Should I Use Life Insurance to Leave an Inheritance?

Dave does not recommend using life insurance strictly for financial inheritance purposes. Life insurance should be used to address any debts you may have upon your death, and to replace your lost income so that your family can maintain their financial lifestyle.

This is because, with term life policies, you can outlive the coverage, meaning you spent dollars on a goal that may not even be accomplished. And with cash-value plans – such as whole, universal, and variable life policies – they are overpriced, poorly designed programs, and are a lousy long-term investment even while you are alive, let alone as an inheritance tool.

Dave’s advice is to get out of debt and grow your savings in order to leave an inheritance, using much smarter methods than a life insurance policy. With this approach, you can give like no one else while you’re living, then leave the remainder to your family as a debt-free, investment-rich estate upon your death.