Why High-Earners Need Disability Insurance

• Income is the engine: Your lifestyle, investments, college funding, and retirement plan all depend on paychecks continuing.
• Employer plans have gaps: Group LTD caps (often $5k–$10k/month) and taxable benefits leave high-income professionals exposed.
• Portability matters: If you change employers, group coverage may not follow you—private coverage does.

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Disability: What Each Does

• Short-Term Disability (STD): Replaces a portion of income for the first weeks to ~6 months after a covered disability. Bridges the gap to recovery or to LTD.
• Long-Term Disability (LTD): Replaces income for extended periods—often to age 65/67—after elimination period (commonly 90 days). Protects against career-threatening conditions.

Own-Occupation Protection: Keep Benefits While Working Elsewhere

With a true Own-Occupation (“Own-Occ”) definition, you can be considered disabled if you can’t perform the material duties of your regular occupation—even if you work in another job. That means surgeons, attorneys, executives, and specialists can pivot roles, earn other income, and still receive disability benefits (subject to policy terms).

• True Own-Occ: Benefit eligibility is based on inability to do your specific occupation’s duties.
• Residual/Partial benefits: If you can work part-time or in a different role at reduced income, policies with residual riders can pay a proportional benefit.
• Specialty-specific riders: For specialists (e.g., subspecialty surgeons), language can reference your specialty’s duties.

Typical Cost Benchmark

Plan on roughly 1%–2% of covered income for robust, individually underwritten long-term disability coverage (actual premiums vary by age, health, occupation class, benefit amount, elimination/benefit period, riders, and state).

People Are Living Longer—Policies Have Evolved

• Stronger riders: Own-Occ definitions, residual/partial benefits, cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), catastrophic disability riders, retirement contribution riders, and future increase options.
• Supplemental “top-up” plans: Layer private coverage over group LTD to close high-income gaps.
• Refinance your coverage: Just like refinancing a loan—replace outdated group/individual plans with modern features and efficient pricing.

Coordinate Group LTD + Private Coverage

• Tax treatment: Employer-paid benefits are often taxable; private policies you own are typically paid with after-tax dollars, so benefits can be income-tax-free (consult your tax advisor).
• Benefit caps: If your income exceeds group caps, add private coverage to reach an appropriate replacement ratio.
• Portability: Keep your private policy if you change jobs or start a firm.

Life-Stage Mapping: Cover the Risk You Actually Have

• Residents & Early-Career Pros: Starter Own-Occ with future increase options—lock insurability now.
• Growing Families: Higher monthly benefits + residual rider; coordinate with emergency fund and STD.
• Peak Earners & Owners: Layer private coverage over group LTD; add COLA/catastrophic riders; protect retirement contributions.
• Pre-Retirees: Re-fit benefit periods and riders; maintain Own-Occ language through final working years.

Strong Close: Schedule Your Income Protection Review

Three quick wins with TUSK: (1) We audit your current group/individual policies, (2) model “what-ifs” for your occupation and income, and (3) design an Own-Occ, residual-enabled plan that typically costs about 1%–2% of income—so you can safely work elsewhere if needed and still protect the lifestyle your family depends on.

Disclosures: Coverage availability, definitions, limits, and riders vary by carrier and state and may change. “Own-Occupation,” “Residual,” and “Partial” benefits pay according to the policy’s definitions, offsets, and income-loss calculations; working in another job while receiving benefits is subject to policy terms and may reduce benefits. Group LTD benefits are often taxable if employer-paid; individual policy benefits are generally tax-free when premiums are paid with after-tax dollars—consult your tax advisor. Estimated 1%–2% premium guideline is a general benchmark; actual premium depends on age, health, occupation class, income, benefit amount, elimination/benefit periods, riders, and state. Replacing coverage can restart contestability/suicide periods and may affect features; review carefully before replacing. Guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurer. TUSK is independent and not captive to any single carrier.