When Are Life Insurance Death Benefits Taxable? 
Typically , life insurance proceeds are not taxable . They pass on to the beneficiary tax-free and can be deposited into a pre-approved or pre-discussed account . Based on my 32 years of experience handling too many claims , the period of time is about 10-30 days for the check to arrive . In some circumstances , there could be estate taxes . Also , depending on the type of policy and how premiums were paid , there could be a taxable event . A full-time broker or financial planner is your best resource . 