Accredited Investor: Any natural person whose individual net worth, or joint net worth with that person’s spouse, at the time of his purchase exceeds $1,000,000. Or any natural person who had individual income in excess of $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with that person’s spouse in excess of $300,000 in each of those years and has a reasonable expectation of reaching the same income level in the current year.
Beneficiary: A person or entity named in a will or a financial contract as the inheritor of property when the property owner dies. A beneficiary can be a spouse, child, charity or any entity or person to whom the property owner would like to leave his or her possessions and assets.
Company Owned Life Insurance (COLI): A type of life insurance policy taken out by a company on the lives of employees whom the company considers to be of vital importance to its operations. Under this type of plan, the company in question pays the premium on the insurance but is also the plan's primary beneficiary. There are a few reasons why a company would take a life insurance policy out on key employees. For one, the tax-free proceeds that are received after the death of a key person can be used to cover any costs that would arise when hiring that individual's replacement. The insurance policy can also be used to cover employee benefit liabilities. However, the most notable benefit to a company that institutes a COLI policy comes from the benefit to after-tax net income. This benefit arises when the cash value of the policy becomes larger than the premiums paid. According to an industry survey conducted in 1999 and cited by New York Life Insurance Company, 68% of the Fortune 1000 companies use COLI programs.
Contract: A legal agreement between entities that requires each to conduct (or refrain from conducting) certain activities. This document provides each party with a right that is enforceable under our judicial system.
Death Benefit: The amount on a life insurance policy or pension that is payable to the beneficiary when the annuitant passes away. Also known as "survivor benefit". A death benefit may be a percentage of the annuitant's pension. For example, a beneficiary might be entitled to 65% of the annuitant's monthly pension. Alternatively, the benefit may be a large lump-sum payment from a life insurance policy. The size and structure of the payment is determined by the type of policy the annuitant held at the time of death.
Due Diligence: The process of gathering information about the condition and legal status of assets to be sold.
Face Value: The face value of a life insurance policy is the death benefit. In the case of so-called "double indemnity" life insurance policies, the beneficiary receives double the face value in case of accidental death.
Income: For corporations, revenues minus cost of sales, operating expenses, and taxes, over a given period of time. Income is the reason corporations exist, and are often the single most important determinant of a stock's price. Income is important to investors because they give an indication of the company's expected futuredividends and its potential for growth and capital appreciation. That does not necessarily mean that low or negative earnings always indicate a bad stock; for example, many young companies report negative income as they attempt to grow quickly enough to capture a new market, at which point they'll be even more profitable than they otherwise might have been. also called earnings.
Insurance Premium: The specified amount of payment required periodically by an insurer to provide coverage under a given insurance plan for a defined period of time. The premium is paid by the insured party to the insurer, and primarily compensates the insurer for bearing the risk of a payout should the insurance agreement's coverage be required.
Joint Life With Last Survivor Annuity: An insurance product that, when annuitized, makes payments to the annuitant, the annuitant and his/her spouse, or the annuitant and another beneficial party until both the annuitant and his/her spouse have passed away. These annuities are not term certain, so they continue paying out to the annuitant, and whoever he or she designates to receive payments, until the death of the annuitant and the designated third party. The annuitant may also designate a beneficiary, who can, but doesn't have to be the same person as the designated third party.
Joint Survivorship Life Insurance: A type of life insurance policy that insures the lives of two people, typically a husband and wife. The death benefit proceeds are payable upon the second death and used to satisfy the estate tax. Available as either Whole Life or Universal Life, these policies feature premiums that are often less expensive than buying two separate policies. Also referred to as Joint and Last Survivorship Life Insurance or Survivorship Life Insurance.
Life Annuity: An insurance product that features a predetermined periodic payout amount until the death of the annuitant. These products are most frequently used to help retirees budget their money after retirement. Typically, the annuitant pays into the annuity on a periodic basis when he or she is still working. However, annuitants may also buy the annuity product in one large purchase. When the annuitant retires, the annuity makes periodic (usually monthly) payouts to the annuitant, providing a reliable source of income. When a triggering event (such as death) occurs, the periodic payments from the annuity usually cease. Because of the complex nature of annuity products and their implications for the annuitant's standard of living, people are well advised to consult a reputable professional before purchasing any annuity product. Due to the tax-preferred nature of annuities, very wealthy investors or above-average income earners often use these life insurance products to transfer large sums of money or to mitigate the effects of taxes on their annual income.
