $19,291,192 $2,948,600 $4,463,148 $449,801 
Total assets19,291,192 2,948,600 4,463,148 449,801 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$19,291,192 $2,948,600 $4,463,148 $449,801 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$19,291,192 $2,948,600 $4,463,148 $449,801 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$19,291,192 $2,948,600 $4,463,148 $449,801 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$19,258,583 $3,395,715 $3,508,761 $404,210 
Shares of mutual funds owned311,198 128,647 133,827 13,431 
Accumulation units outstanding1,396,318 173,990 102,116 27,726 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding1,396,318 173,990 102,116 27,726 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

MidCap
Account - Class 2
Neuberger Berman AMT Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio - Class S
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity Portfolio - I Class Shares
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity
Portfolio - S Class Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$ $ $15,181 $301 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks102,648 27,869 57,982 1,938 
Administrative charges24,858 4,350 6,959 480 
Separate account rider charges 82 359  
Net investment income (loss)(127,506)(32,301)(50,119)(2,117)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(136,423)(150,437)173,445 1,392 
Capital gains distributions435,969  71,635 6,323 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments299,546 (150,437)245,080 7,715 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
on investments3,575,307 632,050 834,670 65,350 
Net gains (losses) on investments3,747,347 449,312 1,029,631 70,948 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$3,747,347 $449,312 $1,029,631 $70,948 
See accompanying notes.
A-37


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio - Administrative Class
PIMCO VIT All Asset
Portfolio - Advisor Class
PIMCO VIT Commodity
RealReturn® Strategy
Portfolio - M Class
PIMCO VIT Emerging Markets Bond Portfolio - Administrative Class
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $1,308,040 $338,349 $299,410 $857,554 
Total assets1,308,040 338,349 299,410 857,554 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$1,308,040 $338,349 $299,410 $857,554 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$1,308,040 $338,349 $299,410 $857,554 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$1,308,040 $338,349 $299,410 $857,554 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$1,506,072 $395,527 $381,406 $878,839 
Shares of mutual funds owned144,694 36,777 56,599 81,285 
Accumulation units outstanding69,870 27,832 24,974 94,696 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding69,870 27,832 24,974 94,696 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio - Administrative Class
PIMCO VIT All Asset
Portfolio - Advisor Class
PIMCO VIT Commodity
RealReturn® Strategy
Portfolio - M Class
PIMCO VIT Emerging Markets Bond Portfolio - Administrative Class
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$42,805 $9,175 $122,526 $42,643 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks18,622 2,208 4,068 4,474 
Administrative charges2,235 485 884 1,116 
Separate account rider charges10    
Net investment income (loss)21,938 6,482 117,574 37,053 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(86,009)(10,099)(297,717)(34,488)
Capital gains distributions    
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(86,009)(10,099)(297,717)(34,488)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments153,836 26,307 114,999 77,081 
Net gains (losses) on investments89,765 22,690 (65,144)79,646 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$89,765 $22,690 $(65,144)$79,646 
See accompanying notes.
A-38


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

PIMCO VIT High Yield Portfolio - Administrative Class
PIMCO VIT Low Duration
Portfolio - Advisor Class
PIMCO VIT Total Return Portfolio - Administrative ClassPrincipal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 1
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $20,595,088 $6,449,472 $25,667,961 $76,048,786 
Total assets20,595,088 6,449,472 25,667,961 76,048,786 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$20,595,088 $6,449,472 $25,667,961 $76,048,786 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$20,595,088 $6,449,472 $25,667,961 $76,048,786 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$20,595,088 $6,449,472 $25,667,961 $76,048,786 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$21,668,957 $6,627,023 $29,436,716 $61,670,374 
Shares of mutual funds owned2,868,397 671,820 2,796,074 2,154,356 
Accumulation units outstanding1,473,394 641,570 2,326,212 2,453,372 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding1,473,394 641,570 2,326,212 2,453,372 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

PIMCO VIT High Yield Portfolio - Administrative Class
PIMCO VIT Low Duration
Portfolio - Advisor Class
PIMCO VIT Total Return Portfolio - Administrative ClassPrincipal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 1
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$1,115,949 $207,354 $904,213 $596,714 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks185,815 38,549 222,654 920,687 
Administrative charges29,488 8,724 37,999 82,355 
Separate account rider charges715  573 2,255 
Net investment income (loss)899,931 160,081 642,987 (408,583)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(484,959)(82,333)(868,226)4,233,042 
Capital gains distributions   4,674,823 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(484,959)(82,333)(868,226)8,907,865 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments1,671,758 163,780 1,429,717 7,096,588 
Net gains (losses) on investments2,086,730 241,528 1,204,478 15,595,870 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$2,086,730 $241,528 $1,204,478 $15,595,870 
See accompanying notes.
A-39


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Principal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 2
Principal LifeTime 2020
Account - Class 1
Principal LifeTime 2030
Account - Class 1
Principal LifeTime 2040
Account - Class 1
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $14,092,187 $50,570,297 $41,260,993 $11,722,219 
Total assets14,092,187 50,570,297 41,260,993 11,722,219 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$14,092,187 $50,570,297 $41,260,993 $11,722,219 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$14,092,187 $50,570,297 $41,260,993 $11,722,219 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$14,092,187 $50,570,297 $41,260,993 $11,722,219 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$13,503,997 $53,423,814 $39,692,347 $10,785,272 
Shares of mutual funds owned407,878 4,045,623 3,186,177 706,158 
Accumulation units outstanding718,724 2,190,012 1,669,981 431,915 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding718,724 2,190,012 1,669,981 431,915 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Principal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 2
Principal LifeTime 2020
Account - Class 1
Principal LifeTime 2030
Account - Class 1
Principal LifeTime 2040
Account - Class 1
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$87,425 $1,321,926 $708,301 $148,847 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks81,895 635,022 497,110 136,296 
Administrative charges19,254 70,602 57,393 15,835 
Separate account rider charges 682 766 219 
Net investment income (loss)(13,724)615,620 153,032 (3,503)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares185,131 (1,077,642)(5,098)97,854 
Capital gains distributions866,382 767,138 841,489 281,030 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,051,513 (310,504)836,391 378,884 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments1,730,777 4,980,241 4,222,761 1,367,460 
Net gains (losses) on investments2,768,566 5,285,357 5,212,184 1,742,841 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$2,768,566 $5,285,357 $5,212,184 $1,742,841 
See accompanying notes.
A-40


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Principal LifeTime 2050
Account - Class 1
Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Account - Class 1U.S. LargeCap Buffer April Account - Class 2U.S. LargeCap Buffer January Account - Class 2
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $7,495,931 $15,711,445 $21,590,291 $58,340,205 
Total assets7,495,931 15,711,445 21,590,291 58,340,205 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$7,495,931 $15,711,445 $21,590,291 $58,340,205 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$7,495,931 $15,711,445 $21,590,291 $58,340,205 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$7,495,931 $15,711,445 $21,590,291 $58,340,205 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$6,891,956 $15,606,842 $21,918,507 $58,626,273 
Shares of mutual funds owned465,297 1,424,428 2,178,637 5,793,466 
Accumulation units outstanding270,521 930,218 1,926,640 4,931,802 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding270,521 930,218 1,926,640 4,931,802 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Principal LifeTime 2050
Account - Class 1
Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Account - Class 1U.S. LargeCap Buffer April Account - Class 2U.S. LargeCap Buffer January Account - Class 2
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$85,105 $190,263 $117,501 $66,698 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks90,991 158,491 202,065 133,415 
Administrative charges10,921 17,022 37,418 25,102 
Separate account rider charges193 171  109 
Net investment income (loss)(17,000)14,579 (121,982)(91,928)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares220,855 (273,588)2,664,670 1,809,930 
Capital gains distributions223,705 67,609 2,547,150 1,626,530 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments444,560 (205,979)5,211,820 3,436,460 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
on investments880,486 1,158,643 (328,216)(286,068)
Net gains (losses) on investments1,308,046 967,243 4,761,622 3,058,464 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$1,308,046 $967,243 $4,761,622 $3,058,464 
See accompanying notes.
A-41


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

U.S. LargeCap Buffer July Account - Class 2 U.S. LargeCap Buffer October Account - Class 2
Real Estate Securities
Account - Class 1
Real Estate Securities
Account - Class 2
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $54,228,982 $18,807,766 $43,054,006 $10,446,331 
Total assets54,228,982 18,807,766 43,054,006 10,446,331 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$54,228,982 $18,807,766 $43,054,006 $10,446,331 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$54,228,982 $18,807,766 $43,054,006 $10,446,331 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$54,228,982 $18,807,766 $43,054,006 $10,446,331 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$52,821,434 $17,723,303 $47,104,574 $11,438,211 
Shares of mutual funds owned4,646,871 1,607,501 2,376,049 575,555 
Accumulation units outstanding4,562,444 1,514,368 577,926 721,642 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding4,562,444 1,514,368 577,926 721,642 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

U.S. LargeCap Buffer July Account - Class 2 U.S. LargeCap Buffer October Account - Class 2
Real Estate Securities
Account - Class 1
Real Estate Securities
Account - Class 2
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$312,291 $79,699 $834,500 $169,016 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks406,932 141,088 532,197 64,471 
Administrative charges75,170 24,773 41,168 14,289 
Separate account rider charges650  2,674  
Net investment income (loss)(170,461)(86,162)258,461 90,256 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares3,483,298 1,458,523 (1,922,789)(194,852)
Capital gains distributions2,359,383 1,261,354 1,541,123 358,446 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments5,842,681 2,719,877 (381,666)163,594 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments1,393,487 527,165 4,916,737 871,382 
Net gains (losses) on investments7,065,707 3,160,880 4,793,532 1,125,232 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$7,065,707 $3,160,880 $4,793,532 $1,125,232 
See accompanying notes.
A-42


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

Rydex VI Basic Materials FundRydex VI Commodities Strategy FundRydex VI NASDAQ 100 FundSAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 1
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $765,387 $1,380,657 $11,641,066 $301,847,032 
Total assets765,387 1,380,657 11,641,066 301,847,032 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$765,387 $1,380,657 $11,641,066 $301,847,032 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$765,387 $1,380,657 $11,641,066 $301,847,032 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$765,387 $1,380,657 $11,641,066 $301,847,032 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$711,289 $1,666,912 $9,822,096 $318,458,739 
Shares of mutual funds owned7,537 16,152 164,167 21,920,626 
Accumulation units outstanding51,309 144,726 484,055 14,447,881 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding51,309 144,726 484,055 14,447,881 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

Rydex VI Basic Materials FundRydex VI Commodities Strategy FundRydex VI NASDAQ 100 FundSAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 1
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$ $196,470 $ $7,054,895 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks5,284 17,927 72,209 3,742,281 
Administrative charges1,082 2,648 15,954 412,957 
Separate account rider charges 420  16,280 
Net investment income (loss)(6,366)175,475 (88,163)2,883,377 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares8,877 (338,838)350,411 (9,564,504)
Capital gains distributions   12,574,060 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments8,877 (338,838)350,411 3,009,556 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
on investments50,047 (14,987)4,060,770 34,492,852 
Net gains (losses) on investments52,558 (178,350)4,323,018 40,385,785 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$52,558 $(178,350)$4,323,018 $40,385,785 
See accompanying notes.
A-43


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

SAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Conservative Balanced
Portfolio - Class 1
SAM Conservative Balanced
Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Conservative Growth
Portfolio - Class 1
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $39,200,614 $64,189,094 $16,254,924 $59,776,310 
Total assets39,200,614 64,189,094 16,254,924 59,776,310 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$39,200,614 $64,189,094 $16,254,924 $59,776,310 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$39,200,614 $64,189,094 $16,254,924 $59,776,310 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$39,200,614 $64,189,094 $16,254,924 $59,776,310 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$43,097,373 $67,230,235 $17,710,220 $57,064,636 
Shares of mutual funds owned2,899,454 5,808,968 1,496,770 3,046,703 
Accumulation units outstanding2,890,341 3,458,230 1,309,885 2,570,606 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding2,890,341 3,458,230 1,309,885 2,570,606 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

SAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Conservative Balanced
Portfolio - Class 1
SAM Conservative Balanced
Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Conservative Growth
Portfolio - Class 1
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$823,201 $1,835,442 $413,261 $1,056,338 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks259,872 821,012 103,974 761,525 
Administrative charges56,511 90,264 22,637 81,294 
Separate account rider charges 4,200  4,702 
Net investment income (loss)506,818 919,966 286,650 208,817 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(853,131)(2,215,629)(196,459)1,108,848 
Capital gains distributions1,637,996 451,681 111,552 3,082,545 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments784,865 (1,763,948)(84,907)4,191,393 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments3,880,189 7,328,102 1,387,920 5,549,861 
Net gains (losses) on investments5,171,872 6,484,120 1,589,663 9,950,071 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$5,171,872 $6,484,120 $1,589,663 $9,950,071 
See accompanying notes.
A-44


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

SAM Conservative Growth
Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Flexible Income
Portfolio - Class 1
SAM Flexible Income
 Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Strategic Growth
Portfolio - Class 1
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $27,719,680 $65,286,070 $27,540,304 $41,289,409 
Total assets27,719,680 65,286,070 27,540,304 41,289,409 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$27,719,680 $65,286,070 $27,540,304 $41,289,409 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$27,719,680 $65,286,070 $27,540,304 $41,289,409 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$27,719,680 $65,286,070 $27,540,304 $41,289,409 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$28,296,169 $73,200,444 $30,888,114 $37,022,788 
Shares of mutual funds owned1,442,982 6,073,122 2,598,142 1,804,607 
Accumulation units outstanding1,874,313 3,816,476 2,370,267 1,671,400 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding1,874,313 3,816,476 2,370,267 1,671,400 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

SAM Conservative Growth
Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Flexible Income
Portfolio - Class 1
SAM Flexible Income
Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Strategic Growth
Portfolio - Class 1
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$428,442 $2,230,040 $839,889 $555,626 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks185,329 863,116 177,168 501,295 
Administrative charges39,585 86,960 39,136 51,737 
Separate account rider charges 3,508  7,318 
Net investment income (loss)203,528 1,276,456 623,585 (4,724)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares(280,116)(3,157,229)(847,181)913,664 
Capital gains distributions1,444,861   1,434,489 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,164,745 (3,157,229)(847,181)2,348,153 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments2,919,538 6,986,384 2,317,377 5,106,399 
Net gains (losses) on investments4,287,811 5,105,611 2,093,781 7,449,828 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$4,287,811 $5,105,611 $2,093,781 $7,449,828 
See accompanying notes.
A-45


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

SAM Strategic Growth
Portfolio - Class 2
Short-Term Income
Account - Class 1
SmallCap
Account - Class 1
SmallCap
Account - Class 2
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $20,474,936 $42,402,308 $70,499,779 $4,894,969 
Total assets20,474,936 42,402,308 70,499,779 4,894,969 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$20,474,936 $42,402,308 $70,499,779 $4,894,969 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$20,474,936 $42,402,308 $70,499,779 $4,894,969 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$20,474,936 $42,402,308 $70,499,779 $4,894,969 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$20,755,412 $43,373,091 $69,289,431 $5,336,774 
Shares of mutual funds owned912,837 16,960,923 4,693,727 328,742 
Accumulation units outstanding1,329,564 3,571,335 2,028,098 341,806 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding1,329,564 3,571,335 2,028,098 341,806 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

SAM Strategic Growth
Portfolio - Class 2
Short-Term Income
Account - Class 1
SmallCap
Account - Class 1
SmallCap
Account - Class 2
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$225,128 $805,278 $201,725 $2,224 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks120,536 563,890 850,051 31,056 
Administrative charges27,226 60,007 59,386 6,977 
Separate account rider charges 1,818 4,230  
Net investment income (loss)77,366 179,563 (711,942)(35,809)
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares17,982 (379,175)(401,359)(33,076)
Capital gains distributions696,979    
Total realized gains (losses) on investments714,961 (379,175)(401,359)(33,076)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments2,660,581 2,042,284 10,326,896 692,001 
Net gains (losses) on investments3,452,908 1,842,672 9,213,595 623,116 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$3,452,908 $1,842,672 $9,213,595 $623,116 
See accompanying notes.
A-46


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth Portfolio - IIT. Rowe Price Health Sciences Portfolio - II
The Merger
Fund VL
TOPS® Aggressive Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $35,440,830 $16,435,029 $326,975 $1,137,876 
Total assets35,440,830 16,435,029 326,975 1,137,876 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$35,440,830 $16,435,029 $326,975 $1,137,876 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$35,440,830 $16,435,029 $326,975 $1,137,876 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$35,440,830 $16,435,029 $326,975 $1,137,876 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$33,764,054 $14,675,008 $343,623 $941,706 
Shares of mutual funds owned813,983 316,973 29,299 56,164 
Accumulation units outstanding1,549,237 193,789 26,815 83,864 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding1,549,237 193,789 26,815 83,864 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth Portfolio - IIT. Rowe Price Health Sciences Portfolio - II
The Merger
 Fund VL
TOPS® Aggressive Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$ $ $5,595 $8,755 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks295,498 219,351 2,137 6,670 
Administrative charges47,725 26,325 504 1,591 
Separate account rider charges2,139 210   
Net investment income (loss)(345,362)(245,886)2,954 494 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares1,684,797 1,108,168 3,159 11,927 
Capital gains distributions 608,759 21,874 5,048 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,684,797 1,716,927 25,033 16,975 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments10,720,792 (1,339,766)(16,776)144,404 
Net gains (losses) on investments12,060,227 131,275 11,211 161,873 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$12,060,227 $131,275 $11,211 $161,873 
See accompanying notes.
A-47


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

TOPS® Balanced ETF Portfolio - Investor Class SharesTOPS® Conservative ETF Portfolio - Investor Class SharesTOPS® Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class SharesTOPS® Moderate Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $3,078,661 $1,488,927 $1,656,115 $965,169 
Total assets3,078,661 1,488,927 1,656,115 965,169 
Total liabilities    
Net assets$3,078,661 $1,488,927 $1,656,115 $965,169 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$3,078,661 $1,488,927 $1,656,115 $965,169 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period    
Total net assets$3,078,661 $1,488,927 $1,656,115 $965,169 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$3,037,377 $1,536,372 $1,571,996 $921,128 
Shares of mutual funds owned215,442 117,054 83,138 62,877 
Accumulation units outstanding254,877 129,500 125,225 76,100 
Annuitized units outstanding    
Total units outstanding254,877 129,500 125,225 76,100 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

TOPS® Balanced ETF Portfolio - Investor Class SharesTOPS® Conservative ETF Portfolio - Investor Class SharesTOPS® Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class SharesTOPS® Moderate Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$47,212 $26,531 $14,996 $9,589 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks17,535 10,145 8,084 4,298 
Administrative charges4,168 2,029 2,012 1,048 
Separate account rider charges80 1,051   
Net investment income (loss)25,429 13,306 4,900 4,243 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares27,895 (2,680)25,796 8,872 
Capital gains distributions38,620 36,472 14,335 8,137 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments66,515 33,792 40,131 17,009 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments191,632 59,605 150,025 66,604 
Net gains (losses) on investments283,576 106,703 195,056 87,856 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$283,576 $106,703 $195,056 $87,856 
See accompanying notes.
A-48


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2023

VanEck VIP Trust Global Gold
Fund - Class S Shares
VanEck VIP Trust Global Resources Fund - Class S Shares
Assets
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at fair value $482,821 $3,964,944 
Total assets482,821 3,964,944 
Total liabilities  
Net assets$482,821 $3,964,944 
Net assets
Applicable to accumulation units$482,821 $3,964,944 
Applicable to contracts in annuitization period  
Total net assets$482,821 $3,964,944 
Investments in shares of mutual funds, at cost$432,244 $3,785,935 
Shares of mutual funds owned57,616 155,977 
Accumulation units outstanding49,586 346,512 
Annuitized units outstanding  
Total units outstanding49,586 346,512 


Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2023

VanEck VIP Trust Global Gold
Fund - Class S Shares
VanEck VIP Trust Global Resources Fund - Class S Shares
Net investment income (loss)
Investment income:
Dividends$ $111,635 
Expenses:
Mortality and expense risks3,676 50,347 
Administrative charges620 6,084 
Separate account rider charges 428 
Net investment income (loss)(4,296)54,776 
Realized gains (losses) on investments
Realized gains (losses) on sale of fund shares5,805 222,461 
Capital gains distributions  
Total realized gains (losses) on investments5,805 222,461 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments33,795 (577,441)
Net gains (losses) on investments35,304 (300,204)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations$35,304 $(300,204)
See accompanying notes.
A-49


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


AllianceBernstein VPS Discovery Value
Portfolio - Class A
AllianceBernstein VPS Small Cap Growth
Portfolio - Class A
Alps Global Opportunity Portfolio –
Class III
American Century VP Capital Appreciation
Fund - Class I
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$5,481,284 $4,755,110 $1,341,471 $1,679,872 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(16,125)(44,248)103,650 (17,937)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments573,182 1,339,132 58,794 164,459 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(1,409,939)(3,147,549)(583,187)(636,401)
Net gains (losses) on investments(852,882)(1,852,665)(420,743)(489,879)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(852,882)(1,852,665)(420,743)(489,879)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes689,408 231,201 231,746 87,776 
Administration charges— (30)(2,418)(563)
Contingent sales charges(1,024)(569)(49)(151)
Contract terminations(424,075)(230,026)(6,888)(61,112)
Death benefit payments(39,968)(1,665)— (2,169)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(54,350)(22,831)(8,596)(17,189)
Transfers to other contracts(1,173,207)(174,421)(308,571)(17,196)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(1,003,216)(198,341)(94,776)(10,604)
Total increase (decrease)(1,856,098)(2,051,006)(515,519)(500,483)
Net assets as of December 31, 20223,625,186 2,704,104 825,952 1,179,389 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(12,979)(37,156)(6,750)(15,541)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments175,015 (564,983)(83,929)(31,196)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments290,183 1,013,365 294,255 251,139 
Net gains (losses) on investments452,219 411,226 203,576 204,402 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations452,219 411,226 203,576 204,402 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes169,644 101,140 21,721 39,424 
Administration charges  (2,271)(696)
Contingent sales charges(1,861)(981)(1,663)(464)
Contract terminations(900,231)(473,115)(158,078)(223,934)
Death benefit payments (29,361)(13,777)(20,434)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(44,089)(18,641)(7,932)(12,372)
Transfers to other contracts(180,557)(32,378)(31,007)(39,722)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(957,094)(453,336)(193,007)(258,198)
Total increase (decrease)(504,875)(42,110)10,569 (53,796)
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$3,120,311 $2,661,994 $836,521 $1,125,593 
See accompanying notes.

A-50


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


American Century VP Disciplined Core Value Fund - Class IAmerican Century VP Inflation Protection Fund - Class IIAmerican Century VP Mid Cap Value Fund - Class II
American Century VP Ultra
Fund - Class I
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$11,249,533 $34,357,712 $8,348,475 $4,765,718 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)53,753 1,089,325 52,356 (45,580)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments2,173,634 305,388 1,193,058 505,918 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(3,744,166)(6,056,507)(1,502,799)(1,988,145)
Net gains (losses) on investments(1,516,779)(4,661,794)(257,385)(1,527,807)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(1,516,779)(4,661,794)(257,385)(1,527,807)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes174,516 4,573,800 1,043,884 189,929 
Administration charges(315)(91,779)(228)(376)
Contingent sales charges(159)(5,746)(1,305)(129)
Contract terminations(423,145)(1,797,792)(535,101)(274,635)
Death benefit payments(133,713)(384,259)(2,825)(11,779)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(124,521)(1,103,272)(74,068)(27,973)
Transfers to other contracts(708,120)(4,578,660)(1,325,960)(272,910)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(1,215,457)(3,387,708)(895,603)(397,873)
Total increase (decrease)(2,732,236)(8,049,502)(1,152,988)(1,925,680)
Net assets as of December 31, 20228,517,297 26,308,210 7,195,487 2,840,038 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)30,057 510,301 48,202 (41,934)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(263,901)(494,038)543,888 345,162 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments821,222 496,552 (348,238)818,445 
Net gains (losses) on investments587,378 512,815 243,852 1,121,673 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations587,378 512,815 243,852 1,121,673 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes326,808 3,069,325 413,939 309,352 
Administration charges(337)(113,660)(193)(449)
Contingent sales charges(564)(5,522)(2,764)(361)
Contract terminations(485,624)(1,805,729)(1,358,673)(432,147)
Death benefit payments(68,763)(352,710)(29,890)(47,201)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(121,340)(997,430)(54,701)(20,893)
Transfers to other contracts(340,921)(1,814,070)(750,241)(201,013)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(690,741)(2,019,796)(1,782,523)(392,712)
Total increase (decrease)(103,363)(1,506,981)(1,538,671)728,961 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$8,413,934 $24,801,229 $5,656,816 $3,568,999 
See accompanying notes.

A-51


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


American Century VP Ultra
Fund - Class II
American Century VP Value
Fund - Class II
American Funds Insurance Series - American High-Income Trust Fund - Class 2 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund - Class 2 Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$26,603,287 $15,466,974 $1,535,313 $2,535,657 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(283,715)107,779 66,353 9,632 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments2,973,922 2,546,539 (33,043)254,894 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(11,303,096)(2,804,634)(181,883)(630,234)
Net gains (losses) on investments(8,612,889)(150,316)(148,573)(365,708)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(8,612,889)(150,316)(148,573)(365,708)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes3,075,179 1,868,160 41,680 331,892 
Administration charges(53,617)(6,343)— (366)
Contingent sales charges(3,686)(1,554)(25)(401)
Contract terminations(1,490,504)(867,095)(54,317)(162,277)
Death benefit payments(263,562)(133,711)(8,938)(11,390)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(764,422)(162,385)(8,303)(26,728)
Transfers to other contracts(1,566,995)(1,481,692)(412,044)(170,488)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(1,067,607)(784,620)(441,947)(39,758)
Total increase (decrease)(9,680,496)(934,936)(590,520)(405,466)
Net assets as of December 31, 202216,922,791 14,532,038 944,793 2,130,191 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(251,693)157,283 53,808 17,145 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments2,679,429 1,860,267 (19,057)83,882 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments3,888,248 (927,299)64,789 163,928 
Net gains (losses) on investments6,315,984 1,090,251 99,540 264,955 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations6,315,984 1,090,251 99,540 264,955 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes1,326,344 1,577,234 163,174 145,873 
Administration charges(66,869)(9,127) (442)
Contingent sales charges(5,462)(2,002)(19)(101)
Contract terminations(2,633,659)(1,168,700)(22,464)(71,002)
Death benefit payments(239,871)(90,155)  
Flexible withdrawal option payments(702,398)(133,435)(8,739)(17,035)
Transfers to other contracts(3,115,990)(582,739)(195,866)(105,509)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(5,437,905)(408,924)(63,914)(48,216)
Total increase (decrease)878,079 681,327 35,626 216,739 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$17,800,870 $15,213,365 $980,419 $2,346,930 
See accompanying notes.
A-52


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


American Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund - Class 4 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund - Class 2 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund - Class 4 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk Asset Allocation Fund - Class P2 Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$18,082,000 $1,801,581 $3,932,478 $6,678,026 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)174,870 (18,349)(25,997)86,101 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,973,215 432,464 924,580 231,812 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(4,906,457)(946,718)(2,174,573)(1,280,280)
Net gains (losses) on investments(2,758,372)(532,603)(1,275,990)(962,367)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(2,758,372)(532,603)(1,275,990)(962,367)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes4,635,258 103,595 1,276,091 1,599,944 
Administration charges(27,929)— (7,172)(6,421)
Contingent sales charges(4,200)(49)(721)(3,904)
Contract terminations(557,081)(20,799)(94,999)(219,642)
Death benefit payments(8,911)(980)— — 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(175,283)(13,720)(39,507)(49,463)
Transfers to other contracts(955,857)(163,316)(679,585)(361,518)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions2,905,997 (95,269)454,107 958,996 
Total increase (decrease)147,625 (627,872)(821,883)(3,371)
Net assets as of December 31, 202218,229,625 1,173,709 3,110,595 6,674,655 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)254,669 (13,919)(25,046)75,056 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments678,567 (101,982)(382,852)793,668 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments1,500,910 277,769 859,435 (202,977)
Net gains (losses) on investments2,434,146 161,868 451,537 665,747 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations2,434,146 161,868 451,537 665,747 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes3,281,669 94,635 411,235 855,461 
Administration charges(36,956) (8,993)(9,444)
Contingent sales charges(8,366)(295)(3,444)(2,524)
Contract terminations(968,937)(179,901)(188,505)(254,079)
Death benefit payments(130,648) (25,322) 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(221,780)(9,403)(30,513)(53,378)
Transfers to other contracts(717,903)(32,480)(276,231)(46,071)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions1,197,079 (127,444)(121,773)489,965 
Total increase (decrease)3,631,225 34,424 329,764 1,155,712 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$21,860,850 $1,208,133 $3,440,359 $7,830,367 
See accompanying notes.
A-53


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk Growth
Fund - Class P2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk International
Fund - Class P2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - New World
Fund - Class 2 Shares
American Funds Insurance Series - New World
Fund - Class 4 Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$5,944,848 $384,964 $2,086,822 $6,200,873 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)38,658 10,930 (1,548)19,933 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments944,526 (12,522)143,370 576,701 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(2,585,041)(76,574)(628,736)(2,062,888)
Net gains (losses) on investments(1,601,857)(78,166)(486,914)(1,466,254)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(1,601,857)(78,166)(486,914)(1,466,254)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes1,923,454 241,552 151,427 2,118,032 
Administration charges(7,571)(880)— (10,810)
Contingent sales charges(1,473)(54)(185)(2,863)
Contract terminations(140,914)(2,752)(76,533)(206,218)
Death benefit payments— — (3,473)(20,411)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(33,027)(4,068)(17,627)(30,388)
Transfers to other contracts(292,639)(42,873)(168,041)(845,493)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions1,447,830 190,925 (114,432)1,001,849 
Total increase (decrease)(154,027)112,759 (601,346)(464,405)
Net assets as of December 31, 20225,790,821 497,723 1,485,476 5,736,468 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(14,311)3,878 (247)28,656 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,231,258 (15,326)13,057 14,965 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments69,807 32,172 189,887 803,509 
Net gains (losses) on investments1,286,754 20,724 202,697 847,130 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations1,286,754 20,724 202,697 847,130 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes591,240 117,667 68,122 1,047,484 
Administration charges(12,779)(1,169) (15,028)
Contingent sales charges(4,576)(132)(362)(3,246)
Contract terminations(523,350)(78,681)(246,710)(365,689)
Death benefit payments(56,579)  (26,599)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(23,531)(6,307)(15,197)(42,034)
Transfers to other contracts(137,343)(111,342)(65,380)(486,886)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(166,918)(79,964)(259,527)108,002 
Total increase (decrease)1,119,836 (59,240)(56,830)955,132 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$6,910,657 $438,483 $1,428,646 $6,691,600 
See accompanying notes.
A-54


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


American Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund - Class 2 SharesAmerican Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund - Class 4 Shares
BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocations ETF V.I.
Fund - Class III
BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap V.I.
Fund - Class III
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$4,239,983 $12,243,883 $6,037,414 $2,453,040 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)11,183 107,026 109,349 22,195 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments838,647 2,732,495 (41,239)(224,512)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(1,262,762)(4,018,637)(1,243,989)(232,329)
Net gains (losses) on investments(412,932)(1,179,116)(1,175,879)(434,646)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(412,932)(1,179,116)(1,175,879)(434,646)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes404,573 2,305,530 7,609,790 478,613 
Administration charges(193)(18,314)(6,398)(4,458)
Contingent sales charges(711)(3,278)(1,352)(560)
Contract terminations(400,116)(321,858)(197,614)(88,520)
Death benefit payments(8,319)(43,858)(76,045)— 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(20,327)(91,344)(97,593)(14,127)
Transfers to other contracts(629,329)(1,250,414)(3,817,582)(152,616)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(654,422)576,464 3,413,206 218,332 
Total increase (decrease)(1,067,354)(602,652)2,237,327 (216,314)
Net assets as of December 31, 20223,172,629 11,641,231 8,274,741 2,236,726 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)9,993 118,708 143,290 24,318 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments30,635 74,041 (193,454)(393,883)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments378,480 1,743,197 1,520,160 725,901 
Net gains (losses) on investments419,108 1,935,946 1,469,996 356,336 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations419,108 1,935,946 1,469,996 356,336 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes712,896 2,536,886 7,580,178 392,249 
Administration charges(138)(22,970)(10,530)(5,158)
Contingent sales charges(1,383)(4,105)(3,266)(1,949)
Contract terminations(741,006)(540,187)(160,272)(203,307)
Death benefit payments(15,406)(125,791)(65,069) 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(14,528)(98,596)(143,633)(12,916)
Transfers to other contracts(581,723)(957,902)(4,360,199)(347,519)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(641,288)787,335 2,837,209 (178,600)
Total increase (decrease)(222,180)2,723,281 4,307,205 177,736 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$2,950,449 $14,364,512 $12,581,946 $2,414,462 
See accompanying notes.
A-55


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund - Class III
Blue Chip
Account - Class 3
BNY Mellon IP MidCap Stock Portfolio - Service Shares
BNY Mellon IP Technology Growth
Portfolio - Service Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$4,163,321 $6,984,897 $973,646 $11,866,529 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(34,235)(63,186)(3,797)(104,821)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(1,474)(750,172)199,334 737,149 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(678,407)(1,988,689)(343,495)(5,970,168)
Net gains (losses) on investments(714,116)(2,802,047)(147,958)(5,337,840)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(714,116)(2,802,047)(147,958)(5,337,840)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes428,968 5,917,565 127,485 987,854 
Administration charges(4,560)(12,145)(1,401)(360)
Contingent sales charges(1,296)(1,412)(182)(1,463)
Contract terminations(145,187)(240,419)(19,094)(591,406)
Death benefit payments(2,623)(113,815)— (29,196)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(40,009)(94,248)(14,684)(66,329)
Transfers to other contracts(156,648)(1,931,316)(26,431)(1,335,862)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions78,645 3,524,210 65,693 (1,036,762)
Total increase (decrease)(635,471)722,163 (82,265)(6,374,602)
Net assets as of December 31, 20223,527,850 7,707,060 891,381 5,491,927 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)58,229 (92,328)(3,566)(95,779)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(56,233)(267,185)18,187 (181,434)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments386,748 3,826,999 150,699 3,268,913 
Net gains (losses) on investments388,744 3,467,486 165,320 2,991,700 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations388,744 3,467,486 165,320 2,991,700 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes147,086 4,790,519 275,537 1,024,993 
Administration charges(5,663)(15,944)(2,112)(464)
Contingent sales charges(973)(12,049)(178)(2,700)
Contract terminations(174,836)(814,862)(56,900)(1,302,149)
Death benefit payments(64,148)(28,244) (43,276)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(44,521)(113,719)(14,224)(56,642)
Transfers to other contracts(70,455)(690,605)(31,530)(679,766)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(213,510)3,115,096 170,593 (1,060,004)
Total increase (decrease)175,234 6,582,582 335,913 1,931,696 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$3,703,084 $14,289,642 $1,227,294 $7,423,623 
See accompanying notes.
A-56


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Calvert VP EAFE International Index
Portfolio - Class F
Calvert VP Investment Grade Bond Index Portfolio - Class FCalvert VP Nasdaq 100 Index Portfolio - Class F
Calvert VP Russell 2000 Small Cap Index
Portfolio - Class F
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$3,162,999 $5,038,981 $— $6,437,873 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)90,765 95,226 (392)2,796 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(338)(75,116)8,191 593,415 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(596,247)(683,721)(31,836)(2,046,557)
Net gains (losses) on investments(505,820)(663,611)(24,037)(1,450,346)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(505,820)(663,611)(24,037)(1,450,346)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes910,541 1,122,171 413,337 1,167,726 
Administration charges(5,868)(7,558)(55)(9,560)
Contingent sales charges(467)(4,819)(133)(1,116)
Contract terminations(36,821)(228,231)(26,863)(96,823)
Death benefit payments(17,295)(59,115)— (50,248)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(48,015)(49,384)— (63,173)
Transfers to other contracts(156,935)(448,829)(14,723)(261,756)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions645,140 324,235 371,563 685,050 
Total increase (decrease)139,320 (339,376)347,526 (765,296)
Net assets as of December 31, 20223,302,319 4,699,605 347,526 5,672,577 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)95,168 110,924 (9,079)7,721 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments22,823 (174,056)63,995 (60,794)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments488,916 293,820 486,370 967,363 
Net gains (losses) on investments606,907 230,688 541,286 914,290 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations606,907 230,688 541,286 914,290 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes1,181,591 1,313,807 2,877,366 1,121,926 
Administration charges(8,504)(10,556)(1,032)(12,200)
Contingent sales charges(2,879)(3,267)(4,097)(4,715)
Contract terminations(183,342)(183,136)(245,477)(326,347)
Death benefit payments (5,448) (43,261)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(44,634)(44,874)(11,306)(65,303)
Transfers to other contracts(250,253)(616,573)(480,609)(228,406)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions691,979 449,953 2,134,845 441,694 
Total increase (decrease)1,298,886 680,641 2,676,131 1,355,984 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$4,601,205 $5,380,246 $3,023,657 $7,028,561 
See accompanying notes.
A-57


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Calvert VP S&P MidCap 400 Index Portfolio - Class FClearbridge Variable Small Cap Growth Portfolio - Class II Shares
Columbia VP - Limited Duration Credit
Fund - Class 2
Columbia VP - Small Cap Value Fund - Class 2
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$8,698,121 $5,877,911 $5,303,971 $3,001,068 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)9,417 (36,347)(18,916)(9,812)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments892,091 18,313 (120,773)1,124,237 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(2,152,517)(1,790,148)(252,581)(1,437,576)
Net gains (losses) on investments(1,251,009)(1,808,182)(392,270)(323,151)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(1,251,009)(1,808,182)(392,270)(323,151)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes1,048,634 1,143,859 1,775,129 771,878 
Administration charges(12,150)(9,806)(8,330)(3,620)
Contingent sales charges(1,287)(1,763)(2,282)(1,425)
Contract terminations(118,083)(221,306)(730,956)(72,261)
Death benefit payments(126,270)(94,509)(18,274)— 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(78,010)(44,237)(108,480)(21,437)
Transfers to other contracts(562,406)(554,891)(807,085)(298,953)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions150,428 217,347 99,722 374,182 
Total increase (decrease)(1,100,581)(1,590,835)(292,548)51,031 
Net assets as of December 31, 20227,597,540 4,287,076 5,011,423 3,052,099 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)39,340 (33,987)110,659 (12,645)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments389,182 (124,396)(73,731)167,667 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments776,369 461,893 257,846 543,828 
Net gains (losses) on investments1,204,891 303,510 294,774 698,850 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations1,204,891 303,510 294,774 698,850 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes1,656,037 424,534 1,166,835 770,444 
Administration charges(16,475)(11,762)(11,327)(4,710)
Contingent sales charges(5,462)(2,386)(2,704)(1,530)
Contract terminations(554,242)(251,493)(352,930)(123,123)
Death benefit payments(7,997)(47,508)(7,058)(15,475)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(85,603)(41,036)(109,271)(20,855)
Transfers to other contracts(189,212)(132,780)(559,548)(110,132)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions797,046 (62,431)123,997 494,619 
Total increase (decrease)2,001,937 241,079 418,771 1,193,469 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$9,599,477 $4,528,155 $5,430,194 $4,245,568 
See accompanying notes.
A-58


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Core Plus Bond Account - Class 1Delaware VIP Small Cap Value Series - Service Class
Diversified Balanced
Account - Class 1
Diversified Balanced
Account - Class 2
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$110,485,363 $2,931,741 $23,297,357 $963,138,474 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)1,542,485 (20,821)238,235 5,481,821 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(597,443)172,548 1,678,548 89,147,085 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(17,071,743)(524,716)(5,519,528)(246,797,812)
Net gains (losses) on investments(16,126,701)(372,989)(3,602,745)(152,168,906)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(16,126,701)(372,989)(3,602,745)(152,168,906)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes3,745,137 147,765 302,235 24,183,544 
Administration charges(106,767)— (4,660)(6,906,458)
Contingent sales charges(12,517)(215)(487)(149,711)
Contract terminations(7,451,308)(115,036)(1,741,818)(54,837,642)
Death benefit payments(1,192,812)(29,310)(346,282)(8,596,714)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(2,467,135)(22,164)(327,294)(24,981,808)
Transfers to other contracts(6,602,762)(488,732)(204,356)(23,725,117)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(14,088,164)(507,692)(2,322,662)(95,013,906)
Total increase (decrease)(30,214,865)(880,681)(5,925,407)(247,182,812)
Net assets as of December 31, 202280,270,498 2,051,060 17,371,950 715,955,662 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)1,207,444 (13,841)141,550 2,166,022 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(2,182,429)82,205 740,276 49,395,740 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments3,917,678 54,841 1,210,677 29,881,367 
Net gains (losses) on investments2,942,693 123,205 2,092,503 81,443,129 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations2,942,693 123,205 2,092,503 81,443,129 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes6,929,174 93,803 928,643 26,173,006 
Administration charges(125,885) (4,389)(8,683,048)
Contingent sales charges(11,922)(775)(1,472)(137,997)
Contract terminations(7,875,375)(398,876)(2,310,131)(62,508,438)
Death benefit payments(1,041,463)(14,931)(97,952)(4,737,854)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(2,064,865)(10,530)(282,340)(24,516,511)
Transfers to other contracts(3,254,039)(126,265)(237,766)(21,712,845)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(7,444,375)(457,574)(2,005,407)(96,123,687)
Total increase (decrease)(4,501,682)(334,369)87,096 (14,680,558)
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$75,768,816 $1,716,691 $17,459,046 $701,275,104 
See accompanying notes.
A-59


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Diversified Balanced Managed Volatility
Account - Class 2
Diversified Balanced Volatility Control Account - Class 2Diversified Growth Account - Class 2Diversified Growth Managed Volatility Account - Class 2
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$184,037,476 $229,832,565 $3,973,660,862 $388,997,410 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)1,958,351 556,727 21,701,861 4,740,722 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments13,888,120 13,781,031 377,701,192 32,752,908 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(44,496,813)(49,314,138)(1,057,861,428)(99,571,600)
Net gains (losses) on investments(28,650,342)(34,976,380)(658,458,375)(62,077,970)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(28,650,342)(34,976,380)(658,458,375)(62,077,970)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes10,131,638 28,620,787 103,125,088 18,164,935 
Administration charges(1,399,675)(2,348,204)(29,714,255)(2,881,009)
Contingent sales charges(28,509)(97,146)(446,338)(75,271)
Contract terminations(9,014,970)(4,106,754)(165,871,607)(24,716,621)
Death benefit payments(1,030,335)(1,054,734)(18,722,444)(2,078,117)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(4,854,408)(2,816,172)(85,929,797)(7,338,969)
Transfers to other contracts(7,799,877)(5,922,967)(72,438,378)(15,070,389)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(13,996,136)12,274,810 (269,997,731)(33,995,441)
Total increase (decrease)(42,646,478)(22,701,570)(928,456,106)(96,073,411)
Net assets as of December 31, 2022141,390,998 207,130,995 3,045,204,756 292,923,999 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)218,799 (166,822)6,281,708 19,047 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments7,606,779 2,104,225 278,836,495 21,647,246 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments7,038,705 22,574,135 141,542,226 16,594,187 
Net gains (losses) on investments14,864,283 24,511,538 426,660,429 38,260,480 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations14,864,283 24,511,538 426,660,429 38,260,480 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes10,820,828 27,241,302 90,811,276 21,047,701 
Administration charges(1,750,790)(3,484,579)(38,210,608)(3,656,376)
Contingent sales charges(40,877)(120,850)(630,455)(95,822)
Contract terminations(16,585,835)(4,842,195)(281,168,418)(32,336,233)
Death benefit payments(1,413,291)(1,437,359)(17,064,487)(1,600,033)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(4,507,050)(3,356,967)(88,983,481)(7,472,492)
Transfers to other contracts(8,702,829)(4,254,192)(58,792,879)(13,582,203)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(22,179,844)9,745,160 (394,039,052)(37,695,458)
Total increase (decrease)(7,315,561)34,256,698 32,621,377 565,022 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$134,075,437 $241,387,693 $3,077,826,133 $293,489,021 
See accompanying notes.
A-60


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Diversified Growth Volatility Control Account - Class 2Diversified Income Account - Class 2Diversified International Account - Class 1DWS Alternative Asset Allocation VIP - Class B
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$1,277,224,858 $326,041,854 $102,535,128 $108,264 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)2,733,082 1,886,229 1,063,388 13,157 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments84,829,458 18,063,308 9,693,651 943 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(283,739,660)(69,551,986)(32,023,894)(34,340)
Net gains (losses) on investments(196,177,120)(49,602,449)(21,266,855)(20,240)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(196,177,120)(49,602,449)(21,266,855)(20,240)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes168,488,326 40,481,496 4,177,401 142,846 
Administration charges(13,111,105)(2,647,513)(36,505)(141)
Contingent sales charges(418,564)(74,958)(7,701)— 
Contract terminations(17,694,422)(21,307,844)(5,580,534)— 
Death benefit payments(1,521,034)(1,888,793)(779,955)— 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(11,978,442)(6,958,143)(1,144,083)(1,702)
Transfers to other contracts(7,618,531)(29,641,040)(2,525,830)(7,676)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions116,146,228 (22,036,795)(5,897,207)133,327 
Total increase (decrease)(80,030,892)(71,639,244)(27,164,062)113,087 
Net assets as of December 31, 20221,197,193,966 254,402,610 75,371,066 221,351 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(2,146,516)849,032 (27,860)13,179 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments24,647,795 7,447,484 2,347,510 518 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments147,523,322 14,489,138 8,864,403 (3,027)
Net gains (losses) on investments170,024,601 22,785,654 11,184,053 10,670 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations170,024,601 22,785,654 11,184,053 10,670 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes151,670,052 23,198,074 1,874,673 24,742 
Administration charges(19,969,191)(3,495,092)(44,706)(205)
Contingent sales charges(703,267)(101,275)(11,221)(11)
Contract terminations(28,178,262)(24,358,295)(8,046,924)(30,747)
Death benefit payments(2,266,013)(1,110,673)(582,039) 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(15,523,865)(7,445,955)(929,287)(1,417)
Transfers to other contracts(12,041,735)(16,948,493)(3,527,232)(424)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions72,987,719 (30,261,709)(11,266,736)(8,062)
Total increase (decrease)243,012,320 (7,476,055)(82,683)2,608 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$1,440,206,286 $246,926,555 $75,288,383 $223,959 
See accompanying notes.
A-61


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


DWS Equity 500 Index VIP - Class B2
DWS Small Mid Cap Value
VIP - Class B
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Convertible Securities
Portfolio - Class IB
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT GAMCO Small Company Value
Portfolio - Class IB
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$3,105,756 $1,968,215 $916,483 $261,599 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(5,566)(11,852)3,397 (434)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments204,476 10,510 (48,100)23,128 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(792,316)(339,878)(181,394)(72,686)
Net gains (losses) on investments(593,406)(341,220)(226,097)(49,992)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(593,406)(341,220)(226,097)(49,992)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes131,254 290,405 253,701 348,780 
Administration charges(3,597)(1,369)(1,199)(498)
Contingent sales charges(432)(330)(394)(18)
Contract terminations(72,263)(64,231)(20,409)(866)
Death benefit payments(33,718)— — — 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(36,042)(23,715)(8,891)(475)
Transfers to other contracts(170,579)(315,542)(37,415)(114,957)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(185,377)(114,782)185,393 231,966 
Total increase (decrease)(778,783)(456,002)(40,704)181,974 
Net assets as of December 31, 20222,326,973 1,512,213 875,779 443,573 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(1,108)(4,194)17,273 (1,085)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments193,741 68,661 (51,382)38,887 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments353,923 110,184 150,453 58,607 
Net gains (losses) on investments546,556 174,651 116,344 96,409 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations546,556 174,651 116,344 96,409 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes113,339 171,885 153,486 286,764 
Administration charges(4,308)(1,944)(1,545)(694)
Contingent sales charges(391)(2,016)(96)(36)
Contract terminations(167,580)(304,934)(4,214)(11,121)
Death benefit payments(50,189) (12,104) 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(30,779)(20,448)(13,754)(239)
Transfers to other contracts(57,799)(87,295)(48,571)(154,881)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(197,707)(244,752)73,202 119,793 
Total increase (decrease)348,849 (70,101)189,546 216,202 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$2,675,822 $1,442,112 $1,065,325 $659,775 
See accompanying notes.
A-62


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Micro Cap
Portfolio - Class IB
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT SmartBeta Equity ESG
Portfolio - Class IB
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Socially Responsible Portfolio - Class IBEquity Income Account - Class 1
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$1,110,514 $417,284 $759,637 $221,633,377 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(7,028)2,133 (4,410)1,009,366 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(282,778)9,804 12,054 27,166,399 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(17,534)(100,313)(190,402)(53,268,638)
Net gains (losses) on investments(307,340)(88,376)(182,758)(25,092,873)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(307,340)(88,376)(182,758)(25,092,873)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes26,167 305,269 249,734 5,319,986 
Administration charges(1,055)(876)(556)(235,376)
Contingent sales charges(40)(1,140)— (20,260)
Contract terminations(3,424)(54,002)— (12,850,243)
Death benefit payments— (2,438)— (2,649,838)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(6,161)(1,581)(18,063)(4,338,449)
Transfers to other contracts(304,063)(19,369)(123,317)(11,131,368)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(288,576)225,863 107,798 (25,905,548)
Total increase (decrease)(595,916)137,487 (74,960)(50,998,421)
Net assets as of December 31, 2022514,598 554,771 684,677 170,634,956 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(3,524)3,156 (2,129)1,210,447 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(33,913)14,320 23,438 10,751,946 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments67,956 67,399 176,715 2,683,641 
Net gains (losses) on investments30,519 84,875 198,024 14,646,034 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations30,519 84,875 198,024 14,646,034 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes61,664 76,035 695,566 5,607,710 
Administration charges(592)(1,007)(994)(281,713)
Contingent sales charges(37)(279)(39)(24,904)
Contract terminations(6,256)(38,320)(20,439)(17,532,741)
Death benefit payments   (1,863,967)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(3,817)(1,941)(17,974)(3,696,452)
Transfers to other contracts(52,643)(47,850)(351,405)(7,213,923)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(1,681)(13,362)304,715 (25,005,990)
Total increase (decrease)28,838 71,513 502,739 (10,359,956)
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$543,436 $626,284 $1,187,416 $160,275,000 
See accompanying notes.
A-63


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Equity Income Account - Class 2Fidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service ClassFidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Energy
Portfolio - Service Class 2
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$13,075,836 $44,412,650 $70,396,734 $— 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)135,893 (306,770)(535,805)20,666 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,762,991 2,465,896 4,193,348 (396)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(3,533,577)(14,049,767)(22,756,459)108,412 
Net gains (losses) on investments(1,634,693)(11,890,641)(19,098,916)128,682 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(1,634,693)(11,890,641)(19,098,916)128,682 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes4,460,944 567,834 5,911,245 1,838,304 
Administration charges(21,538)(3,610)(65,242)(153)
Contingent sales charges(2,397)(973)(12,094)(29)
Contract terminations(461,030)(2,078,371)(3,617,914)(1,604)
Death benefit payments(56,266)(410,422)(539,312)— 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(90,564)(406,579)(758,069)(3,316)
Transfers to other contracts(1,455,588)(1,150,055)(3,471,032)(307,459)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions2,373,561 (3,482,176)(2,552,418)1,525,743 
Total increase (decrease)738,868 (15,372,817)(21,651,334)1,654,425 
Net assets as of December 31, 202213,814,704 29,039,833 48,745,400 1,654,425 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)172,621 (282,993)(493,102)21,362 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments718,900 2,397,518 5,172,223 58,543 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments547,184 6,289,131 9,803,599 (136,918)
Net gains (losses) on investments1,438,705 8,403,656 14,482,720 (57,013)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations1,438,705 8,403,656 14,482,720 (57,013)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes2,531,265 370,973 6,757,943 1,789,400 
Administration charges(28,018)(4,197)(83,596)(2,033)
Contingent sales charges(4,266)(3,383)(27,600)(332)
Contract terminations(587,554)(4,051,218)(6,874,023)(87,823)
Death benefit payments(60,875)(207,395)(412,483) 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(87,684)(339,163)(680,757)(9,997)
Transfers to other contracts(987,975)(1,344,532)(4,693,902)(1,486,766)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions774,893 (5,578,915)(6,014,418)202,449 
Total increase (decrease)2,213,598 2,824,741 8,468,302 145,436 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$16,028,302 $31,864,574 $57,213,702 $1,799,861 
See accompanying notes.
A-64


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Freedom 2020 Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Freedom 2030 Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Freedom 2040 Portfolio - Service Class 2
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$30,400,329 $2,554,911 $3,145,209 $2,641,857 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)72,624 24,108 27,387 15,787 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,449,196 136,853 130,871 192,951 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(3,464,839)(609,854)(779,824)(723,307)
Net gains (losses) on investments(1,943,019)(448,893)(621,566)(514,569)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(1,943,019)(448,893)(621,566)(514,569)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes880,775 373,295 785,023 424,966 
Administration charges(3,356)(5,779)(5,985)(5,185)
Contingent sales charges(3,094)(138)(251)(153)
Contract terminations(1,906,422)(6,540)(11,911)(7,253)
Death benefit payments(620,909)— — — 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(313,529)(25,678)(61,757)(12,787)
Transfers to other contracts(2,637,619)(484,259)(496,670)(287,879)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(4,604,154)(149,099)208,449 111,709 
Total increase (decrease)(6,547,173)(597,992)(413,117)(402,860)
Net assets as of December 31, 202223,853,156 1,956,919 2,732,092 2,238,997 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)78,843 67,750 48,740 20,660 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments925,278 (41,677)(59,079)31,691 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments896,737 312,054 399,172 405,016 
Net gains (losses) on investments1,900,858 338,127 388,833 457,367 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations1,900,858 338,127 388,833 457,367 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes651,495 1,831,921 925,058 779,210 
Administration charges(3,490)(10,240)(8,381)(7,253)
Contingent sales charges(3,668)(182)(2,974)(877)
Contract terminations(2,611,688)(8,026)(199,539)(38,670)
Death benefit payments(288,397)   
Flexible withdrawal option payments(242,192)(48,972)(38,910)(10,062)
Transfers to other contracts(654,566)(180,509)(323,729)(20,509)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(3,152,506)1,583,992 351,525 701,839 
Total increase (decrease)(1,251,648)1,922,119 740,358 1,159,206 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$22,601,508 $3,879,038 $3,472,450 $3,398,203 
See accompanying notes.
A-65


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Fidelity VIP Freedom 2050 Portfolio - Service Class 2Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio - Initial ClassFidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Growth
Portfolio - Service Class
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$1,636,047 $31,672,306 $19,568,998 $20,127,287 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)7,333 111,777 156,306 (122,800)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments5,388 — — 1,817,225 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(297,912)310 — (6,653,555)
Net gains (losses) on investments(285,191)112,087 156,306 (4,959,130)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(285,191)112,087 156,306 (4,959,130)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes208,258 25,205,448 73,956,447 215,589 
Administration charges(2,664)(16,514)(124,279)(3,477)
Contingent sales charges(262)(14,248)(47,319)(623)
Contract terminations(12,430)(8,458,331)(2,737,704)(1,331,075)
Death benefit payments— (146,310)(229,275)(164,740)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(4,784)(778,582)(240,032)(135,766)
Transfers to other contracts(598,845)(6,278,598)(53,633,415)(607,811)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(410,727)9,512,865 16,944,423 (2,027,903)
Total increase (decrease)(695,918)9,624,952 17,100,729 (6,987,033)
Net assets as of December 31, 2022940,129 41,297,258 36,669,727 13,140,254 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)7,514 1,313,140 1,473,106 (183,845)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(19,714)  1,301,604 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments238,944   3,183,650 
Net gains (losses) on investments226,744 1,313,140 1,473,106 4,301,409 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations226,744 1,313,140 1,473,106 4,301,409 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes558,953 15,853,955 84,552,541 347,543 
Administration charges(3,262)(19,436)(243,279)(3,331)
Contingent sales charges(803)(16,754)(120,358)(849)
Contract terminations(35,393)(9,549,831)(6,038,845)(1,016,592)
Death benefit payments (794,332)(59,946)(214,708)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(5,667)(650,198)(407,516)(124,217)
Transfers to other contracts(121,619)(11,368,043)(71,986,024)(421,763)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions392,209 (6,544,639)5,696,573 (1,433,917)
Total increase (decrease)618,953 (5,231,499)7,169,679 2,867,492 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$1,559,082 $36,065,759 $43,839,406 $16,007,746 
See accompanying notes.
A-66


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Fidelity VIP Growth
Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Health Care Portfolio - Service Class 2
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap
Portfolio - Service Class
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap
Portfolio - Service Class 2
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$15,813,851 $— $138,446 $31,247,062 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(129,806)(1,266)(641)(252,391)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,492,246 2,517 8,138 2,114,472 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(5,282,391)4,305 (29,175)(6,826,424)
Net gains (losses) on investments(3,919,951)5,556 (21,678)(4,964,343)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(3,919,951)5,556 (21,678)(4,964,343)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes1,065,674 638,803 — 1,727,675 
Administration charges(1,403)(36)— (18,051)
Contingent sales charges(2,814)(29)— (7,466)
Contract terminations(1,137,864)(1,357)— (2,294,014)
Death benefit payments(3,207)— — (96,529)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(111,967)(706)— (275,741)
Transfers to other contracts(1,034,849)(304,488)— (1,826,872)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(1,226,430)332,187 — (2,790,998)
Total increase (decrease)(5,146,381)337,743 (21,678)(7,755,341)
Net assets as of December 31, 202210,667,470 337,743 116,768 23,491,721 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(158,421)(5,055)(683)(191,350)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,116,113 (2,216)(22,312)831,419 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments2,319,045 30,450 33,645 2,301,847 
Net gains (losses) on investments3,276,737 23,179 10,650 2,941,916 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations3,276,737 23,179 10,650 2,941,916 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes595,836 646,601 113,653 1,811,077 
Administration charges(1,341)(1,112) (22,997)
Contingent sales charges(4,909)(506) (11,782)
Contract terminations(2,367,228)(25,915) (2,969,755)
Death benefit payments(38,834)  (60,281)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(85,649)(4,458) (228,034)
Transfers to other contracts(383,292)(66,239)(108,049)(908,194)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(2,285,417)548,371 5,604 (2,389,966)
Total increase (decrease)991,320 571,550 16,254 551,950 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$11,658,790 $909,293 $133,022 $24,043,671 
See accompanying notes.
A-67


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Fidelity VIP Overseas Portfolio - Service Class 2Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Global Real Estate VIP Fund - Class 2
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Income VIP
Fund - Class 4
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Rising Dividends VIP Fund - Class 4
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$24,906,237 $2,131,672 $3,670,686 $7,326,383 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(90,426)25,303 172,540 (4,410)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments444,805 103,040 70,747 955,887 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(6,651,345)(709,909)(509,020)(1,787,570)
Net gains (losses) on investments(6,296,966)(581,566)(265,733)(836,093)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(6,296,966)(581,566)(265,733)(836,093)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes2,850,466 309,242 2,244,999 2,090,041 
Administration charges(39,843)(1,688)(4,972)(10,291)
Contingent sales charges(3,714)(151)(2,037)(1,107)
Contract terminations(1,290,946)(46,437)(96,500)(210,112)
Death benefit payments(196,542)— (32,620)(37,108)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(461,453)(22,290)(39,800)(29,248)
Transfers to other contracts(863,779)(146,011)(815,214)(1,004,142)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(5,811)92,665 1,253,856 798,033 
Total increase (decrease)(6,302,777)(488,901)988,123 (38,060)
Net assets as of December 31, 202218,603,460 1,642,771 4,658,809 7,288,323 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(95,642)28,309 235,764 3,651 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments911,148 (117,339)303,342 960,412 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments2,341,941 241,429 (99,956)(111,000)
Net gains (losses) on investments3,157,447 152,399 439,150 853,063 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations3,157,447 152,399 439,150 853,063 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes2,170,342 98,906 1,709,200 1,982,819 
Administration charges(50,403)(1,979)(6,929)(14,315)
Contingent sales charges(8,812)(2,309)(1,526)(13,266)
Contract terminations(2,480,851)(247,068)(104,358)(814,912)
Death benefit payments(158,589)(10,676)(29,890)(86,348)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(425,319)(18,340)(64,329)(31,994)
Transfers to other contracts(2,123,631)(27,338)(138,386)(643,671)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(3,077,263)(208,804)1,363,782 378,313 
Total increase (decrease)80,184 (56,405)1,802,932 1,231,376 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$18,683,644 $1,586,366 $6,461,741 $8,519,699 
See accompanying notes.
A-68


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Small Cap Value VIP Fund - Class 2Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin U.S. Government Securities VIP Fund - Class 2Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Global Bond VIP Fund - Class 4
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Growth VIP
Fund - Class 2
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$3,855,571 $2,443,680 $2,781,797 $611,513 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(14,276)39,877 (25,674)(3,657)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments376,593 (464,817)(176,913)(32,307)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(791,538)47,528 33,437 (40,130)
Net gains (losses) on investments(429,221)(377,412)(169,150)(76,094)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(429,221)(377,412)(169,150)(76,094)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes708,952 3,642,663 294,128 122,376 
Administration charges(30)(3,240)(3,774)— 
Contingent sales charges(730)(816)(699)(1)
Contract terminations(295,195)(38,667)(198,515)(11,104)
Death benefit payments(90,678)(10,031)(6,419)(542)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(22,855)(5,614)(23,093)(6,882)
Transfers to other contracts(857,955)(3,320,109)(321,571)(129,600)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(558,491)264,186 (259,943)(25,753)
Total increase (decrease)(987,712)(113,226)(429,093)(101,847)
Net assets as of December 31, 20222,867,859 2,330,454 2,352,704 509,666 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(23,421)53,120 (21,876)13,517 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments88,218 (36,937)(170,662)(8,920)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments211,609 76,244 257,185 95,040 
Net gains (losses) on investments276,406 92,427 64,647 99,637 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations276,406 92,427 64,647 99,637 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes203,914 1,090,320 566,041 428 
Administration charges(60)(5,063)(4,613) 
Contingent sales charges(1,129)(502)(2,121)(39)
Contract terminations(561,354)(40,036)(357,946)(16,396)
Death benefit payments(14,450)(13,100)(25,343) 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(17,118)(4,536)(26,544)(5,433)
Transfers to other contracts(165,544)(645,910)(165,957)(6,424)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(555,741)381,173 (16,483)(27,864)
Total increase (decrease)(279,335)473,600 48,164 71,773 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$2,588,524 $2,804,054 $2,400,868 $581,439 
See accompanying notes.
A-69


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Global Emerging Markets
Account - Class 1
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value Fund - Institutional Shares
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value
Fund - Service Shares
Goldman Sachs VIT - Multi-Strategy Alternatives Portfolio - Service Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$39,901,341 $12,777,267 $2,648,683 $604,408 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)76,771 (80,452)(11,272)17,079 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments2,951,792 1,584,201 469,802 834 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(12,352,787)(2,922,057)(750,501)(64,478)
Net gains (losses) on investments(9,324,224)(1,418,308)(291,971)(46,565)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(9,324,224)(1,418,308)(291,971)(46,565)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes2,944,579 500,141 805,529 107,366 
Administration charges(7,056)(501)(4,360)(1,036)
Contingent sales charges(5,932)(2,357)(463)(124)
Contract terminations(2,860,743)(965,566)(33,760)(5,856)
Death benefit payments(213,506)(6,409)— — 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(300,818)(78,999)(10,411)(2,068)
Transfers to other contracts(1,494,533)(1,028,743)(311,519)(21,489)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(1,938,009)(1,582,434)445,016 76,793 
Total increase (decrease)(11,262,233)(3,000,742)153,045 30,228 
Net assets as of December 31, 202228,639,108 9,776,525 2,801,728 634,636 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)316,620 (41,022)(3,949)34,303 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(719,933)238,856 37,711 (1,700)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments3,329,510 642,093 239,156 7,982 
Net gains (losses) on investments2,926,197 839,927 272,918 40,585 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations2,926,197 839,927 272,918 40,585 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes1,041,990 367,814 374,006 16,563 
Administration charges(8,082)(525)(6,001)(1,408)
Contingent sales charges(6,834)(3,192)(2,901)(707)
Contract terminations(3,714,299)(1,558,193)(207,165)(40,362)
Death benefit payments(157,045)(41,727)  
Flexible withdrawal option payments(235,342)(58,486)(14,728)(3,180)
Transfers to other contracts(1,350,883)(357,554)(140,456)(32,575)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(4,430,495)(1,651,863)2,755 (61,669)
Total increase (decrease)(1,504,298)(811,936)275,673 (21,084)
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$27,134,810 $8,964,589 $3,077,401 $613,552 
See accompanying notes.
A-70


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund - Institutional Shares Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund - Service SharesGovernment & High Quality Bond Account - Class 1Guggenheim Investments VIF Global Managed Futures Strategy Fund
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$6,058,366 $1,224,758 $73,053,777 $180,772 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(52,923)(7,442)40,093 26,804 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(13,772)(9,221)(2,569,885)(98,571)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(1,133,346)(229,416)(6,477,147)(27,680)
Net gains (losses) on investments(1,200,041)(246,079)(9,006,939)(99,447)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(1,200,041)(246,079)(9,006,939)(99,447)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes237,477 178,123 4,932,256 2,857,399 
Administration charges(30)(1,728)(62,731)(728)
Contingent sales charges(1,325)(90)(9,012)(72)
Contract terminations(539,809)(27,374)(6,471,795)(14,381)
Death benefit payments(3,704)— (1,087,528)— 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(59,775)(1,845)(1,733,557)(30,353)
Transfers to other contracts(399,669)(175,850)(5,293,379)(1,346,312)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(766,835)(28,764)(9,725,746)1,465,553 
Total increase (decrease)(1,966,876)(274,843)(18,732,685)1,366,106 
Net assets as of December 31, 20224,091,490 949,915 54,321,092 1,546,878 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(17,747)185 503,880 9,882 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(220,581)(21,450)(2,589,151)(18,518)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments869,533 203,018 3,617,426 22,327 
Net gains (losses) on investments631,205 181,753 1,532,155 13,691 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations631,205 181,753 1,532,155 13,691 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes131,913 226,477 4,012,964 55,521 
Administration charges (2,202)(70,950)(549)
Contingent sales charges(1,270)(373)(9,303)(396)
Contract terminations(615,372)(58,356)(7,154,211)(98,179)
Death benefit payments(19,656) (791,640) 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(44,545)(2,259)(1,455,629)(9,743)
Transfers to other contracts(283,201)(60,793)(2,605,298)(1,251,414)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(832,131)102,494 (8,074,067)(1,304,760)
Total increase (decrease)(200,926)284,247 (6,541,912)(1,291,069)
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$3,890,564 $1,234,162 $47,779,180 $255,809 
See accompanying notes.
A-71


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Guggenheim Investments VIF Long Short Equity FundGuggenheim Investments VIF Multi-Hedge Strategies FundGuggenheim Investments VIF - Series F (Guggenheim Floating Rate Strategies Series)
Invesco V.I. American Franchise
Fund - Series I Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$305,432 $711,487 $3,508,955 $5,220,893 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(1,409)743 65,909 (51,062)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments7,928 21,174 (102,789)1,107,982 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(51,741)(61,141)(41,516)(2,686,625)
Net gains (losses) on investments(45,222)(39,224)(78,396)(1,629,705)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(45,222)(39,224)(78,396)(1,629,705)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes97,034 246,093 3,198,385 166,559 
Administration charges(615)(1,093)(2,281)(674)
Contingent sales charges(6)— (927)(109)
Contract terminations(424)— (316,534)(233,847)
Death benefit payments— (1,893)(58,688)(40,054)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(2,720)(1,304)(81,844)(44,859)
Transfers to other contracts(76,654)(79,622)(1,060,411)(80,252)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions16,615 162,181 1,677,700 (233,236)
Total increase (decrease)(28,607)122,957 1,599,304 (1,862,941)
Net assets as of December 31, 2022276,825 834,444 5,108,259 3,357,952 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(1,772)14,678 128,524 (50,663)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments20,710 (1,267)(33,671)51,316 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments14,163 11,709 403,918 1,270,181 
Net gains (losses) on investments33,101 25,120 498,771 1,270,834 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations33,101 25,120 498,771 1,270,834 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes92,626 30,796 2,035,189 296,734 
Administration charges(850)(1,236)(4,167)(664)
Contingent sales charges(1,676)(817)(2,297)(258)
Contract terminations(128,125)(194,084)(546,047)(308,872)
Death benefit payments  (987)(10,701)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(1,229)(940)(100,001)(39,544)
Transfers to other contracts(13,974)(93,446)(1,238,497)(105,223)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(53,228)(259,727)143,193 (168,528)
Total increase (decrease)(20,127)(234,607)641,964 1,102,306 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$256,698 $599,837 $5,750,223 $4,460,258 
See accompanying notes.
A-72


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Invesco V.I. American Value Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Balanced-Risk Allocation
Fund - Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Core Equity
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Discovery Mid Cap Growth
Fund - Series I Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$3,908,584 $927,784 $15,437,434 $1,126,444 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(23,392)70,102 (49,553)(10,766)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments543,667 25,858 1,773,066 239,382 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(691,313)(263,938)(4,954,870)(586,282)
Net gains (losses) on investments(171,038)(167,978)(3,231,357)(357,666)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(171,038)(167,978)(3,231,357)(357,666)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes140,697 391,797 186,152 43,557 
Administration charges(6,881)(1,260)(1,285)(112)
Contingent sales charges(726)(282)(301)(13)
Contract terminations(293,617)(13,337)(642,478)(28,319)
Death benefit payments(127,650)— (352,111)(18,193)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(52,952)(30,000)(174,333)(14,127)
Transfers to other contracts(312,150)(96,746)(384,708)(12,161)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(653,279)250,172 (1,369,064)(29,368)
Total increase (decrease)(824,317)82,194 (4,600,421)(387,034)
Net assets as of December 31, 20223,084,267 1,009,978 10,837,013 739,410 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(22,884)(8,958)(65,484)(9,216)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments391,362 (64,426)(64,639)(50,974)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(5,884)130,904 2,361,748 133,123 
Net gains (losses) on investments362,594 57,520 2,231,625 72,933 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations362,594 57,520 2,231,625 72,933 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes150,499 638,331 156,558 15,194 
Administration charges(7,682)(1,644)(1,229)(116)
Contingent sales charges(752)(356)(916)(51)
Contract terminations(362,389)(50,721)(1,097,121)(60,721)
Death benefit payments(16,596)(24,917)(67,185) 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(49,924)(6,450)(144,816)(8,479)
Transfers to other contracts(317,619)(524,761)(193,852)(139,029)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(604,463)29,482 (1,348,561)(193,202)
Total increase (decrease)(241,869)87,002 883,064 (120,269)
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$2,842,398 $1,096,980 $11,720,077 $619,141 
See accompanying notes.
A-73


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity
Fund - Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Health Care
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Health Care
Fund - Series II Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$6,122,558 $3,000,907 $7,332,083 $8,307,958 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)15,283 18,250 (78,494)(59,064)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments492,271 285,316 738,624 953,892 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(1,692,045)(884,045)(1,711,981)(2,148,545)
Net gains (losses) on investments(1,184,491)(580,479)(1,051,851)(1,253,717)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(1,184,491)(580,479)(1,051,851)(1,253,717)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes553,062 612,775 418,811 932,489 
Administration charges(7,458)(4,890)(703)(13,618)
Contingent sales charges(899)(318)(219)(1,588)
Contract terminations(363,474)(54,674)(366,853)(130,062)
Death benefit payments(4,223)(19,335)(17,332)(20,996)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(86,165)(23,750)(74,898)(45,665)
Transfers to other contracts(333,232)(140,259)(532,264)(1,148,309)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(242,389)369,549 (573,458)(427,749)
Total increase (decrease)(1,426,880)(210,930)(1,625,309)(1,681,466)
Net assets as of December 31, 20224,695,678 2,789,977 5,706,774 6,626,492 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(55,624)(24,988)(68,721)(51,564)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(59,491)(138,848)(57,117)(132,443)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments819,529 642,429 205,588 290,441 
Net gains (losses) on investments704,414 478,593 79,750 106,434 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations704,414 478,593 79,750 106,434 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes195,775 683,108 230,380 313,011 
Administration charges(10,317)(6,513)(554)(16,125)
Contingent sales charges(1,478)(3,536)(638)(3,683)
Contract terminations(712,544)(355,941)(663,624)(409,527)
Death benefit payments(5,247)(8,222)(10,622)(53,504)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(78,587)(21,813)(64,056)(56,119)
Transfers to other contracts(316,836)(199,639)(220,492)(393,909)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(929,234)87,444 (729,606)(619,856)
Total increase (decrease)(224,820)566,037 (649,856)(513,422)
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$4,470,858 $3,356,014 $5,056,918 $6,113,070 
See accompanying notes.
A-74


