CLOSELY HELD BUSINESSES
Proper planning is vital to protecting a closely held business from potentially devastating outcomes. Some of the company's largest risks can be mitigated through the use of traditional and specialty life and disability coverage.
For closely held businesses, we provide:
BUY-SELL LIFE AND DISABILITY
For closely held businesses with more than one owner, buy-sell agreements serve as the anchor of their continuation plan. These buy-out plans are crucial in the event that an owner prematurely passes away or becomes disabled.
Through the implementation of life and disability insurance to fund buy-sell strategies, we help companies:
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Provide a lump sum payment, in the event of an owner's death, for the surviving owner(s) to buy out the decedent's business interest.
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Create liquidity, if an owner becomes disabled and unable to fulfill his/her duties, for the surviving owner(s) to buy out his/her business interest.
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Avoid disputes between the spouses, or other family members, of business partners.
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Protect against large-scale losses by utilizing customized specialty insurance products with high coverage limits.
KEY PERSON LIFE AND DISABILITY
Closely held businesses often have employees who are vital to that company's success. These key individuals may add value by way of their creativity, executive/managerial talent, and/or base of knowledge within a particular specialty. In the event of a death or disability of this indispensable person, life and disability insurance benefits help to maintain the stability of the business.
Our key person insurance solutions:
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Provide a lump sum payment, in the event of a key person's death, to hire a qualified replacement.
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Create liquidity to hire a temporary, or permanent, successor should a key person becomes disabled and unable to fulfill his/her duties.
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Deliver capital for recruiting and training a successor in either of the above instances.
BUSINESS OVERHEAD EXPENSE
When a business owner becomes disabled, his/her living expense is protected by personal disability coverage. However, the company still has ongoing commitments that must be satisfied. Business overhead expense insurance enables the business to continue paying various expenses.
Among them:
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Payroll
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Rent/lease payments
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Monthly tax commitments
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Employee insurance expenses
For corporate officers and highly compensated employees, 401k plan limits are inadequate, and alternatives must be vetted.
Deferred compensation plans reward loyal employees, while incentivizing them to remain with the company. These plans can also offer a competitive advantage in terms of executive recruitment.
By utilizing properly designed life insurance to fund these plans, they offer:
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Tax deferred cash value growth.
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Tax advantaged cash value access.
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Income tax free death benefit.
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A portion of the employee's retirement plan that is uncorrelated to traditional market exposures.
INHERITANCE EQUALIZATION
Our inheritance equalization strategy helps divide assets between the heir(s) involved, and those not involved, in the family business. The active heir(s) can inherit full ownership to keep the company intact, while the non-active heir(s) are provided for separately by a life insurance policy.
This strategy:
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Treats all heirs fairly, regardless of their status within the family business.
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Creates instant liquidity for the non-active heir(s).
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Can also be applied to other more passive business/investment situations such as income-producing real estate holdings.
