Two fundamentally different approaches to wealth building. One follows Wall Street's playbook. The other prioritizes tax-free growth and downside protection.
Traditional brokerage accounts are taxed three ways. FlexVault? Zero.
Net after-tax value: ~$542,000 (vs. $685,000 pre-tax)
Tax-free value: ~$480,000 + death benefit
After a 50% loss, you need a 100% gain just to break even. FlexVault's 0% floor eliminates this math problem.
-37%
Brokerage
0%
FlexVault
Recovery needed: +59% vs 0%
-34%
Brokerage
0%
FlexVault
Recovery needed: +52% vs 0%
-19%
Brokerage
0%
FlexVault
Recovery needed: +23% vs 0%
Traditional Brokerage
$630,000
Need +59% just to recover
FlexVault Strategy
$1,000,000
No recovery needed
See how the numbers play out over a realistic wealth-building timeline.
| Year | Contributed | Net Value |
|---|---|---|
| Year 10 | $500K | $743K |
| Year 15 | $750K | $1.32M |
| Year 20 | $1.0M | $2.22M |
| Year 25 | $1.25M | $3.47M |
At withdrawal (25% tax): ~$2,900,000 net
| Year | Cash Value | Death Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Year 10 | $620K | $1.2M |
| Year 15 | $1.18M | $1.8M |
| Year 20 | $1.92M | $2.6M |
| Year 25 | $2.85M | $3.5M |
At access (tax-free): ~$2,850,000 + $3.5M death benefit
4% withdrawal
$100,000/year
After 25% tax
$75,000/year
❌ Sequence of returns risk: YES
❌ Can run out of money: YES
5% tax-free loans
$125,000/year
No taxes
$125,000/year
âś… Sequence of returns risk: MINIMAL
âś… Death benefit protects family: YES
Annual difference: $50,000 more tax-free income
"I'm not anti-brokerage accounts. I use them for short-term savings and speculation. But they're not my retirement strategy. Here's why:
Taxes kill compounding. A 2% annual tax drag over 25 years costs more than most people realize. Run the actual numbers—don't just compare gross returns.
Risk is underestimated. Everyone's a long-term investor until they see -40% on their statement. The 0% floor isn't exciting, but it's powerful.
Death benefit matters. My brokerage account dies with me (after taxes). My FlexVault creates an instant, tax-free estate for my family.
For high earners building retirement income, the FlexVault Strategy typically wins. Not because of higher returns—because of tax-free access, downside protection, and death benefit multiplication.
I recommend most clients have SOME brokerage exposure for liquidity and flexibility. But the serious wealth building—the retirement income engine—that's what FlexVault is designed for."
Not directly. But you can liquidate (pay capital gains) and use proceeds to fund a policy. Whether this makes sense depends on your gains, tax bracket, and time horizon.
This is why tax diversification matters. Keep a brokerage account for short-term needs (3-5 years), use FlexVault for long-term (15+ years).
Traditional brokerage has higher GROSS returns. FlexVault often has higher NET returns after taxes. The answer depends on your tax situation and time horizon.
This is where FlexVault shines—your beneficiaries receive the full death benefit (often 10-20x what you've paid in early years), completely tax-free.
Your tax bracket, time horizon, and goals determine which approach wins. Let's run the numbers for your specific situation.
Schedule a Strategy Comparison →