Objective, Primary [Text Block]

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Risk/Return [Heading]

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1290 VT High Yield Bond Portfolio – Class IB and K Shares

Objective [Heading]

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Investment Objective:

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Seeks to maximize current income.

Expense [Heading]

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FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

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The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Portfolio. The table below does not reflect any fees and expenses associated with variable life insurance contracts and variable annuity certificates and contracts (“Contracts”), which would increase overall fees and expenses. See the Contract prospectus for a description of those fees and expenses.

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]

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Shareholder Fees(fees paid directly from your investment)

Operating Expenses Caption [Text]

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Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage ofthe value of your investment)

Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination

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April 30, 2022

Portfolio Turnover [Heading]

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PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]

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The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 67% of the average value of the Portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

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67.00%

Expense Example [Heading]

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Example

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

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This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other portfolios. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the periods indicated, that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same, and that the Expense Limitation Arrangement is not renewed. This Example does not reflect any Contract-related fees and expenses including redemption fees (if any) at the Contract level. If such fees and expenses were reflected, the total expenses would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, whether you redeem or hold your shares, your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading]

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INVESTMENTS, RISKS, AND PERFORMANCEPrincipal Investment Strategy:

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

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Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investment purposes, in a broad range of high-yield, below investment-grade bonds. For purposes of this investment policy, a debt security is considered a “bond.” Debt securities represent an issuer’s obligation to repay a loan of money that generally pays interest to the holder. Bank loans, bonds, loan participations, notes and debentures are examples of debt securities. It is expected that the Portfolio will invest primarily in high-yield corporate bonds. Securities below investment grade include those securities rated Ba1 or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or BB+ or lower by Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) or by Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings (“S&P”) or, if unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser. The below investment grade securities in which the Portfolio invests are generally rated at least Ca by Moody’s or at least CC by Fitch or S&P or, if unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser. The Portfolio may continue to hold securities that are downgraded below these ratings subsequent to purchase. The Portfolio does not normally invest in securities that are in default or have defaulted with respect to the payment of interest or repayment of principal, but may do so depending on market or other conditions. Split rated securities, which are securities that receive different ratings from two or more rating agencies, will be considered to have the

lower credit rating. The Portfolio may invest in debt securities issued by small-, mid- and large- capitalization companies. The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its net assets in debt securities of issuers located outside the United States, including emerging markets issuers and U.S. dollar-denominated securities of non-U.S. issuers. Certain debt instruments in which the Portfolio may invest may be structured as pay-in-kind securities. The Portfolio may invest in privately placed and restricted securities (including 144A bonds).

The Portfolio’s assets normally are allocated among two portions, each of which is managed using a different but complementary investment strategy. One portion of the Portfolio is actively managed (“Active Allocated Portion”) and the other portion of the Portfolio invests in ETFs that are passively managed and that meet the investment objective of the Portfolio (“ETF Allocated Portion”). Under normal circumstances, the Active Allocated Portion consists of approximately 90% of the Portfolio’s net assets and the ETF Allocated Portion consists of approximately 10% of the Portfolio’s net assets. These percentages can deviate from the amounts shown above by up to 15% of the Portfolio’s assets. The ETFs in which the ETF Allocated Portion may invest may be changed from time to time without notice or shareholder approval.

The Active Allocated Portion will invest in high yield corporate debt securities as well as floating rate loans, and participations in and assignments of loans. The Active Allocated Portion may invest in securities of any maturity because the Sub-Advisers to the Active Allocated Portion place greater emphasis on credit risk in selecting securities than either maturity or duration. Maturity measures the average final payable dates of debt instruments. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a security’s value to changes in interest rates. The longer a security’s duration, the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates, which may increase the volatility of the security’s value and may lead to losses.

The ETF Allocated Portion will generally invest in the following ETFs: the iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond Fund and the SPDR

Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Bond ETF. These ETFs seek investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of a fixed-income securities benchmark index. An investor in the Portfolio will bear both the expenses of the Portfolio as well as the indirect expenses associated with the ETFs held by the ETF Allocated Portion.

