How to Use Life Insurance as a Tool for Charitable Giving

Charitable giving is a powerful way to make a lasting impact on your chosen causes, and life insurance can be an effective tool in this regard. Join us as we delve into various ways to use life insurance for charitable giving and how North Coast Insurance Services in Lexington, MI, can assist you in finding a policy that aligns with your needs.

Leveraging Life Insurance for Charitable Contributions

There are several strategies to incorporate life insurance into your philanthropic efforts, including:

Naming a Charity as a Beneficiary

One of the simplest ways to include charitable giving in your life insurance plan is to name a charity as a beneficiary on your policy. You can designate the charity as the primary beneficiary, where it would receive the full benefit, or as a contingent beneficiary, which would grant it the benefit only if the primary beneficiaries cannot claim it.

Purchasing a Policy for a Charity

Another option is to procure a policy with the charity as both the owner and beneficiary. You would be responsible for premiums, and the charity would receive the policy’s death benefit following your passing.

Donating a Policy to a Charity

If you currently own a life insurance policy you no longer need, you could donate it to a charitable organization. This process would involve transferring ownership to the charity.

Creating a Charitable Remainder Trust

Establishing a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) is another option for transferring assets to a trust. Life insurance can fund the CRT, and the trust can leverage the policy for a future charitable gift.

Discovering Your Life Insurance Policy Options

To learn more about using life insurance as a tool for charitable giving, contact North Coast Insurance Services in Lexington, MI. We’re here to guide you through the choices and assist you in finding a policy that fits your charitable giving goals.

Seven Ways to Plan for a More Secure Future with Life Insurance in Lexington, MI

Short-Term Insurance Policy: What You Need To Know

Are you looking for a time-bound insurance policy that’s valid for a specific duration? You’re at the right place! North Coast Insurance Services is your dependable guide to navigate and understand life insurance coverage options. Here are some tips to help you make an informed decision.

Understand Your Coverage Needs

Initiating the journey towards a more secure future with life insurance starts with evaluating your coverage requirements. This assessment forms the basis of your saving strategy and long-term retirement goals.

Research and Compare Options

Now that you know your needs, it’s time to explore the potential options. Our experienced insurance agents can walk you through the unique features of term life, whole life, universal life, and supplemental life insurance policies.

Obtain a Life Insurance Policy Quote

Once you’ve shortlisted the policies that align with your requirements, the next step is to receive a life insurance quote. These quotes reveal crucial policy details such as premiums, deductibles, and policy limits.

Look for Bundle Discounts

You can save big when you bundle your new life insurance policy with an existing home or automobile insurance policy. Ask about these pooling options when discussing your choices with your insurer.

Maintain a High Credit Score

A good credit rating can help you lower your life insurance premiums. Avoid late payments and manage your debts effectively to maintain a promising credit score.

Review Your Policy Regularly

Life encounters such as a job change, relocation, marriage, or even a death in the family can significantly alter your coverage needs. Regular reviews of your life insurance policy can ensure you have the optimal coverage.

Consult a Local Trusted Agent

Deciphering the complexities of life insurance policies is easier when you engage the professional counsel of a trusted local insurance agent. Connect with the friendly and knowledgeable agents at North Coast Insurance Services in Lexington, MI to explore your best options for coverage and receive a customized quote.

Determining Your Life Insurance Needs: How Much Coverage Is Enough?

Many people in Lexington, MI don’t understand how much life insurance coverage they should have. Understanding how much coverage you need requires careful consideration of your circumstances. North Coast Insurance Services explains how to determine your life insurance needs.

Financial Obligations

First, consider your financial obligations. If you have a spouse, children, or other dependents, you need to think about how much money they would need to continue living comfortably in the event of your death. Consider expenses such as mortgage or rent payments, car payments, credit card bills, and other debts. Add up these expenses and ensure your life insurance policy is enough to cover them. You should also factor in additional expenses such as college expenses for your children, childcare, and other costs that may arise.

Future Financial Obligations

Next, consider your income and the years your dependents will need financial support. If you were to die, how long would it take for your dependents to become financially independent? If you have student or business loans, you need to factor in these future financial obligations when determining your life insurance coverage. Also, consider any future financial goals such as retirement or a down payment on a home. These expenses should also be included in your life insurance policy.

Thinking About Your Lifestyle

If you have health issues or engage in risky activities such as extreme sports, you may need to consider a higher level of coverage. Insurers consider health factors and an individual’s lifestyle when determining premiums and overall risk. 

Determining your life insurance needs requires careful consideration of your circumstances. If you are in Lexington MI, contact North Coast Insurance Services for help calculating the right life insurance coverage for your situation.

Life Insurance Terminology 101: Be Prepared

When you begin your research for life insurance in Lexington, MI, start with the basics. Our skilled agents at North Coast Insurance Services have put together the following glossary of key terms. Use these terms to help you choose the best coverage for your family.

What Is Term Insurance vs Permanent (Whole) Insurance?

Term Insurance pacer beneficiary death benefit if you die within a fixed term of coverage. Beyond this date, the policy has no value.

Permanent (whole) insurance remains in effect throughout your life. Upon your death, your beneficiaries receive a death benefit and any savings, if applicable. These policies build cash value over time.

Additional Life Insurance Terms You Need to Know

Here are a few key terms to remember when it comes to evaluating life insurance:

Agent: Licensed representative who sells you life insurance.

