When Can I Start Using My Policy for Retirement
The three gates: liquidity, capitalization, sustainable draw. Conservative 3 to 4% starting draw guidance.
Product identification: this page discusses participating whole life insurance. It is insurance, not a bank account or investment.
We are not a bank: “The Infinite Banker” is an education brand. We do not accept deposits, and we do not offer FDIC- or NCUA-insured products.
Guaranteed vs non-guaranteed: dividends and other non-guaranteed elements are not guaranteed and may change. Any values shown that include non-guaranteed elements are for education only.
The Question We Hear Most
“I’ve been funding this policy for 10 years. When can I actually start using it for retirement income?”
It’s the right question. But the answer isn’t a simple age or timeline. It depends on three gates: liquidity, capitalization, and sustainable draw rate.
Pass all three gates and you’re retirement-ready. Miss one and you need more time.
Gate 1: Liquidity
The test: Does your policy have enough cash value to cover your desired annual retirement income?
Minimum threshold: Cash value should equal at least 10x your first year’s desired draw.
Why 10x?
Provides cushion for dividend fluctuations
Keeps loan-to-value ratio conservative (starting at 10%)
Allows for growth to outpace draws over time
Example:
Desired retirement income from policy: $40,000/year
Minimum cash value needed: $400,000
Policy with $300,000 cash value: Not ready yet
Some clients pass this gate early (after 8 to 10 years of aggressive funding). Others take 15 to 20 years. It depends on funding level and policy design.
Gate 2: Capitalization
The test: Have you funded the policy long enough for it to be “self-sustaining” with dividends covering most or all of the base premium?
Why this matters:
If you’re still paying significant out-of-pocket premiums in retirement, you’re not truly drawing income. You’re just moving money in circles.
What “self-sustaining” looks like:
Dividends cover 80% to 100% of base premium
You’re only paying small out-of-pocket amounts (or nothing)
Policy can coast even if you stop all contributions
Timeline:
For most well-designed policies, this happens around year 12 to 18, depending on funding level and carrier dividend performance.
Example:
Base premium: $30,000/year
Year 10 dividend: $18,000
Dividend covers: 60% (not quite there yet)
Year 15 dividend: $27,000
Dividend covers: 90% (ready to coast)
Gate 3: Sustainable Draw Rate
The test: Is your desired income draw rate conservative enough to last 25 to 35 years?
Conservative guideline: 3% to 4% of cash value per year.
Why 3% to 4%?
Leaves room for dividends to continue growing the base
Accounts for interest accruing on loans
Provides margin for dividend rate fluctuations
Avoids loan-to-value ratios that threaten policy integrity
Example calculation:
Cash value: $500,000
3% draw: $15,000/year
4% draw: $20,000/year
Both sustainable for 30+ years with typical dividend support
Red flag scenario:
Cash value: $500,000
Desired draw: $40,000/year (8%)
Risk: Policy depletes in 15 to 20 years, loan balance spirals
If your desired income requires more than 4% to 5% annual draw, you either need more time to build cash value or need to adjust retirement spending.
Putting the Three Gates Together
You’re retirement-ready when:
✓ Cash value equals at least 10x your desired first-year draw
✓ Dividends cover 80%+ of base premium
✓ Draw rate is 3% to 4% of cash value
Scenario A: Pass all three gates
Age: 60
Cash value: $800,000
Desired draw: $30,000/year (3.75%)
Dividend coverage of premium: 95%
Status: Green light for retirement income
Scenario B: Fail Gate 1 (liquidity)
Age: 58
Cash value: $250,000
Desired draw: $40,000/year (16%)
Dividend coverage: 85%
Status: Not ready. Need more cash value.
Scenario C: Fail Gate 2 (capitalization)
Age: 55
Cash value: $600,000
Desired draw: $24,000/year (4%)
Dividend coverage of premium: 50%
Status: Not ready. Policy not self-sustaining yet.
What If You’re Not Ready?