The Portfolio also may lend its portfolio securities to earn additional income.

Risk [Heading]

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Principal Risks:

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

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An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Portfolio. There can be no assurance that the Portfolio will achieve its investment objective.

The following risks can negatively affect the Portfolio’s performance. The most significant risks as of the date of this Prospectus are listed first, followed by additional risks in alphabetical order.

Market Risk:

The Portfolio is subject to the risk that the securities markets will move down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions and other factors, which may negatively affect Portfolio performance. Securities markets also may experience long periods of decline in value. Changes in the financial condition of a single issuer can impact a market as a whole. Geo-political risks, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are major players on the world stage, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics) and social unrest, and governments’ reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy. Adverse market conditions may not have the same impact on all types of securities. In addition, markets and market-participants are increasingly reliant on information data systems. Inaccurate data, software or other technology malfunctions, programming inaccuracies, unauthorized use or access, and similar circumstances may impair the performance of these systems and may have an adverse impact upon a single issuer, a group of issuers, or the market at-large.

Non-Investment Grade Securities Risk:

Bonds rated below BBB by Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings or Fitch Ratings, Ltd. or below Baa by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (or, if unrated, determined by the investment manager to be of comparable quality) are speculative in nature and are subject to additional risk factors such as increased possibility of default, illiquidity of the security, and changes in value based on changes in interest rates. Non-investment grade bonds, sometimes referred to as “junk bonds,” are usually issued by companies without long track records of sales and earnings, or by those companies with questionable credit strength. The creditworthiness of issuers of non-investment grade debt securities may be more complex to analyze than that of issuers of investment grade debt securities, and reliance on credit ratings may present additional risks.

Credit Risk:

The Portfolio is subject to the risk that the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income security, or the counterparty to a transaction, is unable or unwilling, or is perceived as unable or unwilling, to make timely interest or principal payments, or otherwise honor its obligations, which may cause the Portfolio’s holdings to lose value. The downgrade of a security’s credit rating may decrease its value. Lower credit quality also may lead to greater volatility in the price of a security and may negatively affect a security’s liquidity. The credit quality of a security can deteriorate suddenly and rapidly.

Interest Rate Risk:

Changes in interest rates may affect the yield, liquidity and value of investments in income

producing or debt securities. Changes in interest rates also may affect the value of other securities. When interest rates rise, the value of the Portfolio’s debt securities generally declines. Conversely, when interest rates decline, the value of the Portfolio’s debt securities generally rises. Typically, the longer the maturity or duration of a debt security, the greater the effect a change in interest rates could have on the security’s price. Thus, the sensitivity of the Portfolio’s debt securities to interest rate risk will increase with any increase in the duration of those securities. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. A significant or rapid rise in interest rates also could result in losses to the Portfolio.

Liquidity Risk:

From time to time, there may be little or no active trading market for a particular investment in which the Portfolio may invest or is invested. In such a market, the value of such an investment and the Portfolio’s share price may fall dramatically. Illiquid investments may be difficult or impossible to sell or purchase at an advantageous time or price or in sufficient amounts to achieve the Portfolio’s desired level of exposure. To meet redemption requests during periods of illiquidity, the Portfolio may be forced to dispose of investments at unfavorable times or prices and/or under unfavorable conditions, which may result in a loss or may be costly to the Portfolio. Investments that are illiquid or that trade in lower volumes may be more difficult to value. The Portfolio also may not receive its proceeds from the sale of certain investments for an extended period of time. Certain investments that were liquid when purchased may later become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, particularly in times of overall economic distress or adverse investor perception. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Portfolio’s value or prevent the Portfolio from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. During periods of market stress, an investment or even an entire market segment may become illiquid, sometimes abruptly, which can adversely affect the Portfolio’s ability to limit losses. In addition, a reduction in the ability or willingness of dealers and other institutional investors to make a market in certain securities may result in decreased liquidity in certain markets.