Claim: When a covered event happens, you file a claim to notify the company for reimbursement.

Covered event (peril): Events covered under the life insurance policy.

Policy: Legal document that includes the policy coverage and requirements.

Premium: Amount you pay for life insurance, typically on a monthly or yearly basis.

Underwriter: A professional who reviews your insurance application and determines the amount of risk it holds.

If you have any questions on these or other terminology you see in your paperwork, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.

Finding the Right Life Insurance

Perhaps you already have life insurance. Do you need more information on how to obtain it? Before you decide on the final details of your policy, make a list of all the terms you aren’t sure of. Our team would be happy to help you understand how life insurance works and whether it would work for you.

Contact the agents at North Coast Insurance Services in Lexington, MI today for peace of mind and to ensure that you have the right coverage to protect your loved ones.

Preparing for the Unexpected with Life Insurance

While not all unexpected events turn out to be negative, most of the time, the ones that affect your finances tend to be negative surprises. While you can’t control what happens in the future, a bit of planning can help manage the outcome. That said, with life insurance from North Coast insurance Services of Lexington, MI, you are better-placed to handle what life throws at you (even when you are long gone).

Planning about the future? There are not many better ways to plan your life 10, 20, or 30 years from now than investing in life insurance. Here is how life insurance helps you prepare for the unexpected.

How life insurance helps you plan for the unexpected

The primary goal of investing in life insurance is to protect your financial interests when you pass on. Here is how life insurance helps you protect the things that matter most in life:

  • Protects your dependents when you die: If you have children, aging parents, or siblings that depend on your income, you can protect them by investing in life insurance when you die unexpectedly.
  • Pays your debts even when you pass on: If you have a mortgage, car, or student loan, you don’t have to burden your loved ones when you die. Invest in life insurance, and the proceeds can be used to settle your outstanding debts when you die.
  • Supplements retirement income: You always think that life insurance comes into life when you die. This notion isn’t entirely true — if you invest in whole life insurance, it accumulates a cash value that you can borrow against it.

While you can’t plan for everything in life, there are specific steps you can take to cushion yourself when things become awry. If you want to protect the precious things in life, investing in life insurance is an excellent choice. To get coverage in Lexington, MI, please contact North Coast insurance Services.

How You Can Use Your Life Insurance Benefits

When it comes to mapping out your life financially, life insurance should definitely be part of the plan. This is because the right life insurance policy will help secure a financial future for your family once you pass away. Life insurance won’t just help cover your final expenses, but it can provide a financial safety net for your family by acting as an inheritance or helping to replace your income. Read on to learn some of the ways Lexington, MI residents can use life insurance benefits, and when you’re ready, North Coast Insurance Services can help you find the right policy for you.

Paying Final Expenses

The most popular way for people to use life insurance benefits is to pay final expenses, such as cremation or burial costs, estate settlement expenses, medical bills, and any other obligations that were left unpaid.

Replacing Income and/or Paying Off Debt

When you pass away, you are leaving your family behind without your income. Life insurance benefits can replace that income, allowing your family to still pay the mortgage payment or pay for college tuition. In addition, the benefits can be used to pay outstanding loans and debt.

Inheritance

Some individuals simply purchase a life insurance policy with the sole intention of leaving an inheritance for their loved ones. If this is what you would like to do, make sure that the beneficiary on your insurance policy is the individual you would like to receive the money as an inheritance. This ensures the life insurance benefits go directly to the person who you intended on receiving it.

Charitable Contributions

If you have always been a giver, you may wish to use your life insurance benefits to give to a favorite charity. Like an inheritance, you will want to name the charity as the beneficiary to ensure your charitable goals are met upon your passing.

Life insurance is not something that many Lexington, MI residents want to speak about due to the fact it is such a sensitive topic; however, it is important to secure your family’s financial future. North Coast Insurance Services can help you understand the life insurance options available to you and what may be best suited for the needs of you and your family.

3 main benefits of buying life insurance while young

Around 41 percent of Americans don’t have life insurance. At the same time, 84 percent of Americans agree that people should have life insurance. From this study, it’s easy to point out that the younger people believe they should have life insurance but have not yet got one as they assume they are too young for life insurance. While this is technically true, you can save money and get several other benefits when you buy insurance early. Here are the big three.

You get more money

The younger you are when you buy life insurance, the more time you have to get the most out of your life insurance. Term life insurance in Lexington, MI is generally cheaper than whole life insurance can generate a good amount depending on the agreed duration. However, before settling down on a specific policy, it’s essential to speak to our insurance experts at North Coast Insurance Services to help you pick your type of policy based on your needs.

Young and healthy means good rates

When you buy life insurance at a young age, your premium rates remain the same for that duration of your policy unless you decide to change the coverage limits. You can lock in lower premiums and substantially reduce the amount you would spend on life insurance. Apart from age, health is also a critical determinant of how much you pay for your life insurance. When you are young, energetic, and healthy, you are likely to have a clean health record than older people who may have already started dealing with senior-age illnesses.

Get the peace of mind that your loved ones are protected.

Life insurance provides you with the assurance that your loved ones will be financially stable if you died. If you are in a relationship, you may want to secure the future of your to-be children. They can use the money to pay off a mortgage you took, college fees, or finance your burial expenses.

Looking to buy life insurance in Lexington, MI, soon? Call North Coast Insurance Services, and get a policy that matches your needs.