Thanks for the additional thoughts. I know I explained things sort of clinically and coldly, but DH and his ex-wife are very realistic about these things and we often talk about the possibilities of the future. When you have a kid like this, you DO need to be very practical. For example, when she turns 18 next year, she'll need to be adopted by us (her mother is bowing out), otherwise, she'll become a ward of the state and we don't want that to happen. WE want to make the decisions about where she'll live and who will care for her, not leave that up to the state. That's not to say that this isn't an emotional decision for DH, as has been pointed out. It certainly is, however, DH has had to remove himself from some of the emotion to make these decisions. The funeral is already planned, right down to who is doing what at the service - precisely so they don't have to worry about making those decisions when emotions are running high. There won't be a squabble about the finances, because we pay for everything as it is, even though step-daughter lives with her mother...we'll pay every last dime of the funeral, just as we'll pay every last dime of her existence until that point, and will do the same for step-son's college. That's just a given, since ex-wife has no money whatsoever (there was never any alimony required when they divorced, additionally she remarried before DH and I got married). Even though we foot the bill, in the interest of keeping the peace and out of respect for the kids, we do take ex-wife's opinions into consideration and more often than not, decisions are made jointly. As suggested, I guess I'll tell DH to decide if we do more research into insurance or pay the premium for this year and see where that takes us. We do expect the premium to go up every year and no, we have no idea of what life expectancy looks like. It could be next week or it could be several years. Sorry, looks like I've rambled a bit but wanted to provide a bit more context for the question. Thank you.

There's cost associated with the policy itself, administrative and the actual cost of the death benefit. Those are probably based on current cost, interest rates and the amount you are paying. The assumptions may include a different premium amount, interest rate etc. It sounds to me as though they are saying they guarantee as long as you continue to make your payments and make no changes to the policy that it will stay in force until the date they give you (15 years). On the other hand to go further than the 15 years, maybe they have increased the premiums, the interest rate etc. to enhance the length of time the policy will remain in force. Is the product fixed or variable? Just curious why you went with the universal life policy?

Several problems here, each lab has different ranges. I had blood tests & am trying to compare to yours WBC- white blood cells 6.7 range 4.6-10.2 so I was fine. Sure it isn't 6.5 for them. Red blood cells 4.10- range 4.04- 5.48 so if they were using this range(or scale) then you would be slightly low. Did you eat before the tests(blood taken) that sometimes screws up results. Take it you had both blood taken from arm & urine test. If you take Vit.C & some other supplements they can screw up results also. Shouldn't eat beef for couple of days before tests either.

Usually with a 20-pay whole life policy, you pay a stated premium for 20 years and then the insurance continues throughout your life, with no more payments required. If so, for how many years have you been paying on this policy? (How many more years of $715.00 per will it take to fulfill your obligation of 20 years in total to complete your end of the bargain/contract?). If you are almost totally positive that you will never remarry, a wife who isn't able to care for her own needs with no financial infusion from you, at or after marriage and your death ... ... and if you're positive that you'll never have any children that may have need of care following your death until they are grown and providing fully for themselves ... ... and are absolutely positive that, should you collect such a wife and possibly kids, whether yours or included as baggage with the marriage, you'll be in almost-perfect enough health that you'll be able to qualify for insurance at that time, at a reasonable cost, or later ... ... then maybe it'd be a useful idea to let this policy lapse, collecting whatever benefit may have accrued, thus far. But ... can you make the guarantees as suggested above? Food for thought. ole joyful