Insurance Solutions
Trusted insurance solutions, reviewed as part of your whole plan.
Triathlon Partners re-evaluates existing life insurance policies to check that they still align with your financial objectives, and helps structure life, annuity, and long-term care coverage that fits the rest of your plan.
The Case for a Review
Insurance is not a decision you make once.
Many initial sales presentations for permanent insurance lead with emotional appeals, while the details, high costs, fees, and limited investment options, receive less attention. Like any long-term financial product, permanent life insurance benefits from periodic reassessment to confirm it is still doing its job.
Over time, the obligations a policy was originally designed to fund may no longer apply. When that happens, the emphasis can shift toward building cash value with the goal of supporting future income, subject to the policy's terms. By right-sizing the death benefit and using a policy's tax-advantaged features appropriately, it may be possible to lower premiums while improving cash flow. The aim of a sound insurance strategy is greater financial flexibility over the long term.
Two Approaches
What a considered review looks for.
A plan-first review considers
- A right-sized death benefit
- Appropriate premium and funding levels
- Living benefits and tax-aware cash flow, where suitable
- Attention to the fine print and policy details
- Appropriate investment and product choices
A sales-first pitch often features
- Emotion-focused presentations
- Limited discussion of fees and charges
- Emphasis on maximum-coverage scenarios
- A focus on a large death benefit
- Guarantees that may not be competitive
The Tools
More than a safety net.
Permanent Life Insurance
Permanent life insurance is a versatile financial product. Depending on how it is structured, it can offer tax-deferred growth of cash value, access to that value during life, and a death benefit, each subject to the policy's terms and costs.
It can play a role in retirement planning, estate planning, and charitable giving, and survivorship policies are often used in special needs planning and to provide estate liquidity. Businesses also use it to retain key employees, provide executive income, and fund succession buyouts. Whether any of these fits depends on your situation.
Annuities
Annuities can be an integral part of a comprehensive plan, offering tax-deferred growth and, in some contracts, income intended to last for life. The landscape is diverse, from products resembling CDs to those with equity-market exposure and downside features.
We can discuss traditional, registered index-linked, fixed, multi-year guaranteed, and deferred income annuities. Any guarantees depend on the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurer, and each type carries its own costs and terms.
Long-Term Care
Long-term care insurance is a difficult landscape to navigate. Policies vary widely: some limit your choice of provider, location, or reimbursement, while others pay a cash benefit requiring only a qualified professional's plan of care.
We help align a policy with your specific needs and make the most of your premium dollar. Depending on circumstances, premiums may receive favorable tax treatment, be paid from an HSA, or be funded from the cash value of an existing permanent policy. Long-term care benefits can also sometimes be integrated into life insurance or annuities.
Watch & Read
Go deeper on insurance planning.
Article
Whole Life Insurance: The Devil Is in the Details
Most people picture life insurance purely as a death benefit. It can also play a role in long-term, tax-advantaged planning.
Article
Survivorship Life Insurance: An Estate Planning Tool
By insuring two lives and paying at the second death, survivorship coverage can provide estate liquidity and support special needs planning.
Article
Long-Term Care Insurance Explained
It is the rare coverage where you may need a larger benefit as you age, in a product landscape that is genuinely difficult to navigate.
Common Questions
About insurance planning.
Like any long-term financial product, permanent life insurance benefits from periodic review. Over time, the obligations a policy was originally designed to fund may change, and its costs, fees, and performance may no longer match the original goal.
A review looks at whether the death benefit is still the right size, how the policy is performing against its costs, and whether it still fits the overall plan.
Beyond the death benefit, some permanent policies build cash value that can be accessed during life, subject to the policy's terms, costs, and potential tax consequences.
Depending on the contract, life insurance can also play a role in estate planning, special needs planning, and business continuity. Whether any of these applies depends on the individual's situation and the specific policy.
Annuities are contracts with an insurance company that can offer tax-deferred growth and, in some cases, income for life. The landscape ranges from products resembling CDs to those with equity-market exposure and downside features.
Any guarantees are subject to the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurer, and each type carries its own costs, terms, and surrender provisions. Suitability depends on the individual.
Long-term care policies vary widely. Some limit the choice of care provider, location, or reimbursement, while others pay a cash benefit that requires only a qualified professional's plan of care.
Premiums and funding options differ, and in some circumstances premiums may receive favorable tax treatment. Because the products differ so much, matching a policy to a specific situation takes careful review.
When was your coverage last reviewed against the plan it was meant to serve?
A first conversation costs nothing and creates no obligation. It starts with a look at the policies you already hold and how they fit the rest of your plan.
Schedule a ConversationGuarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Life insurance, annuities, and long-term care insurance involve costs, fees, and surrender charges, and are not suitable for everyone. Access to policy cash value may reduce the death benefit and may have tax consequences. This page is general educational information and is not investment, tax, or legal advice. Insurance products and services are offered through Triathlon Partners LLC and individually licensed and appointed insurance agents. Consult a qualified professional before implementing any strategy.