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Invesco V.I. Main Street Small Cap Fund - Series II Shares
Invesco V.I. Small Cap Equity
Fund - Series I Shares
Invesco V.I. Technology
Fund - Series I Shares
Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity
Portfolio - Service Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$487,114 $6,720,371 $3,677,031 $— 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(4,118)(73,460)(32,609)111 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments53,108 987,807 1,014,502 (1,096)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(128,609)(2,341,205)(2,404,177)517 
Net gains (losses) on investments(79,619)(1,426,858)(1,422,284)(468)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(79,619)(1,426,858)(1,422,284)(468)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes9,029 504,684 261,691 61,668 
Administration charges(53)(5,220)(235)— 
Contingent sales charges(12)(675)(55)— 
Contract terminations(25,373)(378,783)(116,644)— 
Death benefit payments(2,970)(98,035)(10,390)— 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(699)(61,527)(21,589)(1,829)
Transfers to other contracts(33,760)(560,474)(340,840)(13,147)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(53,838)(600,030)(228,062)46,692 
Total increase (decrease)(133,457)(2,026,888)(1,650,346)46,224 
Net assets as of December 31, 2022353,657 4,693,483 2,026,685 46,224 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(1,183)(63,143)(33,371)(156)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(449)(129,976)(308,327)466 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments65,112 819,860 1,268,902 17,149 
Net gains (losses) on investments63,480 626,741 927,204 17,459 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations63,480 626,741 927,204 17,459 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes47,551 309,601 507,947 114,962 
Administration charges(69)(6,203)(300)(13)
Contingent sales charges(1)(1,292)(225) 
Contract terminations(1,044)(786,027)(269,000) 
Death benefit payments (16,185)(19,760) 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(2,009)(57,763)(26,379)(1,812)
Transfers to other contracts(10,622)(322,472)(244,263)(211)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions33,806 (880,341)(51,980)112,926 
Total increase (decrease)97,286 (253,600)875,224 130,385 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$450,943 $4,439,883 $2,901,909 $176,609 
See accompanying notes.
A-75


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Janus Henderson Series Balanced Portfolio - Service SharesJanus Henderson Series Enterprise Portfolio - Service Shares
Janus Henderson Series Flexible Bond
Portfolio - Service Shares
Janus Henderson Series Global Technology and Innovation Portfolio - Service Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$4,580,994 $10,355,419 $9,275,362 $8,081,814 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)18,994 (88,587)104,046 (44,161)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(103,543)1,647,053 (118,692)(123,454)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(838,129)(3,310,300)(1,362,900)(3,001,313)
Net gains (losses) on investments(922,678)(1,751,834)(1,377,546)(3,168,928)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(922,678)(1,751,834)(1,377,546)(3,168,928)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes2,601,345 174,608 2,201,004 1,657,358 
Administration charges(7,419)(1,005)(12,433)(11,310)
Contingent sales charges(567)(155)(4,750)(639)
Contract terminations(40,283)(331,297)(606,264)(66,112)
Death benefit payments(89,789)(25,928)(25,802)(85,057)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(19,863)(56,515)(80,938)(29,469)
Transfers to other contracts(1,076,969)(324,245)(1,145,658)(1,904,159)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions1,366,455 (564,537)325,159 (439,388)
Total increase (decrease)443,777 (2,316,371)(1,052,387)(3,608,316)
Net assets as of December 31, 20225,024,771 8,039,048 8,222,975 4,473,498 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)69,411 (98,920)256,516 (45,294)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(71,843)805,088 (301,394)(313,514)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments850,780 529,233 429,870 2,788,311 
Net gains (losses) on investments848,348 1,235,401 384,992 2,429,503 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations848,348 1,235,401 384,992 2,429,503 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes2,124,436 163,488 2,442,314 1,046,904 
Administration charges(10,684)(981)(16,866)(12,180)
Contingent sales charges(940)(554)(3,239)(1,311)
Contract terminations(54,311)(663,762)(568,652)(102,418)
Death benefit payments (92,934)(25,436)(6,838)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(43,912)(48,992)(90,520)(39,480)
Transfers to other contracts(560,634)(379,215)(780,249)(562,037)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions1,453,955 (1,022,950)957,352 322,640 
Total increase (decrease)2,302,303 212,451 1,342,344 2,752,143 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$7,327,074 $8,251,499 $9,565,319 $7,225,641 
See accompanying notes.
A-76


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


LargeCap Growth Account I - Class 1
LargeCap S&P 500 Index
Account - Class 1
LargeCap S&P 500 Index
Account - Class 2
MFS® International Intrinsic Value Portfolio - Service Class
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$210,316,503 $115,615,572 $46,636,053 $10,791,311 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(1,888,779)(24,654)147,474 (47,554)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments21,594,557 15,977,452 5,073,740 391,149 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(91,733,925)(37,610,249)(14,501,852)(3,081,933)
Net gains (losses) on investments(72,028,147)(21,657,451)(9,280,638)(2,738,338)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(72,028,147)(21,657,451)(9,280,638)(2,738,338)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes6,363,200 4,778,399 11,561,017 1,319,300 
Administration charges(55,946)(26,132)(71,187)(8,474)
Contingent sales charges(11,195)(12,884)(12,094)(1,443)
Contract terminations(9,600,090)(7,645,440)(807,520)(377,096)
Death benefit payments(1,179,401)(908,698)(229,925)(3,473)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(1,698,172)(1,417,295)(368,812)(50,366)
Transfers to other contracts(6,063,376)(4,958,512)(5,383,868)(1,798,774)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(12,244,980)(10,190,562)4,687,611 (920,326)
Total increase (decrease)(84,273,127)(31,848,013)(4,593,027)(3,658,664)
Net assets as of December 31, 2022126,043,376 83,767,559 42,043,026 7,132,647 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(1,761,615)105,068 220,823 (39,564)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments10,616,300 8,988,656 2,517,933 646,803 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments36,985,233 9,656,608 7,636,573 501,901 
Net gains (losses) on investments45,839,918 18,750,332 10,375,329 1,109,140 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations45,839,918 18,750,332 10,375,329 1,109,140 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes3,772,510 3,456,898 10,014,223 986,050 
Administration charges(60,495)(30,876)(91,363)(10,763)
Contingent sales charges(19,059)(17,806)(55,585)(2,651)
Contract terminations(14,157,243)(11,333,825)(3,264,687)(996,345)
Death benefit payments(1,230,534)(943,663)(112,566)(34,762)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(1,640,173)(1,185,266)(405,650)(39,571)
Transfers to other contracts(4,424,800)(3,438,905)(6,180,739)(480,888)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(17,759,794)(13,493,443)(96,367)(578,930)
Total increase (decrease)28,080,124 5,256,889 10,278,962 530,210 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$154,123,500 $89,024,448 $52,321,988 $7,662,857 
See accompanying notes.
A-77


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


MFS® New Discovery
Series - Service Class
MFS® Utilities Series - Service ClassMFS® Value Series - Service Class
MidCap
Account - Class 1
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$7,906,838 $16,805,569 $4,416,030 $369,568,432 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(56,596)183,512 (10,560)(3,129,185)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,691,920 1,337,658 398,644 31,346,388 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(4,123,470)(1,690,485)(734,831)(115,349,867)
Net gains (losses) on investments(2,488,146)(169,315)(346,747)(87,132,664)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(2,488,146)(169,315)(346,747)(87,132,664)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes1,068,055 3,942,760 1,086,995 9,076,207 
Administration charges(10,848)(11,898)(150)(126,733)
Contingent sales charges(822)(4,194)(1,045)(25,777)
Contract terminations(87,464)(1,059,576)(422,638)(20,539,191)
Death benefit payments(43,995)(107,630)(72,352)(3,533,564)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(66,170)(192,303)(54,494)(4,027,643)
Transfers to other contracts(971,556)(2,193,085)(595,029)(8,439,005)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(112,800)374,074 (58,713)(27,615,706)
Total increase (decrease)(2,600,946)204,759 (405,460)(114,748,370)
Net assets as of December 31, 20225,305,892 17,010,328 4,010,570 254,820,062 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(50,999)318,863 (3,519)(3,350,811)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(735,727)1,297,902 302,506 7,563,672 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments1,462,500 (2,202,972)(146,656)53,233,826 
Net gains (losses) on investments675,774 (586,207)152,331 57,446,687 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations675,774 (586,207)152,331 57,446,687 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes696,347 1,253,143 270,674 4,283,695 
Administration charges(12,377)(14,998)(90)(147,209)
Contingent sales charges(3,246)(6,888)(2,828)(34,918)
Contract terminations(401,258)(1,913,835)(1,363,840)(28,184,786)
Death benefit payments(62,905)(114,299) (2,582,482)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(55,021)(166,162)(43,986)(3,385,712)
Transfers to other contracts(516,915)(1,936,255)(181,880)(7,492,683)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(355,375)(2,899,294)(1,321,950)(37,544,095)
Total increase (decrease)320,399 (3,485,501)(1,169,619)19,902,592 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$5,626,291 $13,524,827 $2,840,951 $274,722,654 
See accompanying notes.
A-78


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


MidCap
Account - Class 2
Neuberger Berman AMT Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio - Class S
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity Portfolio - I Class Shares
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity
Portfolio - S Class Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$13,298,615 $4,638,714 $6,992,997 $99,217 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(101,215)(37,087)(52,946)(779)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,456,349 748,564 701,728 14,019 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(4,827,479)(2,024,564)(1,928,108)(36,626)
Net gains (losses) on investments(3,472,345)(1,313,087)(1,279,326)(23,386)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(3,472,345)(1,313,087)(1,279,326)(23,386)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes6,625,417 346,153 196,770 121,806 
Administration charges(21,998)(5,570)(8,272)(179)
Contingent sales charges(3,072)(919)(1,949)— 
Contract terminations(145,494)(320,339)(787,866)— 
Death benefit payments(122,642)(22,103)(146,155)— 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(119,206)(37,695)(69,340)(1,577)
Transfers to other contracts(1,695,211)(371,126)(197,471)(2,325)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions4,517,794 (411,599)(1,014,283)117,725 
Total increase (decrease)1,045,449 (1,724,686)(2,293,609)94,339 
Net assets as of December 31, 202214,344,064 2,914,028 4,699,388 193,556 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(127,506)(32,301)(50,119)(2,117)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments299,546 (150,437)245,080 7,715 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments3,575,307 632,050 834,670 65,350 
Net gains (losses) on investments3,747,347 449,312 1,029,631 70,948 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations3,747,347 449,312 1,029,631 70,948 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes3,562,548 211,813 34,509 195,253 
Administration charges(35,677)(6,110)(9,367)(584)
Contingent sales charges(9,814)(1,030)(1,849)(11)
Contract terminations(550,777)(381,034)(891,762)(469)
Death benefit payments(31,655) (15,518) 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(129,647)(33,642)(64,628)(1,492)
Transfers to other contracts(1,605,197)(204,737)(317,256)(7,400)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions1,199,781 (414,740)(1,265,871)185,297 
Total increase (decrease)4,947,128 34,572 (236,240)256,245 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$19,291,192 $2,948,600 $4,463,148 $449,801 
See accompanying notes.
A-79


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio - Administrative Class
PIMCO VIT All Asset
Portfolio - Advisor Class
PIMCO VIT Commodity
RealReturn® Strategy
Portfolio - M Class
PIMCO VIT Emerging Markets Bond Portfolio - Administrative Class
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$2,317,141 $265,218 $422,876 $293,056 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)114,635 26,345 171,827 24,773 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments181,882 17,963 27,765 (20,732)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(566,047)(100,609)(221,930)(90,814)
Net gains (losses) on investments(269,530)(56,301)(22,338)(86,773)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(269,530)(56,301)(22,338)(86,773)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes98,755 214,329 898,495 627,230 
Administration charges(30)(1,232)(892)(1,402)
Contingent sales charges(664)(60)(20)(122)
Contract terminations(268,482)(2,835)(951)(5,768)
Death benefit payments(97,309)(11,313)— — 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(45,497)(6,886)(2,731)(5,552)
Transfers to other contracts(100,030)(82,389)(443,067)(71,953)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(413,257)109,614 450,834 542,433 
Total increase (decrease)(682,787)53,313 428,496 455,660 
Net assets as of December 31, 20221,634,354 318,531 851,372 748,716 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)21,938 6,482 117,574 37,053 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(86,009)(10,099)(297,717)(34,488)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments153,836 26,307 114,999 77,081 
Net gains (losses) on investments89,765 22,690 (65,144)79,646 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations89,765 22,690 (65,144)79,646 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes41,359 31,307 82,028 163,521 
Administration charges(30)(1,457)(877)(2,346)
Contingent sales charges(306)(31)(2,321)(451)
Contract terminations(147,742)(15,525)(109,872)(19,874)
Death benefit payments(2,113)   
Flexible withdrawal option payments(28,926)(7,862)(2,956)(8,547)
Transfers to other contracts(278,321)(9,304)(452,820)(103,111)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(416,079)(2,872)(486,818)29,192 
Total increase (decrease)(326,314)19,818 (551,962)108,838 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$1,308,040 $338,349 $299,410 $857,554 
See accompanying notes.
A-80


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


PIMCO VIT High Yield Portfolio - Administrative Class
PIMCO VIT Low Duration
Portfolio - Advisor Class
PIMCO VIT Total Return Portfolio - Administrative ClassPrincipal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 1
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$23,370,194 $4,900,906 $30,374,822 $101,111,700 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)828,233 42,175 412,796 (467,495)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(402,175)(97,269)(834,374)14,081,637 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(3,156,439)(300,858)(4,198,372)(30,821,805)
Net gains (losses) on investments(2,730,381)(355,952)(4,619,950)(17,207,663)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(2,730,381)(355,952)(4,619,950)(17,207,663)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes3,916,599 3,326,588 5,711,921 2,832,994 
Administration charges(19,928)(10,888)(25,473)(78,638)
Contingent sales charges(5,197)(709)(8,732)(10,878)
Contract terminations(1,291,575)(112,049)(2,261,411)(5,437,529)
Death benefit payments(163,903)(16,237)(429,128)(1,505,919)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(284,561)(69,707)(440,176)(1,552,468)
Transfers to other contracts(2,970,749)(2,255,750)(3,141,572)(5,323,534)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(819,314)861,248 (594,571)(11,075,972)
Total increase (decrease)(3,549,695)505,296 (5,214,521)(28,283,635)
Net assets as of December 31, 202219,820,499 5,406,202 25,160,301 72,828,065 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)899,931 160,081 642,987 (408,583)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(484,959)(82,333)(868,226)8,907,865 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments1,671,758 163,780 1,429,717 7,096,588 
Net gains (losses) on investments2,086,730 241,528 1,204,478 15,595,870 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations2,086,730 241,528 1,204,478 15,595,870 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes3,120,032 3,341,323 4,048,425 1,544,949 
Administration charges(24,579)(14,737)(35,218)(96,575)
Contingent sales charges(8,476)(3,619)(13,503)(13,278)
Contract terminations(2,208,373)(280,527)(2,516,871)(7,769,419)
Death benefit payments(103,208) (137,166)(680,808)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(243,587)(55,784)(368,615)(1,378,652)
Transfers to other contracts(1,843,950)(2,184,914)(1,673,870)(3,981,366)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(1,312,141)801,742 (696,818)(12,375,149)
Total increase (decrease)774,589 1,043,270 507,660 3,220,721 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$20,595,088 $6,449,472 $25,667,961 $76,048,786 
See accompanying notes.
A-81


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Principal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 2
Principal LifeTime 2020
Account - Class 1
Principal LifeTime 2030
Account - Class 1
Principal LifeTime 2040
Account - Class 1
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$12,807,579 $75,498,375 $59,022,903 $16,395,629 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(17,750)1,126,765 666,473 222,645 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,645,259 4,535,331 3,360,909 1,129,682 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(3,904,785)(17,062,765)(14,404,495)(4,412,949)
Net gains (losses) on investments(2,277,276)(11,400,669)(10,377,113)(3,060,622)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(2,277,276)(11,400,669)(10,377,113)(3,060,622)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes2,341,995 859,168 1,090,594 338,235 
Administration charges(22,245)(177,800)(160,404)(5,314)
Contingent sales charges(2,682)(10,206)(11,554)(4,557)
Contract terminations(267,156)(4,377,154)(4,434,479)(1,761,002)
Death benefit payments(56,604)(902,961)(620,149)— 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(78,197)(2,488,270)(1,019,763)(34,566)
Transfers to other contracts(1,028,981)(2,746,608)(2,664,364)(833,894)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions886,130 (9,843,831)(7,820,119)(2,301,098)
Total increase (decrease)(1,391,146)(21,244,500)(18,197,232)(5,361,720)
Net assets as of December 31, 202211,416,433 54,253,875 40,825,671 11,033,909 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(13,724)615,620 153,032 (3,503)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,051,513 (310,504)836,391 378,884 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments1,730,777 4,980,241 4,222,761 1,367,460 
Net gains (losses) on investments2,768,566 5,285,357 5,212,184 1,742,841 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations2,768,566 5,285,357 5,212,184 1,742,841 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes1,894,746 622,341 972,826 268,016 
Administration charges(30,623)(209,882)(194,208)(5,884)
Contingent sales charges(2,921)(10,523)(7,249)(2,055)
Contract terminations(410,392)(5,594,108)(3,582,974)(1,143,318)
Death benefit payments(4,445)(650,121)(549,562)(41,073)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(82,280)(2,189,657)(844,580)(21,651)
Transfers to other contracts(1,456,897)(936,985)(571,115)(108,566)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(92,812)(8,968,935)(4,776,862)(1,054,531)
Total increase (decrease)2,675,754 (3,683,578)435,322 688,310 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$14,092,187 $50,570,297 $41,260,993 $11,722,219 
See accompanying notes.
A-82


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Principal LifeTime 2050
Account - Class 1
Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Account - Class 1U.S. LargeCap Buffer April Account - Class 2U.S. LargeCap Buffer January Account - Class 2
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$11,673,751 $9,167,218 $— $— 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)194,171 132,187 — (1,330)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments901,874 231,576 — — 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(3,324,175)(1,597,979)— — 
Net gains (losses) on investments(2,228,130)(1,234,216)— (1,330)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(2,228,130)(1,234,216)— (1,330)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes76,514 164,404 — 25,600,448 
Administration charges(6,531)(13,315)— — 
Contingent sales charges(3,944)(2,010)— — 
Contract terminations(1,506,391)(843,722)— — 
Death benefit payments— (154,844)— — 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(68,825)(373,021)— — 
Transfers to other contracts(44,760)(529,151)— — 
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(1,553,937)(1,751,659)— 25,600,448 
Total increase (decrease)(3,782,067)(2,985,875)— 25,599,118 
Net assets as of December 31, 20227,891,684 6,181,343 — 25,599,118 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(17,000)14,579 (121,982)(91,928)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments444,560 (205,979)5,211,820 3,436,460 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments880,486 1,158,643 (328,216)(286,068)
Net gains (losses) on investments1,308,046 967,243 4,761,622 3,058,464 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations1,308,046 967,243 4,761,622 3,058,464 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes84,595 10,781,101 64,814,948 58,107,428 
Administration charges(5,435)(27,162)(81,960)(60,220)
Contingent sales charges(3,038)(1,868)(7,860)(6,996)
Contract terminations(1,619,013)(1,159,099)(1,134,590)(536,934)
Death benefit payments (227,828)(10,286)(107,079)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(47,129)(693,531)(51,401)(40,273)
Transfers to other contracts(113,779)(108,754)(46,700,182)(27,673,303)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(1,703,799)8,562,859 16,828,669 29,682,623 
Total increase (decrease)(395,753)9,530,102 21,590,291 32,741,087 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$7,495,931 $15,711,445 $21,590,291 $58,340,205 
See accompanying notes.
A-83


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


U.S. LargeCap Buffer July Account - Class 2 U.S. LargeCap Buffer October Account - Class 2
Real Estate Securities
Account - Class 1
Real Estate Securities
Account - Class 2
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$— $— $68,804,820 $11,374,862 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(17,958)(13,925)(79,341)22,289 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments84,828 506,514 3,742,269 610,792 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments14,061 557,298 (20,915,292)(3,729,425)
Net gains (losses) on investments80,931 1,049,887 (17,252,364)(3,096,344)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations80,931 1,049,887 (17,252,364)(3,096,344)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes29,064,266 25,418,652 2,210,829 2,823,488 
Administration charges(18,142)(4,698)(7,269)(19,985)
Contingent sales charges(2,999)(18)(7,785)(2,286)
Contract terminations(164,177)(868)(4,180,611)(292,283)
Death benefit payments— — (629,911)(45,590)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(26,156)(32,182)(675,299)(62,772)
Transfers to other contracts(3,715,350)(9,520,417)(3,491,790)(1,518,268)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions25,137,442 15,860,469 (6,781,836)882,304 
Total increase (decrease)25,218,373 16,910,356 (24,034,200)(2,214,040)
Net assets as of December 31, 202225,218,373 16,910,356 44,770,620 9,160,822 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(170,461)(86,162)258,461 90,256 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments5,842,681 2,719,877 (381,666)163,594 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments1,393,487 527,165 4,916,737 871,382 
Net gains (losses) on investments7,065,707 3,160,880 4,793,532 1,125,232 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations7,065,707 3,160,880 4,793,532 1,125,232 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes82,958,069 10,799,428 2,074,624 1,305,552 
Administration charges(141,125)(79,574)(7,284)(25,083)
Contingent sales charges(13,520)(5,748)(9,540)(5,418)
Contract terminations(1,047,428)(747,225)(5,975,155)(487,893)
Death benefit payments(174,006)(109,430)(407,574)(15,165)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(107,960)(52,582)(498,239)(68,308)
Transfers to other contracts(59,529,128)(11,068,339)(1,686,978)(543,408)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions21,944,902 (1,263,470)(6,510,146)160,277 
Total increase (decrease)29,010,609 1,897,410 (1,716,614)1,285,509 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$54,228,982 $18,807,766 $43,054,006 $10,446,331 
See accompanying notes.
A-84


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


Rydex VI Basic Materials FundRydex VI Commodities Strategy FundRydex VI NASDAQ 100 FundSAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 1
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$798,907 $1,261,500 $14,216,715 $414,419,215 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(2,607)141,545 (88,215)3,229,122 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments74,852 412,243 931,317 40,939,034 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(162,605)(386,473)(5,672,142)(113,778,798)
Net gains (losses) on investments(90,360)167,315 (4,829,040)(69,610,642)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(90,360)167,315 (4,829,040)(69,610,642)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes167,154 3,651,912 2,125,239 6,101,069 
Administration charges(964)(2,794)(19,563)(1,469,211)
Contingent sales charges(18)(584)(5,644)(44,813)
Contract terminations(831)(401,327)(409,613)(20,392,980)
Death benefit payments— — (120,950)(3,609,752)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(2,281)(36,825)(53,607)(11,439,366)
Transfers to other contracts(197,851)(2,005,605)(1,976,190)(9,598,529)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(34,791)1,204,777 (460,328)(40,453,582)
Total increase (decrease)(125,151)1,372,092 (5,289,368)(110,064,224)
Net assets as of December 31, 2022673,756 2,633,592 8,927,347 304,354,991 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(6,366)175,475 (88,163)2,883,377 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments8,877 (338,838)350,411 3,009,556 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments50,047 (14,987)4,060,770 34,492,852 
Net gains (losses) on investments52,558 (178,350)4,323,018 40,385,785 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations52,558 (178,350)4,323,018 40,385,785 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes107,480 471,278 706,499 4,139,168 
Administration charges(1,329)(2,923)(23,469)(1,869,724)
Contingent sales charges(1,098)(2,999)(9,102)(44,754)
Contract terminations(55,503)(333,505)(932,328)(24,979,828)
Death benefit payments  (79,564)(4,209,789)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(5,110)(27,395)(51,331)(10,442,534)
Transfers to other contracts(5,367)(1,179,041)(1,220,004)(5,486,283)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions39,073 (1,074,585)(1,609,299)(42,893,744)
Total increase (decrease)91,631 (1,252,935)2,713,719 (2,507,959)
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$765,387 $1,380,657 $11,641,066 $301,847,032 
See accompanying notes.
A-85


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


SAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Conservative Balanced
Portfolio - Class 1
SAM Conservative Balanced
Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Conservative Growth
Portfolio - Class 1
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$38,820,113 $95,296,005 $16,588,125 $87,461,092 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)501,408 758,795 228,919 466,064 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments4,833,607 6,200,107 1,289,766 8,502,381 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(12,237,443)(21,299,338)(4,237,084)(25,193,733)
Net gains (losses) on investments(6,902,428)(14,340,436)(2,718,399)(16,225,288)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(6,902,428)(14,340,436)(2,718,399)(16,225,288)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes8,385,992 2,290,218 3,984,654 2,799,618 
Administration charges(62,008)(196,337)(34,276)(6,190)
Contingent sales charges(12,290)(16,030)(12,950)(14,607)
Contract terminations(898,711)(6,989,723)(1,293,369)(6,190,671)
Death benefit payments(228,632)(1,932,774)(74,978)(1,145,373)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(592,867)(2,359,828)(255,091)(1,157,967)
Transfers to other contracts(2,464,804)(2,724,756)(1,737,108)(2,871,342)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions4,126,680 (11,929,230)576,882 (8,586,532)
Total increase (decrease)(2,775,748)(26,269,666)(2,141,517)(24,811,820)
Net assets as of December 31, 202236,044,365 69,026,339 14,446,608 62,649,272 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)506,818 919,966 286,650 208,817 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments784,865 (1,763,948)(84,907)4,191,393 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments3,880,189 7,328,102 1,387,920 5,549,861 
Net gains (losses) on investments5,171,872 6,484,120 1,589,663 9,950,071 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations5,171,872 6,484,120 1,589,663 9,950,071 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes3,085,587 2,123,731 1,826,998 2,098,032 
Administration charges(88,861)(235,191)(38,545)(5,741)
Contingent sales charges(18,994)(14,028)(10,712)(20,305)
Contract terminations(2,804,182)(7,069,216)(957,795)(10,690,121)
Death benefit payments(100,765)(2,352,548)(45,812)(317,411)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(494,845)(2,053,052)(261,608)(831,646)
Transfers to other contracts(1,593,563)(1,721,061)(293,873)(3,055,841)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(2,015,623)(11,321,365)218,653 (12,823,033)
Total increase (decrease)3,156,249 (4,837,245)1,808,316 (2,872,962)
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$39,200,614 $64,189,094 $16,254,924 $59,776,310 
See accompanying notes.
A-86


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


SAM Conservative Growth
Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Flexible Income
Portfolio - Class 1
SAM Flexible Income
Portfolio - Class 2
SAM Strategic Growth
Portfolio - Class 1
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$29,662,831 $106,959,642 $33,155,068 $55,573,185 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)253,440 1,231,893 503,266 303,413 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments3,005,319 3,610,701 1,215,839 5,591,609 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(8,839,496)(19,432,628)(6,478,048)(16,633,087)
Net gains (losses) on investments(5,580,737)(14,590,034)(4,758,943)(10,738,065)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(5,580,737)(14,590,034)(4,758,943)(10,738,065)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes3,279,806 2,966,341 6,718,937 4,467,136 
Administration charges(65,076)(93,460)(63,369)(5,208)
Contingent sales charges(17,483)(19,395)(8,273)(11,778)
Contract terminations(1,275,510)(9,094,915)(926,311)(5,012,434)
Death benefit payments(234,148)(2,626,719)(295,682)(249,080)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(233,800)(3,109,897)(399,356)(486,062)
Transfers to other contracts(1,570,179)(6,448,351)(8,222,898)(3,981,235)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(116,390)(18,426,396)(3,196,952)(5,278,661)
Total increase (decrease)(5,697,127)(33,016,430)(7,955,895)(16,016,726)
Net assets as of December 31, 202223,965,704 73,943,212 25,199,173 39,556,459 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)203,528 1,276,456 623,585 (4,724)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,164,745 (3,157,229)(847,181)2,348,153 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments2,919,538 6,986,384 2,317,377 5,106,399 
Net gains (losses) on investments4,287,811 5,105,611 2,093,781 7,449,828 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations4,287,811 5,105,611 2,093,781 7,449,828 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes4,189,506 1,804,654 4,192,636 3,716,994 
Administration charges(85,559)(109,416)(65,858)(5,430)
Contingent sales charges(16,970)(17,297)(18,121)(11,248)
Contract terminations(2,915,422)(9,625,831)(1,472,394)(5,679,528)
Death benefit payments(22,286)(1,264,779)(140,253)(54,476)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(198,829)(2,531,989)(390,989)(403,694)
Transfers to other contracts(1,484,275)(2,018,095)(1,857,671)(3,279,496)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(533,835)(13,762,753)247,350 (5,716,878)
Total increase (decrease)3,753,976 (8,657,142)2,341,131 1,732,950 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$27,719,680 $65,286,070 $27,540,304 $41,289,409 
See accompanying notes.
A-87


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


SAM Strategic Growth
Portfolio - Class 2
Short-Term Income
Account - Class 1
SmallCap
Account - Class 1
SmallCap
 Account - Class 2
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$23,377,291 $64,485,405 $100,279,428 $5,281,838 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)203,352 (131,568)(1,003,219)(38,914)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments2,568,964 (732,767)14,543,956 838,941 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(7,313,619)(2,069,485)(34,659,149)(1,975,684)
Net gains (losses) on investments(4,541,303)(2,933,820)(21,118,412)(1,175,657)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(4,541,303)(2,933,820)(21,118,412)(1,175,657)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes1,997,395 4,093,929 3,021,170 956,624 
Administration charges(26,154)(135,681)(37,076)(8,854)
Contingent sales charges(4,999)(13,399)(8,989)(1,159)
Contract terminations(2,352,240)(5,188,321)(6,601,941)(294,662)
Death benefit payments(240,490)(912,275)(777,141)(8,299)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(150,840)(2,189,512)(1,213,856)(29,031)
Transfers to other contracts(893,615)(9,057,753)(3,284,753)(292,207)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(1,670,943)(13,403,012)(8,902,586)322,412 
Total increase (decrease)(6,212,246)(16,336,832)(30,020,998)(853,245)
Net assets as of December 31, 202217,165,045 48,148,573 70,258,430 4,428,593 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)77,366 179,563 (711,942)(35,809)
Total realized gains (losses) on investments714,961 (379,175)(401,359)(33,076)
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments2,660,581 2,042,284 10,326,896 692,001 
Net gains (losses) on investments3,452,908 1,842,672 9,213,595 623,116 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations3,452,908 1,842,672 9,213,595 623,116 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes2,265,491 3,857,256 2,612,833 561,360 
Administration charges(27,307)(159,657)(44,751)(11,645)
Contingent sales charges(7,659)(16,695)(10,397)(3,775)
Contract terminations(1,736,845)(5,702,248)(7,666,893)(338,160)
Death benefit payments(180,639)(935,092)(616,023)(14,247)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(127,308)(1,936,340)(1,002,540)(39,340)
Transfers to other contracts(328,750)(2,696,161)(2,244,475)(310,933)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(143,017)(7,588,937)(8,972,246)(156,740)
Total increase (decrease)3,309,891 (5,746,265)241,349 466,376 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$20,474,936 $42,402,308 $70,499,779 $4,894,969 
See accompanying notes.
A-88


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth Portfolio - IIT. Rowe Price Health Sciences Portfolio - II
The Merger
Fund VL
TOPS® Aggressive Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$43,230,327 $26,785,423 $401,354 $1,181,722 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(367,317)(297,512)2,826 980 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments2,476,462 1,281,644 1,522 7,430 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(19,446,984)(4,747,224)(4,295)(209,283)
Net gains (losses) on investments(17,337,839)(3,763,092)53 (200,873)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(17,337,839)(3,763,092)53 (200,873)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes6,885,052 1,115,314 40,589 69,373 
Administration charges(37,914)(5,848)(957)(2,178)
Contingent sales charges(10,450)(5,511)(128)(42)
Contract terminations(2,276,275)(2,228,422)(13,198)(1,968)
Death benefit payments(132,198)(195,453)— — 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(316,405)(242,202)(1,437)(1,200)
Transfers to other contracts(3,574,822)(1,818,451)(38,620)(30,009)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions536,988 (3,380,573)(13,751)33,976 
Total increase (decrease)(16,800,851)(7,143,665)(13,698)(166,897)
Net assets as of December 31, 202226,429,476 19,641,758 387,656 1,014,825 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(345,362)(245,886)2,954 494 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments1,684,797 1,716,927 25,033 16,975 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments10,720,792 (1,339,766)(16,776)144,404 
Net gains (losses) on investments12,060,227 131,275 11,211 161,873 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations12,060,227 131,275 11,211 161,873 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes5,738,784 678,924 41,133 56,510 
Administration charges(48,115)(6,848)(1,098)(2,832)
Contingent sales charges(26,149)(5,877)(522)(1,429)
Contract terminations(4,662,845)(2,834,027)(76,337)(70,220)
Death benefit payments(137,900)(111,722)  
Flexible withdrawal option payments(318,138)(198,938)(3,358)(2,468)
Transfers to other contracts(3,594,510)(859,516)(31,710)(18,383)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions(3,048,873)(3,338,004)(71,892)(38,822)
Total increase (decrease)9,011,354 (3,206,729)(60,681)123,051 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$35,440,830 $16,435,029 $326,975 $1,137,876 
See accompanying notes.
A-89


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


TOPS® Balanced ETF Portfolio - Investor Class SharesTOPS® Conservative ETF Portfolio - Investor Class SharesTOPS® Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class SharesTOPS® Moderate Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$2,083,501 $1,216,205 $1,395,333 $514,878 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)13,309 5,900 1,601 4,132 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments54,313 25,089 52,214 12,219 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments(326,110)(164,674)(262,371)(93,215)
Net gains (losses) on investments(258,488)(133,685)(208,556)(76,864)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations(258,488)(133,685)(208,556)(76,864)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes666,003 299,084 144,859 266,845 
Administration charges(197)(443)(2,510)(1,251)
Contingent sales charges(1,460)(500)(34)(14)
Contract terminations(90,469)(27,557)(1,615)(676)
Death benefit payments(163,052)— (104,573)— 
Flexible withdrawal option payments(9,254)(1,148)(9,446)(6,153)
Transfers to other contracts(46,111)(98,865)(249,851)(35,992)
Annuity payments— — — — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions355,460 170,571 (223,170)222,759 
Total increase (decrease)96,972 36,886 (431,726)145,895 
Net assets as of December 31, 20222,180,473 1,253,091 963,607 660,773 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)25,429 13,306 4,900 4,243 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments66,515 33,792 40,131 17,009 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments191,632 59,605 150,025 66,604 
Net gains (losses) on investments283,576 106,703 195,056 87,856 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations283,576 106,703 195,056 87,856 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes1,001,105 293,737 614,923 298,284 
Administration charges(954)(712)(3,139)(1,808)
Contingent sales charges(1,558)(82)(138)(293)
Contract terminations(71,493)(3,616)(48,478)(19,656)
Death benefit payments  (28,462)(27,170)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(21,471)(1,923)(26,919)(10,784)
Transfers to other contracts(291,017)(158,271)(10,335)(22,033)
Annuity payments    
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions614,612 129,133 497,452 216,540 
Total increase (decrease)898,188 235,836 692,508 304,396 
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$3,078,661 $1,488,927 $1,656,115 $965,169 
See accompanying notes.
A-90


Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

Years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022


VanEck VIP Trust Global Gold
Fund - Class S Shares
VanEck VIP Trust Global Resources Fund - Class S Shares
Net assets as of January 1, 2022$— $4,588,547 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(1,370)13,444 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments(5,529)350,676 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments16,782 (144,999)
Net gains (losses) on investments9,883 219,121 
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations9,883 219,121 
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes355,033 2,186,678 
Administration charges(57)(2,121)
Contingent sales charges— (994)
Contract terminations— (429,142)
Death benefit payments— (30,558)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(328)(43,293)
Transfers to other contracts(34,473)(1,346,660)
Annuity payments— — 
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions320,175 333,910 
Total increase (decrease)330,058 553,031 
Net assets as of December 31, 2022330,058 5,141,578 
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income (loss)(4,296)54,776 
Total realized gains (losses) on investments5,805 222,461 
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of investments33,795 (577,441)
Net gains (losses) on investments35,304 (300,204)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations35,304 (300,204)
Policy related transactions:
Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment fees and
applicable premium taxes161,674 858,144 
Administration charges(614)(3,108)
Contingent sales charges(30)(2,771)
Contract terminations(10,492)(708,864)
Death benefit payments (5,743)
Flexible withdrawal option payments(2,636)(33,197)
Transfers to other contracts(30,443)(980,891)
Annuity payments  
Increase (decrease) in net assets from policy related transactions117,459 (876,430)
Total increase (decrease)152,763 (1,176,634)
Net assets as of December 31, 2023$482,821 $3,964,944 
See accompanying notes.
A-91

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

1. Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies

Description of Business

Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B (“Separate Account B”) is a segregated investment account of Principal Life Insurance Company (“Principal Life”) and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as a unit investment trust, with no stated limitations on the number of authorized units. As directed by eligible contractholders, each division of Separate Account B invests exclusively in shares representing interests in a corresponding investment option. As of December 31, 2023, contractholder investment options included the following diversified open–end management investment companies:

Principal Variable Contracts Funds, Inc. – Class 1: (1)
Core Plus Bond Account
Diversified Balanced Account
Diversified International Account
Equity Income Account
Global Emerging Markets Account
Government & High Quality Bond Account
LargeCap Growth Account I
LargeCap S&P 500 Index Account
MidCap Account
Principal Capital Appreciation Account
Principal LifeTime 2020 Account
Principal LifeTime 2030 Account
Principal LifeTime 2040 Account
Principal LifeTime 2050 Account
Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Account
Real Estate Securities Account
Short-Term Income Account
SmallCap Account
Strategic Asset Management (“SAM”) Portfolios:
Balanced Portfolio
Conservative Balanced Portfolio
Conservative Growth Portfolio
Flexible Income Portfolio
Strategic Growth Portfolio
Principal Variable Contracts Funds, Inc. – Class 2: (1)
Diversified Balanced Account
Diversified Balanced Managed Volatility Account
Diversified Balanced Volatility Control Account
Diversified Growth Account
Diversified Growth Managed Volatility Account
Diversified Growth Volatility Control Account
Diversified Income Account
Equity Income Account
LargeCap S&P 500 Index Account
MidCap Account
Principal Capital Appreciation Account
Real Estate Securities Account
SmallCap Account
A-92

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
SAM Portfolios:
Balanced Portfolio
Conservative Balanced Portfolio
Conservative Growth Portfolio
Flexible Income Portfolio
Strategic Growth Portfolio
U.S. LargeCap Buffer April Account
U.S. LargeCap Buffer January Account
U.S. LargeCap Buffer July Account
U.S. LargeCap Buffer October Account
Principal Variable Contracts Funds, Inc. – Class 3: (1)
Blue Chip Account
AllianceBernstein VPS:
Discovery Value Portfolio – Class A
Small Cap Growth Portfolio – Class A
Alps Global Opportunity Portfolio – Class III
American Century:
VP Capital Appreciation Fund – Class I
VP Disciplined Core Value Fund – Class I
VP Inflation Protection Fund – Class II
VP Mid Cap Value Fund – Class II
VP Ultra Fund – Class I
VP Ultra Fund – Class II
VP Value Fund – Class II
American Funds Insurance Series:
American High-Income Trust Fund – Class 2 Shares
Asset Allocation Fund – Class 2 Shares
Asset Allocation Fund – Class 4 Shares
Global Small Capitalization Fund – Class 2 Shares
Global Small Capitalization Fund – Class 4 Shares
Managed Risk Asset Allocation Fund – Class P2 Shares
Managed Risk Growth Fund – Class P2 Shares
Managed Risk International Fund – Class P2 Shares
New World Fund – Class 2 Shares
New World Fund – Class 4 Shares
Washington Mutual Investors Fund – Class 2 Shares
Washington Mutual Investors Fund – Class 4 Shares
BlackRock:
60/40 Target Allocation ETF V.I. Fund – Class III
Advantage SMID Cap V.I. Fund – Class III
Global Allocation V.I. Fund – Class III
BNY Mellon IP:
MidCap Stock Portfolio – Service Shares
Technology Growth Portfolio – Service Shares
Calvert VP:
EAFE International Index Portfolio – Class F
Investment Grade Bond Index Portfolio – Class F
Nasdaq 100 Index Portfolio – Class F
Russell 2000 Small Cap Index Portfolio – Class F
S&P MidCap 400 Index Portfolio – Class F
ClearBridge Variable Small Cap Growth Portfolio – Class II Shares
A-93

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
Columbia VP:
Limited Duration Credit Fund – Class 2
Small Cap Value Fund – Class 2
Delaware VIP Small Cap Value – Service Class
DWS:
Alternative Asset Allocation VIP – Class B
Equity 500 Index VIP – Class B2
Small Mid Cap Value VIP – Class B
EQ Advisors Trust:
1290 VT Convertible Securities Portfolio – Class IB
1290 VT GAMCO Small Company Value Portfolio – Class IB
1290 VT Micro Cap Portfolio – Class IB
1290 VT SmartBeta Equity ESG Portfolio – Class IB
1290 VT Socially Responsible Portfolio – Class IB
Fidelity VIP:
Contrafund® Portfolio – Service Class
Contrafund® Portfolio – Service Class 2
Energy Portfolio – Service Class 2
Equity-Income Portfolio – Service Class 2
Freedom 2020 Portfolio – Service Class 2
Freedom 2030 Portfolio – Service Class 2
Freedom 2040 Portfolio – Service Class 2
Freedom 2050 Portfolio – Service Class 2
Government Money Market Portfolio – Initial Class
Government Money Market Portfolio – Service Class 2
Growth Portfolio – Service Class
Growth Portfolio – Service Class 2
Health Care Portfolio – Service Class 2
Mid Cap Portfolio – Service Class
Mid Cap Portfolio – Service Class 2
Overseas Portfolio – Service Class 2
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust:
Franklin Global Real Estate VIP Fund – Class 2
Franklin Income VIP Fund – Class 4
Franklin Rising Dividends VIP Fund – Class 4
Franklin Small Cap Value VIP Fund – Class 2
Franklin U.S. Government Securities VIP Fund – Class 2
Templeton Global Bond VIP Fund – Class 4
Templeton Growth VIP Fund – Class 2
Goldman Sachs VIT:
Mid Cap Value Fund – Institutional Shares
Mid Cap Value Fund – Service Shares
Multi-Strategy Alternatives Portfolio – Service Shares
Small Cap Equity Insights Fund – Institutional Shares
Small Cap Equity Insights Fund – Service Shares
Guggenheim Investments VIF:
Global Managed Futures Strategy Fund
Long Short Equity Fund
Multi-Hedge Strategies Fund
Series F (Guggenheim Floating Rate Strategies Series)
Invesco V.I.:
A-94

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
American Franchise Fund – Series I Shares
American Value Fund – Series I Shares
Balanced-Risk Allocation Fund – Series II Shares
Core Equity Fund – Series I Shares
Discovery Mid Cap Growth Fund – Series I Shares
EQV International Equity Fund – Series I Shares
EQV International Equity Fund – Series II Shares
Health Care Fund – Series I Shares
Health Care Fund – Series II Shares
Main Street Small Cap Fund – Series II Shares
Small Cap Equity Fund – Series I Shares
Technology Fund – Series I Shares
Janus Henderson:
Global Sustainable Equity Portfolio – Service Shares
Series Balanced Portfolio – Service Shares
Series Enterprise Portfolio – Service Shares
Series Flexible Bond Portfolio – Service Shares
Series Global Technology and Innovation Portfolio – Service Shares
MFS®:
International Intrinsic Value Portfolio – Service Class
New Discovery Series – Service Class
Utilities Series – Service Class
Value Series – Service Class
Neuberger Berman AMT:
Mid Cap Growth Portfolio – Class S
Sustainable Equity Portfolio – I Class Shares
Sustainable Equity Portfolio – S Class Shares
PIMCO VIT:
All Asset Portfolio – Administrative Class
All Asset Portfolio – Advisor Class
CommodityRealReturn® Strategy Portfolio – M Class
Emerging Markets Bond Portfolio – Administrative Class
High Yield Portfolio – Administrative Class
Low Duration Portfolio – Advisor Class
Total Return Portfolio – Administrative Class
Rydex VI:
Basic Materials Fund
Commodities Strategy Fund
NASDAQ 100 Fund
T. Rowe Price:
Blue Chip Growth Portfolio – II
Health Sciences Portfolio – II
The Merger Fund VL
TOPS®:
Aggressive Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
Balanced ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
Conservative ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
Moderate Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares
VanEck VIP Trust:
Global Gold Fund – Class S Shares
A-95

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
Global Resources Fund – Class S Shares

(1) Organized by Principal Life.

                
                During 2023, the following divisions were liquidated and subsequently reinvested:

DateLiquidation DivisionReinvested DivisionTransferred Assets
April 29, 2023Principal LifeTime 2010 Account - Class 1Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Account - Class 1$10,450,635

The assets of Separate Account B are owned by Principal Life. The assets of Separate Account B support the following variable annuity contracts of Principal Life and may not be used to satisfy the liabilities arising from any other business of Principal Life:

Bankers Flexible Annuity;
Pension Builder Plus;
Pension Builder Plus-Rollover IRA;
Personal Variable;
Premier Variable;
Principal® Freedom Variable Annuity;
Principal® Freedom Variable Annuity 2;
Principal® Investment Plus Variable Annuity;
Principal® Investment Plus Variable Annuity with Premium Payment Credit Rider;
Principal® Lifetime Income Solutions;
Principal® Lifetime Income Solutions II;
Principal® Pivot Series Variable Annuity;
Principal® Pivot Series Variable Annuity with Liquidity Max Rider;
Principal® Pivot Series Variable Annuity v2;
Principal® Pivot Series Variable Annuity v3;
Principal® Variable Annuity and
Principal® Variable Annuity with Purchase Payment Credit Rider.

Principal Life no longer accepts contributions for Bankers Flexible Annuity contracts, Pension Builder Plus contracts and Pension Builder Plus-Rollover IRA contracts. Contractholders are given the option of withdrawing their funds or transferring to another contract at any time. Contributions to the Personal Variable contracts are no longer accepted from new customers, only from existing customers.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

The preparation of financial statements and accompanying notes of Separate Account B in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and disclosed. These estimates and assumptions could change in the future as more information becomes known, which could impact the amounts reported and disclosed in the financial statements and accompanying notes.

Investments

Investments are stated at the closing net asset value (“NAV”) per share on December 31, 2023. Net realized capital gains and losses on sales of investments are determined on the basis of specific identification under the first-in, first-out method. Investment transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis. Dividends and realized gains (losses) on investments are recognized on an accrual basis as of the ex-dividend date and are automatically reinvested in shares of the funds on the
A-96

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
payable date. The total net assets as of December 31, 2023, does not reflect $21,574,713 of accrued administrative fees and mortality expenses that were reported in expense and liabilities for applicable separate accounts in the separate account annual statement filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The total net assets as of December 31, 2022, does not reflect $21,196,273 of accrued administrative fees that were reported in expense and liabilities for applicable separate accounts in the separate account annual statement filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Fair Value Measurements

    Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (an exit price). The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels. The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety considering factors specific to the asset or liability.

Level 1 – Fair values are based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 – Fair values are based on inputs other than quoted prices within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or
liability, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3 – Fair values are based on at least one significant unobservable input for the asset or liability.

    All investments of the open-end management investment companies listed above represent investments in mutual funds for which a daily NAV is calculated and published. Therefore, all investments are reflected in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.

2. Expenses and Related Party Transactions

Principal Life is compensated for the following expenses:

Bankers Flexible Annuity contracts – Mortality and expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated for by a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent to an annual rate of 0.48% of the asset value of each contract. An annual administration charge of $7 for each participant’s account is deducted as compensation for administrative expenses. This charge is collected by redeeming units of the separate account.

Pension Builder Plus and Pension Builder Plus-Rollover IRA contracts – Mortality and expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated for by a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent to an annual rate of 1.50% (1.00% for a Rollover IRA) of the asset value of each contract. A contingent sales charge of up to 7.00% may be deducted from withdrawals made during the first ten years of a contract, except for withdrawals related to death or permanent disability. An annual administration charge will be deducted ranging from a minimum of $25 to a maximum of $275 depending upon the number of participants under the retirement plan and their participant investment account values.

Personal Variable contracts – Mortality and expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated for by a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent to an annual rate of 0.64% of the asset value of each contract. The contract provides for recordkeeping and other services and allows the contractholders, in their sole discretion, a customized plan-level service package and charges. An annual administration charge of $34 (increases to $37 if the benefit plan reports are distributed directly to the homes of plan participants) for each participant’s account plus 0.35% of the annual average balance of investment account values that correlate to a plan participant will be deducted on a quarterly basis.

A-97

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
Premier Variable contracts – Mortality and expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated for by a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent to an annual rate of 0.42% of the asset value of each contract. The contract provides for recordkeeping and other services and allows the contractholders, in their sole discretion, a customized plan-level service package and charges. The amount varies by Plan document and contract account balance.

Principal® Freedom Variable Annuity – Mortality and Expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated with a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent to a current annual rate of 0.85% of the asset value of the contract. Principal Life reserves the right to increase this charge, not to exceed 1.40%. Principal Life reserves the right to charge an additional administrative fee of 0.15% of the asset value of each division. This charge is not currently assessed. A surrender charge up to 6.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 7 years of a contract except for withdrawals related to death, annuitization, Section 401(a)(9) distributions, permanent disability, confinement in a health facility, terminal illness, or Waiver of Fixed Account Surrender Charge Rider. Principal reserves the right to deduct an amount up to 3.5% to cover premium taxes from a premium payment or from the accumulated value at total or partial surrender; not currently assessed.

Principal® Freedom Variable Annuity 2 – Mortality and Expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated with a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent to a current annual rate 0.95% of the asset value of the contract. Principal Life reserves the right to charge an additional administrative fee of 0.15% of the asset value of each division. This charge is not currently assessed. A surrender charge up to 3.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 4 years of a contract except for withdrawals related to death, annuitization, Section 401(a)(9) distributions, permanent disability, confinement in a health facility, terminal illness, or Waiver of Fixed Account Surrender Charge Rider. Principal reserves the right to deduct an amount up to 3.5% to cover premium taxes from a premium payment or from the accumulated value at total or partial surrender; not currently assessed.

Principal® Investment Plus Variable Annuity – Mortality and Expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated with a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent to a current annual rate 1.25% of the asset value of the contract. Annually, contracts with an accumulated value of less than $30,000 are subject to an annual fee for administrative expenses of the lesser of $30 or 2% of the accumulated value. Currently, we do not charge the annual fee if the accumulated value is $30,000 or more. Principal Life charges a daily Separate Account administrative fee of 0.15% of the asset value of each division and is deducted from the daily unit value. A surrender charge up to 6.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 7 years of a contract except for withdrawals related to death, annuitization, Section 401(a)(9) distributions, permanent disability, confinement in a health facility, terminal illness, or Waiver of Fixed Account Surrender Charge Rider. The product also contains optional Benefit Riders which if elected have additional annual charges. Principal reserves the right to deduct an amount up to 3.5% to cover premium taxes from a premium payment or from the accumulated value at total or partial surrender; not currently assessed. If the Premium Payment Credit Rider is elected, Principal Life charges 0.60% of the average daily net assets of the Separate Account divisions. This rider charge is assessed until completion of the 8th contract year. With the Premium Payment Credit Rider, a surrender charge up to 8% may be deducted from withdrawals made within the first 9 years of the contract except for withdrawals related to death, annuitization, Section 401(a)(9) distributions, permanent disability, confinement in a health facility, terminal illness, or Waiver of Fixed Account Surrender Charge Rider.

Principal® Lifetime Income Solutions – Mortality and Expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated with a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent to a current annual rate 1.25% of the asset value of the contract. Annually, contracts with an accumulated value of less than $30,000 are subject to an annual fee for administrative expenses of the lesser of $30 or 2% of the accumulated value. Currently, we do not charge the annual fee if the accumulated value is $30,000 or more. Principal Life charges a daily Separate Account administrative fee of 0.15% of the asset value of each division and is deducted from the daily unit value. A surrender charge up to 6.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 7 years of a contract except for
A-98

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
withdrawals related to death, annuitization, Section 401(a)(9) distributions, permanent disability, confinement in a health facility, terminal illness. Principal reserves the right to deduct an amount up to 3.5% to cover premium taxes from a premium payment or from the accumulated value at total or partial surrender; not currently assessed.

Principal® Lifetime Income Solutions II – Mortality and Expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated with a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent to a current annual rate 1.25% of the asset value of the contract. Annually, contracts with an accumulated value of less than $30,000 are subject to an annual fee for administrative expenses of the lesser of $30 or 2% of the accumulated value. Currently, we do not charge the annual fee if the accumulated value is $30,000 or more. Principal Life charges a daily Separate Account administrative fee of 0.15% of the asset value of each division and is deducted from the daily unit value. A surrender charge up to 6.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 7 years of a contract except for withdrawals related to death, annuitization, Section 401(a)(9) distributions, permanent disability, confinement in a health facility, terminal illness. Principal reserves the right to deduct an amount up to 3.5% to cover premium taxes from a premium payment or from the accumulated value at total or partial surrender; not currently assessed.

Principal® Pivot Series Variable Annuity – Mortality and Expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated with a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent up to an annual rate 1.00% of the asset value of the contract. Annually, contracts with an accumulated value of less than $30,000 are subject to an annual fee for administrative expenses of the lesser of $30 or 2% of the accumulated value. Currently, we do not charge the annual fee if the accumulated value is $30,000 or more. Principal Life charges a daily Separate Account administrative fee of 0.15% of the asset value of each division and is deducted from the daily unit value. A surrender charge up to 6.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 7 years of a contract with applications signed before April 6, 2017 and up to 6.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 5 years of a contract with applications signed on or after April 6, 2017 with the except for withdrawals related to death, annuitization, Section 401(a)(9) distributions, permanent disability, confinement in a health facility, terminal illness. Principal reserves the right to deduct an amount up to 3.5% to cover premium taxes from a premium payment or from the accumulated value at total or partial surrender; not currently assessed.

Principal® Pivot Series Variable Annuity v2 – Mortality and Expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated with a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent up to an annual rate 0.85% of the asset value of the contract. Annually, contracts with an accumulated value of less than $30,000 are subject to an annual fee for administrative expenses of the lesser of $30 or 2% of the accumulated value. Currently, we do not charge the annual fee if the accumulated value is $30,000 or more. Principal Life charges a daily Separate Account administrative fee of 0.15% of the asset value of each division and is deducted from the daily unit value. A surrender charge up to 6.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 7 years of a contract with applications signed before April 6, 2017 and up to 6.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 5 years of a contract with applications signed on or after April 6, 2017 with the except for withdrawals related to death, annuitization, Section 401(a)(9) distributions, permanent disability, confinement in a health facility, terminal illness. Principal reserves the right to deduct an amount up to 3.5% to cover premium taxes from a premium payment or from the accumulated value at total or partial surrender; not currently assessed.

Principal® Pivot Series Variable Annuity v3 – Mortality and Expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated with a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent up to an annual rate 0.60% of the asset value of the contract. Annually, contracts with an accumulated value of less than $30,000 are subject to an annual fee for administrative expenses of the lesser of $30 or 2% of the accumulated value. Currently, we do not charge the annual fee if the accumulated value is $30,000 or more. Principal Life charges a daily Separate Account administrative fee of 0.15% of the asset value of each division and is deducted from the daily unit value. A surrender charge up to 6.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 7 years of a contract with applications signed before April 6, 2017 and up to 6.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 5 years of a contract with applications signed on or after April 6, 2017 with the except for withdrawals related to death, annuitization, Section 401(a)(9) distributions, permanent disability, confinement in a health facility,
A-99

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
terminal illness. Principal reserves the right to deduct an amount up to 3.5% to cover premium taxes from a premium payment or from the accumulated value at total or partial surrender; not currently assessed.

Principal® Variable Annuity – Mortality and Expense risks assumed by Principal Life are compensated with a daily charge resulting in a reduction of the unit value equivalent up to an annual rate 1.25% of the asset value of the contract. Annually, contracts with an accumulated value of less than $30,000 are subject to an annual fee for administrative expenses of the lesser of $30 or 2% of the accumulated value. Currently, we do not charge the annual fee if the accumulated value is $30,000 or more. Principal Life charges a daily Separate Account administrative fee of 0.05% of the asset value of each division and is deducted from the daily unit value. A surrender charge up to 6.00% may be deducted from the withdrawals made within the first 7 years of a contract except for withdrawals related to death, annuitization, Section 401(a)(9) distributions, permanent disability, confinement in a health facility, terminal illness. Principal reserves the right to deduct an amount up to 3.5% to cover premium taxes from a premium payment or from the accumulated value at total or partial surrender; not currently assessed. If the Purchase Payment Credit Rider is elected, Principal Life charges 0.60% of the average daily net assets of the Separate Account divisions. This rider charge is assessed until completion of the 8th contract year. With the Purchase Payment Credit Rider, a surrender charge up to 8% may be deducted from withdrawals made within the first 9 years of the contract except for withdrawals related to death, annuitization, Section 401(a)(9) distributions, permanent disability, confinement in a health facility, terminal illness, or Waiver of Fixed Account Surrender Charge Rider.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, investment advisory and management fees were paid indirectly to Principal Global Investors, LLC. (“Manager”) (wholly owned by Principal Financial Services, Inc.) in its capacity as advisor to Principal Variable Contracts Funds, Inc. computed at an annual percentage rate of each of the Account’s average daily net assets. A portion of the management fee is paid by the Manager to the sub-advisor of each of the Accounts, some of which are affiliates of the Manager. The annual rate paid by the SAM Portfolios is based upon the aggregate average daily net assets (“aggregate net assets”) of the SAM Portfolios. The investment advisory and management fee schedule for the SAM Portfolios is 0.25% of aggregate net assets up to the first $1 billion and 0.20% of aggregate net assets over $1 billion. The Principal LifeTime Accounts do not pay investment advisory and management fees.

The annual rates used in this calculation for each of the other Accounts are shown in the following tables:

Net Assets of Account
(in millions)
First $100Next $100Next $100Next $100Thereafter
Core Plus Bond Account0.50%0.45%0.40%0.35%0.30%
Government & High Quality Bond Account0.500.480.460.450.44
LargeCap Growth Account I0.800.750.700.650.60
Real Estate Securities Account0.790.770.730.700.68
SmallCap Account0.850.800.750.700.65

Net Assets of Account
(in millions)
First $100Next $100Next $100Next $100Next $300Next $300Thereafter
Equity Income Account0.60%0.55%0.50%0.45%0.40%0.39%0.38%
MidCap Account0.650.600.550.500.450.440.43
Net Assets of Account
(in millions)
First $250Next $250Next $250Next $250Thereafter
Diversified International Account0.85%0.80%0.75%0.70%0.65%
Global Emerging Markets Account1.000.980.960.950.90
A-100

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
Net Assets of Account
(in millions)
First $500Over $500
Blue Chip Account0.60%0.55%
Principal Capital Appreciation Account0.6250.50
Short-Term Income Account0.400.39

Net Assets of Account
(in billions)
First $3Over $3
LargeCap S&P 500 Index Account0.20%0.18%

All Net Assets
Diversified Balanced Account0.05%
Diversified Balanced Managed Volatility Account0.05
Diversified Balanced Volatility Control Account0.12
Diversified Growth Account0.05
Diversified Growth Managed Volatility Account0.05
Diversified Growth Volatility Control Account0.12
Diversified Income Account0.05
U.S. LargeCap Buffer January Account0.69
U.S. LargeCap Buffer April Account0.69
U.S. LargeCap Buffer July Account0.69
U.S. LargeCap Buffer October Account0.69

The Manager has contractually agreed to waive certain of the Accounts’ investment advisory and management fees. The expense waiver will reduce the Accounts’ investment advisory and management fees. The waivers are expressed as a percentage of average daily net assets on an annualized basis during the reported period. The waivers were as follows:


From January 1, 2023 through
December 31, 2023
Expiration
LargeCap Growth Account I0.016%April 30, 2024


A-101

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
The Manager has contractually agreed to limit the expenses (excluding interest expense, expenses related to account investments, acquired account fees and expenses, and tax reclaim recovery expenses and other extraordinary expenses) for certain classes of shares of certain of the Accounts. The reductions and reimbursements are in amounts that maintain total operating expenses at or below certain limits. The limits are expressed as a percentage of average daily net assets attributable to each class of shares on an annualized basis during the reporting period. The expenses borne by the Manager are subject to reimbursement by the Accounts through the fiscal year end, provided no reimbursement will be made if it would result in the Accounts exceeding the total operating expense limits. Any amounts outstanding at the end of the year are shown as an expense reimbursement from Manager or expense reimbursement to Manager on the statements of assets and liabilities. The operating expense limits, were as follows:

From January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023
Class 1Class 2Class 3Expiration
Blue Chip AccountN/AN/A1.05%April 30, 2024
Diversified Balanced Managed Volatility AccountN/A0.31%N/AApril 30, 2024
Global Emerging Markets Account1.20%N/AN/AApril 30, 2023
LargeCap Growth Account I0.69N/AN/AApril 30, 2024
U.S. LargeCap Buffer January AccountN/A0.95N/AApril 30, 2024
U.S. LargeCap Buffer April Account (1)N/A0.95N/AApril 30, 2024
U.S. LargeCap Buffer July AccountN/A0.95N/AApril 30, 2024
U.S. LargeCap Buffer October AccountN/A0.95N/AApril 30, 2024

(1)Period from March 30, 2023, to December 31, 2023.

