X0304 4 2011-12-19 0 0001039828 AMERICAN EQUITY INVESTMENT LIFE HOLDING CO AEL 0001260545 RICHARDSON DEBRA J 6000 WESTOWN PARKWAY WEST DES MOINES IA 50265 1 1 0 0 Executive VP & Secretary Common Stock 2011-12-19 4 J 0 2860 10.145 D 101958 D During 2009, the reporting person deferred certain amounts of compensation pursuant to a deferral election that was made under a nonqualified deferred compensation arrangement that was not compliant with Internal Revenue Code Section 409A. The amounts deferred were used to purchase shares of common stock in the Deferred Compensation Plan maintained by the issuer for the benefit of the reporting person. The nonqualified deferred compensation arrangement was eligible for voluntary correction under the terms of Internal Revenue Service Notice 2008-113. The voluntary correction provisions required the issuer to pay to the reporting person the amounts deferred that were not compliant with Section 409A and to adjust the reporting person's deferred compensation account for the distribution. Debra J. Richardson 2011-12-21