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Tim Fuller, President of SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller is President of SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency) that has connected independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners for more than 50 years. Tim and the SRS team specialize in impaired-risk underwriting, advanced case design, and helping advisors place the cases other IMOs turn away.

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Guaranteed Premiums in Long-Term Care: Asset-Based vs. Traditional Policies

Adult daughter and her aging mother sharing a warm moment while discussing long-term care planning

Many clients have heard about long-term care rate increases, and it makes them wary. Asset-based long-term care built on whole life insurance offers an answer: premiums and benefits that are guaranteed.

Key takeaways

  • Traditional LTC premiums aren’t guaranteed and can rise if the carrier raises rates for a class of policies.
  • Asset-based LTC built on whole life can guarantee premiums, death benefit, and LTC benefits.
  • Many designs offer a return of premium option, and can be funded from CDs, savings, cash value, annuities, or qualified money.

Premiums that never increase, benefits that are guaranteed, and an option to get the premium back. That’s what clients worried about rate hikes want to hear.

Why guarantees matter

Traditional LTC policies have seen rate increases over the years, and clients who have heard those stories may hesitate. Asset-based products use the guarantees of whole life insurance to remove that uncertainty.

What can be guaranteed

  • Premiums that never increase
  • A guaranteed death benefit that can be used for long-term care
  • A minimum guaranteed interest rate on cash value
  • Optional lifetime benefits, so clients can’t outlive their coverage
  • On some designs, a return of the single premium if the client changes their mind

Taxes and flexibility

  • Qualified LTC benefits are generally received income-tax-free, and the death benefit is generally income-tax-free if unused.
  • Cash value growth is tax-deferred.
  • One policy can cover an individual or two people, such as spouses, partners, siblings, or a parent and child.
  • Funding can come from CDs, money market, cash, life insurance cash value (via 1035 exchange), annuities, or qualified assets.
  • Premiums can be single-pay, 1–20 years, or level for life.

Who it fits

Clients who want certainty and have assets to reposition. See no “use it or lose it” and four client profiles for asset-based LTC.

Frequently asked questions

Can long-term care insurance premiums go up?

Traditional LTC premiums can increase for a whole class of policyholders. Many asset-based policies guarantee premiums won’t increase.

What funds can pay for asset-based long-term care?

CDs, savings, cash, life insurance cash value, annuities, and qualified assets, depending on the product.

Are asset-based LTC benefits taxable?

Qualified LTC benefits are generally income-tax-free, and the death benefit is generally tax-free if unused.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller, President of SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.

Connect on LinkedIn →

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The Two Numbers in Financial Underwriting: Coverage Amount and Premium Affordability

Underwriter reviewing medical and financial data with a client during risk assessment

Financial underwriting comes down to two questions: is the amount of coverage justified, and can the client afford the premium? Understanding both helps you design cases that sail through.

Key takeaways

  • Carriers don’t want a client worth more dead than alive, so coverage must match a documented need.
  • A common guideline limits premium to about 20% of annual income without additional justification.
  • For retirees funding coverage with RMDs, carriers often justify amounts using net worth rather than earned income.

Carriers ask two things: is the coverage amount justified, and does the premium leave enough to live on?

Number 1: the amount of coverage

Carriers worry about over-insurance, which is associated with higher mortality. The most common justification is income replacement, based on age and earned income. See income multiples by age. Business and estate needs use different formulas.

Number 2: the premium

Carriers also don’t want premiums crowding out living expenses. Without special justification, a common limit is about 20% of annual income, sometimes lower. This rarely matters for younger clients buying term, but it can for large permanent cases.

When both matter: RMD-funded cases

Clients who use required minimum distributions (which now generally begin at age 73) to buy coverage for heirs have no earned income. Most carriers justify the amount as a percentage of net worth, then confirm the RMDs aren’t needed for living expenses. See using RMDs in life sales and IRA legacy planning after the SECURE Act.

Frequently asked questions

How much life insurance premium can I afford according to underwriters?

Many carriers use about 20% of annual income as a guideline, with exceptions for justified cases.

How do retirees justify life insurance coverage?

Usually based on net worth and the purpose, such as estate planning, rather than earned income.

Why do insurers limit how much coverage I can buy?

Over-insurance is linked to higher mortality risk, so carriers require coverage to match a genuine financial need.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller, President of SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.

Connect on LinkedIn →

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Executive Bonus Plans 101: How Section 162 Plans Work

Advisor and client reviewing an advanced markets estate planning strategy in a private office

Business owners are always looking for ways to recruit, reward and keep key people. A Section 162 executive bonus plan is one of the simplest: the business pays for a life insurance policy the executive owns, and deducts the cost as compensation. There are no discrimination rules and no IRS approval required.

Key takeaways

  • The employer can choose who participates and generally deducts the bonus as compensation.
  • The executive owns the policy, reports the bonus as income, and keeps the cash value and death benefit.
  • A double bonus can cover the executive’s income tax so the benefit costs them nothing out of pocket.

The employer picks who to reward, deducts the cost, and the executive owns a portable policy with cash value.

How the plan works for the employer

  • Pays the agreed life insurance premium as a bonus
  • Has no ownership rights in the executive’s policy
  • Reports the bonus on the employee’s W-2
  • Generally deducts the bonus as reasonable compensation and an ordinary business expense

How the plan works for the executive

  • Is the applicant, owner and insured on the policy
  • Names their own beneficiary
  • Pays ordinary income tax on the bonus, unless the employer also pays a tax bonus
  • Benefits from cash value accumulation and the death benefit for personal needs

Because the executive owns the policy, it’s fully portable if they leave. They can keep funding it personally.

Single vs. double bonus

With a single bonus, the executive pays tax on the premium amount. With a double bonus, the employer also pays a cash bonus to cover that tax, so the executive’s after-tax cost is zero. Our article on single vs. double bonus walks through the math.

When to consider a restricted plan

A basic 162 plan rewards key people but doesn’t tie them to the company. Employers who want “golden handcuffs” can use a restrictive endorsement or vesting schedule that limits the executive’s access to cash value until they meet service requirements. Plans can also be designed with long-term care or chronic illness benefits.

Contact our Life Sales team to design an executive bonus plan for your business owner clients.

Frequently asked questions

Is an executive bonus plan tax deductible?

Generally yes. The employer deducts the bonus as compensation, provided total compensation is reasonable. The executive reports the bonus as taxable income.

Does an executive bonus plan have to include all employees?

No. It is not a qualified plan, so the employer can select which employees participate and how much each receives.

What happens if the executive leaves the company?

The executive owns the policy and keeps it. Unless a restrictive endorsement or vesting arrangement applies, they can continue paying premiums personally.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-26

Tim Fuller, President of SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.

Connect on LinkedIn →

We’re Here to Help

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How to Make Long-Term Care Insurance More Affordable: 5 Design Levers

Adult daughter and her aging mother sharing a warm moment while discussing long-term care planning

A client who understands the need for long-term care coverage but balks at the premium isn’t a lost sale. Some coverage is far better than none, and most policies have several levers that can bring the cost within budget.

Key takeaways

  • Inflation protection, monthly benefit, benefit period, and elimination period are the biggest premium drivers.
  • Partnership-qualified policies have state-required inflation protection by age, so other levers may need to do the work.
  • Showing clients several benefit combinations lets them choose the right balance of coverage and cost.

Some long-term care coverage is far better than none. The goal is a plan the client will keep, not the richest plan on paper.

5 ways to dial down the premium

  1. Adjust inflation protection. Instead of 5% compound lifetime, consider 3% or 4% compound, 5% compound for a limited period, or simple inflation.
  2. Reduce the monthly benefit to cover part of expected care costs, with savings or income covering the rest.
  3. Reduce the assisted living benefit if the carrier allows a lower percentage of the facility benefit.
  4. Shorten the benefit period, for example from five years to three.
  5. Lengthen the elimination period, the waiting period before benefits begin.

