Nine Life Group
Our free IUL illustration calculator shows how an Indexed Universal Life policy could grow over your lifetime. Enter your age and monthly budget, choose a goal, and see your death benefit, cash value, and retirement income year by year.
Build your own IUL illustration
Enter a few details and see how a policy could grow year by year. Everything updates as you go.
Year-by-year table
What you get with an IUL
Unique to an IUL
- Tax-free access to cash value through withdrawals and policy loans
- 0% floor: market drops are credited as zero, not a loss
- Growth linked to the S&P 500 and other indexes
- Death benefit for your family, generally income-tax-free
- Living benefits for chronic, critical, or terminal illness
- No IRS contribution caps like a 401(k) or IRA
- No required minimum distributions
- Tax-deferred growth
- Money you can reach before retirement
- Compounding growth over time
What you get with a savings account
- FDIC-insured up to $250,000
- Withdraw anytime with no surrender charges
- No fees at most banks
- Principal is guaranteed
- Simple to open and manage
This calculator is a hypothetical educational example, not a life insurance illustration, offer or guarantee. Values are based on simplified assumptions and an assumed crediting rate that is not guaranteed. Actual policy values depend on the insurance company, product, underwriting, fees and index performance, and may be significantly lower. Policy loans and withdrawals reduce cash value and death benefit and may cause the policy to lapse. Request a personalized illustration from a licensed agent before making any decision. Nine Life Group, licensed insurance agents.
Who an IUL tends to fit
It isn't right for everyone. It usually works best for people who can fund a policy steadily for the long term.
Parents and young families
People who want coverage that lasts and a savings component that grows with their kids.
Professionals planning ahead
Earners who already use a 401(k) or IRA and want another tax-advantaged bucket for retirement.
Business owners
Owners looking at key-person coverage, buy-sell funding, or a supplement to their own retirement.
Anyone building a legacy
Those who want to leave something behind for family or a cause they care about.
What an IUL can do for you
An IUL is permanent life insurance first. On top of the death benefit, part of each premium goes into cash value you can use while you're living.
Lifelong protection
A death benefit that stays in force as long as the policy is properly funded, generally paid to your beneficiaries income-tax-free.
Market upside, 0% floor
Your cash value is credited based on an index like the S&P 500, up to a cap. When the index drops, you're credited 0%, never a loss. Every gain you've earned is locked in and can't be wiped out by a crash.
Tax-free retirement income
Your cash value grows tax-deferred, and you can take it out tax-free through policy loans and withdrawals. No income tax on what you take out, and it doesn't count toward Social Security taxation the way 401(k) withdrawals do.
Flexibility
Within policy limits, you can adjust premiums, choose index strategies, and use your cash value for retirement income, emergencies, or big goals.
In 2008, the S&P 500 fell 38.5% and millions of 401(k)s lost a third of their value. IUL policyholders were credited 0% that year. Their past gains stayed locked in, and when the market recovered, they started growing from where they were instead of digging out of a hole.
Tax-free retirement income. Protection when the market crashes.
An Indexed Universal Life policy grows your cash value when the market goes up and locks in your gains when it goes down. When it's time to retire, you can access that money tax-free. We'll show you exactly how it would work for you.
- Free, no-obligation 30-minute review
- Licensed agents, plain-English answers
- You'll talk to a real, licensed human. No chatbots, no phone trees, no AI bull.
- Options from multiple top-rated carriers
Book your free IUL review
Takes 20 minutes. An agent will reach out to schedule a time that works for you.
You're booked in.
A licensed Nine Life Group agent will contact you within one business day to set up your review. Set aside about 30 minutes, and if you have a spouse or partner, invite them to join.
How it works
No pressure and no jargon. You decide at every step.
Book your review
Fill out the form and an agent will schedule a 30-minute call at a time that suits you.
Talk through your goals
We'll go over your income, health, timeline, and any coverage you already have.
Compare your options
We show you illustrations from several carriers and explain the trade-offs, costs included.
Apply and review
If you move forward, we handle the application with you and walk through the approved policy together.
Common questions
Can I have an IUL if I already have a 401(k) or IRA?
Yes. Many people use an IUL alongside employer plans, often after capturing any 401(k) match. It doesn't replace those accounts; it adds a different kind of tax treatment and life insurance protection.
What happens to my money when the market crashes?
Nothing is lost to the market. Your cash value isn't invested directly in stocks, and the 0% floor means a down year is credited as zero, not a loss. That's what protected IUL owners in 2008. The only things that come out of your cash value are the policy's insurance costs and fees, which is why a well-designed, properly funded policy matters. We build yours so those costs stay low relative to your growth.
How is the income really tax-free?
Under the federal tax code, life insurance cash value grows tax-deferred, and policy loans aren't treated as taxable income. You can withdraw up to what you've paid in tax-free, then take tax-free loans against the rest. The key is keeping the policy in force and funded within IRS limits so it isn't classified as a Modified Endowment Contract. We design every policy with that in mind.
What's the difference between an IUL and whole life?
Whole life has fixed premiums and guaranteed cash value growth. An IUL offers flexible premiums and index-linked growth potential with a cap and a floor, but fewer guarantees. Which one fits depends on your goals and comfort with flexibility.
How much does an IUL cost?
It depends on your age, health, coverage amount, and how much you want to put toward cash value. During your review we'll show you real numbers based on your situation.
Are there downsides I should know about?
Yes. IULs have fees, surrender charges in the early years, and caps that limit upside. They work best as a long-term commitment. We'll go over all of this before you decide anything.
Does the review cost anything?
No. The review is free and there's no obligation to buy.
About Nine Life Group
We're an independent insurance agency based in Philadelphia, built on a simple idea: every family deserves a plan that protects them today and grows with them tomorrow.
Because we're independent, we aren't tied to one insurance company. We compare options from multiple top-rated carriers and recommend what actually fits your goals and budget. No pressure, no jargon, just honest guidance from people who care about getting it right.
Learn more about us- IndependentNot tied to any single carrier
- LicensedLicensed insurance professionals
- LocalProudly based in Philadelphia, PA
- HumanReal people, every step of the way
See if an IUL fits your plan
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