I believe it’s important to talk with every client we serve about life insurance. This discussion is not designed to sell something to them, though many begin to put up an emotional wall when I raise the subject. My motivation is simply to confirm they have something in place. If at all possible, I want to avoid telling a surviving spouse I never talked about it with their wife, husband, or partner after a funeral.
Are you financially prepared if your husband or wife dies? Based on the results of a study commissioned by New York Life, the answer is a resounding No! 68% of women survivors and nearly half of male survivors reported significant life changes following the loss of their spouse with financial concerns topping the list.
Last week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the results of their annual study on families and how they’re doing economically. It wasn’t great news! Average household income for 2012 to 2013 is down by $103 to $65,069 before taxes, but their expenses increased by $777 a year to $51,408. Contributing the most to the increase in expenses were transportation costs ($8,999 a year on average) and kids.
A friend of mine is engaged and will marry soon. The fiancé’s dad passed away recently without any life insurance. This put the family in the position of having to pay for all of the funeral related expenses. With the average cost of a funeral running $10,000 or more, this can put a financial strain on the surviving spouse and adult children at a time that’s emotionally difficult
Sheri and I have been married for about 5 ½ years. Ours is a blended family, this is our second marriage. I have 3 sons and Sheri has a daughter and 3 sons. We’re not quite the Brady Bunch; all of our kids are adults, live on their own, and there is no “Alice.” We’ve been blessed with 4 grandchildren, so far, and look forward to more!
?Shopping for life insurance can be prompted by life events. A marriage, your first home, the first pregnancy or the arrival of a new baby are examples of such motivational life events. Regardless of which life event it is that motivates the search, I thought it was appropriate to visit this question, “Which member of a couple should have a life policy?”
Buying a life insurance policy is different than purchasing any other type of insurance policy. Home insurance is pretty straightforward. What amount of coverage does it take to replace the home if it experiences a total loss? Car insurance is not much different. What kind of car, truck or SUV do you drive and what kind of protection do you need to protect you financially if you’re at fault?
?This wasn’t even a legitimate question in the not too distant past. The answer from underwriting was a swift “no” each and every time. If a person had any history of cancer, there was no way they’d get through underwriting.
As Bob Dylan sang, “The times they are a-changin’.”
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