Ameriprise Certificate Company (“ACC”) was incorporated on October 28, 1977 under the laws of Delaware. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (“Ameriprise Financial”), a Delaware corporation, owns 100% of the outstanding voting securities of ACC. Ameriprise Financial and its predecessor companies have a more than 120125 year of history of providing financial solutions to help clients confidently achieve their financial objectives.

ACC is registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and is in the business of issuing face-amount investment certificates. Face-amount certificates issued by ACC entitle the certificate owner to receive at maturity a stated amount of money and interest or credits declared from time to time by ACC, at its discretion. ACC’s certificates are distributed and sold solely by Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC (“AFS”) (previously known as Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. (“AFSI”)until January 2020), an affiliate of ACC. AFSIAFS is registered as a broker-dealer in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

To ACC’s knowledge, ACC is the largest issuer of face-amount certificates in the United States. However, ACC’s certificate products compete with many other banking and investment products offered by banks, savings and loan associations, mutual funds,asset managers, broker-dealers and others, which may be viewed by potential clients as offering a comparable or superior combination of safety and return on investment. In particular, some of ACC’s products are designed to be competitive with the types of investments offered by banks and thrifts. Since ACC’s face-amount certificates are securities, their offer and sale are subject to regulation under federal and state securities laws. ACC’s certificates are backed by ACC’s qualified assets on deposit and are not insured by any governmental agency or other entity.

ACC’s future profitability is dependent upon changes in the economic, credit and equity environments, as well as the competitive environment. Unaffiliated third parties offer certain competing products which have demonstrated strong appeal to investors.

As of the date of this report, ACC offered the following five different certificate products to the public:

Within the specified maturity periods, most certificates have interest crediting rate terms ranging from three to forty-eight months. Interest crediting rates are subject to change and certificate product owners can surrender their certificates without penalty at the end of a term. Currently offered ACC certificates (listed above), as well as certain certificates previously issued by ACC (not listed above), contain renewal features which enable certificate owners to renew their certificate term until certificate maturity. Accordingly, certificate products that are currently outstanding in their renewal periods or are exercised for renewal in the future are, and continue to be, liabilities of ACC until their redemption or maturity, whether or not such certificates are available for new sales. ACC guarantees the return of principal, as well as interest once it has been credited, less any penalties that apply, for each of the certificates offered.

ACC’s certificates are offered solely by AFSIAFS and sold pursuant to a distribution agreement which is terminable on sixty days’ notice and is subject to annual review and approval by ACC’s Board of Directors, including a majority of the directors who are not “interested persons” of AFSIAFS or ACC as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. The distribution agreement provides for the payment of distribution fees to AFSIAFS for services provided. The distribution agreement with AFS can be terminated by either party on sixty days’ written notice.

ACC has retained Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (“CMIA”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, to manage ACC’s investment portfolio under an investment management agreement, which is subject to annual review and approval by ACC’s Board of Directors, including a majority of the directors who are not “interested persons” of AFSI,AFS, CMIA or ACC. This investment management agreement with CMIA can be terminated by either party on sixty days’ written notice.

ACC is required to maintain cash and “qualified assets” meeting the standards of Section 28(b) of the 1940 Act, as modified by an exemptive order of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The amortized cost of such investments must be at least equal to ACC’s net liabilities on all outstanding face-amount certificates plus $250,000. ACC’s qualified assets consist of cash equivalents, residential mortgage backed securities, syndicated loans and commercial mortgage loans, U.S. government and government agency securities, municipal bonds, corporate bonds, common stocks,equity securities, equity index options and other securities meeting specified standards. So long as ACC wishes to rely on the SEC order, as a condition to the order, ACC has agreed to maintain an amount of unappropriated retained earnings and capital equal to at least 5% of certificate reserves (less outstanding certificate loans). To the extent that payment of a dividend would decrease the capital ratio below the required 5%, payment of a dividend would be restricted. In determining compliance with this condition, qualified assets are valued in accordance with the provisions of Minnesota Statutes where such provisions are applicable.

ACC has also entered into a written understanding with the Minnesota Department of Commerce that ACC will maintain capital equal to at least 5% of the assets of ACC (less outstanding certificate loans). To the extent that payment of a dividend would decrease this ratio below the required 5%, payment of a dividend would be restricted. When computing its capital for these purposes, ACC values its assets on the basis of statutory accounting for insurance companies rather than U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). ACC is subject to examination and supervision by the Minnesota Department of Commerce (Banking Division) and the SEC.

Following conversion of ACC’s affiliate Ameriprise National Trust Bank into a federal savings bank (“Ameriprise Bank”) in May 2019, Ameriprise Financial continues to be subject to ongoing supervision by the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System (“FRB”). FRB regulation and supervisory oversight of Ameriprise Financial includes examinations, regular financial reporting, and prudential standards, such as capital, liquidity risk management, and parameters for business conduct and internal governance. In order to maintain Ameriprise Financial’s permission under applicable bank holding company laws and regulations to engage in business activities other than banking or activities closely related to banking, each of Ameriprise Financial and Ameriprise Bank needs to remain “well-capitalized” and “well-managed” under applicable regulations, and Ameriprise Bank must receive at least a “satisfactory” rating in its most recent examination under the Community Reinvestment Act. Failure to meet one or more of these requirements would mean, depending on the requirements not met and any agreement then reached with the FRB, that until cured Ameriprise Financial (and therefore ACC) could not undertake new activities, continue certain activities, or make certain acquisitions. As a subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, ACC is (absent exclusion or exemption) required to comply with investment limitations on its portfolio and other limitations under applicable banking laws, including what is commonly referred to as the Volcker Rule. Compliance with bank holding company laws and regulation could impact the structure and availability of certain of our products and our costs in providing those products. Costs of compliance may be driven by how these laws and regulations and the scale of Ameriprise Bank evolves over the course of time.

