SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT



                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                        Date of Report: JANUARY 19, 2006
                        (Date of earliest event reported)



                         PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


     DELAWARE                        1-16725                     42-1520346
(State or other jurisdiction    (Commission file number)     (I.R.S. Employer
   of incorporation)                                     Identification Number)


                     711 HIGH STREET, DES MOINES, IOWA 50392
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                                 (515) 247-5111
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
    (17 CFR 230.425)
[ ] Soliciting  material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
    (17  CFR  240.14a-12)
[ ] Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to  Rule 14d-2(b) under the
    Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
    Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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ITEM 7.01 REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE


As of December  31,  2005,  the assets under  management  by asset  manager were
$144.5* billion for Principal  Global  Investors and $14.5 billion for Principal
International.

*AUM  includes  $262.6  million of amounts  funded by Principal  Life  Insurance
Company or third party  investors  for  structured  credit  transactions.  These
structures  have $10.9 billion of underlying  credit exposure that is managed by
Principal Global Investors. Separately, Principal Global Investors services $7.5
billion of commercial  mortgages that it has previously  securitized,  which are
not included in AUM.


                                    SIGNATURE

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                    PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.


                                    By:      /S/ THOMAS J. GRAF
                                             ----------------------------------
                                    Name:    Thomas J. Graf
                                    Title:   Senior Vice President - Investor
                                             Relations

Date:    January 19, 2006


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