Mention “life insurance”, particularly variable unit-linked insurance (VUL), and the first thing that comes to mind is income protection in case of death, disability, or an accident.
For Marjorie “Arjo” Te, however, VUL can also mean protecting the money and other assets that you have painstakingly accumulated in your lifetime. As a rookie financial advisor — she joined Spark Amber only in October 2019 — Arjo is using her years of experience in finance and her business acumen to better understand the situation of her insurance clients. As a mom, she has that nurturing spirit she uses to offer the best possible service to address her clients’ most pressing needs.
One of Arjo’s friends approached her one day with one such need.
Her friend’s dad, who is in his late 70s, is in the trading business. Over the years, he has built a sizable fortune in business and has invested in different bank instruments.
Looking ahead, however, the dad knew that he would pass on one day. But since he was still strong and healthy, he wanted to maximize the return on his investments today. At the same time, he also wanted to build sufficient funding for the estate taxes that his heirs will have to pay when the time comes. He wanted a smooth transfer of his assets when he passes on so that his family will not have to be given an additional burden when they lose him.
Arjo proposed using VUL insurance to increase the earnings potential of her client’s investments. With a VUL plan, clients can choose from a slew of funds to fit their investment appetite. In this case, Arjo’s client is a conservative investor. She proposed placing her client’s investment in a not-so-risky financial instrument.
Looking at her client’s other concern, Arjo proposed another plan that builds a fund to cover for the estate taxes that his heirs will have to pay at the time of his death.
For Arjo, these plans enabled her to use life insurance as a wealth accumulation and preservation tool for her high net worth client. For her client, on the other hand, it means peace of mind and hassle-free transfer of his estate to his heirs.
“Providing this solution to my clients makes me feel blessed to have this opportunity to take part in solving their family’s concerns, that could have a great impact with the way they live in the future,” Arjo said.
A life insurance plan is not just your go-to fund when somebody dies in the family. For Arjo, it is a tool for businesses, too and the families who own them to have peace of mind today and in the future, so that they can continue to live the life of their choosing.