Sector Risk:

From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, the Portfolio may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market. To the extent the Portfolio invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

Loan Risk:

Loan interests are subject to liquidity risk, prepayment risk, extension risk, the risk of subordination to other creditors, restrictions on resale, and the lack of a regular trading market and publicly available information. Loan interests may be difficult to value and may have extended trade settlement periods. As a result, the proceeds from the sale of a loan may not be available to make additional investments or to meet redemption obligations until potentially a substantial period after the sale of the loan. The extended trade settlement periods could force the Portfolio to liquidate other securities to meet redemptions and may present a risk that the Portfolio may incur losses in order to timely honor redemptions. There is a risk that the value of any collateral securing a loan in which the Portfolio has an interest may decline and that the collateral may not be sufficient to cover the amount owed on the loan. In the event the borrower defaults, the Portfolio’s access to the collateral may be limited or delayed by bankruptcy or other insolvency laws. Loans may not be considered “securities,” and purchasers, such as the Portfolio, therefore may not have the benefit of the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws. To the extent that the Portfolio invests in loan participations, it is subject to the risk that the financial institution acting as agent for all interests in a loan might fail financially. It is also possible that the Portfolio could be held liable, or may be called upon to fulfill other obligations, as a co-lender.

ETFs Risk:

The Portfolio’s shareholders will indirectly bear fees and expenses paid by the ETFs in which it invests, in addition to the Portfolio’s direct fees and expenses. The cost of investing in the Portfolio, therefore, may be higher than the cost of investing in a mutual fund that invests directly in individual stocks and bonds. In addition, the Portfolio’s net asset value will be subject to fluctuations in the market values of the ETFs in which it invests. The Portfolio is also subject to the risks associated with the securities or other investments in which the ETFs invest, and the ability of the Portfolio to meet its investment objective will directly depend on the ability of the ETFs to meet their investment objectives. An index-based ETF’s performance may not match that of the index it seeks to track. An actively managed ETF’s performance will reflect its adviser’s ability to make investment decisions that are suited to achieving the ETF’s investment objective. It is also possible that an active trading market for an ETF may not develop or be maintained, in which case the liquidity and value of the Portfolio’s investment in the ETF could be substantially and adversely affected. The extent to which the investment performance and risks associated with the Portfolio correlate to those of a particular ETF will depend upon the extent to which the Portfolio’s assets are allocated from time to time for investment in the ETF, which will vary.

Portfolio Management Risk:

The Portfolio is subject to the risk that strategies used by an investment manager and its securities selections fail to produce the intended results. An investment manager’s judgments or decisions about the quality, relative yield or value of, or market trends affecting, a particular security or issuer, industry, sector, region or market segment, or about the economy

or interest rates, may be incorrect or otherwise may not produce the intended results, which may result in losses to the Portfolio. In addition, many processes used in Portfolio management, including security selection, rely, in whole or in part, on the use of various technologies. The Portfolio may suffer losses if there are imperfections, errors or limitations in the quantitative, analytic or other tools, resources, information and data used, or the analyses employed or relied on, by an investment manager, or if such tools, resources, information or data are used incorrectly, fail to produce the desired results, or otherwise do not work as intended. There can be no assurance that the use of these technologies will result in effective investment decisions for the Portfolio.

Foreign Securities Risk:

Investments in foreign securities involve risks in addition to those associated with investments in U.S. securities. Foreign markets may be less liquid, more volatile and subject to less government supervision and regulation than U.S. markets, and it may take more time to clear and settle trades involving foreign securities, which could negatively impact the Portfolio’s investments and cause it to lose money. Security values also may be negatively affected by changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. Differences between U.S. and foreign legal, political and economic systems, regulatory regimes and market practices, as well as trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the U.S.), governmental instability, or other political or economic actions, also may adversely impact security values. World markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic, political or other developments. Events and evolving conditions in certain economies or markets may alter the risks associated with investments tied to countries or regions that historically were perceived as comparatively stable and make such investments riskier and more volatile. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be significantly affected by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.

