Contract terms from 10-40 years. Guaranteed level death benefit and level premiums for the duration of your contract. It builds no cash value. The lowest cost option available. Ideal for young families who need a high face value and a lower premium.

The most used universal life option is an IUL or Indexed Universal Life policy. This option is flexible, which allows policyholders to skip or reduce premiums if there is sufficient cash value. Performs well over longer periods as interest crediting is based on market performance. Multiple indices are available to choose from, and we generally recommend a mix that provides balance. Typical net IRR ranges from 5.8-7.2% (if funded properly). Requires an annual review versus the “set it and forget it” style of whole life. Will have a 0% floor for protection during market downturns but will also be capped 11-12% on the upside. Guaranteed Universal Life is another option. It provides a low-cost permanent death benefit, but it will not build much cash value. One real world use case would be in a “second to die” policy for estate-tax liquidity. PPLI, or private placement life insurance, also uses the universal wrapper. Instead of choosing from a list of indices, funds are directed to an IDF (insurance direct fund). The IDF will hold investments and is managed by investments advisors to meet and maintain the requirements including diversification and investor control.

Buy a policy with strong conversion privileges (no new medical exam). Covert to a permanent policy later when cash flow is higher, prior to policy or conversion rights expiring.

Getting approved at a young age is an easier process and the cost of insurance is low. Securing a term policy with conversion privileges won’t take much out of your pocket and will set you up for the future.

Rarely. You will pay at least double and maybe triple what standard term policy premiums would be without the ROP rider. We would recommend a standard term policy and investing the difference in a vehicle that will provide better returns.

This is used when someone looking to obtain a policy is illiquid or when they can make a better return on their money investing elsewhere (most commonly the latter). Current spreads are between 1-2% after interest crediting inside the policy. We recommend paying the interest on loans for optimal performance. PF will require some collateral to be posted in the early years due to the cash balance shortfall inside the policy, and may require additional collateral in the event of bank rate changes or inadequate policy performance (which is rare when structured properly). Usually around year 15 is when you’ll use the policy to pay off the loans that were given to fund the policy. This is a long-term play and usually there isn’t enough collateral posted to be able to borrow against the policy, though it can be done.

There are many different types of annuities but at the end of the day an annuity is a financial contract with an insurance company. Think of it like insurance on your money. That money can be money you have in the bank, or even money you have in retirement accounts. Annuities provide guarantees. From guaranteed interest rates that exceed current CD interest rate offerings to guaranteed extrapolated lifetime income (almost like a personal pension), to guaranteed long term care leverage and much more. Annuities help provide additional security to a portion of your portfolio so that you can more effectively continue to invest and divest the rest of your wealth in ways that grow it effectively and move it into future generations efficiently.

Death benefits from life insurance contracts are income-tax free. It could still be a part of your estate if not structured properly. We use ILITs (irrevocable life insurance trust) + Crummey letters to move it out of your estate. This provides liquidity for your beneficiaries to take care of estate taxes.

Yes, for permanent policies that build cash value, you can borrow against that value with your insurance carrier. Usually, you will have options between a fixed and variable interest rate. If your policy was designed properly and you get indirect recognition loans with your carrier, your funds still participate in interest crediting. This means that your policy is still growing tax-deferred even when you take out a loan. There are no strict repayment schedules that must be followed, and there is no underwriting process to gain access to a loan. Common spreads are about 1% after interest crediting in your policy. Policy loans are tax-free. If you choose distributions instead of a loan, you will not have any tax implications until you take out more than the principal amount used to fund your policy.

High early premiums purchase additional paid-up insurance, accelerating cash value growth and minimizing taxable income inside the policy. Generally used for the infinite banking concept to gain early access to the cash value.

We work with all individuals who have a need for life insurance. We help those with a basic need for a death benefit with term insurance up to those in need of jumbo policies ($250M+)

A MEC (Modified Endowment Contract) Is a cash value life insurance policy that does not meet all of the IRS guidelines to make the growth accessible tax free. Oftentimes these policies are looked down on by much of the industry; however, these can be incredible financial instruments if used in the right time and place. A MEC is a cash value life insurance policy that is taxed like an annuity while you are living but still given tax free life insurance treatment upon death. Good uses for MEC’s include easier underwriting for individuals over 59 1/2, enhanced liquidity in the policy for individuals over 59 1/2, and extrapolation of death benefit proceeds to pass assets in a more robust and tax efficient manner.

Usually, a fully underwritten application will require a medical exam, however, we do see fully underwritten applications get approved without exams on a regular basis. The face value of the policy, along with personal health and history are the biggest factors when a carrier determines to order a medical exam. While these policies take longer to get approvals and can be more invasive, they generally provide the best rates and cash value growth.

- Discovery Call (15-30 minutes) with one of our advisors to review goals, net worth, liquidity needs, and some basic underwriting questions
- Review illustrations and concepts our advisors designed after the discovery call
- Formal application and exam
- Policy delivery

Beneficiaries can be individuals, businesses, or even trusts. You can even split your beneficiary designation into percentages and provide a portion of your benefit to one party while giving another portion to another in many states, death benefit proceeds are protected from creditors and predators and in all states death benefit proceeds are tax free (except for some advanced business solution strategies).

Yes. Many clients blend strategies like term insurance for short-term needs with permanent insurance (whole life or indexed universal life) for long-term growth, tax-free access, and estate planning. Depending on your financial goals, we can structure a plan that layers in multiple policy types for protection, liquidity, and legacy.

Absolutely. Business owners often use life insurance for buy-sell agreements, key person coverage, and executive bonus plans. Additionally, advanced strategies like split-dollar arrangements or using an ILIT can create significant tax advantages and succession planning flexibility.

Yes. With proper structuring—like using an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT)—your policy’s death benefit can be kept out of your taxable estate. This is especially important for high-net-worth individuals who may face estate tax liabilities, and the death benefit can provide liquidity to pay those taxes without liquidating other assets.

It depends on your cash flow and objectives. Some clients prefer a “10-pay” or “limited pay” structure to accelerate funding, reduce long-term commitments, and maximize early cash value. Others may choose ongoing premiums for flexibility. We’ll walk you through options based on your goals and tax strategy.

We can review your existing coverage to see if it still meets your needs. Many policies can be improved by converting term to permanent coverage, replacing underperforming contracts, or using a 1035 exchange to move cash value tax-free into a better-designed policy. Our advisors perform policy audits at no cost.