FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• IN THIS SECTION:


• Viewing our site
• Security and privacy

Below are the answers to some of our most Frequently Asked Questions. Should you need further assistance please contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions: Viewing Our Site

• Which browsers can be used to view LincolnFinancial.com?
• How do I find the version number of the browser that I am currently using?
• Where can I go to download a site-compatible browser?
• How do I enable JavaScript in my browser?
• How do I enable cookies in my browser?
• How do I enable SSL in my browser?
• What should my screen resolution be to best view LincolnFinancial.com?
• In addition to a browser, what other supporting software will I need to use LincolnFinancial.com?
• I click on links to documents and Webcasts but nothing happens. I have the supporting software installed. How can I resolve this issue?
• Does LincolnFinancial.com use pop-up windows?
• How can I be sure to view the latest information on your Web site?

My question isn't addressed here; where may I send it?
If you have additional questions about viewing the site, please contact us. We welcome your questions and comments.

Which browsers can be used to view LincolnFinancial.com?
To get the most from LincolnFinancial.com, we recommend that you use the latest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape. We also support Safari for Macintosh OS X users. The following browsers are compatible with our site:

• Internet Explorer 5.0 or later (Windows)
• Internet Explorer 5.1 or later and Safari 1.0 or later (Macintosh)
• Netscape 4.7 and later (Windows and Macintosh)

NOTE: If you are an AOL user, we recommend that you use Internet Explorer 5.5 or later.
If you are using an older version of any of these browsers we strongly recommend that you upgrade to a newer release. To securely access sections of the site that require login, you must use a Web browser that supports Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption technology, JavaScript, and cookies. To ensure that you are always viewing the latest information on LincolnFinancial.com, you may to change the cache settings in your browser to check for new versions of the page on each visit. If you are using pop-up blocking software, we recommend that you set this software to allow pop-ups from LincolnFinancial.com or disable it temporarily while viewing the site. LincolnFinancial.com does not use pop-ups for advertising; we do however use pop-ups to display documents (other than Web pages), Webcasts, and important site-related messages to our users. Finally, there is a range of supporting software and browser plug-ins that you may wish to install to enjoy our site's peripheral documents such as Webcasts, PDF documents, and sound files.

How do I find the version number of the browser that I am currently using?
Version information is usually available from the Help menu of most browsers. Are you using Internet Explorer, Netscape, or Safari?

Internet Explorer
Go to the Help menu > select About Internet Explorer
Netscape
Go to the Help menu > select About Communicator or About Netscape
Safari
Go to the Safari menu > select About Safari

Where can I go to download a site-compatible browser?
The latest versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape, and Safari can be downloaded from the following sites.

Internet Explorer
The latest release of the Internet Explorer browser is available on the Microsoft Web site.
Netscape
The latest release of the Netscape browser is available on the Netscape Web site.
Safari
The latest release of the Safari browser is available on the Apple Web site.

Each of these sites offers detailed instructions for downloading and installing their browsers. Should you encounter any problems with these products please contact the maker.

How do I enable JavaScript in my browser?
Some pages in this site may function improperly if the browser does not have JavaScript enabled.
Every browser version is different, so we suggest you check your Web browser's help documentation under "Java Script" to verify that JavaScript is currently enabled for your browser. Instructions for recommended site-compliant browsers are provided below.
Which browser are you currently using?

• Internet Explorer 5.x
• Internet Explorer 5.x (for Macintosh)
• Netscape 7.x
• Netscape 4.7 and later
• Safari 1.0 and later

Enable Internet Explorer 5.x and later
1. Go to the browser's Tools menu select Internet Options
2. Select the Security tab.
3. Find the "Internet Zone" section of the tab and click on the Custom Level button.
4. Scroll down the list of settings to Scripting.
5. Under the Active Scripting setting, choose the Enable button.
6. Click on the OK button and select Yes to confirm and close the Security Settings dialog box.
7. Select OK again to close the Internet Options dialog box.

Enabling JavaScript in Internet Explorer 5.x - Macintosh
1. Go to the Edit menu select "Preferences..."
2. Scroll through the list of browser preferences left, expanding the Web Browser preferences (if necessary).
3. Under Web Browser preferences, select Web Control.
4. Check the "Enable JavaScript" setting and click on the OK button to close the Internet Explorer Preferences dialog box.

