10 things you didn’t know about life insurance

What do you hear when they mention life insurance during open enrollment? Don't put your loved ones at risk. Here are 10 things you may not have known about life insurance.


Life insurance blah blah blah. Is that what you hear when someone mentions it as part of your new job’s employee benefits round-up or when you see something about it on TV or social media?  Not to worry: we’ve got the low-down on what you need to know. And it’s really not as overwhelming (or underwhelming) as you might think.

1. It’s part of a sound financial plan. You know about savings, you know about retirement. You might know a bit about investments and long-term financial planning for your health and happiness. And life insurance helps with planning for your loved ones’ long-term health and happiness, especially those who depend on your income, in case something were to happen to you.

2. There are different kinds of life insurance. In addition to employment-based life insurance (which typically only lasts as long as your employment at your job), there’s term and permanent life insurance.

Term life insurance: You typically pay lower premiums for term life insurance, but your coverage is just for a specified amount of time, say 20 years, for example. At the end of the term, your insurance coverage ends.

Permanent life insurance: With permanent life insurance (whole, universal, variable) you typically pay higher premiums in the short term, but then these policies generally allow you to accumulate cash value over time. Your coverage is designed to last as long as you continue to pay premiums.

3. Life insurance is surprisingly affordable for most people. Sure, there are forms of life insurance that get pricier the more features you add on to it, and the price goes up if you’re a smoker or dealing with health problems. But most people think life insurance costs about three times as much as it really does, according to the Insurance Barometer Study by Life Happens and LIMRA. Just as a general guide, a healthy nonsmoking 30-year-old man can get a $250,000 20-year level term policy for about $16 a month.

4. Key life events are often the best time to get on board. Getting married? Having kids? Changing jobs? Bought a house? Significant life events are often the time you become most aware of the need for life insurance—and on that note…

5. You can change your life insurance. Perhaps you have a life insurance policy that your parents got for you when you were a baby. Perhaps you have a term policy from when you bought your house but now you have a bigger family and you’re concerned about getting them all through college. Or perhaps you want to bump up your coverage because your overall cost of living has changed. And on *that* note …

6. You may well need more coverage than you think. Sometimes people think life insurance is to pay off their own debts and funeral expenses. But a key advantage of having life insurance is to ensure that the people who depend on you will be OK with their ongoing and future financial needs if something happens to you. Need help figuring this out how much? Go to this online calculator: www.lifehappens.org/howmuch.

7. Life insurance pays out quickly. Because life insurance doesn’t get tangled up in estate claims, it generally pays out quickly, sometimes in days or weeks, usually inside of a month.

8. Life insurance proceeds are generally tax-free. Compare this to, say, crowdfunding options like “GoFundMe” that have become so popular yet create tax consequences for the people they’re meant to help (to say nothing of fees and the lack of guaranteed benefit). It’s also helpful when you’re trying to create an inheritance for a beneficiary.

9. Life insurance protects your family, but only if you let it. Keep your premiums paid up and your beneficiaries up to date, and the door with your agent open so that your loved ones know who to call if they need to. Keep your paperwork with your other vital documents.

10. Life insurance can be more than just life insurance. Using “riders,” or an addendum to a life insurance contract, or even a specific kind of policy, life insurance benefits can become “living benefits,” money you can access before you die, or use to pay for long-term care, as two examples.

If you still need help getting a handle on all this, talk to an agent. They can help you understand the ins and outs and the best policy for your budget and needs. Because of course—the most important thing to know about life insurance is that it’s there to help the people you love the most.

SOURCE: Mosher, H. (29 June 2018) "10 things you didn’t know about life insurance" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.lifehappens.org/blog/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-life-insurance/


5 things to know about getting life insurance for your child

Have you considered getting your child a life insurance policy? Continue reading to learn more about juvenile life insurance policies.


We spend so much time talking about the reasons adults need life insurance (income protection, covering funeral costs and so on) that it’s easy to forget why it may be a good idea for you to insure your children as well.

When we think about it, we reason that our kids aren’t contributing to the household budget—in fact, anyone with kids knows that raising them takes a lot out of that budget! Getting a permanent life insurance policy for a child can offer financial advantages for them later in life (in addition to the death benefit).