3. Federal Income Taxes
    
The operations of Separate Account B are a part of the operations of Principal Life. Under current practice, no federal income taxes are allocated by Principal Life to the operations of Separate Account B.
A-102

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
4. Purchases and Sales of Investments

The aggregate cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investments were as follows for the year ended December 31, 2023:

DivisionPurchasesSales
AllianceBernstein VPS Discovery Value Portfolio - Class A$477,307$1,174,381
AllianceBernstein VPS Small Cap Growth Portfolio - Class A$101,140$591,632
Alps Global Opportunity Portfolio - Class III$21,721$221,478
American Century VP Capital Appreciation Fund - Class I$41,089$313,163
American Century VP Disciplined Core Value Fund - Class I$452,278$1,112,962
American Century VP Inflation Protection Fund - Class II$3,907,694$5,417,189
American Century VP Mid Cap Value Fund - Class II$1,324,476$2,286,598
American Century VP Ultra Fund - Class I$541,252$743,998
American Century VP Ultra Fund - Class II$2,816,575$7,015,942
American Century VP Value Fund - Class II$3,044,997$2,156,623
American Funds Insurance Series - American High-Income Trust Fund - Class 2 Shares$229,658$239,764
American Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund - Class 2 Shares$281,369$226,294
American Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund - Class 4 Shares$4,410,236$2,235,227
American Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund - Class 2 Shares$113,943$239,128
American Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund - Class 4 Shares$455,087$558,958
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk Asset Allocation Fund - Class P2 Shares$1,821,782$421,649
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk Growth Fund - Class P2 Shares$2,062,659$809,049
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk International Fund - Class P2 Shares$160,727$201,557
American Funds Insurance Series - New World Fund - Class 2 Shares$89,025$348,799
American Funds Insurance Series - New World Fund - Class 4 Shares$1,125,477$988,819
American Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund - Class 2 Shares$792,085$1,396,030
American Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund - Class 4 Shares$2,874,932$1,852,224
BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocations ETF V.I. Fund - Class III$7,804,399$4,823,900
BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap V.I. Fund - Class III$433,821$588,103
BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund - Class III$236,696$391,977
A-103

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
DivisionPurchasesSales
Blue Chip Account - Class 3$4,790,519$1,767,751
BNY Mellon IP MidCap Stock Portfolio - Service Shares$310,999$113,669
BNY Mellon IP Technology Growth Portfolio - Service Shares$1,024,993$2,180,776
Calvert VP EAFE International Index Portfolio - Class F$1,306,313$519,166
Calvert VP Investment Grade Bond Index Portfolio - Class F$1,462,688$901,811
Calvert VP Nasdaq 100 Index Portfolio - Class F $2,885,007$759,241
Calvert VP Russell 2000 Small Cap Index Portfolio - Class F$1,181,764$728,765
Calvert VP S&P MidCap 400 Index Portfolio - Class F$2,130,211$928,052
Clearbridge Variable Small Cap Growth Portfolio - Class II Shares$424,534$520,952
Columbia VP - Limited Duration Credit Fund - Class 2$1,320,436$1,085,780
Columbia VP - Small Cap Value Fund - Class 2$1,037,549$303,281
Core Plus Bond Account - Class 1$9,149,839$15,386,770
Delaware VIP Small Cap Value Series - Service Class$185,931$577,179
Diversified Balanced Account - Class 1$2,364,800$3,143,505
Diversified Balanced Account - Class 2$82,002,050$132,261,793
Diversified Balanced Managed Volatility Account - Class 2$19,215,317$34,924,950
Diversified Balanced Volatility Control Account - Class 2$31,960,741$20,597,435
Diversified Growth Account - Class 2$337,801,480$527,767,945
Diversified Growth Managed Volatility Account - Class 2$42,244,273$62,811,730
Diversified Growth Volatility Control Account - Class 2$188,055,957$96,892,304
Diversified Income Account - Class 2$37,643,805$56,979,396
Diversified International Account - Class 1$2,815,093$14,109,689
DWS Alternative Asset Allocation VIP - Class B$41,851$34,610
DWS Equity 500 Index VIP - Class B2$273,280$337,843
DWS Small Mid Cap Value VIP - Class B$245,171$433,266
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Convertible Securities Portfolio - Class IB$178,685$88,210
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT GAMCO Small Company Value Portfolio - Class IB$332,603$171,786
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Micro Cap Portfolio - Class IB$64,510$69,715
A-104

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
DivisionPurchasesSales
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT SmartBeta Equity ESG Portfolio - Class IB$90,695$94,092
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Socially Responsible Portfolio - Class IB$727,903$401,031
Equity Income Account - Class 1$16,290,530$32,717,607
Equity Income Account - Class 2$3,550,340$1,877,021
Fidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service Class$1,556,353$6,347,508
Fidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service Class 2$8,824,708$13,400,361
Fidelity VIP Energy Portfolio - Service Class 2$1,832,033$1,608,222
Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio - Service Class 2$1,682,821$4,104,882
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2020 Portfolio - Service Class 2$1,937,972$272,092
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2030 Portfolio - Service Class 2$996,895$596,630
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2040 Portfolio - Service Class 2$853,642$97,786
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2050 Portfolio - Service Class 2$592,272$176,803
Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio - Initial Class$17,613,955$22,845,454
Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio - Service Class 2$86,423,412$79,253,733
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio - Service Class$1,031,034$1,970,690
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio - Service Class 2$1,114,996$3,040,131
Fidelity VIP Health Care Portfolio - Service Class 2$646,601$103,285
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Portfolio - Service Class$117,773$109,376
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Portfolio - Service Class 2$2,557,644$4,480,336
Fidelity VIP Overseas Portfolio - Service Class 2$2,358,667$5,484,309
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Global Real Estate VIP Fund - Class 2$142,958$323,453
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Income VIP Fund - Class 4$2,329,649$387,617
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Rising Dividends VIP Fund - Class 4$2,905,889$1,669,938
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Small Cap Value VIP Fund - Class 2$369,628$797,071
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin U.S. Government Securities VIP Fund - Class 2$1,163,255$728,962
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Global Bond VIP Fund - Class 4$566,041$604,400
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Growth VIP Fund - Class 2$18,574$32,921
Global Emerging Markets Account - Class 1$1,725,051$5,838,926
A-105

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
DivisionPurchasesSales
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value Fund - Institutional Shares$670,589$2,148,131
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value Fund - Service Shares$468,037$396,618
Goldman Sachs VIT - Multi-Strategy Alternatives Portfolio - Service Shares$55,629$82,995
Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund - Institutional Shares $168,707$1,018,585
Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund - Service Shares$235,619$132,940
Government & High Quality Bond Account - Class 1$5,165,519$12,735,706
Guggenheim Investments VIF Global Managed Futures Strategy Fund$86,841$1,369,541
Guggenheim Investments VIF Long Short Equity Fund$93,447$148,447
Guggenheim Investments VIF Multi-Hedge Strategies Fund$53,947$298,996
Guggenheim Investments VIF - Series F (Guggenheim Floating Rate Strategies Series)$2,218,854$1,947,137
Invesco V.I. American Franchise Fund - Series I Shares$384,693$515,925
Invesco V.I. American Value Fund - Series I Shares$721,903$794,738
Invesco V.I. Balanced-Risk Allocation Fund - Series II Shares$638,331$617,807
Invesco V.I. Core Equity Fund - Series I Shares$506,022$1,653,276
Invesco V.I. Discovery Mid Cap Growth Fund - Series I Shares$15,194$217,612
Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity Fund - Series I Shares$207,522$1,189,180
Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity Fund - Series II Shares$685,564$620,652
Invesco V.I. Health Care Fund - Series I Shares$230,380$1,028,707
Invesco V.I. Health Care Fund - Series II Shares$313,011$984,431
Invesco V.I. Main Street Small Cap Fund - Series II Shares$51,304$18,681
Invesco V.I. Small Cap Equity Fund - Series I Shares$388,066$1,253,085
Invesco V.I. Technology Fund - Series I Shares$507,947$593,298
Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity Portfolio - Service Shares$115,641$2,871
Janus Henderson Series Balanced Portfolio - Service Shares$2,246,741$723,375
Janus Henderson Series Enterprise Portfolio - Service Shares$790,171$1,292,653
Janus Henderson Series Flexible Bond Portfolio - Service Shares$2,778,791$1,564,923
Janus Henderson Series Global Technology and Innovation Portfolio - Service Shares$1,046,904$769,558
LargeCap Growth Account I - Class 1$10,685,450$23,293,919
LargeCap S&P 500 Index Account - Class 1$8,188,904$18,047,181
A-106

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
DivisionPurchasesSales
LargeCap S&P 500 Index Account - Class 2$12,672,185$10,485,308
MFS® International Intrinsic Value Portfolio - Service Class$1,582,963$1,639,637
MFS® New Discovery Series - Service Class$696,347$1,102,721
MFS® Utilities Series - Service Class$2,557,442$4,320,733
MFS® Value Series - Service Class$524,944$1,638,433
MidCap Account - Class 1$10,643,791$45,178,601
MidCap Account - Class 2$3,998,517$2,490,273
Neuberger Berman AMT Mid Cap Growth Portfolio - Class S$211,813$658,854
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity Portfolio - I Class Shares$121,325$1,365,680
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity Portfolio - S Class Shares$201,877$12,374
PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio - Administrative Class$84,164$478,305
PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio - Advisor Class$40,482$36,872
PIMCO VIT CommodityRealReturn® Strategy Portfolio - M Class$204,554$573,798
PIMCO VIT Emerging Markets Bond Portfolio - Administrative Class$206,164$139,919
PIMCO VIT High Yield Portfolio - Administrative Class$4,235,981$4,648,191
PIMCO VIT Low Duration Portfolio - Advisor Class$3,548,677$2,586,854
PIMCO VIT Total Return Portfolio - Administrative Class$4,952,638$5,006,469
Principal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 1$6,816,486$14,925,395
Principal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 2$2,848,553$2,088,707
Principal LifeTime 2020 Account - Class 1$2,711,405$10,297,582
Principal LifeTime 2030 Account - Class 1$2,522,616$6,304,957
Principal LifeTime 2040 Account - Class 1$697,893$1,474,897
Principal LifeTime 2050 Account - Class 1$393,405$1,890,499
Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Account - Class 1$11,038,973$2,393,926
U.S. LargeCap Buffer April Account - Class 2$67,479,599$48,225,762
U.S. LargeCap Buffer January Account - Class 2 $59,800,656$28,583,431
U.S. LargeCap Buffer July Account - Class 2 $85,629,743$61,495,919
U.S. LargeCap Buffer October Account - Class 2 $12,140,481$12,228,759
A-107

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
DivisionPurchasesSales
Real Estate Securities Account - Class 1$4,450,247$9,160,809
Real Estate Securities Account - Class 2$1,833,014$1,224,035
Rydex VI Basic Materials Fund$107,480$74,773
Rydex VI Commodities Strategy Fund$667,748$1,566,858
Rydex VI NASDAQ 100 Fund$706,499$2,403,961
SAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 1$23,768,123$51,204,430
SAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 2$5,546,784$5,417,593
SAM Conservative Balanced Portfolio - Class 1$4,410,854$14,360,572
SAM Conservative Balanced Portfolio - Class 2$2,351,811$1,734,956
SAM Conservative Growth Portfolio - Class 1$6,236,915$15,768,586
SAM Conservative Growth Portfolio - Class 2$6,062,809$4,948,255
SAM Flexible Income Portfolio - Class 1$4,034,694$16,520,991
SAM Flexible Income Portfolio - Class 2$5,032,525$4,161,590
SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio - Class 1$5,707,109$9,994,222
SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio - Class 2$3,187,598$2,556,270
Short-Term Income Account - Class 1$4,662,534$12,071,908
SmallCap Account - Class 1$2,814,558$12,498,746
SmallCap Account - Class 2$563,584$756,133
T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth Portfolio - II$5,738,784$9,133,019
T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Portfolio - II$1,287,683$4,262,814
The Merger Fund VL$68,602$115,666
TOPS® Aggressive Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares$70,313$103,593
TOPS® Balanced ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares$1,086,937$408,276
TOPS® Conservative ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares$356,740$177,829
TOPS® Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares$644,254$127,567
TOPS® Moderate Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares$316,010$87,090
VanEck VIP Trust Global Gold Fund - Class S Shares$161,674$48,511
VanEck VIP Trust Global Resources Fund - Class S Shares$969,779$1,791,433
A-108

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
5. Changes in Units Outstanding

Transactions in units were as follows for each of the years ended December 31:

20232022
DivisionPurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
PurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
AllianceBernstein VPS Discovery Value Portfolio -
   Class A
9,035 61,380 (52,345)36,760 90,294 (53,534)
AllianceBernstein VPS Small Cap Growth Portfolio - Class A2,111 11,356 (9,245)4,394 7,760 (3,366)
Alps Global Opportunity Portfolio - Class III1,700 15,961 (14,261)17,738 28,650 (10,912)
American Century VP Capital Appreciation Fund -
   Class I
2,076 14,987 (12,911)4,417 5,053 (636)
American Century VP Disciplined Core Value Fund - Class I11,720 35,261 (23,541)5,791 47,139 (41,348)
American Century VP Inflation Protection Fund -
   Class II
244,205 408,465 (164,260)377,454 589,574 (212,120)
American Century VP Mid Cap Value Fund - Class II12,889 69,386 (56,497)32,600 62,480 (29,880)
American Century VP Ultra Fund - Class I7,162 16,290 (9,128)4,810 14,524 (9,714)
American Century VP Ultra Fund - Class II30,585 137,550 (106,965)68,376 88,530 (20,154)
American Century VP Value Fund - Class II98,676 79,954 18,722 121,589 101,796 19,793 
American Funds Insurance Series - American High-
   Income Trust Fund - Class 2 Shares
13,276 18,455 (5,179)3,338 39,540 (36,202)
American Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation
   Fund - Class 2 Shares
9,645 12,830 (3,185)21,502 23,745 (2,243)
American Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation
   Fund - Class 4 Shares
250,947 157,525 93,422 354,685 129,397 225,288 
American Funds Insurance Series - Global Small
   Capitalization Fund - Class 2 Shares
7,195 17,045 (9,850)7,512 14,068 (6,556)
American Funds Insurance Series - Global Small
   Capitalization Fund - Class 4 Shares
35,812 46,069 (10,257)106,169 70,426 35,743 
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk
   Asset Allocation Fund - Class P2 Shares
73,604 30,470 43,134 139,710 53,133 86,577 
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk
   Growth Fund - Class P2 Shares
41,138 50,339 (9,201)138,319 30,901 107,418 
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk
   International Fund - Class P2 Shares
13,387 22,020 (8,633)26,313 5,945 20,368 
A-109

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
20232022
DivisionPurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
PurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
American Funds Insurance Series - New World Fund -
   Class 2 Shares
5,213 24,525 (19,312)11,589 21,186 (9,597)
American Funds Insurance Series - New World Fund -
   Class 4 Shares
90,056 79,042 11,014 183,570 93,065 90,505 
American Funds Insurance Series - Washington
   Mutual Investors Fund - Class 2 Shares
41,332 78,981 (37,649)23,481 61,793 (38,312)
American Funds Insurance Series - Washington
   Mutual Investors Fund - Class 4 Shares
172,625 115,853 56,772 161,973 118,152 43,821 
BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocations ETF V.I. Fund -
   Class III
587,285 363,917 223,368 594,046 331,291 262,755 
BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap V.I. Fund - Class III28,019 40,783 (12,764)34,081 17,631 16,450 
BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund - Class III12,215 29,795 (17,580)35,274 29,086 6,188 
Blue Chip Account - Class 3535,912 186,670 349,242 683,362 297,473 385,889 
BNY Mellon IP MidCap Stock Portfolio - Service
   Shares
21,975 8,064 13,911 10,668 5,003 5,665 
BNY Mellon IP Technology Growth Portfolio -
   Service Shares
20,399 39,776 (19,377)19,003 38,347 (19,344)
Calvert VP EAFE International Index Portfolio - Class
   F
107,467 43,519 63,948 87,113 25,636 61,477 
Calvert VP Investment Grade Bond Index Portfolio -
   Class F
133,255 86,807 46,448 110,806 76,207 34,599 
Calvert VP Nasdaq 100 Index Portfolio - Class F 256,050 67,567 188,483 44,490 4,517 39,973 
Calvert VP Russell 2000 Small Cap Index Portfolio -
   Class F
93,213 55,637 37,576 92,630 39,459 53,171 
Calvert VP S&P MidCap 400 Index Portfolio - Class F118,288 58,613 59,675 77,095 64,637 12,458 
Clearbridge Variable Small Cap Growth Portfolio -
   Class II Shares
31,216 34,022 (2,806)76,275 60,078 16,197 
Columbia VP - Limited Duration Credit Fund - Class
   2
112,145 101,215 10,930 169,579 164,162 5,417 
Columbia VP - Small Cap Value Fund - Class 257,921 19,962 37,959 59,411 31,961 27,450 
Core Plus Bond Account - Class 1386,551 713,400 (326,849)233,433 887,086 (653,653)
Delaware VIP Small Cap Value Series - Service Class5,463 31,133 (25,670)7,736 35,032 (27,296)
A-110

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
20232022
DivisionPurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
PurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
Diversified Balanced Account - Class 169,952 227,030 (157,078)22,557 205,215 (182,658)
Diversified Balanced Account - Class 21,521,454 6,391,941 (4,870,487)1,332,530 6,248,585 (4,916,055)
Diversified Balanced Managed Volatility Account -
   Class 2
803,669 2,372,514 (1,568,845)751,529 1,747,500 (995,971)
Diversified Balanced Volatility Control Account -
   Class 2
2,272,860 1,460,599 812,261 2,393,210 1,370,368 1,022,842 
Diversified Growth Account - Class 25,072,477 21,453,654 (16,381,177)5,397,600 16,844,545 (11,446,945)
Diversified Growth Managed Volatility Account -
   Class 2
1,435,270 3,848,184 (2,412,914)1,235,887 3,480,519 (2,244,632)
Diversified Growth Volatility Control Account - Class
   2
11,787,728 6,123,771 5,663,957 13,307,638 4,147,531 9,160,107 
Diversified Income Account - Class 21,787,659 3,857,779 (2,070,120)3,005,248 4,383,536 (1,378,288)
Diversified International Account - Class 187,663 422,323 (334,660)154,738 371,706 (216,968)
DWS Alternative Asset Allocation VIP - Class B2,145 3,086 (941)11,500 823 10,677 
DWS Equity 500 Index VIP - Class B26,227 16,665 (10,438)8,003 17,987 (9,984)
DWS Small Mid Cap Value VIP - Class B13,790 31,760 (17,970)20,960 29,082 (8,122)
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Convertible Securities
   Portfolio - Class IB
12,232 6,506 5,726 18,868 5,585 13,283 
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT GAMCO Small
   Company Value Portfolio - Class IB
20,658 12,429 8,229 26,390 10,082 16,308 
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Micro Cap Portfolio -
   Class IB
4,642 4,865 (223)1,801 24,531 (22,730)
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT SmartBeta Equity ESG
   Portfolio - Class IB
5,827 6,913 (1,086)22,796 6,572 16,224 
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Socially Responsible
   Portfolio - Class IB
44,527 25,683 18,844 17,550 10,079 7,471 
Equity Income Account - Class 1253,647 1,295,375 (1,041,728)323,646 1,377,916 (1,054,270)
Equity Income Account - Class 2177,437 118,413 59,024 310,628 143,390 167,238 
Fidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service Class7,441 120,560 (113,119)12,244 87,990 (75,746)
Fidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service Class 2349,216 420,942 (71,726)299,733 276,976 22,757 
Fidelity VIP Energy Portfolio - Service Class 2183,546 168,060 15,486 206,771 37,347 169,424 
A-111

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
20232022
DivisionPurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
PurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio - Service Class 221,516 126,570 (105,054)30,135 183,931 (153,796)
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2020 Portfolio - Service Class 2158,992 21,332 137,660 31,487 47,188 (15,701)
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2030 Portfolio - Service Class 275,103 47,055 28,048 63,993 51,572 12,421 
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2040 Portfolio - Service Class 258,267 5,940 52,327 33,586 25,536 8,050 
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2050 Portfolio - Service Class 242,579 12,049 30,530 16,290 47,312 (31,022)
Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio -
   Initial Class
3,148,614 2,876,089 272,525 3,630,979 3,005,742 625,237 
Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio -
   Service Class 2
8,369,322 7,810,755 558,567 7,487,300 5,773,766 1,713,534 
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio - Service Class8,789 44,466 (35,677)5,780 59,829 (54,049)
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio - Service Class 211,216 54,666 (43,450)21,831 47,225 (25,394)
Fidelity VIP Health Care Portfolio - Service Class 259,183 9,142 50,041 59,678 28,579 31,099 
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Portfolio - Service Class6,019 6,019  — — — 
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Portfolio - Service Class 295,863 145,055 (49,192)99,674 167,900 (68,226)
Fidelity VIP Overseas Portfolio - Service Class 2149,482 264,507 (115,025)156,806 144,702 12,104 
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Global Real
   Estate VIP Fund - Class 2
9,562 29,952 (20,390)27,195 18,557 8,638 
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Income VIP
   Fund - Class 4
142,879 28,693 114,186 187,785 83,667 104,118 
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Rising
   Dividends VIP Fund - Class 4
120,463 94,051 26,412 132,811 78,049 54,762 
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Small Cap
   Value VIP Fund - Class 2
6,774 25,287 (18,513)23,267 42,580 (19,313)
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin U.S.
   Government Securities VIP Fund - Class 2
118,040 77,141 40,899 387,392 371,882 15,510 
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Global
   Bond VIP Fund - Class 4
72,098 73,614 (1,516)35,150 67,659 (32,509)
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Growth
   VIP Fund - Class 2
17 1,103 (1,086)4,673 5,839 (1,166)
Global Emerging Markets Account - Class 144,005 186,866 (142,861)110,786 173,270 (62,484)
A-112

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
20232022
DivisionPurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
PurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value Fund -
   Institutional Shares
9,820 53,274 (43,454)13,134 55,572 (42,438)
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value Fund - Service
   Shares
25,120 25,324 (204)54,658 24,007 30,651 
Goldman Sachs VIT - Multi-Strategy Alternatives
   Portfolio - Service Shares
1,546 7,415 (5,869)10,055 2,939 7,116 
Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund
   - Institutional Shares
4,503 33,388 (28,885)8,384 35,418 (27,034)
Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund
   - Service Shares
18,120 9,331 8,789 14,055 15,813 (1,758)
Government & High Quality Bond Account - Class 1454,422 1,291,905 (837,483)475,739 1,373,131 (897,392)
Guggenheim Investments VIF Global Managed
   Futures Strategy Fund
5,887 143,346 (137,459)288,776 145,705 143,071 
Guggenheim Investments VIF Long Short Equity
   Fund
8,277 12,521 (4,244)9,039 7,243 1,796 
Guggenheim Investments VIF Multi-Hedge Strategies
   Fund
2,736 26,025 (23,289)21,738 7,516 14,222 
Guggenheim Investments VIF - Series F (Guggenheim
   Floating Rate Strategies Series)
182,915 171,163 11,752 305,846 145,544 160,302 
Invesco V.I. American Franchise Fund - Series I
   Shares
9,531 15,468 (5,937)6,059 13,582 (7,523)
Invesco V.I. American Value Fund - Series I Shares15,809 74,602 (58,793)14,535 81,209 (66,674)
Invesco V.I. Balanced-Risk Allocation Fund - Series II
   Shares
58,412 54,983 3,429 33,818 12,550 21,268 
Invesco V.I. Core Equity Fund - Series I Shares6,264 60,250 (53,986)7,648 64,208 (56,560)
Invesco V.I. Discovery Mid Cap Growth Fund - Series
   I Shares
1,249 16,795 (15,546)3,204 5,558 (2,354)
Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity Fund - Series I
   Shares
14,160 81,330 (67,170)42,747 62,726 (19,979)
Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity Fund - Series II Shares60,091 51,025 9,066 57,840 22,662 35,178 
Invesco V.I. Health Care Fund - Series I Shares9,146 34,439 (25,293)22,489 41,775 (19,286)
Invesco V.I. Health Care Fund - Series II Shares22,247 65,337 (43,090)63,832 97,928 (34,096)
Invesco V.I. Main Street Small Cap Fund - Series II
   Shares
2,346 641 1,705 418 2,922 (2,504)
A-113

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
20232022
DivisionPurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
PurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
Invesco V.I. Small Cap Equity Fund - Series I Shares8,892 34,762 (25,870)14,689 32,832 (18,143)
Invesco V.I. Technology Fund - Series I Shares26,329 27,950 (1,621)13,658 23,163 (9,505)
Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity Portfolio -
   Service Shares
10,780 188 10,592 6,667 1,692 4,975 
Janus Henderson Series Balanced Portfolio - Service
   Shares
222,078 68,683 153,395 273,695 137,270 136,425 
Janus Henderson Series Enterprise Portfolio - Service
   Shares
4,988 35,536 (30,548)5,525 22,789 (17,264)
Janus Henderson Series Flexible Bond Portfolio -
   Service Shares
241,855 149,893 91,962 208,612 179,230 29,382 
Janus Henderson Series Global Technology and
   Innovation Portfolio - Service Shares
62,584 43,273 19,311 113,043 157,901 (44,858)
LargeCap Growth Account I - Class 1188,979 383,253 (194,274)194,613 409,062 (214,449)
LargeCap S&P 500 Index Account - Class 1152,306 517,170 (364,864)334,399 534,432 (200,033)
LargeCap S&P 500 Index Account - Class 2607,882 606,578 1,304 735,628 437,534 298,094 
MFS® International Intrinsic Value Portfolio - Service
   Class
76,977 113,743 (36,766)107,494 179,155 (71,661)
MFS® New Discovery Series - Service Class43,653 63,988 (20,335)68,540 77,920 (9,380)
MFS® Utilities Series - Service Class74,473 192,177 (117,704)241,615 159,297 82,318 
MFS® Value Series - Service Class7,572 44,362 (36,790)30,211 32,227 (2,016)
MidCap Account - Class 139,048 274,640 (235,592)70,198 256,672 (186,474)
MidCap Account - Class 2290,702 189,933 100,769 564,750 185,174 379,576 
Neuberger Berman AMT Mid Cap Growth Portfolio -
   Class S
14,031 39,143 (25,112)21,252 44,996 (23,744)
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity Portfolio
   - I Class Shares
928 33,488 (32,560)5,634 32,344 (26,710)
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity Portfolio
   - S Class Shares
13,412 676 12,736 9,091 303 8,788 
PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio - Administrative
   Class
2,299 25,443 (23,144)5,534 27,304 (21,770)
PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio - Advisor Class2,719 2,891 (172)17,047 9,321 7,726 
A-114

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
20232022
DivisionPurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
PurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
PIMCO VIT CommodityRealReturn® Strategy
   Portfolio - M Class
6,573 49,646 (43,073)61,685 31,584 30,101 
PIMCO VIT Emerging Markets Bond Portfolio -
   Administrative Class
19,546 16,030 3,516 71,514 10,188 61,326 
PIMCO VIT High Yield Portfolio - Administrative
   Class
266,674 316,768 (50,094)324,261 358,485 (34,224)
PIMCO VIT Low Duration Portfolio - Advisor Class339,669 258,378 81,291 335,240 250,374 84,866 
PIMCO VIT Total Return Portfolio - Administrative
   Class
396,392 433,865 (37,473)522,213 539,146 (16,933)
Principal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 156,348 472,310 (415,962)94,135 490,260 (396,125)
Principal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 2110,196 110,507 (311)143,034 88,109 54,925 
Principal LifeTime 2020 Account - Class 127,859 449,403 (421,544)41,327 498,712 (457,385)
Principal LifeTime 2030 Account - Class 141,996 247,260 (205,264)47,670 400,192 (352,522)
Principal LifeTime 2040 Account - Class 110,383 58,040 (47,657)15,535 107,024 (91,489)
Principal LifeTime 2050 Account - Class 13,374 76,425 (73,051)3,056 72,739 (69,683)
Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Account - Class
   1
669,503 138,346 531,157 10,352 119,268 (108,916)
U.S. LargeCap Buffer April Account - Class 26,459,072 4,532,432 1,926,640 — — — 
U.S. LargeCap Buffer January Account - Class 2 5,040,564 2,668,875 2,371,689 2,560,113 — 2,560,113 
U.S. LargeCap Buffer July Account - Class 2 7,375,372 5,298,230 2,077,142 2,866,627 381,325 2,485,302 
U.S. LargeCap Buffer October Account - Class 2 938,321 1,034,058 (95,737)2,513,255 903,150 1,610,105 
Real Estate Securities Account - Class 133,835 118,058 (84,223)35,518 119,775 (84,257)
Real Estate Securities Account - Class 299,848 85,218 14,630 196,158 134,504 61,654 
Rydex VI Basic Materials Fund7,334 4,837 2,497 11,495 13,800 (2,305)
Rydex VI Commodities Strategy Fund46,400 164,468 (118,068)343,512 238,275 105,237 
Rydex VI NASDAQ 100 Fund33,494 113,422 (79,928)114,388 133,812 (19,424)
SAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 1227,561 2,403,947 (2,176,386)347,049 2,453,725 (2,106,676)
SAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 2250,229 394,350 (144,121)688,871 352,297 336,574 
A-115

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
20232022
DivisionPurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
PurchasesRedemptionsNet increase
(decrease)
SAM Conservative Balanced Portfolio - Class 1120,770 775,129 (654,359)131,044 814,388 (683,344)
SAM Conservative Balanced Portfolio - Class 2159,088 137,219 21,869 338,011 294,463 43,548 
SAM Conservative Growth Portfolio - Class 197,467 701,529 (604,062)132,387 559,235 (426,848)
SAM Conservative Growth Portfolio - Class 2319,872 341,707 (21,835)253,196 259,919 (6,723)
SAM Flexible Income Portfolio - Class 1110,964 960,531 (849,567)177,450 1,301,669 (1,124,219)
SAM Flexible Income Portfolio - Class 2382,212 358,138 24,074 598,421 902,566 (304,145)
SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio - Class 1164,861 427,220 (262,359)212,433 464,883 (252,450)
SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio - Class 2163,291 163,628 (337)144,504 245,031 (100,527)
Short-Term Income Account - Class 1334,170 1,000,919 (666,749)360,643 1,522,447 (1,161,804)
SmallCap Account - Class 192,006 351,134 (259,128)119,888 410,523 (290,635)
SmallCap Account - Class 242,480 52,881 (10,401)72,060 45,888 26,172 
T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth Portfolio - II349,976 359,143 (9,167)394,278 258,280 135,998 
T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Portfolio - II8,231 49,288 (41,057)13,311 54,733 (41,422)
The Merger Fund VL3,469 9,525 (6,056)3,458 4,641 (1,183)
TOPS® Aggressive Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor
   Class Shares
4,585 7,648 (3,063)5,622 2,901 2,721 
TOPS® Balanced ETF Portfolio - Investor Class
   Shares
88,773 32,880 55,893 58,858 27,044 31,814 
TOPS® Conservative ETF Portfolio - Investor Class
   Shares
26,718 15,089 11,629 26,864 11,883 14,981 
TOPS® Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares51,049 9,695 41,354 12,088 30,783 (18,695)
TOPS® Moderate Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor
   Class Shares
24,778 6,858 17,920 22,825 3,760 19,065 
VanEck VIP Trust Global Gold Fund - Class S Shares17,149 4,621 12,528 41,675 4,617 37,058 
VanEck VIP Trust Global Resources Fund - Class S
   Shares
71,871 156,376 (84,505)176,940 153,226 23,714 
A-116

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
6. Financial Highlights

Principal Life sells a number of variable annuity products, which have unique combinations of features and fees that are charged against the contractholder’s account balance. Differences in the fee structures result in a variety of unit values, expense ratios and total returns.

Separate Account B has presented the following disclosures for 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019 in accordance with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Audit and Accounting Guide for Investment Companies. The following table was developed by determining which products issued by Principal Life have the lowest and highest total return. The summary may not reflect the minimum and maximum contract charges offered by Principal Life as the contractholder may not have selected all available and applicable contract options as discussed in Note 2. Additionally, the unit values, expense ratios and total returns are presented as a range of minimum to maximum values. Therefore, some individual contract unit values may not be within the ranges presented.

December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
AllianceBernstein VPS Discovery Value Portfolio - Class A:
2023 (14)153$20.68 to$19.20 $3,120 1.04 %1.30 %to2.00 %15.66 %to14.83 %
202220517.88to$16.72 $3,625 1.07 %1.30 %to2.00 %(16.72)%to(17.27)%
202125921.47to$20.21 $5,481 0.80 %1.30 %to2.00 %34.19 %to33.22 %
202025616.00to$15.17 $4,034 1.09 %1.30 %to2.00 %2.04 %to1.34 %
201931515.68to$14.97 $4,879 0.58 %1.30 %to2.00 %18.52 %to17.69 %
AllianceBernstein VPS Small Cap Growth Portfolio - Class A:
202351$52.48 to$46.72 $2,662  %1.40 %to2.00 %16.39 %to15.67 %
202260$45.09 to$40.39 $2,704 — %1.40 %to2.00 %(39.94)%to(40.30)%
202163$75.08 to$67.65 $4,755 — %1.40 %to2.00 %7.94 %to7.30 %
202077$69.56 to$63.05 $5,354 — %1.40 %to2.00 %51.84 %to50.91 %
2019100$45.81 to$41.78 $4,549 — %1.40 %to2.00 %34.50 %to33.70 %
Alps Global Opportunity Portfolio - Class III:
2023 (15)57$14.39 to$16.40 $837  %0.75 %to1.40 %27.80 %to27.03 %
202271$11.26 to$12.91 $826 11.47 %0.75 %to1.40 %(29.45)%to(29.91)%
202182$15.96 to$18.42 $1,341 5.54 %0.75 %to1.40 %23.05 %to22.23 %
202055$12.97 to$15.07 $747 12.55 %0.75 %to1.40 %8.44 %to7.72 %
201942$11.96 to$13.99 $527 — %0.75 %to1.40 %38.75 %to37.83 %
American Century VP Capital Appreciation Fund - Class I:
202352$21.54 to$20.32 $1,126  %1.40 %to2.00 %19.01 %to18.28 %
202265$18.10 to$17.18 $1,179 — %1.40 %to2.00 %(29.10)%to(29.53)%
202166$25.53 to$24.38 $1,680 — %1.40 %to2.00 %9.62 %to8.99 %
202083$23.29 to$22.37 $1,924 — %1.40 %to2.00 %40.47 %to39.64 %
2019100$16.58 to$16.02 $1,666 — %1.40 %to2.00 %33.71 %to32.84 %
A-117

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
American Century VP Disciplined Core Value Fund - Class I:
2023270$33.33 to$26.56 $8,414 1.53 %0.85 %to1.90 %7.72 %to6.62 %
2022293$30.94 to$24.91 $8,517 1.75 %0.85 %to1.90 %(13.45)%to(14.37)%
2021334$35.75 to$29.09 $11,250 1.07 %0.85 %to1.90 %22.60 %to21.31 %
2020367$29.16 to$23.98 $10,099 1.97 %0.85 %to1.90 %10.87 %to9.70 %
2019394$26.30 to$21.86 $9,811 2.06 %0.85 %to1.90 %22.90 %to21.65 %
American Century VP Inflation Protection Fund - Class II:
20231,931$10.79 to$12.03 $24,801 3.27 %0.75 %to2.00 %2.66 %to1.35 %
20222,096$10.51 to$11.87 $26,308 5.01 %0.75 %to2.00 %(13.71)%to(14.79)%
20212,308$12.18 to$13.93 $34,358 3.10 %0.75 %to2.00 %5.45 %to4.19 %
20202,370$11.55 to$13.37 $34,239 1.33 %0.75 %to2.00 %8.76 %to7.39 %
20192,414$10.62 to$12.45 $32,719 2.29 %0.75 %to2.00 %8.04 %to6.78 %
American Century VP Mid Cap Value Fund - Class II:
2023171$33.49 to$30.54 $5,657 2.17 %1.30 %to2.00 %4.66 %to3.91 %
2022227$32.00 to$29.39 $7,195 2.12 %1.30 %to2.00 %(2.65)%to(3.32)%
2021257$32.87 to$30.40 $8,348 1.01 %1.30 %to2.00 %21.43 %to20.59 %
2020298$27.07 to$25.21 $7,961 1.68 %1.30 %to2.00 %(0.22)%to(0.90)%
2019341$27.13 to$25.44 $9,130 1.90 %1.30 %to2.00 %27.37 %to26.44 %
American Century VP Ultra Fund - Class I:
202372$49.76 to$43.45 $3,569  %1.30 %to1.90 %41.65 %to40.84 %
202281$35.13 to$30.85 $2,840 — %1.30 %to1.90 %(33.24)%to(33.66)%
202191$52.62 to$46.50 $4,766 — %1.30 %to1.90 %21.55 %to20.84 %
2020110$43.29 to$38.48 $4,749 — %1.30 %to1.90 %47.90 %to47.04 %
2019127$29.27 to$26.17 $3,723 — %1.30 %to1.90 %32.86 %to32.04 %
American Century VP Ultra Fund - Class II:
2023311$57.20 to$50.93 $17,801  %1.40 %to2.00 %41.27 %to40.46 %
2022418$40.49 to$36.26 $16,923 — %1.40 %to2.00 %(33.39)%to(33.81)%
2021439$60.79 to$54.78 $26,603 — %1.40 %to2.00 %21.29 %to20.58 %
2020566$50.12 to$45.43 $28,315 — %1.40 %to2.00 %47.46 %to46.55 %
2019780$33.99 to$31.00 $26,467 — %1.40 %to2.00 %32.57 %to31.80 %
American Century VP Value Fund - Class II:
2023573$15.34 to$32.85 $15,213 2.23 %0.75 %to1.90 %8.18 %to7.00 %
2022555$14.18 to$30.70 $14,532 1.94 %0.75 %to1.90 %(0.42)%to(1.60)%
2021535$14.24 to$31.20 $15,467 1.59 %0.75 %to1.90 %23.40 %to21.97 %
2020509$11.54 to$25.58 $13,252 2.23 %0.75 %to1.90 %— %to(1.08)%
2019544$11.54 to$25.86 $14,004 1.95 %0.75 %to1.90 %25.98 %to24.57 %
A-118

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
American Funds Insurance Series - American High-Income Trust Fund - Class 2 Shares:
202374$13.20 to$12.45 $980 6.78 %1.30 %to1.90 %11.02 %to10.27 %
202280$11.89 to$11.29 $945 6.77 %1.30 %to1.90 %(10.40)%to(10.96)%
2021116$13.27 to$12.68 $1,535 4.49 %1.30 %to1.90 %7.02 %to6.38 %
2020106$12.40 to$11.92 $1,309 8.86 %1.30 %to1.90 %6.53 %to5.96 %
2019106$11.64 to$11.25 $1,237 6.05 %1.30 %to1.90 %11.07 %to10.40 %
American Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund - Class 2 Shares:
2023142$16.74 to$15.87 $2,347 2.24 %1.30 %to2.00 %12.80 %to12.00 %
2022145$14.84 to$14.17 $2,130 1.92 %1.30 %to2.00 %(14.52)%to(15.10)%
2021147$17.36 to$16.69 $2,536 1.46 %1.30 %to2.00 %13.61 %to12.77 %
2020178$15.28 to$14.80 $2,679 1.65 %1.30 %to2.00 %10.97 %to10.28 %
2019199$13.77 to$13.42 $2,711 1.88 %1.30 %to2.00 %19.64 %to18.76 %
American Funds Insurance Series - Asset Allocation Fund - Class 4 Shares:
20231,542$14.09 to$16.00 $21,861 2.09 %0.75 %to1.40 %13.17 %to12.44 %
20221,449$12.45 to$14.23 $18,230 1.77 %0.75 %to1.40 %(14.32)%to(14.84)%
20211,224$14.53 to$16.71 $18,082 1.52 %0.75 %to1.40 %13.96 %to13.21 %
2020769$12.75 to$14.76 $10,078 1.53 %0.75 %to1.40 %11.35 %to10.64 %
2019687$11.45 to$13.34 $8,180 2.04 %0.75 %to1.40 %20.02 %to19.21 %
American Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund - Class 2 Shares:
202387$15.64 to$12.71 $1,208 0.26 %1.30 %to2.00 %14.66 %to13.89 %
202296$13.64 to$11.16 $1,174 — %1.30 %to2.00 %(30.48)%to(30.98)%
2021103$19.62 to$16.17 $1,802 — %1.30 %to2.00 %5.37 %to4.66 %
2020116$18.62 to$15.45 $1,930 0.16 %1.30 %to2.00 %28.06 %to27.16 %
2019121$14.54 to$12.15 $1,573 0.16 %1.30 %to2.00 %29.82 %to28.84 %
American Funds Insurance Series - Global Small Capitalization Fund - Class 4 Shares:
2023273$12.39 to$14.58 $3,440 0.03 %0.75 %to1.40 %14.94 %to14.17 %
2022283$10.78 to$12.77 $3,111 — %0.75 %to1.40 %(30.23)%to(30.67)%
2021247$15.45 to$18.42 $3,932 — %0.75 %to1.40 %5.60 %to4.96 %
2020156$14.63 to$17.55 $2,382 0.12 %0.75 %to1.40 %28.45 %to27.54 %
2019117$11.39 to$13.76 $1,434 0.01 %0.75 %to1.40 %30.32 %to29.44 %
American Funds Insurance Series Managed Risk Asset Allocation Fund - Class P2 Shares:
2023628$12.38 to$13.48 $7,830 1.83 %0.75 %to1.40 %9.46 %to8.71 %
2022585$11.31 to$12.40 $6,675 2.15 %0.75 %to1.40 %(14.64)%to(15.18)%
2021499$13.25 to$14.62 $6,678 1.31 %0.75 %to1.40 %11.72 %to10.93 %
2020377$11.86 to$13.18 $4,549 1.37 %0.75 %to1.40 %5.05 %to4.44 %
2019184$11.29 to$12.62 $2,153 2.10 %0.75 %to1.40 %17.12 %to16.31 %
A-119

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk Growth Fund - Class P2 Shares:
2023428$15.81 to$18.80 $6,911 0.57 %0.75 %to1.40 %22.56 %to21.76 %
2022437$12.90 to$15.44 $5,791 1.52 %0.75 %to1.40 %(25.43)%to(25.91)%
2021330$17.30 to$20.84 $5,945 0.57 %0.75 %to1.40 %12.05 %to11.32 %
2020241$15.44 to$18.72 $3,934 0.78 %0.75 %to1.40 %31.07 %to30.18 %
2019163$11.78 to$14.38 $2,093 0.86 %0.75 %to1.40 %20.82 %to20.03 %
American Funds Insurance Series - Managed Risk International Fund - Class P2 Shares:
202349$8.87 to$9.02 $438 1.67 %0.75 %to1.40 %5.47 %to4.76 %
202257$8.41 to$8.61 $498 3.21 %0.75 %to1.40 %(16.15)%to(16.73)%
202137$10.03 to$10.34 $385 0.54 %0.75 %to1.40 %(4.84)%to(5.48)%
202026$10.54 to$10.94 $287 1.20 %0.75 %to1.40 %2.03 %to1.39 %
201917$10.33 to$10.79 $201 1.65 %0.75 %to1.40 %16.72 %to16.02 %
American Funds Insurance Series - New World Fund - Class 2 Shares:
2023102$13.89 to$13.43 $1,429 1.38 %1.30 %to2.00 %14.51 %to13.72 %
2022121$12.13 to$11.81 $1,485 1.32 %1.30 %to2.00 %(23.08)%to(23.66)%
2021131$15.77 to$15.47 $2,087 0.83 %1.30 %to2.00 %3.55 %to2.86 %
2020137$15.23 to$15.04 $2,113 0.07 %1.30 %to2.00 %22.04 %to21.10 %
2019141$12.48 to$12.42 $1,787 0.98 %1.30 %to2.00 %27.48 %to26.61 %
American Funds Insurance Series - New World Fund - Class 4 Shares:
2023539$12.27 to$13.31 $6,692 1.25 %0.75 %to1.40 %14.89 %to14.05 %
2022528$10.68 to$11.67 $5,736 1.16 %0.75 %to1.40 %(22.89)%to(23.37)%
2021438$13.85 to$15.23 $6,201 0.73 %0.75 %to1.40 %3.90 %to3.18 %
2020266$13.33 to$14.76 $3,684 0.04 %0.75 %to1.40 %22.29 %to21.58 %
2019189$10.90 to$12.14 $2,183 0.92 %0.75 %to1.40 %27.93 %to26.99 %
American Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund - Class 2 Shares:
2023151$19.76 to$18.74 $2,950 1.77 %1.30 %to2.00 %15.76 %to14.97 %
2022188$17.07 to$16.30 $3,173 1.83 %1.30 %to2.00 %(9.63)%to(10.24)%
2021227$18.89 to$18.16 $4,240 1.44 %1.30 %to2.00 %26.19 %to25.24 %
2020241$14.97 to$14.50 $3,563 1.79 %1.30 %to2.00 %7.23 %to6.54 %
2019246$13.96 to$13.61 $3,399 2.03 %1.30 %to2.00 %19.83 %to18.97 %
American Funds Insurance Series - Washington Mutual Investors Fund - Class 4 Shares:
2023877$16.10 to$19.64 $14,365 1.74 %0.75 %to1.40 %16.08 %to15.33 %
2022820$13.87 to$17.03 $11,641 1.77 %0.75 %to1.40 %(9.35)%to(9.94)%
2021776$15.30 to$18.91 $12,244 1.33 %0.75 %to1.40 %26.55 %to25.73 %
2020684$12.09 to$15.04 $8,606 1.68 %0.75 %to1.40 %7.66 %to6.97 %
2019554$11.23 to$14.06 $6,584 2.23 %0.75 %to1.40 %20.11 %to19.35 %
A-120

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
BlackRock 60/40 Target Allocations ETF V.I. Fund - Class III:
2023902$13.92 to$13.58 $12,582 2.07 %0.75 %to2.00 %14.38 %to12.98 %
2022679$12.17 to$12.02 $8,275 2.35 %0.75 %to2.00 %(15.66)%to(16.70)%
2021416$— to$14.43 $6,037 2.54 %0.75 %to2.00 %10.91 %to9.48 %
2020119$13.01 to$13.18 $1,575 1.81 %0.75 %to2.00 %13.53 %to12.07 %
201968$11.46 to$11.76 $799 2.53 %0.75 %to2.00 %20.25 %to18.79 %
BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap V.I. Fund - Class III:
2023152$15.59 to$18.17 $2,414 1.92 %0.75 %to1.40 %17.75 %to17.00 %
2022165$13.24 to$15.53 $2,237 1.81 %0.75 %to1.40 %(17.30)%to(17.87)%
2021148$16.01 to$18.91 $2,453 1.28 %0.75 %to1.40 %12.51 %to11.76 %
2020124$14.23 to$16.92 $1,854 2.00 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.78 %to17.99 %
201976$11.98 to$14.34 $1,002 2.17 %0.75 %to1.40 %27.72 %to26.90 %
BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund - Class III:
2023289$12.76 to$12.28 $3,703 2.51 %0.75 %to2.00 %11.64 %to10.23 %
2022307$11.43 to$11.14 $3,528 — %0.75 %to2.00 %(16.69)%to(17.73)%
2021300$13.72 to$13.54 $4,163 0.90 %0.75 %to2.00 %5.62 %to4.31 %
2020178$12.99 to$12.98 $2,356 1.36 %0.75 %to2.00 %19.83 %to18.32 %
2019192$10.84 to$10.97 $2,140 1.39 %0.75 %to2.00 %16.81 %to15.35 %
Blue Chip Account - Class 3:
20231,360$10.54 to$10.21 $14,290  %0.75 %to2.00 %37.96 %to36.32 %
20221,011$7.64 to$7.49 $7,707 — %0.75 %to2.00 %(31.72)%to(32.58)%
2021 (8)625$11.19 to$11.11 $6,985 — %0.75 %to2.00 %12.01 %to11.21 %
BNY Mellon IP MidCap Stock Portfolio - Service Shares:
202388$13.72 to$15.18 $1,227 0.49 %0.75 %to1.40 %17.16 %to16.32 %
202274$11.71 to$13.05 $891 0.44 %0.75 %to1.40 %(14.96)%to(15.48)%
202168$13.77 to$15.44 $974 0.43 %0.75 %to1.40 %24.62 %to23.82 %
202057$11.05 to$12.47 $664 0.50 %0.75 %to1.40 %7.07 %to6.31 %
201950$10.32 to$11.73 $547 0.38 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.89 %to18.25 %
BNY Mellon IP Technology Growth Portfolio - Service Shares:
2023118$62.97 to$56.06 $7,424  %1.40 %to2.00 %56.80 %to55.85 %
2022137$40.16 to$35.97 $5,492 — %1.40 %to2.00 %(47.26)%to(47.57)%
2021157$76.15 to$68.61 $11,867 — %1.40 %to2.00 %11.07 %to10.41 %
2020188$68.56 to$62.14 $12,758 0.07 %1.40 %to2.00 %67.22 %to66.19 %
2019213$41.00 to$37.39 $8,638 — %1.40 %to2.00 %23.75 %to23.03 %
A-121

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Calvert VP EAFE International Index Portfolio - Class F:
2023388$11.84 to$12.42 $4,601 3.14 %0.75 %to1.40 %16.65 %to15.97 %
2022324$10.15 to$10.71 $3,302 3.72 %0.75 %to1.40 %(15.42)%to(15.93)%
2021263$12.00 to$12.74 $3,163 1.86 %0.75 %to1.40 %9.89 %to9.08 %
2020190$10.92 to$11.68 $2,093 3.70 %0.75 %to1.40 %6.74 %to6.09 %
2019126$10.23 to$11.01 $1,308 3.18 %0.75 %to1.40 %20.07 %to19.28 %
Calvert VP Investment Grade Bond Index Portfolio - Class F:
2023530$10.15 to$9.79 $5,380 2.96 %0.75 %to1.40 %4.42 %to3.71 %
2022484$9.72 to$9.44 $4,700 2.83 %0.75 %to1.40 %(13.45)%to(13.95)%
2021449$11.23 to$10.97 $5,039 2.66 %0.75 %to1.40 %(2.77)%to(3.43)%
2020310$11.55 to$11.36 $3,584 3.01 %0.75 %to1.40 %6.26 %to5.58 %
201987$10.87 to$10.76 $943 5.01 %0.75 %to1.40 %7.31 %to6.64 %
Calvert VP Nasdaq 100 Index Portfolio - Class F:
2023228$13.29 to$13.03 $3,024 0.44 %0.75 %to2.00 %52.93 %to50.98 %
2022 (9)40$8.69 to$8.63 $348 0.34 %0.75 %to2.00 %(13.45)%to(14.04)%
Calvert VP Russell 2000 Small Cap Index Portfolio - Class F:
2023521$13.26 to$16.74 $7,029 0.91 %0.75 %to1.40 %15.40 %to14.74 %
2022483$11.49 to$14.59 $5,673 0.85 %0.75 %to1.40 %(21.25)%to(21.73)%
2021430$14.59 to$18.64 $6,438 0.81 %0.75 %to1.40 %13.45 %to12.70 %
2020297$12.86 to$16.54 $3,974 1.17 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.53 %to17.72 %
2019236$10.85 to$14.05 $2,708 1.01 %0.75 %to1.40 %23.86 %to23.14 %
Calvert VP S&P MidCap 400 Index Portfolio - Class F:
2023620$15.16 to$18.97 $9,599 1.27 %0.75 %to1.40 %15.02 %to14.28 %
2022560$13.18 to$16.60 $7,598 0.95 %0.75 %to1.40 %(14.19)%to(14.70)%
2021548$15.36 to$19.46 $8,698 0.86 %0.75 %to1.40 %23.27 %to22.47 %
2020462$12.46 to$15.89 $6,062 1.33 %0.75 %to1.40 %12.25 %to11.51 %
2019376$11.10 to$14.25 $4,489 1.26 %0.75 %to1.40 %24.58 %to23.81 %
Clearbridge Variable Small Cap Growth Portfolio - Class II Shares:
2023310$14.37 to$17.81 $4,528  %0.75 %to1.40 %7.32 %to6.65 %
2022312$13.39 to$16.70 $4,287 — %0.75 %to1.40 %(29.56)%to(30.01)%
2021296$19.01 to$23.86 $5,878 — %0.75 %to1.40 %11.50 %to10.77 %
2020199$17.05 to$21.54 $3,566 — %0.75 %to1.40 %41.85 %to40.88 %
2019157$12.02 to$15.29 $2,018 — %0.75 %to1.40 %25.60 %to24.82 %
A-122

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Columbia VP - Limited Duration Credit Fund - Class 2:
2023503$10.87 to$9.77 $5,430 3.00 %0.75 %to2.00 %5.84 %to4.49 %
2022492$10.27 to$9.35 $5,011 0.53 %0.75 %to2.00 %(7.06)%to(8.15)%
2021486$11.05 to$10.18 $5,304 1.47 %0.75 %to2.00 %(1.60)%to(2.86)%
2020331$11.23 to$10.48 $3,666 2.12 %0.75 %to2.00 %4.86 %to3.46 %
201939$10.71 to$10.13 $405 1.97 %0.75 %to2.00 %6.67 %to5.41 %
Columbia VP - Small Cap Value Fund - Class 2:
2023276$15.10 to$18.85 $4,246 0.42 %0.75 %to1.40 %20.70 %to19.99 %
2022239$12.51 to$15.71 $3,052 0.48 %0.75 %to1.40 %(9.61)%to(10.23)%
2021211$13.84 to$17.50 $3,001 0.52 %0.75 %to1.40 %27.79 %to27.00 %
2020112$10.83 to$13.78 $1,277 0.35 %0.75 %to1.40 %7.76 %to7.07 %
201995$10.05 to$12.87 $1,034 0.27 %0.75 %to1.40 %20.07 %to19.28 %
Core Plus Bond Account - Class 1:
20233,818$3.16 to$21.14 $75,769 2.86 %0.39 %to2.00 %4.90 %to3.27 %
20224,145$3.01 to$20.47 $80,270 3.02 %0.38 %to2.00 %(14.49)%to(15.83)%
20214,799$3.53 to$24.32 $110,485 2.61 %0.47 %to2.00 %(0.87)%to(2.41)%
20205,323$3.56 to$24.92 $122,021 3.59 %0.41 %to2.00 %9.09 %to7.37 %
20195,337$3.26 to$23.21 $116,174 3.25 %0.42 %to2.00 %9.35 %to7.65 %
Delaware VIP Small Cap Value Series - Service Class:
202390$19.26 to$17.88 $1,717 0.66 %1.30 %to2.00 %7.66 %to6.94 %
2022116$17.89 to$16.72 $2,051 0.54 %1.30 %to2.00 %(13.45)%to(14.12)%
2021143$20.67 to$19.47 $2,932 0.63 %1.30 %to2.00 %32.25 %to31.38 %
2020147$15.63 to$14.82 $2,264 1.06 %1.30 %to2.00 %(3.46)%to(4.08)%
2019160$16.19 to$15.45 $2,563 0.78 %1.30 %to2.00 %26.09 %to25.20 %
Diversified Balanced Account - Class 1:
20231,272$14.26 to$13.11 $17,459 1.99 %0.36 %to1.90 %13.47 %to12.05 %
20221,429$12.72 to$11.70 $17,372 2.45 %0.39 %to1.90 %(15.20)%to(16.49)%
20211,611$15.00 to$14.01 $23,297 2.14 %0.46 %to1.90 %10.60 %to9.03 %
20201,771$13.57 to$12.85 $23,344 2.30 %0.45 %to1.90 %12.48 %to10.78 %
20192,112$12.06 to$11.60 $24,944 2.12 %0.46 %to1.90 %17.93 %to16.23 %
Diversified Balanced Account - Class 2:
202334,637$13.59 to$18.99 $701,275 1.71 %1.40 %to2.00 %12.29 %to11.64 %
202239,507$12.10 to$17.01 $715,956 2.12 %1.40 %to2.00 %(16.29)%to(16.78)%
202144,424$14.46 to$20.44 $963,138 1.88 %1.40 %to2.00 %9.30 %to8.61 %
202049,273$13.23 to$18.82 $979,709 2.08 %1.40 %to2.00 %11.05 %to10.38 %
201955,109$18.10 to$17.05 $988,423 1.81 %1.40 %to2.00 %16.55 %to15.91 %
A-123

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Diversified Balanced Managed Volatility Account - Class 2:
20239,138$13.12 to$14.06 $134,075 1.56 %0.75 %to2.00 %12.23 %to10.88 %
202210,707$11.69 to$12.68 $141,391 2.67 %0.75 %to2.00 %(15.29)%to(16.30)%
202111,703$13.80 to$15.15 $184,037 1.72 %0.75 %to2.00 %9.18 %to7.75 %
202012,733$12.64 to$14.06 $185,112 1.89 %0.75 %to2.00 %11.17 %to9.76 %
201913,367$11.37 to$12.81 $176,258 1.61 %0.75 %to2.00 %16.62 %to15.20 %
Diversified Balanced Volatility Control Account - Class 2:
202318,843$12.81 $241,388 1.31 %1.40 %11.49 %
202218,030$11.49 $207,131 1.66 %1.40 %(14.95)%
202117,008$13.51 $229,833 1.32 %1.40 %8.51 %
202014,823$12.45 $184,530 1.56 %1.40 %7.33 %
201912,527$11.60 $145,328 0.95 %1.40 %13.84 %
Diversified Growth Account - Class 2:
2023129,723$14.92 to$22.65 $3,077,826 1.61 %1.40 %to2.00 %14.98 %to14.28 %
2022146,105$12.98 to$19.82 $3,045,205 2.07 %1.40 %to2.00 %(16.84)%to(17.35)%
2021157,551$15.61 to$23.98 $3,973,661 1.74 %1.40 %to2.00 %13.18 %to12.53 %
2020172,151$13.79 to$21.31 $3,852,816 1.95 %1.40 %to2.00 %12.17 %to11.45 %
2019188,483$12.30 to$19.12 $3,772,917 1.74 %1.40 %to2.00 %19.53 %to18.83 %
Diversified Growth Managed Volatility Account - Class 2:
202317,930$14.05 to$15.72 $293,489 1.39 %0.75 %to2.00 %14.79 %to13.26 %
202220,343$12.24 to$13.88 $292,924 2.88 %0.75 %to2.00 %(15.76)%to(16.79)%
202122,587$14.53 to$16.68 $388,997 1.56 %0.75 %to2.00 %12.81 %to11.50 %
202024,558$12.88 to$14.96 $378,169 1.80 %0.75 %to2.00 %12.20 %to10.81 %
201925,503$11.48 to$13.50 $353,685 1.54 %0.75 %to2.00 %19.33 %to17.80 %
Diversified Growth Volatility Control - Class 2:
2023103,753$13.88 $1,440,206 1.22 %1.40 %13.68 %
202298,089$12.21 $1,197,194 1.63 %1.40 %(14.97)%
202188,928$14.36 $1,277,225 1.20 %1.40 %12.28 %
202077,836$12.79 $995,441 1.54 %1.40 %7.48 %
201964,303$11.90 $765,294 0.97 %1.40 %15.87 %
Diversified Income Account - Class 2:
202317,572$12.32 to$14.19 $246,927 1.74 %1.40 %to2.00 %9.65 %to8.99 %
202219,642$11.24 to$13.02 $254,403 2.10 %1.40 %to2.00 %(15.73)%to(16.22)%
202121,020$13.33 to$15.54 $326,042 1.85 %1.40 %to2.00 %5.51 %to4.79 %
202021,807$12.64 to$14.83 $323,481 1.96 %1.40 %to2.00 %9.70 %to9.12 %
201920,567$11.52 to$13.59 $279,864 1.65 %1.40 %to2.00 %13.50 %to12.87 %
A-124

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Diversified International Account - Class 1:
20232,527$4.82 to$32.56 $75,288 1.24 %0.39 %to2.00 %16.96 %to15.13 %
20222,862$4.12 to$28.28 $75,371 2.60 %0.37 %to2.00 %(20.33)%to(21.60)%
20213,079$5.17 to$36.07 $102,535 1.29 %0.44 %to2.00 %9.29 %to7.58 %
20203,407$4.73 to$33.53 $104,699 2.68 %0.40 %to2.00 %15.68 %to13.85 %
20193,882$4.09 to$29.45 $103,484 1.63 %0.40 %to2.00 %22.17 %to20.25 %
DWS Alternative Asset Allocation VIP - Class B:
202319$12.00 to$10.87 $224 6.71 %0.75 %to1.40 %4.90 %to4.22 %
202220$11.44 to$10.43 $221 7.87 %0.75 %to1.40 %(8.41)%to(8.99)%
20219$12.49 to$11.46 $108 1.56 %0.75 %to1.40 %11.52 %to10.72 %
20205$11.20 to$10.35 $49 2.41 %0.75 %to1.40 %4.48 %to3.92 %
20194$10.72 to$9.96 $44 3.51 %0.75 %to1.40 %13.56 %to12.67 %
DWS Equity 500 Index VIP - Class B2:
2023128$18.38 to$23.34 $2,676 1.01 %0.75 %to1.40 %24.53 %to23.75 %
2022138$14.76 to$18.86 $2,327 0.85 %0.75 %to1.40 %(19.21)%to(19.78)%
2021148$18.27 to$23.51 $3,106 1.10 %0.75 %to1.40 %26.88 %to26.06 %
2020171$14.40 to$18.65 $2,861 1.28 %0.75 %to1.40 %16.79 %to16.05 %
2019175$12.33 to$16.07 $2,491 1.48 %0.75 %to1.40 %29.65 %to28.77 %
DWS Small Mid Cap Value VIP - Class B:
2023103$12.27 to$15.31 $1,442 0.85 %0.75 %to2.00 %13.72 %to12.33 %
2022120$10.79 to$13.63 $1,512 0.47 %0.75 %to2.00 %(16.74)%to(17.79)%
2021129$12.96 to$16.58 $1,968 0.80 %0.75 %to2.00 %29.08 %to27.44 %
2020107$10.04 to$13.01 $1,307 1.21 %0.75 %to2.00 %(1.86)%to(3.06)%
2019118$10.23 to$13.42 $1,469 0.36 %0.75 %to2.00 %20.07 %to18.55 %
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Convertible Securities Portfolio - Class IB:
202380$13.39 to$12.65 $1,065 2.57 %0.75 %to2.00 %12.90 %to11.45 %
202274$11.86 to$11.35 $876 1.20 %0.75 %to2.00 %(21.61)%to(22.53)%
202161$15.13 to$14.65 $916 18.41 %0.75 %to2.00 %0.27 %to(0.95)%
202012$15.09 to$14.79 $181 3.60 %0.75 %to2.00 %38.06 %to36.31 %
2019 (4)$10.93 to$10.85 $— — %0.75 %to2.00 %9.30 %to8.50 %
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT GAMCO Small Company Value Portfolio - Class IB:
202342$15.60 to$14.73 $660 0.64 %0.75 %to2.00 %20.18 %to18.60 %
202234$12.98 to$12.42 $444 0.64 %0.75 %to2.00 %(11.34)%to(12.41)%
202118$14.64 to$14.18 $262 0.81 %0.75 %to2.00 %24.17 %to22.66 %
202011$11.79 to$11.56 $131 1.15 %0.75 %to2.00 %8.46 %to7.04 %
2019 (4)5$10.87 to$10.80 $55 1.76 %0.75 %to2.00 %8.70 %to8.00 %
A-125

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Micro Cap Portfolio - Class IB:
202339$14.09 to$13.31 $543 0.53 %0.75 %to2.00 %6.74 %to5.38 %
202240$13.20 to$12.63 $515 0.13 %0.75 %to2.00 %(26.50)%to(27.37)%
202162$17.96 to$17.39 $1,111 — %0.75 %to2.00 %10.12 %to8.76 %
20206$16.31 to$15.99 $93 0.11 %0.75 %to2.00 %49.09 %to47.24 %
2019 (4)1$10.94 to$10.86 $10 0.27 %0.75 %to2.00 %9.40 %to8.60 %
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT SmartBeta Equity ESG Portfolio - Class IB:
202344$14.33 to$13.54 $626 1.34 %0.75 %to2.00 %15.66 %to14.26 %
202245$12.39 to$11.85 $555 1.18 %0.75 %to2.00 %(15.14)%to(16.20)%
202129$14.60 to$14.14 $417 1.35 %0.75 %to2.00 %22.07 %to20.65 %
202026$11.96 to$11.72 $316 0.72 %0.75 %to2.00 %10.13 %to8.72 %
2019 (4)6$10.86 to$10.78 $62 3.05 %0.75 %to2.00 %8.60 %to7.80 %
EQ Advisors Trust 1290 VT Socially Responsible Portfolio - Class IB:
202371$16.93 to$15.99 $1,187 0.85 %0.75 %to2.00 %26.53 %to25.02 %
202252$13.38 to$12.79 $685 0.63 %0.75 %to2.00 %(22.70)%to(23.69)%
202145$17.31 to$16.76 $760 0.62 %0.75 %to2.00 %29.37 %to27.74 %
202013$13.38 to$13.12 $170 1.61 %0.75 %to2.00 %19.04 %to17.56 %
2019 (4)1$11.24 to$11.16 $17 1.95 %0.75 %to2.00 %12.40 %to11.60 %
Equity Income Account - Class 1:
20236,998$114.00 to$25.49 $160,275 2.06 %0.36 %to2.00 %10.68 %to9.02 %
20228,037$3.66 to$23.38 $170,635 1.88 %0.43 %to2.00 %(10.87)%to(12.27)%
20219,091$115.63 to$26.65 $221,633 1.97 %0.45 %to2.00 %21.88 %to20.05 %
202010,278$3.37 to$22.20 $215,748 2.02 %0.48 %to2.00 %5.99 %to4.32 %
201911,634$89.57 to$21.28 $229,475 1.88 %0.56 %to2.00 %28.47 %to26.52 %
Equity Income Account - Class 2:
20231,026$15.30 to$18.87 $16,028 1.96 %0.75 %to1.40 %10.07 %to9.39 %
2022967$13.90 to$17.25 $13,815 1.85 %0.75 %to1.40 %(11.35)%to(11.94)%
2021799$15.68 to$19.59 $13,076 1.94 %0.75 %to1.40 %21.17 %to20.41 %
2020614$12.94 to$16.27 $8,454 1.74 %0.75 %to1.40 %5.37 %to4.70 %
2019573$12.28 to$15.54 $7,665 1.75 %0.75 %to1.40 %27.78 %to26.96 %
Fidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service Class:
2023567$56.20 to$48.93 $31,865 0.37 %1.30 %to1.90 %31.62 %to30.86 %
2022680$42.70 to$37.39 $29,040 0.39 %1.30 %to1.90 %(27.33)%to(27.78)%
2021756$58.76 to$51.77 $44,413 0.05 %1.30 %to1.90 %26.07 %to25.32 %
2020847$46.61 to$41.31 $39,479 0.15 %1.30 %to1.90 %28.72 %to27.97 %
2019990$36.21 to$32.28 $35,860 0.35 %1.30 %to1.90 %29.78 %to28.97 %
A-126

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Fidelity VIP Contrafund® Portfolio - Service Class 2:
20231,858$18.92 to$47.04 $57,214 0.25 %0.75 %to2.00 %32.12 %to30.49 %
20221,929$14.32 to$36.05 $48,745 0.26 %0.75 %to2.00 %(27.05)%to(27.93)%
20211,907$19.63 to$50.02 $70,397 0.03 %0.75 %to2.00 %26.56 %to24.99 %
20201,809$15.51 to$40.02 $58,575 0.08 %0.75 %to2.00 %29.25 %to27.66 %
20191,833$12.00 to$31.35 $50,633 0.21 %0.75 %to2.00 %30.29 %to28.64 %
Fidelity VIP Energy Portfolio - Service Class 2:
2023185$9.78 to$9.59 $1,800 2.02 %0.75 %to2.00 %— %to(1.24)%
2022 (9)169$9.78 to$9.71 $1,654 4.89 %0.75 %to2.00 %(2.30)%to(3.00)%
Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio - Service Class 2:
2023700$32.45 to$28.20 $22,602 1.69 %1.30 %to2.00 %8.97 %to8.17 %
2022805$29.78 to$26.07 $23,853 1.63 %1.30 %to2.00 %(6.47)%to(7.09)%
2021959$31.84 to$28.06 $30,400 1.65 %1.30 %to2.00 %22.98 %to22.11 %
20201,069$25.89 to$22.98 $27,560 1.64 %1.30 %to2.00 %5.07 %to4.36 %
20191,165$24.64 to$22.02 $28,581 1.78 %1.30 %to2.00 %25.46 %to24.55 %
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2020 Portfolio - Service Class 2:
2023314$12.34 to$11.98 $3,879 2.78 %0.75 %to1.40 %11.37 %to10.62 %
2022177$11.08 to$10.83 $1,957 1.86 %0.75 %to1.40 %(16.63)%to(17.14)%
2021192$13.29 to$13.07 $2,555 1.17 %0.75 %to1.40 %8.49 %to7.75 %
202040$12.25 to$12.13 $484 1.27 %0.75 %to1.40 %13.85 %to13.15 %
2019 (4)13$10.76 to$10.72 $142 4.55 %0.75 %to1.40 %7.60 %to7.20 %
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2030 Portfolio - Service Class 2:
2023264$13.14 to$12.76 $3,472 2.31 %0.75 %to1.40 %13.57 %to12.82 %
2022236$11.57 to$11.31 $2,732 1.68 %0.75 %to1.40 %(17.71)%to(18.22)%
2021224$14.06 to$13.83 $3,145 1.22 %0.75 %to1.40 %11.23 %to10.55 %
202092$12.64 to$12.51 $1,166 1.44 %0.75 %to1.40 %15.75 %to14.98 %
2019 (4)27$10.92 to$10.88 $298 7.14 %0.75 %to1.40 %9.20 %to8.80 %
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2040 Portfolio - Service Class 2:
2023233$14.57 to$14.14 $3,398 1.47 %0.75 %to1.40 %17.78 %to16.96 %
2022181$12.37 to$12.09 $2,239 1.44 %0.75 %to1.40 %(19.04)%to(19.56)%
2021173$15.28 to$15.03 $2,642 0.88 %0.75 %to1.40 %16.64 %to15.88 %
2020107$13.10 to$12.97 $1,398 0.94 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.12 %to17.38 %
2019 (4)65$11.09 to$11.05 $720 6.44 %0.75 %to1.40 %10.90 %to10.50 %
A-127

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Fidelity VIP Freedom 2050 Portfolio - Service Class 2:
2023107$14.64 to$14.21 $1,559 1.28 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.35 %to17.54 %
202276$12.37 to$12.09 $940 1.44 %0.75 %to1.40 %(19.10)%to(19.61)%
2021107$15.29 to$15.04 $1,636 1.05 %0.75 %to1.40 %16.63 %to15.87 %
202034$13.11 to$12.98 $444 0.96 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.11 %to17.36 %
2019 (4)16$11.10 to$11.06 $178 5.99 %0.75 %to1.40 %11.00 %to10.60 %
Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio - Initial Class:
20238,986$1.08 to$9.54 $36,066 4.76 %0.40 %to2.00 %4.50 %to2.91 %
20228,714$1.03 to$9.27 $41,297 1.50 %0.44 %to2.00 %1.02 %to(0.64)%
20218,089$1.02 to$9.33 $31,672 0.01 %0.44 %to2.00 %(0.41)%to(1.89)%
20209,086$1.03 to$9.51 $41,880 0.29 %0.44 %to2.00 %(0.10)%to(1.76)%
20197,795$1.03 to$9.68 $31,462 2.04 %0.44 %to2.00 %1.59 %to
Fidelity VIP Government Money Market Portfolio - Service Class 2:
20234,247$10.47 to$9.86 $43,839 4.61 %0.75 %to1.40 %3.87 %to3.20 %
20223,689$10.08 to$9.55 $36,670 1.50 %0.75 %to1.40 %0.50 %to(0.21)%
20211,975$10.03 to$9.56 $19,569 0.01 %0.75 %to1.40 %(0.69)%to(1.32)%
20201,445$10.10 to$9.70 $14,427 0.19 %0.75 %to1.40 %(0.59)%to(1.20)%
2019880$10.16 to$9.97 $8,850 1.70 %0.75 %to1.40 %1.09 %to0.40 %
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio - Service Class:
2023347$46.12 to$40.15 $16,008 0.04 %1.30 %to1.90 %34.34 %to33.57 %
2022383$34.33 to$30.06 $13,140 0.52 %1.30 %to1.90 %(25.50)%to(25.94)%
2021437$46.08 to$40.59 $20,127 — %1.30 %to1.90 %21.52 %to20.77 %
2020489$37.92 to$33.61 $18,556 0.06 %1.30 %to1.90 %41.86 %to41.04 %
2019545$26.73 to$23.83 $14,563 0.16 %1.30 %to1.90 %32.46 %to31.66 %
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio - Service Class 2:
2023191$61.17 to$54.46 $11,659  %1.40 %to2.00 %34.00 %to33.22 %
2022234$45.65 to$40.88 $10,667 0.37 %1.40 %to2.00 %(25.69)%to(26.14)%
2021260$61.43 to$55.35 $15,814 — %1.40 %to2.00 %21.21 %to20.48 %
2020301$50.68 to$45.94 $15,108 0.04 %1.40 %to2.00 %41.52 %to40.70 %
2019346$35.81 to$32.65 $12,287 0.05 %1.40 %to2.00 %32.14 %to31.34 %
Fidelity VIP Health Care Portfolio - Service Class 2:
202381$11.21 to$11.00 $909  %0.75 %to2.00 %3.22 %to2.04 %
2022 (9)31$10.86 to$10.78 $338 — %0.75 %to2.00 %9.15 %to8.45 %
A-128

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Portfolio - Service Class:
20237$19.93 $133 0.45 %0.95 %13.95 %
20227$17.49 $117 0.41 %0.95 %(15.67)%
20217$20.74 $138 0.52 %0.95 %24.34 %
20207$16.68 $111 0.57 %0.95 %16.89 %
20197$14.27 $95 0.80 %0.95 %22.17 %
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Portfolio - Service Class 2:
2023978$14.40 to$40.89 $24,044 0.38 %0.75 %to2.00 %13.92 %to12.55 %
20221,027$12.64 to$36.33 $23,492 0.26 %0.75 %to2.00 %(15.62)%to(16.66)%
20211,095$14.98 to$43.59 $31,247 0.36 %0.75 %to2.00 %24.42 %to22.82 %
20201,123$12.04 to$35.49 $27,511 0.41 %0.75 %to2.00 %16.89 %to15.53 %
20191,169$10.30 to$30.72 $25,934 0.68 %0.75 %to2.00 %22.33 %to20.75 %
Fidelity VIP Overseas Portfolio - Service Class 2:
2023895$12.98 to$21.68 $18,684 0.77 %0.75 %to2.00 %19.41 %to17.83 %
20221,010$10.87 to$18.40 $18,603 0.86 %0.75 %to2.00 %(25.29)%to(26.16)%
2021998$14.55 to$24.92 $24,906 0.32 %0.75 %to2.00 %18.49 %to17.00 %
20201,099$12.28 to$21.30 $24,169 0.22 %0.75 %to2.00 %14.55 %to13.06 %
20191,180$10.72 to$18.84 $23,490 1.46 %0.75 %to2.00 %26.56 %to25.02 %
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Global Real Estate VIP Fund - Class 2:
2023143$11.06 to$10.18 $1,586 2.81 %0.75 %to2.00 %10.60 %to9.23 %
2022163$10.00 to$9.32 $1,643 2.42 %0.75 %to2.00 %(26.63)%to(27.53)%
2021154$13.63 to$12.86 $2,132 0.89 %0.75 %to2.00 %25.85 %to24.37 %
2020133$10.83 to$10.34 $1,469 3.25 %0.75 %to2.00 %(6.07)%to(7.26)%
2019118$11.53 to$11.15 $1,397 2.23 %0.75 %to2.00 %21.50 %to19.89 %
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Income VIP Fund - Class 4:
2023512$12.63 to$12.18 $6,462 4.92 %0.75 %to1.40 %7.76 %to7.03 %
2022398$11.72 to$11.38 $4,659 4.91 %0.75 %to1.40 %(6.31)%to(6.95)%
2021293$12.51 to$12.23 $3,671 4.25 %0.75 %to1.40 %15.73 %to15.05 %
2020182$10.81 to$10.63 $1,966 5.61 %0.75 %to1.40 %(0.18)%to(0.84)%
2019116$10.83 to$10.72 $1,253 4.07 %0.75 %to1.40 %15.21 %to14.41 %
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Rising Dividends VIP Fund - Class 4:
2023471$17.63 to$22.00 $8,520 0.86 %0.75 %to1.40 %11.16 %to10.39 %
2022445$15.86 to$19.93 $7,288 0.78 %0.75 %to1.40 %(11.35)%to(11.89)%
2021390$17.89 to$22.62 $7,326 0.79 %0.75 %to1.40 %25.63 %to24.83 %
2020270$14.24 to$18.12 $4,139 1.31 %0.75 %to1.40 %15.02 %to14.25 %
2019206$12.38 to$15.86 $2,842 1.10 %0.75 %to1.40 %28.16 %to27.39 %
A-129

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin Small Cap Value VIP Fund - Class 2:
202380$32.82 to$29.87 $2,589 0.53 %1.30 %to2.00 %11.29 %to10.55 %
202298$29.49 to$27.02 $2,868 0.99 %1.30 %to2.00 %(11.23)%to(11.84)%
2021118$33.22 to$30.65 $3,856 1.05 %1.30 %to2.00 %23.72 %to22.85 %
2020132$26.85 to$24.95 $3,501 1.54 %1.30 %to2.00 %3.83 %to3.10 %
2019158$25.86 to$24.20 $4,044 1.05 %1.30 %to2.00 %24.75 %to23.85 %
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Franklin U.S. Government Securities VIP Fund - Class 2:
2023296$9.47 to$9.20 $2,804 2.74 %0.75 %to1.40 %3.61 %to3.02 %
2022255$9.14 to$8.93 $2,330 2.28 %0.75 %to1.40 %(10.39)%to(10.97)%
2021240$10.20 to$10.03 $2,444 2.44 %0.75 %to1.40 %(2.58)%to(3.19)%
2020228$10.47 to$10.36 $2,389 1.74 %0.75 %to1.40 %3.05 %to2.37 %
2019 (4)32$10.16 to$10.12 $323 — %0.75 %to1.40 %1.40 %to1.00 %
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Global Bond VIP Fund - Class 4:
2023288$8.53 to$7.58 $2,401  %0.75 %to2.00 %2.16 %to0.80 %
2022290$8.35 to$7.52 $2,353 — %0.75 %to2.00 %(5.86)%to(7.05)%
2021322$8.87 to$8.09 $2,782 — %0.75 %to2.00 %(5.74)%to(6.90)%
2020332$9.41 to$8.69 $3,043 6.85 %0.75 %to2.00 %(6.09)%to(7.26)%
2019528$10.02 to$9.37 $5,136 6.90 %0.75 %to2.00 %1.11 %to(0.11)%
Franklin Templeton VIP Trust - Templeton Growth VIP Fund - Class 2:
202321$27.72 $581 3.31 %0.85 %20.00 %
202222$23.10 $510 0.16 %0.85 %(12.23)%
202123$26.32 $612 1.14 %0.85 %3.95 %
202024$25.32 $617 2.93 %0.85 %4.93 %
201927$24.13 $661 2.81 %0.85 %14.14 %
Global Emerging Markets Account - Class 1:
2023972$4.48 to$31.40 $27,135 2.45 %0.39 %to2.00 %12.06 %to10.33 %
20221,115$4.00 to$28.46 $28,639 1.57 %0.40 %to2.00 %(22.98)%to(24.19)%
20211,178$5.19 to$37.54 $39,901 0.43 %0.45 %to2.00 %0.16 %to(1.42)%
20201,246$5.19 to$38.08 $43,556 2.45 %0.36 %to2.00 %18.73 %to16.85 %
20191,427$4.37 to$32.59 $43,068 0.95 %0.41 %to2.00 %17.11 %to15.28 %
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value Fund - Institutional Shares:
2023219$41.52 to$36.58 $8,965 0.96 %1.30 %to2.00 %9.99 %to9.23 %
2022262$37.75 to$33.49 $9,777 0.66 %1.30 %to2.00 %(11.16)%to(11.78)%
2021304$42.49 to$37.96 $12,777 0.45 %1.30 %to2.00 %29.27 %to28.37 %
2020366$32.87 to$29.57 $11,872 0.65 %1.30 %to2.00 %7.00 %to6.25 %
2019390$30.72 to$27.83 $11,835 0.76 %1.30 %to2.00 %29.84 %to28.90 %
A-130

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Goldman Sachs VIT - Mid Cap Value Fund - Service Shares:
2023189$16.06 to$16.93 $3,077 0.73 %0.75 %to1.40 %10.30 %to9.58 %
2022189$14.56 to$15.45 $2,802 0.46 %0.75 %to1.40 %(10.89)%to(11.46)%
2021159$16.34 to$17.45 $2,649 0.23 %0.75 %to1.40 %29.58 %to28.69 %
2020139$12.61 to$13.56 $1,798 0.46 %0.75 %to1.40 %7.41 %to6.69 %
2019119$11.74 to$12.71 $1,445 0.74 %0.75 %to1.40 %30.16 %to29.43 %
Goldman Sachs VIT - Multi-Strategy Alternatives Portfolio - Service Shares:
202355$11.14 to$10.06 $614 6.25 %0.75 %to1.40 %7.01 %to6.34 %
202261$10.41 to$9.46 $635 3.53 %0.75 %to1.40 %(7.30)%to(7.89)%
202154$11.23 to$10.27 $604 1.88 %0.75 %to1.40 %4.08 %to3.42 %
202015$10.79 to$9.93 $166 1.78 %0.75 %to1.40 %5.89 %to5.19 %
20197$10.19 to$9.44 $68 3.05 %0.75 %to1.40 %8.06 %to7.39 %
Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund - Institutional Shares:
2023121$32.43 to$28.57 $3,891 0.95 %1.30 %to2.00 %17.76 %to16.90 %
2022150$27.54 to$24.44 $4,091 0.30 %1.30 %to2.00 %(20.43)%to(20.96)%
2021177$34.61 to$30.92 $6,058 0.46 %1.30 %to2.00 %22.17 %to21.30 %
2020205$28.33 to$25.49 $5,730 0.23 %1.30 %to2.00 %7.19 %to6.43 %
2019226$26.43 to$23.95 $5,916 0.46 %1.30 %to2.00 %23.22 %to22.38 %
Goldman Sachs VIT - Small Cap Equity Insights Fund - Service Shares:
202388$13.57 to$18.13 $1,234 0.84 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.10 %to17.35 %
202279$11.49 to$15.45 $950 0.09 %0.75 %to1.40 %(20.26)%to(20.77)%
202181$14.41 to$19.50 $1,225 0.29 %0.75 %to1.40 %22.53 %to21.80 %
202053$11.76 to$16.01 $673 — %0.75 %to1.40 %7.59 %to6.88 %
201952$10.93 to$14.98 $627 0.27 %0.75 %to1.40 %23.64 %to22.79 %
Government & High Quality Bond Account - Class 1:
20234,832$2.82 to$10.24 $47,779 2.28 %0.43 %to2.00 %4.20 %to2.61 %
20225,669$2.71 to$9.98 $54,321 1.37 %0.39 %to2.00 %(12.17)%to(13.59)%
20216,567$3.08 to$11.55 $73,054 2.25 %0.45 %to2.00 %(1.74)%to(3.27)%
20207,184$3.14 to$11.94 $81,574 2.57 %0.41 %to2.00 %2.44 %to0.84 %
20197,169$3.06 to$11.84 $81,190 2.72 %0.40 %to2.00 %6.01 %to4.32 %
Guggenheim Investments VIF Global Managed Futures Strategy Fund:
202324$11.33 to$8.94 $256 2.75 %0.75 %to2.00 %3.09 %to1.82 %
2022162$10.99 to$8.78 $1,547 3.65 %0.75 %to2.00 %10.45 %to9.07 %
202119$9.95 to$8.05 $181 — %0.75 %to2.00 %0.20 %to(1.11)%
202020$9.93 to$8.14 $187 3.99 %0.75 %to2.00 %1.74 %to0.62 %
201919$9.76 to$8.09 $178 0.98 %0.75 %to2.00 %7.37 %to6.03 %
A-131

