Knowledge Center

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Featured Resources

Safety Tips for Seniors Living at Home

For seniors who live at home, safety is a big concern. Especially for those who live alone, it’s important to be aware of potential safety issues so that the comforts of home can continue to be enjoyed for as long as possible. Whether you’re a senior yourself or a friend or family member who’s caring […]
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Cost of Insurance (COI) Increases May Have Beneficial Implications for Life Settlement Market

As the Wall Street Journal reported late last year, many universal life insurance carriers have been raising premiums on policies that were sold as many as 30 years ago. This has been difficult enough for policyholders who have found their premiums suddenly increased by thousands of dollars. Now, however, cost of insurance charges, or COI, […]
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Life Settlement Market Sees More Interest in Policies with Smaller Face Values

Traditionally, the life settlement market has been concerned with life insurance policies with larger face values - typically, of $1 million and above. This has been due to simple economics: the return for investors is greater on high-face value policies. The market for large policies, and even jumbo policies of $10 million-$100 million, is stronger […]
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Tips for Seniors Starting Encore Careers

Let’s be frank: Baby Boomers today deserve a standing ovation for everything they’ve done throughout their lives. Supporting families, raising healthy children, saving what they can to ensure a happy, fulfilling retirement - that’s hard work. After 40-plus years of being responsible and looking after those you care about, it’s time to sit back and […]
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Tips for Senior Entrepreneurs

It used to be that our golden years were spent relaxing. We played leisurely games of golf or tennis, caught up on our reading, spent time with family, maybe took a few trips we’d never been able to before. That is still the case for some retirees these days. However, as our health and life […]
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Long-Term Growth Projected for Life Settlement Industry

Just 20 years ago, the life settlement industry was seen as more of a fringe investment class than anything else. There was little discipline, very few regulations, and many people - even investors and brokers themselves - were unsure of the best way to go about selling or purchasing this type of asset. Today, however, […]
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Why You Should Consider a Life Settlement When Reviewing Your Client’s Portfolio

“Things change, but they never stay that way.” Isn’t that something the baseball king of misspeaking, Yogi Berra, said? Either way, there’s a kind of ridiculous wisdom there that can be applied to almost any situation. Things do change - and then they change again. Financial advisors know this truth well. Stocks go up and […]
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Our Top 5 Financial Books for Retirees

At Ashar, we work with financial advisors and their clients - many of whom are retired or are about to retire - every day. Part of the reason we do what we do is because we believe we have a responsibility to help our seniors retire comfortably and well, as free from financial stress as […]
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How a Life Settlement Can Help Businesses and Nonprofits

Life settlements can be excellent tools for individuals who need to unload life insurance policies that have become costly and burdensome - but they’re not the only ones who can benefit from this Secondary Market Solution. Businesses and nonprofits may also have circumstances in which a life settlement may be a prudent choice. Here’s a […]
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3 Tips for Newly Retired Couples

When retirement comes at the same time for both members of a couple, the life changes can be overwhelming. There’s the excitement of having time to get to know your spouse all over again; the curiosity of what spending that time together will be like; and the anticipation of the projects, trips, and other “bucket […]
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Wealth Management: Life Settlements Pay for LTC

Similar to appraising real estate, we use current market data to determine if a life insurance policy has any value beyond the cash surrender value if sold today.
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3 Signs Retirement is Stressing You Out - and What To Do About It

Despite the relaxing and fun images that the word “retirement” calls up - sitting on a beach, traveling with your spouse, spending one’s mornings golfing or gardening - this phase of life isn’t always what prospective retirees expect. There are potential financial issues for one, which we’ve talked about at length on this blog and […]
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FAQs

Will I need a medical exam?

Unlike applying for insurance coverage, no medical exam is required in the life settlement process. Buyers will review the last 3 years of medical records for the purpose of providing offers. Certain situations do not require any medical review at all.

Is a life settlement legal?

