{"id":320760,"date":"2025-11-07T16:21:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T21:21:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/?p=115317"},"modified":"2025-11-07T16:21:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T21:21:04","slug":"cash-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/insurance\/life\/cash-value\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Cash Value Life Insurance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Cash value life insurance includes whole life, universal life (including indexed UL), and variable universal life. All provide lifelong death benefit protection if kept in force and build a tax-deferred cash value governed by <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section72\">IRC \u00a772<\/a>. Access to that value is possible through withdrawals, policy loans, or surrender, but the tax outcome depends on whether the policy is a modified endowment contract (MEC) under <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section7702A\">\u00a77702A<\/a>. Premiums for permanent coverage are typically several times higher than term for the same face amount\u2014commonly about 5\u00d7 to 15\u00d7\u2014based on recent market quote data (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.policygenius.com\/life-insurance\/life-insurance-price-index\/\">Policygenius<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/advisor\/life-insurance\/average-life-insurance-rates\/\">Forbes Advisor<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\">NerdWallet<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to access funds, you can take partial withdrawals, borrow against the policy, or surrender it for its cash surrender value. For non\u2011MEC policies, withdrawals are generally treated as a recovery of your cost basis first (FIFO) and are not taxable until they exceed basis; by contrast, MEC distributions are income\u2011first (LIFO) and taxable to the extent of gain, with a 10% additional tax on taxable amounts taken before age 59\u00bd unless an exception applies (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p525\">IRS Pub. 525<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section72\">IRC \u00a772<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section7702A\">\u00a77702A<\/a>). Insurers report taxable amounts on Form 1099\u2011R (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/instructions\/i1099r\">IRS 1099\u2011R instructions<\/a>). Early surrenders can also be subject to policy surrender charges that reduce proceeds, particularly in the first years (see consumer\/FINRA guidance: <a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finra.org\">FINRA<\/a>). If you\u2019re replacing a contract, a properly structured <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section1035\">\u00a71035 exchange<\/a> can defer recognition of gain. Any taxable gains from withdrawals or surrender are taxed at ordinary income rates up to 37% in 2025, depending on your bracket (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\">IRS 2025 brackets<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Cash Value Life Insurance Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Each premium dollar covers policy charges and cost of insurance; the remainder builds cash value and grows tax\u2011deferred. Growth mechanics differ by product: (1) Whole life credits guaranteed cash values plus potential dividends; several leading mutuals declared 2024 dividend interest rates between 5.75% and 6.34% (e.g., <a href=\"https:\/\/www.massmutual.com\">MassMutual 6.10%<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pennmutual.com\/about\/newsroom\/press-releases\/penn-mutual-announces-2024-dividend\">Penn Mutual 6.34%<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guardianlife.com\">Guardian 5.75%<\/a>). (2) Universal life (UL) credits a declared rate on the fixed account; with insurer portfolio yields rising to roughly 4.7% in 2023 from 4.1% in 2022, many UL fixed accounts have credited mid\u2011single\u2011digit rates (\u22484.0%\u20135.5%)\u2014verify your carrier\u2019s current rate sheet (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.northamericancompany.com\">North American current rates<\/a>). (3) Indexed UL credits index\u2011linked interest subject to caps, participation rates, and spreads; parameters are periodically reset by carriers and illustration limits are governed by the NAIC\u2019s AG 49\u2011A\/49\u2011B framework (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.milliman.com\">Milliman on AG 49\u2011B<\/a>). (4) Variable UL invests in market\u2011linked subaccounts; performance is market\u2011driven and reduced by policy and fund charges (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.investor.gov\">Investor.gov<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finra.org\">FINRA<\/a>). Once value accumulates, owners can make withdrawals (usually tax\u2011free up to basis on non\u2011MECs), take loans, apply value to premiums, or surrender. Tax order and reporting follow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p525\">IRS Pub. 525<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section72\">IRC \u00a772<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because favorable tax treatment comes with conditions, access must be managed carefully. Loans accrue