Have you considered insuring your most valuable asset? And you may be wondering: what is your most valuable asset? It’s your ability to work and earn income! But, what would happen if you woke up tomorrow and were no longer able to work? What would happen to your family? What would happen to your lifestyle? If you haven’t considered this, stick around to the end of this blog because today we’re going to do a deep dive on how to insure your income.
It’s often been said that insuring your greatest asset, your ability to earn income, is the equivalent of insuring the goose that lays the golden eggs. Many employers offer short-term disability insurance as part of their benefits package, but that could last anywhere from 90 days up to two years. So, what happens after that benefit period? If you’re still not able to work and earn income, then what? What happens to your lifestyle? What happens to your family? How do you support the things that you’ve become accustomed to when you’re not able to work any longer?
There are other situations where your employer doesn’t offer those benefits or you’re self-employed and you don’t have that luxury. And those cases, it’s especially important to have set aside 3 to 6 months of income as a safety net or emergency fund in case you’re unable to work.
Disability insurance is sort of like having a safety net as you’re ascending this ladder in life. The higher you climb up these stairs or this ladder, the higher you want that safety net.
With a long-term disability policy, you’re transferring the risk of becoming unable to work to the insurance company. So, basically, you pay a premium every month, and if you become unable to work, the insurance company will continue your income. So, now, you have a steady stream all the way into retirement.
Typically, an insurance company will insure 50 to 60% of your income, which is the equivalent of your net pay after taxes. Disability insurance is a cornerstone of any financial plan. Imagine what would happen if you were no longer able to work into retirement. How would that impact your retirement? How would that impact your family? How would that impact your ability to maintain your lifestyle? These are all questions that a properly designed disability insurance policy will answer for you.
Here’s an example:
A couple of days ago, we were working with a young attorney who makes about $150,000 per year. And he said, “Should I get disability insurance?”
I said, “Well, it’s basically the choice of two jobs. Job A pays you $150,000. But if you get sick or injured and cannot work, you and your family get nothing coming in. Job B will pay you $147,000 per year. But if you get sick or injured and can no longer work, you’ll have $120,000 coming into your family tax-free. Which job would you choose?”
He said, “Oh my God, that’s a no-brainer, Job B.”
If you’re looking to add a safety net to your financial plan by adding long-term disability insurance to your portfolio be sure to visit our website at tier1capital.com to get started today. We’d be happy to go over the specifics of your situation with you.
And remember, it’s not how much money you make, it’s how much money you keep that really matters.