Before you find yourself caught up in internet debates over how to get your baby to sleep or what kind of diapers to use (or if you’ve already been through that and are dreading the next round of parenting arguments), here are five things to know about buying life insurance for your child:

1. Life insurance policies “grow up” too. A great reason to invest in juvenile life insurance is to ensure that your children are covered from the get-go, and as they get older, may be able to take advantage of riders that allow them to expand their coverage at a guaranteed rate without any question about their respective health. People’s health changes, including children’s, and having a policy in place can ensure they’ll have the coverage they need, despite health changes.

2. It creates a sensible foundation: While there are tax-advantaged vehicles for saving for retirement and college, that’s not necessarily the case for other major expenses that young adults face such as automobile down payments, weddings and first home purchases. The cash value of a policy can be borrowed from—understanding, of course, that it reduces or eliminates the death benefit if not repaid—for these expenses.

3. Not sold on getting them their own policy? Add them to yours. Check to see whether easily affordable riders on your own life insurance policy are available to cover the kids.

4. Don’t buy the first policy that crosses your mailbox, either: The same marketing clearinghouses that make sure you get every single updates on your pregnancy week by week are also making your contact information available to firms that market life insurance. Be sure to compare prices, and it’s always helpful to talk to an insurance professional or advisor who can help you navigate through choices before committing to a policy.

5. The safety net is there. We all want to see our kids grow up happy, healthy and strong. But if the worst happens, as was the case for the Koonsman family, (you can watch their story here) then juvenile life insurance can help provide a buffer—covering funeral expenses, sure, but also allowing parents to take time off, care for their other children, and allow everyone to grieve as needed. And as the Koonsman’s story shows, they were also able to keep their daughter Hope’s memory alive by establishing a scholarship in her name.

Have a chat with a specialist at Saxon Financial today by visiting this link.

Learn about the different types of life insurance here.

SOURCE: Mosher, H. (31 July 2018) "5 things to know about getting life insurance for your child" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.lifehappens.org/blog/5-things-to-know-about-getting-life-insurance-for-your-child/


10 everyday things that cost more than term life insurance

Many people don’t purchase life insurance because they think it’s too expensive. Read on to find out which everyday items cost more than term life insurance.


Adults and parents worry. We worry about our family’s health, safety, financial security and future, but more families need to put their money where their heart is by buying term life insurance. (This is the most affordable type when initially purchased and provides protection for a specific period of time or the “term”.) However, the issue isn’t a matter of hypocrisy, but a lack of research and financial literacy. According to a Life Happens and LIMRA study from this year, 65% of households have not purchased life insurance because they think it’s too costly.

To show that this is a common misconception, the study asked Americans to estimate the cost of a 20-year, $250,000 level term life insurance policy for a healthy 30-year-old male. Eight in 10 people overestimated the cost, saying it would be $400 a year, which is more than double its actual cost of about $160 a year or about $13 a month. Astonishingly, one in four thought it would cost more than $1,000 a year.

And just know that unless you have serious health issues, pre-existing conditions or high-risk hobbies that would likely necessitate high-risk insurance, getting affordable coverage is really straightforward.

How Much Is Life Insurance?
To put the true cost of term life insurance in perspective, here are 10 products or services that people regularly spend money on that cost more than a term life insurance premium would for a healthy 30-year-old at $13 a month.

  1. Food – According to the National Resource Defense Council, Americans waste about $529 per year, or $44 per month, on unwanted snacks and meals.
  2. Alcohol – According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American consumer spends 1% of their discretionary income on alcohol.
  3. Tobacco – For households with smokers, 14% of Americans’ incomes are spent on cigarettes.
  4. Gym Membership – The $30 per month you spend on a 24 Hour Fitness membership that goes unused could be better spent funding your life policy.
  5. Electronics – That new 55” LED TV that costs $800 could be used to cover about five years of term life premiums.
  6. Games – Video games average $50 per new release. Don’t you think your child would prefer to have financial security than a game he/she will play for a few months?
  7. Cars – Underspend on your next car purchase by $3,000 and over a six-year loan period with 0% APR, you will save $500 per year, or $40 a month.
  8. Gadget – Depending on which version you get, an iPad costs around $550 with tax, almost three and a half years of premium payments.
  9. Entertainment – A pair of movie tickets, popcorn, and a drink, totaling $25.
  10. Fashion – One pair of designer jeans costing $50 or more.

Saving money and funding your life insurance policy doesn’t have to make your life miserable. In fact, the average cost of life insurance is so small compared to your overall budget, that even small concessions such as minimizing waste and limiting frivolous purchases can open up your budget enough to buy a much-needed financial tool.

