Life Insurance in the US.

General:

Life insurance is a very important way to protect individuals and families from a financial disaster in an unexpected event of losing their loved ones.
The US senate has recognized the life insurance as one of the most important financial tools to protect the American families, therefore it passed many acts that give huge tax and other benefits to those plans. The lawmakers recognized that it is better to encourage families to purchase life insurance plans. They decided to waive any taxes on life insurance benefits vs. use federal aid funds for uninsured families in need.

Under the Insurance ACT that the senate passed, life insurance companies can offer qualified saving accounts and other products with huge tax benefits under the life insurance umbrella.


For Israelis who plan to purchase a life insurance in the US:

Many Israeli families and individuals are qualified to purchase a life insurance contract in the US. The most common factors that affect the qualification process are:

Citizenship and immigration/visa status.
Gender
Age
Life style
Smoking, drinking and use of drugs.
Medical and family history.
Residency in the US: time already been in the US and future plans.
Assets in some cases.
Criminal and traffic records.

Minimum requirements for Israelis to apply for life insurance in the US:

Must have Social Security Number
Must have a bank account in the US
Must be a resident of the US for a certain time.
Must be a US citizen, Green Card holder or a hold a legal visa to stay in the US.


Israelis that carry life insurance contract in the US for over 2 years (3 years in some states) may keep it even if they choose to leave the US at a later time.


Types of Life Insurance:

Term life insurance

This is the most common policy and the cheapest of all.
Insured are covered for certain years on a certain dead benefits. There are no elements of saving and disability within this policy. The beneficiaries will get the benefits upon the insured death without paying any taxes.
The minimum benefits available are 50K for kids and 100K for adults.
It is common to purchase Term contract for 10-30 years, with an option to continue and be insured until the age of 95-100 without proof of insurability.

This policy is recommended for people with responsibilities for a certain time. Such responsibilities may be:

Give the family 5 years of lost income
Pay mortgage balance
Pay debts (car loans, student loans, credit cards balances).
Pay college tuition for all the kids until graduated.


Term life insurance with cash back.

This Term policy pays all the premiums back (without interest) to the insured if he/she alive at the end of the term.
The cost is about 15% more than the simple Term Life policy.

Capital Term

Term Life insurance plan to age 100 with significant advantages:

1. Option to increase the protection amount at the 3rd, 6th and the 10th year without proof of insurability.
2. The premiums on the 3rd and the 6th yeas additions are calculated based on the original age of the insured.
3. Option to purchase monthly income for the beneficiaries on top of the death benefits. A sample would be income of $5,000 / month for 10 years.


Universal Life
Universal Life Insurance is a flexible-premium, adjustable benefit life insurance policy that accumulates account value.
As with all life insurance, the main purpose for buying a Universal Life insurance policy is the death protection provided to your loved ones at your death.
Benefits of Universal Life
1. Flexibility -- You decide how much life insurance you need -- and subject to certain requirements and limitations, you can adjust the death benefit and premium payments to fit your changing needs

2. Tax-Free death benefit -- Under current tax laws governing individual life insurance, life insurance proceeds are generally income tax free to the beneficiary

3. Tax-Deferred account value growth -- Your policy's Account Value earns interest at the company's current interest rate -- federal income tax deferred.


Whole Life Insurance
Permanent life insurance coverage for as long as you live and continue to make timely premium payments.
With level premiums and the accumulation of cash values, whole life insurance is a good choice for long-range goals. The guaranteed cash values can provide money later on to help with temporary needs or emergencies

Variable universal life insurance?

Variable universal life is a flexible premium life insurance policy, which provides life insurance protection with long-term investment growth potential of the policy's account value. You may increase or decrease planned periodic premium payments, skip premiums or make additional premium payments within limits. You may also increase, subject to insurability, or decrease, within limits, your coverage without having to purchase a new policy.
What are the basic benefits of variable universal life insurance?
Variable universal life insurance offers the following benefits:
· Financial protection for your beneficiaries against your premature death.
· Opportunity to allocate your net premiums among a variety of investment options.
· Federal income tax deferral on any growth in the policy account value.

For more information and free consultation please contact:
Amir Mushkat - licensed life insurance agent in the US
Phone: 301-816-9079
E-mail: amushkat@myrealbox.com

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