Enabling JavaScript in Netscape 7.x
1. Go to the Edit menu and select "Preferences..."
2. Scroll through this list of settings and find the Advance settings. Expand this list of Advanced settings.
3. Select Scripts & Plugins.
4. In the Scripts & Plugins window, check "Navigator" under the Enable JavaScript.
5. Push the OK button to close the Preferences dialog box.

Enabling JavaScript in Netscape 4.7 and later
1. Go to the Edit menu select "Preferences..."
2. Scroll through the Category list and select Advanced.
3. Select the "Enable JavaScript" for Navigator setting.
4. Click on the OK button to close the Preferences dialog box.

Enabling JavaScript in Safari 1.0 and later (Macintosh)
1. Go to the toolbar and click on the Safari button.
2. Select "Preferences...".
3. Select Security.
4. Verify that the "Enable JavaScript" checkbox beneath it is selected.

How do I enable cookies in my browser?
LincolnFinancial.com uses cookies to identify you when you login to our Web site. In order to access our site, your Web browser must accept cookies. Our cookies do not contain any of your personal information, such as social security numbers or passwords. For more information about cookies and how LincolnFinancial.com uses them, visit our Privacy and Security FAQs. Every browser version is different, so we suggest you check your Web browser's help documentation under "Cookies" to verify that cookies are being accepted. Instructions for recommended site-compliant browsers are provided below. If you still encounter problems even after verifying your browser&s settings, check your computer for cookie blocking programs such as Guard Dog, Cookie Cutter or WebFree. These programs may be set to reject all cookies, however, in most cases they will allow you to specify the sites you will accept cookies from. Change these settings to accept cookies from LincolnFinancial.com. Which browser are you currently using?

• Internet Explorer 5.x
• Internet Explorer 6.x
• Netscape 4.7 and later
• Safari 1.0 and later

Enabling Cookies in Windows IE 5.x
1. Go to Tools menu and select Internet Options
2. Click on the Security tab
3. Select the Custom Level tab
4. Under "Allow Cookies that are stored on your computer" click "Enable"
5. Under "Allow per-session cookies (not stored)" click "Enable"
6. Select OK to save the settings

Enabling Cookies in Windows Internet Explorer 6.x
1. Go to the Tools menu and select Internet Options
2. Select the Privacy tab.
3. Select Advanced
4. Deselect the override automatic cookie handling button
5. Click on the OK button at the bottom of the screen.
6. Click OK to exit

Enabling Cookies in Netscape 4.7 and later
1. Go to Edit menu and select Preferences
2. Go to the Advanced option on the Category menu
3. Click the check box next to "Accept All Cookies"
4. Click OK

Enabling Cookies in Safari 1.0 and later (Macintosh)
1. Go to the toolbar and click on the Safari button.
2. Select Preferences.
3. Click on the Security option.
4. Locate the "Accept Cookies" setting and select either the "Always" or "Only from sites you navigate to" option.

How do I enable SSL in my browser?
In order to access our site, your Web browser must be enabled to use SSL. SSL is a technology that is used to establish a secure connection between your PC and the Web server. SSL allows data transmitted between the server and your computer to be encrypted and transported securely, even while traveling across multiple networks. For more information about SSL and how LincolnFinancial.com uses it, visit our Privacy and Security FAQs. Please take a minute to check your browser. If a "The page cannot be displayed" error is shown, then you will need to download the latest version of Netscape, Internet Explorer or Safari. Every browser version is different, so we suggest you check your Web browser's help documentation under "SSL" to verify that SSL is currently enabled in your browser. Instructions for recommended site-compliant browsers are provided below. Which browser are you currently using?

• Internet Explorer 5.x and later
• Netscape 4.7
• Netscape 6.0 and later

Enabling SSL in Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.x and later
1. Go to the Tools menu and select Internet Options
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Scroll down to the Security section.
4. Click to check mark the boxes for SSL 2.0 and SSL 3.0.
5. Click OK.

Enabling SSL in Netscape 4.7
1. Go to the Security menu and select Navigator.
2. Check the Enable SSL version 2, and Enable SSL version 3 security options.
3. Click OK.

Enabling SSL in Netscape 6.0 and later
1. Go to the Edit menu and select Preferences.
2. Double click on Privacy & Security.
3. Select SSL.
4. Check the Enable SSL version 2, Enable SSL version 3 security options.
5. Click OK.