Ultimately, the peace of mind and pride of securing your family’s financial future will outweigh any temporary pleasure from a materialistic purchase.

Don’t wait to protect your livelihood. Have a chat with a specialist at Saxon Financial today by visiting this link.

Learn about the different types of life insurance here.

SOURCE: Dek, G. (15 June 2015) "10 everyday things that cost more than term life insurance" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.lifehappens.org/blog/10-everyday-things-that-cost-more-than-term-life-insurance/


5 things millennials need to know about life insurance

Does life insurance cross your mind often? Odds are, it's the last thing on your mind. Read this blog post for the five things millennials should know about life insurance.


Being catapulted into the adult world is a shock to the system, regardless of how prepared you think you are. And these days, it’s more complicated than ever, with internet access and mobile devices being must-have utilities and navigating tax forms when they aren’t as “EZ” as they used to be.

Maybe you’re still living with your folks while you get established. Or maybe you’re looking forward to moving out of a rental and into a house or to tie the knot. Life insurance might be the last thing on your list of things to deal with or even think about. (You’re not alone.) But here are five things you might not know about life insurance—that you probably should.

1. Life insurance is a form of protection. If you Google “life insurance” you’ll get a slew of ads telling you how cheap life insurance can be, without nearly enough information about what you need it for. That’s probably because it’s not terribly pleasant to think about: this idea that we could die and someone we care about might suffer financially as a result. Life insurance provides a financial buffer for the people you care about in the event something happens to you. Think just because you’re single, nobody would be left in the lurch? Read the next point.

2. College debt may not go away. Did someone—like your parents—co-sign your student loans through the bank? If so, the bank won’t discharge that debt upon your death the way that the federal government would with federal student loans. That means your parents, or others who signed the paperwork, would be responsible for paying the full balance—sometimes immediately. Don’t saddle them with the bill!

3. If you don’t know anything about life insurance, it’s probably better if you don’t buy it off the internet. It’s what we’re used to: You find the thing you need or love on Amazon or Ebay or Etsy, click a few buttons, and POOF. It arrives at your door. But life insurance is a financial planning product, and while it can be as simple as a 20-year term policy for less than a cup of coffee each day (for real!), going through your options with an insurance professional can ensure that you get the right amount for the right amount of time and at a price that fits into your budget. And many people don’t know that an agent will sit down and help you out at no cost.

4. Social fundraising only goes so far. This relatively recent phenomenon has everyone thinking that they’ll just turn to GoFundMe if things go awry in their lives. But does any grieving person want to spend time administering a social fundraising site? The chances of going viral are markedly slim, and social fundraising sites will take their cut, as will the IRS. And there is absolutely no guarantee about how much—if any—money will be raised.

5. The best time is now. You’ll definitely never be younger than you are today, and for most of us, the younger we are the healthier we are. Those are two of the most important factors for getting affordable life insurance coverage. So don’t delay. And if you don’t have an agent, you can also use our Agent Locator. The key is taking that first step.

SOURCE: Mosher, H. (5 July 2017) "5 things millennials need to know about life insurance" (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from https://www.lifehappens.org/blog/5-things-millennials-need-to-know-about-life-insurance/


I Have Life Insurance Through My Employer. Why Do I Need Another Policy?

Life Happens in a Heartbeat - Stay Prepared With Saxon Life Insurance.

Although it is a subject no one wants to talk about, Life Insurance may be one of the best purchases you ever make.

Have you considered what would happen if you were not there to take care of your loved ones?  Life insurance plans are about preparing for the unexpected. While nothing can replace you, having Life Insurance helps ensure that your family and loved ones would be financially stable if anything was to ever happen to you. Check out this article from Life Happens on the importance of obtaining Life Insurance - even if it's already offered through your employer.

 


One of the perks of having a full-time job with a good company is the benefits package that comes with it. Often, those benefits include life insurance coverage, which is great. And everyone who can get life insurance at work should definitely take it, as there are many advantages to company-funded life insurance, also known as group life insurance. These advantages include:

1. Easy qualification. Often, enrollment into group life insurance is automatic. That means everyone qualifies, as there is no medical exam required. So people who have preexisting health conditions, like diabetes or previous heart attack, can get life insurance at work, and may get a better rate compared with what an individual life insurance policy might cost them.