interest and are generally not taxable on non\u2011MECs while the policy stays in force, but a lapse or surrender with a loan triggers taxable income to the extent of gain and is reported on Form 1099\u2011R (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p525\">IRS Pub. 525<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/instructions\/i1099r\">1099\u2011R instructions<\/a>). Policy withdrawals reduce cash value and can reduce death benefit depending on design; surrender charges in early years may apply (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC consumer guidance<\/a>). To change contracts without current tax, consider a compliant <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section1035\">\u00a71035 exchange<\/a>. Learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/insurance\/life\/use-your-cash-value\/\">the ways you can and can\u2019t use your cash value here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of cash value life insurance policies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cash value with whole life insurance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Pros<\/strong><ul><li>Guaranteed death benefit and guaranteed cash value schedule; potential dividends can enhance value (recent 2024 dividend interest rates include 6.10%, 6.34%, and 5.75% at major mutuals; dividends are not guaranteed) (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.massmutual.com\">MassMutual<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pennmutual.com\/about\/newsroom\/press-releases\/penn-mutual-announces-2024-dividend\">Penn Mutual<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guardianlife.com\">Guardian<\/a>).<\/li><li>Tax\u2011deferred cash value growth; on non\u2011MEC policies, withdrawals are generally tax\u2011free up to basis under FIFO rules (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p525\">IRS Pub. 525<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section72\">IRC \u00a772<\/a>).<\/li><li>Access to funds via withdrawals\/loans per policy terms; properly designed loans on non\u2011MECs are typically non\u2011taxable while the policy remains in force (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p525\">IRS Pub. 525<\/a>).<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Cons<\/strong><ul><li>Premiums are much higher than term for the same face amount\u2014often about 5\u00d7\u201315\u00d7\u2014even in today\u2019s rate environment (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.policygenius.com\/life-insurance\/life-insurance-price-index\/\">Policygenius<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/advisor\/life-insurance\/average-life-insurance-rates\/\">Forbes Advisor<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\">NerdWallet<\/a>).<\/li><li>Policy can lapse if not funded; while nonforfeiture options exist (e.g., reduced paid\u2011up\/extended term), careful monitoring is essential (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC<\/a>).<\/li><li>Early surrenders may incur surrender charges and any gain is taxed as ordinary income; changes can affect MEC testing and future tax treatment (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.finra.org\">FINRA<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section7702A\">IRC \u00a77702A<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p525\">IRS Pub. 525<\/a>).<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/insurance\/life\/best-whole\/\">Whole life insurance<\/a> features level premiums, guaranteed cash values, and non\u2011guaranteed dividends that reflect insurer experience and interest\u2011rate conditions. Recent dividend announcements illustrate the rate backdrop (e.g., MassMutual 6.10%, Penn Mutual 6.34%, Guardian 5.75% for 2024), but actual policy crediting depends on your policy series and options like paid\u2011up additions (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.massmutual.com\">MassMutual<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pennmutual.com\/about\/newsroom\/press-releases\/penn-mutual-announces-2024-dividend\">Penn Mutual<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guardianlife.com\">Guardian<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cash value with universal life insurance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Pros<\/strong><ul><li>Flexible premium payments and adjustable death benefit (subject to funding and corridor rules), enabling tailored accumulation or protection strategies (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC<\/a>).<\/li><li>Can use cash value to pay premiums; declared fixed\u2011account crediting has commonly been mid\u2011single digits recently (\u22484.0%\u20135.5%), with policy guarantees often around 1%\u20132% (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.northamericancompany.com\">carrier rate sheets<\/a>).<\/li><li>Minimum interest rate is guaranteed on fixed accounts, and some UL designs offer no\u2011lapse (secondary) guarantees that can keep the death benefit in force if specified premium requirements are met (availability and capital considerations vary by insurer) (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfi-bsif.gc.ca\">OSFI LICAT<\/a>).