ACC’s operations and financial results are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including those described below, that could have a material adverse effect on ACC’s business, financial condition or results of operations. We believe that the following information identifies the material factors affecting ACC based on the information we currently know. However, the risks and uncertainties ACC faces are not limited to those described below. Additional risks and uncertainties which are not presently known or which are currently believed to be immaterial may also adversely affect ACC’s business.

ACC’s financial condition and results of operations may be materially affected by market fluctuations and by economic and other factors. Such factors, which can be global, regional, national or local in nature, include: (i) political, social, economic and market conditions; (ii) the availability and cost of capital; (iii) the level and volatility of equity prices, commodity prices and interest rates, currency values and other market indices; (iv) technological changes and events; (v) U.S. and foreign government fiscal and tax policies; (vi) U.S. and foreign government ability, real or perceived, to avoid defaulting on government securities; (vii) the availability and cost of credit; (viii) inflation; (ix) investor sentiment and confidence in the financial markets; (x) terrorism events and armed conflicts; and (xi) natural disasters such as weather catastrophes and widespread health emergencies. These factors also may have an impact on ACC’s ability to achieve its strategic objectives.

ACC’s financial condition and results of operations are affected by the “spread”, or the difference between the returns ACC earns on the investments that support its product obligations and the amounts that ACC must pay certificate holders.

ACC’s investment products are sensitive to interest rate fluctuations and ACC’s future costs associated with such variations may differ from its historical costs. During periods of increasing market interest rates, ACC may offer higher crediting rates on existing face-amount certificates to remain competitive with other products in the market. Because returns on invested assets may not increase as quickly as current interest rates, ACC may have to accept a lower spread and thus lower profitability or face a decline in sales and greater loss of existing certificates. In addition, increases in market interest rates may cause increased certificate surrenders as certificate holders seek to shift assets to products with perceived or actual higher returns. This process may lead to an earlier than expected outflow of cash from ACC’s business. Also, increases in market interest rates may result in extension of certain cash

During periods of falling interest rates or stagnancy of low interest rates, ACC’s spread may be reduced or could become negative primarily because ACC may adjust the interest rates it credits on most of the products downward only at limited, pre-established intervals. Interest rate fluctuations also could have an adverse effect on the results of ACC’s investment portfolio. During periods of declining market interest rates or stagnancy of low interest rates, the interest ACC receives on variable interest rate investments decreases. In addition, during those periods, ACC is forced to reinvest the cash it receives as interest or return of principal on its investments in lower-yielding high-grade instruments or in lower-credit instruments to maintain comparable returns. Issuers of certain callable fixed income securities also may decide to prepay their obligations in order to borrow at lower market rates which increase the risk that ACC may have to reinvest the cash proceeds of these securities in lower-yielding or lower-credit instruments. Offsetting some of these risks is the fact that a significant portion of certificate balances do not have a minimum guaranteed interest crediting rate.

Significant downturnsDownturns and volatility in equity markets may have an adverse effect on the financial condition and results of operations of ACC. Market downturns and volatility may cause, and have caused, potential new purchasers of ACC’s products to refrain from purchasing or to purchase fewer ACC certificate products. Additionally, downturns and volatility in financial markets can have, and have had, an adverse effect on the performance of ACC’s investment portfolio.

For additional information regarding the sensitivity of the fixed income securities in ACC’s investment portfolio to interest rate fluctuations, see Part II, Item 7A of this Form 10-K —“Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.”

The 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”), called for sweeping changes in the supervision and regulation of the financial services industry designed to provide for greater oversight of financial industry participants, reduce risk in banking practices and in securities and derivatives trading, enhance public company corporate governance practices and executive compensation disclosures, and provide greater protections to individual consumers and investors. Certain elements of the Dodd-Frank Act became effective immediately, though the details of certain provisions remain subject to additional studies and will not be known until final rules are adopted by applicable regulatory agencies. The full impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on ACC, the financial industry and the economy cannot be known until all such rules and regulations called for under the Dodd-Frank Act have been finalized, and, in some cases, implemented over time.

Accordingly, while certain elements of these reforms have yet tocould be finalized and implemented (and implementedfurther changed under the Trump administration (such as through the May 2018 legislation that loosened aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act could even be changed under the new U.S. Administration)Act), the Dodd-Frank Act has impacted and is expected to further impact the manner in which ACC markets its products and services, manages itself and its operations and interacts with regulators, all of which could materially impact ACC’s results of operations, financial condition and liquidity. Moreover, to the extent the Dodd-Frank Act and ongoing changes to regulations and oversightor other new regulation of the financial services industry impacts the operations, financial condition, liquidity and capital requirements of unaffiliated financial institutions with whom ACC transacts business, those institutions may seek to pass on increased costs, reduce their capacity to transact, or otherwise present inefficiencies in their interactions with ACC.

It is uncertain whether the Dodd-Frank Act, the rules and regulations developed thereunder, or any future regulation or legislation designed to stabilize the financial markets, the economy generally, or provide better protections to consumers will have the desired effect. Any new legislation or regulatory changes could require ACC to change certain of ACC’s business practices, impose additional costs on ACC, or otherwise adversely affect ACC’s business operations, regulatory reporting relationships, results of operations or financial condition. Consequences may include substantially higher compliance costs as well as material effects on interest rates and foreign exchange rates, which could materially impact ACC’s investments, results of operations and liquidity in ways that ACC cannot predict.

