Following the death of the policy holder, how proceeds from a life insurance policy are paid to the beneficiary (or beneficiaries) is known as the settlement option. And you might be surprised to learn that there are a variety of settlement options available besides the most common method—a lump-sum payout.
Depending on the life insurance company and policy, these options may be selected by the policy holder ahead of time or chosen by the beneficiary upon the insured’s death. Whether you’re the policy holder or beneficiary, you must understand these options to maximize the policy’s financial benefit and reduce potential taxes.
Here are six popular life-insurance settlement options:
- Lump-sum: The beneficiary receives the full death benefit all at once in a single payment.
- Interest Income: The insurance company retains the original death benefit and makes interest-only payments to the beneficiary. The initial benefit may be paid in full to the beneficiary after a specific time period or to a contingent (alternate) beneficiary upon the primary beneficiary’s death.
- Fixed Amount: The beneficiary is paid a fixed amount regularly until the total death benefit (plus any interest accrued) has been paid out. If the beneficiary dies before all of the funds have been paid, a contingent beneficiary may receive the remaining amount.
- Fixed Period: The beneficiary receives regular payments of both principal and interest over a fixed period of time, typically up to 30 years. If the beneficiary dies before the time period is over, the remaining balance may pass to a contingent beneficiary.
- Life Income: The beneficiary receives guaranteed payments over the remainder of his or her life. The amount of the payments is determined by the insurance company and based on the beneficiary’s age and gender. The payments continue until the beneficiary dies. If he or she dies earlier than expected, the insurance company keeps the unpaid amount.
- Life Income Period Certain: Unlike the life income option above, where payments stop when the beneficiary dies, this option guarantees fixed payments for a specific time period such as 10 or 20 years. If the beneficiary dies before the term expires, a contingent beneficiary may receive the remaining payments.
What about taxes?
Life insurance payouts made in a lump sum are not subject to income taxes. With other settlement options that payout in installments over time, the original death benefit (principal) is not taxed, but any interest that accrues IS taxed as income when it is paid to the beneficiary.
Choosing a settlement option
As Krugler Law, LLC, we can advise you on the settlement option that’s best suited for your particular needs. We can also support you in putting in place planning tools like trusts to protect the proceeds once they’re paid out. Schedule a Family Wealth Planning Session today to learn more.
This article is a service of Krugler Law, LLC. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That’s why we offer a Family Wealth Planning Session, ™ during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before, and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Family Wealth Planning Session and mention this article to find out how to get this $750 session at no charge.