Life Expectancy: Also referred to as the average life span. It is used mainly by insurance companies to determine your premium. The IRS life expectancy tables are used to calculate the RMD for retirement account owners and their beneficiaries.
Life Insurance: A protection against the loss of income that would result if the insured passed away. The named beneficiary receives the proceeds and is thereby safeguarded from the financial impact of the death of the insured. The goal of life insurance is to provide a measure of financial security for your family after you die. So, before purchasing a life insurance policy, you should consider your financial situation and the standard of living you want to maintain for your dependents or survivors. For example, who will be responsible for your funeral costs and final medical bills? Would your family have to relocate? Will there be adequate funds for future or ongoing expenses such as daycare, mortgage payments and college? It is prudent to re-evaluate your life insurance policies annually or when you experience a major life event like marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, or purchase of a major item such as a house or business.
Life Settlement: The selling of one's life insurance policy to a third party for a one time cash payment. The purchaser then becomes the beneficiary of the policy and begins paying the premiums. Typically the purchaser is an experienced institutional investor, and policies will have face amounts in excess of $250,000. A life settlement is similar to a "viatical settlement". Life settlements are usually only done when the insured person doesn't have a known life-threatening illness. They are often done with "key individual" insurance policies held by companies on executives who no longer work there; the company has a chance to cash out on a policy that was previously illiquid. Sometimes people outgrow their need for a specific life insurance policy, and a life settlement may offer the chance to gain more than the policy's cash surrender value.
Loss: A reduction in the value of an investment.
A condition in which a company's expenses exceed its revenues. Opposite of profit.
Net Income: In business, what remains after subtracting all the costs (namely, business, depreciation, interest, and taxes) from a company’s revenues. Net income is sometimes called the bottom line. Also called earnings or net profit.
For an individual, gross income minus taxes, allowances, and deductions. An individual's net income is used to determine how much income tax is owed.
Non-Accredited Investors: Persons or entities who do not satisfy one or more of the alternative definitions of the term "Accredited Investor" and who, by virtue of their financial resources acumen, satisfy a joint venture manager or its authorized representatives that such investors satisfy the suitability standards imposed by Rule 506 of Regulation D and otherwise meet the finanacial investment standards so required by each joint venture manager.
Passive Income: Income that does not require active participation.
Per Annum: The amount of return on investment each year.
Permanent Life Insurance: An umbrella term for life insurance plans that do not expire (unlike term life insurance) and combine a death benefit with a savings portion. This savings portion can build a cash value - against which the policy owner can borrow funds, or in some instances, the owner can withdraw the cash value to help meet future goals, such as paying for a child's college education. The two main types of permanent life insurance are whole and universal life insurance policies. Permanent life insurance policies enjoy favorable tax treatment. The growth of cash value is generally on a tax-deferred basis, meaning that you pay no taxes on any earnings in the policy so long as the policy remains active. Provided you adhere to certain premium limits, money can be taken out of the policy without being subject to taxes since policy loans generally are not considered taxable income. Generally, withdrawals up to the amount of premiums paid can be taken without being taxed.
Policy Loan: A loan issued by an insurance company that uses the cash value of a person's life insurance policy as collateral. Sometimes referred to as a "life insurance loan." Traditionally, these were loans issued at a very low interest rate, but that is no longer universally true. If the borrower fails to repay the loan, the money is withdrawn from the insurance death benefit.
Power of Attorney: A written instrument duly signed and executed by an individual which authorizes an agent to act on his behalf to the extent indicated in the document.
Private Placement Offerings (PPO): The sale of securities directly to institutional investors, such as banks, mutual funds, insurance companies, pension funds, and foundations. Does not require SEC registration, provided the securities are bought for investment purposes rather than resale, as specified in the investment letter.
Profit: The positive gain from an investment or business operation after subtracting for all expenses. Opposite of loss.
Rate of Return: The annual rate of return on an investment, expressed as a percentage of the total amount invested. Also called return.
Return on Investment (ROI): The income that an investment provides in a year.
SEC: The Securities and Exchange Commission.
