Terminal Illness For American Electric Power Employees

According to a study conducted by the National Institute on Aging, about 80% of individuals aged 65 or older are suffering from at least one chronic illness, including terminal illnesses such as cancer or heart disease. While dealing with a terminal illness can be challenging for anyone, it is important for the elderly to be aware of the medical and emotional support available to them. Palliative care, for instance, can provide comfort and alleviate pain and stress associated with a terminal illness, while hospice care can provide end-of-life care and support. The earlier one seeks out these resources, the better equipped they will be to manage their condition and make informed decisions about their future. (Source: National Institute on Aging, published on September 14, 2020).

What Is It?

Upon learning that you have a terminal illness, you may wish to promptly begin planning for your current needs and the future needs of your survivors. Specifically, you will want to provide enough money, insurance, and assets to ensure that you will be comfortable during your final months and that your survivors will receive an adequate income after your passing.

By communicating your wishes to your family and implementing certain legal documents (e.g., health-care proxy, living will, durable power of attorney), you can make decisions regarding your medical care and prepare for the possibility of incapacity. You will also want to ensure that your estate is distributed to your survivors in accordance with your desires if you are an American Electric Power client dealing with this or a similar circumstance.

Meeting Your Current Financial Needs

• Ensure you have sufficient liquid assets to satisfy your current needs--Determine if the cash in your savings account, money market fund, or other liquid account is sufficient to cover your expenses during your final months. Consider withdrawing funds from your retirement account, applying for any insurance benefits to which you may be entitled, or selling your life insurance policy to a viatical settlement company if none of these options are feasible.
• Consider making withdrawals from your retirement account --You may request a distribution of funds from your defined contribution plan to cover your medical expenses. This is known as a hardship distribution, and it is limited to the amount required to satisfy your immediate financial needs. To be eligible for a hardship distribution, you must lack access to other resources that could satisfy this need.

Caution:  A hardship distribution from a defined contribution plan is subject to income tax. However, if you are disabled, or if the distribution is used to pay qualified medical expenses, the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty won't apply.

Apply for Disability Benefits That You Are Entitled to

Once you have satisfied the elimination (waiting) period, you may be eligible for disability benefits under a group or individual disability income insurance policy. Check your policy or contact American Electric Power if you are unsure whether a disability policy covers you.

Review Your Life Insurance Policy for Ways to Raise Cash

You may be able to borrow against or obtain accelerated death benefits from your life insurance policy. Your policy may also include a premium waiver, so that after you've been disabled for a certain period of time (typically six months), the insurance company will pay your insurance premiums, saving you some money.

Caution:  Borrowing against your life insurance or taking accelerated death benefits will reduce the benefit paid to your survivors.

Consider Viatical Settlements

The transfer of an insurance policy to a third party constitutes a viatical settlement. This third entity is typically a company or group of investors specializing in such sales. In general, you will receive between 45 and 85 percent of the face value of your policy when you sell it. This distribution is generally tax-free if your life expectancy is less than 24 months. Nevertheless, American Electric Power customers must be aware that there are disadvantages. For instance, your beneficiaries on your life insurance policy will no longer be your survivors, and receiving a viatical settlement may disqualify you from receiving Medicaid.

Providing Financially for Your Survivors

Buy More Life Insurance

If you believe that the death benefit your survivors will receive from your life insurance policy will not be sufficient to meet their needs and you have a life insurance policy through American Electric Power, find out if you can purchase additional coverage during the open enrollment period without providing proof of insurability. Also, examine your existing life insurance policy to determine if you are eligible to purchase additional coverage without providing proof of insurability. If you are taking out a loan to buy consumer products, you may be able to purchase credit life insurance to pay off the loan in the event of your death.

Caution:  Proceeds from a life insurance policy are generally nontaxable to your beneficiaries. However, those proceeds are   includable in your gross estate for estate tax purposes if they are payable to your estate, your executor, or an individual or trust   legally obligated to pay estate debts.

Make Sure That Your Survivors Will Have Access to Needed Funds

Your survivors may require funds to cover their day-to-day living expenses as well as funeral and burial costs. You can provide for them with life insurance, but you may also want to make sure they have access to liquid assets (such as currency held in CDs, savings accounts, and checking accounts). If necessary, add your spouse, child, or another survivor to your account so that they can access the funds as co-owners after your death.

Tip:  Consider adding your spouse as a joint owner on your credit card account if you want to make sure that he or she has access   to the credit line after your death, particularly if your spouse currently has no credit established in his or her own name.