ACC operates in a regulated industry. As a registered investment company, ACC must observe certain governance, disclosure, record-keeping, marketing, privacy, data protection and other operating requirements. Various regulatory and governmental bodies have the authority to review ACC’s products and business practices and to bring regulatory or other legal actions against ACC if, in their view, ACC’s practices are improper. Any enforcement actions, investigations or other proceedings brought against ACC or its directors or employees of ourits affiliates by its regulators may result in fines, injunctions or other disciplinary actions that could harm ACC’s reputation or impact ACC’s results of operations. In addition, any changes to the laws and regulations applicable to ACC’s business such as possible changes brought about by any Department of Labor applicable regulation as well as state and other fiduciary rules, the SEC best interest standards, or similar standards such as the Certified Financial Planner Board standards pertaining to the fiduciary status of investment advice providers to retirement investors (primarily account holders in 401(k) plans and IRAs and other types of ERISA clients) and its new prohibited transaction exemptionsrelated issues. Each of these has a potential impact regarding how ERISA investment advice fiduciaries and others

can provide products manufactured by affiliates to, or engage in certain principal transactions with, retirement investors, including incremental requirements, costs and risks that may be imposed on ACC as a result of such changes, may affect the operations and financial condition of ACC. In addition, following conversion of Ameriprise Bank into a federal savings bank in May 2019, Ameriprise Financial continued to be subject to ongoing supervision by the FRB. As a subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, ACC is (absent exclusion or exemption) required to comply with certain limits on its activity, including investment limitations on its portfolio and other limitations under applicable banking laws, including what is commonly referred to as the Volcker Rule. Failure to meet one or more of certain requirements and regulations would mean, depending on the requirements not met and any agreement then reached with the FRB, that until cured Ameriprise Financial (and therefore ACC) could not undertake new activities, continue certain activities, or make certain acquisitions.

ACC’s accounting policies and methods are fundamental to how ACC records and reports ACC’s financial condition and results of operations. Some of these policies require use of estimates and assumptions that may affect the reported value of ACC’s assets or liabilities and results of operations and are critical because they require management to make difficult, subjective, and complex judgments about matters that are inherently uncertain. If those assumptions, estimates or judgments were incorrectly made, ACC could be required to correct and restate prior period financial statements.

ACC prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. From time to time, theGAAP. The Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC and other regulators mayoften change the financial accounting and reporting standards governing the preparation of ACC’s financial statements. In addition, the conduct of ACC’s independent registered public accounting firm is overseen by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”). These and other regulators may make additional inquiries regarding, or change their application of, existing laws and regulations regarding ACC’s independent auditor, financial statements or other financial reports and the possibility of such additional inquiries or changes is increasing in frequency in connection with broader market reforms. These changes are difficult to predict, and could impose additional governance, internal control and disclosure demands. In some cases, ACC could be required to apply a new or revised standard retroactively, resulting in ACC restating prior period financial statements. It is possible that the changes could have a material adverse effect on ACC’s financial condition and results of operations. For example, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) informed ACC that it has identified a potential issue related to its independence under Rule 2-01(c)(1)(ii)(A) of Regulation S-X (referred to as the “Loan Rule”). The Loan Rule prohibits accounting firms, such as PwC, from being deemed independent if they have certain financial relationships with their audit clients or certain affiliates of those clients. Pursuant to the SEC’s application of the Loan Rule, PwC has advised ACC that certain relationships between PwC and its lenders who also are record owners of various funds in the Columbia Threadneedle family of funds (collectively, the “Columbia Threadneedle Funds”) or certain other entities within the Ameriprise Financial investment company complex, may implicate the Loan Rule. On June 20, 2016, the Staff of the SEC issued a “no-action” letter confirming that it would not recommend that the SEC commence enforcement action against an unrelated fund that relied on audit services performed by an audit firm that was not in compliance with the Loan Rule in certain specified circumstances. The SEC Staff stated that the relief under the letter is temporary and will expire 18 months after the issuance of the letter. If it was determined that PwC was not independent, or ACC does not receive some form of exemptive relief, among other things, the financial statements audited by PwC and the interim financial statements reviewed by PwC may have to be audited and reviewed, respectively, by another independent registered public accounting firm. PwC has advised us that, based on its knowledge and analyses of ACC’s facts and circumstances, it is not aware of any facts that would preclude reliance by ACC, its affiliates and other entities within the Ameriprise Financial investment company complex on the no-action letter. PwC has also affirmed to ACC that they are able to exercise objective and impartial judgment in their audits of ACC, its affiliates and the Columbia Threadneedle Funds, are independent accountants within the meaning of PCAOB Rule 3520 and in their view can continue to serve as ACC’s independent registered public accounting firm. ACC has considered disclosures made to it by PwC of lending relationships described by PwC, PwC’s representation that it is independent within the meaning of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Rule 3520 Auditor Independence, and representations made to the ACC Audit Committee by PwC that PwC believes that a reasonable investor possessing all the facts regarding the lending relationships and audit relationships would conclude that PwC is able to exhibit the requisite objectivity and impartiality to report on ACC’s financial statements as the independent registered public accounting firm. Based on the foregoing, ACC does not believe that PwC is incapable of exercising objective and impartial judgment with respect to the audit services to ACC.