What should my screen resolution be to best view LincolnFinancial.com?
For optimal viewing, we recommend that you set the resolution (onscreen size) of your monitor to at least 800 x 600 pixels or later. If you need to change your current settings, instructions are provided below. Which operating system do you use?

• Windows XP
• Windows 95, 98, NT ME or 2000
• Macintosh OS X
• Macintosh 9.x

Adjust Screen Resolution in Windows XP
1. Right-click on your Windows desktop and select Properties from the pop-up menu -or- go to the Windows Start menu > select Control Panel > double-click on Display.
2. The Display Properties window will be displayed. Select the Settings tab.
3. In the Screen resolution section of the tab, drag the sliding arrow to the right until you reach at least 800 x 600 pixels.
4. Click OK to accept the new on screen resolution setting.
5. Depending on how your computer is configured, you may be prompted to choose whether to restart your computer or apply these changes immediately. It is normally safe to make the changes without restarting.
6. The desktop will revert to its previous settings if you don't click on the OK button within 15 seconds.

Adjust Screen Resolution in Windows 95, 98, NT, ME and 2000
1. Go to the Windows Start menu and select Settings > Control Panel.
2. The Control Panel will be displayed. Double-click on Display.
3. The Display Properties window will be shown. Select the Settings tab.
4. In the Desktop Area section of this tab, move the sliding screen resolution selector until it reads 800 x 600 pixels or later.
5. If available, click on the Test button to preview the new on screen resolution.
6. Click on the OK button to accept the new on screen resolution setting.
7. You may need to restart your computer before these new settings take effect. If so, close any open programs and restart your computer.

Adjust Screen Resolution in Macintosh OS X
1. Click the Apple button, and select System Preferences...
2. Select the Hardware Displays icon
3. In the list of Resolutions select 800 x 600 or later.

Adjust Screen Resolution in Macintosh 9.x
To change your screen resolution:
1. Go to the Apple menu, select Control Panels
2. You may be presented a Monitors & Sound or Monitors option.
If the option is Monitors & Sound:
3. Click on the Monitor icon
4. Select a resolution of 800 x 600 or later from the list of available resolutions.
5. Your screen resolution will change instantly
6. Close the Monitors & Sound window
If the option is Monitors:
3. Set the Recommended option in the Show pull-down menu
4. Select a resolution of 800 x 600 or later from the list of available resolutions.
5. Your screen resolution will change instantly
6. Close the Monitors window

In addition to a browser, what other supporting software will I need to use LincolnFinancial.com?
All you need to view LincolnFinancial.com is a compliant Web browser. That being said, additional supporting software may be required to fully enjoy all of our site's features. In addition to everyday Web pages, LincolnFinancial.com offers an assortment of Web-accessible materials such as marketing brochures, application forms, Webcasts, and audio presentations. These files exist in a variety of proprietary formats that require special software to view or play them. Microsoft Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations, for example, are all viewable using their respective Microsoft applications. Free software is usually available to view or play files in most of these formats. When available, links are provided throughout the site to download these free players and viewers.

Adobe Acrobat® Reader®
Download Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Web site.
Many of the site's peripheral documents — including marketing brochures, forms, and prospectuses - are stored in the Adobe Acrobat PDF format. The Portable Document Format (PDF) is an electronic image that captures all of the formatting and navigation of the original document. PDF files preserve the original appearance of a document, which makes them both easy to view online and print. To view PDF files, you will need the free Acrobat Reader, a plug-in that allows your Web browser to view, navigate, and print PDF documents. Once you've installed the Reader, it will start automatically whenever you select a link to a PDF file.




Macromedia Flash Player
Download Macromedia Flash Player from the Macromedia Web site.
LincolnFinancial.com uses Macromedia Flash to deliver some content as compact high-quality animations. To view and interact with Macromedia Flash content, you will need to install the Macromedia Flash Player.




Audio and Video Players
To hear audio and view video content - including Webcasts and presentations - your computer must be equipped with speakers or headphones, a sound card, and a media player. To play back audio/video content you will need to have a media player plug-in installed. RealPlayer or Windows Media Player are commonly used and both are available as free downloads.

Download Windows Media Player from Microsoft.
Download RealPlayer from RealNetworks.




