Is the cash value of life insurance taxable?

Question

Is the cash value of life insurance taxable?

Answer 1

Cash Value of Life Insurance Taxable?

There are two ways to access cash in a life policy. Withdrawals and loans. You are not required to pay back loans from a policy, sincy you are loaning yourself your own money.

If you withdraw the money any amount over what you have paid in premiums is taxable.

If you loan out the money it is not taxable as long as the policy is still in force. You have to be carefull not to take out too much in a loan or it will implode the policy. Talk to your agent or the company to find out the max loan amount available while still keeping the policy in force.

Most people withdraw up to what they have paid in, and then loan out the rest.

If the cash value grows too large compared to the death benefit it becomes a MEC or modified endowment contract, and is then subject to a 10% tax. A good agent who is knowledgable in designing a policy will be able to keep this from happening.

Finally, be aware that a policy loan is not free. That is, the policy will prescribe the interest rate at which the loan is made. While it is generally less than the market rate of interest would be for a commercial or personal loan, you will end up paying back more than you borrow, or the dividend that you might otherwise receive (in the case of a mutual company) may be less to account for the interest on the loan. Check the terms of the policy for details. If the loan is not repaid prior to the time of death, the loan balance, including accrued interest, will be deducted from the death benefit.

More information:

It depends on the type of "cash out" you applied for and which state you live in. You should be able to obtain some form of written verification regardless, so contact your life company.

(1) While life insurance policy is enforce, the cash value of the policy and its growth are not considered taxable. (2) If you surrender or cash-in the policy, and the total amount of cash value returned to you is less than the total amount your policy invested into cash value, it is considered a return of principle and is not taxable. (3) If the cash value returned to you is greater than the amount your policy invested into cash value, the amount in excess of the amount invested into cash value is considered a "gain" and is taxable as income. (4) If the policy you surrender (cash-in) is considered a MEC or Modified Endowment Contract (the company can inform you if it is), cashing-in or borrowing against the cash value may be fully taxable. (Consult a tax adviser if this is the case).

Be cautious of plans to take loans from your life insurance to avoid taxation. These loans are still taxable beyond what you paid in if your policy ever disappears while you are alive. For this reason, it is critical to carefully review your plan each year, particularly if you plan to take loans or have loans against your policy.

Answer 2

As a general rule, life insurance proceeds from any type of policy are not taxable to the beneficiary. In addition, any loans from cash value are not taxable unless the policy lapses. Read More

Answer 3

In India, cash value of a life insurance policy at death is totally tax free u/s. l0 l0(D) of Income Tax Act, l96l. Read More

Answer 4

You are talking about Paid up additions. No they are not. Proceeds in cash value are not taxable as long as the cash value does not exceed the amount of premiums paid. Read More

Answer 5

Life insurance death benefits are paid out tax-free as long as your premiums were paid with after-tax money. If you have a cash value life insurance policy and surrender the policy, you may be subject to a taxable gain if the total cash value exceeds the cost basis of the policy. Read More

Answer 6

It normally isn't a taxable event. If it needs reporting the insurance co should have sent uyou a 1099. Read More

Answer 7

No. Life insurance benefits are not eligable for taxation unless the insured passed away without assigning a beneficiary. In this situation the benefits are paid into the deceased's estate and are subject to any back taxes or child support owed by the deceased, or the would be inheritor. Cash value is not the same as an insurance benefit and may be taxable in some situations. Group (employment) insurance has no cash value. Read More

Answer 8

if they are death benefit proceeds no. if it is cash value proceeds then any withdrawals over the premiums paid are taxable, any loans on the cash value are not taxable. if it is a hybrid/combo life/long term care policy, then no they are not. all of this is assuming that the policy was paid with after tax dollars, not pre tax. Read More

Answer 9

Not all insurance policies have cash value. Term life has no cash value. Whole life does have cash value. You will have to talk to your insurance company and tell them what you want. If you have a whole life policy with cash value, then withdrawing that cash is essentially like taking money out of a bank account; very simple. Read More

Answer 10

Cash value of whole life insurance is referred to as the "Cash Surrender Value". The cash surrender value is money the policyholder is supposed to receive from the insurance company when surrendering the whole life insurance policy with cash value. The cash surrender value amount due is the sum of the cash value stated in the whole life insurance policy minus any surrender charge and any outstanding loans and interest due on the loans. Read More

Answer 11

No. That's why the proceeds aren't taxed as income. Answer Correct...premiums are taxable. Death benefits are generally not taxed as income. Also if it is permanent life insurance policy and has some cash value built up and you take that cash out, the amount of cash less the premiums paid into the policy ("your gain") is taxable. Additional comment: Actually, if you take your cash value out as a loan, you do not have to… Read More

Answer 12

That depends on whether or not you wish to continue having the life insurance in force at the insured's death. If you wish to have the life insurance in force at death, then it is best to borrow some of the cash value. If you surrender the policy, then you receive all the remaining cash value (less any surrender charges), but the death benefit is no longer there. Also the cash value received MAY be… Read More

Answer 13

If you have an old life insurance policy can you cash it in for cash value Read More

Answer 14

Yes, if your life insurance policy has accumulated cash value. Not all life insurance policies will accumulate cash value: for example, term life insurance policies will not accumulate any cash value. Whole Life and Universal life policies can accumulate cash value and the policy owner can take loans in the limit of the cash value (some companies limit loans to 70 - 80% of the cash value). Read More

Answer 15

No, generally speaking, no term life insurance policies have cash value. Read More

Answer 16

Cash value insurance can be "whole life insurance" or "universal life insurance". There are few differences on how the funds are invested and if dividends can be paid that would increase the cash value, but both types of permanent life insurance can accumulate cash value. There is also a type of term insurance that has a "return of premium" feature that will return all premiums back at the end of the term. This type of… Read More

Answer 17

Can you sell a 20 year term life insurance policy which has no cash value Read More

Answer 18

The website Insure shows one how to calculate the cash value of Life Insurance. Their model shows what could happen to the cash value and death benefit if one taps his/her cash value to pay premiums. Read More

Answer 19

You call the life insurance company and get the present cash value out of the policy. The policy will then be divested. Read More

Answer 20

No you canNOT cash in term life insurance. It has no additional value beyond the death benefit. Read More

Answer 21

NO the Tax Court held that the cash values were not constructively received by the taxpayer where he could not reach them without surrendering the policy. The necessity of surrendering the policy constituted a substantial Read More

Answer 22

Your dad can withdraw the cash value of your life insurance policy if he is the policy owner of your policy. If you have obtained adulthood, you dad cannot withdraw the cash value of your life insurance policy without your consent. If you are minor life assured, your dad as proposer can draw cash value on maturity,provided you will not be adult then. Read More

Answer 23

A taxable consequence may occur if the cash surrender value exceeds the cost basis (i.e. the premiums paid into the policy). Read More

Answer 24

The government cannot garnish a life insurance cash value policy. However, they can attach a lien on the cash value if it is deposited into a bank account. They can also petition the court to force an individual to hand over the cash value. Read More

Answer 25

Maybe. Group life insurance coverage is a "non-cash benefit". Section 79 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that an employer can provide up to $50,000 of group term life insurance coverage to each employee as a tax free fringe benefit. The employee would be taxed on the value of any coverage that exceeds $50,000. So the amount over $50,000 would be a non-cash taxable benefit. Read More

Answer 26

No. Only whole life insurance policies (sometimes called "permanent insurance") accumulate cash value. Policy loans are generally available from the accrued cash value. Since term insurance does not gather cash value, policy loans are unavailable. Read More

Answer 27

Term Life Insurance Read More

Answer 28

The benefits of purchasing cash value life insurance is to have money available in case of emergency. A cash value policy is like a bank account. You can withdraw the money paid in at anytime. Read More

Answer 29

Life Insurance Read More

Answer 30

If you have a permanent type of policy such as whole life or universal life there may be some cash value to recover.If it is a term insurance policy there is no cash value so there is nothing to "cash out". Read More

Answer 31

There are two different types of life insurance policies: Term life insurance and cash-value life insurance. Term life insurance covers the owner of a set period of time, while cash-value policies can be used to build up cash value as an investment. Before signing on the dotted line, speak to a a representative who can guide you through the fine print. Read More

Answer 32

The face value is what your beneficiaries will collect. The cash value is the excess of your premium payments over the cost of the insurance. Click here for more about life insurance cash value. Read More

Answer 33

Google the types of life insurance first. You need to learn a little about life insurance. The terms you are using and spelling are weird. Most people use cash value insurance to describe a type of life insurance. I do not really understand what you mean but, from my experience, I can only guess that by life insurance you mean term life insurance. If that is the case, then, in most situations, term life insurance… Read More

Answer 34

Yes, the types of permanent insurance policies - whole life and universal life - are designed to build cash value. There are permanent life insurance policies that offer guarantees over cash value accumulation, therefore staying in force until age 105, 115, 121, etc - and build very little cash value. The cost for this type of permanent insurance is often much lower than those that will build significant cash value. Read More

Answer 35

No. To the best of my knowledge, veteran's life insurance has no cash value. Read More

Answer 36

A life insurance policy may have cash value if it is a "whole life insurance policy". This is a kind of life insurance, distinguished from "term" life insurance, that accumulates cash value for the period that it is in force and premiums are paid. Each premium paid goes to pay the cost of "indemnity" (the death benefit), the administrative costs incurred by the insurer, with all or a portion of the remainder going into the… Read More

Answer 37

Pays out to beneficiary-just the value of coverage not cash value if sold. Read More

Answer 38

Limited payment life insurance Read More

Answer 39

Yes. Read More

Answer 40

The Cash value Read More

Answer 41

No. Read More

Answer 42

As a general rule, life insurance policies in the US are not taxable. However it is taxable if it is combined with a non-refund life annuity. Read More

Answer 43

no there is no cash value in a term insurance policy Read More

Answer 44

The best way to determine the cash surrender value of a life insurance policy is to talk to the local insurance agent or call the insurance company direct. This can make the premiums go up however. Read More

Answer 45

Proceeds from a life insurance policy are usually not taxable. This is in the case where a person dies and the company pays the benefits. If a policy is cashed or money is withdrawn from the cash value then this does not apply and you may have taxes in these cases but not from the death benefit. Read More

Answer 46

No, since a term life insurance policy does not build cash value inside the policy, there is no cash to take a loan from with term insurance. Read More

Answer 47

I assume you are asking that if you take a cash loan, withdrawal or surrender your policy for the cash value, will the money you receive be taxable? On a loan no, never. On a Surrender or withdrwal, only the cash that exceeds the amount of premiums you paid. Before surrendering a policy, check and see if you can get an offer from a life settlement. It usually is worth more than the cash value. Read More

Answer 48

Some types of life insurance develop cash value; these are called whole life policies. Term insurance has no cash value. So it depends upon the kind of life insurance you have, and it may also depend upon how long you have been paying premiums. Read More

Answer 49

I think it is called cash value insurance Read More

Answer 50

Life insurance proceeds paid to a beneficiary is not taxable. However, if the life insurance beneficiary is a trust or estate, there may be some tax implications. Read More

Answer 51

Term life insurance does not build a cash value. It simply covers the insured person for a certain term or period of time. Read More