Adding Up To Subtract Worry

With each child Tony and Whitney Vitagliano have added to their family, worries for their children’s welfare without one or both parents have multiplied.

The Saltillo, Mississippi, couple has five children: Stella, 10, Wittson, 8, Raybren, 5, Noble, 2, and Louise, 6 months old.

“How’s anybody going to take care of five children?” Whitney asks.

That’s why the couple has life insurance. And that’s why they continue to add to their coverage.

“With each baby, we’ve beefed up our coverage in case something tragic happens to one or both of us,” Whitney says.

That said, the couple has done the math. Five children multiplied by the years until they’re on their own multiplied by the ever-increasing cost of living equals, well, a lot of money.

The fraternal difference

Tony and Whitney met with their Modern Woodmen representative, Wayne Averett, not long after their youngest child was born. In addition to reviewing their life insurance again, Wayne helped them purchase coverage for little Louise. (“Of course, each new baby gets their own certificate for just a few dollars a month,” Whitney says.)

Wayne also reminded the Vitaglianos of their benefits of Modern Woodmen membership, including recent updates to the Orphan Support Benefit.

Through this member program, Modern Woodmen provides financial support for the care and education of qualifying children who lose both parents. The new legal guardian receives a monthly allowance of $700 for each child in the family. Payments continue until the child does one of the following:

• Becomes self-supporting.
• Marries.
• Reaches age 19.
• Enrolls in college under the program’s education grant. The grant pays $50,000 (up to $12,500 each school year) to an accredited college, university or vocational institution.

“My jaw kind of hit the floor,” Whitney says. “I kept asking, ‘So they get this much per month per child? Not per household or per family?’

“We have five kids! I just couldn’t get over it. And beyond the monthly allowance per child, they could also get money for college.”

Obviously, leaving your kids without parents is unimaginable. No amount of money would replace Whitney and Tony. But knowing this member program would stretch their life insurance proceeds further has been a big relief for them.

“Tony and I are so impressed Modern Woodmen has this benefit,” Whitney says. “Knowing there will be money for our kids’ care if both of us are no longer around? I just can’t explain how much worry it takes away.”

Doing the math

Tony and Whitney Vitagliano both have life insurance to provide for each other and their children in case of tragedy. But with five young kids, they feel relief that Modern Woodmen’s Orphan Support Benefit would help stretch their coverage further if the worst were to happen – they both die.

The member program provides:

• $700 monthly allowance per child to the new legal guardian. *
• Up to $50,000 per child to attend an accredited college, university or vocational program.

Here’s how the Orphan Support Benefit could add up, subtracting from the Vitagliano’s worries and multiplying their peace of mind.

*Payments continue until the child becomes self-supporting, marries, reaches age 19 or enrolls in college under the program’s education grant.

**Assumes monthly payments began July 2024, and each child entered college at exactly age 18.

Would my child qualify?

• Your child’s last surviving legal parent must have been a Modern Woodmen member with a life insurance or annuity contract in force for at least six months immediately preceding death. OR your child must be a Modern Woodmen member with a life insurance or annuity contract in force for at least six months immediately preceding the last surviving legal parent’s death.
• Your child must be age 18 or younger to be eligible for monthly payments.
• The education grant will renew each year, provided your child maintains acceptable grades.