2. Lower costs. Employers’ insurance plans tend to be paid for or subsidized by the company, giving you life insurance at a low cost or even free. You may even have the option to buy additional coverage at low rates. Costs tend to be lower for many people because with group plans, the cost per individual goes down as the plan enlarges.

3. Convenience. It’s easy to subscribe to an employer’s life insurance plan without much effort on your part and if a payment is required, it’s easily deducted from your paycheck in much the same way as your medical costs are deducted.

These are all great advantages, but are these the only considerations that matter when it comes to life insurance? The answer, of course, is no.

Life insurance should first and foremost fit the purpose—it should meet your needs.

Life insurance should first and foremost fit the purpose—it should meet your needs. And the primary purpose of life insurance is to care for those left behind in the event of your death. With group life insurance, it’s often set at one or two times your annual salary, or a default amount such as $25,000 or $50,000. While this sounds like a lot of money, just think of how long that would last your loved ones. What would they do once that ran out?

There are several other disadvantages to relying on group insurance alone:

1. If your job situation changes, you’ll lose your coverage. Whether the change results from being laid off, moving from full-time to part-time status or leaving the job, in most cases, an employee can’t retain their policy when they leave their job.

2. Coverage may end when you retire or reach a specific age. Many people tend to lose their insurance coverage when they continue working past a specified age or when they retire. This means losing your insurance when you need it most.

3. Your employer can change or terminate the coverage. And that can be without your consent, since the contract is between your employer and the insurer.

4. Your options are limited. This type of coverage is not tailored to your specific needs. Furthermore, you may not be able to buy as much coverage as you need, leaving you exposed.

Importance of Buying a Separate Life Insurance Policy
It’s for these reasons you should get an individual life insurance policy that you personally own, in addition to any group life insurance you have. Individual life insurance plans offer superior benefits, and regardless of your employer or employment status, they remain in place and can be tailored to meet your needs and circumstances.

Most importantly, an individual life insurance policy will fit the purpose for which you purchase it—to ensure your dependents continue to have the financial means to keep their home and lifestyle in the unfortunate event that you’re no longer there to care for them.

Don't wait to protect your livelihood. Set up an appointment with one of our life insurance specialists here at Saxon by clicking this link.

Source:

Medina F. (19 June 2017). "I Have Life Insurance Through My Employer. Why Do I Need Another Policy?" [Web blog post]. Retrieved from address https://www.lifehappens.org/blog/i-have-life-insurance-through-my-employer-why-do-i-need-another-policy/


Do I Really Need Life Insurance?

At Saxon, we care greatly about others taking responsibility for their livelihood by applying for and obtaining life insurance. If you're not quite convinced you need to speak with one of our life insurance specialists, then take a glance at this article. Life insurance can help anyone - from single millennials to adults with mouths to feed. Don't let money or excuses keep you from protecting everything you've worked so hard for.


Let’s face it. Most people put off buying life insurance for any number of reasons—if they even understand it. Take a look at this list—do any of them sound like you?

1. It’s too expensive. In the ever-burgeoning budget of a young family, things like day care and car payments and possibly student loans eat up a good chunk of the money each month, and a lot of people think that life insurance is just outside those “necessities” when money’s tight. Life insurance is often not nearly as expensive as you might think, especially when you can get a good policy for less than the cost of a daily cup of coffee at the local café. If money’s tight now, what if something happens to you? Here’s more information about the true cost of life insurance.

2. That’s that stuff for babies and old people, right? People of a certain age remember Ed McMahon telling them their grandparents couldn’t be turned down for any reason and figure that’s the target demographic for life insurance. You might have been offered a small permanent insurance policy for your newborn, attractively presented with a cherubic infant on the envelope. The truth of the matter is that these are very specific insurance products—just as there are many insurance products for adults in their working years.

3. I’m strong and healthy! You eat right, you stay active, and everyone admires how grounded and centered you are. You passed your last physical with flying colors! That’s GREAT! But you’re neither immortal nor indestructible. It’s not even that something could happen to you—though it could—so much as when you’re at your strongest and healthiest, there’s no better time to get a policy to protect your loved ones. If you fall seriously ill or suffer significant injury later, it will make it tough to get that kind of policy, if any at all.

