How Life Insurance and Income Tax Impact One Another

You purchase life insurance to provide for your family in the event of your death. You want to make sure they get the full amount. That means planning a method that goes untaxed. Five Star Insurance Agency in Fords, NJ wants you to understand how your life insurance policy affects your total estate and why, depending on the scenario, your beneficiaries might get taxed.

Typically, a life insurance payment goes untaxed. The death benefit does not count toward taxable income. The exception to this occurs when the life insurance benefit comprises part of a larger estate. Currently, the US tax law sets this cap at $11.4 million.

For many executives and those with accumulated wealth, life insurance can easily drive an estate above the 11.4 million mark. That’s when placing your life insurance policy in a trust becomes vital. You can protect your investment and your beneficiaries’ benefits by placing the policy in an irrevocable trust.

Also, check your state’s estate cap. Each state uses its own and if you move, the new cap applies. Your beneficiaries could owe money on state taxes.

Your beneficiaries could also end up paying taxes if you, as the policyholder, arrange for the insurance company to “hold the policy” for a short time. Your beneficiary will pay taxes on any interest earned during that period.

Contact Five Star Insurance Agency in Fords, NJ for help planning your life insurance and your estate. We can help you find the right mix of investments and policies to protect your family and provide an untaxed death benefit for them in the case of your demise.