Stay informed with the latest news.

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month

Posted: September 26, 2021

6 Life Insurance Myths Debunked by Kelly

 

Myth #1: Life Insurance Costs Too Much

It is less than you think!  Costs depend on a number of factors, including your health, age, tobacco use, and gender.  As one example, a healthy 35-year-old male can expect to pay about $20 per month for $250,000 on a 30-year term.

 

Myth #2: I’m single and young, so I don’t need life insurance

Single people often forget that they need at least enough life insurance to cover the costs of debts, medical and funeral bills. If uninsured, you may leave behind unpaid expenses for your family. Don’t forget, the earlier you buy life insurance, the better because the premiums are based on age and your health is on your side!  

 

Myth #3: My Term Life Insurance Coverage at Work Is Sufficient

This one comes up A LOT.  You should know in most cases; coverage goes away if or when you leave the employer.  This means if you quit, get fired, or RETIRE you will lose the coverage.  Put that in perspective with the premium quoted in Myth #1 and you’ve just cost yourself significantly more in premium.  Most people retire in their 60’s.  That same estimate quoted in Myth #1 will now cost $105 per month for a 20-year term vs the 30-year term. 

Also note, the amount of coverage is generally restricted to 1–2 times the salary, which in most cases wouldn’t be sufficient to meet the expenses of dependents in case of the unfortunate incident of death.   

 

Myth #4: Only Breadwinners Need Life Insurance Coverage

The cost of replacing the services formerly provided by a deceased homemaker can be higher than you think.  Insuring against the loss of a homemaker may make sense, especially when it comes to cleaning and daycare costs.  Put into perspective some of the responsibilities of the homemaker…getting kids dressed, fed, off to school, back from school, off to extra-curricular activities, cleaning, homework, and dinner.  Go to www.care.com for an estimate of these services.  The average costs range from $15-$20 per hour, costing you $2,400 per month for a typical 8-hour day.  Wouldn’t it be easier to buy a life insurance policy for $20 per month??

 

Myth #5: I Have Existing Health Issues. I Cannot Get Life Insurance.

There’s more to it!  There are a number of other variables that insurers look at before offering coverage at certain rates for specific health problems. Although premiums may be slightly higher, most life insurance companies are willing to offer you coverage if you are suffering from conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol and arthritis. Past history of cancer; no problem. Depending on the stage and how many years in remission you can qualify for a standard rate!  The point is, it doesn’t hurt to ask.  Most carriers provide pre-screening which allows an agent to get an idea if the carrier will offer coverage and at what cost before submitting an actual policy. 

 

Myth #6: It’s Only Good for Funerals & Inheritances

That’s just not true! An unfortunate stigma attached to life insurance is that of death. Traditionally, people bought life insurance for its death benefits, and these benefits are why many still do. But, life insurance offers several living benefits

  • Cash value could be used to supplement retirement income
  • Help pay for college tuition
  • Benefits paid from life policies aren’t subject to tax.
  • Immediate expenses such as medical bills, taxes, loans
  • Payoff mortgage debt
  • Payoff student loan debt

With more parents being listed as a co-signor for student loan debt, many people purchase a term life insurance to cover the debt for the length of the loan.  This way, should the unexpected happen, the parent is not stuck holding the debt.

 

Life Insurance Love Stories

February is the month of love, and although Valentine’s Day is over, your love for those close to you never stop.  The act of insuring your love with Life Insurance is no better way to protect your loved ones and show them you how you feel. It can provide security when those left behind need financial help the most. “There are no guarantees. You have to prepare for those ‘what ifs.’” Lifehappens.org presents Real Life Stories. These are True Love Stories that illustrates why it’s so important for people to include life insurance in their financial plans. These families highlighted in these stories could have anticipated the challenges they’d face.


Think!! How would you and your family manage financially if faced with similar challenges!


Stephen Miller: Protecting the Future

A mutual friend with a new dog brought Stephen and Katie together. Stephen had headed to his friend’s house to meet the new furry member of the family, and when he got there, he saw Katie playing with dog in the backyard. “Katie was so outgoing,” says Stephen. “She was the nicest person you’ll ever meet.”

 That first meeting led to beach outings and concerts, and over time to getting married and thinking about starting a family.