Find Out What Benefits Your Survivors Will Be Eligible For

Your survivors may be eligible for Social Security survivor benefits, benefits from the U.S. military (if you are an active or retired service member) or benefits from your qualified retirement plan. If you are already retired from American Electric Power and you chose to provide a survivor's annuity for your spouse, he or she may continue to receive income from your retirement annuity after your passing.

Even if you are not yet retired from American Electric Power, your spouse or another beneficiary may receive a lump-sum death benefit from your qualified plan.

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Tip:  Continuing payments made to your estate (if named as beneficiary) or to a family member may be includable in your gross estate for estate tax purposes.

Make Use of Appropriate Planning Opportunities to Minimize Potential Federal Estate Taxes

Your estate will be exempt from federal gift and estate tax if its value is less than the applicable exclusion amount. Nonetheless, if your estate exceeds the applicable exclusion amount, you should consider implementing strategies to minimize potential estate taxes, such as making gifts in the amount of the annual gift tax exclusion each year to any number of recipients (this figure is inflation-indexed, so it may change in future years), transferring property to your spouse, or making charitable contributions.

Estate Planning Concerns and Opportunities

Review Your Will or Make One

Our American Electric Power clients who have a will should evaluate it and make any necessary modifications. If you do not have a will, you should create one with the assistance of an attorney immediately. You should appoint a guardian for your minor children (if you have any), name an executor for your estate, and specify how your assets will be distributed after your death in your will.

Ensure That Your Estate Is Liquid

Now is the time for these American Electric Power customers to ensure that their estate has sufficient liquid assets to cover estate settlement expenses. If your survivors are forced to liquidate assets in order to meet their obligations, they may lose income or assets that you had earmarked for them. There are numerous methods to ensure the liquidity of an estate, including distributing illiquid assets to heirs in a will, selling estate assets prior to death, and establishing a buy-sell agreement if you are a business owner.

Planning for Incapacity

When you have a terminal illness, you must prepare for the time when you will be unable to manage your own affairs. If you become incapacitated and unable to manage your finances or sign legal documents, a durable power of attorney will grant the person of your choice the authority to act on your behalf. Consider executing a healthcare proxy if you want this individual to have authority over only healthcare-related decisions.

You may want to effectuate a living will if you want to ensure that no procedures are performed to prolong your life. By making your wishes known while you are still competent, a living will can also prevent your family from having to make traumatic decisions on your behalf.

Tip:  To protect yourself from people who may think you are incapacitated when you aren't, ask your doctor to sign a physician's certificate certifying that you are able to sign and execute legal documents.

Income Tax Planning Concerns

If you are no longer able to work for American Electric Power, you may be required to liquidate your investments, retirement funds, or insurance policies to cover your expenses. By controlling when income or gains are recognized, it is possible to control taxation. Additionally, these American Electric Power customers should keep track of their medical expenses in the event that they qualify as deductions against their taxable income.

Making Decisions About The Future

Planning for Medical Care

Maintaining health insurance coverage is essential if you have a terminal illness. If you discontinue your coverage, it will likely be impossible to purchase more. If you lose coverage as a result of losing your job with American Electric Power, you should plan to purchase COBRA insurance to maintain coverage. Additionally, these American Electric Power customers should evaluate the coverage limits of their health insurance to determine if their policy will cover in-home care, including hospice care, if they do not need or desire hospital care.

Planning Your Funeral

Numerous individuals may prefer arranging their own funerals because they can ensure that the funeral and final arrangements are exactly as desired. It may also be beneficial for your family, as they will not have to make difficult decisions while grieving.

Tip:  If you are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, find out what death benefits you are entitled to. For instance, you may be eligible for burial in a national cemetery, final honors, a headstone, a flag, or other benefits.

Making an Organ Donation

For American Electric Power customers who wish to become organ donors, make arrangements immediately. Discuss the situation with your family, as they may be disturbed by your desire to become an organ donor. Ensure that they comprehend your decision before proceeding. Check with your local department of motor vehicles or consult your doctor for information on organ donor programs.

Conclusion

Just like how taking care of your car with regular maintenance can prevent costly repairs down the line, investing in your health and wellness through preventative measures can also save you from expensive healthcare bills in the future. In the same way that getting an oil change can extend the life of your vehicle, taking steps to improve your health, such as exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet, can help you live a longer and healthier life. By investing in your health now, you can save money and stress in the future.