When it comes to financial planning, many people have a wide variety of goals that extend far beyond simply securing a monthly income stream during retirement—which means that standard annuity and life insurance products may fall short. Specifically, many higher-income people are concerned with providing for children and other beneficiaries while also maintaining access to their savings during retirement, so that the surrender charges and tax consequences that are often associated with a traditional annuity can make the products unappealing.

For the right people, a single premium whole life insurance product may provide the gateway for achieving all of their planning goals and more—with the added benefit that these policies can provide a significant tax benefit that generally doesn’t apply to annuities. .

Single Premium Whole Life Insurance Defined

As the name suggests, single premium whole life insurance is permanent life insurance that is purchased with one single payment, rather than through a series of premium payments over time. For many peoples, this payment structure is appealing because it eliminates the risk that premiums will rise to an unacceptable level over time, so that the people may be tempted to let the policy lapse, or that any additional premiums will be required at all.

Because most of these policies will be taxed as a modified endowment contract (because the premiums are paid up front), withdrawals (loans) against the cash value of the product will generally be taxed in the same manner as any other annuity. These loans can also subject the people to IRS penalties if the individual has yet to reach age 59 ½ when he or she makes the withdrawal. Under some policies, the IRS will, however, allow tax-free withdrawals to pay for long-term care expenses.

Despite this—and importantly—the death benefit on a single premium whole life insurance policy passes to the people’s heirs tax-free just like any other insurance product, giving it a substantial advantage over a standard annuity product if the people’s goal is to provide for his or her heirs. Further, the inheritance will avoid probate, thus simplifying the process for the people’s beneficiaries.

Like many other investment products, the cash value of the policy will grow tax-deferred until the funds are accessed or the policy is surrendered. Growth within the single premium whole life policy can be fixed or variable—meaning that the cash value can grow at a fixed rate, or can vary based upon market conditions in the subaccounts that are associated with the policy. .

When the Product Fits

Generally, the ideal candidate for a single premium whole life insurance product is a person who is nearing retirement (or who has retired) and has easy access to the lump sum necessary to fund the purchase. The face amount is generally linked to a multiple of the actual lump sum paid.

It is important that the people allocate funds to the policy that he or she had already intended to pass to heirs—if the people can anticipate a future need for the funds, a vehicle that allows for tax-free withdrawals under any circumstances may be more appropriate. .

Most peoples who purchase single premium whole life insurance will have a specific beneficiary in mind when purchasing the product—many people with special needs beneficiaries or complicated estate issues (such as previous spouses, foreign spouses or others, for instance) are attracted to these types of policies. Because the premiums are paid in advance, the eventual death benefit is guaranteed regardless of whether the people can afford premium payments for the rest of his or her life and may even go up year-by-year.

Conclusion

Single premium whole life insurance is a product that advisors often fail to consider, largely because the associated modified endowment contract tax treatment adds complexity and pay low commissions.

For peoples who have specifically earmarked funds for the next generation and who want to avoid ongoing premium payments, however, the product can provide a valuable solution.  Additionally, the face amount of the policy, and hence value to the estate can also be structured to increase year-by-year without any additional premiums or increased tax filing obligations.  Since build-up in a whole life policy, of any kind, is not subject to ongoing income taxation (in a single premium that is the same as long as the policy stays intact – i.e. no policy loans or surrenders), it does not subject the estate to any additional tax filings.

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