Long ago, people realized that there is strength in numbers. For hundreds of years, we have been joining forces against all kinds of calamities — including financial troubles.
The concept of insurance is simply that if enough of us can pool our money to form a large enough fund, then together we can handle practically any financial disaster. Our motivation for contributing to this fund is our own eligibility to draw from it in the event of a disaster. One for all and all for one, so to speak.
An early example of the concept comes from the Code of Hammurabi, Babylonian laws dating back to 1700 B.C., which contain a credit insurance provision. For a little higher interest, the ancients could exempt themselves from repayment of loans in the event of personal misfortune. A citizen of the Roman Empire could buy life insurance through the Collegia Tenuiorum for slaves and wage earners, or the Collegia for members of the military. The funds provided old-age pensions, disability insurance, and burial costs. In spite of some complications and occasional bureaucratic snarls, the system has worked remarkably well through the ages.
Today, virtually all heads of families should carry life insurance. Most financial advisors also recommend automobile, health, homeowners, personal liability, professional liability and/or malpractice, disability, and long-term-care insurance.
Purchasing individual or family insurance coverage is probably one of the most important financial decisions you will make. A great deal of study and advice is needed to choose wisely. A few basic guidelines can safely be applied to most consumers. Beyond these, each individual’s needs are unique and should be carefully assessed by an expert.
1. How much insurance do you need?
A good rule of thumb is: Don’t insure yourself against misfortunes you can pay for yourself. Insurance is there to protect you in case of an event with overwhelming expenses. If anything short of a calamity does occur, it will usually cost you less in actual costs than the insurance premiums you would have paid.
2. What kind of policy is best?
Broader is better. Purchase insurance that will cover as many misfortunes as possible with a single policy; for example, homeowners insurance that covers not only damage to the house itself but also to its contents. Carefully examine policies that exclude coverage in certain areas, the “policy exclusions.”
3. From whom should I buy?
Always buy from a financially strong company. Take the time to shop around for the best prices with the most coverage for your specific situation. You may be able to save money by buying multiple policies from the same agent.
Understanding the threat of estate taxes on your life insurance proceeds is the first step in protecting these funds from unnecessary taxation. The next steps are determining the appropriate ownership of your policy and selecting a proper beneficiary. Although there are other alternatives, a life insurance trust can help avoid potential threats to the policy’s proceeds.
What Threats Exist Besides Estate Taxes?
Several factors may come into play that could undermine the financial security provided by the proceeds of your life insurance policy. Beyond estate taxes, there is the potential for probate, gift taxes, financial mismanagement, and misuse. Proper planning is necessary to help avoid these threats.
Ownership Options*
Other than owning the insurance yourself, there are three practical options for the ownership of your life insurance.
Your spouse. If you choose your spouse to be the owner and beneficiary of a policy on your life insurance, the proceeds of the policy will be subject to estate taxes and perhaps probate administration when he or she eventually dies. In addition, he or she will be responsible for investing the proceeds of your policy. Make sure your spouse is prepared and has the willingness to handle these additional responsibilities.
A child. Naming a child as owner and beneficiary can lead to problems if the child lacks the experience for such a designation. You must be able to rely on him or her to maintain the policy and avoid letting the policy lapse. In addition, because your child will be the legal owner of the policy proceeds, you must be sure that he or she will be willing to supply necessary funds to the estate to settle taxes, fees, and other expenses.
An irrevocable life insurance trust. An irrevocable life insurance trust can help avoid threats to your policy’s proceeds. Because the designated trustee must manage the trust for your benefit, it helps ensure the availability of liquid funds when they are most needed. And because the trust is irrevocable and is the owner and beneficiary of your policy, the proceeds escape estate taxes in most cases. The trust arrangement allows the proceeds to avoid probate administration and can sanction the professional management of the proceeds to help ensure the livelihood of your survivors. The use of a life insurance trust can provide an opportunity for families to utilize the benefits of their life insurance.**
Keep in mind that the cost and availability of life insurance depend on factors such as age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. Before implementing this strategy, it would be prudent to make sure that you are insurable. As with most financial decisions, there are expenses associated with the purchase of life insurance. Policies commonly have contract limitations, fees, and charges, which can include mortality and expense charges.
Trusts incur upfront costs and ongoing administrative fees. The use of trusts involves a complex web of tax rules and regulations. You should seek the counsel of an experienced estate planning professional before implementing such a strategy.
* A taxable gift from the owner to the beneficiary may result when the owner, the beneficiary, and the insured are all different parties. To reduce the threat of gift taxes, the owner of the policy should be the beneficiary of the policy.
