Are Life Insurance Premiums A Tax Deductible Business Expense?
There are some exceptions for some business owners who offer life insurance as an employee benefit. Please consult your tax advisor.

- updated last on March 14, 2023
Quick Article Guide:
- Are Life Insurance Premiums Deductible As A Business Expense?
- What About For Key Person Life Insurance, Is It Eligible To Deduct As A Business Expense?
- What About Buy-Sell Agreements, Is It Eligible For Deduction As A Business Expense?
- Are Life Insurance Premiums Tax-Deductible For An S Corporation, For LLC, Or For A C Corporation
- Consult with a Professional with any eligibility questions
Are Life Insurance Premiums A Tax Deductible Business Expense
Can life insurance premiums be deducted as a business expense on your taxes? Like any other type of insurance, life insurance is a necessary part of doing business and protecting yourself and your employees. Sometimes, the premiums for life insurance policies may qualify as a tax-deductible business expense.
Are life insurance premiums taxdeductible as a business expense
If you are a business owner and you are planning to apply for life insurance, you might be asking yourself are life insurance premiums deductible as a business expense? There are essential things that you need to know. Although using for one is very tempting for business owners because of the tax-deduction on premiums, there are complications to consider.
What are some considerations for businesses to make their life insurance premiums deductible and declare it as business expenses?
There are specific criteria that businesses should meet to deduct life insurance premiums as a business expense. Take a look at the following qualifications:
- To make the life insurance premiums deductible a business should be an LLC or S Corporation.
- It should be a group policy, and members must be an employee or an officer of the company.
- If it is under group life insurance, then the company has no right to name the business as the beneficiary.
- Also, it is vital to bear in mind that companies can only deduct $50,000 for premium payment, and beyond that is not permitted.
In the case of shareholders who have a life insurance policy through the name of the company and the business is the beneficiary, the deductible expense is not applicable. Also, it makes the insurance benefit not exempted from tax.
In the case of freelancers as well as self-employed individuals, they are not eligible for this type of insurance. They can only apply for the traditional life insurance policy.

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What about key person life insurance as a business expense
The key person can be the owner of the business or an employee with unique skills that are vital for the overall business operations. Type life insurance serves safeguard for the industry in case of the death of an essential member of the company.
If the company is the beneficiary of the policy, then the premium that you can get from the key person policy is not tax exempted as a company expense.
However, there is an exemption to the rule. If in case that the premium is part of the taxable income of the employee, then the monthly premium from this policy is eligible for the deductible as a company expense.
It is imperative to take note that the employee must be the beneficiary to qualify for the deduction.
What about buy-sell agreement insurance premiums as a business expense
This agreement is very similar to critical person life insurance. Is vital, especially for co-owners to secure their company in case the owner of the company suddenly leaves the company or dies. The good thing about this agreement is the fact that the life insurance policy finances it.
The company can choose to acquire individual insurance for every co-owner or purchase as a corporation. Is a good option because if one co-owner dies, then others will get their benefit.
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Is life insurance premium tax deductible
Generally, life insurance premiums are not tax deductible unless they’re qualified business-related expenses. However, some exceptions may allow you to deduct some of the premiums. Speak with a tax professional to determine how to proceed and maximize your deductions.
Is life insurance a business expense for self-employed
Yes, life insurance can be a deductible business expense for self-employed individuals. The cost of life insurance premiums may be tax-deductible as a necessary and ordinary business expense if the policy insures the income of a proprietorship or partnership, protects against loss due to essential employee death, or is owned by an S corporation as part of a buy-sell agreement.
Is life insurance tax deductible for s corp
Many businesses are not aware of the consequences that it can incur mostly to their employees. They are applying for one as business expense makes the premium taxable.
The truth, especially for colossal group policy that is more than $50,000 allowed for LLC and S Corporations. As a result, all employees will suffer from tax on their benefits.
Business owners should be cautious and understand all possible consequences of deductible life insurance. To protect the interest of your employees, especially when it is time for them to make a claim.
Can life insurance be a business expense for LLC
Yes, for LLCs, life insurance can be a business expense, depending on the type and purpose of the policy. Life insurance can benefit the business in many ways, such as providing additional capital in case of death, protecting family members if a critical owner dies unexpectedly, or even providing funds to purchase a deceased partner’s share of the company. Be sure to check with your accountant or tax advisor before deciding whether or not to purchase life insurance.
Source: https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/federal-state-local-governments/group-term-life-insurance
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