Make certain you protect your assets.

There are a couple of key strategies to make certain you protect your assets. One is, ensure you have suitable insurance cover for yourself (and other key people) if you’ve used debt to start-up or grow your business.

How to Protect Your Assets

 

Case Study

Adam, aged 40, is married to Kylie, aged 35. They have a young family and own a home worth $600,000.

Adam wants to expand his dry-cleaning business and to do this he’ll need to raise some capital. After assessing his options, he borrows $200,000 from a bank. As part of the loan agreement, he signs a guarantee using the family home as security.

One of the conditions of the loan is that the debt must be repaid immediately if he dies or becomes totally and permanently disabled.

Protect your assets to protect your wealth

First of all, we as his financial adviser explain that should either of these events occur, the only way he’ll be able to repay the loan is to sell either the business or the family home. And both these options would have significant drawbacks.

Selling the business assumes there’ll be a willing buyer prepared to pay a reasonable price. Selling the family home can present similar challenges. Compounded by Adam’s family having to find somewhere else to live.

Adam could also face problems if he suffers a critical illness. In this scenario, he could struggle to meet the loan repayments. Particularly if he takes a while to recover or is unable to return to work.

After assessing Adam’s goals and financial situation, we recommend he take out $200,000 in Life, TPD and Critical Illness insurance. If the unthinkable happens, he (or his estate) will receive the necessary cash to repay the loan and extinguish the guarantee. Hence, protecting his assets and his family.

 

Note: This case study highlights the importance of speaking to the right financial adviser about protecting the assets that have been used to secure business debts. Just in case you (or another key person) die. Or become totally and permanently disabled or suffer a critical illness. The right financial planner can also address a range of potential issues and identify other suitable protection strategies.

 

If you need more information or help to implement a strategy to protect your assets or any other strategies for your wealth protection, contact us today.

See the Tips and Traps below.

 

Protect your assets

Protect Your Assets – TIPS & TRAPS #1

  • It’s important to update your insurance cover to protect your assets. Most importantly, bringing it in line with the changing value of your debts. Failing to do this may lead to underinsurance.
  • Similarly, if you (or the entity through which your business is run) own an insurance policy taken out for the purpose of repaying a debt, the premiums paid by you (or the entity) will not be tax-deductible.
  • If you take out the Life or TPD insurance through a super fund. The benefit could come from upfront tax concessions. This is generally not available when insuring outside super. (see Wealth Protection Strategy 5). However, restrictions do apply to who can be nominated as a beneficiary.
  • Taxation liabilities may apply to certain eligible persons when a death benefit (including insurance proceeds) is paid. Especially, in the form of a lump sum, pension or a combination of both from a super fund.

Protect Your Assets TIPS & TRAPS #2

  • Insurance cover purchased through a super fund is owned by the fund trustee. As a result, this is who is responsible for paying benefits subject to relevant legislation and fund rules. When insuring in super you should be clear on the powers and obligations of the relevant trustee when paying benefits. We can help and adcise on that.
  • It may be more cost-effective over the longer term to protect your assets if you pay level premiums, rather than stepped premiums that increase each year with age (our Wealth Protection Strategy 6).
  • Insurance can also be used to protect your business revenue. Therefore, if you (or another key person) die, become disabled or suffer a critical illness you are covered. (Wealth Protection Strategy 7).
  • Finally, if you’re in business with other people, and want to protect your assets, you should consider establishing a Buy Sell agreement funded by insurance.

 

💡 If you need more information or help to establish the most cost and tax-effective insurance strategy to protect your assets (and if you are a business owner, protecting your business ownership and your wealth protection), contact us today on 08 7111 0022 or book a chat to see how we can best help you here

 

Arthur Panagis
Author, Founder, Wealth Coach and Financial Strategist

B.Bus (Accountant)
Grad Dip (Financial Planning)
Professional Certificate in Self Managed Super Funds
ASX Listed Equities Accreditation
Tax (financial) Advisor

 

REMEMBER, action is power!

💪We want to make the rest of your life the best of your life.

 

Head Office –
Suite 2, Level 1, 148 Greenhill Rd,
PARKSIDE SA 5063
Ph – 08 7111 0022
Email – info@fmgws.com.au

 

 

👀 You can read how to further protect your assets by protecting your income and your wealth here

 

 

 

 

 

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Disclaimer: This article is factual information only. It is not intended to imply any recommendation about any financial product(s) or to constitute tax advice. The information in the article is reliable at the time of distribution, but may not be complete or accurate in the future.

 

 

 

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