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 The 1982 code decreed that any money withdrawn from an annuity would be considered income first and would therefore be taxable.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
Intent to defraud. An insured is required to answer truthfully all questions on the application. The insurance company can void a contract if it would not have issued a policy had it known ...
Liability reserve, establishment required by the national association of insurance commissioners (naic), the purpose of which is to accumulate realized capital gains and losses resulting ...
Life insurance policy in which the cash value and in some circumstances the death benefit will vary according to the investment performance of an underlying portfolio usually comprised of ...
Same as term Commutation Right: right of a beneficiary of a life insurance policy to exchange the future installments due that beneficiary for a lump sum distribution. ...
Tenant's modifications of leased space to fit his particular needs. Up to 10% of contents coverage inside the structure may be applied to insure against damage or destruction of ...
Same as term Date of Issue: date when an insurance company issues a policy. This date may be different from the date the insurance becomes effective. ...
Arrangement between the seller and the buyer in which the buyer has the right to buy (call option) or sell (put option) a security at some time in the future at a price stipulated at ...
Legal instrument posted by a contractor or craftsman to guarantee that completed work is free of flaws and will perform its intended function for a specified period of time. ...
Method of investing that staggers the maturities of a group of bonds. As a bond matures, the investor can reinvest the proceeds in either short- or long-term bonds depending on the interest ...
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