I click on links to documents and Webcasts but nothing happens. I have the supporting software installed. How can I resolve this issue?
If you've only recently installed the supporting software or browser plug-in, you may need to restart your computer before the software is fully installed. If necessary, the installation wizards for these programs should prompt you to restart your computer once installation is complete. Otherwise, a pop-up blocker may be preventing these files from being displayed. If you are using pop-up blocking software, we recommend that you set this software to allow pop-ups from LincolnFinancial.com or disable it temporarily while viewing the site. LincolnFinancial.com does not use pop-ups for advertising; we do however use pop-ups to display documents (other than Web pages), Webcasts, and important site-related messages to our users.

Does LincolnFinancial.com use pop-ups?
Like many sites, LincolnFinancial.com uses pop-up windows to display certain types of files, messages, and to alert users when a link is selected that will navigate to another site. For example, marketing brochures, application forms, and Webcasts are all displayed in pop-up windows. Pop-up windows are convenient because they allow you to view additional information without ever leaving the source Web page. LincolnFinancial.com does not use pop-up windows for advertising. Why block pop-up windows? Many sites feature pop-up adverts that appear suddenly and annoyingly without the user's consent. As a result, there are a number of browsers and programs on the market that block pop-up windows. Popular pop-up block software packages include Google Toolbar 2.0, Zero Ads, Wincognito Pop Up Blocker, Emerald PopStop, and Guard-IE Pop-up Killer and Privacy. Several browsers also feature built-in pop-up blocking tools, including Netscape 7.0 (or later), Mozilla, and Opera 7.0. The downside to pop-up blockers is that they also often block usual information that is rendered in pop-up windows - information that you have actually requested. If nothing appears when you click on links to documents and Webcasts, a pop-up blocker may very well be preventing the file from being displayed. Most pop-up blocking programs (such as Google Toolbar 2.0) will allow you to specify which sites it should allow pop-ups from. Otherwise, you may need to temporarily disable or remove your pop-up blocking software to view the information displayed in our site's pop-up windows.

How can I be sure to view the latest information on your Web site?
Check your browser's cache settings. Verify that the browser is set check for new versions on every visit to the page. What is cache? Cache is a collection of Web page content and images that your browser stores for quick display. When you visit our site, your browser will store images and information from each page in a special caching directory on your computer. The next time you visit LincolnFinancial.com — rather than download each page anew — your browser will instead retrieve content and images stored in cache. Caching is makes pages load significantly faster on subsequent visits. Caching has its drawbacks if the information on a given page changes frequently. Your browser may not be set to download and display the latest information on a page and is instead retrieving older files stored in cache.

Manually refreshing individual pages.
In some cases, you can bypass caching for individual pages by "refreshing" the page. If the page you are viewing seems out of date, use the Refresh command to tell your browser to get a new copy of the page.
Internet Explorer 5.0 +
Open the View menu and select Refresh or click on the Refresh button on the browser's toolbar.
Netscape 4.7 +
Open the View menu and select Reload or click on the Reload button on the browser's toolbar. Although Netscape also features a Refresh command, this command only reloads the page using cached content and images.

Changing your browser's cache settings.
If you always want to view the latest and greatest from LincolnFinancial.com, check your browser's cache settings. Verify that the browser is set to check for new versions of the page on each visit. Every Web browser version is different, so we suggest you check your browser's help documentation under "SSL" to verify that SSL is currently enabled in your browser. Instructions for recommended site-compliant browsers are provided below.
Internet Explorer 5.0 +
Open the Tools menu > select Internet Options. In the middle Temporary Internet Files section of the first tab (General), click on the Settings button. Select the "Check for newer version of stored pages" option. This option sets the browser to automatically check for new versions of stored pages each time you visit them. This could potentially slow browsing but ensures that you will always be viewing the latest version of the page without refreshing it.
Netscape 4.7 +
Open the Edit menu > select Preferences. In the Category tree on the left side of the Preferences dialog box, select the Advanced preferences > Cache. The "Document in cache is compared to document on network" setting should be set to "Every time".

Frequently Asked Questions: Security & Privacy

• What is the difference between security and privacy?
• What security measures does LincolnFinancial.com use?
• Can anyone view my password?
• What is Single Sign-On?
• How does LincolnFinancial.com handle cookies?
• How can I tell if I am on a secure page?

My question isn't addressed here; where may I send it?
If you have additional questions about viewing the site, please contact us. We welcome your questions and comments.

