Death: it's a topic most of us don't want to talk about. So it's no wonder that as a life insurance agent when I worked in the financial sector, most of my clients didn't want to discuss life insurance. Nobody wants to think about dying, especially when it concerns the death of their children. But I made the life insurance discussion a key point with my clients that were either expecting or recently welcomed a newborn. In my opinion, life insurance is one of the best gifts you can give your baby, and here's why.
The primary function of life insurance is to provide for loved ones in the event that the insured individual passes away. Most financial advisors will tell you that it is of the utmost importance that the head of the household, or the person who makes the most income, have some sort of life insurance to replace lost income if they pass away. So why would you need to take out a life insurance policy for a baby when they aren't providing financially for the family?
To understand child life insurance benefits, first, let's explain how life insurance works.
A life insurance policy pays out a sum of money to the beneficiary if the covered person passes away during the policy term. The two basic types of life insurance: term life and whole life.
When looking at policies for young children, I suggest that parents look into limited pay whole life policies that can be completely paid for in terms such as 10, 20, or 30 years and will last for the insured child's entire life.
Whole life insurance policies can be expensive, and the older the insured is, the higher the premiums can be–which is one great reason to start a policy on a newborn. I personally have whole life policies on both of my kids that I took out within their first few months of life. I pay less than $150 a year per child, and they will be completely paid off when they turn 20! In comparison, the average whole life paid in a 20-year policy on a healthy 30-year-old female can cost almost $2,000 annually! Your kids can thank you later on that savings.
At a training I once attended for work, we were sharing personal life insurance stories from our customers. One, in particular, stuck with me. My colleague shared a story of a customer who came into the bank with flowers for someone who unfortunately had been retired for many years. The women explained to the employees that she had taken out a life insurance policy for her child with the employee years ago. She had come back to thank him for suggesting it to her because her son now had an illness that would prevent him from purchasing life insurance for himself. She was truly thankful for the advice given to her. Had it not been for that employee's suggestion, her son may never have been able to take out a life insurance policy to protect his loved ones in the future.
Unfortunately, it's true that when a child develops a medical problem, they may have trouble qualifying for life insurance later in life, in some instances even becoming uninsurable. With child life policies, the premium will never change, even if the beneficiary becomes unhealthy. Many insurance companies even have a guarantee to add more coverage rider (an amendment to the policies terms), much like the most recognized juvenile insurance provider, Gerber Life Insurance. With Gerber's guaranteed right for a child to buy more coverage as an adult policy, the insured can buy up to ten times the original amount at standard age rates—no questions asked.
The savings component to whole life policies can benefit children when they become adults. Whole life policies accumulate cash value from the premiums you pay over time. The cash value earns interest based on the dividends declared by the insurance company that owns the policy. In most cases, the return on the cash value is much better than that of savings accounts or CDs.
As the cash value builds in the policy, there are numerous options that can be used:
- A partial withdrawal of the cash value can be taken; however, if it is not paid back it reduces the amount of the death benefit and may incur fees. It is recommended that this only be done in emergencies.
- Loans can be taken out against the cash value, which creates a tax-free way to withdraw money as needed and often is available through the policies with low-interest rates.
- The cash value can be completely withdrawn and the policy surrendered. Some beneficiaries may choose to do this when they come of adult age to help pay for school, a first home, and so on. It's wise to check into the specifics with each policy because some have surrender fees if the money is withdrawn before a certain amount of time has gone by.
Parents or grandparents can switch over policy ownership to the child once they reach adulthood. In fact, most plans automatically switch ownership once the child turns 21. Before purchasing any insurance, it is important to look over your financial situation first and ensure that you will be able to pay the premiums.
Looking at some statistics collected in the 2019 Insurance Borameter Study, more consumers say they need insurance than those who say they own them, and affordability and value are two obstacles that stop Americans from buying life insurance. But more than half of respondents overestimate its true cost by 3x or more. It seems the primary reason that nearly half of Americans don't have life insurance is due to lack of knowledge about it. What better way to help educate our future generations than to give the gift of insurance to your little one!
- Top ten most innovative tech companies millennials are flocking to ... ›
- Can an Escape Room bring your company closer together? - PayPath ›
- 3 Best Apps to Help You Manage Your Money - PayPath ›
- Personal - PayPath ›
- Finance - PayPath ›
- Paypath ›
- Financial Tips to Consider When Raising Kids - PayPath ›
- how to pick a beneficiary - PayPath ›
- I Never Thought I Could Afford Life Insurance Until I Discovered ... ›
- Should you get life insurance? - PayPath ›
Every time payday rolls around, I’m on top of the world. Jeff Bezos-level rich - even though I’m anything but. And then somehow the very next day, rent is due.
The cycle continues. The next payday, bills for my apartment. I find myself without a surplus of savings since I just moved and newly-furnished my apartment completely.
Even more terrifying is the looming presence of the holiday season. Halloween’s officially over and before we know it, hello Thanksgiving…and then there’s Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s insane.
I’ve been feeling very British lately. Not in a Union-Jack-obsessed, “Keep Calm and Carry-On” way. I went through that phase in 2012 with everyone else… no thank you. And it’s not even a surge of patriotism catalyzed by the Queen dying — I’m firmly team Diana and team Meghan.
Now that fall is officially here, the holidays will sweep in and I’ll have to contend with the fact that I won’t be spending them with my family in the UK. I went home to London earlier this year, so there’s not much left in my travel budget for another trip across the pond. A few domestic jaunts might be in my future, but the closest I’ll get to England this winter is watching Love Island and Love, Actually.
So in that spirit, I’ve been filling my days with content from my favorite Brits. I’m listening to all the old British rock bands I grew up listening to, patiently awaiting the new Arctic Monkeys album, and rewatching anything with Michaela Coel in it. I even shipped myself an order of British Baked Beans, so you know it’s dire.
I’ve also been watching British YouTubers like Grace Beverley — my favorite. Generally, I only go on YouTube to watch Vogue Beauty Secrets and AD Open Door videos. But I’m so glad I stumbled on Grace. Her content is a mix of London lifestyle (what lured me in), relatable entrepreneurship, and mindful productivity. I’m not a hustle-and-grind-girlboss, but as a creative person in a 9-to-5, I need all the help I can get to stay plugged in. So, the video “how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmed” changed my approach to WFH.
Grace outlines her own productivity method: the to-do table. Instead of making a simple to-do list, she divides her tasks into a table that anyone can follow. As someone who’s survived with to-do lists for years, I recently implemented Grace’s method, and it’s revolutionized my workdays.
how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmedwww.youtube.com
I follow her routine to a tee. Here’s how it works:
Essentially, she divides her daily responsibilities into four categories: quick ticks, tasks, projects, and non-negotiables.
- Quick Ticks: Actions that take less than 5-minutes
- Tasks: To-do’s that take up to 30-minutes. Probably don’t take too much brain energy.
- Projects: Long-term list items. These help guide your priorities, even if you’re not crossing them off in one day.
- Non-negotiables: Pick 3 things each day that you must get done. This is how you’ll truly measure success.
With everything written down and sorted, next address your schedule. Meetings, deadlines, and time blocks — whatever works best for you. Write it down. Then make a pact with yourself to stick to them.
This way of categorization provides a roadmap for prioritizing your day — making you far more productive. Have you ever spent the entire day on small tasks and then suddenly realized you hadn’t moved the needle on any task? Or do you spend way too much time on tasks that aren’t a priority? No more. With your non-negotiables laid out, you know what to laser-focus on and what to dedicate energy towards.
Also, it pays to know your working style. I’m not a morning person. Yet, I have to be up and at ‘em super early. So, first thing in the morning, I march through my Quick Ticks to warm me up. I set a time limit, so I can knock out some easy wins which is totally inspiring. Then I move on to bigger things without lingering on emails or admin. For others, it might be more helpful to tackle the big things with all that early-in-the-day brain power earlier.
Grace has great tips on avoiding overwhelm and burnout. My favorite is taking more intentional breaks rather than scrolling through social media. I call this scrolling “productive” because I’m “coming up with pitches.” Oh, the lies we tell ourselves. It’s more productive in the long run to giving my brain a break with non-screen related stimuli.
Grace’s solution? Set a timer to read a real, an actual book. I’ve never thought of this. It’s a genius way to check off some books on my TBR and kickstart my creativity. After reading a good book, I’m completely inspired to write. So having books near my desk helps me step away from the computer during my lunch break for an actual reset. (And yes, the current books I’m reading are by British authors: Assembly by Natasha Brown, and Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalolu.)
In my pursuit of switching out my WFH set-up and getting my life together, I’ve engineered my workstation for success. With my new WFH essentials and Grace’s productivity technique, I’m revitalized for work — despite the fall blues and my melancholy about the pending holidays.
Here are the things getting me hyped for work and helping me crush my Grace Beverley-inspired to-do tables — no lists in sight:
Southwest Airlines Sale 2022
Pack your bags — Southwest Airlines is having a major sale! Fares are as low as $59 one-way if you book by October 3rd.
This end-of-summer super sale is a game-changer for your travel plans through the end of the year. Summertime travel gets all the glory. But why not take advantage of your long weekends, holidays, and PTO this fall. You’ll be surprised at how much travel you can fit in. Keep the fall/winter season exciting with domestic trips that give you all the excitement without breaking the bank. All thanks to Southwest.
Here’s the breakdown:
Where can you go?
You’ll find discounted tickets to and from most airports. Sale fares apply to cross country travel, and even Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean! Whether you’re visiting a new city or revisiting your last beach vacation, this sale has fares to make your travel dreams come true.
What do the fares cover?
Southwest Airlines has multiple fare tiers, each with various benefits. Wanna Get Away fares start at $59, while Wanna Get Away Plus fares start at $89. You can also find great deals on Anytime fares, which offer priority boarding and express lanes. Then there’s Business Select tickets for a luxe experience at an affordable price point.
Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member?
You may think these sale fares are too good to be true. Is there a catch? Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member to access them? You’re in luck — anyone can attain these fares for a limited time.
But, insider tip, you should consider signing up for Southwest Rapid Rewards. With a free sign up, you earn points and miles with each trip you take. And with this sale, each dollar you spend on these discounted tix can stretch super far until you eventually earn free travel. The only thing better than a sale is free stuff.
So pack your bags and brace yourself for those chaotic airport lines. Everyone’s hopping on this deal so get on it. Don’t miss out — grab your sale tickets by October 3rd!
I’ve been browsing the Southwest Airlines site, checking out flights and dreaming.