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Guggenheim Investments VIF Long Short Equity Fund:
202322$11.72 to$11.17 $257 0.29 %0.75 %to2.00 %11.94 %to10.48 %
202226$10.47 to$10.11 $277 0.46 %0.75 %to2.00 %(15.02)%to(16.03)%
202124$12.32 to$12.04 $305 0.64 %0.75 %to2.00 %22.83 %to21.25 %
202020$10.03 to$9.93 $207 0.92 %0.75 %to2.00 %4.15 %to2.90 %
201915$9.63 to$9.65 $144 0.61 %0.75 %to2.00 %4.79 %to3.43 %
Guggenheim Investments VIF Multi-Hedge Strategies Fund:
202354$11.54 to$10.21 $600 3.16 %0.75 %to2.00 %3.59 %to2.30 %
202278$11.14 to$9.98 $834 1.22 %0.75 %to2.00 %(4.13)%to(5.31)%
202163$11.62 to$10.54 $711 — %0.75 %to2.00 %7.29 %to5.93 %
202057$10.83 to$9.95 $594 1.36 %0.75 %to2.00 %6.59 %to5.29 %
201957$10.16 to$9.45 $559 2.35 %0.75 %to2.00 %4.21 %to2.94 %
Guggenheim Investments VIF - Series F (Guggenheim Floating Rate Strategies Series):
2023497$11.41 to$11.17 $5,750 3.51 %0.75 %to2.00 %10.24 %to8.98 %
2022485$10.35 to$10.25 $5,108 2.49 %0.75 %to2.00 %(1.62)%to(2.84)%
2021325$10.52 to$10.55 $3,509 2.45 %0.75 %to2.00 %1.74 %to0.48 %
2020268$10.34 to$10.50 $2,876 5.91 %0.75 %to2.00 %(0.67)%to(1.96)%
2019295$10.41 to$10.71 $3,213 4.81 %0.75 %to2.00 %6.77 %to5.52 %
Invesco V.I. American Franchise Fund - Series I Shares:
2023125$35.55 to$33.14 $4,460  %1.30 %to1.90 %39.14 %to38.26 %
2022131$25.55 to$23.97 $3,358 — %1.30 %to1.90 %(32.01)%to(32.40)%
2021139$37.58 to$35.46 $5,221 — %1.30 %to1.90 %10.50 %to9.82 %
2020162$34.01 to$32.29 $5,526 0.07 %1.30 %to1.90 %40.48 %to39.66 %
2019178$24.21 to$23.12 $4,306 — %1.30 %to1.90 %35.03 %to34.18 %
Invesco V.I. American Value Fund - Series I Shares:
2023249$11.44 to$11.26 $2,842 0.60 %1.40 %to2.00 %14.06 %to13.39 %
2022308$10.03 to$9.93 $3,084 0.74 %1.40 %to2.00 %(4.02)%to(4.52)%
2021 (7)374$10.45 to$10.40 $3,909 0.58 %1.40 %to2.00 %4.50 %to4.00 %
Invesco V.I. Balanced-Risk Allocation Fund - Series II Shares:
202396$11.26 to$12.18 $1,097  %0.75 %to1.40 %5.63 %to4.91 %
202293$10.66 to$11.61 $1,010 7.97 %0.75 %to1.40 %(15.13)%to(15.69)%
202172$12.56 to$13.77 $928 3.36 %0.75 %to1.40 %8.46 %to7.75 %
202051$11.58 to$12.78 $612 8.73 %0.75 %to1.40 %9.14 %to8.40 %
201943$10.61 to$11.79 $489 — %0.75 %to1.40 %13.96 %to13.26 %
A-132

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Invesco V.I. Core Equity Fund - Series I Shares:
2023428$27.35 to$23.81 $11,720 0.72 %1.30 %to1.90 %21.77 %to21.05 %
2022482$22.46 to$19.67 $10,837 0.90 %1.30 %to1.90 %(21.58)%to(22.04)%
2021539$28.64 to$25.23 $15,437 0.66 %1.30 %to1.90 %26.11 %to25.34 %
2020600$22.71 to$20.13 $13,636 1.35 %1.30 %to1.90 %12.37 %to11.71 %
2019670$20.21 to$18.02 $13,547 0.92 %1.30 %to1.90 %27.27 %to26.54 %
Invesco V.I. Discovery Mid Cap Growth Fund - Series I Shares:
202347$13.30 to$13.01 $619  %1.30 %to1.90 %11.67 %to11.01 %
202262$11.91 to$11.72 $739 — %1.30 %to1.90 %(31.86)%to(32.25)%
202164$17.48 to$17.30 $1,126 — %1.30 %to1.90 %17.55 %to16.81 %
2020 (5)78$14.87 to$14.81 $1,158 — %1.30 %to1.90 %47.08 %to46.49 %
Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity Fund - Series I Shares:
2023300$14.90 to$13.57 $4,471 0.19 %1.40 %to2.00 %16.50 %to15.78 %
2022367$12.79 to$11.72 $4,696 1.73 %1.40 %to2.00 %(19.46)%to(19.89)%
2021387$15.88 to$14.63 $6,123 1.27 %1.40 %to2.00 %4.40 %to3.76 %
2020440$15.21 to$14.10 $6,663 2.34 %1.40 %to2.00 %12.42 %to11.73 %
2019516$13.53 to$12.62 $6,939 1.51 %1.40 %to2.00 %26.80 %to26.07 %
Invesco V.I. EQV International Equity Fund - Series II Shares:
2023272$12.25 to$12.61 $3,356  %0.75 %to1.40 %17.00 %to16.22 %
2022263$10.47 to$10.85 $2,790 1.52 %0.75 %to1.40 %(19.15)%to(19.63)%
2021228$12.95 to$13.50 $3,001 1.09 %0.75 %to1.40 %4.86 %to4.17 %
2020191$12.35 to$12.96 $2,422 2.28 %0.75 %to1.40 %12.89 %to12.11 %
2019149$10.94 to$11.56 $1,692 1.37 %0.75 %to1.40 %27.21 %to26.48 %
Invesco V.I. Health Care Fund - Series I Shares:
2023180$32.51 to$15.03 $5,057  %1.30 %to2.00 %1.69 %to1.01 %
2022206$31.97 to$14.88 $5,707 — %1.30 %to2.00 %(14.45)%to(15.02)%
2021225$37.37 to$17.51 $7,332 0.20 %1.30 %to2.00 %10.86 %to10.06 %
2020240$33.71 to$15.91 $7,106 0.31 %1.30 %to2.00 %12.97 %to12.20 %
2019264$29.84 to$14.18 $7,018 0.04 %1.30 %to2.00 %30.82 %to29.85 %
Invesco V.I. Health Care Fund - Series II Shares:
2023414$14.75 to$14.46 $6,113  %0.75 %to1.40 %1.94 %to1.33 %
2022457$14.47 to$14.27 $6,626 — %0.75 %to1.40 %(14.18)%to(14.76)%
2021492$16.86 to$16.74 $8,308 — %0.75 %to1.40 %11.21 %to10.50 %
2020333$15.16 to$15.15 $5,066 0.11 %0.75 %to1.40 %13.39 %to12.64 %
2019213$13.37 to$13.45 $2,877 — %0.75 %to1.40 %31.21 %to30.33 %
A-133

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Invesco V.I. Main Street Small Cap Fund - Series II Shares:
202319$23.24 to$21.80 $451 0.97 %1.30 %to1.90 %16.32 %to15.59 %
202218$19.98 to$18.86 $354 0.25 %1.30 %to1.90 %(17.13)%to(17.64)%
202120$24.11 to$22.90 $487 0.18 %1.30 %to1.90 %20.67 %to19.96 %
202023$19.98 to$19.09 $462 0.37 %1.30 %to1.90 %18.09 %to17.40 %
201926$16.92 to$16.26 $448 — %1.30 %to1.90 %24.50 %to23.74 %
Invesco V.I. Small Cap Equity Fund - Series I Shares:
2023119$37.76 to$33.26 $4,440  %1.30 %to2.00 %15.09 %to14.26 %
2022144$32.81 to$29.11 $4,693 — %1.30 %to2.00 %(21.53)%to(22.08)%
2021163$41.81 to$37.36 $6,720 0.16 %1.30 %to2.00 %18.85 %to18.04 %
2020188$35.18 to$31.65 $6,541 0.35 %1.30 %to2.00 %25.60 %to24.70 %
2019237$28.01 to$25.38 $6,548 — %1.30 %to2.00 %24.93 %to24.11 %
Invesco V.I. Technology Fund - Series I Shares:
2023124$23.34 to$20.37 $2,902  %1.30 %to1.90 %45.06 %to44.16 %
2022126$16.09 to$14.13 $2,027 — %1.30 %to1.90 %(40.71)%to(41.08)%
2021135$27.14 to$23.98 $3,677 — %1.30 %to1.90 %12.94 %to12.27 %
2020159$24.03 to$21.36 $3,827 — %1.30 %to1.90 %44.24 %to43.36 %
2019182$16.66 to$14.90 $3,038 — %1.30 %to1.90 %34.14 %to33.27 %
Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity Portfolio - Service Shares:
202316$11.39 to$11.17 $177 0.78 %0.75 %to2.00 %22.34 %to20.89 %
2022 (9)5$9.31 to$9.24 $46 1.58 %0.75 %to2.00 %(7.27)%to(7.97)%
Janus Henderson Series Balanced Portfolio - Service Shares:
2023708$10.36 to$10.19 $7,327 1.83 %0.75 %to1.40 %14.22 %to13.60 %
2022555$9.07 to$8.97 $5,025 1.22 %0.75 %to1.40 %(17.17)%to(17.78)%
2021 (8)418$10.95 to$10.91 $4,581 0.75 %0.75 %to1.40 %9.61 %to9.21 %
Janus Henderson Series Enterprise Portfolio - Service Shares:
2023230$35.83 to$31.19 $8,251 0.09 %1.30 %to1.90 %16.26 %to15.56 %
2022261$30.82 to$26.99 $8,039 0.27 %1.30 %to1.90 %(17.24)%to(17.74)%
2021278$37.24 to$32.81 $10,355 0.24 %1.30 %to1.90 %15.04 %to14.36 %
2020314$32.37 to$28.69 $10,153 0.04 %1.30 %to1.90 %17.62 %to16.96 %
2019366$27.52 to$24.53 $10,067 0.05 %1.30 %to1.90 %33.40 %to32.59 %
A-134

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Janus Henderson Series Flexible Bond Portfolio - Service Shares:
2023925$10.46 to$9.44 $9,565 3.75 %0.75 %to2.00 %4.60 %to3.17 %
2022833$10.00 to$9.15 $8,223 2.19 %0.75 %to2.00 %(14.60)%to(15.59)%
2021803$11.71 to$10.84 $9,275 2.33 %0.75 %to2.00 %(1.84)%to(3.04)%
2020624$11.93 to$11.18 $7,338 2.47 %0.75 %to2.00 %9.45 %to8.02 %
2019290$10.90 to$10.35 $3,116 3.03 %0.75 %to2.00 %8.46 %to7.14 %
Janus Henderson Series Global Technology and Innovation Portfolio - Service Shares:
2023371$19.48 to$18.91 $7,226  %0.75 %to1.40 %53.14 %to52.13 %
2022352$12.72 to$12.43 $4,473 — %0.75 %to1.40 %(37.59)%to(38.00)%
2021397$20.38 to$20.05 $8,082 0.62 %0.75 %to1.40 %16.86 %to16.10 %
2020189$17.44 to$17.27 $3,300 — %0.75 %to1.40 %49.57 %to48.62 %
2019 (4)30$11.66 to$11.62 $348 — %0.75 %to1.40 %16.60 %to16.20 %
LargeCap Growth Account I - Class 1:
20232,452$6.23 to$131.51 $154,124  %0.40 %to2.00 %39.76 %to37.58 %
20222,646$4.46 to$95.59 $126,043 — %0.41 %to2.00 %(34.43)%to(35.46)%
20212,861$6.80 to$148.11 $210,317 — %0.50 %to2.00 %21.38 %to19.48 %
20203,166$5.60 to$123.96 $197,310 0.03 %0.56 %to2.00 %35.63 %to33.49 %
20193,666$4.13 to$92.86 $168,970 0.06 %0.47 %to2.00 %34.35 %to32.24 %
LargeCap S&P 500 Index Account - Class 1:
20232,895$5.13 to$32.99 $89,024 1.39 %0.41 %to2.00 %25.45 %to23.51 %
20223,260$4.09 to$26.71 $83,768 1.28 %0.40 %to2.00 %(18.67)%to(19.96)%
20213,460$5.03 to$33.37 $115,616 1.37 %0.38 %to2.00 %27.80 %to25.78 %
20204,148$3.93 to$26.53 $104,574 1.80 %0.44 %to2.00 %17.58 %to15.75 %
20194,496$3.34 to$22.92 $99,605 1.84 %0.51 %to2.00 %30.55 %to28.48 %
LargeCap S&P 500 Index Account - Class 2:
20232,785$18.51 to$22.34 $52,322 1.25 %0.75 %to1.40 %24.73 %to23.97 %
20222,783$14.84 to$18.02 $42,043 1.15 %0.75 %to1.40 %(19.13)%to(19.66)%
20212,485$18.35 to$22.43 $46,636 1.34 %0.75 %to1.40 %27.08 %to26.22 %
20201,865$14.44 to$17.77 $27,800 1.78 %0.75 %to1.40 %16.92 %to16.14 %
20191,221$12.35 to$15.30 $15,836 2.08 %0.75 %to1.40 %29.73 %to29.01 %
MFS® International Intrinsic Value Portfolio - Service Class:
2023552$13.04 to$14.26 $7,663 0.47 %0.75 %to2.00 %16.43 %to15.00 %
2022589$11.20 to$12.40 $7,133 0.52 %0.75 %to2.00 %(24.27)%to(25.26)%
2021661$14.79 to$16.59 $10,791 0.14 %0.75 %to2.00 %9.39 %to8.08 %
2020612$13.52 to$15.35 $9,347 0.78 %0.75 %to2.00 %19.33 %to17.90 %
2019569$11.33 to$13.02 $7,485 1.49 %0.75 %to2.00 %24.78 %to23.06 %
A-135

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
MFS® New Discovery Series - Service Class:
2023349$14.91 to$19.72 $5,626  %0.75 %to2.00 %13.38 %to11.98 %
2022369$13.15 to$17.61 $5,306 — %0.75 %to2.00 %(30.50)%to(31.37)%
2021378$18.92 to$25.66 $7,907 — %0.75 %to2.00 %0.80 %to(0.47)%
2020357$18.77 to$25.78 $7,508 — %0.75 %to2.00 %44.50 %to42.75 %
2019301$12.99 to$18.06 $4,807 — %0.75 %to2.00 %40.13 %to38.39 %
MFS® Utilities Series - Service Class:
2023711$14.17 to$29.41 $13,525 3.29 %0.75 %to2.00 %(3.08)%to(4.23)%
2022829$14.62 to$30.71 $17,010 2.26 %0.75 %to2.00 %(0.27)%to(1.51)%
2021747$14.66 to$31.18 $16,806 1.55 %0.75 %to2.00 %12.94 %to11.56 %
2020686$12.98 to$27.95 $14,652 2.23 %0.75 %to2.00 %4.85 %to3.52 %
2019709$12.38 to$27.00 $15,284 3.83 %0.75 %to2.00 %23.92 %to22.34 %
MFS® Value Series - Service Class:
202374$38.56 to$35.32 $2,841 1.31 %1.40 %to2.00 %6.14 %to5.50 %
2022111$36.33 to$33.48 $4,011 1.15 %1.40 %to2.00 %(7.44)%to(8.00)%
2021113$39.25 to$36.39 $4,416 1.11 %1.40 %to2.00 %23.39 %to22.69 %
2020135$31.81 to$29.66 $4,297 1.34 %1.40 %to2.00 %1.79 %to1.16 %
2019170$31.25 to$29.32 $5,292 1.89 %1.40 %to2.00 %27.71 %to26.93 %
MidCap Account - Class 1:
20231,755$24.75 to$169.91 $274,723  %0.39 %to2.00 %25.56 %to23.59 %
20221,991$19.72 to$137.48 $254,820 0.19 %0.39 %to2.00 %(23.30)%to(24.50)%
20212,177$25.70 to$182.09 $369,568 0.13 %0.44 %to2.00 %25.00 %to23.04 %
20202,483$20.56 to$147.99 $340,438 0.72 %0.43 %to2.00 %17.84 %to15.98 %
20192,908$17.45 to$127.60 $338,480 0.27 %0.42 %to2.00 %42.50 %to40.27 %
MidCap Account - Class 2:
20231,396$13.83 to$13.51 $19,291  %0.75 %to1.40 %24.82 %to24.06 %
20221,296$11.08 to$10.89 $14,344 — %0.75 %to1.40 %(23.74)%to(24.27)%
2021916$14.53 to$14.38 $13,299 — %0.75 %to1.40 %24.29 %to23.43 %
2020 (6)305$11.69 to$11.65 $3,567 0.67 %0.75 %to1.40 %15.63 %to15.23 %
Neuberger Berman AMT Mid Cap Growth Portfolio - Class S:
2023174$15.42 to$17.34 $2,949  %0.75 %to2.00 %17.08 %to15.60 %
2022199$13.17 to$15.00 $2,914 — %0.75 %to2.00 %(29.35)%to(30.23)%
2021223$18.64 to$21.50 $4,639 — %0.75 %to2.00 %11.88 %to10.48 %
2020233$16.66 to$19.46 $4,382 — %0.75 %to2.00 %38.60 %to36.95 %
2019252$12.02 to$14.21 $3,506 — %0.75 %to2.00 %31.51 %to29.89 %
A-136

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity Portfolio - I Class Shares:
2023102$43.75 to$38.95 $4,463 0.33 %1.40 %to2.00 %25.14 %to24.40 %
2022135$34.96 to$31.31 $4,699 0.43 %1.40 %to2.00 %(19.58)%to(20.07)%
2021161$43.47 to$39.17 $6,993 0.37 %1.40 %to2.00 %21.76 %to21.04 %
2020186$35.70 to$32.36 $6,614 0.59 %1.40 %to2.00 %17.90 %to17.20 %
2019220$30.28 to$27.61 $6,634 0.45 %1.40 %to2.00 %24.10 %to23.37 %
Neuberger Berman AMT Sustainable Equity Portfolio - S Class Shares:
202328$16.23 to$15.65 $450 0.09 %0.75 %to1.40 %25.62 %to24.80 %
202215$12.92 to$12.54 $194 0.14 %0.75 %to1.40 %(19.25)%to(19.77)%
20216$16.00 to$15.63 $99 0.20 %0.75 %to1.40 %22.23 %to21.45 %
20204$13.09 to$12.87 $50 0.40 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.46 %to17.64 %
20191$11.05 to$10.94 $16 0.77 %0.75 %to1.40 %24.58 %to23.76 %
PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio - Administrative Class:
202370$18.72 to$17.15 $1,308 2.88 %1.40 %to2.00 %6.48 %to5.93 %
202293$17.58 to$16.19 $1,634 7.76 %1.40 %to2.00 %(13.06)%to(13.61)%
2021115$20.22 to$18.74 $2,317 11.14 %1.40 %to2.00 %14.63 %to13.92 %
2020121$17.64 to$16.45 $2,126 4.99 %1.40 %to2.00 %6.52 %to5.86 %
2019147$16.56 to$15.54 $2,419 2.89 %1.40 %to2.00 %10.33 %to9.67 %
PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio - Advisor Class:
202328$12.05 to$12.62 $338 2.82 %0.75 %to1.40 %7.21 %to6.59 %
202228$11.24 to$11.84 $319 7.83 %0.75 %to1.40 %(12.53)%to(13.13)%
202120$12.85 to$13.63 $265 10.82 %0.75 %to1.40 %15.25 %to14.44 %
202014$11.15 to$11.91 $163 4.86 %0.75 %to1.40 %7.11 %to6.43 %
201910$10.41 to$11.19 $112 2.83 %0.75 %to1.40 %10.86 %to10.14 %
PIMCO VIT CommodityRealReturn® Strategy Portfolio - M Class
202325$11.97 to$9.59 $299 21.61 %0.75 %to1.40 %(8.77)%to(9.44)%
202268$13.12 to$10.59 $851 19.65 %0.75 %to1.40 %7.54 %to6.97 %
202138$12.20 to$9.90 $423 5.25 %0.75 %to1.40 %31.75 %to30.95 %
20208$9.26 to$7.56 $72 5.20 %0.75 %to1.40 %0.33 %to(0.40)%
20196$9.23 to$7.59 $51 4.14 %0.75 %to1.40 %10.14 %to9.52 %
PIMCO VIT Emerging Markets Bond Portfolio - Administrative Class:
202395$9.06 to$8.91 $858 5.68 %0.75 %to1.40 %10.35 %to9.59 %
202291$8.21 to$8.13 $749 4.82 %0.75 %to1.40 %(16.40)%to(16.87)%
2021 (8)30$9.82 to$9.78 $293 3.86 %0.75 %to1.40 %(1.80)%to(2.20)%
A-137

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
PIMCO VIT High Yield Portfolio - Administrative Class:
20231,473$11.92 to$16.33 $20,595 5.65 %0.75 %to2.00 %11.40 %to9.97 %
20221,523$10.70 to$14.85 $19,820 5.07 %0.75 %to2.00 %(10.98)%to(12.03)%
20211,558$12.02 to$16.88 $23,370 4.43 %0.75 %to2.00 %2.91 %to1.56 %
20201,322$11.68 to$16.62 $20,567 4.84 %0.75 %to2.00 %4.94 %to3.68 %
20191,297$11.13 to$16.03 $19,995 4.92 %0.75 %to2.00 %13.92 %to12.41 %
PIMCO VIT Low Duration Portfolio - Advisor Class:
2023642$10.10 to$9.01 $6,449 3.49 %0.75 %to2.00 %4.12 %to2.85 %
2022560$9.70 to$8.76 $5,406 1.61 %0.75 %to2.00 %(6.55)%to(7.69)%
2021475$10.38 to$9.49 $4,901 0.43 %0.75 %to2.00 %(1.70)%to(2.97)%
2020323$10.56 to$9.78 $3,382 0.93 %0.75 %to2.00 %2.03 %to0.82 %
2019149$10.35 to$9.70 $1,526 2.58 %0.75 %to2.00 %3.19 %to1.89 %
PIMCO VIT Total Return Portfolio - Administrative Class:
20232,326$10.27 to$11.51 $25,668 3.56 %0.75 %to2.00 %5.12 %to3.88 %
20222,364$9.77 to$11.08 $25,160 2.63 %0.75 %to2.00 %(14.97)%to(16.06)%
20212,381$11.49 to$13.20 $30,375 1.82 %0.75 %to2.00 %(1.96)%to(3.15)%
20202,161$11.72 to$13.63 $28,912 2.09 %0.75 %to2.00 %7.82 %to6.48 %
20191,771$10.87 to$12.80 $22,921 2.99 %0.75 %to2.00 %7.62 %to6.22 %
Principal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 1:
20232,453$41.38 to$35.06 $76,049 0.81 %0.95 %to2.00 %23.97 %to22.67 %
20222,869$33.38 to$28.58 $72,828 0.80 %0.95 %to2.00 %(17.21)%to(18.06)%
20213,265$40.32 to$34.88 $101,112 0.83 %0.95 %to2.00 %26.63 %to25.29 %
20203,898$31.84 to$27.84 $96,553 1.29 %0.95 %to2.00 %17.58 %to16.34 %
20194,601$27.08 to$23.93 $97,427 1.56 %0.95 %to2.00 %31.27 %to29.91 %
Principal Capital Appreciation Account - Class 2:
2023719$19.33 to$24.31 $14,092 0.67 %0.75 %to1.40 %23.91 %to23.09 %
2022719$15.60 to$19.75 $11,416 0.64 %0.75 %to1.40 %(17.24)%to(17.74)%
2021664$18.85 to$24.01 $12,808 0.77 %0.75 %to1.40 %26.60 %to25.71 %
2020532$14.89 to$19.10 $8,159 1.10 %0.75 %to1.40 %17.52 %to16.75 %
2019397$12.67 to$16.36 $5,278 1.55 %0.75 %to1.40 %31.16 %to30.25 %
Principal LifeTime 2020 Account - Class 1:
20232,190$12.33 to$21.02 $50,570 2.55 %0.75 %to2.00 %11.48 %to10.05 %
20222,612$11.06 to$19.10 $54,254 3.21 %0.75 %to2.00 %(15.05)%to(16.08)%
20213,069$13.02 to$22.76 $75,498 1.62 %0.75 %to2.00 %8.41 %to7.01 %
20203,480$12.01 to$21.27 $79,678 2.63 %0.75 %to2.00 %12.03 %to10.67 %
20194,012$10.72 to$19.22 $82,586 2.41 %0.75 %to2.00 %6.56 %to15.78 %
A-138

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Principal LifeTime 2030 Account - Class 1:
20231,670$13.14 to$23.12 $41,261 1.72 %0.75 %to2.00 %14.26 %to12.84 %
20221,875$11.50 to$20.49 $40,826 2.79 %0.75 %to2.00 %(17.44)%to(18.50)%
20212,228$13.93 to$25.14 $59,023 1.33 %0.75 %to2.00 %11.98 %to10.55 %
20202,504$12.44 to$22.74 $59,916 2.08 %0.75 %to2.00 %14.02 %to12.63 %
20192,724$10.91 to$20.19 $57,570 2.05 %0.75 %to2.00 %8.13 %to19.61 %
Principal LifeTime 2040 Account - Class 1:
2023432$13.90 to$25.97 $11,722 1.31 %0.75 %to2.00 %17.40 %to15.94 %
2022480$11.84 to$22.40 $11,034 3.13 %0.75 %to2.00 %(18.68)%to(19.71)%
2021571$14.56 to$27.90 $16,396 1.26 %0.75 %to2.00 %14.38 %to13.00 %
2020650$12.73 to$24.69 $16,446 1.97 %0.75 %to2.00 %15.31 %to13.83 %
2019705$11.04 to$21.69 $15,574 1.87 %0.75 %to2.00 %9.42 %to22.27 %
Principal LifeTime 2050 Account - Class 1:
2023271$14.39 to$27.38 $7,496 1.11 %0.75 %to2.00 %19.42 %to18.02 %
2022344$12.05 to$23.20 $7,892 3.49 %0.75 %to2.00 %(19.40)%to(20.41)%
2021413$14.95 to$29.15 $11,674 1.10 %0.75 %to2.00 %16.16 %to14.72 %
2020474$12.87 to$25.41 $11,670 1.77 %0.75 %to2.00 %15.84 %to14.36 %
2019549$11.11 to$22.22 $11,861 1.99 %0.75 %to2.00 %10.00 %to23.86 %
Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Account - Class 1:
2023930$15.99 to$15.04 $15,711 1.41 %0.95 %to2.00 %9.75 %to8.59 %
2022399$14.57 to$13.85 $6,181 3.21 %0.95 %to2.00 %(13.89)%to(14.82)%
2021508$16.92 to$16.26 $9,167 1.84 %0.95 %to2.00 %3.55 %to2.46 %
2020573$16.34 to$15.87 $10,029 2.24 %0.95 %to2.00 %9.22 %to8.11 %
2019662$14.96 to$14.68 $10,633 2.38 %0.95 %to2.00 %11.39 %to10.21 %
U.S. LargeCap Buffer April Account - Class 2:
2023 (13)1,927$11.22 to$11.12 $21,590 0.43 %0.75 %to2.00 %12.20 %to11.20 %
U.S. LargeCap Buffer January Account - Class 2:
20234,932$11.85 to$11.70 $58,340 0.34 %0.75 %to2.00 %18.50 %to17.00 %
2022 (12)2,560$10.00 to$10.00 $25,599 — %0.75 %to2.00 %— %to— %
U.S. LargeCap Buffer July Account - Class 2:
20234,562$11.92 to$11.70 $54,229 0.59 %0.75 %to2.00 %17.44 %to15.96 %
2022 (10)2,485$10.15 to$10.09 $25,218 0.65 %0.75 %to2.00 %1.50 %to0.90 %
U.S. LargeCap Buffer October Account - Class 2:
20231,514$12.46 to$12.27 $18,808 0.47 %0.75 %to2.00 %18.55 %to17.08 %
2022 (11)1,610$10.51 to$10.48 $16,910 0.58 %0.75 %to2.00 %5.10 %to4.80 %
A-139

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Real Estate Securities Account - Class 1:
2023578$8.12 to$69.17 $43,054 1.94 %0.39 %to2.00 %12.86 %to11.10 %
2022662$7.20 to$62.26 $44,771 1.22 %0.45 %to2.00 %(25.72)%to(26.89)%
2021746$9.69 to$85.16 $68,805 1.42 %0.36 %to2.00 %39.85 %to37.67 %
2020825$6.93 to$61.86 $56,340 1.97 %0.52 %to2.00 %(3.83)%to(5.34)%
2019978$7.21 to$65.35 $67,480 1.78 %0.45 %to2.00 %30.71 %to28.67 %
Real Estate Securities Account - Class 2:
2023722$14.25 to$17.03 $10,446 1.76 %0.75 %to1.40 %12.12 %to11.45 %
2022707$12.71 to$15.28 $9,161 1.06 %0.75 %to1.40 %(26.10)%to(26.61)%
2021645$17.20 to$20.82 $11,375 1.27 %0.75 %to1.40 %39.05 %to38.06 %
2020524$12.37 to$15.08 $6,720 1.75 %0.75 %to1.40 %(4.40)%to(4.98)%
2019441$12.94 to$15.87 $6,106 1.68 %0.75 %to1.40 %29.92 %to29.13 %
Rydex VI Basic Materials Fund:
202351$14.52 to$15.90 $765  %0.75 %to1.40 %8.12 %to7.43 %
202249$13.43 to$14.80 $674 0.55 %0.75 %to1.40 %(10.29)%to(10.90)%
202151$14.97 to$16.61 $799 0.58 %0.75 %to1.40 %22.00 %to21.24 %
202033$12.27 to$13.70 $436 1.06 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.90 %to18.10 %
201953$10.32 to$11.60 $606 — %0.75 %to1.40 %20.42 %to19.71 %
Rydex VI Commodities Strategy Fund:
2023145$10.90 to$7.64 $1,381 10.33 %0.75 %to2.00 %(6.92)%to(8.17)%
2022263$11.71 to$8.32 $2,634 6.11 %0.75 %to2.00 %21.98 %to20.41 %
2021158$9.60 to$6.91 $1,262 — %0.75 %to2.00 %38.53 %to36.83 %
202095$6.93 to$5.05 $522 0.84 %0.75 %to2.00 %(23.34)%to(24.29)%
201968$9.04 to$6.67 $499 1.54 %0.75 %to2.00 %14.43 %to13.05 %
Rydex VI NASDAQ 100 Fund:
2023484$22.95 to$33.63 $11,641  %0.75 %to1.40 %52.09 %to51.08 %
2022564$15.09 to$22.26 $8,927 — %0.75 %to1.40 %(34.62)%to(35.05)%
2021583$23.08 to$34.27 $14,217 — %0.75 %to1.40 %24.62 %to23.76 %
2020477$18.52 to$27.69 $9,468 0.28 %0.75 %to1.40 %43.79 %to42.95 %
2019201$12.88 to$19.37 $3,095 0.12 %0.75 %to1.40 %35.86 %to34.98 %
SAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 1:
202314,448$3.33 to$19.15 $301,847 2.34 %0.40 %to2.00 %15.51 %to13.72 %
202216,624$2.89 to$16.84 $304,355 2.36 %0.43 %to2.00 %(16.50)%to(17.81)%
202118,731$3.46 to$20.49 $414,419 1.54 %0.42 %to2.00 %13.26 %to11.48 %
202020,936$3.05 to$18.38 $414,619 2.20 %0.38 %to2.00 %10.81 %to9.08 %
201923,734$2.75 to$16.85 $427,977 2.43 %0.39 %to2.00 %19.50 %to17.59 %
A-140

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
SAM Balanced Portfolio - Class 2:
20232,890$13.31 to$14.81 $39,201 2.17 %0.75 %to1.40 %14.74 %to14.01 %
20223,034$11.60 to$12.99 $36,044 2.23 %0.75 %to1.40 %(16.91)%to(17.42)%
20212,698$13.96 to$15.73 $38,820 1.43 %0.75 %to1.40 %12.58 %to11.80 %
20202,128$12.40 to$14.07 $27,483 1.99 %0.75 %to1.40 %10.12 %to9.41 %
20191,918$11.26 to$12.86 $22,821 2.44 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.78 %to18.09 %
SAM Conservative Balanced Portfolio - Class 1:
20233,458$19.79 to$16.77 $64,189 2.78 %0.95 %to2.00 %10.93 %to9.82 %
20224,113$17.84 to$15.27 $69,026 2.39 %0.95 %to2.00 %(15.25)%to(16.19)%
20214,796$21.05 to$18.22 $95,296 1.81 %0.95 %to2.00 %8.67 %to7.56 %
20205,387$19.37 to$16.94 $98,902 2.36 %0.95 %to2.00 %8.58 %to7.42 %
20196,014$17.84 to$15.77 $102,122 2.77 %0.95 %to2.00 %14.73 %to13.62 %
SAM Conservative Balanced Portfolio - Class 2:
20231,310$12.25 to$13.12 $16,255 2.71 %0.75 %to1.40 %10.96 %to10.25 %
20221,288$11.04 to$11.90 $14,447 2.31 %0.75 %to1.40 %(15.34)%to(15.84)%
20211,244$13.04 to$14.14 $16,588 1.76 %0.75 %to1.40 %8.67 %to7.94 %
20201,055$12.00 to$13.10 $13,091 2.34 %0.75 %to1.40 %8.40 %to7.73 %
2019774$11.07 to$12.16 $8,928 2.86 %0.75 %to1.40 %14.83 %to14.07 %
SAM Conservative Growth Portfolio - Class 1:
20232,571$24.78 to$20.99 $59,776 1.72 %0.95 %to2.00 %18.28 %to17.00 %
20223,175$20.95 to$17.94 $62,649 2.07 %0.95 %to2.00 %(18.58)%to(19.41)%
20213,602$25.73 to$22.26 $87,461 1.18 %0.95 %to2.00 %16.64 %to15.40 %
20204,184$22.06 to$19.29 $87,397 1.87 %0.95 %to2.00 %11.87 %to10.73 %
20194,770$19.72 to$17.42 $89,362 1.80 %0.95 %to2.00 %22.87 %to21.56 %
SAM Conservative Growth Portfolio - Class 2:
20231,874$14.30 to$16.60 $27,720 1.61 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.18 %to17.40 %
20221,896$12.10 to$14.14 $23,966 1.86 %0.75 %to1.40 %(18.63)%to(19.11)%
20211,903$14.87 to$17.48 $29,663 1.08 %0.75 %to1.40 %16.63 %to15.84 %
20201,452$12.75 to$15.09 $19,609 1.63 %0.75 %to1.40 %11.84 %to11.12 %
20191,278$11.40 to$13.58 $15,671 1.68 %0.75 %to1.40 %22.71 %to21.90 %
SAM Flexible Income Portfolio - Class 1:
20233,816$18.21 to$15.43 $65,286 3.22 %0.95 %to2.00 %8.33 %to7.23 %
20224,666$16.81 to$14.39 $73,943 2.83 %0.95 %to2.00 %(13.93)%to(14.85)%
20215,790$19.53 to$16.90 $106,960 2.31 %0.95 %to2.00 %5.85 %to4.77 %
20206,401$18.45 to$16.13 $112,074 2.79 %0.95 %to2.00 %6.28 %to5.15 %
20197,363$17.36 to$15.34 $121,789 3.41 %0.95 %to2.00 %12.14 %to11.00 %
A-141

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
SAM Flexible Income Portfolio - Class 2:
20232,370$11.55 to$11.97 $27,540 3.20 %0.75 %to1.40 %8.45 %to7.64 %
20222,346$10.65 to$11.12 $25,199 2.61 %0.75 %to1.40 %(14.04)%to(14.59)%
20212,650$12.39 to$13.02 $33,155 2.40 %0.75 %to1.40 %5.81 %to5.17 %
20201,907$11.71 to$12.38 $22,698 2.76 %0.75 %to1.40 %6.26 %to5.54 %
20191,491$11.02 to$11.73 $16,833 3.49 %0.75 %to1.40 %12.11 %to11.40 %
SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio - Class 1:
20231,671$26.32 to$22.30 $41,289 1.37 %0.95 %to2.00 %20.73 %to19.44 %
20221,934$21.80 to$18.67 $39,556 2.14 %0.95 %to2.00 %(19.56)%to(20.38)%
20212,186$27.10 to$23.45 $55,573 0.95 %0.95 %to2.00 %18.70 %to17.48 %
20202,442$22.83 to$19.96 $52,432 1.78 %0.95 %to2.00 %14.32 %to13.15 %
20192,858$19.97 to$17.64 $53,900 1.47 %0.95 %to2.00 %26.23 %to24.93 %
SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio - Class 2:
20231,330$15.09 to$17.69 $20,475 1.22 %0.75 %to1.40 %20.72 %to19.85 %
20221,330$12.50 to$14.76 $17,165 1.94 %0.75 %to1.40 %(19.61)%to(20.09)%
20211,430$15.55 to$18.47 $23,377 0.93 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.61 %to17.87 %
20201,016$13.11 to$15.67 $14,344 1.68 %0.75 %to1.40 %14.30 %to13.55 %
2019773$11.47 to$13.80 $9,818 1.41 %0.75 %to1.40 %26.18 %to25.34 %
Short-Term Income Account - Class 1:
20233,571$10.30 to$10.88 $42,402 1.75 %0.75 %to2.00 %4.78 %to3.52 %
20224,238$9.83 to$10.51 $48,149 1.13 %0.75 %to2.00 %(4.10)%to(5.40)%
20215,400$10.25 to$11.11 $64,485 1.51 %0.75 %to2.00 %(1.54)%to(2.71)%
20206,027$10.41 to$11.42 $73,530 2.11 %0.75 %to2.00 %2.66 %to1.33 %
20195,889$10.14 to$11.27 $70,427 2.66 %0.75 %to2.00 %1.40 %to2.64 %
SmallCap Account - Class 1:
20232,028$4.23 to$32.13 $70,500 0.29 %0.38 %to2.00 %15.05 %to13.25 %
20222,287$3.68 to$28.37 $70,258 0.06 %0.46 %to2.00 %(20.96)%to(22.21)%
20212,578$4.65 to$36.47 $100,279 0.30 %0.47 %to2.00 %19.62 %to17.76 %
20202,930$3.89 to$30.97 $97,992 0.50 %0.36 %to2.00 %21.69 %to19.76 %
20193,367$3.20 to$25.86 $94,321 0.32 %0.43 %to2.00 %26.87 %to24.87 %
SmallCap Account - Class 2:
2023342$14.05 to$16.19 $4,895 0.05 %0.75 %to1.40 %14.51 %to13.77 %
2022352$12.27 to$14.23 $4,429 — %0.75 %to1.40 %(21.50)%to(21.98)%
2021326$15.63 to$18.24 $5,282 0.15 %0.75 %to1.40 %18.95 %to18.21 %
2020268$13.14 to$15.43 $3,730 0.28 %0.75 %to1.40 %20.99 %to20.17 %
2019210$10.86 to$12.84 $2,452 0.09 %0.75 %to1.40 %26.13 %to25.39 %
A-142

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth Portfolio - II:
20231,549$15.57 to$49.24 $35,441  %0.75 %to2.00 %47.86 %to46.03 %
20221,558$10.53 to$33.72 $26,429 — %0.75 %to2.00 %(39.13)%to(39.88)%
20211,422$17.30 to$56.09 $43,230 — %0.75 %to2.00 %16.42 %to15.01 %
20201,075$14.86 to$48.77 $34,934 — %0.75 %to2.00 %32.92 %to31.28 %
2019751$11.18 to$37.15 $25,129 — %0.75 %to2.00 %9.93 %to27.01 %
T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Portfolio - II:
2023194$84.81 to$75.50 $16,435  %1.40 %to2.00 %1.27 %to0.65 %
2022235$83.75 to$75.01 $19,642 — %1.40 %to2.00 %(13.90)%to(14.41)%
2021276$97.27 to$87.64 $26,785 — %1.40 %to2.00 %11.25 %to10.59 %
2020324$87.43 to$79.25 $28,126 — %1.40 %to2.00 %27.47 %to26.72 %
2019384$68.59 to$62.54 $26,161 — %1.40 %to2.00 %26.85 %to26.06 %
The Merger Fund VL:
202327$12.18 to$11.76 $327 1.69 %0.75 %to1.40 %3.57 %to2.89 %
202233$11.76 to$11.43 $388 1.52 %0.75 %to1.40 %0.17 %to(0.52)%
202134$11.74 to$11.49 $401 — %0.75 %to1.40 %0.26 %to(0.26)%
202034$11.71 to$11.52 $398 — %0.75 %to1.40 %6.65 %to5.88 %
201927$10.98 to$10.88 $304 1.23 %0.75 %to1.40 %5.37 %to4.62 %
TOPS® Aggressive Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares:
202384$13.59 to$12.67 $1,138 0.82 %0.75 %to2.00 %16.25 %to14.76 %
202287$11.69 to$11.04 $1,015 0.87 %0.75 %to2.00 %(16.74)%to(17.80)%
202184$14.04 to$13.43 $1,182 0.44 %0.75 %to2.00 %18.18 %to16.78 %
202085$11.88 to$11.50 $1,010 1.40 %0.75 %to2.00 %11.44 %to10.05 %
201959$10.66 to$10.45 $624 2.32 %0.75 %to2.00 %23.24 %to21.65 %
TOPS® Balanced ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares:
2023255$12.10 to$11.29 $3,079 1.68 %0.75 %to2.00 %10.30 %to8.98 %
2022199$10.97 to$10.36 $2,180 1.40 %0.75 %to2.00 %(12.03)%to(13.16)%
2021167$12.47 to$11.93 $2,084 0.76 %0.75 %to2.00 %8.53 %to7.19 %
202091$11.49 to$11.13 $1,044 1.32 %0.75 %to2.00 %7.28 %to6.00 %
201995$10.71 to$10.50 $1,017 2.16 %0.75 %to2.00 %14.91 %to13.39 %
TOPS® Conservative ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares:
2023130$11.62 to$10.84 $1,489 1.95 %0.75 %to2.00 %8.09 %to6.80 %
2022118$10.75 to$10.15 $1,253 1.45 %0.75 %to2.00 %(9.74)%to(10.89)%
2021103$11.91 to$11.39 $1,216 0.99 %0.75 %to2.00 %5.40 %to4.11 %
202031$11.30 to$10.94 $349 1.61 %0.75 %to2.00 %5.90 %to4.59 %
201928$10.67 to$10.46 $295 0.04 %0.75 %to2.00 %10.57 %to9.19 %
A-143

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
December 31,For the year ended December 31, except as noted
DivisionUnits
(000's)
Unit fair value
corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
Net assets
(000's)
Investment income
ratio (1)
Expense
ratio (2)
lowest to
highest
Total return (3) corresponding
to lowest
to highest
expense ratio
TOPS® Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares:
2023125$13.23 to$12.34 $1,656 1.10 %0.75 %to2.00 %14.94 %to13.52 %
202284$11.51 to$10.87 $964 0.95 %0.75 %to2.00 %(15.55)%to(16.64)%
2021103$13.63 to$13.04 $1,395 0.46 %0.75 %to2.00 %15.41 %to14.09 %
202059$11.81 to$11.43 $694 0.61 %0.75 %to2.00 %10.58 %to9.06 %
201998$10.68 to$10.48 $1,044 1.49 %0.75 %to2.00 %20.81 %to19.36 %
TOPS® Moderate Growth ETF Portfolio - Investor Class Shares:
202376$12.77 to$11.91 $965 1.34 %0.75 %to2.00 %12.41 %to11.00 %
202258$11.36 to$10.73 $661 1.44 %0.75 %to2.00 %(13.74)%to(14.84)%
202139$13.17 to$12.60 $515 0.83 %0.75 %to2.00 %11.70 %to10.43 %
202027$11.79 to$11.41 $323 1.41 %0.75 %to2.00 %9.47 %to8.05 %
201922$10.77 to$10.56 $237 1.29 %0.75 %to2.00 %17.58 %to16.17 %
VanEck VIP Trust Global Gold Fund - Class S Shares:
202350$9.78 to$9.59 $483  %0.75 %to2.00 %9.64 %to8.24 %
2022 (9)37$8.92 to$8.86 $330 — %0.75 %to2.00 %(9.63)%to(10.23)%
VanEck VIP Trust Global Resources Fund - Class S Shares:
2023347$11.15 to$10.71 $3,965 2.50 %0.75 %to2.00 %(4.54)%to(5.72)%
2022431$11.68 to$11.36 $5,142 1.54 %0.75 %to2.00 %7.25 %to5.97 %
2021407$10.89 to$10.72 $4,589 0.31 %0.75 %to2.00 %17.86 %to16.40 %
2020445$9.24 to$9.21 $4,251 0.73 %0.75 %to2.00 %17.86 %to16.43 %
2019484$7.84 to$7.91 $3,957 — %0.75 %to2.00 %10.73 %to9.25 %
(1)These amounts represent the dividends, excluding distributions of capital gains, received by the division from the underlying mutual fund, net of management fees assessed by the fund manager, divided by the average net assets. These ratios exclude those expenses, such as mortality and expense charges, that result in direct reductions in the unit values. The recognition of investment income by the division is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying fund in which the divisions invest. These ratios are annualized for periods less than one year.
(2)These ratios represent the annualized contract expenses of the separate account, consisting primarily of mortality and expense charges, for each period indicated. The ratios include only those expenses that result in a direct reduction to unit values. Charges made directly to contractholder accounts through the redemption of units and expenses of the underlying fund are excluded.
(3)These amounts represent the total return for the periods indicated, including changes in the value of the underlying fund, and reflect deductions for all items included in the expense ratio. The total return does not include any expenses assessed through the redemption of units; inclusion of these expenses in the calculation would result in a reduction in the total return presented. Investment options with a date notation indicate the effective date of that investment option in the variable account. For purposes of the total return calculation the beginning unit value is typically equal to an investment option with a similar expense structure and if no such similar investment option exists, a beginning unit value of ten would typically be used. The total return is calculated for the period indicated or from the effective date through the end of the reporting period. Total returns have not been annualized for periods less than one year. These percentages represent the range of total returns available as of the report date and correspond with the expense ratio lowest to highest.
(4)Commenced operations June 7, 2019. Investment income ratios have been annualized for the year ended December 31, 2019.
(5)Commenced operations April 30, 2020. Investment income ratios have been annualized for the year ended December 31, 2020.
A-144

Principal Life Insurance Co
Separate Account B

Notes to Financial Statements

December 31, 2023
(6)Commenced operations June 8, 2020. Investment income ratios have been annualized for the year ended December 31, 2020.
(7)Commenced operations April 29, 2021. Investment income ratios have been annualized for the year ended December 31, 2021.
(8)Commenced operations June 7, 2021. Investment income ratios have been annualized for the year ended December 31, 2021.
(9)Fund made available to policyholders on June 6, 2022. Investment income ratios have been annualized for the year ended December 31, 2022.
(10)Fund made available to policyholders on June 29, 2022. Investment income ratios have been annualized for the year ended December 31, 2022.
(11)Fund made available to policyholders on September 29, 2022. Investment income ratios have been annualized for the year ended December 31, 2022.
(12)Fund made available to policyholders on December 29, 2022. Investment income ratios have been annualized for the year ended December 31, 2022.
(13)Fund made available to policyholders on March 30, 2023. Investment income ratios have been annualized for the year ended December 31, 2023.
(14)Represented the operations of AllianceBernstein VPS Small/Mid Cap Value Portfolio - Class A until June 3, 2023.
(15)Represented the operations of Alps/Red Rocks Global Opportunity Portfolio Class III until June 3, 2023.

7. Subsequent Events

    Separate Account B performed an evaluation of subsequent events through April 10, 2024, and determined no items required recognition or disclosure.
A-145
 

APPENDIX B - Principal Life Insurance Company Financials

B-1
 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors and Stockholder of
Principal Life Insurance Company

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated statements of financial position of Principal Life Insurance Company (the Company) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, stockholder’s equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes and schedules (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Adoption of ASU No. 2018-12

As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed its method of accounting for long-duration contracts in each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023 due to the adoption of ASU No. 2018-12, Financial Services – Insurance (Topic 944), Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.


B-2



Valuation of investments in securities
Description of the Matter

A subset of the Company’s $63.2 billion fixed-income securities portfolio exhibits higher estimation uncertainty when determining fair value. The fixed-income securities, which include bonds, asset-backed securities, redeemable preferred stock and certain non-redeemable preferred securities, are classified as either available-for-sale or trading and, accordingly, are carried at fair value in the consolidated statements of financial position. As discussed in Note 19 of the consolidated financial statements, for certain securities the Company obtains prices from third party pricing vendors, a subset of which exhibit higher estimation uncertainty given the characteristics of the security. In addition, the Company uses a matrix priced internal model to develop the fair value for a subset of corporate bonds. The fair value is developed using a risk spread which creates higher estimation uncertainty.

Auditing the fair value of the securities that exhibit higher estimation uncertainty was especially challenging because determining the fair value is complex and highly judgmental and involves using inputs and assumptions that are not directly observable in the market.

How We Addressed the Matter in Our Audit

We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of controls over management’s valuation process for the fixed income securities portfolio that exhibits higher estimation uncertainty. This included, among others, testing the review and approval process that management has in place over validating the fair value from third party pricing sources and the assumptions used in determining the fair value for matrix priced securities.

To test the fair value calculation, we utilized the support of our valuation specialists which included, among others, independently calculating a reasonable range of fair values for a sample of securities by using a cash flow model and cash flow and yield assumptions based on independently obtained information or available transaction data for similar securities. We compared these ranges to management’s estimates of fair value for the selected securities.

B-3



Liability for future policy benefits and claims
Description of the Matter

At December 31, 2023, future policy benefits and claims related to traditional and limited payment long-duration contracts totaled $42.5 billion.

The future policy benefits liability related to these products is based on estimates of how much the Company will need to pay for future benefits and the amount of fees to be collected from policyholders for these policy features. As described in Note 11, there is uncertainty inherent in estimating this liability because there is a significant amount of management judgment involved in developing certain assumptions that impact the liability balance, which include mortality rates, and lapse termination rates.

Auditing the valuation of future policy benefits liabilities related to these products was complex and required the involvement of our actuarial specialist due to the high degree of judgment used by management in setting the assumptions used in the estimate of the future policy benefits liability related to these products.

How We Addressed the Matter in Our Audit

We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of controls over the future policy benefits liability estimation processes, including among others, controls related to the review and approval processes that management has in place for the assumptions used in the valuation of the future policy benefits liability. This included testing controls related to management’s evaluation of the need to update assumptions based on the comparison of actual company experience to previous assumptions.

We involved actuarial specialists to assist with our audit procedures which included, among others, an evaluation of the methodology applied by management with those methods used in prior periods. To assess the significant assumptions used by management, we compared the significant assumptions noted above to historical experience, industry data or management’s estimates of prospective changes in these assumptions. In addition, we performed an independent recalculation of cash flows related to the future policy benefit reserves for a sample of cohorts or contracts which we compared to the actuarial model used by management.



/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Des Moines, Iowa
March 28, 2024
B-4


Principal Life Insurance Company
Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
December 31,
20232022
(As recast)
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale $62,530.2$59,631.3
Fixed maturities, trading (2023 and 2022 include $45.2 million and $0.0 million related to consolidated
variable interest entities)715.3634.0
Equity securities43.053.1
Mortgage loans (2023 and 2022 include $871.9 million and $1,179.7 million related to consolidated
variable interest entities)19,221.219,722.4
Real estate (2023 and 2022 include $779.1 million and $649.0 million related to consolidated variable
interest entities)2,343.52,237.4
Policy loans793.2770.2
Other investments (2023 and 2022 include $182.1 million and $18.6 million related to consolidated variable
interest entities and $163.2 million and $0.0 million measured at fair value under the fair value option)4,118.83,261.3
Total investments89,765.286,309.7
Cash and cash equivalents (2023 and 2022 include $64.9 million and $14.2 million related to consolidated
variable interest entities)3,638.03,329.3
Accrued investment income774.0728.5
Reinsurance recoverable and deposit receivable24,424.721,442.3
Premiums due and other receivables4,076.93,846.4
Deferred acquisition costs3,926.53,939.2
Market risk benefit asset153.4109.2
Property and equipment780.1831.8
Goodwill48.348.3
Other intangibles10.611.6
Separate account assets131,641.7120,279.6
Other assets530.7727.0
Total assets$259,770.1$241,602.9
Liabilities
Contractholder funds$41,362.9$42,317.3
Future policy benefits and claims42,488.038,279.4
Market risk benefit liability111.9181.4
Other policyholder funds909.5867.0
Long-term debt 3.067.8
Deferred income taxes1,541.01,296.9
Separate account liabilities131,641.7120,279.6
Funds withheld payable23,744.920,436.1
Other liabilities (2023 and 2022 include $83.9 million and $83.8 million related to consolidated variable
interest entities)9,843.610,207.0
Total liabilities251,646.5233,932.5
Stockholder's equity
Common stock, par value $1.00 per share; 5,000,000 shares authorized; 2,500,000 shares issued
and outstanding (wholly owned indirectly by Principal Financial Group, Inc.)2.52.5
Additional paid-in capital6,320.06,331.1
Retained earnings4,922.05,907.7
Accumulated other comprehensive loss(3,128.7)(4,574.7)
Total stockholder's equity attributable to Principal Life Insurance Company8,115.87,666.6
Noncontrolling interest7.83.8
Total stockholder's equity8,123.67,670.4
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity$259,770.1$241,602.9
See accompanying notes.
B-5


Principal Life Insurance Company
Consolidated Statements of Operations
For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(As recast)(As recast)
(in millions)
Revenues
Premiums and other considerations$6,396.7$5,264.3$4,714.0
Fees and other revenues2,204.72,168.12,708.2
Net investment income3,285.52,852.43,633.7
Net realized capital gains (losses) (1)(154.7)83.3112.1
Net realized capital gains on funds withheld assets (1)161.8749.4
Change in fair value of funds withheld embedded derivative(1,326.7)3,652.8
Total revenues10,567.314,770.311,168.0
Expenses
Benefits, claims and settlement expenses7,226.25,882.76,617.5
Liability for future policy benefits remeasurement (gain) loss(52.5)(259.8)0.4
Market risk benefit remeasurement loss33.7131.2114.1
Dividends to policyholders89.294.894.8
Operating expenses3,121.53,135.92,828.5
Total expenses10,418.18,984.89,655.3
Income before income taxes149.25,785.51,512.7
Income taxes (benefits)(87.4)1,106.0196.6
Net income236.64,679.51,316.1
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest19.662.224.3
Net income attributable to Principal Life Insurance Company$217.0$4,617.3$1,291.8
(1) Includes realized and unrealized gains (losses). See Note 5, Investments, for further details.
See accompanying notes.
Principal Life Insurance Company
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(As recast)(As recast)
(in millions)
Net income$236.6$4,679.5$1,316.1
Other comprehensive income (loss), net:
Net unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities1,909.3(9,751.4)(1,607.2)
Net unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments(41.8)(23.1)33.5
Liability for future policy benefits discount rate remeasurement gain (loss)(392.2)4,973.41,640.1
Market risk benefit nonperformance risk gain (loss)(31.1)111.5(2.2)
Net unrecognized postretirement benefit obligation1.8(2.0)1.5
Other comprehensive income (loss)1,446.0(4,691.6)65.7
Comprehensive income (loss)1,682.6(12.1)1,381.8
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest19.662.224.3
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Principal Life Insurance Company$1,663.0$(74.3)$1,357.5
See accompanying notes.
B-6


Principal Life Insurance Company
Consolidated Statements of Stockholder's Equity
Accumulated
AdditionalotherTotal
Commonpaid-inRetainedcomprehensiveNoncontrollingstockholder's
stockcapitalearningsincome (loss)interestequity
(in millions)
Balances as of January 1, 2021$2.5$6,344.2$2,799.7$3,986.9$15.2$13,148.5
Capital distributions to parent(16.3)(16.3)
Stock-based compensation27.6(2.4)25.2
Dividends to parent(1,250.0)(1,250.0)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest(27.4)(27.4)
Contributions from noncontrolling interest7.47.4
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling
interest(14.9)(1.7)(16.6)
Net liabilities transferred to affiliate due to change
in benefit plan sponsorship0.32.02.3
Effects of implementation of accounting change
related to long-duration insurance contracts, net(120.9)(4,052.1)(4,173.0)
Net income1,291.824.31,316.1
Other comprehensive income65.765.7
Balances as of December 31, 2021 (As recast)2.56,340.92,718.22.517.89,081.9
Capital distributions to parent(30.3)(30.3)
Stock-based compensation24.8(2.8)22.0
Dividends to parent(1,425.0)(1,425.0)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest(81.1)(81.1)
Contributions from noncontrolling interest7.37.3
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling
interest(4.3)(2.4)(6.7)
Adjustment for reinsurance114.4114.4
Net income 4,617.362.24,679.5
Other comprehensive loss (4,691.6)(4,691.6)
Balances as of December 31, 2022 (As recast)2.56,331.15,907.7(4,574.7)3.87,670.4
Capital distributions to parent(39.0)(39.0)
Stock-based compensation27.9(2.7)25.2
Dividends to parent(1,200.0)(1,200.0)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest(23.2)(23.2)
Contributions from noncontrolling interest7.67.6
Net income217.019.6236.6
Other comprehensive income1,446.01,446.0
Balances as of December 31, 2023$2.5$6,320.0$4,922.0$(3,128.7)$7.8$8,123.6
See accompanying notes.
B-7


Principal Life Insurance Company
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(As recast)(As recast)
(in millions)
Operating activities
Net income$236.6$4,679.5$1,316.1
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net realized capital (gains) losses154.7(83.3)(112.1)
Net realized capital gains on funds withheld assets(161.8)(749.4)
Change in fair value of funds withheld embedded derivative1,326.7(3,652.8)
Depreciation and amortization expense151.2175.1149.5
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs and contract costs396.3393.3379.5
Additions to deferred acquisition costs and contract costs(384.9)(393.2)(471.9)
Amortization of reinsurance loss20.419.323.0
Market risk benefit remeasurement loss33.7131.2114.1
Stock-based compensation25.122.125.2
Income from equity method investments, net of dividends received(27.5)(42.9)(54.2)
Changes in:
Accrued investment income(45.5)(50.1)9.3
Net cash flows for trading securities and equity securities with operating intent(60.0)(389.0)(7.9)
Premiums due and other receivables(205.8)(3,259.3)7.3
Contractholder and policyholder liabilities and dividends3,513.32,071.01,798.1
Current and deferred income taxes (benefits)(191.2)893.6125.1
Real estate acquired through operating activities(130.8)(164.4)(73.7)
Real estate sold through operating activities164.81.4
Funds withheld, net of reinsurance recoverable and deposit receivable(338.3)2,904.5(130.4)
Other assets and liabilities176.1417.218.2
Other255.9548.4428.2
Net adjustments4,672.4(1,208.7)2,228.7
Net cash provided by operating activities4,909.03,470.83,544.8
Investing activities
Fixed maturities available-for-sale and equity securities with intent to hold:
Purchases(10,704.4)(18,288.2)(15,068.4)
Sales4,871.312,685.11,701.7
Maturities4,957.26,566.910,475.1
Mortgage loans acquired or originated(1,998.7)(3,633.2)(5,016.8)
Mortgage loans sold or repaid2,011.42,513.22,626.6
Real estate acquired(187.5)(245.2)(281.4)
Real estate sold130.8373.9133.7
Net purchases of property and equipment(41.1)(68.4)(91.9)
Net change in other investments(781.8)(218.1)(149.4)
Net cash used in investing activities(1,742.8)(314.0)(5,670.8)
Financing activities
Payments for financing element derivatives(42.1)(50.6)(39.9)
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interest(6.7)(16.6)
Dividends paid to parent(1,200.0)(1,425.0)(1,250.0)
Distributions to parent(39.0)(30.3)(16.3)
Issuance of long-term debt15.4
Principal repayments of long-term debt(64.0)(2.1)(1.8)
Investment contract deposits8,152.26,881.38,868.3
Investment contract withdrawals(9,326.3)(7,524.6)(8,760.5)
Net increase (decrease) in banking operation deposits(338.6)1,086.32,922.9
Other0.30.2
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities(2,857.5)(1,056.1)1,706.1
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents308.72,100.7(419.9)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period3,329.31,228.61,648.5
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period$3,638.0$3,329.3$1,228.6
Supplemental information:
Cash paid for interest$1.3$2.6$2.2
Cash paid for income taxes63.443.546.3

B-8


Principal Life Insurance Company
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows – continued
For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(As recast)(As recast)
(in millions)
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash activities:
Asset changes resulting from deconsolidation of residential whole loan securitizations:
Decrease in mortgage loans$(389.7)$(220.7)$
Increase in fixed maturities, available-for-sale286.2167.6
Increase in fixed maturities, trading10.8
Assets transferred in kind for settlement to reinsurer(428.5)
Changes from re-designation of other postretirement employee benefits ("OPEB") plan
assets to cover non-retiree benefits:
  Increases in equity securities re-designated from funded status of OPEB plan548.1
  Increases in other investments re-designated from funded status of OPEB plan117.5
  Decrease in tax receivable re-designated from funded status of OPEB plan(9.1)
  Decrease in accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI") due to reclassifying
     excess assets out of funded status of OPEB plan9.1
  Decrease in other assets due to reclassifying excess assets out of funded status of OPEB plan(665.6)
Assets received in kind from pension risk transfer transactions109.5
See accompanying notes.
B-9

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

1. Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies

Description of Business

Principal Life Insurance Company (“PLIC”) along with its consolidated subsidiaries is a diversified financial services organization offering businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement and insurance in the U.S. We are a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Principal Financial Services, Inc. (“PFS”), which in turn is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Principal Financial Group, Inc. (“PFG”).

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PLIC and all other entities in which we directly or indirectly have a controlling financial interest as well as those variable interest entities (“VIEs”) in which we are the primary beneficiary. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Uncertainties may impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity. See “Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements” for additional details. Our estimates and assumptions could change in the future. Our results of operations and financial condition may also be impacted by other uncertainties including evolving regulatory, legislative and standard-setter accounting interpretations and guidance.

On January 1, 2023, we adopted the guidance commonly referred to as long-duration targeted improvements (“LDTI”), which updates certain requirements in the accounting for long-duration insurance and annuity contracts. The guidance was applied as of the January 1, 2021, transition date. As such, results for 2022 and 2021 have been recast and are also presented under the new LDTI guidance.

Certain reclassifications have been made to prior periods relating to the presentation of our loss adjustment expense (“LAE”) liability and the change in that liability to conform to the current presentation. See Note 11, Future Policy Benefits and Claims. The LAE liability was previously reported in other liabilities in the consolidated statements of financial position and the change in the liability was previously reported in operating expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. The LAE liability is now reported in future policy benefits and claims in the consolidated statements of financial position and the change in the liability is now reported in benefits, claims and settlement expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.

During the fourth quarter of 2023, we closed a coinsurance with funds withheld reinsurance transaction with Principal Financial Services (Bermuda) Ltd. (“PFS Bermuda”), an affiliated Class C reinsurer that is a Bermuda exempted company limited by shares, pursuant to which we ceded certain of our term life and pension risk transfer (“PRT”) blocks of business (the “PFS Bermuda Reinsurance Transaction”). During the second quarter of 2022, we closed a coinsurance with funds withheld reinsurance transaction with Talcott Life &Annuity Re, Ltd. (“Talcott Life & Annuity Re”), a limited liability company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands and an affiliate of Talcott Resolution Life, Inc., a subsidiary of Sixth Street, pursuant to which we ceded our in-force U.S. retail fixed annuity and universal life insurance with secondary guarantee (“ULSG”) blocks of business (the “Talcott Reinsurance Transaction”). The economics of the Talcott Reinsurance Transaction were effective as of January 1, 2022. See Note 13, Reinsurance, for further details. Collectively, these reinsurance transactions are referred to as the “Reinsurance Transactions.”

We evaluated subsequent events through March 28, 2024, which was the date our consolidated financial statements were issued.

B-10

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Consolidation

We have relationships with various special purpose entities and other legal entities that must be evaluated to determine if the entities meet the criteria of a VIE or a voting interest entity (“VOE”). This assessment is performed by reviewing contractual, ownership and other rights, including involvement of related parties, and requires use of judgment. First, we determine if we hold a variable interest in an entity by assessing if we have the right to receive expected losses and expected residual returns of the entity. If we hold a variable interest, then the entity is assessed to determine if it is a VIE. An entity is a VIE if the equity at risk is not sufficient to support its activities, if the equity holders lack a controlling financial interest or if the entity is structured with non-substantive voting rights. In addition to the previous criteria, if the entity is a limited partnership or similar entity, it is a VIE if the limited partners do not have the power to direct the entity’s most significant activities through substantive kick-out rights or participating rights. A VIE is evaluated to determine the primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is the enterprise with (1) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance and (2) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. When we are the primary beneficiary, we are required to consolidate the entity in our financial statements. We reassess our involvement with VIEs on a quarterly basis. For further information about VIEs, refer to Note 4, Variable Interest Entities.

If an entity is not a VIE, it is considered a VOE. VOEs are generally consolidated if we own a greater than 50% voting interest. If we determine our involvement in an entity no longer meets the requirements for consolidation under either the VIE or VOE models, the entity is deconsolidated. Entities in which we have management influence over the operating and financing decisions but are not required to consolidate, other than investments accounted for at fair value under the fair value option, are reported using the equity method.

B-11

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Recent Accounting Pronouncements



Description

Date of adoption
Effect on our consolidated financial statements or other significant matters
Standards not yet adopted:
Improvements to reportable segments disclosures
This authoritative guidance enhances the disclosures about a public entity’s reportable segments and addresses requests from investors for additional, more detailed information about a reportable segment’s expenses.
January 1, 2025We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.
Improvements to income tax disclosures
This authoritative guidance provides improvements to income tax disclosures primarily related to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information.
January 1, 2025We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.
Standards adopted:
Targeted improvements to the accounting for long-duration insurance contracts
This authoritative guidance updated certain requirements in the accounting for long-duration insurance and annuity contracts.

1.The assumptions used to calculate the liability for future policy benefits on traditional and limited-payment contracts are reviewed and updated periodically. Cash flow assumptions are reviewed at least annually and updated when necessary with the impact recognized in net income. Discount rate assumptions are prescribed as the current upper-medium grade (low credit risk) fixed income instrument yield and are updated quarterly with the impact recognized in other comprehensive income (“OCI”).
2.MRBs, which are contracts or contract features that provide protection to the policyholder from capital market risk and expose us to other-than-nominal capital market risk, are measured at fair value. The periodic change in fair value is recognized in net income with the exception of the periodic change in fair value related to our own nonperformance risk, which is recognized in OCI.
January 1, 2023
We created a governance framework and a plan to support implementation of the standard. Our implementation and evaluation process included, but was not limited to the following:
identifying and documenting contracts and contract features in scope of the guidance;
identifying the actuarial models, systems and processes to be updated;
evaluating and selecting our systems solutions for implementing the new guidance;
building models and evaluating preliminary output as models were developed;
evaluating and finalizing our key accounting policies;
assessing the impact to our chart of accounts;
B-12

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023



Description

Date of adoption
Effect on our consolidated financial statements or other significant matters
3.Deferred acquisition costs (“DAC”) and other actuarial balances for all insurance and annuity contracts are amortized on a constant basis over the expected term of the related contracts.
4.Additional disclosures are required, including disaggregated rollforwards of significant insurance liabilities and other account balances as well as disclosures about significant inputs, judgments, assumptions and methods used in measurement.

The guidance for the liability for future policy benefits for traditional and limited-payment contracts and DAC was applied on a modified retrospective basis; that is, to contracts in force as of the beginning of the earliest period presented (January 1, 2021, also referred to as the transition date) based on their existing carrying amounts. An entity could elect to apply the changes retrospectively. The guidance for market risk benefits was applied retrospectively.
developing format and content of new disclosures;
conducting financial dry runs using model output and updated chart of accounts;
evaluating transition requirements and impacts and
establishing and documenting appropriate internal controls.

This guidance changed how we account for many of our insurance and annuity products.

The guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated statements of operations. Further details about transition impacts of the guidance are included under the caption “Adoption of Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Insurance Contracts Guidance.”

The additional disclosure requirements can be found in the following notes:
Note 8, Deferred Acquisition Costs and Other Actuarial Balances
Note 9, Separate Account Balances
Note 10, Contractholder Funds
Note 11, Future Policy Benefits and Claims
Note 12, Market Risk Benefits

B-13

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023



Description

Date of adoption
Effect on our consolidated financial statements or other significant matters
Troubled debt restructurings and vintage disclosures 
This authoritative guidance eliminated the accounting requirements for Troubled Debt Restructurings (“TDRs”) by creditors and enhanced the disclosure requirements for certain loan refinancing and restructuring by creditors when a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty. The update required entities to disclose current-period gross write-offs by year of origination for financing receivables and net investments in leases. The amendments in this update were applied prospectively, except for the transition method related to the recognition and measurement of troubled debt restructurings, for which an entity had the option to apply a modified retrospective transition method. Early adoption was permitted.
January 1, 2023This guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
Targeted improvements to accounting for hedging activities – portfolio layer method
This authoritative guidance is intended to further align the economics of a company’s risk management activities in its financial statements with hedge accounting requirements. The guidance expanded the current single-layer method to allow multiple hedge layers of a single closed portfolio. Non-prepayable assets can also be included in the same portfolio. This guidance also clarified the current guidance on accounting for fair value basis adjustments applicable to both a single hedged layer and multiple hedged layers. Upon adoption, the application of these hedge strategies was applied prospectively. Early adoption was permitted.
January 1,
2023
This guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
Simplifying the accounting for income taxes
This authoritative guidance simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions, including exceptions related to the incremental approach for intraperiod tax allocation, calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. Also, the guidance clarifies the accounting for franchise taxes, transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill and enacted changes in tax laws or rates. It specifies that an entity is not required to allocate the consolidated amount of current and deferred tax expense to a legal entity that is not subject to tax in its separate financial statements, although an entity may elect to do so. The guidance was applied based on varying transition methods defined by amendment. Early adoption was permitted.
January 1, 2021
This guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

B-14

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023



Description

Date of adoption
Effect on our consolidated financial statements or other significant matters
Facilitation of the effects of reference rate reform on financial reporting
This authoritative guidance provided optional expedients and exceptions for contracts and hedging relationships affected by reference rate reform. An entity could elect not to apply certain modification accounting requirements to contracts affected by reference rate reform and instead account for the modified contract as a continuation of the existing contract. Also, an entity could apply optional expedients to continue hedge accounting for hedging relationships in which the critical terms changed due to reference rate reform. This guidance eased the financial reporting impacts of reference rate reform on contracts and hedging relationships and was effective until December 31, 2022. A subsequent amendment issued in December 2022 extended the relief date from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2024, and was effective upon issuance.
March 12, 2020We adopted the guidance upon issuance prospectively and elected the applicable optional expedients and exceptions for contracts and hedging relationships impacted by reference rate reform through December 31, 2024. The guidance did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements upon adoption.

When we adopt new accounting standards, we have a process in place to perform a thorough review of the pronouncement, identify the financial statement and system impacts and create an implementation plan among our impacted business units to ensure we are compliant with the pronouncement on the date of adoption. This includes having effective processes and controls in place to support the reported amounts. Each of the standards listed above is in varying stages in our implementation process based on its issuance and adoption dates. We are on track to implement guidance by the respective effective dates.

Adoption of Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Insurance Contracts Guidance
As mentioned above, we adopted LDTI on January 1, 2023.

For traditional and limited-payment long-duration contracts, we review and update, if necessary, assumptions used to measure cash flows for the liability for future policy benefits during the third quarter of each year, or more frequently if evidence suggests assumptions should be revised. The change in our liability estimate as a result of updating cash flow assumptions is recognized in net income. Actual cash flows are grouped into issue-year cohorts for the liability calculation and updated quarterly. Cohorts are used as the unit of account for liability measurement. Discount rate assumptions are prescribed as the current upper-medium grade (low-credit-risk) fixed-income instrument yield. The discount rate is updated quarterly at each reporting date with the impact recognized in OCI. The provision for risk of adverse deviation is eliminated, as is premium deficiency, or loss recognition, testing. We also removed unrealized gain (loss) adjustments, previously recorded in AOCI, attributable to the impact of unrealized gains and losses on premium deficiency testing.

Under LDTI, market risk benefits ("MRBs"), which are contracts or contract features that provide protection to the policyholder from capital market risk and expose us to other-than-nominal capital market risk, are measured at fair value. The periodic change in fair value is recognized in net income with the exception of the periodic change in fair value related to our own nonperformance risk, which is recognized in OCI. Certain contract features previously accounted for as an embedded derivative or as an additional liability for annuitization benefits or death or other insurance benefits are recorded as MRBs under LDTI.

LDTI simplified the amortization of DAC and other actuarial balances such as the unearned revenue liability and sales inducement asset for long-duration contracts. These balances were previously amortized in proportion to premiums, estimated gross profits, estimated gross margins or estimated gross revenues; however, these balances are now amortized on a constant level basis over the expected life of the related contracts. Impairment testing is no longer applicable for DAC. We also removed unrealized gain (loss) adjustments, previously recorded in AOCI, as the LDTI amortization is not impacted by investment gains and losses.


B-15

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

LDTI also requires disaggregated rollforwards for the liability for future policy benefits, additional liability for certain benefit features, MRBs, DAC and other actuarial balances required to be amortized on a basis consistent with DAC. Although the accounting for the additional liability for certain benefit features, separate account liabilities and contractholder funds does not change under LDTI, the guidance requires disaggregated rollforwards for those balances. Further, for certain actuarial balances, disclosures are required for the significant inputs, judgments, assumptions and methods used in measurement, including changes in those inputs, judgments and assumptions, and the effect of those changes on measurement.

The LDTI guidance is not prescriptive as to the appropriate level of aggregation for disclosures; however, amounts from different reportable segments cannot be aggregated. Factors to consider in determining the level of aggregation for disclosures include the type of coverage, geography and market or type of customer. We have identified the following levels of aggregation for LDTI disclosures. The disclosures do not include levels of aggregation for insignificant balances.

Retirement and Income Solutions:
oWorkplace savings and retirement solutions – Group annuity contracts offered to the plan sponsors of defined contribution plans or defined benefit plans
oIndividual variable annuities – Variable deferred annuities and registered index-linked annuities (“RILAs”) offered to individuals for both qualified and nonqualified retirement savings
oPension risk transfer – Single premium group annuities offered to pension plan sponsors and other institutions
oIndividual fixed deferred annuities – An exited business that offered single premium deferred annuity contracts and flexible premium deferred annuities (“FPDAs”) to individuals for both qualified and nonqualified retirement savings
oIndividual fixed income annuities – An exited business that offered single premium immediate annuities (“SPIAs”) and deferred income annuities (“DIAs”) to individuals for both qualified and nonqualified retirement savings; also includes supplementary contracts generated by annuitizations from other individual product lines
oInvestment only – Primarily guaranteed investment contracts (“GICs”) and funding agreements offered to retirement plan sponsors and other institutions
Benefits and Protection – Specialty Benefits:
oIndividual disability – Disability insurance providing protection to individuals and/or business owners
Benefits and Protection – Life Insurance:
oUniversal life – Universal life, variable universal life and indexed universal life insurance products offered to individuals and/or business owners, which will be collectively referred to hereafter as “universal life” contracts; includes our exited ULSG business
oTerm life – Term life insurance products offered to individuals and/or business owners
oParticipating life – Participating life insurance contracts offered to individuals, some of which are part of a closed block of business and are only in the scope of LDTI disclosures for DAC
Corporate:
oLong-term care insurance – A closed block of long-term care insurance that is fully reinsured, which was offered on both a group and individual basis.

For the separate account liability disclosures, our Retirement and Income Solutions segment will use a Group retirement contracts level of aggregation. This consists primarily of separate account liabilities for the workplace savings and retirement solutions business as well as amounts for the investment only and pension risk transfer businesses.

Impact of Adoption

We adopted the guidance for the liability for future policy benefits for traditional and limited-payment contracts and DAC and other actuarial balances on a modified retrospective basis; that is, to contracts in force as of the beginning of the earliest period presented based on their existing carrying amounts. We adopted the guidance for MRBs and cost of reinsurance retrospectively. Results for reporting periods beginning January 1, 2021, within our consolidated financial statements are presented under the new guidance.


B-16

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

A cumulative effect adjustment of $120.9 million was recorded as a decrease to retained earnings and a cumulative effect adjustment of $4,052.1 million was recorded as a decrease to AOCI as of January 1, 2021, as shown below.

Accumulated other
Retained earningscomprehensive income
Pre-TaxTaxAfter-TaxPre-TaxTaxAfter-Tax
(in millions)
DAC and other actuarial balances:
Adjustment for reversal of unrealized loss from AOCI (1) (2)$$$$421.5$(88.5)$333.0
Cost of reinsurance asset (liability):
Cumulative effect of amortization basis change(9.0)1.9(7.1)
Adjustment of unrealized loss in AOCI16.1(3.4)12.7
Reinsurance recoverable:
Adjustment for reversal of unrealized gain from AOCI (2)(45.5)9.5(36.0)
Adjustment under the modified retrospective approach (3)31.4(6.6)24.8
Effect of remeasurement of the recoverable at the current
discount rate201.8(42.4)159.4
Liability for future policy benefits:
Adjustment for reversal of unrealized loss from AOCI (2)1,330.7(279.3)1,051.4
Adjustment under the modified retrospective approach (3)(39.5)8.2(31.3)
Effect of remeasurement of the liability at the current
discount rate(6,947.1)1,458.9(5,488.2)
Market risk benefits:
Cumulative effect of changes in the nonperformance risk
between the original contract issue date and the
transition date(4.8)1.0(3.8)
Adjustments to the host contract for differences between
previous carrying amount and measurement
of the MRB20.9(4.4)16.5
Retained earnings adjustment for the valuation of contracts
as MRBs (exclusive of nonperformance risk changes)(258.8)54.4(204.4)
Reclassification of nonperformance risk changes between
retained earnings and AOCI (4)102.0(21.4)80.6(102.0)21.4(80.6)
Total impact on opening balance as of January 1, 2021$(153.0)$32.1$(120.9)$(5,129.3)$1,077.2$(4,052.1)

(1)Includes the impact for DAC, sales inducement asset and the unearned revenue liability. We have not included the disaggregated rollforwards for the sales inducement asset within the footnote disclosures due to immateriality.
(2)Prior period unrealized gain (loss) adjustments in AOCI were reversed as an adjustment to the opening balance of AOCI upon the adoption of LDTI.
(3)The impact of loss cohorts, those with net premiums in excess of gross premiums, and cohorts with negative reserves, was reflected as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings upon adoption of LDTI.
(4)The cumulative effect of changes in the nonperformance risk between the original contract issue date and the transition date for contract features previously accounted for as an embedded derivative was recorded as a reclassification from retained earnings to AOCI.


B-17

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The table below reflects the increase (decrease) to the impacted line items in the consolidated statements of financial position related to the cumulative effect adjustment as of January 1, 2021.

Increase (decrease)
(in millions)
Assets
Reinsurance recoverable and deposit receivable$187.7
Premiums due and other receivables (1)(24.4)
Deferred acquisition costs450.9
Market risk benefit asset (2)18.9
Other assets (3)19.3
Total assets$652.4
Liabilities
Contractholder funds (4)$(344.5)
Future policy benefits and claims (5)5,620.3
Market risk benefit liability (2)610.2
Other policyholder funds (6)48.8
Deferred income taxes(1,109.4)
Total liabilities4,825.4
Stockholder's equity
Retained earnings(120.9)
Accumulated other comprehensive income(4,052.1)
Total stockholder's equity(4,173.0)
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity$652.4
(1)Includes the impact on the cost of reinsurance asset.
(2)This is a new line item on the consolidated statements of financial position as a result of implementing LDTI. These contract features were previously recorded as embedded derivatives within contractholder funds or additional liabilities for certain benefit features within future policy benefits and claims on the consolidated statements of financial position.
(3)Reflects the impact on the sales inducement asset.
(4)Reflects the impact of contract features previously recorded as embedded derivatives that are recorded as MRBs under LDTI.
(5)Includes the impact on the liability for future policy benefits and cost of reinsurance liability. Also includes the impact on contract features classified as additional liabilities for certain benefit features that are recorded as MRBs under LDTI.
(6)Reflects the impact on the unearned revenue liability.

    The disaggregated rollforwards below reconcile the ending asset or liability balances as of December 31, 2020, to the opening balance as of January 1, 2021, which is the earliest period presented within the consolidated financial statements, for those balances impacted by LDTI with associated disaggregated disclosure requirements. The level of aggregation presented within the rollforwards is consistent with the disaggregated rollforwards required by the guidance. The balances as of December 31, 2020, shown in the rollforwards below, do not equal amounts reported on the consolidated statements of financial position as they do not include balances for short-duration contracts, insignificant balances not included in our levels of aggregation for disclosures and other amounts not within the scope of the disaggregated rollforwards.


B-18

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Deferred Acquisition Costs

Adjustment
for reversal of
Balance as ofunrealized lossBalance as of
December 31, 2020from AOCI (1)January 1, 2021 (2)
(in millions)
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Workplace savings and retirement solutions$424.6$52.6$477.2
Individual variable annuities281.70.2281.9
Pension risk transfer (3)
Individual fixed deferred annuities11.5181.2192.7
Investment only12.612.6
Total Retirement and Income Solutions 730.4234.0964.4
Benefits and Protection:
Specialty Benefits:
Individual disability 529.8529.8
Life Insurance:
Universal life1,443.0165.31,608.3
Term life607.9607.9
Participating life60.351.6111.9
Total Benefits and Protection2,641.0216.92,857.9
Total$3,371.4$450.9$3,822.3
(1)Prior period adjustments in AOCI were reversed as an adjustment to the opening balance of AOCI upon the adoption of LDTI.
(2)Does not include DAC for short-duration contracts. Refer to Note 8, Deferred Acquisition Costs and Other Actuarial Balances, for further information on DAC.
(3)This product began recording DAC upon implementing LDTI.

The balances and changes in DAC for 2021 for each level of aggregation were as follows:

Retirement and Income Solutions

For the year ended December 31, 2021
Workplace
savings andIndividual PensionIndividual
retirementvariable risk fixed deferredInvestment
solutionsannuitiestransfer (1)annuitiesonly
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$477.2$281.9$$192.7$12.6
Costs deferred50.126.42.77.69.1
Amortized to expense(38.3)(27.1)(38.1)(3.6)
Balance at end of period$489.0$281.2$2.7$162.2$18.1

(1)Amortization during 2021 was nominal.


B-19

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Benefits and Protection

For the year ended December 31, 2021
Specialty
BenefitsLife Insurance
Individual
disabilityUniversal lifeTerm lifeParticipating life
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$529.8$1,608.3$607.9$111.9
Costs deferred89.884.3126.51.9
Amortized to expense(38.9)(96.4)(55.5)(11.5)
Balance at end of period$580.7$1,596.2$678.9$102.3

Unearned Revenue Liability

Adjustment
for reversal of
Balance as ofunrealized gainBalance as of
December 31, 2020from AOCI (1)January 1, 2021 (2)
(in millions)
Benefits and Protection - Life Insurance:
Universal life$335.6$48.8$384.4
Total$335.6$48.8$384.4
(1)Prior period adjustments in AOCI were reversed as an adjustment to the opening balance of AOCI upon the adoption of LDTI.
(2)Reported within other policyholder funds in the consolidated statements of financial position. Refer to Note 8, Deferred Acquisition Costs and Other Actuarial Balances, for further information on the unearned revenue liability.

Benefits and Protection

The balances and changes in the unearned revenue liability for 2021 for Life Insurance – Universal life were as follows:

For the year ended
December 31, 2021
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$384.4
Deferrals 66.1
Revenue recognized (25.2)
Balance at end of period$425.3


B-20

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Liability for Future Policy Benefits

Effect of
Adjustmentremeasurement
Adjustmentunder theof the liability
Balance as offor reversal ofmodifiedat the currentBalance as of
December 31,unrealized lossretrospectivediscountJanuary 1,
2020from AOCI (1)approach (2)rate (3)2021 (4)
(in millions)
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Pension risk transfer$21,982.8$(947.0)$$4,827.9$25,863.7
Individual fixed income annuities6,147.2(215.0)0.11,213.57,145.8
Total Retirement and Income Solutions 28,130.0(1,162.0)0.16,041.433,009.5
Benefits and Protection:
Specialty Benefits:
Individual disability 2,173.8(168.7)2.4493.42,500.9
Life Insurance:
Term life834.57.0318.81,160.3
Total Benefits and Protection3,008.3(168.7)9.4812.23,661.2
Corporate:
Long-term care insurance134.130.093.5257.6
Total$31,272.4$(1,330.7)$39.5$6,947.1$36,928.3

(1)Prior period adjustments in AOCI related to premium deficiency testing were reversed as an adjustment to the opening balance of AOCI upon the adoption of LDTI.
(2)As a result of updating cash flow assumptions and measuring the liability for future policy benefits at the issue-year cohort level, the impact of loss cohorts, those with net premiums in excess of gross premiums, and cohorts with negative reserves, was reflected as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings upon adoption of LDTI.
(3)The remeasurement of the liability at the current upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yield, which was generally lower than the locked-in interest accretion rate, was reflected as an adjustment to the opening balance of AOCI upon the adoption of LDTI.
(4)Reported within future policy benefits and claims in the consolidated statements of financial position. Refer to Note 11, Future Policy Benefits and Claims, for further information on the liability for future policy benefits.


B-21

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The balances and changes in the liability for future policy benefits for 2021 for each level of aggregation were as follows:

Retirement and Income Solutions

For the year ended December 31, 2021
PensionIndividual
riskfixed income
transferannuities
(in millions)
Present value of expected future policy benefit payments
Balance at beginning of period$25,863.7$7,145.8
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at beginning of period(4,827.9)(1,213.5)
Balance at beginning of period at original discount rate21,035.85,932.3
Effect of actual variances from expected experience(2.4)(1.3)
Adjusted beginning of period balance at original discount rate21,033.45,931.0
Interest accrual916.7240.5
Benefit payments(1,772.5)(532.0)
Issuances1,801.782.9
Balance at end of period at original discount rate21,979.35,722.4
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at end of period3,386.5812.6
Future policy benefits$25,365.8$6,535.0


B-22

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Benefits and Protection and Corporate

For the year ended December 31, 2021
Benefits and ProtectionCorporate
SpecialtyLife
BenefitsInsurance
IndividualLong-term
disabilityTerm lifecare insurance
(in millions)
Present value of expected net premiums
Balance at beginning of period$3,148.3$3,799.0$66.7
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at beginning of period(340.7)(861.1)(17.6)
Balance at beginning of period at original discount rate2,807.62,937.949.1
Effect of changes in cash flow assumptions2.8
Effect of actual variances from expected experience 122.0211.4(0.8)
Adjusted beginning of period balance at original discount rate2,929.63,149.351.1
Interest accrual95.4151.12.9
Net premiums collected(280.4)(315.0)(5.2)
Issuances206.4518.2
Balance at end of period at original discount rate2,951.03,503.648.8
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at end of period198.9690.114.0
Balance at end of period$3,149.9$4,193.7$62.8
Present value of expected future policy benefit payments
Balance at beginning of period$5,649.2$4,959.3$324.3
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at beginning of period(834.1)(1,179.9)(111.1)
Balance at beginning of period at original discount rate4,815.13,779.4213.2
Effect of changes in cash flow assumptions0.5
Effect of actual variances from expected experience118.8216.0(4.6)
Adjusted beginning of period balance at original discount rate4,933.93,995.4209.1
Interest accrual181.0194.312.4
Benefit payments(179.7)(335.7)(13.5)
Issuances212.1543.4
Balance at end of period at original discount rate5,147.34,397.4208.0
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at end of period501.0913.989.5
Balance at end of period$5,648.3$5,311.3$297.5
Future policy benefits (1)$2,498.4$1,117.6$234.7
Reinsurance impact(549.9)(0.1)(234.7)
Future policy benefits after reinsurance$1,948.5$1,117.5$

(1)Represents the present value of expected future policy benefit payments less the present value of expected net premiums.


B-23

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Additional Liability for Certain Benefit Features

Benefits and Protection

    The balances and changes in the additional liability for certain benefits features for 2021 for Life Insurance – Universal life were as follows:

For the year ended,
December 31, 2021
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$3,463.9
Effect of changes in cash flow assumptions(11.1)
Effect of actual variances from expected experience18.1
Interest accrual158.3
Net assessments collected324.7
Benefit payments(83.1)
Other (1)(56.6)
Balance at end of period$3,814.2

(1)Reflects model refinements accounted for as a change in accounting estimate.

Market Risk Benefits

Cumulative
effect of
changes in theRetained earnings
nonperformanceadjustment
risk between thefor the valuation of
original contractcontracts as MRBs
Asset (liability)issue date and(exclusive ofAsset (liability)
balance as ofthe transitionnonperformancebalance as of
December 31, 2020 (1)date (2)risk changes) (3)January 1, 2021 (4)
(in millions)
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Individual variable annuities $(348.6)$(4.8)$(237.9)$(591.3)
Total$(348.6)$(4.8)$(237.9)$(591.3)
(1)The balance as of December 31, 2020, for MRBs represents the contract features that meet the definition of an MRB under LDTI and the related carrying amount of those features prior to adoption. These contract features were previously accounted for as an embedded derivative or as an additional liability for annuitization benefits or death or other insurance benefits.
(2)The cumulative effect of the change in our own nonperformance risk between the original contract issuance date and the transition date of LDTI for contract features previously accounted for as an additional liability for certain benefit features was recorded as an adjustment to the opening balance of AOCI.
(3)The cumulative difference, exclusive of the nonperformance risk change, between the pre-adoption carrying amount and the fair value measurement for MRBs was recorded as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings.
(4)Refer to Note 12, Market Risk Benefits, for further information on MRBs. The cumulative effect of changes in the nonperformance risk between the original contract issue date and the transition date for contract features previously accounted for as an embedded derivative was recorded as a reclassification from retained earnings to AOCI.


B-24

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The balances and changes in MRBs for Individual variable annuities for 2021 were as follows:

For the year ended
December 31, 2021
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$(591.3)
Effect of changes in nonperformance risk at beginning of period106.7
Adjusted balance at beginning of period(484.6)
Effect of:
Interest accrual and expected policyholder behavior(120.7)
Benefit payments0.4
Changes in interest rates154.3
Changes in equity markets106.4
Changes in equity index volatility15.1
Actual policyholder behavior different from expected behavior2.3
Changes in future expected policyholder behavior(96.6)
Changes in other future expected assumptions38.2
Adjusted balance at end of period(385.2)
Effect of changes in nonperformance risk at end of period(109.5)
Balance at end of period$(494.7)

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

    The preparation of our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and disclosed. These estimates and assumptions could change in the future as more information becomes known, which could impact the amounts reported and disclosed in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The most critical estimates include those used in determining:
 
the fair value of investments in the absence of quoted market values;
investment impairments and valuation allowances;
the fair value of derivatives;
the fair value of MRBs;
the liability for future policy benefits and claims, including the deferred profit liability;
the value of our other postretirement benefit obligation and
accounting for income taxes and the valuation of deferred tax assets.

A description of such critical estimates is incorporated within the discussion of the related accounting policies that follow. In applying these policies, management makes subjective and complex judgments that frequently require estimates about matters that are inherently uncertain. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Closed Block

    We operate a closed block (“Closed Block”) for the benefit of individual participating dividend-paying policies in force at the time of the 1998 mutual insurance holding company (“MIHC”) formation. See Note 7, Closed Block, for further details.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

    Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, money market instruments and other debt issues with a maturity date of three months or less when purchased.


B-25

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Investments

Fixed maturities include bonds, asset-backed securities (“ABS”), redeemable preferred stock and certain non-redeemable preferred securities. Equity securities include mutual funds, common stock and non-redeemable preferred stock. We classify fixed maturities as either available-for-sale or trading at the time of the purchase and, accordingly, carry them at fair value. Equity securities are also carried at fair value. See Note 19, Fair Value Measurements, for methodologies related to the determination of fair value. Unrealized gains and losses related to fixed maturities, available-for-sale, excluding those in fair value hedging relationships, are reflected in stockholder’s equity, net of adjustments associated with related actuarial balances, derivatives in cash flow hedge relationships and applicable income taxes. Mark-to-market adjustments on fixed maturities, trading are reflected in net realized capital gains (losses). Mark-to-market adjustments on certain fixed maturities, trading are reflected in market risk benefit remeasurement (gain) loss. Unrealized gains and losses related to hedged portions of fixed maturities, available-for-sale in fair value hedging relationships are reflected in net investment income. Mark-to-market adjustments related to certain securities carried at fair value with an investment objective to realize economic value through mark-to-market changes are reflected in net investment income.
The amortized cost of fixed maturities includes cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and discounts, computed using the interest method. The amortized cost of fixed maturities, available-for-sale is adjusted for changes in fair value of the hedged portions of securities in fair value hedging relationships and excludes accrued interest receivable. Accrued interest receivable is reported in accrued investment income on the consolidated statements of financial position. Fixed maturities, available-for-sale are subject to an allowance for credit loss and changes in the allowance are reported in net income as a component of net realized capital gains (losses). Interest income, as well as prepayment fees and the amortization of the related premium or discount, is reported in net investment income. For loan-backed and structured securities, we recognize income using a constant effective yield based on currently anticipated cash flows.

Commercial and residential mortgage loans are generally reported at cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and accrual of discounts, computed using the interest method and net of valuation allowances. Amortized cost excludes accrued interest receivable. Interest income is accrued on the principal amount of the loan based on the loan’s contractual interest rate. Interest income, as well as prepayment of fees and the amortization of the related premium or discount, is reported in net investment income on the consolidated statements of operations. Accrued interest receivable is reported in accrued investment income on the consolidated statements of financial position. Any changes in the loan valuation allowances are reported in net realized capital gains (losses) on the consolidated statements of operations. See Note 5, Investments, for further details of our valuation allowance.    

Our commercial and residential mortgage loan portfolios can include loans that have been modified. We assess loan modifications on a case-by-case basis to evaluate whether a TDR has occurred. In response to the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19”), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which was subsequently amended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, (collectively the “CARES Act”) provides a temporary suspension of TDR accounting for certain COVID-19 related loan modifications where the loan was not more than 30 days past due as of December 31, 2019. We elected the TDR relief in the CARES Act beginning in the second quarter of 2020. The CARES Act TDR relief does not apply to modifications completed subsequent to the earlier of 60 days after the national emergency related to COVID-19 ends, or January 1, 2022. In addition, the Interagency Statement on Loan Modifications and Reporting for Financial Institutions Working with Customers Affected by the Coronavirus (As Revised on April 7, 2020) (“Interagency Statement”) provides additional guidance to determine if a short-term COVID-19 related loan modification is a TDR. We consider the CARES Act and the Interagency Statement when assessing loan modifications to determine whether a TDR has occurred. As of January 1, 2022, the TDR relief ended. See Note 5, Investments, under the caption “Mortgage Loan Modifications” for further details.

B-26

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Real estate investments are reported at cost less accumulated depreciation. The initial cost bases of properties acquired through loan foreclosures are the lower of the fair market values of the properties at the time of foreclosure or the outstanding loan balance. Buildings and land improvements are generally depreciated on the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of improvements and tenant improvement costs are depreciated on the straight-line method over the term of the related lease. We recognize impairment losses for properties when indicators of impairment are present and a property's expected undiscounted cash flows are not sufficient to recover the property's carrying value. In such cases, the cost basis of the property is reduced to fair value. Real estate expected to be disposed is carried at the lower of cost or fair value, less cost to sell, with valuation allowances established accordingly and depreciation no longer recognized. The carrying amount of real estate held for sale was $228.8 million and $238.6 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Any impairment losses and any changes in valuation allowances are reported in net income.

Net realized capital gains and losses on sales of investments are determined on the basis of specific identification. In general, in addition to realized capital gains and losses on investment sales and periodic settlements on derivatives not designated as hedges, we report gains and losses related to the following in net realized capital gains (losses) on the consolidated statements of operations: mark-to-market adjustments on equity securities, mark-to-market adjustments on fixed maturities, trading, mark-to-market adjustments on certain investment funds, mark-to-market adjustments on derivatives not designated as hedges, cash flow hedge gains (losses) when the hedged item impacts realized capital gains (losses), changes in the valuation allowance for fixed maturities, available-for-sale and certain financing receivables, impairments of real estate held for investment, impairments of equity method investments. Investment gains and losses on sales of certain real estate held for sale due to investment strategy and mark-to-market adjustments on certain securities carried at fair value with an investment objective to realize economic value through mark-to-market changes are reported as net investment income and are excluded from net realized capital gains (losses).

    Policy loans and certain other investments are reported at cost. Interests in unconsolidated entities, joint ventures and partnerships are generally accounted for using the equity method. We had certain real estate ventures for which the fair value option had been elected in prior periods. See Note 19, Fair Value Measurements, for detail on these investments.

Derivatives

Overview

    Derivatives are financial instruments whose values are derived from interest rates, foreign exchange rates, financial indices or the values of securities. Derivatives generally used by us include swaps, options, futures and forwards. Derivative positions are either assets or liabilities in the consolidated statements of financial position and are measured at fair value, generally by obtaining quoted market prices or through the use of pricing models. See Note 19, Fair Value Measurements, for policies related to the determination of fair value. Fair values can be affected by changes in interest rates, foreign exchange rates, financial indices, values of securities, credit spreads, and market volatility and liquidity.

Accounting and Financial Statement Presentation

    We designate derivatives as either:

(a)    a hedge of the exposure to changes in the fair value of a recognized asset or liability or an unrecognized firm commitment, including those denominated in a foreign currency (“fair value hedge”);
(b)    a hedge of a forecasted transaction or the exposure to variability of cash flows to be received or paid related to a recognized asset or liability, including those denominated in a foreign currency (“cash flow hedge”) or
(c)    a derivative not designated as a hedging instrument.

    Our accounting for the ongoing changes in fair value of a derivative depends on the intended use of the derivative and the designation, as described above, and is determined when the derivative contract is entered into or at the time of redesignation. Hedge accounting is used for derivatives that are specifically designated in advance as hedges and that reduce our exposure to an indicated risk by having a high correlation between changes in the value of the derivatives and the items being hedged at both the inception of the hedge and throughout the hedge period. Cash flows associated with derivatives are included within operating activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows, with the exception of cash paid for certain options with deferred premiums. Those are included in payments for financing element derivatives within financing activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows.
B-27

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Fair Value Hedges. When a derivative is designated as a fair value hedge and is determined to be highly effective, changes in its fair value, along with changes in the fair value of the hedged asset, liability or firm commitment attributable to the hedged risk, are reported in the same consolidated statements of operations line item that is used to report the earnings effect of the hedged item. For fair value hedges of fixed maturities, available-for-sale, these changes in fair value are reported in net investment income or net realized capital gains (losses). For fair value hedges of liabilities, changes in fair value are reported in cost of interest credited. The change in the fair value of excluded components is recorded in OCI and is recognized in net income through periodic settlements. A fair value hedge determined to be highly effective may still result in a mismatch between the change in the fair value of the hedging instrument and the change in the fair value of the hedged item attributable to the hedged risk. Certain fair value hedges use the portfolio layer method to hedge a designated layer amount within a closed portfolio of prepayable assets that is expected to remain outstanding for the length of the hedging relationship and is not expected to be impacted by prepayments, defaults or other factors that affect the timing and amount of cash flows. Prepayment risk is excluded when measuring the change in fair value attributable to the hedged risk under the portfolio layer method.

    Cash Flow Hedges. When a derivative is designated as a cash flow hedge and is determined to be highly effective, changes in its fair value are recorded as a component of OCI. At the time the variability of cash flows being hedged impacts net income, the related portion of deferred gains or losses on the derivative instrument is reclassified and reported in net income.

    Non-Hedge Derivatives. If a derivative does not qualify or is not designated for hedge accounting, all changes in fair value are reported in net income without considering the changes in the fair value of the economically associated assets or liabilities.

    Hedge Documentation and Effectiveness Testing. At inception, we formally document all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as our risk management objective and strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions. This process includes associating all derivatives designated as fair value or cash flow hedges with specific assets or liabilities on the consolidated statements of financial position or with specific firm commitments or forecasted transactions. Documentation of fair value hedges that use the portfolio layer method supports the expectation that the hedged layer amount is anticipated to be outstanding at the end of the hedging relationship and includes expectations of prepayments, defaults or other factors that affect the timing and amount of cash flows. Effectiveness of the hedge is formally assessed at inception and throughout the life of the hedging relationship. Even if a hedge is determined to be highly effective, the hedge may still result in a mismatch between the change in the fair value of the hedging instrument and the change in the fair value of the hedged item attributable to the hedged risk.

    We use qualitative and quantitative methods to assess hedge effectiveness. Qualitative methods may include monitoring changes to terms and conditions and counterparty credit ratings. Quantitative methods may include statistical tests including regression analysis and minimum variance and dollar offset techniques. For portfolio layer method hedges, the assessment of hedge effectiveness includes confirming we expect the hedged layer amount to be outstanding at the end of the hedging relationship.

    Termination of Hedge Accounting. We prospectively discontinue hedge accounting when (1) the criteria to qualify for hedge accounting is no longer met, e.g., a derivative is determined to no longer be highly effective in offsetting the change in fair value or cash flows of a hedged item; (2) the derivative expires, is sold, terminated or exercised or (3) we remove the designation of the derivative being the hedging instrument for a fair value or cash flow hedge.

    If it is determined that a derivative no longer qualifies as an effective hedge, the derivative will continue to be carried on the consolidated statements of financial position at its fair value, with changes in fair value recognized prospectively in net realized capital gains (losses). The asset or liability under a fair value hedge will no longer be adjusted for changes in fair value pursuant to hedging rules and the existing basis adjustment is amortized to the consolidated statements of operations line associated with the asset or liability. If a portfolio layer method hedging relationship is discontinued, the outstanding basis adjustment is allocated to the individual assets in the closed portfolio and those amounts are amortized consistent with the amortization of other discounts or premiums associated with those assets.

The component of AOCI related to discontinued cash flow hedges that are no longer highly effective is amortized to the consolidated statements of operations consistent with the net income impacts of the original hedged cash flows. If a cash flow hedge is discontinued because it is probable the hedged forecasted transaction will not occur, the deferred gain or loss is immediately reclassified from AOCI into net income.
B-28

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

    Embedded Derivatives. We purchase and issue certain financial instruments and products that contain a derivative that is embedded in the financial instrument or product. We assess whether this embedded derivative is clearly and closely related to the asset or liability that serves as its host contract. If we deem that the embedded derivative's terms are not clearly and closely related to the host contract, and a separate instrument with the same terms would qualify as a derivative instrument, the derivative is bifurcated from that contract and held at fair value on the consolidated statements of financial position, with changes in fair value reported in net income.

Contractholder and Policyholder Liabilities

    Contractholder and policyholder liabilities (contractholder funds, future policy benefits and claims, MRBs and other policyholder funds) include reserves for investment contracts, individual and group annuities that provide periodic income payments, universal life insurance, variable universal life insurance, indexed universal life insurance, term life insurance, participating traditional individual life insurance, group dental and vision insurance, group critical illness, group accident, group hospital indemnity, paid family and medical leave (“PFML”), group short-term and long-term disability insurance, group life insurance, individual disability insurance and long-term care insurance. It also includes a provision for dividends on participating policies.

    Investment contracts are contractholders' funds on deposit with us and generally include reserves for pension and annuity contracts. Reserves on investment contracts are equal to the cumulative deposits less any applicable charges and withdrawals plus credited interest. Reserves for universal life, variable universal life and indexed universal life insurance contracts are equal to cumulative deposits less charges plus credited interest, which represents the account balances that accrue to the benefit of the policyholders. See Note 10, Contractholder Funds, for additional details.

We hold additional reserves on certain long-duration contracts where benefit features result in gains in early years followed by losses in later years and universal life, variable universal life and indexed universal life insurance contracts that contain no lapse guarantee features.

    Refer to Note 11, Future Policy Benefits and Claims, under the caption “Long-Duration Contracts” for information about the calculation of reserves for long-duration insurance and annuity contracts.
    
Contracts or contract features that provide protection to the policyholder from capital market risk and expose us to other than nominal capital market risk are classified as MRBs and reported at fair value. See Note 12, Market Risk Benefits, for additional details.

    Reserves for participating life insurance contracts are based on the net level premium reserve for death and endowment policy benefits. This net level premium reserve is calculated based on dividend fund interest rates and mortality rates guaranteed in calculating the cash surrender values described in the contract.

    Participating business represented approximately 2%, 3% and 4% of our life insurance in force and 16%, 17% and 18% of the number of life insurance policies in force as of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Participating business represented approximately 16%, 18% and 26% of life insurance premiums for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The amount of dividends to policyholders is declared annually by our Board of Directors. The amount of dividends to be paid to policyholders is determined after consideration of several factors including interest, mortality, morbidity and other expense experience for the year and judgment as to the appropriate level of statutory surplus to be retained by us. At the end of the reporting period, we establish a dividend liability for the pro rata portion of the dividends expected to be paid on or before the next policy anniversary date.

    Some of our policies and contracts require payment of fees or other policyholder assessments in advance for services that will be rendered over the estimated lives of the policies and contracts. See Note 8, Deferred Acquisition Costs and Other Actuarial Balances, under the caption “Unearned Revenue Liability” for additional details.

B-29

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Short-Duration Contracts

    We include the following group products in our short-duration insurance contracts disclosures: long-term disability (“LTD”), group life waiver, dental, vision, short-term disability (“STD”), critical illness, accident, PFML, hospital indemnity and group life. Refer to Note 11, Future Policy Benefits and Claims, under the caption “Short-Duration Contracts” for additional details.

Liability for Unpaid Claims

    The liability for unpaid claims for both long-duration and short-duration contracts is an estimate of the ultimate net cost of reported and unreported losses not yet settled. This liability is estimated using actuarial analyses and case basis evaluations. Although considerable variability is inherent in such estimates, we believe the liability for unpaid claims is adequate. These estimates are continually reviewed and, as adjustments to this liability become necessary, such adjustments are reflected in net income.

We incur claim adjustment expenses for both long-duration and short-duration contracts that cannot be allocated to a specific claim. Our claim adjustment expense liability is estimated using actuarial analyses based on historical trends of expenses and expected claim runout patterns.

See Note 11, Future Policy Benefits and Claims, under the caption “Liability for Unpaid Claims” for further details.

Recognition of Premiums and Other Considerations, Fees and Other Revenues and Benefits

    Products with fixed and guaranteed premiums and benefits consist principally of whole life and term life insurance policies and individual disability income. Premiums from these products are recognized as premium revenue when due. Related policy benefits and expenses for individual life products are associated with earned premiums and result in the recognition of profits over the expected term of the policies and contracts.
    Immediate annuities with life contingencies include products with fixed and guaranteed annuity considerations and benefits and consist principally of group and individual single premium annuities with life contingencies. Annuity considerations from these products are recognized as premium revenue. However, the collection of these annuity considerations does not represent the completion of the earnings process, as we establish annuity reserves using estimates for mortality and interest assumptions. We anticipate profits to emerge over the life of the annuity products as we earn investment income, pay benefits and release reserves. Any gross premium received in excess of the net premium is recognized as a deferred profit liability and amortized in relation to the expected future benefit payments. See Note 11, Future Policy Benefits and Claims, for additional details.

    Group life, dental, vision, critical illness, accident, PFML, hospital indemnity and disability premiums are generally recorded as premium revenue over the term of the coverage. Certain group contracts contain experience premium refund provisions based on a pre-defined formula that reflects their claim experience. Experience premium refunds reduce revenue over the term of the coverage and are adjusted to reflect current experience. Related policy benefits and expenses are associated with earned premiums and result in the recognition of profits over the term of the policies and contracts. Fees for contracts providing claim processing or other administrative services are recorded as revenue over the period the service is provided.

    Universal life-type policies are insurance contracts with terms that are not fixed. Amounts received as payments for such contracts are not reported as premium revenues. Revenues for universal life-type insurance contracts consist of policy charges for the cost of insurance, policy initiation and administration, surrender charges and other fees that have been assessed against policy account values and investment income. Policy benefits and claims that are charged to expense include interest credited to contracts and benefit claims incurred in the period in excess of related policy account balances.

B-30

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

    Investment contracts do not subject us to significant risks arising from policyholder mortality or morbidity and consist primarily of guaranteed investment contracts (“GICs”), funding agreements and certain deferred annuities. Amounts received as payments for investment contracts are established as investment contract liability balances and are not reported as premium revenues. Revenues for investment contracts consist of investment income and policy administration charges. Investment contract benefits that are charged to expense include benefit claims incurred in the period in excess of related investment contract liability balances and interest credited to investment contract liability balances.

    Fees and other revenues are earned for administrative services performed including recordkeeping, trust and custody and reporting services for retirement savings plans, insurance companies, endowments and other financial institutions and other products. Fees and other revenues received for performance of administrative services are recognized as revenue when earned, typically when the service is performed.

Deferred Acquisition Costs

Refer to Note 8, Deferred Acquisition Costs and Other Actuarial Balances, for information related to DAC on insurance policies and investment contracts. Commissions and other incremental direct costs for the acquisition of long-term service contracts are also capitalized to the extent recoverable.

Internal Replacement Transactions

All insurance and investment contract modifications and replacements are reviewed to determine if the internal replacement results in a substantially changed contract. If so, the acquisition costs, sales inducements and unearned revenue associated with the new contract are deferred and amortized over the lifetime of the new contract. In addition, the existing DAC, sales inducement costs and unearned revenue balances associated with the replaced contract are written off. If an internal replacement results in a substantially unchanged contract, the acquisition costs, sales inducements and unearned revenue associated with the new contract are immediately recognized in the period incurred. In addition, the existing DAC, sales inducement costs or unearned revenue balance associated with the replaced contract is not written off, but instead is carried over to the new contract.

Long-Term Debt

    Long-term debt includes notes payable, nonrecourse mortgages and other debt with a maturity date greater than one year at the date of issuance. Current maturities of long-term debt are classified as long-term debt in our consolidated statements of financial position. Long-term debt is primarily recorded at the unpaid principal balance, net of unamortized discount, premium and issuance costs.

Reinsurance

We enter into reinsurance agreements with other companies in the normal course of business in order to limit losses and minimize exposure to significant risks.

We evaluate each insurance agreement to determine whether the agreement provides indemnification against loss or liability related to insurance risk. For agreements that expose the reinsurer to reasonable possibility of significant loss from insurance risk, the reinsurance method of accounting is used for the agreement. Assets and liabilities related to reinsurance ceded are reported on a gross basis on the consolidated statements of financial position. Insurance liabilities are reported before the effects of reinsurance and we record an offsetting reinsurance recoverable, net of valuation allowance. Premiums and expenses are reported net of reinsurance ceded on the consolidated statements of operations.

If an agreement does not expose the reinsurer to reasonable possibility of significant loss from insurance risk, the deposit method of accounting is used for the agreement. We record a deposit receivable, net of valuation allowance, if necessary. The deposit receivable is adjusted as amounts are paid or received on the underlying contracts. Accretion on the deposit receivable is calculated using an effective interest method and is reported in fees and other revenues and operating expense on the consolidated statements of operations.

The cost of reinsurance related to long-duration contracts is amortized over the life of the underlying reinsured policies using assumptions consistent with those used to account for the underlying policies.
B-31

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

We have entered into coinsurance with funds withheld reinsurance agreements in which we record a funds withheld payable that contains an embedded derivative for which the fair value is estimated based on the change in fair value of the assets supporting the funds withheld payable. The change in fair value of the funds withheld embedded derivative is separately reported on the consolidated statements of operations. Gains and losses that do not flow to the reinsurer are reported in net realized capital gains (losses) on funds withheld assets on the consolidated statements of operations.

For further information about reinsurance, refer to Note 13, Reinsurance. For further information about the financing receivables valuation allowance on the reinsurance recoverable and deposit receivable, refer to Note 5, Investments.

Separate Accounts

Refer to Note 9, Separate Account Balances, for information on our separate account assets and liabilities.

Income Taxes

    Our ultimate parent, PFG, files a U.S. consolidated income tax return that includes us and all of our qualifying subsidiaries. In addition, PFG files income tax returns in all states and foreign jurisdictions in which it conducts business. PFG has a tax sharing agreement with companies in the group under which it allocates income tax expenses and benefits generally based upon pro rata contribution of taxable income or operating losses. We are taxed at corporate rates on taxable income based on existing tax laws. Current income taxes are charged or credited to net income based upon amounts estimated to be payable or recoverable as a result of taxable operations for the current year. Deferred income taxes are provided for the tax effect of temporary differences in the financial reporting and income tax bases of assets and liabilities, net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards using enacted income tax rates and laws. The effect on deferred income tax assets and deferred income tax liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in net income in the period in which the change is enacted. Subsequent to a change in tax rates and laws, any stranded tax effects remaining in AOCI will be released only if an entire portfolio is liquidated, sold or extinguished.

Actuarial Balance Re-Cohorting

In 2021, we completed a comprehensive review of our business mix and capital management options (the “Strategic Review”). We made the decision to exit our U.S. retail ULSG business. The ULSG business was previously managed together with our other universal life (“UL”) business within our Benefits and Protection segment. As such, calculations of actuarial balances included UL and ULSG in the same cohorts, which are the unit of account used for measurement. As a result of the Strategic Review, we made the decision in the second quarter of 2022 to manage the ULSG business separately from our other UL business effective as of January 1, 2022. This led to us re-cohorting the UL business, resulting in separate cohorts for the ULSG business vs. the remaining UL business.

The re-cohorting impacted the measurement of our cost of reinsurance and additional liability for certain benefit features. The pre-tax impacts to comprehensive income were as follows:

For the year ended
December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Increase to income before taxes
Cost of reinsurance amortization (1)$33.7
Change in additional liability for certain benefit features (1)167.4
Total increase to income before income taxes201.1
Increase to pre-tax other comprehensive income
Cost of reinsurance unrealized losses(2.1)
Change in additional liability for certain benefit features unrealized gains7.8
Total increase to pre-tax other comprehensive income5.7
Total increase to pre-tax comprehensive income$206.8

(1) Reported in liability for future policy benefits remeasurement (gain) loss.
B-32

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

2. Related Party Transactions

Expense Agreements

We have entered into various related party transactions with our ultimate parent and its other affiliates. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, we received $524.6 million, $606.0 million and $647.2 million, respectively, of expense reimbursements from affiliated entities, which are net of amounts paid for brand licensing agreements with PFS.

Cash Advance Agreement

We and our direct parent, PFS, are parties to a cash advance agreement, which allows us, collectively, to pool our available cash with other affiliates in order to more efficiently and effectively invest our cash. The cash advance agreement allows (i) us to advance cash to PFS in aggregate principal amounts not to exceed $1.0 billion, with such advanced amounts earning interest at the secured overnight financing rate (“SOFR”) plus 10 basis points (the “Internal Crediting Rate”); and (ii) PFS to advance cash to us in aggregate principal amounts not to exceed $1.0 billion, with such advance amounts paying interest at the Internal Crediting Rate to reimburse PFS for the costs incurred in maintaining short-term investing and borrowing programs. Under this cash advance agreement, we had a receivable (payable) to PFS of $71.5 million and $86.0 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and earned interest of $10.1 million, $4.2 million and $0.1 million during 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Reinsurance

We and an affiliated entity, Principal National Life Insurance Company, are parties to a reinsurance agreement to reinsure certain life insurance business. Under this agreement, we had an assumed reinsurance liability of $5,919.9 million and $5,158.5 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. In addition, we recognized premiums and other fees of $938.1 million, $890.2 million and $862.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, associated with this agreement. Furthermore, we recognized expenses of $1,076.2 million, $970.9 million and $995.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, associated with this agreement.

We and an affiliated entity, PFS Bermuda, are parties to a coinsurance with funds withheld agreement for PFS Bermuda to reinsure certain term life and PRT blocks of business. Under this agreement, we had a reinsurance recoverable of $3,813.1 million and $0.0 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We had a $1.7 million and $0.0 million receivable from PFS Bermuda and a $26.2 million and $0.0 million payable to PFS Bermuda as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, associated with the settlement statements. In addition, we ceded premiums of $53.4 million, $0.0 million and $0.0 million and benefits of $76.4 million, $0.0 million and $0.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, associated with this agreement. We passed net investment income of $56.1 million, $0.0 million and $0.0 million and net realized capital losses of $1.1 million, $0.0 million and $0.0 million on the funds withheld assets to PFS Bermuda for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Furthermore, our operating expenses were reduced by ceding commissions and expense allowances received of $31.2 million, $0.0 million and $0.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Notes Receivable

As of December 31, 2023, we had the following notes receivable from PFS related to the sale of interests in subsidiaries (1) a 10-year note with a par amount of $156.0 million, which bears interest at 2.87% with semi-annual principal and interest payments due in February and August each year and (2) a 10-year note with a par amount of $300.0 million, which bears interest at 2.885% with semi-annual principal and interest payments due in May and November each year. The carrying amount of the notes is included in premiums due and other receivables on the consolidated statements of financial position. We recorded interest income on these notes of $4.6 million, $5.9 million and $7.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Our ultimate parent, PFG, is a guarantor of the notes.


B-33

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Distribution of Affiliated Products

We receive commission fees, distribution fees and service fees from Principal Securities, Inc. and Principal Global Investors, LLC (“PGI LLC”). Furthermore, we receive management and administrative fees for investments our products sold in the Principal Mutual Funds and Principal Variable Contracts. Fees and other revenues were $407.1 million, $412.6 million and $471.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. In addition, we pay commission expense to affiliated registered representatives within Principal Securities, Inc. to sell proprietary products. Commission expense was $95.9 million, $81.5 million and $95.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Benefit Plans

PFG is the sponsor of the qualified defined contribution plans for both employees and individual field agents. We were allocated plan expenses from PFG of $44.2 million, $41.3 million and $36.5 million during 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

PFG is also the sponsor of the nonqualified deferred compensation plans for select employees and individual field agents. We were allocated plan expenses from PFG of $1.8 million, $2.3 million and $2.1 million during 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

PFG is the sponsor of the defined benefit pension plans for both employees and individual field agents. We were allocated $38.8 million, $55.4 million and $58.6 million of pension expense from PFG during 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Other Agreements

PGI LLC provides asset management services for us. We recognized $108.1 million, $109.3 million and $114.9 million of asset management fee expense for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Pursuant to certain regulatory requirements or otherwise in the ordinary course of business, we guarantee certain payments of our affiliates and have agreements with affiliates to provide and/or receive management, administrative and other services, all of which, individually and in the aggregate, are immaterial to our business, financial condition and net income.

3. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill reported in our segments were as follows:

Retirement
and IncomeBenefits and
SolutionsProtectionCorporateConsolidated
(in millions)
Balance as of January 1, 2022$18.8$56.3$$75.1
Impairment (1)(26.8)(26.8)
Balance as of December 31, 2022$18.8$29.5$$48.3
Balance as of December 31, 2023$18.8$29.5$$48.3

(1)Resulted from a change in the allocation of equity between our reportable operating segments following the Talcott Reinsurance Transaction.


B-34

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Finite Lived Intangible Assets

Amortized intangible assets that continue to be subject to amortization over a weighted average remaining expected life of 11 years were as follows:

December 31,
20232022
(in millions)
Gross carrying value$34.9$34.9
Accumulated amortization24.323.3
Net carrying value$10.6$11.6
During 2023 and 2022, we fully amortized other finite lived intangible assets of $0.0 million and $6.5 million, respectively.

The amortization expense for intangible assets with finite useful lives was $1.0 million, $2.8 million and $2.8 million for 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, the estimated amortization expense for the next five years is as follows (in millions):

Year ending December 31:
2024$1.0
20251.0
20261.0
20271.0
20281.0

4. Variable Interest Entities

We have relationships with various types of entities which may be VIEs. Certain VIEs are consolidated in our financial results. See Note 1, Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies, under the caption “Consolidation” for further details of our consolidation accounting policies. We did not provide financial or other support to investees designated as VIEs for the periods ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

Consolidated Variable Interest Entities

Real Estate

We invest in several real estate limited partnerships and limited liability companies. The entities invest in real estate properties. Certain of these entities are VIEs based on the combination of our significant economic interest and related voting rights. We determined we are the primary beneficiary as a result of our power to control the entities through our significant ownership. Due to the nature of these real estate investments, the investment balance will fluctuate as we purchase and sell interests in the entities and as capital expenditures are made to improve the underlying real estate.

Residential Mortgage Loans

We invest in ABS trusts. The trusts issue various collateralized mortgage obligation certificates and purchase residential mortgage loans. The trusts are considered VIEs due to insufficient equity to sustain themselves. We concluded we are the primary beneficiary as we purchase substantially all of the certificates and have the obligation to absorb losses that could potentially be significant to the VIEs. We deconsolidated trusts in 2023 and 2022 as we no longer held substantially all of the certificates.

B-35

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Asset-Backed Limited Partnership

We invest in an ABS limited partnership. The limited partnership issues multiple notes and purchases consumer loans, auto loans, other loans and credit facilities. The limited partnership is considered a VIE due to insufficient equity to sustain itself. We concluded we are the primary beneficiary as we have purchased all of the notes and have the obligation to absorb losses and residual returns that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

Assets and Liabilities of Consolidated Variable Interest Entities

The carrying amounts of our consolidated VIE assets, which can only be used to settle obligations of consolidated VIEs, and liabilities of consolidated VIEs for which creditors do not have recourse were as follows:

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
TotalTotalTotalTotal
assetsliabilitiesassetsliabilities
(in millions)
Real estate (1)$829.1$63.0$689.6$42.2
Residential mortgage loans (2)874.720.91,182.641.8
Asset-backed limited partnership (3)249.3
Total $1,953.1$83.9$1,872.2$84.0

(1) The assets of the real estate VIEs primarily include real estate, other investments and cash. Liabilities primarily include other liabilities.
(2) The assets of the residential mortgage loans VIEs primarily include residential mortgage loans. The liabilities primarily include other liabilities.
(3) The assets of the asset-backed limited partnership VIE primarily include consumer loans, auto loans, other loans and credit facilities. These assets are reported with cash and cash equivalents, other investments and fixed maturities, trading on the consolidated statements of financial position. As of December 31, 2023, we did not have any unfunded commitments to the VIE. Unfunded commitments are not liabilities on our consolidated statements of financial position because we are only required to fund additional capital when called upon to do so by the investment manager.

Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities

We hold a variable interest in a number of VIEs where we are not the primary beneficiary. Our investments in these VIEs are reported in fixed maturities, available-for-sale; fixed maturities, trading and other investments in the consolidated statements of financial position and are described below.

Unconsolidated VIEs include certain commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”), residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities ("RMBS") and other ABS. All of these entities were deemed VIEs because the equity within these entities is insufficient to sustain them. We determined we are not the primary beneficiary in the entities within these categories of investments. This determination was based primarily on the fact we do not own the class of security that controls the unilateral right to replace the special servicer or equivalent function.

We invest in cash collateralized debt obligations, collateralized bond obligations, collateralized loan obligations and other collateralized structures, which are VIEs due to insufficient equity to sustain the entities. We have determined we are not the primary beneficiary of these entities primarily because we do not control the economic performance of the entities and were not involved with the design of the entities or because we do not have a potentially significant variable interest in the entities for which we are the asset manager.

We have invested in various VIE trusts and similar entities as a debt holder. Most of these entities are classified as VIEs due to insufficient equity to sustain them. In addition, we have an entity classified as a VIE based on the combination of our significant economic interest and lack of voting rights. We have determined we are not the primary beneficiary primarily because we do not control the economic performance of the entities and were not involved with the design of the entities.

B-36

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

We have invested in partnerships and other funds, which are classified as VIEs. The entities are VIEs as equity holders lack the power to control the most significant activities of the entities because the equity holders do not have either the ability by a simple majority to exercise substantive kick-out rights or substantive participating rights. We have determined we are not the primary beneficiary because we do not have the power to direct the most significant activities of the entities.

As previously discussed, we sponsor and invest in certain investment funds that are VIEs. We determined we are not the primary beneficiary of the VIEs for which we are the asset manager but do not have a potentially significant variable interest in the funds.


B-37

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The carrying value and maximum loss exposure for our unconsolidated VIEs were as follows:

Maximum exposure to
Asset carrying valueloss (1)
(in millions)
December 31, 2023
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
Corporate$364.9$369.8
Residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities2,824.92,959.8
Commercial mortgage-backed securities4,743.45,391.6
Collateralized debt obligations (2)5,397.85,459.0
Other debt obligations7,879.48,976.2
Fixed maturities, trading:
Residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities10.410.4
Commercial mortgage-backed securities53.153.1
Collateralized debt obligations (2)2.02.0
Other debt obligations228.4228.4
Other investments:
Other limited partnership and fund interests1,661.22,954.3
December 31, 2022
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
Corporate$111.8$127.2
Residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities2,170.92,362.1
Commercial mortgage-backed securities4,827.55,529.7
Collateralized debt obligations (2)4,560.24,813.4
Other debt obligations6,483.37,537.2
Fixed maturities, trading:
Residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities5.45.4
Commercial mortgage-backed securities83.483.4
Collateralized debt obligations (2)5.75.7
Other debt obligations80.080.0
Other investments:
Other limited partnership and fund interests1,088.51,765.4

(1)Our risk of loss is limited to our initial investment measured at amortized cost for fixed maturities, available-for-sale. Our risk of loss is limited to our investment measured at fair value for our fixed maturities, trading. Our risk of loss is limited to our carrying value plus any unfunded commitments and/or guarantees and similar provisions for our other investments. A carrying value of zero is used if distributions have been received in excess of our investment, resulting in a negative carrying value for the investment. Unfunded commitments are not liabilities on our consolidated statements of financial position because we are only required to fund additional equity when called upon to do so by the general partner or investment manager.
(2)Primarily consists of collateralized loan obligations backed by secured corporate loans.


B-38

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

5. Investments

Our investments include assets backing reserves as part of a coinsurance with funds withheld agreement. The funds withheld invested assets are reported within their respective line items, primarily consisting of fixed maturities available-for-sale, mortgage loans and other investments. See Note 13, Reinsurance, for more information on the funds withheld invested assets.

Fixed Maturities

    The amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses, allowance for credit loss and fair value of fixed maturities, available-for-sale were as follows:

GrossGrossAllowance
Amortizedunrealizedunrealizedfor credit
cost (1)gainslosseslossFair value
(in millions)
December 31, 2023
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
U.S. government and agencies$1,719.1$19.3$233.5$$1,504.9
Non-U.S. governments522.216.959.2479.9
States and political subdivisions7,493.945.4926.06,613.3
Corporate35,707.6433.73,059.91.933,079.5
Residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities2,959.825.7160.62,824.9
Commercial mortgage-backed securities5,391.61.6649.84,743.4
Collateralized debt obligations (2)5,379.645.026.85,397.8
Other debt obligations8,447.242.2602.80.17,886.5
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale$67,621.0$629.8$5,718.6$2.0$62,530.2
December 31, 2022
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
U.S. government and agencies$1,964.6$0.1$248.8$$1,715.9
Non-U.S. governments565.318.963.8520.4
States and political subdivisions7,280.114.81,126.66,168.3
Corporate37,495.4219.54,530.133,184.8
Residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities2,362.16.0197.22,170.9
Commercial mortgage-backed securities5,529.70.9703.14,827.5
Collateralized debt obligations (2)4,698.94.5143.24,560.2
Other debt obligations7,207.86.0730.40.16,483.3
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale$67,103.9$270.7$7,743.2$0.1$59,631.3

(1)Amortized cost excludes accrued interest receivable of $616.0 million and $575.8 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
(2)Primarily consists of collateralized loan obligations backed by secured corporate loans.


B-39

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The amortized cost and fair value of fixed maturities available-for-sale as of December 31, 2023, by expected maturity, were as follows:

Amortized costFair value
(in millions)
Due in one year or less$1,298.4$1,282.2
Due after one year through five years8,486.28,285.1
Due after five years through ten years9,209.38,675.0
Due after ten years26,448.923,435.3
Subtotal45,442.841,677.6
Mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities22,178.220,852.6
Total$67,621.0$62,530.2
Actual maturities may differ because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations. Our portfolio is diversified by industry, issuer and asset class. Credit concentrations are managed to established limits.

Net Investment Income

    The major components of net investment income are shown below and are net of amounts on funds withheld invested assets that are passed directly to the reinsurers. See Note 13, Reinsurance, for further details.

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale$2,230.0$1,734.4$2,483.8
Fixed maturities, trading32.419.68.7
Equity securities3.5(35.4)1.7
Mortgage loans661.5619.9692.4
Real estate177.2276.2194.4
Policy loans39.134.436.2
Cash and cash equivalents148.237.61.7
Derivatives38.6171.328.2
Other231.6194.8362.0
Total3,562.13,052.83,809.1
Investment expenses(276.6)(200.4)(175.4)
Net investment income$3,285.5$2,852.4$3,633.7


B-40

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Net Realized Capital Gains and Losses
    
The major components of net realized capital gains (losses) on investments are shown below and are net of amounts on funds withheld invested assets that are passed directly to the reinsurers. See Note 13, Reinsurance, for further details. The amounts below do not include net realized capital gains (losses) on funds withheld assets that are not passed to the reinsurers, which are separately reported on the consolidated statements of operations. Net realized capital gains (losses) on funds withheld assets includes gains (losses) realized upon sale of assets put into the funds withheld at the start of the Reinsurance Transactions for the unrealized gains (losses) on the date of transfer into the funds withheld, the change in the valuation allowance on funds withheld commercial mortgage loans and unrealized gains and losses related to the change in fair value of funds withheld fixed maturities, trading and equity securities.

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
Gross gains$46.8$38.9$50.4
Gross losses(134.8)(120.7)(26.9)
Net credit losses (1)(31.3)(11.5)(34.5)
Hedging, net2.2(0.7)(9.5)
Fixed maturities, trading (2)0.7(8.6)(6.6)
Equity securities (3)0.7(7.4)(0.5)
Mortgage loans (4)(133.8)(74.1)5.3
Derivatives(5.3)154.7126.4
Other100.1112.78.0
Net realized capital gains (losses)$(154.7)$83.3$112.1
(1)Net credit losses include adjustments to the credit loss valuation allowance, write-offs and recoveries on available-for-sale securities.
(2)Unrealized losses on fixed maturities, trading still held at the reporting date were $(0.2) million, $(7.8) million and $(6.4) million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. This excludes $(2.9) million, $16.6 million and $0.0 million in unrealized gains (losses) for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, that were reported in market risk benefit remeasurement (gain) loss and $6.8 million, $(1.4) million and $0.0 million of unrealized gains (losses) for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, that were reported in net realized capital gains (losses) on funds withheld assets.
(3)Unrealized gains (losses) on equity securities still held at the reporting date were $0.7 million, $(7.1) million and $(0.1) million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. This excludes $1.7 million, $(1.7) million and $0.0 million unrealized gains (losses) for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, that were reported in net realized capital gains (losses) on funds withheld assets.
(4)Net realized capital gains (losses) on mortgage loans include losses related to the deconsolidation of residential mortgage loan trusts in both 2023 and 2022.

Proceeds from sales of investments (excluding call and maturity proceeds) in fixed maturities, available-for-sale were $4,950.4 million, $12,273.0 million and $1,609.0 million in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Allowance for Credit Loss

We have a process in place to identify fixed maturity securities that could potentially require an allowance for credit loss. This process involves monitoring market events that could impact issuers’ credit ratings, business climate, management changes, litigation and government actions and other similar factors. This process also involves monitoring late payments, pricing levels, downgrades by rating agencies, key financial ratios, financial statements, revenue forecasts and cash flow projections as indicators of credit issues.

B-41

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Each reporting period, all securities in an unrealized loss position are reviewed to determine whether a decline in value is due to credit. Relevant facts and circumstances considered include: (1) the extent the fair value is below cost; (2) the reasons for the decline in value; (3) the financial position and access to capital of the issuer, including the current and future impact of any specific events and (4) for structured securities, the adequacy of the expected cash flows. To the extent we determine an unrealized loss is due to credit, an allowance for credit loss is recognized through a reduction to net income.

We estimate the amount of the allowance for credit loss as the difference between amortized cost and the present value of the expected cash flows of the security. The present value is determined using the best estimate cash flows discounted at the effective interest rate implicit to the security at the date of purchase or the current yield to accrete an asset-backed or floating rate security. The methodology and assumptions for establishing the best estimate cash flows vary depending on the type of security. The ABS cash flow estimates are based on security specific facts and circumstances that may include collateral characteristics, expectations of delinquency and default rates, loss severity and prepayment speeds and structural support, including subordination and guarantees. The corporate security cash flow estimates are derived from scenario-based outcomes of expected corporate restructurings or liquidations using bond specific facts and circumstances including timing, security interests and loss severity. We do not measure a credit loss allowance on accrued interest receivable because we write off the accrued interest receivable balance to net investment income in a timely manner when we have concern regarding collectability.

Amounts on fixed maturities, available-for-sale deemed to be uncollectible are written off and removed from the allowance for credit loss. A write-off may also occur if we intend to sell a security or whether it is more likely than not we will be required to sell the security before the recovery of its amortized cost which, in some cases, may extend to maturity.

A rollforward of the allowance for credit loss by major security type was as follows.

For the year ended December 31, 2023
Residential
mortgage-
backedCommercialCollateralized
U.S.States andpass-mortgage-debtOther
governmentNon-U.S.politicalthroughbackedobligationsdebt
and agenciesgovernmentssubdivisionsCorporatesecuritiessecurities(1)obligationsTotal
(in millions)
Beginning
balance $$$$$$$$0.1 $0.1 
Additions for
credit losses
not previously
recorded5.75.7
Write-offs
charged against
allowance(3.8)(3.8)
Ending balance$$$$1.9 $$$$0.1 $2.0 
Accrued interest
written off to
net investment
income$$$$0.1 $$$$$0.1 

B-42

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

For the year ended December 31, 2022
Residential
mortgage-
backedCommercialCollateralized
U.S.States andpass-mortgage-debtOther
governmentNon-U.S.politicalthroughbackedobligationsdebt
and agenciesgovernmentssubdivisionsCorporatesecuritiessecurities(1)obligationsTotal
(in millions)
Beginning
balance $$$$4.5 $$0.3 $$0.1 $4.9 
Reductions for
securities sold
during the
period(8.7)(8.7)
Additional
increases
(decreases)
for credit
losses on
securities with
an allowance
recorded in the
previous period4.24.2
Write-offs
charged against
allowance(0.3)(0.3)
Ending balance$$$$$$$$0.1 $0.1 

B-43

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

For the year ended December 31, 2021
Residential
mortgage-
backedCommercialCollateralized
U.S.States andpass-mortgage-debtOther
governmentNon-U.S.politicalthroughbackedobligationsdebt
and agenciesgovernmentssubdivisionsCorporatesecuritiessecurities(1)obligationsTotal
(in millions)
Beginning
balance $$$$$$4.3 $2.2 $$6.5 
Additions for
credit losses
not previously
recorded16.90.40.117.4
Reductions for
securities sold
during the
period(12.4)(12.4)
Additional
increases
(decreases)
for credit
losses on
securities with
an allowance
recorded in the
previous period2.40.42.8
Write-offs
charged against
allowance(6.8)(2.6)(9.4)
Ending balance$$$$4.5 $$0.3 $$0.1 $4.9 
Accrued interest
written off to
net investment
income$$$$0.2 $$$$$0.2 

(1)Primarily consists of collateralized loan obligations backed by secured corporate loans.

During 2022, we did not write off any accrued interest to net investment income.


B-44

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Available-for-Sale Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions Without an Allowance for Credit Loss

    For available-for-sale securities with unrealized losses for which an allowance for credit loss has not been recorded, the gross unrealized losses and fair value, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position were as follows:

December 31, 2023
Less thanGreater than or
twelve monthsequal to twelve monthsTotal
GrossGrossGross
FairunrealizedFairunrealizedFairunrealized
valuelossesvaluelossesvaluelosses
(in millions)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale (1):
U.S. government and agencies$315.3$3.1$974.2$230.5$1,289.5$233.6
Non-U.S. governments41.91.7307.957.5349.859.2
States and political subdivisions596.619.05,011.7906.95,608.3925.9
Corporate2,540.589.722,305.92,968.924,846.43,058.6
Residential mortgage-backed pass-
through securities472.92.91,275.6157.71,748.5160.6
Commercial mortgage-backed
securities280.34.14,160.3645.64,440.6649.7
Collateralized debt obligations (2)404.81.52,296.325.32,701.126.8
Other debt obligations1,183.718.54,386.0584.25,569.7602.7
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale$5,836.0$140.5$40,717.9$5,576.6$46,553.9$5,717.1
(1)Fair value and gross unrealized losses are excluded for available-for-sale securities for which an allowance for credit loss has been recorded.
(2)Primarily consists of collateralized loan obligations backed by secured corporate loans.

Of the available-for-sale fixed maturities within our consolidated portfolio in a gross unrealized loss position, 94% were investment grade (rated AAA through BBB-) with an average price of 89 (carrying value/amortized cost) as of December 31, 2023. Gross unrealized losses in our fixed maturities portfolio decreased during the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to a tightening of credit spreads.
For those securities that had been in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than twelve months, our consolidated portfolio held 983 securities reflecting an average price of 98 as of December 31, 2023. Of this portfolio, 91% was investment grade (rated AAA through BBB-) as of December 31, 2023, with associated unrealized losses of $131.2 million. The unrealized losses on these securities can primarily be attributed to changes in market interest rates and changes in credit spreads since the securities were acquired.
    
For those securities that had been in a continuous unrealized loss position greater than or equal to twelve months, our consolidated portfolio held 7,042 securities reflecting an average price of 88 and an average credit rating of A as of December 31, 2023. Corporate securities with unrealized losses had an average price of 88 and an average credit rating of BBB+. States and political subdivisions securities with unrealized losses had an average price of 85 and an average credit rating of AA-. Commercial mortgage-backed securities with unrealized losses had an average price of 87 and an average credit rating of AA. Collateralized mortgage obligation securities with unrealized losses had an average price of 85 and an average credit rating of AAA. The unrealized losses on these securities can primarily be attributed to changes in market interest rates and changes in credit spreads since the securities were acquired.

B-45

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Because we expected to recover our amortized cost, we did not record an allowance for credit loss on these securities as of December 31, 2023. Because it was not our intent to sell the fixed maturity available-for-sale securities with unrealized losses and it was not more likely than not that we would be required to sell these securities before recovery of the amortized cost, which may be at maturity, we did not write down these investments to fair value.

December 31, 2022
Less thanGreater than or
twelve monthsequal to twelve monthsTotal
GrossGrossGross
FairunrealizedFairunrealizedFairunrealized
valuelossesvaluelossesvaluelosses
(in millions)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale (1):
U.S. government and agencies$1,505.5$207.0$180.4$41.8$1,685.9$248.8
Non-U.S. governments373.056.719.97.1392.963.8
States and political subdivisions5,243.6999.7387.8126.95,631.41,126.6
Corporate26,668.23,875.12,625.4654.929,293.64,530.0
Residential mortgage-backed pass-
through securities1,201.797.6574.8104.71,776.5202.3
Commercial mortgage-backed
securities3,622.3480.71,113.9220.94,736.2701.6
Collateralized debt obligations (2)2,830.188.81,327.254.44,157.3143.2
Other debt obligations3,412.6290.72,266.7434.45,679.3725.1
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale$44,857.0$6,096.3$8,496.1$1,645.1$53,353.1$7,741.4
(1)Fair value and gross unrealized losses are excluded for available-for-sale securities for which an allowance for credit loss has been recorded.
(2)Primarily consists of collateralized loan obligations backed by secured corporate loans.

Of the available-for-sale fixed maturities within our consolidated portfolio in a gross unrealized loss position, 94% were investment grade (rated AAA through BBB-) with an average price of 87 (carrying value/amortized cost) as of December 31, 2022. Gross unrealized losses in our fixed maturities portfolio increased during the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily due to an increase in interest rates and a widening of credit spreads.
For those securities that had been in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than twelve months, our consolidated portfolio held 7,589 securities reflecting an average price of 88 as of December 31, 2022. Of this portfolio, 95% was investment grade (rated AAA through BBB-) as of December 31, 2022, with associated unrealized losses of $5,920.4 million. The unrealized losses on these securities can primarily be attributed to changes in market interest rates and changes in credit spreads since the securities were acquired.
    
For those securities that had been in a continuous unrealized loss position greater than or equal to twelve months, our consolidated portfolio held 1,654 securities reflecting an average price of 84 and an average credit rating of AA- as of December 31, 2022. Corporate securities with unrealized losses had an average price of 80 and an average credit rating of BBB+. Collateralized mortgage obligation securities with unrealized losses had an average price of 81 and an average credit rating of AAA. Commercial mortgage-backed securities with unrealized losses had an average price of 83 and an average credit rating of AA+. States and political subdivisions securities with unrealized losses had an average price of 75 and an average credit rating of AA-. The unrealized losses on these securities can primarily be attributed to changes in market interest rates and changes in credit spreads since the securities were acquired.

Because we expected to recover our amortized cost, we did not record an allowance for credit loss on these securities as of December 31, 2022. Because it was not our intent to sell the fixed maturity available-for-sale securities with unrealized losses and it was not more likely than not that we would be required to sell these securities before recovery of the amortized cost, which may be at maturity, we did not write down these investments to fair value.
B-46

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Net Unrealized Gains and Losses on Available-for-Sale Securities and Derivative Instruments

    The net unrealized gains and losses on investments in available-for-sale securities and the net unrealized gains and losses on derivative instruments in cash flow hedge relationships are reported as separate components of stockholder’s equity. The cumulative amount of net unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities and derivative instruments in cash flow hedge relationships net of adjustments related to actuarial balances, policyholder liabilities, noncontrolling interest and applicable income taxes was as follows:

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Net unrealized losses on fixed maturities, available-for-sale (1)$(5,128.4)$(7,552.6)
Net unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments(1.6)50.7
Adjustments for assumed changes in amortization patterns(5.2)(1.8)
Adjustments for assumed changes in policyholder liabilities1.40.5
Net unrealized gains on other investments and noncontrolling interest
adjustments2.92.9
Provision for deferred income tax benefits1,099.61,601.5
Net unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities and derivative instruments$(4,031.3)$(5,898.8)
(1)Excludes net unrealized gains (losses) on fixed maturities, available-for-sale included in fair value hedging relationships.

Financing Receivables

Mortgage Loans

Mortgage loans consist of commercial and residential mortgage loans. Our commercial mortgage loan portfolio consists primarily of non-recourse, fixed rate mortgages on stabilized properties. Our residential mortgage loan portfolio is composed of first lien and home equity mortgages.

Commercial and residential mortgage loans are generally reported at cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and accrual of discounts, computed using the interest method and net of valuation allowances. Amortized cost excludes accrued interest receivable. Interest income is accrued on the principal amount of the loan based on the loan's contractual interest rate. Interest income, as well as prepayment of fees and the amortization of the related premium or discount, is reported in net investment income on the consolidated statements of operations. Accrued interest receivable is reported in accrued investment income on the consolidated statements of financial position. Any changes in the loan valuation allowances are reported in net realized capital gains (losses) on the consolidated statements of operations. Further details relating to our valuation allowance are included under the caption “Financing Receivables Valuation Allowance.”

Reinsurance Recoverable and Deposit Receivable

Our reinsurance recoverables include amounts due from reinsurers for paid or unpaid claims, claims incurred but not reported or policy benefits. We cede life, disability, medical and long-term care insurance as well as fixed annuity contracts with significant life insurance risk to other insurance companies through reinsurance. Deposit receivables include amounts due from the reinsurer for fixed annuity contracts without significant life insurance risk recorded using the deposit method of accounting.

Other Loans

Our other loans include consumer, auto and other loans (“other loans”) of a consolidated VIE for which the fair value option was elected as well as consumer loans for which the fair value option was not elected. Other loans are generally subject to amortized cost accounting and a valuation allowance if the fair value option is not elected. Other loans are reported as a component of other investments in the consolidated statements of financial position.