The right to sell your life insurance policy, like any other piece of property/asset, is available in all 50 states.

How common are life settlements?

With the retirement crisis and increased medical costs, more senior policy owners are using life settlements to unlock the value of unwanted/unneeded life insurance policies and use the funds for all sorts of needs like funding retirement, long-term care, or medical expenses.

I see a lot of ads on T.V. about selling my life insurance. How is Ashar different?

Companies on TV are licensed to represent investors, not policy owners. Their objective is to pay the lowest amount possible for a policy without competition. Ashar is a fiduciary to the policy owner and through our competitive auction process, we secure hundreds of millions each year for families looking to solve everyday needs. Since 2003, Ashar has been focused solely on the life settlement and life insurance policy valuation space and has earned the reputation of a trusted resource.

How can I ensure I have representation that protects my best interests?

While we’re licensed to represent the seller in a life settlement transaction, Ashar also works alongside financial professionals for the clients they serve. We believe policy owners are best served when their planning professionals are involved in any complex decisions about their life insurance. Either way, our sole fiduciary duty is to you – the policy owner. Ashar has relationships with thousands of reputable financial professionals in every practice area – insurance planning, tax planning, retirement planning, wealth management, charitable planning, etc. If you need a recommendation, let us make the connection. We’re here to help.

If my policy has value now, won’t it have more in the future?

It depends on several factors like cost of insurance changes or significant changes in insured’s health. Like all markets, sometimes it’s a seller’s market and sometimes it’s a buyer’s market. Also, the market is impacted by buyer’s purchase parameters. Ultimately, families should consider the cost of continued premiums and managing the policy should they decide to keep it in the hopes of selling it in the future. What if the insured lives longer than projected? Does the policy owner have the liquidity available to maintain the policy?

How do I know if I will qualify?

Most buyers are looking at policy type, age and health of the insured, and premium requirements to make a determination of offer. Each life settlement buyer is a fiduciary to multiple investors, each with their own unique set of purchase parameters. Based on policy details and insured health status, we will reach out to our extensive network of institutional buyer relationships for offers. If you have an unneeded/unwanted policy, are ages 60s to 90s, and have had a decline in health since your policy was issued, you could qualify for a life settlement solution. Younger insureds with significant health issues can also qualify.

What is my policy worth?

The overall value depends on several factors: policy type, premium amount, cash surrender value, insured’s health, and buyer’s purchase parameters. Most policy owners only know what the death benefit is in the event of the insured’s passing. Beyond that, some policies accumulate cash value – the amount the policy owner would receive if the policy were surrendered (less any carrier/outstanding fees). In the life settlement transaction, there are two values: the offer that is received without a policy auction and the fair market value (highest value) – achieved only through a true policy auction. Find out if your policy could have value.

 

How long does the life settlement process take?

Ashar can provide a range of potential value with some policy and medical information within a day or two. The entire process takes on average about the same amount of time as selling your house. Ashar’s experienced team is dedicated to compressing timeframes and delivering a quick result to every policy owner and financial professional we serve.

Who’s actually buying my policy?

Experienced life settlement resources work with qualified licensed purchasers. These purchasers are obligated to the investors they represent and are comprised of some of the most well-known institutional investment groups – pension plans, private equity, and asset managers. Ashar requires each buyer relationship to complete a due diligence process. We never work with purchasers who represent individual investors, or those that do not abide by all applicable regulatory requirements.

Are life settlement proceeds taxable?

Money received from a life settlement is tax free up to the basis (premiums paid into the policy). From the basis to the cash surrender value is treated as ordinary income. All proceeds that exceed the cash surrender value is taxed as capital gain. *Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only. Ashar does not provide tax advice. Please speak with your tax professional for more information.
Current Tax Law

What’s the difference between Ashar and buyers?

