How You Can Get Your $50,000 Free Lunch?

You've often heard the old adage, "There's nofree lunch." Well, guess what—I found one.MassMutual Financial Group (www.massmutual.com) is offering a free $50,000 10-year termlife policy, the LifeBridge Free Life Insurance Program,to qualifying individuals. Founded more than150 years ago, MassMutual has become one of thenation's top life insurance companies. Today,MassMutual is a Fortune 100 multifaceted financialorganization with 1800 offices and over 27,000employees worldwide.

How the Program Works

Qualifying individuals complete an abbreviatedapplication and free medical exam, and all medicalinformation will be kept absolutely confidential. Onceapproved, MassMutual issues a $50,000 term life policyheld by a trust for 10 years, and also pays all premiumsfor 10 years. If the insured dies during the 10-year period, MassMutual will pay the educationexpenses for your children up to $50,000. Whether apreschool, private school, vocational/trade school, college,or university, qualifying education expenses arepaid directly to the school or institution and includesuch things as tuition, fees, books, student loans, campusroom and board, and other expenses.

Your children can use the funds for their educationup to 10 years following your death or until theyreach age 35, whichever is later. Any unused proceedswill be donated to an educational scholarshipprogram chosen by you.

Eligibility Conditions

To be eligible for the LifeBridge Free Life InsuranceProgram, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be between ages 19 and 42
• A parent or legal guardian of one or more dependentsunder age 18
• Total family income of between $10,000 and$40,000 annually
• Established legal and permanent residency inthe United States
• Health in good-standing according to insurancepolicy guidelines

Only one family member can apply for theLifeBridge Program. Individuals who have been diagnosedwith cancer, heart disease, or HIV during thepast 10 years and those who have abused drugs oralcohol do not qualify. You will also be disqualifiedif you have been convicted of driving while intoxicatedwithin the past 5 years.

What's the catch? There isn't one. MassMutualdeveloped this program as part of its corporate citizenshipoutreach program. They want to help youngparents ensure the dream of an education for theirchildren, and I applaud them for their efforts. It's notoften that you are offered a free lunch. By the way, ifyou are not eligible, I bet you know someone who is.Have them complete an eligibility form and mail it toMassMutual, and one of their agents will assist themwith completing the application process. To receivean eligibility form or more information about thisunique program, call 800-272-2216, or go to www.massmutual.com/lifebridge.

Stewart H.Welch III, CFP®, AEP, is the founder of the Welch Group,

LLC, which specializes in providing fee-only wealth management

services to affluent retirees and health care professionals

throughout the United States. He is the coauthor of J.K. Lasser's

New Rules for Estate and Tax Planning (John Wiley & Sons, Inc;

2001). He welcomes questions or comments at 800-709-7100 or visit

www.welchgroup.com. This article was reprinted with permission from the

Birmingham Post Herald.