What is the 7-Pay Test in IUL?
If you’re considering an Indexed Universal Life (IUL) policy, especially for cash value accumulation, you’ll inevitably encounter warnings about the “7-pay test” and “Modified Endowment Contracts” or MECs. These terms sound technical and confusing, but understanding them is absolutely critical because violating the 7-pay test can permanently destroy the tax advantages that make IUL attractive in the first place. […]
Long-Term Care (LTC) with IUL
Long-term care is one of retirement’s biggest financial threats. The average nursing home costs over $100,000 annually, assisted living runs $50,000+, and even home healthcare quickly depletes savings. Yet traditional long-term care insurance has a major drawback: if you never need care, you’ve paid premiums for decades and received nothing in return. This is where […]
What is an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT)?
If you’re exploring estate planning strategies, especially with significant wealth, you’ve likely encountered the term “Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust” or ILIT. It sounds complicated and intimidating—and honestly, it is more complex than simply buying life insurance. But for the right situations, an ILIT can save your heirs hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in estate […]
Withdrawals in IUL
While policy loans get most of the attention when discussing IUL cash value access, withdrawals offer a different approach to using your accumulated funds. Unlike loans that you borrow and can repay, withdrawals permanently remove money from your policy—it’s gone for good, along with its future growth potential. This permanence might sound like a disadvantage, […]
Policy Loans in IUL
One of the most powerful features of Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance is the ability to borrow against your cash value through policy loans. This isn’t like applying for a bank loan with credit checks and approval processes—it’s accessing your own money that’s accumulated in your policy over time. Policy loans offer remarkable flexibility. Need […]
Living Benefits in IUL
When most people think about life insurance, they picture one thing: money that goes to beneficiaries after you die. But what if your life insurance could actually help you while you’re still alive? That’s exactly what living benefits in Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance provide. Living benefits transform life insurance from a single-purpose financial tool […]
Policy Riders in IUL
When you buy an Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance policy, you’re getting the base policy—death benefit protection with cash value accumulation. But that’s just the foundation. Policy riders are additional features you can add to customize your coverage for your specific needs and circumstances. Think of riders like options when buying a car. The base […]
Death Benefits in IUL
When you buy an Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance policy, you’re often drawn to the cash value growth potential, tax advantages, and flexibility. But let’s not forget the fundamental purpose of any life insurance: the death benefit that protects your loved ones when you’re gone. The death benefit is the amount your beneficiaries receive when […]
What is a Modified Endowment Contract (MEC)?
If you’re exploring permanent life insurance as a wealth-building tool, you’ve probably encountered warnings about something called a Modified Endowment Contract, or MEC. The term sounds technical and confusing, but understanding it is absolutely crucial if you’re considering using life insurance for anything beyond basic death benefit protection. Here’s the basic idea: The IRS created […]
Overfunding an IUL Policy
If you’ve been exploring Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance, you’ve probably heard the term “overfunding” thrown around. It sounds counterintuitive, right? Why would you want to put more money into an insurance policy than required? Here’s the thing: overfunding an IUL policy is actually a strategic move that can transform your policy from simple life insurance into […]