Document:

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                                                                    Exhibit 4.6

                              CERTIFICATE OF TRUST

     The undersigned, the trustees of American Equity Capital Trust VI desiring
to form a statutory trust pursuant to the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del.
C. ss. 3801 hereby certify as follows:

          (1)   Name. The name of the statutory trust formed hereby (the
                "Trust") is American Equity Capital Trust VI.

          (2)   Delaware Trustee. The name and business address of the trustee
                of the Trust which has its principal place of business in the
                State of Delaware is as follows: U.S. Bank Trust National
                Association, 300 Delaware Avenue, Suite 813, Wilmington, DE,
                19801.

          (3)   Effective Date. This Certificate of Trust shall be effective as
                of March 11, 2004.

          (4)   This Certificate of Trust may be executed in one or more
                counterparts.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being the trustees of the Trust, have
executed this Certificate of Trust as of the date first written above.

                                       John M. Matovina, not in his individual
                                       capacity but solely as Trustee

                                       /s/ John M. Matovina
                                       -----------------------------------------

                                       Wendy L. Carlson, not in her individual
                                       capacity but solely as Trustee

                                       /s/ Wendy L. Carlson
                                       -----------------------------------------

                                       Debra J. Richardson, not in her
                                       individual capacity but solely as Trustee

                                       /s/ Debra J. Richardson
                                       -----------------------------------------

                                       U.S. Bank Trust National Association,
                                       as Delaware Trustee

                                       /s/ Frank P. Leslie III
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                         Name:  Frank P. Leslie III
                                         Title: Vice President

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                                                                    Exhibit 4.7

                              DECLARATION OF TRUST
                                       OF
                         AMERICAN EQUITY CAPITAL TRUST V

          This DECLARATION OF TRUST, dated as of March 11, 2004 (this
"Declaration"), by and among American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, an
Iowa corporation, as "Sponsor," John M. Matovina, Wendy L. Carlson, Debra J.
Richardson and U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in their individual
capacities but solely as "Trustees." The Sponsor and the Trustees hereby agree
as follows:

          1.   The trust created hereby (the "Trust") shall be known as
"American Equity Capital Trust V" in which name the Trustees, or the Sponsor to
the extent provided herein, may conduct the business of the Trust, make and
execute contracts, and sue and be sued.

          2.   The Sponsor hereby assigns, transfers, conveys and sets over to
the Trust the sum of $10. The Trustees hereby acknowledge receipt of such amount
in trust from the Sponsor, which amount shall constitute the initial trust
estate. The Trustees hereby declare that they will hold the trust estate in
trust for the Sponsor. It is the intention of the parties hereto that the Trust
created hereby constitute a statutory trust under Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the
Delaware Code, 12 Del. C. Sections 3801 et seq. (the "Statutory Trust Act"), and
that this document constitutes the governing instrument of the Trust. The
Trustees are hereby authorized and directed to execute and file a certificate of
trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of
the Statutory Trust Act.

          3.   The Sponsor and the Trustees will enter into an amended and
restated Declaration of Trust, satisfactory to each such party, to provide for
the contemplated operation of the Trust created hereby and the issuance of the
Preferred Securities and Common Securities referred to therein. Prior to the
execution and delivery of such amended and restated Declaration of Trust, the
Trustees shall not have any duty or obligation hereunder or with respect to the
trust estate, except as otherwise required by applicable law or as may be
necessary to obtain prior to such execution and delivery of any licenses,
consents or approvals required by applicable law or otherwise.

          4.   The Sponsor and the Trustees hereby authorize and direct the
Sponsor, as the sponsor of the Trust, in its sole discretion, (i) to file with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and execute, in each
case on behalf of the Trust, (a) the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the
"1933 Act Registration Statement"), including any pre-effective or
post-effective amendments thereto (including the prospectus, prospectus
supplements and the exhibits thereto), relating to the registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of the Preferred Securities of the Trust and
(b) a Registration Statement on Form 8-A or other appropriate form (the "1934
Act Registration Statement"), including any pre-effective or post-effective
amendments thereto, relating to the registration of the Preferred Securities of
the Trust

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under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
(ii) if, and at such time as determined by the Sponsor, to file with the New
York Stock Exchange or any other exchange or the Nasdaq National Market (each,
an "Exchange") and execute on behalf of the Trust one or more listing
applications and all other applications, statements, certificates, agreements
and other instruments as shall be necessary or desirable to cause the Preferred
Securities to be listed on any of the Exchanges; (iii) to file and execute on
behalf of the Trust such applications, reports, surety bonds, irrevocable
consents, appointments of attorney for service of process and other papers and
documents as shall be necessary or desirable to register the Preferred
Securities under the securities or "Blue Sky" laws of such jurisdictions as the
Sponsor, on behalf of the Trust, may deem necessary or desirable; (iv) to
execute and deliver letters or documents to, or instruments for filing with, a
depository relating to the Preferred Securities of the Trust; and (v) to
negotiate the terms of and to execute, deliver and perform on behalf of the
Trust an underwriting agreement relating to the Preferred Securities among the
Trust, the Sponsor and the several Underwriters named therein. In the event that
any filing referred to in this Section 4 is required by the rules and
regulations of the Commission, an Exchange or state securities or "Blue Sky"
laws to be executed on behalf of the Trust by any of the Trustees, the Trustees,
in their capacity as trustees of the Trust, are hereby authorized to join in any
such filing and to execute on behalf of the Trust any and all of the foregoing,
it being understood that the Trustees, in their capacity as trustees of the
Trust, shall not be required to join in any such filing or to execute on behalf
of the Trust any such document unless required by the rules and regulations of
the Commission, the Exchange or state securities or "Blue Sky" laws.

          In connection with all of the foregoing, the Sponsor and each Trustee,
solely in its capacity as Trustee of the Trust, hereby constitutes and appoints
Debra J. Richardson and Wendy L. Carlson, and each of them, as his, her or its,
as the case may be, true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full
power of substitution, for the Sponsor or in the Sponsor's name, place and
stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to the 1933 Act Registration Statement and the 1934
Act Registration Statement and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith,
as fully to all intents and purposes as the Sponsor might or could do in person,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or
any of them, or their respective substitute or substitutes, shall do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

          5.   This Declaration of Trust may be executed in one or more
counterparts.

          6.   The number of Trustees initially shall be four (4) and thereafter
the number of Trustees shall be such number as shall be fixed from time to time
by a written instrument signed by the Sponsor which may increase or decrease the
number of Trustees; provided, however, that to the extent required by the
Statutory Trust Act, one Trustee shall either be a natural person who is a
resident of the State of Delaware or, if not a natural person, an entity which
has its principal place of business in the State of

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Delaware and otherwise meets the requirements of applicable Delaware law.
Subject to the foregoing, the Sponsor is entitled to appoint or remove without
cause any Trustee at any time. A Trustee may resign upon 30 days' prior notice
to the Sponsor.

          7.   The Sponsor hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless
the Trustees and any of the officers, directors, employees and agents of the
Trustees (the "Indemnified Persons") from and against any and all losses,
damages, liabilities, claims, actions, suits, costs, expenses, disbursements
(including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel), taxes and penalties of
any kind and nature whatsoever (collectively, "Expenses"), to the extent that
such Expenses arise out of, or are imposed upon, or asserted at any time
against, such Indemnified Persons with respect to the performance of this
Declaration, the creation, operation or termination of the Trust or the
transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, that the Sponsor shall not
be required to indemnify any Indemnified Person for any Expenses which are a
result of the willful misconduct, bad faith or negligence of such Indemnified
Person.

          8.   U.S. Bank Trust National Association, in its capacity as Trustee,
shall not have the powers or the duties of the Trustees set forth herein (except
as may be required under the Statutory Trust Act) and shall be a Trustee
hereunder for the sole and limited purpose of fulfilling the requirements of
Section 3807 of the Statutory Trust Act.

          9.   The Trust may be dissolved and terminated before the issuance of
the securities of the Trust at the election of the Sponsor.

          10.  This Declaration shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflict
of laws principles).

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused these presents to be
executed as of the day and year first above written.

                                AMERICAN EQUITY INVESTMENT
                                LIFE HOLDING COMPANY,
                                as Sponsor

                               /s/ Wendy L. Carlson
                               -----------------------------------------------
                                Name:  Wendy L. Carlson
                                Title  Chief Financial Officer
                                       and General Counsel

                                John M. Matovina, not in his individual capacity
                                but solely as Trustee

                               /s/ John M. Matovina
                               -----------------------------------------------

                                Wendy L. Carlson, not in her individual capacity
                                but solely as Trustee

                               /s/ Wendy L. Carlson
                               -----------------------------------------------

                                Debra J. Richardson, not in her individual
                                capacity but solely as Trustee

                               /s/ Debra J. Richardson
                               -----------------------------------------------

                                U.S. Bank Trust National Association,
                                as Delaware Trustee

                                /s/ Frank P. Leslie III
                               -----------------------------------------------
                                Name: Frank P. Leslie III
                                Title: Vice President

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