Life insurance is something many people don’t like to think about, but having the right policy can be what protects those who depend on you if the unthinkable should happen. By following the simple advice in this article, you can make sure the protection you get, will cover you in the ways you need, for a reasonable price.
When designing your life insurance policy to pay out to a spouse, consider the tax implications of the titled spouse owning the policy. When the titled spouse dies, the policy payout then becomes part of their estate, and transferring those funds to the living spouse creates a tax burden. If the non-titled spouse owns the policy the funds are not considered to be part of the deceased’s estate.
If you are between the ages of 20 to 50, term life insurance is the simplest and most effective type of insurance. Cash value insurance truly makes sense for those who are wealthy and over the age of 50. A cash value plan may be tempting, but it won’t be as effective.
Make sure and only by life insurance from companies that are in a strong financial position. Rating agencies like Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and others give ratings to insurance companies. Do not work with any company that does not have an “A” rating from these agencies to protect your investments.
Try not to put off getting a life insurance plan. Get a life insurance plan as soon as you can comfortably afford it. If you get a life insurance plan when you are still young, the cost will be less for the rest of your life. Waiting until your health is failing will cost significantly more.
Although term life insurance covers you for only a specified period of time, it does have some benefits that may make it the right choice for you. Term life insurance is vastly cheaper than whole life insurance, costing hundreds of dollars a year rather than thousands. It is flexible in that you can choose to be covered for as few as 5 or as many as 30 years with coverage ranging from $100,000 to millions. For short term needs, such as children graduating from college or a mortgage being paid off, term life insurance is ideal, especially if whole life insurance is not in your budget.
Sometimes in life insurance, more coverage is actually cheaper. As the amount of coverage increases, the cost per thousand dollars of coverage will decrease. For some companies, the math works out such that buying a bigger policy actually costs you less per month in premiums. Always ask for price quotes for multiple levels of coverage when shopping for insurance.
It’s a good idea to review your life insurance policy each year to see if it still meets your needs. If you’ve had any big changes in your life such as a new child or the purchase of a home, you may have to modify your policy to reflect your new situation.
Make sure that you are aware of how the insurance agents and financial planners make their money. They have to sell a policy or other insurance products to you in order to make a profit. The ones that work fee-plus-commission charge a fee and a commission for their products. The ones that work fee-only do not sell products. They sell guidance. In turn, you’d use that guidance to purchase your own policy.
Many life insurance brokers and agents get paid through commission. It is therefore to their benefit to sell you the most expensive package they can with as many riders as possible. Because of this, before agreeing to a specific life insurance policy, you should get a second opinion. Make sure everything included is something that you actually need!
You should have your life insurance policy amended as things change in your life. Some examples of things that you may want to report to your life insurance company is if you have new children, an increase in the amount of debt that you have accumulated or if you have gotten a divorce. You can typically change information over the phone.
Your insurance agent may try to sell you additional riders to add to your life insurance policy. However, these are often unnecessary, so make sure you fully understand the purpose of each one before deciding if it would benefit you. For example, a family benefit rider allows for your death benefit to be paid in monthly increments rather than one lump sum, so your family receives a steady source of income.
By following these simple tips, you will be able to choose the right life insurance for you. You, more than likely, need one that provides you with enough coverage, at a price you can afford. With the right policy, you will be able to rest easy, knowing that your spouse and children will be protected if the worst case scenario becomes reality.
