The Ethos Blog

A codicil is a legal document that amends your existing will. It allows you to make changes, such as adding new bequests, changing executors, or updating beneficiaries, without rewriting your entire will.

The first step to combining finances in any marriage is to have an honest discussion with your partner—ideally before you get married—about everything related to money..

Estate planning is a crucial aspect of safeguarding your loved ones' future. When two families merge, developing an effective plan may be one of the long-term goals of the parents.

ny income earned is generally taxable, and trust fund income is no exception. The taxation of a trust depends on whether it is a grantor trust or a non-grantor trust.

What is a trust fund? What do terms like ‘revocable trust’, ‘irrevocable trust’, ‘living trust’ and ‘revocable living trust’ mean? Find all your answers here.

Before you begin the process of setting up or funding a trust, seek legal advice from a qualified lawyer or fiduciary. While our team can provide information to help you understand the trusts, this information should not be taken as legal advice.

Navigating the process of choosing life insurance can seem scary at first, but with a little guidance, you can find the perfect policy for your needs and goals. Here are the top 7 mistakes that could prevent you from getting the best life insurance.

While some traditional life insurance policies are known to require a lengthy application process and medical underwriting, instant life insurance has emerged as a convenient and efficient alternative.

That’s why we took the time to deconstruct a life insurance policy document to help identify the key sections you’ll need to read through before you move forward.

Here, we break down the top 8 most important things to know about online life insurance to help you decide if it’s right for you.

If your main goal is to provide relief to family members you’d leave behind if the unthinkable happens, then term life insurance is worth exploring.

Understanding the different types of life insurance policies can be overwhelming at first, but this guide has you covered. By the time you’re done reading, you'll know how whole life insurance works, the different types available, and if this kind of policy is a good fit for you.

As part of your big marriage money talk, you might be wondering if life insurance for newlyweds makes sense. Not only is the answer a resounding yes for most couples, but it can be one of the most important acts of love you do for each other.

Life insurance for seniors over seventy can play a vital role in this process, helping to provide a safety net of financial security and peace of mind for our families.

When is the right time to buy life insurance? In this beginner's guide, we discuss the answer to this question and more.

It's nearly universal for parents to want their children to achieve tremendous success and have access to more resources than they did. Learning how to build generational wealth is vital to realizing that vision.

Just because your term life insurance policy is set to expire doesn't mean you're out of options. Ethos is here to provide insight — and solutions — for when you outlive your term life insurance.

A final expense life insurance plan is a whole life policy, meaning that if you continue to pay the premiums, your policy will never expire.

Because the insurance industry is complex, insurance questions are quite common. There are multiple factors to consider when comparing policies. Let's dive into possible questions to ask about life insurance, along with practical answers and advice.

Life insurance is an important financial planning tool for anyone, but for the self-employed it's an especially critical layer of financial security.

Similar to having a dangerous hobby or an unfortunate medical history, a high-risk occupation can place your life insurance prospects into a different category. But not every life insurance company approaches high-risk occupations the same way, and companies often weigh the same risky job differently.

The loss of a loved one presents a wide range of challenges, including making important decisions at a vulnerable time. It's best to take some of these matters off the table and document your wishes ahead of time. There are many important factors to consider on a final wishes checklist, from medical desires to wills and burial preferences.

When people maintain a life insurance policy, they secure a degree of protection that's hard to find elsewhere. From lingering debt to funeral costs, there are numerous risks of living without protection for your family's future, and these risks are some of the most important reasons for life insurance.

Creating a life insurance trust allows you to name a beneficiary who may not be able to legally control their finances at the time of your death, like a child. Alternatively, an insurance trust also lets you set limitations on how and when the beneficiary may take distributions.

There are many reasons you can be denied life insurance, some of which are out of your control. However, even if you're denied life insurance, it doesn't necessarily mean you can never purchase a policy. It just means you need to find the right insurance company to work with you.

Are you in the market for online life insurance but wonder if changing economic conditions could affect your premiums? That's a valid question, considering today's economic uncertainty. Fortunately, an economic downturn doesn't automatically mean you'll pay more for coverage.

Without enough life insurance to pay off a mortgage, you could be jeopardizing your family's financial and emotional well-being should the unexpected occur. Make a plan to protect your loved ones and your home, and see how life insurance can assure you won't leave mortgage debt to your family.

Don't worry—getting educated is the first step to making the best choice. Here at Ethos, we've got the best tips for buying life insurance, so you can get a policy that works for you.

Medical exams are a common requirement for life insurance, but they can be a barrier for some applicants. Ethos Life simplifies the process for our applicants by not requiring a medical exam. But many other providers will require one.

Fortunately, there's life insurance for senior citizens, including life insurance for seniors over 75, with no medical exam required. You're likely to have different financial commitments than you did as a young working professional, so let's look at your options to determine the best life insurance for seniors.

Even if you have a pre-existing condition, you can still get life insurance—there are options out there.

As a new generation of college graduates prepares to hit the workforce, they’re faced with a bevy of adult decisions—one of which is whether or not to get life insurance.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the need to have an emergency fund, it’s long been a pressing need for many.

At Ethos, our mission is to protect families. Over the past year, we’ve made tremendous progress on making this a reality, and by the end of this year we expect to issue $20 billion in life insurance. While that may seem like a lot, it is just the tip of the iceberg.

Does this affect my current life insurance policy (if I have one) or my ability to get a life insurance policy (if I need one)? We know you’ve got questions. So we did our best to provide context and clarity. If you aren’t seeing your question, our customer service team is standing by ready to help with answers.

In the past, getting life insurance coverage meant boatloads of paperwork and weeks to months of waiting. To top it off, you had to trust that agents always had your best interest in mind. Luckily we live in an era full of innovations such as big data analytics, and companies like Ethos can get you an affordable quote in just seconds, without talking to an agent.

The years between 20 and 30 can be a momentous time for many. You might finish school, live on your own for the first time, have children, get married, and buy a house—all within the span of ten years.

Maybe you’re buying your first home, getting married, or having kids. Or perhaps you’re navigating all three of those massive moves and starting a business. Whatever you’re going through as a 30-something, chances are there’s one thing you may not be thinking of: life insurance.

As a 40-something, you’re likely in the midst of some financially demanding years, with a complex mix of responsibilities and assets on your plate that you want to protect.

If you signed up for your company's plan, and assumed that it provides ample coverage, your family could be at risk. Here's why.

There are a few key differences between term life insurance and permanent life insurance policies that will help you decide which type of policy will best meet your individual needs.

Lingke is one of the co-founders of Ethos. While he was in college, he was sold a permanent life insurance policy that he didn't need. As the costs quickly mounted, he realized his financial mistake and lost most of what he paid into it.