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AXA Equitable To Host Free Thought Leadership Program Aimed At Addressing Today's Unprecedented Retirement Crisis

NEW YORK, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company announced today that it will host a free thought leadership forum, "Retirement Crisis: Now What?" on April 21, 2009, inNew York City. The 90-minute program, featuring a distinguished group of industry experts, will focus on financial challenges that have followed a year-long period of unprecedented market volatility.

"There's no question that virtually everyone is being affected in one way or another by one of the most severe recessions in generations," said Christopher M. "Kip" Condron, chairman and chief executive officer of AXA Equitable. "We're pleased to offer an educational forum where not only issues will be raised, but more importantly, where thoughts and ideas will be shared about how retirement strategies are likely to evolve."

Program participants include:

    --  Moderator, Amy Feldman -- Amy Feldman is an associate editor at
        BusinessWeek in New York. Ms. Feldman covers retirement, tax, investing
        and other personal finance issues. Prior to joining BusinessWeek last
        summer, she was a senior writer for Money, the Wall Street columnist for
        the New York Daily News and a staff writer for Forbes.
    --  Panelist, Peter Brady, Ph.D. -- Peter Brady is a senior economist for
        the Investment Company Institute. Mr. Brady studies the role of mutual
        funds in the retirement market, analyzing developments in the defined
        contribution and IRA markets. He has worked at the U.S. Department of
        the Treasury, as well as previously at the Federal Reserve Board.
    --  Panelist, Eric Chaney -- Eric Chaney is chief economist for AXA Group.
        Mr. Chaney provides economic research on macro trends and risks for the
        company and its entities. He was previously chief economist for Europe
        for Morgan Stanley. Mr. Chaney is a regular columnist for international
        publications, including Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal.
    --  Panelist, Pamela Perun -- Pamela Perun, policy director for the
        Initiative on Financial Security for the Aspen Institute, is a lawyer
        and psychologist who is an expert on retirement income policy issues.
        Her organization's recent report, "Savings for Life: A Pathway
        to Financial Security for All Americans," makes key policy
        recommendations for increasing financial security in America.

    --  Panelist, Dallas Salisbury -- Dallas Salisbury is president and chief
        executive officer of the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). Mr.
        Salisbury joined EBRI at its founding in 1978. He has been honored with
        the Award for Professional Excellence from the Society for Human
        Resource Management, the Plan Sponsor Lifetime Achievement Award and the
        Keystone Award of World at Work.

Some questions the participants expect to address during the program are:

    --  What is the future of Social Security?
    --  What is the fate of 401(k) savings plans?
    --  What retirement programs may no longer be effective in light of current
        market volatility? Which new programs are poised to take their place?

    --  How will public, private and individual roles in securing a sound
        financial future evolve in the next year?

"We have lined up a group of true thought leaders from different retirement disciplines," said Mr. Condron. "By bringing them into a forum where they will share their candid views, we hope that attendees will come away with new learning, different perspectives and a little food for thought."

    Details of the event include:

    Tuesday, April 21, 2009
    2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. (eastern time)
    AXA Equitable Auditorium
    787 Seventh Avenue (at 52nd Street)
    New York, NY 10019

The free, no obligation event is open to the general public. Space is limited and registration is required to attend. To register, please call 212-314-5462. For more information, visit www.axa-equitable.com.

About AXA Equitable

In business since 1859, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company is a leading financial protection company and one of the nation's premier providers of life insurance, annuity, and investment products and services. The company's products and services are distributed to individuals and business owners through its retail distribution channel, AXA Advisors, LLC; to the financial services market through its wholesale distribution channel, AXA Distributors, LLC; and to corporations and their employees through its corporate distribution channel, Corporate Markets.

AXA Equitable, a subsidiary of AXA Financial Inc., is part of the global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection strategies and wealth management. "AXA Group" refers to AXA, a French holding company for an international group of insurance and financial services companies together with its direct and indirect consolidated subsidiaries. For more information, visit www.axa-equitable.com.

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (NY, NY) issues life insurance and annuity products. Guarantees in the life insurance and annuity products are based on the claims-paying ability of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company. Variable products are co-distributed through affiliates, AXA Advisors, LLC and AXA Distributors, LLC. AXA Financial and its affiliates do not provide legal or tax advice.

SOURCE AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company