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Policyholders' Interest Income From Life Insurance Under The Income Tax, Richard Goode

Vanderbilt Law Review

Life insurance policies usually combine pure insurance and saving features. This fact is recognized by the industry and by those who draw up national economic accounts but is not fully reflected in the income tax. None of the return on saving through life insurance is taxed to a policyholder prior to the maturity, redemption, or surrender of a policy. Part of the return, but apparently only a small fraction of the total, is taxed when policies mature for reasons other than the death of the insured or are redeemed or surrendered. Inasmuch as most forms of investment income are taxable, …