and other restrictions affecting MetLife, Inc.’s ability to pay dividends and repurchase common stock; (MetLife, Inc.’s and its subsidiary holding companies’ primary reliance, as holding companies, on dividends from subsidiaries to meet free cash flow targets and debt payment obligations and the applicable regulatory restrictions on the ability of the subsidiaries to pay such dividends; (32) the possibility that MetLife, Inc.’s Board of Directors may influence the outcome of stockholder votes through the voting provisions of the MetLife Policyholder Trust; (33) changes in accounting standards, practices and/or policies; (34) increased expenses relating to pension and postretirement benefit plans, as well as health care and other employee benefits; (35) inability to protect our intellectual property rights or claims of infringement of the intellectual property rights of others; (36) difficulties in marketing and distributing products through our distribution channels; (37) provisions of laws and our incorporation documents that may delay, deter or prevent takeovers and corporate combinations involving MetLife; (38) the effects of business disruption or economic contraction due to disasters such as terrorist attacks, cyberattacks, other hostilities or natural catastrophes, including any related impact on the value of our investment portfolio, our disaster recovery systems, cyber- or other information security systems and management continuity planning; (39) any failure to protect the confidentiality of client information; (40) the effectiveness of our programs and practices in avoiding giving our associates incentives to take excessive risks; (41) the impact of technological changes on our businesses; and (42) other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in MetLife, Inc.’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.