Henry Okafor
After I retire, do I still need life insurance?
Just because you’re retired doesn’t mean your finances are in order.
Take into account the following situations that can still be relevant: You might have been forced into an early retirement; you might have made poor investing decisions and didn’t have time to reload your nest egg. Additionally, there can be funeral costs to pay for, you might still have dependent children at home, or you might support a family member financially, such an elderly parent or a sister with special needs.
The bottom line is that if you owe someone money, love someone, or if someone depends on you for financial support, you need life insurance. Furthermore, just because you’re elderly or retired doesn’t mean those three facts aren’t still true.
Do I still need the same amount of life insurance protection that I did previously?
Maybe not if you’ve amassed enough cash and life insurance to replace your income.
However, if you have built up your investments over time, you might have to pay some state or federal inheritance tax when you pass away. There may be a significant state inheritance tax even while there is no federal inheritance tax. Additionally, there can be final debt or a mortgage on the home, as well as probate and administration fees. Therefore, life insurance is necessary to cover financial risks as long as they exist.
If I don’t already have insurance, is it still possible to get one in retirement?
Absolutely. Because you are elderly or older, you are not uninsurable.
Someone in charge of making plans for the 85-year-old family patriarch just gave me a call. They understood that there would be tax due because the estate’s current value exceeded the combined federal exemption limit. For every dollar of taxes paid, life insurance, which costs less than $1, can be used.
If someone has taken a pension with a 100% pay-out and no survivorship provision, it is another reason to obtain the coverage. If that person passes away, the surviving spouse will not get any money. This occurs more frequently than you might think. Another common occurrence is someone getting remarried but neglecting to update the pension beneficiary. The spouse can be supported if they have life insurance.
What else do I need to know about life insurance for retirees?
The advantages of life insurance for the living are rarely brought up.
Let’s say you no longer need the death benefit, but you have a terminal condition and might not have enough money to pay for your care. You can go to the insurance company and request a withdrawal from the policy to pay for the costs of the illness and avert bankruptcy because of the accelerated death benefit provision.
A permanent life insurance policy is another option for saving money that offers a higher rate of return than a low-paying CD or a safe deposit box. It’s a way to invest some money without risk that is only accessible when you need it.
Financial Fit vs. Wealthy What’s the Difference and Why Does It Matter?
Without being financially fit, someone can be wealthy and have a lot of assets or money invested in assets, but such assets won’t be “liquid.” So let me explain. Let’s say you own a house with rising worth on the real estate market. Even if you may have such a large asset, it doesn’t necessarily mean your financial situation is stable in terms of income. You are unable to use that “wealth” to pay for regular expenses.
Take Risks Into Consideration
When I get down with a person, or possibly a couple, my major objective is to learn about their aspirations and needs before giving them a strategy that enables them to accumulate assets while achieving their financial objectives.
However, in this time of advancement, many individuals ignore the risk. Consider a scenario in which you are married and your home—possibly with a sizable mortgage—is your main asset. What if either of you experienced something? Will you be able to maintain the house and pay the mortgage? Or would you need to sell your most priceless item in order to pay for your everyday expenses?
That is where life insurance enters the picture as a crucial element of financial security. It deals with the problem of premature death, a risk factor that shouldn’t be left to chance. In fact, it is a practical and affordable answer for almost everyone. A 20-year $250,000 level term life insurance policy can be purchased for about $13 per month by a healthy 30-year-old. Most of us have room in our budgets for that amount of cash.
What Does a Romantic Partner Want?
What Do Romantic Partners Want was the topic of a Life Happens poll. We also learned that most people choose a partner who is financially stable (64%) above someone who is affluent (16%), which is wonderful news for the majority of us. And we examined everything, including relationships, finances, and attractiveness. Furthermore, I think it is only normal for all of the survey’s listed variables to affect a person’s dating life.
You have to start asking some of the more difficult questions, questions that can make you feel uncomfortable, when things get serious and you want to settle down. For instance, does the other person owe a lot of money or have other financial commitments?
Keep in mind that once you get married and cross the dotted line, you are both responsible for paying off each other’s debts. I’ve seen divorces where one party ran up a sizable credit card debt without telling the other, and then the other partner learns during the divorce process that they are responsible for half of that debt.
In the end, it all boils down to having good financial judgment and asking the correct questions, even when they are challenging. You must enter a long-term partnership with an open mind and ears.