Issuers of the fixed maturity securities owned by ACC may default on principal and interest payments. As of December 31, 2016, 4%2019, 2% of ACC’s invested assets had ratings below investment grade. Moreover, economic downturns and corporate malfeasance can increase the number of companies, including those with investment grade ratings, which could default on their debt obligations.

ACC uses derivative instruments to hedge certain certificate liabilities. ACC enters into a variety of derivative instruments with a number of counterparties. If ACC’s counterparties become insolvent or fail to honor their obligations under the contracts governing such instruments, ACC’s hedges of the related risk may be ineffective. That failure could have a material adverse effect on ACC’s financial condition and results of operations. The risk of counterparty default may increase during periods of capital market volatility.

ACC invests a portion of its assets in privately placed fixed income securities and mortgage loans, which are relatively illiquid. ACC’s investment manager periodically reviews ACC’s private placement investments using adopted standards to categorize such investments as liquid or illiquid. As of December 31, 2016,2019, mortgage loans and private placement fixed income securities that have been categorized as illiquid represented approximately 4%2% of the carrying value of ACC’s investment portfolio. If ACC requires significant amounts of cash on short notice in excess of its normal cash requirements, ACC may have difficulty selling these investments in a timely manner or be forced to sell them for an amount less than it would otherwise have been able to realize, or both, which could have an adverse effect on ACC’s financial condition and results of operations.

The determination of the amount of allowances and impairments vary by investment type and is based upon ACC’s periodic evaluation and assessment of inherent and known risks associated with the respective asset class. Such evaluations and assessments are revised as conditions change and new information becomes available. Management updates its evaluations regularly and reflects changes in allowances and impairments in operations as such evaluations are revised. Historical trends may not be indicative of future impairments or allowances.

The assessment of whether impairments have occurred is based on management’s case-by-case evaluation of the underlying reasons for the decline in fair value that considers a wide range of factors about the security issuer and management uses its best judgment in evaluating the cause of the decline in the estimated fair value of the security and in assessing the prospects for recovery. Inherent in management’s evaluation of the security are assumptions and estimates about the operations of the issuer and its future earnings potential.

Investment certificates may be purchased either with a lump-sum payment or by installment payments. Certificate product owners are entitled to receive, at maturity, a definite sum of money. Payments from certificate owners are credited to investment certificate reserves. Investment certificate reserves accumulate interest at specified percentage rates as declared by ACC. Reserves are also maintained for advance payments made by certificate owners, accrued interest thereon, and for additional credits in excess of minimum guaranteed rates and accrued interest thereon. On certificates allowing for the deduction of a surrender charge, the cash surrender values may be less than accumulated investment certificate reserves prior to maturity dates. Cash surrender values on certificates allowing for no surrender charge are equal to certificate reserves. The payment distribution, reserve accumulation rates, cash surrender values, reserve values and other matters are governed by the 1940 Act.

Certain certificates offer a return based on the relative change in a stock market index. The certificates with an equity-based return contain embedded derivatives, which are carried at fair value within investment certificate reserves on the consolidated balance sheets.Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair values of these embedded derivatives incorporate current market data inputs. Changes in fair value are reflected in provision for certificate reserves within the consolidated statements of operations.

ACC monitors its reserve levels continually. If ACC concluded its reserves were insufficient to cover actual or expected redemptions or maturities, ACC would be required to increase its reserves and incur income statement charges for the period in which it makes the determination. Such a determination could adversely affect ACC’s financial condition and results of operations.

ACC’s business operates in an intensely competitive industry segment. ACC competes based on a number of factors including name recognition, service, interest rates, product features and perceived financial strength. ACC’s competitors include broker-dealers, banks, asset managers and other financial institutions. ACC’s business faces competitors that have greater market share, offer a broader range of products or have greater financial resources.

ACC is dependent on the financial advisors of AFSIAFS for all of the sales of its certificate products. A significant number of such financial advisors operate as independent contractors under a franchise agreement with AFSI.AFS. The market for these financial advisors is extremely competitive, and there can be no assurance that AFSIAFS will be successful in its efforts to maintain its current network of financial advisors or to recruit and retain new advisors to its network. If AFSIAFS is unable to attract and retain quality financial advisors, fewer advisors would be available to sell ACC’s certificate products and ACC’s financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

The ability of ACC to market and sell its products is highly dependent upon external perceptions of ACC’s and its affiliates’ level of service, business practices and financial condition. Damage to the reputation of ACC or its affiliates could cause significant harm to the business and prospects of ACC andACC. Reputational damage may arise from numerous sources including litigation or regulatory actions, failing to deliver minimum standards of service and quality, compliance failures, any perceived or actual weaknesses in ACC’s financial

ACC’s reputation is also dependent on its continued identification of and mitigation against conflicts of interest, including those relating to the activities of its affiliated entities. For example, conflicts may arise between ACC’s position as a manufacturer of certificate products and the position of an ACC affiliate, AFSI,AFS, as the distributor of these products. ACC and its affiliated entities have procedures and controls in place that are designed to address conflicts of interest. However, identifying and appropriately dealing with conflicts of interest is complex and ACC’s reputation could be damaged if it fails, or appears to fail, to deal appropriately with conflicts of interest. In addition, the SEC and other federal and state regulators have increased their scrutiny of potential conflicts of interest. It is possible that potential or perceived conflicts could give rise to litigation or enforcement actions. ItAlso, it is also possible that the regulatory scrutiny of, and litigation in connection with, conflicts of interest will make ACC’s clients less willing to enter into transactions in which such a conflict may occur, and willwhich would adversely affect ACC’s business.

