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Dianne Williams Wildt, MBA

Certified Retirement Counselor®

Since 1983 in the financial services and investment industry

 

Retirement Pathways, Inc.

4500 Bowling Blvd., Suite 100

Louisville, KY 40207

 

Phone:  502-797-1258

 

Email: dianne@retirementpathways.com

Website: www.retirementpathways.com

November/December 2022

Claiming Life Insurance Benefits

life insurance policy

The beneficiary of a life insurance policy is a person or entity specifically named in the policy to receive the policy’s proceeds. The benefit may be paid to one or more people, a charitable organization, a trust, or a business. A beneficiary designation supersedes any instructions contained in a will.


If You’re a Beneficiary
If you’re the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, ideally, the policyholder will have given you the name of the insurance company and the policy number. If you don’t have that information, your own insurance agent may be able to help you track it down. Alternatively, the insurance industry maintains an online database that you can search for information.


What You’ll Need
You’ll have to submit a certified copy of the death certificate, along with claim forms, to the insurance company. Claim forms generally are available online or directly from the company if you don’t have access to a computer or a printer. You can request multiple copies of the death certificate from the funeral director. Unless the policy has lapsed or there are questions surrounding the death, your claim should be processed relatively quickly.


Taking Proceeds
You have several options for receiving life insurance proceeds:
  • Lump Sum You’ll receive the entire death benefit as a single amount. If you have an immediate need for the money — for example, to pay off a mortgage, fund a college education or finance retirement — a lump sum payment may be a good option.

  • Specific Income Provision The insurance company pays you principal and interest on a schedule that you determine.

  • Life Income Option You receive a guaranteed income for life. The income amount will depend on the death benefit, your gender, and your age at the time of the insured’s death.

  • Interest Income Option The company holds the insurance proceeds and pays you interest on them. The death benefit goes to a secondary beneficiary upon your death.


Before you decide how you want to take life insurance proceeds, talk with your financial professional. Together, you can design a strategy for taking proceeds based on your short- and long-term goals.


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Investment advisory services offered through American Capital Management, Inc., a State Registered Investment Advisor. Retirement Pathways, Inc. is independent of American Capital Management, Inc.
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