Are Your Assets Protected?
Asset protection is more important than ever before. Today, you have risks at every turn. Lawsuits, high cost of long-term care, auto and home accidents, or years of Probate. All too often, we settle and fail to consider the importance of comprehensive protection. In other cases, all we need is the best legal document to protect what we own. It is not worth rolling the dice and sacrificing your savings or your hard-earned assets. And it is next to impossible to keep up with what you need for protection. Many changes you need come without warning.
Today and in the following several articles, I will review a few asset protection strategies. I encourage you to visit your Police Benefits Plan for more detail.
Homestead Real Estate
Suppose you are married and currently working as the police. In that case, your principal place of residence should be titled in Tenants by Entirety. This form of legal title protects your marital property from the creditors of one spouse.
Firearms
Being the police 24/7 carries a significant risk of liability, especially for using your firearm while off duty. However, you can also obtain insurance protection for on-duty firearm claims. It would be best to have insurance coverage for as long as you carry a firearm. Check out the Benefits Plan website for more information.
Asset Protection with Automobile Insurance
The most common auto policy written today is the same as it was 25 years ago – $100,000/$300,000. It means you have $100,000 in individual protection for damages caused by you or a covered driver on your policy. Similarly, you have $300,000 total coverage for all injured parties. Consequently, you are personally responsible for damages that exceed these amounts. Even a minor accident can result in hospitalization, extended medical care, or death. However, Umbrella Insurance only costs an average of $250 per year. The policy provides an additional $1 million in liability protection for each covered vehicle and your residence.
Investment Real Estate
If you own commercial property, your renters can sue you for various reasons. For example, claims made for injuries resulting from property defects inside and outside of the residence. First, be sure you have the right coverage and are not overpaying. Secondly, eliminate any personal liability concern for excess claims by holding title to any investment property in either a Corporation or an LLC. Moreover, a Series LLC allows you to separate liabilities from each property if you own more than one investment property.
Long Term Health Care
Will you need it? For those who live longer than age 65, 70% will need some long-term health care. To clarify, only 40% of people will require inpatient nursing care. However, all long-term health care is expensive. Fortunately, there is a hybrid insurance policy that is offered exclusively to Benefits Plan members. This policy provides long-term care insurance and, if not accessed, it can be converted to life insurance at your death.
Living Trusts and Asset Protection
At the end of your life, or if you become incapacitated, property or bank accounts in your name, are at risk of Probate.
- A Will must be probated. The rule is no one can legally sign your name. Therefore, all assets in your name are subject to the complete probate process at your death or incapacity. This court process averages 18 months and is costly.
- A Living Trust completely avoids Probate.
- A Living Trust estate plan includes both Health Care and Financial Power of Attorney documents and a Last Will and Testament for guardianship of minor children and to “pour over” any assets still in your name at your death, out of Probate.
A Revocable Living Trust is a written, legal document that allows you to privately pass your assets to your family, friends, or charities after your death. Assets in a properly funded Trust are not subject to Probate. These include real estate, bank accounts, stocks, and minor beneficiary policies and accounts. Your life insurance policies and deferred compensation accounts can name your Living Trust as beneficiary, subject to essential tax considerations. However, often it is recommended that adult beneficiaries, without legal or other restrictions, be named as beneficiaries.
Police Benefits Plan
For an expanded presentation of asset protection strategies and to receive regular updates on strategies to protect what you have earned, visit and register with the Police Benefits Plan on the link below. Registration for police and families is free.
Visit www.policebenefitsplan.com or call 1-312-559-8444 for assistance with registering.
Tom Tuohy is the founder and CEO of the Police Benefits Plan, Comprehensive Benefits of America, LLC, and Tuohy Law Offices. He has been a police lawyer for over three decades. His father was a CPD detective, and his grandfather was CPD Chief of Major Investigations.
The information being provided is strictly as a courtesy. When you link to any of these websites provided herein, Comprehensive Benefits of America, LLC makes no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided at these sites. CBA does not provide professional financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. You should seek certified financial planners, CPAs, and attorneys for advice relative to your personal needs. See full Disclosures and the CBA Security and Privacy policies.
