Speak to a licensed agent(888) 810-9401

Protection for Each Stage of Life

Living on your own?

Do you have the adequate protection in case of the unexpected? Are you putting money aside and paying yourself first?

Whether you’ve just graduated from college or recently took steps towards independence by getting a full-time job, these changes require proper financial and insurance planning.

As someone living alone, you may be wondering whether you need life insurance coverage. One thing to consider is the fact that being younger may help you to get a lower premium. It is to your advantage to get your policy as early as you can.

Term life insurance may be a good way to start. It offers low premiums, plus you can convert the coverage to a permanent plan such as whole life or universal life once you have more income to support your plan.

In addition, many term insurance* policies today offer a terminal illness feature that allows you to access a portion of the death benefit while living if diagnosed with a terminal condition.

Disability income insurance is also a consideration in the event you’re unable to work for a length of time due to illness or injury. Your ability to work and support yourself is likely your most valuable asset at this stage of your life and protecting it with disability insurance is a wise move to protect your financial security.

In addition, we will help you implement a disciplined approach to savings and provide constant follow-ups with you to make certain you are implementing your plan to achieve your financial objectives.

* Term life premiums are typically based on the age of the insured at nearest birthday and specified underwriting classification and are subject to change without notice. The product features, benefits, and limitations associated with a particular term life insurance or disability income insurance policy will vary from product to product and from state to state.

Getting Married?

Congratulations! As you enter a new phase of your life with your partner, what are you doing to prepare for your financial future? Often we see clients spending more time on honeymoon planning than taking the time to prepare a financial road map for their new lives together. The subject of money is often the leading cause of divorce. We help educate our newly engaged or married couples on effective ways to communicate about finances and put in place a plan that helps them achieve their financial objectives and protect their future from the unexpected.

You may not have accumulated much money at this point in your life, so term life insurance products might be your best value. In simple terms, having term life insurance guarantees, for that certain term of 10, 15 or 20 years, that in the event of the insured’s death, a death benefit will be paid to the insured’s beneficiaries.

Or you may want to consider permanent insurance such as whole life insurance or universal life insurance. In addition to providing a death benefit, these insurance products also provide features allowing the cash value of the policy to be accessed for various financial needs such as college tuition, a down payment on a home, business opportunities and more.

Disability income insurance is also a consideration in the event you’re unable to work for a length of time due to illness or injury.

* The product features, benefits, and limitations associated with a particular insurance policy will vary from product to product and from state to state.

Guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Premiums are based on the age of the insured at nearest birthday and specified underwriting classification and are subject to change without notice. Guarantees that term life premiums will remain level apply only to the stated term of the policy. Withdrawals and loans from life insurance policies will reduce the death benefit and cash surrender value. In addition, withdrawals may incur substantial charges and tax penalties. Certain policy loans may result in currently taxable income and tax penalties. Withdrawals and loans from a universal life insurance policy may cause loss of the no lapse guarantee.

Buying a home?

Congratulations on your impending or recent purchase. While many consider a home their largest asset, it often is their largest liability when considering the primary mortgage and home equity lines of credit if applicable. As a homeowner you have likely received many offers for mortgage protection insurance and more time than not these programs are expensive and do not provide the flexibility of purchasing a product specific to your situation and health.

* Insurance policy guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Term life premiums are based on the age of the insured at nearest birthday and specified underwriting classification and are subject to change without notice. Guarantees of level term life premiums apply only to the stated term of the policy.

Having a baby?

What can you do to protect your expanding family?

Congratulations, your family is growing with the arrival of its newest member! Someone else is now dependent on you to provide all of life’s necessities. To help protect your growing family, you might want to consider:

  • Participating Whole Life Insurance – Offers permanent protection to help family remain financially secure if you are not there.
  • Term Life Insurance – Offers protection for a fixed period of time and can be ideal for those concerned about protecting mortgage payoffs, college funding or income replacement in the event of an untimely death of a parent.
  • Disability Income Insurance – Helps provide financial protection in case you are injured and cannot work for a period of time.

Having a Child with Special Needs

As the parent of a child with special needs, you are aware of the ongoing financial and medical help your child will require. Our consultants will help you choose a company with experience in this particular area of planning, coordinating our services with your legal and tax experts if necessary. Alternatively, we can make recommendations. How will you continue to support your special needs child’s financial and medical requirements if you are not there?

A special needs child can get a number of significant advantages from a properly crafted special needs trust and life insurance plan, including:

  • Ensuring enough lifetime care and support
  • Preserving your child’s eligibility for public assistance programs like Medicaid and Social Security
  • Assigning a person to look after your child’s financial
  • Safeguarding family harmony

An affordable substitute for supporting a special needs trust may be life insurance. You must determine how much income your child is expected to require over the course of his or her lifetime in order to make sure the trust is sufficiently financed.

* From product to product and from state to state, different insurance policies will have different product features, benefits, and limitations. Guarantees are predicated on the issuing insurance company’s capacity to pay claims. Policyholders of participating life insurance policies may get dividends. Dividends can be used to pay back loans, buy more insurance, lower the payment, or receive cash. Dividends aren’t always promised. Premiums are subject to vary without prior notice and are based on the insured’s age at their nearest birthday and the designated underwriting classification. Only the stated duration of the policy is covered by the guarantees of level term life premiums. No specific legal advice or state-specific law should be inferred from the material supplied. If you are the parent of a child with special needs, you should get counsel from an experienced lawyer about your particular circumstances.

 

Are you changing jobs?

Changing employment can be an exciting but stressful moment, with many variables to consider.

Health Insurance:

  1. Existing Coverage End Date: Confirm when your existing health coverage ends. It may be the day you leave your employment or the end of the month, although this can vary by employer.
  2. New Employer’s Plan: Review the health insurance plan supplied by your new job in detail. Evaluate the premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket payments, and the network of physicians and hospitals accessible.
  3. Coverage Gap: Be aware that some employers have a waiting period before new coverage begins. If your previous coverage finishes before your new coverage begins, you may require interim insurance.
  4. COBRA: If there is a large gap in coverage, you could pursue the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), which allows you to keep your current coverage for a limited time. This can be pricey, as you normally pay the entire rate, but can be a suitable short-term solution.
  5. Healthcare Needs: Consider your current and future health care needs. If you have a chronic ailment, regular prescriptions, or other continuing healthcare needs, be sure these are covered under your new plan.
  6. HSA or FSA: If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) with your present workplace, learn how shifting jobs effects these accounts.
  7. Marketplace Options: Depending on your position, you can discover more suitable or affordable options in the health insurance marketplace.
  8. Dependents: Keep in mind how a change in insurance may influence any dependents on your existing plan.

Life Insurance:

  1. Evaluate Current company’s Plan: If your current company provides life insurance, find out what happens to your policy when you leave. Some plans may enable you to continue coverage provided you pay the premiums, while others may not.
  2. Review New Employer’s Life Insurance: Similar to health insurance, you’ll want to research any life insurance offerings from your new workplace. Consider how much coverage is supplied, the cost, and whether it’s adequate to satisfy your needs.
  3. Consider Personal Life Insurance: Relying entirely on employer-provided life insurance may not be sufficient for your needs. Remember, when you leave a job, you could potentially lose that coverage. Owning a personal life insurance policy guarantees you have constant coverage.
  4. Evaluate Your Needs: Life changes, like a new job, can often provoke a desire to reevaluate your life insurance coverage. Do you have enough to support your family, pay off your mortgage, or cover your children’s education expenditures in the event of your death?

As a health and life insurance broker, we can help you navigate these choices and identify the best solutions for your individual needs. Remember, insurance isn’t just about protecting yourself—it’s about offering peace of mind for you and your loved ones.

Have you begun planning for your child’s college education expenses?

Have you started, but not sure if your current strategy is working?
Have you ever wondered what would happen if your child was fortunate enough to obtain a scholarship?

  1. Permanent Life Insurance Policies: These types of policies, such as whole life or universal life, have a cash value component that grows over time. You can borrow against the cash value of the policy to help pay for college expenses. It’s important to understand that loans will reduce the death benefit if not repaid, and borrowing too much could cause the policy to lapse.
  2. Life Insurance as a Financial Aid Strategy: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) does not consider life insurance cash value when calculating a family’s expected financial contribution. This means that, unlike assets such as savings accounts or investments, money saved in a permanent life insurance policy won’t hurt your child’s chances of receiving financial aid.
  3. Protecting the Family’s Financial Stability: A key benefit of life insurance is to provide for your family financially in case of your death. Term life insurance, while it doesn’t have a cash value component, can be an affordable way to ensure that there’s enough money to pay for your child’s education if something were to happen to you.
  4. Guaranteed Insurability: Some permanent life insurance policies have riders that allow additional insurance to be purchased at a later date without proving insurability. This can be a way to provide additional funds for your child when they go to college, whether for tuition, living expenses, or to start their life after graduation.
  5. Building Financial Responsibility: A permanent life insurance policy can also be a teaching tool for your child. Some parents purchase a small policy for their child and then allow the child to take over the payments once they’re working. This can teach them about financial responsibility and planning for the future, and they may even be able to use the cash value for college expenses.

While life insurance can be a part of college planning, it’s important to remember that it is primarily for providing a financial safety net in the event of your death. Other savings strategies, such as 529 college savings plans, should also be explored, as they are specifically designed for educational expenses and offer tax benefits.

As with all financial decisions, each family’s circumstances are unique, so it’s crucial to speak with a financial advisor or life insurance professional to explore the best strategies for your particular situation.

Are you going through a Divorce?

Divorce can significantly affect your life and health insurance situations. As a life and health insurance expert, I’d suggest the following considerations during this transition:

Health Insurance:

  1. Understand Your Current Coverage: If you are covered under your spouse’s plan, you’ll need to find a new health insurance plan. You typically have 60 days from the date of your divorce to get coverage through a Special Enrollment Period.
  2. COBRA: The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) allows you to continue under your ex-spouse’s employer’s health insurance plan for up to 36 months. However, you’ll be responsible for the entire premium plus an administrative fee, which can be expensive.
  3. Employer Plan: If you work and your employer offers a health plan, this might be a good time to explore that option.
  4. Health Insurance Marketplace: You can purchase coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Depending on your income, you might qualify for subsidies to reduce your premiums.
  5. Medicaid: Depending on your income and the state you live in, you may qualify for Medicaid.

Life Insurance:

  1. Review Beneficiaries: You’ll likely want to update the beneficiaries on your life insurance policies. Your ex-spouse might currently be listed as the primary beneficiary.
  2. Policy Ownership: If you own a policy on your ex-spouse’s life (or vice versa), decide whether you want to keep it. You might choose to transfer ownership or simply let the policy lapse.
  3. Coverage Needs: Your life insurance needs may change post-divorce, particularly if you have children. Ensure your coverage is adequate to support your dependents if something were to happen to you.
  4. Child Support and Alimony: If you are required to pay child support or alimony, you may need to maintain life insurance as a guarantee. Your ex-spouse could be the policy owner or you could own the policy with your ex-spouse as a beneficiary.

Remember, divorce affects everyone differently, and your needs might vary based on your personal circumstances. A life and health insurance expert can help you navigate these changes and ensure that you’re properly covered during this transition period.

Are you about to become a grandparent?

Congratulations to you during this exciting time.

What financial protection can you give to your family’s next generation?

Now is a great time to consider the following:

  • Leaving a legacy for your loved ones.
  • Making sure your child has adequate life insurance coverage.
  • Building funds for tuition expenses.

Leaving a legacy

Here are a few ways you can strategically use life insurance to leave a lasting financial impact:

  1. Income Replacement: The most direct way life insurance can provide for your family after your death is by replacing lost income. This ensures your family can maintain their lifestyle without your earnings.
  2. Estate Planning: Life insurance can be a part of your estate plan. A life insurance policy’s death benefit can provide liquidity to pay estate taxes and other debts, protecting the assets you wish to leave to your heirs from being sold off or diminishing in value.
  3. Wealth Transfer: Life insurance can serve as a vehicle for transferring wealth to your beneficiaries in a tax-efficient manner. The proceeds from a life insurance policy are typically income tax-free and can be estate tax-free if the policy is owned properly, such as in an irrevocable life insurance trust.
  4. Charitable Giving: If you have a favorite charity or cause, you can name them as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy. This is a great way to leave a significant charitable legacy.
  5. Business Succession: If you’re a business owner, life insurance can help ensure a smooth transition of the business upon your death. For example, in a buy-sell agreement, a policy can provide the cash necessary for a partner or a group of employees to purchase your share of the business.
  6. Education Funding: You can use life insurance to provide for the education of your children or grandchildren. Some permanent life insurance policies have a cash value component that can be used during your lifetime to assist with education costs.
  7. End-of-Life Expenses: Life insurance can help cover final expenses, such as funeral costs, so your family doesn’t have to worry about these at a difficult time.
  8. Creating a Family Trust: You can use life insurance to fund a trust for your family, which can provide for future generations. Trusts can be tailored to your specific wishes and goals.

Remember, the exact strategy you use will depend on your personal circumstances, goals, and existing financial plan. It’s important to work with a financial advisor or life insurance expert who can guide you through the process and help design a plan that suits your unique needs.

Own your own business?

If you’re a business owner, the role of insurance becomes even more crucial, not only for your personal protection but also for the survival and continuity of your business. Here’s some advice on the types of insurance you should consider:

Health Insurance:

  1. Group Health Insurance: Offering health insurance to your employees can attract and retain quality talent. Group plans can be more affordable for employees and there can be tax advantages for businesses.
  2. Health Savings Account (HSA) or Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA): These are health payment plans that employers can offer to help employees with out-of-pocket medical expenses. They also have tax advantages.

Life Insurance:

  1. Personal Life Insurance: You should have a personal life insurance policy separate from your business to ensure your family’s financial security. The death benefit could replace lost income or pay off personal debts in the event of your death.
  2. Key Person Insurance: If your business relies heavily on one or a few key individuals (like yourself or a key employee), this insurance can help cushion the financial impact if that person were to die unexpectedly.
  3. Buy-Sell Agreements Funded by Life Insurance: If your business has multiple owners, a buy-sell agreement funded by life insurance ensures that remaining owners have the funds to buy the deceased owner’s share, making the transition smoother.

Additional Insurance Types to Consider:

  1. Disability Insurance: It’s also crucial to protect yourself and your income if you were unable to work due to an illness or injury. Consider both short-term and long-term disability insurance.
  2. Liability Insurance: This covers legal issues related to accidents, injuries, and claims of negligence. It’s critical for protecting your business assets.
  3. Workers’ Compensation Insurance: If you have employees, you’re usually required to carry workers’ comp insurance to cover lost wages and medical treatment resulting from an employee’s work-related injury or illness.
  4. Professional Liability/Errors & Omissions Insurance: If your business provides a service, this type of insurance can protect you from negligence claims due to harm caused by mistakes or failure to perform.
  5. Property Insurance: If you own a building or have business personal property, including office equipment or tools, you should consider a policy that will protect you in the event of a fire, vandalism, theft, smoke damage, etc.
  6. Business Interruption Insurance: This compensates you for lost income if your company has to vacate the premises due to disaster-related damage.

Remember, the specific needs of your business can vary greatly depending on its size, the industry in which it operates, and the state laws where it’s located. It’s important to consult with an insurance professional to ensure you’re adequately covered.

Job Loss

We are sorry to hear about your job loss. It’s a hard circumstance, but there are strategies to manage your life and health insurance during this time. Here’s some suggestions to help you navigate:

Health Insurance:

  1. COBRA: The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) permits you to continue your employer-sponsored health coverage for a specific amount of time, often 18 months. You pay 100% of the premiums, plus a tiny administrative fee, which can make this choice pricey.
  2. Spousal or Domestic Partner’s Plan: If your spouse or domestic partner gets health insurance through their employer, you might be allowed to join their plan.
  3. Medicaid: Depending on your income and your state’s restrictions, you might qualify for Medicaid, a state-run health insurance program that provides free or low-cost coverage.
  4. Health Insurance Marketplace: You can buy a plan directly from a health insurance marketplace. Losing your work qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period, allowing you to enroll outside of the regular Open Enrollment Period. Depending on your income, you may qualify for subsidies that might cut your monthly rates.

Life Insurance:

  1. Conversion Options: If you have life insurance via your workplace, check if you can convert it to an individual policy. Be advised that premiums may be higher for a comparable individual policy.
  2. Term Life Insurance: If you’re in generally excellent health, a term life insurance policy can be a cost-effective option to ensure your loved ones are protected financially if you die unexpectedly.
  3. Reevaluating Needs: Given your shift in circumstances, you may need to reassess your life insurance needs. You may want to consider issues like the loss of your salary, job search fees, and any severance or unemployment benefits you’re receiving.

General Advice:

  1. Budget: With a loss in income, you might need to reassess your budget to ensure you can meet your insurance rates.
  2. Don’t Let Coverage Lapse: Try not to let your insurance coverage lapse, especially your health insurance. Not only is being uninsured harmful, but it can also make receiving insurance later more difficult and expensive.

Losing a job is stressful, and the insurance ramifications can be difficult. You don’t have to navigate this alone. As a life and health insurance specialist, I’m here to help you understand your options and make the right decisions for you and your family.

Disability

Many people overlook disability insurance, often considering it unnecessary or believing they won’t need it. However, disability can happen to anyone at any time, and the financial implications can be substantial. Here are some reasons why you should consider disability insurance:

  1. Income Protection: The most significant reason to have disability insurance is to protect your income. If you’re unable to work because of an illness or injury, disability insurance provides a percentage of your income so you can keep up with your bills and maintain your lifestyle.
  2. High Probability of Disability: According to the Social Security Administration, more than one in four of today’s 20-year-olds can expect to be out of work for at least a year due to a disabling condition before they reach the retirement age. Accidents happen not only in the workplace but also at home, and illness can strike anyone.
  3. Savings Preservation: Without disability insurance, people often drain their savings or retirement accounts to pay bills when they cannot work. Disability insurance can help preserve these funds for their original purpose.
  4. Worker’s Compensation Isn’t Enough: Many people think that worker’s compensation will cover them if they’re injured, but it only applies to injuries sustained on the job. Most disabilities are not work-related, which means worker’s comp won’t cover them.
  5. Government Benefits Are Limited: While Social Security does provide some disability benefits, they are limited and have stringent qualification rules. The average Social Security disability benefit amount is often not sufficient to replace even half of an average worker’s income.
  6. Employer Coverage May Not Be Sufficient: If your employer provides disability insurance, it’s usually a great benefit. However, these policies often provide only 60% of your income, and benefits from an employer-paid plan are taxable.
  7. Medical Bills and Recovery Costs: Disability often comes with substantial medical bills, and even with good health insurance, the out-of-pocket costs can be significant. Disability insurance can help cover these costs and others related to recovery, such as modifications to your home or car.
  8. Self-Employment: If you’re self-employed, your business could suffer if you’re unable to work. Disability insurance can help you keep your business running while you recover.

Remember, disability insurance is not a luxury but a tool to ensure financial stability and security. Everyone has different needs, so it’s essential to discuss your options with a professional to make sure you’re adequately covered.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter