disability insurance pacheco

By Alaina Pacheco
In times like these, good decisions matter. When it comes to protecting a portion of your income from disability risks, it’s important to base your decision on the facts. In the case of disability, some of those facts might surprise you.For example, more than one-quarter of today's 20 year-olds will become disabled before they retire.¹ If you are covered by a group disability income policy through your employer, you might not know about the likely gap between your policy’s benefits and your family’s actual needs. To start with, the typical group plan only covers 50 to 70% of income. The benefits are often taxable, have maximum limits, and don’t cover bonuses, commissions, or 401(k) contributions. In some cases, worker’s compensation helps bridge the gap, but less than 5% of disabling accidents and illnesses are work related.²If you run a business, your insurance protection should help cover its operating costs, possibly provide the funds for a partnership buyout, and protect a portion of lost earnings — either yours or your employees.The most common way to close the gap between existing coverage and actual needs is to obtain a supplemental individual disability income insurance policy. Because you own it, you can take it with you throughout your career.The best way to make a good decision about that policy is to work with a trusted, trained financial professional. No surprise there.