The Partnership exception

If you’re writing a partnership-qualified policy, the inflation protection must meet state requirements based on the client’s age at application. You may not be able to change inflation protection, so adjust the monthly benefit or other features instead. Partnership policies can offer valuable Medicaid asset protection, so it’s usually worth keeping qualification.

Show options side by side

Presenting several combinations helps clients see the trade-offs and choose for themselves, which builds trust and closes more cases. Hybrid designs are another route; see when asset-based LTC is a fit.

Frequently asked questions

How can I make long-term care insurance cheaper?

Lower the monthly benefit, shorten the benefit period, lengthen the elimination period, or choose a less expensive inflation protection option.

What is a long-term care elimination period?

The number of days a client must need care before benefits begin, similar to a deductible measured in time. Longer periods lower the premium.

Can I change inflation protection on a Partnership policy?

Only within state rules. Partnership policies require minimum inflation protection based on the insured’s age at purchase.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller, President of SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.

Connect on LinkedIn →

We’re Here to Help

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Life Insurance Ownership and Beneficiary Designations: Do’s and Don’ts for Taxable Estates

Advisor and client reviewing an advanced markets estate planning strategy in a private office

Once a policy is in force, two things matter most: who owns it while the insured is alive, and who receives the money at death. Yet applications give those designations tiny boxes, which encourages quick answers that can cause serious tax and probate problems. A real case shows what can go wrong.

Key takeaways

  • When owner, insured and beneficiary are three different parties, the death benefit can be treated as a taxable gift from the owner to the beneficiary.
  • Policies bought to pay estate taxes are usually owned by an irrevocable trust, not the insured, the spouse or the business.
  • Always name contingent beneficiaries and owners, and attach a separate page when the boxes are too small.

The little boxes on the application encourage short answers that seem workable at the time but can end in disaster.

A rushed case

A business owner needed several million dollars of coverage for anticipated estate taxes. A good underwriting offer was about to expire, and no one had time to meet about structure. The day before the deadline, the instructions came in: the company would own the policy, since it was paying the premiums, and the insured’s wife would be the beneficiary.

The good news was that coverage was in force. The rest created problems.

What went wrong

  • An “unholy triangle.” With the company as owner, the insured as insured and the wife as beneficiary, payment of the death benefit could be treated as a taxable distribution or transfer. Depending on how the company was taxed, it might not have been a problem, but no one thought it through.
  • Estate tax exposure. Paying the benefit to the spouse increases the couple’s combined taxable estate, which defeats the purpose of coverage bought to pay estate taxes. Such policies are normally held by an irrevocable trust whose beneficiaries are the insured’s heirs.
  • No contingent beneficiary. If the wife died first, the proceeds could default to the owner or to the insured’s estate, sending millions through probate with its cost, delay and publicity.

Three rules to live by

  1. Use a separate page. Be ready to submit ownership and beneficiary instructions on a separate sheet that is referenced in and made part of the application.
  2. Name contingents. Whenever a primary owner or beneficiary is a natural person, name contingent owners and beneficiaries.
  3. Plan structure during underwriting. Settle the ownership structure, often an ILIT, while the case is being underwritten so the deadline doesn’t force a bad choice.

With the federal estate tax exemption now $15 million per person, fewer clients face estate tax, but those who do face a 40% top rate. See our articles on the $15 million exemption and beneficiary reviews.

Get help with the wording

We can help you draft clear designations for primary and contingent parties and, when needed, confirm the language with the carrier’s claims department before issue. It always works better when you think outside the box.

Frequently asked questions

What is the “unholy triangle” in life insurance?

It’s when the owner, insured and beneficiary are three different parties. At the insured’s death, the owner is treated as transferring the proceeds to the beneficiary, which can create a taxable gift or other tax consequences.

Who should own a life insurance policy meant to pay estate taxes?

Usually an irrevocable life insurance trust, so the death benefit stays out of the insured’s and spouse’s taxable estates. Confirm structure with the client’s estate attorney.

What happens if there’s no contingent beneficiary?

If the primary beneficiary dies first, proceeds typically go to the owner or the insured’s estate under the policy’s default terms, which can mean probate delays, costs and publicity.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-26

Tim Fuller, President of SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.

Connect on LinkedIn →

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How Much Life Insurance Is Enough? 4 Ways to Calculate the Need

Happy family of four laughing together on the couch, representing life insurance protection

Figuring out the right amount of life insurance is still a mystery for many clients, and many households remain underinsured. A careful survivor needs analysis is rare, yet it’s the most reliable way to protect a family. Here are four classic methods and when each is useful.

Key takeaways

  • Income multiples are fast but ignore family size, expenses and stage of life.
  • Capital needs and human life value methods tend to overstate the need for many clients.
  • A comprehensive needs analysis built from a detailed fact finder gives the most accurate answer and gets clients invested in the result.

When the assumptions come from information clients provided, they feel ownership of the result.

1. Multiple-of-earnings method

This method sets coverage at a multiple of annual income, often somewhere between four and eight times salary. It’s quick and easy, but the least reliable, because it overlooks family size, living expenses, debt and stage of life. Our article on income multiples covers how carriers use multiples in underwriting.

2. Capital needs analysis

This method calculates the capital needed, at an assumed rate of return, to replace the insured’s income without ever spending principal. The full amount passes to heirs. It maximizes the ultimate estate but generally overstates the insurance needed to replace lost income.

3. Human life value

Human life value measures the present value of the income the insured would have earned for dependents, sometimes adjusted for inflation and mortality. Because it assumes steadily rising pay and lifestyle, it can overstate the need compared with a family’s current standard of living.

4. Comprehensive needs analysis

This is the most complete approach. It adds up:

  • Immediate cash needs and final expenses
  • Mortgage and debt payoff
  • Ongoing income replacement
  • College funding

It then accounts for inflation, time value of money, taxes, existing savings, existing coverage and Social Security survivor benefits. The inputs come from a thorough fact finder. Categories can include family needs, business needs, buy-sell planning, estate liquidity and retirement. Not every question applies to every client, but working through them surfaces needs clients may have overlooked.

Contact us for our fact finding tools and help zeroing in on the right amount for each client.

Frequently asked questions

What is the simplest way to estimate life insurance needs?

Multiplying income by a factor, commonly four to eight times salary. It’s fast, but a full needs analysis is more accurate because it considers debts, expenses, goals and existing resources.

What is human life value?

The present value of the future income an insured would have provided to dependents. It’s often used for maximum coverage limits but can overstate what a family needs to maintain its current lifestyle.

What should a life insurance needs analysis include?

Final expenses, debt and mortgage payoff, income replacement, education funding, inflation, taxes, existing savings and coverage, and Social Security survivor benefits.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-26

Tim Fuller, President of SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.

Connect on LinkedIn →

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How A1C and Diabetic Control Affect Life Insurance Ratings

Underwriter reviewing medical and financial data with a client during risk assessment

In a diabetes case, one number tells underwriters more than any other: the A1C, which reflects average blood sugar over about three months. How good it is, and how consistent it’s been, can move a case several rate classes.

Key takeaways

  • A1C measures average blood sugar over roughly three months; lower and more stable is better.
  • Underwriters look at the trend across multiple readings, not a single result.
  • A 75-year-old Type 2 diabetic with A1C averaging 7.0 or better received a Preferred offer.

Diagnosed 10 years ago, A1C averaging 7.0 or better, age 75 — and the offer was Preferred.

Why A1C matters

Diabetes complications, including heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and nerve and eye damage, are closely tied to long-term blood sugar control. A1C is the best single measure of that control, so underwriters rely on it heavily alongside type, age at diagnosis, treatment, and complications.

What underwriters look for

  • Several A1C readings over time, not just the most recent
  • A stable or improving trend
  • Readings close to the target set by the client’s doctor
  • No complications

Thresholds vary by carrier and rate class.

Examples

  • Type 2, age 75: diagnosed 10 years ago, A1C averaging 7.0 or better, 5’10” and 207 lbs, blood pressure 143/90, cholesterol 270 with a 6.0 ratio: Preferred.
  • Type 2, age 50+: excellent control with diet and oral medication, no complications: Standard Plus possible.
  • Type 1, over 50: excellent control, no complications: Table B possible.

See the diabetes underwriting guide and Type 1 diabetes.

Frequently asked questions

What A1C is good for life insurance?

Carriers set their own thresholds, but readings near the doctor’s target and stable over time get the best offers. Some well-controlled cases around 7.0 have received Preferred.

Do underwriters look at more than one A1C reading?

Yes. They prefer several readings over time to see the trend.

Can a diabetic get Preferred life insurance rates?

Occasionally, especially older Type 2 diabetics with excellent long-term control and no complications.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller, President of SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.

Connect on LinkedIn →

We’re Here to Help

Have a question about what you just read, or a case you’re working on? Tell us a bit about what you need, and a member of the SRS team will follow up with you personally — no obligation, no hassle.

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Long-Term Care Planning for Family Caregivers

Adult daughter and her aging mother sharing a warm moment while discussing long-term care planning

Many people, especially women, spend years caring for others: children, spouses, parents. The people who provide the most care are often the least prepared for their own.

Key takeaways

  • Women tend to live longer than men (about 81 vs. 76 years at birth) and provide most family caregiving.
  • Married women often care for a husband first, leaving fewer assets for their own care later.
  • Widowed, divorced, and single women are more likely to have no spouse to care for them.

She cared for her parents, then her husband. When it’s her turn, who will care for her — and what’s left to pay for it?

Why caregivers need a plan of their own

Caregivers spend time, money, and energy on others, often at the expense of their careers and savings. Women in particular live longer and make up about two-thirds of nursing home residents. See why women may be the answer to your LTC sales.

Scenarios to discuss

  • Married couples: husbands often need care first, depleting assets the wife will need later. Make sure both spouses have a plan.
  • Unmarried partners: accessing a partner’s assets for care can be complicated. Shared-benefit designs can help.
  • Widowed or divorced: without a spouse or children nearby, there may be no one to provide care. See planning without children.
  • Adult children caring for a parent: buying their own coverage can bring access to caregiver support services, useful when an uninsured parent needs care.

Reaching caregivers

Women’s organizations, caregiver support groups, and community events are natural places to offer LTC education. Our team can help you plan seminars and materials.

Frequently asked questions

Why do women need long-term care planning?

Women generally live longer, are more likely to be caregivers, and are more likely to be widowed or single later in life.

What happens if a caregiver needs care herself?

Without a plan, she may have depleted savings caring for others and have no one to care for her, which is why her own coverage matters.

Can long-term care insurance help caregivers?

Yes. Policies can pay for professional care and often include caregiver training and support services.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller, President of SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.

Connect on LinkedIn →

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The Two Job Offers: A Disability Scenario to Share With Clients

Professional working confidently at her desk, representing disability income protection

Clients understand disability insurance better when it’s framed as a choice they’d make themselves. This simple scenario does exactly that.

Key takeaways

  • Offer A: $100,000 a year, but you carry the full risk of losing income to disability.
  • Offer B: $98,000 a year plus a $65,000 annual benefit if you can’t work because of illness or injury.
  • At 35, lifetime earnings with 3% raises could exceed $5 million; the protection in Offer B could be worth about $2 million.

Would you give up $2,000 a year in salary to protect $5 million in future earnings? Most clients say yes immediately.

The scenario

Imagine you’re the primary earner for your family, and you have two job offers:

  • Offer A: $100,000 a year. If you become disabled, you’re on your own. At age 35, with 3% annual raises, your future earnings through age 67 could exceed $5 million.
  • Offer B: $98,000 a year, plus a guaranteed $65,000 annual benefit if a long-term illness or injury keeps you from working. If you were disabled at 35 and never returned to work, those benefits could total about $2 million.

