Life insurance
Each guide is a plain-English deep-dive on a single decision.
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The different types of annuities explained side by side: fixed, indexed, RILA, variable, immediate, and deferred. Plus payout options, surrender charges, and taxes.
TRICARE for Life wraps around Medicare for military retirees, covering most costs Medicare does not. Learn how it works and why life insurance still matters.
Learn how life insurance works, the difference between term and permanent policies, what shapes your premium, and how to choose coverage that fits your family.
In this guide
Learn how SGLI works for active-duty servicemembers, who qualifies, how to name beneficiaries, and what coverage options exist when you separate from service.
Mortgage protection insurance explained: how this life insurance helps pay off your mortgage if you die, how it differs from regular term life, and who it fits.
Universal life insurance explained: how this flexible permanent policy combines lifelong coverage with cash value, how premiums can flex, and who it fits.
Life insurance for seniors explained: common goals, the term, permanent, final-expense, and no-exam options, and how underwriting changes with age.
Critical illness insurance explained: how a lump-sum cash benefit works when you are diagnosed with a covered serious illness, what it covers, and who it fits.
Ads for a "$25,000 final expense program" sell private insurance, not a government benefit. See what the government really pays and how to spot a misleading ad.
The NFDA 2023 study puts the median funeral with burial at $8,300 and with cremation at $6,280. See each line item, what is left out and your FTC rights.
You can buy life insurance on a parent, but your parent must know and agree in writing. See the insurable interest and consent rules, and who owns and pays.
Social Security pays a one-time $255 when a worker dies. See who can get it, the 2-year deadline, monthly survivor benefits, and other burial help.
VA burial benefits can pay up to $2,000 toward a veteran's burial, plus free burial in a national cemetery. See who qualifies, how to apply, and the gaps.