Currency Risk:

Investments that are denominated in or that provide exposure to foreign currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Any such decline may erode or reverse any potential gains from an investment in securities denominated in foreign currency or may widen existing loss. In the case of hedging positions, there is the risk that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. Currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time.

Emerging Markets Risk:

Investments in emerging market countries are more susceptible to loss than investments in more developed foreign countries and may present market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in more developed foreign countries. Emerging market countries may be more likely to experience rapid and significant adverse developments in their political or economic structures, intervene in financial markets, restrict foreign investments, impose high withholding or other taxes on foreign investments, impose restrictive exchange control regulations, or nationalize or expropriate the assets of private companies, which may have negative impacts on transaction costs, market price, investment returns and the legal rights and remedies available to the Portfolio. In addition, the securities markets of emerging market countries generally are smaller, less liquid and more volatile than those of more developed foreign countries, and emerging market countries often have less uniformity in regulatory, accounting, auditing and financial reporting requirements or standards, which may impact the availability and quality of information about issuers, and less reliable clearance and settlement, registration and custodial procedures. Securities of issuers traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging market countries than in countries with more developed markets. The risks associated with investments in emerging market countries often are significant, and vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and company to company.

European Economic Risk:

The economies of European Union (“EU”) member countries and their trading partners, as well as the broader global economy, may be adversely affected by changes in the euro’s exchange rate, changes in EU or governmental regulations on trade, and the threat of default or an actual default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, which could negatively impact the Portfolio’s investments and cause it to lose money. The United Kingdom (“UK”) left the EU on January 31, 2020, commonly referred to as “Brexit.” Following a transition period, the UK’s post-Brexit trade agreement with the EU went into effect on January 1, 2021. The agreement governs the new relationship between the UK and the EU with respect to trading goods and services, but significant aspects of the relationship remain unsettled and subject to further negotiation and agreement. The political, regulatory, economic, and market consequences of Brexit are uncertain, and the ultimate ramifications may not be known for some time. The negative impact on not only the UK and European economies but also the broader global economy could be significant, potentially resulting in increased volatility and illiquidity, which could adversely affect the value of the Portfolio’s investments. Any further withdrawals from the EU could cause additional market disruption globally.

Investment Grade Securities Risk:

Securities rated in the lower investment grade rating categories (

e.g

., BBB or Baa) are considered investment grade securities, but are somewhat riskier than higher rated obligations because they are regarded as having only an adequate capacity to pay principal and interest, are considered to lack outstanding investment characteristics, and may possess certain speculative characteristics.

Large-Cap Company Risk:

Larger more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, which may lead to a decline in their market price. Many larger companies also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.

Large Shareholder Risk:

A significant percentage of the Portfolio’s shares may be owned or controlled by the Adviser and its affiliates, other Portfolios advised by the Adviser (including funds of funds), or other large shareholders, including primarily insurance company separate accounts. Accordingly, the Portfolio is subject to the potential for large-scale inflows and outflows as a result of purchases and redemptions of its shares by such shareholders. These inflows and outflows could negatively affect the Portfolio’s net asset value and performance.

Leveraging Risk:

When the Portfolio leverages its holdings, the value of an investment in the Portfolio will be more volatile and all other risks will tend to be compounded. Investments that create leverage can result in losses to the Portfolio that exceed the amount originally invested and may accelerate the rate of losses (some of which may be sudden or substantial). For certain investments that create leverage, relatively small market fluctuations can result in large changes in the value of such investments. There can be no assurance that the Portfolio’s use of any leverage will be successful.

Mid-Cap

and

Small-Cap

Company Risk:

Mid-cap and small-cap companies carry additional risks because the operating histories of these companies tend to be more limited, their earnings and revenues less predictable (and some companies may be experiencing significant losses), and their share prices more volatile than those of larger, more established companies, all of which can negatively affect their value. In general, these risks are greater for small-cap companies than for mid-cap companies.

