Sunday, June 28, 2009

10 Life Insurance Myths


By Rob Ford

Life insurance can be as complicated as you want to make it. As simple as term life policies are there are many elements to be considered carefully in order to arrive at the correct type and benefit in Akron Ohio . It is the technical aspects of life insurance that most people can deal with rather than trying to get a handle on how much coverage they need and why.

What you read will briefly take a look at the some of the most common myths surrounding life insurance and the truths that they distort.

Myth No.1: I'm single and don't have any dependents, therefore I don't need any coverage. Even a single person needs at least enough life insurance to cover the costs of personal debts, medical and funeral bills. If you are uninsured, you may leave a legacy of unpaid expenses for your family or executor to deal with. Plus, this can be a good way for low-income singles to leave a legacy to a favorite charity or other cause.

Second Myth: I'm single with no kids, with that being said, why should I spend money on life insurance? As a single person, there are still your final expenses, that is reason enough to have life insurance. If you are uninsured in Akron Ohio, you may leave a burden of these expenses for your family or executor to deal with. Moreover, this can be a good way for low-income singles to do something good for their favorite charity.

Third Myth: My life insurance coverage, through my employer, is sufficient. This could be. For a single person and few bills, employer-provided term coverage is probably enough. But if you have a family, with kids, your needs may be greater. Plus, in most cases, that employer plan does not go with you when you leave that job.

Myth No.4: At least the cost of my premiums will be deductible. Not in most cases. The cost of personal life insurance is never deductible unless the policyholder is self-employed in Akron Oh and the coverage is used to insure the business. Then the premiums are deductible on the Schedule C of the Form 1040.

Fifth Myth: Only if you are the one making the money, do you need life insurance. This sounds like pure nonsense. The deceased homemakers responsibilities can cost higher than you think, the costs for cleaning and daycare could run over one thousand dollars per month.

Myth No.6: I should ALWAYS buy term and invest the difference. Not necessarily. The cost of term life coverage can become prohibitively high in later years; therefore, those who know for certain that they must be covered at death should consider permanent coverage. The total premium outlay for a more expensive permanent policy may be less than the ongoing premiums that could last for years longer with a less expensive term policy.

There is also the chance of being uninsurable, which could be disastrous for those who may have estate tax issues will use life insurance to pay them. But this risk can be eliminated with permanent coverage, which can become paid up after a certain amount of premiums have been paid and then remains in force the rest of your life.

Myth No.7: Variable universal life policies are always superior to straight universal life policies. Many universal policies pay competitive interest rates, and variable universal life (VUL) policies contain several layers of fees relating to both the insurance and securities elements present in the policy. Therefore, if the variable sub accounts within the policy do not perform well; the variable policyholder may well see a lower cash value compared to a non variable universal life policy.

Sub par market performance can also generate substantial cash calls inside variable policies that require additional premiums to be paid in order to keep the life insurance portion of the policy in force.

Eighth Myth: Only the one making the money needs life insurance coverage. This is pure nonsense. The cost to replace the responsibilities that were provided by a deceased homemaker can be higher than you think; the costs for cleaning and daycare are higher than you think.

Ninth Myth: When purchasing term in Akron Ohio always add the return of premium (ROP) benefit. There are several different levels of ROP riders available for policies that offer this feature. Some financial advisors will tell you that this rider is not cost-effective and should be avoided. Whether you include this rider will depend on your risk tolerance and other possible investment objectives.

A cash flow analysis will reveal whether you could come out ahead by investing the same amount of the rider elsewhere instead of including it in the policy. Riders are available to provide additional benefits that help you customize your policy.

Myth No.10: I'm better off investing my money than buying life insurance of any kind. Complete nonsense. Until you reach the breakeven point of asset accumulation, you need life coverage of some sort, barring the exception discussed in Myth No.5. Once you amass $1 million of liquid assets, you can consider whether to discontinue, or at least reduce, your million-dollar policy. But you take a big chance when you depend solely on your investments, especially if you have dependents. If you die without coverage for them, there may be no other means of provision after the depletion of your current assets.

In conclusion, these are just some of the more prevalent misunderstandings concerning life insurance that the public faces today. The key concept to understand is that you shouldn't leave life insurance out of your budget unless you have enough assets to cover expenses after your death.

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