The current arena of linked benefit/asset based/hybrid LTC has roots going back almost 30 years when the Golden Rule Company (now OneAmerica) introduced Asset Care as a single premium product. Asset-Care offers more funding options than any of our peers including recurring premiums (10 pay, 20 pay, or "whole life") as well as single premium... Continue Reading →
Q&A – tax free annuity for LTC
Question: Can a "regular" deferred annuity have withdrawals made from it for LTC expenses, and have those withdrawals treated as tax-free distributions under the PPA? Answer: Every written interpretation indicates that an annuity policy must include the language which makes it qualifying LTC insurance under IRC Section 7702B to allow for withdrawals used for LTC expenses or... Continue Reading →
PPA Adds Value to Annuities
Consider this scenario - an individual holds a traditional deferred annuity (fixed, index, or variable) with an account value of $400,000 and a basis of $200,000. If withdrawals are made from this annuity from this annuity (LTC expenses included), the $200,000 of gain will be taxed first as ordinary income. If, however, the annuity was... Continue Reading →
Pension Protection Act Basics
The Pension Protection Act, also known as Public Law 109-280, is a wide-ranging piece of legislation that was signed into law August 17, 2006. While the majority of it deals with changes and reforms to pension governance, Section 844 of the act deals specifically with annuities, long-term care and new tax advantages. Since January 1,... Continue Reading →
Q&A – 1035 exchanges
Question: Is there any third party information available about using existing life insurance or annuity policies to fund a Care Solutions policy? Answer: Yes. The piece that I like the most is produced by the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance. The booklet, entitled Guide LTC Planning Using 1035 Exchanges. I encourage you to take a look at... Continue Reading →
Asset-Care Overview
For nearly 30 years, the concept of asset-based LTC (aka linked benefit or hybrid LTC/life insurance) has existed. As a matter of fact, Asset-Care is the "grand daddy of them all". Only one other carrier has that same legacy and commitment to the segment of the LTC market. Typically, most people think of asset-based products as a single premium... Continue Reading →
Q&A – small cash value 1035
Question: My client has a small life insurance policy, can I use the cash value from that policy to fund the Continuation of Benefit Rider (COB) of an Asset-Care policy? Answer: Heck yeah! The Pension Protection Act allows for 10335 exchanges from life insurance and annuities into "qualified" LTC products like Asset-Care & Annuity Care. If your... Continue Reading →
Funding the COB using an HSA
As a reminder, our Care Solutions Continuation of Benefit Rider (COB) is qualified LTCI. Tax-qualified LTCI are qualified medical expenses under IRC Section 213(d), and so are eligible for payment or reimbursement using tax-free Health Savings Account (HSA) distributions. Eligible premiums are the lesser of the actual premiums paid or “age-based” premiums. For a married couple, add the age-based... Continue Reading →
How will you pay?
If you have heard my Care Solutions"dog and pony", I set things up in the present tense with one question. "If you your health was compromised severely enough to require substantial assistance during your recovery, how would you pay for it?" No matter what your clients tell you, they are sharing their current and likely future... Continue Reading →
Fridays with Fisher 
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