X-Message-Number: 24021
From: 
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004 21:00:29 EDT
Subject: Response to Ben Best Comments re: funding issues

In a message dated 4/30/2004 5:01:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
 writes:
Ben Best wrote:

    Rudi, in the past we have enjoyed a relationship of respect & goodwill 
and I 
hope that we can do so in the future. Nonetheless, this statement of yours 
seems
too loaded with insurance-salesman hype and Alcor-partisanism for me
to let pass without comment. Insurance funding per se is not a panacea and the
cremation of a CI Member by his cousin was a tragedy, but not a "travesty"
indicating that CI is run by idiots. It could have happened at Alcor

(Rudi writing)

Hi Ben.  Small apology...but not a big one...for what may have come across as 
a little strong or overstated in my comments.  

And, yes, the capital letters on emphasized words may not be to your liking.  
So be it.  I will not put any in this response, trusting intelligent readers 
to put their own in. :)

Having said this, I respectfully disagree that my statements were 

overreaching.  They certainly did not reflect partisanism for ALCOR, unless one 
gets this 
from the sign off "ALCOR member since 1994."  This is merely a fact, relevant 
to my interest and genuine passion for the overarching mission of all 
cryonics organizations to preserve individual lives.

Nor did it imply ANY criticism of the Cryonics Institute.  Or imply CI is run 
by idiots.  It was not my intention to be critical of any cryonics 

organization, and I was not.  But since you misread this as a criticism, I 
apologize.  
And assure you that NO criticism was even remotely meant for CI.  

I think you know I am a pretty clear communicator.  (Note, the intelligent 
reader will capitalize clear in his/her mind.)  If I got a bitch, excuse 

me...have a problem... with you or CI policies or protocols, I would certainly 
make 

it clear in my posting.  I clearly did not do any such thing here.  But writing
is always subject to misinterpretation.  I don't want to go to war over this, 
but I also see no reason to back down. 

So, perhaps the sentences were a bit succinct, and you may have thought too 
simplistic.  

But they are accurate.  And I stand by them.  

(Ben writes)

Insurance funding is not 
a cure-all.

No, Ben, of course insurance funding will not eliminate every possible 
problem that may arise in any circumstance.

But, a properly structured estate plan and policy will (yep, add those caps 
to the word "will") go a long ways toward eliminating many problems that may 
come up with heirs.   

Might have in this recent circumstance.  I don't know and cannot say without 
the complete fact pattern.  Nor do I wish to be specific and backwards looking 
about this particular case, which Ben is good and honest enough to write 

about on Cryonet.  A fact I and all of us should respect and appreciate, by the
way.

But I do have to tell you that I am involved in a cryonics "death" claim, in 
which there are children involved who do NOT want Pop to be cryonically 

suspended.  And these children (actually grown adults with lawyers on retainer)

could be causing all SORTS of problems about the suspension, possibly another 
"Ted 
Williams" case writ small. 

Fortunately, there is a life insurance policy to create this immediate cash, 
it does not reduce the amounts going to the heirs, and the policy is set up to 
virtually eliminate any question about funding.  So this what the real world, 
"shit happens" cryonics funding controversial case should look like.  The 
bottom line?  You will probably never even hear a word about any problem.  

Because of proper cryonics life insurance funding.  And because of the elements 
I 
identified in my earlier posting.


Life insurance proceeds do avoid probate.  They do go directly to the 

specified beneficiary.  In nearly all states, they are considered protected even
from 
legitimate creditors of the insured.  I am sorry if you thought this sounded 
like hype to you, Ben.  It does not sound this way to me.  

I was merely pointing out some unique features and benefits that are legal 
and financial aspects of life insurance many people do not know.  

And they are indeed counterintuitive.  Many people, highly educated and 

intelligent, do not understand life insurance.  Much less the reasons that make
life insurance the preferred way to create an "instant estate" at legal 
pronouncement of death.  

I happen to eat, live, and breath financial planning, investments, and life 
insurance, and have been doing this for the last 25 years.  And I still 

occasionally get confused!  So I can understand people of good will, 
intelligence, 
and extreme education who don't quite understand...or even want to 

understand...all elements of estate planning, cryonics estate planning, and life
insurance. 
 

So, as Forrest Gump says, "That's about all I have to say about that..."

So,  Ben...are we still friends?

Regards,

Rudi

  


 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"

[ AUTOMATICALLY SKIPPING HTML ENCODING! ] 

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=24021