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Life Insurance and Your Family

Buying life insurance acknowledges the possibility that the unexpected can happen, and the coverage it provides can help relieve stress at a time when your family is coping with a devastating loss. It can also help ensure that house payments will be made, food will be on the table and college dreams can be realized.

Every family's requirements are different, but understanding the general needs at various stages of your life can help you narrow your focus.

Starting a family

The arrival of a child is perhaps the most compelling reason to get life insurance. It's also a time when life gets more expensive, and the need for life insurance can be easily overlooked.

If you can't afford as much coverage as you need, get what you can afford now — you can add more later. Even a small amount of insurance can make a difference at a critical time for your family.

The important thing is to get started — we're here to help at 1 877 276-9429.

Did you know? According to some sources, the cost of raising a child to the age of 17 could be as much as a quarter of a million dollars? And that's not counting college.

Getting married or changing your marital status

If you're newly married, you should consider your need for life insurance. If one spouse is the primary breadwinner, you may need life insurance to replace future earnings of the deceased spouse and preserve the standard of living of the surviving spouse. Life insurance can also help pay off financial obligations such as credit card debt, car loans, or mortgage.

If you're remarried, you'll need to reevaluate any existing life insurance coverage you had with your previous spouse or on your own. You may elect to increase or decrease it, designate new beneficiaries, or make other adjustments.

If you're single with dependents, you need to make doubly sure you have enough life insurance to help safeguard your children's financial future.

If you're divorced and responsible for alimony or child support payments, a divorce decree may require you to have life insurance to cover these obligations. Regardless, you may want to consider how life insurance can help cover the needs of your children under any divorce circumstance.

We're here to help — call 1 877 276-9429 or have a Planning Consultant call you.

Taking care of children or other family members with special needs

If an aged or infirm parent depends on you, or you have a child with special needs, life insurance can help provide a guarantee that funds will be available for the quality of care you wish to provide.

We're here to help - speak with a Planning Consultant at 1 877 276-9429 or have a Planning Consultant call you.

Saving for your children's or grandchildren's education

Funding the education of your children or grandchildren may already be among your top savings priorities. But if you die prematurely, that savings plan dies with you. Life insurance can help complete that plan and see that college dreams are realized.

To learn more about what might be right for you, speak with a Planning Consultant at 1 877 276-9429 or have a Planning Consultant call you.

Did you know? As of 2007-2008 the average total charges, including tuition, fees, and room and board, for in-state students at public four-year colleges and universities is $13,589. And for private four-year colleges and universities, it's $32,307. Both are 5.9% higher than just a year earlier. (Source: The College Board's publicaton, Trends in college Pricing, 2008)

Death of a spouse or close family member

The death of a loved one changes everything, both emotionally and practically. This is an important time to review your existing life insurance coverage, particularly if the person was the beneficiary of your policy.

You may want to name a new beneficiary, rethink your coverage amount, or consider whether you still need coverage at all. If the death of someone close to you has increased your financial responsibility, it's important to assess your need for new, or additional, insurance.

We're here to help — speak with a Planning Consultant at 1 877 276-9429 or have a Planning Consultant call you.

Life Insurance is issued by TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
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