Discover how insurance solutions may help you prepare for what happens with your estate—and provide for your beneficiaries and the causes you care about—after you’re gone.
Settling an estate—and leaving a legacy—can be a complicated process. Insurance can be a tax-effective way to transfer wealth to the next generation, to a charity or out of your business. You and your trusted professionals can rely on our knowledge and experience to help determine which insurance solutions align with your plans.
No matter what your net worth, your estate may be subject to significant taxation upon your death. Life insurance benefits may help fulfil these tax obligations, allowing your estate to retain its value. The proceeds of a personal life insurance policy are paid quickly, either to the estate to pay taxes (subject to probate where applicable) or directly to beneficiaries outside of the estate, tax-free.
Are you looking for a way to transfer some of your wealth to your children or grandchildren? We can show you how buying a life insurance policy to provide them with coverage may help you do this.
For people with assets that are challenging to split—such as a vacation property or cherished jewelry—a life insurance death benefit may help create an equal share of the estate for those who don’t inherit the asset.
You can reallocate a portion of your fixed-income investments to purchase a tax-exempt life insurance policy. The premiums, less the insurance costs, will accumulate tax-deferred, generating no annual tax slips.
The estate can then use the death benefit proceeds to fund capital gains or income tax liabilities, create a personal legacy for children or other dependants, or provide a social legacy for charities, trusts or foundations.
Personal insurance may help with:
Your support of the charities and causes that matter to you may continue once you’re gone.
You can create an enduring legacy—and enjoy the tax benefits—with life insurance. Depending on your situation, the organization of your choice can be the owner and beneficiary of the policy. In addition, the charity or foundation may receive the proceeds outside of the estate.
Let us help you determine which insurance solutions suit your philanthropic goal
Whether as a sole proprietor or business partner, your death can have a devastating effect on your company’s ability to continue. Life insurance may be used to help fund a buy-sell agreement, which would allow your share of the business to transfer smoothly to the appropriate individuals. This agreement helps promote the financial health and viability of your company.
Insurance solutions may also provide you with the opportunity to maximize the net value of your corporate assets when passed on to the next generation.
You can also take advantage of tax-deferred growth in a whole life or universal life policy owned inside the corporation. In addition, most, if not all, of the death benefit proceeds can be paid out of the corporation tax-free.
In situations where only one of your children is involved in the business—which may represent your most significant asset—proceeds from a life insurance policy may help create an equal share of the estate, tax-free, for those not involved.
“As a parent, a positive relationship between my children when I am gone is my top priority. With insurance, an estate equalization strategy removes a potential barrier keeping them from a healthy relationship.”
Cathryne JohannessonBranch DirectorRBC Dominion Securities Inc.
Connect with RBC Wealth Management Financial Services or speak with your RBC advisor* to learn more about insurance planning.
*Advisors at RBC Dominion Securities or RBC Phillips, Hager & North Investment Counsel can assist you with insurance planning.
We can show you how insurance solutions may protect against the risk of future financial loss and help generate additional retirement income.
Explore how insurance solutions may help create another asset within your overall portfolio, protect the value of your estate and fund your estate’s tax liabilities.
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A concern beyond creating and protecting wealth is providing for children and grandchildren. Using life insurance, you can protect your wealth, minimize taxes and ensure the efficient transfer of assets.
Traditional segregated funds and GIAs complement your estate planning with the ability to create a legacy by simply and effectively cascading wealth to the next generation.
Insurance may offer an excellent way to fund a buy-sell agreement should a business partner become ill or die. Funds generated satisfy the agreement and minimize disruption to surviving partners.
Tax-deferred growth of life insurance may allow corporate assets to avoid accrual taxation and greater growth than if regularly invested. At death, most proceeds can be paid out of the corporation, tax-free.