4. I have life insurance through my job. Many people are offered life insurance as part of their employee benefit coverage –and often, it’s the first time they encounter life insurance and have no idea that a $50,000 policy, or one or two times their salary, isn’t as much as they think it is. It sounds like a lot of money (and it is!), until you figure that it has to cover some or all the expenses for your loved ones in your absence. Plus, if you leave the job, it’s typically the type of insurance that doesn’t “move on” with you.

5. I don’t have kids. Sure, kids are a big reason why some people get life insurance, but that’s not the only reason for needing protection. If there is anyone in your life who would suffer financially from your loss—your spouse or live-in partner, a sibling, even your parents—a life insurance policy goes a long way in making sure everyone’s still OK even if something happens to you.

6. Life insurance—it’s on my list … eventually. There’s no deadline on life insurance, no mandate from the government on purchasing it. Your parents may have never talked to you about its importance, and it’s certainly not the most invigorating topic for conversation. But don’t let your “eventually” turn into your loved ones’ “if only.”

Don't wait to protect your livelihood. Have a chat with a specialist at Saxon Financial today by visiting this link.

Learn about the different types of life insurance here.

You can read the original article here.

Source:

Life Happens (n.d.). "Do I Really Need Life Insurance?" [Web blog post]. Retrieved from address https://www.lifehappens.org/insurance-overview/life-insurance/who-needs-life-insurance-reasons-dont-buy/


The Risk of Being Uninsured (and the Hidden Bargain in Addressing It Now)

Are you aware of all the risks associated with being uninsured? Take a look at this great column by Erica Oh Nataren from Life Happens and find out how you are putting yourself in harm's way by being uninsured.

With all the expenses of everyday living, it’s tempting to think of insurance as just another cost. What’s harder to see is the potential cost of not buying insurance—or what’s known as “self-insuring”—and the hidden bargain of coverage.

The Important vs. the Urgent
We’ve all experienced it: the tendency to stay focused on putting out fires, while never getting ahead on the things that really matter in the long run. For most people, there are two big things that matter in the long run: their families and their ability to retire. And being properly insured is important to both those concerns.

Life Insurance: a Hidden Bargain?
It’s exceedingly rare, but we all know it can happen: someone’s unexpected death. Life insurance can prevent financial catastrophe for the loved ones left behind, if they depend on you for income or primary care—or both.

The irony is that many people pass on coverage due to perceived cost, when in fact it’s far less expensive that most people think. The 2016 Insurance Barometer Study, by Life Happens and LIMRA showed that 8 in 10 people overestimate the cost of life insurance. For instance, a healthy, 30-year-old man can purchase a 20-year, $250,000 term life insurance policy for $160 a year—about $13 a month.

Enjoy the Benefits of Life Insurance—While You’re Alive
If budget pressures aren’t an issue, consider the living benefits of permanent life insurance—that’s right, benefits you can use during your own lifetime.

Permanent life insurance policies typically have a higher premium than term life insurance policies in the early years. But unlike term insurance, it provides lifelong protection and the ability to accumulate cash value on a tax-deferred basis.

Cash values can be used in the future for any purpose you wish. If you like, you can borrow cash value for a down payment on a home, to help pay for your children’s education or to provide income for your retirement.

When you borrow money from a permanent insurance policy, you’re using the policy’s cash value as collateral and the borrowing rates tend to be relatively low. And unlike loans from most financial institutions, the loan is not dependent on credit checks or other restrictions. You ultimately must repay any loan with interest or your beneficiaries will receive a reduced death benefit and cash-surrender value.

In this way, life insurance can serve as a powerful financial cushion for you and your family throughout your life, in addition to protecting your family from day one.

Disability Insurance: For the Biggest Risk of All
The most overlooked of the major types of insurance coverage is the one that actually covers a far more common risk—the risk of becoming ill or injured and being unable to work and earn your paycheck.

How common is it? While no one knows the exact numbers, it’s estimated that 30% of American workers will become disabled for 90 days or more during their working years. The sad reality is that most American workers also cannot afford such an event. In fact, illness and injury are the top reasons for foreclosures and bankruptcies in the U.S. today. Disability insurance ensures that if you are unable to work because of illness or injury, you will continue to receive an income and make ends meet until you’re able to return to work.

It’s tempting to cross your fingers and hope misfortune skips over you. But when you look at the facts, it’s easy to see: getting proper coverage against life’s risks is not just important, but a bargain in disguise.

See the original article Here.