ACC’s business operations, including investment management, transfer agent, custody and distribution services, are performed by affiliated service providers, or in some cases their subcontractors, pursuant to formal contracts. The failure of a service provider to fulfill its responsibilities could have an adverse effect on ACC’s financial condition and results of operations that could be material.

ACC is subject to the income tax laws of the U.S., its states and municipalities. These tax laws are complex and may be subject to different interpretations. ACC must make judgments and interpretations about the application of these inherently complex tax laws when determining the provision for income taxes and must also make estimates about when in the future certain items affect taxable income in the various tax jurisdictions. Disputes over interpretations of the tax laws may be settled with the taxing authority upon examination or audit. In addition, changes to the Internal Revenue Code, administrative rulings or court decisions could increase ACC’s provision for income taxes and reduce ACC’s earnings.

It is possible there will be corporateMany of the products that ACC or Ameriprise Financial and its affiliates issue or on which these businesses are based receive favorable treatment under current U.S. federal income or estate tax reformlaw. Changes in U.S. federal income or estate tax law could reduce or eliminate the next few years. While impossibletax advantages of certain of Ameriprise Financial’s products and thus make such products or ACC’s products less attractive to predict, corporate tax reform is likely to includeclients or cause a reductionchange in the corporate tax rate coupled with reductions in tax preferred items. Potential tax reform may also affect the U.S. tax rules regarding international operations. Any changes could have a material impact on ACC’s income tax expenseclient demand and deferred tax balances.activity.

The occurrence of natural disasters and catastrophes, including earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, fires, blackouts, severe winter weather, explosions, pandemic disease and man-made disasters, including acts of terrorism, insurrections and military actions, could adversely affect the results of operations or financial condition of ACC. Such disasters and catastrophes may impact ACC directly by damaging its facilities, preventing employees of ourits affiliates from performing their roles or otherwise disturbing its ordinary business operations. These impacts could be particularly severe to the extent they affect ACC’s computer-based data processing, transmission, storage and retrieval systems and destroy or release valuable data. Such disasters and catastrophes may also impact ACC indirectly by changing the condition and behaviors of its customers, business counterparties and regulators, as well as by causing declines or volatility in the economic and financial markets, which could in turn have an adverse effect on ACC’s investment portfolio.

ACC cannot predict the timing and frequency with which natural and man-made disasters and catastrophes may occur, nor can ACC predict the impact that changing climate conditions may have on the frequency and severity of natural disasters or on overall economic stability and sustainability. As such, ACC cannot be sure that its actions to identify and mitigate the risks associated with such disasters and catastrophes will be effective.

The business of ACC and its affiliates is reliant upon internal and third-party personnel and technology systems and networks to process, transmit and store information, including sensitive client and proprietary information, and to conduct business activities and transactions with clients, AFSI’sAFS’s advisors, vendors and other third parties. Maintaining the security and integrity of this information and these systems and networks, and appropriately responding to any cybersecurity and privacy incidents (including attempts), is critical to the success

of ACC’s business operations, including ourits reputation, the retention of clients, and to the protection of ACC’s proprietary information and ACC’s clients’ personal information. To date, neither ACC nor its affiliates have experienced any material breaches of nor interference with these centrally controlled systems and networks, however, ACC and its affiliates routinely

ACC and its affiliates have implemented and maintain security measures designed to protect against breaches of corporate security and other interference with corporate systems and networks resulting from attacks by third-parties,third parties, including hackers, and from employee error or malfeasance. ACC’s affiliates have implemented policies that require AFSI’sAFS’s independent franchisee advisors who locally control their own technology operations to do the same. ACC and its affiliates also contractually require third partythird-party vendors, who in the provision of services to ACC and its affiliates are provided with access to systems and information pertaining to ACC’s business or its clients, to meet certain physical and information security standards. ACC’s affiliates recommend through policies that AFSI’sAFS’s independent franchisee advisors do the same.same with their facilities, systems and third-party vendors. The increasingever-increasing reliance on technology systems and networks and the occurrence and potential adverse impact of attacks on such systems and networks, both generally and in the financial services industry, have enhanced government and regulatory scrutiny of the measures taken by companies to protect against cybersecurity threats. As these threats, and government and regulatory oversight of associated risks, continue to evolve, ACC may be required to expend additional resources to enhance or expand upon the security and response measures ACC and its affiliates (as well as certain parties we do not control) currently maintain.

Despite the measures ACC and its affiliates have taken and may in the future take to address and mitigate thesecybersecurity, privacy and technology risks, ACC cannot assure that the systems and networks of ACC and its affiliates will not be subject to successful attacks, breaches or interference. Nor can ACC assure that parties its affiliates do not control will do what ACC recommendscomply with ACC’s policies and procedures in this regard. Any such event may result in operational disruptions as well as unauthorized access to or the disclosure or loss of ACC’s proprietary information or ACC’s clients’ personal information, which in turn may result in legal claims, regulatory scrutiny and liability, reputational damage, the incurrence of costs to eliminate or mitigate further exposure, the loss of clients or other damage to ACC’s business. Even if ACC successfully protects its technology infrastructure and the confidentiality of sensitive data and conducts appropriate incident response, ACC may incur significant expenses in connection with the responses to any such attacks as well as the adoption, implementation and maintenance of appropriate security measures. ACC could also suffer harm to its business and reputation if attempted security breaches are publicized regardless of whether or not harm was actually done to any client or client information. ACC cannot be certain that advances in criminal capabilities, discovery of new vulnerabilities, attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in ACC’s systems or third-party systems ACC uses, data thefts, physical system or network break-ins or inappropriate access, or other developments will not compromise or breach the technology or other security measures protecting the networks used in connection with ACC’s products and services.

Operating errors and system or network interruptions could delay and disrupt ACC’s ability to develop, deliver or maintain products and services, or to operate compliance or risk management functions, causing harm to ACC’s business and reputation and resulting in loss of clients or revenue. Interruptions could be caused by operational failures arising from service provider or employee error or malfeasance, interference by third parties, including hackers, ACC’s implementation of new technology, as well as from maintenance of existing technology. ACC’s financial, accounting, data processing or other operating systems and facilities may fail to operate or report data properly, experience connectivity disruptions or otherwise become disabled as a result of events that are wholly or partially beyond ACC’s control, adversely affecting ACC’s ability to process transactions or provide products and services to clients. These interruptions can include fires, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters, power losses, equipment failures, attacks by third parties, failures of internal or vendor personnel, software, equipment or systems and other events beyond ACC’s control. Further, ACC faces the risk of operational failure (including, without limitation, failure caused by an inaccuracy, untimeliness or other deficiency in data reporting), technical or security failures, termination or capacity constraints of any of the clearing agents, exchanges, clearing houses or other financial intermediaries that ACC uses to facilitate or are component providers to ACC’s securities transactions and other product manufacturing and distribution activities. Any such failure, termination or constraint or flawed response could adversely impact ACC’s ability to effect transactions, service clients, manage exposure to risk, or otherwise achieve desired outcomes.

ACC has devoted significant resources to develop risk management policies and procedures and will continue to do so. Nonetheless, ACC’s policies and procedures to identify, monitor and manage risks may not be fully effective in mitigating ACC’s risk exposure in all market environments or against all types of risk. Many of ACC’s methods of managing risk and the associated exposures are based upon observed historical market behavior or statistics based on historical models. During periods of market volatility or due to unforeseen events, the historically derived correlations upon which these methods are based may not be valid. As a

result, these methods may not accurately predict future exposures, which could be significantly greater than what ACC’s models indicate. Further, some controls are manual and are subject to inherent limitations. This could cause ACC to incur investment losses or cause ACC’s hedging and other risk management strategies to

Moreover, ACC is subject to the risks of errors and misconduct by employees of our affiliates and AFSI’sAFS’s financial advisors, such as fraud, non-compliance with policies, recommending transactions that are not suitable, and improperly using or disclosing confidential information. These risks are difficult to detect in advance and deter, and could harm ACC’s business, results of operations or financial condition. ACC is further subject to the risk of nonperformance or inadequate performance of contractual obligations by third-party vendors of products and services that are used in ACC’s businesses. Management of operational, legal and regulatory risks requires, among other things, policies and procedures to record properly and verify a large number of transactions and events, and these policies and procedures may not be fully effective in mitigating ACC’s risk exposure in all market environments or against all types of risk. Insurance and other traditional risk-shifting tools may be held by or available to ACC in order to manage certain exposures, but they are subject to terms such as deductibles, coinsurance, limits and policy exclusions, as well as risk of counterparty denial of coverage, default or insolvency.

None.

ACC occupies office space in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which is leased or owned by Ameriprise Financial or a subsidiary thereof.

For a discussion of any material legal proceedings, see Note 13 to ACC’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, which are incorporated herein by reference.

Not applicable.

All of ACC’sthe Ameriprise Certificate Company (“ACC”) outstanding common stock is owned by Ameriprise Financial. There is no established public trading market for ACC’s common stock.

Frequency and amount of capital transactions with Ameriprise Financial during the past two years were (in millions): 

Restriction on ACC’s present or future ability to pay dividends to Ameriprise Financial:

Appropriated retained earnings resulting from the pre-declaration of additional credits to ACC’s certificate product owners are not available for the payment of dividends by ACC. In addition, ACC will discontinue issuance of certificates subject to the pre-declaration of additional credits and will make no further pre-declaration as to outstanding certificates if at any time the calculation of ACC’s capital and unappropriated retained earnings should be less than 5% of certificate reserves (less outstanding certificate loans).

Item omitted pursuant to General Instructions (I)(2)(a) of Form 10-K.

The following information should be read in conjunction with the accompanying audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this report. The following discussion may contain forward-looking statements that reflect Ameriprise Certificate Company’s (“ACC”ACC’s”) plans, estimates and beliefs. ACC’s actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed below under the heading “Forward-Looking Statements” and elsewhere in this report, particularly in “Item 1A-Risk Factors.” Management’s narrative analysis is presented pursuant to General Instructions I(2)(a) of Form 10-K in lieu of Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

For information regarding recent accounting pronouncements and their expected impact on ACC’s future results of operations or financial condition and significant accounting policies, see Note 1 to ACC’s consolidated financial statementsConsolidated Financial Statements beginning on page F-9 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ACC’s net income is derived primarily from the after-tax yield on investments and realized investment gains (losses), less investment expenses and interest credited on certificate reserve liabilities. Net income trends occur largely due to changes in returns on ACC’s investment portfolio, from realization of investment gains (losses) and from changes in interest credited to certificate products. ACC follows U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).

Investment income increased $25.1$46.2 million, or 28%24%, to $115.7$234.9 million for the year ended December 31, 20162019 compared to $90.6$188.7 million for the prior year reflecting higher average investment balances due to certificate net inflows and an increase in the average invested assets rate.asset yield and higher average investment balances.

