WSFG Blog

Will my beneficiaries have to pay taxes on the proceeds of my life insurance policy?

Answer:

If you mean the death benefits of the insurance policy, then these funds are generally free from income tax to your named beneficiary or beneficiaries.

Why did you purchase life insurance? If you're like most people who buy life insurance, you're looking to provide a source of income for someone (e.g., a spouse, parent, or child) after you die. Buying the policy was the first step. Now you'll need to do a little more work to ensure that the money you leave behind lasts.

Birthdays may seem less important as you grow older. They may not offer the impact of watershed moments such as getting a driver's license at 16 and voting at 18. But beginning at age 50, there are several key birthdays that can affect your tax situation, health-care eligibility, and retirement benefits.

If you are 50 or older, or you will reach age 50 by the end of the year, you may be able to make contributions to your IRA or employer-sponsored retirement plan above the normal contribution limit. Catch-up contributions are designed to help you make up any retirement savings shortfall by bumping up the amount you can save in the years leading up to retirement.

Even with all of your savvy college shopping and research about financial aid, college costs may still be prohibitive. At these prices, you expect you'll need to make substantial financial sacrifices to send your child to college. Or maybe your child won't be able to attend the college of his or her choice at all.

When your child first started school, you doled out the change for milk and a snack on a daily basis. But now that your kindergartner has grown up, it's time for you to make sure that your child has enough financial knowledge to manage money at college.