>
Preparing for retirement and managing income during retirement remain a major concern for most Americans. Terms like “the new face of retirement”, “bridge job” or “working retired” have taken on new definition as Americans labor past the traditional retirement age and continue to work into their late 60’s and beyond.
The economic crisis continues to be a wake-up call; with typically low savings rate already an issue and as stock and mutual fund holdings decline, U.S. household net worth has fallen to new lows. With unexpected health care costs, inflation concerns and managing or reducing current debt, pre-retirees are making tough financial decisions that will impact their current as well as their future financial lives as many expect to work on average a full decade longer than those already in retirement.
Are you one of the many consumers who are experiencing similar effects on your retirement savings and are looking for answers? Even if you have actively planned and saved, you may be witnessing your hard-earned nest egg cracking right in front of your eyes. It is no wonder that many Americans are feeling financially unstable and are looking for ways to provide financial protection and future security for their family.
Fortunately, there are a number of strategies that may help you get you back on track with your plans. One possible strategy may include permanent life insurance. Life Insurance provides more than just family protection through the death benefit, it can help restore your financial legacy – and make it easier to keep your goals on target.
In addition to the death benefit permanent life insurance provides, there are unique living benefits, including the policy’s cash value that may be especially useful today. The cash accumulated inside the policy can be a source of cash to pay the mortgage or the car loan, improve a home for sale, start a business, pay for college or to supplement retirement income. The policy loans do not need to be paid back – any loan amount and interest due, is deducted from the policy death benefit amount that is paid out at death this reduces the death benefit. Another benefit of permanent life insurance is as a source for long term care health needs; for an insured with a terminal or chronic illness, some or all of the death benefit can be used*, during lifetime, to pay for costs associated with a long term illness.
These benefits help make permanent life insurance even more important to families in the current environment where there is an increased desire for a stable, dependable way to protect loved ones.
* Receipt of accelerated of life insurance benefits may affect your, your spouse or your family’s eligibility for public assistance programs such as medical supplementary social security income (SSI) , and drug assistance programs. You are advised to consult with a qualified tax advisor and with social service agencies concerning how receipt of such a payment will affect you, your spouse and your family’s eligibility for public assistance. Riders are optional and may not be available in all states.
Policy loans and withdrawals reduce the policy’s cash value and death benefit and may result in a taxable event. Surrender charges may reduce the policy’s cash value in early years.
Gary R McCarty 
Leave a Reply