B-47

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Credit Quality Information for Financing Receivables

The amortized cost of our financing receivables by credit risk and vintage was as follows:

December 31, 2023
20232022202120202019PriorTotal
(in millions)
Commercial mortgage
loans:
A- and above$667.4$1,214.8$2,271.5$1,535.8$1,921.0$5,447.2$13,057.7
BBB+ thru BBB-282.6356.8343.0203.3309.9886.92,382.5
BB+ thru BB-110.6142.135.3234.6522.6
B+ and below83.553.9137.4
Total$1,060.6$1,713.7$2,614.5$1,739.1$2,349.7$6,622.6$16,100.2
Residential mortgage
loans:
Performing$456.3$1,023.4$1,272.5$150.4$86.8$253.6$3,243.0
Non-performing2.14.01.82.310.2
Total$456.3$1,025.5$1,276.5$150.4$88.6$255.9$3,253.2
Other loans:
Performing$168.5$$$$$$168.5
Non-performing0.10.1
Total$168.5$$$$$0.1$168.6
Reinsurance recoverable and deposit receivable$24,427.9

December 31, 2022
20222021202020192018PriorTotal
(in millions)
Commercial mortgage
loans:
A- and above$995.9$2,182.5$1,753.8$2,177.2$2,130.8$4,555.1$13,795.3
BBB+ thru BBB-371.8412.8149.7391.6222.6676.42,224.9
BB+ thru BB-104.08.966.5179.4
B+ and below8.335.543.8
Total$1,471.7$2,595.3$1,903.5$2,568.8$2,370.6$5,333.5$16,243.4
Residential mortgage
loans:
Performing$1,101.4$1,669.1$364.5$99.2$51.2$253.6$3,539.0
Non-performing8.04.71.81.00.64.420.5
Total$1,109.4$1,673.8$366.3$100.2$51.8$258.0$3,559.5
Reinsurance recoverable and deposit receivable$21,445.0
B-48

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The amortized cost of commercial mortgage loans, residential mortgage loans and other loans excluded accrued interest receivable of $57.1 million, $10.3 million and $1.6 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2023, and $55.9 million, $9.8 million and $0.0 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2022.
Financing Receivables Credit Monitoring

Commercial Mortgage Loan Credit Risk Profile Based on Internal Rating

We actively monitor and manage our commercial mortgage loan portfolio. All commercial mortgage loans are analyzed regularly and substantially all are internally rated, based on a proprietary risk rating cash flow model, in order to monitor the financial quality of these assets. The model stresses expected cash flows at various levels and at different points in time depending on the durability of the income stream, which includes our assessment of factors such as location (macro and micro markets), tenant quality and lease expirations. Our internal rating analysis presents expected losses in terms of an S&P Global (“S&P”) bond equivalent rating for commercial mortgage loans. As the credit risk for commercial mortgage loans increases, we adjust our internal ratings downward with loans in the category “B+ and below” having the highest risk for credit loss. Internal ratings on commercial mortgage loans are updated at least annually and potentially more often for certain loans with material changes in collateral value or occupancy and for loans on an internal “watch list”.

Commercial mortgage loans that require more frequent and detailed attention are identified and placed on an internal “watch list”. Among the criteria that may indicate a potential problem are significant negative changes in ratios of loan to value or contract rents to debt service, major tenant vacancies or bankruptcies, borrower sponsorship problems, late payments, delinquent taxes and loan relief/restructuring requests.

Residential Mortgage Loan Credit Risk Profile Based on Performance Status

Our residential mortgage loan portfolio is monitored based on performance of the loans. Monitoring on a residential mortgage loan increases when the loan is delinquent or earlier if there is an indication of potential impairment. We define non-performing residential mortgage loans as loans 90 days or greater delinquent or on non-accrual status.

Other Loans Credit Risk Profile Based on Performance Status

Our other loans are monitored based on performance of the loans. Monitoring on other loans increases when the loan is delinquent or earlier if there is an indication of potential impairment.

Non-Accrual Financing Receivables

Financing receivables are placed on non-accrual status if we have concern regarding the collectability of future payments or if a financing receivable has matured without being paid off or extended. Factors considered may include conversations with the borrower, loss of major tenant, bankruptcy of borrower or major tenant, decreased property cash flow for commercial mortgage loans or number of days past due and other circumstances for residential mortgage loans. Based on an assessment as to the collectability of the principal, a determination is made to apply any payments received either against the principal, against the valuation allowance or according to the contractual terms. When a financing receivable is placed on non-accrual status, the accrued unpaid interest receivable is reversed against interest income. Accrual of interest resumes after factors resulting in doubts about collectability have improved.


B-49

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The amortized cost of financing receivables on non-accrual status was as follows:

December 31, 2023
Amortized cost
BeginningEndingof nonaccrual
amortized costamortized costassets without
on nonaccrualon nonaccruala valuation
statusstatusallowance
(in millions)
Commercial mortgage loans$43.8$53.9$
Residential mortgage loans16.08.20.5
Total$59.8$62.1$0.5
December 31, 2022
Amortized cost
BeginningEndingof nonaccrual
amortized costamortized costassets without
on nonaccrualon nonaccruala valuation
statusstatusallowance
(in millions)
Commercial mortgage loans$8.7$43.8$
Residential mortgage loans3.416.00.6
Total$12.1$59.8$0.6

    Interest income recognized on non-accrual financing receivables was as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Commercial mortgage loans$1.2$0.9$0.5
Total$1.2$0.9$0.5

B-50

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The aging of our financing receivables, based on amortized cost, was as follows:

December 31, 2023
90 days or90 days or
30-59 days60-89 daysmore pastTotal pastmore and
past duepast dueduedueCurrentTotal (1)accruing
(in millions)
Commercial mortgage loans$$$7.9$7.9$16,092.3$16,100.2$
Residential mortgage loans8.51.88.719.03,234.23,253.22.0
Other loans1.00.50.72.2166.4168.60.6
Total$9.5$2.3$17.3$29.1$19,492.9$19,522.0$2.6
December 31, 2022
90 days or90 days or
30-59 days60-89 daysmore pastTotal pastmore and
past duepast dueduedueCurrentTotal (1)accruing
(in millions)
Commercial mortgage loans$$$8.3$8.3$16,235.1$16,243.4$
Residential mortgage loans35.92.412.450.73,508.83,559.54.4
Total$35.9$2.4$20.7$59.0$19,743.9$19,802.9$4.4

(1)As of both December 31, 2023 and 2022, no reinsurance recoverables or deposit receivables were considered past due.

Financing Receivables Valuation Allowance

We establish a valuation allowance to provide for the risk of credit losses inherent in our financing receivables. The valuation allowance is maintained at a level believed adequate by management to absorb estimated expected credit losses. The valuation allowance is based on amortized cost excluding accrued interest receivable and includes reserves for pools of financing receivables with similar risk characteristics. We do not measure a credit loss allowance on accrued interest receivable because we write off the uncollectible accrued interest receivable balance to net investment income in a timely manner, generally within 90 days. During 2023 and 2022, we did not write off any commercial mortgage loan accrued interest or residential mortgage loan accrued interest.

For commercial and residential mortgage loans, management's periodic evaluation and assessment of the valuation allowance adequacy is based on known and inherent risks in the portfolio, adverse situations that may affect a borrower's ability to repay, the estimated value of the underlying collateral, composition of the portfolio, portfolio delinquency information, underwriting standards, peer group information, current and forecasted economic conditions, loss experience and other relevant factors. For reinsurance recoverables and deposit receivables, management’s periodic evaluation and assessment of the valuation allowance adequacy is based on known and inherent risks, adverse situations that may affect a reinsurer’s ability to repay, current and forecasted economic conditions, industry loss experience and other relevant factors.

Our commercial mortgage loans are pooled by risk rating level with an estimated loss ratio applied against each risk rating level. The loss ratio is generally based upon historical loss experience for each risk rating level as adjusted for certain current and forecasted environmental factors management believes to be relevant. Environmental factors are forecasted for two years or less with immediate reversion to historical experience. A commercial mortgage loan is evaluated individually if it does not continue to share similar risk characteristics of a pool. We analyze the need for an individual evaluation for any commercial mortgage loan that is delinquent for 60 days or more, in process of foreclosure, restructured, on the internal “watch list” or that currently is evaluated individually.

B-51

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

We estimate expected credit losses for certain commercial mortgage loan commitments where we have a contractual obligation to extend credit. The expected credit losses are estimated based on the commercial mortgage loan valuation allowance process described previously, adjusted for probability of funding. The estimated expected credit losses for commercial mortgage loan commitments are reported in other liabilities on the consolidated statements of financial position. The change in the credit loss liability for commitments is included in net realized capital gains (losses) on the consolidated statements of operations. Once funded, expected credit losses for commercial mortgage loans are included within the commercial mortgage loan valuation allowance described previously. 

We evaluate residential mortgage loans based on aggregated risk factors and historical loss experience by pool type. We adjust these quantitative factors for qualitative factors of present and forecasted conditions. Qualitative factors include items such as economic and business conditions, changes in the portfolio, value of underlying collateral and concentrations. A residential mortgage loan is evaluated individually if it does not continue to share similar risk characteristics of a pool. We analyze the need for an individual evaluation for any residential mortgage loan that is delinquent for 60 days or more, in process of foreclosure, restructured, on the internal “watch list” or that currently is evaluated individually.

As discussed previously, commercial and residential mortgage loans are evaluated individually if the asset does not continue to share similar risk characteristics of a pool. When we determine a commercial or residential mortgage loan is probable of foreclosure, a valuation allowance is established equal to the difference between the carrying amount of the mortgage loan and the estimated value of the collateral reduced by the cost to sell. For certain commercial mortgage loans where repayment is expected to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the collateral and the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty, we elect to establish a valuation allowance equal to the difference between the carrying amount of the mortgage loan and the estimated value of the real estate collateral, which may be reduced by the cost to sell. Estimated value may also be based on either the present value of the expected future cash flows discounted at the asset's effective interest rate or the asset's observable market price. Subsequent changes in the estimated value are reflected in the valuation allowance. Amounts on financing receivables deemed to be uncollectible are charged off and removed from the valuation allowance. The change in the valuation allowance for loans is included in net realized capital gains (losses) on the consolidated statements of operations.

Our reinsurance recoverables and deposit receivable are pooled by reinsurer risk rating with an estimated loss ratio applied against each risk rating level. The loss ratio is generally based upon industry historical loss experience and expected recovery timing as adjusted for certain current and forecasted environmental factors management believes to be relevant. Environmental factors are forecasted for five years or less with immediate reversion to industry historical experience. A reinsurance recoverable or deposit receivable is evaluated individually if it does not continue to share similar risk characteristics of a pool. We analyze the need for an individual evaluation for any reinsurance recoverable or deposit receivable based on past due payments and changes in reinsurer risk ratings. The change in the valuation allowance for reinsurance recoverables and deposit receivable is included in benefits, claims and settlement expenses on the consolidated statements of operations.

B-52

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

A rollforward of our valuation allowance was as follows:

For the year ended December 31, 2023
CommercialResidential
mortgagemortgageReinsurance
loansloansrecoverablesTotal
(in millions)
Beginning balance $75.5$5.0$2.7$83.2
Provision50.60.551.1
Charge-offs(0.4)(0.4)
Recoveries1.51.5
Ending balance$126.1$6.1$3.2$135.4
For the year ended December 31, 2022
CommercialResidential
mortgagemortgageReinsurance
loansloansrecoverablesTotal
(in millions)
Beginning balance $42.0$1.7$2.7$46.4
Provision33.51.234.7
Charge-offs(0.2)(0.2)
Recoveries2.32.3
Ending balance$75.5$5.0$2.7$83.2
For the year ended December 31, 2021
CommercialResidential
mortgagemortgageReinsurance
loansloansrecoverablesTotal
(in millions)
Beginning balance $40.5$5.7$2.7$48.9
Provision (1)1.5(7.2)(5.7)
Charge-offs(0.5)(0.5)
Recoveries3.73.7
Ending balance$42.0$1.7$2.7$46.4

(1)During the year ended December 31, 2021, certain valuation allowances for residential mortgage loans were released. This release was a result of further adjustments to our current and forecasted environmental factors management believed to be relevant as global economic activity improved from previously adverse impacts due to COVID-19.

For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, no allowance was recorded for other loans.


B-53

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Mortgage Loans

We periodically purchase mortgage loans as well as sell mortgage loans we have originated. Mortgage loans purchased and sold were as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Commercial mortgage loans:
Purchased$108.1$261.3$
Residential mortgage loans:
Purchased (1)505.61,805.22,272.4
Sold99.3512.8
(1) Includes mortgage loans purchased by residential mortgage loan VIEs.

Our commercial mortgage loan portfolio is diversified by geographic region and specific collateral property type as follows:

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
AmortizedPercentAmortizedPercent
costof totalcostof total
($ in millions)
Geographic distribution
New England$367.62.3%$513.33.2%
Middle Atlantic4,525.028.14,518.827.8
East North Central584.53.6653.94.0
West North Central336.92.1371.92.3
South Atlantic2,768.817.22,565.515.8
East South Central430.32.7340.62.1
West South Central1,272.07.91,208.87.4
Mountain825.95.1940.95.8
Pacific4,989.231.05,129.731.6
Total$16,100.2100.0%$16,243.4100.0%
Property type distribution
Office$3,651.522.7%$4,331.826.7%
Retail1,457.49.11,502.59.2
Industrial3,526.721.93,246.420.0
Apartments7,148.544.46,848.342.2
Hotel68.60.472.50.4
Mixed use/other247.51.5241.91.5
Total$16,100.2100.0%$16,243.4100.0%
Mortgage Loan Modifications
Our commercial and residential mortgage loan portfolios include loans that have been modified. We assess loan modifications that are related to our borrowers experiencing financial difficulty in the form of principal forgiveness, an interest rate reduction, an other-than-insignificant payment delay, or a term extension (or a combination thereof). Generally, an assessment of whether a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty is made on the date of the modification.
B-54

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023


The financing receivables valuation allowance utilizes an estimate of lifetime expected credit losses and it is recorded on each loan upon origination or acquisition. The starting point for the estimate of the valuation allowance is historical loss information, which includes losses from modification of receivables to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. Because the effect of most modifications made to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty is already included in the valuation allowance because of the measurement methodologies used to estimate the allowance, a change to the valuation allowance is generally not recorded upon modification.

Occasionally, a modification of a loan from a borrower experiencing financial difficulty is in the form of principal forgiveness. When principal forgiveness is provided as a modification, the amount of the principal forgiven is deemed uncollectible. Therefore, that portion of the loan is written off, which results in a reduction of the amortized cost and a corresponding adjustment to the valuation allowance.

In some cases, we modify a loan by providing multiple types of concessions. Typically, one type of concession, such as a term extension, is granted initially. If the borrower continues to experience financial difficulty, another concession, such as principal forgiveness may be granted.

We did not have any significant mortgage loans that were modified for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Troubled Debt Restructuring

Prior to the implementation of authoritative guidance in 2023, we assessed loan modifications on a case-by-case basis to evaluate whether a TDR has occurred. When we had commercial mortgage loan TDRs, they were modified to delay or reduce principal payments and to reduce or delay interest payments. The commercial mortgage loan modifications result in delayed cash receipts, a decrease in interest income and loan rates that were considered below market. When we had residential mortgage loan TDRs, they included modifications of interest-only payment periods, delays in principal balloon payments and interest rate reductions. Residential mortgage loan modifications resulted in delayed or decreased cash receipts and a decrease in interest income.

When we had commercial mortgage loan TDRs, they were reserved for in the mortgage loan valuation allowance at the estimated fair value of the underlying collateral reduced by the cost to sell.

When we had residential mortgage loan TDRs, they were specifically reserved for in the mortgage loan valuation allowance if losses resulted from the modification. Residential mortgage loans that had defaulted or had been discharged through bankruptcy were reduced to the expected collectible amount.

The following table includes information about outstanding loans that were modified and met the criteria of a TDR during the periods indicated.

For the year ended December 31, 2022
TDRsTDRs in payment default
Number ofRecordedNumber ofRecorded
contractsinvestmentcontractsinvestment
(in millions)(in millions)
Commercial mortgage loans1$35.5$
Total1$35.5$

We did not have any significant loans that were modified and met the criteria of a TDR for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Real Estate

    Depreciation expense on invested real estate was $69.8 million, $66.1 million and $67.4 million in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Accumulated depreciation was $749.6 million and $708.5 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
B-55

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Other Investments

    Other investments include interests in unconsolidated entities, joint ventures and partnerships and properties owned jointly with venture partners and operated by the partners. Such investments are generally accounted for using the equity method. In applying the equity method, we record our share of income or loss reported by the equity investees in net investment income. Summarized financial information for these unconsolidated entities was as follows:

December 31,
20232022
(in millions)
Total assets$119,329.9$128,765.7
Total liabilities16,131.812,335.4
Total equity$103,198.1$116,430.3
Net investment in unconsolidated entities$1,869.9$1,275.5
For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Total revenues$2,555.9$36,915.1$17,674.2
Net income(3,110.6)33,194.614,083.1
Our share of net income of unconsolidated entities151.0119.5229.6

In addition, other investments include other loans. See the captions “Financing Receivables” and “Financing Receivables Valuation Allowance” for further details related to our valuation of other loans.

Furthermore, other investments include $1,186.3 million and $1,115.6 million of cash surrender value of company owned life insurance as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Derivative assets are carried at fair value and reported as a component of other investments. See Note 6, Derivative Financial Instruments, for further details.

Securities Posted as Collateral

    As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we posted $6,616.8 million and $6,411.0 million, respectively, in commercial mortgage loans and residential first lien mortgages to satisfy collateral requirements associated with our obligation under funding agreements with Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (“FHLB Des Moines”). In addition, as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we posted $4,129.6 million and $3,567.6 million, respectively, in fixed maturities, available-for-sale and trading securities to satisfy collateral requirements primarily associated with a reinsurance arrangement, our derivative credit support annex (collateral) agreements, Futures Commission Merchant (“FCM”) agreements, a lending arrangement and our obligation under funding agreements with FHLB Des Moines. Since we did not relinquish ownership rights on these instruments, they are reported as mortgage loans, fixed maturities, available-for-sale and fixed maturities, trading, respectively, on our consolidated statements of financial position. Of the securities posted as collateral, as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, $509.8 million and $503.8 million, respectively, could be sold or repledged by the secured party.


B-56

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Balance Sheet Offsetting

Financial assets subject to master netting agreements or similar agreements were as follows:

Gross amounts not offset in the
consolidated statements
of financial position
Gross amount
of recognizedFinancialCollateral
assets (1)instruments (2)receivedNet amount
(in millions)
December 31, 2023
Derivative assets$253.0$(166.0)$(81.0)$6.0
Reverse repurchase agreements122.7(122.7)
Total$375.7$(166.0)$(203.7)$6.0
December 31, 2022
Derivative assets$256.6$(133.5)$(120.8)$2.3
Reverse repurchase agreements112.9(112.9)
Total$369.5$(133.5)$(233.7)$2.3

(1)The gross amount of recognized derivative and reverse repurchase agreement assets are reported with other investments and cash and cash equivalents, respectively, on the consolidated statements of financial position. The gross amounts of derivative and reverse repurchase agreement assets are not netted against offsetting liabilities for presentation on the consolidated statements of financial position.
(2)Represents amount of offsetting derivative liabilities that are subject to an enforceable master netting agreement or similar agreement that are not netted against the gross derivative assets for presentation on the consolidated statements of financial position.

Financial liabilities subject to master netting agreements or similar agreements were as follows:

Gross amounts not offset in the
consolidated statements
of financial position
Gross amount
of recognizedFinancialCollateral
liabilities (1)instruments (2)pledgedNet amount
(in millions)
December 31, 2023
Derivative liabilities$473.4$(166.0)$(295.5)$11.9
December 31, 2022
Derivative liabilities$612.2$(133.5)$(467.2)$11.5

(1)    The gross amount of recognized derivative liabilities is reported with other liabilities on the consolidated statements of financial position. The above excludes derivative liabilities, which are primarily embedded derivatives that are not subject to master netting agreements or similar agreements. The gross amounts of derivative liabilities are not netted against offsetting assets for presentation on the consolidated statements of financial position.
(2)    Represents amount of offsetting derivative assets that are subject to an enforceable master netting agreement or similar agreement that are not netted against the gross derivative liabilities for presentation on the consolidated statements of financial position.

B-57

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The financial instruments that are subject to master netting agreements or similar agreements include right of setoff provisions. Derivative instruments include provisions to setoff positions covered under the agreements with the same counterparties and provisions to setoff positions outside of the agreements with the same counterparties in the event of default by one of the parties. Derivative instruments also include collateral or variation margin provisions, which are generally settled daily with each counterparty. See Note 6, Derivative Financial Instruments, for further details.

Repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements include provisions to setoff other repurchase and reverse repurchase balances with the same counterparty. Repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements also include collateral provisions with the counterparties. For reverse repurchase agreements we require the counterparties to pledge collateral with a value greater than the amount of cash transferred. We have the right but do not sell or repledge collateral received in reverse repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements are structured as secured borrowings for all counterparties. We pledge fixed maturities available-for-sale, which the counterparties have the right to sell or repledge. Interest incurred on repurchase agreements is reported as part of operating expenses on the consolidated statements of operations. Net proceeds related to repurchase agreements are reported as a component of financing activities on the consolidated statements of cash flows. We did not have any outstanding repurchase agreements as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

6. Derivative Financial Instruments

    Derivatives are generally used to hedge or reduce exposure to market risks associated with assets held or expected to be purchased or sold and liabilities incurred or expected to be incurred. Derivatives are used to change the characteristics of our asset/liability mix consistent with our risk management activities. Derivatives are also used in asset replication strategies.

Types of Derivative Instruments

Interest Rate Contracts

Interest rate risk is the risk we will incur economic losses due to adverse changes in interest rates. Sources of interest rate risk include the difference between the maturity and interest rate changes of assets with the liabilities they support, timing differences between the pricing of liabilities and the purchase or procurement of assets and changing cash flow profiles from original projections due to prepayment options embedded within asset and liability contracts. We use various derivatives to manage our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates.

Interest rate swaps are contracts in which we agree with other parties to exchange, at specified intervals, the difference between fixed rate and/or floating rate interest amounts based upon designated market rates or rate indices and an agreed upon notional principal amount. Generally, no cash is exchanged at the outset of the contract and no principal payments are made by any party. Cash is paid or received based on the terms of the swap. We use interest rate swaps primarily to more closely match the interest rate characteristics of assets and liabilities and to mitigate the risks arising from timing mismatches between assets and liabilities (including duration mismatches). We also use interest rate swaps to hedge against changes in the value of assets we anticipate acquiring and other anticipated transactions and commitments. Interest rate swaps are used to hedge against changes in the value of the guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit (“GMWB”) MRB. The GMWB rider on our variable annuity products provides for guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefits regardless of the actual performance of various equity and/or fixed income funds available with the product. Additionally, we utilize interest rate swaps to replicate the returns of floating rate assets.

Interest rate options, including interest rate caps and interest rate floors, which can be combined to form interest rate collars, are contracts that entitle the purchaser to pay or receive the amounts, if any, by which a specified market rate exceeds a cap strike interest rate, or falls below a floor strike interest rate, respectively, at specified dates. We use interest rate options to manage prepayment risks in our assets and minimum guaranteed interest rates and lapse risks in our liabilities.

A swaption is an option to enter into an interest rate swap at a future date. We have purchased swaptions to hedge interest rate exposure for certain assets and liabilities. Swaptions not only hedge against the downside risk, but also allow us to take advantage of any upside benefits.

B-58

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

In exchange-traded futures transactions, we agree to purchase or sell a specified number of contracts, the values of which are determined by the values of designated classes of securities, and to post variation margin on a daily basis in an amount equal to the difference in the daily market values of those contracts. We enter into exchange-traded futures with regulated futures commissions merchants who are members of a trading exchange. We use exchange-traded interest rate futures to hedge against changes in value of the GMWB MRB.

Interest rate forwards, including to be announced (“TBA”) forwards, bond forwards and treasury forwards are contracts to take delivery of a fixed income security at a specified price at a future date. TBA forwards deliver government guaranteed mortgage-backed securities. Bond forwards and treasury forwards deliver corporate or municipal and U.S. Treasury bonds, respectively. At inception of the TBA and treasury forward contracts, we do not intend to take physical delivery. We intend to take delivery of the bond forwards referencing corporate or municipal bonds. We have used TBA forwards to gain exposure to the investment risk and return of agency mortgage-backed security pools in order to reduce asset and liability duration mismatch. Treasury forwards are used to hedge against changes in the value of the GMWB MRB. Bond forwards are used to gain leverage through synthetic exposure during the forward period and fix the purchase price of a bond at a specified date in future.

Foreign Exchange Contracts

Foreign currency risk is the risk we will incur economic losses due to adverse fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. This risk arises from foreign currency-denominated funding agreements issued to nonqualified institutional investors in the international market and foreign currency-denominated fixed maturity securities we invest in. We use various derivatives to manage our exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates.

Currency swaps are contracts in which we agree with other parties to exchange, at specified intervals, a series of principal and interest payments in one currency for that of another currency. Generally, the principal amount of each currency is exchanged at the beginning and termination of the currency swap by each party. The interest payments are primarily fixed-to-fixed rate; however, they may also be fixed-to-floating rate or floating-to-fixed rate. These transactions are entered into pursuant to master agreements that provide for a single net payment to be made by one counterparty for payments made in the same currency at each due date. We use currency swaps to reduce market risks from changes in currency exchange rates with respect to investments or liabilities denominated in foreign currencies that we either hold or intend to acquire or sell.

Currency forwards are contracts in which we agree with other parties to deliver or receive a specified amount of an identified currency at a specified future date. Typically, the price is agreed upon at the time of the contract and payment for such a contract is made at the specified future date. We use currency forwards to hedge certain foreign-denominated real estate funds.

Equity Contracts

Equity risk is the risk that we will incur economic losses due to adverse fluctuations in common stock prices. We use various derivatives to manage our exposure to equity risk, which arises from products in which the return or interest we credit is tied to an external equity index as well as products subject to minimum contractual guarantees.

We purchase equity call spreads (“option collars”) to hedge the equity participation rates promised to contractholders in conjunction with our fixed deferred annuity and universal life products that credit interest based on changes in an external equity index.

We use equity put options to hedge against changes in the value of the GMWB MRB related to the GMWB rider on our variable annuity product. We also use equity options to hedge returns credited to policyholder accounts related to our RILA product. The premium associated with certain options is paid quarterly over the life of the option contract.

We use exchange-traded equity futures to hedge against changes in the value of the GMWB MRB, returns credited to policyholder accounts related to our RILA product and the economic exposure to certain fund closures in process.

B-59

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Credit Contracts

Credit risk relates to the uncertainty associated with the continued ability of a given obligor to make timely payments of principal and interest. We use credit default swaps to enhance the return on our investment portfolio by providing comparable exposure to fixed income securities that might not be available in the primary market. They are also used to hedge credit exposures in our investment portfolio. Credit derivatives are used to sell or buy credit protection on an identified name or names on an unfunded or synthetic basis in return for receiving or paying a quarterly premium. The premium generally corresponds to a referenced name's credit spread at the time the agreement is executed. In cases where we sell protection, we also buy a quality cash bond to match against the credit default swap, thereby entering into a synthetic transaction replicating a cash security. When selling protection, if there is an event of default by the referenced name, as defined by the agreement, we are obligated to pay the counterparty the referenced amount of the contract and receive in return the referenced security in a principal amount equal to the notional value of the credit default swap.

Other Contracts

Embedded Derivatives. We purchase or issue certain financial instruments or products that contain a derivative instrument that is embedded in the financial instrument or product. When it is determined that the embedded derivative possesses economic characteristics that are not clearly or closely related to the economic characteristics of the host contract and a separate instrument with the same terms would qualify as a derivative instrument, the embedded derivative is bifurcated from the host instrument for measurement purposes. The embedded derivative, which is reported with the host instrument in the consolidated statements of financial position, is carried at fair value.

We offer group annuity contracts that have guaranteed separate accounts as an investment option. We have fixed deferred annuities, RILAs and universal life products that credit interest based on changes in an external equity index.

We have a funds withheld payable associated with our coinsurance with funds withheld agreements. The funds withheld payable has an embedded total return swap as the total return of the funds withheld assets are transferred to the reinsurers, which is not based on our own creditworthiness.

Exposure

    Our risk of loss is typically limited to the fair value of our derivative instruments and not to the notional or contractual amounts of these derivatives. We are also exposed to credit losses in the event of nonperformance of the counterparties. Our current credit exposure is limited to the value of derivatives that have become favorable to us. This credit risk is minimized by purchasing such agreements from financial institutions with high credit ratings and by establishing and monitoring exposure limits. We also utilize various credit enhancements, including collateral and credit triggers to reduce the credit exposure to our derivative instruments.

    Derivatives may be exchange-traded or they may be privately negotiated contracts, which are usually referred to as over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives. Certain of our OTC derivatives are cleared and settled through central clearing counterparties (“OTC cleared”), while others are bilateral contracts between two counterparties (“bilateral OTC”). Our derivative transactions are generally documented under International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (“ISDA”) Master Agreements. Management believes that such agreements provide for legally enforceable set-off and close-out netting of exposures to specific counterparties. Under such agreements, in connection with an early termination of a transaction, we are permitted to set off our receivable from a counterparty against our payables to the same counterparty arising out of all included transactions. For reporting purposes, we do not offset fair value amounts of bilateral OTC derivatives for the right to reclaim cash collateral or the obligation to return cash collateral against fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments executed with the same counterparties under master netting agreements. OTC cleared derivatives have variation margin that is legally characterized as settlement of the derivative exposure, which reduces their fair value in the consolidated statements of financial position.

We posted $536.9 million and $730.6 million in cash and securities under collateral arrangements as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, to satisfy collateral and initial margin requirements associated with our derivative credit support agreements and FCM agreements.

B-60

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Certain of our derivative instruments contain provisions that require us to maintain an investment grade rating from each of the major credit rating agencies on our debt. If the ratings on our debt were to fall below investment grade, it would be in violation of these provisions and the counterparties to the derivative instruments could request immediate payment or demand immediate and ongoing full overnight collateralization on derivative instruments in net liability positions. The aggregate fair value, inclusive of accrued interest, of all derivative instruments with credit-risk-related contingent features that were in a liability position without regard to netting under derivative credit support annex agreements as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, was $474.2 million and $613.0 million, respectively. Cleared derivatives have contingent features that require us to post excess margin as required by the FCM. The terms surrounding excess margin vary by FCM agreement. With respect to derivatives containing collateral provisions, we posted collateral and initial margin of $536.9 million and $730.6 million as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, in the normal course of business, which reflects netting under derivative agreements. If the credit-risk-related contingent features underlying these agreements were triggered on December 31, 2023, we would be required to post up to an additional $93.0 million of collateral to our counterparties.

As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we had received $97.0 million and $142.6 million, respectively, of cash collateral associated with our derivative credit support annex agreements and FCM agreements, for which we recorded a corresponding liability reflecting our obligation to return the collateral.

Notional amounts are used to express the extent of our involvement in derivative transactions and represent a standard measurement of the volume of our derivative activity. Notional amounts represent those amounts used to calculate contractual flows to be exchanged and are not paid or received, except for contracts such as currency swaps. Credit exposure represents the gross amount owed to us under derivative contracts as of the valuation date. The notional amounts and credit exposure of our derivative financial instruments by type were as follows:

B-61

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Notional amounts of derivative instruments
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate swaps$57,766.6$52,249.9
Interest rate options4,498.44,418.9
Interest rate forwards1,990.82,527.5
Interest rate futures1,174.5877.5
Foreign exchange contracts:
Currency swaps1,888.51,389.8
Currency forwards54.232.0
Equity contracts:
Equity options2,331.32,049.3
Equity futures559.6574.1
Credit contracts:
Credit default swaps305.0400.0
Other contracts:
Embedded derivatives26,454.223,209.3
Total notional amounts at end of period$97,023.1$87,728.3
Credit exposure of derivative instruments
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate swaps$42.9$64.2
Interest rate options37.041.7
Interest rate forwards4.20.1
Foreign exchange contracts:
Currency swaps89.8139.2
Currency forwards0.70.9
Equity contracts:
Equity options83.816.5
Credit contracts:
Credit default swaps4.73.6
Total gross credit exposure263.1266.2
Less: collateral received107.1158.8
Net credit exposure$156.0$107.4


B-62

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The fair value of our derivative instruments classified as assets and liabilities was as follows:

Derivative assets (1)Derivative liabilities (2)
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Derivatives designated as hedging
instruments
Interest rate contracts$9.0$20.0$72.6$105.1
Foreign exchange contracts84.6134.638.919.3
Total derivatives designated as hedging
instruments$93.6$154.6$111.5$124.4
Derivatives not designated as hedging
instruments
Interest rate contracts$70.3$81.1$284.3$439.9
Foreign exchange contracts0.70.92.30.3
Equity contracts83.816.574.245.6
Credit contracts4.63.51.12.0
Other contracts(2,210.6)(3,606.5)
Total derivatives not designated as hedging
instruments159.4102.0(1,848.7)(3,118.7)
Total derivative instruments$253.0$256.6$(1,737.2)$(2,994.3)

(1) The fair value of derivative assets is reported with other investments on the consolidated statements of financial position.
(2) The fair value of derivative liabilities is reported with other liabilities on the consolidated statements of financial position, with the exception of certain embedded derivative liabilities. Embedded derivatives with a net liability fair value of $115.5 million and $46.3 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, are reported with contractholder funds on the consolidated statements of financial position. Embedded derivatives with a net (asset) liability fair value of $(2,326.1) million and $(3,652.8) million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, are reported with funds withheld payable on the consolidated statements of financial position.

Credit Derivatives Sold

When we sell credit protection, we are exposed to the underlying credit risk similar to purchasing a fixed maturity security instrument. Our credit derivative contracts sold reference a single name or reference security (referred to as “single name credit default swaps”). These instruments are either referenced in an OTC credit derivative transaction or embedded within an investment structure that has been fully consolidated into our financial statements.

These credit derivative transactions are subject to events of default defined within the terms of the contract, which normally consist of bankruptcy, failure to pay, or modified restructuring of the reference entity and/or issue. If a default event occurs for a reference name or security, we are obligated to pay the counterparty an amount equal to the notional amount of the credit derivative transaction. As a result, our maximum future payment is equal to the notional amount of the credit derivative. In certain cases, we also may have purchased credit protection with identical underlyings to certain of our sold protection transactions. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we did not purchase credit protection relating to our sold protection transactions. In certain circumstances, our potential loss could also be reduced by any amount recovered in the default proceedings of the underlying credit name.


B-63

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The following tables show our credit default swap protection sold by types of contract, types of referenced/underlying asset class and external agency rating for the underlying reference security. The maximum future payments are undiscounted and have not been reduced by the effect of any offsetting transactions, collateral or recourse features described above.

December 31, 2023
Weighted
Maximumaverage
NotionalFairfutureexpected life
amountvaluepayments(in years)
(in millions)
Single name credit default swaps
Corporate debt
A$40.0$0.3$40.01.5
BBB 140.0 3.8 140.03.0
BB20.00.220.03.5
Sovereign
A20.00.220.01.5
Total credit default swap protection sold$220.0$4.5$220.02.7

December 31, 2022
Weighted
Maximumaverage
NotionalFairfutureexpected life
amountvaluepayments(in years)
(in millions)
Single name credit default swaps
Corporate debt
A$40.0$0.4$40.02.5
BBB190.02.2190.03.1
BB20.0(0.2)20.04.5
Sovereign
A20.00.220.02.5
Total credit default swap protection sold$270.0$2.6$270.03.1
Fair Value and Cash Flow Hedges

Fair Value Hedges

    We use fixed-to-floating rate interest rate swaps to more closely align the interest rate characteristics of certain assets and also use them to align the interest rate characteristics of certain liabilities. In general, these swaps are used in asset and liability management to modify duration, which is a measure of sensitivity to interest rate changes.

    We enter into currency exchange swap agreements to convert certain foreign denominated assets into U.S. dollar denominated instruments to hedge the exposure to future currency volatility on those items.

The net interest effect of interest rate swap and currency swap transactions for derivatives in fair value hedges is recorded as an adjustment to income or expense of the underlying hedged item in our consolidated statements of operations. The currency related impacts of currency swap transactions for derivatives in fair value hedges is recorded as an adjustment to net realized capital gains or losses of the underlying hedged item in our consolidated statements of operations.


B-64

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The following amounts were recorded on the consolidated statements of financial position related to cumulative basis adjustments for fair value hedges. The amortized cost includes the amortized cost basis and the fair value hedging basis adjustment.

Cumulative amount of fair
value hedging basis adjustment
Line item in the consolidated statementsincrease/(decrease) included in the
of financial position in which the Carrying amount of hedged itemcarrying amount of the hedged item
hedged item is includedDecember 31, 2023December 31, 2022December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale (1):
Active hedging relationships$3,510.1$3,498.6$(87.0)$(153.4)
Discontinued hedging relationships304.748.8(5.2)1.3
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale in
active or discontinued hedging relationships$3,814.8$3,547.4$(92.2)$(152.1)
Investment contracts:
Active hedging relationships$300.5$$0.4$
Total investment contracts in active or
discontinued hedging relationships$300.5$$0.4$

(1)These amounts include the amortized cost basis of closed portfolios used to designate portfolio layer hedging relationships in which the hedged layer amount is expected to remain at the end of the hedging relationship. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the amortized cost basis of the closed portfolios used in these hedging relationships was $3,178.5 million and $3,256.9 million, respectively, the cumulative basis adjustments associated with these hedging relationships was $(62.2) million and $(102.4) million, respectively, and the amount of the designated hedged items were $1,395.0 million and $1,110.0 million, respectively.

For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, $(1.8) million, $0.0 million and $0.0 million, respectively, of the derivative instruments’ gain (loss) was excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness.

Cash Flow Hedges

    We utilize floating-to-fixed rate interest rate swaps to eliminate the variability in cash flows of recognized financial assets and liabilities.

    We enter into currency exchange swap agreements to convert both principal and interest payments of certain foreign denominated assets and liabilities into U.S. dollar denominated fixed-rate instruments to eliminate the exposure to future currency volatility on those items.

We use bond forwards and have used floating-to-fixed rate interest rate swaps to hedge forecasted transactions.

The net interest effect of interest rate swap and currency swap transactions for derivatives in cash flow hedges is recorded as an adjustment to income or expense of the underlying hedged item in our consolidated statements of operations.

    The maximum length of time we are hedging our exposure to the variability in future cash flows for forecasted transactions, excluding those related to the payments of variable interest on existing financial assets and liabilities, is 6.4 years. As of December 31, 2023, we had $30.4 million of net gains reported in AOCI on the consolidated statements of financial position related to active hedges of forecasted transactions. If a hedged forecasted transaction is no longer probable of occurring, cash flow hedge accounting is discontinued. If it is probable that the hedged forecasted transaction will not occur, the deferred gain or loss is immediately reclassified from AOCI into net income.

B-65

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The following table shows the effect of derivatives in cash flow hedging relationships on the consolidated statements of financial position.

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in AOCI on derivatives
Derivatives in cash flowfor the year ended December 31,
hedging relationshipsRelated hedged item202320222021
(in millions)
Interest rate contractsFixed maturities, available-for-sale$30.4$(102.1)$
Interest rate contractsInvestment contracts(11.0)15.94.1
Foreign exchange contractsFixed maturities, available-for-sale(64.0)84.253.4
Total$(44.6)$(2.0)$57.5

We expect to reclassify net gains of $24.5 million from AOCI into net income in the next twelve months, which includes both net deferred gains on discontinued hedges and net gains on periodic settlements of active hedges. Actual amounts may vary from this amount as a result of market conditions.

Effect of Fair Value and Cash Flow Hedges on Consolidated Statements of Operations

The following tables show the effect of derivatives in fair value and cash flow hedging relationships and the related hedged items on the consolidated statements of operations.

For the year ended December 31, 2023
Benefits,
Net investmentNet realizedclaims and
income relatedcapital gainssettlement
to hedges(losses) related toexpenses
of fixedhedges of fixedrelated to
maturities,maturities,hedges of
available-available-investment
for-salefor-salecontracts
(in millions)
Total amounts of consolidated statement of operations line items in
which the effects of fair value and cash flow hedges are reported$3,285.5$(154.7)$7,226.2
Gains (losses) on fair value hedging relationships:
Interest rate contracts:
Gain recognized on hedged item$45.3$$0.4
Loss recognized on derivatives(43.9)(2.1)
Amortization of hedged item basis adjustments(0.2)
Amounts related to periodic settlements on derivatives60.5(2.6)
Foreign exchange contracts:
Gain recognized on hedged item3.7
Loss recognized on derivatives(3.7)
Amounts related to periodic settlements on derivatives0.6
Total gain (loss) recognized for fair value hedging relationships$62.3$$(4.3)
Gains on cash flow hedging relationships:
Interest rate contracts:
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI on derivatives$4.1$$(0.1)
Gain reclassified from AOCI as a result that a forecasted
transaction is no longer probable of occurring1.9
Amounts related to periodic settlements on derivatives14.2
Foreign exchange contracts:
Gain reclassified from AOCI on derivatives1.5
Amounts related to periodic settlements on derivatives21.4
Total gain recognized for cash flow hedging relationships$25.5$3.4$14.1
B-66

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

For the year ended December 31, 2022
Benefits,
Net investmentNet realizedclaims and
income relatedcapital gainssettlement
to hedgesrelated toexpenses
of fixedhedges of fixedrelated to
maturities,maturities,hedges of
available-available-investment
for-salefor-salecontracts
(in millions)
Total amounts of consolidated statement of operations line items in
which the effects of fair value and cash flow hedges are reported$2,852.4$83.3$5,882.7
Gains on fair value hedging relationships:
Interest rate contracts:
Loss recognized on hedged item$(154.4)$$
Gain recognized on derivatives151.6
Amortization of hedged item basis adjustments(1.3)
Amounts related to periodic settlements on derivatives5.2
Total gain recognized for fair value hedging relationships$1.1$$
Gains on cash flow hedging relationships:
Interest rate contracts:
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI on derivatives$9.0$$(0.1)
Gain reclassified from AOCI as a result that a forecasted
transaction is no longer probable of occurring18.5
Amounts related to periodic settlements on derivatives3.7
Foreign exchange contracts:
Gain reclassified from AOCI on derivatives0.6
Amounts related to periodic settlements on derivatives14.5
Total gain recognized for cash flow hedging relationships$23.5$19.1$3.6

B-67

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

For the year ended December 31, 2021
Benefits,
Net investmentNet realizedclaims and
income relatedcapital gainssettlement
to hedgesrelated toexpenses
of fixedhedges of fixedrelated to
maturities,maturities,hedges of
available-available-investment
for-salefor-salecontracts
(in millions)
Total amounts of consolidated statement of operations line items in
which the effects of fair value and cash flow hedges are reported$3,633.7$112.1$6,617.5
Losses on fair value hedging relationships:
Interest rate contracts:
Loss recognized on hedged item$(28.7)$$
Gain recognized on derivatives28.6
Amortization of hedged item basis adjustments(1.8)
Amounts related to periodic settlements on derivatives(10.0)
Total loss recognized for fair value hedging relationships$(11.9)$$
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedging relationships:
Interest rate contracts:
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI on derivatives$15.4$$(0.1)
Gain reclassified from AOCI as a result that a forecasted
transaction is no longer probable of occurring1.0
Amounts related to periodic settlements on derivatives(0.4)
Foreign exchange contracts:
Gain reclassified from AOCI on derivatives9.2
Amounts related to periodic settlements on derivatives9.6
Total gain (loss) recognized for cash flow hedging relationships$25.0$10.2$(0.5)

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments

    Our use of futures, certain swaptions and swaps, option collars, options and forwards are effective from an economic standpoint, but they have not been designated as hedges for financial reporting purposes. As such, periodic changes in the market value of these instruments, which includes mark-to-market gains and losses as well as periodic and final settlements, primarily flow directly into net realized capital gains (losses) on the consolidated statements of operations. However, the change in fair value of the funds withheld embedded derivative is separately reported on the consolidated statements of operations. Additionally, mark-to-market gains and losses as well as periodic and final settlements for derivatives used to hedge market risk benefits are reported in market risk benefit (gain) loss on the consolidated statements of operations.


B-68

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The following table shows the effect of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, including fair value changes of embedded derivatives that have been bifurcated from the host contract, on the consolidated statements of operations.

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in
net income on derivatives for the
year ended December 31,
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments202320222021
(in millions)
Interest rate contracts$(46.5)$(317.7)$(33.8)
Foreign exchange contracts(2.8)1.4(4.7)
Equity contracts(136.6)20.7(81.1)
Credit contracts4.10.10.1
Other contracts (1)(1,395.9)3,682.20.1
Total$(1,577.7)$3,386.7$(119.4)

(1)Includes the change in fair value of the funds withheld embedded derivative.

7. Closed Block

In connection with the 1998 MIHC formation, we formed a Closed Block to provide reasonable assurance to policyholders included therein that, after the formation of the MIHC, assets would be available to maintain dividends in aggregate in accordance with the 1997 policy dividend scales, if the experience underlying such scales continued. Our assets were allocated to the Closed Block in an amount that produces cash flows which, together with anticipated revenue from policies and contracts included in the Closed Block, were expected to be sufficient to support the Closed Block policies. This includes, but is not limited to, provisions for payment of claims, certain expenses, charges and taxes, and to provide for continuation of policy and contract dividends in aggregate in accordance with the 1997 dividend scales, if the experience underlying such scales continues, and to allow for appropriate adjustments in such scales, if such experience changes. Due to adjustable life policies being included in the Closed Block, the Closed Block is charged with amounts necessary to properly fund for certain adjustments, such as face amount and premium increases, that are made to these policies after the Closed Block inception date. These amounts are referred to as Funding Adjustment Charges.

Assets allocated to the Closed Block inure solely to the benefit of the holders of policies included in the Closed Block. Closed Block assets and liabilities are carried on the same basis as other similar assets and liabilities. We will continue to pay guaranteed benefits under all policies, including the policies within the Closed Block, in accordance with their terms. If the assets allocated to the Closed Block, the investment cash flows from those assets and the revenues from the policies included in the Closed Block, including investment income thereon, prove to be insufficient to pay the benefits guaranteed under the policies included in the Closed Block, we will be required to make such payments from our general funds. No additional policies were added to the Closed Block, nor was the Closed Block affected in any other way, as a result of the demutualization.

A policyholder dividend obligation (“PDO”) is required to be established for higher than expected earnings in the Closed Block that will need to be paid as dividends unless future performance of the Closed Block is less favorable than originally expected. A model of the Closed Block was established to produce the pattern of expected earnings, assets and liabilities in the Closed Block. These projections are utilized to determine ratios that will allow us to compare actual cumulative earnings to expected cumulative earnings and determine the amount of the PDO. As of both December 31, 2023 and 2022, the PDO was $0.0 million.

    

B-69

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Closed Block liabilities and assets designated to the Closed Block were as follows:

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Closed Block liabilities
Future policy benefits and claims$2,982.9$3,128.1
Other policyholder funds5.15.1
Policyholder dividends payable157.2168.2
Income taxes currently payable4.0
Other liabilities23.224.9
Total Closed Block liabilities3,172.43,326.3
Assets designated to the Closed Block
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale1,766.71,690.2
Fixed maturities, trading2.02.0
Equity securities0.90.8
Mortgage loans469.5544.9
Policy loans379.9407.4
Other investments61.262.2
Total investments2,680.22,707.5
Cash and cash equivalents6.162.0
Accrued investment income32.630.3
Reinsurance recoverable and deposit receivable3.53.9
Premiums due and other receivables3.44.1
Deferred tax asset52.162.0
Other assets5.30.1
Total assets designated to the Closed Block2,783.22,869.9
Excess of Closed Block liabilities over assets designated to the Closed Block389.2456.4
Amounts included in accumulated other comprehensive income(69.6)(111.9)
Maximum future earnings to be recognized from Closed Block assets and
liabilities$319.6$344.5

B-70

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

    Closed Block revenues and expenses were as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Revenues
Premiums and other considerations$166.1$178.0$196.1
Net investment income127.3129.1137.6
Net realized capital losses(10.0)(21.2)(4.6)
Total revenues283.4285.9329.1
Expenses
Benefits, claims and settlement expenses161.6184.3212.0
Dividends to policyholders86.892.592.6
Operating expenses2.62.22.3
Total expenses251.0279.0306.9
Closed Block revenues, net of Closed Block expenses, before income
taxes32.46.922.2
Income taxes6.10.73.9
Closed Block revenues, net of Closed Block expenses and income taxes26.36.218.3
Funding adjustments and other transfers(1.4)28.5(4.0)
Closed Block revenues, net of Closed Block expenses, income taxes and
funding adjustments$24.9$34.7$14.3

The change in maximum future earnings of the Closed Block was as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Beginning of year$344.5$379.2$393.5
End of year319.6344.5379.2
Change in maximum future earnings$(24.9)$(34.7)$(14.3)

    We charge the Closed Block with U.S. federal income taxes, payroll taxes, state and local premium taxes and other state or local taxes, licenses and fees as provided in the plan of reorganization.

8. Deferred Acquisition Costs and Other Actuarial Balances

Deferred Acquisition Costs

Incremental direct costs of contract acquisition as well as certain costs directly related to acquisition activities (underwriting, policy issuance and processing, medical and inspection and sales force contract selling) for the successful acquisition of new and renewal insurance policies and investment contracts are capitalized in the period they are incurred. Maintenance costs and acquisition costs that are not deferrable are charged to operating expenses as incurred.

For our long-duration insurance products and certain investment contracts, DAC is amortized on a constant level basis over the expected life of the contracts using groupings and assumptions consistent with those used in computing policyholder liabilities. For each of our long-duration insurance products, we select an inforce measure as a basis for amortization that will result in a constant level amortization pattern for the expected life of the contract. If our actual contract terminations differ from our expectation, the amortization pattern is adjusted on a prospective basis.

B-71

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Some of our life and disability products within the Benefits and Protection segment have renewal commissions resulting in new DAC capitalizations in the years following the initial capitalization. We also have life products that allow for underwritten death benefit increases and cost of living adjustments, resulting in an immaterial amount of new DAC capitalizations each year. The new capitalizations are added to the existing DAC balance when incurred and amortized over the remaining life of the business.

DAC on short-duration group benefits contracts is amortized over the estimated life of the underlying contracts.

We review and update actuarial experience assumptions (such as mortality, surrenders, lapse, and premium persistency) serving as inputs to the models that establish the expected life for DAC and other actuarial balances during the third quarter of each year, or more frequently if evidence suggests assumptions should be revised. We make model refinements as necessary, and any changes resulting from these assumption updates are applied prospectively.

DAC amortization expense of $388.7 million, $385.7 million and $372.2 million related to our long-duration and short-duration contracts was recorded in operating expenses on the consolidated statements of operations for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The following tables summarize disaggregated DAC amounts and reconcile the totals to those reported in the consolidated statements of financial position.

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Workplace savings and retirement solutions$506.4$498.0
Individual variable annuities 279.5278.0
Pension risk transfer15.48.1
Individual fixed deferred annuities 106.1131.0
Investment only 11.514.9
Total Retirement and Income Solutions 918.9930.0
Benefits and Protection:
Specialty Benefits:
Individual disability 667.7626.1
Life Insurance:
Universal life1,545.31,569.7
Term life678.8685.7
Participating life84.793.0
Total Benefits and Protection 2,976.52,974.5
Short-duration contracts31.134.7
Total DAC per consolidated statements of financial position $3,926.5$3,939.2

B-72

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Retirement and Income Solutions

    The balances and changes in DAC were as follows:

Workplace Individual
savings andIndividual Pension fixed
retirementvariableriskdeferredInvestment
solutionsannuitiestransferannuitiesonly
(in millions)
Balances as of January 1, 2022$489.0$281.2$2.7$162.2$18.1
Costs deferred48.322.55.61.4
Amortized to expense(39.3)(25.7)(0.2)(31.2)(4.6)
Balances as of December 31, 2022498.0278.08.1131.014.9
Costs deferred48.127.47.91.3
Amortized to expense(39.7)(25.9)(0.6)(24.9)(4.7)
Balances as of December 31, 2023$506.4$279.5$15.4$106.1$11.5

Benefits and Protection

    The balances and changes in DAC were as follows:

Specialty BenefitsLife Insurance
Individual
disability Universal lifeTerm lifeParticipating life
(in millions)
Balances as of January 1, 2022$580.7$1,596.2$678.9$102.3
Costs deferred87.670.666.71.4
Amortized to expense(42.2)(97.1)(59.9)(10.7)
Balances as of December 31, 2022626.11,569.7685.793.0
Costs deferred86.770.755.01.4
Amortized to expense(45.1)(95.1)(61.9)(9.7)
Balances as of December 31, 2023$667.7$1,545.3$678.8$84.7

Unearned Revenue Liability
An unearned revenue liability is established when we collect fees or other policyholder assessments, inclusive of cost of insurance charges, administrative charges and other similar fees, for services to be provided in future periods. These unearned front-end fees are deferred and the amortization is recorded using an approach consistent with DAC.

The unearned revenue liability is included within other policyholder funds in the consolidated statements of financial position. The following table summarizes disaggregated unearned revenue liability amounts and reconciles the totals to those reported in the consolidated statements of financial position.

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Benefits and Protection – Life Insurance:
Universal life$485.5 $459.0
Total unearned revenue liability$485.5$459.0

B-73

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Benefits and Protection

The balances and changes in the unearned revenue liability for Life Insurance – Universal life contracts were as follows:

For the year endedFor the year ended
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$459.0$425.3
Deferrals56.361.8
Revenue recognized(29.8)(28.1)
Balance at end of period485.5459.0
Reinsurance impact(225.1)(227.9)
Balance at end of period after reinsurance$260.4$231.1

9. Separate Account Balances
The separate accounts are legally segregated and are not subject to claims that arise out of any of our other business. The client, rather than us, directs the investments and bears the investment risk of these funds. The separate account assets represent the fair value of funds that are separately administered by us for contracts with equity, real estate and fixed income investments and are presented as a summary total within the consolidated statements of financial position. An equivalent amount is reported as separate account liabilities, which represent the obligation to return the monies to the client. Refer to Note 19, Fair Value Measurements, for further information on the valuation methodologies.

We receive fees for mortality, withdrawal and expense risks, as well as administrative, maintenance and investment advisory services that are included in the consolidated statements of operations. Net deposits, net investment income and realized and unrealized capital gains and losses of the separate accounts are not reflected in the consolidated statements of operations.

The Retirement and Income Solutions segment offers variable annuity contracts that allow the policyholder to allocate deposits into various investment options in a separate account. The variable annuity contracts can also include GMWB riders and guaranteed minimum death benefit (“GMDB”) riders that are accounted for as MRBs. Retirement and Income Solutions also offers certain group annuity contracts that have separate accounts as an investment option.

The Benefits and Protection segment offers variable universal life products with separate account investment options.

Refer to Note 12, Market Risk Benefits, for further information on the MRBs associated with the contracts mentioned above.

As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the separate accounts included a separate account valued at $88.2 million and $101.4 million, respectively, which primarily included shares of our stock that were allocated and issued to eligible participants of qualified employee benefit plans administered by us as part of the policy credits issued under our 2001 demutualization. These shares are included in both basic and diluted earnings per share calculations. In the consolidated statements of financial position, the separate account shares are recorded at fair value and are reported as separate account assets with a corresponding separate account liability. Changes in fair value of the separate account shares are reflected in both the separate account assets and separate account liabilities and do not impact our results of operations.

B-74

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Separate Account Assets

The aggregate fair value of assets, by major investment category, supporting separate accounts were as follows:

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Fixed maturities:
U.S. government and agencies$6,948.6$7,065.0
Non-U.S. governments1,258.61,338.4
States and political subdivisions 205.1211.7
Corporate6,102.95,689.8
Residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities4,096.23,853.2
Commercial mortgage-backed securities221.1206.2
Other debt obligations 505.8218.0
Total fixed maturities 19,338.318,582.3
Equity securities98,884.987,052.5
Real estate494.6610.6
Other investments8,997.99,761.9
Cash and cash equivalents3,162.33,233.1
Other assets763.71,039.2
Total separate account assets per consolidated statements of financial position$131,641.7$120,279.6

Separate Account Liabilities

The following tables summarize disaggregated separate account liability amounts and reconcile the totals to separate account liabilities reported in the consolidated statements of financial position.

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Group retirement contracts$117,518.5$107,240.1
Individual variable annuities 9,131.98,659.0
Total Retirement and Income Solutions 126,650.4115,899.1
Benefits and Protection - Life Insurance:
Universal life4,991.34,380.5
Total separate account liabilities per consolidated statements of financial position$131,641.7$120,279.6

B-75

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Retirement and Income Solutions

    The balances and the changes in separate account liabilities were as follows:

For the year endedFor the year ended
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
GroupIndividualGroupIndividual
retirementvariableretirementvariable
contractsannuitiescontractsannuities
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$107,240.1$8,659.0$131,188.6$11,000.0
Premiums and deposits (1)11,379.0328.514,859.3354.1
Policy charges(366.0)(204.5)(383.7)(211.1)
Surrenders, withdrawals and benefit payments (1)(13,916.8)(1,018.2)(14,479.4)(790.1)
Investment performance15,820.71,315.1(20,641.3)(1,723.3)
Net transfers (to) from general account (1)(2,461.1)30.4(2,571.7)29.4
Other (2)(177.4)21.6(731.7)
Balance at end of period$117,518.5$9,131.9$107,240.1$8,659.0
Cash surrender value (3)$116,522.1$9,011.5$106,125.7$8,538.7

(1)Within the policyholder account balances rollforwards in Note 10, Contractholder Funds, amounts in these lines for Individual variable annuities and Workplace savings and retirement solutions included in Group retirement contracts are reflected in net transfers from (to) separate account.
(2)Includes amounts to be settled between the separate account and general account due to the timing of trade settlements as of the reporting date.
(3)Cash surrender value represents the amount of the contractholders’ account balances distributable at the end of the reporting period less surrender charges.

Benefits and Protection

    The balances and the changes in separate account liabilities for Life Insurance – Universal life were as follows:

For the year endedFor the year ended
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$4,380.5$5,340.4
Premiums and deposits232.8276.3
Policy charges(100.0)(97.5)
Surrenders, withdrawals and benefit payments(302.4)(181.6)
Investment performance773.6(952.1)
Net transfers (to) from general account6.8(5.0)
Balance at end of period$4,991.3$4,380.5
Cash surrender value (1)$5,062.4$4,452.9

(1)Cash surrender value represents the amount of the contractholders’ account balances distributable at the end of the reporting period less surrender charges. Certain products include surrender value enhancement riders that result in cash surrender values greater than account balances.

B-76

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

10. Contractholder Funds

    Contractholder funds include policyholder account balances related to contracts with significant insurance risk and investment contracts.

The following tables summarize disaggregated policyholder account balance amounts and reconcile the totals to contractholder funds reported in the consolidated statements of financial position.

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Workplace savings and retirement solutions$12,721.5$12,154.7
Individual variable annuities 514.2381.4
Individual fixed deferred annuities 5,538.37,228.3
Total Retirement and Income Solutions 18,774.019,764.4
Benefits and Protection – Life Insurance:
Universal life6,910.46,947.9
Total policyholder account balances for contracts with significant
insurance risk or investment contracts with significant fee revenue25,684.426,712.3
Reconciling items:
Investment contracts without significant fee revenue (1)15,624.315,585.2
Embedded derivatives (2)115.546.4
Other balances (3)(61.3)(26.6)
Total contractholder funds per consolidated statements of financial
position$41,362.9$42,317.3

(1)Includes GICs, funding agreements and individual fixed income annuities. These contracts are not included within the disaggregated rollforward or guaranteed minimum interest rate (“GMIR”) disclosures below.
(2)Refer to Note 19, Fair Value Measurements, for details on the changes in Level 3 fair value measurements of embedded derivatives.
(3)Includes amounts that are not accrued to the benefit of the contractholder and, therefore, are not included within the disaggregated rollforward or GMIR disclosures below.

GICs and Funding Agreements

Our GICs and funding agreements contain provisions limiting or prohibiting early surrenders, which typically include penalties for early surrenders, minimum notice requirements or, in the case of funding agreements with survivor options, minimum pre-death holding periods and specific maximum amounts.

Funding agreements include those issued directly to nonqualified institutional investors and those issued to the
FHLB Des Moines under their membership funding programs. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, $3,981.8 million and $4,275.5 million, respectively, of liabilities were outstanding with respect to issuances under the program with FHLB Des Moines. In addition, we have five separate programs where the funding agreements have been issued directly or indirectly to unconsolidated special purpose entities. Claims for principal and interest under funding agreements are afforded equal priority to claims of life insurance and annuity policyholders under insolvency provisions of Iowa Insurance Laws.

We were authorized to issue up to $4.0 billion of funding agreements under a program established in 1998 to support the prospective issuance of medium term notes by an unaffiliated entity in non-U.S. markets. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, $75.9 million and $75.6 million, respectively, of liabilities were outstanding with respect to the issuance outstanding under this program.

B-77

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

In addition, we were authorized to issue up to $7.0 billion of funding agreements under a program established in 2001 to support the prospective issuance of medium term notes by an unaffiliated entity in both domestic and international markets. The unaffiliated entity is an unconsolidated special purpose entity. As of both December 31, 2023 and 2022, $201.9 million of liabilities were being held with respect to issuances outstanding under this program. We do not anticipate any new issuance activity under this program, given our December 2005 termination of the dealership agreement for this program and the availability of the program established in 2011 described below.

Additionally, we were authorized to issue up to $5.0 billion of funding agreements under a program that was originally established in 2011 to support the prospective issuance of medium term notes by an unaffiliated entity in both domestic and international markets. The unaffiliated entity is an unconsolidated special purpose entity. In June 2015, this program was amended to authorize issuance of up to an additional $4.0 billion. In November 2017, this program was amended to authorize issuance of up to an additional $4.0 billion. In February 2021, this program was amended to authorize issuance of up to an additional $4.0 billion. In November 2023, this program was amended to authorize issuance of up to an additional $4.0 billion. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, $8,072.6 million and $7,765.7 million, respectively, of liabilities were being held with respect to issuances outstanding under this program. Our payment obligations on each funding agreement issued under this program are guaranteed by PFG. The program established in 2011 is not registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Policyholder Account Balances

Retirement and Income Solutions

    The changes in policyholder account balances were as follows:

For the year ended December 31, 2023For the year ended December 31, 2022
WorkplaceWorkplace
savings andIndividual Individualsavings andIndividual Individual
retirementvariablefixed deferredretirementvariablefixed deferred
solutionsannuitiesannuities (1)solutionsannuitiesannuities (1)
($ in millions)
Balance at beginning of
period$12,154.7$381.4$7,228.3$10,996.2$380.9$9,646.3
Premiums and deposits4,441.7586.736.83,719.5426.535.9
Policy charges(31.6)(28.5)
Surrenders, withdrawals
and benefit payments(4,356.6)(1,123.0)(1,888.4)(2,866.7)(843.2)(2,655.6)
Net transfers from
(to) separate
account (2)264.8659.3164.6406.6
Interest credited280.29.8161.6194.310.6201.7
Other (31.7)(24.7)
Balance at end of period$12,721.5$514.2$5,538.3$12,154.7$381.4$7,228.3
Weighted-average
crediting rate (3)2.54%3.22%2.84%1.94%2.79%2.63%
Cash surrender value (4)$11,211.9$512.6$5,434.4$10,341.7$378.6$7,081.4
(1)We use the deposit method of accounting for the reinsurance of this exited business.
(2)Within the separate account liabilities rollforwards in Note 9, Separate Account Balances, these transfers for Individual variable annuities and Workplace savings and retirement solutions included in Group retirement contracts are reflected in premiums and deposits; surrenders, withdrawals and benefit payments; and net transfers (to) from general account.
(3)The weighted-average crediting rate is the crediting rate as of the end of each reporting period weighted by account value.
(4)Cash surrender value represents the amount of the contractholders’ account balances distributable at the end of the reporting period less surrender charges.
B-78

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The net amount at risk for policyholder account balances for Individual variable annuities is equal to the MRB net amount at risk, as reported in Note 12, Market Risk Benefits. Workplace savings and retirement solutions and Individual fixed deferred annuities do not have guarantees that provide for benefits in excess of the current policyholder account balances.

Benefits and Protection

    The changes in policyholder account balances for Life Insurance – Universal life were as follows:

For the year endedFor the year ended
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
($ in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$6,947.9$6,962.5
Premiums and deposits1,260.51,267.2
Policy charges(858.1)(837.8)
Surrenders, withdrawals and benefit payments(483.6)(390.0)
Net transfers from (to) separate account(197.7)(301.5)
Interest credited242.1247.5
Other(0.7)
Balance at end of period6,910.46,947.9
Reinsurance impact(3,396.8)(3,528.9)
Balance at end of period after reinsurance $3,513.6$3,419.0
Weighted-average crediting rate (1)4.01%3.35%
Net amount at risk (2)$86,671.0$86,547.9
Cash surrender value (3)$5,953.0$5,911.5

(1)The weighted-average crediting rate is the crediting rate as of the end of each reporting period weighted by account value, including indexed credits.
(2)For those guarantees of benefits that are payable in the event of death, the net amount at risk is generally defined as the death benefit in excess of the current account balance or the fixed death benefit at the consolidated statement of financial position date.
(3)Cash surrender value represents the amount of the contractholders’ account balances distributable at the end of the reporting period less surrender charges.


B-79

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Guaranteed Minimum Interest Rate

    The account values, for contracts with significant insurance risk and investment contracts with significant fee revenue by range of GMIR and the related range of difference, in basis points, between rates credited to policyholders and the respective GMIR were as follows. The amounts are before reinsurance impacts of our exited U.S. retail fixed annuity and ULSG businesses.

December 31, 2023
Excess of crediting rates over GMIR
Up to 0.50%0.51% to 1.00%1.01% to 2.00%2.01% or more
At GMIRabove GMIRabove GMIRabove GMIRabove GMIRTotal
(in millions)
Retirement and Income Solutions
Workplace savings and retirement solutions
Up to 1.00%$$3.3$101.8$1,006.0$312.8$1,423.9
1.01% - 2.00%5,135.03.81,153.1874.67,166.5
2.01% - 3.00%357.10.10.859.11,701.22,118.3
3.01% - 4.00%7.47.4
4.01% and above16.916.9
Subtotal5,516.47.21,255.71,065.12,888.610,733.0
No GMIR1,988.5
Total$12,721.5
Individual variable annuities
Up to 1.00%$22.6$$$$$22.6
1.01% - 2.00%4.64.6
2.01% - 3.00%273.5273.5
3.01% - 4.00%
4.01% and above
Subtotal300.7300.7
No GMIR213.5
Total$514.2
Individual fixed deferred annuities
Up to 1.00%$305.5$115.4$121.8$449.4$999.5$1,991.6
1.01% - 2.00%100.80.926.3123.52.4253.9
2.01% - 3.00%2,897.72,897.7
3.01% - 4.00%156.9156.9
4.01% and above
Subtotal3,460.9116.3148.1572.91,001.95,300.1
No GMIR238.2
Total$5,538.3
Benefits and Protection – Life Insurance
Universal life
Up to 1.00%$$$16.1$1.0$2.4$19.5
1.01% - 2.00%294.1418.1485.6415.41,613.2
2.01% - 3.00%729.7677.2836.3350.63.02,596.8
3.01% - 4.00%1,657.049.837.636.43.21,784.0
4.01% and above40.53.98.31.554.2
Subtotal2,721.3730.91,316.4875.1424.06,067.7
No GMIR842.7
Total$6,910.4

B-80

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

December 31, 2022
Excess of crediting rates over GMIR
Up to 0.50%0.51% to 1.00%1.01% to 2.00%2.01% or more
At GMIRabove GMIRabove GMIRabove GMIRabove GMIRTotal
(in millions)
Retirement and Income Solutions
Workplace savings and retirement solutions
Up to 1.00%$3.9$24.8$1,188.9$307.8$364.9$1,890.3
1.01% - 2.00%549.96,090.21,477.09.48,126.5
2.01% - 3.00%15.10.10.115.3
3.01% - 4.00%7.87.8
4.01% and above18.818.8
Subtotal45.6574.87,279.11,784.9374.310,058.7
No GMIR2,096.0
Total$12,154.7
Individual variable annuities
Up to 1.00%$33.0$$$$$33.0
1.01% - 2.00%3.63.6
2.01% - 3.00%331.8331.8
3.01% - 4.00%
4.01% and above
Subtotal368.4368.4
No GMIR13.0
Total$381.4
Individual fixed deferred annuities
Up to 1.00%$426.4$161.7$236.2$879.2$993.0$2,696.5
1.01% - 2.00%139.81.439.9250.50.6432.2
2.01% - 3.00%3,617.13,617.1
3.01% - 4.00%169.7169.7
4.01% and above
Subtotal4,353.0163.1276.11,129.7993.66,915.5
No GMIR312.8
Total$7,228.3
Benefits and Protection – Life Insurance
Universal life
Up to 1.00%$$8.4$10.1$$0.7$19.2
1.01% - 2.00%315.7407.0695.5155.01,573.2
2.01% - 3.00%865.9951.2903.559.90.42,780.9
3.01% - 4.00%1,698.935.821.925.33.21,785.1
4.01% and above40.610.13.41.655.7
Subtotal2,921.11,005.51,345.9782.3159.36,214.1
No GMIR733.8
Total$6,947.9


B-81

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

11. Future Policy Benefits and Claims

Future policy benefits and claims include reserves for short-duration contracts and long-duration contracts as well as certain reinsurance balances, when in a liability position.

    The following tables summarize disaggregated amounts included in future policy benefit and claims and reconcile the totals to those reported in the consolidated statements of financial position.

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Liability for future policy benefits by segment (1):
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Pension risk transfer$23,855.8$21,211.4
Individual fixed income annuities4,914.15,019.4
Total Retirement and Income Solutions 28,769.926,230.8
Benefits and Protection:
Specialty Benefits:
Individual disability 1,898.41,698.8
Life Insurance:
Term life1,085.9909.0
Total Benefits and Protection2,984.32,607.8
Corporate:
Long-term care insurance166.7183.5
Total liability for future policy benefits31,920.929,022.1
Additional liability for certain benefit features by segment (2):
Benefits and Protection – Life Insurance:
Universal life5,326.54,095.2
Total additional liability for certain benefit features5,326.54,095.2
Reconciling items:
Participating contracts3,060.53,207.2
Short-duration contracts1,283.41,295.6
Cost of reinsurance liability673.3479.8
Reinsurance recoverable liability 45.239.4
Other (3)178.2140.1
Future policy benefits and claims per consolidated statements of financial
position$42,488.0$38,279.4

(1)Amounts include the deferred profit liability.
(2)Includes reserves on certain long-duration contracts where benefit features result in gains in early years followed by losses in later years.
(3)Includes other miscellaneous reserves and the impact of unrealized gains (losses) on the additional liability for certain benefit features.


B-82

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Liability for Unpaid Claims

The liability for unpaid claims is reported in future policy benefits and claims within our consolidated statements of financial position. Activity associated with unpaid claims was as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of year$1,395.0$1,370.9$1,686.0
Less: reinsurance recoverable68.668.7436.9
Net balance at beginning of year1,326.41,302.21,249.1
Incurred:
Current year1,650.41,581.81,505.1
Prior years(95.4)(44.4)(35.4)
Total incurred1,555.01,537.41,469.7
Payments:
Current year1,189.21,138.01,067.8
Prior years354.1375.2348.8
Total payments1,543.31,513.21,416.6
Net balance at end of year1,338.11,326.41,302.2
Plus: reinsurance recoverable67.868.668.7
Balance at end of year$1,405.9$1,395.0$1,370.9

    Incurred liability adjustments relating to prior years, which affected current operations during 2023, 2022 and 2021, resulted in part from developed claims for prior years being different than were anticipated when the liabilities for unpaid claims were originally estimated. These trends have been considered in establishing the current year liability for unpaid claims.

Short-Duration Contracts

Future policy benefits and claims include reserves for group life and disability insurance that provide periodic income payments. These reserves are computed using assumptions of mortality, morbidity and investment performance. These assumptions are based on our experience, industry results, emerging trends and future expectations. Future policy benefits and claims also include reserves for incurred but unreported group disability, dental, vision, critical illness, accident, PFML, hospital indemnity and life insurance claims. We recognize claims costs in the period the service was provided to our policyholders. However, claims costs incurred in a particular period are not known with certainty until after we receive, process and pay the claims. We determine the amount of this liability using actuarial methods based on historical claim payment patterns as well as emerging cost trends, where applicable, to determine our estimate of claim liabilities. Premium deficiency reserves may be established for short-duration contracts to provide for expected future losses. The premium deficiency reserve calculation considers, among other factors, anticipated investment income.

We have defined claim frequency as follows for each short-duration product:

LTD: Claim frequency is based on submitted reserve claim counts.
Group Life Waiver: Claim frequency is based on submitted reserve claim counts, consistent with LTD.
Dental and Vision: Claim frequency is based on the claim form, which may include one or more procedures.
STD, Critical Illness, Accident, Hospital Indemnity and PFML: Claim frequency is based on submitted claims.
Group Life: Claim frequency is based on submitted life claims (lives, not coverages).

We did not make any significant changes to our methodologies or assumptions used to calculate the liability for unpaid claims for short-duration contracts during 2023.

B-83

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Claims Development

    The following tables present undiscounted information about claims development by incurral year, including separate information about incurred claims and paid claims net of reinsurance for the periods indicated. The tables also include information on incurred but not reported claims and the cumulative number of reported claims.

