According to the Population Reference Bureau[1] the number of single moms in the US has risen dramatically over the last 40 years. In 2009 a massive 18.1 million children were categorized as living in single-mother households (a single mother household is one in which a family is headed by a female with no spouse present). Although children brought up in single-parent households can and do succeed many are hampered by poverty, and have an increased risk of dropping out of school or becoming teen parents.

Majority of Single Mothers have no Life Insurance

Having sole responsibility for the children means single mothers must consider the welfare of the kids in the event of their death – a necessary (albeit unpleasant) task you might think, but worryingly estimates show that almost four in ten single parents do not have any life insurance cover – and those who do have often not arranged enough.

Single moms must make life insurance a priority so that their children do not suffer financially as well as emotionally should the unthinkable happen– their Life Cover must ensure sufficient resources for children to live on as well as perhaps the opportunity to go to college later on. Life insurance which would pay out on the death of the policy holder (term insurance) might be a good option to consider, however it’s worth discussing possibilities with a good insurance agent who will be able to give an expert opinion on the best low-cost life insurance policies for those on a low income.

Obama aims to get Single Moms back to school

In an attempt to lift single mothers out of poverty Barack Obama is attempting to make prospects better for single moms who want to return to study but are hampered by lack of finances. Grants are available to enable single mothers to get a second chance at education – education which can only benefit both their families and their future employers.

The Scholarships for Moms program has increased funding via Pell Grants ,which have been around for some time – the maximum amount of aid has been increased to over $5000 –$1000 more than previously. Also importantly the range of study options for which funding is available has increased to cover part-time and distance study, thereby making it far easier for a single mother to access learning whilst working or caring for children. A further $10,000 worth of financial aid via a Scholarship is available for some single mothers – in order to qualify you must be female and have a child.

The Obama Scholarships give single moms a real chance at improving prospects both for themselves and their children – but they must also consider how important life insurance is to their offspring’s potential happiness and security.

photo credit: meemal

Dr Howard Martin, a British General Practitioner recently decided to break his silence and admit that he was responsible for the deaths of many terminally ill patients in his care. He insisted that, in administering lethal doses of painkillers to patients he had been acting out of ‘Christian compassion.’ Dr Martin’s outpouring appears to a response to the General Medical Council‘s recent decision to strike him off. Cases of ‘assisted suicide’ have not only major moral implications for the bereaved, but practical ones – life insurance companies may not pay out on policies if suicide is found to be the cause of death.

Euthanasia’s Implications for Life Insurance

During all his years as a doctor Howard Martin made no secret of his belief in euthanasia – a belief which was tested to the utmost in 1988, when he helped his son Paul , who was terminally ill with cancer, die. Euthanasia, however, is illegal in the UK and Dr Martin, who is now 75 years old, said that in making his recent confession he was doing so with the full knowledge that he may have to spend the rest of his life in prison.

Life insurance companies will not pay out if suicide is found to be the cause of death, even if the person is terminally ill. Assisted suicide in these types of cases can be difficult to prove however if the person’s life was hanging in the balance anyway due to their illness. If suicide is suspected, then life insurers will insist on an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Dr Martin Acted Autonomously in Administering Fatal Drugs

The police believe that Dr Martin may have been involved in the deaths of up to 30 patients, and he has stated that he acted in accordance with their wishes, in terms of carrying out assisted suicides. However there were apparently two exceptions to this where the drugs administered by Dr Martin – those which killed the patients -were administered without their having given their consent, effectively making Dr Martin’s involvement in their deaths murder.

Many people back the right of the terminally ill to choose when to die, including some of the relatives of those assisted by Dr Martin, who called him an ‘angel of mercy.’ Other relatives, however, said they felt betrayed by him.

This recent case illustrates how the debate over assisted suicide continues with opinions divided on the issue. The government in the UK has tried to bring in a bill to legalize euthanasia three times and three times it has been defeated. Very few places in the world have a form of legal euthanasia, and they include: The Netherlands, Belgium and the American states of Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Texas. Life Insurers will have policies which reflect the legality of these practices in these areas.

photo credit: Sarah G…

The Beckett Glaves Funeral Center in Brantford, has become the first funeral home in Canada to offer funeral services on live webcam.  This was the type of funeral Larry Ruidema Zudd’s family chose for him recently.

Larry Rudd, a soldier from Brantford, was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan last year and his funeral service was streamed live from Brantford to his colleagues in Afghanistan and to relatives in British Columbia and Holland who watched the service on their computers at home.

Facebook for Funerals

The new technology has been touted as ‘Facebook for funerals,’ meaning that footage from the webcam can also be watched the next day, which was a help to Larry Rudd’s relatives in B.C since some of them lost visuals of the funeral during the service.

Life Insurance is an Option worth considering when it comes to funeral costs

For those left behind, having to arrange a funeral service for a loved one, online service or not, is one of life’s less pleasant tasks. Having the additional burden of wondering how to cover the expenses of funerals is even worse; which is why many people choose to take out life insurance which has the option to pay cash to the bereaved to cover funeral costs (sometimes cash can be paid directly to the funeral directors).

Parents of Baby Boomers would “Turn in their Graves”

The idea of online funerals doesn’t appeal to everyone, admits Glaves – “The big fear is those crazies on the internet – that mom or dad will end up in their casket on You Tube.” There is also the fact that some funeral homes are attempting to make profits by charging as much as $500 for the extra service (the Beckett Glaves Funeral Center provides the webcam for free).

When you consider that the average cost of a funeral in the US is $6500, according to the National Funeral Directors Association, it becomes apparent that dying is expensive for those left behind; this is worth remembering when taking out Life Insurance and planning ahead is the key.

Take up of Online Funerals is Rising

Around 80% of people are apparently signing up for the ‘sympathy cast’ according to Glaves, and those that decide against the service are usually baby boomers arranging funerals for parents. “They’re saying I would like to do this for me but mom would hate it.” Glaves admitted that his father, who was funeral director before him, ‘would have been horrified.’”

But, according to Paul Generowicz, owner of Sympathynet.com, the technology has been a ‘godsend’ for friends and relatives who cannot physically attend funerals – for instance because they live too far away or are confined to bed (or even prison). This is something Larry Rudd’s mother, reiterated: Zuidema Rudd said that broadcasting her son’s funeral was a comfort and that “it brought our family together without them having to come here.”

Source

Susan Pigg, The Star.com August 2010

photo credit: The National Guard

A woman from Kazakhstan is believed to have just reached her 130^th birthday – which makes her more than 16 years older than the world’s other longest-lived person. Sakhan Dosova, mother to ten children, says she has never seen a doctor, doesn’t eat sweets, and loves cottage cheese – she believes that the reason she has lived so long is down to her sense of humour. Her grand-daughter, Gaukhar Kaniewva, 42, agreed “She is a very cheerful woman. We think laughter and her good mood helped her live so long.”

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A recent study suggests that poverty contributes to decreased life expectancy. This makes a life insurance policy all the more vital to families with limited incomes.

It may not come as a complete surprise to be told that well-off people tend to live longer than poor; unemployment, poor diet, and lack of leisure time play a part in increasing stress and decreasing quality of life for low earners. What is startling however is just how big a life expectancy gap there may be between the two groups.

Income Inequality Results in a Life Expectancy Differences

Researchers at Statistics Canada recently attempted to analyze the effect  poverty vs. affluence or ‘income disparity’ has on life expectancy. The findings, based on data gathered in Canada, were published recently in the journal Health Reports and make for disquieting reading: Figures show that on average only 54% of men from the lowest income group (bottom 10%) have a life expectancy of 75 years of age, compared with 74% of top earners. For women, 69.4.% of the least well-off can be expected to reach the age of 75, as opposed to 84.4% of the wealthiest women.

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