dei_DocumentType

497

dei_EntityRegistrantName

Northern Lights Variable Trust

Entity Inv Company Type

dei_EntityInvCompanyType

N-1A

Trading Symbol

dei_TradingSymbol

nlvt

Document Effective Date

dei_DocumentEffectiveDate

Dec. 10, 2024

Risk/Return [Heading]

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Donoghue Forlines Dividend VIT Fund

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

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The Fund’s investment adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objectives by seeking to track the DF Risk-Managed Dividend Index (the “Dividend Index”) that provides a formulaic methodology for allocating investment between securities of issuers who demonstrate positive free cash flow and higher dividend yield, and short-term treasuries (maturity of 1 to 3 years).

The methodology of the Dividend Index is designed to convey the benefits of positive free cash flow and dividend yield, sector diversification and equal weighting. In seeking to track the Dividend Index, the adviser buys equity securities in the Fund as described below when the index’s indicators are positive and sells them when its indicators are significantly negative. As described below, the Fund typically invests in as many as 50 equity securities but this may fluctuate based on constituents of the Dividend Index.

The Dividend Index establishes an equity portfolio typically consisting of up to 50 equity securities based on a combined profitability rank (measured by free cash flow over total equity) and dividend yield rank (measured by dividend over market capitalization) from the constituents of the Syntax US LargeCap 500 Index and a U.S. Treasury portfolio consisting of short-term treasury securities or short-term treasury ETFs. Free cash flow is the amount of cash a company produces after paying for operating and capital expenses.

Only companies with positive free cash flow over the previous twelve months, and payment of cash dividends for the previous four consecutive quarters are eligible for inclusion in the Dividend Index. Upon selection each security will receive an equal weighting with sector weightings based on the current sector weights within the Syntax Net Value TR Index. If there are not enough eligible securities within a sector, inclusion will be stopped for that sector at the number of eligible securities.

The Dividend Index then applies the adviser’s defensive tactical overlays as described below. The adviser buys equity securities when its indicators are positive and sells them when its indicators are significantly negative.

In following the Dividend Index’s methodology, the Fund will allocate its assets based on two separate exponential moving average indicators (one shorter-term and one longer-term):

• Exponential Moving Average Indicators – An index’s exponential moving average value is the weighted average of its value over a certain period of time (e.g., 50 days). An exponential moving average gives more weighting to more recent values for the relevant time period.

The Dividend Index and the Fund will allocate primarily to the equity portfolio when the longer-term exponential moving average indicator is in a bullish position. When the longer-term exponential moving average indicator is in a defensive position, the Dividend Index and the Fund will allocate primarily to the U.S. Treasury portfolio. When the Index and Fund are in a defensive position (allocated primarily to the U.S. Treasury portfolio) and the shorter-term exponential moving average indicator is in a bullish position, the Dividend Index and the Fund will allocate primarily to the equity portfolio.

From time to time, the adviser anticipates that its defensive tactical overlay may trigger multiple “positive” or “negative” indicators over a period of several days. In such cases, the adviser, in an effort to avoid incurring additional brokerage costs to the Fund, may choose not to implement a particular “buy” or “sell” signal at the time of the trigger. Absent such circumstances, the Fund will not be actively managed and will seek to track the Dividend Index’s methodology.

While the Fund is a diversified fund, it may invest in fewer securities than other diversified funds. Accordingly, the Fund’s performance may be more sensitive to market changes than other diversified funds. In seeking to track the methodology of the Dividend Index, the Fund may engage in frequent buying and selling of portfolio securities resulting in a higher turnover rate.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in dividend producing securities. The Fund will typically invest in as many as 50 common stocks from the universe of stocks represented in the Syntax US LargeCap 500 Index. If the Fund holds an investment in common stock of a company that is removed from the Dividend Index, that position will be sold.

Performance Table Market Index Changed

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The Fund’s primary benchmark index has been changed to the Syntax US LargeCap 500 Index because it is a more appropriate index given the Fund’s strategy and portfolio holdings

Supplement to Prospectus [Text Block]

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Donoghue Forlines Dividend VIT Fund

The Fund’s adviser has elected to change the index the Fund seeks to track from the FCF Risk Managed Sector Neutral Dividend Index to the DF Risk-Managed Dividend Index. Effective on or about December 20, 2024, the Fund will seek to track the DF Risk-Managed Dividend Index. During the transition in tracking indices, the Fund’s portfolio may not fully represent the securities that constitute its tracking index.

Effective immediately, the Donoghue Forlines Dividend Fund’s prospectus is amended as follows:

The following replaces the information in the section titled “Principal Investment Strategies” on page 2 of the Prospectus.

Principal Investment Strategies: