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Life

Life

Articles:

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3 minutes read

Unraveling the Secrets of Cash Value Life Insurance

Cash Value Life Insurance, also known as permanent life insurance, combines a death benefit with an investment component called the cash value. In a cash value life insurance policy, part of each premium you pay is allocated towards insuring your life, while the remaining portion is dedicated to building up a cash value. The cash value portion of your policy grows tax-deferred, and if structured properly,…

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4 minutes read

Understanding Life Settlement: Recognizing the market value of your life insurance

Many people think of life insurance in rather uninspired terms. They generally consider it a liability and an expense that shows up in cash flow projections, not a true asset. This is sometimes why investors will surrender a policy or let one lapse. But before doing either of those things, policyholders should consider a life settlement. When used strategically as part of a comprehensive financial…

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4 minutes read

Financial and Estate Planning for High-net-Worth Individuals with a Blended Family

In the intricate realm of financial and estate planning, an additional layer of complexity arises when dealing with high-net-worth individuals who have blended families. The challenge lies in striking a delicate balance between the financial needs and goals of each family member, while also ensuring that wealth is strategically managed and preserved for future generations. This blog post aims to illuminate…

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7 minutes read

Understanding Your Retirement Benefits: Things to consider as a BP Executive Preparing to Retire

How do I make the most of my BP retirement benefits? As one of the most lucrative positions in the oil and gas industry, BP executives enjoy exceptional employee benefits. However, navigating these offerings can be overwhelming, even for high-level executives. From cash compensation and severance packages to stock options and bonuses, the array of benefits can be daunting to navigate—especially anticipating…

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6 minutes read

Managing Your 401(k) After Job Transition: Key Considerations & Advanced Tax Strategies

What to do with Your 401(k) after Leaving a Job: Key Considerations & Advanced Tax Strategies When navigating a job transition, whether entering retirement or an unexpected layoff, one crucial aspect that requires careful consideration is what to do with your 401(k) plan. Making informed choices is of utmost importance to safeguard your financial future. By taking stock of your existing plan and…

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5 minutes read

The Clock is Ticking: Why Accredited Investors are Taking Advantage of Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI)

As today's top federal estate tax rate, or "death tax," currently tops out at 40%, proactive planning is needed for high-net-worth individuals who want to avoid nearly half of their estate going to taxes rather than their heirs upon death.1 With sizeable estate tax exemptions currently set to expire on December 31, 2025, combined with today's historically attractive tax rates, there has never been…

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5 minutes read

Inheritance or Legacy?

It takes no planning to leave an inheritance, you just have to pass away owning something. However, most wealthy families are more interested in leaving a legacy, which does require significant thought and planning. The Dilemma John has worked his entire life to achieve success in both his personal and professional life. He wanted nothing more than to create the best life for his loved ones, and worked…

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4 minutes read

Now Is the Time to Review Estate

Wealthy individuals who’ve completed their estate plans may consider the job done. But estate planning is a journey, not a destination. So many factors — personal, financial, and political — can change over time and challenge the effectiveness of even the best-constructed estate plan. That’s why it’s important for high-net-worth individuals to regularly review their plans with financial and estate…

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5 minutes read

How to Create Liquidity by Selling a Business to an ESOP

Selling a closely held business can be an incredibly complex process that requires a lot of thoughtful planning. For business owners, two challenges often come to the forefront: finding a buyer and creating a liquidity event for the business owner. Selling a business to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) can address both of these issues while also creating an incentive for employees. Here’s a…

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4 minutes read

Benefits of Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) for the Ultra-Affluent

Tax rates are currently at or near historic lows. But ask just about anyone and the expectation is that taxes are sure to increase in the future. So, finding tax-efficient shelters for wealth accumulation is important for protecting long-term portfolio value and accomplishing tax planning goals. For the ultra-wealthy, private placement life insurance (PPLI) can provide powerful tax benefits while helping…

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5 minutes read

How grantor trusts (and alternatives) aid estate planning

Grantor trusts have long been a valuable estate planning tool because they allow affluent individuals to separate assets for estate and income tax purposes. But a recent legislative proposal would have radically changed how these trusts could be used, effectively eliminating their tax shelter benefits. Since the initial proposal, this particular section has since been removed, but ideas that surface…

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6 minutes read

Using life insurance to transfer wealth

Good estate planning answers three key questions: Where does your stuff go? Who is in charge? And what are the rules? Life insurance can be one of the most tax-efficient ways to answer these questions because it can limit tax exposure while protecting and facilitating generational wealth. Here’s a look at how you can develop a life insurance strategy that will help preserve your legacy for generations…

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Videos:

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Understanding Life Settlement: Recognizing the Market Value of your Life Insurance

Do you have a life insurance policy that you no longer want or need? Do you have expiring term insurance that you don't wish to convert? Do you have a cash need now and lack the desire to continue paying premiums on your life insurance policy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to learn about the life settlement options available to you. Life insurance is an asset just like anything else you own, and should not be thrown out with the trash if you no longer need or want it. There may be significant market value in that asset. Join our colleague and friend Jamie Mendelsohn, EVP with Ashar Group as we discuss the complexities and considerations associated with the life settlement market.

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Ebooks:

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Using Life Insurance to Transfer Wealth

Using Life Insurance to Transfer Wealth Life insurance can be a useful tool to accomplish many different planning goals. Specifically, if you are investing for a purpose that extends beyond your lifetime like preserving wealth for generations to come then life insurance can be a very attractive investment vehicle. Keep reading to see how a well-designed life insurance strategy can be a tax-efficient way to transfer wealth and protect your legacy.

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How and Why Wealthy Families Use Life Insurance

A different approach to life insurance Many people think about life insurance as financial protection against premature death. The death benefit to be paid is a replacement for lost income and helps keep the family going. But most affluent families aren’t overly concerned with income replacement. Instead, wealthy families use life insurance to protect assets because of the specific tax benefits and ROI it can provide. Including insurance products in a well-diversified portfolio can help investors achieve financial goals for the current family while also protecting wealth for future generations. In essence, there are three major themes when it comes to how and why wealthy families use life insurance: wealth accumulation, leverage, and liquidity. This ebook will explore these themes and offer insights into how to use insurance strategies most effectively.

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