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The Principal Releases New Guides for Advisors in Recognition of National Retirement Planning Week

To help raise awareness of the need to comprehensively plan for retirement, the Principal Financial Group is joining the Insured Retirement Institute in sponsoring National Retirement Planning Week, April 12-15, 2010.

In recognition of this special week, as well as the important role of the financial professional in helping Americans with retirement security, The Principal is unveiling two new educational guides. The guides are designed to jumpstart discussions between financial professionals and investors on critical issues that impact financial security in retirement:

• Health Care Cost Considerations for Retirees: covers projected health care costs and includes a spreadsheet to help investors personalize their own potential health care costs
• Maintaining a Retirement Income Plan: helps investors understand the need to create a retirement income plan and continue to monitor savings and spending to help keep their plan on track

An existing guide, Social Security Considerations for Married Couples, is also available. It discusses several options for married couples to consider before electing their Social Security benefits.

The simple, three-page guides are available at www.AmericaRebuilds.com under the "For Financial Professionals" tab. America Rebuilds, a new campaign from The Principal, seeks to connect consumers and business owners with financial professionals to help rebuild their financial security. The Web site is designed to engage, educate, inspire and motivate Americans to take action.

"At the core of the America Rebuilds campaign is a very simple message: get an advisor and get a plan," said Tim Minard, senior vice president of retirement and investor services at The Principal. "National Retirement Planning Week is a perfect fit with America Rebuilds in working to keep retirement planning top of mind for all Americans."

National Retirement Planning Week is sponsored by the National Retirement Planning Coalition, a group of prominent financial industry and advocacy organizations headed by the Insured Retirement Institute. The group was formed to raise public awareness of the need for comprehensive retirement planning.

The educational guides are part of Principal Retirement Income Edge^SM, a comprehensive program equipping financial professionals with education, tools and other resources to help meet client needs and grow their retirement income planning business.

About the Principal Financial Group

The Principal Financial Group (The Principal)² is a leader in offering businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement and investment services, life and health insurance, and banking through its diverse family of financial services companies. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $284.7 billion in assets under management³ and serves some 18.9 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

Insurance products and plan administrative services are provided by Principal Life Insurance Company, a member of the Principal Financial Group (The Principal^®), Des Moines, IA 50392.

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¹ 2010 Retirement Confidence Survey, Employee Benefit Research Institute (excludes value of primary residence).

² "The Principal Financial Group" and "The Principal" are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.

³ As of December 31, 2009

Principal Financial Group
Jaime Naig, 515-247-0798
naig.jaime@principal.com
or
Terri Hale, 515-283-8858
hale.terri@principal.com