How I Borrowed $500,000 Tax-Free From Myself To Buy Real Estate

Garrett Gunderson
How I Borrowed $500,000 Tax-Free From Myself To Buy Real Estate
How I Borrowed $500,000 Tax-Free From Myself To Buy Real Estate
Most people think of life insurance as something for when you’re gone. I see it differently. For me, life insurance is a powerful financial tool I use while I’m alive and enjoying life. In fact, I’ve completely replaced traditional banking with a strategy that gives me liquidity, control, and peace of mind without dealing with middlemen or delays.

I recently borrowed half a million dollars from myself—completely tax-free—to purchase real estate. And here’s the amazing part: I’m still earning interest on that money as if I never touched it. This isn’t some financial sleight of hand; it’s a legitimate strategy that wealthy families have used for generations.

Building Your Living Legacy

The foundation of this approach is properly structured whole life insurance. I’m not talking about “buy term and hope you die” insurance that most financial advisors push. I’m referring to permanent life insurance specifically designed to build cash value.

When structured correctly, the cash value in these policies outperforms traditional saving alternatives like CDs, money markets, and even bonds. Plus, it grows tax-deferred and can be accessed tax-free through policy loans.

This isn’t just about death benefits—it’s about creating a living legacy you can use today.

Making Money on the Buy

When I spot a great real estate opportunity, I don’t waste time begging banks for approval. Instead, I simply borrow against my policy’s cash value. The process is remarkably straightforward:

  • No credit checks
  • No income verification
  • No lengthy application process
  • Just a phone call and a simple form

Within 3-5 days, the money is in my account. Compare that to traditional financing, which can take weeks or months and comes with mountains of paperwork.

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Winning Before You Begin

This approach gives me a tremendous competitive advantage in real estate. While other buyers are stuck in 30-day closing periods and drowning in red tape, I’m closing deals in 9 days or less.

That speed translates directly into negotiating power. I can offer sellers something precious: certainty and speed. Many sellers will accept a slightly lower offer if they know the deal will close quickly and without complications.

I used this exact method to purchase my cabin. The property was in high demand with multiple interested buyers. I beat out two other offers not because I paid more, but because I was ready to close quickly with guaranteed funds.

The Magic of Uninterrupted Compound Growth

Here’s where this strategy truly shines: Even though I borrowed against my policy to buy real estate, my cash value continues growing as if I never touched the money. The insurance company is using their general account funds for my loan, not my actual cash value.

Try doing that with your checking account! When you withdraw money from a bank, that money stops working for you. With properly structured whole life insurance, your money never stops working.

This creates a powerful wealth-building engine where your money is effectively in two places at once—invested in real estate while simultaneously growing in your policy.

Beyond Net Worth: Understanding How Money Works

Real wealth isn’t about net worth on paper. It’s about understanding how to use and move money efficiently. It’s about multiplication and control. The wealthiest families in America have used these strategies for generations to build and preserve wealth.

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What I’m describing isn’t just a clever financial hack—it’s a fundamental shift in how you think about money. Instead of focusing solely on accumulation, this approach emphasizes utilization and velocity.

By creating your own banking system through properly structured whole life insurance, you gain:

  • Control over your capital without bank approval
  • Tax advantages that traditional financing can’t match
  • Uninterrupted compound growth even while using your money
  • A legacy that can benefit multiple generations

The next time you’re considering a real estate purchase or any major investment, ask yourself: Am I using the most efficient source of capital? Or am I letting banks profit from my lack of financial knowledge?

Understanding this strategy has transformed my approach to wealth-building. It’s not about hoarding money—it’s about putting it to work in the most efficient way possible while maintaining control and building a legacy that lasts.

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Garrett Gunderson is an entrepreneur who became a multimillionaire by the age of twenty-six. Garrett coaches elite business owners in the financial services industry. His book, Killing Sacred Cows, was a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller.