What type of life insurance policies do you offer?

Term Life

Whole Life

Index Universal Life

What’s the minimum that I need to start an Index Universal Life (IUL) policy for retirement income?

The rule of thumb is to take whatever your current age is, then multiply it by 10. That final number is typically the minimum that you need to pay monthly into an IUL.

For Example:

If you’re currently 40 years of age.

40 x 10 = 400

This means the minimum that you need to start and fund the IUL is $400 per month ($4800 annually)

Who is the best company to go with for life insurance?

It depends on your needs and/or the type of insurance product. ShieldWolf Strongholds works with several trusted partners to help find the best solution for your particular situation.

Which life insurance company has the best reputation?

There are three insurance company rating institutions you should check to confirm which life insurance companies have the best reputation:  Standard and Poor’s, AM Best, and Moodys.  

Shieldwolf Strongholds only works with A-Rated mutual insurance carriers like Pacific Life, Penn Mutual, Nationwide, National Life Group, and Mutual of Omaha to name a few.  A-Rated mutual companies are solvent insurance carriers with great reputations.  They’re typically known for their long term investment philosophies; not risky short term gain tactics.

How much can you sell a $100,000 life insurance policy for?

A $100,000 life insurance policy can typically be sold for $10,000 to $30,000 (10% to 30% of the death benefit) through a life settlement. The final amount depends heavily on the policyholder's age (usually 65+), health status (shorter life expectancy equals higher payouts), and policy type (permanent is preferred).

How much does a $1,000,000 life insurance policy cost per month?

A $1 million life insurance policy can cost anywhere from under $20 to over $1,000+ monthly, heavily depending on your age, health, gender, policy type (term vs.universal life), and term length; younger, healthier non-smokers get much lower rates, while older individuals or those needing lifelong coverage (whole life) pay significantly more. For example, a healthy 30-year-old might pay $30-$60/month for a 20-year term, while a 50-year-old man could pay $150-$230+, and whole life policies can easily exceed $500-$900/month for younger adults. 

What death is not covered by life insurance?

Life insurance typically doesn't cover deaths from suicide within the first couple of years, fraud or misrepresentation on the application, illegal activities, or certain high-risk hobbies, and often excludes death from war, terrorism, or overdose (especially within the contestability period), with specific exclusions depending on the policy, like hazardous activities or military service.

Is it cheaper to go through an insurance broker?

Insurance brokers aren't always cheaper; they can sometimes add fees or commissions, but they often save you money long-term by finding better value, accessing exclusive deals, and matching complex needs (like high-risk profiles) with specialized insurers, potentially offering significant savings that outweigh their costs, especially for complicated coverage. Your final cost depends on comparing their fees and potential savings against going direct, but their expertise can lead to better overall value.  

Is Indexed Universal Life insurance too complicated?

IUL can sound complicated because it combines permanent life insurance, cash value, flexible premiums, and interest crediting tied to a market index. The simple version is this: it is life insurance first, with a cash value component that may grow over time based on indexed interest crediting. Universal life policies can allow flexible premiums and loans against cash value, but the policy must be properly funded and monitored to stay in force.

How we help: We explain the moving parts in plain English before you apply, including premiums, policy charges, cash value, death benefit, caps, floors, participation rates, and loan strategy.

I heard IUL is risky because it is tied to the stock market.

IUL is linked to an external index, but your policy cash value is not directly invested in the stock market the way a variable policy is. Indexed universal life policies generally use index-based crediting with limits and guarantees, which is different from directly owning stocks or mutual funds.

How we help: We show the guaranteed values, the non-guaranteed values, and the assumptions behind the illustration so you can see both the opportunity and the limitations.

What if the market goes down?

Many IUL policies include a floor, often 0%, which means a negative index year does not necessarily create a negative interest credit to the indexed account. However, policy charges can still affect cash value, so “no market loss” does not mean “no policy cost.”

How we help: We stress test the design using conservative assumptions and show what may happen if crediting is lower than expected.

I heard policy loans are dangerous.

Policy loans can be useful, but they must be managed carefully. Loans are not free money. If too much is borrowed, if the policy underperforms, or if the policy lapses with an outstanding loan, there can be tax consequences. Washington state’s insurance regulator notes that life insurance policy loans are generally not taxable unless the policy terminates before the loan is repaid.

How we help: We design the policy with loan strategy in mind from the beginning and review it over time so the policy does not become overleveraged.

Is IUL really tax-free retirement income?

That phrase is often overused. A better way to say it is this: properly structured cash value life insurance may allow access to cash value through withdrawals and policy loans, but it must follow tax rules and stay in force. Life insurance contracts must meet federal requirements under Internal Revenue Code Section 7702 to receive life insurance tax treatment.

How we help: We help you understand the difference between tax-deferred growth, withdrawals, loans, modified endowment contract rules, and what can happen if the policy is not maintained.

Why not just buy term and invest the difference?”

For some people, that is the right strategy. Term insurance is often best when the goal is maximum death benefit for the lowest current premium. IUL may be considered when someone wants permanent coverage, cash value accumulation potential, tax advantages, and long-term flexibility in one policy.

How we help: We compare the purpose of each strategy. Term insurance is like renting protection for a season. Permanent insurance is more like building a financial room inside the house you plan to keep.

What if I already have a 401(k), IRA, or brokerage account?

That may be a good thing. IUL does not have to replace those accounts. It can potentially complement them by creating anodther bucket of money with different tax treatment, different access rules, and a death benefit attached.

How we help: We look at your full financial picture. The goal is not to own a policy. The goal is to build a coordinated strategy.

How do I know if IUL is right for me?

IUL may be worth exploring if you want permanent life insurance, have stable income, want long-term cash value potential, and are comfortable funding and reviewing the policy over time. It may not be appropriate if you need short-term liquidity, want guaranteed investment returns, or only need low-cost temporary coverage.

How we help: Then review your goals, timeline, budget, risk tolerance, health qualification, and tax situation before making a recommendation.