Exhibit (24)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

With Respect to

TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company

Variable Annuity, Variable Life Insurance and other SEC-registered annuity products

David M. Anderson,

whose signature appears below, constitutes and appoints Kenneth Reitz, John Piller and any such person(s) as Kenneth Reitz may designate in writing directed to the President of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, and each of them, as such person’s attorney-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any registration statements and amendments thereto and similar documents for the TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company products listed below, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and necessary regulatory authorities of any State, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. I hereby revoke any prior power of attorney executed to accomplish the same purposes.

The separate accounts and products covered by this Power of Attorney are:

This Power of Attorney is effective February 22, 2016 and remains in effect until revoked or revised.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

With Respect to

TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company

Variable Annuity, Variable Life Insurance and other SEC-registered annuity products

Larkin W. Fields,

whose signature appears below, constitutes and appoints Kenneth Reitz, John Piller and any such person(s) as Kenneth Reitz may designate in writing directed to the President of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, and each of them, as such person’s attorney-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any registration statements and amendments thereto and similar documents for the TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company products listed below, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and necessary regulatory authorities of any State, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. I hereby revoke any prior power of attorney executed to accomplish the same purposes.

The separate accounts and products covered by this Power of Attorney are:

This Power of Attorney is effective February 22, 2016 and remains in effect until revoked or revised.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

With Respect to

TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company

Variable Annuity, Variable Life Insurance and other SEC-registered annuity products

Kathie Andrade,

whose signature appears below, constitutes and appoints Kenneth Reitz, John Piller and any such person(s) as Kenneth Reitz may designate in writing directed to the President of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, and each of them, as such person’s attorney-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any registration statements and amendments thereto and similar documents for the TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company products listed below, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and necessary regulatory authorities of any State, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. I hereby revoke any prior power of attorney executed to accomplish the same purposes.

The separate accounts and products covered by this Power of Attorney are:

This Power of Attorney is effective February 22, 2016 and remains in effect until revoked or revised.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

With Respect to

TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company

Variable Annuity, Variable Life Insurance and other SEC-registered annuity products

Rashmi Badwe,

whose signature appears below, constitutes and appoints Kenneth Reitz, John Piller and any such person(s) as Kenneth Reitz may designate in writing directed to the President of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, and each of them, as such person’s attorney-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any registration statements and amendments thereto and similar documents for the TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company products listed below, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and necessary regulatory authorities of any State, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. I hereby revoke any prior power of attorney executed to accomplish the same purposes.

The separate accounts and products covered by this Power of Attorney are:

This Power of Attorney is effective February 22, 2016 and remains in effect until revoked or revised.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

With Respect to

TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company

Variable Annuity, Variable Life Insurance and other SEC-registered annuity products

Elizabeth D. Black,

whose signature appears below, constitutes and appoints Kenneth Reitz, John Piller and any such person(s) as Kenneth Reitz may designate in writing directed to the President of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, and each of them, as such person’s attorney-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any registration statements and amendments thereto and similar documents for the TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company products listed below, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and necessary regulatory authorities of any State, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. I hereby revoke any prior power of attorney executed to accomplish the same purposes.

The separate accounts and products covered by this Power of Attorney are:

This Power of Attorney is effective February 22, 2016 and remains in effect until revoked or revised.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

With Respect to

TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company

Variable Annuity, Variable Life Insurance and other SEC-registered annuity products

Douglas E. Chittenden,

whose signature appears below, constitutes and appoints Kenneth Reitz, John Piller and any such person(s) as Kenneth Reitz may designate in writing directed to the President of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, and each of them, as such person’s attorney-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any registration statements and amendments thereto and similar documents for the TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company products listed below, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and necessary regulatory authorities of any State, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. I hereby revoke any prior power of attorney executed to accomplish the same purposes.

The separate accounts and products covered by this Power of Attorney are:

This Power of Attorney is effective February 22, 2016 and remains in effect until revoked or revised.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

With Respect to

TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company

Variable Annuity, Variable Life Insurance and other SEC-registered annuity products

Sue Collins,

whose signature appears below, constitutes and appoints Kenneth Reitz, John Piller and any such person(s) as Kenneth Reitz may designate in writing directed to the President of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, and each of them, as such person’s attorney-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any registration statements and amendments thereto and similar documents for the TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company products listed below, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and necessary regulatory authorities of any State, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. I hereby revoke any prior power of attorney executed to accomplish the same purposes.

The separate accounts and products covered by this Power of Attorney are:

This Power of Attorney is effective February 22, 2016 and remains in effect until revoked or revised.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

With Respect to

TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company

Variable Annuity, Variable Life Insurance and other SEC-registered annuity products

Eric T. Jones,

whose signature appears below, constitutes and appoints Kenneth Reitz, John Piller and any such person(s) as Kenneth Reitz may designate in writing directed to the President of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, and each of them, as such person’s attorney-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any registration statements and amendments thereto and similar documents for the TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company products listed below, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and necessary regulatory authorities of any State, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. I hereby revoke any prior power of attorney executed to accomplish the same purposes.

The separate accounts and products covered by this Power of Attorney are:

This Power of Attorney is effective February 22, 2016 and remains in effect until revoked or revised.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

With Respect to

TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company

Variable Annuity, Variable Life Insurance and other SEC-registered annuity products

Russell Noles,

whose signature appears below, constitutes and appoints Kenneth Reitz, John Piller and any such person(s) as Kenneth Reitz may designate in writing directed to the President of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, and each of them, as such person’s attorney-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any registration statements and amendments thereto and similar documents for the TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company products listed below, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and necessary regulatory authorities of any State, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. I hereby revoke any prior power of attorney executed to accomplish the same purposes.

The separate accounts and products covered by this Power of Attorney are:

This Power of Attorney is effective February 22, 2016 and remains in effect until revoked or revised.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

With Respect to

TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company

Variable Annuity, Variable Life Insurance and other SEC-registered annuity products

Ajay Sawhney,

whose signature appears below, constitutes and appoints Kenneth Reitz, John Piller and any such person(s) as Kenneth Reitz may designate in writing directed to the President of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, and each of them, as such person’s attorney-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any registration statements and amendments thereto and similar documents for the TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company products listed below, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and necessary regulatory authorities of any State, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. I hereby revoke any prior power of attorney executed to accomplish the same purposes.

The separate accounts and products covered by this Power of Attorney are:

This Power of Attorney is effective February 22, 2016 and remains in effect until revoked or revised.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

With Respect to

TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company

Variable Annuity, Variable Life Insurance and other SEC-registered annuity products

Christopher McGeown,

whose signature appears below, constitutes and appoints Kenneth Reitz, John Piller and any such person(s) as Kenneth Reitz may designate in writing directed to the President of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, and each of them, as such person’s attorney-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for such person in any and all capacities, to sign any registration statements and amendments thereto and similar documents for the TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company products listed below, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and necessary regulatory authorities of any State, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. I hereby revoke any prior power of attorney executed to accomplish the same purposes.

The separate accounts and products covered by this Power of Attorney are:

This Power of Attorney is effective February 22, 2016 and remains in effect until revoked or revised.