Your greatest asset isn't your home.
It's your income.
A severe illness or injury can sideline your career for years. Long-Term Disability insurance replaces up to 70% of your gross income, ensuring your mortgage is paid and your family is secure until you reach retirement age.
- Protect multi-year income gaps that bankrupt families.
- Benefits are typically tax-free if paid with post-tax dollars.
- Customizable payouts lasting 2 years, 5 years, or to Age 65.
True "Own-Occupation" Coverage
Essential for doctors, dentists, and executives. The policy pays your full benefit if you can no longer perform *your specific profession*, even if you can physically work elsewhere.
Retirement Preservation
Without income replacement, families are forced to liquidate their 401(k)s and savings to survive. LTD acts as a fortress around the wealth you've built.
Portability & Control
Unlike employer-provided group plans that vanish if you are fired or change jobs, an individual LTD policy stays with you for your entire career.
Secure Your Income
Protecting millions in future earnings costs a fraction of your salary. See your rates in minutes.
What Triggers Long-Term Disability?
Contrary to popular belief, most long-term disabilities are not caused by freak accidents. They are caused by chronic illnesses and conditions that slowly make working impossible over years.
Cancer & Neoplasms
The leading cause of long-term disability claims. Aggressive treatments, chemotherapy, and recovery can pull you out of the workforce for 1 to 3+ years.
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Severe back pain, arthritis, joint disorders, and spinal conditions that prevent you from sitting, standing, or performing the physical duties of your profession.
Cardiovascular & Stroke
Heart attacks and severe strokes that result in long-term neurological deficits or physical impairments, requiring extensive, multi-year rehabilitation.
Nervous System Issues
Conditions like Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease, or severe, debilitating mental health disorders that render you incapable of fulfilling professional obligations.
Lifetime Earnings Exposure Estimator
Most professionals drastically underestimate the value of their career. Calculate exactly how many millions of dollars in future income you risk losing without Long-Term Disability protection.
Your Career Profile
Assumes standard retirement at age 65.
Your total salary before taxes.
Your Financial Exposure
Career Earnings At Risk
$3.6M
Over next 30 years
LTD Monthly Benefit
$6,000
Paid directly to your bank
If you suffer a career-ending injury today, you stand to lose $3,600,000 in future income. A Long-Term Disability policy creates a fortress around this asset, guaranteeing you $6,000 every month until you retire.
*Educational tool. "Career Earnings at Risk" is a flat calculation of your current income multiplied by the years remaining until age 65, and does not account for inflation or future raises (which would make the risk even higher).
Stop Assuming You're Fully Covered
A massive percentage of professionals falsely assume Social Security or their savings account will save them if they become chronically ill. Let's look at reality.
| Coverage Source | Individual LTD Policy | Social Security (SSDI) | Short-Term Disability |
|---|---|---|---|
| How long does it pay? | Years (Up to Age 65) | Long-Term | Max 3 to 6 Months |
| Monthly Payout Amount | 60-70% of Your Income | Very Low (Avg. $1,400) | 60-70% of Income |
| Difficulty to Get Approved | Clear Medical Triggers | Extremely Difficult (~65% Denied) | Clear Medical Triggers |
| Are benefits taxed? | No (If paid w/ post-tax $) | Partially Taxable | Depends on setup |
Why You Need Your Own Policy
Even if your employer provides group LTD, it is rarely enough. Group plans cap benefits, are heavily taxed, and you lose them if you change jobs.
High Income Earners
Employer group plans often cap payouts at $5,000/month. If you make $150k+, a group plan leaves you severely underinsured. An individual policy fills this massive gap.
Self-Employed & Owners
You don't have an HR department providing a safety net. If you suffer a stroke or cancer, an individual LTD policy is the only thing standing between you and bankruptcy.
Specialized Professionals
Surgeons, dentists, and trial lawyers require specific "Own-Occupation" definitions, ensuring they get paid if a tremor or injury stops them from doing their highly specialized job.
Long-Term Disability FAQs
Clear answers about securing your financial future.
What is an "Elimination Period"?
The elimination period is your waiting period before benefits begin paying out. For Long-Term Disability, this is usually 90 or 180 days. Most professionals rely on their savings or a separate Short-Term Disability policy to cover their income during this waiting period.
What is the difference between "Any-Occupation" and "Own-Occupation"?
This is the most critical definition in your policy. "Any-Occupation" means the insurer will only pay you if you are so disabled you cannot perform *any* job (like greeting at a store). "Own-Occupation" means they will pay you if you cannot perform the duties of *your specific profession*, even if you are physically capable of doing a different, lower-paying job.
Are my disability benefit payouts taxed?
If you purchase an individual LTD policy using your own after-tax dollars (which we recommend), any benefits you receive while disabled are generally 100% tax-free. If your employer pays the premiums for you, the benefits will be heavily taxed as ordinary income.