Tax Equity And Financial Responsibility Acts Of 1982 And 1983 (TEFRA)
Legislation that redefined life insurance and raised taxes on life insurance companies. Among the provisions were new rules for some life insurance products, including a definition of flexible premium life insurance, and an increase in life insurance company taxes. Congress was concerned that a policyholder could take a substantial amount, say $1 million, and, after putting a few dollars toward a life insurance premium, put the remainder into a tax-free investment vehicle. One of two tests had to be satisfied for a policy to qualify as life insurance: the cash surrender value policy could not exceed a net single premium, and the death benefit had to represent a certain percentage of the cash value, which declined as the policy-holder got older. For example, at age 40, the death benefit must be 140% of cash value. The second rule closed a loophole on tax-free withdrawals from annuities. Prior to 1982 annuity holders could withdraw their initial premium tax free at any time. The 1982 code decreed that any money withdrawn from an annuity would be considered income first and would therefore be taxable. The older 1959 tax code devised a shorthand formula for determining taxes paid by insurers. The formula worked when interest rates were low, but as they soared, insurers found ways to reduce the increased tax bite. The 1982 code introduced a stopgap measure designed to raise taxes on life insurers by $3 billion.
Popular Insurance Terms
Section of the insurance policy that lists all of the provisions that are applicable to the insurance coverage provided under that section. This section is attached to the policy jacket ...
Professional designation earned after the successful completion of six national examinations given by the insurance institute of America (IIA). Covers such areas of expertise as premium ...
Section of an insurance company that evaluates claims for their subsequent payment. ...
Coverage for the federal government in the event of loss due to dishonest acts of federal government employees. ...
Financial incentives credited to the policy to encourage the policyowner to keep the policy in force. The incentives may be utilized by: (1) applying them to the policy cash value after a ...
New rule entitled "Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities," which requires most fixed maturity investments to be listed on the INSURANCE COMPANY'S FINANCIAL ...
Same as term Final insurance: premiums paid out of funds borrowed from the cash value of a life insurance policy. ...
Demand without foundation, such as a claim submitted to an insurance company by an insured who caused a loss, or for a loss that never occurred. ...
Coverage that provides for replacement of damaged or destroyed property on a new replacement cost basis without any deduction for depreciation. This is equivalent to replacement cost ...
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