Archive for December, 2009

Love. Yes, that’s right. Love for your spouse, children, family, or even your school. This insurance provides financial protection for your family and friends when you die. There are basically two types of life insurance - Term and Permanent.

Term life insurance provides insurance for a specific amount of time. Like, for one year. You can usually renew annually, and this is called “Annual Renewal Term”. This works until about age 80. Level Term offers you a level premium for a fixed amount of years. You lock in a rate for 20 years. Then you have to get a new rate or new policy.

Permanent Insurance is also called whole life, universal life, etc. This form of life insurance also has a built in savings plan. You get a death benefit with a cash value savings plan attached. Of course, this plan is more expensive, but allows for some financial latitude.

You may be wondering why you would need insurance and what could you do with the proceeds if your spouse or loved one died. Here are some ideas that would help with the financial loss.

  1. Income. Even if your spouse works, loosing one salary could be devastating.
  2. Housing. The money could be used for rent or payoff the mortgage. Your spouse may not want to stay in the house, but it will give some options for them.
  3. Debt. Reducing debt due to the loss can help the surviving spouse continue to be financially solvent. This will help your spouse survive on one income.
  4. Pay Expenses. Funeral and hospital bills can be tremendous. The average funeral is $6,000.
  5. Social Security. Its there, but it takes a while for it to kick in so to speak. Better cover yourself until that first check arrives.
  6. Education. Think about the high costs of education and the burden that would be with only one income. Account for an educational nest egg to give your kids a head start.
  7. Charity. If you don’t have anyone, this would be a good option. Also, you can get a tax deduction for the rest of your estate if you give some money away. In other words, give a chunk away and you might be able to keep some assets to give to your family.
  8. Taxes. Two things certain. Death and Taxes. You may have to pay taxes on your 401k and other assets even though you are dead. If you don’t get these assets before you die, then the person receiving the benefit must pay the tax.

These last two items are a bit tricky and would require expert assistance from a tax attorney or estate attorney.

Think about your family and decide what type of life insurance would protect them the best. Let me know if you can think of other helpful information on what to do with life insurance proceeds.

Stuart Simpson
http://www.insurance–review.com

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It seems a grissly subject but it’s going to happen eventually so we’d best be prepared. So what is last to die life insurance?

Sometimes called second to die life insurance, or joint and last survivor insurance, it insures two people (the parents) and is typically used to pay estate tax liability.

This is because estate tax and settlement costs can be extremely expensive and may pose a financial burden on your children. Unlike other forms of life insurance, the death benefit is only available when the last survivor dies. The more expensive the real estate, the more important it is to get last to die insurance.

Last To Die Insurance In Depth

Heirs often inherit more than real estate property. They inherit an overwhelming amount of tax, as well. Sometimes, it can well reach fifty percent. Last to die insurance is especially made for this purpose.

During sign-up, you can specify how much the coverage will be worth. Some life insurance plans let you increase the death benefit as the policy matures.

If one of the couple is not eligible to get whole life insurance because of a health condition, they can get last to die insurance instead. Because last to die insurance is shared, the other couple may not have to meet common underwriting guidelines.

While the main purpose of last to die insurance is for estate liability, the death benefit is not a restricted value. Last to die insurance benefits can be used for any purpose.

Last to die insurance is similar to variable life insurance. It builds cash value, and you can choose where to invest your cash value. Last to die insurance also has risks and you could end up losing money if you do not invest wisely.

Jon Butt’s http://www.which-life-insurance.com is one of the web’s leading independent Life Insurance resource sites offering genuine up-to-date advice on the different types, cover levels, the top life insurance companies and their plans, how to buy online or through local brokers. Business, family child and individuals are all covered in this easy insurance guide

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Health Insurance

Health insurance should be your first consideration. If you have just left your current job to start your own business, you may be eligible for COBRA, which will provide temporary interim coverage. This will keep you covered while you search for the best health insurance policy.

Disability Insurance

Disability insurance will guarantee you some income should you suddenly become unable to work because of injury or illness. Having this extra peace of mind may be well worth the extra money you pay.
Life insurance will help ensure that your family has the money it needs should you meet with an untimely death. Some lenders require that you have life insurance before they’ll issue a loan; this guarantees that the loan will be repaid if you meet with an untimely end.

Business Property Insurance

Business property insurance helps protect you against loss of inventory or equipment. If your business equipment or inventory is damaged in a flood, fire, or other disaster, this type of insurance will allow you to recoup your losses.

General Liability Insurance

Comprehensive general liability insurance is necessary for your home-based business if you plan on having clients or customers visit your home. Whether you plan to hold meetings, allow customers to pick up merchandise, or have members of the public enter your home for any other reason, this insurance will protect you if someone is injured while on your property. This insurance will typically pay for your legal defense should you face a lawsuit as the result of a fall or other damage that occurs on your property.

Business Interruption Insurance

Business interruption insurance will help your business recover from natural disasters. It will cover you for income lost during the disaster, and will pay for operating expenses that continue to accrue, even though your business isn’t up and running.

Worker’s Comp

Workers’ compensation insurance is vital if you plan on having employees working out of your home. Without workers’ comp, you’ll be responsible for any medical expenses arising from injuries employees sustain while working for you. Many home-based business owners mistakenly believe that this type of insurance is only required by businesses that have a retail or separate location, but that’s not the case.

These insurance plans can help ensure that you are prepared to face any eventuality that might occur while you are running your own business. Disasters, accidents, and crises can strike at any time. By preparing now, you may be saving your company significant money over time.

Matt McWilliams is one of the co-founders of HometownQuotes.Com, an online insurance quotes web site. He is originally from Pinebluff, NC and attended Middle Tennessee State University. He is considered an expert in the field of online insurance shopping and finding new ways to help consumers save money on their insurance. For more information visit http://www.hometownquotes.com

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