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 The 1982 code decreed that any money withdrawn from an annuity would be considered income first and would therefore be taxable.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
Individual who works in the home office of an insurance company and performs the function of underwriting to determine if an applicant is insurable at standard rates, substandard rates, ...
Total premiums generated from all policies written by an insurance company within a given period of time. ...
Coverage against foreign country expropriation underwritten by the overseas private investment corporation (OPIC) for U.S.-owned companies investing in given developing countries. ...
Clause in a surety bond contract providing for restoration of coverage after a loss without requirement of a restoration premium. ...
Extra percent of interest credited to an annuity during the first year that it is in force. This extra amount is above the interest rate to be credited beginning with the second year and ...
Principle that no liability exposure can result from the performance of proprietary functions. ...
Coverage for acts or omissions committed by an agent or broker resulting in adequate insurance in the event of a liability suit or property damage to a client. ...
Accidental death benefit option that can be added to a disability income (DI) policy under which a lump sum is payable at the loss of life, dismemberment, or loss of sight. ...
Same as term Associate in Risk Management: professional designation earned after the successful completion of three national examinations given by the insurance institute of America (IIA). ...
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