Subscription Agreement: An application by an investor to join a limited partnership. In most cases, the investor will have to fill out a form created by the general partner evaluating the investor's suitability for the investment in the partnership. Note:
All limited partners must be approved by the general partner. Becoming a limited partner rather than a partner is an attractive option since it means the investor's liability is limited to the amount he or she has invested in the partnership.
Surrender Fee: A charge levied against an investor for the early withdrawal of funds from an insurance or annuity contract, or for the cancellation of the agreement. Surrender fees act as an economic incentive for investors to maintain their contract, and they allow the insurance company to have reasonable expectations for the frequency of early withdrawals. Also referred to as a "surrender charge". Surrender fees vary among insurance companies and among annuity and insurance contracts, but a typical annuity surrender fee could be set as a 10% (of the funds contributed to the contract) charge levied for withdrawal in the first year. For each successive year of the contract, the surrender fee could drop by 1%, for example, effectively giving the annuitant the option of no-penalty withdrawal after 10 years in the contract.
Surrender Value: The sum of money an insurance company will pay to the policyholder or annuity holder in the event his or her policy is voluntarily terminated before its maturity or the insured event occurs. This cash value is the savings component of most permanent life insurance policies, particularly whole life insurance policies. Also known as "cash value", "cash surrender value" and "policyholder's equity". Cash surrender value applies to the savings element of whole life insurance policies that are payable before death. However, during the early years of a whole life insurance policy, the savings portion brings very little return compared to the premiums paid.
Term Life Insurance: A policy with a set duration limit on the coverage period. Once the policy is expired, it is up to the policy owner to decide whether to renew the term life insurance policy or to let the coverage end. This type of insurance policy contrasts with permanent life insurance, in which duration extends until the policy owner reaches 100 years of age (i.e. death). These types of policies provide a stated benefit upon the death of the policy owner, provided that the death occurs within a specific time period. However, the policy does not provide any returns beyond the stated benefit, unlike permanent life insurance policies, which have a savings component that can be used for wealth accumulation.
Terms: The period of time that an agreement is in effect.
Universal Life Insurance: A type of flexible permanent life insurance offering the low-cost protection of term life insurance as well as a savings element (like whole life insurance) which is invested to provide a cash value buildup. The death benefit, savings element and premiums can be reviewed and altered as a policyholder's circumstances change. In addition, unlike whole life insurance, universal life insurance allows the policyholder to use the interest from his or her accumulated savings to help pay premiums. Universal life insurance was created to provide more flexibility than whole life insurance by allowing the policy owner to shift money between the insurance and savings components of the policy. Premiums, which are variable, are broken down by the insurance company into insurance and savings, allowing the policy owner to make adjustments based on their individual circumstances. For example, if the savings portion is earning a low return, it can be used instead of external funds to pay the premiums. Unlike whole life insurance, universal life allows the cash value of investments to grow at a variable rate that is adjusted monthly.
Variable Life Insurance Policy: A form of whole life insurance, variable life insurance provides permanent protection to the beneficiary upon the death of the policy holder. This type of insurance is generally the most expensive type of cash-value insurance because it allows you to allocate a portion of your premium dollars to a separate account comprised of various instruments and investment funds within the insurance company's portfolio such stocks, bonds, equity funds, money market funds and bond funds. In addition, because of investment risks, variable policies are considered securities contracts and are regulated under the federal securities laws; therefore, they must be sold with a prospectus.
Viatical Settlement: An arrangement in which someone with a terminal disease sells his or her life insurance policy at a discount from its face value for ready cash. The buyer cashes in the full amount of the policy when the original owner dies. Also referred to as a Life Settlement. This is extremely risky. The rate of return is unknown because it's impossible to know when someone will die. If you invest in a viatical settlement, you are basically speculating on death. Therefore, the longer the life expectancy, the cheaper the policy. But because of the time value of money, the longer the person lives, the lower your return.
Whole Life Insurance Policy: A life insurance contract with level premiums that has both an insurance and an investment component. The insurance component pays a stated amount upon death of the insured. The investment component accumulates a cash value that the policyholder can withdraw or borrow against. As the most basic form of cash-value life insurance, whole life insurance is a way to accumulate wealth as regular premiums pay insurance costs and contribute to equity growth in a savings account where dividends or interest is allowed to build-up tax-deferred.