The tables present information for the number of years for which claims incurred typically remain outstanding, but do not exceed ten years. The data is disaggregated into groupings of claims with similar characteristics, such as duration of the claim payment period and average claim amount, and with consideration to the overall size of the groupings. Outstanding liabilities equal total net incurred claims less total net paid claims plus outstanding liabilities for net unpaid claims of prior years.

LTD and Group Life Waiver Claims

IncurredCumulative
but notnumber of
reportedreported
Net incurred claims (1)claimsclaims
December 31,
201420152016201720182019202020212022202320232023
($ in millions)
Incurral
year
2014$242.2$231.4$214.4$218.1$206.2$201.9$202.0$199.3$199.8$200.7$0.17,610
2015231.0227.2217.2215.3208.2210.0211.8210.5208.30.17,184
2016229.8228.4219.4219.5214.4218.7221.9219.00.16,171
2017238.4239.7243.1245.8245.2246.5248.90.16,091
2018239.4245.1239.2239.8235.3238.00.15,782
2019255.2248.4240.4240.2238.60.15,961
2020252.1231.0221.1217.75.85,939
2021259.7244.5221.68.55,571
2022274.3240.54.15,572
2023267.4111.83,353
Total net incurred claims$2,300.7
Net cumulative paid claims (1)
December 31,
2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
(in millions)
Incurral
year
2014$16.1$66.0$96.3$111.8$122.3$132.4$140.8$147.2$153.3$158.5
201516.967.098.0114.6126.8137.1146.5154.0160.3
201616.270.6105.6124.9136.8147.2157.1165.3
201717.876.5115.0135.9151.7165.4176.8
201820.179.9115.7135.7150.3163.3
201919.279.7117.5136.4150.6
202020.678.8113.1130.0
202119.879.0113.2
202219.676.6
202320.0
Total net paid claims1,314.6
All outstanding liabilities for unpaid claims prior to 2014 net of reinsurance251.8
Total outstanding liabilities for unpaid claims net of reinsurance$1,237.9
(1) 2014-2022 unaudited.


B-84

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Dental, Vision, STD, Critical Illness, Accident, Hospital Indemnity and PFML Claims

IncurredCumulative
but notnumber of
reportedreported
Net incurred claims (1)claimsclaims
December 31,
2022202320232023
($ in millions)
Incurral year
2022$924.4$910.6$4,317,802
20231,032.357.14,566,920
Total net incurred claims$1,942.9
Net cumulative
paid claims (1)
December 31,
20222023
(in millions)
Incurral year
2022$845.5$909.8
2023954.0
Total net paid claims1,863.8
All outstanding liabilities for unpaid claims prior to 2022 net of
reinsurance
Total outstanding liabilities for unpaid claims net of reinsurance$79.1
(1) 2022 unaudited.

Group Life Claims

IncurredCumulative
but notnumber of
reportedreported
Net incurred claims (1)claimsclaims
December 31,
2022202320232023
($ in millions)
Incurral year
2022$279.3$284.2$1.16,168
2023284.833.35,064
Total net incurred claims$569.0
Net cumulative
paid claims (1)
December 31,
20222023
(in millions)
Incurral year
2022$218.3$277.5
2023215.1
Total net paid claims492.6
All outstanding liabilities for unpaid claims prior to 2022 net of
reinsurance8.1
Total outstanding liabilities for unpaid claims net of reinsurance$84.5
(1) 2022 unaudited.

B-85

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Reconciliation of Unpaid Claims to Liability for Unpaid Claims

    Our reconciliation of net outstanding liabilities for unpaid claims of short-duration contracts to the liability for unpaid claims follows:

December 31, 2023
Dental, Vision, STD,
Critical Illness,
LTD and GroupAccident, Hospital
Life WaiverIndemnity and PFMLGroup LifeConsolidated
(in millions)
Net outstanding liabilities for unpaid claims$1,237.9$79.1$84.5$1,401.5
Reconciling items:
Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid claims39.20.139.3
Impact of discounting(215.0)(215.0)
Loss adjustment expense liability20.54.612.537.6
Liability for unpaid claims - short-duration
contracts$1,082.6$83.7$97.11,263.4
Insurance contracts other than short-duration142.5
Liability for unpaid claims$1,405.9

Claim Duration and Payout

    Our historical average percentage of claims paid in each year from incurral was as follows:

December 31, 2023 (1)
Dental, Vision, STD,
Critical Illness,
LTD and Group LifeAccident, Hospital
YearWaiverIndemnity and PFMLGroup Life
18.1%92.1%78.9%
225.07.918.8
315.4
48.2
55.8
65.2
74.5
83.5
93.0
102.6
(1) Unaudited.


B-86

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Discounting

    The following table provides the carrying amount of liabilities reported at present value for short-duration contract unpaid claims. We use a range of discount rates to derive the present value of the unpaid claims. The ranges of discount rates as well as the aggregate amount of discount deducted to derive the liabilities for unpaid claims and interest accretion recognized are also disclosed. Interest accretion is included in benefits, claims and settlement expenses within our consolidated statements of operations.

Dental, Vision, STD,
Critical Illness,
LTD and GroupAccident, Hospital
Life WaiverIndemnity and PFMLGroup Life
($ in millions)
Carrying amount of liabilities for unpaid claims
December 31, 2023$1,082.6$83.7$97.1
December 31, 20221,076.279.773.6
Range of discount rates
December 31, 20232.8-7.0%-%-%
December 31, 20222.8-7.0--
Aggregate amount of discount
December 31, 2023$215$$
December 31, 2022209.4
Interest accretion
For the year ended:
December 31, 2023$34.7$$
December 31, 202233.0
December 31, 202133.8

B-87

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Long-Duration Contracts

Gross Premiums or Assessments and Interest Accretion

The amount of gross premiums or assessments and interest accretion recognized by segment in the consolidated statements of operations was as follows:

Gross premiums or assessments (1)Interest accretion (2)
For the year endedFor the year ended
December 31, December 31,
202320222021202320222021
(in millions)
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Pension risk transfer$2,905.9$1,941.0$1,800.1$1,008.6$935.7$916.7
Individual fixed income annuities42.530.183.5219.1229.7240.5
Total Retirement and Income Solutions2,948.41,971.11,883.61,227.71,165.41,157.2
Benefits and Protection:
Specialty Benefits:
Individual disability 624.6601.0574.194.590.285.6
Life Insurance:
Universal life681.8577.7621.0209.2171.2158.3
Term life649.1630.5619.448.243.943.2
Total Benefits and Protection1,955.51,809.21,814.5351.9305.3287.1
Corporate:
Long-term care insurance5.15.25.29.69.89.5
Total per consolidated statements of operations$4,909.0$3,785.5$3,703.3$1,589.2$1,480.5$1,453.8

(1)Gross premiums are included within premiums and other considerations on the consolidated statements of operations. Assessments, which are only applicable to the Life Insurance – Universal life level of aggregation, are included within fees and other revenues on the consolidated statements of operations.
(2)Interest accretion is included within benefits, claims and settlement expenses on the consolidated statements of operations.

Liability for Future Policy Benefits
    
    The liability for future policy benefits (“LFPB”) for individual and group annuities is generally equal to the present value of expected future policy benefit payments. The reserves are computed using assumptions for mortality and interest. Mortality rate assumptions are based on our experience and are periodically reviewed against both industry standards and experience. The LFPB for non-participating term life insurance, individual disability income contracts and individual and group long-term care contracts is generally equal to the present value of expected future policy benefit payments less the present value of expected net premiums. The reserves are computed using assumptions for mortality, interest, morbidity and lapse.

An interest accretion rate is determined for an identified cohort and remains unchanged after the issue year. For policies issued on or prior to December 31, 2020, the interest accretion rate is based on the assumed investment yield when the business was issued. For policies issued after December 31, 2020, the interest accretion rate is based on the upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yields, which is generally equivalent to a single-A rated bond yield matched to the duration of our insurance liabilities, when the business was issued.

The LFPB is remeasured to reflect current upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yields as of each reporting date. The liability is calculated by discounting cash flows using rate curves reflecting the currency and duration of the insurance liabilities. For discount rate tenors, or points on the curves, where the upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yields are not liquid or limited observable market data is available, we use various estimation techniques consistent with fair value measurement guidance.
B-88

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Further details regarding reference rates used are included under “Interest Accretion and Current Discount Rates.”

Retirement and Income Solutions

The balances and the changes in the present value for expected future policy benefits were as follows:

For the year endedFor the year ended
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
Pension IndividualPension Individual
riskfixed incomeriskfixed income
transferannuitiestransferannuities
($ in millions)
Present value of expected future policy benefit payments
Balance at beginning of period$21,211.4$5,019.4$25,365.8$6,535.0
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at beginning of
period1,799.6439.0(3,386.5)(812.6)
Balance at beginning of period at original discount rate23,011.05,458.421,979.35,722.4
Effect of changes in cash flow assumptions(53.4)(1.3)(7.9)(3.0)
Effect of actual variances from expected experience(14.6)(0.1)(3.2)
Adjusted beginning of period balance at original discount rate22,943.05,457.021,968.25,719.4
Interest accrual1,008.6219.1935.7229.7
Benefit payments(1,981.4)(507.3)(1,841.7)(520.4)
Issuances2,921.742.01,948.829.7
Balance at end of period at original discount rate24,891.95,210.823,011.05,458.4
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at end of period(1,036.1)(296.7)(1,799.6)(439.0)
Future policy benefits23,855.84,914.121,211.45,019.4
Reinsurance impact(3,540.8)(4,869.1)(5,002.7)
Future policy benefits after reinsurance$20,315.0$45.0$21,211.4$16.7
Weighted-average duration for future policy benefits (years) (1)8.57.98.57.9

(1)Represents the average of the cohort-level duration of the benefit cash flows weighted by the reserve balance for each cohort.

Upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yields decreased during the year ended December 31, 2023, resulting in an increase to the LFPB of $763.5 million for Pension risk transfer and $142.3 million for Individual fixed income annuities.

Upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yields increased during the year ended December 31, 2022, resulting in a decrease to the LFPB of $5,186.1 million for Pension risk transfer and $1,251.6 million for Individual fixed income annuities.

See “Interest Accretion and Current Discount Rates” for further details.


B-89

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Benefits and Protection

The balances and the changes in the present value for expected net premiums and expected future policy benefits were as follows:

For the year endedFor the year ended
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
SpecialtyLifeSpecialtyLife
BenefitsInsuranceBenefitsInsurance
IndividualIndividual
disabilityTerm lifedisabilityTerm life
($ in millions)
Present value of expected net premiums
Balance at beginning of period$2,341.8$3,423.2$3,149.9$4,193.7
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at beginning of
period395.2196.0(198.9)(690.1)
Balance at beginning of period at original discount rate2,737.03,619.22,951.03,503.6
Effect of changes in cash flow assumptions(37.6)143.5(413.1)
Effect of actual variances from expected experience 244.3103.3235.9128.6
Adjusted beginning of period balance at original discount rate2,943.73,866.02,773.83,632.2
Interest accrual95.6171.995.2162.9
Net premiums collected(273.4)(359.8)(276.5)(346.6)
Issuances100.1215.7144.5170.7
Balance at end of period at original discount rate2,866.03,893.82,737.03,619.2
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at end of period(313.7)(100.1)(395.2)(196.0)
Balance at end of period$2,552.3$3,793.7$2,341.8$3,423.2
Present value of expected future policy benefit payments
Balance at beginning of period$4,040.6$4,332.2$5,648.3$5,311.3
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at beginning of
period1,021.4251.6(501.0)(913.9)
Balance at beginning of period at original discount rate5,062.04,583.85,147.34,397.4
Effect of changes in cash flow assumptions(51.5)181.8(476.3)
Effect of actual variances from expected experience260.8116.8240.0139.0
Adjusted beginning of period balance at original discount rate5,271.34,882.44,911.04,536.4
Interest accrual190.1220.1185.4206.8
Benefit payments(210.0)(330.4)(183.7)(340.6)
Issuances102.8232.0149.3181.2
Balance at end of period at original discount rate5,354.25,004.15,062.04,583.8
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at end of period(903.5)(124.5)(1,021.4)(251.6)
Balance at end of period$4,450.7$4,879.6$4,040.6$4,332.2
Future policy benefits (1)$1,898.4$1,085.9$1,698.8$909.0
Reinsurance impact(421.6)(214.3)(386.8)25.6
Future policy benefits after reinsurance$1,476.8$871.6$1,312.0$934.6
Weighted-average duration for future policy benefits (years) (2)18.49.418.59.6

(1)Represents the present value of expected future policy benefit payments less the present value of expected net premiums.
(2)Represents the average of the cohort-level duration of the benefits less the net premium cash flows weighted by the reserve balance for each cohort.

B-90

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yields decreased during the year ended December 31, 2023, resulting in an increase to the LFPB of $36.4 million for Individual disability and $31.2 million for Term life.

Upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yields increased during the year ended December 31, 2022, resulting in a decrease to the LFPB of $928.3 million for Individual disability and $279.4 million for Term life.

See “Interest Accretion and Current Discount Rates” for further details.

We updated our actuarial assumptions during the third quarter of 2023, resulting in a $13.9 million decrease in the LFPB and a $10.2 million increase to income before taxes, net of reinsurance, for Individual disability. This was primarily due to favorable updates to claim incidence rates. The updates also resulted in a $38.3 million increase in the LFPB and a $25.4 million decrease to income before taxes, net of reinsurance, for Term life. This was primarily due to unfavorable updates to mortality assumptions.

We updated our actuarial assumptions during the third quarter of 2022, resulting in a $63.2 million decrease in the LFPB and a $52.4 million increase to income before taxes, net of reinsurance, for Individual disability. This was primarily due to favorable updates to claim experience assumptions.

Additional Liability for Certain Benefit Features
The LFPB also includes an additional reserve on certain universal life contracts where benefit features result in gains in early years followed by losses in later years. The liability for these future losses is accrued in relation to estimated contract assessments. A premium deficiency exists if the net liabilities together with future premiums are determined to be insufficient to provide for expected future policy benefits. Premium deficiency testing considers, among other factors, anticipated investment income and does not include a provision for adverse deviation. We did not have a premium deficiency reserve as of December 31, 2023 or December 31, 2022.
The balances and the changes in the additional liability for certain benefits features for Life Insurance – Universal life contracts, excluding the impact of unrealized gains (losses), were as follows:

For the year endedFor the year ended
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
($ in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$4,095.2$3,814.2
Effect of changes in cash flow assumptions725.4(6.0)
Effect of actual variances from expected experience45.254.9
Interest accrual209.2171.2
Net assessments collected378.1320.3
Benefit payments(126.6)(91.9)
Other (1)(167.5)
Balance at end of period5,326.54,095.2
Reinsurance impact(5,306.2)(4,091.4)
Balance at end of period after reinsurance$20.3$3.8
Weighted-average duration for additional liability (years) (2)26.227.6

(1)Reflects the impact of re-cohorting in 2022 as a result of our decision to manage the ULSG business separately from our other UL business following the Strategic Review.
(2)Represents the average of the cohort-level duration of the benefits less the net assessment cash flows weighted by the reserve balance for each cohort.

B-91

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

We updated our actuarial assumptions during the third quarter of 2023, resulting in a $725.4 million increase in the additional liability for certain benefit features primarily due to policyholder lapse behavior assumptions related to ULSG products, resulting in a $13.1 million decrease to income before taxes, net of reinsurance.

Corporate

The balances and the changes in the present value for expected net premiums and expected future policy benefits for long-term care insurance were as follows:

For the year endedFor the year ended
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
($ in millions)
Present value of expected net premiums
Balance at beginning of period$64.6$62.8
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at beginning of period(3.6)(14.0)
Balance at beginning of period at original discount rate 61.048.8
Effect of changes in cash flow assumptions(13.3)10.0
Effect of actual variances from expected experience(5.7)4.1
Adjusted beginning of period balance at original discount rate42.062.9
Interest accrual2.93.3
Net premiums collected(5.1)(5.2)
Balance at end of period at original discount rate39.861.0
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at end of period3.03.6
Balance at end of period$42.8$64.6
Present value of expected future policy benefit payments
Balance at beginning of period$248.1$297.5
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at beginning of period(18.9)(89.5)
Balance at beginning of period at original discount rate229.2208.0
Effect of changes in cash flow assumptions(40.5)17.2
Effect of actual variances from expected experience2.53.7
Adjusted beginning of period balance at original discount rate191.2228.9
Interest accrual12.513.1
Benefit payments(14.2)(12.8)
Balance at end of period at original discount rate189.5229.2
Effect of changes in discount rate assumptions at end of period20.018.9
Balance at end of period$209.5$248.1
Future policy benefits (1)$166.7$183.5
Reinsurance impact(166.7)(183.5)
Future policy benefits after reinsurance$$
Weighted-average duration for future policy benefits (years) (2)10.411.8

(1)Represents the present value of expected future policy benefit payments less the present value of expected net premiums.
(2)Represents the average of cohort-level duration of the benefits less the net premium cash flows weighted by the reserve balance for each cohort.

Upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yields decreased during the year ended December 31, 2023, resulting in an increase to the LFPB of $1.7 million.

Upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yields increased during the year ended December 31, 2022, resulting in a decrease to the LFPB of $60.2 million.

B-92

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

See “Interest Accretion and Current Discount Rates” for further details.

Expected Future Gross Premiums and Benefit Payments

The amounts of expected undiscounted future benefit payments, expected undiscounted future gross premiums and expected discounted future gross premiums, utilizing the current upper-medium fixed-income instrument yield, were as follows:

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Pension risk transfer
Expected undiscounted future benefit payments$36,325.5$33,691.4
Individual fixed income annuities
Expected undiscounted future benefit payments$7,292.0$7,716.6
Benefits and Protection – Specialty Benefits:
Individual disability
Expected discounted future gross premiums$5,456.4$5,140.9
Expected undiscounted future gross premiums$8,264.8$7,978.7
Expected undiscounted future benefit payments$8,981.2$8,473.9
Benefits and Protection – Life Insurance:
Term life
Expected discounted future gross premiums$6,385.1$6,104.6
Expected undiscounted future gross premiums$10,287.2$10,146.3
Expected undiscounted future benefit payments$7,832.3$7,202.5
Corporate:
Long-term care insurance
Expected discounted future gross premiums$42.8$64.6
Expected undiscounted future gross premiums$60.3$96.5
Expected undiscounted future benefit payments$371.0$483.4


B-93

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Interest Accretion and Current Discount Rates

The interest accretion rate shown for each level of aggregation is an average of the cohort-level accretion rates weighted by the reserve balance for each cohort within that level of aggregation. The current discount rate is calculated at a cohort-level based on current upper-medium fixed-income instrument yields and weighted by the reserve balance for each cohort within each level of aggregation. The weighted-average rates were as follows:

Interest accretion rateCurrent discount rate
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Pension risk transfer4.52%4.38%4.99%5.31%
Individual fixed income annuities4.22%4.22%4.97%5.30%
Benefits and Protection:
Specialty Benefits:
Individual disability 3.96%4.03%5.05%5.36%
Life Insurance:
Universal life4.75%4.73%See note (1)See note (1)
Term life4.83%4.89%4.90%5.22%
Corporate:
Long-term care insurance6.16%6.16%5.01%5.34%

(1)The additional liability for certain benefit features for Life Insurance – Universal life is measured using the discount rate at contract inception. Therefore, the current discount rate is not applicable for this product.

12. Market Risk Benefits

    Contracts or contract features that provide protection to the policyholder from capital market risk, including equity, interest rate or foreign exchange risk, and expose us to other-than-nominal capital market risk are classified as MRBs. We issue certain annuity contracts and other investment contracts that include MRBs that have been bifurcated from the host contract. The Retirement and Income Solutions segment offers variable annuity products with GMWB riders and GMDB riders, including the GMDB for its RILA products that offer return of premium death benefits.

MRBs are measured at fair value at the contract level and can be in either an asset or liability position, depending on certain inputs at the reporting date. MRB assets and liabilities are presented separately within the consolidated statements of financial position. Increases to an asset or decreases to a liability are described as favorable changes to fair value.

Changes in fair value are reported in MRB remeasurement (gain) loss on the consolidated statements of operations. However, the change in fair value related to our own nonperformance risk is reported in OCI. For contracts that contain multiple MRB features, the MRBs are valued on a combined basis using an integrated model.

    MRBs are classified as Level 3 fair value measurements as the fair value is based on unobservable inputs. The key assumptions for calculating the fair value of the MRBs are market assumptions such as equity market returns, interest rate levels, market volatility and correlations and policyholder behavior assumptions such as lapse, mortality, utilization and withdrawal patterns. Risk margins are included in the policyholder behavior assumptions. The assumptions are based on a combination of historical data and actuarial judgment. The MRBs are valued using stochastic models that incorporate a spread reflecting our own nonperformance risk.

The assumption for our own nonperformance risk for MRBs is based on the current market credit spreads for debt-like instruments we have issued and are available in the market. Increases (decreases) in our own nonperformance risk, which impacts the rates used to discount future cash flows, could lead to favorable (unfavorable) changes in the fair value of the MRBs.


B-94

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Long-term interest rates are used as the mean return when projecting the growth in the value of the associated account value and impact the discount rate used in the discounted future cash flows valuation. The amount of claims will increase if account value is not sufficient to cover guaranteed withdrawals. An increase (decrease) in risk-free rates could cause a favorable (unfavorable) change in the fair value of the MRBs. A decrease (increase) in market volatilities could cause a favorable (unfavorable) change in the fair value of the MRBs.

An increase (decrease) in mortality rates or the overall lapse rate assumptions could cause a favorable (unfavorable) change in the fair value of the MRBs. The lapse rate assumption may vary dynamically based on the relationship between the guarantee and associated account value. A weaker (stronger) dynamic lapse rate assumption could lead to favorable (unfavorable) changes in the fair value of the MRBs.
The utilization rate assumption includes how many contractholders will take withdrawals, when they will take them and how much of their benefit they will take. A decrease (increase) in the number of contractholders taking withdrawals, contractholders taking withdrawals earlier versus later, or contractholders taking more versus less of their benefit could lead to favorable (unfavorable) changes in the fair value of the MRBs.

The following tables summarize disaggregated MRB amounts in an asset and liability position reported in the consolidated statements of financial position.

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
Net assetNet asset
AssetLiability(liability)AssetLiability(liability)
(in millions)
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Individual variable annuities $153.4$111.9$41.5$109.2$181.4$(72.2)
Total MRB per consolidated statements
of financial position$153.4$111.9$41.5$109.2$181.4$(72.2)


B-95

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Retirement and Income Solutions

    The net asset (liability) balances and the changes in the valuation of the MRBs for Individual variable annuities were as follows:

For the year endedFor the year ended
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
($ in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$(72.2)$(494.7)
Effect of changes in nonperformance risk at beginning of period(31.7)109.5
Adjusted balance at beginning of period(103.9)(385.2)
Effect of:
Interest accrual and expected policyholder behavior(80.9)(90.1)
Benefit payments0.41.3
Changes in interest rates39.9539.1
Changes in equity markets155.1(112.4)
Changes in equity index volatility47.9(50.2)
Actual policyholder behavior different from expected behavior(4.0)1.5
Changes in future expected policyholder behavior(6.1)
Changes in other future expected assumptions(5.3)(1.8)
Adjusted balance at end of period49.2(103.9)
Effect of changes in nonperformance risk at end of period(7.7)31.7
Balance at end of period$41.5$(72.2)
Weighted-average attained age of policyholders (years) (1)67.767.4
Net amount at risk (2) $111.2$415.5

(1)The weighted-average attained age is calculated at the contract level using the total contributions since inception and the age of the contractholders.
(2)The net amount at risk for our GMDB riders is defined as the current GMDB amount in excess of the current account balance. The net amount at risk for our GMWB riders is defined as the greater of the present value of the GMWB payments less the current account balance or zero. For contracts with both GMDB and GMWB riders, the net amount at risk is the greater of the GMDB or GMWB net amount at risk. A decrease in the net amount at risk in 2023 as a result of increases in the equity markets was partially offset by an increase in the net amount at risk as a result of increases in interest rates. Decreases in the equity markets and increases in interest rates resulted in an increase in the net amount at risk in 2022.

Significant changes to inputs and assumptions that impacted the change in the MRB fair value measurement shown above were as follows:

For the year endedFor the year ended
 December 31, 2023 December 31, 2022
Change in net Change in net
Change in inputMRB asset (liability) Change in inputMRB asset (liability)
Long-term interest rateIncreasedFavorableIncreasedFavorable
Equity marketsIncreasedFavorableDecreasedUnfavorable
Equity market volatilitiesDecreasedFavorableIncreasedUnfavorable
Own nonperformance riskDecreasedUnfavorableIncreasedFavorable

See “Unobservable Inputs for Fair Value Measurement” for additional details on the inputs.

B-96

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Unobservable Inputs for Fair Value Measurement

The following table provides quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs used for fair value measurements of MRBs. The utilization rate and mortality rate inputs are omitted from the table as a range does not provide meaningful presentation. The utilization rate represents the number of contractholders taking withdrawals in addition to the amount and timing of the withdrawals. The mortality rate is an input based on an appropriate industry mortality table.

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
Weighted-Weighted-
Range of inputsAverageRange of inputsAverage
Retirement and Income Solutions:
Individual variable annuities
Long-term interest rate (1)4.00-4.20%4.10%3.97-4.12%4.04%
Long-term equity market volatility18.00-33.00%22.00%18.10-34.15%22.07%
Nonperformance risk0.80-1.60%1.30%0.90-1.96%1.65%
Lapse rate1.10-55.00%5.90%1.25-24.75%5.76%

(1)Represents the range of rate curves used in the valuation analysis that we have determined market participants would use when pricing the instrument. The rate curves are derived from an interpolation between various observable swap rates.

13. Reinsurance

We reinsure a portion of the insurance risks associated with our individual disability, traditional life, universal life, medical and long-term care insurance as well as pension risk transfer and retail fixed annuity contracts with significant life insurance risk through reinsurance agreements with affiliated and unaffiliated reinsurance companies, primarily on a quota share, excess loss, yearly renewable term or coinsurance basis. During the fourth quarter of 2023, we closed a coinsurance with funds withheld reinsurance transaction with PFS Bermuda in which we ceded certain of our term life and PRT blocks of business. We use the reinsurance method of accounting for this transaction. During the second quarter of 2022, we closed a coinsurance with funds withheld reinsurance transaction with Talcott Life & Annuity Re in which we ceded our in-force U.S. retail fixed annuity and ULSG blocks of business. The economics of the transaction were effective as of January 1, 2022. We use both the reinsurance and deposit methods of accounting for this transaction. For further information about this transaction, refer to Note 1, Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies.

We are contingently liable with respect to reinsurance ceded to other companies in the event the reinsurer is unable to meet the obligations it has assumed. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had $18,346.0 million and $13,541.3 million of reinsurance recoverable assets, respectively, included in reinsurance recoverable and deposit receivable on the consolidated statements of financial position, which does not reflect potentially offsetting impacts of collateral. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had $45.2 million and $39.4.0 million of reinsurance recoverable liabilities, respectively, included in future policy benefits and claims on the consolidated statements of financial condition. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, $18,093.5 million, or 99%, and $12,953.1 million, or 98%, were with our five largest ceded reinsurers, respectively.


B-97

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The effects of reinsurance on premiums and other considerations and policy and contract benefits were as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Premiums and other considerations:
Direct$6,423.8$5,216.5$4,869.7
Assumed517.0503.5494.3
Ceded(544.1)(455.7)(650.0)
Net premiums and other considerations$6,396.7$5,264.3$4,714.0
Benefits, claims and settlement expenses:
Direct$8,022.0$6,579.3$6,460.7
Assumed853.7772.1727.8
Ceded(1,649.5)(1,468.7)(571.0)
Net benefits, claims and settlement expenses$7,226.2$5,882.7$6,617.5
Liability for future policy benefits remeasurement (gain) loss:
Direct$466.9$(166.5)$(12.4)
Assumed269.6(8.3)10.9
Ceded(789.0)(85.0)1.9
Net liability for future policy benefits remeasurement (gain) loss$(52.5)$(259.8)$0.4

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had a $6,078.7 million and $7,901.0 million reinsurance deposit receivable, respectively.

Refer to Note 5, Investments, for information on our financing receivables valuation allowance related to the reinsurance recoverable and deposit receivable.

Cost of Reinsurance

A reinsurance asset or liability is established to spread the expected net reinsurance costs or profits over the expected term of the contracts. The cost of reinsurance asset and liability are reported in premiums due and other receivables and liability for future policy benefits and claims, respectively, on the consolidated statements of financial position. The cost of reinsurance asset and liability included on the consolidated statements of financial position were as follows:

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Cost of reinsurance asset$3,529.7$3,339.1
Cost of reinsurance liability$673.3$479.8

Cost of reinsurance amortization, including the impact of remeasurement, of $20.4 million, $19.3 million and $23.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, was reported in benefits, claims and settlement expenses and liability for future policy benefits remeasurement (gain) loss on the consolidated statements of operations.


B-98

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Funds Withheld

The following assets were held in support of our reserves associated with our coinsurance with funds withheld agreement and are reported in the line items shown on the consolidated statements of financial position.

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale$19,220.7$15,693.5
Fixed maturities, trading316.8100.8
Equity securities0.311.0
Mortgage loans2,826.02,810.8
Other investments621.4179.8
Cash and cash equivalents942.01,762.9
Accrued interest income231.7178.7
Net other liabilities(201.9)(33.6)
Net assets$23,957.0$20,703.9

Certain assets are reported at amortized cost while the fair value of those assets is reflected in the funds withheld payable. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had a $23,744.9 million and $20,436.1 million funds withheld payable, which was net of a $2,326.1 million and $3,652.8 million embedded derivative asset, respectively. The change in fair value of the embedded derivative was a gain (loss) of $(1,326.7) million, $3,652.8 million and $0.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

While the economic benefits of the funds withheld assets flow to the reinsurers, we retain legal ownership of the assets within the funds withheld account. Guidelines are in place to ensure the investment risk is appropriately managed. Net investment income and net realized capital gains (losses) related to the assets on the consolidated statements of operations is reported net of the amounts that flow to the reinsurers. The realized gains and losses that do not flow to the reinsurers are reported in net realized capital gains (losses) on funds withheld assets on the consolidated statements of operations.

Following are the components of net investment income on the funds withheld assets that were passed to the reinsurers.

For the year ended December 31,
20232022
(in millions)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale$906.9$745.9
Fixed maturities, trading11.92.0
Equity securities0.20.6
Mortgage loans125.298.4
Cash and cash equivalents58.918.2
Other64.04.8
Total1,167.0869.9
Investment expenses24.720.5
Net investment income$1,142.3$849.4


B-99

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Following are the components of net realized capital gains (losses) on the funds withheld assets that were passed to the reinsurers.

For the year ended December 31,
20232022
(in millions)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale$(230.9)$(235.5)
Fixed maturities, trading(0.1)(6.4)
Equity securities (1.2)(2.4)
Mortgage loans(34.1)(24.8)
Derivatives 7.22.7
Other3.3
Net realized capital losses$(259.1)$(263.1)

14. Debt

Short-Term Debt

The components of short-term debt were as follows:

December 31, 2023
FinancingShort-term debt
Obligor/ApplicantstructureMaturityCapacityoutstanding
(in millions)
PLICCredit facilityOctober 2027$800.0$
Total$800.0$
December 31, 2022
FinancingShort-term debt
Obligor/ApplicantstructureMaturityCapacityoutstanding
(in millions)
PLICCredit facilityOctober 2027$800.0$
Total$800.0$

    Our revolving credit facilities are committed and available for general corporate purposes. These credit facilities also provide 100% back-stop support for our commercial paper program, of which we had no outstanding balances as of both December 31, 2023 and 2022.


B-100

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Long-Term Debt

    The components of long-term debt were as follows:

December 31, 2023
Net unamortized
discount,
premium and
debt issuanceCarrying
Principalcostsamount
(in millions)
Non-recourse mortgages and notes payable$3.1$(0.1)$3.0
Total long-term debt$3.1$(0.1)$3.0
December 31, 2022
Net unamortized
discount,
premium and
debt issuanceCarrying
Principalcostsamount
(in millions)
Non-recourse mortgages and notes payable$67.1$0.7$67.8
Total long-term debt$67.1$0.7$67.8

The non-recourse mortgages and notes payable are primarily financings for real estate developments. As of December 31, 2023, the development had an outstanding principal balance of $3.0 million with an interest rate of 4.0%. As of December 31, 2022, outstanding principal balances ranged from $3.0 million to $15.9 million per development with interest rates ranging from 3.5% to 4.8%. Outstanding debt is secured by the underlying real estate properties, which were reported as real estate on our consolidated statements of financial position with a carrying value of $321.7 million and $317.6 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

As of December 31, 2023, future annual maturities of long-term debt were as follows (in millions):

Year ending December 31:
2024$0.1
20250.1
20260.9
20270.9
20281.0
Thereafter
Total future maturities of long-term debt$3.0


B-101

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

15. Income Taxes

Income Taxes (Benefits)

    Our income taxes (benefits) were as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Current income taxes (benefits):
U.S. federal$45.8$(142.9)$96.8
State19.121.711.4
Total current income taxes (benefits)64.9(121.2)108.2
Deferred income taxes (benefits):
U.S. federal(141.0)1,231.787.9
State(11.3)(4.5)0.5
Total deferred income taxes (benefits)(152.3)1,227.288.4
Income taxes (benefits)$(87.4)$1,106.0$196.6

    Our income before income taxes was as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Domestic$149.2 $5,785.5$1,512.7
Total income before income taxes$149.2$5,785.5$1,512.7

Effective Income Tax Rate

Our provision for income taxes may not have the customary relationship of taxes to income. A reconciliation between the U.S. corporate income tax rate and the effective income tax rate was as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
U.S. corporate income tax rate21%21%21%
Dividends received deduction(47)(1)(5)
Tax credits(40)(1)(3)
Interest exclusion from taxable income(15)(1)
Impact of equity method presentation(3)
Employee compensation(2)
Other postretirement employee benefits redesignation(2)
Low income housing tax credit amortization24
State income taxes4
Nondeductible expenses2
Other(1)1
Effective income tax rate(59)%19%13%


B-102

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Unrecognized Tax Benefits

    Our changes in unrecognized tax benefits were as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of period$40.6$43.9$45.8
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year0.31.3
Reductions for tax positions related to the current year(3.2)(3.3)(3.2)
Balance at end of period (1)$37.7$40.6$43.9
(1) Our 2023 effective income tax rate would not be impacted if unrecognized tax benefits were recognized. We recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in operating expenses within the consolidated statements of operations.

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had recognized $1.7 million and $1.4 million of accumulated pre-tax interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, respectively. We do not believe there is a reasonable possibility the total amount of the unrecognized tax benefits will significantly increase or decrease in the next twelve months considering recent settlements and the status of current and pending Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) examinations.

Net Deferred Income Taxes
    
Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Our significant components of net deferred income taxes were as follows:

December 31,
20232022
(in millions)
Deferred income tax assets:
Net unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities$1,098.3$1,611.9
Net operating and capital loss carryforwards42.9
Tax credit carryforwards64.265.8
Employee benefits30.026.4
Intangible assets42.217.6
Other deferred income tax assets8.5
Gross deferred income tax assets1,286.11,721.7
Valuation allowance(12.0)(12.3)
Total deferred income tax assets1,274.11,709.4
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Deferred acquisition costs(622.5)(655.6)
Investments, including derivatives(210.1)(187.6)
Funds withheld embedded derivative(488.5)(767.1)
Real estate(136.7)(140.0)
Insurance liabilities(1,165.6)(1,011.9)
Gain on sale of discontinued operations (1)(174.5)(182.1)
Other deferred income tax liabilities(51.1)
Total deferred income tax liabilities(2,797.9)(2,995.4)
Total net deferred income tax liabilities$(1,523.8)$(1,286.0)

(1)Represents a deferred intercompany gain on the sale of PGI LLC to PFS, which was allocated to stockholder’s equity as the result of a taxable common control transaction on the standalone financials of the transferring entity. 

B-103

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Our net deferred income taxes by jurisdiction were as follows:

December 31,
20232022
(in millions)
Deferred income tax assets:
State$17.2$10.9
Net deferred income tax assets17.210.9
Deferred income tax liabilities:
U.S. federal(1,541.0)(1,296.9)
Net deferred income tax liabilities(1,541.0)(1,296.9)
Total net deferred income tax liabilities$(1,523.8)$(1,286.0)

In management’s judgment, total deferred income tax assets are more likely than not to be realized. Included in the deferred income tax asset are tax credit carryforwards available to offset future taxable income or income taxes. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had tax credit carryforwards for U.S. federal income tax purposes of $64.2 million and $65.8 million, respectively. The federal tax credit carryforwards, if unused, will expire in 2042. As of December 31, 2023, these carryforwards are anticipated to be utilized before expiration; therefore, no valuation allowance has been provided for the related deferred income tax asset.

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, state net operating loss carryforwards were $178.5 million and $0.3 million, respectively, and will expire between 2032 and 2040. As of December 31, 2023, all accumulated state net operating loss carryforwards are anticipated to be utilized before expiration; therefore, no valuation allowance has been provided for the related deferred income tax assets. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, valuation allowances of $12.0 million and $12.3 million, respectively, had been recorded against the income tax benefits associated primarily with net unrealized capital losses on benefit plan trusts.

Effects of Tax Legislation

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA 2022”) was enacted by the U.S. government on August 16, 2022. The IRA 2022 implements a new corporate alternative minimum tax (“CAMT”) effective January 1, 2023. We are an “Applicable Corporation,” which requires computation of the U.S. federal income tax liability under two systems, the U.S. regular corporate tax (“RCT”) and the CAMT. Although the CAMT may apply in any given year when tentative minimum tax (“TMT”) exceeds the RCT liability, as a “prepayment” the CAMT generates a corresponding alternative minimum tax credit (“AMTC”). The AMTC is accounted for as a deferred tax asset (“DTA”) with an indefinite carryover life recoverable in years when the RCT liability exceeds TMT. Our tax sharing agreement with PFG was amended in 2023 to allocate the CAMT exclusively to PFS.

The tax accounting consequences of a change in tax law is required to be recognized in the period legislation is enacted. Generally, a company is also required to consider the impact of new tax law on realizability of its DTAs, including determination of whether a change to its valuation allowance amounts is necessary. We made an accounting policy election to disregard our CAMT status when evaluating DTAs under the RCT system associated with the IRA 2022.

Other Tax Information

Income tax returns are filed in U.S. federal jurisdiction as well as various states where we and one or more of our subsidiaries conduct business. Although determined by jurisdiction, with few exceptions our tax uncertainties relate primarily to U.S. federal income tax matters. The IRS has completed examination of our consolidated U.S. federal income tax returns for years prior to 2013 and did not exam 2013 and 2014. IRS claims for refund for tax years 2004 through 2008, following settlement of a partnership matter with the Department of Justice in March 2019, were finalized in 2020 and have been received in full as of December 31, 2021. IRS claims for refund filed for tax years 2006 through 2008 were received in September 2020. In 2019, an IRS 30-day letter on examination of tax years 2009 through 2012 was received, the proposed adjustments found acceptable, and associated tax settlements subsequently occurred in 2020 prior to expiration of the extended statute of limitations. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had $(141.0) million and $20.7 million, respectively, of current income tax receivables (payables) associated with outstanding audit issues.
B-104

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The U.S. federal statute of limitations has expired for years prior to 2015. The IRS is currently auditing our U.S. federal income tax returns for tax years 2015-2018 and 2019-2022. The statutes remain open through normal statute extensions. We do not expect the results of these audits, subsequent related adjustments or developments in other tax areas for all open tax years to significantly change the possible increase in the amount of unrecognized tax benefits, but the outcome of tax reviews is uncertain and unforeseen results can occur.

We believe we have adequate defenses against, or sufficient provisions for, contested issues, but final resolution could take several years depending on whether legal remedies are pursued. Consequently, we do not believe issues that might arise in tax years subsequent to 2014 will have a material impact on our net income.

16. Employee and Agent Benefits

PFG provides a U.S. qualified defined benefit pension plan, covering U.S. employees that meet certain eligibility requirements and certain agents contracted on or before December 31, 2018. A final average pay benefit formula has been in place for plan participants employed prior to January 1, 2002. For agents, this formula ended on December 31, 2018, and for employees the formula ended on December 31, 2022. The final average pay benefit is based on the years of service and generally the employee's or agent's average annual compensation during the last five years prior to the earliest of termination, retirement or the formula end date. A cash balance benefit was added on January 1, 2002. A participant's cash balance account is credited with an amount based on the participant’s salary, age and service. These credits accrue with interest. For plan participants hired on and after January 1, 2002, only the cash balance benefit applies. For pre-2002 participants, the pension benefit earned prior to the final average pay formula end date is the greater of the final average pay benefit or the cash balance benefit earned before the end date. They will also earn a new cash balance benefit for service after the formula end date. We reflect pension expense through our expense allocation agreement with PFG.

In addition, PFG sponsors non-qualified defined benefit plans subject to Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. This plan is for certain highly compensated employees and agents to replace the benefit that cannot be provided by the qualified defined benefit pension plan due to IRS limits. These nonqualified plans generally parallel the qualified plan but offer different payment options. No agent will become a new participant in the nonqualified plan after December 31, 2018.

We provide certain health care, life insurance and long-term care benefits for retired employees, their beneficiaries and covered dependents ("other postretirement benefits"). While virtually all U.S. employees continue to have access to the postretirement health care and life insurance benefits, only those U.S. employees that were hired prior to January 1, 2002, and retired prior to January 1, 2011, (post-65 medical) or January 1, 2020, (life insurance and pre-65 medical) were eligible to receive subsidized benefits. All others pay the full cost of coverage. The long-term care plan was subsidized only for those who retired prior to January 1, 2000, and is no longer accessible. The subsidy level for all benefits varies by plan, age, service and retirement date. Our policy is to fund the cost of providing retiree benefits in the years the employees are providing service, taking into account the funded status of the trust. PFG is the sponsor of the post-65 retiree medical plan for both employees and individual field agents.


B-105

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Obligations and Funded Status

    The combined funded status, reconciled to amounts recognized in the consolidated statements of financial position relating to the other postretirement employee benefits plans, was as follows:

December 31,
20232022
(in millions)
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year$(58.6)$(79.2)
Interest cost(2.8)(1.9)
Actuarial gain (loss)(3.0)17.0
Participant contributions(6.1)(6.4)
Benefits paid13.611.9
Benefit obligation at end of year$(56.9)$(58.6)
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year$70.4$89.5
Actual return on plan assets9.6(15.0)
Employer contribution1.51.4
Participant contributions6.16.4
Benefits paid(13.6)(11.9)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year$74.0$70.4
Amount recognized in statement of financial position
Other assets$17.1$11.8
Total$17.1$11.8
Amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income
Total net actuarial gain$(20.5)$(18.1)
Pre-tax accumulated other comprehensive income$(20.5)$(18.1)
Other Postretirement Plan Changes and Plan Gains/Losses

For the year ended December 31, 2023, the other postretirement benefit plans had an actuarial loss primarily due to a decrease in the discount rates and actual medical claims costs being higher than previously expected. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the other postretirement benefit plans had an actuarial gain primarily due to an increase in the discount rates and actual medical claims costs being lower than previously expected.

We did not have any other postretirement benefit plans with an accumulated postretirement benefit obligation in excess of plan assets.

B-106

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Components of Other Postretirement Benefits Net Periodic Benefit Cost
For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Interest cost$2.8$1.9$1.8
Expected return on plan assets(3.5)(3.8)(3.5)
Recognized net actuarial gain(0.7)(0.8)(0.4)
Net periodic benefit income$(1.4)$(2.7)$(2.1)

The components of net periodic benefit cost including the service cost component are included in operating expenses on the consolidated statements of operations.

For the other postretirement benefit plans, actuarial gains and losses were amortized with use of the corridors allowed.

For the other postretirement benefit plans, amounts recognized in pre-tax accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss were as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
20232022
(in millions)
Other changes recognized in accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss
Net actuarial (gain) loss$(3.1)$1.8
Amortization of net gain0.70.8
Total recognized in pre-tax accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss$(2.4)$2.6
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and pre-tax accumulated
other comprehensive income$(3.8)$(0.1)

Net actuarial (gain) loss and net prior service cost benefit have been recognized in AOCI.

Assumptions

Weighted-average assumptions used for other postretirement benefit plans to determine benefit obligations as disclosed under the Obligations and Funded Status section

December 31,
20232022
Discount rate4.80%5.05%
Rate of compensation increaseN/AN/A

Weighted average assumptions used for other postretirement benefit plans to determine net periodic benefit cost
For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
Discount rate5.05%2.55%2.15%
Expected long-term return on plan assets5.20%4.25%4.25%
Rate of compensation increaseN/AN/AN/A%

B-107

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

For other postretirement benefits, the discount rate is determined by projecting future benefit payments inherent in the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation, and discounting those cash flows using a spot yield curve for high quality corporate bonds. The plans’ expected benefit payments are discounted to determine a present value using the yield curve and the discount rate is the level rate that produces the same present value. The 5.20% expected long-term return on plan assets for 2023 was based on the weighted average expected long-term asset returns for the medical, life and long-term care plans.

Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rates Used to Determine Net Periodic Benefit Cost

December 31,
20232022
Health care cost trend rate assumed for next year under age 657.50%7.00%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (the ultimate trend rate)4.50%4.50%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate (under age 65)20322031

Other Postretirement Benefit Plan Assets

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (an exit price). The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels.

Level 1 – Fair values are based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.
Level 2 – Fair values are based on inputs other than quoted prices within Level 1 that are observable for the asset, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 – Fair values are based on significant unobservable inputs for the asset.

Our other postretirement benefit plan assets consist of cash, investments in fixed income security portfolios and investments in equity security portfolios. Because of the nature of cash, its carrying amount approximates fair value. The fair value of fixed income investment funds, U.S. equity portfolios and international equity portfolios is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.

B-108

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The fair value of the other postretirement benefit plans’ assets by asset category as of the most recent measurement date was as follows:

December 31, 2023
AssetsFair value hierarchy level
measured at
fair valueLevel 1Level 2Level 3
(in millions)
Asset category
Cash and cash equivalents$1.1$1.1$$
Fixed income security portfolios (1)34.934.9
U.S. equity portfolios (2)27.627.6
International equity portfolios (3)10.410.4
Total$74.0$74.0$$
December 31, 2022
AssetsFair value hierarchy level
measured at
fair valueLevel 1Level 2Level 3
(in millions)
Asset category
Cash and cash equivalents$0.5$0.5$$
Fixed income security portfolios (1)34.734.7
U.S. equity portfolios (2)25.625.6
International equity portfolios (3)9.69.6
Total$70.4$70.4$$

(1)The portfolios invest in various fixed income securities, primarily of U.S. origin. These include, but are not limited to, corporate bonds, residential mortgage-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities, U.S. Treasury securities, agency securities, asset-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations.
(2)The portfolios invest primarily in publicly traded equity securities of large U.S. companies.
(3)The portfolios invest primarily in publicly traded equity securities of non-U.S. companies.

    We have established an investment policy that provides the investment objectives and guidelines for the other postretirement benefit plans. Our investment strategy is to achieve the following:

Obtain a reasonable long-term return consistent with the level of risk assumed and at a cost of operation within prudent levels. Performance benchmarks are monitored.
Ensure sufficient liquidity to meet the emerging benefit liabilities for the plans.
Provide for diversification of assets in an effort to avoid the risk of large losses and maximize the investment return to the other postretirement benefit plans consistent with market and economic risk.

    In administering the other postretirement benefit plans’ asset allocation strategies, we consider the projected liability stream of benefit payments, the relationship between current and projected assets of the plan and the projected actuarial liabilities streams, the historical performance of capital markets adjusted for the perception of future short- and long-term capital market performance and the perception of future economic conditions.


B-109

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

According to our investment policy, the target asset allocation for the other postretirement benefit plans is:

Asset categoryTarget allocation
Fixed income security portfolios50%
U.S. equity portfolios35%
International equity portfolios15%

Estimated Future Benefit Payments

The estimated future benefit payments, which reflect expected future service are:

Other postretirement
benefits (gross benefit
payments, including
prescription drug benefits)
(in millions)
Year ending December 31:
2024$11.2
202510.2
20269.1
20278.0
20287.2
2029-203329.7

    The above table reflects the total estimated future benefits to be paid from the plan, including both our share of the benefit cost and the participants' share of the cost, which is funded by their contributions to the plan. The assumptions used in calculating the estimated future benefit payments are the same as those used to measure the benefit obligation for the year ended December 31, 2023.

17. Contingencies, Guarantees, Indemnifications and Leases

Litigation and Regulatory Contingencies

We are regularly involved in litigation, both as a defendant and as a plaintiff, but primarily as a defendant. Litigation naming us as a defendant ordinarily arises out of our business operations as a provider of asset management and accumulation products and services, individual life insurance, specialty benefits insurance and our investment activities. Some of the lawsuits may be class actions, or purport to be, and some may include claims for unspecified or substantial punitive and treble damages.

We may discuss such litigation in one of three ways. We accrue a charge to income and disclose legal matters for which the chance of loss is probable and for which the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. We may disclose contingencies for which the chance of loss is reasonably possible and provide an estimate of the possible loss or range of loss or a statement that such an estimate cannot be made. Finally, we may voluntarily disclose loss contingencies for which the chance of loss is remote in order to provide information concerning matters that potentially expose us to possible losses.

In addition, regulatory bodies such as state insurance departments, the SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Department of Labor and other regulatory agencies regularly make inquiries and conduct examinations or investigations concerning our compliance with, among other things, insurance laws, securities laws, Employee Retirement Income Security Act and laws governing the activities of broker-dealers. We receive requests from regulators and other governmental authorities relating to industry issues and may receive additional requests, including subpoenas and interrogatories, in the future.


B-110

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

While the outcome of any pending or future litigation or regulatory matter cannot be predicted, management does not believe any such matter will have a material adverse effect on our business or financial position. To the extent such matters present a reasonably possible chance of loss, we are generally not able to estimate the possible loss or range of loss associated therewith. The outcome of such matters is always uncertain and unforeseen results can occur. It is possible that such outcomes could require us to pay damages or make other expenditures or establish accruals in amounts that we could not estimate as of December 31, 2023.

Guarantees and Indemnifications

    In the normal course of business, we have provided guarantees to our ultimate parent, PFG, related to benefit payments of the nonqualified pension plans and the nonqualified deferred compensation plans. We also provided guarantees to third parties primarily related to a former subsidiary. The terms of these agreements range in duration and often are not explicitly defined. The maximum exposure under these agreements as of December 31, 2023, was approximately $141.0 million. At inception, the fair value of such guarantees was insignificant. In addition, we believe the likelihood is remote that material payments will be required. Therefore, any liability accrued within our consolidated statements of financial position is insignificant. Should we be required to perform under these guarantees, we generally could recover a portion of the loss from third parties through recourse provisions included in agreements with such parties, the sale of assets held as collateral that can be liquidated in the event performance is required under the guarantees or other recourse generally available to us; therefore, such guarantees would not result in a material adverse effect on our business or financial position. While the likelihood is remote, such outcomes could materially affect net income in a particular quarter or annual period.

We are also subject to various other indemnification obligations issued in conjunction with divestitures, acquisitions, financing and reinsurance transactions whose terms range in duration and often are not explicitly defined. Certain portions of these indemnifications may be capped, while other portions are not subject to such limitations; therefore, the overall maximum amount of the obligation under the indemnifications cannot be reasonably estimated. At inception, the fair value of such indemnifications was insignificant. In addition, we believe the likelihood is remote that material payments will be required. Therefore, any liability accrued within our consolidated statements of financial position is insignificant. While we are unable to estimate with certainty the ultimate legal and financial liability with respect to these indemnifications, we believe that performance under these indemnifications would not result in a material adverse effect on our business or financial position. While the likelihood is remote, performance under these indemnifications could materially affect net income in a particular quarter or annual period.

Guaranty Funds

Under state insurance guaranty fund laws, insurers doing business in a state can be assessed, up to prescribed limits, for certain obligations of insolvent insurance companies to policyholders and claimants. A state’s fund assesses its members based on their pro rata market share of written premiums in the state for the classes of insurance for which the insolvent insurer was engaged. Some states permit member insurers to recover assessments paid through full or partial premium tax offsets. We accrue liabilities for guaranty fund assessments when an assessment is probable, can be reasonably estimated and when the event obligating us to pay has occurred. While we cannot predict the amount and timing of any future assessments, we have established reserves we believe are adequate for assessments relating to insurance companies that are currently subject to insolvency proceedings. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the liability balance for guaranty fund assessments, which is not discounted, was $20.7 million and $20.6 million, respectively, and was reported within other liabilities in the consolidated statements of financial position. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, $9.9 million and $9.7 million, respectively, related to premium tax offsets were included in premiums due and other receivables in the consolidated statements of financial position.

B-111

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Leases

    As a lessee, we lease office space, data processing equipment, office furniture and office equipment under various operating leases. We also lease buildings and hardware storage equipment under finance leases. Lease assets and liabilities are recognized at the commencement of a lease based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. We generally use our incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the lease commencement date to determine the present value of lease payments. Lease term may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain we will exercise the option. Leases with an initial term of twelve months or less are not recorded on the consolidated statements of financial position. We recognize lease expense for leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Some of our lease agreements include payments for property taxes, insurance, utilities or common area maintenance, which are not based on an index or rate. These payments are recognized in net income in the period in which the obligation has occurred. 

    We sublease certain office space to third parties, which are primarily operating leases. We record sublease income on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

    The lease assets and liabilities were as follows:
December 31,
20232022
(in millions)
Assets
Operating lease assets (1)$113.0$116.9
Finance lease assets (1)73.882.4
Total lease assets$186.8$199.3
Liabilities
Operating lease liabilities (2)$104.5$112.2
Finance lease liabilities (2)74.883.0
Total lease liabilities$179.3$195.2

(1)Operating and finance lease assets are primarily reported within property and equipment on the consolidated statements of financial position.
(2)Operating and finance lease liabilities are reported within other liabilities on the consolidated statements of
financial position.

The lease cost was as follows:
For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Finance lease cost (1):
Amortization of right-of-use assets$32.9$34.0$30.5
Interest on lease liabilities1.91.21.0
Operating lease cost (1)28.934.637.6
Other lease cost (1) (2)6.69.57.3
Sublease income (3)(0.3)(1.5)(1.7)
Total lease cost$70.0$77.8$74.7

(1)Finance, operating and other lease costs are primarily included in operating expenses on the consolidated statements of operations.
(2)Other lease cost primarily reflects variable and short-term lease costs.
(3)Sublease income is included in fees and other revenues on the consolidated statements of operations.

B-112

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Payments for operating leases for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, were $32.4 million, $32.0 million and $36.0 million, respectively. Payments for finance leases for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, were $34.3 million, $35.1 million and $31.4 million, respectively. The following represents future payments due by period for lease obligations:

Operating leasesFinance leasesTotal
(in millions)
For the twelve months ending December 31:
2024$25.2$31.1$56.3
202522.123.445.5
202618.917.136.0
202715.27.522.7
202811.00.111.1
2029 and thereafter25.925.9
Total lease payments118.379.2197.5
Less: interest13.84.418.2
Present value of lease liabilities$104.5$74.8$179.3

    The weighted-average remaining lease term and weighted-average discount rates were as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years):
Operating leases7.37.77.8
Finance leases3.02.83.2
Weighted-average discount rate:
Operating leases2.9%2.5%2.2%
Finance leases3.5%1.7%1.1%

B-113

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

18. Stockholder's Equity

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
For the year ended December 31, 2023
Pre-TaxTaxAfter-Tax
(in millions)
Net unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities during the period$2,069.1$(438.8)$1,630.3
Reclassification adjustment for losses included in net income (1)355.1(74.8)280.3
Adjustments for assumed changes in amortization patterns(2.5)0.6(1.9)
Adjustments for assumed changes in policyholder liabilities0.7(0.1)0.6
Net unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities2,422.4(513.1)1,909.3
Net unrealized losses on derivative instruments during the period(44.9)9.4(35.5)
Reclassification adjustment for gains included in net income (2)(7.4)1.6(5.8)
Adjustments for assumed changes in amortization patterns(0.9)0.2(0.7)
Adjustments for assumed changes in policyholder liabilities0.20.2
Net unrealized losses on derivative instruments(53.0)11.2(41.8)
Liability for future policy benefits discount rate remeasurement loss (3)(496.5)104.3(392.2)
Market risk benefit nonperformance risk loss (4)(39.4)8.3(31.1)
Unrecognized postretirement benefit obligation during the period3.0(0.7)2.3
Amortization of amounts included in net periodic benefit cost (5)(0.7)0.2(0.5)
Net unrecognized postretirement benefit obligation2.3(0.5)1.8
Other comprehensive income$1,835.8$(389.8)$1,446.0

B-114

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

For the year ended December 31, 2022
Pre-TaxTaxAfter-Tax
(in millions)
Net unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities during the period$(12,980.2)$2,753.0$(10,227.2)
Reclassification adjustment for losses included in net income (1)333.3(70.4)262.9
Adjustments for assumed changes in amortization patterns(3.7)0.7(3.0)
Adjustments for assumed changes in policyholder liabilities273.2(57.3)215.9
Net unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities(12,377.4)2,626.0(9,751.4)
Net unrealized losses on derivative instruments during the period(1.4)0.4(1.0)
Reclassification adjustment for gains included in net income (2)(28.0)5.8(22.2)
Adjustments for assumed changes in amortization patterns(0.1)(0.1)
Adjustments for assumed changes in policyholder liabilities0.4(0.2)0.2
Net unrealized losses on derivative instruments(29.1)6.0(23.1)
Liability for future policy benefits discount rate remeasurement gain (3)6,295.5(1,322.1)4,973.4
Market risk benefit nonperformance risk gain (4)141.2(29.7)111.5
Unrecognized postretirement benefit obligation during the period(1.7)0.3(1.4)
Amortization of amounts included in net periodic benefit cost (5)(0.8)0.2(0.6)
Net unrecognized postretirement benefit obligation(2.5)0.5(2.0)
Other comprehensive loss$(5,972.3)$1,280.7$(4,691.6)

B-115

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

For the year ended December 31, 2021
Pre-TaxTaxAfter-Tax
(in millions)
Net unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities during the period$(2,313.3)$490.5$(1,822.8)
Reclassification adjustment for losses included in net income (1)20.5(4.3)16.2
Adjustments for assumed changes in amortization patterns(0.2)(0.2)
Adjustments for assumed changes in policyholder liabilities252.6(53.0)199.6
Net unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities(2,040.4)433.2(1,607.2)
Net unrealized gains on derivative instruments during the period66.7(14.1)52.6
Reclassification adjustment for gains included in net income (2)(25.5)5.4(20.1)
Adjustments for assumed changes in policyholder liabilities1.2(0.2)1.0
Net unrealized gains on derivative instruments42.4(8.9)33.5
Liability for future policy benefits discount rate remeasurement gain (3)2,076.0(435.9)1,640.1
Market risk benefit nonperformance risk loss (4)(2.8)0.6(2.2)
Unrecognized postretirement benefit obligation during the period2.3(0.5)1.8
Amortization of amounts included in net periodic benefit cost (5)(0.4)0.1(0.3)
Net unrecognized postretirement benefit obligation1.9(0.4)1.5
Other comprehensive income$77.1$(11.4)$65.7

(1)     Pre-tax reclassification adjustments relating to available-for-sale securities are reported in net realized capital gains (losses) and net realized capital gains (losses) on funds withheld assets on the consolidated statements of operations.
(2) See Note 6, Derivative Financial Instruments, under the caption “Effect of Fair Value and Cash Flow Hedges on Consolidated Statements of Operations” for further details.
(3) Includes the discount rate remeasurement gain (loss) associated with the LFPB and the associated reinsurance recoverable. See Note 11, Future Policy Benefits and Claims, under the caption “Liability for Future Policy Benefits” for further details.
(4) See Note 12, Market Risk Benefits, for further details.
(5) Amount is comprised of amortization of prior service cost (benefit) and recognized net actuarial (gain) loss, which is reported in operating expenses on the consolidated statements of operations. See Note 16, Employee and Agent Benefits, under the caption “Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost” for further details.


B-116

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net unrealizedNet unrealizedLFPBUnrecognizedAccumulated
gains (losses) ongains (losses) ondiscount rateMRBpostretirementother
available-for-salederivativeremeasurementnonperformancebenefitcomprehensive
securities (1)instrumentsgain (loss)risk gain (loss)obligationincome (loss)
(in millions)
Balances as of January 1, 2021$3,955.5$18.5$$$12.9$3,986.9
Other comprehensive income during
the period, net of adjustments(1,623.4)53.61,640.1(2.2)1.869.9
Amounts reclassified from AOCI16.2(20.1)(0.3)(4.2)
Other comprehensive income(1,607.2)33.51,640.1(2.2)1.565.7
Effects of implementation of
accounting change related to
long-duration insurance
contracts, net1,356.05.0(5,328.8)(84.3)(4,052.1)
Net assets transferred to affiliate due
to change in benefit plan
sponsorship2.02.0
Balances as of December 31, 20213,704.357.0(3,688.7)(86.5)16.42.5
Other comprehensive loss during
the period, net of adjustments(10,014.3)(0.9)4,973.4111.5(1.4)(4,931.7)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI262.9(22.2)(0.6)240.1
Other comprehensive loss(9,751.4)(23.1)4,973.4111.5(2.0)(4,691.6)
Adjustments for reinsurance (2)108.36.1114.4
Balances as of December 31, 2022(5,938.8)40.01,284.725.014.4(4,574.7)
Other comprehensive income during
the period, net of adjustments1,629.0(36.0)(392.2)(31.1)2.31,172.0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI280.3(5.8)(0.5)274.0
Other comprehensive income1,909.3(41.8)(392.2)(31.1)1.81,446.0
Balances as of December 31, 2023$(4,029.5)$(1.8)$892.5 $(6.1)$16.2 $(3,128.7)
(1)Net unrealized losses on available-for-sale debt securities for which an allowance for credit loss has been recorded were $1.5 million, $1.8 million and $0.6 million as of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
(2)Reflects the January 1, 2022, balance associated with our ULSG business that was ceded to Talcott Life & Annuity Re.

Dividend Limitations

Under Iowa law, we may pay dividends or make other distributions only from the earned surplus arising from our business and must receive the prior approval of the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Iowa (“the Commissioner”) to pay stockholder dividends or make any other distribution if such distribution would exceed certain statutory limitations. Iowa law gives the Commissioner discretion to disapprove requests for distributions in excess of these limitations. Extraordinary dividends include those made, together with dividends and other distributions, within the preceding twelve months that exceed the greater of (i) 10% of our statutory policyholder surplus as of the previous year-end excluding admitted disallowed interest maintenance reserve or (ii) the statutory net gain from operations from the previous calendar year, not to exceed earned surplus. Based on this limitation and 2023 statutory results, we could pay approximately $1,497.8 million in ordinary stockholder dividends in 2024 without prior regulatory approval. However, because the dividend test is based on dividends previously paid over rolling twelve-month periods, if paid before a specified date during 2024, some or all of such dividends may be extraordinary and require regulatory approval.


B-117

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

19. Fair Value Measurements

We use fair value measurements to record fair value of certain assets and liabilities and to estimate fair value of financial instruments not recorded at fair value but required to be disclosed at fair value. Certain financial instruments, particularly policyholder liabilities other than investment contracts, are excluded from these fair value disclosure requirements.

Valuation Hierarchy

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (an exit price). The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels. The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety considering factors specific to the asset or liability.

Level 1 – Fair values are based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 – Fair values are based on inputs other than quoted prices within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 – Fair values are based on at least one significant unobservable input for the asset or liability.

Determination of Fair Value

The following discussion describes the valuation methodologies and inputs used for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The techniques utilized in estimating the fair value of financial instruments are reliant on the assumptions used. Care should be exercised in deriving conclusions about our business, its value or financial position based on the fair value information of financial instruments presented below.

Fair value estimates are made based on available market information and judgments about the financial instrument at a specific point in time. Such estimates do not consider the tax impact of the realization of unrealized gains or losses. In addition, the disclosed fair value may not be realized in the immediate settlement of the financial instrument. We validate prices through an investment analyst review process, which includes validation through direct interaction with external sources, review of recent trade activity or use of internal models. In circumstances where broker quotes are used to value an instrument, we generally receive one non-binding quote. Broker quotes are validated through an investment analyst review process, which includes validation through direct interaction with external sources and use of internal models or other relevant information. We did not make any significant changes to our valuation processes during 2023.

Fixed Maturities

Fixed maturities include bonds, ABS, redeemable preferred stock and certain non-redeemable preferred securities. When available, the fair value of fixed maturities is based on quoted prices of identical assets in active markets. These are reflected in Level 1 and primarily include U.S. Treasury bonds and actively traded redeemable corporate preferred securities.

When quoted prices of identical assets in active markets are not available, our first priority is to obtain prices from third party pricing vendors. We have regular interaction with these vendors to ensure we understand their pricing methodologies and to confirm they are utilizing observable market information. Their methodologies vary by asset class and include inputs such as estimated cash flows, benchmark yields, reported trades, broker quotes, credit quality, industry events and economic events. Fixed maturities with validated prices from pricing services, which includes the majority of our public fixed maturities in all asset classes, are generally reflected in Level 2. Also included in Level 2 are corporate bonds when quoted market prices are not available, for which an internal model using substantially all observable inputs or a matrix pricing valuation approach is used. In the matrix approach, securities are grouped into pricing categories that vary by sector, rating and average life. Each pricing category is assigned a risk spread based on studies of observable public market data for specific security classes. The expected cash flows of the security are then discounted back at the current Treasury curve plus the appropriate risk spread. Although the matrix valuation approach provides a fair valuation of each pricing category, the valuation of an individual security within each pricing category may also be impacted by company specific factors.

B-118

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

If we are unable to price a fixed maturity security using prices from third party pricing vendors or other sources specific to the asset class, we may obtain a broker quote or utilize an internal pricing model specific to the asset utilizing relevant market information, to the extent available and where at least one significant unobservable input is utilized. These are reflected in Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy and can include fixed maturities across all asset classes. As of December 31, 2023, approximately 3% of our total fixed maturities were Level 3 securities valued using internal pricing models.

The primary inputs, by asset class, for valuations of the majority of our Level 2 investments from third party pricing vendors or our internal pricing valuation approach are described below.

U.S. Government and Agencies/Non-U.S. Governments. Inputs include recently executed market transactions, interest rate yield curves, maturity dates, market price quotations and credit spreads relating to similar instruments.

States and Political Subdivisions. Inputs include Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board reported trades, U.S. Treasury and other benchmark curves, material event notices, new issue data and obligor credit ratings.

Corporate. Inputs include recently executed transactions, market price quotations, benchmark yields, issuer spreads and observations of equity and credit default swap curves related to the issuer. For private placement corporate securities valued through the matrix valuation approach inputs include the current Treasury curve and risk spreads based on sector, rating and average life of the issuance.

RMBS, CMBS, Collateralized Debt Obligations and Other Debt Obligations. Inputs include cash flows, priority of the tranche in the capital structure, expected time to maturity for the specific tranche, reinvestment period remaining and performance of the underlying collateral including prepayments, defaults, deferrals, loss severity of defaulted collateral and, for RMBS, prepayment speed assumptions. Other inputs include market indices and recently executed market transactions.

Equity Securities

Equity securities include mutual funds, common stock and non-redeemable preferred stock. Fair values of equity securities are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets when available, which are reflected in Level 1. When quoted prices are not available, we may utilize internal valuation methodologies appropriate for the specific asset that use observable inputs such as underlying share prices or the net asset value (“NAV”), which are reflected in Level 2. Fair values might also be determined using broker quotes or through the use of internal models or analysis that incorporate significant assumptions deemed appropriate given the circumstances and consistent with what other market participants would use when pricing such securities, which are reflected in Level 3. 

Derivatives

The fair values of exchange-traded derivatives are determined through quoted market prices, which are reflected in Level 1. Exchange-traded derivatives include futures that are settled daily, which reduces their fair value in the consolidated statements of financial position. The fair values of OTC cleared derivatives are determined through market prices published by the clearinghouses, which are reflected in Level 2. The clearinghouses utilize the SOFR curve in their valuation. Variation margin associated with OTC cleared derivatives is settled daily, which reduces their fair value in the consolidated statements of financial position. The fair values of bilateral OTC derivative instruments are determined using either pricing valuation models that utilize market observable inputs or broker quotes. The majority of our bilateral OTC derivatives are valued with models that use market observable inputs, which are reflected in Level 2. Significant inputs include contractual terms, interest rates, currency exchange rates, credit spread curves, equity prices and volatilities. These valuation models consider projected discounted cash flows, relevant swap curves and appropriate implied volatilities. Certain bilateral OTC derivatives utilize unobservable market data, primarily independent broker quotes that are nonbinding quotes based on models that do not reflect the result of market transactions, which are reflected in Level 3.

Our non-cleared derivative contracts are generally documented under ISDA Master Agreements, which provide for legally enforceable set-off and close-out netting of exposures to specific counterparties. Collateral arrangements are bilateral and based on current ratings of each entity. We utilize the SOFR curve to value our positions. Counterparty credit risk is routinely monitored to ensure our adjustment for nonperformance risk is appropriate. Our centrally cleared derivative contracts are conducted with regulated centralized clearinghouses, which provide for daily exchange of cash collateral or variation margin equal to the difference in the daily market values of those contracts that eliminates the nonperformance risk on these trades.
B-119

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Interest Rate Contracts. For non-cleared contracts, which include interest rate swaps and have included swaptions, we use discounted cash flow valuation techniques to determine the fair value using observable swap curves as the inputs. These are reflected in Level 2. We have forward contracts for which we obtain prices from third party pricing vendors. These are reflected in Level 2. For centrally cleared contracts we use published prices from clearinghouses. These are reflected in Level 2. In addition, we have forward contracts and have had interest rate options that were valued using broker quotes. These are reflected in Level 3.

Foreign Exchange Contracts. We use discounted cash flow valuation techniques that utilize observable swap curves and exchange rates as the inputs to determine the fair value of foreign currency swaps. These are reflected in Level 2. Currency forwards are valued using observable market inputs, including forward currency exchange rates. These are reflected in Level 2. In addition, we had a limited number of non-standard currency swaps that were valued using broker quotes. These were reflected within Level 3.

Equity Contracts. We use an option pricing model using observable implied volatilities, dividend yields, index prices and swap curves as the inputs to determine the fair value of equity options. These are reflected in Level 2. Certain equity option contracts are valued using broker quotes. These are reflected in Level 3.

Credit Contracts. We use either the ISDA Credit Default Swap Standard discounted cash flow model that utilizes observable default probabilities and recovery rates as inputs to determine the fair value of credit default swaps. These are reflected in Level 2. In addition, we have a limited number of credit default swaps that are valued using broker quotes. These are reflected within Level 3.

Other Investments

Other investments reported at fair value include invested assets of consolidated sponsored investment funds, unconsolidated sponsored investment funds, other investment funds reported at fair value, other loans of a consolidated VIE for which the fair value option was elected and certain redeemable and nonredeemable preferred stock.

The fair value of investment funds is determined using the NAV of the fund. The NAV of the fund represents the price at which we would be able to initiate a transaction. Investments for which the NAV represents a quoted price in an active market for identical assets are reflected in Level 1. Investments that do not have a quoted price in an active market are reflected in Level 2.

Other loans of a consolidated VIE for which the fair value option was elected are reflected in Level 3. The fair value of these loans is estimated using a discounted cash flow valuation model that utilizes standard assumption-setting methodology accepted by market participants in the industry. The assumptions are formed based on historical performance of the loans and utilizes market data inputs such as charge-off rates, prepayment rates, recovery rates and discount rates.

Cash Equivalents

Certain cash equivalents are reported at fair value on a recurring basis and include money market instruments and other short-term investments with maturities of three months or less. Fair values of these cash equivalents may be determined using public quotations, when available, which are reflected in Level 1. When public quotations are not available, because of the highly liquid nature of these assets, carrying amounts may be used to approximate fair values, which are reflected in Level 2.

B-120

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Separate Account Assets

Separate account assets include equity securities, debt securities, cash equivalents and derivative instruments, for which fair values are determined as previously described, and are reflected in Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. Separate account assets also include commercial mortgage loans, for which the fair value is estimated by discounting the expected total cash flows using market rates that are applicable to the yield, credit quality and maturity of the loans. The market clearing spreads vary based on mortgage type, weighted average life, rating and liquidity. These are reflected in Level 3. Finally, separate account assets include real estate, for which the fair value is estimated using discounted cash flow valuation models that utilize various public real estate market data inputs. In addition, each property is appraised annually by an independent appraiser. The real estate included in separate account assets is recorded net of related mortgage encumbrances for which the fair value is estimated using discounted cash flow analysis based on our incremental borrowing rate for similar borrowing arrangements. The real estate within the separate accounts is reflected in Level 3.