**An ILIT is irrevocable and cannot be changed once it has been created. An insured individual contemplating the use of an ILIT must be willing to relinquish control of the assets transferred to the trust and must recognize the limitations that arise as a result thereof. The insured may not retain the right to revoke, alter, amend, or terminate the Trust, meaning that the insured may not retain the power to change the trust beneficiaries and their interests. Likewise, the insured cannot require that assets contributed to the trust be used to pay premiums or otherwise maintain life insurance owned by the trust. Finally, the insured may not retain any economic benefit in the life insurance policy, for example, the insured will not be able to cash in or borrow against the cash surrender value of any life insurance policy after it is transferred to the Trust.
When it is time to make an insurance claim, the more prepared you are, the more smoothly it will go. Be familiar not only with your policies but also with the steps you should take to file a claim.
Preventive Measures
It’s important to know beforehand what to expect from the insurance company. When you buy any insurance policy, read the contract carefully and learn specifically what is not covered. Know what numbers to call and the type of information you will need when speaking with a claims agent.
It’s also a good idea to take an inventory of your belongings and keep the list in a safe-deposit box. Make sure to include:
Descriptions of possessions; for example, the makes and model numbers of electronic equipment and appliances.
Photographs or a videotape showing the condition and quality of your insured items, especially jewelry or antiques and collectibles.
Appraisals of expensive items such as antiques, artwork, furs, and jewelry.
Receipts documenting purchase prices; canceled checks or charge-card statements also can be used.
When Trouble Strikes
File a complete and accurate claim as soon as possible. Take the time to fill out everything the way the insurance company wants it. Or, if you are on the phone with a claims agent, be extremely detailed in your descriptions and be certain that all your information is correct.
File a police report in the event of theft or vandalism. Your claim may be denied if you don’t.
Write a detailed account of any incident immediately after it occurs so that you are more likely to remember what happened.
Take photos of any damage.
Telephone your agent and send him or her a copy of the police report. Follow his or her instructions on how to proceed.
Filing a claim can be stressful, but being properly prepared and knowing what to expect will help move the process along, possibly allowing you to receive the funds you need to cover your losses in a more timely manner.
Four main types of auto insurance are available: liability, uninsured or underinsured motorist, collision and comprehensive, and personal injury. Most states require drivers to carry certain types of insurance.
Liability
Liability insurance is usually considered a necessity, and many states have a minimum legal requirement for liability coverage. This type of insurance helps protect, up to the ploicy limits, against injury claims and property-damage suits brought by other drivers, pedestrians, or property owners if you are at fault in an accident. Your liability policy pays for injuries suffered by others and the costs of damage to other people’s property, as well as legal costs, if necessary, up to a dollar limit.
You can choose a policy with an overall limit for all liabilities, or you can select one with separate limits for (1) individuals injured in an accident, (2) all injuries in the same accident, and (3) property damage.
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage
A policy with an uninsured motorist provision will pay damages if an uninsured motorist or a hit-and-run driver injures you and/or your passenger(s). You cannot buy more coverage against an uninsured driver than you carry yourself in liability. For example, if you carry $25,000 coverage per person and $50,000 per accident, you can buy only up to those amounts of coverage against an uninsured driver.
For a nominal additional amount, you can also carry protection against inadequate insurance coverage by another driver who injures you or damages your property in an automobile accident. This provision means that your policy will pay for injuries or damage that his or her policy does not.
Collision and Comprehensive Coverage
Collision insurance reimburses you for repair costs resulting from a collision that has been deemed to be your fault. Collision insurance is usually the most expensive part of your policy. Comprehensive coverage is for damage due to fire, storm, vandalism, or theft.
If a lender holds a lien on your car, the lender will probably require you to pay for both collision and comprehensive insurance. To lower the cost of this kind of insurance, you may choose a $500 to $1,000 deductible, instead of the usual $100 to $250. Although this increases your out-of-pocket expenses in the event of an accident, it may cut the cost of your premiums substantially.
Personal Injury Protection
Residents of states with “no-fault” insurance must buy personal injury protection. Personal injury insurance will pay your medical expenses in the event of an automobile accident, regardless of who was at fault. By purchasing this protection, you agree not to sue for any suffering or injury you may sustain.
Whether or not your state requires certain types of auto insurance, it may be a good idea to purchase multiple types to ensure that you are covered for many possible situations. In the event of a traffic collision, you don’t want to be left with bills that you cannot pay.
The insurance industry has introduced different types of insurance to meet consumers’ needs. For example, universal life insurance was created to provide a solution for many of the perceived shortcomings of whole life insurance and term life insurance. (See “What Is Universal Life Insurance?”)
When consumers demanded even more changes from the life insurance industry, it responded with variable life insurance and the concept of investment control. Whereas whole life insurance provides fixed rates of return on the account value, at rates determined by the insurance company, variable life insurance provides the policyholder with investment discretion over the account value portion of the policy.
If you own a variable life policy, you may allocate your account value among a variety of investment subaccounts. The premiums you pay are fixed throughout the life of the contract, while the performance of your chosen subaccounts determines the growth of your account value. The performance of the subaccounts can also determine the value of your death benefit.
There are usually several subaccount options to choose from, including stock, bond, and fixed-interest options. You can allocate your account value as you see fit, and you can be as conservative or aggressive as you wish.
A possible disadvantage is that the premiums of a variable life insurance policy generally are fixed and cannot be adjusted if your financial situation changes. A variable life policy does provide you with a guaranteed death benefit. If your subaccounts perform poorly, the death benefit could decline, but never below a defined level specified in the policy. Of course, any guarantees are contingent on the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.
Withdrawals may be subject to surrender charges and are taxable if you withdraw more than your basis in the policy. Policy loans or withdrawals will reduce the policy’s cash value and death benefit, and may require additional premium payments to keep the policy in force. There may also be additional fees and charges associated with a VUL policy.
In sum, variable life offers the flexibility to design your own portfolio, together with the security of a guaranteed death benefit. As long as you pay your fixed premiums, your death benefit cannot go away. This is not the case with universal life insurance or variable universal life insurance.
The cost and availability of life insurance depend on factors such as age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. As with most financial decisions, there are expenses associated with the purchase of life insurance. Generally, policies have contract limitations, fees, and charges, which can include mortality and expense charges, account fees, underlying investment management fees, administrative fees, and charges for optional benefits. In addition, if a policy is surrendered prematurely, there may be surrender charges and income tax implications. Variable life policies are not guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency; they are not deposits of, nor are they guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or savings association. The investment return and principal value of an investment option are not guaranteed. Because variable life subaccounts fluctuate with changes in market conditions, the principal may be worth more or less than the original amount invested when the annuity is surrendered.
Depending on your situation, variable life is an option to consider. If you are considering purchasing life insurance, consult a professional to explore your options.
Variable life insurance is sold by prospectus. Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and your need for death-benefit coverage carefully before investing. The prospectus, which contains this and other information about the variable life policy and the underlying investment options, can be obtained from your financial professional. Be sure to read the prospectus carefully before deciding whether to invest.
Universal life insurance was developed in the late 1970s to overcome some of the disadvantages associated with term and whole life insurance. As with other types of life insurance, you pay regular premiums to your insurance company, in exchange for which the insurance company will pay a specific benefit to your beneficiaries upon your death.
As with whole life insurance, a portion of each payment goes to the insurance company to pay for the pure cost of insurance. The remainder is invested in the company’s general investment portfolio, with the potential to build cash value.
Most universal life policies pay a minimum guaranteed rate of return. Any returns above the guaranteed minimum vary with the performance of the insurance company’s portfolio. The policyholder has no control over how these funds are invested; funds are managed by the insurance company’s professional portfolio managers.
However, universal life policies are very flexible. As the policy owner, you can vary the frequency and amount of premium payments and also increase or decrease the amount of the insurance to suit changes in your situation.
For example, if your financial situation improves significantly, you can increase your premiums and build up the cash value more rapidly. On the other hand, if you find yourself under a financial strain, you can reduce your premiums, or you may even be able to deduct premium payments from the cash value of the policy. Of course, changing the premium or withdrawing part of the cash value in your policy will affect the rate at which your cash value accumulates. It may also reduce the size of the death benefit.
Any cash you withdraw from your universal life policy is considered “basis-first.” You won’t incur a tax liability until your withdrawals exceed the premiums you’ve paid into the policy. Any amount that exceeds the premiums will be taxed as ordinary income.*
It is possible to structure many universal life policies so that the invested cash value will eventually cover the premiums. You would then have full life insurance coverage without having to pay any additional premiums, as long as the cash-value account balance remains sufficient to pay for the pure cost of insurance and any other expenses and charges.
Access to cash values through borrowing or partial surrenders can reduce the policy’s cash value and death benefit, increase the chance that the policy will lapse, and may result in a tax liability if the policy terminates before the death of the insured. Additional out-of-pocket payments may be needed if actual dividends or investment returns decrease, if you withdraw policy values, if you take out a loan, or if current charges increase. Guarantees are contingent on the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing company.
The cost and availability of life insurance depend on factors such as age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. As with most financial decisions, there are expenses associated with the purchase of life insurance. Policies commonly have mortality and expense charges. In addition, if a policy is surrendered prematurely, there may be surrender charges and income tax implications.
For investors who want the flexibility to change their premiums or death benefits, a universal life insurance policy may be ideal. If you are considering purchasing life insurance, consult a professional to explore your options.
* Under current federal tax rules, loans taken will generally be free of current income tax as long as the policy remains in effect until the insured’s death, does not lapse or matures, and is not a modified endowment contract. This assumes the loan will eventually be satisfied from income tax-free death proceeds. Loans and withdrawals reduce the policy’s cash value and death benefit and increase the chance that the policy may lapse. If the policy lapses, matures, is surrendered or becomes a modified endowment, the loan balance at such time would generally be viewed as distributed and taxable under the general rules for distributions of policy cash values.
Most people are familiar with whole life insurance. For many years, whole life policies were the predominant type of life insurance sold in America.
When you purchase a whole life policy, you traditionally pay a fixed premium for as long as you live or for as long as you keep the policy in force. In exchange for this fixed premium, the insurance company promises to pay a set benefit upon your death.
In addition to providing a death benefit, a whole life policy can build cash value. Part of the premium pays for the protection element of your policy, while the remainder is invested in the company’s general portfolio. The insurance company pays a guaranteed rate of return on the portion of your premium that is in its investment portfolio, building up the value of your policy. Guarantees are contingent on the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing company.
This buildup in cash value is part of the reason the premiums on a whole life policy generally remain fixed instead of escalating to match the increased risk of death as you age. As the cash value grows, the risk for the insurance company declines.
Although the cash value in your policy is “your” money, you can’t simply withdraw it as needed, as you would cash from a savings account; but you do have limited access to your funds. You can either surrender the policy for its cash value or take the needed funds as a loan against the policy.*
Access to cash values through borrowing or partial surrenders can reduce the policy’s cash value and death benefit, increase the chance that the policy will lapse, and may result in a tax liability if the policy terminates before the death of the insured. Additional out-of-pocket payments may be needed if actual dividends or investment returns decrease, if you withdraw policy values, if you take out a loan, or if current charges increase.
You should be aware that, in addition to charging a modest interest rate for loans against a policy, the insurance company may pay a lower rate of return for the portion of your cash value that you borrow. However, loans against the value of an insurance policy are generally not taxable and can provide the cash to help with unexpected expenses.
The cash value of a life insurance policy accumulates tax deferred. If you surrender the policy, you’ll incur an income tax liability at that time, but only for those funds that exceed the premiums you have paid.
The fact that whole life policies have fixed premiums and fixed death benefits can be either positive or negative, depending on the situation. To some people, it means one less thing to worry about. They know in advance what they’ll have to pay in premiums and exactly what their death benefits will be.
To others, whole life policies don’t provide enough flexibility. If their situations change, it is unlikely that they will be able to increase or decrease either the premiums or the death benefits on their whole life policies without surrendering them and purchasing new policies.
The cost and availability of life insurance depend on factors such as age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. As with most financial decisions, there are expenses associated with the purchase of life insurance. Policies commonly have mortality and expense charges. In addition, if a policy is surrendered prematurely, there may be surrender charges and income tax implications.
If you are considering purchasing life insurance, consult a professional to explore your options.
* Under current Federal tax rules, loans taken will generally be free of current income tax as long as the policy remains in effect until the insured’s death, does not lapse or matures, and is not a modified endowment contract. This assumes the loan will eventually be satisfied from income tax-free death proceeds. Loans and withdrawals reduce the policy’s cash value and death benefit and increase the chance that the policy may lapse. If the policy lapses, matures, is surrendered or becomes a modified endowment, the loan balance at such time would generally be viewed as distributed and taxable under the general rules for distributions of policy cash values.
Term life insurance is “pure” insurance. It offers protection only for a specific period of time. If you die within the time period defined in the policy, the insurance company will pay your beneficiaries the face value of your policy.
Term insurance differs from the permanent forms of life insurance, such as whole life, universal life, and variable universal life, which generally offer lifetime protection as long as premiums are kept current. Also, unlike other types of life insurance, term insurance does not accumulate cash value. All the premiums paid are used to cover the cost of insurance protection, and you don’t receive a refund at the end of the policy period. The policy simply expires.
