What is Disability Insurance?
Disability insurance attempts to insure you against any injury, sickness or illness which would prevent you from earning an income. It is designed to replace up to 66% of your gross income on a tax-free basis should you become disabled. It covers both long term and short term disabilities. Don’t think you need disability insurance?
Consider these sobering statistics:
- Just over 1 in 4 of today’s 20 year-olds will become disabled before they retire. Source: Social Security Administration, Fact Sheet March 18, 2011;
- Over 36 million Americans are classified as disabled; about 12% of the total population. More than 50% of disabled Americans are in their working years, from 18-64. Source: U.S. Census Bureau;
- 8.3 million Disabled wage earners, over 5% of U.S. workers, were receiving Social Security Disability (SSDI) benefits at the conclusion of March 2011. Source: Social Security Administration, Disabled Worker Beneficiary Statistics, www.ssa.gov; and
- In December 2010, there were over 2.5 million disabled workers in their 20s, 30s, and 40s receiving SSDI benefits. Source: Social Security Administration, Disabled Worker Beneficiary Statistics,www.ssa.gov . Please consider whether you need disability insurance on yourself or a loved one today.
Smart business owners will partially fund their buy/sell agreements through disability insurance and will carry disability insurance on key employees to benefit the business. Even if you have a policy through your employer, you should consider an additional policy so that your family does not have to worry about income if you become disabled for even a short period of time.
