Life Insurance Can you avoid estate taxes with a life insurance trust? Written by: Penny Gusner Penny Gusner Penny is an expert on insurance procedures, rates, policies and claims. She has extensive knowledge of all major insurance lines -- auto, homeowners, life and health insurance. She has been answering consumers’ questions as an analyst for more than 15 years and has been featured in numerous major media outlets, including the Washington Post and Kiplinger’s. | Reviewed by: Les Masterson Les Masterson Les, a former managing editor, insurance, at QuinStreet, has more than 20 years of experience in journalism. In his career, he has covered everything from health insurance to presidential politics. | Updated on May 16, 2023 Why you should trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing honest and reliable information so that you can make the best financial decisions for you and your family. All of our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. We maintain strict editorial independence from insurance companies to maintain editorial integrity, so our recommendations are unbiased and are based on a comprehensive list of criteria. When you buy life insurance, you’re providing financial security to your beneficiaries when you die. But you could also leave your loved ones with something else — a tax bill. Death benefits from life insurance policies aren’t subject to income tax. But the benefits could be counted as part of your taxable estate if your estate’s value is high enough. If life insurance proceeds push your estate value above the exemption level, the government will hand your beneficiaries a big tax bill. That’s why it’s important to put together a financial plan when you have a life insurance policy — to ensure your heirs get the most significant inheritance possible. An irrevocable life insurance trust is a tool that can help beneficiaries erase the tax burden. The trust owns your life insurance policy, pays the premiums, and gives the death benefit to your beneficiaries when you die. By placing ownership of the policy with a trust — not the insured — it removes the death benefit from your estate. If this drops your estate value below the exemption level, you’ve freed your beneficiaries from a big tax bill. The federal tax reform doubled the federal estate tax exemption. It is $12.92 million in 2023. Once you put your policy in the trust, it can’t be changed. Penny GusnerContributor . .Penny is an expert on insurance procedures, rates, policies and claims. She has extensive knowledge of all major insurance lines -- auto, homeowners, life and health insurance. She has been answering consumers’ questions as an analyst for more than 15 years and has been featured in numerous major media outlets, including the Washington Post and Kiplinger’s. Related Articles 6 types of term life insurance policies By Nupur Gambhir Life insurance riders: What they are and how they work By Laine Adley Life insurance for women By Huma Naeem The life insurance contestability period: What you need to know By Laine Adley How to make sure you have enough life insurance By Jeffrey Green How much term life insurance costs in May 2023 By Huma Naeem Get instant quotes now ! Please enter valid zip Get quote