Life insurance can be an important part of a business owner’s financial strategy. It can also be a great benefit to offer to key employees. However, sometimes the cost can be prohibitive. With split-dollar life insurance, the cost of life insurance can be managed by splitting it up. To be clear, split-dollar life insurance is
Last-Survivor Life Insurance 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,
Disability Income Insurance for Business Owners 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
What Is Term Life Insurance? 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,
What Is Whole Life Insurance? 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
What Is Universal Life Insurance? 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
What Is Variable Life Insurance? 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
Auto Insurance 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
Making an Insurance Claim 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
Maximizing Your Insurance Benefits 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
