Sun Life launches charitable estate planning

Sun Life Financial Inc.’s U.S. division has launched its charitable estate planning campaign to teach advisers and clients about using life insurance for charitable purposes. The Wellesley, Mass.-based insurer’s program is based on the insurer’s charitable giving benefit rider, which is available with its universal life insurance products. The rider gives an additional 1% death benefit above the policy’s face amount to a designated charity for no additional cost. Sun Life’s charitable estate planning program details strategies for advisers, covering tax planning and annuity trusts. Other topics covered include leveraging charitable trusts in estate planning, using charitable gift annuities and explaining charitable non-qualified deferred compensation. The insurer also has an advanced markets team, comprised of estate attorneys, to help advisers and producers with complex trust issues.