Protecting Your Family When the Job Carries Risk: Insurance and Estate Planning Essentials for First Responders

Police officers, firefighters, and other first responders accept a level of professional risk that few others face. The work is demanding, unpredictable, and essential, and it places unique responsibility on first responders to help improve the likelihood that their families are financially protected no matter what happens on the job.

At Sequoia Financial Group, we have advisory teams specifically designed to address these realities. Our Built For You approach aligns insurance, estate planning, investments, and tax strategy into a coordinated plan designed for the risks and rewards of a life in public service. Importantly, Sequoia Financial Group does not sell insurance products; our role is to provide objective guidance and help coordinate insurance planning as part of your broader financial strategy.

Why Protection Planning Is Not Optional

National data consistently show that first responders face elevated risks of injury and line-of-duty death compared to many other professions.^1,2 Yet many families remain underinsured or rely on employer-provided coverage that may not fully protect them if the unexpected occurs.

True protection planning goes beyond checking boxes. It requires understanding how benefits work together and where gaps may exist.

Disability Insurance: Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset

For most first responders, the greatest financial asset is not a pension or investment account; it is the ability to earn an income. An injury or illness that limits that ability can derail even the most disciplined financial plan.

Employer disability benefits are often limited, taxable, or insufficient to maintain a family’s standard of living. A customized disability strategy can help replace income, coordinate with department benefits, and provide clarity during an already stressful time. While we do not offer or sell insurance policies, our advisors help you evaluate your coverage needs and coordinate with licensed insurance professionals to ensure your strategy aligns with your overall financial plan.

Life Insurance: Income Replacement and Stability

Life insurance helps your family maintain financial stability if the unthinkable occurs. Beyond final expenses, it can replace lost income, fund education, pay down debt, and support long-term goals.

At Sequoia, we can help you determine the right type and amount of coverage, structured to work alongside pensions, survivor benefits, and other employer-provided resources, without over- or under-insuring. Sequoia Financial Group does not sell life insurance; we provide planning guidance and work collaboratively with your chosen insurance professionals to help ensure coverage decisions align with your broader financial and estate plans.

Beneficiary Reviews: A Small Detail With Big Consequences

Beneficiary designations override wills and trusts. Outdated forms, especially after marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child, can unintentionally send assets to the wrong place.

Regular beneficiary reviews are a critical but often overlooked part of protection planning. Our advisors proactively review these details to ensure your intentions are honored.

Estate Planning: Control, Clarity, and Calm

It’s time to set the record straight; estate planning is for everyone, no matter your net worth. For first responders, it is about continuity and knowing that your family is cared for, that decisions are made by the right people, and that assets are distributed efficiently.

A coordinated estate plan can include wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and trust strategies that align with your benefits and family structure.

A Built For You, Integrated Approach

What sets Sequoia apart is coordination. Insurance decisions are aligned with estate documents. Estate planning is informed by tax strategy. Investments are structured to support long-term family security. This coordination is advisory in nature—Sequoia does not sell insurance products, allowing our recommendations to remain independent and planning-driven.

Sequoia Financial Group exists to deliver planning that respects the risks you take every day and ensures your family is protected with the same commitment you bring to your profession.

 

 

 

Sources

1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
   https://www.bls.gov/iif/fatal-injuries-tables.htm
2. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Firefighter Fatalities and Injuries
   https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/research/nfpa-research/firefighter-fatalities-and-injuries