<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Cons<\/strong><ul><li>Guaranteed minimums on fixed accounts may be low (often about 1%\u20132%), and current crediting rates can change over time (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.northamericancompany.com\">carrier rate sheets<\/a>).<\/li><li>Distribution tax rules depend on MEC status: non\u2011MEC withdrawals are generally basis\u2011first; MEC distributions are income\u2011first and may face a 10% additional tax before age 59\u00bd (<a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section72\">IRC \u00a772<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section7702A\">\u00a77702A<\/a>).<\/li><li>Underfunding and rising charges can cause lapse; surrender charges apply in early years and secondary guarantees require strict premium funding to remain effective (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC<\/a>).<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Universal life policies credit a declared rate on a fixed account and, for indexed UL, index\u2011linked interest subject to caps, participation rates, and spreads. In the higher\u2011rate environment, insurers\u2019 improved portfolio yields have supported higher declared crediting and larger option budgets, which in turn support stronger caps\/participation settings\u2014though actual parameters vary and are constrained by illustration rules under AG 49\u2011A\/49\u2011B (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.milliman.com\">Milliman<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.northamericancompany.com\">North American current rates<\/a>). Review current rate bulletins and request compliant illustrations to see both current and guaranteed scenarios (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC<\/a>).<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cash value with variable universal life insurance\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Pros<\/strong><ul><li>Choose from market\u2011linked subaccounts (equity, bond, cash\u2011like), allowing customized risk\/return exposure with tax\u2011deferred growth (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.investor.gov\">Investor.gov<\/a>).<\/li><li>Tax deferral on investment growth inside the policy; potential for higher long\u2011term returns compared with fixed\/declared\u2011rate designs, depending on markets (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.finra.org\">FINRA<\/a>).<\/li><li>Cash\u2011like subaccounts have benefited from elevated short\u2011term yields; 3\u2011month U.S. Treasury rates hovered in the mid\u20115% range through much of 2024\u20132025 (<a href=\"https:\/\/fred.stlouisfed.org\/series\/DGS3MO\">FRED DGS3MO<\/a>).<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Cons<\/strong><ul><li>Market risk: cash value and death benefit can fluctuate; poor sequences can require additional premiums to avoid lapse (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.finra.org\">FINRA<\/a>).<\/li><li>Policy and fund charges apply\u2014typical ranges include fund expense ratios \u22480.20%\u20132.00% and mortality &amp; expense (M&amp;E) risk charges \u22480.60%\u20131.85% annually, plus admin fees and ongoing cost of insurance (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.finra.org\">FINRA<\/a>).<\/li><li>Transfer restrictions and surrender charges may apply; loans reduce invested value and introduce loan\u2011rate\/crediting spread risk (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.investor.gov\">Investor.gov<\/a>).<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Variable universal life allocates cash value to separate\u2011account subaccounts and has no guaranteed crediting. Net results equal market returns minus a stack of charges (fund ERs, M&amp;E, admin fees, COI). Equity proxies have shown low\u2011double\u2011digit 10\u2011year annualized returns in recent dashboards, whereas core bonds are in low single digits; cash proxies remain elevated\u2014context that shaped recent VUL outcomes (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spglobal.com\/spdji\/en\/index-dashboard\/us\/\">S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloombergindices.com\/indices\/bloomberg-us-aggregate-bond-index\/\">Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/fred.stlouisfed.org\/series\/DGS3MO\">FRED<\/a>). Industry sales trends often improve for VUL when equities are strong (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.limra.com\">LIMRA 2025 sales update<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to access the cash value in your life insurance policy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The cash value and death benefit are typically separate. You can often make partial withdrawals, subject to policy limits and any surrender charge schedule. For non\u2011MEC policies, cumulative withdrawals generally follow FIFO rules and are not taxable until they exceed your cost basis; MEC distributions are income\u2011first and generally taxable, with a 10% additional tax on taxable amounts taken before age 59\u00bd unless an exception applies. Insurers issue Form 1099\u2011R for taxable distributions and report MEC status on applicable transactions (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p525\">IRS Pub. 525<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section72\">IRC \u00a772<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section7702A\">\u00a77702A<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/instructions\/i1099r\">1099\u2011R