Fair Market Valuation (FMV)

Fair Market Valuation of Life Insurance

The Fair Market Valuation (FMV) of a life insurance policy can be used for the purposes of valuing policies transferred to a corporation prior to March 22, 2016, for valuing a corporation’s shares, for divorce calculations for marital property, for transfers from corporately owned to personal, for US Citizens owning Canadian policies residing in Canada and vice versa, and for charitable giving.

GBL is a recognized leader in FMV.

Fair Market Valuation of Critical Illness

The Fair Market Valuation (FMV) of a critical illness policy can be used for the purposes of valuing policies transferred to a corporation, for valuing a corporation’s shares, for divorce calculations for marital property, and for transfers from corporately owned to personal.

Are you a good candidate for FMV?

An actuarial calculation and certification is recommended to determine the FMV on your insurance policy in the following situations:

A business owner or incorporated professional wishes to transfer a personally owned policy to the corporation so that future premiums can be paid with corporate dollars;
In circumstances where there is gifting of insurance policies to registered charities, a Fair Market Valuation ensures that a tax receipt is issued for the maximum allowable amount;
A corporation freezes or transfers assets from an operating company to a holding or sister company;
The sale of a business where the business owns insurance policies;
A marriage breakdown.

Business owners considering FMV as a valuation strategy should consult their financial planner.

Key Takeaways for Transfers to a Corporation

The policy becomes an asset of the corporation and is therefore exposed to creditors, so it does not enjoy the same level of creditor protection as many personally owned policies do.
The CSV of the policy is considered a passive asset of the corporation. Care should be taken that the policy does not impede the owner’s use of their capital gains exemption on the sale of their company.
If the shares of the company are subsequently sold, the business owner may wish to transfer the policy to personal ownership, with potential income tax consequences.
Holding companies are preferred vehicles for owning life insurance policies rather than operating companies.
It is recommended that a policy transferred to a corporation for the FMV should not be cancelled within a short timeframe following the transaction.