UNIVERSAL LIFE INSURANCE YOUR 5-MINUTE GUIDE. Flexible protection for what s most important in life

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1 UNIVERSAL LIFE INSURANCE YOUR 5-MINUTE GUIDE Flexible protection for what s most important in life

2 Protection for all the moments that matter Be sure to choose a product that meets long-term life insurance needs, especially if personal situations change for example, marriage, birth of a child or job promotion. Weigh the costs of the policy, and understand that life insurance has fees and charges that vary with sex, health, age and tobacco use. Riders that customize a policy to fit individual needs usually carry an additional charge. Not a deposit Not FDIC or NCUSIF insured Not guaranteed by the

3 In a financial environment that seems to change every minute, it s important to know that you ve taken steps to protect your loved ones. A universal life insurance product can help offer security and financial flexibility as you look toward the future. institution Not insured by any federal government agency May lose value 3

4 A look at universal life insurance Universal life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance that offers lifetime protection as well as features that can give you flexibility as needs change over the years. Flexible death benefits and premiums Universal life insurance offers you the freedom to increase or decrease your policy s death benefit to fit your individual needs. Policies have minimum and maximum premium amounts that you must meet to maintain your coverage, but the timing of payments can be flexible. Access to cash values Some universal life insurance products have a cash value that has the potential to increase over time. If financial needs arise, you can tap into your policy by taking tax-advantaged policy loans and making partial withdrawals without income taxes.* Other universal life products are focused on protecting the death benefit, so the cash value doesn t have the same potential for growth. * Loans and withdrawals will reduce the death benefit. Most distributions will be taxed on a first-in/first-out basis, as long as the contract is not a modified endowment contract (MEC) according to Section 7702A of the Internal Revenue Code. Loans from a MEC are generally taxable and subject to a 10% tax penalty if taken before age 59½. If the policy lapses with a loan outstanding, it will be treated as a distribution and some or all of the amount may be taxable. 4

5 Optional riders to customize your policy Universal life insurance products have optional riders, available for an additional cost, that can help with things like long-term care expenses and life insurance coverage for a spouse or children. Tax advantages All types of life insurance provide an income tax-free death benefit to the policy s beneficiaries. With proper structuring, the death benefit may be excluded from your taxable estate. Universal life insurance also offers tax-deferred accumulation, which lets your earnings grow income tax free. Federal tax laws are complex and subject to change, and the information here is based on current understanding of the law. Contact your attorney or tax advisor for answers to specific tax questions. 5

6 Types of universal life insurance There are several different kinds of universal life insurance, offering features that range from a guaranteed death benefit to the ability to insure two lives with one policy. (Keep in mind that all guarantees are subject to the claims-paying ability of the company that issues the policy.) Here s a quick look at each type. Indexed universal life Compared to other universal life products, indexed universal life gives you the potential for additional cash value accumulation because it tracks the performance of market indexes to help calculate the interest credited to the policy. It s still fixed life insurance, so money is never actually invested in the market, which means you re protected from market-based losses. Current assumption universal life Current assumption universal life insurance emphasizes low-risk, conservative growth potential. The product offers financial flexibility and is designed to provide funding for education or retirement. 6

7 No-lapse guarantee universal life The death benefit is the focus with no-lapse guarantee universal life insurance. As long as the no-lapse premiums are paid as illustrated, the death benefit is guaranteed, no matter how long you live. Survivorship universal life Survivorship universal life insurance covers two people, such as spouses or business partners, and pays the death benefit after the second insured person passes away. This type of coverage is often used if one person is in poor health. Single premium universal life With this type of universal life insurance, you pay for the policy in one lump sum instead of making payments over many years. (Some single premium products give you the option of paying more premium in the second policy year.) Single premium universal life is commonly used to pass a legacy on to beneficiaries. 7

8 The fine print only bigger If you re considering universal life insurance, please keep the following points in mind: Loans and partial withdrawals reduce both the cash value and the death benefit payable to your loved ones, and may cause the need for additional premium payments to the policy If your policy lapses with an outstanding loan, it will be treated as a distribution and some or all of the amount may be taxable Not all riders and features are available in all states and most riders have an additional cost 8

9 Why Nationwide? We re glad you asked. As a stable, Midwestern company with more than 85 years of experience, we re conservative by nature. And, because we re in the business of offering annuities, life insurance, retirement plans and mutual funds, we know risk management and take many steps to protect our policyholders. We re proud of the company we keep and the company we ve built along the way. Nationwide is a Fortune 100 company 1 with more than 30,000 associates, making us one of the largest financial services companies in America. Through the years, we ve worked hard to build things you can rely on: Diversified sources of earnings and cash flows A strong balance sheet A sound and disciplined investment policy A long history of maintaining a quality investment portfolio Spend some time with us, and you ll quickly see a difference. Our conservative, family-based culture allows us to bring a unique brand of personalized service to our customers. 1 Based on revenue, Fortune magazine (6/14). 9

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11 For more information about universal life insurance, contact your insurance professional today. 11

12 Life insurance is issued by Nationwide Life Insurance Company or Nationwide Life and Annuity Insurance Company, Columbus, Ohio. Nationwide, Nationwide is on your side and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company Nationwide LAM-1755AO.1 (12/14)