According to Pew Research, Americans are getting married later than ever. In fact, the fastest growing age group for new marriages in the U.S. consists of people ages 35 and older. 1 Whether marrying later is good or bad is hard to say, but it can make things more complicated. Older couples have had more time to accumulate assets, build ties to their community, and become deeply entrenched in their careers. Some may even have children from previous relationships. If you and your future spouse find yourselves in that situation, there are several financial questions you may want to ask before merging your lives and finances: What do we do with “old” money? You may want to keep premarital assets separate—especially if you have children from a previous relationship or family property that you want them to inherit. A trust officer or estate attorney can help. What do we do with “new” money? Since marriage is a partnership, it’s probably best to pool any funds you...

Most of us buy insurance—whether it is home, health, auto, or disability insurance—to protect our loved ones in case something unfortunate happens. And while people buy permanent life insurance for much the same reason, you may be surprised to learn that it can help during many happy occasions as well. Enjoy financial protection…and more. While the primary purpose of life insurance is to replace some, if not all, of the income that would be lost if you were no longer around to provide for your family, there are other benefits as well. One of the most significant financial perks permanent life insurance offers is the ability to build cash value over time. You can use some benefits during your lifetime. Cash value is a potentially valuable resource that grows tax-deferred within your policy. As long as you continue to pay your premiums, the cash value will continue to grow. What’s more, you can borrow against the cash value 1 while you are still alive, which is why i...

“ Should I buy term or permanent life insurance?” That’s usually the first question most agents are asked when they meet with a new client. While permanent life insurance is often a better long-term value, there are times when term life insurance makes perfect sense. Let’s examine each of these circumstances more closely. If you are just starting out: Term life policies offer young families and people on a budget an economical way to protect their lifestyle. That’s because these policies provide simple, dependable coverage for a limited period of time, and are therefore less expensive than policies that provide lifetime coverage and other benefits. If you are underinsured: As indicated above, the premiums on term life insurance policies are generally affordable. Therefore, you may find it easier than you thought to purchase supplemental coverage and increase the amount of protection you and your family enjoy. If you have a short-term need: In many cases, people purchase ...

As a member of the military, you’ve dedicated your career to protecting and serving others. What’s more, you’ve accepted the risks that often accompany your trade. But have you thought about what would happen to your loved ones if something tragic—whether it was in the line of duty or not—suddenly took you away. How long could your family make ends meet without your income to support them? You know how important protection can be. While you may have helmets and armor to protect you, life insurance may be the only financial safeguard your family has in case you pass away. That’s because life insurance pays a death benefit that your loved ones can use to fund your children’s education, retire a mortgage, or to help meet day-to-day expenses. What’s more, permanent life insurance policies offer living benefits—such as cash value accumulation—that you can use to pay for unexpected repairs or medical expenses. 1 Do you have enough coverage, and is it the right kind? Eve...