There are times in life when you may need money for important things like paying for your child’s college tuition, making a down payment on a house, or even to take a long family vacation. The interest rates on personal loans can be quite high, so rather than paying the high interest rate you might want to consider borrowing against your life insurance policy. These loans generally have low interest rates and paying the loan back can be postponed, sometimes even indefinitely.
To figure out how much you can borrow, the first thing you need to do is determine what the cash value is on your insurance policy. This amount is usually stated in your monthly or annual statements. Multiply that amount by 90%. You will not want to borrow more than 90% of the cash value. If this amount is sufficient for your borrowing needs then borrowing against your life insurance policy may be a viable option for you to consider.
If you do not have the documentation on your insurance policy regarding the loan and cash-out rules, contact your life insurance company and request a copy. Once you have determined how much you can borrow and what the terms are, you can compare this with other lending offers.
Universal life and whole life insurance policies usually have loan and cash-out policies that are clearly stated. Usually term life insurance policies do not come with loan options, but you should always check with the specifics of your insurance policy to determine what your options are.
|
|
Some insurance policies will require a higher premium with a loan or cash out. Other insurance companies may require a viatical settlement in order for you to receive the loan. If there is any unpaid balance or interest left on the loan this amount will be subtracted before any payments are made to your beneficiaries at the time of your death.
One big benefit of borrowing against your life insurance policy is there are not many regulations. You have already paid income taxes on the money and there are no earnings or dividends. Also there are no age restrictions like there are with borrowing against a retirement fund, and there are generally no penalties if you do not pay the loan back.
You may also be able to receive a loan against your insurance policy from other lenders besides your insurance company. Some investment companies and banks will lend you money if you will name them as the beneficiary on your policy. These loans generally do not require any payments and do not mature until you die. These options may carry more risk than cashing out on your policy, but it is another option you can consider.
Contact your insurance agent to discuss borrowing against your life insurance policy. In some cases it may be better to borrow using a traditional or home equity loan. If you think your family is going to need the proceeds from the life insurance policy if you should die, then you can consider a loan that is forgiven when you die.
