FINANCEMonths to result

The Truth About Cash Value Life Insurance

Don't invest in life insurance

Problem it solves

poor financial decisions

Best for

Those who want to avoid bad investments

Not ideal for

Those who are already invested in cash value life insurance

Overview

Why this framework exists

Cash value life insurance is a bad investment that combines insurance and savings. The returns are horrible, and the expenses are high. It's better to get term life insurance and invest the difference in a mutual fund.

Core principles

3 total
  1. Don't invest in life insurance
  2. Term life insurance is a better option
  3. Mutual funds are a better investment than cash value life insurance

Steps

3 steps
  1. Understand the risks of cash value life insurance
    Learn about the high expenses and low returns of cash value life insurance
    Pro tipGet term life insurance instead
    WarningDon't invest in cash value life insurance
  2. Get term life insurance
    Term life insurance is a better option than cash value life insurance
    Pro tipShop around for the best rates
    WarningDon't invest in cash value life insurance
  3. Invest the difference in a mutual fund
    Mutual funds are a better investment than cash value life insurance
    Pro tipDiversify your portfolio
    WarningDon't invest in cash value life insurance

Checklist

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Examples

2 cases
The $100 per month example

A thirty-year-old man has $100 per month to spend on life insurance. He can purchase $125,000 in term life insurance for $10 per month, or he can get a cash value life insurance policy that will cost $100 per month. The cash value policy will have high expenses and low returns, making it a bad investment.

OutcomeThe man chooses the term life insurance policy and invests the difference in a mutual fund.
The $8,000 prepaid funeral example

Sara pays $8,000 for a prepaid funeral. If she had invested the money in a mutual fund instead, it would be worth $842,300 by the time she dies.

OutcomeSara realizes that she made a bad investment and wishes she had invested the money in a mutual fund instead.

Common mistakes

3 traps
Investing in cash value life insurance
Cash value life insurance is a bad investment that combines insurance and savings. The returns are horrible, and the expenses are high.
Not understanding the risks
Many people don't understand the risks of cash value life insurance and end up losing money.
Not shopping around
It's essential to shop around for the best rates and terms when getting term life insurance.

Origin story

How this framework came to be

Dave Ramsey has seen many people get ripped off by cash value life insurance policies. He wants to warn others about the dangers of this investment.

Source

Traced to primary
Source · BOOK
The Total Money Makeover Updated and Expanded
Dave Ramsey · 2024
Open source →

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