Direct buyers’ fiduciary duty is to the funds they represent when purchasing policies, not the client. Their objective is to pay the lowest amount possible, so they receive the highest return for their investors. Ashar sits on the same side of the table as you and your client. Our sole responsibility is to the policy owner. Through our competitive auction platform, we leverage multiple buyers’ offers to negotiate the highest offer. While a direct buyer’s offer will be higher than the policy’s cash surrender value, only through a true competitive auction can the seller receive the fair market value for their policy.

Should I submit my clients’ information to multiple life settlement companies?

No, maintaining control of the information submitted to buyers ensures your client’s data is used solely for the purpose of obtaining the highest value. It’s all about buyer competition, not life settlement fiduciaries sending mixed messages to the market. Ashar will securely submit the policy to licensed buyers and facilitate the auction process on behalf of your client. Controlled, exclusive policy control is in the best interest of the policy owner and receives the most aggressive offers during the auction process.

What does independent representation mean to me?

Ashar does not sell life insurance, manage assets, nor purchase policies. This means we are dedicated to ensuring your clients receive the highest offer for their life insurance policy and we will protect the integrity of the process and the relationships you have spent your career building.

How does Ashar protect my client’s data?

First, Ashar does not partner with lead gen companies that sell your client’s data to other companies. Second, Ashar transfers data through our secure policy auction platform and shares it only with necessary parties.

Who does Ashar represent?

As a licensed life settlement broker, Ashar has a fiduciary duty to protect the best interests of the policy owner/seller in the life settlement process. We sit on the same side of the table as you and your client. It’s always about what’s best for the policy owner, not the buyer. Whether it’s our expedited approach or a more traditional path of taking the policy to market, the result will be defensible with all parties feeling confident that the seller’s needs were met. Taking the time to properly position the policy and force competition between a group of vetted, qualified buyers ensures the seller receives much higher offers than the opening bid of a single buyer.

What training and support does Ashar offer my organization?

Ashar’s executive team members are respected thought leaders in the secondary market, speaking both nationally and internationally on the topics of life settlements, policy valuations, and the impact of increased longevity on planning with senior clients. They’re supported by a team of experienced analysts who keep the promises they make on the front stage. We offer exclusive education for teams like yours so they learn new ways to meet client needs – whatever they may be. From one-on-one sessions to webinars, guest speaking events, marketing tools, newsletter content, and more, we meet you where you are so you can meet your goals. Topics range from general market overviews to success stories to in-depth life insurance policy valuation methodologies. The education possibilities are endless.

What makes Ashar different than other life settlement companies?

Ashar is a nationally licensed independent seller’s representative and does not sell life insurance, manage assets, nor purchase policies. Backed by our proprietary auction platform, our team of longevity and in-house valuation experts deliver the best results for policy owners.

Is the life settlement industry regulated?

Every state allows for the life settlement transaction. Like any other asset/property, it is a policy owner’s right to sell a life insurance policy. Some states even require disclosure of the life settlement option as an exit strategy. Additionally, all forms are regulated by each state’s department of insurance.

How does Ashar ensure client best interests and our advisors are served?

In the age of best interest regulations, many are concerned with the potential liability of not disclosing the life settlement option and a policy owner canceling a life insurance contract that was worth five to 10 times more than the cash surrender value. We represent thousands of policy owners each year to provide information so they can decide whether to keep or sell their life insurance.

Who’s buying these policies?

Experienced life settlement resources work with licensed purchasers. Each of these purchasers represent multiple funds comprised of some of the most well-known institutional investment groups – pension plans, private equity, and asset managers. Ashar requires each buyer relationship to complete a due diligence process. We never work with purchasers who represent individual investors, or those that do not abide by all applicable regulatory requirements.

Is Ashar a licensed fiduciary to represent my clients?

Yes, we represent thousands of policy owners each year to provide information so they can decide whether to keep or sell their life insurance. We understand how to protect client’s information and abide by all applicable regulatory requirements.

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