Investment expenses increased $5.0$4.6 million, or 18%11%, to $32.7$47.9 million for the year ended December 31, 20162019 compared to $27.7$43.3 million for the prior year period primarily due to highervolume-driven increases in investment advisory, distribution and investment advisorytransfer agent fees.

Net provision for certificate reserves increased $10.3$44.4 million, or 38%52%, to $37.4$129.0 million for the year ended December 31, 20162019 compared to $27.1$84.6 million for the prior year primarily due to higher average certificate balances due to certificate net inflows and higher client crediting rates.rates as well as higher average certificate balances.

Net realized gain on investments before income taxesThe effective tax rate was $0.3 million24.0% for the year ended December 31, 20162019 compared to a net realized loss on investments of $2.2 million for the prior year. Included in net realized investment gains25.8% for the year ended December 31, 2016 were net realized gains from sales, tenders and calls of Available-for-Sale securities of $1.1 million and a gain of $0.3 million from a restructured syndicated loan, which were partially offset by syndicated loan loss reserve of $1.0 million and other-than-temporary impairments of $0.1 million. Net realized loss on investments for the prior year included other-than-temporary impairments of $1.6 million, syndicated loan loss reserve of $0.5 million, and net realized losses from sales, tenders and calls of Available-for-Sale securities of $0.1 million.2018. The other-than-temporary impairments for both years related to credit losses on non-agency residential mortgage backed securities.

ACC reports certain assets and liabilities at fair value; specifically derivatives, embedded derivatives, and most investments and cash equivalents. Fair value assumes the exchange of assets or liabilities occurs in orderly transactions. Companies are not permitted to use market prices that are the result of a forced liquidation or distressed sale. ACC includes actual market prices or observable inputs in its fair value measurements to the extent available. Non-binding broker quotes are obtained when quotes from third-party pricing services are not available. ACC validates prices obtained from third parties through a variety of means such as: price variance analysis, subsequent sales testing, stale price review, price comparison across pricing vendors and due diligence reviews of vendors. See Note 8 to ACC’s Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding ACC’s fair value measurements.

This report contains forward-looking statements that reflect management’s plans, estimates and beliefs. Actual results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “optimistic,” “intend,” “plan,” “aim,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “likely,” “forecast,” “on pace,” “project” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors, which could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from expected results, performance or achievements. These statements are not guarantees or indicative of future performance. Important assumptions and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those factors, risks and uncertainties described in “Item 1A-Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. ACC’s future financial condition and results of operations, as well as any forward-looking statements contained in this report, are made only as of the date hereof. ACC undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

ACC has three principal components of market risk: interest rate risk, equity price risk, and credit risk. Interest rate risk results from investing in assets that are somewhat longer and reset less frequently than the liabilities they support. ACC manages interest rate risk through the use of a variety of tools that from time to time include derivative instruments, such as interest rate swaps, caps, and floors, which change the interest rate characteristics of client liabilities or investment assets. Due to certain provisions for certificates being impacted by the value of equity indices, from time to time ACC enters into risk management strategies that may include the use of equity derivative instruments, such as equity options, to mitigate ACC’s exposure to volatility in the equity markets.

Ameriprise Financial’s Financial Risk Management Committee (“FRMC”), which is comprised of senior managers, holds regularly scheduled meetings to review models projecting various interest rate scenarios and risk/return measures and their effect on various portfolios managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (“CMIA”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial,

ACC primarily invests in mortgage and asset backed securities and intermediate termU.S. government and corporate debt securities to provide its certificate owners with a competitive rate of return on their certificates while managing risk. These investments provide ACC with a historically dependable and targeted margin between the interest rate earned on investments and the interest rate credited to certificate owners’ accounts. ACC does not invest in securities to generate short-term trading profits for its own account.

To evaluate interest rate and equity price risk, ACC performs sensitivity testing which measures the impact on pretax income from the sources listed below for a 12 month period following a hypothetical 100 basis point increase in interest rates and a hypothetical 10% decline in equity prices. The interest rate risk test assumes a sudden 100 basis point parallel shift in the yield curve, with rates then staying at those levels for the next 12 months. The equity price risk test assumes a sudden 10% drop in equity prices, with equity prices then staying at those levels for the next 12 months. In estimating the values of stock market certificates, ACC assumes no change in implied market volatility despite the 10% drop in equity prices.

The following tables present ACC’s estimate of the pretax impact of these hypothetical market movements as of December 31, 2016: 2019:

The above results compare to an estimated negativepositive impact to pretax income of $468 thousand$16.9 million related to a 100 basis point increase in interest rates and an estimated positivenegative impact of $71$12 thousand related to a 10% equity price decline atas of December 31, 2015.2018. The change in the impact from a 100 basis point increase in interest rates compared to the prior year was primarily driven by crediting rate sensitivity due toan overall decline in the higher short-term interest rate environment and growth in shorter term products.size of the balance sheet.

Actual results could differ materially from those illustrated above as they are based on a number of estimates and assumptions. These include assuming that implied market volatility does not change when equity prices fall by 10%, the composition of invested assets and liabilities does not change in the 12 month period following the hypothetical market decline and that the 100 basis point increase in interest rates is a parallel shift in the yield curve. Furthermore, ACC has not tried to anticipate changes in client preferences for different types of assets or other changes in client behavior, nor has ACC tried to anticipate actions management might take to increase revenues or reduce expenses in these scenarios.

The selection of a 100 basis point interest rate increase and a 10% equity price decline should not be construed as a prediction of future market events. Impacts of larger or smaller changes in interest rates or equity prices may not be proportional to those shown for a 100 basis point increase in interest rates or a 10% decline in equity prices.