Why it works

Almost everyone picks Offer B. The scenario shows that disability insurance is simply trading a small amount of income for protection of the rest. Social Security estimates just over 1 in 4 of today’s 20-year-olds will become disabled before full retirement age. See four misconceptions about disability.

The advisor’s job

Educate clients about the risk, then give them the chance to decide whether to transfer it to an insurance company. Tens of millions of working Americans have no individual disability coverage, and most were never asked.

Frequently asked questions

How much are my future earnings worth?

A 35-year-old earning $100,000 with 3% annual raises would earn more than $5 million by age 67.

What does disability insurance cost compared to income?

Many advisors target premiums of about 1–3% of income, similar to the trade-off in this scenario.

Why use a job offer scenario to explain disability insurance?

It frames coverage as a simple trade-off clients would make themselves, rather than a sales pitch.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller, President of SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.

Connect on LinkedIn →

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Have a question about what you just read, or a case you’re working on? Tell us a bit about what you need, and a member of the SRS team will follow up with you personally — no obligation, no hassle.

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Executive Bonus vs. Death Benefit Only Plans: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Advisor and client reviewing an advanced markets estate planning strategy in a private office

Every employer wants cost-effective ways to keep key people. Two of the simplest non-qualified benefits both use life insurance: the executive bonus plan, the most common, and the death benefit only (DBO) plan, the most overlooked. The biggest difference between them is control if the executive leaves.

Key takeaways

  • In an executive bonus plan the executive owns the policy; in a DBO plan the employer owns it.
  • Executive bonus premiums are deductible to the employer and taxable to the executive; DBO premiums aren’t deductible or taxable to anyone.
  • DBO benefits paid to the family are deductible to the employer and taxable to the beneficiary, and employer-owned coverage must meet notice and consent rules.

Both plans keep key people with life insurance. The difference is who keeps control if the executive walks out the door.

How each plan works

Executive bonus: the employer pays premiums on a policy the executive owns. The executive names the beneficiary and keeps the policy if they leave.

Death benefit only: the employer promises to pay a benefit to the executive’s named beneficiary if the executive dies while employed. The employer buys and owns a policy to fund that promise. Either plan can use permanent or term insurance. With DBO, many employers roll the policy out to the executive at retirement; even term coverage can be valuable then because of conversion privileges, especially if the executive has developed health issues.

Side-by-side comparison

  • Policy owner: Executive bonus, the executive. DBO, the employer.
  • Who pays premiums: The employer in both.
  • Premium taxation: Executive bonus premiums are generally deductible to the employer and taxable to the executive. DBO premiums are not deductible and not income to the executive.
  • Death during employment: Executive bonus proceeds go income-tax free to the executive’s beneficiary. Under DBO, the employer generally receives proceeds tax-free (if employer-owned life insurance notice and consent requirements are met), then pays the promised benefit, which is deductible to the employer and taxable income to the beneficiary.
  • After the executive leaves: Executive bonus, the executive keeps the policy. DBO, no benefit to the family; the employer still owns the policy.

Choosing between them

Executive bonus is simple and portable, which makes it a strong recruiting and reward tool, but it offers little retention on its own unless a restrictive endorsement or vesting schedule is added. DBO gives the employer more control and a strong incentive for the executive to stay, since the benefit ends with employment. See our articles on executive bonus plans and single vs. double bonus.

Contact us to talk through executive benefits and the business planning conversations you should be having with every business owner client.

Frequently asked questions

What is a death benefit only plan?

An employer promise to pay a benefit to an employee’s beneficiary if the employee dies while employed, usually funded by a company-owned life insurance policy.

Are DBO plan benefits taxable?

The benefit paid to the family is generally taxable income to the beneficiary and deductible to the employer. The employer usually receives the policy proceeds tax-free if employer-owned life insurance rules are followed.

Which plan is better for retaining key employees?

A DBO plan typically offers stronger retention because the benefit ends if the executive leaves. An executive bonus plan can add retention with a restrictive endorsement or vesting schedule.

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Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-26

Tim Fuller, President of SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.

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