Is it a good idea to invest in whole life insurance
If you are looking for lifelong coverage a whole life insurance policy is a worthwhile investment, but you should have a diverse portfolio, as well as maxed out your retirement accounts. If not, then it is not a sound financial decision. Bear in mind, that a whole life insurance plan is costly and sometimes can take several years to attain reasonable investment returns. If you’re a young adult and earn a high income and want to pass on the money to your loved ones, then it is a good idea too.
In addition to whole life insurance having insurance coverage, they also have an investment component. However, the main purpose of this insurance policy is to pay out a lump sum death benefit to the beneficiary when the policyholder dies. The death benefit makes up a large portion of the policy cost. If lifelong coverage is something that you want to achieve with an insurance plan, then this is the right policy.
How does whole life insurance work as an investment?
When you pay your whole life insurance premiums, a part of it goes towards the cost of insurance, and some towards administrative and sales fees. The remainder goes towards the plan’s cash value. In the initial years, the cost of insurance and fees take up a significant portion of your premium, however, over time, a large part of the amount is contributed towards the cash value. The cash value in a whole life insurance policy is nothing but an investment account that grows at a secured rate over time.
The rate of return is more than enough where your cash value should equal the policy’s death benefit when you turn 100, however, you shouldn’t have made any withdrawals. An easy way to think of your policy’s cash value is the amount of money you would get back for surrendering the policy to the insurer.
In the first ten to twenty years of the plan coverage, the cash value is small, because of the cost of coverage and fees. This makes it a bad investment, but if you’re older, then it is a sound financial investment. If you buy a whole life insurance policy from a mutual insurance company, you may potentially receive dividends as the cash value grows. Since they are owned by their policyholders, the profits will be redistributed as dividends annually.
Whilst the dividends may not be guaranteed, the most reputable mutual insurance companies in the country have frequently distributed them for decades. The policyholder has the option to either take the dividends in the form of cash or use them to pay off premiums or purchase paid-up insurance additions. Paid-up insurance additions to your existing whole life insurance plan will help increase the cash value and death benefit.
Another benefit of a whole life insurance Brampton policy is that the policy’s cash value grows tax-free. Hence, it is often compared to a retirement account. But keep in mind, the contributions made to the whole life insurance plan are not tax deductible.
Additionally, a whole life insurance plan has surrender fees during the initial years of coverage, including no withdrawal restrictions or taking out a loan based on age. This is a benefit as you have complete access to the funds as long as you maintain a large enough cash value. The two main benefits are tax-free growth and death benefit. It is ideal when you are estate planning or looking for another retirement savings plan to maximize your savings.
Whole life insurance is a great alternative for individuals having specific needs, such as having your spouse or common-law partner depend on you financially, or do you have a special-needs child etc. if yes, a whole life insurance plan can give you peace of mind because your loved ones will be secured financially after you die. Moreover, if you have maxed out other investment avenues, a whole life insurance plan is a good option to consider.
To find out more information about whole life insurance, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Rupinder Rai. Our team will more than happy to address any queries that you may have.