A life insurance trust is a trust that has the power to purchase life insurance policies on the person who establishes the trust (the grantor), the grantor’s spouse, or the trust beneficiaries. The trust owns the life insurance policy and collects the death proceeds when the insured dies. The trustee then distributes the death benefits to the trust beneficiaries according to the terms included in the trust document. The trust document will identify who the trust beneficiaries are, how and when trust beneficiaries may receive distributions from the trust, and how the money in the trust may be invested.
Your life insurance trust may be revocable, meaning that you may make changes or revoke it, or irrevocable, meaning that you may not revoke, alter, or amend the trust once it has been established. The type you choose depends on your individual needs.
Life insurance trusts may be established for a variety of estate planning purposes, including:
- To provide security for your family after your death while providing control over how the death proceeds are invested or distributed to your beneficiaries
- To provide liquidity to your estate to pay debts and obligations, such as estate taxes
However, if the trust is revocable, if you are the trustee, or if the trust is required to use the death proceeds from the life insurance to pay your estate taxes and debts, the entire death benefit may be included in your taxable estate. The resulting taxes can significantly reduce the amount of the death proceeds available for your family. For many, keeping the death benefit out of their taxable estate is a key advantage of establishing a life insurance trust
If you have questions, contact the Experts at Henssler Financial:
- Experts Request Form
- Email: experts@henssler.com
- Phone: 770-429-9166.
Disclosures
The following information is reprinted with permission from Forefield, a division of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. This article is meant to provide valuable background information on particular investments, NOT a recommendation to buy. The investments referenced within this article may currently be traded by Henssler Financial. All material presented is compiled from sources believed to be reliable and current, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The contents are intended for general information purposes only. Information provided should not be the sole basis in making any decisions and is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified professional, such as a tax consultant, insurance adviser or attorney. Although this material is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with respect to the subject matter, it may not apply in all situations. Readers are urged to consult with their adviser concerning specific situations and questions. This is not to be construed as an offer to buy or sell any financial instruments. It is not our intention to state, indicate or imply in any manner that current or past results are indicative of future profitability or expectations. As with all investments, there are associated inherent risks. Please obtain and review all financial material carefully before investing. Henssler is not licensed to offer or sell insurance products, and this overview is not to be construed as an offer to purchase any insurance products.
