It’s a conversation that over the years, has been dodged and ignored by millions, often until it’s too late. And having relocated to the US and enjoying an improved way of life, it’s probably not at the top of your list of priorities.
You are probably familiar with the term ‘Life Insurance’, however Death Insurance perhaps describes this product better.
A contract between you and a provider, and after contributing to a plan throughout your life, the provider pays a designated beneficiary a sum of money when you die; essentially insuring you against your death.
These plans take the form of a legal contract and often have pre-determined limitations and exclusions such as; an act of war, suicide or civil unrest, to protect the provider.
Providing you with flexibility to meet your changing insurance needs by adjusting the amount of insurance coverage and premiums paid. Universal Life Insurance policies also offer the potential to build cash in your policy on a tax deferred basis which can be accessed through your life should unexpected emergencies arise or to supplement income through your retirement.
As your needs change over time, your policy’s benefit can be adjusted to meet those needs. Indexed Universal Life provides the ability to increase your death benefit within your policy, thereby eliminating the need for multiple policies. Additionally, as your needs shift towards accumulating assets for retirement, you may decrease your death benefit protection and direct your premiums more toward cash value build-up.
Indexed Universal Life offers two death benefit options, Level Death Benefit, where the death benefit remains level throughout the contract, and Increasing Death Benefit, an option that allows the death benefit to increase as the accumulated cash value increases. Should your needs change after you’ve selected a death benefit option, you may switch options.
At Skybound we know that making a decision on which type of Life Assurance cover to setup can be daunting, which is why our team of experienced Advisors are on hand to help you answer the questions most British internationals are asking.
All of our advisors are US licensed Advisory Representatives, meaning they are well placed to advise in all areas of personal financial planning including Life Assurance.
Yes, beneficiaries will be taxed on the tax-deferred interest when they receive those dollars. However, if a beneficiary is the spouse of the owner and the owner dies, he/she may elect to continue the Annuity and postpone taxes.
Yes you can. IRC Section 1035 allows for a tax-free exchange of one Annuity for another. Before you decide to exchange one Annuity for another, you will also want to consider any surrender charges that may be applied upon surrender of the contract as well as the new surrender penalty schedule for the new Annuity you plan to purchase.
Yes, if your Annuity was purchased through a qualified account, such as an IRA, 403(b) or 401(K), all payments will be subject to ordinary income taxes. If your Annuity was purchased with after-tax dollars, you will receive the earnings first, which are taxable as ordinary income.
No. The actual payment you receive will be less than the portion of the death benefit accelerated because the benefits are paid prior to death. Values are based on current interest rates, the age of the policy, and your age and health.
The question you need to ask yourself is - “will I need to access the money before I am 59 ½?” Although you can take a distribution from an Annuity prior to age 59 ½, the distribution may be subject to a 10% premature distribution penalty. If you think you may need to access this money on a more short-term basis, an Annuity may not be the right savings vehicle for you.
In many cases, yes, if the ownership of the two policies is the same. You will need to go through new underwriting for the new coverage. And you may want to consider an exchange under Code Section 1035. 1035 Exchanges allow for a tax-free exchange of one Life Assurance policy for another.
Money taken from an Annuity is considered earnings and is taxable as ordinary income and must be considered in determining taxation of your Social Security benefits. Money received from an Annuity that are a return on premiums paid, are received income tax-free and should not affect the taxation of Social Security benefits.
Yes you can. You may have access to policy cash value through either a withdrawal or as a loan from the assurance company using the policy as collateral.
The idea of buying Life Assurance for your child is something no one wants to consider because it forces us to consider the unthinkable. But purchasing a policy for a child isn't just about having financial protection if the unthinkable happens; it's about ensuring the child's financial future.
Whilst you may not have a spouse who is dependent on you, but what about other family members? Even if no one is dependent on you, you may want to consider purchasing Life Assurance to cover the repayment of debts, taxes, funeral and other final expenses.
You can reach us directly by calling us between the hours of 8:30am and 5pm at each of our respective offices and we will immediately assist you.
Investing involves risk including the loss of principal. No guarantees of investment performance are offered. Your account values will fluctuate and there will be periods involving negative returns. Investing requires a long term time horizon.
The advice provided by Skybound Wealth Management USA, LLC is provided through a registered investment adviser tailored to suit your individual circumstances and risk appetite. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
Skybound Wealth Management LLC is part of the Skybound Wealth Management Group, for all Group regulatory details please visit our regulations page.
Copyright © 2021. Skybound Wealth Management USA, LLC. All rights reserved. Skybound Wealth Management USA, LLC is registered with the SEC: CRD 313358. SEC No. 801-121157.
Check the background of this firm on the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure page.