If you fail one or more gates, you have options:
Option 1: Delay retirement
Give the policy another 3 to 5 years to build. Cash value grows, dividends increase, gates clear.
Option 2: Reduce desired income
Instead of $50k/year, take $30k/year. Lower draw rate passes Gate 3.
Option 3: Add another income source
Use the policy as supplemental income, not primary. Social Security, pension, or part-time work covers the gap.
Option 4: Increase funding now
If you’re 5 years from retirement and falling short, ramp up PUA contributions to accelerate cash value growth.
The Role of Dividends in Sustainability
Here’s why dividends matter for long-term draws:
When you take a policy loan, interest accrues on the loan balance. But your full cash value continues earning dividends. If dividend rates stay healthy (historically 4% to 6%), the growth can offset or exceed the loan interest.
Example over 10 years:
Starting cash value: $500,000
Annual draw: $20,000 (4%)
Total drawn over 10 years: $200,000
Loan balance after 10 years: $240,000 (with accrued interest)
Cash value after 10 years: $580,000 (with dividend growth)
Net equity: $340,000 (cash value minus loan)
Even after 10 years of draws, net equity is still significant. The policy didn’t deplete, it kept growing.
That’s the power of uninterrupted compounding.
Starting Too Early: The Risk
If you start taking retirement income before passing all three gates, you risk:
Loan spiral: Loan balance grows faster than cash value
Forced lapse: Policy terminates due to excessive loans
Tax bomb: If policy lapses with outstanding loans, you face taxable gain
We’ve seen clients who started draws at age 55 with $300k cash value and $50k/year needs. By age 65, the policy was underwater and had to be surrendered. That’s a failed strategy.
Don’t start too early.
When Clients Typically Start
Based on our client base:
Early retirement (age 55 to 60):
Requires aggressive funding for 15+ years. Cash value typically $600k to $1M+. Draw rates 3% to 3.5%.
Traditional retirement (age 62 to 67):
Standard funding for 20+ years. Cash value $400k to $800k. Draw rates 3.5% to 4%.
Late retirement (age 70+):
Policy fully matured, dividends robust. Cash value $800k+. Draw rates can be slightly higher (4% to 5%) due to shorter timeline.
Real Client Case
Client profile:
Age 58, funded policy for 14 years
Cash value: $420,000
Desired retirement income: $25,000/year
Dividend coverage of premium: 88%
Our assessment:
Gate 1: Pass ($420k is 16.8x desired draw)
Gate 2: Pass (88% dividend coverage)
Gate 3: Pass (5.95% draw rate... borderline)
Recommendation:
Wait two more years. Let cash value grow to $500k, which brings draw rate down to 5%. Or reduce desired income to $20k/year (4.76% draw rate).
Client chose to wait. At age 60, cash value hit $510k. Started taking $20k/year. Policy has performed beautifully for four years now.
The Bottom Line
Don’t guess. Run the numbers through all three gates. If you pass, proceed with confidence. If you fail any gate, adjust the plan.
Retirement income from a whole life policy is powerful when done right. But “when” matters as much as “how.”
This system works best for high earners with existing liquidity and the capacity to fund meaningfully each month. If that’s you, complete intake and book your Discovery call.
Invitation to inquire: The information provided is an invitation to inquire about our services and is not an offer to sell insurance or securities. Renewal, cancellation, termination: Policies require ongoing premium payments. Non-payment may result in lapse or termination. Surrendering a policy may result in fees and tax consequences. Licensing scope: We are licensed insurance professionals. We do not provide legal, tax, or investment advice. Consult your advisors. Loans reduce cash value and death benefit: Outstanding loans and interest reduce available cash value and death benefit. Loans are not required to be repaid during the insured’s lifetime, but unpaid loans will reduce death benefit. Comparisons are educational: Any comparisons to other financial products are for educational purposes only and are not guarantees of performance. “Infinite Banking Concept®” is a registered trademark of Infinite Banking Concepts, LLC. The Infinite Banker is independent: We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Infinite Banking Concepts, LLC.