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      <twe:liveTestFlag>LIVE</twe:liveTestFlag>
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          <twe:ccc>XXXXXXXX</twe:ccc>
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    <twe:annualFilings>
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        <twe:item1>
          <twe:nameOfIssuer>NML VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT B</twe:nameOfIssuer>
          <twe:addressOfIssuer>
            <twe:street1>The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance C</twe:street1>
            <twe:street2>720 East Wisconsin Avenue</twe:street2>
            <twe:city>Milwaukee</twe:city>
            <twe:state>WI</twe:state>
            <twe:country>X1</twe:country>
            <twe:zipCode>53202</twe:zipCode>
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          <twe:reportClass>
            <twe:annualClassInfo>
              <twe:className>Flexible Payment Variable Annuity</twe:className>
              <twe:classId>C000000098</twe:classId>
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          <twe:investmentCompActFileNo>811-1668</twe:investmentCompActFileNo>
          <twe:securitiesActFileNumbers>
            <twe:securitiesActFileNo>
              <twe:fileNumber>002-29240</twe:fileNumber>
            </twe:securitiesActFileNo>
          </twe:securitiesActFileNumbers>
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        <twe:item4>
          <twe:lastDayOfFiscalYear>12/31/2025</twe:lastDayOfFiscalYear>
          <twe:isThisFormBeingFiledLate>false</twe:isThisFormBeingFiledLate>
          <twe:isThisTheLastTimeIssuerFilingThisForm>false</twe:isThisTheLastTimeIssuerFilingThisForm>
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        <twe:item5>
          <twe:aggregateSalePriceOfSecuritiesSold>3357886964.00</twe:aggregateSalePriceOfSecuritiesSold>
          <twe:aggregatePriceOfSecuritiesRedeemedOrRepurchasedInFiscalYear>3622723198.00</twe:aggregatePriceOfSecuritiesRedeemedOrRepurchasedInFiscalYear>
          <twe:aggregatePriceOfSecuritiesRedeemedOrRepurchasedAnyPrior>950820072.67</twe:aggregatePriceOfSecuritiesRedeemedOrRepurchasedAnyPrior>
          <twe:totalAvailableRedemptionCredits>4573543270.67</twe:totalAvailableRedemptionCredits>
          <twe:netSales>0.00</twe:netSales>
          <twe:redemptionCreditsAvailableForUseInFutureYears>(1215656306.67)</twe:redemptionCreditsAvailableForUseInFutureYears>
          <twe:multiplierForDeterminingRegistrationFee>0.0001381</twe:multiplierForDeterminingRegistrationFee>
          <twe:registrationFeeDue>0.00</twe:registrationFeeDue>
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          <twe:interestDue>0</twe:interestDue>
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        <twe:item7>
          <twe:totalOfRegistrationFeePlusAnyInterestDue>0.00</twe:totalOfRegistrationFeePlusAnyInterestDue>
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        <twe:item8/>
        <twe:signature>
          <twe:signature>Phil Rinzel</twe:signature>
          <twe:nameAndTitle>Phil Rinzel Traditional &amp; Mutual Fund Acctg VP - The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company</twe:nameAndTitle>
          <twe:signatureDate>03/27/2026</twe:signatureDate>
        </twe:signature>
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