ACC has interest rate risk from its Flexible Savings and other fixed rate certificates. These products are investment certificates generally ranging in amounts from $1,000 to $2 million with interest crediting rate terms ranging from three to 48 months. ACC guarantees an interest rate to the holders of these products. Payments collected from clients are primarily invested in fixed income securities to fund the client credited rate with the spread between the rate earned from investments and the rate credited to clients recorded as earned income. Client liabilities and investment assets generally differ as it relates to basis, repricing or maturity characteristics. Rates credited to clients generally reset at shorter intervals than the yield on underlying investments. This exposure is

not currently hedged although ACC monitors its investment strategy and makes modifications based on changing liabilities and the expected interest rate environment. ACC also has interest rate risk from its Step-Up Rate Certificates, which was not material as of December 31, 2019. ACC had $5.4$7.1 billion in reserves included in certificate reserves on the Consolidated Balance Sheet atas of December 31, 20162019 to cover the liabilities associated with these products. ACC also has interest rate risk from its SRC product, which was not material as of December 31, 2016.

The equity-linked return to investors creates equity price risk exposure. ACC seeks to minimize this exposure with purchased futures and call spreads that replicate what ACC must credit to client accounts. This risk continues to be fully hedged.

Stock market certificatesMarket Certificates have interest rate risk as changes in interest rates affect the fair value of the payout to be made to the certificate holder. This risk is immaterial and not currently hedged.

ACC is required to maintain cash and “qualified assets” meeting the standards of Section 13 or 15(d)28(b) of the 1940 Act, as modified by an exemptive order of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The amortized cost of such investments must be at least equal to ACC’s net liabilities on all outstanding face-amount certificates plus $250,000. ACC’s qualified assets consist of cash equivalents, residential mortgage backed securities, syndicated loans and commercial mortgage loans, U.S. government and government agency securities, municipal bonds, corporate bonds, equity securities, equity index options and other securities meeting specified standards. So long as ACC wishes to rely on the SEC order, as a condition to the order, ACC has agreed to maintain an amount of unappropriated retained earnings and capital equal to at least 5% of certificate reserves (less outstanding certificate loans). To the extent that payment of a dividend would decrease the capital ratio below the required 5%, payment of a dividend would be restricted. In determining compliance with this condition, qualified assets are valued in accordance with the provisions of Minnesota Statutes where such provisions are applicable.

The 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”) called for sweeping changes in the supervision and regulation of 1934, the registrantfinancial services industry designed to provide for greater oversight of financial industry participants, reduce risk in banking practices and in securities and derivatives trading, enhance public company corporate governance practices and executive compensation disclosures, and provide greater protections to individual consumers and investors.

Accordingly, while certain elements of these reforms could be further changed under the Trump administration (such as through the May 2018 legislation that loosened aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act), the Dodd-Frank Act has dulyimpacted and is expected to further impact the manner in which ACC markets its products and services, manages itself and its operations and interacts with regulators, all of which could materially impact ACC’s results of operations, financial condition and liquidity. Moreover, to the extent the Dodd-Frank Act or other new regulation of the financial services industry impacts the operations, financial condition, liquidity and capital requirements of unaffiliated financial institutions with whom ACC transacts business, those institutions may seek to pass on increased costs, reduce their capacity to transact, or otherwise present inefficiencies in their interactions with ACC.

Operating errors and system or network interruptions could delay and disrupt ACC’s ability to develop, deliver or maintain products and services, or to operate compliance or risk management functions, causing harm to ACC’s business and reputation and resulting in loss of clients or revenue. Interruptions could be caused by operational failures arising from service provider or employee error or malfeasance, interference by third parties, including hackers, ACC’s implementation of new technology, as well as from maintenance of existing technology. ACC’s financial, accounting, data processing or other operating systems and facilities may fail to operate or report data properly, experience connectivity disruptions or otherwise become disabled as a result of events that are wholly or partially beyond ACC’s control, adversely affecting ACC’s ability to process transactions or provide products and services to clients. These interruptions can include fires, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters, power losses, equipment failures, attacks by third parties, failures of internal or vendor personnel, software, equipment or systems and other events beyond ACC’s control. Further, ACC faces the risk of operational failure (including, without limitation, failure caused by an inaccuracy, untimeliness or other deficiency in data reporting), technical or security failures, termination or capacity constraints of any of the clearing agents, exchanges, clearing houses or other financial intermediaries that ACC uses to facilitate or are component providers to ACC’s securities transactions and other product manufacturing and distribution activities. Any such failure, termination or constraint or flawed response could adversely impact ACC’s ability to effect transactions, service clients, manage exposure to risk, or otherwise achieve desired outcomes.

The following information should be read in conjunction with the accompanying audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this report. The following discussion may contain forward-looking statements that reflect Ameriprise Certificate Company’s (“ACC’s”) plans, estimates and beliefs. ACC’s actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed below under the heading “Forward-Looking Statements” and elsewhere in this report, particularly in “Item 1A-Risk Factors.” Management’s narrative analysis is presented pursuant to General Instructions I(2)(a) of Form 10-K in lieu of Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The equity-linked return to investors creates equity price risk exposure. ACC seeks to minimize this exposure with purchased futures and call spreads that replicate what ACC must credit to client accounts. This risk continues to be signed on its behalf byfully hedged.

Stock Market Certificates have interest rate risk as changes in interest rates affect the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.fair value of the payout to be made to the certificate holder. This risk is immaterial and not currently hedged.

AMERIPRISE CERTIFICATE COMPANY