Source:

Nataren E. (2017 May 11). The risk of being uninsured (and the hidden bargain in addressing it now) [Web blog post]. Retrieved from address https://www.lifehappens.org/blog/the-risk-of-being-uninsured-and-the-hidden-bargain-in-addressing-it-now/


4 Reasons Employers Should Offer Supplemental Life Insurance

Is life insurance included in your employee benefits program? For many employees, their only form of life insurance they have is the basic group life plan provided by an employer. This standard version of life insurance is usually not enough to maintain most employees financial wellness. Supplemental life insurance plans can enhance the standard coverage provided by most employers by providing employee financial security for their futures. While these plans can be a great way to boost an employees financial wellness only about one-half of employers across the nation offer supplemental life insurance with their employee benefits. Take a look at this great list put together by Mike Wozny from Think Advisor and find out the top 4 reasons why you should be offering your employees supplemental life insurance.

Depending on an individual family’s needs, supplemental life insurance can build on the employer-provided life insurance benefit, and helps employers give their employees the future financial security their employees need. For those employers who are not currently offering supplemental life, here are four key reasons they should start:

  • Many employers can offer employees the financial security of supplemental life insurance without increasing their benefits budget. Because supplemental life insurance is opt-in and chosen by individual employees as appropriate for their situations, employers can offer supplemental life insurance as an option at no additional cost to the employer. Employees can then customize their coverage to their needs depending on their financial responsibilities.
  • Many group carriers offer employers help in enrolling employees in supplemental life. Employers can host on-site enrollment sessions lead by a life insurance expert or hold a webinar led by the carrier followed by online enrollment. Many carriers even offer customized enrollment materials for each employee — all without adding to the employer’s human resources teams’ workload.
  • Financial security is tied to employees' productivity. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has found that when employees have to spend time and energy worrying about providing for their families, they are more productive. Appropriate life insurance is a key factor in overall financial health, and provides employees with the peace of mind that lets them focus their energy elsewhere.
  • Comprehensive benefits packages contribute to higher employee satisfaction and retention.The Society for Human Resource Management has also found that benefits offerings are important to employees’ decisions about what companies to work for and how long to stay. Offering a benefits package that includes supplemental life insurance coverage allows employees to customize benefits to their own needs.

With the loss of a loved one, many families also lose their income, which can be not only emotionally devastating, but financially devastating as well. When employers offer a complete benefits package, including one that promotes financial wellness, it gives their employees peace of mind, and helps attract and retain top workers.

Though life insurance is rarely a topic that families want to think about, employers can help employees obtain the right amount of insurance to protect their finances by offering supplemental life insurance options. For those employers who are not currently offering these benefits, in many cases they can be added at no expense, with little additional time required to administer them, and at great potential benefit to both the company and its employees.

See the original article Here.

Source:

Wozny M. (2016 October 19). 4 reasons employers should offer supplemental life insurance [Web blog post]. Retrieved from address https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2016/10/19/4-reasons-employers-should-offer-supplemental-life


5 Things Millennials Need to Know About Life Insurance

As millennials grow older and start planning for their futures, one thing they will have to think about is life insurance.  While access to the internet and mobile data has made learning about life insurance easier than before many millennials still have many unanswered questions when it comes to planning for their life insurance policy. Take a look at his great column by Helen Mosher from Life Happens and find out the top 5 thing Millennials need to know about life insurance.

 

1. Life insurance is a form of protection. If you Google “life insurance” you’ll get a slew of ads telling you how cheap life insurance can be, without nearly enough information about what you need it for. That’s probably because it’s not terribly pleasant to think about: this idea that we could die and someone we care about might suffer financially as a result. Life insurance provides a financial buffer for the people you care about in the event something happens to you. Think just because you’re single, nobody would be left in the lurch? Read the next point.

2. College debt may not go away. Did someone—like your parents—co-sign your student loans through the bank? If so, the bank won’t discharge that debt upon your death the way that the federal government would with federal student loans. That means your parents, or others who signed the paperwork, would be responsible for paying the full balance—sometimes immediately. Don’t saddle them with the bill!

3. If you don’t know anything about life insurance, it’s probably better if you don’t buy it off the internet. It’s what we’re used to: You find the thing you need or love on Amazon or Ebay or Etsy, click a few buttons, and POOF. It arrives at your door. But life insurance is a financial planning product, and while it can be as simple as a 20-year term policy for less than a cup of coffee each day (for real!), going through your options with an insurance professional can ensure that you get the right amount for the right amount of time and at a price that fits into your budget. And many people don’t know that an agent will sit down and help you out at no cost.

4. Social fundraising only goes so far. This relatively recent phenomenon has everyone thinking that they’ll just turn to GoFundMe if things go awry in their lives. But does any grieving person want to spend time administering a social fundraising site? The chances of going viral are markedly slim, and social fundraising sites will take their cut, as will the IRS. And there is absolutely no guarantee about how much—if any—money will be raised.

5. The best time is now. You’ll definitely never be younger than you are today, and for most of us, the younger we are the healthier we are. Those are two of the most important factors for getting affordable life insurance coverage. So don’t delay. And if you don’t have an agent, you can also use our Agent Locator. The key is taking that first step.

See the original article Here.

Source:

Mosher H. (2017 July 5). 5 things Millennials need to know about life insurance [Web blog post]. Retrieved from address https://www.lifehappens.org/blog/5-things-millennials-need-to-know-about-life-insurance/


Life Insurance Adds Value to Employer Provided Benefits

Are you looking to add more value to your employee benefits package? Adding a life insurance policy can be a great way to increase the value of your employee benefits program. Take a look at this article published by Susan M. Heathfield from The Balance and find out why you should include life insurance in your employee benefits program.

Life insurance is an employee benefit frequently offered by employers. Life insurance is an insurance policy that provides, in exchange for monthly, quarterly, or annual premium payments, a lump sum of money to the designated beneficiary of an employee who dies.

Life insurance marks an employer as an employer of choice when desirable candidates select job opportunities. It is one of the comprehensive set of benefits that employees look for when they job search and choose an employer.

Especially employees with families like the security of the safety net that life insurance provides.

Life insurance provides peace of mind for an employee who is concerned about how his or her family, or heirs, will make out financially in the event of his or her death. Life insurance provides a certain financial cushion for the employee's survivors if the employee's death is not due to his fault.

For example, life insurance carriers generally exclude some deaths, including death by suicide, civil commotion or riots, death occurring during military service, and other events that vary by policy.

Life insurance is purchased through a vast variety of options.

Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance, in which the insured or his employer pays a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee for the stated amount of insurance coverage is typical. No investment or cash value accumulates or is built up in a term insurance account, but the account pays out the insured value at the death of the employee.

Some term life insurance policies have a time limit. Others increase their premium fee annually as an employee grows older. Other policies have expiration dates such as at age 70. Many financial advisors recommend term life insurance as most other insurance options cost more and involve an investment component that muddies the waters.

Permanent life insurance policies that build up cash value in the policy over time are available and are more costly. Older participants pay a substantial premium in return for the benefits as time is not available to build up the cash value of the policy.

Types of Permanent Life Insurance

The most common forms of permanent life insurance are whole life, variable life, and universal life.

Whole life insurance is insurance that you purchase as an investment because it accumulates money that you can withdraw if you experience an emergency. Whole life insurance covers your for your entire life as long as you pay the premium.

You may also cash in your policy before you die and this would cause the policy to end or no.longer cover you in the case of death. Most investors regard these policies as a bad investment. Despite the fact that you can cash them in, their rate of return is typically small.

Variable life insurance provides money to your beneficiaries when you die. What makes it variable is that it allows you to allocate part of the premium you pay to a separate account that is composed of various investment funds provided by the insurance company.

These may include a stock fund, money market account, and/or a bond fund.

They differ from whole life in that their value fluctuates based on your investments with usually a minimum guaranteed by the insurance company.

Universal life insurance has a savings component that grows on a tax-deferred basis. A portion of your premium is invested by the insurance company in bonds, mortgages and money market funds. The investments'  return rate is credited to your policy on a tax-deferred basis.

A guaranteed minimum interest rate provided by the policy, which is usually around 4%,  means that, no matter how the company's investments perform, you are guaranteed a minimum return on your money.

Understand more about the differences in these life insurance policies by reading Understanding and Choosing Life Insurance.

Life insurance is an appreciated employee benefit. Sought after employees expect life insurance as a component of a comprehensive employee benefits package.

See the original article Here.

Source:

Heathfield S. (2016 October 13). Life insurance adds value to employer provided benefits [Web blog post]. Retrieved from address https://www.thebalance.com/life-insurance-adds-value-to-employer-provided-benefits-1918177


X