SERVICES / INSURANCE CONSULTING
A Versatile Multi-Purpose Planning Tool
Two important aspects of financial planning involve managing risk and transferring wealth to the next generation. In many instances, the tax advantages of life insurance make it a preferred vehicle for purposes such as:
- Providing income replacement for your family and business
- Passing family and business wealth to future generations
- Providing supplemental tax-free income for retirement
- Funding business strategies such as buy-sell agreements and deferred compensation programs
- Charitable giving
Making The Most Of Your Insurance Portfolio
Few people are aware that the life, disability and long term care insurance policies they purchased as recently as five years ago might be unnecessarily costly or lacking critical new benefits due to the availability of a new generation of insurance
products. That’s why it’s important to regularly review all of your personal and business insurance coverages.
With years of experience reviewing thousands of complex insurance arrangements, Wealth Impact Advisors has the expertise and proprietary analytical tools to evaluate your policy and the strength of the insurance company that is guaranteeing the policy.
A CLOSER LOOK
AT OUR INSURANCE PLANNING SYSTEM
Whether you are evaluating existing coverage or seeking new insurance, Wealth Impact Advisors uses a four-point system process called Life Assurance 360™ to make certain that your policy fits your current needs and continues to serve its intended purpose for the duration of the policy. The steps below reflect the professional evaluation process you can expect when working with us.
This step involves a due diligence review of:
- The company’s financial strength. We consider over 30 quantitative and qualitative metrics gathered from numerous sources; then assess this objective data in light of the economic environment, accounting practices and regulatory issues to develop a comprehensive financial picture of the carrier. Next we rank the company according to its claims paying ability, overall competence and financial performance, and repeat this process quarterly as new financial data is released.
- The company’s past practices, especially its demonstrated commitment to policy holders in the form of guarantees
- The company’s product portfolio in regard to its suitability for sophisticated planning needs in custom financial, business, and estate plans.
This step involves an examination of the product and plan structure to ensure they are suited to the client’s intended purpose. In the process, we examine the five elements that will have the greatest impact on the overall design of the plan.
- Safety—the degree of protection provided by the death benefit and the equity in the policy
- Flexibility—the ability to modify the plan as needs and circumstances change
- Equity—the ability to accumulate accessible cash value in the policy
- Certainty—the degree of certainty that policy design parameters will perform as expected, including an examination of the product’s potential performance in a variety of circumstances using stress tests
- Competitiveness—The product’s relative price and quality competitiveness with other similar products in the marketplace
The life insurance application process can produce many unintended results if it is not managed proactively and with the proper level of expertise. We have found that the key to avoiding unwanted surprises in this critical step is to have knowledgeable professionals advocating at the insurance company level on your client’s behalf.
Using our knowledge of how insurance company underwriters, medical directors and actuaries make decisions, we leverage our insight to confidentially represent, clarify and coordinate the details of the client’s application throughout each phase of the underwriting process.
By proactively addressing negative information, we position your client’s information in a positive light to the insurance company and remove as many surprises as possible to obtain favorable underwriting offers that can effectively lower the cost of insurance.
Without proper maintenance, even the soundest structures are prone to failure. That’s why we believe that the final element in crafting a sustainable insurance plan is ongoing maintenance.
In addition to continuous monitoring of the client’s policy, annual reviews should convey critical information required for the upkeep of the plan, including:
- Comparing the policy’s current performance with the most recent design specifications to determine if any recalibration is required in regard to death benefit, premiums or asset allocation of sub-accounts
- Summarizing and reporting policy activity since the last policy review
- Updates on the insurance company’s financial strength
- Updates on new or beneficial policy features available
SERVICES / LIFE SETTLEMENTS
Situations may arise when you no longer need or want your life insurance policy, generally due to:
- Changes in your planning needs (e.g., retirement income needs, changes in estate taxes, business changes, etc.) and/or;
- Changes in the policy structure (e.g., carrier-imposed premium increases, reduced duration of coverage, and other policy performance problems)
When these situations occur, we work with you and your advisors by first analyzing the existing policy and examining the potential for a life settlement. Based on our findings and your objectives, we provide detailed analyses and recommendations of various options that may include:
- Allow the policy to lapse
- Surrender the policy for cash value
- Restructure the policy
- Exchange for a new life policy or an annuity
- Pursue a life settlement when a higher net value seems likely
In a life settlement agreement, the current life insurance policy owner transfers the ownership and beneficiary designations to a third party, who receives the death proceeds at the passing of the insured. As a result, the buyer has a financial interest in the seller’s death. When an individual decides to sell their policy, he or she must provide complete access to his or her medical history, and other personal information, that may affect his or her life expectancy. This information is requested during the initial application for a life settlement. After the completion of the sale, there may be an ongoing obligation to disclose similar and additional information at a later date. A life settlement may affect the seller’s eligibility for certain public assistance programs, such as Medicaid, and there may be tax consequences. Individuals should discuss the taxation of the proceeds received with their tax advisor. Valmark Securities, Inc. supervises all life settlements as a security transaction. Valmark Securities, Inc. and its registered representatives act as brokers on the transaction and may receive a fee from the purchaser.
ARE YOU READY TO GET STARTED?
Wealth Impact Advisors, LLC
E: info@teamwia.com
33 Merz Blvd Suite 100
Fairlawn, OH 44333
P: 330.865.3545
F: 330.319.8959
Securities offered through Valmark Securities, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Valmark Advisers, Inc., an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. 130 Springside Drive, Suite 300, Akron, OH 44333-2431 · (800) 765-5201. Wealth Impact Advisors, LLC is a separate entity from Valmark Securities, Inc. and Valmark Advisers, Inc.
