Paying for Healthcare in Retirement Problem Solved

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are thinking about retirement. Like many Baby Boomers, they face the challenge of saving money for retirement and managing future healthcare costs. The Johnsons find themselves with insufficient personal savings to pay the bills if one of them gets sick. To protect themselves and cover this long-term care gap, they could purchase a standalone LTC policy so that they don’t have to experience a financial shortfall should an LTC event take place for either of them during retirement.

After some exploration, the Jonson’s decided that a standalone LTC policy didn’t provide enough flexibility for them and had potentially increasing premiums that lasted too long.  They also didn’t like the fact that if the traditional LTC coverage is never used, they get nothing for the premiums paid.  In other words, they didn’t like the “use it or lose it” nature of traditional LTC coverage.

Instead, they opted to add a chronic illness rider* to a permanent life insurance policy which would allow the death benefit to be used for care while living.  If not used for care, the (remaining) death benefit provides a tax-free payment to the beneficiary.  Unlike traditional LTC, these hybrid-type solutions can be structured to have short premium payment periods and the premiums can be structured as  guaranteed.  And many plans have a significant surrender value if the clients decide coverage is no longer needed.

The Solution

Female, age 60, Issued Preferred Non-smoker

Male, age 60, Issued Preferred Best Non-smoker              

Each Policy:

• $500k level death benefit with a Chronic Illness Rider, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the owners of their own policies and the beneficiaries of each other’s 
• Guaranteed Universal Life Policy 
• $10,942 annual premium for her and $10,912 annual premium for him – Payable for 20 years, with no premium thereafter, and coverage remains inforce through age 105 – guaranteed

First Year Target Premium for Both: $20,300

*Interesting note: An LTC certification is not needed to sell most chronic illness riders on a life insurance policy. 

Estate Problem Solved

Dorothy is a retired executive with a considerable amount of assets and a complicated health history. She already has $5m in life insurance coverage and still has a need to leverage her money more efficiently. She is also concerned about the distribution of her estate, according to her wishes, after her death. While working with an Estate Attorney and a Financial Advisor, it was recommended that she purchase another life insurance policy to be used as a source of liquidity at her death. 

The tax-free death benefit can be used to:

• Pay Dorothy’s estate taxes 
• Create an estate for her beneficiaries 
• Equalize inheritance among her beneficiaries or
• Leverage annual gift tax exclusions 

The Solution

Female, age 69, Issued Standard Nonsmoker due to a complicated medical history

MVP’s Underwriting Director shopped this case to several carriers before an application was written. Most carriers were quoting best case scenarios as Standard with a T6-8 rating. The carrier that won the business used a healthy life-style crediting program as well as table shaving to get the case to Standard. 

The Policy:

• $1.5m level death benefit with a Lapse Protection Rider, Dorothy’s irrevocable trust is the owner and beneficiary
• Universal Life Policy 
• $38,000 annual premium 

First Year Target Premium: $41,500