It was Katie who suggested they get life insurance. Stephen admits he wasn’t too happy about the idea. They were young and healthy, so he didn’t see the point. Katie, however, convinced him to sit down with insurance professional Rose Goheen, who walked them through the process and presented them with affordable options. They both decided to get life insurance coverage.

When the couple welcomed Chase, they decided to reevaluate their life insurance. Given their expanding family and responsibilities, they both bought additional life insurance. It was during her recovery from giving birth to Reid that Katie realized something was wrong. Her doctor confirmed her suspicion that the abdominal lump she felt was something much more serious. In fact, it was an aggressive form of cancer.

Katie, with the love and support of her family, valiantly fought the disease, but just over a year later it claimed this young mom’s life. She was just 30.

 

__________________________________________________

Kovacic Family: Everything Will Be OK

Michael, 32, was a fit and healthy family man. As he left to run a 10K race, he kissed his wife, Traci, good-bye along with newborn Calvin and “big” sister Josie. He never made it home. As he crossed the finish line, Michael collapsed and died. The Kovacic family would never be the same.

Thankfully, they had life insurance. Even though the young couple had been living paycheck to paycheck, their insurance professional had convinced them to buy an affordable policy.

Traci says the hardest part for her was knowing that the love of her life was never coming home. “But the reality is that everything else stayed the same,” she says. “The paychecks stopped immediately, but I still had to keep the lights on, buy food, pay the mortgage and take care of the kids. Having life insurance meant I didn’t have to make any immediate decisions or sell the house.”

“The life insurance saved us—and it still does today,” she says.

 

__________________________________________________

Chich Family: It’s About Family

Jenny was single and in her 20s, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t thinking about the future. In fact, she knew she wanted to have a family one day and that saving for retirement—even this early on—was a priority.

That’s why after meeting with insurance professional Jim Silbernagel, she decided to buy a permanent life insurance policy. She knew it would help her with both goals: provide the life insurance coverage she sought and the ability to accumulate cash value to help with saving for retirement.

Jenny’s dream of having a family did come true. She met Jim on a blind date, and once married, they welcomed a son, Michael, and then several years later twins, Samuel and Nathaniel. As often happens with growing families, finances got stretched tight, and Jim suggested they cancel Jenny’s policy to save money. Jenny was adamant that they keep it. Instead, they used some of the accumulated cash value to pay the premium and keep the policy in force.* That decision would be life changing for her family.

The Chich family was looking forward to welcoming their fourth child—a girl, but tragically Jenny died while giving birth. The shock to her family was overwhelming. While life insurance could never replace their vibrant wife and mother, Jim says that Jenny’s policy helped the family in the aftermath of her death. He was able to take a yearlong leave of absence from his job to care for newborn Emma and the boys, who were all younger than 6. “I was able to focus on my kids and not worry about how I was going to buy a gallon of milk,” says Jim.

_______________________________________

You may not always be there for your loved ones but you can always take care of them.  These Life Insurance Love Stories are examples of the benefits a policy will serve if an unexpected or tragedy occurs, and you know your loved ones will not bear a financial burden in addition to the loss they feel.

If you’d like more information on life insurance or would like to purchase a new life insurance policy, I can help. Kelly Burke Insurance represents the brand-name insurance companies you know and trust. Contact us at (708) 444-0050 or kelly@kellyburkeinsurance.com

Protect the Ones You Love with Life Insurance

Looking for a new way to say “I love you” this Valentine’s Day?  It’s called “love insurance.” We buy it to protect the ones we love.  Sometimes the best gift can’t be seen. Show your love by giving something that is Meaningful, Memorable and Enduring

You may ask what does Life Insurance have to do with love. They are closely linked to each other.  You buy life insurance when you truly love the person you bought it for?  You may not be around to see or experience the benefits your life insurance purchase has provided to your loved ones. It is the ultimate act of enduring love, lets loved ones know that you care so much that you’ve made plans to provide for their well-being even after you’re gone.

Don’t wait until it is too late!  Life Insurance does not cost a lot and it is easy and fast to set up a policy. Aren’t your loved ones worth it?

#InsureYourLove now. 

