Have you ever noticed that as we get older, we start to worry more than we did when we were younger? The carefree attitude takes a backseat, as you start fretting over managing your finances effectively, saving enough for yourself and your family, and dreading what’s to come.
As you transform (from a kid to an adult to a 50 year old), you worry about everything, from toys, to grades, to whether or not you’ll go to college, to what you’ll do with your life, to getting a job, to marriage – and all the other uncertainties that come with these worries!See what I mean? It just keeps getting more and more complicated. By the time you’re 50, you’ve been working for a long time, your family life is settled, and your kids are growing up. It’s time to look towards the future, and a life where a steady income might not be something you can take for granted.
Yes, I’m talking about retirement. The ‘golden years’, as they’re called, years where you simply relax, and enjoy the fruits of your lifelong labor.Till you reach the age of 50, you tend to overlook the need and the urgency for a retirement plan. It happens to everyone. It’s the illusion of time – you think there’s a long way to go, then suddenly there’s a cake with your name on it that proudly bears the big five-oh, and it hits you that maybe there isn’t as much time left as you thought! If you do belong to Generation X, a recent survey suggests that more than half of those in your age group consider retirement planning their primary financial goal.
Once you do start putting a retirement plan in place, consider a life insurance policy as part of that plan. I think the sheer versatility of a life insurance policy and the options it offers make it a vital cog in the retirement portfolio wheel.
Why a Life Insurance Policy is a Good Addition to your Retirement Plan
- Cash Value
A life insurance policy, if based on a term (a fixed period), accumulates cash value over time. This accrued value is then handed over to you on the expiration of the policy. So say you are planning on retiring at 65, get a 15 year term policy, and by the time you do retire there’ll be a nice little nest egg waiting for you to save or splurge as per your fancy.
- Insurance
Obviously, if things don’t go to plan, and you meet an untimely end, at least you’ll know your family is covered. The fact that you’re covered in a way that your loved ones are taken care of will be a huge weight off your shoulders. Byron Udell, CEO of AccuQuote – the net-based insurance quotes calculator, had this to say on the subject, “Think about it…if you die before your spouse or other family members who depend on you for financial support, your retirement savings account may not be enough.” A pretty compelling argument, that one!
- Tax-free Loan
Say you need monetary help for some reason, post-retirement. I don’t mean everyday money; I mean a substantial amount because of an emergency. Well, you can borrow against your insurance policy, it’s tax-free, and you don’t even need to repay it. Yay! Free money! Well, not quite. See, the money will be deducted from your final payout, but at least you won’t have that debt hanging over your head because you know it’ll take care of itself.
- Cost
As long as you’re healthy and don’t have any serious ailments, the cost of premiums will be relatively low. Let’s be realistic here people, it won’t cost the same as it would’ve if you were 20 years old, of course, but the costs won’t be prohibitive either. If you’re really fit, then you’re set in this respect, and getting an insurance policy will be a cinch.
- Repayment of Debts
Say you’ve already taken a loan, or a mortgage on the house – a life insurance policy’s payout will help settle those bills. If you have a strong financial standing and no debts, then you can pay for your child’s education, and he or she won’t need to take a student loan and accrue a debt either.
Those then, are the benefits of a life insurance policy for someone who’s about to retire. As you can clearly see, it does make sense, and is an option worth considering.
Those then, are the benefits of a life insurance policy for someone who’s about to retire. As you can clearly see, it does make sense, and is an option worth considering.
