PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL INC

In connection with the demutualization in 2001, we ceased offering domestic participating individual life insurance and annuity products under which policyholders are eligible to receive policyholder dividends reflecting experience. The liabilities for our individual in-force participating products were segregated, together with assets to be used exclusively for the payment of benefits and policyholder dividends, expenses and taxes with respect to these products, in the Closed Block. We selected the amount of assets that were expected to generate sufficient cash flow, together with anticipated revenues from the Closed Block policies, over the life of the Closed Block to fund payments of all policyholder benefits, expenses and taxes, and to provide for the continuation of the policyholder dividend scales that were in effect in 2000, assuming experience underlying such scales continued. No policies sold after demutualization have been added to the Closed Block, and its in-force business is expected to decline as we pay policyholder benefits in full.

The results of the Closed Block, along with certain related assets and liabilities, comprise the Closed Block division, which is treated as a divested business under our definition of adjusted operating income and reported separately from the other Divested and Run-off Businesses that are included in our Corporate and Other operations.

As discussed in Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, if the performance of the Closed Block is more or less favorable than we originally assumed in funding, total dividends paid to Closed Block policyholders in the future may be greater or less than the total dividends that would have been paid to these policyholders if the policyholder dividend scales that were in effect in 2000 had been continued. A policyholder dividend obligation liability is established for any excess experience, which may be available for distribution over time to Closed Block policyholders as part of policyholder dividends, unless offset by future Closed Block experience that is less favorable than expected. This excess experience will not be available to shareholders. If the Closed Block has insufficient funds to make guaranteed policy benefit payments, such payments will be made from PICA’s assets outside of the Closed Block. Each year, the Board of Directors of PICA determines the dividends payable on participating policies for the following year based on the experience of the Closed Block, including investment income, net realized and unrealized investment gains and losses, mortality experience and other factors. See Note 23 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for revenues, income and loss, and total assets of the Closed Block division.

Our strategy is to maintain the Closed Block as required by our Plan of Reorganization over the time period of its gradual diminution as policyholder benefits are paid in full. We are permitted under the Plan of Reorganization, with the prior consent of the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance for the State of New Jersey, to enter into agreements to transfer all or any part of the risks underlying the Closed Block policies.