Contact Kelly at 708-444-0050 or fill out sign up form to get a free consultation to see how you can protect the ones you love with Life Insurance.

Reasons to Protect Your Loved Ones with Life Insurance

Posted: September 16, 2016

Life Insurance Awareness Month

 

Life Insurance Awareness Month is in full swing.  No one really wants to think about Life Insurance, but if someone depends on you financially, it’s a topic you can’t avoid. This is the time to review your life insurance situation.  

What will your family do if the primary wage earner passes away?   What assets are you willing to give up to make ends meet? These are questions that many people don’t think about until it is too late. 

 

Life Insurance Can Help

 

1 in 3 households would have immediate trouble paying living expenses if the primary wage earner died, according to the 2016 Insurance Barometer Study by Life Happens and LIMRA

In the event of a tragedy, life insurance proceeds can…

  • Help pay the bills and meet ongoing living expenses
  • Pay off outstanding debt, including credit cards and the mortgage
  • Continue a family business
  • Finance future needs like your children’s education
  • Protect a spouse’s retirement plans
 

Getting Life Insurance doesn’t have to be hard (or boring). The importance of life insurance is helping them get the coverage they need. There are many types of life insurance but for all of them, the bottom line is the same, they pay your family after you die, allowing loved ones to remain financially secure.

And, many people haven’t bought life insurance or more of it because they’re unsure of how much or what type to buy.

 

Do You Have Enough Life Insurance ?

Life insurance is something that no one likes to talk about; however 86% of Americans believe that life insurance is something most people need. So, how do you determine how much life insurance you will need?

 

Doing The Math

To start, estimate what your family members would need after you’ve gone to meet immediate (i.e. funeral), ongoing (i.e. rent or mortgage, other everyday bills), and future financial obligations (i.e. college and retirement).

 

Add up the resources your surviving family members could draw upon to support themselves (i.e. savings, spouse’s pension etc.). The difference between the two is the amount you would need in life insurance.

 

For health insurance, I try to get a full picture of your health history to understand what services will be used to determine which plan/carrier is best. I review rates annually. Although you may not hear from me, I am reviewing your package each year to make sure you are STILL receiving the best coverage for your needs.

 

I can help you understand the differences between Life Insurance and what is the right coverage for you.  Please contact me to find out more at 708.444.0050 or kelly@kellyburkeinsurance.com.

 

 

The End of Open Enrollment

On March 31st, 2014 the historic 1st year of the Health Care Reform Act enrollment will come to a close.  As a last reminder, if you are eligible for enrollment this is what you can expect…

 

IF YOU ENROLL IN A PLAN

  • If you currently have a health insurance plan, you will NOT be able to make ANY changes until the next open enrollment.  Generally the open enrollment period will be each year between October-December.  Any changes made during this time will take effect January 1, 2015.
  • If you are still planning to enroll, policies applied for by March 15th will take effect April 1st.  Policies applied for between March 16-March 31st will take effect May 1st.  As long as you make a decision by March 31st you will avoid the penalty.
  • If you qualified for a subsidy (via the marketplace) be sure to check your results.  MANY require that you send additional documentation by the end of open enrollment in order to keep your subsidy.  The additional requirements can be sent via mail or uploaded to your marketplace account.  If you plan on mailing the documents I suggest sending it certified so you have proof that it was received.

 

IF YOU DO NOTHING

  • You will be locked out of being able to join a plan…unless you fall into a special election period (marriage, child birth, loss of coverage, etc).  If you’ve chosen this option I recommend purchasing a critical illness/accident plan. It is NOT the same as health insurance but in the event you injure yourself or are diagnosed with a critical illness, the plan will pay you an allotted amount ($5,000-$50,000). The plans start as low as $2 per month for critical illness and $15 per month for accident coverage.
  • You can expect to receive a $95 per person ($47.5 per child under the age of 18) penalty on your 2014 federal tax return (this will increase in 2015)
Questions
Questions

Feel free to email or call me with any questions or comments about my services or if you have any insurance related inquires.

Contact
Contact

Phone: 708.444.0050
Email: kelly@kellyburkeinsurance.com

Availability
Availability

Monday - Friday: 10am - 5pm
Evening and weekends
available upon request