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                                                                  [EXHIBIT 4(l)]

                      MERRILL LYNCH LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                     ADDITIONAL DEATH BENEFIT ("ADB") RIDER

This Rider is part of the Contract to which it is attached (the "Base Contract")
and is subject to all the terms and conditions of the Base Contract. The
provisions of this Rider control over any contrary provisions of the Base
Contract.

If the Contract has Co-Owners, all references to "age" refer to the oldest
Owner's age. If the Owner is a non-natural person, all references to Owner shall
mean Annuitant.

The ADB Effective Date is shown on the ADB Rider page of the Contract Schedule
("ADB Rider Schedule").

This Rider is only available if, on the ADB Effective Date, the Owner is not
older than the Maximum Age for ADB Rider. The Maximum Age for ADB Rider is shown
on the ADB Rider Schedule.

You may not cancel this Rider. It can only be terminated as described in the
Termination Provision of this Rider.

ADDITIONAL DEATH BENEFIT: The Death Benefit during the Accumulation Period, as
described in Section 7.1.2 of the Base Contract, or as amended by any Rider,
will be increased by the amount of any Additional Death Benefit.

The amount of any Additional Death Benefit and the Determination Date are
described on the ADB Rider Schedule.

The Additional Death Benefit may be limited if the conditions described under
Additional Death Benefit Limitation on the ADB Rider Schedule apply.

If there is a change of Owner and this Rider continues in effect, the amount of
any Additional Death Benefit is subject to the changes described under
Additional Death Benefit Amount on the ADB Rider Schedule.

ADB CHARGE: The current and maximum ADB Charge Percentage, how the charge is
determined, and when and how it is collected are described on the ADB Rider
Schedule. The current ADB Charge may change but it will never exceed the maximum
ADB Charge shown on the ADB Rider Schedule.

TERMINATION: This Rider will terminate upon the earliest of:

      (i)   a change of Owner resulting in termination as described under Change
            of Owner on the ADB Rider Schedule; or

      (ii)  application of all of the Annuity Value to an Annuity Option on the
            Annuity Date; or

      (iii) receipt of Due Proof of Death (unless from an Eligible Spousal
            Beneficiary who continues the Base Contract and qualifies for
            continuation of this Rider); or

      (iv)  termination of the Base Contract.

                                        MERRILL LYNCH LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                                        By:      /s/ Lori M. Salvo
                                            ------------------------------------
                                                      Secretary

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ADB RIDER SCHEDULE

ADB EFFECTIVE DATE:                       [January 3, 2005]

MAXIMUM AGE FOR ADB RIDER:                [75]

ADDITIONAL DEATH BENEFIT AMOUNT:

            The Additional Death Benefit is equal to the lesser of (a) and (b)
            where:

                  (a)   is the ADB Gain multiplied by the ADB Gain Factor; and

                  (b)   is the ADB Cap multiplied by the ADB Cap Factor.

            ADB GAIN is equal the Contract Value less ADB Premiums, but not less
            than zero.

            ADB PREMIUMS is equal to the sum of the [Initial Premium] and all
            Additional Premiums paid (less prior withdrawals in excess of ADB
            Gain) after the ADB Effective Date. For purposes of this
            calculation, ADB Gain is assumed to be withdrawn first.

            ADB GAIN FACTOR      [Age of oldest Owner since ADB Effective Date
                                        Under [70]         [70 and Over]
                                          [45]%                [30]%]

            ADB CAP is ADB Premiums less any Premiums paid within [1 year] prior
            to the Owner's date of death and less any Premiums paid after the
            date of death and prior to the Additional Death Benefit
            Determination Date, described below.

            ADB CAP FACTOR       [Age of oldest Owner since ADB Effective Date
                                         Under [70]        [70 and Over]
                                            [45]%              [30]%]

            If there is a change of Owner, other than under the Spousal
            Beneficiary Continuation Option, and the ADB Rider continues in
            effect, the ADB Gain Factor and ADB Cap Factor will be determined
            using the new Owner's age if the new Owner was older than the Owner
            whose age was used to determine these factors immediately prior to
            the change of Owner.

            If the Base Contract is continued under the Spousal Beneficiary
            Continuation Option and this Rider also continues in effect:

                  (i)   the ADB Effective Date will be reset to the effective
                        date of the change of Owner;

                  (ii)  the ADB Gain Factor and the ADB Cap Factor will be based
                        on the age of the oldest of all Owners of the Contract
                        since the ADB Effective Date; and

                  (iii) ADB Premiums will be equal to the Contract Value on the
                        new ADB Effective Date increased by Premiums paid after
                        that date and decreased by withdrawals in excess of ADB
                        Gain after that date.

ADDITIONAL DEATH BENEFIT DETERMINATION DATE:

            The Additional Death Benefit will be determined as of [the date we
            receive Due Proof of Death of the Owner (the first Owner to die if
            the Contract has Co-Owners) at Our Service Center. If the Contract
            has more than one Beneficiary, the Additional Death

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ADB RIDER SCHEDULE (CONTINUED)

            Benefit will be determined as of the date We receive the first Due
            Proof of Death.]

ADDITIONAL DEATH BENEFIT LIMITATION:

            [If an Owner dies within [90 days] of the ADB Effective Date or
            within [1 year] of the date of a change of Owner where the life upon
            which payment of the Additional Death Benefit is based has changed
            (unless under the Spousal Beneficiary Continuation Option), no
            Additional Death Benefit will be payable.]

CHANGE OF OWNER:

            If there is a change of Owner, this Rider will terminate unless the
            Owner is changed under any of the circumstances described below:

                  [(i)  a spouse or a child of the current Owner is added as an
                        Owner and was not older than the Maximum Age for ADB
                        Rider on the ADB Effective Date; or

                  (ii)  a spouse or a child of the current Owner is removed as
                        an Owner; or

                  (iii) after the ownership change, the life upon which payment
                        of the Additional Death Benefit is based has not
                        changed; or

                  (iv)  an Eligible Spousal Beneficiary becomes the Owner and on
                        the Spousal Continuation Date was not older than the
                        Maximum Age for ADB Rider.]

ADB CHARGE:

                                        Current             Maximum
            ADB Charge Percentage:    [0.30% annually]      [0.50% annually]

            [The ADB Charge is calculated on each Monthaversary as follows:

                  (i)   the [Account Value] is determined on the Monthaversary;

                  (ii)  that amount is multiplied by the current ADB Charge
                        Percentage;

                  (iii) the resulting amount is divided by 12.

            The sum of the ADB Charges calculated on each of the three preceding
            Monthaversaries is deducted from the Contract Value on each
            Quarterversary.

            If the ADB Rider is terminated other than on a Quarterversary, We
            will deduct from the Contract Value any ADB Charges calculated on
            any prior Monthaversary but not yet collected.]

            [The ADB Charge is deducted from each [subaccount] in the ratio of
            Your interest in each [subaccount] to Your [Account Value] on the
            date the charge is collected.]

            The [Contract Value] and Surrender Value are reduced by any ADB
            Charges calculated but not yet collected.