Whole life insurance, also known as "whole of life" insurance, "conventional life" insurance, "endowment life" insurance or "fixed annuities," is a permanent life insurance policy that is guaranteed to stay in force throughout the life of the insured, usually for the life of the insured. If premiums are paid up to the current premium limit, at the conclusion of the insured's life, then the policy is paid out, the death benefits are received, and the insured has paid an agreed upon amount to the beneficiaries of the policy. The policy will continue in effect during the beneficiary's lifetime, provided that premiums are paid.
Paradigm Life whole life insurance policies provide coverage for your retirement expenses, while some may provide coverage for your children's college tuition and living expenses, or to pay funeral costs. Some policies also include savings and investment component, which can be used to build a cash value. The cash value of the policy is separate from the premiums, and when the time comes to withdraw the cash value, the policy holder will receive the same amount of premiums as they paid in. This is a popular type of permanent life insurance policy, since the premium payments can grow tax-deferred over the years, so the money that you withdraw rarely has to be paid tax-side.
One disadvantage of this type of permanent insurance is the fact that the policyholder will not be paying tax on the premiums, since the death benefit is not taxable. In most whole life insurance policies, the death benefit is treated as a deferred income tax that is credited on a tax-deferred basis. This deferred income tax amount is made available to the policyholder upon the policyholder's death. Policyholders may borrow money against the cash value of their policies, but must remember that any loans or repayments made to the insurer will be reported to the IRS as payments to the beneficiary of the policy. When this happens, the beneficiary may have to pay back taxes on these amounts. This can become problematic, if the beneficiary lives in a state that imposes a self-employment tax.
Because whole life insurance policies offer no guarantees, the level of risk that the policyholder is willing to accept varies. Some people want a set amount of money that is tied directly to their investment portfolio. Others prefer a set amount for a period of time, with the investments growing and some amount as a bonus for death benefits. Whichever option you choose is your decision to make, but understand that the level of risk you are willing to endure is determined by weighing the potential return of the investments against the potential loss of those profits in case of the policyholder's death. Learn more about a whole life insurance coverage here: https://paradigmlife.net/blog/what-is-whole-life-insurance/.
Another important thing to consider is that whole life insurance coverage limits itself to cash value, so most policies make sense only in term life insurance. Also, term life coverage limits itself to "the number of times" the policy can be used, while whole life insurance coverage allows its investments to grow tax deferred until such time as the investments mature. Also, policies make sense only if you intend to utilize the cash value of the policy you purchase. The best policies pay out once the insured has passed away, therefore leaving the family responsible for continuing the benefits.
Another thing to consider is that when a beneficiary receives a lump sum payment from a policyholder, it is called a terminal benefit. A benefit ordinarily terminates upon the death of the policyholder. This lump sum payment could be used to purchase an additional permanent life insurance policy, with the policyholder still paying the premiums. Another thing to consider is that a beneficiary can only receive these payments if they have been designated beneficiaries under the plan. If the policyholder does not designate a beneficiary, then any unclaimed funds will go to the estate of the covered individual's beneficiary. Knowing all of these things can help you make a well informed decision when choosing between permanent life insurance and whole life insurance. If you probably want to get more enlightened on this topic, then click on this related post: https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/economics-business-and-labor/businesses-and-occupations/life-insurance.