Market Risk Benefits

MRBs are measured at fair value at the contract level on a recurring basis and are reflected in Level 3 as either an asset or a liability, depending on certain inputs at the reporting date. The key assumptions for calculating the fair value are market assumptions and policyholder behavior. Risk margins are included in the policyholder behavior assumptions. The assumptions are based on a combination of historical data and actuarial judgment. The MRBs are valued using stochastic models that incorporate a spread reflecting our own nonperformance risk.

The assumption for our own nonperformance risk is based on current market credit spreads for debt-like instruments we have issued and are available in the market. Refer to Note 12, Market Risk Benefits, for further information on the determination of fair value measurement of MRBs.

Investment and Universal Life Contracts

Certain universal life, annuity and other investment contracts include embedded derivatives that have been bifurcated from the host contract and are measured at fair value on a recurring basis, which are reflected in Level 3. The key assumptions for calculating the fair value of the embedded derivative liabilities are market assumptions (such as equity market returns, interest rate levels, market volatility and correlations) and policyholder behavior assumptions (such as lapse and mortality). Risk margins are included in the policyholder behavior assumptions. The assumptions are based on a combination of historical data and actuarial judgment. The embedded derivative liabilities are valued using models that incorporate a spread reflecting our own creditworthiness. 

The assumption for our own nonperformance risk for investment contracts and any embedded derivatives bifurcated from certain universal life, annuity and investment contracts is based on the current market credit spreads for debt-like instruments we have issued and are available in the market.

Funds Withheld Payable

The funds withheld payable includes an embedded derivative that has been bifurcated from the host contract and is measured at fair value on a recurring basis, which is reflected in Level 3. The fair value is determined based on the change in the estimated fair value of the underlying funds withheld investments. The fair value of these assets is determined as previously described.


B-121

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

    Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis were as follows:

December 31, 2023
Assets/Amount
(liabilities)measured atFair value hierarchy level
measured atnet asset
fair valuevalue (5)Level 1Level 2Level 3
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
     U.S. government and agencies$1,504.9$$1,210.8$294.1$
     Non-U.S. governments479.9479.9
     States and political subdivisions6,613.36,545.168.2
     Corporate33,079.530.930,742.72,305.9
     Residential mortgage-backed pass-
        through securities2,824.92,824.9
     Commercial mortgage-backed securities4,743.44,740.43.0
     Collateralized debt obligations (1)5,397.85,322.475.4
     Other debt obligations7,886.56,703.91,182.6
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale62,530.21,241.757,653.43,635.1
Fixed maturities, trading715.327.7307.8379.8
Equity securities43.014.928.1
Derivative assets (2)253.0246.96.1
Other investments 238.373.7164.6
Cash equivalents 3,010.2449.62,560.6
Market risk benefit asset (3)153.4153.4
     Sub-total excluding separate account
          assets66,943.473.71,733.960,796.84,339.0
Separate account assets131,641.78,692.0103,598.918,598.0752.8
Total assets$198,585.1$8,765.7$105,332.8$79,394.8$5,091.8
Liabilities
Investment and universal life contracts (4)$(115.5)$$$$(115.5)
Market risk benefit liability (3)(111.9)(111.9)
Funds withheld payable embedded
     derivative (4)2,326.12,326.1
Derivative liabilities (2)(473.4)(472.6)(0.8)
Total liabilities$1,625.3$$$(472.6)$2,097.9
Net assets$200,210.4$8,765.7$105,332.8$78,922.2$7,189.7


B-122

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

December 31, 2022
Assets/Amount
(liabilities)measured atFair value hierarchy level
measured atnet asset
fair valuevalue (5)Level 1Level 2Level 3
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
     U.S. government and agencies$1,715.9$$1,354.0$361.9$
     Non-U.S. governments520.4520.4
     States and political subdivisions6,168.36,099.269.1
     Corporate33,184.826.631,589.91,568.3
     Residential mortgage-backed pass-
        through securities2,170.92,170.9
     Commercial mortgage-backed securities4,827.54,824.13.4
     Collateralized debt obligations (1)4,560.24,504.056.2
     Other debt obligations6,483.36,015.5467.8
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale59,631.31,380.656,085.92,164.8
Fixed maturities, trading634.078.6449.2106.2
Equity securities53.114.838.3
Derivative assets (2)256.6256.50.1
Other investments 82.881.41.4
Cash equivalents 2,776.4930.31,846.1
Market risk benefit asset (3)109.2109.2
     Sub-total excluding separate account
          assets63,543.481.42,404.358,676.02,381.7
Separate account assets120,279.69,120.991,424.218,700.41,034.1
Total assets$183,823.0$9,202.3$93,828.5$77,376.4$3,415.8
Liabilities
Investment and universal life contracts (4)$(46.3)$$$$(46.3)
Market risk benefit liability (3)(181.4)(181.4)
Funds withheld payable embedded
     derivative (4)3,652.83,652.8
Derivative liabilities (2)(612.2)(608.1)(4.1)
Total liabilities$2,812.9$$$(608.1)$3,421.0
Net assets$186,635.9$9,202.3$93,828.5$76,768.3$6,836.8
(1)Primarily consists of collateralized loan obligations backed by secured corporate loans.
(2)Within the consolidated statements of financial position, derivative assets are reported with other investments and derivative liabilities are reported with other liabilities. The amounts are presented gross in the tables above to reflect the presentation on the consolidated statements of financial position; however, are presented net for purposes of the rollforward in the Changes in Level 3 Fair Value Measurements tables. Refer to Note 6, Derivative Financial Instruments, for further information on fair value by class of derivative instruments.
(3)Refer to Note 12, Market Risk Benefits, for further information on the change in the Level 3 fair value measurements of MRBs.
(4)Includes bifurcated embedded derivatives that are reported at net asset (liability) fair value within the same line item in the consolidated statements of financial position in which the host contract is reported. The funds withheld payable embedded derivative could be in either an asset or (liability) position.
(5)Certain investments are measured at fair value using the NAV per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient and have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy. Other investments using the NAV practical expedient consist of certain fund interests that are restricted until maturity with unfunded commitments totaling $7.1 million and $7.8 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Separate account assets using the NAV practical expedient consist of certain funds with varying investment strategies that also have a variety of redemption terms and conditions. We do not have unfunded commitments associated with these funds.

B-123

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Changes in Level 3 Fair Value Measurements

The reconciliation for all assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) was as follows:

For the year ended December 31, 2023
BeginningNetEnding
asset/Total realized/unrealizedpurchases,asset/
(liability)gains (losses)sales,(liability)
balanceIncluded inissuancesbalance
as ofIncludedotherandTransfersTransfersas of
January 1,in netcomprehensivesettlementsintoout ofDecember 31,
2023income (2)income (3)(4)Level 3Level 32023
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-
for-sale:
States and political
subdivisions$69.1$$0.8$(1.7)$$$68.2
Corporate 1,568.3 (4.5) 13.3 593.6 212.4 (77.2) 2,305.9
Commercial mortgage-backed
securities3.4(0.4)3.0
Collateralized debt obligations56.21.9165.8(148.5)75.4
Other debt obligations467.81.31.2537.0239.5(64.2)1,182.6
Total fixed maturities,
available-for-sale2,164.8(3.2)17.21,294.3451.9(289.9)3,635.1
Fixed maturities, trading106.22.4271.2379.8
Other investments1.4(5.7)168.9164.6
Separate account assets (1)1,034.1(7.9)(273.4)752.8
Liabilities
Investment and universal life
contracts(46.3)(37.8)(31.4)(115.5)
Funds withheld payable
embedded derivative3,652.8(1,326.7)2,326.1
Derivatives
Net derivative assets (liabilities)(4.0)6.13.10.15.3

B-124

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

For the year ended December 31, 2022
BeginningNetEnding
asset/Total realized/unrealizedpurchases,asset/
(liability)gains (losses)sales,(liability)
balanceIncluded inissuancesbalance
as ofIncludedotherandTransfersTransfersas of
January 1,in netcomprehensivesettlementsintoout ofDecember 31,
2022income (2)income (3)(4)Level 3Level 32022
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-
for-sale:
States and political
subdivisions$92.4$$(23.5)$(1.6)$12.0$(10.2)$69.1
Corporate 834.3 (4.8) (28.6) 626.3 176.3 (35.2) 1,568.3
Commercial mortgage-backed
securities19.2(1.0)(4.6)(10.2)3.4
Collateralized debt obligations85.8(1.0)151.8(180.4)56.2
Other debt obligations42.1(0.3)(20.4)474.2(27.8)467.8
Total fixed maturities,
available-for-sale1,073.8(5.1)(74.5)1,246.1188.3(263.8)2,164.8
Fixed maturities, trading4.9(0.6)72.929.0106.2
Other investments1.41.4
Separate account assets (1)946.0112.0(23.9)1,034.1
Liabilities
Investment and universal life
contracts(83.2)36.10.8(46.3)
Funds withheld payable
embedded derivative3,652.83,652.8
Derivatives
Net derivative assets (liabilities)0.6(4.0)(0.3)(0.3)(4.0)

B-125

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

For the year ended December 31, 2021
BeginningNetEnding
asset/Total realized/unrealizedpurchases,asset/
(liability)gains (losses)sales,(liability)
balanceIncluded inissuancesbalance
as ofIncludedotherandTransfersTransfersas of
January 1,in netcomprehensivesettlementsintoout ofDecember 31,
2021income (2)income (3)(4)Level 3Level 32021
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-
for-sale:
States and political
subdivisions$$$12.5$(0.4)$80.3$$92.4
Corporate 290.8 (21.9) 7.8 381.8 175.8  834.3
Commercial mortgage-backed
securities13.2(1.0)(0.4)7.419.2
Collateralized debt obligations27.2(2.0)1.7397.472.1(410.6)85.8
Other debt obligations29.20.416.920.6(25.0)42.1
Total fixed maturities,
available-for-sale360.4(24.9)22.0803.1348.8(435.6)1,073.8
Fixed maturities, trading4.94.9
Other investments30.012.4(41.0)1.4
Separate account assets (1)8,893.2313.8(8,261.0)946.0
Liabilities
Investment and universal life
contracts(90.8)(15.6)23.2(83.2)
Derivatives
Net derivative assets (liabilities)(5.1)(5.0)10.70.6

(1) Gains and losses for separate account assets do not impact net income as the change in value of separate account assets is offset by a change in value of separate account liabilities.

B-126

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

(2) Both realized gains (losses) and mark-to-market unrealized gains (losses) are generally reported in net realized capital gains (losses), net realized capital gains (losses) on funds withheld assets or change in fair value of funds withheld embedded derivative within the consolidated statements of operations. Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on certain securities with an investment objective to realize economic value through mark-to-market changes are reported in net investment income within the consolidated statements of operations. Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in net income relating to positions still held were:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
Corporate$0.3$(1.3)$(4.6)
Commercial mortgage-backed securities   (1.0)
Collateralized debt obligations   (2.0)
Other debt obligations1.91.91.9
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale2.20.6(5.7)
Fixed maturities, trading2.3(0.6)
Other investments(5.2)12.5
Separate account assets(80.3)89.890.5
Liabilities
Investment and universal life contracts(29.2)22.6(8.6)
Funds withheld payable embedded derivative(1,326.7)3,652.8
Derivatives
Net derivative assets (liabilities)7.3(4.0)

(3) Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in OCI relating to positions still held were:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
States and political subdivisions$(4.1)$(21.7)$12.5
Corporate (38.9) (19.8) (0.7)
Commercial mortgage-backed securities  (0.5) (0.4)
Collateralized debt obligations 0.7  1.9
Other debt obligations(29.8)(18.5)
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale(72.1)(60.5)13.3
Derivatives
Net derivative assets (liabilities)(0.2)


B-127

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

(4) Gross purchases, sales, issuances and settlements were:

For the year ended December 31, 2023
Net purchases,
sales, issuances
PurchasesSalesIssuancesSettlementsand settlements
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
States and political subdivisions$$$$(1.7)$(1.7)
Corporate 815.2 (27.7)  (193.9) 593.6
Commercial mortgage-backed securities(0.4)(0.4)
Collateralized debt obligations167.0(1.2)165.8
Other debt obligations563.3(26.3)537.0
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale1,545.5(27.7)(223.5)1,294.3
Fixed maturities, trading424.7(138.7)(14.8)271.2
Other investments194.2(25.3)168.9
Separate account assets (5)(286.3)(109.1)122.0(273.4)
Liabilities
Investment and universal life contracts(69.9)38.5(31.4)
Derivatives
Net derivative assets (liabilities)0.82.33.1

For the year ended December 31, 2022
Net purchases,
sales, issuances
PurchasesSalesIssuancesSettlementsand settlements
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
States and political subdivisions$$$$(1.6)$(1.6)
Corporate 817.3 (50.4)  (140.6) 626.3
Commercial mortgage-backed securities(4.1)(0.5)(4.6)
Collateralized debt obligations151.9(0.1)151.8
Other debt obligations487.4(8.2)(5.0)474.2
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale1,456.6(62.7)(147.8)1,246.1
Fixed maturities, trading106.9(32.6)(1.4)72.9
Separate account assets (5)11.8(4.5)(50.0)18.8(23.9)
Liabilities
Investment and universal life contracts(22.2)23.00.8

B-128

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

For the year ended December 31, 2021
Net purchases,
sales, issuances
PurchasesSalesIssuancesSettlementsand settlements
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
States and political subdivisions$$$$(0.4)$(0.4)
Corporate 626.6 (84.3)  (160.5) 381.8
Commercial mortgage-backed securities7.7(0.3)7.4
Collateralized debt obligations422.7(25.3)397.4
Other debt obligations45.1(28.2)16.9
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale1,102.1(84.3)(214.7)803.1
Fixed maturities, trading4.94.9
Other investments(41.0)(41.0)
Separate account assets (5)38.5(8,206.2)(191.5)98.2(8,261.0)
Liabilities
Investment and universal life contracts(19.5)42.723.2
Derivatives
Net derivative assets (liabilities)10.710.7

(5)    Issuances and settlements include amounts related to mortgage encumbrances associated with real estate in our separate accounts.

Transfers

Transfers of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis between fair value hierarchy levels were as follows:

For the year ended December 31, 2023
Transfers outTransfers outTransfers outTransfers out
of Level 1 intoof Level 2 intoof Level 3 intoof Level 3 into
Level 3Level 3Level 1Level 2
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
Corporate$$212.4$$77.2
Collateralized debt obligations148.5
Other debt obligations239.564.2
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale451.9289.9
Derivatives
Net derivative assets (liabilities)0.1

B-129

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

For the year ended December 31, 2022
Transfers outTransfers outTransfers outTransfers out
of Level 1 intoof Level 2 intoof Level 3 intoof Level 3 into
Level 3Level 3Level 1Level 2
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
States and political subdivisions$$12.0$$10.2
Corporate176.335.2
Commercial mortgage-backed securities10.2
Collateralized debt obligations180.4
Other debt obligations27.8
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale188.3263.8
Fixed maturities, trading29.0
Derivatives
Net derivative assets (liabilities)0.3

For the year ended December 31, 2021
Transfers outTransfers outTransfers outTransfers out
of Level 1 intoof Level 2 intoof Level 3 intoof Level 3 into
Level 3Level 3Level 1Level 2
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
States and political subdivisions$$80.3$$
Corporate175.8
Collateralized debt obligations72.1410.6
Other debt obligations20.625.0
Total fixed maturities, available-for-sale348.8435.6

Assets transferred into Level 3 during 2023, 2022 and 2021, primarily included those assets for which we are now unable to obtain pricing from a recognized third party pricing vendor as well as assets that were previously priced using a matrix valuation approach that may no longer be relevant when applied to asset-specific situations.

Assets transferred out of Level 3 during 2023, 2022 and 2021, included those assets for which we are now able to obtain pricing from a recognized third party pricing vendor or from internal models using substantially all market observable information.


B-130

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Quantitative Information about Level 3 Fair Value Measurements

The following table provides quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs used for recurring fair value measurements categorized within Level 3, excluding assets and liabilities for which significant quantitative unobservable inputs are not developed internally, which primarily consists of those valued using broker quotes. The MRB asset and liability are excluded from the table. Refer to Note 12, Market Risk Benefits, for information on the unobservable inputs used for fair value measurement of MRBs. The funds withheld payable embedded derivative is excluded from the table as the determination of its fair value incorporates the fair value of the invested assets supporting the reinsurance agreement. Refer to “Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis” for a complete valuation hierarchy summary.

December 31, 2023
Assets /
(liabilities)
measured atValuationUnobservableInput/rangeWeighted
fair valuetechnique(s)input descriptionof inputsaverage
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
Corporate$1,997.4
Discounted cash
  flow
Discount rate (1)4.9%-24.2% 12.0%
Earnings before
  interest, taxes,
  depreciation and
  amortization multiple
3.25x3.25x
Illiquidity premium30 basis points ("bps")-483bps121bps
Comparability
  adjustment
67bps-217bps141bps
Collateralized debt obligations74.6
Discounted cash
  flow
Discount rate (1)4.1%4.1%
Comparability
  adjustment
20bps 20bps
Other debt obligations879.5
Discounted cash
  flow
Discount rate (1)5.0%-10.6%7.4%
Illiquidity premium69bps-650bps 337bps
Comparability
  adjustment
(20)bps-213bps 92bps
Fixed maturities, trading168.7
Discounted cash
  flow
Discount rate (1)11.4%-22.3%13.4%
Other investments163.2
Discounted cash
  flow
Discount rate (1)12.0%-13.5%12.6%
Probability of default6.0%-10.0%8.5%
Potential loss
  severity
87.0%-100.0%90.7%

B-131

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

December 31, 2023
Assets /
(liabilities)
measured atValuationUnobservableInput/rangeWeighted
fair valuetechnique(s)input descriptionof inputsaverage
(in millions)
Separate account assets752.8
Discounted cash
  flow - real estate
Discount rate (1)6.5%-10.0%7.5%
Terminal
  capitalization rate
5.3%-9.5%6.1%
Average market rent
  growth rate
2.0%-3.7%2.9%
Discounted cash
  flow - real estate
  debt
Loan to value46.0%-72.0%55.3%
Market interest rate5.3%-8.1%6.4%
Liabilities
Investment and universal life
  contracts (4)
(115.5)
Discounted cash
  flow
Long duration
  interest rate
2.5%-4.8% (2)4.0%
Long-term equity
  market volatility
15.5%-40.1%19.2%
Nonperformance risk0.8%-1.6%1.1%
Lapse rate0.0%-55.0%7.0%
Mortality rateSee note (3)

December 31, 2022
Assets /
(liabilities)
measured atValuationUnobservableInput/rangeWeighted
fair valuetechnique(s)input descriptionof inputsaverage
(in millions)
Assets
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
Corporate$1,479.9
Discounted cash
  flow
Discount rate (1)2.7%-33.1% 11.0%
Illiquidity premium0bps-467bps50bps
Comparability
  adjustment
(16)bps-0bps(11)bps
Collateralized debt obligations39.5
Discounted cash
  flow
Discount rate (1)4.4%4.4%
Comparability
  adjustment
55bps 55bps
Other debt obligations467.8
Discounted cash
  flow
Discount rate (1)5.6%-8.2%7.6%
Illiquidity premium0bps-260bps 220bps
Comparability
  adjustment
1bps-139bps 77bps
Fixed maturities, trading92.5
Discounted cash
  flow
Discount rate (1)9.6%-15.2%11.0%

B-132

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

December 31, 2022
Assets /
(liabilities)
measured atValuationUnobservableInput/rangeWeighted
fair valuetechnique(s)input descriptionof inputsaverage
(in millions)
Separate account assets1,034.1
Discounted cash
  flow - real estate
Discount rate (1)5.5%-10.0%7.0%
Terminal
  capitalization rate
4.5%-9.5%5.8%
Average market rent
  growth rate
2.0%-3.8%3.0%
Discounted cash
  flow - real estate
  debt
Loan to value43.6%-62.2%50.6%
Market interest rate5.3%-8.6%6.6%
Liabilities
Investment and universal life
  contracts (4)
(46.3)
Discounted cash
  flow
Long duration
  interest rate
2.4%-4.7% (2)3.1%
Long-term equity
  market volatility
17.8%-36.9%22.0%
Nonperformance risk0.9%0.9%
Mortality rateSee note (3)

(1)Represents market comparable interest rate or an index adjusted rate used as the base rate in the discounted cash flow analysis prior to any illiquidity or other adjustments, where applicable.
(2)Represents the range of rate curves used in the valuation analysis that we have determined market participants would use when pricing the instrument. Derived from interpolation between various observable swap rates.
(3)This input is based on an appropriate industry mortality table and a range does not provide a meaningful presentation.
(4)Includes bifurcated embedded derivatives that are reported at net asset (liability) fair value within the same line item in the consolidated statements of financial position in which the host contract is reported.

Market comparable discount rates are used as the base rate in the discounted cash flows used to determine the fair value of certain assets. The use of a higher or lower discount rate would have caused the fair value of the assets to significantly decrease or increase, respectively. Additionally, we may adjust the base discount rate or the modeled price by applying an illiquidity premium given the highly structured nature of certain assets. The use of a higher or lower illiquidity premium would have caused significant decreases or increases, respectively, in the fair value of the asset.

Embedded derivatives within our investment and universal life contracts liability can be in either an asset or liability position, depending on certain inputs at the reporting date. Increases to an asset or decreases to a liability are described as increases to fair value. The use of a higher or lower market volatility would have caused significant decreases or increases, respectively, in the fair value of embedded derivatives in investment and universal life contracts. Long duration interest rates are used as the mean return when projecting the growth in the value of associated account value and impact the discount rate used in the discounted future cash flows valuation. The use of higher or lower risk-free rates would have caused the fair value of the embedded derivative to significantly increase or decrease, respectively. The use of a higher or lower rate for our own credit risks, which impact the rates used to discount future cash flows, would have significantly increased or decreased, respectively, the fair value of the embedded derivative. The use of a lower or higher mortality rate assumption would have caused the fair value of the embedded derivative to decrease or increase, respectively. The use of a lower or higher overall lapse rate assumption would have caused the fair value of the embedded derivative to decrease or increase, respectively.


B-133

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

No significant assets and liabilities were measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021.

Fair Value Option

We elected fair value accounting for:
Certain other loans of a consolidated VIE that were subject to amortized cost accounting and a valuation allowance.
Certain real estate ventures that were subject to the equity method of accounting because the nature of the investments was to add value to the properties and generate income from the operations of the properties. Other equity method real estate investments were not fair valued because the investments mainly generated income from the operations of the underlying properties. The last equity method real estate investment for which the fair value option was elected was sold in the third quarter of 2021.

The following table presents information regarding the assets for which the fair value option was elected.

December 31,
20232022
(in millions)
Other loans of consolidated VIE (1)
Fair value (1)$163.2$
Aggregate contractual principal 167.1

(1)Reported with other investments on the consolidated statements of financial position.

The following table presents information regarding the consolidated statements of operations impact of assets for which the fair value option was elected.

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Other loans of consolidated VIE
Change in fair value pre-tax loss - instrument specific credit risk$(5.6)$$
Change in fair value pre-tax loss (1)(5.6)
Interest income (2)8.1
Real estate ventures
Change in fair value pre-tax gain (1)12.5

(1)Reported in net realized capital gains (losses) on the consolidated statements of operations.
(2)Reported in net investment income on the consolidated statements of operations.


B-134

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Financial Instruments Not Reported at Fair Value

The carrying value and estimated fair value of financial instruments not recorded at fair value on a recurring basis but required to be disclosed at fair value were as follows:

December 31, 2023
Fair value hierarchy level
Carrying amountFair valueLevel 1Level 2Level 3
(in millions)
Assets (liabilities)
Mortgage loans$19,221.2$17,583.5$$$17,583.5
Policy loans793.2780.1780.1
Other investments248.4240.7122.7118.0
Cash and cash equivalents627.8627.8627.8
Reinsurance deposit receivable6,078.75,487.75,487.7
Cash collateral receivable33.233.233.2
Investment contracts(33,847.5)(32,071.2)(7,828.1)(24,243.1)
Long-term debt(3.0)(0.4)(0.4)
Separate account liabilities(117,504.5)(116,642.3)(116,642.3)
Bank deposits (1)(399.5)(385.3)(385.3)
Cash collateral payable(170.7)(170.7)(170.7)

December 31, 2022
Fair value hierarchy level
Carrying amountFair valueLevel 1Level 2Level 3
(in millions)
Assets (liabilities)
Mortgage loans$19,722.4$17,847.1$$$17,847.1
Policy loans770.2749.5749.5
Other investments230.0217.4112.9104.5
Cash and cash equivalents552.9552.9552.9
Reinsurance deposit receivable7,901.06,859.96,859.9
Cash collateral receivable262.8262.8262.8
Investment contracts(34,919.4)(31,915.2)(7,278.9)(24,636.3)
Long-term debt(67.8)(60.5)(60.5)
Separate account liabilities(107,227.6)(106,410.4)(106,410.4)
Bank deposits (1)(352.4)(336.3)(336.3)
Cash collateral payable(285.1)(285.1)(285.1)

(1)Excludes deposit liabilities without defined or contractual maturities.

20. Statutory Insurance Financial Information

We, the largest indirect subsidiary of PFG, prepare statutory financial statements in accordance with the accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce of the State of Iowa (the “Iowa Insurance Division”). The Iowa Insurance Division recognizes only statutory accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the State of Iowa for determining and reporting the financial condition and results of operations of an insurance company to determine its solvency under the Iowa Insurance Law. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners' (“NAIC”) Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual has been adopted as a component of prescribed practices by the State of Iowa. The Commissioner has the right to permit other specific practices that deviate from prescribed practices. Statutory accounting practices differ from U.S. GAAP primarily due to charging policy acquisition costs to expense as incurred, establishing reserves using different actuarial assumptions, valuing investments on a different basis and not admitting certain assets, including certain net deferred income tax assets.

B-135

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

We cede certain term, universal life and Closed Block life insurance statutory reserves to our affiliated reinsurance subsidiaries on a funds withheld coinsurance basis. The reserves are secured by cash, invested assets and financing provided by highly rated third parties. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, our affiliated reinsurance subsidiaries assumed statutory reserves of $18,474.2 million and $17,815.1 million from us, respectively. In the states of Vermont and Delaware, the affiliated reinsurers had permitted and prescribed practices allowing for the admissibility of certain assets backing these reserves. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, assets admitted under these practices totaled $4,153.8 million and $3,748.4 million, respectively. In addition, as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, one of our affiliated reinsurance subsidiaries in Vermont ceded $10,406.3 million and $9,956.9 million of the ULSG reserves it assumed from us to Talcott Life & Annuity Re, respectively.

    Life and health insurance companies are subject to certain risk-based capital (“RBC”) requirements as specified by the NAIC. Under those requirements, the amount of capital and surplus maintained by a life and health insurance company is to be determined based on the various risk factors related to it. As of December 31, 2023, we met the minimum RBC requirements.

Our statutory net income (loss) and statutory capital and surplus were as follows:

As of or for the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Statutory net income (loss)$1,285.0$(1,563.1)$864.0
Statutory capital and surplus4,753.44,304.45,375.2

21. Segment Information

    We provide financial products and services through the following segments: Retirement and Income Solutions and Benefits and Protection. In addition, we have a Corporate segment. The segments are managed and reported separately because they provide different products and services, have different strategies or have different markets and distribution channels.

    We are now reporting results for our Retirement and Income Solutions segment in total and not separated into Fee and Spread components, as previously reported. Additionally, in 2023 we updated the name of our U.S. Insurance Solutions segment to Benefits and Protection and will continue to report the results of Specialty Benefits and Life Insurance within this segment. These changes did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements.

The Retirement and Income Solutions segment provides retirement and related financial products and services primarily to businesses, their employees and other individuals. The segment includes workplace savings and retirement solutions, banking, trust and custodial services, individual variable annuities, pension risk transfer, investment only and our exited retail fixed annuities business.

The Benefits and Protection (formerly known as U.S. Insurance Solutions) segment focuses on solutions primarily for small-to-mid sized businesses and their employees. The segment is organized into Specialty Benefits, which provides group dental, group life insurance, group disability insurance (including short-term disability, long-term disability and paid family and medical leave), supplemental health products (including vision, critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity) and individual disability insurance; and Life Insurance, which provides life insurance, with a focus on the business market customer, including universal life and, variable universal life (including indexed universal life) and traditional life insurance (including term life insurance). All remaining customers are part of the legacy life block of business, including universal and variable universal life insurance (including indexed universal life), traditional life insurance (including participating whole life, adjustable life products and term life insurance) and our exited ULSG business.

Our Corporate segment manages the assets representing capital that has not been allocated to any other segment. Financial results of the Corporate segment primarily reflect income on capital not allocated to the segments, inter-segment eliminations, income tax risks and certain income, expenses and other adjustments not allocated to other segments based on the nature of such items. Results of our exited group medical and long-term care insurance businesses are reported in this segment.


B-136

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Management uses segment pre-tax operating earnings in evaluating performance, which is consistent with the financial results provided to and discussed with securities analysts. We determine segment pre-tax operating earnings by adjusting U.S. GAAP income before income taxes for pre-tax net realized capital gains (losses), as adjusted, pre-tax income (loss) from exited business, pre-tax other adjustments that management believes are not indicative of overall operating trends and certain adjustments related to equity method investments and noncontrolling interest. While these items may be significant components in understanding and assessing the consolidated financial performance, management believes the presentation of pre-tax operating earnings enhances the understanding of our results of operations by highlighting pre-tax earnings attributable to the normal, ongoing operations of the business.

The pre-tax net realized capital gains (losses), as adjusted, excluded from pre-tax operating earnings reflects consolidated U.S. GAAP pre-tax net realized capital gains (losses) excluding the following items that are included in pre-tax operating earnings:
Periodic settlements and accruals on derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments,
Certain market value adjustments of derivatives and embedded derivatives and
Certain market value adjustments of derivative instruments used to economically hedge embedded derivatives.

Pre-tax income (loss) from exited business includes amounts associated with our exited U.S. retail fixed annuity and ULSG businesses, including the change in fair value of the funds withheld embedded derivative, net realized capital gains (losses) on funds withheld assets, strategic review costs and impacts, amortization of reinsurance gain (loss) and other impacts of reinsured business. The strategic review costs and impacts primarily include actuarial balance re-cohorting impacts resulting from the Strategic Review and costs to close the Talcott Reinsurance Transaction. Other impacts of reinsured business primarily include DAC amortization.

Pre-tax net realized capital gains (losses), as adjusted, are further adjusted for:
Amortization of hedge accounting book value adjustments for certain discontinued hedges,
Certain hedge accounting market value revenue adjustments,
Certain market value adjustments to fee revenues,
Certain variable annuity fees,
The change in fair value of the funds withheld embedded derivative and net realized capital gains (losses) on funds withheld assets associated with the PFS Bermuda Reinsurance Transaction,
Market value adjustments of market risk benefits,
Related changes in the amortization pattern of actuarial balances,
Certain hedge accounting market value expense adjustments and
Net realized capital gains (losses) distributed.

Segment operating revenues reflect consolidated U.S. GAAP total revenues excluding:
Net realized capital gains (losses), except periodic settlements and accruals on derivatives not designated as hedging instruments and certain market value adjustments of derivative instruments used to economically hedge embedded derivatives, and their impact on:
Amortization of hedge accounting book value adjustments for certain discontinued hedges,
Certain hedge accounting market value revenue adjustments,
Certain variable annuity fees and
Certain market value adjustments to fee revenues.
The change in fair value of the funds withheld embedded derivative and net realized capital gains (losses) on funds withheld assets associated with the PFS Bermuda Reinsurance Transaction.
Pre-tax revenues from exited business,
Pre-tax other adjustments and income taxes of equity method investments and
Pre-tax other adjustments management believes are not indicative of overall operating trends.


B-137

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The accounting policies of the segments are consistent with the accounting policies for the consolidated financial statements, with the exception of: (1) OPEB cost allocations, (2) certain expenses deemed to benefit the entire organization and (3) income tax allocations. For purposes of determining pre-tax operating earnings, the segments are allocated the service component of other postretirement benefit costs. The Corporate segment reflects the non-service components of other postretirement benefit costs as assumptions are established and funding decisions are managed from a company-wide perspective. Additionally, the Corporate segment reflects expenses that benefit the entire organization for which the segments are not able to influence the spend. This includes expenses such as acquisition and disposition costs, among others. The Corporate segment functions to absorb the risk inherent in interpreting and applying tax law. For purposes of determining non-GAAP operating earnings, the segments are allocated tax adjustments consistent with the positions PFG took on tax returns. The Corporate segment results reflect any differences between the tax returns and the estimated resolution of any disputes.

The following tables summarize select financial information by segment, including operating revenues for our products and services, and reconcile segment totals to those reported in the consolidated financial statements:

December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in millions)
Assets:
Retirement and Income Solutions$215,894.6$201,454.3
Benefits and Protection42,889.739,301.9
Corporate985.8846.7
Total consolidated assets$259,770.1$241,602.9

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Operating revenues by segment:
Retirement and Income Solutions (1)$7,194.7$5,881.4$6,248.5
Benefits and Protection:
Specialty Benefits3,226.12,981.62,706.8
Life Insurance1,265.11,313.82,072.8
Eliminations(0.8)(0.2)(0.2)
Total Benefits and Protection4,490.44,295.24,779.4
Corporate120.360.767.5
Total segment operating revenues11,805.410,237.311,095.4
Net realized capital gains (losses), net of related revenue adjustments(264.7)153.2105.1
Revenues from exited business (2)(927.5)4,414.8
Market risk benefit derivative settlements(45.9)(35.0)(32.5)
Total revenues per consolidated statements of operations$10,567.3$14,770.3$11,168.0
Pre-tax operating earnings (losses) by segment:
Retirement and Income Solutions$1,062.1$1,028.6$1,123.8
Benefits and Protection523.4565.3357.7
Corporate6.6(117.0)(40.8)
Total segment pre-tax operating earnings1,592.11,476.91,440.7
Pre-tax net realized capital gains (losses), as adjusted (3)(334.7)(50.4)47.7
Pre-tax income (loss) from exited business (4)(1,127.8)4,296.8
Adjustments related to equity method investments and
noncontrolling interest19.662.224.3
Income before income taxes per consolidated statements
of operations$149.2$5,785.5$1,512.7

(1)     Reflects inter-segment revenues of $65.9 million, $27.2 million and $18.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

B-138

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

(2) Revenues from exited business is derived as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Revenues from exited business:
Change in fair value of funds withheld embedded derivative$(1,085.7)$3,652.8$
Net realized capital gains on funds withheld assets165.0749.4
Amortization of reinsurance gain5.912.6
Other impacts of reinsured business(12.7)
Total revenues from exited business$(927.5)$4,414.8$

(3) Pre-tax net realized capital gains (losses), as adjusted, is derived as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Net realized capital gains (losses)$(154.7)$83.3$112.1
Derivative and hedging-related revenue adjustments59.6(6.7)(86.9)
Market value adjustments to fee revenues1.30.7(0.6)
Certain variable annuity fees73.375.980.5
Change in fair value of funds withheld embedded derivative and net
realized capital losses on funds withheld assets(244.2)
Net realized capital gains (losses), net of related revenue adjustments(264.7)153.2105.1
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs and other actuarial balances(0.1)(0.1)9.7
Capital (gains) losses distributed2.50.5(0.5)
Derivative and hedging-related expense adjustments1.8
Market value adjustments of market risk benefits(75.9)(163.1)(52.7)
Market value adjustments of embedded derivatives1.7(40.9)(13.9)
Pre-tax net realized capital gains (losses), as adjusted (a)$(334.7)$(50.4)$47.7

(a)As adjusted before noncontrolling interest capital gains (losses).

(4) Pre-tax income (loss) from exited business included:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Pre-tax income (loss) from exited business:
Change in fair value of funds withheld embedded derivative$(1,085.7)$3,652.8$
Net realized capital gains on funds withheld assets165.0749.4
Strategic review costs and impacts74.4
Amortization of reinsurance loss(68.7)(56.7)
Other impacts of reinsured business(138.4)(123.1)
Total pre-tax income (loss) from exited business$(1,127.8)$4,296.8$


B-139

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The following is a summary of income tax expense (benefit) allocated to our segments for purposes of determining non-GAAP operating earnings. Segment income taxes are reconciled to income taxes reported on our consolidated statements of operations.

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Income tax expense (benefit) by segment:
Retirement and Income Solutions$134.2$111.2$135.0
Benefits and Protection95.0108.768.6
Corporate(13.3)(8.1)(14.4)
Total segment income taxes from operating earnings215.9211.8189.2
Tax benefit related to net realized capital losses, as adjusted(66.5)(13.7)7.4
Tax expense (benefit) related to exited business (1)(236.8)907.9
Total income taxes (benefits) per consolidated statements of operations$(87.4)$1,106.0$196.6

(1) Income tax expense (benefit) related to exited business is derived as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Income tax expense (benefit) related to exited business:
Change in fair value of funds withheld embedded derivative$(228.0)$767.1$
Net realized capital gains on funds withheld assets34.7157.4
Strategic review costs and impacts 21.2
Amortization of reinsurance loss(14.4)(11.9)
Other impacts of reinsured business(29.1)(25.9)
Total income tax expense (benefit) related to exited business$(236.8)$907.9$

The following is a summary of depreciation and amortization expense allocated to our segments for purposes of determining pre-tax operating earnings. Segment depreciation and amortization is reconciled to depreciation and amortization included in operating expenses in our consolidated statements of operations.

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Depreciation and amortization expense by segment:
Retirement and Income Solutions$57.2$58.0$53.0
Benefits and Protection19.218.919.3
Corporate5.05.39.8
Total segment depreciation and amortization expense included
in pre-tax operating earnings81.482.282.1
Depreciation and amortization expense related to exited business26.9
Total depreciation and amortization expense included in our
consolidated statements of operations$81.4$109.1$82.1


B-140

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

22. Revenues from Contracts with Customers

    The following tables summarize disaggregation of revenues from contracts with customers, including select financial information by segment, and reconcile totals to those reported in the consolidated financial statements. Revenues from contracts with customers are included in fees and other revenues on the consolidated statements of operations.

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Revenue from contracts with customers by segment:
Retirement and Income Solutions$556.3$533.6$409.2
Benefits and Protection:
Specialty Benefits12.712.312.0
Life Insurance73.164.460.2
Eliminations(0.1)
Total Benefits and Protection85.876.772.1
Corporate(0.8)(0.9)(1.0)
Total segment revenue from contracts with customers641.3609.4480.3
Adjustments for fees and other revenues not within the scope of
revenue recognition guidance (1)1,482.91,469.52,148.0
Pre-tax other adjustments (2)80.589.279.9
Total fees and other revenues per consolidated statements of
operations$2,204.7$2,168.1$2,708.2

(1)     Fees and other revenues not within the scope of the revenue recognition guidance primarily represent revenue on contracts accounted for under the financial instruments or insurance contracts standards.
(2)     Pre-tax other adjustments relate to revenues from exited business, certain variable annuity fees and market value adjustments to fee revenues.

Retirement and Income Solutions

Retirement and Income Solutions offers service and trust agreements for defined contribution retirement plans, including 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, and employee stock ownership plans. The investment components of these service agreements are in the form of mutual fund offerings. In addition, plan sponsor retirement plan trust and custody services are also available through our trust company. Individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”) are offered through Principal Bank. Furthermore, services and trust agreements are offered to non-retirement customers including insurance companies, endowments and other financial institutions.
 
Administrative service fee revenues are earned for administrative activities performed for the defined contribution retirement plans including recordkeeping and reporting as well as trust and custody, asset management and investment services. Administrative service fee revenues are earned for administrative activities performed for non-retirement plan customers including trust and custody services, defined benefit administration and investment management activities. The majority of these activities are performed daily over time. Fee-for-service transactions are also provided upon client request. These services are considered distinct or grouped into a bundle until a distinct performance obligation is identified. Some performance obligations are considered a series of distinct services, which are substantially the same and have the same pattern of transfer to the customer.

B-141

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Administrative service fee revenues can be based on a fixed contractual rate for these services or can be variable based upon contractual rates applied to the market value of the client’s investments or assets under administration. If the consideration for this series of performance obligations is based on market value, it is considered variable during the billing period as the services are performed over time. The consideration becomes unconstrained and thus recognized as revenue for each billing period’s series of distinct services once the market value of the client’s investments or assets under administration is determined at market close. Additionally, fixed fees and other revenues are recognized point-in-time as fee-for-service transactions upon completion.

IRAs are primarily funded by retirement savings rolled over from qualified retirement plans. The IRAs are held in savings accounts, money market accounts and certificates of deposit. Deposit account fee revenues are earned as the performance of establishing and maintaining IRA accounts is completed. Fee-for-service transactions are also provided upon client request. The establishment fees and annual maintenance fees are accrued into earnings over a period of time using the average account life. Upfront and recurring bank fees are related to performance obligations that have the same pattern of transfer to the customer and are recognized in income over time with control transferred to the customers utilizing the output method. These fees are based on a fixed contractual rate. Fixed fees and other revenues are also recognized point-in-time as fee-for-service transactions upon completion. Additionally, commission income is earned on advisory services provided to customers. The revenues are earned over time as the service is performed based upon contractual rates applied to the market value of the clients’ portfolios.

The types of revenues from contracts with customers were as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Administrative service fee revenue$539.5$519.2$395.8
Deposit account fee revenue11.310.29.2
Commission income1.91.20.7
Other fee revenue3.63.03.5
Total revenues from contracts with customers556.3533.6409.2
Fees and other revenues not within the scope of revenue
recognition guidance1,118.71,114.01,226.9
Total fees and other revenues1,675.01,647.61,636.1
Premiums and other considerations2,935.01,959.71,883.6
Net investment income2,584.72,274.12,728.8
Total operating revenues$7,194.7$5,881.4$6,248.5

Benefits and Protection

    Fees and other revenues are earned for administrative services performed including recordkeeping and reporting services for fee-for-service products, nonqualified benefit plans, separate accounts and dental networks. Services within contracts are not distinct on their own; however, we combine the services into a distinct bundle and account for the bundle as a single performance obligation, which is satisfied over time utilizing the output method as services are rendered. The transaction price corresponds with the performance completed to date, for which the value is recognized as revenue during the period. Variability of consideration is resolved at the end of each period and payments are due when billed.
Commission income is earned through sponsored brokerage services. Performance obligations are satisfied at a point in time, upon delivery of a placed case, and the transaction price calculated per the compensation schedule is recognized as revenue.


B-142

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The types of revenues from contracts with customers were as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Specialty Benefits:
Administrative service fees$12.7$12.3$12.0
Total revenues from contracts with customers12.712.312.0
Fees and other revenues not within the scope of revenue
recognition guidance18.218.519.0
Total fees and other revenues30.930.831.0
Premiums and other considerations3,020.92,771.22,496.6
Net investment income174.3179.6179.2
Total operating revenues$3,226.1$2,981.6$2,706.8
For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Life Insurance:
Administrative service fees$30.3$26.9$26.3
Commission income42.837.533.9
Total revenues from contracts with customers73.164.460.2
Fees and other revenues not within the scope of revenue
recognition guidance332.6321.0884.5
Total fees and other revenues405.7385.4944.7
Premiums and other considerations461.6535.8333.9
Net investment income397.8392.6794.2
Total operating revenues$1,265.1$1,313.8$2,072.8

Corporate

The Corporate segment includes inter-segment eliminations of fees and other revenues. The types of revenues from contracts with customers were as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Eliminations$(0.8)$(0.9)$(1.0)
Total revenues from contracts with customers(0.8)(0.9)(1.0)
Fees and other revenues not within the scope of revenue
recognition guidance13.416.017.6
Total fees and other revenues12.615.116.6
Premiums and other considerations(7.3)(2.2)
Net investment income115.047.850.9
Total operating revenues$120.3$60.7$67.5

B-143

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

Contract Costs

    Sales compensation and other incremental costs of obtaining a contract are capitalized and amortized over the period of contract benefit if the costs are expected to be recovered. The contract cost asset, which is included in other assets on the consolidated statements of financial position, was $44.3 million and $43.0 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
We apply the practical expedient for certain costs where we recognize the incremental costs of obtaining these contracts as an expense when incurred if the amortization period of the assets is one year or less. These costs, along with costs that are not deferrable, are included in operating expenses on the consolidated statements of operations.
 
Deferred contract costs consist primarily of commissions and variable compensation. We amortize capitalized contract costs on a straight-line basis over the expected contract life, reflecting lapses as they are incurred. Deferred contract costs are subject to impairment testing on an annual basis, or when a triggering event occurs that could warrant an impairment. To the extent future revenues less future maintenance expenses are not adequate to cover the asset balance, an impairment is recognized. For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, $7.6 million, $7.6 million and $7.3 million, respectively, of amortization expense was recorded in operating expenses on the consolidated statements of operations and no impairment loss was recognized in relation to the costs capitalized.

23. Stock-Based Compensation Plans

As of December 31, 2023, our ultimate parent, PFG, sponsored the 2021 Stock Incentive Plan, the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan, the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, the Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan and the Stock Incentive Plan ("Stock-Based Compensation Plans"), which resulted in expense to us. No new grants will be made under the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan, the Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan or the Stock Incentive Plan. Under the terms of the 2021 Stock Incentive Plan grants may be nonqualified stock options, incentive stock options qualifying under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, performance shares, performance units or other stock-based awards. To date, PFG has not granted any incentive stock options, restricted stock or performance units under any plans. As part of our fair value process, for each stock-based compensation plan, we assess the impact of material nonpublic information on PFG’s share price or expected volatility, as applicable, at the time of grant. No awards in 2023 required a fair value adjustment.

For awards with graded vesting, we use an accelerated expense attribution method. The compensation cost that was charged against net income for stock-based awards granted under the Stock-Based Compensation Plans was as follows:

For the year ended December 31,
202320222021
(in millions)
Compensation cost$25.3$22.2$25.2
Related income tax benefit5.14.64.3
Capitalized as part of an asset1.11.21.4

Nonqualified Stock Options
    No nonqualified stock options were granted to employees during 2023 and 2022. Previously, nonqualified stock options were granted to certain employees under the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan, the Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan and the Stock Incentive Plan. Options outstanding were granted at an exercise price equal to the fair market value of PFG common stock on the date of grant and expire ten years after the grant date. These options have graded vesting over a three-year period, except in the case of specific types of terminations.

B-144

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

    The fair value of stock options is estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The following is a summary of the assumptions used in this model for the stock options granted during the period:

For the year ended December 31,
Options202320222021
Expected volatility%%34.2%
Expected term (in years)7.0
Risk-free interest rate%%1.2%
Expected dividend yield%%3.82%
Weighted average estimated fair value$$$15.67

We determine expected volatility based on a combination of historical volatility using daily price observations and implied volatility from traded options on PFG common stock. We believe that incorporating both historical and implied volatility into our expected volatility assumption calculation better reflects market expectations. The expected term represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding. We determine expected term using historical exercise and employee termination data. The risk-free rate for periods within the expected term of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury risk-free interest rate in effect at the time of grant. The dividend yield is based on historical dividend distributions compared to the closing price of PFG common shares on the grant date.

    As of December 31, 2023, we had $0.1 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested stock options. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average service period of approximately 0.2 years.

Performance Share Awards

    Performance share awards were granted to certain employees under the 2021 Stock Incentive Plan, 2014 Stock Incentive Plan and the Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan. The performance share awards are treated as an equity award and are paid in shares. Effective in 2022, we added a relative total shareholder return modifier to the performance share awards under which the number of shares ultimately granted is also impacted by our actual shareholder return relative to PFG’s S&P 500 Financial Sector Index peer group. The fair value of performance share awards is determined using a Monte Carlo simulation model. Whether the performance shares are earned depends upon the participant's continued employment through the performance period (except in the case of specific types of terminations) and PFG’s performance against three-year goals set at the beginning of the performance period. Performance goals based on various PFG factors must be achieved for any of the performance shares to be earned. If the performance requirements are not met, the performance shares will be forfeited, no compensation cost will be recognized and any previously recognized compensation cost will be reversed. These awards have no maximum contractual term. Dividend equivalents are credited on performance shares outstanding as of the record date. These dividend equivalents are only paid on the shares released.

The weighted-average grant-date fair value of performance share awards granted during 2023, 2022 and 2021 was $91.47, $66.62 and $58.68, respectively.

As of December 31, 2023, we had $14.5 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested performance share awards granted. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average service period of approximately 1.8 years.

Restricted Stock Units
    Restricted stock units were granted to certain employees and agents under the 2021 Stock Incentive Plan, the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan and the Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan. Restricted stock units are treated as equity awards and are paid in shares. Under these plans, awards have graded or cliff vesting over a three-year service period. When service for PFG ceases (except in the case of specific types of terminations), all vesting stops and unvested units are forfeited. These awards have no maximum contractual term. Dividend equivalents are credited on restricted stock units outstanding as of the record date. These dividend equivalents are only paid on the shares released.

B-145

Principal Life Insurance Company
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

December 31, 2023

The fair value of restricted stock units is determined based on the closing stock price of PFG common shares on the grant date. The weighted-average grant-date fair value of restricted stock units granted during 2023, 2022 and 2021 was $86.86, $69.80 and $59.38, respectively.

As of December 31, 2023, we had $33.8 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested restricted stock unit awards granted under these plans. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 1.6 years.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

    Under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, participating employees have the opportunity to purchase shares of PFG common stock on a quarterly basis. Employees may purchase up to $25,000 in PFG stock value annually. Employees may purchase shares of our common stock at a price equal to 90% of the shares' fair market value as of the end of the purchase period. Prior to 2022 employees were able to purchase shares of our common stock at a price equal to 85% of the shares' fair market value as of the beginning or end of the purchase period, whichever was lower.

    We recognize compensation expense for the fair value of the discount granted to employees participating in the employee stock purchase plan in the period of grant. Shares of the Employee Stock Purchase Plan are treated as an equity award. The weighted-average fair value of the discount on the stock purchased was $7.49, $7.31 and $15.64 during 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
B-146
 

PART C
OTHER INFORMATION

Item 27. Exhibits

Unless otherwise noted, documents containing Accession Numbers below have previously been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and are incorporated herein by reference.
(a)
Resolution of Board of Directors of the Depositor - Filed with the Commission on 03/01/1996. This exhibit was originally filed in paper format. Accordingly, a hyperlink has not been provided.
(b)
Custodian Agreements - N/A
(c)Underwriting Contracts
(1)Distribution Agreement - Filed with the Commission on 03/01/1996. This exhibit was originally filed in paper format. Accordingly, a hyperlink has not been provided.
(2)Selling Agreement - Filed with the Commission on 03/01/1996. This exhibit was originally filed in paper format. Accordingly, a hyperlink has not been provided.
(d)Contracts
(1)Form of Variable Annuity Contract - Filed with the Commission on 12/16/1997. This exhibit was originally filed in paper format. Accordingly, a hyperlink has not been provided.
(2)Form of Variable Annuity Contract Endorsement - Filed with the Commission on 12/16/1997. This exhibit was originally filed in paper format. Accordingly, a hyperlink has not been provided.
(3)Form of Variable Annuity Contract Rider - Filed with the Commission on 12/16/1997. This exhibit was originally filed in paper format. Accordingly, a hyperlink has not been provided.
(e)Applications
(1)Form of Variable Annuity Application - Filed with the Commission on 10/23/1997. This exhibit was originally filed in paper format. Accordingly, a hyperlink has not been provided.
(f)Depositor's Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws
(1)
Articles of Incorporation of the Depositor - Filed with the Commission on 03/01/1996. This exhibit was originally filed in paper format. Accordingly, a hyperlink has not been provided.
(2)Bylaws of Depositor - Filed with the Commission on 03/01/1996. This exhibit was originally filed in paper format. Accordingly, a hyperlink has not been provided.
(g)Reinsurance Contracts
The Depositor maintains reinsurance arrangements in the normal course of business, none of which are material.



(h)Participation Agreements
1. Principal Variable Contracts Funds, Inc.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(k)
(l)
(i)Administrative Contracts - N/A
(j)
Other Material Contracts - N/A
(k)
(l)Other Opinions
(l1)
(12)
(l3)
(m)Financial Statement Schedules
Principal Life Insurance Company
All other schedules for which provision is made in the applicable accounting regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission are not required under the related instructions or are inapplicable and therefore have been omitted.
* Filed herein
** To be filed by Amendment.



Item 28. Officers and Directors of the Depositor
Principal Life Insurance Company is managed by a Board of Directors which is elected by its policyowners. The directors and executive officers of the Company, their positions with the Company, including Board Committee memberships, and their principal business address, are as follows:
DIRECTORS:
Name and Principal Business AddressPositions and Offices
JONATHAN S. AUERBACH
3 Penon Peak Trail
Carmel, CA 93923
Director
Member, Nominating and Governance Committee
MARY E. BEAMS
20 Green Lane
Weston, MA 02493
Director
Member, Audit Committee
JOCELYN CARTER-MILLER
8701 Banyan Court
Tamarac, FL 33321
Director
Chair, Human Resources Committee
Member, Executive, Nominating and Governance Committee
ROGER C. HOCHSCHILD
682 Ardsley Road
Winnetka, IL 60093
Director
Chair, Nominating and Governance Committee
Member, Human Resources Committee
DANIEL J. HOUSTON
Principal Financial Group
Des Moines, IA 50392
Director
Chairman of the Board and Chair, Executive Committee
Principal Life: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
SCOTT M. MILLS
BET Media Group
1515 Broadway, 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10036
Director
Member, Audit, Executive and Human Resources Committees
H. ELIZABETH MITCHELL
107 West 89th Street, Apt. 2B
New York, NY 10024
Director
Member, Audit Committee
CLAUDIO MURUZABAL
791 Crandon Boulevard, #1508
Key Biscayne, FL 33149
Director
Member, Human Resources and Nominating and Governance Committees
DIANE C. NORDIN
140 Monument Street
Concord, MA 01742
Director
Chair, Audit Committee
BLAIR C. PICKERELL
Lower House 1
29 Mt. Kellett Road
The Peak
Hong Kong
Director
Member, Nominating and Governance Committee
CLARE S. RICHER
169 Marlborough St. Apt 1
Boston, MA 02116
Director
Member, Audit and Executive Committees
ALFREDO RIVERA
Condominio Lomas del Valle
Flats 21, Torre A, Apt. 7
Pozos de Santa Ana
San Jose, Costa Rica
10903
Director
Member, Audit and Human Resources Committees




EXECUTIVE OFFICERS (OTHER THAN DIRECTORS)
Name and Principal Business AddressPositions and Offices
VIVEK AGRAWAL(1)
Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer
KAMAL BHATIA(1)
Senior Executive Managing Director - Global Head of Investments, Principal Asset Management
J. SCOTT BOYD(1)
Senior Vice President - Retirement Distribution
WEE YEE (THOMAS) CHEONG(3)
Executive Vice President, Principal Asia
JON N. COUTURE(1)
Executive Vice President Principal Global Services and Chief Human Resources Officer
NOREEN M. FIERRO(1)
Senior Vice President and Enterprise Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer
AMY C. FRIEDRICH(1)
President Benefits and Protection
GINA L. GRAHAM(1)
Vice President and Treasurer
PATRICK G. HALTER(1)
President and Chief Executive Officer - Principal Asset Management
TERESA M. HASSARA(1)
Senior Vice President - WSRS
TIMOTHY A. HILL(1)
Senior Executive Managing Director - US & Europe Client Group, Principal Asset Management
KARA M. HOOGENSEN(1)
Senior Vice President, Benefits and Protection - Head of Workplace Benefits
KATHLEEN B. KAY(1)
Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer
NATALIE LAMARQUE(1)
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
CHRISTOPHER J. LITTLEFIELD(1)
President - Retirement and Income Solutions
KENNETH A. MCCULLUM(1)
Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer
DENNIS J. MENKEN(1)
Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer - Principal Life Insurance Company
CHRISTOPHER D. PAYNE(1)
Senior Vice President, Government Relations
JOEL M. PITZ(1)
Senior Vice President and Controller
SRINIVAS D. REDDY(1)
Senior Vice President - Retirement and Income Solutions
NATHAN P. SCHELHAAS(1)
Senior Vice President, Benefits and Protection - Head of Business Owner Segment
ELLEN W. SHUMWAY(1)
Senior Executive Managing Director - Global Head of Product & Marketing, Principal Asset Management
PABLO SPRENGER(2)
Executive Vice President, Principal Latin America
DEANNA D. STRABLE(1)
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
A. SHEA TREADWAY(1)
Senior Vice President, Benefits and Protection - Head of Distribution
LUIS VALDES(1)
Chairman - Latin America
BETHANY A. WOOD(1)
Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
(1)
711 High Street
Des Moines, IA 50392
(2)
Principal Vida Chile
Av Apoquindo 3600
Las Condes
Santiago, Chile
(3)
Unit 1001-2 Central Plaza
18 Harbour Road
Wan Chai, Hong Kong





Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Depositor or the Registrant
The Registrant is a separate account of Principal Life Insurance Company (the "Depositor") and is operated as a unit investment trust. Registrant supports benefits payable under Depositor's variable annuity contracts by investing assets allocated to various investment options in shares of Principal Variable Contracts Funds, Inc. and other mutual funds registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as open-end management investment companies of the "series" type. No person is directly or indirectly controlled by the Registrant.
The Depositor is wholly-owned by Principal Financial Services, Inc. Principal Financial Services, Inc. (an Iowa corporation) an intermediate holding company organized pursuant to Section 512A.14 of the Iowa Code. In turn, Principal Financial Services, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Principal Financial Group, Inc., a publicly traded company that filed consolidated financial statements with the SEC. A list of persons directly or indirectly controlled by or under common control with Depositor as of December 31, 2023 appears below:
None of the companies listed in such organization chart is a subsidiary of the Registrant; therefore, only the separate financial statements of Registrant and the consolidated financial statements of Depositor are being filed with this Registration Statement.
Principal Life Insurance Company - Organizational Structure
(December 31, 2023)
Organized in% Owned
PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.DelawarePublicly Held
→ Principal Financial Services, Inc.*#Iowa100 
→ CCB Pension Management, Co. Ltd.China17.64 
PFG DO Brasil LTDA*#
Brazil100 
→ Brasilprev Seguros E Previdencia S.A.*Brazil50 
→ Principal Global Investors Participacoes, LTDA*#Brazil100 
→ Claritas Investments LTD*#Cayman Islands100 
→ Claritas Administracao de Recursos LTDA*#Brazil100 
→ PFG Do Brasil 2 Participacoes LTDA*#Brazil100 
→ Ciclic Corretora de Seguros S.A.*#Brazil50.01 
Principal International, LLC.*#
Iowa100 
Principal International (Asia) Limited*#
Hong Kong100 
→ Principal Asia Pacific Investment Consulting (Beijing) Limited*#China100 
→ Principal International (South Asia) SDN, BHD*#Malaysia100 
→ Principal Nominee Company (Hong Kong) Limited*#Hong Kong100 
→ Principal Asset Management Company (Asia) Limited*#Hong Kong100 
→ Principal Trust Company (Hong Kong) Limited*Hong Kong100 
→ Principal Insurance Company (Hong Kong) Limited*#Hong Kong100 
Principal Asset Management Berhad*
Malaysia60 
→ CIMB Wealth Advisors Berhad*Malaysia100 
→ PT Principal Asset ManagementIndonesia99 
→ Principal Asset Management (S) PTE LTD*#Singapore100 
→ Principal Asset Management Company Limited*Thailand100 
→ PT Principal International Indonesia*Indonesia100 
→ Principal Trust Company (Asia) Limited*#Hong Kong100 
→ Principal Investment & Retirement Services Limited*#Hong Kong100 
→ Principal Consulting (India) Private Limited*#India100 
→ Principal Bermuda Holding, LLCDelaware100 
→ Principal Financial Services (Bermuda) Ltd.Bermuda100 
Principal Global Investors Holding Company, LLC*#
Delaware100 
→ Principal Global Financial Services (Europe) II LTD*#United Kingdom100 
→ Principal Global Investors (Europe) Limited*Wales/United Kingdom100 
→ Principal Global Investors (Switzerland) GMBH*Switzerland100 
→ Principal Global Investors (Ireland) Limited*#Ireland100 
PGI Origin Holding Company LTD*#<
Wales/United Kingdom100 
→ Origin Asset Management LLP*#<Wales/United Kingdom93.08 
→ PGI Finisterre Holding Company LTD*Wales/United Kingdom100 
Finisterre Holdings Limited*
Malta100 
→ Finisterre Capital LLP*Wales/United Kingdom86 
→ Principal Corporate Secretarial Services LimitedWales/United Kingdom100 
→ Principal Real Estate Europe LimitedWales/United Kingdom100 
→ Principal Real Estate LimitedWales/United Kingdom100 
→ Principal Real Estate B.V.Netherlands100 
→ Principal Real Estate GmbHGermany100 



→ PD Frankfurt GmbH mbHGermany94.9 
→ Principal Real Estate S.á.r.l.Luxembourg100 
→ Principal Real Estate SASFrance100 
→ Principal Real Estate S.L.U.Spain100 
→ Principal Real Estate Spezialfondsgesellschaft mbHGermany94.9 
→ Principal Global Investors (Singapore) Limited*#Singapore100 
→ Principal Real Asset Investments Private Fund Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd.China50 
→ Principal Private Fund Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.China100 
→ Principal Global Investors (Hong Kong) Limited*#Hong Kong100 
→ Principal Global Investors Holding Company (US), LLC*#Delaware100 
→ Spectrum Asset Management, Inc.*#<Connecticut100 
→ SAMI Brokerage LLCConnecticut100 
Post Advisory Group, LLC*#<
Delaware75.23 
→ Principal Commercial Funding, LLC*#<Delaware100 
Principal Enterprise Capital, LLC*#
Delaware100 
Principal Global Investors, LLC*#<
Delaware100 
→ Principal Real Estate Investors, LLC*#Delaware100 
→ Principal Global Investors Trust Company*#Oregon100 
→ Principal Shareholder Services, Inc.*#Washington100 
→ Principal Funds Distributor, Inc.*#Washington100 
→ Principal Islamic Asset Management SDN. BHD*#Malaysia60 
Principal Financial Group (Mauritius) LTD*#
Mauritius100 
Principal Life Insurance Company+#
Iowa100 
→ Principal Reinsurance Company of Delaware*#<Delaware100 
→ Principal Reinsurance Company of Delaware II*#<Delaware100 
Principal Real Estate Holding Company, LLC*#<
Delaware100 
→ GAVI PREHC HC, LLC*#<Delaware100 
→ Principal Development Investors, LLC*#<Delaware100 
→ Principal Real Estate Fund Investors, LLC*#<Delaware100 
Principal Holding Company, LLC*#<
Iowa100 
Petula Associates, LLC*<
Iowa100 
Principal Real Estate Portfolio, Inc.*#<
Delaware100 
→ GAVI PREPI HC, LLC*#<Delaware100 
→ Petula Prolix Development Company, LLC*#<Iowa100 
→ Principal Commercial Acceptance, LLC*#<Delaware100 
→ Principal Generation Plant, LLC*#<Delaware100 
→ Principal Bank*#<Iowa100 
→ Principal Advised Services, LLCDelaware100 
→ Equity FC, LTD*#<Iowa100 
Principal Dental Services, Inc.*#<
Arizona100 
→ Employers Dental Services, Inc.*#<Arizona100 
→ First Dental Health*#<California100 
→ Delaware Charter Guarantee & Trust Company*#<Delaware100 
→ Preferred Product Network, Inc.*#<Delaware100 
→ Principal Reinsurance Company of Vermont*#Vermont100 
→ Principal Reinsurance Company of Vermont II*#<Vermont100 
→ Principal International Holding Company, LLC*#Delaware100 
→ Principal Global Services Private Limited*#India100 
→ Principal Global Services (Philippines) LLCPhilippines100 
→ CCB Principal Asset Management Company, LTD*China25 
Principal Financial Services I (US), LLC*#
Delaware100 
→ Principal Financial Services II (US), LLC*#Delaware100 
Principal Financial Services I (UK) LLP *#
Wales/United Kingdom100 
→ Principal Financial Services V (UK) LTD.*#United Kingdom100 
Principal Financial Services II (UK) LTD.*#
Wales/United Kingdom100 
Principal Financial Services III (UK) LTD.*#
Wales/United Kingdom100 
→ Principal Financial Services Asia (UK) LTD*#United Kingdom100 
→ Principal Global Investors Asia (UK) LtdUnited Kingdom100 
→ Principal Global Investors (Australia) Service Company Pty Limited*#Australia100 
Principal Global Investors (Australia) Limited*#
Australia100 
→ Principal Global Investors (Japan) Limited*#Japan100 
Principal Financial Services VI (UK) LTD*#
United Kingdom100 



Principal Global Financial Services (Europe) LTD*#
United Kingdom100 
Principal Financial Services Latin America LTD.*#
Wales/United Kingdom100 
Principal International Latin America LTD.*#
United Kingdom100 
→ Principal International Mexico, LLC*#Delaware100 
→ Principal Mexico Servicios, S.A. de C.V.*#Mexico100 
→ Principal Innovación, S.A. de C.V.Mexico100 
Principal Financial Group, S.A. de C. V. Grupo Financiero*#
Mexico100 
→ Principal Afore, S. A. de C.V., Principal Grupo Financiero*#Mexico100 
→ Principal Fondos de Inversión S.A. de C.V., Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, Principal Grupo Financiero*#Mexico100 
→ Principal Seguros, S.A. de C.V., Principal Grupo Financiero*#Mexico100 
Principal International South America I LTD.*#
Wales/United Kingdom100 
Principal International South America II LTD.*#
Wales/United Kingdom100 
Principal International South America II LTD., Agencia En Chile*#
Chile/United Kingdom100 
Principal International de Chile, S.A.*#
Chile100 
Principal Compania de Seguros de Vida Chile S.A.*#
Chile100 
→ Principal Administradora General de Fondos S.A.*#Chile100 
→ Principal Ahorro e Inversiones S.A.*#Chile100 
→ Principal Servicios Corporativos Chile LTDA*#Chile100 
Principal Servicios de Administración S.A.*#
Chile100 
Principal Holding Company Chile S.A.*#
Chile100 
Principal Chile Limitada*#
Chile100 
Administradora de Fondos de Pensiones Cuprum S.A.*#
Chile97 
→ Inversiones Cuprum Internacional S.A.*#Chile100 
→ Principal National Life Insurance Company+#Iowa100 
→ Principal Securities, Inc.Iowa100 
→ Diversified Dental Services, Inc.*#Nevada100 
→ Principal Innovations, Inc.Delaware90.55 
→ Business Owner Ecosystem, Inc.Delaware100 
→ Principal Workforce, LLCDelaware100 
→ Principal Financial Services (Asia) Pte LtdSingapore100 
+ Consolidated financial statements are filed with the SEC.
* Not required to file financial statements with the SEC.
# Included in the consolidated financial statements of Principal Financial Group, Inc. filed with the SEC.
= Separate Financial statements are filed with SEC.
< Included in the financial statements of Principal Life Insurance Company filed with the SEC.
Item 30. Indemnification

Sections 490.851 through 490.859 of the Iowa Business Corporation Act permit corporations to indemnify directors and officers where (A) all of the following apply: the director or officer (i) acted in good faith; (ii) reasonably believed that (a) in the case of conduct in the individual's official capacity, that the individual's conduct was in the best interests of the corporation or (b) in all other cases, that the individual's conduct was at least not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; and (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the individual had no reasonable cause to believe the individual's conduct was unlawful; and (B) the individual engaged in conduct for which broader indemnification has been made permissible or obligatory under a provision of the corporation's articles of incorporation.
Unless ordered by a court pursuant to the Iowa Business Corporation Act, a corporation shall not indemnify a director or officer in either of the following circumstances: (A) in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation, except for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding if it is determined that the director has met the relevant standard of conduct (above) or (B) in connection with any proceeding with respect to conduct for which the director was adjudged liable on the basis that the director receive a financial benefit to which he or she was not entitled, whether or not involving action in the director's official capacity.
Registrant's By-Laws provide that it shall indemnify directors and officers against damages, awards, settlements and costs reasonably incurred or imposed in connection with any suit or proceeding to which such person is or may be made a party by reason of being a director or officer of the Registrant. Such rights of indemnification are in addition to any rights to indemnity to which the person may be entitled under Iowa law and are subject to any limitations imposed by the Board of Directors. The Board has provided that certain procedures must be followed for indemnification of officers, and that there is no indemnity of officers when there is a final adjudication of liability based upon acts which constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct.



Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 31. Principal Underwriters
(a)    Other Activity
Principal Securities, Inc. acts as principal underwriter for variable annuity contracts issued by Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B, a registered unit investment trust and for variable life insurance contracts issued by Principal Life Insurance Company Variable Life Separate Account, a registered unit investment trust.
(b)    Management
(b1) Name and principal(b2) Positions and offices
business addresswith principal underwriter
Christopher Agbe-DaviesVice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary
Principal Financial Group(1)
Carla BeitzelVice President, Distribution (PPN)
Principal Financial Group(1)
Jess BeltranChief Supervision Officer
Principal Financial Group(1)
Chad ClaireChief Information Officer
Principal Financial Group(1)
Brock CooperChief Compliance Officer
Principal Financial Group(1)
Amy C. FriedrichDirector
Principal Financial Group(1)
William FroehlichVice President, Operations
Principal Financial Group(1)
Gina L. GrahamVice President and Treasurer
Principal Financial Group(1)
Sarah JuteauCounsel
Principal Financial Group(1)
Cody LawlerVice President, Operations
Principal Financial Group(1)
Kenneth A. McCullumDirector
Principal Financial Group(1)
Michael F. MurrayChairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Principal Financial Group(1)
Mitch G. NassCounsel and Secretary
Principal Financial Group(1)



(b1) Name and principal(b2) Positions and offices
business addresswith principal underwriter
Doug RantsChief Information Security Officer
Principal Financial Group(1)
David A. RiglerChief Financial Officer
Principal Financial Group(1)
Craig SpadaforaSenior Vice President
Principal Financial Group(1)
Deanna D. Strable-SoethoutDirector
Principal Financial Group(1)
A. Shea Treadway
Director
Principal Financial Group(1)
Dan VanWinkleAML Officer
Principal Financial Group(1)
Dan L. WestholmAssistant Vice President - Treasury
Principal Financial Group(1)
(1) 655 9th Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
(c)    Compensation from the Registrant
(1)
Name of Principal Underwriter
(2)
Net Underwriting Discounts & Commissions
(3)
Compensation on Events Occasioning the Deduction of a Deferred Sales Load
(4)
Brokerage Commissions
(5)
Compensation
Principal Securities, Inc. $47,297,870000

Item 32. Location of Accounts and Records
All accounts, books or other documents of the Registrant are located at the offices of the Depositor, The Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, Iowa 50392.
Item 33. Management Services
N/A
Item 34. Fee Representation
Principal Life Insurance Company represents the fees and charges deducted under the Policy, in the aggregate, are reasonable in relation to the services rendered, the expenses expected to be incurred, and the risks assumed by the Company.




SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant, Principal Life Insurance Company Separate Account B, has duly caused this Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereto duly authorized, and its seal to be hereunto affixed and attested, in the City of Des Moines and State of Iowa, on the 29th day of April, 2024.
PRINCIPAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
    SEPARATE ACCOUNT B
(Registrant)
By :/s/ D. J. Houston
D. J. Houston
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
PRINCIPAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
(Depositor)
By :/s/ D. J. Houston
D. J. Houston
Chairman of the Board
Director, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Attest:
/s/ Christopher Agbe-Davies
Christopher Agbe-Davies
Assistant Corporate Secretary




Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this amendment to the registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
SignatureTitleDate
/s/ D. J. HoustonDirector, Chairman of the BoardApril 29, 2024
D. J. HoustonChairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer
/s/ J. M. PitzSenior Vice President and ControllerApril 29, 2024
J. M. Pitz(Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/ D. D. Strable-SoethoutExecutive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)
April 29, 2024
D. D. Strable-Soethout
/s/ J. S. Auerbach*DirectorApril 29, 2024
J. S. Auerbach
/s/ M. E. Beams*DirectorApril 29, 2024
M. E. Beams
/s/ J. Carter-Miller*DirectorApril 29, 2024
J. Carter-Miller
/s/ R. C. Hochschild*DirectorApril 29, 2024
R. C. Hochschild
/s/ S. M. Mills*DirectorApril 29, 2024
S. M. Mills
/s/ H. E. Mitchell*DirectorApril 29, 2024
H. E. Mitchell
/s/ C. Muruzabal*DirectorApril 29, 2024
C. Muruzabal
/s/ D. C. Nordin*DirectorApril 29, 2024
D. C. Nordin
/s/ B. C. Pickerell*DirectorApril 29, 2024
B. C. Pickerell
/s/ C. S. Richer*DirectorApril 29, 2024
C. S. Richer
/s/ A. Rivera*DirectorApril 29, 2024
A. Rivera
*By/s/ D. J. Houston
D. J. Houston
Director, Chairman of the Board
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
*
Pursuant to Powers of Attorney 

 

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

CONSENT OF AUDITORS - PERSONAL

485B LETTER - PERSONAL

PLIC FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES