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Help in considering how much life insurance you need. Life InsuranceSituation Suggestion
No one likes to think about dying and as a result, many individuals put off making these decisions. Here are some guidelines that can make the process easier. How much life insurance? Single individuals, or married individuals with working spouses, may find their real need for life insurance to be low or non-existent. If no one is dependent on your income to maintain their financial independence, you should carefully consider whether spending for life insurance is the best use of your funds. It could be that your savings and investments will be sufficient to provide survivors with financial security. If others are dependent on your income, life insurance should be part of your financial strategy. There are many complex ways to calculate the amount of coverage you should consider that take inflation, debts, children, retirement plans and estimated investment returns into account. If you want that type of calculation, try some of the insurance websites. If you want a simpler approach, consider that many insurance experts say that a "primary breadwinner" should have coverage equal to six to ten times income. For example, if you have income of $75,000, you may want to have life insurance policies providing $450,000 to $750,000 of death benefits. If you have young children, dependents with special needs, large debts or other special considerations, you may want to be on the high end of this range (or above). For example, if you expect a child to attend a private college, the annual costs could be over $40,000. To cover those expenses, you may want to increase your coverage by some multiple of the annual cost to cover four years of college and to take potential inflation into account. What type of policy is best for you? When evaluating these types of policies, be sure to consider all the costs, the amount of death benefits and ask for a history of what the level of earnings on the "cash value" the insurance company has paid previously. You may find that it makes sense to "buy term and invest the rest." Where can you find life insurance? If you need additional coverage, determine whether you need the consultation services of an insurance agent. Many financial institutions offer insurance through their investment departments and have both term and whole life policies available. Many insurance companies also offer policies directly to consumers through their websites. If you are considering life insurance as part of a sophisticated estate plan, it may make sense to search out the services of a dedicated insurance agent. In any case, be sure to ask questions and get the coverage amount you need with the type of policy you want. Investigate the insurance company and be sure to choose a reputable company. The agent should have ratings reports available on the insurance company. Many public libraries also have these ratings available. Summary |
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