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Discretion Winter
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Lisa Tibbitts
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AXA Equitable Empowers Small To Mid-Size Plan Sponsors With Fiduciary Toolkit

Resource Helps Clients Avoid Ten Common Mistakes

New York, December 13, 2006 - To help defined contribution plan sponsors manage their fiduciary obligations, AXA Equitable introduces the Fiduciary Toolkit, a comprehensive resource available through its Retirement Strategies 401(k) product designed for small to mid-size businesses.

When a business owner sponsors a 401(k) plan, he or she assumes a fiduciary role. Fiduciary responsibility is a complex area of the pension law that is continuously evolving. Fiduciaries may be held liable if their plan is not administered correctly under the rules of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). "Satisfying ERISA," says Keith Namiot, VP Defined Contribution Product Development, "requires plan sponsors to keep current with complex regulatory developments and investment strategies, establish proper due diligence and document plan administration processes. Our market research indicates that plan sponsors often feel overwhelmed when it comes to understanding and managing their fiduciary obligations under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. With the Fiduciary Toolkit, we think we've created the best turnkey tool available to help our clients meet their fiduciary responsibilities."

Helping Plan Sponsors Avoid Ten Common Mistakes

Key to the design of the Retirement Strategies^SMFiduciary Toolkit is its practical emphasis on helping plan sponsors avoid these ten common fiduciary mistakes seen in Department of Labor investigations*:

1. Not documenting fiduciary decisions
2. Not maintaining supporting documentation related to the plan's investment, administration, monitoring and management
3. Not interviewing and gathering all the facts necessary to a make prudent decision regarding the choice of the service provider
4. Not interviewing and gathering all the facts necessary to understand the fee arrangements regarding the plan, its service providers and its investments
5. Not monitoring the service providers and revisiting the choices of those providers
6. Not bidding out the job for service providers and documenting that process
7. Not clearly understanding the various responsibilities of service providers
8. Not forwarding employee contributions within a reasonable amount of time
9. Not understanding the interrelationships of service providers and who is providing what services
10. Not clearly understanding what the plan is invested in, especially if the plan is using investment options such as hedge funds and financial derivatives.

Instead of gathering and trying to interpret information from the DOL website and myriad other sources, plan sponsors can find required forms and "to-do" checklists in the Fiduciary Toolkit. In plain English, the Fiduciary Toolkit and its companion CD guides plan sponsors through their obligations, helping them document their decisions on:

• Naming a Fiduciary
• Selecting Plan Providers
• Plan Design
• Model Investment Policy Statement
• Election of ERISA 404 (c)
• Employee Communications
• Employee Education
• Investment Review
• Annual Plan Review

For a comprehensive yet streamlined approach to managing fiduciary obligations, the Fiduciary Toolkit is also tailored to integrate with AXA Funds Management Group's Investment ReportCard and other Retirement Strategies plan sponsor materials.

About Retirement Strategies^SM

Retirement Strategies^SM, a group deferred variable annuity, offers flexibility in plan design, a range of well-known investment options to meet employee retirement planning needs, and outstanding support services for plan sponsors and participants - all at a competitive price.

About AXA Equitable

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company is the principal life insurance subsidiary of AXA Financial, Inc., providing life insurance, annuities and other needs-based products and services for the financial services market, co-distributed by AXA Advisors, LLC, and AXA Distributors, LLC. AXA Financial is one of the premier U.S. organizations providing financial protection and wealth management, and had approximately $693.7 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2006. AXA Financial is a member of the global AXA Group, which had $1.39 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2006. All guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (AXA Equitable).

* Source: Department of Labor presentation, March 2006 Midsized Pension Management Conference (San Francisco, CA).

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