What is the difference between security and privacy?
Privacy refers to the collection and use of your personal information. Web site security is are the safeguards we use to prevent unauthorized parties from accessing or modifying secured information.

What security measures does LincolnFinancial.com use?
Security is a primary focus at Lincoln Financial as we strive to use the most up-to-date security measures available. LincolnFinancial.com uses the latest in Web server technology, including data encryption and authentication. Certain communications between your computer and LincolnFinancial.com are passed securely over a "Secure Sockets Layer" (SSL). We use SSL to ensure the safety of your personal information by making it virtually impossible for someone else to access and decode it. SSL is a standard Web technology that is used to establish a secure connection between your computer and a Web server. SSL allows sensitive data transmitted between our server and your computer to be encrypted and delivered securely, even as it travels across multiple networks. Encryption is a scrambling technology that uses "keys" to encrypt and decrypt data. The "keys" for each secure session are established and retired automatically by the SSL program. LincolnFinancial.com uses the maximum SSL encryption key length allowed by your browser — up to 128 bits — when transmitting your information. The longer the key, the more secure the encrypted data. A 128-bit key is similar to a 16-character password. Please take a minute to check your browser's security settings. If you get "The page cannot be displayed" error then you will need to download the latest version of Netscape, Internet Explorer or Safari.

Can anyone view my password?
When you select a password, it is encrypted and saved to a special database used expressly for the storage of encrypted information. Nobody, not even our site's administrators, can view your encrypted information. Administrators can set passwords to expire and users can request resets whenever a password is forgotten; but in either case, it is the user that must select a new password when reentering the site.

What is Single Sign-On?
LincolnFinancial.com is not only a Web site, it is also a doorway to a variety of Web-accessible tools and applications offered by the Lincoln family of companies. Some of these may require separate user accounts for access. Rather than requiring you to remember and reenter these accounts, we offer you the option to manage your accounts in single centralized location called Single Sign-On (SSO). SSO is used to associate multiple accounts with one primary SSO user account. Logging into the SSO tool effectively logs you into multiple sites and applications. Whenever you attempt to access one of these password protected sections of the site, login information will be retrieved from your SSO account and used to log you in. All of this is done on the backend, giving you seamless access to what are actually multiple sites, tools and applications.

Not only is SSO designed for your convenience, it also increases security by limiting the number of times that you are required to enter sensitive account information. Like your SSO password, the passwords in your SSO account are also encrypted and stored in a special encryption database. Nobody, not even our site's administrators, can view this encrypted information.

How does LincolnFinancial.com use cookies? To personalize your experience on our Web site, we may assign your computer browser a unique random ID called a "cookie." A cookie is a small file that is sent to your computer by a Web site's server. Password protected sections of our site will require that you accept cookies if you wish to enter. While you are inside LincolnFinancial.com, you may receive a pop-up message asking if you would like to "accept the cookie" (if your browser preferences set to notify you about cookies). You must answer "yes" in order to enter the secure section of our site that prompted the message. Cookies enhance Web site performance in several important ways: they provide a secure way for us to verify your identity during your online session, they personalize your experience on our site, and they make your visit to our site more convenient for you. Most importantly, cookies are used to maintain session, which allows users to navigate through sections of site with little obstruction. Without them, users would be left to constantly reintroduce themselves with each mouse click. Your privacy and security are not compromised when you accept a cookie from our Web site. We do not use cookies to collect personal information. What's more, our cookies do not contain any of your personal information, such as social security numbers or passwords. Cookies are tiny files - only a few hundred bytes - so they shouldn't pose any disk-space concerns. Some Web sites use cookies from third-party advertisers. The Lincoln Financial Web site does not use third-party cookies. You can easily clear all of the cookies currently stored on your computer hard drive. However, deleting these cookies may mean that convenient settings, such as your stored user name, will need to be reentered during your next visit.

How can I tell if I am viewing a secure page?
Different browsers indicate a secure page in different ways. Generally, a padlock icon is used to indicate a secure page, as in our examples below:
Internet Explorer 5.0 +
When a page is secure (encrypted), a padlock icon will be displayed in the in the bottom right corner of the browser.
Netscape 4.7 +
A closed padlock indicates an encrypted (secure) document. An open padlock indicates an unencrypted page that is open to the public.
Safari 1.0 +
When a page is secure (encrypted), Safari will display a small padlock icon in the top right corner of the browser.