What are BOLI and COLI and how can they help business owners?

 

“Bank-owned and company-owned life insurance (BOLI-COLI) has a proven track record of helping corporations fund executive compensation and improving their bottom lines.” Teresa Kuhn.

 

Authored By Teresa Kuhn, JD, RFC, CSA – TeresaKuhn.com

teresakuhnbolicoli100year

An alternative to mutual funds, corporate-owned life insurance (COLI) is an investment tool that allows corporations to accumulate tax-deferred assets. A company buys and owns life insurance on key employees with a COLI. The policy’s primary beneficiary is the company, paying non-deductible premiums while receiving tax-advantaged cash value and death benefit proceeds. Nearly 75% of Fortune 100 companies report using COLI programs.

Many companies design these life insurance policies as funding solutions for Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs) or other defined compensation programs. The corporation may access the cash in these policies using either policy loans or withdrawals of cumulative premium to basis. Withdrawals made in these ways are tax-free.

Because cash values aren’t taxed during the accumulation phase, a company with a COLI will not pay the same income tax costs associated with a mutual fund. A COLI may be significantly more tax-efficient since gains stay within the asset, enjoying tax-deferred growth and compounded returns.

BOLI, or Bank-Owned Life Insurance, is a type of COLI where a bank is both owner and beneficiary of a specially-designed life insurance policy. Like COLI, BOLI is a tax-advantaged product used by financial institutions to fund employee benefits and increase net income indirectly. As you might imagine, banks using BOLIs only consider policies issued by insurance companies with the highest credit ratings.

BOLI AND COLI benefits include:

  • Tax advantages because companies pay premiums with after-tax dollars.
  • Growth in the form of the guaranteed loan provision.
  • Exceptional liquidity. Unlike many other financial tools, BOLI and COLI provide significant liquidity. The policy owner can withdraw up to 100% of their cash value at
  • any time.
  • More safety: BOLI and COLI policies, like the insurance policies I use in my “100 Year” solutions, are issued by top-rated, financially responsible insurers. Insurance companies generally are highly-regulated and scrutinized to help ensure their solvency.

Those familiar with BOLI and COLI policies may also know that variable universal life (VUL) or indexed universal life (IUL) is the most common type of insurance used in designing BOLIs and COLIs. And while IUL may be helpful in some instances, I don’t think it is necessarily the ultimate choice for individuals and small businesses who want to become their own sources of financing.

For more money-saving, stress-reducing personal finance tips,  or to discover more about making every dollar you’ve saved do the work of three or four, visit my website at www.teresakuhn.com.

https://calendly.com/tkuhn-lwf

As an “Untaxable Wealth Strategist” I can help you to…

Discover how you can regain control over the biggest Destroyer of your wealth… YOUR TAX BILL. So you can Reduce, Eliminate and Recapture your Current and Future Tax Liability.

Access the optimal Strategies so you can FORTIFY Your Wealth from Economic and Market Downturns NOW and in Retirement.

Work with a trusted partner to implement the “Untaxable Wealth Strategies” and help you communicate with your other professionals so you can focus on what you do best – running your business.

https://calendly.com/tkuhn-lwf