Term life insurance is often less expensive than permanent insurance, especially when you are younger. It may be appropriate if you want insurance only for a certain length of time, such as until your youngest child finishes college or you are able to afford a more permanent type of life insurance.
The main drawback associated with all types of term insurance is that premiums increase every time coverage is renewed. The reason is simple: As you grow older, your chances of dying increase. And as the likelihood of your death increases, the risk that the insurance company will have to pay a death benefit goes up. Unfortunately, term insurance can become too expensive right when you need it most — in your later years.
Several variations of term insurance do allow for level premiums throughout the duration of the contract. You may be able to obtain 5-, 10-, 20-, or even 30-year level term, or level term payable to age 65. An advantage of renewable term life insurance is that it is usually available without proof of insurability.
Life insurance can be used to achieve a variety of objectives. The cost and availability of the type of life insurance that is appropriate for you depend on factors such as age, health, and the type and amount of insurance you need. Before implementing a strategy involving life insurance, it would be prudent to make sure that you are insurable. As with most financial decisions, there are expenses associated with the purchase of life insurance. Policies commonly have contract limitations, fees, and charges, which can include mortality and expense charges.
One of your greatest assets is the ability to earn an income. If you were to lose that ability due to a disabling accident or illness, how would you pay your bills, send your kids to college, and save for retirement?
A disability can create substantial economic hardship for individuals and their families. As a business owner, both your personal finances and your business could be at risk.
One way to help protect against the financial loss associated with a disability is to purchase disability income insurance. If you pay the premiums, an individual policy can provide you with a tax-free income stream while you are unable to work.
Weigh Your Options
When evaluating disability income insurance policies, it’s helpful to consider the following.
Definition of disability. You can typically choose between “own occupation” coverage and “any occupation” coverage. With “any occupation” coverage, you can claim disability only if you are unable to perform any type of job. This type of coverage is generally less expensive than “own occupation” coverage.
Amount of monthly coverage. You can purchase disability insurance that will replace a certain percentage of your income —normally up to 50% or 60% of your pre-disability income. You should purchase coverage that will enable you to meet your monthly financial obligations.
Waiting period. The waiting period represents the amount of time that must pass between the date you become disabled and the date that disability income payments begin. The longer the waiting period, the less expensive coverage will be.
Benefit period. The benefit period can range from several months to life. The longer the benefit period, the higher the cost of insurance.
A disability income insurance policy could make the difference between financial security and financial hardship. Don’t wait to consider this protection until it’s too late.
Last-survivor life insurance has been a popular estate conservation tool for couples who want to help protect their legacy from estate taxes. Because this type of policy pays a benefit after the death of the last-surviving insured individual, it can provide heirs with much-needed cash to help cover final expenses, probate costs, and estate taxes.
Of course, fewer households will be subject to the federal estate tax as a result of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 gradually increased the federal estate tax exemption, until finally repealing the federal estate tax altogether for the 2010 tax year only. The Tax Relief Act of 2010 reinstated the federal estate tax with a $5 million exemption, indexing the exemption for inflation after 2011. The provisions of the Tax Relief Act of 2010 expired on December 31, 2012.
The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 increased the federal estate tax rate from 35 percent to 40 percent, but left in place the higher exemption level ($5.45 million in 2016 up from $5.43 million in 2015); both provisions are now permanent. It also left in place the “portability” of any unused exemption between spouses.
As history shows, estate tax rates are subject to change. Also, many states have their own estate taxes, most with exemptions of $1 million or less, and only one state (Hawaii) currently has a portability provision. Because of this, many financial experts agree that it is important to have an estate conservation plan in place.
As a result of the unlimited marital deduction, when one spouse dies, his or her entire estate passes to the surviving spouse without becoming subject to estate taxes. (The surviving spouse must be a U.S. citizen.) When the second spouse dies, federal estate taxes come due on whatever portion of the estate exceeds the prevailing exemption amount.
Because estate taxes are typically due within nine months of the surviving spouse’s death, heirs could be forced to sell property, liquidate other assets, or take out a loan in order to make the payment on time. The benefit from a survivorship life insurance policy can help provide funds so the heirs can pay the bill rather than dipping into their inheritance.
The cost and availability of life insurance depend on factors such as age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. Before implementing a strategy involving life insurance, it would be prudent to make sure that you are insurable. As with most financial decisions, there are expenses associated with the purchase of life insurance. Policies commonly have contract limitations, fees, and charges, which can include mortality and expense charges.
Many people work and save throughout their lives to leave a legacy to their loved ones. Survivorship life insurance can help safeguard the assets they’ve worked hard to build.