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk:

Declines in the credit quality of and defaults by the issuers of mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities or instability in the markets for such securities may decrease the value of such securities, which could result in losses to the Portfolio, and may reduce the liquidity of such securities and make such securities more difficult to purchase or sell at an advantageous time and price. In addition, borrowers may default on the obligations that underlie mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities. The risk of defaults by borrowers generally is greater during times of rising interest rates and/or unemployment rates. The impairment (or loss) of the value of collateral or other assets underlying mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities will result in a reduction in the value of the securities. Certain collateral may be difficult to locate in the event of default, or may be lost, and recoveries of depreciated or damaged collateral may not fully cover payments due on such collateral. Asset-backed securities may not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral comparable to that of mortgage assets, resulting in additional credit risk.

In addition, certain mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities may include securities backed by pools of loans made to “subprime” borrowers or borrowers with blemished credit histories. The risk of defaults by borrowers is generally higher in the case of asset or mortgage pools that include subprime assets or mortgages, and the liquidity and value of subprime mortgages and non-investment grade mortgage-backed securities that are not guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac could change dramatically over time.

Furthermore, mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities typically provide the issuer with the right to prepay the security prior to maturity. During periods of rising interest rates, the rate of prepayments tends to decrease because borrowers are less likely to prepay debt (such as mortgage debt or automobile loans). Slower than expected payments can extend the average lives of mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, and this may “lock in” a below market interest rate and increase the security’s duration and interest rate sensitivity, which may increase the volatility of the security’s value and may lead to losses. During periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments tends to increase because borrowers are more likely to pay off debt and refinance at the lower interest rates then available. Unscheduled prepayments shorten the average lives of mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities and may result in the Portfolio’s having to reinvest the proceeds of the prepayments at lower interest rates, thereby reducing the Portfolio’s income.

Prepayment Risk and Extension Risk:

Prepayment risk is the risk that the issuer of a security held by the Portfolio may pay off principal more quickly than originally anticipated. This may occur when interest rates fall. The Portfolio may have to reinvest the proceeds in an investment offering a lower yield, may not benefit from any increase in value that might otherwise result from declining interest rates and may lose any premium it paid to acquire the security. Extension risk is the risk that the issuer of a security held by the Portfolio may pay off principal more slowly than originally anticipated. This may occur when interest rates rise. The Portfolio may be prevented

from reinvesting the proceeds it would have received at a given time in an investment offering a higher yield.

Privately Placed and Other Restricted Securities Risk:

Restricted securities, which include privately placed securities, are securities that cannot be offered for public resale unless registered under the applicable securities laws or that have a contractual restriction that prohibits or limits their resale. Before they are registered, such securities may be sold only in a privately negotiated transaction or pursuant to an exemption from registration. Difficulty in selling securities may result in a loss or be costly to the Portfolio. Rule 144A is designed to facilitate efficient trading among institutional investors by permitting the sale of certain unregistered securities to qualified institutional buyers. To the extent restricted securities held by the Portfolio qualify under Rule 144A and an institutional market develops for those securities, the Portfolio likely will be able to dispose of the securities without registering them. To the extent that institutional buyers become, for a time, uninterested in purchasing these securities, investing in Rule 144A securities could increase the level of the Portfolio’s illiquidity. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser may determine that certain securities qualified for trading under Rule 144A are liquid. Where registration of a security is required, the Portfolio may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses, and a considerable period may elapse between the time the Portfolio desires to sell (and therefore decides to seek registration of) the security, and the time the Portfolio may be permitted to sell the security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Portfolio might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it desired to sell. The risk that securities may not be sold for the price at which the Portfolio is carrying them is greater with respect to restricted securities than it is with respect to registered securities. The illiquidity of the market, as well as the lack of publicly available information regarding these securities, also may make it difficult to determine a fair value for certain securities for purposes of computing the Portfolio’s net asset value.

Redemption Risk:

The Portfolio may experience periods of heavy redemptions that could cause the Portfolio to sell assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Heavy redemptions could hurt the Portfolio’s performance.

Market developments and other factors, including a general rise in interest rates, have the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed income securities on a large scale, which may increase redemptions from mutual funds that hold large amounts of fixed income securities. The market-making capacity of dealers has been reduced in recent years, in part as a result of structural changes, such as fewer proprietary trading desks at broker-dealers and increased regulatory capital requirements. In addition, significant securities market disruptions related to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic have led to dislocation in the market for a variety of fixed income securities (including, without limitation, commercial paper, corporate debt securities, certificates of deposit, asset-backed debt securities and municipal obligations), which has decreased liquidity and sharply reduced returns in certain cases. Increased redemptions from mutual funds that hold large amounts of fixed income securities, coupled with a reduction in the ability or willingness of dealers and other institutional investors to buy or hold fixed income securities, may result in decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed income markets.

Securities Lending Risk

The Portfolio may lend its portfolio securities to seek income. There is a risk that a borrower may default on its obligations to return loaned securities. The Portfolio will be responsible for the risks associated with the investment of cash collateral and may lose money on its investment of cash collateral or may fail to earn sufficient income on its investment to meet obligations to the borrower. Securities lending may introduce leverage into the Portfolio. In addition, delays may occur in the recovery of loaned securities from borrowers, which could interfere with the Portfolio’s ability to vote proxies or to settle transactions.

Zero Coupon and Pay-in-Kind Securities Risk:

A zero coupon or pay-in-kind security pays no interest in cash to its holder during its life. Accordingly, zero coupon securities usually trade at a deep discount from their face or par value and, together with pay-in-kind securities, will be subject to greater fluctuations in market value in response to changing interest rates than debt obligations of comparable maturities that make current distribution of interest in cash.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

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The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Portfolio.

Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]

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An investment in the Portfolio is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

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Risk/Return Bar Chart and Table

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

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The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Portfolio’s average annual total returns for the past one- and five-year and since inception periods through December 31, 2020 compared to the returns of a broad-based securities market index. Past performance is not an indication of future performance.

The performance results do not reflect any Contract-related fees and expenses, which would reduce the performance results.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

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Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

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Past performance is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

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Calendar Year Annual Total Returns — Class IB

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

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Best quarter (% and time period)		Worst quarter (% and time period)

8.11% (2020 2nd Quarter)		–10.10% (2020 1st Quarter)

Performance Table Heading

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Average Annual Total Returns

1290 VT High Yield Bond Portfolio | Class IB Shares

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

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Management Fee

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0.60%

Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 fees)

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0.25%

Other Expenses

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0.23%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses

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0.05%

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

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1.13%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

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(0.08%)

^[1]

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

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1.05%

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$ 107

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351

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615

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1,367

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107

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351

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615

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

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$ 1,367

2014

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1.86%

2015

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(3.02%)

2016

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11.67%

2017

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6.46%

2018

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(2.23%)

2019

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12.94%

2020

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6.48%

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Best quarter

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

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Jun. 30, 2020

Highest Quarterly Return

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8.11%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

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Worst quarter

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

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Mar. 31, 2020

Lowest Quarterly Return

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(10.10%)

One Year

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6.48%

Five Years

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6.93%

Since Inception

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4.99%

Inception Date

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Feb. 08, 2013

1290 VT High Yield Bond Portfolio | Class K Shares

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

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rr_ShareholderFeeOther

Management Fee

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.60%

Distribution and/or Service Fees (12b-1 fees)

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.23%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses

rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets

0.05%

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.88%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.08%)

^[1]

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.80%

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 82

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

273

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

480

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,077

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

273

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

480

1290 VT High Yield Bond Portfolio | ICE BofA US High Yield Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 1,077

One Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

6.74%

Five Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.20%

Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.25%

Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Feb. 08, 2013