instructions<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another option is to take out a loan against your cash value. Interest accrues and reduces net growth. Loans on non\u2011MEC policies are generally not taxable while the policy remains in force, but if the policy lapses or is surrendered with a loan outstanding, the unpaid balance is treated as a distribution and any gain above basis is taxed as ordinary income in that year (reported on Form 1099\u2011R) (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p525\">IRS Pub. 525<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/instructions\/i1099r\">1099\u2011R instructions<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A final option is to use your cash value to pay your insurance premiums rather than paying out of pocket. Monitor funding closely\u2014using cash value for premiums can raise lapse risk if crediting or market performance falls short. Best practice is to request annual in\u2011force illustrations under current and stress assumptions and adjust premiums or benefits as needed (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC consumer guidance<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cash value life insurance fits buyers who need lifetime coverage and value tax\u2011deferred accumulation with access to funds via withdrawals and loans. For pure death\u2011benefit needs over a set period, term life is typically far cheaper\u2014often about 5\u00d7\u201315\u00d7 less expensive on monthly premiums for the same face amount (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.policygenius.com\/life-insurance\/life-insurance-price-index\/\">Policygenius<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/advisor\/life-insurance\/average-life-insurance-rates\/\">Forbes Advisor<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\">NerdWallet<\/a>). Today\u2019s rate environment has lifted many UL fixed\u2011account crediting rates and stabilized some whole\u2011life dividend scales, while IUL illustrations are governed by AG 49\u2011B and index crediting parameters are periodically reset (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.milliman.com\">Milliman<\/a>). Be aware of evolving oversight: U.S. regulators are tightening guidance around algorithmic underwriting (e.g., NAIC AI Model Bulletin; Colorado SB21\u2011169), which affects underwriting programs and disclosures, and global regimes continue to push for clearer value\/communication standards (<a href=\"https:\/\/content.naic.org\">NAIC AI<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.colorado.gov\">Colorado DOI<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fca.org.uk\/firms\/consumer-duty\">FCA Consumer Duty<\/a>). Before tapping cash value, know the tax rules under <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section72\">\u00a772<\/a>\/<a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section7702A\">\u00a77702A<\/a>, consider a <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title26-section1035\">\u00a71035 exchange<\/a> if replacing, and review annually to manage lapse risk, surrender charges, and MEC limits. Taxable gains are subject to ordinary income rates up to 37% in 2025 (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\">IRS<\/a>).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cash value life insurance includes whole life, universal life (including indexed UL), and variable universal life. All provide lifelong death benefit protection if kept in force and build a tax-deferred cash value governed by IRC \u00a772. Access to that value is possible through withdrawals, policy loans, or surrender, but the tax outcome depends on whether [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":345,"featured_media":349429,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1270],"tags":[],"post_author":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Is Cash Value Life Insurance? | Reviews.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Permanent life insurance always comes with some form of cash value. 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How much money gets deposited, and its growth potential, depends on the type of permanent life insurance you choose.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/insurance\/life\/cash-value\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Is Cash Value Life Insurance? | Reviews.com","og_description":"Permanent life insurance always comes with some form of cash value. How much money gets deposited, and its growth potential, depends on the type of permanent life insurance you choose.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/insurance\/life\/cash-value\/","og_site_name":"Reviews.com","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Reviewscom\/","article_published_time":"2025-11-07T21:21:04+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":683,"url":"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Featured-Image-What-is-Cash-Value-Life-Insurance-1024x683.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Reviews Staff","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"What Is Cash Value Life Insurance? | Reviews.com","twitter_description":"Permanent life insurance always comes with some form of cash value. 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